I like the Cardinals to win here, but because Drew Stanton is replacing injured Carson Palmer I'm going to play Arizona on the money line rather than lay more than a field goal.

The Cardinals have gotten off to a slow start, but remain vastly superior to San Francisco, which is a bottom-three team. Arizona will be extremely focused at 1-3 and off bad losses to the Bills and Rams.

Stanton is a downgrade from Palmer, but he is more mobile, will be coached up by astute coach Bruce Arians and has an array of weapons, including David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and an emerging John Brown.

Palmer's concussion is the main topic of this matchup, but the 49ers just lost the heart-and-soul of their defense with Pro Bowl linebacker NaVorro Bowman injured last week and out for the year. The 49ers aren't likely to have injured defensive lineman DeForest Buckner either. Those injuries really weaken the 49ers' run defense.

Johnson could run wild here and the threat of him should open up play-action for Stanton. The short practice week hurts the 49ers even more than the Cardinals because of these key defensive injuries and the 49ers' defense being on the field an average of eight more plays per game above the league average due to Chip Kelly's up-tempo offensive pace.

The Cardinals also are well-coached on defense. They bring a variety of blitz packages and can take advantage of Blaine Gabbert's jittery pocket presence and lack of downfield receiving weapons.