SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- With Carson Palmer sidelined by a concussion, the one-win Arizona Cardinals turned to Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson and an opportunistic defense for a much-needed victory.
Drew Stanton threw two touchdown passes to Fitzgerald in the quarterback's first start in two years, Johnson ran for two scores and the Cardinals capitalized on San Francisco mistakes to beat the 49ers 33-21 on Thursday night.
"We were a hungry team, a team that knows that we dug a hole for ourselves and we had to win this game," coach Bruce Arians said.
The Cardinals (2-3) got 17 points off three turnovers by the 49ers (1-4) - two interceptions by Blaine Gabbert and a fumbled kickoff return by Chris Davis - and also had one drive extended by a running-into-the-kicker penalty.
"I don't think anybody played well on offense. Nobody," Niners coach Chip Kelly said. "I don't think we protected well enough, I don't think we threw it well enough and we had too many drops and two interceptions."
Stanton didn't produce much, going 11 for 27 for 124 yards. But Arizona didn't turn the ball over and got 157 yards rushing from Johnson to get the win. Johnson added 28 yards receiving, and Fitzgerald caught six passes for 81 yards as that duo combined to gain 266 of the team's 288 yards from scrimmage.
The defense did the rest with the two interceptions and seven sacks.
"We've been saying all week it just starts with one. Just get one win and try to stack them," defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. "We've been a team in the past that can rip off a bunch of them. ... Now we have to figure out what we can do to keep that ball rolling."
Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press
