49ERS BEAT CARDINALS 36-30 TO IMPROVE TO 3-0

The San Francisco 49ers beat the Arizona Cardinals 36-30 in an NFL game, improving to 3-0 for the season, according to a report. San Francisco built a 14-0 lead, but Arizona kept the contest close until the final moments. Quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 297 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Purdy also had a 45-yard touchdown run overturned to a 35-yard gain after George Kittle was penalised for holding downfield. Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw two touchdown passes and kept his team competitive into the fourth quarter, the report said.

The 49ers lost wide receiver Mike Evans to a rib injury, which the report said was a concern given the team's run of injuries this season. Left tackle Trent Williams left with a stinger but returned to the sideline in the second half looking unaffected, the report said. Kicker Eddy Pineiro converted a 57-yard field goal but missed two extra-point attempts. San Francisco had dominated its opening two games before facing a closer contest in Week 3. The Cardinals, now 1-2, sit fourth in the NFC West, with the report saying they have performed better than expected.

The result leaves the 49ers among the NFL's strongest teams after three weeks, the report said. Elsewhere in the league, the Las Vegas Raiders also reached 3-0, beating the New Orleans Saints in a comeback win led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, according to a separate report. That report said the Raiders achieved their best start in several years without using Fernando Mendoza, described as the team's reigning first overall draft pick. No further fixtures for the 49ers or Cardinals were confirmed in the reports.