Trey McBride had just finished with his second 100-yard game of the season – something that had never happened for a Cardinals tight end since they moved to Arizona – while his team posted a season-high in total yards and rushing yards.

These are the things that should draw a smile.

Yet McBride was blunt in his one-word assessment: "Frustrated."

Such a reaction wasn't surprising, not after a 45-29 loss at State Farm Stadium to the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers (11-3) clinched the NFC West, while the Cardinals (3-11) were left irritated.

While the Niners are trending toward an NFC championship game appearance (at the least), the Cardinals don't feel like a three-win team, at least not one that has been seen around these parts. Allowing 45 points to a team doesn't mesh well with "progress," but Sunday's result also felt like it fell along the lines of where each roster sits at currently – and Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort hasn't had enough time to build what he envisions.

"It doesn't feel like it's far off, right?" linebacker Josh Woods said. "I agree. If you are someone who just looks at records, yeah, OK, you might feel some way about this team. But in my opinion, you don't know enough about ball."

The Cardinals had 436 total yards and 234 yards rushing. James Conner had 86 yards rushing and a score on 14 carries, a nice pairing with McBride's 10 catches for 102 yards.

But the 49ers had notable numbers themselves, like Brock Purdy throwing four touchdown passes and running back Christian McCaffrey totaling 187 yards rushing and receiving and adding three touchdowns (after scoring four against the Cards earlier this season.)

"That wasn't winning stats," coach Jonathan Gannon said. "We lost the takeaway battle two-nothing, and that's what you get against a good football team."

The first turnover was painful, the Cardinals going for it on fourth-and-3 at the San Francisco 42 in a 7-7 game. Quarterback Kyler Murray tried to find McBride; instead he found cornerback Charvarius Ward, who sprinted right up the middle of the field for a 66-yard touchdown return, and the 49ers never trailed again.

It wasn't because the Cardinals couldn't move the ball. They could. But they ended up with field goals on each of their next possessions, and against the Niners, that simply won't work.

"We moved the ball but they are a good team," Murray said. "Against a good team like that, you've got to put the ball in the end zone."

Against a good team the Cardinals can't also mismanage coverages, leaving both Deebo Samuel and McCaffrey uncovered on touchdown passes – McCaffrey even fell down at the 10-yard line and was so by himself he had time to get back up and run in the end zone. (Gannon said anytime that happens "that's on coaching.")

Of the Cardinals' five scores – excluding the late tack-on Elijah Higgins touchdown catch – the 49ers answered four of them with touchdown drives.

Murray helped the run game with 49 yards on six carries, but he was only 26-of-39 for 211 yards, one TD and two interceptions in a game in which his wide receivers had just four receptions.

"You've got to be a team that gets better as the year goes on, you know?" Conner said. "I just don't know if we … we've got guys that don't understand that yet. You know, they're still trying to figure it out. As a team, we're in this together though. We're not singling nobody out, but more sense of urgency, you know, attention to the details. It's a real fine line for mistakes, make too many mistakes and you're not going to win."

McBride lamented that he didn't come back for the ball enough on the Murray pick-6 – Murray took the blame for the turnover – as one of the "little things" the Cardinals let slide.

There are three games left to go from being "close" – McBride's words – to all the way there. The next two are road trips to Chicago and Philadelphia, neither easy tasks.

The suggestion of letting up at this point may as well have been foul language when it was brought up.

"I know that's not this team," Murray said. "Me personally, offensively, we won't allow it. Defensively I know the guys over there won't.

"We've said all along our record isn't going to determine how we play football."