Down 23-10 at the half on Sunday, the Cardinals went into the locker room having just been knocked down on the canvas. A Nick Bosa interception and blocked field goal returned for a touchdown delivered the impact.
But as the whistle -- and metaphorical bell -- sounded for the start of the second half, the Cardinals defense fought back.
"It definitely felt like a boxing match," linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. said of the eventual 24-23 win. "They had the upper hand the whole game it felt like. Second half, we come out and throw some punches and we just kept throwing punches and we came out on top."
It was the second time in three weeks that the Cardinals shut out the opposing offense in the second half.
The 49ers' offensive possessions in the second half consisted of a Wilson interception, turnover on downs, a Wilson fumble recovery, and Kyzir White's game-sealing interception.
"The guys really came out firing in the second half," defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said. "It started with the takeaway early, helped get us rolling. We executed well and the players made plays."
Wilson was all over the field on Sunday, with six tackles and his two takeaways. On the interception, as the ball was floating in the linebacker's direction, coming off the Roy Lopez deflection at the line, it brought Wilson back in time.
"Back in my college days, when I was at Alabama, I had a lot of diving interceptions," Wilson said. "Once I saw the ball in the air, I had flashbacks of some of those moments, honestly."
The interception was Wilson's first since 2019, his rookie season -- off a Kyler Murray throw.
The fumble came as the Cardinals defense was on the ropes, with the end zone and the opportunity for the 49ers to add insurance points onto the board just seven yards away. Linebacker Jesse Luketa, who made his season debut on Sunday, forced out the football. Wilson got his hands on the loose ball, the first recovery of his career.
"Jesse told us 'I'm going to punch it out,'" Wilson said. "He does it at practice all the time, so for him to do it, I wasn't surprised."
While they allowed 23 points in the first half, the defense disrupted 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy all game long, causing one of his worst performances since entering the league in 2022. His 16 incompletions were the most in his career, paired with the second-lowest completion percentage (54.3 percent), second-lowest passing yards per attempt (6.97) and third-lowest passer rating (62.1).
According to Next Gen Stats, Purdy was 1-for-6 when under pressure, with White's interception putting a bow on the stat line.
"I think coverage had a hand in that," coach Jonathan Gannon said. "We gave them some different looks, but rush and coverage go together. The guys did a good job."
Whether it's coming off the edge or playing alongside White, the Cardinals had a vision for the sixth-year linebacker when they signed Wilson.
Only a few months into his tenure with the team, the experience has exceeded his expectations, both on and off the field.
"I wouldn't change nothing, honestly," Wilson said. "We're sitting at 2-3, and I still feel like we've got a hell of a football team. We've got a lot of ball ahead of us, going to continue to take it one day at a time. There's still something brewing in the desert."
HERNANDEZ TO IR, HECK TO ACTIVE ROSTER
After being elevated from the practice squad for three straight games, the Cardinals have signed offensive tackle Charlie Heck to the active roster. The spot on the 53 was made once the team officially placed right guard Will Hernandez on injured reserve. Hernandez is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
