The 49ers face the Cardinals on Sunday for the second time in three weeks. San Francisco won the first meeting 28-25, but the showing left some doubt as to whether Arizona is as bad as their now 3-6-1 record indicates.

We caught up with Jess Root, the managing editor of Cards Wire, to chat with him about Sunday’s matchup and how the Cardinals have gotten to this point in head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s first season.

Niners Wire: How much does having a healthy David Johnson change the Cardinals’ game plan on offense?

Jess Root: Well, it doesn’t really change much. With Kenyan Drake, it allows the Cardinals to do more or less everything they normally do. However, it does allow them to put both Johnson and Drake on the field at the same time.  We saw a little of that against the Bucs, but it wasn’t used to the fullest degree with one motioning out of the backfield to receiver. That would be ideal in my opinion and would allow Johnson to get more involved successfully.

NW: Christian Kirk is coming off a huge three-touchdown game vs. Tampa Bay. Is he going to be the focal point of the Cards’ passing attack as long as he’s healthy?

JR: The Cardinals were really high on Kirk entering this season. Before his ankle injury against the Seahawks, he was really beginning to produce. Now, the Bucs are terrible in defending the pass, but his performance last week is the type of ceiling we expect. The team believes he has the juice to be a No. 1 receiver, and his positional flexibility makes him a tough matchup.

NW: Arizona is 27th in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed. Is their defense just missing talent, or is there something bigger going on?

JR: Well, since changing schemes back to a supposed “attacking 3-4 defense” didn’t yield better results, one would think that talent is the issue, rather than coaching or scheme, as they have been bad in a 4-3 and a 3-4 under two different coaches. That said, the Cardinals do have talent. Chandler Jones and Patrick Peterson are among the best at their position. Jordan Hicks is solid. The problem is everywhere else is either manned by OK guys or young players who haven’t developed.

They brought in D.J. Swearinger last season, who was a borderline Pro Bowler. He was terrible. Robert Nkemdiche showed up fat and out of shape before he was cut. Darius Philon, a big free agent addition, allegedly pulled a gun on strippers and threatened them, leading to his arrest and release from the team. Linebacker Haason Reddick just hasn’t developed as an off-the-ball linebacker.

It’s a mess, and one has to wonder if they will have to change coordinators again.

NW: Three of Arizona’s six losses are by a combined 12 points. Two of those were vs. playoff teams, Baltimore and San Francisco. What’s the main reason the Cardinals are finding ways to stay in games with a middling offense and a bottom-of-the-league defense?

JR: Well, Kyler Murray is a playmaker. And the defense isn’t always bad. It is very good for about two-thirds of most games. Their middling offense is mostly the result of kicking field goals in the red zone instead of scoring touchdowns. They are scoring often, just not touchdowns. They also are the best at taking care of the ball, so they stay in ballgames that way.

NW: Prediction time. Do we get another close one, or does one team figure it out and run away with a win?

JR: With as many players out or expected to be out as there will be for the Niners, I expect another close game. San Fran will still make plays, but the Cardinals will once again move the ball against the 49ers defense. Kicker Chase McLaughlin’s made extra point will be the difference. 49ers 28, Cardinals 27