San Francisco @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 13, 2013 ) Arizona 20, San Francisco 32

The Arizona Cardinals are knocking on the door to the postseason, but they’re going to need some help. The San Francisco 49ers, who visit the Cardinals on Sunday, wrapped up their spot in the playoffs last week but still have a shot at the NFC West crown and a first-round bye. The 49ers waved goodbye to Candlestick Park on Monday but could find themselves back in that building for one more game if they can grab a win and get some help.

San Francisco needs the Seattle Seahawks to lose in order to earn a third consecutive NFC West title - something that became possible only after Arizona knocked off the Seahawks last week. The surging Cardinals have won seven of their last eight and took a defensive battle 17-10 from Seattle when Carson Palmer overcame four interceptions and found Michael Floyd for the decisive score. Even a win over the 49ers might not be enough for Arizona, which also needs the New Orleans Saints to lose (or tie) at home to the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Even. O/U: 42

ABOUT THE 49ERS (11-4): San Francisco is allowing an average of 14.8 points during its five-game winning streak but needed a late defensive touchdown in order to seal a 34-24 victory over Atlanta on Monday because of some holes in pass coverage. NaVorro Bowman’s 98-yard interception return for a TD masked some of those deficiencies and kept the team riding a high after the game. “Probably the best thing I’ve ever been associated with that happened to my team in a football game, that particular play,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. The 49ers earned a 32-20 home win over Arizona on Oct. 13 as tight end Vernon Davis made eight catches for 180 yards and a pair of scores.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (10-5): Arizona has won its last three games and is looking for its first 11-win season since moving from St. Louis in 1988. “We are a very confident team right now,” defensive end Calais Campbell told the team’s website. “We feel if we get to the playoffs we can do some damage. We just need to get lucky.” Campbell is part of a Cardinals rushing defense that leads the league, holding opponents to just 84.5 yards on average. That unit gave up 149 yards on the ground to San Francisco in the first meeting.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arizona could become just the second team (New England, 2008) to miss the playoffs with 11 wins under the current alignment.

2. Palmer needs 133 yards to become the first quarterback in history to reach 4,000 yards with three different teams.

3. San Francisco has taken three straight and eight of the last nine in the series.

PREDICTION: 49ers 24, Cardinals 17