49ers Vs. Cardinals: 2010 Monday Night Football TV Time & Predictions

The 2010 Monday Night Football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals (host) is set for Monday November 29 (8:30 PM EST) at the University of Phoenix Stadium. ESPN will air this game in primetime. San Francisco is currently third in the NFC West with a 3-7 record; Arizona ranks last in the NFC West, with an identical record. This article provides TV time and predictions for 2010 49ers-Cardinals game.

1) 49ers-Cardinals Head to Head

The Monday Night Football contest features division rivals San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals. Although San Francisco dominated the rivalry in the early going, Arizona has been the better team in this decade. Since 2005, the 49ers and Cardinals have met 10 times with the latter enjoying a 6-4 record. The two teams last met in December 2009, with the 49ers earning a 24-9 victory over the then division leader Cardinals.

2) Troy Smith vs. Derek Anderson

The final NFL game of week 12 pits two unproven quarterbacks against each other. Monday's game will only be Troy Smith's 4th start of the season. Derek Anderson, on the other hand, has made all 10 starts for his team. Statistically, both quarterbacks are among the worst QBs in the NFL. In his three starts, Smith averages 233 yards a game and holds a QB rating of 91. Anderson has thrown for 1776 yards with a low QB rating of 70. The key difference between the two players is in the number of sacks. Smith has been sacked 11 times in only 3 games, while Anderson has been sacked 23 times in 10 games. The latter has a big advantage in this department.

3) Mike Singletary vs. Ken Whisenhunt

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It is hard to believe that struggling San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals were among the pre-season favorites to win the NFC West. This Monday Night Football game could have been one between two playoff-bound teams. Instead, it is a contest between two 3-7 teams. Since a 0-5 start to the season, Mike Singletary's team has been very much in the hot seat. In a sign of more troubles to come, Singletary is expected to bypass quarterback Alex Smith in favor of Troy Smith, who incidentally was roughed up by Tampa Bay in last weekend's embarrassing defeat.

Unfortunately, the Arizona Cardinals won't gain much from SF's quarterback trouble as the team is facing serious problems of its own. Ken Whisenhunt's team currently ranks either last or next to last in virtually all major offensive and defensive categories. The Cardinals is 30th in total yards and 27th in opposition passing yards. This is from a team that made the playoffs the previous two years, including a Super Bowl appearance in 2008.

My prediction for the 2010 Monday Night Football game between San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals: the Cardinals wins 23-14, by virtue of being the home team. Kickoff time for the game is 8:30 PM EST. The game will be contested at the University of Phoenix Stadium. ESPN will broadcast the Monday Night Football game.