ARI
Arizona Cardinals
74.3PFM Team Score#26 NFL
VS
Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the San Francisco 49ers higher than the Arizona Cardinals overall, with a major advantage. The main reasons are the stronger coaching operation and the deeper roster.
Current PFM Team Scores
Major edgeSF
San Francisco 49ers
86.8PFM Team Score#4 NFL
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the San Francisco 49ers Higher
Kyle Shanahan is the coaching difference. San Francisco has the more dependable answers when the first answer stops working. The Arizona Cardinals are closest in franchise direction, where the teams remain essentially even.
San Francisco also brings the deeper roster. San Francisco adds the more dependable offense. That is enough to keep the San Francisco 49ers ahead.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Arizona vs. San Francisco Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
ARIArizona Cardinals
SFSan Francisco 49ers
ARIZONA’S BEST PUSHBACK
Franchise Direction Is Arizona’s Only Close Fight
Arizona's long-term direction gives the team one place to push back. Arizona sits only 2.4 points behind San Francisco in Franchise Direction, but close is not the same as an edge. San Francisco still has Brock Purdy at quarterback and the deeper roster, two advantages the Cardinals cannot match in this comparison.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
ARI74.3
Arizona Cardinals 74.3SF86.8
San Francisco 49ers 86.8Overall NFL Rank
ARI#26
Arizona Cardinals #26SF#4
San Francisco 49ers #4QB Stability
ARI78.5
Arizona Cardinals 78.5SF85.5
San Francisco 49ers 85.5Roster Strength
ARI73.8
Arizona Cardinals 73.8SF83.8
San Francisco 49ers 83.8Coaching Direction
ARI71.9
Arizona Cardinals 71.9SF85.0
San Francisco 49ers 85.0Recent Performance
ARI71.8
Arizona Cardinals 71.8SF85.2
San Francisco 49ers 85.2Offense
ARI76.5
Arizona Cardinals 76.5SF85.2
San Francisco 49ers 85.2Defense
ARI74.2
Arizona Cardinals 74.2SF82.1
San Francisco 49ers 82.1Franchise Direction
ARI73.1
Arizona Cardinals 73.1SF75.5
San Francisco 49ers 75.5Explosiveness
ARI68.3
Arizona Cardinals 68.3SF77.7
San Francisco 49ers 77.7Conference Rank
ARI#13
Arizona Cardinals #13SF#3
San Francisco 49ers #3Division Rank
ARI#4
Arizona Cardinals #4SF#3
San Francisco 49ers #3Outlook
ARINeeds More HelpSFSuper Bowl Contender
Stronger outlook: San Francisco 49ersSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Arizona Cardinals
Remaining schedule rank: #1
Toughest stretch: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs
Strongest opponents: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams
Next five difficulty: 85.2
View Arizona Cardinals Road AheadSan Francisco 49ers
Remaining schedule rank: #11
Toughest stretch: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs
Strongest opponents: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams
Next five difficulty: 80.4
View San Francisco 49ers Road AheadArizona has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 1. The strongest opponents include Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams. San Francisco also has the more favorable road, which adds to the stronger coaching operation and the deeper roster.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated September 15, 2026. Schedule data updated September 17, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams