As part of the NFL International Series, the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers will travel to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico for a Week 11 showdown on Monday Night Football.

This showdown will mark the fifth and final NFL International Series game of 2022. In Week 4, the Minnesota Vikings played the New Orleans Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. One week later, the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers played at the same venue.

In Week 8, the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars will also play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In Week 10, the Seattle Seahawks and Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers will meet at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.

The sports betting economy is booming in The Copper State, having launched just over a year ago. FanDuel Arizona is among the most popular apps in the state, and there’s a special offer going where if you bet $5, the sportsbooks will give you $150 and a three-month NBA League Pass.

Though Arizona had the worst record in the NFC West through six weeks (2-4), they found themselves just one game out of first place. FanDuel gives them the lowest division odds at +1100, and with superstar wideout DeAndre Hopkins back from suspension, the Cardinals are a good value pick to win the NFC West.

The Week 11 showdown will mark the first NFL game to take place in Mexico since the Kansas City Chiefs-Los Angeles Chargers Week 11, 2019 tilt. That tilt also took place at Estadio Azteca, with Kansas City winning 24-17.

Previewing Cardinals vs. 49ers

Given how wide open the NFC West division is, it’s safe to say that the Cardinals-49ers Week 11 game will carry significant playoff implications.

Despite losing three of five starts vs. the division rival, Kyler Murray has put up superb numbers against the 49ers: A 67.42 completion percentage, 1,107 passing yards and six touchdowns against only two interceptions to go along with 268 rushing yards and a pair of rushing TDs.

But 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has also fared very well in this rivalry. He is 3-2 against the Cardinals with a remarkable 70.74 completion percentage, 1,590 passing yards and 13 touchdowns against only three interceptions.

Arizona has won three of the last four meetings against Kyle Shanahan’s squad, but make no mistake. The 49ers are a much more balanced team this time around.

The Cardinals are really going to need the Murray-Hopkins duo to be on their A-game. And Arizona’s struggling secondary and ineffective pass rush will have to make some big-time plays if they’re to have a chance in this one.

Even if Arizona finds themselves out of the division race at this point, Murray’s track record against San Fran speaks for itself. This will be a tough game for both sides, and it really does feel like a coin flip.

Cardinals Have A Chance To Snag Up-For-Grabs NFC West

Many expected the NFC West to be the toughest division in football this year, and for good reason. The division sent three teams to the playoffs last year, including the two NFC finalists in the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers. LA, of course, went on to win Super Bowl 56 over the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium.

But the Rams have struggled to move the ball consistently, due in large part to issues on the offensive line. The Cardinals went 11-6 last year, yet they already find themselves two losses away from matching their 2021 loss total.

The 49ers have been hit hard by injuries to key players. They lost starting quarterback Trey Lance for the season with an ankle fracture in Week 2. Stalwart offensive lineman Trent Williams, Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle and top pass rushers Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead are among the top contributors who’ve also missed time.

The Seattle Seahawks have exceeded expectations thanks to a prolific offense led by Comeback Player of the Year candidate Geno Smith, who has outperformed Russell Wilson in Denver up to this point. But the Seahawks’ struggles on defense, coupled with a very difficult upcoming schedule, figure to catch up to them at some point.

So despite Arizona’s sluggish start, there is still a path here for them to gain some ground and make another run at the playoffs.