Three things you need to know from 49ers' 20-10 loss vs Cardinals

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SANTA CLARA -- Three things you need to know about the 49ers’ 20-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9 on Sunday:

1. MORE OF THE SAME
The 49ers may envision Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt as the team’s long-term starters at the safety positions. But in back-to-back weeks, Ward and Tartt sustained nearly identical season-ending injuries.

X-rays confirmed Tartt on Sunday sustained a fractured forearm. A week earlier, Ward sustained a fractured forearm. Ward was placed on injured reserve before the team’s Week 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Tartt is likely heading to the injured list, too.

Eric Reid, who was scheduled for free agency and faces an uncertain future, will have the final seven games to earn his way back on the team for 2018 and beyond. Rookie Adrian Colbert will also get plenty of experience as the 49ers play out the string.

The 49ers also are short-handed at wide receiver. Pierre Garçon on Saturday went on injured reserve with a fracture of a small bone in his neck. That injury should not impact his 2018 season, as the recovery is expected to take only eight weeks.

But, now, slot receiver Trent Taylor is likely to miss some time. He sustained a ribs injury – believed to be cracked ribs -- that could keep him out of action indefinitely.

2. BEATHARD SHOWS HIS TOUGHNESS
Rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard is showing plenty of toughness. But the 49ers would like it if he did not have to show this much toughness.

Beathard took a pounding on Sunday behind the 49ers’ makeshift offensive line that consisted of Trent Brown at left tackle and undrafted rookie Erik Magnuson at right tackle.

Beathard absorbed 16 quarterback hits, including five sacks. And late in the game, when Beathard broke out of the pocket on a scramble, Cardinals safety Antoine Bethea lowered the boom with a hit to Beathard’s neck and head area while the quarterback was in a feet-first slide.

Bethea’s hit warranted a penalty and also prompted a fight, during which Cardinals defensive players Frostee Rucker and Haason Reddick were ejected, along with 49ers running back Carlos Hyde.

General manager John Lynch appeared to like Hyde’s willingness to mix it up in defense of a teammate. Lynch enthusiastically slapped hands with Hyde after his ejection and shouted, “Good job!”

3. GAROPPOLO ON STANDBY
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo arrived in the Bay Area from New England on Tuesday. After three practices, he was in uniform and ready to enter Sunday’s game at a moment’s notice.

But Beathard made it through the game without being forced to exit. Therefore, Garoppolo was not called upon. It appears likely Garoppolo will remain as the backup at least through the bye week.

But Garoppolo said he felt good about his first week with the 49ers as he adjusts to a new offense and a new community.

“It was a bit of a whirlwind, but it’s starting to slow down, though,” Garoppolo said. “Everything, from a logistical side of life and football, is starting to slow down. So that’s nice.”

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