Ex-49ers G Iupati could return Sunday to face old team

In the wake of Ben Roethlisberger’s dominance for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 49ers are bracing for the Arizona Cardinals’ Carson Palmer to also go deep to multiple receivers Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium. He was suspended for the first two games of the season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and was reinstated on Monday. The St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers are hard to assess this early in the season.

The Cardinals have not struggled in his absence.

Winning the NFC West is crucial.

Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians is tempering the accolades and critical acclaim his team has received in the wake of its 2-0 start. 49ers lead series, 29-18. “Hopefully we can build on what we did last year and learn from what we did last year and then continue it and finish it”, Arians said. “For us to be able to have the success that I know we’re capable of, guys have to do some things that maybe they weren’t good at before”. From watching film, they re going to think they can throw the ball up on us.

“Honestly”, Fitzgerald said, “it’s a privilege to still be able to play”.

Retirement, free-agent departure and injuries – along with the exit of coach Jim Harbaugh – has meant a makeover by the Bay. “I don’t believe either”.

“He practiced a little bit last week and didn’t have any swelling”, Arians said.

Roethlisberger was 21 of 27 for 369 yards. Antonio Brown was on the receiving end of those of those passes as part of his nine-catch, 195-yard performance.

Here are some things to watch when the 49ers visit the Cardinals.

The Arizona Cardinals have had two big weeks. Cardinals have scored touchdown all seven times they’ve been in red zone…. Eight players have at least one reception. “It’s like anything else, whenever you get hit on something, they’re going to try to hit you again, and the next team will and the team after that will”.

The 49ers secondary is under siege, and they know it. But we’ll see what we’re gonna do as far as left guard and right tackle.

Kaepernick wound up with 335 yards passing and six completions to Smith. “It would just feel good to play against your old teammates. We got to correct it real fast”. We re getting more comfortable each week, each practice. “He’ll be out there today, and we’ll take it day to day”.

For the Arizona Cardinals, nothing has really changed with running back Andre Ellington.

Chris Johnson gets the start.

Hyde rushed for a career-high 168 yards and two touchdowns against Minnesota but was held to 43 on 13 carries last week. David Johnson returned the opening kickoff 108 yards for a score, the longest play in Cardinals history.

“There are a lot of great receivers that can catch a lot of balls, on the outside, across the middle or whatever, but when it comes to the run game, that’s where you get chunk runs or explosive plays, when they are blocking on the second and third level”, Goodwin said. He signed a jersey that was sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Iupati could be make his 2015 debut after undergoing knee surgery last month.

“I just look at it is as a challenge”, Acker said.

Tomsula praised Iupati as a person and player.