Niners looking to avoid letdown

Associated Press

GLENDALE, Ariz.

The Arizona Cardinals like to consider the San Francisco 49ers their biggest rival. The problem is, to be a rival you have to win once in a while.

The 49ers, newly crowned champions of the NFC West, have beaten Arizona five times in a row heading into their matchup on Sunday.

“Eventually you’ve got to stand up and fight and go out and get a victory,” Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. “Enough has to be enough at some point. For it to be a rivalry, you’ve got to beat them.”

Four of the last five matchups haven’t even been close, with the 49ers outscoring Arizona by a combined 112-29.

“That doesn’t matter,” Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “That doesn’t have anything to do with this game. I mean, you could lose 50 in a row and the next game you could kill them. That’s the NFL.”

Coach Jim Harbaugh said he expects no letdown the week after San Francisco clinched the NFC West title in a 26-0 victory over St. Louis.

“I’m not a psychologist,” he said, “but I think our guys understand how important this is and that every week is a football fight and there’s a way to prepare for that physically, mentally and emotionally. I trust our guys to get that done.”’

Specifically, there is the matter of a first-round bye in the playoffs if San Francisco (10-2) finishes with one of the conference’s best two records.

“We’re able to win a few more games and secure a second-round seed, so that’s kind of our mindset right now,” 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith said. “It starts with going down to Arizona and playing a pretty good team.”

The Cardinals are practicing as if San Francisco’s Patrick Willis will play, even though his status is uncertain. Arizona offensive coordinator Larry Miller said Willis “might be the best middle linebacker in football.”