TONIGHT

* The line: San Francisco by 2.

* Injury report: 49ers: OUT: TE Shonn Bell (shoulder). DOUBTFUL: T Tyrone Hopson (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: TE Greg Clark (rib). PROBABLE: RB Travis Jervey (ankle). Cardinals: DOUBTFUL: DT Eric Swann (knee). PROBABLE: WR Rob Moore (hamstring); QB Jake Plummer (thumb).

* Key elements: 49ers are 33-18 on “Monday Night Football,” best of any NFC team. . . . 49er running back Charlie Garner leads all NFL backs with 102 yards receiving. . . . Cardinals haven’t won a game on Monday night since 1985.

HOW THEY MATCH UP

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SF Ari Points scored (Rank) 15.5 (23) 30.5 (7) Points allowed 31.0 (26) 21.5 (17) Passing O 166.0 (25) 193.0 (19) Rushing O 91.0 (21) 71.0 (27) Total O 257.0 (25) 264.0 (23) Passing D 235.0 (21) 144.0 (6) Rushing D 99.0 (15) 110.5 (18) Total D 334.0 (18) 254.5 (6)

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* The pick: Arizona.

* Story line: When they host the 49ers at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., the Cardinals will be playing their first game in the national spotlight since 1995. Both teams come into the game 1-1. A charter member of the NFL, the Cardinals have played just 15 Monday games in 29 years, the lowest total of any team in that time. Last year, they posted a winning season for the first time since 1984 and upset Dallas in the playoffs.

With a victory, the 49ers will tie Miami as the winningest team on “Monday Night Football,” with 34 wins.

If the 49ers are to be successful, they’ll have to keep the pressure off quarterback Steve Young, who has to feel like a punching bag for opposing defenses. Last week, the Saints knocked Young down 21 times.