San Francisco will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and there is no way head coach Kyle Shanahan or his players are looking past their next opponent. After all, the Cardinals are coming off a stunning 28-16 win over the Cowboys.
"If I told you we were looking ahead to Dallas, we'd be in a bad situation," safety Talanoa Hufanga said Tuesday morning on KNBR's "Murph and Mac" show. "I got great people around me, great coaches that are prepping us for Arizona. It's a great team.
"They've beat Dallas. I know they lost to the Giants (with the 49ers having beaten New York), and it's kind of that three-way game right there, but anybody can get beaten any given day. So for us, in our mind, is to go 1-0 this week and to focus on the team ahead of us. And very grateful just to have the [opportunity]."
Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs is one of four quarterbacks who have yet to throw an interception this season. The others are Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers, C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans, and Brock Purdy of the 49ers.
Dobbs' 72.0 completion percentage ranks fourth in the NFL, and his 98.1 passer rating ranks ninth.
"Just glad just to go up against the best," Hufanga said of the Cardinals quarterback. "And a guy like him is going to give us his best each and every week. And so for us, just to go out there and do what we got to do to get the win, just got to be determined and focused and demand what we can dictate from the defense, for sure."
That defense has picked up right where it left off last season. The difference is that defensive coordinator Steve Wilks is leading the unit, replacing DeMeco Ryans. The 49ers defense is currently ranked No. 5 in points allowed, No. 3 in yards allowed, and No. 3 in rushing yards allowed.
"It's been a blessing for me, and I think other guys would attest to this," Hufanga shared. "We're just grateful for what [Wilks] brings to the room—I think the energy, the focus, the discipline, and just the knowledge. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: just the knowledge that he brings into a room is unbelievable, and allowing us to go out there and play free.
"He's not going to put us in spots that he doesn't believe that we can be successful in. And so, at the end of day, we just got to go out there and put our foot forward and continue to fight each and every day."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Hufanga below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
John Lynch downplays 49ers' run-game concerns
While Christian McCaffrey continues to deliver a remarkable season for the San Francisco 49ers—totaling 1,655 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns—questions remain about the team's overall rushing efficiency. McCaffrey is on pace for his second career season surpassing both... -
49ers vs. Browns injury updates: Juszczyk, others exit the game in Cleveland
The San Francisco 49ers are facing the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field in Week 13. Below are the latest in-game injury updates for the 49ers. This article will be updated in real time as new information becomes available. Players are listed in order of most recent... -
49ers announce roster moves ahead of Browns game; NFL fines WR Jauan Jennings $12,172
On Saturday, the San Francisco 49ers announced the following roster moves ahead of Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns: Activated K Matt Gay from the team's practice squad (standard elevation) Activated LB Jalen Graham from the practice squad (standard... -
49ers GM says starting safety Ji'Ayir Brown making "game-changing plays"
His career has been up and down so far, but third-year safety Ji'Ayir Brown is beginning to play with more consistency. And he's making an impact on the San Francisco 49ers' injury-plagued defense. Coming off his best game as a pro, in which he had two interceptions against the...