Tag: Talanoa Hufanga

49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga claimed he didn’t know why James Conner confronted him in testy fight

Conner was SO angry with Hufanga. There has to be another explanation.

Lost in the shuffle of the San Francisco 49ers’ 35-16 beatdown of the Arizona Cardinals Sunday was the tension between Talanoa Hufanga and James Conner.

When both teams started walking off the field in Santa Clara, a disgruntled Conner approached Hufanga and confronted him. It quickly evolved into a heated scuffle where Conner tried taking some swings at Hufanga before other 49ers and Cardinals players had to separate the two. Arizona and San Francisco are divisional rivals — which means animosity is usually built in –but this individual exchange seemed to have a little more spice to it.

There had to be something more than meets the eye here, right?

A person doesn’t usually get that furious without a good reason. Putting your hands on another human being outside of the sanctioned violence in a football context takes a lot. Well, according to Jake Hutchinson of KNBR, Hufanga claimed he didn’t know why Conner was so displeased with him.

Hmm.

 

I’m hesitant to do anything but take Hufanga’s word here. The only objective video evidence we have is Conner taking swipes at Hufanga, not the other way around, and nothing from within the game. But the way Hufanga takes a stray shot at Conner’s rushing performance of 52 yards makes me think that the two might have, at least, been disrespectfully arguing with each other all afternoon.

The 49ers and Cardinals don’t meet again until mid-December in Arizona. Stay tuned for the next episode of this budding rivalry between Hufanga and Conner. I have a feeling there’s more to come.

Watch: 49ers’ Talanoa Hufanga and Cardinals’ James Conner get into scuffle after game

After the 49ers’ 35-16 win over the Cardinals, Talanoa Hufanga and James Conner weren’t done going back and forth following the final whistle.

After the San Francisco 49ers wrapped up the Arizona Cardinals to move to 4-0 on the season with a commanding 35-16 win in Week 4, there was still some action on the field following the final whistle.

49ers defensive back Talanoa Hufanga and Cardinals running back James Conner needed to be separated on the field after the game. Conner appeared to shove Hufanga in the head region. George Kittle and Cardinals offensive lineman Keith Ismael had to separate Conner and Hufanga as the back-and-forth got intense.

Via @NFLonFOX on Twitter:

https://x.com/NFLonFOX/status/1708627954861998171?s=20

It’s still unclear on what happened between Hufanga and Conner for them to go back and forth.

The 49ers limited Conner to 52 yards on the ground on 11 carriers. Conner added one catch for four yards. Hufanga registered five tackles against the Cardinals on Sunday.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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The 49ers seem to think that Giants QB Daniel Jones is seriously overpaid

After Daniel Jones’ underwhelming Thursday night game, several 49ers defenders implied that the Giants’ quarterback is seriously overpaid.

Outside of the second half and overtime of their Week 2 win over the Arizona Cardinals, the New York Giants have woefully underperformed on offense this season. And in Thursday night’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers — a 30-12 loss that the Giants were never in after a 3-3 start — quarterback Daniel Jones did little to impress. Jones completed 22 of 32 passes for 132 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception, and that yardage total tells you all you need to know about Big Blue’s approach in the passing game. Overwhelmed by an injury-ravaged offensive line against San Francisco’s dominant fronts, Jones was pressured on 15 of his 34 dropbacks, per Pro Football Focus, which is unsustainable for any quarterback.

After the game, several 49ers defenders made it clear that they were unimpressed with Jones, and found the four-year, $160 million contract he signed this offseason to be… well, farcical.

“The dude did not want to throw the ball,” one unnamed 49ers defender told Mike Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle. “Early on, you could tell it wasn’t gonna happen. Everything was a checkdown. At that point, we knew what time it was.”

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw had no problem putting his name on his opinion of Jones.

“A lot of people who make all that money don’t even deserve it. I think they took a chance [when they paid him]. I mean, he’s not bad. And if you ain’t got nothing better…”

Per Silver, the hits just kept on coming.

“Yeah,” conceded Niners cornerback Charvarius (Mooney) Ward, “forty million dollars a year is a lot of money.”

Another S.F. defender called Jones’ salary “unbelievable.” Still another used the word “ridiculous.” Said a third: “That’s a travesty, man.”

Ward was also happy to discuss the interception Jones threw with 3:48 left in the game, though it wasn’t Jones’ fault — he threw a slant on time to tight end Darren Waller, Ward matched Jones over the middle, Waller couldn’t bring it in, the ball bounced up in the air, linebacker Fred Warner almost caught it, and the ball floated to safety Talanoa Hufanga.

“It makes you hungry,” Ward said. “At the end of the game, every DB on the field was playing for a pick. Huf was the lucky guy to get it. I had a good assist. I was happy to help. We were on our P’s and Q’s tonight.”

Jones wasn’t, and in the doing of that undoing, he left the 49ers wondering what the Giants were thinking with that contract.

49ers practice participation report: George Kittle limited in 1st practice before Week 1

The first #49ers practice participation report of the year is here!

The 49ers on Wednesday had their first regular season practice of the year, which means their first practice participation report of the year was due after the session.

There weren’t any major surprises in the report and the only absences weren’t injury-related.

One omission is defensive end Nick Bosa, who agreed to a contract extension just before the session and did not participate.

Here’s the full report from Wednesday:

Tashaun Gipson, not Talanoa Hufanga, named top-11 NFL safety by TD Wire

The 49ers had a safety land in TD Wire’s top 11 NFL safeties list … but it’s not the All-Pro.

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49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga stole the show last year when he stepped in as a full-time starter for the first time and wound up earning a First-Team All-Pro nod. Despite a breakout sophomore campaign for Hufanga, it was free safety Tashaun Gipson who got the shine in a post from Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar highlighting the top 11 safeties in the NFL. Gipson’s strong 2023 campaign landed him at No. 9 on Farrar’s list.

The path to a roster spot for Gipson was full of hurdles. He signed on as a camp body just a few days before the 49ers’ preseason finale. His performance in that final preseason game against the Texans was eye-opening, but not enough for him to make the initial 53-man roster. A couple injuries opened a roster spot for Gipson by the season opener though and he held down the starting job all year.

Gipson responded with the best season of his pro career. Via Farrar:

Last season, Gipson allowed 19 catches on 32 targets for 315 yards, 86 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, five interceptions, three pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 53.0.

The 49ers opted to re-sign Gipson on a one-year deal for the 2023 season in hopes he’ll repeat what he did in 2022.

Hufanga could eventually end up making his way into a top 11 list, but he has to clean up a couple areas of his game. His downhill playmaking and knack for being around the football are the two keys for his success. However, he can get over-aggressive and leave receivers open down the field after he vacates his area trying to make a play. Such missteps led to some long completions that might not have been available had Hufanga stayed home.

San Francisco will run it back in 2023 with the same starting safeties, but now rookie Ji’Ayir Brown will be in the mix. If Gipson struggles to match his production from last season, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Brown pushed into a bigger role.

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Talanoa Hufanga, Drake Jackson set to face Dak Prescott in 49ers-Cowboys showdown

Talanoa Hufanga and Drake Jackson will be waiting in the Bay Area when the 49ers face Dak Prescott and the Cowboys for a trip to the NFC title game.

The college football season is over and the transfer portal is heating up.

However, the NFL playoffs are here, and there are a couple of former USC Trojans playing.

The San Francisco 49ers have a pair of former Trojans, Talanoa Hufanga and Drake Jackson.

The 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks once again this season — this time in the wild card round — and waited to see their opponent.

On Monday night, the Dallas Cowboys defeated Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Florida, and now the 49ers will host the Cowboys on Sunday for a trip to the NFC title game.

Speaking of Hufanga, he was named a first-team All-Pro safety after a stellar year with San Francisco.

Jackson, who was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, appeared in 15 regular season games as a rookie and finished with 14 total tackles, three sacks, and an interception.

Jackson was a healthy scratch for Saturday’s game against Seattle, and it will be worth monitoring his status to see if he is active for the Cowboy game.

On Sunday afternoon, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys will face the 49ers in the Bay Area, and the former Trojans will try to clinch a trip to the NFC title game and get that much closer to a Super Bowl appearance.

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Nick Bosa among six 49ers selected to Pro Bowl

The 49ers have 6 Pro Bowlers, including one player making his first trip to the NFL’s All-Star game.

The NFL on Wednesday announced its 2022 Pro Bowl rosters. Six 49ers were named to the NFL’s new Pro Bowl Games.

Here are the 49ers who made it:

LT Trent Williams
FB Kyle Juszczyk
TE George Kittle
DE Nick Bosa
LB Fred Warner
SS Talanoa Hufanga

Hufanga is the only first-timer for the 49ers, though arguments could be made for LB Dre Greenlaw and CB Charvarius Ward.

Williams has the most Pro Bowls to his name. This is his 10th selection. Juszczyk continued his streak with a seventh consecutive selection. Kittle is on trip No. 4, while Bosa is in for a third time. This will be Warner’s second time as a Pro Bowler.

The Games will take place February 5 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. There won’t be an attempt at a football game this year. Instead the league will host a series of skills competitions and a non-contact flag football game.

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How the 49ers’ dominant defense works from front to back

The San Francisco 49ers’ defense has been amazing over the last month. Laurie Fitzpatrick details how it all works from front to back.

The San Franscico 49ers have morphed into one of the most dominating defenses in the league, especially in the trenches.  Over the last three weeks they have allowed zero second half points and have also allowed the second least amount of yards per play, 4.5, per teamrankings.

Joey Bosa, Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga are the heart of this defense. They have been playing like an absolute unit and they are all lead by second year defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

Ryans’ prides his defense in getting to the ball quickly. He was asked about tackling after last Sunday’s 13-0 win over the New Orleans Saints, here is what he had to say: “We want all eleven guys, as fast as they can, shooting their gun, it doesn’t matter if you miss a tackle, there should be two or three guys there to clean up. That’s just our mentality, a swarm mentality. tracking inside heel, being in proper leverage, and when you get there, there is no hesitating”.

The 49ers defense registered only one missed tackle against the Los Angeles Chargers per Pro Football Focus, and they had a similar performance in week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Let’s dive into the film to diagnose the swarm mentality they have in all three levels of the defense!

49ers 2nd-half shutout streak continues after forced fumble at 1

The 49ers’ 2nd-half shutout streak continued thanks to Alvin Kamara’s 2nd fumble of the game.

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The Saints were knocking on the door of a touchdown Sunday that would’ve gotten them right back into the game by cutting into the 49ers’ 13-0 lead. It would’ve also ended the 49ers’ second-half shutout streak that started in Week 8. However, when Saints RB Alvin Kamara made a reception at the 3, he was wrapped up by 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw. Kamara then reached for the goal line where 49ers SS Talanoa Hufanga flew down to hit the ball and knock it into the air. Greenlaw recovered the fumble after a wild scramble. That’s their second takeaway of the game and Kamara’s second fumble.

5 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 10 opponent: 49ers

To get you prepped for the Chargers’ Week 10 matchup with the 49ers, here are some important things to know about them.

After defeating the Falcons, the Chargers meet with the 49ers on Sunday night, Nov. 13, at 5:20 pm PT.

To get you prepped for the Week 10 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

Run CMC

The 49ers made the trade of the season, giving up second-, third- and fourth-round selections in the 2023 NFL draft, along with a fifth-rounder in 2024 to the Panthers, for Christian McCaffrey. After a relatively slow start in his debut for San Francisco, McCaffrey got more comfortable with Kyle Shanahan’s playbook and went off the week after, amassing 183 all-purpose yards in a victory over the Rams in Week 8. In that performance, McCaffrey became the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to have passing, rushing and receiving touchdowns in a single game. While he’s primarily lined up in the backfield, the Niners have been getting the most out of his versatility, as McCaffrey has received snaps in the slot and outside.

Complimentary piece

Given the term “wide-back” to describe his style of play, Samuel was the 49ers’ best receiver and their best running back a season ago. In 2021, Samuel posted a career-high 1,405 yards on 77 receptions in 16 games. He also averaged 18.2 yards per reception and had six touchdowns. Further, Samuel had 365 rushing yards on 59 carries with eight touchdowns. But with the arrival of McCaffrey, the offense won’t have to run through Samuel, and he can focus on playing wide receiver. Samuel was out with a hamstring injury during the 49ers’ game against the Rams, but he is practicing and is expected to play this weekend. This season, Samuel has 31 receptions for 386 yards and two touchdowns and 139 rushing yards and a score on the ground.

But wait, there’s more

The 49ers’ offense also features other skill players needed to be accounted for. Brandon Aiyuk is the leading receiver for a middle-of-the-pack 49ers passing offense with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm. Aiyuk has 38 receptions for 483 yards and four touchdowns. In his last three games, Aiyuk has gotten 80-plus receiving yards and hauled three touchdown passes during that span. George Kittle has come nowhere near his breakout campaign in 2018, which saw him finish with 1,377 receiving yards, but he’s still one of the most physically imposing tight ends that can’t be forgotten. Kittle has caught 28 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Elijah Mitchell entered the year as the 49ers’ starting running back after a historic rookie campaign with 963 yards (4.7 yards per attempt) and five touchdowns. He then sustained an MCL sprain in the 2022 season opener and hasn’t played since, but Shanahan said Mithcell will be activated from injured reserve before Sunday’s game.

Prolific pass defense

The 49ers have done a good job of making life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. They are 13th in pass defense DVOA and eight in passing yards allowing (199.2) and yards per attempt (6.3). It starts up front, where they’ve amassed 26 sacks, which is fifth-most in the NFL. Nick Bosa, the brother of Joey, has 8.5 sacks (tied for second-most). Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu each have three sacks.

Even better against the run

The 49ers rank fourth in run defense, and are averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, which is the least allowed in the league. San Francisco’s front is stout, but the guys at the second and third levels, led by linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga, deserve recognition as each one of them consistently rallies to the football.