SANTA CLARA — It was a steamy morning in Houston on Aug. 15, 2018, when Mike McGlinchey got his self-described “Welcome to the NFL” moment.
The rookie first-round pick lined up opposite J.J. Watt, and “he flat-backed me,” McGlinchey recalled of that one-on-one drill at a 49ers-Texans scrimmage.
Now come Watt’s “Goodbye to the NFL” moment, respectfully.
Watt, 33, will retire from his 12-year career after this Sunday’s game between his Arizona Cardinals (4-12) and the host 49ers (12-4). He was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the Texans (2012, ’14, ’15), a seven-time All-Pro, and a five-time Pro Bowler.
“Definitely hard not to watch him when he’s dominant through all those years,” defensive end Nick Bosa said.
What made Watt so dominant? “Physical superiority,” Bosa concisely said.
Added McGlinchey: “He’s a sure-fire Hall of Fame player. He’s everything as advertised.”
Early action between #49ers #Texans:
Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins fights Jimmie Ward, Hopkins kicked off field but shakes Ward’s hand on way out
Mike McGlichey MET Texans J.J. Watt. “Welcome to the NFL” pic.twitter.com/3DK8CfTK3p— Cam Inman (@CamInman) August 15, 2018
How does Brock Purdy make sure he’s not the 50th and final quarterback that Watt sacks?
“I definitely respect him with everything he’s done in his career,” Purdy said. “My mentality this game is I’ve got to do my job and what the coaches ask of me. He’s definitely a factor in the game, and we have to do our part to put up points, get first downs and not have to worry about J.J.”
Watt has 112 1/2 career sacks — none in three games against the 49ers — and ranks 25th in NFL history since the league began recognizing that stat in 1982. He spent his first 10 seasons with the Texans (No. 11 overall pick in 2011), and he’s finishing up a two-year term with the Cardinals.
As he exits the stage, Bosa is stepping more to the NFL forefront, so much so that he should win his first NFL Defensive Player of the Year award when it’s announced Feb. 9 at the NFL Honors in Glendale, Arizona, site of the Super Bowl three days later.
Bosa said he couldn’t take too much from Watt’s style because he is “a one-of-one” type of player. Watt has 10 1/2 sacks this season, including three in last month’s loss at Denver.
Bosa leads the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks, and even though he did not add to that total in Sunday’s 37-34 overtime win at Las Vegas, his pressure on the 49ers’ final defensive snap led to Tashaun Gipson’s interception, which set up Robbie Gould’s winning field goal.
Bosa was credited with his NFL-high 47th quarterback hit, for having pushed left tackle Kolton Miller into quarterback Jarrett Stidham as he threw. Was that pressure more satisfying than any of his sacks? “That was very satisfying, yeah, just to see the ball go up in the air like that, in a game we kind of never stopped the bleeding,” Bosa said. “To stop it there was a good time.”
Watt is the only player since 2006 with 50 quarterback hits in a season, doing so with 51 in 2014 and 50 in ’15 en route to Defesnsive Player of the Year honors. He announced last week he would be retiring. The Cardinals (4-12) have lost six in a row, juxtaposed to the NFC West-champion 49ers (12-4) having won nine straight.
Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans praised his former Texans teammate’s impact on the field with sack records and off the field with charity and community endeavors. “If he lifts them to help what they need, that’s cool,” Ryans said. “But it’s being about us. Whatever they need to motivate them, bring it on.”
I have received a lot of wild fan mail over the years.
This package that arrived today is certainly being added to the list. pic.twitter.com/dxBi0rTwHE
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 5, 2023
Coach Kyle Shanahan praised Watt’s strength and smarts, similar to what the coach has said about Bosa, who’s earned his third Pro Bowl honor. “One of the best players I’ve ever gone against,” Shanahan said. “When you talk about MVP-type players, he was definitely one of the guys. We talked about that with Nick Bosa a couple weeks ago.”
HAMLIN REACTION
George Kittle called it “a weight lifted all of our shoulders” to hear that Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is showing encouraging signs as he recovers from Monday’s cardiac arrest.
“For those (Bills and Bengals players) to witness that, then for that training staff and professionals to perform CPR for that long and to save (Hamlin) and give him a chance at life, and for him to wake up, it’s a weight lifted off of all of our shoulders,” Kittle said, “because that’s been one thing we’ve been all thinking about: Is he OK?
“It puts football into perspective. We play a sport where that can happen on any snap. That wasn’t some crazy hit, some crazy fall. That was a routine tackle. It’s scary and that’s just the sport we play. Everyone in this locker room is much happier knowing he’s taken steps forward and is doing alright.”
When Kittle was a 2017 rookie, linebacker Donavin Newsome sustained head and neck injuries in a training camp practice and was taken off the field by ambulance, “and that kind of shook me,” Kittle said. Last season, Trenton Cannon was taken by ambulance off Seattle’s field with a concussion. “But they were both moving and awake, and there was no potential loss of life,” Kittle said of Newsome and Cannon.
DEFENSIVE DISCIPLINE
What went wrong for the NFL’s No. 1 defense in allowing 34 points to the Raiders on Sunday? In a word: discipline.
“We have to play to better in the back end with our eyes. The eye discipline has cost us some really big plays,” Ryans said, before elaborating on safety Talanoa Hufanga’s play: “He has to clean up his eyes. Too many big plays are being given up, and Huf knows that. Protecting us in the back end as ‘The Eraser, your eyes can’t be dirty. They can’t be (looking) in the backfield.”
For example, Ryans said defenders must lock their eyes onto “a progression of keys” and not get distracted by watching the quarterback or running back. “Guys in this league are too fast, too good for you to not look at the proper thing, and then try to look late, when it’s too late.” Ryans also critiqued the pass rush’s discipline for allowing wide lanes for quarterback Jarrett Stidham to escape.
McCAFFREY SIGHTING
Running back Christian McCaffrey did not practice for a second straight day, but he did individual conditioning during Thursday’s warmups before heading to the locker room. He told reporters afterward he’s feeling great and capable of playing Sunday. He was not noticeably favoring a mild ankle sprain, nor the knee issue he’s had since Nov. 27. McCaffrey produced a season-high 193 yards (121 rushing, 72 receiving) while playing 85 percent of the offensive snaps Sunday.
MITCHELL TO PLAY
Running back Elijah Mitchell is expected to play Sunday for the first time since spraining his left knee Nov. 27. “He’s had a great week of practice and looked real good today,” Shanahan said on KNBR 680-AM. “I’ll talk to him over Friday and Saturday but right now we’re expecting to get him up and expecting him to play a little bit on Sunday.”
PRACTICE ROUNDUP
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel (knee, ankle) practiced for a second straight day. Whether he’ll return from a three-game hiatus this Sunday will be determined after Friday’s walk-through session.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, in his recovery from a Dec. 4 foot fracture, remains off the practice field and continues to use a knee scooter between the training room and locker room.
Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was out ill Thursday after sitting out Wednesday’s session as a routine, maintenance day as he rebounds from a knee issue that sidelined him for three months. He played 22 snaps against the Raiders after 16 in his return against the Commanders.
Defensive tackle Kevin Givens participated in practice for the first time since his knee sprain Dec. 4.
Guard Aaron Banks (knee and ankle sprains) did some light rehabilitation off to the side as practice began. He is expected to miss Sunday’s game.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (back) and cornerback Ambry Thomas (ankle) did not practice.
Source: www.mercurynews.com