Talanoa Hufanga Pick-Six Seals Monday Night Football Win for the 49ers
Oct 3, 2022, 10:09 PM | Updated: Oct 4, 2022, 8:38 am
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 03: Safety Talanoa Hufanga #29 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a Los Angeles Rams fumble during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium on October 03, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
That had to feel good if you’re a 49ers fan.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold and safety Talanoa Hufanga delivered, icing a Week 4 victory for the San Francisco 49ers over the Los Angeles Rams, 24-9, via a pick-six in the fourth quarter.
The Red & Gold looked dominant throughout Monday night’s contest, specifically on defense. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans’ unit held the Rams offense to nine points on the night, allowing no touchdowns along the way. Los Angeles was held to only 52 rushing yards and 187 through the air. On offense, the 49ers looked concise and methodical at times, dinking and dumping their way to two touchdowns Monday night.
The first score came in the first quarter. After driving down the field with precision, the 49ers called a zone run to the left side, sealing off Rams players for running back Jeff Wilson Jr. to scamper up the field untouched, scoring from 32-yards out. 7-3 49ers, capitalizing on an eight-play, 75-yard drive to put The Bay up early.
The second came in the second quarter, thanks to WR Deebo Samuel.
Greg Papa's radio call of the Deebo Samuel touchdown 📻 pic.twitter.com/qVUSVkrX0o
— Sam Hustis (@SamHustis) October 4, 2022
Again driving with a controlled pace, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw a high ball to Samuel, snagging it out of the air before turning up field. With several blockers in front of him, the wideout raced across the field from side to other, breaking tackles along the way before finding the endzone for six.
One of those tackles broken was that of cornerback Jalen Ramsey, a guy Deebo laughed off during the postgame interviews.
“Yeah, I don’t know what he was doing out there,” Samuel said with a chuckle postgame.
Garoppolo finished 16 for 27, 239 yards passing with one touchdown Monday night.
Despite the dominance throughout, San Francisco stalled on a few possessions and the Rams found themselves in a one-score game with less than seven minutes to go.
Then Hufanga happened.
Continuously feeding the rock to WR Cooper Kupp, Stafford throws a screen pass his way once again, this time the second-year safety sniffed it. Relying on his instincts, Huff jumps the route, bobbling the ball before taking it to the house.
A 52-yard pick-six and Levi’s Stadium is in hysterics.
Hufanga read this play like a book 📕 pic.twitter.com/zIGGpfWPes
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) October 4, 2022
“Honestly, I think I just I think I read it too fast. I think I should have been a little bit more patient, maybe a little more to secure the catch,” Hufanga said postgame. “I think I just read it too quick but kind of similar to what [S] Jimmie [Ward] had last year actually. So screen pays and we took it to the house.”
With the game almost in hand, the Rams tried to rally, getting a few first downs before disaster struck again.
Forced to move in the pocket, defensive end Samson Ebukam hits the ball out of Stafford’s hands, causing a fumble that the 49ers recovered.
Ball game.
Lead by an elite defensive presence, head coach Kyle Shanahan loved what he saw from Ryans’ defensive play-calling Monday night.
“I mean, you can’t stick with one thing versus a team like that, versus a quarterback like that and he makes it up throughout the game. So I’m excited to sit here and watch [the film],” Shanahan said Monday night.
As for Hufanga, no one is surprised he’s playing at an elite level. Mentored by hall-of-famer Troy Polamalu, Huff has been a big part of this defense, a leader at such a young age.
Fred Warner just passed Talanoa Hufanga in the hallway here at Levi’s: “You keep getting pick sixes, you gonna get paid, too!”
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) October 4, 2022
After the game, the USC product was grateful to the organization that drafted him in 2020, humbled to be in the spotlight after grinding in the offseason.
“I’m very fortunate and I’m not trying to get all emotional and stuff, but I’m very fortunate just to have the staff, this organization is just a blessing to me. The guys on my team and on the sidelines, they continue to support me. Coach Kyle has to give me a lot of confidence. I’m a young guy. I’m only 22, so I’m just got to keep going, you know, never satisfied and never get complacent,” Hufanga stated.
He finished with four combined tackles, one pass breakup, and the all-important interception to seal the win for the 49ers.
On a night that many focused on the play of the quarterbacks, it was the defense of the Red & Gold, and the play of a kid from Corvallis, Oregon, that stole the spotlight.
