SANTA CLARA - Changing their negative turnover margin has been a serious focus for the 49ers. Defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley spoke to the team about resetting, restarting and making "everything" about the ball.
The 49ers have given away the football 15 times since they were able to force their last takeaway. Hafley made this the topic of his discussion with the entire team as they prepared to head to Arizona. The last time the two teams met, the Cardinals took the ball away five times.
Hafley told the team they the needed make everything about the ball in all three phases of the game: Offense, defense and special teams. He even had t-shirts made with the word “EVERYTHING” in block letters with the 49ers logo just below it.
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Defensive lineman Earl Mitchell explained the concept of Hafley’s talk with the team.
“It’s a mentality,” Mitchell said. “It’s just emphasizing that the ball should be everything. He usually gives us a presentation. It was good how he did it this time. He just wanted the team to reset, and just have the mindset that the ball is everything. If we want to win games we can’t lose the ball and we have to create takeaways. It’s all a mindset.”
The 49ers offense has turned the ball over multiple times in each game, but Haley explained it’s not all on the offense. The mindset needs to be practiced by everyone.
“Gunners on special teams need to try to take the ball away,” Mitchell said. “It’s the same on defense. We have to practice it too. Any given time when there’s an opportunity to take the ball away on defense, we have to get the ball in our hands. It’s a mentality.”
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Mitchell said Hafley is one of the members of the staff that usually addresses the team at the end of the week. This week it was all about winning the turnover battle.
“It’s extremely important,” Mitchell said. “It’s the ultimate difference maker.”
The 49ers' schedule gets theoretically easier, as they will face three teams in a row with losing records.