Charvarius Ward had a career-best, two-interception performance in the 49ers' 45-29 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium, and his coach Kyle Shanahan could see it coming.
“I think he’s not hesitating on anything, he’s running through the ball, he’s getting his hands up,” Shanahan said after the win. “Usually the first step in knocking balls down, which he does as good as anyone on the planet right now. It’s cool because he says it.”
Ward is leading the NFL in pass breakups (22) but had just two interceptions coming into the Week 15 contest. Sunday was the first two-interception game of his career, one of which was a pick six that broke an early 7-7 tie.
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“When you knock balls down and run through them, eventually you’ll try to catch a couple,” Shanahan said. “Today was the first time I really saw him try to do that. He did it early in the game and got that pick six. Then the next one that went to him went, it was like it stuck to his hands. It was cool to do that first one. Hopefully there are many more to come.”
Ward was questionable to play in Arizona after suffering a groin injury early in the San Francisco’s Week 14 win over the Seattle Seahawks. The cornerback was only on the field for four snaps before exiting the game and did not practice with the team throughout the week.
Instead, Ward worked with team medical and training staff to get healthy enough to return. The Middle Tennessee State product was seen on the side field doing some light running while the remainder of the team went through their usual routine.
“Him all week, after his injury last week, just battling to get back for this game,” Shanahan said. “I was impressed with that. I considered him a long shot early in the week, and he kept saying he wasn’t. The way he did it and got out there on Friday and was good to go was so cool.”
San Francisco 49ers
Ward played 62 snaps, or 84 percent, of all defensive snaps in the desert and was not on the injury report following the game. The defensive back actually admitted feeling more energetic after missing most of the game the week prior, and subsequently only participating in a walk-through practice on Friday before heading to Arizona.
“Most definitely, I had fresh legs,” Ward said. “I missed most of the Seahawks game outside of three or four plays, but I didn’t practice at all until Friday. Friday was kind of like a walk through, so I didn’t run full speed all week.”
Ward and the secondary have another tough challenge ahead when Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens come to town for "Monday Night Football" in Week 16 at Levi's Stadium.