CHICAGO — One of the bright spots in an incredibly sloppy game was the performance of second-year safety Talanoa Hufanga.
In the 49ers' 19-10 loss to the Chicago Bears at Solider Field in Week 1, Hufanga was all over the field. The sophomore safety led the team with 11 total tackles (nine solo) and one interception. Wherever the ball was, Hufanga seemed to appear.
Of course, it wasn’t all perfect, and Hufanga recognized that while the game has slowed down for him, there still is a lot of work to be done. Bears quarterback Justin Fields completed eight of his 17 attempts for 121 yards, two touchdowns, and the interception that Hufanga was able to grab.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"Definitely, just trying to be a sponge and absorb as much as I can from my coaches and my teammates,” Hufanga said. “I got a good solid group of guys on the field and they trust me to do my job.”
The USC product took responsibility for the blown coverage on Field’s 51-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Dante Pettis that put the Bears' first points on the board. Hufanga believes that any yards gained by an opposing offense on the field, from a run play at the line of scrimmage to the third level are his responsibility.
With Jimmie Ward on injured reserve for at least the first four weeks of the season, Hufanga was paired with Tashaun Gipson in Sunday’s matchup with the Bears. The club signed the veteran safety in late August, released him when making their final 53-man roster, and signed him to the practice squad the next day.
Hufanga gave credit to the 10-year defensive back for helping his performance on Sunday.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
“He’s honestly been a great vet to be around,” Hufanga said. “He has taken me under his wing and has shown me things I’ve never seen in football before. To get his perspective, a guy who has been to the Pro Bowl and understands and knows how to play safety, it was a blessing to be next to him today.”
RELATED: Lance expects better of himself, takes blame for 49ers' loss
The defense has a week to prepare and eliminate mistakes before their home opener with the division rival Seattle Seahawks next Sunday at Levi's Stadium.