49ers

49ers DE Nick Bosa was the hero of the defense in Week 1, closing out the win against the Seahawks with a sack-forced fumble-recovery trifecta. Afterward, though, he wanted the flowers to be given to DC Robert Saleh in his return to San Francisco. 

“I missed my whole second year [with a torn ACL], so I’ve only had him basically for one year,” Bosa said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “I was a rookie, still figuring things out. He came back, and I’ve been in it now and I’ve had different coaches and experienced different things. He’s an incredibly important piece. He’s like a Kyle Shanahan on defense. Very smart and puts in the hours and makes sure he puts us in the right situations.”

Bosa added that while outsiders may have lower expectations for the 49ers this year, that’s not how he or the team feels in the locker room. 

“[The goal is] always to win games and get back to the Super Bowl,” he said. “In this league, if you aren’t at the top of your game for one game, then people look at you differently. I really am trying to be the best version of me and stay at the top.”

Cardinals

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray talked about how his chemistry with WR Marvin Harrison, Jr. has developed over the past year.

“As a rookie, he might’ve been scared of me,” Murray said, via the team’s website. “I had to get to know him a little bit and he has to feel comfortable with you. We had to go through the fire to get that relationship going and keep making strides off the field so we could feel each other on and off the field as far as what he’s thinking and what I’m thinking. Marv and I are in a great place. Honestly, night and day from what we drafted him to now. He’ll start conversations with me, I don’t have to beg him to talk to me or anything like that. I love where we’re at, now it’s just time to go execute.”

Harrison added that he’s removed the lofty expectations placed upon him and is just focused on playing.

“Honestly, I felt the expectations last year were more,” Harrison said. “I am ready to remove myself from all the expectations and just play football.”

• Cardinals LB Cody Simon and S Joey Blount are both being evaluated for a concussion, per HC Jonathan Gannon. Blount was wearing a neck brace as he left the locker room. (Josh Weinfuss)

Seahawks

Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald talked about the transition of moving from as a coordinator to a head coach.

“It’s something that you’re aware is going to happen when this role comes alive,” Macdonald said, via the team’s website. “When football is your comfort zone, and sometimes you’re out of your comfort zone, that’s when it’s challenging, when you have to go through those other things to get to the football. I think now, doing the head coaching thing is clear, it’s fun. It’s fun to work with the people in the building every day and the players. And I enjoy doing that stuff. I enjoy the logistics, I enjoy the team meetings. That stuff is a lot of fun to me, because we’re with the guys. We love these guys. In the offseason, when they’re not here, it’s miserable. It’s almost flipped.”

Macdonald is continuing to put his mark on the team and shaping its identity.

“How do we really build what we want to build?” Macdonald continued. “How do we get there? What’s important? Who do we need to get there? Who am I as a coach, as a leader? There’s just all those things. Look, and there’s things that I learned this week through our process that I didn’t know that are sometimes tough things to learn about yourself and your style, and all in the effort to just try and get better. So it’s been fun. It’s been a lot of fun.“