SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco cornerback Tarell Brown turned off the Monday Night Football game as soon as Tom Brady and the Patriots jumped out to a big lead.
Defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois tuned out around then, too. Same with defensive mate Ray McDonald, who was hungry and ready for some dinner.
"He's a big guy so you know he's going to eat," Francois said with a chuckle.
The 49ers defenders still saw plenty of Brady in that brief time they spent watching his team's 42-14 rout of fellow AFC power Houston to know exactly what they're up against Sunday night in New England.
Safety Donte Whitner can't wait.
"We're going to be able to see where we are as a defense," Whitner said. "We understand who's going to have to win that football game, and we think it's going to be the defense. And we understand that their offense is going to try to control the football and get some big plays and put points on the board. And we can't allow that. So, we'll be ready."
Former Patriots wideout Randy Moss didn't watch Monday's game at all. Didn't need to. He knows what Brady brings to the Patriots (10-3), who already have clinched their playoff spot and will try to stop San Francisco from securing a berth of its own Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.
A few preliminary observations of Brady from the Niners' locker room Tuesday:
Brown: "He can make all the throws."
McDonald: "He's slingin' it."
Francois:
Cornerback Perrish Cox: "He's one of those confident quarterbacks that basically calls his own offense. "
San Francisco (9-3-1) already has impressive wins against teams with big-time playmaking quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees.
Still, no question that slowing down Brady on the prime-time stage is the biggest test yet for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's group.
"Probably so," Moss said. "It'll be a good one."
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