David Johnson, admittedly, will overthink things.
That's on the football field for sure, but also, he acknowledged, when he plays video games. Or when he's trying to hang out with his infant son.
"That's who I am," Johnson said with a smile. "My wife is always correcting me, 'What am I doing wrong?' When he's crying, how to stop him from crying. My wife is pretty good at that."
For the last couple of weeks, the running back has bluntly and publicly called himself out for his mistakes, whether it was the missed pass protection against the Bears that led to him being off the field late in the game or the way he ran to the wrong hashmark at the end of the Seahawks' game.
Johnson said he is frequently up all night after a game revisiting the plays on which he made a mistake, and he'll do the same after practice.
"(Tight end) Jermaine (Gresham) is always telling me, 'Move on to the next play,' " said Johnson, who knows to think too much could ultimately hinder a play or two in the future.
"David is a professional, and every week, every day at practice, every game, he wants to play the perfect game," offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said. "You can't do that. You strive for that, obviously, but you're going to make some mistakes."
Johnson said he "definitely" doesn't think he's played well enough this season, and that goes far beyond the stats (187 yards rushing on 56 carries, 13 receptions for 104 yards, two touchdowns.) McCoy said Johnson is a perfectionist, like the great ones are.
"I don't know any great players who have been easy on themselves about things they feel they left on the field, on the diamond, on the basketball court," wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. "Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, are the most critical of themselves. They hold themselves to a level of play that no one else (can).
"I watch myself on tape and I never see anything good. I only see the negative – the false step at the line of scrimmage, the stepping over myself at the top of the route. It doesn't matter if I make the catch or touchdown. It's what did I do wrong."
The overthinking might be making it harder on Johnson – McCoy said sometimes, he wants Johnson to "just play" – but the running back believes it will benefit him in the long run.
"I'm always hard on myself," Johnson said. "I feel that's how I improve."
MCCOY MATTER-OF-FACT ABOUT CRITICISM
McCoy has been coaching in the NFL since 2000, and this is his sixth season as an offensive coordinator in addition to the four seasons he spent as a head coach with the Chargers. He has been subject of criticism many times before, and understands that which has popped up this season.
"It's part of the business," McCoy said. "If I couldn't handle that, I shouldn't be doing my job. I love what I do. Regardless of what happens Sunday to Sunday, you come in Monday morning, you work your tail off, you put that next plan together, be positive with our play, we coach them hard, we're going to come in here, do whatever we can to win the next one – regardless of what your record is, good, bad, indifferent.
The Cardinals have had a poor start statistically on offense but are coming off their best game all-around as Josh Rosen took over as quarterback and Johnson got a season-high 25 touches.
"You've got to have thick skin," McCoy said. "It's a humbling business. I tell the players that too. You go into a season thinking things will be a certain way, you go into a game and think things are a certain way, all of a sudden, you don't make that play, you don't call a certain play at a certain time and wake up the next day and think, 'God, if we just would've done this one thing.' … You always look back, regardless of winning or losing."
NKEMDICHE LEAVES PRACTICE
All four of the players who sat out practice Wednesday for the Cardinals – wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring/back), defensive tackle Corey Peters (elbow), defensive end Markus Golden (knee) and cornerback Bené Benwikere (neck) were back practicing Thursday on a limited basis.
But defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who began practice working, left during the open portion of the session to have an athletic trainer look at his foot. Nkemdiche's foot had landed him on the injury report earlier this season. He was officially limited as well. Also limited for the Cardinals were linebacker Josh Bynes (wrist), tight end Jermaine Gresham (Achilles), cornerback Jamar Taylor (back) and tackle John Wetzel (shoulder).
For the 49ers, cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) returned to practice on a limited basis after sitting Wednesday, as did wide receiver Marquis Goodwin (hamstring/quad), tackle Mike McClinchey (knee) and center Weston Richburg (knee). Also limited were running back Matt Breida (shoulder) and guard Mike Person (knee).
Sitting out were tackle Joe Staley (knee), and wide receiver Dante Pettis (knee).
Images from past matchups between the Cardinals and this week's opponent, the 49ers
San Francisco 49ers fullback Roger Craig (33), runs for good yardage as he is tackled by St. Louis Cardinals cornerback Ken Sims during the fourth quarter on Sunday, Oct. 19, 1987 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco. Craig ran for 71 yards and received for 99 yards also scoring two touchdowns.
San Francisco 49ers Roger Craig takes to the air to try to pick up extra yardage as Phoenix Cardinals Lonnie Young moves in for the tackle during first quarter action in their game on Sunday, Nov. 6, 1988 in Tempe, Arizona. San Francisco led 16-0 at the half.
San Francisco 49ers' Jerry Rice eyes the hall as he?s hit by a Steve Young pass for a 37-yard gain during second-quarter action on Sunday, Oct. 24, 1993 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Defending on the play is Phoenix Cardinals' Robert Massey.
San Francisco 49er quarterback Jeff Garcia scrambles through the Arizona Cardinal defense to gain first down yardage during the fourth quarter of the 49ers 24-10 victory Monday, Sept. 27, 1999, in Tempe, Az. The Cardinals Brad Ottis moves for the tackle.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens scores on a 21-yard pass play in front of Arizona Cardinals safety Kwamie Lassiter (42), cornberback Renaldo Hill (21), defensive tackle Wendell Bryant (92) and safety Justin Lucas (41) during the first quarter, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002 in San Francisco.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer watches the action in the last few minutes of the San Francisco 49ers 38-28 win over in the fourth quarter, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002 in San Francisco.
Arizona Cardinals running back Marcel Shipp scores from the six yard line in front of San Francisco 49ers safety Tony Parrish, left, and defensive end Andre Carter in the second quarter, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002 in San Francisco.
Arizona Cardinals running back Troy Hambrick scores past San Francisco 49ers cornerback Ahmed Plummer on a 2-yard pass reception in the second quarter Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004, in San Francisco.
Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin pulls in a pass as San Francisco 49ers' Shawntae Spencer defends in the first quarter Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, in Tempe, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown, left, throws a pass under pressure from San Francisco 49ers linebacker Brandon Moore in the second quarter Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004, in San Francisco.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Lloyd catches a touchdown in front of Arizona Cardinals cornerback David Macklin late in the fourth quarter Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004, in San Francisco. The 49ers beat the Cardinals, 31-28, in overtime.
San Francisco 49ers quarterbackTim Rattay, right, is pursued by Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Bertrand Berry (92) and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (90) in the fourth quarter Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004 in San Francisco. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals, 31-28, in overtime.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown celebrates his two-point conversion to tie the game against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, in Tempe, Ariz. The 49ers won, 31-28.
San Francisco 49ers Mike Adams (20) and Tony Brown (98) try to bring down Arizona Cardinals running back Emmitt Smith in the first quarter Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, in Tempe, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown (12) looks to pass in the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, in Tempe, Ariz. McCown returned as a starter this week after being benched the past two weeks by coach Dennis Green.
Arizona Cardinals wide reciever Larry Fitzgerald enters the end zone for a touchdown as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Willie Middlebrooks tries to stop him during the first half of a regular season game at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Mexico on Sunday Oct. 2, 2005.
Arizona Cardinals safety Robert Griffith enters the field holding a Mexican flag at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Mexico on Sunday Oct. 2, 2005. In the first regular-season NFL game outside the United States in the league's 86-year history, the winless Arizona Cardinals face the 49ers in front of an expected 85,000 fans.
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Eric Green gets tackled by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Tim Rattay during the first half of a regular season NFL game, the first outside of the United States at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Mexico on Sunday Oct. 2, 2005.
Arizona Cardinals tight end Tevo Johnson, right, gets tackled by San Francisco 49ers Safety Tony Parrish during the first half of the first regular season NFL game held outside of the United States at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Mexico on Sunday Oct. 2, 2005.
Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin (81) dives into the end zone past San Francisco 49ers' Shawntae Spencer, right, on 54-yard touchdown reception during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005, in San Francisco. Arizona won 17-10.
San Francisco 49ers' Mke Adams, left, intercepts a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin, center, during the second quarter in San Francisco on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005. At right is 49ers' Derrick Johnson.
Arizona Cardinals receiver Bryant Johnson (80) is pulled down by San Francisco 49ers Mike Adams (20) during the first quarter of NFL football action Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006 at Cardinals Stadium in Glendale. Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals runningback Edgerrin James (32) runs past San Francisco 49ers Melvin Oliver (96), Walt Harris, center, and Derek Smith, bottom, for a short gain during the third quarter of NFL football action Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006 at Cardinals Stadium in Glendale. Ariz. The Cardinals won 34-27.
Arizona Cardinals' Chike Okeafor, right, reaches to sack San Francisco 49ers' Alex Smith in the first quarter of their NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart, right, is chased by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Derek Smith during the first half on an NFL football game in San Francisco, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007.
Arizona Cardinals running back Edgerrin James, right, loses the ball while he is tackled by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis during the first half of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. Arizona recovered the ball.
Arizona Cardinals' Kurt Warner (13) throws over San Francisco 49ers' Marques Douglas in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007, in Glendale, Ariz.
San Francisco 49ers' Trent Dilfer (12) dives for a first down as Arizona Cardinals' Calvin Pace moves in for the tackle in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007, in Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Steve Breaston (15) gets to one yard line in the fourth quarter of their NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald breaks the tackle of San Francisco 49ers linebacker Manny Lawson (99) in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008, in San Francisco.
Arizona Cardinals running back Edgerrin James (32) tries to get away from San Francisco 49ers cornerback Nate Clements, right, in the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008.
Arizona Cardinals running back Tim Hightower is stopped by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Nate Clements during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 in Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals running back LaRod Stephens-Howling (36) in action during the second quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Monday, Dec. 14, 2009.
San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson, left, breaks up a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, right, during the second quarter of their NFL football game in San Francisco, Monday, Dec. 14, 2009.
San Francisco 49ers' Frank Gore, right, runs past Michael Adams (27) during an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, in Glendale, Ariz. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 27-6.
San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Westbrook (20) tries to break away from Arizona Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson (24) in the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011.
Arizona Cardinals' Early Doucet against the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 in Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback John Skelton (19) looks to throw as San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith (99) watches during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in Glendale, Ariz.
San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) is tackled by Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Sam Acho (94) during the second quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012.
Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Daryl Washington (58) tackles San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree during the second half of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012.
Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington (38) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers safety Donte Whitner (31) during the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, left, and San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh shake hands after an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. The 49ers won 23-20.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver John Brown (12) scores a touchdown as San Francisco 49ers free safety Eric Reid (35) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014, in Glendale, Ariz.
San Francisco 49ers strong safety Craig Dahl #43, Arizona Cardinals tight end Darren Fells #85 and San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Nick Moody #54 during an NFL game played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014.
San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) is tackled in the end zone for a safety by Arizona Cardinals strong safety Deone Bucannon (20) and Kevin Minter, bottom, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) celebrates his interception against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals guard Mike Iupati (76) against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015.
Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) runs from San Francisco 49ers linebacker Nick Bellore, middle, and defensive end Taylor Hart (96) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton (5) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016.
Arizona Cardinals tight end Jermaine Gresham (84) is hit by San Francisco 49ers free safety Eric Reid (35) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) throws as San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Eli Harold (58) pursues during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Jaron Brown (13) is hit by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward (25) and cornerback Dontae Johnson (36) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) pulls in the game winning touchdown as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Rashard Robinson (33) defends during overtime of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 18-15.
Arizona Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson (23) runs against San Francisco 49ers defensive end Leger Douzable during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017.
Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Karlos Dansby (56) reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017.
