The San Francisco 49ers know how important their game Sunday is against the New Orleans Saints. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders feels a change in the sense of urgency.

After losing to the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday, the 49ers dropped all the way to fifth place in the standings, but the 49ers are still tied with four other teams for the NFL's best record. One of those teams with a 10-2 record is the Saints so this is a crucial game in the standings.

“The sense of urgency is huge,” receiver Emmanuel Sanders said after Wednesday’s practice at IMG Academy in Brandenton, Fla via the Sacramento Bee. “It’s playoff football around here.”

“Obviously, it is a sense of urgency,” Sanders added, “but I try to be here to be the voice of letting them understand why they feel the way that they feel because obviously you get in those games and you’re like, ‘Man, this didn’t feel like Week 4.’ Every single play matters and you’ve got to think that.

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Left tackle Joe Staley is expected to play, and he knows how much the game means, although the team is trying to keep their cool with the situation.

“I think everybody knows it’s an important game,” said left tackle Joe Staley, who’s likely to play for the first time since Nov. 11 after having finger surgery. “But we’re not going to freak out about it.”

With teams like the Saints, Seahawks, and Packers all having elite home-field advantages, there is extra pressure on the 49ers to get home field, so they don't have to deal with those environments in the playoffs.