Alex Smith went up to the offensive line to settle them down after another failed drive and that's when the yelling started.
"We got a first down, but then we put ourselves in a a bad situation, and I think those guys were pressing a little bit. I came over to just get them to settle down. Those guys were really fired up and jacked up."Joe Staley thought it was a good thing and it showed on the next drive the 49ers went down the field and scored a touchdown.
"It wasn't like he was pointing the finger at us, and we weren't pointing the finger at him. We just knew as an offense that we could not just keep dragging along. We had to start executing. We were challenging each other. It was all positive."That wasn't the only conversation that took place. Alex Smith had another one with Mike Singletary that wasn't as animated and according to Singletary did not have anything to do with a potential benching.
"Really it was just keep pressing, keep doing what we have to do, don't force it, and it will turn out fine."Smith was on SIRIUS NFL Radio with Rich Gannon (thanks to ESPN's Mike Sando for the transcript) and did agree with the assessment by Gannon that he would prefer not to have the repetitive discussions with Singletary.
"It's something I've gotten used to at this point and I'm ready for, but you're exactly right. "As a quarterback, when you do have a three-and-out or things do not go right, you are the first one to know. You know more than anyone out there what went wrong and what needs to be corrected and don't necessarily always need to hear it when you come off to the sideline. It's something I have gotten used to at this point and can deal with."
49ers Head Coach Mike Singletary
Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders
Opening Statement:
"First and foremost, I am very thankful. I thank God for our players and our coaching staff staying together, sticking together, hanging together, fighting, and I'm very proud of our guys."
On whether the defense could have done more than they did: "Well, certainly I could stand up here and say yes, they could have done better. There were some things here and there, but I'm very thankful for how things turned out, but yes, there are definitely some things that we have to do better, and we will."
On whether there was frustration on offense when things weren't clicking until late in the third quarter: "Well I think sometimes you've just got to keep working at it. I think it was important for us to make sure that we weren't pressing, make sure that we didn't try to make something happen that wasn't there, and I think that was the most important thing we did today as an offense, is not try and force something that just wasn't there. On their defense, they play a lot of man coverage, and it's tough when you can get your hands on receivers and it makes the quarterback have to work really hard to throw tight passes."
On QB Alex Smith's execution: "Well I think overall, I'll have to look at the film to answer that question more exact, but I think overall I thought he did a decent job executing."
On his interaction with Smith in the first half and what that was about: "Really it was just keep pressing, keep doing what we have to do, don't force it, and it will turn out fine."
On being 1-5 and having the first win: "Well, yes. Anytime you get a win it's exciting for our guys. It gives them energy and motivation. We've got to practice, and we have practiced pretty hard and you go out there and make sure that you're ready for the next week, you have to have something. So this was very nice to get a win."
On how his secondary did against Oakland and their tight ends: "You know what, one of our guys doesn't want me to answer that question right. We had a young guy, (LB NaVorro) Bowman, Bowman wanted to get a sack, and ended up rushing the quarterback and thinking that number 80 (Raiders TE Zach Miller) was going to stay in. He came out late, late in the game. And Bowman learned a very valuable lesson today - I've got to watch him until the end. He's a crafty guy, he does a nice job. But overall, Bowman and (LB) Takeo (Spikes) did a really nice job, as well as (LB) Pat (Willis) on the tight end. And he's a very good tight end and overall we did a good job."
On the offensive penalties: "There was an unusual amount of penalties. Some of that, I don't know, the refs were really calling a tight game today, I don't know it was because we were playing the Raiders, or what, and it was on both sides of the ball. I just think we have to look at the film and continue to clean it up and get better."
On the intentional grounding call and what they told him the problem was: "That's not really worth discussing, to be honest. I don't understand that call, I really don't. I thought intentional grounding was when there was absolutely no one in the area. Maybe the ball wasn't catchable, and whatever that is, but there's a guy in the area, I thought, I mean, you could do that. That was something that I thought was understood. But I guess not. We have to look at that again and revisit that and make sure that we really understand that rule."
On how big it was for QB Alex Smith to not turn the ball over: "It's big. One of the things that we said going into the game, we wanted to make sure that every possession that we had offensively that we wanted to end with a kick. And I think that's something that we really wanted to stress and I think Alex got it, and that was big for him today. Big for our offense."
On whether wanting to end with a kick means ending with a field goal or a punt: "Yes. Absolutely."
On what he shared with the team in savoring the win: "You know, just the perseverance. Our guys being able to hang together, and stay together in spite of all the other stuff that's going on. And I just think it's important, particularly when you have a young team where guys, they get it. They understand it, and good things will happen. You just have to continue working at it, staying with it, staying together is the most important thing, and hopefully we'll get where we want to go."
On whether he thought the offense could turn things while the defense kept the game close: "Well the biggest thing, we just had to keep at it on offense. Sometimes the game is going to be that way. You go into the game and you know your defense is playing well, and as an offensive coordinator, it gives you a little more leeway in terms of making sure you're not calling things that forces you to put yourself in tough situations. Sometimes you just have to be patient and just keep working at it, keep hitting at it and maybe something will open up at some point in time, and that was the case today."
On the late sack of Raiders QB Jason Campbell and what he was told about why that was not a safety: "Well basically, because of the forward progress, that was the reason that it could not be a safety."
On whether he thinks the intentional grounding call served as a rally point for QB Alex Smith to throw a 32-yard touchdown pass the following play: "Anytime something like that happens, it's always good when you can come back, whether it's the quarterback, whether it's the running back, whatever it might be. It's always good when they can come back and make something good happen on the next play. It shows you that they're not focusing on what just happened."
On what happened where there was disconnect between QB Alex Smith and WR Josh Morgan and why Smith was upset: "I think that had to do more with communication. I'm not quite sure I can get the full gist of it at the time, but I think it was a communication issue at that time."
On T Joe Staley missing practice this week and struggling today and whether that had to do with his injury: "I really don't know. I don't think so. That's just something we'll have to continue to look at and monitor and see how it's going, but I don't think so."
On why they won today versus previous games: "Well, number one, we didn't turn the ball over. We won the turnover battle. Number two, we played good football on the defensive side and didn't allow big plays. So that was big, and I think we were able to run the ball when we had to, and that was a good thing, and of course (QB) Alex (Smith) made a big-time play that really made the difference. And so I think all of those things add up to a win.
On what the mood was like in the locker room post-win: "It obviously felt good. Satisfied, obviously relieved that we got the first one. This team's been working so hard, you know, pressing and pressing and pressing and to lose... You know, we had three really close games this year, done a lot of things to hurt ourselves. To come out today and play the way we did, looking 0-and-5 in the face, stay patient even when we come out down 6-3 in the half. Defense continued to play great, offensive line played great, and continue to stay patient and pull out the victory. It's a great feeling."
On what went wrong in first half and what adjustments were made in the second half: "Really missed some opportunities in the first half, I thought. You know, got ourselves in some bad third down situations. Third-and-long in this league is tough, especially against the Raiders. They do a good job on third-and-long. They have a good package that made it tough on us. And then... really missed some opportunities. You know, the one that stands out is the ball between me and (WR) Josh (Morgan) up the seam. Capitalize on that, and that's a touchdown. There were a couple of other ones I think, but really some missed opportunities, I thought."
On how it feels to get the win after the loss to the Eagles last week: "It feels great, you know? It does feel great, but at the same time, it's the first. It's one, we're one-and-five. But if it does go good, rivalry game, in the NFL for a non-division game to play the Raiders here at home, wet game, we continued to battle and pulled it out in the end the way we did, I think says a lot of the character we got in the locker room."
On whether there was a miscommunication on the seam pass to WR Josh Morgan: "It was a miscommunication for sure. We were moving guys around, trying to find my places for guys, mismatches for us. I had him in the seam, and (TE) Vernon (Davis) did a great job pulling the safety. He was the first read and the safety bit hard on him. I was already thinking Josh up the seam. I'll have to look at the film, I know he was obviously battling. They play so much man-to-man on the line. He was battling his release, he got inside and he just felt all the space in there and kept running. I didn't get a clean look at it when I let it go, really kind of thinking up the numbers. Miscommunication... You got to take advantage of those. Ran a great route and had the perfect coverage, you have to capitalize."
On the 49ers clock control in the second half: "Yeah it was... The one big drive stands out in my mind. I don't know how long it was, but went a long way, had a bunch of third down conversions, marched it all the way down and then finished it. Then there at the end, four-minute offense as offense we call it, you got to pick up some first downs and eat up the clock, change field position, punt them deep, make it really hard for them and we did that. We got the first down, I think we got it with six minutes left, changed field position, punted them deep, defense stopped, we got it back, and then obviously got the first down we needed and got the gain. The defense played great all night. I don't know the final stats, but I think they were pretty, you know."
On how he beat the man coverage on the touchdown pass to WR Michael Crabtree: "Yeah, the three receivers into the boundary, which is obviously an unusual set, and the way they had to push through it. They had two, high safety and the backside safety pushed too far. I don't know what they were trying to do. He pushed over. We kind of saw it earlier in the game, on a separate play and kind of were aware of it. The safety pushed so far through, Crabtree turned up along through the backside of it in the opening."
On the intentional grounding call: "Yeah, the phantom intentional ground. I've never seen that. That was a first for me. I've never seen that called like that. You know, I know when you're getting tackled in the pocket, you're in danger. But to be going through your progression, then to throw a ball over the guy's head, I've never seen it get called. It's a wet day, we got brand new balls out there, you know, the pink breast cancer balls, and for them to call that I thought was pretty ridiculous to be honest with you."
On whether the referee said anything to him after the intentional grounding call: "Nothing. He didn't say anything. I mean, his mic was on, when he was talking that one time and he was basically saying that it went too far over his head, but how does he know? You know? How does he know whether I did that intentionally or not? He has no idea. I thought it was... I've never seen it called like that."
On whether he intentionally overthrew the ball on the intentional grounding call: "Who knows."
On whether this win gives the team a fresh start to the season: "Of course, yeah. I mean, absolutely. You got to start with one. You got to start somewhere. You try to fix the negatives and build on the positives of the last five weeks, and now to get a win... You know, you still do that, but you got the ‘W'. That's what all of this time goes into. It's all about winning. That's all that matters at this point and you have to get the first one, so it's a starting point."
On whether he was more comfortable with the play calling this game: "It was different. Every game's different. In the first half, I think we struggled to get the run game going a little bit, got in some third down situations. We didn't do well on third down, like I said. Then finally we were able to get a little bit of momentum there at the end of the half, got in a two-minute situation, moved the ball all the way down the field. We ran out of time there. We got the field goal. I think that was important, to be honest. Then came out in the second half, we got the ball... Kind of hurt ourselves that first drive, but that second drive, go the ball marched it all the way down, had a bunch of third down conversions and then finished it off with a touchdown. I think that was really key. We just battled it. Guys stayed patient. Offensive line played great all night. The running game, I was glad how patient we stayed with the running game. That's how the running game works in the NFL. It's not all come out in the first quarter and you're going to have a bunch of... You're not just going to rip them, you have to stay patient and get those two- or three-yard runs in the first quarter then those turn into those like we had in the fourth quarter, so it was great to see."
On why RB Frank Gore's big gain play worked so well: "Execution. I think you go look at those guys up front and how well they blocked. I think (FB) Moran (Norris) had a great block I saw on the replay. Got guys blocking downfield. So much of the running game gets put on the offensive line, you know, on the running backs. But when you have long runs like that, they only come because everybody's involved. They only come because... I mean, I don't do much, but they come because the receivers downfield are blocking and holding up their guys and that's the reason, you know, Frank's able to spring that. It's a total team effort. It's a credit to those guys."
On his mental state in the first half with the fans booing: "I was ready for it all week. Raiders home game... I knew if we didn't come out hot, if I didn't come out hot, I knew that was going to happen, without a doubt. I was ready for it. It wasn't going to bother me. It wasn't going to affect me. I was determined... they're fans, it's part of the game."
On how he felt going into the second half: "The drive before half was important. We had to get a little momentum going, we had the drive, had the two-minute drive, knew we could do it obviously just had to execute and get into a rhythm just get some things going then really get things going in the second half. So, mixed it up, got some third down conversions, go the ball out then finally finished it. We got a lot of opportunities to do that in the first half and we missed them and then got them in the second half."
On whether it was gratifying to get the touchdown after the intentional grounding call: "I was more gratified to throw the touchdown for this team, for the guys on the sideline, for the fans, but I was happy for this team. Everyone puts in so much. The guys want it so bad. Happy for Crab (WR Michael Crabtree), happy for everybody, the guys up front. Everyone."
On how important it is to keep pace with the rest of the NFC West: "You look at Arizona a couple of years ago, they win the division at 9-7, get hot and they go to the Super Bowl. You know? Regular season record doesn't necessarily play into that. You get into the tournament, and if you're playing well, you can go deep. They can say what they want. That's obviously the goal, but that's down the line. Stay short-sighted, build on this and get ready to play Carolina."
On what lead to the zero turnovers: "The throwaways. I talked about it with (Offensive Coordinator) Mike Johnson. We talked about it all week - even knew coming in that we were going to go after these guys a little bit. But, if it wasn't there, you're going to have to get rid of the ball, throw it away and be smart and really manage the game. It's a tough way to play, but had a bunch of throwaways and was smart with the football. That was definitely a key coming into this. Different defenses play different ways, expected that coming into this game, that I was going to have to do that."
On how it feels to get the first win of the season: "It feels good, we're rolling now. It was my first to get that feeling, have that feeling, know what it feels like. It's my first NFL win, regular season. It feels good and I'm excited to get back at practice and get ready for next week."
On what changed in the second half where you were able to come out and get two scores: "Running the ball, staying consistent with the details, and keep pounding keep pounding and they'll start breaking."
On whether that was the mentality in terms of sticking with the running game in the second half: "Yeah we just wanted to keep banging with them and out hit them basically."
On what happened on the play when C David Baas and FB Moran Norris had two solid blocks to spring RB Frank Gore loose: "I came down, I pulled around, it opened up and he took off."
On what this rivalry is like: "Oh I love it. They're a physical team so it's good. We get to play big physical guys at their highest point you know? It's a rivalry, everybody wants to come out."
On what the mood was like in the locker room after this game: "Oh it felt good. 10 more to go, felt good, we're ready to go."
On whether he feels the team has got a monkey off its back: "Yes, excited. I'm just - I feel like I just took a house off of my back. It was weighing me down, but I believe in my team and I believe in myself. I knew we could go out there and do it."
On the significance of the first win: "We've still got a lot of work cut out. It's definitely one that builds momentum for us. We've just got to go ahead and get another one this week."
On whether the team has discussed if the rest of the schedule is winnable: "We're not in the position to be looking forward. We've just got to take them one game at a time and keep doing what we're doing."
On what it took for the 49ers to get their first win today: "I mean you know, it was tough at first. We were taking four and taking five, but our offensive line kept working and kept fighting. Our receivers did just a great job downfield. I'm just excited that we just finally got one. That was all it took and, you know, we feel good, we feel; you know how we feel now. It's time to roll now."
On whether he feels that today was the day things turned around for the 49ers: "Yeah I do. You know, we took a step as a team. You know, offensively we didn't beat ourselves. Defensively they were taking the ball away. Special teams was making plays. We played as one. Now we got that one and we can't look backward; we got to look forward."
On QB Alex Smith: "Alex is a fighter. He's had an up-and -down career here. You know, I love that guy. He works hard. I know things haven't been going his way, haven't been going the whole team's way. You look at him, you see; you know I bring back the Philadelphia game, and how before the game was over the way he responded. The fans were booing but, you know, he stepped in there and he fought. That's one thing, he's been fighting his whole career here. We finally got one and; now we're ready to take off now."
On what adjustments the 49ers made at halftime: "You know, we just had to calm down. We had to just be us. Like I told everybody, I told (quarterback) Alex (Smith), ‘Let's just go out there like it's practice. You know how in practice we do everything right? Let's just go out and do the same thing, we're just playing against guys in a different jersey. That's all we did in the second half."
On what the mindset was heading into this game: "Oh it's no different than any other mindset we go into with any game and that's to go out there and do our best and make plays."
On your interception and how you went out there and made a play: "Ah, you know really just keep my guy. I saw the ball thrown and it was my play to make, and I made it."
On whether the team gets the feeling that with this first win, that this could be the start of something really good: "Yeah. I think with the first one you get a sense of confidence built inside you know. We got the first one, we got several games, two more games that we know are for sure, and we can go out there and keep them going."
On how you guys played today: "Man I think, I say we played well. I think you could ask anybody and I think we played well, but there were several plays that I think we could get better to better our stats."
On whether you would say this was the best performance of the season defensively: "Yeah, I would."
On what made the defense so successful in keeping their running game in check: "You know really just the guys stepping up and making plays. The guys doing their homework, their assignments. It's a want to, I think any play that comes your way it's a want to make it."
On how you would characterize how the defense did today: "I mean everything I just say it's all a blessing. We came prepared mentally for this game against the Oakland Raiders. We did an awesome, tremendous job and I take my hat off to all my teammates on all three sides of the ball, the defense, the offense, and the special teams, and also the coaching staff. I don't know what else to say. It's an awesome, great feeling."
On what it means to get that first win: "It's a start. It's a start of our 2010 season. Now we have one, next we have Carolina. I have a great solid spiritual feeling that it's going to get to 2-5."
On playing FB at the end of the game and his reaction when coach Singletary told him that he was going in there: "Oh I was so anxious. I was so anxious. I was so looking forward to it, but this is just fullback. I played rugby 12 years of my life, you know rugby people we play with no helmets and no pads so this is nothing. I love it, I enjoy it, and I hope there is more coming."
On holding the Raiders during the first half: "We pride ourselves on red-zone defense. We know that in this league, teams are going to get yards. Teams are going to make plays also. They're professionals too. But when we get to the red zone, we've got to buckle down and try to hold them to three - and today we did that."
On what he thinks this game does for QB Alex Smith: "Well not just Alex. I look at it as for the entire team. It's a very, very - it's a game we can build on. It feels good. The atmosphere is a lot better. I like this atmosphere a lot better than what we've had the previous five weeks. For Alex, the thing that's very misunderstood about the offense and things like that, and because he's the quarterback, he has a lot of pressure. And, the majority of the time, it's not his fault. There are plenty of things that can contribute to the breakdown of a play. It could be a protection thing. It could be a route concept, whatever it may be. But us as defensive players, and even in the media - you guys - if you don't understand, or we don't know that offensive scheme, it's easy to sit back and pinpoint one person to put the blame on. And, that's not always the case."
On the 49ers first win of the 2010 season: "It feels good to get the win man; it was a long time overdue. To be able to get it at this point, the sixth game of the season, I hate it but I'll take it, because we knew we were in desperation mode."
On the mentality in the locker room after the game: "We're not satisfied. Yeah we're happy we got the win, but we're going to have a 24-hour rule with the win as well as like we have with the losses. We're not looking back; there's no looking back now."
On the 49ers defense causing turnovers today: "It's big man. I mean the proof is in the pudding. People ask, ‘Why this? Why that?' We were able get turnovers and we didn't turn the ball over; point blank period. I don't care; you can draw it up, people can take shots at certain people, but I mean; period, that's how it is. If you don't turn over the ball over you're going to give yourself a chance to win. We played good red zone defense today and we were able to get two turnovers. At the end of the day when you look at the score, you're going to have games like that because that's how we won a lot of games last year. People tend to forget that."
On whether there was a change in the defensive pressure after the Raiders first drive: "You know, just at this point we realized a few weeks ago that teams know that they can't come out and play us straight up defensively. And so we had to understand that that was a hard pill for us to swallow. So knowing that they came out and did everything that they did with the trickery, the different formations, and that we were still able to hold out ground and make plays. After that you know; I'm a firm believer that anybody can play the game off emotion in the first six or seven minutes. After you get done with that then you got to come and play regular football and get back to the ‘Xs' and ‘Os.' That's what we were able to do."
On the team's mindset: "No matter what, we had to stay together. We did well and there were times, even when our crowd was booing the offense, they stayed strong, (QB) Alex (Smith) stayed strong and we went out as a defense and continued to play and gave us a chance. When it's all said and done, they picked it up and they got it done. Our special teams was phenomenal today as well. It's going to take all three phases. One phase can't do it by themselves, it's going to take all three phases."
On the play of the defense: "Our defense today was just a matter of everyone playing together. We didn't have turnovers on offense and we got turnovers on defense and that was big. That's what we've been battling the first five games of the season, bad field position and turnovers. Today we played good red zone defense and even when they drove the ball down the field, we played good red zone defense and forced them to kick a field goal. You ask any coordinator and they will say it doesn't matter how many times they drive down the field, if they're kicking three points, you give you give yourself a chance to win every game and we did that."
On T Joe Staley missing practice this week and struggling today and whether that had to do with his injury: "I really don't know. I don't think so. That's just something we'll have to continue to look at and monitor and see how it's going, but I don't think so."
On why they won today versus previous games: "Well, number one, we didn't turn the ball over. We won the turnover battle. Number two, we played good football on the defensive side and didn't allow big plays. So that was big, and I think we were able to run the ball when we had to, and that was a good thing, and of course (QB) Alex (Smith) made a big-time play that really made the difference. And so I think all of those things add up to a win.
QB Alex Smith
Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders
On what the mood was like in the locker room post-win: "It obviously felt good. Satisfied, obviously relieved that we got the first one. This team's been working so hard, you know, pressing and pressing and pressing and to lose... You know, we had three really close games this year, done a lot of things to hurt ourselves. To come out today and play the way we did, looking 0-and-5 in the face, stay patient even when we come out down 6-3 in the half. Defense continued to play great, offensive line played great, and continue to stay patient and pull out the victory. It's a great feeling."
On what went wrong in first half and what adjustments were made in the second half: "Really missed some opportunities in the first half, I thought. You know, got ourselves in some bad third down situations. Third-and-long in this league is tough, especially against the Raiders. They do a good job on third-and-long. They have a good package that made it tough on us. And then... really missed some opportunities. You know, the one that stands out is the ball between me and (WR) Josh (Morgan) up the seam. Capitalize on that, and that's a touchdown. There were a couple of other ones I think, but really some missed opportunities, I thought."
On how it feels to get the win after the loss to the Eagles last week: "It feels great, you know? It does feel great, but at the same time, it's the first. It's one, we're one-and-five. But if it does go good, rivalry game, in the NFL for a non-division game to play the Raiders here at home, wet game, we continued to battle and pulled it out in the end the way we did, I think says a lot of the character we got in the locker room."
On whether there was a miscommunication on the seam pass to WR Josh Morgan: "It was a miscommunication for sure. We were moving guys around, trying to find my places for guys, mismatches for us. I had him in the seam, and (TE) Vernon (Davis) did a great job pulling the safety. He was the first read and the safety bit hard on him. I was already thinking Josh up the seam. I'll have to look at the film, I know he was obviously battling. They play so much man-to-man on the line. He was battling his release, he got inside and he just felt all the space in there and kept running. I didn't get a clean look at it when I let it go, really kind of thinking up the numbers. Miscommunication... You got to take advantage of those. Ran a great route and had the perfect coverage, you have to capitalize."
On the 49ers clock control in the second half: "Yeah it was... The one big drive stands out in my mind. I don't know how long it was, but went a long way, had a bunch of third down conversions, marched it all the way down and then finished it. Then there at the end, four-minute offense as offense we call it, you got to pick up some first downs and eat up the clock, change field position, punt them deep, make it really hard for them and we did that. We got the first down, I think we got it with six minutes left, changed field position, punted them deep, defense stopped, we got it back, and then obviously got the first down we needed and got the gain. The defense played great all night. I don't know the final stats, but I think they were pretty, you know."
On how he beat the man coverage on the touchdown pass to WR Michael Crabtree: "Yeah, the three receivers into the boundary, which is obviously an unusual set, and the way they had to push through it. They had two, high safety and the backside safety pushed too far. I don't know what they were trying to do. He pushed over. We kind of saw it earlier in the game, on a separate play and kind of were aware of it. The safety pushed so far through, Crabtree turned up along through the backside of it in the opening."
On the intentional grounding call: "Yeah, the phantom intentional ground. I've never seen that. That was a first for me. I've never seen that called like that. You know, I know when you're getting tackled in the pocket, you're in danger. But to be going through your progression, then to throw a ball over the guy's head, I've never seen it get called. It's a wet day, we got brand new balls out there, you know, the pink breast cancer balls, and for them to call that I thought was pretty ridiculous to be honest with you."
On whether the referee said anything to him after the intentional grounding call: "Nothing. He didn't say anything. I mean, his mic was on, when he was talking that one time and he was basically saying that it went too far over his head, but how does he know? You know? How does he know whether I did that intentionally or not? He has no idea. I thought it was... I've never seen it called like that."
On whether he intentionally overthrew the ball on the intentional grounding call: "Who knows."
On whether this win gives the team a fresh start to the season: "Of course, yeah. I mean, absolutely. You got to start with one. You got to start somewhere. You try to fix the negatives and build on the positives of the last five weeks, and now to get a win... You know, you still do that, but you got the ‘W'. That's what all of this time goes into. It's all about winning. That's all that matters at this point and you have to get the first one, so it's a starting point."
On whether he was more comfortable with the play calling this game: "It was different. Every game's different. In the first half, I think we struggled to get the run game going a little bit, got in some third down situations. We didn't do well on third down, like I said. Then finally we were able to get a little bit of momentum there at the end of the half, got in a two-minute situation, moved the ball all the way down the field. We ran out of time there. We got the field goal. I think that was important, to be honest. Then came out in the second half, we got the ball... Kind of hurt ourselves that first drive, but that second drive, go the ball marched it all the way down, had a bunch of third down conversions and then finished it off with a touchdown. I think that was really key. We just battled it. Guys stayed patient. Offensive line played great all night. The running game, I was glad how patient we stayed with the running game. That's how the running game works in the NFL. It's not all come out in the first quarter and you're going to have a bunch of... You're not just going to rip them, you have to stay patient and get those two- or three-yard runs in the first quarter then those turn into those like we had in the fourth quarter, so it was great to see."
On why RB Frank Gore's big gain play worked so well: "Execution. I think you go look at those guys up front and how well they blocked. I think (FB) Moran (Norris) had a great block I saw on the replay. Got guys blocking downfield. So much of the running game gets put on the offensive line, you know, on the running backs. But when you have long runs like that, they only come because everybody's involved. They only come because... I mean, I don't do much, but they come because the receivers downfield are blocking and holding up their guys and that's the reason, you know, Frank's able to spring that. It's a total team effort. It's a credit to those guys."
On his mental state in the first half with the fans booing: "I was ready for it all week. Raiders home game... I knew if we didn't come out hot, if I didn't come out hot, I knew that was going to happen, without a doubt. I was ready for it. It wasn't going to bother me. It wasn't going to affect me. I was determined... they're fans, it's part of the game."
On how he felt going into the second half: "The drive before half was important. We had to get a little momentum going, we had the drive, had the two-minute drive, knew we could do it obviously just had to execute and get into a rhythm just get some things going then really get things going in the second half. So, mixed it up, got some third down conversions, go the ball out then finally finished it. We got a lot of opportunities to do that in the first half and we missed them and then got them in the second half."
On whether it was gratifying to get the touchdown after the intentional grounding call: "I was more gratified to throw the touchdown for this team, for the guys on the sideline, for the fans, but I was happy for this team. Everyone puts in so much. The guys want it so bad. Happy for Crab (WR Michael Crabtree), happy for everybody, the guys up front. Everyone."
On how important it is to keep pace with the rest of the NFC West: "You look at Arizona a couple of years ago, they win the division at 9-7, get hot and they go to the Super Bowl. You know? Regular season record doesn't necessarily play into that. You get into the tournament, and if you're playing well, you can go deep. They can say what they want. That's obviously the goal, but that's down the line. Stay short-sighted, build on this and get ready to play Carolina."
On what lead to the zero turnovers: "The throwaways. I talked about it with (Offensive Coordinator) Mike Johnson. We talked about it all week - even knew coming in that we were going to go after these guys a little bit. But, if it wasn't there, you're going to have to get rid of the ball, throw it away and be smart and really manage the game. It's a tough way to play, but had a bunch of throwaways and was smart with the football. That was definitely a key coming into this. Different defenses play different ways, expected that coming into this game, that I was going to have to do that."
T Anthony Davis
Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers
On how it feels to get the first win of the season: "It feels good, we're rolling now. It was my first to get that feeling, have that feeling, know what it feels like. It's my first NFL win, regular season. It feels good and I'm excited to get back at practice and get ready for next week."
On what changed in the second half where you were able to come out and get two scores: "Running the ball, staying consistent with the details, and keep pounding keep pounding and they'll start breaking."
On whether that was the mentality in terms of sticking with the running game in the second half: "Yeah we just wanted to keep banging with them and out hit them basically."
On what happened on the play when C David Baas and FB Moran Norris had two solid blocks to spring RB Frank Gore loose: "I came down, I pulled around, it opened up and he took off."
On what this rivalry is like: "Oh I love it. They're a physical team so it's good. We get to play big physical guys at their highest point you know? It's a rivalry, everybody wants to come out."
On what the mood was like in the locker room after this game: "Oh it felt good. 10 more to go, felt good, we're ready to go."
TE Vernon Davis
49ers Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders
On whether he feels the team has got a monkey off its back: "Yes, excited. I'm just - I feel like I just took a house off of my back. It was weighing me down, but I believe in my team and I believe in myself. I knew we could go out there and do it."
S Dashon Goldson
49ers Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders
On the significance of the first win: "We've still got a lot of work cut out. It's definitely one that builds momentum for us. We've just got to go ahead and get another one this week."
On whether the team has discussed if the rest of the schedule is winnable: "We're not in the position to be looking forward. We've just got to take them one game at a time and keep doing what we're doing."
RB Frank Gore
Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders
On what it took for the 49ers to get their first win today: "I mean you know, it was tough at first. We were taking four and taking five, but our offensive line kept working and kept fighting. Our receivers did just a great job downfield. I'm just excited that we just finally got one. That was all it took and, you know, we feel good, we feel; you know how we feel now. It's time to roll now."
On whether he feels that today was the day things turned around for the 49ers: "Yeah I do. You know, we took a step as a team. You know, offensively we didn't beat ourselves. Defensively they were taking the ball away. Special teams was making plays. We played as one. Now we got that one and we can't look backward; we got to look forward."
On QB Alex Smith: "Alex is a fighter. He's had an up-and -down career here. You know, I love that guy. He works hard. I know things haven't been going his way, haven't been going the whole team's way. You look at him, you see; you know I bring back the Philadelphia game, and how before the game was over the way he responded. The fans were booing but, you know, he stepped in there and he fought. That's one thing, he's been fighting his whole career here. We finally got one and; now we're ready to take off now."
On what adjustments the 49ers made at halftime: "You know, we just had to calm down. We had to just be us. Like I told everybody, I told (quarterback) Alex (Smith), ‘Let's just go out there like it's practice. You know how in practice we do everything right? Let's just go out and do the same thing, we're just playing against guys in a different jersey. That's all we did in the second half."
LB Manny Lawson
Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers
On what the mindset was heading into this game: "Oh it's no different than any other mindset we go into with any game and that's to go out there and do our best and make plays."
On your interception and how you went out there and made a play: "Ah, you know really just keep my guy. I saw the ball thrown and it was my play to make, and I made it."
On whether the team gets the feeling that with this first win, that this could be the start of something really good: "Yeah. I think with the first one you get a sense of confidence built inside you know. We got the first one, we got several games, two more games that we know are for sure, and we can go out there and keep them going."
On how you guys played today: "Man I think, I say we played well. I think you could ask anybody and I think we played well, but there were several plays that I think we could get better to better our stats."
On whether you would say this was the best performance of the season defensively: "Yeah, I would."
On what made the defense so successful in keeping their running game in check: "You know really just the guys stepping up and making plays. The guys doing their homework, their assignments. It's a want to, I think any play that comes your way it's a want to make it."
DT Isaac Sopoaga
Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers
On how you would characterize how the defense did today: "I mean everything I just say it's all a blessing. We came prepared mentally for this game against the Oakland Raiders. We did an awesome, tremendous job and I take my hat off to all my teammates on all three sides of the ball, the defense, the offense, and the special teams, and also the coaching staff. I don't know what else to say. It's an awesome, great feeling."
On what it means to get that first win: "It's a start. It's a start of our 2010 season. Now we have one, next we have Carolina. I have a great solid spiritual feeling that it's going to get to 2-5."
On playing FB at the end of the game and his reaction when coach Singletary told him that he was going in there: "Oh I was so anxious. I was so anxious. I was so looking forward to it, but this is just fullback. I played rugby 12 years of my life, you know rugby people we play with no helmets and no pads so this is nothing. I love it, I enjoy it, and I hope there is more coming."
CB Shawntae Spencer
49ers Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders
On holding the Raiders during the first half: "We pride ourselves on red-zone defense. We know that in this league, teams are going to get yards. Teams are going to make plays also. They're professionals too. But when we get to the red zone, we've got to buckle down and try to hold them to three - and today we did that."
On what he thinks this game does for QB Alex Smith: "Well not just Alex. I look at it as for the entire team. It's a very, very - it's a game we can build on. It feels good. The atmosphere is a lot better. I like this atmosphere a lot better than what we've had the previous five weeks. For Alex, the thing that's very misunderstood about the offense and things like that, and because he's the quarterback, he has a lot of pressure. And, the majority of the time, it's not his fault. There are plenty of things that can contribute to the breakdown of a play. It could be a protection thing. It could be a route concept, whatever it may be. But us as defensive players, and even in the media - you guys - if you don't understand, or we don't know that offensive scheme, it's easy to sit back and pinpoint one person to put the blame on. And, that's not always the case."
LB Takeo Spikes
Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders
On the 49ers first win of the 2010 season: "It feels good to get the win man; it was a long time overdue. To be able to get it at this point, the sixth game of the season, I hate it but I'll take it, because we knew we were in desperation mode."
On the mentality in the locker room after the game: "We're not satisfied. Yeah we're happy we got the win, but we're going to have a 24-hour rule with the win as well as like we have with the losses. We're not looking back; there's no looking back now."
On the 49ers defense causing turnovers today: "It's big man. I mean the proof is in the pudding. People ask, ‘Why this? Why that?' We were able get turnovers and we didn't turn the ball over; point blank period. I don't care; you can draw it up, people can take shots at certain people, but I mean; period, that's how it is. If you don't turn over the ball over you're going to give yourself a chance to win. We played good red zone defense today and we were able to get two turnovers. At the end of the day when you look at the score, you're going to have games like that because that's how we won a lot of games last year. People tend to forget that."
On whether there was a change in the defensive pressure after the Raiders first drive: "You know, just at this point we realized a few weeks ago that teams know that they can't come out and play us straight up defensively. And so we had to understand that that was a hard pill for us to swallow. So knowing that they came out and did everything that they did with the trickery, the different formations, and that we were still able to hold out ground and make plays. After that you know; I'm a firm believer that anybody can play the game off emotion in the first six or seven minutes. After you get done with that then you got to come and play regular football and get back to the ‘Xs' and ‘Os.' That's what we were able to do."
49ers LB Patrick Willis
Post-Game Quotes - October 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders
On the team's mindset: "No matter what, we had to stay together. We did well and there were times, even when our crowd was booing the offense, they stayed strong, (QB) Alex (Smith) stayed strong and we went out as a defense and continued to play and gave us a chance. When it's all said and done, they picked it up and they got it done. Our special teams was phenomenal today as well. It's going to take all three phases. One phase can't do it by themselves, it's going to take all three phases."
On the play of the defense: "Our defense today was just a matter of everyone playing together. We didn't have turnovers on offense and we got turnovers on defense and that was big. That's what we've been battling the first five games of the season, bad field position and turnovers. Today we played good red zone defense and even when they drove the ball down the field, we played good red zone defense and forced them to kick a field goal. You ask any coordinator and they will say it doesn't matter how many times they drive down the field, if they're kicking three points, you give you give yourself a chance to win every game and we did that."
No comments:
Post a Comment