Offensive Coordinator Mike Johnson met with the media for his bi-weekly discussion (transcript after the jump). The topic was again brought up about the lack of playing time for Brian Westbrook and it was the same song as before (below is the specific discussion). It's all how Frank Gore is such a great player that the 49ers cannot afford for him not to be in every play and about how he is so good at pass protection. Let me really translate this for you. The only reason Westbrook doesn't play is that he is not a "smashmouth" guy and Singletary doesn't want any part of a guy who is not smashmouth.
If I am Westbrook, I've got to be pissed. They act like he is some sort of rookie who cannot pass protect and therefore is a liabiliy or someone who doesn't understand the offense. What's to understand? You run up the middle towards the defenders and then get tackled. Simple enough, right?
What happened to balance, Singletary? If Singletary had half a clue on how to be a head coach he would be splitting these guys 50/50. That kind of adjustment would be worht at least another win. Westbrook is more versatile than Gore in the fact that he can doing different things. He is a better pass catcher, better outside runner, and if needs to he can run up the gut. Those things make a defense think when Westbrook comes in the game. Now Gore is great, and one of the best running backs to ever play for the 49ers but he basically runs powers and dives and that's about it. He can catch out of the backfield but is not as elusive as Westbrook. Having both of them is a great asset as you have two premier running backs and a 50/50 ball carry split is what the 49ers need to do.
On why RB Brian Westbrook hasn’t seen much of the playing field this year:
“Because when you put Brian Westbrook in the game you have to take Delanie Walker out of the game, or you have to take [RB] Frank Gore out of the game. Now you’re doing something on first and second down where you are taking two of our best players and sitting one of those guys down. We just talked about Delanie Walker being a matchup problem. Well when you put Brian Westbrook in the game, it’s a different matchup problem. Now you have to add a whole new part of an offense that we haven’t had a training camp to install. So you see him doing certain things in small pieces, but to utilize both Frank Gore and Brian Westbrook, those things have to be taught and they have to be detailed in a longer period of time. When you do that, it takes one of those guys off the field and I’m just trying not to take Frank Gore off the field unless he is tired. We need Frank Gore to be who he is. You look at him, he is a good running back, he is a good pass receiving back out of the backfield, probably one of the best. He is the one guy out of our entire offensive group that is probably the soundest on our protection schemes. So he is a very valuable part of our offense, and you are trying to put Brian Westbrook into the game in certain areas to utilize his skills and he played a little bit more last week. Had we done a better job on first down he would have played more, but then we had to get away from that part of it, so it’s one of those deals where you are trying o utilize his talents and not take Frank Gore off the field for 15 plays a game and that is the process. It is something that can be done, but it is something that will have to be developed over time. It’s something that you really need to do in training camp so you can get all the small details taught and have all the compliments so that you can’t just say, ‘Brian Westbrook is going into the game and he’s running a screen.’ Or every time he comes into the game, ‘he is a wide receiver running a flat’, so you try to do things to diversify his package and not be predictable with him, and it just takes time and it’s something that needs to be taught through a longer period of time like training camp.”
On how much Gore helps set pass protection:
“He does. He’s the guy that’s trying to do his job in the pass protection scheme, but he does a very good job at doing his job. And we need everybody on our offense to play better in certain areas, but he’s a guy that understands the protection schemes, he understands defenses, he understands what they are trying to do on third down nickel packages, and he’s valuable to us in that role. But he’s not doing more than what he should do, he is just a guy that’s back there doing his job and he does it well.”
On why RB Brian Westbrook doesn’t know every facet of the playbook:
“He does. He’s at that point now. He’s at that point where he is now understanding everything that he has to do. There was a plan last week to use him in the run game. The first time we gave him the ball on the run game we get a holding penalty. So now we’re 2nd and 17, so therefore, that was a series that he was going to go in the game and he was going to run. But certain things happen in the game that you have to change and you do certain things and you get away from that. But he’s at the point now where he’s comfortable. So, he’s understanding everything we’re trying to do and he’s ready.”
San Francisco
Out: T Joe Staley (fibula)
Did Not Participate: S Dashon Goldson (ankle), K Joe Nedney (knee),
Limited Participation: WR Josh Morgan (shoulder)
Full Participation: CB Nate Clements (ankle), TE Vernon Davis (ankle), T Anthony Davis (ankle), RB Frank Gore (ankle)
Arizona
Did Not Participate: DE Calais Campbell (ankle)
Limited Participation: WR Steve Breaston (knee), DT Darnell Dockett (shoulder), WR Early Doucet (head), LB Clark Haggans (groin), RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring), CB Gregory Toler (foot), DT Dan Williams (toe)
Full Participation: CB Michael Adams (ribs), S Kerry Rhodes (hand), LB Reggie Walker (hamstring)
On whether there will be any lineup changes this week:
“I don’t think there will be any lineup changes in the starting role. I think we’re going to play more people. I think you may see some guys rolling in, in and out as the game goes. We’ll see how certain things go at certain spots, but we’re starting out the same way.”
On whether there will be a role for WR Kyle Williams in the slot:
“We have to wait and see what [Head Coach] Coach Singletary does with the 45-0man roster to see how he fits, but if he’s out there, there may be something we’ll do within our offense. We have to see what Coach Singletary decides on that.”
On how you split up the playing time between all the receivers:
“You have to know each guy, and then when you go 21-12 and then you go 21-2, you end up with a 21 Bulldog or a 21 Crab, so you have a multiple number of personnel groups so that you don’t overload one guy. So, maybe you give a package to [WR] [Dominique] Zeigler, and then give another package to a [WR] Ted Ginn so that they don’t get crossed in the personnel group and make a mistake.”
On whether that is due to the fact that you don’t want to overload guys and the amount of information that they have to know:
“Yes. Certain guys can handle more and you just try to make sure that you give them what they can handle and not overload them.”
On what TE Delanie Walker has shown you as the #2 TE of this offense:
“Delanie Walker has played great. I mean he is one of the most consistent players on our offense right now. He’s playing at a very high level. I’m very appreciative and very pleased at the way he has played this entire year when he’s been healthy. He gives us another threat. He can also run block and he can also run. So when those two guys are in the game together, it gives us more options, and I’m excited about where he is right now as a player.”
On whether you see defenses having to pay more attention to Walker and not just focus on TE Vernon Davis when both of them are on the field:
“Yeah, I don’t know what their thought process is, but if I were a defensive coordinator, I’d probably say you have to do some game planning against those guys to make sure that one of those guys doesn’t run by you.”
On whether the emergence of Delanie Walker has an impact on Ted Ginn's role in the offense:
“I don’t think Delanie Walker has any impact on Ted Ginn at all. I think it’s just a matter of where we are right now. Like you said, we’re still evolving, still trying to grow, still trying to do some things that make sure that we get to a package as an offense where we can go in and out on certain things and the quarterback can handle certain things, and get those things in a game.”
On why RB Brian Westbrook hasn’t seen much of the playing field this year:
“Because when you put Brian Westbrook in the game you have to take Delanie Walker out of the game, or you have to take [RB] Frank Gore out of the game. Now you’re doing something on first and second down where you are taking two of our best players and sitting one of those guys down. We just talked about Delanie Walker being a matchup problem. Well when you put Brian Westbrook in the game, it’s a different matchup problem. Now you have to add a whole new part of an offense that we haven’t had a training camp to install. So you see him doing certain things in small pieces, but to utilize both Frank Gore and Brian Westbrook, those things have to be taught and they have to be detailed in a longer period of time. When you do that, it takes one of those guys off the field and I’m just trying not to take Frank Gore off the field unless he is tired. We need Frank Gore to be who he is. You look at him, he is a good running back, he is a good pass receiving back out of the backfield, probably one of the best. He is the one guy out of our entire offensive group that is probably the soundest on our protection schemes. So he is a very valuable part of our offense, and you are trying to put Brian Westbrook into the game in certain areas to utilize his skills and he played a little bit more last week. Had we done a better job on first down he would have played more, but then we had to get away from that part of it, so it’s one of those deals where you are trying o utilize his talents and not take Frank Gore off the field for 15 plays a game and that is the process. It is something that can be done, but it is something that will have to be developed over time. It’s something that you really need to do in training camp so you can get all the small details taught and have all the compliments so that you can’t just say, ‘Brian Westbrook is going into the game and he’s running a screen.’ Or every time he comes into the game, ‘he is a wide receiver running a flat’, so you try to do things to diversify his package and not be predictable with him, and it just takes time and it’s something that needs to be taught through a longer period of time like training camp.”
On how much Gore helps set pass protection:
“He does. He’s the guy that’s trying to do his job in the pass protection scheme, but he does a very good job at doing his job. And we need everybody on our offense to play better in certain areas, but he’s a guy that understands the protection schemes, he understands defenses, he understands what they are trying to do on third down nickel packages, and he’s valuable to us in that role. But he’s not doing more than what he should do, he is just a guy that’s back there doing his job and he does it well.”
On why RB Brian Westbrook doesn’t know every facet of the playbook:
“He does. He’s at that point now. He’s at that point where he is now understanding everything that he has to do. There was a plan last week to use him in the run game. The first time we gave him the ball on the run game we get a holding penalty. So now we’re 2nd and 17, so therefore, that was a series that he was going to go in the game and he was going to run. But certain things happen in the game that you have to change and you do certain things and you get away from that. But he’s at the point now where he’s comfortable. So, he’s understanding everything we’re trying to do and he’s ready.”
On whether getting more guys playing time is in response to last week’s performance:
“No. It’s the same thing that I’ve said from the first time I stepped up here. We try to get the ball to certain people, starting with Frank Gore, [TE] Vernon Davis, [WR] Michael Crabtree, and then go from there. And then you add [TE] Delanie Walker, Brian Westbrook, and all those guys into the mix and each one of those guys, they require a different type of thought. So two weeks ago, we did that. We had five guys with 60 yards receiving or more. Last week we didn’t do a very good job of that and I think what hurt was our ineffectiveness on first down. And I think if we do a better job on first down, then I think it opens up other opportunities to get those guys the ball in space and better down and distance situations.”
On whether he can get a guy out on the edge as a quarterback regardless of the defense, as witnessed with Saints QB Drew Brees:
“I think when you look at the New Orleans Saints, I think they’ve been in that offense for three years now. So, I think they have every package to complement everything that they do. And I think the quarterback has been in that system for three or four years. So that also helps. So there are certain things that you can do to get a quarterback on the edge and complement certain things that you do, but all of that takes time. All of that takes time, and it takes the knowledge of everything you do to make sure you put it all together. And I think that’s a big part of it.”
On whether the Arizona defense reminds him of any other team:
“No. They’re a good defensive football team. We know who they are up front. We know how good a player 24 [S Adrian Wilson] is, so we know 29 [CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie] is on the corner, we know those guys well, and they know us well. So it’s going to be a hard-fought battle and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
On what he tries to accomplish in the tight window of halftime:
“Well, you try to come up with some thoughts before you come down to the locker room, because you only have maybe five minutes to talk to an offensive or defensive football team and you don’t have a lot of time to draw up a bunch of new plays. So you have to pull from things that you have, and make certain necessary adjustments to do that. You may change one or two things, but you don’t have a lot of time to do that, no.”
On whether he has more time to adjust during a road game versus a home game:
“Not necessarily. Not necessarily, because it depends on where you come from the booth. Certain places, you can get down quick, other places it takes a lot of time to come down. When we come down at home, it takes a long time to walk through the crowd to get to the locker room. Carolina was one of those games where you can get down right away. But it just depends on where you go.”
On whether having more time means he can make more changes:
“I wouldn’t say that it would change much because your coaches are doing certain things, and you’re talking to different people and trying to see what you have to do, but I don’t think it makes that much of a difference, no.”
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