Below are some quotes from various San Francisco 49ers players following the team's 23-17 Week 14 loss to the New York Jets.
S Antoine Bethea
What do you feel changes in the second half of games for you guys, not only today, but all season long?
"I can't tell you. If we had that answer I'm pretty sure we would make those corrections and things would be a little different. So, I really can't tell you exactly what it is."
People are starting to wonder why you guys are still believing in head coach Chip Kelly.
"People are saying that? I haven't heard that. But, he's our coach. The same way he believes in us we believe in him. We started this season together, we are going to finish together."
What happened in the second half, defensively? Why was New York Jets RB Bilal Powell able to get some success running?
"I can't really tell you right now. Going to have to go back and look at the film and see what was going on. Like you said, obviously they were having success in the second half running the ball. Like I said, right now I can't really pinpoint exactly what it was."
Have you ever been through a season like this?
"I have. We went 2-14 in Indy. It's one of those years. As a team you stay together, you stick together, continue to build one another up, don't worry about what the media or anyone outside the locker room has to say and just keep working."
LB Eli Harold
Head coach Chip Kelly said that the offense's inability to put a drive together really hurt the defense. And it looked like you guys were missing some tackles, and obviously they came back. Did you feel that? Were you guys more tired in the second half because of the way the game was going?
"At the end of the day we have to execute no matter what situation we're in, up by 30, down by 30. No matter what the offense does we have to do our job. The adversity, it's going to happen every game. So, at the end of the day we have to do our job."
Were you frustrated, as a unit, with some of the tackling today?
"We have to make the plays when they needed to be made. It takes all 11, even the guys that are subbing in and out. It's a team effort. At the end of the day, like I said, we have to execute."
The pass rush was very strong today, especially in the first half. Did the New York Jets do some things strategically to take you out of some of that in the second half?
"They threw it a little quicker in the second half. I feel like being at the point of the game where we were in the first half, they were on their heels a lot. So, we took advantage of that. In the second half, like I said, we didn't execute."
Obviously, all of these losses are hard, but where does this one stack up in a game that was there for the taking?
"It hurts. But, at the end of the day we just have to stay together. We always breakdown on 'family'. We have to have each other's backs. All in all, it's all of our fault. We can't blame it on one guy. But, this loss hurts. We felt like this is one we could have gotten. It wasn't going to be easy. No game is going to be easy. But, we really thought we could win this one."
You say that you have to stick together, is everyone sticking together?
"Oh yeah. That's our whole mantra, family. Every day we breakdown on family and that's what we're all about."
DB Jimmie Ward
Postgame Quotes – December 11, 2016
San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Jets
Did you feel like you had an all-around good game?
"Yes, just like I said [defensive coordinator] Jim O'Neil had a great game plan coming into the game, so I was able to make those plays because of how good the defensive rush was."
The official picked up the flag on that out of bounds hit, did that feel like a good break?
"Yes. I knew the quarterback was still in bounds. I am just playing until the whistle. That is what we are taught playing football. I didn't want to do any dirty plays or anything like that. I am not a dirty player, I just try to play inside the rules."
Are you kind of at a loss because it seems like you guys start off good every game, you guys have leads in 10 games this season and then how things kind of get away from you, can you figure out why that is?
"I don't have an answer for you right now. I just feel like it starts in practice. We just have to finish in practice because [head coach] Chip, [Kelly] always tells us that we have to finish. In practice he emphasizes to finish and so that is on the players. Somehow we have to come together and get that done."
Coach Kelly said that it looked like to him that the defense was getting worn down and that is the reason he decided to go for it on fourth and one, because he didn't want to put you guys back on the field. Did you sense that?
"No, I was fine. Chip Kelly he is the leader, so if he wanted to make that call, I am going to stick by him whether he didn't go for it on fourth down or did. It doesn't matter, we are a team so we lose as a team and we win as a team."
How are you handling this losing streak?
"Nobody is going to be happy about losing, especially on a streak. I am just trying to win in practice and everybody on this team is trying to win in practice, because it starts in practice first."
K Phil Dawson
I know those were chip shots, but we're not used to seeing you miss a couple in a game. Was there any factor going on that was hard to see?
"The first one, I've got to chalk it up to Levi's Stadium. It just got me. I wasn't expecting it to do what it did in the air. The second one was totally on me. The third one I actually hit pretty good. That kind of sums up the day."
Did the wind catch the first kick?
"Yeah, it was going right down the middle and took a hard left turn right around the goal line. I wasn't expecting that. I don't really know what to do about that one. The second one, that's like I said, 100 percent on me. That was a missed field goal by me. No explanation, nothing like that."
These are obviously all tough losses but how much does this one hurt? It seemed like it was there for the taking.
"They all hurt. You put so much into each and every week and when you don't get the results you want, it's frustrating. We get paid to come to work each and every week so we'll reboot it and get back at it tomorrow."
We don't normally surround you after you make field goals but we're all over you now. Is this just part of the job?
"Yeah, this is it. It's the life. It's why I used to have hair and now I don't. Every time you go out on the field you need to make the kick and today I didn't do that."
I know it wasn't your call whether to go for a first down, field goal, or punt but what was going through your mind in overtime at about the 36-yard line?
"I was just trying to be ready. I totally agree with the decision. If that was the game winner, maybe it's a little different. Given that in overtime, even if we make it they're going to get the ball, it's a low percentage kick. If we miss it, they're about two first downs away from being able to get in scoring range. I totally support the call and I obviously had my hands full trying to handle my own business today, so I was just trying to be ready in case they decided to kick that."
You determine your range in warmups. What was your range heading north?
"Today was one of those days that whatever I determined in pregame changed throughout the course of the day. It was a little bit of a sneaky day. Sometimes the windier days are almost a little easier because it's pretty obvious what the wind is doing. Today, that wasn't the case. It would blow a little bit here and then it would be the opposite. It would be one way and then the other."