San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spoke with reporters following Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Here is everything he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Obviously not the result you guys were looking for. What do you take away from this game and what did you see on those final throws you were trying to make on the last few drives or the last drive?
"Well, yeah, obviously not the way we wanted to start the season, but there were some positives to take out of this game. Thought the running backs played really well, did their part. Up front, I think we held our own, those guys did great, but it's just executing every little detail on every single play. I think just the consistency for our offense, I think, just needs to improve."
TE George Kittle was very active in the first half, he did get a little dinged up before halftime. Do you know if he was affected by that? Did they change how they were dealing with him in the second half when he wasn't targeted?
"No, I don't think it affected him. George, he's a warrior, man. He fights through a lot of injuries, a lot of little nicks and bumps, but it didn't affect him at all. They were cheating a lot coverage to him and putting some extra people on him, so made it a little difficult at times, but I thought he played a hell of a game."
How would you assess your own performance? What did the Cardinals do to make their coverage, I guess they struggled last year in coverage and they seemed to improve today?
"Yeah, I think personally just the consistency, making every drive as perfect as we possibly can. You just want to eliminate errors, really, is what it comes down to. Just everyone being on the same page, seeing the same picture and I think we'll be good from there, but I think it's just when it comes to third down, red zone, things like that, we just have to execute at the end of the day."
It had been seven months since the Super Bowl and you tried to rally the team at the end of that one. As you're getting into the end of this game, were you kind of relishing being back in that situation where you could try to pull out a last gas drive and get into that red zone?
"Yeah, we were in that situation plenty of times last year. When you get into those situations, obviously it was a little different today without the crowd, just that feel, that game day feel, it just wasn't there, but it just comes down to execution, like I said, especially when it comes in the last couple of minutes like that. Every play is crucial, every yard's crucial and we didn't execute when we needed to."
Obviously, it wasn't the result you wanted, but can you talk a little bit about what it was like to just get back on the field and play in a game after such a strange offseason and everything that went on?
"Yeah, to get out there with the guys, with no preseason, obviously, this is a little different feel than usual, but it felt good to get back out there with everyone. There was juice in the locker room, juice on the sideline. Obviously, like I said, a little different without the crowd and everything. We missed The Faithful out there, but it is what it is and we've got to make the best of the situation now."
It seemed like that fourth down throw to WR Trent Taylor was a little bit late. Do you agree with that and if so, was finding a rhythm difficult to do today?
"Yeah, I think the throw, DB made a nice play, got his hand on it last second. Got to tip your hat to him, but yeah, I don't think we got into a very good rhythm. Just one drive would be great, one drive would be not so good. Like I said, I said this earlier, but the consistency that's what wins games in football, especially in the NFL. It's just the more consistent you could be, starting with myself, it's going to make everything a lot easier."
When you take a look at what you did today, what's the most, I guess the biggest play you'd want to have back?
"I would have to go watch the film. I can't really put my finger on one right now, but there's a number of them, missed throws, missed opportunities we usually make. You've got to take it for what it is, look at the film, be hard on yourself, like we always are, and move on. You've got to use the 24-hour rule."
Can you just walk us through the throw to WR Kendrick Bourne in the corner at the end of there and was he the initial read on that play?
"Yeah, he was. There was a couple of different options, but yeah, K.B. just, I left that one just a hair short. That's one I wish I had back, but when you get opportunities like that, you've got to take advantage of them."
It seemed like early in the game, part of the game plan was to attack rookie linebacker, Arizona Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons. Kind of as the game went on, you guys seemed to go away from that. Was there anything specific they took away or did something change there?
"No. Our game plan, it is what it is. I think [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] did a great job calling it, putting us in good situations as players and we've just got to go execute, but it wasn't specifically targeted at him or anything like that, but it kind of turned out that way, I guess."