San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters during a conference call on Monday, the day after the team's 26-8 win over the Cleveland Browns. Here's everything he said.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Opening comments:
"Injuries from the game: [LB] Nick Martin will be in the concussion protocol. [FB] Kyle Juszczyk has a rib fracture. We will evaluate that after the Bye. [OL] Ben Bartch ended up spraining his foot. He'll most likely go on IR and miss the rest of the year. And that's it from the game. Go ahead."
Going back to the very first decision made yesterday, what was the reasoning behind not deferring and taking the ball to open the game?
"Just because of the wind factor. I wanted a chance to choose to have the wind at our back in the fourth quarter and that was the only way to get that done."
Do you kind of see that as a one-time deal that was dictated by unique circumstances and that'll probably rarely come up again?
"Yeah, that was solely just because I wanted to make sure, I mean, the way that wind is, it's hard to throw or kick for two quarters in that game. We wanted to make sure that if we needed to win it on a last second field goal or throw at the end the game, that we had that in the fourth quarter if we could."
That being said, how much did you consider at the end of the first half just running the clock out and not even trying to push the ball down the field?
"A lot. It was one of the harder decisions and not fun ones for a while. Then when [QB] Brock [Purdy] hit [WR] Ricky [Pearsall] on that third down and to the sidelines, watching the ball and everything made me have some confidence that the wind had died down a little bit. So, once we got that first, we kind of said, 'screw it and we went.' And he made that huge play to [TE George] Kittle. It was a great catch. Then you could see higher up the wind picking up. That's why I think it did affect that ball and the higher one and probably affected that kick with it hitting the upright also."
All things considered, would you consider this to be one of Purdy's finest games as a 49er?
"No, I wouldn't say that because I think he's had so many big-time games, so many really good games. But that's not to take anything away from yesterday. I thought he played really well. The way he played was the exact way that the game dictated, and he was very good in the pocket. We blocked them, I think, very well in protection, but Brock also did a real good job not getting too deep, staying up in the pocket and being able to hang in there on some longer developing plays. He took care of the ball and made some big time throws that got us points."
Just a clarification on Ben Bartch, would it be possible for him to come back off of IR in the playoffs? And then a couple more injury questions after you answer that.
"They're still evaluating the necessary steps, when he's getting surgery and stuff, so I didn't ask that. It didn't sound like it. You know, we're looking at possible Lisfranc here, so that would surprise me, but not a hundred percent sure."
As far as coming out of the Bye, are you hopeful that LB Tatum Bethune and maybe DL Yetur Gross-Matos will be ready to go?
"Yeah, we're hopeful. Tatum's coming off his high ankle, so, I believe that would be three weeks, so that might be a little fast, but he's got a chance along with [DL] Sam O [Okuayinonu] and then Yetur has a good chance too. He had a good workout today, so hopefully it continues over our week away, and hopefully he's good to go next week when we start up. We should get [K] Eddy [Piñeiro] back also with his hamstring."
A couple Browns players had some strong words about WR Jauan Jennings after the game. Did you see what they said, and what was your understanding of his involvement in whatever went down while Cleveland Browns DL Maliek Collins was being carted off?
"Yeah, my understanding was, I mean, it had nothing to do with Maliek. We've got so much love from Maliek. It just sounded like there were players standing around for a while because of the injury, and then they got chirping at each other. I don't know what words were said, but it sounded like he offended some guys with the words. But it was just about words during an injury time out."
Is there anything that you have a conversation with him about after that or it's just kind of the, the natural flow of a game?
"No, I talked to Jauan, I asked him about it, but not in like, I love how Jauan plays. I think Jauan plays to the whistle as well as any player in this league. He's extremely aggressive and plays as hard as he can to the whistle and he's been doing that, as Niner fans know and you guys know, since he's been here. I think sometimes that offends other players and rubs people the wrong way because they're not used to people going that hard to the whistle. But I think what J.J. is very good at is not breaking rules. It's just like at Arizona last year when he went to the whistle so hard it offended some of their corners, and they started throwing punches, and unfortunately, J.J. got kicked out too. But not because he didn't throw a punch or anything. I think J.J.'s been really good at not breaking rules that way, and he gets other guys to break them a lot on him."
What are your thoughts on LB Eric Kendricks, and do you expect him to make a contribution on the field soon? I mean maybe after Tennessee. Have you got a good look at what kind of shape he's in?
"Yeah, I definitely think he has a chance to, that's why we liked him coming here. But you know, last week we had three days, and it was a short week, and we didn't do anything really full speed. So, those were his first full practices getting back since last year without having an offseason, and he looked good in those three practices. I know it'll be good for him to have this Bye Week to continue working out just for his conditioning and everything. Then next week we should get a bonus practice and have an extra one. So, we have four next week. So hopefully, we can get all that conditioning and football stamina in, and next week he can really show us where he is at a linebacker."
The defense has strung together some strong performances these last few weeks. Is that unit further along? Maybe exceed expectations compared to what you would've anticipated after DL Nick Bosa and LB Fred Warner went down?
"I think they're doing as we anticipated. I mean, some weeks have been better than others, but you go back to their first game without Fred and Nick together, following that Tampa Bay game, I thought we had one of our best defensive games of the year versus Atlanta. So, I think they started out pretty well after that. Then we've had some up and down games for a while but now being able to string together three wins in a row, which I think all three of these games the defense played very well in, and they did it in kind of different ways. Granted the fourth quarter versus Arizona, we got a little loose and gave up a bunch of yards. But I've been really proud of these guys just finding ways to play to a level that allows us to win a game. They've been able to do that in different types of ways each week. That's what you need to get to the playoffs, and that's what you need to be able to be effective in the playoffs also."
Now that he's been on your staff for 13 games, what have you observed about special teams coordinator Brant Boyer as a coach and why he's able to get so much out of his unit?
"I just think he's so consistent. You know, he's a former player who did all that dirty work for so many years as a fullback and special teams player. So, I think automatically when you're like that, you earn a lot of respect just going into room with players, but that never lasts unless you know what you're talking about and you work extremely hard and you're consistent. I think he does all those things. So, he has got a great pedigree. He has been doing it for a while and he's pretty simple in his approach in terms of, he studies the tape, he coaches these guys hard, he doesn't sugarcoat around anything. When guys aren't performing up to the standard, he'll call them out and let them know. I think guys know what to expect and usually when it's like that, guys just as a group, tend to get better each week and that's what's happened."
WR Skyy Moore throughout the season in the locker room has made a few comments about 'I'm inching closer' or 'I'll make a big play soon.' What have you seen from him with those big returns that he's been able to get in the last couple of weeks? What do you think is the reason for that? Is he just getting more comfortable with Brant Boyer, more comfortable in the system?
"I think that he is a real good player. This guy's been a talented player for a while, and he has been able to stay healthy, and he keeps getting opportunities because of how good he is and because he works at it. To me it's just a matter of time before he starts getting to this. And I think he's been doing it for a while now. I think he's had some big returns going over for this whole last month and even before. [RB] Brian's [Robinson Jr.] gotten better too in that aspect. So, when you got guys who are talented with the ball in the hands, it also motivates the other nine guys around him who are blocking. I think we're getting better at blocking for them, knowing that they can break a big one. And when you get that unit rolling like that, usually big more big plays happen."
Just following up on Jauan, it sounded like it was more than just his physicality that was getting under players' skin, especially with the Browns yesterday with just his trash talk was demeaning or disparaging. Is that something you think is fair game in the spirit of competition in a heated moment?
"No, I think we all have a respect level and things that we stay away from and until I heard what he said, I believe Jauan did. So, he didn't tell me anything that he said like that, and I'd have to hear it to have an opinion on it, but I haven't heard what he said that offended them so much. Until I do, I don't have much of an opinion on it that's just trash talk between a couple people out on the field and I kind of leave it at that."
Christian's played in 50 games now, including the playoffs with the 49ers and he's got 52 touchdowns. A lot of them are from in close on running plays. What is it about him that makes him such a good goal line runner?
"He is really good at finding the open hole. He's got an elite vision and it's hard to create creases down there but if you can, he usually finds it. That's what he does best."
Skyy Moore is not large and he just goes north and south. Is that a unique trait in a returner as far as the courage that it takes for him to not hesitate a guy his size?
"I think it's a unique trait for people in this world to have that speed and to not be a bigger guy and to not hesitate on those kick returns, but that's why there's not many people in the world who are that good at them. I don't get how you can be successful as a kick returner if you do hesitate. Those lanes you got to hit full speed and they close very fast. So, if you're not like that, rarely do you stay out there. But I understand what you're saying though because I watch Skyy hit those as hard as anyone and a lot of times I'm worried about him getting up after it. But he continues to do that, continues to play with physicality and doesn't hesitate and kind of embraces it. And when you have that skillset, with that mindset, it ends up being hard not to be successful at it."
With the Bye Week coming this late in the season, does it change how you approach it as far as what you ask of your coaches? Any projects, self-scout or anything of that nature?
"No, nothing different than usual. Everyone's been going seven days a week for a while now. And so, I think it's so important that guys get away and they get their mind away. It makes you so much better when you come back, and you got to get seven straight days then followed by the next seven straight days. And any projects and stuff you do now, sometimes I believe takes away from stuff like that, you can do some of those projects Monday morningwhen we come back and get a head start. You can do it when we have a Monday Night game the following week. Those times do happen. And also, when guys do get away and you're sitting around for, four days or whatever it is, sometimes guys just like to do stuff on their own that they're motivated to do, which sometimes I think helps the most. So, you never get too far away from football because we know what we're coming back to. But I think it really helps guys when you can try to as much as possible."
Do you do that yourself? Do you try to stay out of the office? What are your plans?
"Yeah, I try to stay out of the office. I'll be here for a couple more days to finish up. So, I can enjoy myself out of here and I just really try to be with the family nonstop and hang out with my dog and just catch up with that stuff."
What do you think about how OL Spencer Burford has played? I assume he'll be taking over full-time that position now that he's been sharing with Bartch. He had a nice block on a score yesterday. How do you think he's played since he came back?
"I've been really happy with Spence, him working all offseason to be our swing tackle. I thought he did a hell of a job doing and is still prepared for that. But for him to come in after the big injury he had and fill in at guard right away his first week back and I think each week he's gotten better and better. It's the first time playing on the left side, and I think he's playing at a very good level. I think it'll only improve as the year goes."