Opening comments:
"With injuries, first off [LB] NaVorro [Bowman] will be off again this week. That will usually happen on Wednesdays. We just give him a veterans day."
You said this week or just today?
"Today he's out. I mean, on Wednesdays. That should happen every week. Wednesdays, I mean, don't hold me to it, but that's what we're trying to do. [RB] Reggie [Bush] will be back in, limited basis today and working through the week. And, [TE] Vernon [Davis], we're going to see how he's doing here. We've got the walk-thru and then before practice get going. But, I mean, he'll be moving and doing things that way. How much he is into the practice today, I don't know that yet. We'll know that beforehand. So, that's the injuries. That's where we're at. What do you got?"
Just on Bowman, some people were wondering why he continued to play in that game even though the outcome was out of reach for you guys. Was it something that he wanted to continue to play, you wanted him to be out there?
"Yeah. I mean, the guys did. They wanted to play, so I'm not going to, there's a fine line right there. There's smart and then there's that mentality thing too. So, and I don't want to, when you get into those frustrating situations like that and you've got to learn to channel it and we didn't do a good job channeling it. But, you know, where to put that and what to do and how to fight through the other side of that thing. So, that's just where that was."
Nobody would have batted an eyelash if he had come out.
"I know, but he may have."
Right, that's what I'm saying. But, do you like the fact that he continued to be out there towards the end? You like the signal that that sends?
"Yeah, we've got a core group of guys here that got that and I think this team has that. That frustration thing is just a thing that we have to, you have to put it in the right place to make it work for you instead of against you. And, that's what we're, that's where we're at with that."
How much of these past few days have been spent on self-scouting of two things in particular, I'm sure you've heard Arizona Cardinals S Tyrann Mathieu's comments.
"I have. I've been briefed on them."
Yeah, and then also just how defensively, so that's referring to the offense, self-scouting. Defensively, how teams have really been able to pick apart your zones and find those openings. How much, have you guys spent more time on that aspect of it?
"I mean, we have a pretty thorough self-scout that we do through, we have two guys that are committed to that and, just like every team. I mean, everybody has those things. And, we have, that's the first, before the game-planning starts, I mean that, you get through the last game, you go through the last game and then you're into the self-scout to see where you're at and what you're doing and go from there. So, that's a weekly occurrence and I'm involved in all self-scouting. So, I mean, there's nothing that goes on that I'm not involved in. So, yeah, it's a thorough, it's nothing new. It's what people do."
Can you address those two things, with the offense and how apparently some guys on the Cardinals viewed it? And then after you finish that, then I'll ask about the defense.
"Yeah, well, the Cardinals have every right, they won the football game. They have every right to have their comments and their scouting reports and all those things. Hats off to them, they did a wonderful job. And, we're going to, we're not going to really focus on the Cardinals, we're working on ourselves and the Green Bay Packers."
Was it more alarming this week because of those comments that were made and the fact that you always self-scout, yes, but was it more alarming that--?
"No, I mean, we look through it. I'm not going to get into the specifics of what we felt. But, yes, we have looked through it as we always do. Are there a few things, there are things that you wish you called different, that you wish you lined up different. There are things where players wish they ran that the right way or got to the depth of that or there's guys that wish they'd blocked that the right way or stepped the right way. There's quarterbacks that wish they threw it to a different place. There are, so, I mean, from coaches to every position on the field. There are guys in zones that wish they were tighter. There are coaches that wish they called a tighter zone in a certain area. I mean, these are all the things that are all obvious things that we have to, that we are working on that we have to have corrected. We haven't done anything in the last two weeks that gets us in a position to win the football game, particularly the first eight minutes of the game."
What's the biggest thing this offense needs to do to be more successful in pressure situations, when QB ColinKaepernick's pressured?
"What is the one thing?"
It doesn't have to be one, but maybe trends. When you're self-scouting, what does this offense need to do to be more successful against pressure?
"Well, I'm not going to get into what we think that is because we've got a game. I'm not trying to be sly with you[CSNBayArea.com reporter] Mindi [Bach]. We've got to do some better things. And that's what we are doing. We need to be more crisp in the things that we do. So, which is the performance from all levels, starting with me, needs to be better."
You've faced some top-notch quarterbacks several weeks in a row and you're about to again?
"And here comes [Green Bay Packers QB] Aaron [Rodgers]. I got you."
What adjustments do you make? What are your impressions of the way he's playing?
"A lot of people are saying he's playing better than he's ever played. I've looked at this guy for how many years? I don't know how this guy ever plays better than he's ever played. I think he's always played that good. I've got the utmost respect for Aaron Rodgers. I happen to know [Green Bay Packers head coach] Mike McCarthy. Just a tremendous amount of respect for him and the coaches he has there. But, what they're doing, where Aaron's at, what Aaron does, the way that offense works, what they do there, the way they're playing defensively, their special teams, that is a really good football team. They're well coached. A lot of talent. Nothing but respect for them."
A lot of examples in football history of good quarterbacks losing their confidence after things sort of snowballed on them. Baltimore Ravens QB Matt Schaub is one example. How do you make sure that doesn't happen to Colin Kaepernick? How do you keep him confident?
"And again, that was a bad game when we talk about our passing game right there. I look at it comprehensively, collectively. I don't have, one of my concerns right now is not that our quarterback or our confidence level in those areas is going to go down the tubes. I don't have that. Today, as I stand here and look at you, don't have that concern. Yesterday, yeah, there was people upset and there is frustration. What do you want me to tell you, there is no frustration? I'm not going to lie to anybody. You walk throughthe door, I'm frustrated, you're frustrated, everybody's frustrated. It's where you go with it. Some people have the ability to spend all week being frustrated or get into Wednesday being frustrated. The bottom line is the guys in this building don't have that luxury. They've got an hour-and-a-half. They've got Monday and an hour-and-a-half on Tuesday and that all better be in the right place or one game leads into two games leads into three games leads into four games. So, the luxury in this building of being frustrated or not being able to, that's what's got to happen. And that's what I feel like happened yesterday in a very good way. Coming in, not a good vibe, not feeling great. I mean, gosh almighty man. Walking out of the building, I like it. And to the next game. Through us, looking at it. And I don't want clichés and I'm not looking for all that stuff. Own it, fix it, move on. We don't need that on a billboard. That's not what I'm talking about. But, you've got to own it and you work through it and now you've got to get to the next game. You don't have the luxury, youjust don't. And if you try to do that, then the same mistake. It's like getting to the next play. The same mistake hurts you twice."
The reason I ask, is after the second pick-six, he didn't attempt a pass for a couple of series, so--?
"Yeah, but that was me."
So is the approach just dial back the pass a little bit or let him just--?
"If you were in basketball, you would have called a timeout. Really, that's the easiest and honest way I can say it. Boom. I'm looking at it, it's nine minutes, where were we? We had nine minutes left in the first quarter, right? Wasn't that it? OK, we're down two scores. Here we go guys, we've got time. Let's run the ball. Let's get going. People talk about getting into a rhythm, people talk about doing those things. We've had two weeks here and the offense and critiquing how much of the offense and all these kind of things. The straight up fact is we've put ourselves in a position for two weeks now where you haven't seen our offense. We haven't seen our offense. The rhythms and all those things, we haven't gotten to that point. So, that's just as honest as I can tell you and that's what we have to correct, starting with me. I can't emphasis that enough. It's very easy to, alright look I understand there were plays that were not made. There were things that were not done. And, it's very easy to start shooting arrows. It is my firm belief that this is a team sport. What makes it so beautiful is the team aspect of it, the coaches, the players and everybody working together in a cohesive way. So, I really do believe it. It's not rhetoric. I believe in that and I believe that everybody can be part of the answer. That's where I'm at. That's what I really believe."
With that in mind, how closely do you look to make any personnel changes, maybe on the offensive line?
"Again, and I'm not talking offensive line specifically, but we're always looking at that. That's every week. Is there anything glaring coming up? No. We are working on fixing. We are working on coaching. We are working on teaching. We are working on doing and doing those things the way we need to do them."
There's been a lot of talk about the offensive problems this week. What will you do to solve or at least address the short-comings on defense and do you plan any changes with that group?
"No. I don't plan any changes. We've got to, we've just got to do a better job. And again, I don't want to get into schematics and all that kind of stuff. But, looking at it, looking from each individual technique and the fundamentals of what we're doing. That goes the players scrutinizing what they're watching on tape, but that goes the coaches scrutinizing what they're watching on tape, what they're watching on practice tape. That goes to me scrutinizing what I'll allow, what's coming across my desk and what I need to do, getting into that. But, to me that should be the same thing, it was the same thing that happened after the Minnesota game. The worst thing to me, to me I keep saying it, we think our way through it. I don't want this emotional thing. We're going to think our way through it and stay the course and get better."
How difficult is it to make changes while the season is in progress? Are you limited with what you can do?
"Yeah, I mean, I don't think in those terms, I don't. My first reaction when something's not going right is to throw somebody out and put somebody else in. That's not the way I think. It's just not the way I think. I don't see it as people are disposable. Look, we're professional football. We need to do a better job. We need to get it done. We're going to leave, I'm going to leave the dance with the, I pride myself on that with the guys. If you're spending time looking over your shoulder and you're not spending time looking ahead and working on what you need to work on, then how do you get better? So, that's where I, I want all the focus on that and the improvement."
Obviously CB Shareece Wright isn't pleased with his role or lack thereof. Have you spoken with him and where do you feel things are?
"Yeah, I've spoken with Shareece, shoot several times before the weekend. Since the weekend? No, I haven't talked to him since. I saw him and said hello. Any in-depth? No. But, I mean, just like I talk to a lot of players."
You mentioned a fair amount of frustration which seemed to dissipate yesterday. But, on the field Sunday, guys like WR Anquan Boldin and Bowman in particular, reading body language they looked very frustrated. Those are obviously decorated veterans and leaders. Do you talk to those guys and was that part of having a better feeling by the end of yesterday, having some of those discussions?
"Yes. Again, that's every week those go through. There are games, after every game you've got somebody that's, everybody's competitors. Every game I've ever coached in there's somebody that's a little frustrated with something coming out of a game. There just always is. Whether it's you didn't get an opportunity or, that's in every game. Now, when you get into that kind of a game, those frustrations and competitors are tight. So, you always come in and address those things. We have a good group of people here. We do. And, that's where our focus is."
* Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers