The following are select post-game quotes from San Francisco 49ers players following Sunday's 30-27 win over the Detroit Lions.
Quotes provided by the San Francisco 49ers.
WR Kendrick Bourne
How did you feel about your first big game?
"I feel really good, especially after last week. To get my first NFL catch this year and touchdown is really big for me. I'm definitely happy."
We've heard of the 40-yard dash at the combine, but San Francisco 49ers WR Pierre Garçon ran the 40-yard block today out there.
"We really emphasize blocking downfield as a wideout because we know what it can do. Working downfield, I caught a block early before my touchdown that sprung [San Francisco 49ers RB] Matt Breida to the left side. We just really emphasize that in practice. Even if you don't get a catch, practice turning up field to find a block."
Can you talk about the emotion of your first NFL touchdown and what was going through your mind?
"I was really happy. I got my son out here today, two-years-old. It's his first game, so my first touchdown at his first game made me really happy. I'm just excited that my family was able to be out here to see it, and to make my family proud and help my team win."
Did you look around after the catch and realize there was no one within 10 yards of you?
"I was really shocked. I turned and was ready to try to make a play and get some extra yardage, but once I realized I was open I was just excited to dance."
What type of a lift does this game give this team?
"It really gives us a big boost. All the hype and all of the talk, we just try to prove it every day. We're not trying to go out there and make anything up. We just want to do what we practice, and it's starting to show. We're just trying to start where we left off with the six games last year. [San Francisco 49ers QB] Jimmy Garoppolo is really poised back there. It was a tough game and things need to be cleaned up, but I think we're on the right track. We have good people in here. Nobody is against anybody in here. We're here for the guy next to us."
RELATED Transcript: Jimmy Garoppolo recaps the 49ers' 30-27 win over the Lions
RB Matt Breida
Can you just take us through the touchdown?
"It was just a great job by the O-Line. They were blocking well all game. They just opened up a huge hole on that play, and I found [WR] Pierre [Garçon] to the end zone. He became my fullback down the field essentially. Like I said, those guys blocked their butts off all game."
What did you think of the way Garçon blocked it all the way down the field?
"He's a monster. He's fearless to go to the middle to catch balls and he's not afraid to block. I feel like that is what's going to one day make him a Hall of Famer. He's been in this league for a long time and that's the reason why. He can do it all."
Is it hard to have that patience where you kind of have to wait behind him?
"It is, because in college you can outrun a lot of those guys. Now, in the NFL, a lot of those DBs and safeties, they all run 4.3s. You just can't outrun everybody, so you've got to set up your blocks. I saw Pierre out there and he was patient. He blocked his butt off and I was able to get in the end zone."
DL DeForest Buckner
Were you guys too comfortable with such a big lead?
"We had a lot of energy at the beginning of the game and throughout the game, especially when we got that lead. I feel like the energy kind of fell off a little bit and we needed to build it back up that last defensive stand that we had. I feel like guys kind of woke up during that last drive on defense. We've got to keep the pedal down all four quarters."
I know you haven't seen film, but how do you feel the pass rush did today, especially in the second half?
"I think we have some stuff we need to work on. I feel like some guys were winning their one-on-ones, [Detroit Lions QB Matthew] Stafford was just getting the ball out quick. Up front, we've got to do a little better job containing the quarterback and getting a hand in his face."
You guys had to wait until Week 10 last year to get your first win. How's it feel now?
"It feels great. Like I said, a win's a win, no matter how you get it. 24 hour rule, have fun, enjoy it today and tomorrow when we come back, it's back to work."
FB Kyle Juszczyk
San Francisco 49ers RB Jerick McKinnon would have given you that explosive element. I know you don't have that and you are wondering where it comes from. Is that something San Francisco 49ers RB Matt Breida brings that you need?
"No doubt. I think him and [San Francisco 49ers RB] Alfred [Morris] have their strengths. Matt is very explosive, and Alfred does a great job of turning out those ugly yards, he is always falling forward. That is not a takeaway from either of them. They both do both well, and those are the strengths of those two guys."
You still got the win.
"That is all that matters. It was a rollercoaster of emotions. It was fun, and we got the win."
As an offense, how do you guys maybe take that next step and put a team away, when you get in that situation?
"There are a number of different things. I think we need to convert on third down more. That keeps us on the field longer and we can run more plays. When the game is in the offense's hands there at the end of the game, we've got to finish them out. We get that one more first down, the game is over."
DL Cassius Marsh
Were you confident in your mind that the San Francisco 49ers would close out this game?
"Of course. You can't think that we're going to lose a game. I hope nobody on this team is built that way. We all had confidence that we were going to come out with the 'W' and that's what we did. It could have been cleaner. We'll go back and we'll fix the things that we messed up, and we'll come back next week and be better. That's all we can do."
How has the defense collectively been able to get things done while plugging in for key players?
"[LB] Elijah Lee is a great player and [LB] Fred Warner is a great player. They're both young guys, but they have all the potential in the world. We have confidence when those guys go out there. We have confidence in everybody on our team. We have a great roster here and there's nobody on this defense who when they're out there I'm not confident that they'll win."
Who recovered the strip sack and the fumble?
"I recovered it. It was a good play and a good turnover. It got the ball to our offense and got some points."
How difficult is it to defend against a quarterback like Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford?
"He's a veteran quarterback. He knows what he's doing. He gets the ball out and doesn't take sacks. It is what it is. We're happy. We came out with the win, and that's all that matters."
DB D.J. Reed Jr.
You came up with a big play in the game with the return. Can you tell me a little bit about that play and at the end?
"I just want to shout out all of my teammates that were blocking for me. Everyone held their blocks. For me it was easy and anybody could have done what I did. My whole special teams unit did a good job blocking. [San Francisco 49ers special teams coordinator] coach [Richard] Hightower did a good job setting it up and calling the play up. I just want to send a shout out to everybody."
It seemed like there were some missed opportunities last week. How do you think that this team has improved on executing and finishing?
"I think that we still have a long way to go. That was an ugly win, but I will take an ugly win over a pretty loss. We still have a long way to go as a team. We have so much potential. We just have to keep building. We are going to watch the film tomorrow and build off of that so we can be ready for next week."
Like you said a W is a W; What kind of tone does that set for the season?
"Everybody in here loves winning, whether it is ugly or pretty. Whatever it is we won. We just want to obviously keep winning. That is one of our goals is to win. That is why we are here."
CB Richard Sherman
San Francisco 49ers CB Ahkello Witherspoon had a tough day today. Is there something that you can say to him as a veteran?
"Yes. You have 24 hours. Win, lose or draw. Regardless of the outcome or how you play. You have 24 hours, you look at the tape, you correct your mistakes and you move on. That is what you do regardless. If he played and had five picks, I would tell him the same. It doesn't matter how good you played or how bad you played one week, this is the NFL. The next week is a whole new beast. You are facing a whole new team, whole new scheme. If you caught five picks, they are going to test you again. If you got five balls caught on you they are going to test you again regardless. That is this league and I think that he is going to bounce back."
They stayed away from you most of the day. When did you realize that they are not coming this way?
"I didn't realize it. I guess when the clock struck zero. I covered my man. I was there the majority of the time. [Detroit Lions QB Matthew] Stafford looked over there a few times and he pulled the ball back. I would have had two or three picks if he would have just let it go. (In the red zone play before the touchdown, I would have had a pick and the last play of the game, if he would have threw it, I read it, ran the route for him. I was waiting on him to throw it and he ran the other way.) You just work hard to study guys, you spend your time to recognize these routes and formations and you go out there and you play fast."
I asked the Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia about them not throwing to your side and he said, 'If you watched the film, you would have done the same thing.' Do you feel that you are at that level?
"I am always at that level. At the end of the day, if people think that I am not at that level then they are just not watching the tape. It is more rumors, it is more he said, or people not watching tape and they say, 'He had an Achilles' or, 'he has fallen off, he gave up 48 percent instead of 47, he has fallen off.' If you look at my numbers, I have led the league in every category since I got in it."
LB Fred Warner
Finishing out the game today second on the team with 10 tackles, what can you say about this defense and your performance?
"We came out and we wanted to make sure we came out with a lot of energy from the get-go. I feel like we did that. Things got kind of sloppy in the second half giving up those points. A win's a win, so happy to get that."
What kind of tone does this set going forward now that you've gotten a win?
"That's what we're trying to do is win games. We'll look at the tape tomorrow. We'll celebrate this win. A lot to work on, but we want to be a dominate defense and we're going to, we've just got to work hard."
You told me a few days ago that you were looking forward to that first game at Levi's Stadium. Where did you get that energy from the crowd hearing the Niner Nation?
"It was fun. On those third downs everyone was getting loud. I feel like that affected them a lot. It was great being out here with the Faithful."
