San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spoke with reporters following the team's 29-22 Week 15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Here is everything he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
What's the feeling now going forward and getting over this game?
"Just, especially with the short week, got to look at it, watch the tape, see what we did wrong, see what we did right and just assess it. Going into the short week, just got to be ready for the Rams now."
DL DeForest Buckner said, "Thank God it's a short week," because you guys just get back on the field. Is that your feeling and the feeling in the locker room?
"Yeah, any loss is frustrating. This one, just how it happened and everything that went along with it, but yeah, having a short week this week will be good for us. Kind of turn the page and move on."
Why was it so hard to get into a rhythm today?
"I wouldn't say it was one specific thing. I think it was just things going wrong, us not making plays when we needed to, just little things like that here and there that throughout the course of a game, they add up. Just little mistakes that we can't make."
I assume this does not feel like you just clinched a playoff berth?
"Yeah, I heard that in the locker room. Yeah, mixed emotions right now. It's always good to get into the playoffs and everything, but just how it happened, it's tough."
Not to be negative, but you have seen enough of Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan to know that he's capable of doing this. When you're watching on the sidelines, and you're thinking, "Oh boy, he's got enough time."
"Yeah, I think they had one timeout there in the end, and they started moving the ball pretty quickly. I thought our defense played great all day. They gave us an opportunity offensively. Special teams got the turnover, but yeah, you give a good quarterback like that much time, it's tough."
In the locker room after this, everyone's talking ownership of different little things that they could do better. What does that say about what you've got in there?
"Yeah, I think it speaks to our team, the mindset that we have. I think, starting with myself, I need to be better. I think a lot of guys in the locker room have that mindset. When we watch the film tomorrow, we'll all see the same thing. I think if we all have that mindset, it'll help us get better quickly."
Both head coach Kyle Shanahan and LB Fred Warner said that the team came out maybe not with the energy that they should've. Do you believe that they could've come out with a little bit more energy?
"Yeah, definitely. I think we could've had more juice in the beginning, but we really can't rely on just having so much energy. We have to go execute at the end of the day. When your number gets called, whatever it is, you have to execute your job and I think it's just the little details like that. Obviously, having the energy and all that comes along with it, but we've got to just execute better."
Was there anything different TE George Kittle was doing today that was allowing you to connect with him better?
"Nothing crazy. Like always, his run after catch is unbelievable. The guy played a hell of a game, he really did. The energy he brings in the huddle, on the sideline, all that stuff is awesome. You've got to tip your hat to that guy."
Kyle had a 21-play drive, I don't think I've seen too many like that. I'm sure you haven't seen too many like that. Did it make you feel more comfortable that you could do that, or is it because you had to work so hard you're thinking, "Oh boy, this is going to be a rough, a challenging day?"
"Whenever you go against a defense kind of like that, that style, you know it's going to be long drives. They're not going to give up many big plays. 21 plays, it was awhile, so it felt like that out there. It was good for our defense, keep their offense off the field. I guess a defense like that, you just got to execute play after play and in that drive, we did that."
I was going to say, maybe you wore them down a little bit or that was the thought, maybe, thinking in your head?
"Yeah, I think it was definitely good coming off the sideline. I think we finished off the first quarter on that drive. Yeah, whenever you keep the other team's offense off the field like that and tire out the defense, it's always a good thing."
Kyle was saying he didn't really consider going for it on fourth and one after George's fumble on third down. Was there any part of you that wanted to go for it there?
"I think, yeah, the competitor in me, obviously, but when you're playing the numbers game, go up a touchdown instead of only two, so I think that was the right decision. As a competitor, you always want to, but Kyle makes the decisions and we'll always follow him into battle."
