San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, quarterback Brock Purdy, and others spoke with reporters after Sunday's 31-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Here is everything they had to say.
Transcripts provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan
Opening comments:
"Injuries, nothing for now. Everyone returned back to the game, so we'll see if we have more for you guys tomorrow. Go ahead."
On that second interception, were WR Jauan Jennings and WR Brandon Aiyuk supposed to be that close together?
"Yes."
What's the idea of having them only two or three yards apart on the hash?
"Just when he threw it, the timing of it. But it's just a clear route and an in-breaking route called Dagger. It's very normal. We ran it three times in the game."
The first interception obviously was a big one down at the 10-yard line. Just how was that play designed to go and what happened wrong?
"Just supposed to be a handoff to him and we missed the handoff and he tried to scramble out of there and by that time you don't want to throw it down the field because people are run blocking. So we just missed the handoff and made a mistake after it."
What do you see from QB Brock Purdy right now? Five picks the last three games, no picks the first five games. What's going on?
"He made some bad picks there at the end. I thought he was one of the reasons we were in the game today. Some of those throws he made out there were unbelievable. The mistake in the red zone, missing the handoff was the biggest part. And then once you do that, you can't throw it or you're going to get the penalty, but worse that he got the pick. He was aggressive, thought the MIKE was going to pass on that second pick and the MIKE fell off right with Jauan. So just got to see it."
Did you think he was okay? He didn't have any effects from the concussion?
"No, he wouldn't have been allowed to play."
I know he wouldn't have been allowed to play, but did you feel like he was as sharp as usual?
"I mean, he had those turnovers, but he made some really good plays in the game. When it came down to there at the end and we were getting a little bit one dimensional, especially that pick when we were backed up there inside the red zone or the negative red zone was the worst one."
You and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks last week talked about kind of marrying coverage to the rush. Did you think there were still some problems there in this game? What did you see defensively?
"I'll see more when I get to watch the whole thing in unison. The first drive I thought was kind of the most, how the whole day went a little bit. I thought our coverage was really good on that third-and-long. On the first drive it looked like we had about three different opportunities to sack them. He took a number of hitches, we had a bunch of guys there, which means the coverage and the rush was good and then he got out of there and somehow moved the chains with his legs. I thought our tackling was extremely sloppy today, especially in the first half. I thought we tackled better in the second half. But yeah, there was too much space."
What was your message to the team going into a Bye Week?
"I'll talk to them more tomorrow. But my message was we've got to take that. I mean, we didn't play well. That team beat us straight up. We talked about tackling better, having less penalties. I think we only had five, but in comparison to them, I think it was one. We had some ones in some crucial situations that gave first downs. My bottom line to them was we've got to get better in every aspect. The things that disappointed me today were some of the fundamentals of just throwing and catching, tackling and some of those penalties that cost us."
Some rushing yards from scrambles that he made plays on. But as far as your consistent running game, I know you like ideally you like to get 40 runs if you can and some of that's a game circumstance, but the last few games it's been rough getting going. What has played into that?
"Yeah, we haven't been able to create as much space in the run game. I got away from it a little bit there in the second half. And also I think we ended up three of eight on third down, which you've got to do better on third down to be able to get that going. I thought we had a couple chances for creases. The guys make a tackle and just missed those. We had a couple good runs, especially the first one of the third quarter. We had a holding call, one on the first one of the game that got us into second-and-one and then the next two runs don't move the chains for us to go three-and-out on the opening play of an eight-and-a-half yard run. So, got to get some better looks, got to run better, block better and just do better as a team."
Is that related to the second interception with that MIKE just being further into coverage than he would be if the run game were firing?
"No, we were in empty. They know we're throwing when we were in empty it was just quarters and the MIKE is usually there in quarters. He thought he overran it and he didn't."
You touched on some of the issues over the last three weeks. Are there specific areas that are of major concern to you going into to this Bye?
"I mean, I think I've kind of said all of them. There's not one thing I'm going to pinpoint. I think we need to run the ball better, we need to score more points and we need to slow guys down better, whether it's with pass rush, whether it's doing better on first and second down. I want to say they had, I'm not going to say this exactly right, but when you get 20 first downs and I think 17 of them are on first or second, something like that. We've got to get in some more longer third downs and when we do, we've got to get them off the field with a sack if they hold on the ball that long and not let them break that pocket."
Does any of this add urgency to the trade deadlines?
"No, none of this changes anything with the trade deadline. How we played today or how we played these last three weeks. When you're sitting and you watch tape, when you're out there on the field, and I know how these last two weeks especially I felt, but I do believe we have the answers in our building. I believe we have good players. I believe we have good coaches. It's up to me to get them to do better. I thought we started out pretty good, but there's some things that we haven't been able to hide here these last few weeks and that's why we've got to continue to push them in every aspect because some people do go on these losing streaks and they don't have those answers and you're just living in hope. I truly believe we do have the answers. I believe we've got them on our team. I believe we've got them with our staff and we got to sit here and wait about 14 days to deal with this feeling that we have, which nobody wants, but I think we need to. I think our guys need to be pissed off a little bit. I think we need to come back with a little better focus because it hasn't been enough and we haven't been getting it done."
Speaking of your staff, what's your level of support or confidence in Steve Wilks right now?
"This isn't on any one coach or any one side of the ball. We haven't scored over 20 points here in three weeks too. So, I think our defense needs to do better. I think our offense needs to do better. I think our team needs to do better. And when I say our team, I mean every single player in there and I mean every single coach."
There was less blitzing today. Was that part of a kind of consensus or was that Steve just saying it wasn't the right time to blitz?
"It's going to be a little bit different each week. I think it looks like we did less today and whether we blitz or whether we don't blitz and what do we do throughout the game, we've got to be sound football. You've got to make the plays, you can't give that much space and you've got to get to that quarterback. When you don't get to that quarterback, you've got to make tackles and we didn't do any of that stuff today. So it's not just because of a call here and there or style. It was a little bit of everything."
When you talk about how you need to have a little bit better focus, do you feel that especially after the first five weeks there's been a bit of a lack?
"No, I don't mean that. I say focused because winning football games is about who does right longer for three and a half hours. I think in our first five games we didn't always do right longer. We just made a bunch of plays and we were able to get up on people and win by a couple scores. I think when that happens, those little mistakes aren't as crucial and it hasn't been the case these last three weeks. We haven't been able to overcome some little mistakes, whether it's a turnover, whether it's a penalty, whether it's a drop, whether it's a missed tackle and that's kind of what I mean. You can't just focus in a game for three and a half hours and pick that up. It's how you focus throughout the week just to make everything, every single play like it's the biggest play in the game. We've gotten away with a number of stuff on our win streak and we haven't in these last three weeks. I still believe we've had every chance to win all three of these games and that one got away from us the most. That's what's going to happen when we turn it over like there at the end. When we do answer and they go right down and score again that was our opportunity to get back in the game and we missed that. So it's not one guy, it's a whole team, but everyone has their part in it."
On some level, how surprised are you by the defense the last couple weeks, given how well and how dominant at times they were?
"I mean, every week I know there's a chance for it to go either way. I'm pretty realistic about the NFL, but I do expect us to get better each week and I definitely expected us to be better versus Minnesota than we were versus Cleveland, I thought we'd be better today than we were versus Minnesota and that wasn't the case and that's why I've got to look into it and find out why."
You scored 17 points in three straight games. How much can that be traced to WR Deebo Samuel not being there and T Trent Williams not being there? How much of an impact does that have on the offense?
"I mean, good players allow you to overcome mistakes sometimes and they can hide stuff, kind of like what I was saying earlier. I think we didn't score enough points because we turned it over on first-and-goal on the seven. I believe that we didn't do good in running the ball when we had some chances in second-and-one and third-and-one where I thought we would've stayed on the field. I always feel confident with our players that we're going to move the chains and score and it's do we not hurt ourselves? And that's not to take anything away from any other team. They make it difficult on you. But I think we've hurt ourselves a lot in these last few weeks too. Then when you get in those situations and you are a little bit more one dimensional at the end and you're passing every time, yeah, you're going to notice not having Trent out there and stuff like that. But that's when we're already in that situation. I mean, we shouldn't have been there. And when that's the case, yeah you can have some great guys bail you out of some stuff, whether it's Deebo taking a screen to the house or Trent being able to hold up in protection longer, but by no means are those reasons why we lost these games. It's just harder to overcome."
49ers QB Brock Purdy
What happened on the on the first interception, the one that should have been a handoff?
"I should have handed it off. Simple as that. It was an option play with [TE] George [Kittle] coming backside to toss it to him. Once I pulled it to go toss it to him, it wasn't there. So, I tried making something up and just scrambling to the right. At that point, I have to know that the linemen are downfield, and I just have to try to get what I can get, but to throw the ball in itself would be a penalty and I have to be better. So, I saw [RB] Elijah [Mitchell] in the corner of the end zone, tried making something happen there, but regardless it would've been a penalty. So, that's on me."
You only cleared protocol yesterday. How did you feel? Did you feel like you were 100-percent or as mentally sharp?
"Yeah, I felt 100-percent all week. My symptoms and stuff weren't as bad compared to many other concussions that the team has had and I was doing fine and was doing great for each phase of the protocol. And then when I got cleared, we all thought I was going to get cleared and sure enough I did. So, I felt 100-percent going into this game."
At the end of the game, it looked like you took a pretty hard hit, your head hit the ground pretty hard. Did that feel like anything?
"No. It was just the typical whiplash of a play like that, you know, head goes back, hits the ground. But it's like any other body part, you get hit and shake it off a little bit. So, I'm good from that."
When you guys were 5-0, you were making it a point every week to say I'm not going to let all this attention define me or who I am or how I go about my job. And maybe it's easier to do that when you're winning, but now you've been tested with three straight losses. What's your thinking now?
"Yeah, obviously I want to be better for this team, for this organization. Just taking care of the ball in some crucial parts of the games. That's the NFL, man. When it comes down to it, you're not going to just blow teams out every week. You take care of the ball and you have to play good team football and that's where I'm at with that. But in terms of, yeah, you have three losses and as a quarterback you take a lot. I take that on myself where I could be better for this team and helping us win. But who I am and what I stand for, that doesn't change. Everyone can say what they want, but I know who I am as a person and my faith, my relationship with God is the most important and I'm going to continue to rely on that. It's gotten me to this point in my life and I'll always be with God and stand firm with God. So, I know he'll take care of me regardless."
How would you diagnose, the first five games, you score 30-plus, last three, an even 17. How would you diagnose what's gone wrong offensively? What are the main focuses as you go into the Bye?
"Yeah, I mean it's just finishing drives. We will get the ball moving and we will start rolling, get first downs and then there's just some third downs that we have to convert and be better at. Especially down in the red zone, there's points to be put up for us and whether that's a field goal or converting a third down and continuing the drive to score, it's as simple as that. We're just handcuffing ourselves with certain plays and that's really what it is. But, we'll move the ball and feel good about it, but we just have to continue to finish those drives. It's as simple as that."
How do the absences of WR Deebo Samuel and T Trent Williams factor into the lack of offense?
"Honestly, I think the O-Line has done a great job. Obviously, Trent is the best in the league at his position. So yeah, of course we want Trent out there. Deebo as well for how explosive he is. But, there's still plays out there to be made and we're still moving the ball. This offense is good. The players that we have in it are good. To have those guys back would be great, obviously. They're really good and we love playing with them and they bring a juice and the energy to the offense that we need for sure. But yeah, simple as that."
How do you balance playing free but also pressing in those late-game situations where you've had some of those turnovers?
"Yeah, there definitely has to be a fine balance to that. It's like, trust in the play, trust in what we're trying to do. The boys trying to get open, the offensive line and the protection, the play call, trust in that. And then if it's not there, try to make something happen but don't force it. And clearly towards the end of the game, that's what I was doing, starting to force things and not see things clearly. With the second pick to [WR Brandon] Aiyuk, it's like, man, don't force things and let the game come to you and if it's not there, then try to make something happen. But, even when you're trying to make something happen, be smart with it as well. So, definitely a fine line to it. And I had to learn the hard way today."
How do you view having the Bye week now and the timing of it?
"Yeah, I mean, obviously going into the Bye week, you want to win, have some momentum created for the second half of the season. To have a loss like that, it hurts. Now we have to wait 14 days to play our next game for our next shot, our next opportunity and it hurts. We have a bad taste in our mouth. But, at the same time it's like, man, this is going to be a good time for us to do some reflection. I think all of us are really hungry for the second half and this stretch that's about to go down. So, we'll be ready for it."
49ers DL Arik Armstead
Arik what kind of frustration are you feeling right now?
"Obviously sucks losing three games in a row but we've been through worse. I think this week would be good for us, get some rest, regroup, refocus, and turn the page but obviously frustrating. Not the performances we've been wanting to have these past couple of weeks but we still have an amazing team and we'll find a way."
That first dive where QB Joe Burrow was able to get away from the sack. Did you feel that damaged this defense early in the game as far as setting up a poor tone?
"It was a huge play. I missed the sack on that play that was my fault. I have to do a better job of being a little lower and getting down to the ground. Definitely I felt that was a huge play, a momentum shift to get them off the field on their first possession it would be a different game because they went all the way down and scored. It was a play that I didn't make and all I could do was respond in that situation and try to flush it, but it was definitely an important play that affected the course of this game. If we got off the field right there then they wouldn't have momentum and get our confidence to get going."
QB Joe Burrow had 28 of 32 and 19 straight completions. How do you explain that?
"I didn't know he played that well. They have a good scheme, they run a RPO, and they come out and see what formation you're in. If it's a light box they're going to hand the ball off and look at your coverage, it is kind of a check with me system. When he comes out and looks at what formation you're in and decides if he wants to hand the ball off or pull it and has an idea of where he wants to go with the ball and knows his own coverages. He is a great quarterback, obviously, I think he is the highest paid player in the league. They beat us and he's a good player and he got after it today."
How would you describe the mood going into the bye?
"I think it is a mixed mood. My mood is that we have been through worse in this league, three and four last year, and three and five the year before, and we know where we got towards the end of the years in both of those years. Putting those things into perspective, we have everything we need to be successful team wise and we have all the players. Going into the biweek I feel like would be good for us to get some rest and back on track and get back to dominating."
49ers DL Nick Bosa
Can you describe the level of frustration in the locker room?
"It's definitely at a high this year. The good news is we've been here before and we've had pretty good results. There's a lot of silver linings with who we have in this locker room. We just have to play better."
What are the silver linings you have?
"Like I said, we've been here before. We've been in worse positions at this point of the year and we just have to maintain our confidence in each other. We've done it and we could do it again."
How much harder is it to go into this bye week with the three losses in a row?
"Definitely stinks but we'll be alright. We need some rest and we'll be fine."
How was 49ers QB Brock Purdy after the game?
"He took ownership of his mistakes. He did play awesome except for a couple plays and I think a lot of people on this team feel exactly the same way."
49ers S Talanoa Hufanga
How much confidence do you guys have going forward?
"I think we are confident in our abilities.We've been in situations like this. We have to play better. On my part defensively, there were some missed crucial tackles early on in the first half. I have to be better for the team. Any way I can communicate to put guys in spots to make those plays, I just have to do better for sure."
Like San Francisco 49ers DE Nick Bosa said, part of your confidence is that you've been in this situation before when you know what you need to do and what is in front of you."
"He hit it on the head. It's a tough, tough game. They get credit. You can't take away any credit from a team like Cincinnati.They have playmakers That quarterback, that running game and those receivers. They played better than we did today and we have to do our job as well. We have to get back to our standard."
This defense was so dominant for five weeks. What's changed over the last three?
"The effort is there. Guys are running around. We just have to execute a little bit better. I can say we as in I. I can do my job to truthfully tell other people when I see something with all the film I watch during the week. I have to be on it too, for any of those touchdowns. I could be better just to communicate with other guys for sure. I think that guys like [San Francisco 49ers LB] Fred Warner and I run this defense. We make a lot of checks in there and we make a lot of calls. We have to do what we do. Like I said, we have to get back to our standards."
49ers TE George Kittle
What's going on with this offense? Seventeen points, three games in a row. Is there a common element to why you're not scoring more points?
"Turnovers, I would say. I don't read the stats every single week. I don't feel like as an offense we're running the ball a lot, very much or very well. I know that since I've been a 49er the outside zone has been our number one thing. We've had penalties the last three weeks, so it's hard to run the ball when it's first and twenty second and fifteen. It's hard to run the ball in those situations so we rely on the pass and we have to rely on the pass. It makes it one dimensional. One of the best things we do is run the football and we just put ourselves in a situation where we can't run the football. Whether that's turnovers, whether that's penalties, whether it's getting down in the fourth quarter. We have a good talented football team, we have good coaches and we're just not winning the game right now."
What are you seeing from 49ers QB Brock Purdy?
"[San Francisco 49ers QB] Brock [Purdy] is the reason we win football games. He is our quarterback and he is a very skilled football player.
Did this team get overconfident after beating Dallas?
"No, I don't think it's a confidence thing. I wouldn't say overconfident, we should be confident because of the players and the staff we have. I'm not worried about that, you look at Cleveland. We had fifteen penalties? You can't win a football game with fifteen penalties and multiple turnovers. We had a chance to win at the end, we just didn't. I don't think it's an overconfidence thing, I can't give an answer on why we're losing besides turnovers. I don't think we're running the ball enough and situationally. I don't think we can run the ball because of the situation we're putting ourselves in. We have an offense with explosive players all over the football field. We can win these games and we had an opportunity down there when it was seventeen to ten and we had a turnover. Turnovers really hurt you and it's hard to win football games when you have three turnovers."
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey
How would you diagnose the biggest issues you guys are facing going into the Bye week and how confident are you that the answers are here in this building?
"I think each game presents different issues, win or lose. We all just have to look at ourselves in the mirror and take accountability for what we see on the tape. We have the right guys to do that. We are in a little bit of a slump, but there is still so much football left and we have the right guys. So, we'll just get back to the tape, correct the mistakes and move on."
Christian, what did 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan say to you guys after the game?
"Kyle doesn't say a lot after the games because he's a pro, so he watches the tape and always coaches off the tape. So, we usually have a good meeting the next day but he knows that we'll be ready to go."
What's been the difference from the last three weeks versus the first five weeks for you guys?
"I think execution. Playing together as a team, playing good team football; offense, defense, and special teams collectively as a unit. But, the time for panic is definitely not now. We need to be urgent but they beat us today. It should piss everyone off and it does. Like I said, we have the right guys to get a little bit of rest and come back hungry as ever."
49ers LB Fred Warner
You still have confidence in QB Brock Purdy, even though he struggled in the last couple of games?
"You want me to say no? I mean, come on now. The quarterback is always going to receive the brunt of the criticism. But Brock is the least of my worries. Brock is made of the right stuff. Can he protect the ball better? Sure. But he's the reason why we have a chance to win games in every single game we're in. The common denominator right now is that I haven't been able to say in the last three losses that the defense had our best outing and we just happened to lose. We're not playing good football on our side. That's the reason why we haven't won the last three games. That's got to get figured out and it will get figured out. The Bye will be great for us. People want to say, 'Oh man, it sucks. We can't just get the taste out of our mouth after a quick turnaround.' We had that opportunity this week and we didn't get it right. I'm going to look at it as it's a good reset to go into the bye, figure this thing out and get back to playing 49er defense, because right now, we're not."
Assuming that what you just said about the defense is the most of your worries right now, what specifically are the things that are going wrong?
"It's just inconsistency across the board. I think tackling has been an issue when it hasn't been in the past. Players got to execute at a higher level, including myself. We've got to play more as a unit. There's got to be more hunt to the football at all three levels. There's got to be more penalty-free football. Like I said, the execution has to be higher. We think we're preparing hard. We think we're putting a lot of work in. Obviously, we're not doing enough. There's got to be more. It's just what it is."
Speaking of playing complimentary football and setting a tone defensively, how damaging do you think that first third down was where you had two defensive linemen miss that sack?
"We've got to be better on third and long. That's got to be an automatic off the field when we get them backed up in a third-and-long situation. We had one last week where it was about a third-and-12 and we gave up a check down for a first down in the beginning of the game. Same thing this game. But at the end of the day, that's not back breaking. We've got to better at bouncing back off of adversity. Who cares if they get a first down, backed up in that situation early in the game? How are we going to respond?"
Somebody who's received some criticism is 49ers Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks. What do you think about the way he's coordinated? He said he's kind of learning the defense. Do you think there's an adjustment still going on?
"That's the least of my worries. Honestly, I think players win games, not coaches. I think he's done a great job. There's going to be ebbs and flows in the season, especially with a new defensive coordinator. The offensive side has gone through that as well when we lost [Miami Dolphins Head Coach Mike] Mc Daniel. Even though [Head Coach] Kyle [Shanahan] is the play caller, when you lose a coach, there's going to be adjustments being made throughout a season. We've got to continue to work on that, but at the end of the day, players are going to be the reason why we win games. We've got to execute at a higher level."
Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor
What was your impression of your team this game coming off your bye week?
"I know it's not even Halloween yet, but this is November football for us. When you go on the road and play the 49ers, a team that's had a ton of success over the last couple years in this league that we have a ton of respect for. So proud of the way that our guys fought, proud of the way they controlled the game in the second half and were able to get us this win."
What can you say about QB Joe Burrow today?
"19 consecutive completions is pretty good. That typically means that everybody else is doing their job as well. This was a big challenge for our offensive line and a big challenge for our backs and our tight ends as well. They rose to that challenge. They were where they needed to be. They did a great job giving him a pocket he could work with. It was a great job by our receivers playing on time and being where they needed to be so he could find them. That extension on the first third-and-10 that [WR] Tee [Higgins] made himself available and got that big first down. That really catapulted us into the game. We sit here and talk about these games that we've lost, and it was those plays that we didn't make early in the game. That's a play that jumpstarts you and you end up scoring a touchdown. That's really what it comes down to."
What do you think about the way he moved?
"I don't use that word unbelievable anymore really, to be honest with you. But that first one, I mean, I'm joking because that's just kind of what you come to expect and it's just a great job. I'm sure he's feeling pretty good. I'm sure he is going to be pretty sore, but just a good job with him never quitting on a play, keeping it alive. Again, I've learned just to keep my mouth shut, not say anything, and not think anything negative while he's back there in the pocket moving around. You've just learned a lesson year four here. But again, that was a big play and he did a good job with his feet. He did a good job. There's two men running through. That's the best play you can get. [He] did a good job checking to a quarterback draw on a big third down. He's stepping up and recognizing coverages and knowing how to attack them with his feet when he needs to."
What do you think of the way your linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt played?
"We wouldn't trade them out for anybody. There's a lot of good linebacker duos in this league. We wouldn't trade that pair for anybody and for both those guys to step up and get takeaways. Germaine's was down in the low red [zone] first and goal from the eight yard line – an unbelievable pick. I didn't see Logan's [interception]; I was over there talking to Burrow, but I'm sure that was great too. I saw the stat in my post game that he's got the most picks by a linebacker since 2020. That's just great ball skills. That's the receiver/safety that he's gotten his skill set over there from Wyoming in high school. Really, really proud of the way that those two guys played."
The 49ers hadn't lost a home game this season coming into this game. What does it mean getting this win on the road today?
"They'd won 11 in a row and that's something we feed our players because this is the type of team that responds to that. They want to hear that. They want to hear that Buffalo had one home loss in the playoffs in their history. They want to hear that this team's won 11 in a row at home because someone's got to beat them and it's going to be us, you know? So I think that's just kind of the edge that these guys play with. They want that information to fuel them and they responded how I assumed that they would.
What did going under the center maybe unlock for the offense today?
"Yeah, there's just some things that we felt like we could do to attack them and felt like our guys did a great job executing. We kind of had a plethora, that's a fun word I haven't used yet up here, a variation of things that we could do there. I thought our guys did a great job and finished really with the same run a couple plays in a row. Our guys were just doing a great job blocking that [RB Joe] Mixon scored on. Really proud of those guys, I mean, that's tough. That's tough to block the same play three times in a row. Our guys responded the right way and Mixon made a great cut and scored a big touchdown there."
Was that a play that you were saving for a big moment right after the interception right there in scoring range?
"No, it almost came up that the play we hit [WR Ja'Marr] Chase with at the end of the two minute drive that got us down inside the 10 yard line. It was kind of toggling between those two and we chose the one that was a big gain for us. And just came back at the right moment. You know, that play was a suggestion by somebody on the headset. I don't know who to give credit to, but that's a good spot for it. That was [Offensive Coordinator] Brian [Callahan] and [Wide Receiver Coach] Troy [Walters] early in the week putting that play in based on something they saw. It was a good job by our coaching staff finding the right moment to get to that play. [QB] Joe [Burrow] and Ja'Marr and [WR] Tee [Higgins] did a great job selling it and getting to it."
Was the idea at the start of the season that the offense would always kind of look like it did today?
This is what we know we're capable of and we left some stuff on the field. It was tough. The field goal that we missed, we put [Kicker] Evan [McPherson] in a tough spot that we knew in warmups that it was the tough direction. That was a tough distance. I think we had a sack that kind of took us out of rhythm there. That was a tough one. Then he drained the 56-yarder going the other way. I don't remember what your question was now. Like oh, what the offense looked like."
Yeah – like specifically from an under center perspective?
"I think it just gives us more variation, more things for teams to work on. I thought that the team executed really well versus the team that you're going to have to execute well to beat. You're not just going to get free plays against them, they're going to make you earn everything. I thought they did a really good job adjusting, coming in at halftime and making things challenging for us. So again, our guys found a way to respond and found a way to make some plays. I was proud of the response that we had there."
You get a game back here, you run for 134 yards and you only give up three sacks. Was it extra special to get Offensive Line coach Frank Pollack this win?
"Say that one more time for Coach."
What does it mean for him to come back here and to run it like this and to protect like that?
"That is special for a guy that played for the 49ers. I'm sure it brings back a lot of memories for him and it's cool that the guys played hard for him. They always play hard for him, but that's a cool moment that I'm sure Frank has. I'm sure he got a chance to see a lot of people. [Wide Receivers Coach] Troy Walters played at Stanford, a Biletnikoff winner, so we've got a lot of guys with ties. Six players with Northern California ties as well, seven really, [WR] Mike Thomas. This is a meaningful stop for a lot of our coaches and players here."
You like the form that that kind of led you all to a deep playoff runs the last couple of years?
I think we played a good game. There's going to be things that we have to clean up. We're not just going to gloss over those. But again, I like how our team responded in different moments and you look at the second half, offense starting the half with three points, defense creating turnovers in the second half and getting big stops. Then, the offense responding up seven when we need a touchdown, we don't need a field goal, we need a touchdown, and they find a way to finish it off. Evan coming through on some big kicks on special team stepping up big on coverage so really proud of our team. It wasn't perfect, but really proud of the way that they came together and took control of the game."
Did DL Trey Hendrickson talk himself back into the game, what was going on?
"We had a couple injuries where guys just got stepped on. Coincidentally guys got stepped on. I'm sure he's really sore. I'm sure it wasn't easy for him. There's probably some limitations he dealt with there in the second half, but I can think of a few times where guys maybe got hit on the side or stepped on, so nothing hopefully significant there."
What was the kind of the message after the fumble at the end of the first half? Were you worried that that could be a difference maker in the game to take points off the board?
"It's bothersome obviously in hindsight, yeah. Here's what you got to look at. What's your process? You're falling. I like the play call from a process standpoint. Obviously the coverage they played, it's not a great look for, it doesn't give Joe a lot of good answers there. He's got three different options. He chose the third that he should have. It doesn't give us a lot of good options there. Then we just got to hang on to the football. So the process that got us there taking a shot on a run there, probably calling time out and then taking some shots in the end zone, throwing the ball. It didn't work out for us. Of course anytime something like that happens, you're regretful of the call, but you just got to get back to the process that got us there and led to that call and that's what I felt comfortable with. It didn't turn out our way coming out at halftime."
After a situation like that to at least put points on the board, how significant was that?
"It was significant. That's why you defer, that's why you get the ball to start the second half. We were hoping for the double whammy there, scoring at the end of the half and then getting the ball back and putting points on the board before they touched it like they did to us in 2019. It didn't work out that way, but I thought that was a good start by the offense setting the tone and the defense responding."
You didn't think twice about putting McPherson back out there after he missed the 50 yard field go?
"No, but I guess it's because of the wind, the direction of the wind. No, and we would've obviously played the situation smart going the other way, but full trust that he can rise to the moment and even in tough conditions he stepped up and got it done. He's done it before. It was windy, so I guess that was, it was windy. Yeah, it was probably a little windier in the first half I think than the second half. He did a good job responding how we knew he would."
Impressed with the efficiency and the power in the run game against a good defense?
"It's a good job, I thought starting with [Offensive Line Coach] Frank [Pollack], there was a lot of good run variations to start the week. I liked the plan that he had in place. I thought Frank and [Offensive Assistant] Derek Frazier did a great job. These guys executed it. They believed in it, they executed it, and they ran hard. We hit them at the right moment sometimes and so really proud of the execution of the run game today."
The cameras caught Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo when everybody kind jumped him right after Trey Hendricks sack to end the game. What did you think of his plan today?
"A lot of times I don't want the camera on Lou, so I'm glad to hear that was good."
What did you think of his defensive game plan?
"Awesome the way it worked out. I mean, he's the best, right? He puts these guys in position that's half the battle. The other half is the guys having confidence and believing that he's going to put them in the right position and they do. You get that extra little bit out of your guys when they believe in what you're telling them to do. He pushes the right buttons at the right times. He does a great job being emotional and then being composed like great defensive coordinators do. Love him to death. We're very happy to have him. We've been through thick and thin here together, obviously, and we always liked what we saw and what he was capable of. He's gotten them to play their potential. We're very fortunate with him and the entire defense of staff."
Bengals QB Joe Burrow
Postgame Quotes – October 29, 2023
San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Coming out of a Bye week, how does a road win like that feel?
"Yeah, it felt good. We were able to execute well enough to win. We still have some points out on the field, so just like every win and every loss, you're going to learn from it and watch the tape, but it was a good day."
What does it say to beat a team like this given how you all started the year and where you want to end up?
"Yeah, we needed this one. So, big win, but it was just one. We get a lot of football left to be played, so we're going to enjoy this one for a day and get right back to it."
Can you break down the 3rd & 10 in the first quarter when it looks like you were going to be sacked twice and you managed to scramble and make a completion to Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins?
"Yeah, it's tough to break those down. They just kind of happen. Really, that was athleticism, acceleration, explosiveness, and those were really a big focus of mine in the offseason. I just haven't really been able to show that too much, so it was nice to have that hard work pay off."
So, how much does it feel like after the Bye week that it's go time for you guys? Because this is now three straight years where right out the bye, you get a huge road win.
"Yeah, it was great week of prep. That's really where it starts. The urgency was really high all week. Great days of practice, and it wasn't perfect, but you learn from every rep that you get and you were able to correct it very quickly. So, it was a great week. We're going to learn from this one and move on."
You throw the touchdown to Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase and then find Cincinnati Bengals LB Logan Wilson and Cincinnati Bengals LB Germaine Pratt on the sideline. What'd you say to those guys?
"Man, Germaine's play in the red zone was unbelievable. I told him that was one of the best defensive plays I've ever seen. That was big time. He just needs to stay in bounds and go score next time, too."
What did you think about going under center did? Did that help loosen things?
"Yeah, we were able to get some big play-action shots off of that. We got some great production out of that, so that's going to continue to be part of what we do."
Can you take me through the wild scramble on the first drive? You held it for almost 10 seconds. Did you think you were going down? What did you see on that one?
"Well, I never think I'm going down. I'm going to fight to the end on those. When plays break down like that, I've always prided myself on being able to get out of those situations and make plays. Like I said, that's something that I worked really hard on in the offseason. I just haven't really been able to show that. So, it was nice to see that hard work pay off."
One trademark you guys have shown is overcoming adversity, like at the end of the first half. You turned it over there, Cincinnati Bengals TE Irv Smith fumbles, and then you come out and put points on the board. How important a stretch of that game was that?
"Yeah, like I said, it wasn't perfect. That's for sure. We left points out there and we had some mental mistakes that we have to clean up, but overall it was a well-executed game. But it was a great team win. Complementary football. Defense stepped up in big spots, offense stepped up in big spots, and special teams stepped up in big spots."
What did you see from Cincinnati Bengals WR Andrei Iosivas in his growth, because he has had touchdowns in back-to-back weeks?
"Yeah, he's not getting a ton of opportunities, but the opportunities that he's getting, he's making the most of. He's really savvy in scramble drill situations. Both of his touchdowns have come that way, so that's exciting to see and we're going see more of it going forward."
For the first three years of your career, there was a lot of talk about the offensive line and when things weren't going well, it was always comments on the offensive line. How'd you feel like they played today and specifically Cincinnati Bengals LT Orlando Brown going up against one of the best edge rushers in the NFL?
"They were awesome. Not just in the in the pass pro, but also in the run game. That was a big part of the game today. We were super efficient in the run game. I think we ended up with over a hundred yards rushing. So, that's going to be a big part of what we do going forward. That was a complete game on offense. We have to stack more of those together."
You got a chance to see Joe Montana before the game. Did you notice that they were honoring past 49ers teams and that stuff?
"No, I did not, but me and Joe are good friends. He's a great guy. We've done some marketing things together, so it's always nice to see him. I always enjoy spending time with him."
Why are you guys as an offense so able to evolve and just change who you are over the course of the season?
"You have to if you want be good. We have great coaches that know what it takes and we got players that are able to take great coaching and really apply it very quickly. Coming out of the Bye, we had a lot of things that we wanted to work on, and you saw it on the field today."
After the first drive, putting some of that stuff in to place for the first time, did it feel like a big moment for the offenses growth?
"It was a great start for us. Offense, defense, special teams. When you get off to hot starts like that, it puts the defense in a much better position than if you're playing from behind."
The touchdown to Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase, head coach Zac Taylor had said you guys had been thinking about that. Can you run through it? Did you know when you got the ball you were going to go right there? It looked like kind of a fake screen or whatever.
"Well, it's no secret that we like to get the ball in Ja'Marr hands quick on, you know, little perimeter screens like that, and so you have to have stuff to compliment that. And that was a great call by Zac."
How fired up are you after scrambling for first downs, because a couple times today you slapped your helmet and looked pretty fired up?
"Like I said, I worked really hard on that all offseason. And for four to five weeks, I haven't been able to really show that, and so when you see hard work pay off, it's exciting."
Obviously you guys have perspective, have made runs after starting slow. How significant of a win does this feel like?
"It was a big win, but like I said, it was just one. There's still a lot of football left to be played. This is Week 7, we got 10 more, so this one means nothing if we come out and lay an egg next week and the week after that. So, we just have to keep stacking them together."
Did you know how many consecutive completions you had? Did you know that that number was getting up there?
"I did not know."
Did you know what it ended up at?
"I think Zac said 19 or something like that."
To be 28 of 32 passing, it's kind of an almost an absurd number. What does that mean to you? I know you value completions and all that, so what does that mean to you?
"I was able to put the ball -- for the most part all day -- in the right spot, and spot that I was trying to. That's what I expect out of myself. My footwork, I think a lot about and my mechanics. And so when I'm not that, it's disappointing. And so this is my standard."
Your completion percentage has shot through the roof the last few weeks. Is that more indicative of where you are with the calf than maybe anything else? It's just the completion percentage?
"I think there's a lot of layers to that. I think my mechanics have cleaned up over the last couple weeks, and then also, with my calf feeling better, I feel more comfortable extending plays instead of maybe throwing the ball away in those same situations that I had in the first couple weeks. And so I think it's a combination of a couple things."
I have to ask, because the last time you were wearing a compression sleeve on a certain part of your body, it alerted a lot of people and you have a compression sleeve on your arm. Is your arm alright?
"My arm's fine. It's just a little swollen. That's what happens when you play football. You have to get the swelling out. Everybody's got something."
Did those throws that you didn't like from Seattle eat at you over the Bye week? You would've liked to have completed more passes against Seattle, obviously. To come out here and be this accurate, was that a product of those kind of sitting in your head for two weeks?
"Yeah, I think so. It was a combination of a lot of things a couple weeks ago. When you have the Bye, you're able to sit back and really deeply think about mechanics, routes, timing, footwork, all that. So, that was really what I did on my Bye and it was nice to see that work pay off."
When you look at what the team did or has done over the last couple years and what the expectations are, is the performance today kind of what you expect this team to look like when you all started training camp at the beginning of the year?
"Yeah, this is the standard. Like I said, it wasn't perfect. There's still a lot to get better at, and we're going to, so we just have to keep stacking days together. It was a great day. Then, Wednesday's has to be be a great practice, Thursday, and so on. Thanks guys."
Bengals WR Tyler Boyd
Can you talk about the offense's red zone efficiency?
"If you score every time in the red zone, you are more than likely to win the game. We pride ourselves on that because in the Seahawk's game we only scored twice and we were all in shambles. We really didn't have any motion in the whole second half, but this was probably the best complete game for everybody. Everybody contributed, made plays when their numbers were called and this is that time where we are ready to get rolling."
You guys never trailed in the game. What kind of statement is that against a team like the San Francisco 49ers?
"It is huge. It let everyone know that we are back. They are one of the top teams in the NFC. It's on high alert now. We are the team to beat. We will continue to be that team. It's us. Who Dey."
Bengals T Orlando Brown Jr.
When Bengals QB Joe Burrow is beating teams with his arm and legs, how dangerous is he?
"So dangerous. We have a really good football team. We have some playmakers, the coaching staff, the scheme, when everything clicks, we play hard, when we are restrained, we are determined, we have attitude so the sky is the limit for what we can do. I think today was just a glimpse. It wasn't perfect, there were a few times that he had to scramble, but that's ball. At the end of the day we will get better, which is scary to think about."
You left a lot meat on the bone, five times in the red zone, four touchdowns and you had the one fumble, you guys were cranking. What was the secret?
"Execution. Keeping it simple. Focus and execution. That is who we are and that is who we have to continue to be."
What are your thoughts on Bengals RB Joe Mixon's performance?
"He was so big. He is so important, as hard as he runs, plays, he makes everyone else's job easier up front. He did a great job making some great reads and great runs. I can't stress enough on how important every piece is to this offense. When our skilled players, play that well, when we play well upfront, everything goes hand in hand. [Bengals head coach] Zac [Taylor] got us prepared during the week. Everyone gets credit for this."
Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase
Can you talk about that endzone backflip?
"I just wanted to have some fun. I did gymnastics when I was young."
Never in pads though?
"No. It was a little heavier but I still got it."
How would you sum up the day for the offense?
"I would say that we did good overall. Outstanding defense today definitely got us the win. Offense did great, we did well with our assignments today. We executed when we had the opportunity to."
Did you feel like this was the first time you guys put four quarters of good offense together?
"I want to say so, yes. I definitely had efficiency going on first down and second down. That is what we wanted to do and we did it."
Bengals CB Mike Hilton
What is it about this unit making plays in the red zone?
"We know our job once we get inside the red zone. We take pride in not letting anyone in. That is what we live and die by. We may give up some yards, but once they get inside that red zone, they are leaving with nothing."
You guys held the San Francisco 49ers offense in check most of the day.
"We knew who the offense was going to run through, they are missing [49ers WR] Deebo [Samuel] and that kind of took some things from them. We were expecting 23 [49ers RB Christian McCaffrey and 85 [49ers TE George Kittle] to get the bulk of the touches and we did our jobs and slowed them down."
On offense the Cincinnati Bengals got off to a hot start, scored on both possessions, what does that do for the defense?
"It's big. We know who they are as an offense. When they are able to go out there and do what they do best, it makes it easier on us. It gives us a boost because we want to get them the ball back. Seeing how they played today, that was a great sign."
Bengals DE Sam Hubbard
Bengals LB Germaine Pratt and Bengals LB Logan Wilson had two huge interceptions. The 49ers have great linebackers, but the Bengals linebacker duo played a great game today.
"They deserve more national recognition. Hopefully, as they continue to perform well, they're going to get that."
Bengals QB Joe Burrow said he thought he was close to 100%. I think we can say 100% based on what we saw. What did you think?
"I wouldn't want to be playing against him. You see what he did today? Stiff arming a whole defensive line off him. That's the Joe we all know. He went through a lot of adversity, battling injuries and a lot of doubt. He never batted an eye. Hopefully this silences a lot of haters today."
You guys have gone from 0-2 to 4-3 and a tie for second place. Do you feel like this team is back to where it needs to be?
"I think we've got a ways to go. We have a big game on Sunday Night Football next week. It's still early in the season."
Bengals OL Ted Karras
How cool is it to see an offense evolve like that?
"I have to give a lot of credit to Coach Callahan [Offensive Coordinator, Brian Callahan] and Coach Taylor [Head Coach, Zac Taylor] and Frank [Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator, Frank Pollack], they put together a great plan and we knew it was going to be a tough game. I think that's the best front seven in football. Watching their film all week, we knew it was going to be a grinder and we'd have to score some points. Shout out to our defense too. Holding them to 17, that's great football. We had some new stuff, obviously [QB] Joe's [Burrow] feeling great and doing what he does. Really happy with the performance. I think we got loose on a few in protection, but overall, not really."
How different is it when you're running downhill under center or running the play action for what your guys up front are feeling like you can do?
"It changes for me. Just my initial get off. It takes away the stress of delivering the ball, which is my number one job. Nothing can happen until that. I think we have a great gun run game too, it's nice to show that on film and get some really good production out of it."
Do you feel like they were thrown off balance by you because you guys hadn't shown this sort of dominance all year?
"Yeah, probably. I think they have good coaches too, and we haven't shown that probably since Dallas last year. They made some good adjustments though and that's a good team, coached really well, and they'll be at the top."
Bengals RB Joe Mixon
Joe, this was the offense that you guys have been hoping to produce all year long. You knew you were capable of it, you put it together for four quarters today.
"Yeah, most definitely. It was a great thing to see, to be able to come out here and play all four quarters of football. We still left things out there, still have things to clean up but it was a great thing to see, great thing to come out with the win, and that's all that matters.
The energy in the locker room right now is special. Just tell us what this win means to everybody?
"It means a lot but at the same time we just need to keep building. We have a big group of guys in here that when the lights shine bright we shine brighter. We just have to keep going and playing with an edge that can't be matched and everything else is going to take care of itself as long we execute. It's a great thing to see, great feeling, and now have to get ready for Sunday night prime time football.
