San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters during a conference call on Tuesday, the day after the team's 40-34 loss to the Detroit Lions. Here's everything he said.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Opening comments:
"Alright guys, injuries from the game: [DL] Leonard Floyd had a shoulder, he'll be day-to-day, [LB Demetrius] Flannigan-Fowles, calf, day-to-day, [QB] Brock Purdy had a right elbow contusion with nerve inflammation, most likely going to miss this week but no long-term issues, UCL looks fine. And that's it from the game right now. Go ahead."
What's your plan with K Jake Moody this week? Is he going to kick this final game or are you going to bring in some competition for him?
"No, he is going to kick this final game."
Have you talked to him? Did you see how everything looked, the snap and the hold on the extra point?
"Yeah, I spoke with him yesterday after the game. But yeah, that was the only one that wasn't clean. Still needs to make it, but that was the one that wasn't a clean hold and snap, which made that one a lot tougher."
With the news on Purdy, how relieved are you and what's your plan for who you anticipate will start on Sunday against the Cardinals?
"I'm relieved, but I wasn't too concerned. I wasn't too worried about it just with the information we had last night, so it was good to just hear the same thing today. And we're just starting, really, putting this game to bed right now and trying to catch up with Arizona, so I'll decide that later in the day."
Is there any chance that we're going to see QB Tanner Mordecai in this game on Sunday?
"No. I mean, unless there are injuries."
You talked about it being possibly a scramble game, so that's why QB Joshua Dobbs played yesterday. I assume that had to do with the offensive-line situation. How did you feel the offensive line did and the two tackles that alternated?
"I thought under the circumstances they did a hell of a job. Just coming in this week and learning the offense and going out there and both of them kind of sharing the responsibility, rotating, and I thought they really competed well. And I thought the game went well where we got to avoid a lot of third downs in the game, which helped. But I thought those guys stepped it up big time for the situation they were in. Real proud of them."
Looking at the inconsistencies on defense, there were a lot of good plays where there were tackles for loss, pass breakups, and then others where there were explosives allowed. Is there anything, is it missed assignment? Is it, I don't know, lack of concentration? What is the issue on the defense?
"One, they were going against a very good offense where it's going to challenge you in all areas. Just their talent, their scheme, all of the above. I think that's, they've done that to a number of teams this year. I think we had, I think there were two, with their short motions and stuff and man coverages when you get to stacks and you've got to communicate, we had two guys drop a guy, which they make it tough on you, but those are ones that led to two big plays. I thought our tackling wasn't great at the beginning, especially. He [Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs] is a tough back to get down, but I thought some of our angles and stuff would have given us a chance to get to third down better and didn't track very well at all. So, it was a number of things, but you've got to be on it versus an offense like that. And I thought we were at times, but not enough, and they made us pay."
Do you have an update on CB Charvarius Ward?
"Yeah, he should be coming back here later today."
And can you reveal the personal reason?
"I kind of, since he hasn't yet, I should let him do that. But it is positive stuff. I'd like to, but I just haven't talked to him, so I'll let him do that."
Did you get a chance to talk to Brock today?
"No. I haven't seen him today yet. No, just talked to him last night."
What were his spirits last night? I don't want to know if you want to do a season-long summary, but how has he handled this year?
"I think he's handled this year head on. He hasn't ran from anything. He's attacked everything, plays as hard as he can and works as hard as he can and comes in always on Mondays and Tuesdays and faces the truth of everything and comes back and grinds and tries to get better each week. I guess I can talk about him more at the end of the year, but I thought last night he was disappointed in the turnovers, he was disappointed in the loss. But just, kind of how he always is."
What was the issue on Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown's touchdown catch?
"Which one?"
St. Brown's fourth-and-goal touchdown catch.
"It wasn't an issue. We just, we had a soft cloud that didn't drive on the ball hard enough."
At left tackle, was the plan going in to rotate OL Charlie Heck and OL Austen Pleasants?
"Yes. Yeah. We were going to play both of them and let them share the challenge."
And how did you feel their performance was?
"I was real proud of them. I thought they, I don't think I've ever had to start a guy who was on a different team's practice squad the week before. So for those guys to come in, come in during Christmas week and to really just figure out the language so they could do their assignments right, and then get out there on Monday Night Football and try to perform too. I was, earned a lot of respect for those guys."
Did you look at WR Ricky Pearsall's game last night as sort of a breakout game for him or just sort of a culmination of what you've been seeing throughout the year?
"More of a culmination. I think it's so, that's the hardest thing with wide receivers in this day and age, that everyone's judged off of their stats which can tell a lot sometimes, but that's just when they get the ball or not, and that's not always based off of what they do. That's based off of circumstances that happen with the other 21 players on the field. Because there's a lot, you can play a really good game and have no numbers and there's nothing you did wrong about it, but people act like you didn't because you need to see those numbers from guys when they touch the ball. So, I was happy that he got more opportunities, that it worked out that way, and when he did he came through with them and showed the stuff that we like about him so that everyone could see it."
Did you have a lot of, some of those games at Texas when you had a really good game, but just didn't put up the stats?
"I feel that's how all mine were. If I could have just got ball more I'd still be playing. Just joking. Please don't take that seriously (laughter)."
Does OL Spencer Burford have a chance to play Sunday? And if so, would he be your starting left tackle?
"Yes, he would. Right now, it's not looking like that."
Yesterday, chief executive officer Jed York said to Tim Kawakami that you and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch are not going anywhere. I assume that that's been the feeling between you and the organization for a while, but just hearing that, does that make you feel more confident in your future with the 49ers?
"Not really. I feel confident just, I've got a good relationship with Jed and we speak almost every day. So, hearing stuff in the media doesn't really change much for me. It's more what I have between him and myself."
And that relationship has always been open and consistent?
"Yeah, definitely. Jed is very easy to talk to. We've known each other here for now, eight years. We feel very fortunate for how he is through the good and the bad and the communication really never changes, regardless of what's going on."
