Sourdough Sam
Well-known member
- Mar 20, 2019
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DL Nick Bosa on the impact of having Dee Ford back on the field:
“Yeah, I mean, having an extra pass-rusher always helps. You get more one-on-ones, get the slide two. Opens up stuff for the interior guys, as well. Probably see them start to get more opportunities with Dee on the field, too. It's not just me. It's just great to have another good pass-rusher on the field.”
Bosa on the talent of Vikings running back Dalvin Cook:
“I've been watching him since Florida State. He's really good. Not many people could just maintain the speed that he maintains through contact. He just makes cuts and never slows down. He's physical. They’ve got two of them, so it's going to be a challenge. We've played some good backs, but we haven't played him. We've just got to bring it.”
WR Emmanuel Sanders on the atmosphere in the locker room heading into the playoffs:
“I think it's loose. When you’ve got guys like Kendrick Bourne walking around the locker room dancing, blasting music, doing all kind of dance moves, it's kind of hard to not be loose. Even this morning, he was in the locker room dancing around, him and Samuel, all the rest of the young guys. I looked over at Richard Sherman, ‘Man, these guys keep us young, man.’ Guys like that are good for the ecosystem of this team. Guys like me and Sherm are good for the playoff experience to let them understand the magnitude of what we need to accomplish. I think we’ve got a well-balanced team.”
Sanders on how he can lean on his previous playoff experiences:
“You know what, if you asked me what does the playoff experience mean, I think it just comes naturally. I think the entire time since I got here, this team has been paying attention to the details. I can't sit back and say, ‘Okay, this is the time for us to lock in.’ I feel like we've been locked in all season, ever since I got here. When I talk about playoff experience, I say, ‘Don't do too much.’ I feel like when a lot of people get in the playoffs, they think they’ve got to do more, they’ve got to do more. At the end of the day, you're in the playoffs, you've already been winning games. Just remain who you are. I think it's kind of like what you were saying about staying loose. Those young guys, be who you are, dance. If you dance, dance. Whatever you were doing during the season, continue to continuously do that. That's going to help. I feel like a lot of people are going to overdo it, overthink it, which, in turn, can be a bad thing.”
Sanders on if he's talked to Garoppolo about his first playoff start:
“No, I don't have to talk to Jimmy about that. Two Super Bowl rings that guy's got. He knows. He knows what it takes to go all the way and win it all. He’s seen the preparation from one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. At the end of the day, he understands the process.”
Sanders on the progression of Bourne and Samuel since his arrival in Week 8:
“I didn't really know too much about them until I got here. Just to see Deebo and KB, how these guys practice, how they run through the ball, run after the catch, I was just like, ‘You know what, let me try to fit in with these guys.’ One thing about this league, you can be in Year 10, you can take a guy at Year 1, if you don't think you can learn from a guy in Year 1, you're not going to make it too long in this league. I feel like everybody can learn something from somebody. When I first got here, I saw these guys running to the ball, running after a catch. I said, ‘Let me go and talk to them, ask him how he does it.’ If you watch Kendrick Bourne run through the football, even when you go to games and there are a lot of guys in this league, I've been in this league a long time, they don't run to the football like that. He has exceptional hands. Deebo, the way he runs after a catch, that's something I try to pick up off those guys.”
T Joe Staley on being back in the playoffs:
“Yeah, very exciting. Very exciting. Obviously, to be in this situation, haven't been here since 2013. Excited to get back in the playoffs, play meaningful football. Excited for the opportunity this week in a big game. Just excited. I don't really know what else to say, just excited for the opportunity.”
Staley on what he tells the younger guys about playing in the playoffs:
“This is the stuff that can get a little bit distracting, the media coverage, like you said, the heightened awareness of what we're doing. As far as performance on the field, that's what we've been doing the whole entire season. I think that is the big thing to stress to the guys. I haven't made any speeches. I don't think anyone is going to make any big speeches about doing what we've done the whole entire season and preparing the way we prepared every single day. That's what's going to prepare us through the playoffs, prepare us for the game on Saturday, hopefully going forward. We can control what we can control. That's the practice we have today, the preparation we put in. You don't have to put any extra pressure on yourself that it's the playoffs. You don’t have to do something different. It's all about doing exactly what you've done the whole entire year. That's why I think the habits and the routines that you build during the season are so important for opportunities like this. You don't have to reinvent the wheel at all.”
Staley on why this is another typical game week for Garoppolo:
“The way he's been the whole entire time he's been here. The thing I always come back to when asked about Jimmy, the thing I respect the most about him, the guys in the locker room respect the most about him, is his preparation and work ethic. You see a lot of talented guys coming into the NFL throughout the years, but what guys really respect is the preparation and work ethic that he puts in. He's been the same guy since he's been here, since day one. He's going to try to be the most prepared person he can be. He is going to practice the same way every single day. Just the stuff I was talking about in the last question, really prevalent with Jimmy. The way he prepares. He's not going to try to reinvent anything. He is not going to try to do anything different. He is going to be the same quarterback, the same person he's been for this franchise since he's been here.”
Staley on what challenges the Vikings defensive front presents the 49ers:
“The Vikings are very, very sound up front. They're a very sound defense. They have a lot of guys that have played in the system, played together for a long time. They know exactly where each other are going to be. It's really hard to get them out of position. So, it really just comes down to doing your techniques and your blocks. They have really talented players up front. (Vikings DE) Danielle Hunter and (Vikings DE) Everson Griffen have been a great edge pairing in the NFL for a long time. They both present unique challenges as far as tackles go. But, all across the board, you look at everybody, they're a very sound defense. They play well together.”
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on how Alexander looked in his first full padded practice since his injury:
“I thought he looked pretty good. I've got to go back and watch the tape, but watched him closely during our little tackling drill that we do before practice, just to let him get loose and get comfortable again. But, he's been building, he’s been working for this for a while. It's going to be cool to see him out there if he can make it out there Saturday.”
Saleh on the importance of stopping the Vikings run game:
“This is a run-first team. You’ve got to be able to stop the run. They do a really good job first and second down. They're very similar to our offense in regards to play-action pass, it’s max pro, it’s shots downfield, boots, run game. We’ve got to strap up our big-boy pads and get ready to play some ball this week.”
Saleh on the challenges Cousins presents the 49ers defense:
“Same thing the stats show in that he's very, very decisive with the football. He knows exactly where he needs to go. The pre-snap movement of the defense or the post-snap movement of the defense doesn't really fool him very often. He knows, post-snap, by the time he hits his back foot, where the ball needs to go, he knows where everyone is on the football field. Because of it, he can make a very smart decision. To answer your question, it's his decision making in his mind and how quick it works when he's in his drop, all that stuff. He's worth every penny they pay him.”
CB Richard Sherman on the type of lift it would be to get Ford, Alexander and Jaquiski Tartt back on the field Saturday:
“Three veteran players who were starters on this defense who make an impact. They all play at a high level. It will be great to have them back.”
Sherman on the biggest challenge going up against the Vikings offense:
“Being disciplined. They run the ball well. (Vikings QB) Kirk (Cousins) is very efficient with what he does. He doesn't turn the ball over, doesn't make very many mistakes. Being on details just like they are, being locked in for 60 minutes.”
Sherman on what makes Cousins efficient as a passer:
“He throws the ball away when he needs to. He throws the ball to the ground. He throws the ball into a spot when he has somebody open. At times, when other quarterbacks would force it in there, he doesn't. He looks down the field. He checks everything. He checks every box, then he goes to his outlets when he needs to. He's not afraid to do that. He doesn't get impatient. He'll take check downs all game if that's what the defense gives him.”
TE George Kittle on his expectations for Garoppolo in his first-career playoff start:
“I'm not really worried. Jimmy has been doing it all year. Every primetime game he shows up, plays well. He's just going to do him and play really well. I just have that expectation of him. I have all the confidence in the world in him.”
Kittle on the impact Sanders has made on the offense:
“Other than winning us three or four games by himself, him and Jimmy, pretty helpful. The greatest thing about him is he didn't have to learn anything. A guy like that, who has done it before, he was kind of in our offense with the (Denver) Broncos. He didn't have to learn anything. He just went out there and did it. The connection between him and Jimmy, it was instant. They didn't have to build a chemistry or anything like that. It's definitely been very helpful. I know Emmanuel is really excited to be here. Like I said, he's won us a couple games basically by himself. We're going to count on him going forward in these playoffs.”
Kittle on what he's seen from the Vikings defense:
“They have a lot of different coverages and stuff. I mean, they do a good job. They focus on tight ends. I mean, whatever coach Shanahan has schemed up, I'm going to do that. It's been working for me so far this year, so I'm going to keep doing that.”
LB Fred Warner on Cook's ability as a runner:
“Very good back. He's had an outstanding season. Great contact balance. He's looking to get downhill right now. In open space, he's a cutback player. Elusive. Yeah, we're going to have to make sure we're on top of it with him.
“His contact balance is really good. He's not the biggest back, but he plays a lot bigger than he is. He's strong. You know it's going to take more than arm tackles or just one guy. It's going to be a group tackling him, making sure everybody gets to the ball.”
Warner on what stands out about Cousins on film:
“He makes good decisions. He can launch the football. Doesn't turn the ball over. That's all great things to win football games, obviously. It all starts with the run. Once they get the running game going, the pass opens up. Obviously, they've been very efficient in play-action passes.”
Warner on having Alexander back at practice:
“It's been legendary. No, it's been really great. Just a different swag, energy out there when he's on the field. It's great having him back out there. He looks great. Should be fun having him back out there this weekend.”
DL DeForest Buckner on the impact of having Ford and Alexander back at practice:
“Having their presence out there on the field, the energy. Obviously, Kwon always brings the energy. Having him on the field is a good feeling. Dee and Jaquiski, having them out there running around with the team, trying to get back in the flow of things is definitely encouraging.”
Buckner on the challenge of defending Cook:
“They're a really good run team, especially with Dalvin Cook back there. Coming into this game, throughout the year, obviously against the run, hasn't been our strong suit throughout the year. I know they're definitely going to challenge us in the run game early. Especially with Dalvin Cook back there, he's one of the best in the league. We’ve just got to do a really good job with shutting that down early.”