SB Nation - Michael Robinson

49ers-Seahawks: Final Injury Report

Fooch — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:00:31 -0000

We've got the final injury report with one somewhat surprising addition. RB Justin Forsett was a full participant in practice today but is now listed as questionable because of a quad injury. Julius Jones is certainly no scrub, but given recent performances, if Forsett is limited or out on Sunday I'd be a much happier camper. Even when Forsett was shut down in the rushing attack at Minnesota, he still contributed big as a receiver. I'm glad the former Cal star is developing into a solid NFL running back, but I'd prefer he take a week off and not burn the 49ers.

After the jump we've got Coach Mike Singletary's post-practice press conference transcript.

49ers
Out
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)

Doubtful
OT Joe Staley (knee)
DT Kentwan Balmer (shoulder)

Questionable
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
CB Marcus Hudson (back)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Probable
WR Arnaz Battle (ankle)
LB Ahmad Brooks (thumb)
WR Brandon Jones (thumb)
S Michael Lewis (quadricep)
DT Ray McDonald (shoulder)
RB Michael Robinson (shoulder)
OT Adam Snyder (shoulder)

Seahawks
Doubtful
LB D.D. Lewis (knee)
DT Cory Redding (concussion)

Questionable
RB Justin Forsett (quad)
DE Lawrence Jackson (groin)

Probable
RB Julius Jones (chest)
C Chris Spencer (thumb)

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Post-Practice - December 4, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"Good afternoon. In terms of injuries, [CB] Marcus Hudson, questionable; [LT] Joe Staley, questionable; [CB] Nate Clements, out. I think everybody else is about what it was."

On LB Takeo Spikes' status:

"Takeo, game-time.

[Bob Lange: ‘It's actually doubtful.']

Singletary: Did I say doubtful?

[Lange: ‘You said questionable.']

Singletary: Doubtful. Sorry."

On how Staley is progressing:

"He's working. Working out and squatting. He's getting excited. So, hopefully it all works out."

On whether it gets more difficult because opposing teams are expecting more of a spread look:

"I think it really comes down to executing. You can change to any kind of offense you want to be, but if it's not effective, than it's not going to force it to be any more difficult for them. I think when you execute running the ball, when you execute throwing the ball, now that's when you make it more difficult for coordinators and teams to prepare."

On whether he gets the sense that opposing defenses are still keying RB Frank Gore as the No. 1 priority:

"I would think so. I would think if you look at Frank and what he's been able to do when he has been able to run, the possibility is always there, and you don't want to really let him get started. So, I would think that would be the first thought."

On whether the players understand the sense of urgency going into a must-win game on Sunday:

"We'll see on Sunday. We'll see Sunday. I think they do, but we'll find out."

On whether Seattle being healthier now presents more of a challenge than earlier this season:

"As you go through the year, guys are hurt, guys are up. We still have guys hurt. So, that's the nature of the game. You just go out there and play the game as best you can, and, hopefully, the No. 2 guys that you have, when they do have to play, that's what it's all about. The 53 guys that you have, they're supposed to be the best that you can get. So, hopefully, that next group of player that you have in there, you don't make excuses and say, ‘Well, we didn't have this guy. We didn't have that guy.' It's part of the game."

On whether it's frustrating as a coach that you can't practice tackling during the week:

"Tackling is more of an attitude than anything else. I believe that if you want to tackle somebody, you can, and you'll find a way to get them down. And, that's really what it comes down to."

On whether he is at a point where he is looking at the standings and trying to figure out what he needs to do to get to where he wants to by the end of the season:

"I'm just looking at winning. That's all. I don't try to be real good at math, I just try to really focus on what's really important because to me, if you're playing well, that's vitally important that you begin to - it's that team at this time of the year that begins to gain the momentum, begins to play better and begins to have a sense of urgency when they're playing. It's that team that's going to make it anyway. It's very important that you focus on winning games and being consistent down the stretch. I think that's what we're focused on. All of the other stuff about who wins and who loses and how many wins do we need, if we're focusing on that, then that's not good."

On how he felt about the week of practice:

"I felt it was a good week. It wasn't great. But, I don't think it's ever great, but it was a good, good week."

49ers-Jaguars: Final Injury Report

Fooch — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:00:13 -0000

Not a whole lot of shockers in the final injury report, although we get confirmation that Michael Robinson will more than likely miss out on the game. Doubtful means 75% chance the player won't play. Safe to say no Robinson. So does that mean we'll get a bit more Josh Morgan in the return game? I've attached Coach Singletary's press conference from yesterday, but there's no mention of the return game.

For those wondering, Morgan does have some return experience back in college. His senior year he returned 16 kicks for 276 yards (long of 34). It's nothing spectacular, but better than nothing. We'll see how this plays out on Sunday.

49ers
Out
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Doubtful
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
RB Michael Robinson (concussion)

Questionable
WR Arnaz Battle (ankle)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Probable
G David Baas (ankle)
CB Tarell Brown (knee)
CB Marcus Hudson (back)
S Michael Lewis (quadricep)
S Reggie Smith (abdomen)
OT Adam Snyder (shoulder)
S Curtis Taylor (knee)
LB Patrick Willis (shoulder)

Jaguars
Out
CB Rashean Mathis (groin)

Probable
RB Maurice Jones-Drew (knee)
WR Mike Sims-Walker (knee)

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Post-Practice - November 27, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On the status of LB Takeo Spikes:

"It's going to be a game time [decision]. He tried to practice a little bit today. We didn't have him overexert himself, but he looked pretty good. We'll see come game time."

On who takes over the leadership role on defense when Spikes is not in the lineup:

"I think [LB] Patrick [Willis] is doing a much better job. I think that Takeo and Pat work really well together, and I think that when Takeo is not there, that Pat has to pick it up a bit. [LB] Matt Wilhelm is still trying to get used to doing it, but hopefully this week Takeo steps up and is ready to go. I'll keep my fingers crossed for that."

On whether having Takeo Spikes out against Green Bay constituted to the yardage gained by Packers RB Ryan Grant:

"I'm sure that it had something to do with it, a little bit. I wouldn't go there and say, ‘well, he wasn't there,' no, I wouldn't go there. Certainly, continuity is big and Takeo really helps Pat out a lot, he really does, so he's a great asset to us."

On the challenge of containing Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew:

"It's a big challenge because you've got a huge offensive line, and next thing you know, he just comes out of nowhere. He hides really well behind them, so we really have our work cut out for us this week. They are a power team and he's a powerful runner. He's an effective guy, so we definitely have our hands full this week."

On whether he recollects having problems tackling diminutive runners when he played in the NFL:

"I would say for me - I was kind of small too, so it wasn't a big problem for me. For the linebackers, it shouldn't be a big issue. For our guys, we don't have huge guys, I think that Pat and Takeo should be just fine. The defensive linemen have to bend a little bit more to find him."

On Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew performance in short-yardage situations:

"He's a good back aside from being a shorter guy. I would say that's the only difference - he's a shorter guy, not a smaller guy. He's really compact and he keeps his legs moving behind that pile, and I'll tell you what now, the offensive line does a great job of pulling him forward. So I think that we have to reevaluate that rule before the game, but the offensive line does a great job of pulling him right along with them so that helps too."

On whether a sneak play against Green Bay should have been raised as an issue with the league:

"It should have been. The whole sneak thing when guys are pulling you forward - it should be, but I guess they don't enforce it that much, but we'll have to look at that."

On any other personnel moves to be made prior to Sunday's contest against Jacksonville:

"No."

On talking to the referees pre-game concerning the sneak plays:

"It's not really a big thing, we just have to mention things that could possibly come up in a game. Things that you see on film, those are just little things that you communicate to the referees before the game so they can look at it prior [to the game]."

On whether sneak plays are done by hitting a runner forward or pulling him forward:

"There are time when it's kind of like rugby - he's in there and they're just pushing, shoving, pulling, and the whole nine yards. They do a good job of blocking, it's not like they're cheating.They're working and they're doing what they have to do. I think that it's going to be up to us to do everything that we can do to stop them, but they do a good job of blocking for him."

On whether he agrees with offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye's assessment of QB Alex Smith maturation and assertiveness:

"Oh yeah, I think that I've been saying the same thing. I haven't quite gotten to excellent yet, but I would say that only because I haven't used that word. But I think that Alex Smith is making really good progress. I think that we're all thankful that he's making the progress that he's making, so hopefully we just continue to go forward with that. If he can continue to get better from week to week, it helps us that much more trying to get where we need to go."

On what hasn't Alex Smith done in order to make progress:

"I would say, if I had to point to one thing, whenever you look at a quarterback, it's all about winning. I think that you could say that it's kind of like your team, ‘Whoa man, we're playing hard, we're doing this, we're doing that....did you win the game? No. Well, end of conversation.' So it's kind of like the same with the quarterback. We've had some good quarterbacks come through this league, but they didn't win, so we don't know a whole lot about them. So for Alex, I think that he just has to continue working, and also our team and everything else, and we just have to bring that thing together and win."

On his comments on Alex Smith being ‘meek' and how an NFL quarterback can be successful with that quality:

"It's kind of the whole thing with leadership. You hit that point, I just want to answer that question and make sure that I define him right. Are leaders born or are they made? I think both, but when I think about Alex Smith, when I was talking about meek, I should have used the word humble. He's a guy, he doesn't want to cause any problems. To me, he doesn't have the typical mentality of a quarterback, which is, ‘Hey, this is what I want.' He's not like that and that's thing that I like about him and I'm sure going forward, I'm see more and more assertiveness, I'm seeing more and more, ‘Coach I like this, I don't like that,' and those kinds of things so I think it's a tremendous asset for him to be a guy that is still willing to be molded, still willing to listen and it's not all of a sudden, he throws a couple of touchdowns and he's not all of a sudden the greatest quarterback in the world. He's still listening and I think that's great so going forward I think he's going to find his balance. We are on this side of it saying, ‘Come on, give us the information, let us know where you are, let us know what you are thinking,' and I think he has been on the other side saying, ‘I don't want to cause any problems, I don't want to make this about me, I want it to be about the team, I want it to be about the offense,' and I think that's been his mentality and that's been great and we are saying we love that, but come on, be the guy that says ‘this is what I want,' and we'll say, ‘Okay, we are going to go here, we're going to do that and this.' Now we are where we need to be in the communication area and I think we are getting there, I just think he needed permission to say, ‘That's okay for me to say, this is what I want, this is what I need.' The answer is absolutely yes. We need to know exactly what it is and he's doing that."

On that ‘jerk' quality in most quarterbacks:

"For lack of a another word, yes, I would say that, but there are some that I know that are, I would say are very clear and concise about what it is that they want and the great thing about Alex is I think he's such a bright guy that he can do a number of things and I think he's still finding out some of those things that he likes better than others because he hasn't played as long. To me, I think it's a tremendous advantage for him and us going forward, so he's not set in his ways and so I think that's a good thing."

On whether it's hard for the quarterback not to be the natural leader of the team given he is the only one talking in the huddle:

"The way that Alex Smith is thinking right now and all that I've seen, I think Alex Smith understands that at some point in time it has to be about his point of view, but from a team aspect."

On what kind of a challenge the Jaguars defense present for their offense on Sunday:

"I guess for me, when I look at their defense, you look at those big guys up front and they come off the ball, they do a good job and are big physical guys. Their DBs look like they are communicating well on the backend, I just think that we have to go out and just do what we do. I don't think that we have to try and think up anything else, just go out and execute the offense and hopefully, we can put it together early, hopefully we can execute early and find our niche, find our balance and just kind of move forward with that."

On whether he would like to see his cornerbacks play more aggressively this week:

"We have to. Last week, for whatever reason, there were times when we were way too far off and gave them a lot more cushion than we had talked about during the week. So, yes, definitely get up there and challenge them a lot more than we did last week."

49ers-Jaguars: Thursday Injury Report

Fooch — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:57:39 -0000

Hope everybody is having a good Thanksgiving. We've got our Thanksgiving open thread if you want to chat about any of today's games. I wanted to get this posted before the food coma completely overwhelmed me. We've got the injury report here, followed by OC Jimmy Raye's post-practice press conference transcript.

We had some interesting comments from Jimmy Raye, including the fact that Isaac Bruce will not be active Sunday and Brandon Jones will be. Jones will be backing up Crabtree at the X position, but will also be the spot guy when Morgan comes off the field. Also, the third question addresses the shotgun statistics. I'm curious what people will have to say about that.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Did not Participate in Practice
WR Arnaz Battle (ankle)
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
DT Aubrayo Franklin (not injury related)
S Michael Lewis (quadricep)
RB Michael Robinson (shoulder)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Limited Participation in Practice
CB Marcus Hudson (back)

Full Participation in Practice
G David Baas (ankle)
CB Tarell Brown (knee)
S Reggie Smith (abdomen)
OT Adam Snyder (shoulder)
LB Patrick Willis (shoulder)
S Curtis Taylor (knee)

Jaguars
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Rashean Mathis (groin)

Full Participation in Practice
RB Maurice Jones-Drew (knee)
WR Mike Sims-Walker (knee)

OC Jimmy Raye's press conference transcript after the jump...

Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye
Post-Practice - November 26, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On which receivers play where with Isaac Bruce down:

"Basically, it gives Josh Morgan a transition when we go three-wide and that would bring Brandon Jones as the spot player. He would back up X. Jason Hill would be the back up Z. [Michael] Crabtree would stay at X. So, we would get the addition of Brandon Jones."

On who starts where:

"[Michael] Crabtree starts at X, [Josh] Morgan starts at Z. Jason Hill backs up Z. Brandon Jones backs up X. Then three wides, Josh transitions from Z to X and Jason Hill becomes the Z."

On why the statistics are better from the quarterback in the shotgun:

"I don't think that it is a coincidence. I know the time we did it, the score was 23-3. The quantity of the yards and quality of the yards has to be measured by the score and the time in the game. I don't think the formation per se had a whole lot to do with it. The fact that we were in a semi-rally mode because we were down by four scores had something to do with it. We converted third downs, which meant we got more plays. After the first drive in the game, we went three-and-out three straight times, and when we looked up, the score was 20-3, which totally changed the complexion of the game and the thought process and plan of the game. Then, the play prior to the two-minute warning, we could have kept them off the field on 3^rd-and-7 and we didn't convert. Then they went back and got another score to make it 23-3. So, there wasn't really any reason to be in ‘21' personnel and having the quarterback operating from under center. So, the score of the game and flavor of the game kind of dictated that. If you recall in that game, the first drive in that game, we were 3^rd and less than one in a position to score, and none of those plays were out of the gun. We missed and opted to kick the field goal to make the score 3-3. From that point on, offensively, it was downhill."

On whether the offense is in transition:

"I think this offense has been in transition since I've been here. You name a week that we haven't been in transition, from an injury standpoint, from a runner standpoint, a receiver standpoint, an offensive line standpoint. The thing we have been is in transition. I don't know what exactly your question is, in terms of this offense being in transition, but in terms of continuity and players, it's been a constant flow of transition."

On Alex's next step:

"I think Alex so far, his maturation in the 14 quarters, has been very good. I would anticipate going forward that as we improve in other areas of our play offensively, his growth will continue. He's become a little more assertive. You've got to remember that as he and the offense become more compatible and friendly, I think the less anxiety he'll have as he anticipates and knows the players he's playing with, and not thinking about the calls he makes, but he has internalized that. I am hopeful his growth and maturation will be something that will be very good."

On what he means by Alex being assertive and whether he tells him what he likes:

"I don't think that's a measure of assertion. He [Alex] plays and we coach. He has the opportunity to ‘red line' his wish list. The quarterbacks get a wish list at the beginning of every week. They get to list in priority the things they like and the things they don't like. They get to red line things they don't want or don't feel comfortable with, or they can suggest things they'd rather have. As I tell them and all of the players, it's democratic, but it's not 50-50 because they don't spend as much time looking at it or preparing as we do. So, their suggestions are all listened to, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll all be used. That's not just him, but that's all of the offensive players. His mannerisms and assertion, in terms of his leadership with the players he's in the huddle with, and his presence in the meeting room and film sessions, all of that has been a win-win. Alex is a very bright individual. As he gains confidence, the more his intelligence plays to his physical ability. I hope that is what we're witnessing. Only winning and time will tell that."

On the percentage of plays Alex red lines during the week:

"It varies. There are some things that are lengthy call-wise or protection-wise that may be a little queasy that when we worked them in practice, he didn't get the look that we had shown him or he anticipated or he didn't feel as good about dialing them in the game, as he does some other things. It's not a vast change. It's nothing like John Brodie, where he was going to run what he wanted to run and the hell with the plan because he called his own plays back then. It's enough to know and have a feel for what calms the anxiety in certain calls and where he feels most comfortable with things. We try not to have a whole lot of variance of new things so he doesn't have the anxiety of that."

On whether he can recognize body language from his viewpoint during the game:

"Sure. I'm learning him. I know this having coached long enough and called plays enough to know when you go 1-to-1 pass, you're an accident waiting to happen. So, if any play caller, even with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, you start dialing the pass repetitively, 1-to-1, something is going to happen. You have to try to sense the protection and sense the spacing in the passing game I'm speaking of. Whether he's getting hit because getting hit is more difficult for a quarterback than getting sacked. So, you have to gauge the protection, and if he's getting hit, you have gauge the coverage element and how much pressure you're getting by down and distance and how close you are to 1-and-1 and try to keep him out of a situation where something bad could happen, as far as turning the ball over. So, yeah, I can sense that."

On when things will click for Alex and the team waiting for the quarterback for everything to come together:

"I think if the team is waiting on the quarterback, then they have missed the boat. If they're waiting on the quarterback, then we're way off whack. The quarterback play has been very good, and at times, has even tilted towards being outstanding. So, if that is what the team is waiting on, the quarterback, then we're going down the wrong road. The team, as we're going forward in this drive and in this run to win the game this Sunday, the team needs to do the best that they can individually and the pieces will fit if we execute, and it won't be because of the quarterback."

On Alex Smith showing signs that he can be good player in the NFL:

"I think that he has demonstrated that. What you have to understand, if you go back and look at the development of some of the outstanding quarterbacks in this league, he's in his fourth or fifth year with a two-year hiatus where he didn't play at all. He's had four or five different systems, but he demonstrates in portions of games. You don't find many quarterbacks that throw three touchdown passes in second halves of games, be it behind or be it in the league. Once you do that, you do it. It has nothing to do with the score or the team or the opponent or if they're playing bend don't break or any of that. Once you do that, you do it and he has demonstrated on several occasions that he is capable of scoring points with the ball and that's the function of the position and throwing it. So, I would say that yeah, he's well on his way if his maturity and all of the other things that it takes to play the position - he's tough enough, he has escapabilty, he can ad-lib a play, he kept a play alive in the third quarter- got a first down with his feet and legs running the ball - so he has those things. It's his confidence that we're continuing to expand to let him be the best that he can be. Now, whether that will be good or in the upper echelon of the NFL, I don't know, but he certainly has a chance to be good enough."

On his observation of Smith's performance against Green Bay defense in the second half:

"Well, I think that they were trying not to give up the strike over the top ball, but became vulnerable to the deep ball with the style of secondary coverage that they were playing. Then they had to shift gears and try to pressure him and see if they could get the ball to come out quicker to negate [TE] Vernon Davis' speed and [WR Michael] Crabtree's verticalness up the field, so they tried to pressure him. When they tried to pressure him, he hit them. When they tried to defend, he hit them. So, then they got to a point where they mixed the pressure and mixed the coverage and he was still able to move the ball and I think that the last score that we went in on, there was 5:48 left in the game and they were in a different mode on their boundary - totally different, because they hadn't figured out a way to curtail what he was doing."

Mike Singletary "lunch money" transcript

Fooch — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:53:34 -0000

Folks were wondering when we'd get another great pearl from Mike Singletary and today we got one. Coach Singletary was talking about the need for a team to think like a champion and be able to overcome adversity. He indicated he didn't feel the team had enough guys who were there yet in that mentality. That was followed by this:

On why the team didn't think like that after starting 3-1:
"Well, that's what I'm saying. I can only relate it this way. It is like this kid who is going to school, and maybe some of you guys can relate, I know I can. But it is like this kid who is going to school and this guy is taking his lunch money every day. You are tired of this guy taking your lunch money. You are bigger than he is, you are stronger than he is, you can take this kid. But because this kid has been built up so much, everything you heard about him, they say this kid is better than you and you believe that. You are going to continue to give the kid your lunch money until one day you decide, ‘You know what, I'm done with that. I'm not giving you my money anymore and that's it.' That's the same thing in any situation whether it's football, whether it's life or anything else. I'll stop there because I don't want to be motivational."

The slogan for the 2009 49ers was don't tell me, show me. Unfortunately we've seen a lot of talk thus far, and only a modicum of "show me." I know there are a lot of folks who look at most of this as just talk. At the same time, is there any level of truth to the idea that the team is used to "getting their lunch money stolen" and they need to learn how to win? I know there are tangible reasons for the struggles (offensive line, play-calling, tackling, etc...), but does this idea of getting picked on for so long play into that?

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Press Conference - November 23, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen. How are you doing? Just to go over some of the injuries: [RB] Michael Robinson has a stinger. That's going to be MRI'd today. [SS] Michael Lewis, quad strain - left quad strain. [WR] Arnaz Battle, right leg strain. [WR] Jason Hill, left ankle sprain. [TE] Delanie Walker, forearm contusion. [LG] David Baas, right ankle sprain. [LB] Patrick Willis just has a trap spasm. [CB Marcus] Hudson, back strain. We'll see how he looks today and MRI it this week. [CB Tarell] Brown, left knee contusion. [S] Reggie Smith, abdominal strain non-related to the groin injury.

Just to get into the game yesterday, a few comments about the game. No, it is a game that we did not play well, a game that we did not tackle well, a game that we did not execute very well - particularly in the first half. And, what I have to say about that is not going to be motivational, it's not going to be - it is going to be fact. It's just a matter of when you have a team and you know you have players that want to be a good football team, they want to be good football players, you just have to work harder to get there. As a coaching staff, we just have to coach better. We just have to coach better, smarter. All of the little things that we're striving to get done, we just have to get them done. It's as simple as that. Yes, I am confident that this season will be a good season. We've got six weeks left. We've got six games left. I am convinced that going forward, that we will play better. I am convinced that in a situation like this, we have to continue to make some changes, whether they're personnel changes or whatever, to continue to try and get the people on the field that can get us where we need to go. Other than that, it's disappointing that we did not play well yesterday. We did not start well. But, we just have to continue to get better. Now, your questions."

On what if he means making the playoffs when he says "good season":

"At the very start of this season, our goal was to win enough games to go to the playoffs. That is still our goal. That has not changed, will not change. We're a team, in my mind, we're good enough to do that. We're running out of games and we're running out of time, but we are better. That's just something that I will not try to go through the ‘ifs' and the ‘buts' or whatever. We just have to get it done."

On whether coaching smarter entails tailoring the offense to QB Alex Smith's strengths:

"I would think that as we continue to move forward and [offensive coordinator] Jimmy Raye and I, and [quarterbacks coach] Mike Johnson, Alex Smith, you have to continue to learn what his strengths are. It would be, from the very first game that he played in Houston after that game, it would be very easy to say, ‘Oh, that's Alex Smith. Let's put him out there,' not taking into any consideration that the defense may be a lot different. Maybe there's something that they're giving up. Not every time that you see it, that's what it is. We're continuing to learn his strengths. We're continuing to have him communicate to us what works for him and what doesn't. I think, as we go forward, we have to really look at what's working for him and what works for the offense and continue to do more of those things."

On whether running the spread offense might suit his strengths better at this time:

"When you say spread offense, can you explain to me exactly what you mean?"

He seems to perform better when he takes the snap in the shotgun formation with more receivers on the field.

"Well, let me ask you this, just to make sure that I'm clarifying. So, you're saying he seems to work better from a shotgun with more receivers on the field. What if he had the same number of receivers on the field but he was still under the center. Would that still be spread to you?"

No. I think he does better out of the shotgun.

"You think he does better out of the shotgun."

It appears the results are better.

"OK. Alright, that's fair. I would just say this: I think for him, when - and I just went back to look at all of his time from Houston to yesterday - he's done well whether he's under center, he's done well whether he's got two backs in the backfield, he's done well whether he's got two or - I think the biggest thing for him is having time. I think that's the most important thing for him. It's to have time. I think one of the worst things that we could do right now is to put Alex Smith in shotgun and say, ‘OK. Let's go get it guys. Here's what it is.' And just let him throw 40, 50 times a game and let's see where you end up. As I'm looking at Alex Smith right now, Alex Smith, to me, is throwing as well as any quarterback in the league right now - as I'm looking at him right now. He is as accurate as any quarterback in the league right now. I think the smartest thing for us to do continuing to go forward is not to take all of training camp, not to take all of what we have gone into this season and just throw it out and say we're going to go to shotgun. I think the smartest thing for us to do is to continue to open it up as Alex Smith allows us to, as he continues to communicate, but we've got to protect him as well, and not just throw him out there because the first time he gets an interception, the first time he gets a tipped ball it is, ‘Well, why are you doing that? Do you think you should open it up that much? Do you think you should expose him that much?' I think we have to be smart about what we're doing. I think we have a good thing going with him. Unfortunately, we haven't done that in the first half, but I think we have a good thing going with him in terms of just allowing him - to every game like he had yesterday, or hopefully on the other side of that thing will be a win, but every game that he has where he can throw like that, it's all of the time he's missed, all of the crap that he's gone through, it gives him that confidence going forward to know, ‘I can do this. I can get this done.' So, hopefully, that starts coming in the first quarter and the second quarter and going forward, maybe you can run a little bit more."

On whether you can just be a passing team:

"I think going forward, even if you look at the Indianapolis Colts, they aren't just a passing team. They may pass more, but depending on the team that they are facing and whether they need to slow the game down or speed the game up, whether they are ahead in the game, or whether they are behind in the game, whether this team has a great pass rush or they don't, I think all of those things become a factor in how many times you are going to throw the ball. I think if you sit down and talk to Peyton Manning, I think one of the first things that he would tell you is that he loves handing the ball off because it is one less interception that he has to take the risk of taking. I do want to have a balance because I believe that if you can run the football, it forces them to respect the pass. It makes them vulnerable and vice versa. Football will always be that way, and when you have a balance, when you can effectively create a balanced attack, then it makes you a better football team. You can go into the game and Alex Smith to me is becoming a complete quarterback. The thing that I'm thankful that he's not doing is crying about not throwing the ball more. I'm really thankful that he's not doing that because he can sit back and look at the number of passes that he's thrown in the game and sit back and look at how accurate he has been. Some quarterbacks would be saying that and that really haven't been as successful as he has been throwing the ball. Some of them might have been crying more about not throwing the ball, even in the media. He hasn't been doing that, which shows me more about who he is, but from what I'm seeing from him, I'm excited about him and there are still some things that he's missing. There's still some reads that he's not getting, which makes it even more exciting, but we are going to get the offensive side of the ball going. I'm talking to Jimmy Raye too much and Jimmy Raye is talking to Alex too much and Alex is talking to Mike Johnson too much and we are talking to each other too much for it not to get where it needs to be so we can have a successful offense. With all of the weapons that we have - our offensive line, that's a work in progress. Hopefully, they are just going to continue to get better and just give us enough time that we need for Alex to get the ball out and for us to have some successful runs and go from there."

On why it is impossible for them to go to a spread offense at this point:

"I think when you are talking about a team going to the playoffs who hasn't been to the playoffs in seven years, the No. 1 thing you have to have is consistency, and to develop consistency, you have to have a certain number of repetitions in something before you can be successful at something. When Alex drops back and he throws that eight-route or that route where the receiver runs and he comes inside. For him to go back and throw that pass and have confidence that pass is going to be there as he goes back and he's looking at that safety. For him to do that, he has to do it 100 times before he can have confidence of knowing he can throw it at this speed because this time I am throwing to Jason Hill. I can throw it at this speed because this time I am throwing it to Michael Crabtree. You have to know the receivers. You have to have a feel for how fast those DBs are going to close on it. It's all of those little things that go into throwing that football with the confidence and the zip that you need in order for it to get there. So if I'm going to open up the offense, every step that I take as a quarterback, if it's a three step drop, it takes time to get the rhythm down, just in the three step drop. If I'm just dropping back and my footwork isn't good and I'm trying to make sure that I'm timing it with the receivers that are going there and if he's not there or my footwork isn't good, it's going to be a pick. It takes time to get that. So instead of working on this 100 times, I'm working on ‘this'100 times, it's a big difference and if that's what you've been doing in training camp, it makes a big difference."

On whether he looks at the trend the league is leaning towards with passing teams being more successful:

"I think every year coming out of the first half of the season, you have teams that pass the ball a lot and they look pretty good right now, but at some point in time, when you start talking about the playoff teams, they are going to have to run the ball and they are going to have to find a balance somewhere to run the football because if they are going to pass - here's what you have a lot and this is interesting, I like this, but what you have a lot is sometimes those passing teams, wherever they may be, whether it's New Orleans, Indianapolis whoever they might be, as you begin to get closer and closer to the playoffs, then those defenses get better, and if you are going to throw the ball a lot nine times out of 10, they are not just going to line up and show you what they are playing. They are going to make that quarterback work and more often than not, the quarterback is not going to be wrong and I just think that as you really get into the second half of the season and you begin to talk about the playoffs and those kinds of things, you have to strive for a balance and those teams that are throwing the ball, they have to be able to run the ball at some point in time. Now, do I think Alex can do that? Yes, I do. Do I think he will be given the opportunity to do that? At some point in time, yes, I do. I think I've said that before. I don't care if we have to throw the ball 100 times in the game. I really do not. I don't care if we run the ball 100 times a game. Do I like that better? Yes. Why? Because if I'm throwing it 100 times a game, chances are there are going to be some picks in there. I don't want that. I don't want to give the team anything if I can, but I'm not opposed to that. The common denominator for me and ever coach and every player that we have is to win. That has to be the common denominator. If that's not it, then we've got the wrong people. So yes, absolutely, whatever works, whatever the formula is, yes, I want that."

On whether he is discussing any potential personnel moves:

"I'm still looking at the film, still looking at the film. I am confident that there may be one or two, but I am still looking at the film."

On which side of the ball he is looking to make changes:

"I don't want to get into that, but there are a couple."

On the factors that led to a low rushing total against the Packers:

"I think one of the biggest things is you are behind. That's the No. 1 factor. That takes you out of everything. It takes you out of your game plan. Now you almost have to be in a panic mode like, ‘Alright, let's get our best passing plays. The run, that's it. We have to try to make it a game again before we can run the ball.' Yes there was time on the clock, but on defense we were not playing great as well. They were holding the ball and we could not get off the field on third down. That made it difficult. Better to try and throw the ball and try to get somewhere where can try to make it a game again. Then we could have a chance to run the ball."

On whether the passing game may not click until next year:

"No, I won't say that. We don't have to wait until next year. I think it is a process going forward. I think after Alex played the Houston game, and maybe after the Indianapolis game, everyone wanted to see the spread. I think we have to continue to work on it because it is a work in progress, it really is."

On whether the team is still adjusting to Smith:

"I think everything worked out for a reason. Would it have been better for Alex if he had started at the beginning of the season? Absolutely, yes. For his maturation, the whole nine yards, would it have been better for our team? Probably not. Shaun Hill started the season and did a tremendous job managing the team, throwing the balls he needed to throw. But I think he took us to a place and that was about as far as he could take us and it was Alex Smith's time to get in. But I also think that Alex Smith really had a chance to grow some. I think Alex Smith, really for the first time in his career, had a chance to sit on the bench and look at another quarterback and be able to listen to the coaches and say, ‘Shaun, I wouldn't have made that throw. Shaun, I wouldn't have done this.' And he would be able to say, ‘Now how would I have done that?' Rather than it being him every year, maybe he wasn't ready, but that's all you got. I think that Alex grew some from that as well. I think for him, it was a win-win situation."

On his emotions on being 4-6:

"You know what, my first emotion is anger. It really is. Anger because it doesn't have to be like this. It did not have to be this way. But at the same time, excitement. Excitement because I am just thankful that we don't have a team where I am coming in here the day after, you are 4-6, you got your tail kicked the day before, and you know when look at that film, ‘We can't do any better than that. We can't beat that team.' And I am looking at that schedule where ‘we can't beat those teams either, we just have to build for next year.' No, that's not what we are. That's not what we are. Where we are right now is, we are still hurting ourselves. We are our own worst enemy. If we could just beat the enemy within, then we have a chance to go out and beat the one we are playing against. When you talk about a championship team, when you talk about changing the culture, when you talk about taking that next step - and we will take that step - when you talk about taking that step, there is more involved in it. Even if you start the season and you are 5-0, there is more involved in it because you have to deal with some of the mental psyche that is involved in it and helping guys understand that you have to see yourselves different, you have to think different, you have to think like a champion. When you walk on that field you have to know, this is my game. When you start thinking like that and you start acting like that, when things go bad on the field you are able to take a step back and go, ‘We are going to make this happen, it is not going to be like it was before. We are going to take that step and we are going to go to the next step. We are going to win this game. We are going to get over this, we are going to around it, we are going to go under it. Whatever it is, we are going to win this game.' When you start thinking like that, that's when you start winning those kinds of games we played in yesterday, when you start thinking like that, when you know that. We don't have enough of those guys there yet. But we will get there and we will get there this year."

On why the team didn't think like that after starting 3-1:

"Well, that's what I'm saying. I can only relate it this way. It is like this kid who is going to school, and maybe some of you guys can relate, I know I can. But it is like this kid who is going to school and this guy is taking his lunch money every day. You are tired of this guy taking your lunch money. You are bigger than he is, you are stronger than he is, you can take this kid. But because this kid has been built up so much, everything you heard about him, they say this kid is better than you and you believe that. You are going to continue to give the kid your lunch money until one day you decide, ‘You know what, I'm done with that. I'm not giving you my money anymore and that's it.' That's the same thing in any situation whether it's football, whether it's life or anything else. I'll stop there because I don't want to be motivational."

On how great he's doing with his analogy:

"No, I'm done."

On whether anyone ever took his lunch money as a child:

"Absolutely."

On how old he was when it happened:

"[Maybe] seven, eight, nine [years old]. I was the last of ten kids."

On whether there is a difference to Alex Smith taking snaps under center in the shotgun formation:

"I do think it makes a difference, but the point that I was making is that he's had success whether he's been under center or in shotgun, and to me, I think it just gets down to that it's one thing when you see it on film, when you talk to him he has to give you that feel for ‘you know what, I really feel better in the shotgun [formation] or I really feel better taking it from under the center.' I think he has mixed feelings about both."

On the possibility that QB Alex Smith maybe much better in the shotgun formation:

"Maybe."

On whether the team can run off of shotgun formation just as effectively as taking snaps from under center:

"Running out of the shotgun [formation] and running from under center is a lot different because particularly having someone like Frank Gore. When you have a running back like Frank Gore, he is a hit-the-hole-downhill guy. He's not a fidget to the right and then give him the ball. When you're in the shotgun, you've got to figure out some kind of way, you've kind of have to work together on how you step this way and he steps that way. It's not like you're under center, you're going back, he's going forward -he's hitting that hole and you've this other guy running around here wrapping around the edge. No, it's not like that. It's different, you guys see what I'm saying? So it's different for the running back. For the quarterback it's great, but it's different for the running back when you've got that kind of running back."

On whether he understands the postgame statements by TE Vernon Davis and WR Michael Crabtree about their abilities flourishing under the spread offense:

"I understand that they're excited. I understand that anytime that they have the opportunity to catch the ball, they know that they're in a spread situation, and particularly Vernon, he's excited anytime he gets a play called his way. If I were them I would get excited too, but if I'm Crabtree, I need to be a little more quiet because he just got here. He's just trying to figure out what day it is, he didn't go through all the other stuff and I'm kidding when I'm saying that. I just talked to him awhile ago and he is excited about the spread set, Vernon is excited, all of the receivers are excited. I'm sure that Alex is excited as well, but I think it's one of those things where that's why we coach because we also have to look at what's good for Frank. We also have to look at what's good for the offense as a whole. But we do want to honor what the players think about, particularly a playmaker - a quarterback and that's why we've been in so many conversations with Alex. You're right about the point that you're making, Alex is such a humble guy, a meek guy, don't how long he'll stay that way but it's a great thing to have a quarterback like that says ‘what do you think, coach? What do you want?' But for him to be doing the things that he's doing right now, I'm not sure how long we're going to have that, but it's a great thing to have right now and I do want him to take that next step and be like, ‘Hey, you know what, here's what I like, here's what is good for us. That would be good and I think that Alex is getting to a place of being more comfortable being able to communicate that way, and I think as we go forward, he will do that. He's certainly gotten better."

On the possibility of WR Josh Morgan returning kicks again in the future:

"That is a thought. Obviously we liked what we saw yesterday. Hopefully, if Josh Morgan is the kickoff returner, then hopefully he's not returning too many of them in a game so we don't have to worry about it too often. I just think that yesterday, he did a nice job when called upon. I don't know, but we'll have to look at that a little bit more."

On what the coaching staff can do to bring the level of intensity to the players higher:

"I think you keep working. If it were an easy answer, everyone would figure it out. I just think you keep working and you just keep believing it's coming. When I'm talking to the players, I'm looking at the players and also listening to the players. There are a lot of good things happening, but at the end of the day, I just know that we'll get there, sooner than later."

Friday Injury Report: 49ers at Packers

Brandon — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:26:28 -0000

It's a long list for each team this week. The Green Bay Packers have 17 players listed, and the 49ers 13. But most of the injuries are not serious, and nearly everyone is expected to play.

For the Packers, it's been a rough week of practice. Both RT Allen Barbre and OL Evan Dietrich-Smith were injured during practice, and I'm not expecting either of them to play. C Scott Wells reported a concussion on Wednesday, though the injury likely happened during the game last Sunday. Mike McCarthy expects Wells will start. RB Ahman Green injured his groin late Thursday during practice, and it's not clear whether he'll play. Every other player should be available to play, including three guys who didn't play last week: LB Brandon Chillar, TE Jermichael Finley, and RT Mark Tauscher.

Tauscher will start the game, but he will rotate with OL T.J. Lang, depending on Tauscher's endurance.

For the Niners, only CB Nate Clements and LT Joe Staley are out. Those are two of their big name players, but they missed last week's game too. Fooch said their replacements have played really well. The only other player who could miss the game is LB Takeo Spikes who's day-to-day with a hamstring injury.

Overall, both teams are relatively healthy and injuries shouldn't play a major role. The complete injury list for both teams is after the jump.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Allen Barbre	T/G	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Desmond Bishop	LB	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Chillar	LB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Not Inj. Related	Limited Participation	N/A
Evan Dietrich-Smith	G/C	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Jermichael Finley	TE	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Ahman Green	RB	Groin	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Cullen Jenkins	DE	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Johnny Jolly	DE	Back	Full Participation	Probable
Brad Jones	LB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Aaron Kampman	LB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
John Kuhn	FB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
Clay Matthews	LB	Jaw	Full Participation	Probable
Brady Poppinga	LB	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Mark Tauscher	T	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Scott Wells	C	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Charles Woodson	CB	Hip	Full Participation	Probable


Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Isaac Bruce	WR	Ankle & Elbow	Full Participation	Probable
Nate Clements	CB	Shoulder	Out	Out
Glen Coffee	RB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Michael Crabtree	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Demetric Evans	DT	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Aubrayo Franklin	NT	Not Inj. Related
Michael Lewis	S	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Michael Robinson	RB	Not Inj. Related	Did Not Participate	Probable
Mark Roman	S	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Justin Smith	DT	Back	Full Participation	Probable
Adam Snyder	T/G	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Takeo Spikes	LB	Hamstring	Limited Participation	Questionable
Joe Staley	T	Knee	Out	Out

49ers-Packers Final Injury Report

Fooch — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:08:35 -0000

We're two days away from a monstrous game for the 49ers and we've got our final injury report of the week. A whole lot of probable players, but not much beyond that. Barrows thinks we'll see Matt Wilhelm starting at the Ted linebacker spot over Takeo Spikes, who remains "day-to-day." Wilhelm was solid last Thursday as a mid-game replacement for Spikes, so let's hope it carries over to Sunday.

49ers
Out
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Questionable
LB Takeo Spikes (shoulder)

Probable
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
RB Glen Coffee (concussion)
S Michael Lewis (quadricep)
RB Michael Robinson (stinger)
WR Michael Crabtree (knee)
DT Demetric Evans (shoulder)
S Mark Roman (knee)
DE Justin Smith (back)
OT Adam Snyder (shoulder)

Packers
Doubtful
OT Allen Barbre (ankle)

Questionable
G Evan Dietrich-Smith (ankle)
RB Ahman Green (groin)

Probable
LB Desmond Bishop (ankle)
LB Brandon Chillar (hand)
TE Jermichael Finley (knee)
DE Cullen Jenkins (ankle)
DE Johnny Jolly (back)
LB Brad Jones (concussion)
LB Aaron Kampman (concussion)
RB John Kuhn (hand)
LB Clay Matthews (jaw)
LB Brady Poppinga (quadricep)
T Mark Tauscher (knee)
C Scott Wells (concussion)
CB Charles Woodson (hip)

Niners at Green Bay Packers: 5 Questions With Niners Nation

Brandon — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:15:11 -0000

by Michael Conroy - AP

View full size photo »

Fooch runs the fantastic SB Nation site for the 49ers, Niners Nation. I asked him 5 questions about the 49ers.

Brandon: So are you an QB Alex Smith believer, or won't he ever live up to his No. 1 overall status? His 2009 stats look very similar to his 2006 stats.

Fooch: I remain, unfortunately, somewhere in the middle. I think he has sufficient talent to turn into a quality NFL quarterback. The last two seasons he was knocked out by injuries and so he never really had a chance to continue a normal progression. At the same time I don't know if he'll ever be a franchise quarterback for this team. The upside to his promotion this season is that 49ers fans can finally get some kind of idea of what Smith can bring to the table. I think the 49ers will finally get their answer by the end of the season and can finally decide whether to fish or cut bait with him.

Brandon: Usually a high ankle sprain lingers, but RB Frank Gore seems to have gotten over it and he's looked great over the past 3 weeks. Is he 100%? How about your other injuries - are CB Nate Clements and LT Joe Staley going to be out on Sunday? Who's filling in for them?

Fooch: Gore is more or less 100%. For the last few weeks he's been practicing like normal and carrying the load. In fact, this past week their primary backup was out and the 49ers went with two running backs (and one fullback), with Gore getting plenty of touches.

As for the other injuries, Clements and Staley are out for several more weeks, so there's no chance they'll be active on Sunday. The 49ers promoted Barry Sims to left tackle and he's been playing really well. In fact, it's been surprising how well he's played to date after struggling much of last year. As for Clements, the 49ers actually demoted Clements to the #3 cornerback against the Colts, with Tarell Brown starting in his place. Clements was injured that game and hasn't played since. So right now the 49ers are rolling out Shawntae Spencer, Tarell Brown and Dre Bly as their 1, 2, 3.

Brandon: The Packers special teams have been awful this season. Especially their kick and punt coverage. Do the 49ers have a dangerous return game that could cause them some problems?

Fooch: The 49ers return game is rather dreadful. Since cutting Allen Rossum, the 49ers have not had anything remotely resembling an explosive return game. RB Michael Robinson has been their primary kick returner and WR Brandon Jones has been their primary punt returner. Robinson hasn't been too bad, but nothing spectacular. And Brandon Jones? Well he's been pretty atrocious.

Brandon: Football Outsiders has the Packers D ranked No. 1 and the 49ers D ranked No. 2. I'm surprised by it since the Packers pass defense has allowed 17 passing TDs (4th worst in the NFL) and only recorded 18 sacks. Are you surprised by the 49ers high ranking? What is the biggest problem area on their defense?

Fooch: I'm not shocked by the ranking, although it certainly wasn't something I expected so quickly. The 49ers have a swarming defense that has been very solid against the run, while a bend-but-don't-break style against the pass. The biggest problem with the 49ers defense is consistency. They've had issues with the pass rush at times, and they've had issues with the secondary (particularly the safeties) at times. And yet, through all of this, they've had games where they put together impressive performances. For example, they held Peyton Manning without a passing touchdown in Indy. The problem is the consistency. If they could generate a solid pass rush, and get solid help from their secondary on a consistent basis, they could have an amazing defense.

Brandon: The Packers have surrendered a league leading 41 sacks. The 49ers have only recorded 17 sacks. Something has to give here. How are the 49ers going to attack the Packers pass protection? Do they have any speed rushers off the edge, or is their defensive line just going to bring the bull rush?

Fooch: The 49ers pass rush is questionable at best. Their two outside linebackers were meant to be the big sack guys, but those two have combined for 3.5 sacks. At the same time they've done a solid job at times getting pressure and forcing quicker throws, so it's possible they could break through for some sacks against Rodgers this week. The defensive line will force pressure as well, although again, it's not the most consistent in the world. One guy to keep an eye on throughout the game is NT Aubrayo Franklin. He's quietly put together a very solid season. He's a bigger threat in stopping the run, but he can get to the quarterback on occasion as well.

Jimmy Raye Approval Rating, Week 10

Fooch — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:17:47 -0000

I guess this is now Approval Rating Tuesday. We haven't done the Jimmy Raye Approval Rating since week 4, but now is as good a time as any to bring it back. The masses called for it, so here you go (I'm thinking we'll roll out Manusky tomorrow). Back in week 4, Jimmy Raye had a 61% approval rating as the 49ers were showing some serious signs of life. Much has changed since then, most notably the 49ers have a new starting QB in Alex Smith.

Over the last few weeks, I think there's been a distinct divide in the Jimmy Raye debate. There are the folks who think he is awful and should be fired as soon as possible. They think he has no imagination and that he is just useless in creating an offense. On the other side of the debate, I believe are the folks who think the offensive woes the last few weeks should not rest on Raye's shoulders. They believe it is more an issue of execution and personnel.

I'll be honest, I fall in the latter category. I do think early in the season the offensive play-calling was horrible and Jimmy Raye was not initially adapting. However, I actually think the offense has mixed it up quite a bit in the last couple weeks. At this point I think it's simply a matter of offensive execution. We all know about the offensive line issues. The o-line has some solid moments, but there clearly are issues there that no offensive coordinator could cover up.

Additionally, I think the issues of timing in the offense have taken longer to overcome than one might hope. The team isn't learning a new offense, but they've been handed a new quarterback with different skills than the previous QB. It's taken some time to get everybody on the same page, and some of the blame for that can go with that new QB (and I know plenty of folks will heap that blame on him). Time is slowly running out so they definitely need to get their collective acts together soon.

We wrap this up after the jump with what might be the biggest complaint about Jimmy Raye...

After the Titans loss, Florida Danny pointed to probably the biggest complaint about Raye: his bizarre refusal to use his best players on some of the biggest players. Here is the first paragraph of that comment (although I recommend reading the whole thing - I added the underline in the middle):

again, fooch…i don’t think the problem with raye’s play-calling is the run-pass ratio…it’s when certain plays are called…today, it’s 4th and 1, and what’s the call? quick handoff to moran norris…what was the trick play in the game? end around to josh morgan…who was mysteriously getting carries and screen passes in the 2nd half? michael robinson and glen coffee. your best offensive players by far are frank gore, vd, and michael crabtree…it’s so obvious. design your entire offense around those 3 guys and get them the ball as much as humanly possible. if you’re going to have a limited playbook in the first place, have the entire offense funnel to those 3 guys. what i can’t freaking understand is that, @ HOU and vs. TEN, practically every play when the niners were losing in the 2nd half went to one of the offensive playmakers…but when it was still early or close late @ HOU, and when they had the lead against IND & TEN, raye decides to start involving sub-par offensive talent (aka everyone else besides the big 3), and the offense absolutely sucks because of it…and they lose games because of it.

I think this is the most logical complaint about Raye. I don't know about the mind of Raye to understand for sure, but I do think it's possible given the struggles with getting timing down between Smith and his playmakers that maybe Raye feels he needs to mix in the other players, otherwise absolutely nothing would be happening. It's speculation on my part.

Poll

Do you approve of the job Jimmy Raye is doing as offensive coordinator?

Yes

269 votes

No

494 votes

763 votes | Poll has closed

49ers-Bears Tuesday Injury Report

Fooch — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:00:33 -0000

I know all of us were a bit concerned by all the players on yesterday's injury report. However, as today's report shows, virtually all the "limited" and "non-participants" were full participants today. Yesterday's report was a projection because there was no actual practice, so I'm guessing the team was just being a bit more conservative. Of course, Glen Coffee is not going to be playing, and given that we haven't seen any transactions today, it looks like Gore and Robinson will be handling the load at running back.

After the jump we've got press conference transcripts for OC Jimmy Raye and Alex Smith.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
DE Demetric Evans (shoulder)
OT Joe Staley (knee)
RB Glen Coffee (concussion)

Limited Participation in Practice
LB Takeo Spikes (shoulder)

Full Participation in Practice
S Michael Lewis (quadricep)
RB Michael Robinson (stinger)
G David Baas (stinger)
CB Tarell Brown (rib)
RB Frank Gore (eye lid)
S Curtis Taylor (shin)
TE Vernon Davis (shoulder)
WR Jason Hill (ankle)
TE Delanie Walker (shin, knee)

Bears
Out
LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee)

Did not Participate in Practice
S Al Afalava (shoulder)
S Kevin Payne (back)
RB Garrett Wolfe (back)

Limited Participation in Practice
TE Desmond Clark (neck)
DT Tommie Harris (knee)
CB Charles Tillman (shoulder)

After the jump we've got transcripts for Jimmy Raye and Alex Smith...

Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye
Post-Walk Thru November 10, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On why WR Jason Hill received more playing time against the Titans:

"He has been practicing well since his hamstring injury and making progress. That coupled with the fact that [WR] Isaac [Bruce] had a tender ankle and ran a seven route over on the left boundary and rolled his ankle, tweaked it a little bit. So, we were down in numbers in the three-wide package and Jason was the next guy up. We were fortunate that we had him up for the game because he was the guy who had gotten the work as all three backups going into the game. It turned out that he was able to play and he made some plays for us."

On his background with the shotgun:

"Quite a bit, I would say extensive. There was a period of time where I coached with a couple of disciples of the Bill Walsh system that didn't believe in the gun that we didn't use it. But, in New York, Oakland, Atlanta and L.A. with Jim Everett, all of that was gun. I don't know if you want specifics, I don't know how to answer that question."

On whether you are limited in the types of runs you can call out of the shotgun:

"Somewhat, but it depends. When you make that decision, the kinds of runs that you are running, most of the time, are not direct runs because you don't have a lead blocker. But, they are runs that take advantage of the front and the alignment of the defense. They give you the same that is the likeness of pass and pass protection. They come not only in the draw variety, but across the formation kind of runs. We did have some success Sunday running the trap, but we had to relocate the back in order to do that."

On what QB coach Mike Johnson learned from watching college spread offenses in the offseason:

"You would have to ask Mike that. We discussed it in the offseason. I think what you need to understand is what we did Sunday has always been a part of what we do. We didn't invent the runs we ran Sunday out of the shotgun. We have had, and been practicing, our third down, our quarterback-not-under-the-center offense and runs since March. So, it wasn't something where, all of the sudden three weeks ago, because everyone thought we should be in the spread, that we went and looked at someone running the shotgun and came up with plays. It is a part of the offense that we have. What we did Sunday is a part of what we do."

On why he called it a third down offense:

"It is applicable to all downs, but what you had seen previously was when we were in the gun was basically on third down."

On the two interceptions QB Alex Smith has thrown when targeting WR Michael Crabtree:

"The one in Indianapolis was a tipped ball, and Sunday the one was a tipped ball that probably would fall to the ground harmlessly. The ball was thrown near the boundary and it was tipped and the linebacker came back within an eyelash of stepping out of bounds and got the rebound of the ball. I think tipped balls, you can't practice tipped balls. If the receiver and the defensive back are in a close confrontation, and they both get their hands on the ball at the same time, and there are other defenders near, that's why defensive backs work the tip drill. And, unfortunately for us, we've had two, not two but three deflections that have gone up in the air and the defense capitalized on them."

On whether he's comfortable going forward with the kind of offensive emphasis he showed on Sunday:

"I don't know that. I think sometimes the perception is that I should answer questions that give the defensive coordinators of the teams that we play a pre-game scouting report on what we're going to line up in. We have, as I said early on, the contingencies of what we do offensively to take care of the defenses that we play. If that is in fact the case that what we carry into the game is available for us and it helps us win the game, then I guess the answer to that would be yes."

On where the offense is as a unit:

"I think our record is 3-5. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. We're 3-5. I would say we're not near where we need to be. If it was better, I think we would have won more games or helped our cause in terms of winning more games. I think we made improvement, but there were areas of the game Sunday that were outstanding. The play was exceptional, was outstanding, but it's very difficult to overcome four turnovers."

On whether it's been difficult to find improvement given the changes in the offense:

"Yes and no. Continuity is very difficult to come by. We've changed a lot of places, and that's the nature of the NFL. If there's one thing that is constant about the NFL, it's change. And, unfortunately for us, in the first seven or eight weeks, we've had to change the quarterback. We've had to change the right guard. We've had to change the left guard. We've had to change the running back. We've had to change the wide receiver. We've had an onslaught of changes, but the way we manage that is a benefit to us if we can do it in an expeditious fashion so we can get on with winning games. It's been difficult, but we're probably going to have more changes going forward."

On the first touchdown pass from QB Alex Smith to WR Jason Hill in the back of the end zone:

"Well, what they did right was they applied the scramble rules that are in place that were taught in the red area, and Alex remained a passer. And, in most situations like that, the quarterback leaves his passer mentality and becomes a runner. But, he kept his eyes downfield and drifting and he was in a position where he could either throw or not take a negative and throw the ball out of bounds, and he remained a passer. That was the best thing about it. And then Jason applied his onside scramble rule, and we were able to get a completion for a touchdown, which gave us a completion of a T-2 at the end of the half and got points. And then we had a T-4 at the end of the game that got points. So, those things are very gratifying."

On whether he has met with head coach Mike Singletary about the receiving corps and WR Isaac Bruce's role:

"No, that meeting, I don't think has happened, unless I was excluded from it. We will visit that - we wanted to get through today and see where he is tomorrow, and in the meantime, we will increase the activity of [WR] Josh Morgan and [WR] Jason Hill. We'll see where he is, where his foot is or his injury is. And then we'll make a decision going forward."

On Bruce's injury:

"We'll see where he is physically. See where he is physically and then we'll make a decision going forward."

On the areas of the offense in Sunday's game that he was pleased with:

"Well, as I mentioned, I was pleased with our, as we refer to it, T-2 offense, which is our offense before the half, which was very good in Indianapolis that went down and got a score also. Our T-4 was very good, which we went down at the end of the game and got a score and an opportunity to onside kick the ball and have another chance to put the game into overtime. We were five for five in the red zone, three touchdowns and two field goals. We had a 19-play drive in that game that overcame three or four penalties and a negative that went down and got points. I thought our ‘me-to-you' factor was very good. Is he open? The pass to [TE] Vernon [Davis] was a great adjustment and throw. We threw the ball - he complete 29 balls, and we showed some ability in our deceptive game with our arounds and handing the ball to the wide receivers that made yards. So, I thought the playing area was very good. I was very disappointed that we had the mishaps that we had that led to 24 points for them, because, I think, without the turnovers, it would have been a different outcome."

On whether the T-2 and T-4 are similar plays:

"No, they're not."

On whether he can explain the time at the end of the half and the time at the end of the game:

"It changes because at the T-2, any points are good. When you're playing T-2 and you have the ball before the half, whether you get a field goal or a touchdown, any points you get are good. And, T-4, you're in a T-4 situation, you're either in an offense to try to either extend the game or win the game. So, the impetus of the play is totally different because you're operating against the timeouts. You're operating against a defense that's trying to prevent you from either extending the game or prolonging the game or, in a T-4 situation, winning the game at the end. That would be the difference."

QB Alex Smith
Post-Walk Thru - November 10, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On which package does he like better, the T-2, or T-4:

"It's pretty similar. You hope not to be in the T-4."

On why he performs well during the end of halves and games:

"I have no idea. I don't know."

On a theory that he performed better in a spread-offense similar to his college playing days at Utah:

"Spread out? Maybe, perhaps, I don't know. It could be you think that anytime that you are spread out and you're in the gun, all quarterbacks are going to see things better. I don't know, I'm not sure."

On his experience running the two-minute drill at Utah:

"It was more T-2's than T-4's."

On whether he likes playing better in a shotgun formation:

"In certain situations, yes, if there is no threat of a run. Sometimes is nice to mix it up and get back there. I think that in third down situations, pressure situations is when you get back and see it and maybe buy yourself half of second to get the ball out. Other than that, you'd like to keep a balance between the run and pass situations in the game to keep that and be under center."

On either having the opportunity to review film from the Tennessee game or going straight to game film to prepare for Chicago:

"I watched it quickly yesterday morning, then you move on pretty fast. I watched a lot of Chicago yesterday and it's such a short week."

On having one of his best offensive performances overshadowed by his interceptions:

"I felt that, in a sense, that I saw things well. You turn on the tape and it wasn't like I saw anything new. When I rehashed the game in my mind, it looked very similar to what I looked at when I turned on the tape which is a good thing. I felt like I saw everything well. A couple of balls were thrown tight - there was one on the boundary the safety was coming trying to make a play on it, it gets tipped in-bounds and the one that [WR] Josh [Morgan] had tighter coverage. There those are kind of the job hazards that kind of come with the territory. That is going to happen, I think that as a quarterback the important things are if you are making good decisions, are you throwing the ball where you want to throw it, are you getting the ball out on time, those are the types of decisions that you're looking at. That's how you prevent turnovers from the quarterback's perspective, by making sound decisions and throwing the ball accurately on time."

On whether he was relaying his throwing tendencies to the opposing defense with his eyes:

"The one on the boundary could have gone up. That half second maybe allowed that safety to come over and make a play that allowed that ball to stay in-bounds. The other two didn't feel like I was late at all. But the first one I could say, critically looking at it, I could have gone up quicker."

On whether working on his body language could have prevented that turnover:

"That was a third-and-long and we were trying to ‘hi-lo' the corner on the boundary. It was a matter of trusting what you see from that defender and letting the ball go."

On what Jason Hill did right on his first touchdown:

"The great thing he did - initially he started back down towards me, trying to give me a throw and saw that the inside receiver was kind of running in the flat there and a lot of passing is about spacing, so I think he immediately saw that, put his foot in the ground, turned and ran upfield, at least giving me two throws. Once he came down a little bit, his defender bit and he turned and slipped upfield and was open in the back of the end zone."

On whether defenses are playing WR Michael Crabtree differently:

"I guess I don't know. We are moving on so fast from this Tennessee game, it's hard to look at things like that. I think the more he plays, the more he is going to give people to think about, the more routes he's going to give corners to think about and the more comfortable he is going to be with things."

On why he hasn't been able to develop much chemistry with WR Josh Morgan:

"I don't know. It's a matter of what the defense is giving us sometimes, maybe sometimes what we are asking him to do. I think it's a combination of things."

On his ability to draw offsides penalties and whether it is something he has worked on a lot:

"It was something I never did as a younger guy. I never did it in college. I never did it much my first couple years. I just think I'm more conscious of it now in certain situations. I'm more conscious of using it to your advantage."

On how difficult it is to develop a rapport with WR Michael Crabtree:

"I think the thing you miss when he comes in like that is you miss the training camp practices where you can really build the fundamentals of your routes together. It's timing. When he comes in within the week we are doing our game plans and he is doing a great job of getting himself up to speed and not missing a beat and it's just a matter of us all working together to get that done."

On whether there is any sense of significance to this game:

"Every game is the biggest game at that point. That's the truth of it. This week, you play and you learn from it and you move on already and we're on to Chicago. Yes, this is the biggest game of the season and the next week that will probably be the biggest game. Right now, the focus is on Chicago and that's it. It's them coming in and getting a win and it is the biggest thing."

On how much losing four in a row weighs on the team:

"It might, but we can't let it weight on us. We have to continue to work to play harder, to execute better, and to win a game and that's what we have to get done."

On whether building a rapport with Crabtree is just a matter of time:

"I think so. Time and repetitions, but it's different. I think there are things that we ask him to do that he may be more comfortable with because he has a history with them. Yes, a little bit of that is just going to be time and repetitions."

Mike Singletary press conference transcript: 49ers not interested in Larry Johnson

Fooch — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:10:18 -0000

Ok, so Mike Singletary didn't say it would NEVER happen, but when asked about Larry Johnson, Singletary said:

On whether the 49ers are interested in RB Larry Johnson:
"Right now, I hadn't even thought about it. No. No. Not right now."

The 49ers do have a need for running back depth, but it's not happening with LJ. He actually doesn't clear waivers until tomorrow afternoon. The 49ers would be looking to wait until after he clears waivers, meaning he'd basically have 2 days to learn even a little bit of the playbook. Also, the Texans are bringing Johnson in for a workout, and the Redskins haven't ruled out trying to sign Johnson (if he clears waivers). I'd imagine he'll be locked up before the end of the day tomorrow.

Earlier today I mentioned I was looking for info on Jason Hill in the press conference. We didn't get a completely clear answer, but Singletary did address the wide receiver position.

On why WRs Josh Morgan and Jason Hill played so much:
"I think right now, we have to meet as a staff and really look at our receiving situation. It's a good situation, we have a lot of talent there. We just have to figure out the right combination of time for all of our guys."

On how much he will play Bruce in the future:
"I think it makes sense for us to get together as a staff and really figure out the best thing that we need to do going forward and we will do that. We will do that this week and we will do it today."

On what he saw from [WR] Jason Hill that this was the game he wanted Hill to play:
"Practice. I mean, Jason Hill - I just saw it in practice. He's a guy that could have really gotten a bad attitude and said, ‘Hey, forget it. I'm out here. I was out here last year, I was making plays. It didn't happen. This year, maybe I need to go somewhere else.' But, he's a guy - we've talked a few times. I know [wide receivers coach Jerry] Sullivan has talked with him as well. He's had a tremendous attitude out here and just busting his tail trying to make plays. He's got all the DBs mad at him because he continues to make plays. What he did in the game did not surprise me. I'm very excited about what he was able to accomplish."

Not exactly clear-cut information, but the writing is definitely on the wall for Isaac Bruce. He's had an amazing career, but it looks like his time is winding down.

Feel free to use this thread to discuss Monday Night Football as well.

We have the complete transcript after the jump...

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Press Conference November 9, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"Good afternoon. First of all, obviously this is not the most exciting time in the world right now. I would say the biggest thing is we just have to continue working we just have to continue going forward. In the loss we had yesterday, it was unfortunate some of the things that happened in the game. The things that we talked about all week, doing the things we needed to do, going out and playing together. The offensive line, for the most part, did a decent job. Obviously there was one sack there, [T Adam] Snyder's guy came underneath. It was just a good pass rush, the one that caused the fumble by [QB] Alex [Smith]. But overall, I thought the offensive line did a good job. I was very encouraged when I came in and looked at the film last night. The running backs, Frank Gore ran hard. I thought our receivers did a good job of blocking downfield. As far as Alex is concerned in terms of throwing the football, I thought Alex did a good job of throwing the football. I thought the first turnover he had, throwing the ball to [WR Michael] Crabtree, the ball just takes an unlucky bounce back and the guy was able to come back and make a pick. That doesn't happen too often. The second turnover that went to [WR] Josh [Morgan], I thought there were a couple of things that could have happened there. Josh could have made a little better play on the ball coming back to it. I thought the defender got there a little bit early, but we didn't get that call. Other than that, I think Alex had one play that was really on him and they did a good job defensively. He thought it was Cover 4, and basically the DB came off and Alex was trying to get the ball there on time and the guy made a nice play. When I look at the offense, for the most part, unfortunately it was one of the better offensive performances I have seen since I've been here. If you take away the turnovers, we have a chance to really have a good offensive game and have some excitement and momentum going forward. But it didn't happen that way. We did have the turnovers, and I think that is something we have to continue to work on. Outside of that, what do we do going forward? You have four losses and obviously that is not where you want to be, but it is where we are, dealing with reality. I think the most fortunate thing we have right now, the blessing that I would call, is we have a coaching staff that is continuing to work their tails off putting our guys in position to win. We have a young team that has to continue to fight, stay together and execute consistently. The guys are playing hard, that's not even a thought. I have had questions about, ‘Do you think they will start bickering in the locker room?' and those sort of things. No. We won't have that, haven't had that. That won't start. We have eight games left in the season and we have to go out and do the very best we can to win those football games. Other than that, questions."

On whether Smith was locking onto receivers too early:

"I really don't think so. I really don't."

On whether Smith and Morgan have chemistry together:

"I think it could be a combination of things. I think Josh is still maturing into a receiver. He is going to be a great receiver one of these days, it just hasn't happened yet. But, he is working his tail off to get there. That's where it's at. You just have to continue working at it."

On the injuries suffered Sunday:

"[RB] Glen Coffee has a concussion. He will probably be out this game. [S] Michael Lewis has a quad strain. That will be day-to-day this week. [S] Curtis Taylor has a shin contusion. [RB] Michael Robinson had a little bit of a stinger. [CB] Tarell Brown, a rib contusion. [G David] Baas had a little bit of a stinger. [TE] Delanie Walker, a little bit of a knee sprain. I think that will be a day-to-day thing but I think he will be okay for the game. [RB Frank] Gore, eye contusion. Anything I say just add contusion onto it and you'll be in good shape. [TE] Vernon Davis, shoulder contusion."

On why WRs Josh Morgan and Jason Hill played so much:

"I think right now, we have to meet as a staff and really look at our receiving situation. It's a good situation, we have a lot of talent there. We just have to figure out the right combination of time for all of our guys."

On whether WR Isaac Bruce was injured against the Titans:

"He has a sore ankle. He has had a sore ankle for a few weeks, a couple of weeks. Nothing big, but just kind of a little bit of pain there. He is trying to work through it. That's all it was."

On how much he will play Bruce in the future:

"I think it makes sense for us to get together as a staff and really figure out the best thing that we need to do going forward and we will do that. We will do that this week and we will do it today."

On the play of Davis this season:

"Vernon Davis, he has been the same since the beginning of the season. He has worked his tail off. What he is doing now is just the investment he made in the offseason. He continues to get better and he is going to help this team win a lot of football games. He is committed, that's why he is a captain. He is the example that everybody on this team wants to look to as a guy who is doing it right. He is just really working his tail off and he is making a difference in the team."

On Davis' blocking:

"Normally, when a guy is doing something well and he starts doing something else well, what he was doing well originally drops. He continues to get better as a blocking tight end. He is one of those guys, you put another 20 pounds on him and he would be right there doing a heck of a job blocking those ends and tackles and everything else. He is just an extraordinary athlete and is beginning to put all the tools together. He continues to work out right out there on the field before practice, after practice, getting it done. That's why Vernon Davis is successful and he will continue to be so."

On the challenge of running out of the shotgun:

"The shotgun is just one of things where it depends on how much flexibility you have from your o-line. You can run traps, you can run power, you can run basically the same things. It is just a matter of it has to happen a little quicker. There's not much of an illusion to it when you have the fullback. It makes it different because you are keying on that lead guy. I just think that we have to see is how much of the shotgun look that we will keep going forward. We will expand it depending on who we are playing, depending on what they are trying to do to us. If we have to loosen up the front seven if they are trying to load up the box, maybe we do that. But we just have to wait and see."

On whether he liked the shotgun look:

"I like the things that work. I don't really get into a look or whatever. I look at, how many yards and how effective is it? How did it fit with our personnel and what we are doing? It is certainly something we have the tools to do. We have Vernon here in the tight end spot, and we have three wide outs. We have Gore in the backfield. Those are some great weapons to be able to use. I just think we have to really focus on cutting down on some of the other things we are doing that takes away from that because I think it is a powerful thing going forward."

On Titans RB Chris Johnson:

"Obviously, what you saw there was real speed. I don't know if there has ever been a running back as fast to the edge. Sometimes when you look at something on film, you go, ‘Okay, right. We will get him.' I thought for the most part, our defense did a pretty decent job, there were just a couple of times where he got out. When you look out there and see a guy turning the corner and Patrick Willis is running after him, you don't see that too often. Patrick is going to catch that guy. And he did, a few times. That is credit to him. But the guy made some good plays. They blocked on to us. We didn't do a great job getting off blocks yesterday. They did a good job staying on the blocks yesterday. It is just one of those things, I thought we had to do a better job getting off blocks and we didn't."

On whether the 49ers are interested in RB Larry Johnson:

"Right now, I hadn't even thought about it. No. No. Not right now."

On how the losing stretch is weighing on him:

"Do you mean is it one of those things where it takes me to a place? I will put it like this, as a football coach, I am very thankful to be doing what I am doing. But, there are a lot of guys waking up this morning where they are in a job that they don't want to be in and they are doing something and they wish they could be doing something else. I get up every morning, trust me, it is testing at times in this job, but I love this job and I love what I do. I feel that I am the luckiest man in the world to do what I do. Everything that comes with the job, just like you with your job, sometimes you have things that upset you, things that you wish were going another way, but this where it is at. In these moments, this is when I am at my best because in these situations, you just have to rise above and you have to put your best foot forward. You have to be positive. You have to look at where things are and just call it what it is. I can't get lost in the reality of the four losses. It's not something that you want. It's not something - it's not a place that you want to be, but that's where it's at. So, for me, it's just getting ready to, coming in this morning, being excited, talking to the coaching staff, having the coaching staff, ‘Hey, let's go. Let's get ready. Call your guys. Let them know we're on. Be ready to go tomorrow when they come in.' We're setting the game plan in place today, and let's get ready to go tomorrow. On that question, the thing that I want to do is I want all of you to understand this: If you talk to me after a game, nine times out of 10, if we lose the game, it's very rare that I will be sitting back and kind of being philosophical or whatever. I'm going to be ticked. OK? You can call it stress, you can call it whatever you want to call it. For me, it's human. It's just human. You guys in the media, it's just one of those things that, I don't ever think I'm going to have the right etiquette to stand up here and pontificate like some of the other coaches can do. That's not me. I'm a football coach, and I'm real, and what you see is what you get. All I can tell you today is that we've got eight games left, and we've got the right coaches, we've got the right players, we've got the right vision and we just have to go forward. Sometimes, that's all it is, nothing more, nothing less."

On the process of him deciding to become a coach:

"I'll take you through this: I think everything happens for a reason. I think, first and foremost, I told you before that I didn't want to coach, for all of these kinds of reason. I thought, as a player, at least you can go out there and hit somebody. At least you can do that. But, as a coach, you're dealing with guys, and they have to go play. And, you've got to go over there and you've got to make sure that you're doing all the right things on the sideline. But, I think all of the things that I thought before, getting into coaching, is what it is. It's in practice. What you do in practice, nine times out of 10, that's what you're going to get in the games. What you practice on, that's what you should do in the game. I think, for me, that's the best gaze that I have going into any game that we play in. That's why we have practices that are intense at times, in terms of making sure that every little detail is worked out and you still see at times we come up short. But, the guys are headed in the right direction. The guys are - there's not one eye, not one set of eyes in the room last night blinking. All the guys are looking at me and we all agree, you know what? Here's another game. You take the gun out and you point it at yourself, and we're shooting ourselves. We just have to go forward and expect the best and understand that the best will come because we will not see it any other way. I will not compromise. As far as coaching as concerned, it is what I love to do, and I was hesitant to get into coaching because of some of the - I'm standing up here today for this kind of thing because I hate losing. It's as simple as that. No one loves losing, but I hate losing, absolutely hate it - especially when you've got a team that can win. So, that's where I'm at with that. But, I absolutely love what I do."

On whether he wanted to coach the Chicago Bears:

"I wanted to coach at whatever place that wanted me. I didn't know where I was going to coach. And, it's like I said before, when my wife and I knew that we were going to be coaching, we put our house up for sale. We didn't know where we going to be coaching. We didn't know what level we were going to be coaching, had no idea, had no clue. We just knew we were going to be coaching. So, in terms of where we wanted to coach, I just felt that as we prayed, wherever the Lord would have us go, that's where we wanted to go. Where we ended up going, that's where we were going to coach, and we were going to coach as hard as we could and as long as we could."

On what changed in his mind that led him to want to coach:

"What changed in my mindset as I want to coach? It's a hard thing to explain. When I said my wife and I, we prayed about it, that's what we did. We felt that through prayer there were certain doors that were open and then we had to field the right fit and the right situation that came about. And that came, which was from Baltimore, and that's where we went. As far as all of the other things, I think everything that's happened in my life has prepared me for moments like these. I can't lie to you. I would love to come in and have it be we're 6-0, we're 7-0 and we're going forward. ‘Wow, what a brilliant guy. Wow, where has he been.' But, it's not like that. But, I would much rather have it this way, where you come in and you start off right, you know you can do it, and then all of a sudden all these changes. You're changing the quarterback. You start finding out about yourself. You start finding out about the people around you and you start finding out what you're made of. And then you come back together and the thing starts working again. Then you feel better about what you've accomplished and you feel better about the people you've been around because you've been exposed. There's nothing that exposes you like a tough time. There's nothing that exposes - you don't get to know people until you go through tough times. You don't get to know your spouse until you go through tough times, or kids. So, I would much rather have it like this because when it does swing around, we'll be enjoying it a lot more, and it'll be much more of a richness to it going forward and an appreciation for it because it doesn't come easy. There are a lot of little things that have to work right in order for the big thing to really come into fuition. So, I feel good about that. I feel good about these next eight games. I feel good about these next eight games. I feel good about the situation we're in and I feel good about our guys having to work through some things, as well as our coaches, to climb back up again and get ready for that next one and let's go."

On what makes him think his team will turn it around:

"You know what sir? I don't know where you're from, and I don't know what you really meant by that. I understand that you're not my players, thankful that you're not my players. I do want to win. But, let me say this: You have to know guys that you spend days with. You have to know guys that you spend hours with. It's just like you when you're at home. I don't know how much time you spend with your kids, but it's important that when things happen, you know, you have a pretty good idea of how your kids are going to respond. If you tell me that one of my kids slapped you or one of my kids spit on you or something like that, I've got a pretty good idea of who it would be because I know them. I would say, ‘OK, that was Jackie.' Or, ‘You know what? That was Brooke.' When I think about our guys or when I'm talking about our guys, I know them. I know them, and when you spend as much time with these young men and you know what they're made of, then you have a pretty doggone good idea of how they're going to respond. That make sense?"

On whether he contacted the Bears before he decided to get back into coaching:

"Well, I'll put it this way: When I knew we were going to be coaching, the thing that I did was I called Dick Jauron, who was then at the Bears, the head coach. And, I told Dick Jauron exactly this, I said, ‘Coach, my wife and I prayed about it, we've decided that we're going to be coaching. I'm not asking you for a job, but I am telling you that this year, in the very near future, I will be coaching. I don't know where, don't know when.' And, that was it. He said, ‘Well, Mike, good. Let me get back to you and see what's happening here.' And I said, ‘Once again, I understand, I'm not asking. If there's something there, great, but let's just not do something just to do it.' So, he got back to me eventually and just said, ‘Mike, the way things are here, it just looks like it's going to be a tough situation to work out.' I said, ‘Fantastic. I thank you.' And he just let me know that I'm not supposed to be there. So, that was it."

On whether he has any particular emotions coaching against the team he played for:

"Not in particular. I'm just excited for the game. But, not emotions outside of the emotions that I have for any other team."

On the positives and negatives of playing the game on such a short turnaround:

"I think, whatever positives and negatives we have, it's the same for the other team. So, it really doesn't matter a whole lot. We've just got to get ready to go."

On what he saw from [WR] Jason Hill that this was the game he wanted Hill to play:

"Practice. I mean, Jason Hill - I just saw it in practice. He's a guy that could have really gotten a bad attitude and said, ‘Hey, forget it. I'm out here. I was out here last year, I was making plays. It didn't happen. This year, maybe I need to go somewhere else.' But, he's a guy - we've talked a few times. I know [wide receivers coach Jerry] Sullivan has talked with him as well. He's had a tremendous attitude out here and just busting his tail trying to make plays. He's got all the DBs mad at him because he continues to make plays. What he did in the game did not surprise me. I'm very excited about what he was able to accomplish."