Postgame quotes from the following:
Opening statement:
"[Demetrius] Flannigan-Fowles had a hamstring [injury] and didn't return; Tevin Coleman, knee, didn't return; Dante Pettis, shoulder, didn't return; [Jimmy] Garoppolo, ankle, didn't return; [George] Kittle, foot, didn't return; Fred Warner had a stinger but did return."
On the third down wildcat play early in the game:
"It's installed because it's a good play. They got us in an all out blitz. I liked the call there when I made it, but I was hoping that we would have two downs. I think it was 3rd and 7 or 3rd and 8, we were out of field goal range, I thought that would at least get us into field goal range with the possibility of having a second play, but when you lose yards on it, then it was over. They didn't have a good look, [Jerick McKinnon] had no chance, they zeroed in on us on it."
On Kittle's injury and if Jordan Reed will be available in the next game:
"With Kittle, nothing was broken, at least on the X-rays. We need to check MRIs and stuff tomorrow. Hoping for Jordan Reed this week, but I'm not sure right now."
On Jimmy Garoppolo's play being altered by his ankle and the status of his ankle now:
"You can ask him on the ankle. I know it was hurt once we all saw and he didn't go back in on that one play. But he had a good week of practice throwing the ball, but high ankle sprains linger so you never know when it's going to affect you. I know he hurt it later in the game, or re-hurt it, and we'll wait until tomorrow to see how bad it is."
On his level of confidence in the offense without Deebo Samuel and where they go without him going forward:
"We have a lot of confidence in our offense no matter who's out there. You have to play well to have a good game and I don't think we played very well today. It started with me. I made a few too many mistakes. We got it going there a little bit in the fourth quarter, but I don't think we played well as a group. When you're missing a good player like Deebo, always it's a struggle, but we've missed players a number of times and it's no reason to go out there and not play well."
On how he would assess Jimmy Garoppolo's play:
"I was frustrated with the whole offense. Starting with myself, this wasn't a very good day for us. I thought the defense came out and played pretty inspired in those first couple of drives and gave us a chance to get up on them and we missed those opportunities. I thought the third down call didn't give us a chance versus [an] all out [blitz]. We needed to do a little bit better before that, we would've loved to go for it on fourth down, but not after we lose it. But it was both times the defense got us a chance and we didn't come out with anything worth it. Right when we get it around the 50 [yard line] too. I was disappointed with the whole group. No one played great. That always starts with me, but I'm glad we have a game coming up soon so we can turn the page pretty quick and get ready for Green Bay."
On if he's critical of his play calling on some of the trick plays that didn't work or on other plays:
"I look at everything. Every single play. The screen to Trent Taylor, we've hit a bunch but the [defensive] linemen did a good job working through the [offensive] line. I wouldn't consider the wildcat a tricky play, it's just a power handoff and it's not very good versus all out. You don't want to run any run there against all out. That's stuff that we've done a number of times in third and long in the 40 yard area to try and get two plays, either to go for it or kick a long field goal. You're trying to hit some big plays and we missed those opportunities early and didn't get much of the run game going. We tried to get it going. I thought we committed to it pretty well in the first half, but when you don't get any big plays in the run game, and then you make some of those mistakes, you guys saw what happens. Eventually we had to get away from it and start throwing."
On if Jimmy Ward could've tried to hit Russell Wilson differently to avoid the penalty:
"No, I mean you can just give him the first down which happens a ton because guys are scared as can be to get those penalties. They're not trying to be cheap and they're not trying to get fined. It's a big point in the game if they get a first down, it's pretty much over and they're right there at the sticks. He is very good at what he did, waiting until the last second. It's just a huge challenge that not just our team has, the whole NFL has. It's a tough play and I understand why we do it, you have to protect the quarterback and protect everyone, but it's very tough for our guys. I thought they tried to hold on as well as they can.
On why George Kittle wasn't more involved in the game:
"I think he is. But sometimes you don't get the ball to him. There's never a time that we ignore Kittle, but coverages, fronts, all that stuff plays into it. I don't think anyone had very big stats in the first half, that's usually what happens when you're not doing very well."
On how Seattle was able to get more pressure on the quarterback today:
"They brought a lot of blitzes and when they brought them early, I thought we had some chances. Usually when they bring a blitz, it's pretty hit or miss. It's going to be a good play for one team and a bad play for the other team. I thought we had a chance to get rid of it a couple of times and they just got to us too fast and we didn't make them pay for it. We did a little bit there at the end, but obviously that was too late. A couple things inside they got on us too quick, I think one time we had a chance to get rid of it and we had a little bit of a high snap so we couldn't get rid of it. They were risky with a lot of their blitzes and sometimes you like that. You have to make them pay though and we didn't. If we don't make them pay for blitzes, guys are going to keep bringing it and it took us too long to make them pay."
On if Tevin Coleman reinjured his same knee:
"It was the same knee. He wanted to go back in, we tried, and he just couldn't. I don't know what the deal is for this week, obviously I'm hoping that he's ready for Thursday, but his knee was reinjured and he couldn't go back in the game."
On his approach coming into the game down in the second half:
"Ultimately, the goal is to score points, but you have to do it methodically, take what they give you and just move the ball down the field. You want to be aggressive but smart at the same time, and I was really proud of our fight. The receivers, the o-linemen, they've been battling all game and they could choose to lay down right there but didn't, and so I was proud of that."
On the mood on the sidelines before he entered the game:
"It was tough. I think the biggest thing that creates energy is making plays. I feel like on both sides of the ball today, we obviously didn't do that well enough to win the game, but that's just part of it. Sometimes you're executing at your best and sometimes you're not. It's all about how you can execute and just get back to work."
On if he feels he will be ready and confident to play if he get the call to start on Thursday:
"Yeah, I think so. Anytime you can get out there and bounce back from my last start it's definitely going to create confidence. The biggest thing I've learned just going through it all is that the NFL is tough. It's all about what you do next. That's why I tell myself pretty much every day, 'it's all about what you do next.' No matter if it is good or bad, it's all about what you do next."
On moving around in the depth chart and how he was able to push ahead:
"It was tough. Nobody wants to play how I did and lose the way we did. You just have to reset and confidence is created by hard work. All you can do is go back to work, know the player you are, and bounce back and prove it again. The best in this league prove themselves over and over and that's what I plan to do."
On his gut feeling coming out of this week and looking ahead:
"I think just execute at a higher level. I think we all just need to take a step forward and just go back to work, focus on the details, execute, and make plays. That's really all it comes down to and the only way that you play your best on Sunday is to just go and work through your week. It's a short week this week, but the work doesn't change."
On McKinnon playing wide receiver:
"You know, Jet's got a great receiving skillset as a running back. He's utilizing that very well right now and we really get fired up when Jet gets the ball in his hands."
On what the Seattle was doing defensively to slow them down:
"They were doing what they normally do. Their schemes and their pressure and things like that. I'm a believer that it's all about us. If we just focus on what we have to do each and every play, we can get a lot better."
On the challenges when players like WR Deebo Samuel and TE George Kittle are out:
"Every week is a new week and you have to play with the cards that you're dealt. I can't speak much on the identity, but it's all about making plays. You know, 'who's going to make the plays?' and that's what we have to get back to. Just making plays, executing at a high level and focusing on us."
On the defense having issues getting pressure on Russell Wilson:
"I'd have to watch the film. When we did get pressure, obviously we made it tough for him to complete those passes. We needed to get off, like I said, on some of those third down situations and try to limit the explosive plays."
On if the referees were calling defensive holding a little bit tighter in this game and how they correct that going forward:
"Just being in the game, I'm not really seeing what's going on. I don't know if they were ticky tack penalties or not. We have to understand the situation when we're playing [Russell Wilson] with him extending plays, we need to make sure we're playing great with our technique. It's just one of those things where you have to play ball. Like I said, I just have to watch the tape and I know we'll be better from it."
On how relieved he was when his injury was only a stinger:
"In the moment, I knew I was going to be alright. Just had to shake it off and go back out there. I know my team needs me and those guys are looking at me in the huddle. I was happy that I was able to get out there quick."
On why they were not able to get into a rhythm early on in the game:
"Offensively, we missed out on some really easy opportunities. We kind of just shot ourselves in the foot there in those first couple series, which is a shame because the defense was playing so well and we were giving them nothing to help. A couple series set back by ourselves, followed by some turnover and it kind of just snowballed."
On Garoppolo and if he could see any discomfort from his QB:
"I didn't notice anything until the final hit that took him out. He's so tough that whenever he comes into the huddle it's really hard for us to tell that he's hurting. He definitely puts on a good face. I know he's going through it though and hopefully he's not banged up too bad."
On managing the blitzes from Seattle and why they struggled in those situations:
"We love when a team blitzes us, because that means we have a chance for a really big play. We had a couple of those, you saw later in the game where Nick (Mullens) made a really quick decision, got the ball out really fast and when there's guys blitzing it leaves some really big holes down the field. I wish I had a good answer for why we weren't capitalizing early on – it's tough because I haven't watched the film yet, but I just know that was a big this for us. They were heating us up with some blitzes and we just didn't respond to it very well."
On potentially not having several more starters for Thursday's game and if he's getting used to injuries:
"It still hurts. Even though it seems to happen just over and over again, guys dropping every game, it still hurts each time. Hopeful that we can have at least some of those guys back for Thursday, but I am so happy we are playing on Thursday. After a loss like this you just want to get the taste out of your mouth, you want to go play football again. So, happy we can just turn around and get back on the field after just a few days."
On what Coach Shanahan's message was to the team:
"His big message was that starting now, everything we do has to be for getting our bodies ready for Thursday. We don't have that time to dwell on this one, we probably won't even watch it as a team, everyone will watch it individually. Starting right now it's time for Green Bay."
On if he still feels that there is plenty of fight left in this team:
"Yeah, absolutely. Definitely still a lot of fight left in this team and I think you saw that towards the end of the game – we just wouldn't go away. A couple more things go our way, and man, that's a game. If we just have a couple more inches and get that two-point conversion, that's a one-score game with I think four minutes to go and we have all the confidence in the world that our defense can go make that stop and we can go down and score and tie it up. There was a lot of things that maybe if they break our way, it's a more competitive game. There's definitely still a ton of fight left in this group."
On the challenge of slowing down Wilson and the Seattle offense:
"If you want to come up here and get a win, you definitely have to execute and play better, myself included. It's those crunch moments on certain plays where you have to execute and get them off the field. We didn't play up to the level we are capable of and we didn't execute at a high level, which allowed them to stay on the field."
On not getting enough pressure on QB Wilson and how that affected the defense all together:
"Rush and coverage. It works hand-in-hand. Executing and bust and being in the place you are supposed to be affects the whole defense. So we have to play better execute at a higher level if we expect to beat a good team like that."
On Ward's penalty against Wilson:
"It's an offensive league and obviously they are going to protect the quarterbacks in the league, so going into the game we know that and in a tough situation where there are bang-bang plays, you just have to try to avoid. Jimmy (Ward) plays fast and it was just playing hard and got the penalty there. Going into the game you definitely have to be conscious that they are going to call those types of things."
On his position and the struggle he may be having with the lack of depth due to injury on the defensive line:
"I have been playing about the same, just have to find a way to take that next step in my career. Even though people are game-planning for me and trying to figure out ways to stop me, just have to take that next step in my career and make plays to help the team win."
On flushing this game and getting back out early on Thursday next week:
"Yeah, you're kind of forced to do that – short week, we have a game in three or four days and so you just don't have enough time to do everything you're used to doing on a regular week, so we have to move on pretty quick and get on to Green Bay."
The best photos from Week 8's Seahawks-49ers game at CenturyLink Field. Fueled by Nesquik.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) catches the ball in front of Seattle Seahawks free safety Quandre Diggs (37) during an NFL football game on Sunday, November 1, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Alika Jenner/NFL)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver David Moore (83) runs the ball and is tackled on a punt return by San Francisco 49ers wide receiver River Cracraft (86) during an NFL football game on Sunday, November 1, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Alika Jenner/NFL)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) catches the ball for a touchdown in front of San Francisco 49ers cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (41) during an NFL football game on Sunday, November 1, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Alika Jenner/NFL)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver David Moore (83) runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, November 1, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Alika Jenner/NFL)
The Seattle Seahawks huddle up on offense during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, November 1, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Alika Jenner/NFL)
