Featuring postgame quotes from the following:

Head Coach Mike Macdonald

MIKE MACDONALD: Look, it stings. It stings to have lost three in a row, to lose it against your division rival at home, primetime, such a great environment. Guys fought their tails off down to the last minute. But we're not playing well enough to beat the team we needed to beat. Message to the team is we have the people in the building. Our players, our coaches, to become a really good football team. Right now, we're just coming up short. That's obvious based the off tape and what's going on. We've got to start faster. We have to win the takeaway differential. That's a team stat. we're just not doing the things that good football teams do to win football games. And so we're going to attack it. We're going to take a breather and really go back and dissect the heck out of that thing. There are one of two options: Give up or fight like heck to make it right. That's what we're going to do. We're six games into the season and there is a lot of football to be played. Just like the message was last week, we've got to get better in a hurry. Finding new ways to lose games and that's no good. But we've got the right guys for the job, guys that are in it. We're going to do this thing together and fight forward. (Going) to Atlanta next week."

Q. How is the discipline on the fits, designs, assignments?

MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, guys aren't inventing things. They're trying to do it the right way. We're either stopping them right now at the line of scrimmage or the ball is spitting and it's explosive. When that happens on the frontline, it's guys getting out of their gaps, second level not fitting correctly, and not getting it on the ground in the third level. That's what's going on.

Q. Seemed to be a renewed commitment to the run during the week. Do you feel like that played out today?

MIKE MACDONALD: Well, we certainly tried. I think we ended up with like 20 something (rush attempts). It's really a team stat because if you're behind multiple scores, deep into the second half, you're not going to be able to run the ball. It's just the way it goes. So we're going to keep working on it. Finding our identity. I mean, that's one on the list of things that we're going to be attacking over the next week.

Q. What did you think of Geno's night? Had a couple interceptions there.

MIKE MACDONALD: Look, at the end of the day, we put ourselves in position after being in a massive hole if we got a stop to go down and score. Geno is playing really good football for us. I know he threw the two picks, but we've got faith in Geno. He's going to bounce back, thought he played a good football game.

Q. Any updates on Tre Brown and Artie Burns?

MIKE MACDONALD: Artie reaggravated his toe, so severity, I'm not sure. Tre had an ankle (injury). Pretty sure everybody else is okay.

Q. How much thought did you give to going for the touchdown at the end of the first half there?

MIKE MACDONALD: It was a matter of where it was on the field. Wasn't much thought from that yard line.

Q. What do you think the players need to get back on track here?

MIKE MACDONALD: You can't fix everything overnight. You've got to pick one thing at a time. You've got to be really surgical in our approach, positive. There (are) good things on tape. The effort was there. The guys are trying to play physical. Trying to play the right way. We've got to look at what we're asking and how we're coaching it and how teams are attacking us, and then go from there. That's really just going to be the thought. Kind of like a mini bye week so going to be looking at ourselves a lot over the next few days and then go back to work on Monday.

Q. What was the explanation you got where they called the personal foul on Leonard (Williams) but they had called motion on San Francisco?

MIKE MACDONALD: Apparently the rule says that a 15-yarder overrides a 5-yarder even if the first 5-yarder would've stopped the play. That's the explanation I got.

Q. Mike, what did you see on the Deebo touchdown, the breakdown you guys had there?

MIKE MACDONALD: It was a coverage breakdown on our end, and we had an opportunity to make it right with Julian on the overlap. If that happens, we've just got to get him on the ground. We missed the tackle and off he went.

Q. You mentioned the turnovers earlier. Had multiple turnovers in four games. Hasn't been one guy obviously, but what do you think needs to change to get that down?

MIKE MACDONALD: Obviously we're not emphasizing it enough. That's the starting point. The guys know that. I mean, add that to the list of things we have to attack. But we can't be giving the ball to the other team. We have to be playing more precise.

Q. Good to see Laviska (Shenault Jr.) bounce back though?

MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, special teams, it's really like our football team right now. Doing a lot of good things that put us in chances and we're really hurting ourselves in certain phases. It's like I'm living in two extremes. We've got to balance it out and be a more consistent football team.

Q. Another game where you asked your offensive line to hold up in the pass protection quite a bit. How do you feel like they did?

MIKE MACDONALD: Again, this is the third game in a row you're behind so you've got to chuck it in the second half. Defensively and as a team we have to be in these games within a score in the second half so we're not having to drop back that much. But the guys are battling. The guys are battling their tails off. I'm proud of the effort, and I don't know what the score was at some point, but (it) looked bleak. Laviska took the kickoff back, guys fought back to within a score, and we didn't get the four-minute stop on defense. It's kind of a tale of the last three weeks right now.

Q. These last couple games the other team have been able to drive right down the field to start the first and second half. Are you noticing anything that's causing that where it seems like the defense is coming up flat starting the game?

MIKE MACDONALD: No, I don't think we're flat. Teams have openers and you have to stop those openers. That's just what it is. That's a combination of understanding how teams are attacking you, how that's evolving, and keep putting them in better position to make plays and our guys have got to go make the plays. Our guys are ready to play.

Q. You guys have been on the negative side on the turnover battle for a few weeks in a row. How do you see that aspect of I don't you play right now?

MIKE MACDONALD: It's probably the single handedly, biggest thing that hurt our football team. We have to take care of the ball better. Practice it better. You get what you emphasize and apparently we're not emphasizing that enough. Shoot, that's my responsibility.

Q. Three games in 11 days, how much physically do you need to break right now?

MIKE MACDONALD: I don't know. Physically not sure what the answer to that is. It is good to have a couple days to take a breath and really have a chance to go back with the tape and come up with a great plan of attack to go forward. That's got to be our mentality. So that's what we're going to do.

Q. Are you concerned about where your team is right now after losing three straight?

MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, of course you're going to be upset and worried about losing three straight. Of course. But we are 3-3. We are six weeks in. So, we started fast. Obviously (have) not played good football in the last three games, and onward we go. The mentality always has to be 'Hey let's move forward, attack this thing, and let's fight like hell to make it right.' That's the message to the guys. There is no novel idea, but that's just got to be the mentality.

Q. On creating turnovers how do you do that without pressing defensive-wise?

MIKE MACDONALD: I think it starts with stopping on first down type plays. I don't know what the stats were today, but felt like we were behind on some of those things. If you're not forcing them into passing situations it's hard to affect the quarterback. When we did create those situations today, I felt like we couldn't get the guy on the ground and he was able to extend and make plays in that regard. But you have to be winning games, you know? And that's when it comes to life. If teams have options to run or pass all the time, it's hard to get them behind the eight ball.

QB Geno Smith

Geno, what are your general thoughts on that one, about how this one went for you guys?

GENO SMITH: Obviously we did a lot of things that you don't want to do when you talk about winning football games. We didn't control the ball. Didn't control the clock. Turned the ball over. Had penalties. You know, all the things that we talk about every week. Like I said, when you play against good teams, well-coached, you can't shoot yourself in the foot. Those are the things we're doing right now. That's to be totally honest with you. Just getting in our own way. We got to stop doing that.

How do you stop it?

GENO SMITH: Practice harder, work harder, better.

What's the psyche of this team right now?

GENO SMITH: 3-3. Got long way to go. A lot of football left. Shouldn't hang your head. We put the ourselves in this position, you know what I mean? For me, man, get back to work. Get back to doing the things I'm used to, which is playing clean football, good football, make the right plays, and doing what's right.

The interception to Metcalf across the middle, did you notice him trying to break it deep or was that after you threw the ball or decided to throw?

GENO SMITH: It was an interception, man. We all saw it. Bad play by me.

There are probably a few passes you want to have back. The under throw to DK end of the first half, what did you make of some of those throws?

GENO SMITH: Watch the film, man. Watch the film. You'll see it.

Couple extra days off here coming up before the next. Can that help this team regroup and reset before the next one?

GENO SMITH: Yeah, get your mind and body right and get ready for practice on Monday and get back to it.

What is it about the 49ers that you guys have so much trouble with in the last few games?

GENO SMITH: We lost just one game today. How many games we lost today? One?

Today?

GENO SMITH: Yeah, so we lost one today.

When you think about what your offense does well, what's your bread and butter at this point? What do you think this offense needs to hang its hat on?

GENO SMITH: We need to get better at a lot of things. That's the reality. We need to find ways to win. Whatever the bread and butter is, we got to collectively come up with that answer and get to it.

Geno, third start with the offense looking real slow in the first half. What's the impetus on that?

GENO SMITH: Yeah, not starting fast. Not executing. That's the main thing, not executing. Lack of execution. This is a game of inches as they say. The margins are small, especially up here at the big boy league. You got to do all the right things all the time. We failed to do that today.

Your coach said that perhaps he needs to revisit how they coach ball security. Is there anything you can think of that you guys haven't done emphasizing that?

GENO SMITH: You know being that's what coach said so that's what we'll do.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

WR Laviska Shenault Jr.

(On how many other teammates get credit for helping to clear the back for him to score a touchdown) "The whole team. Yeah, I'm the one who returned it 97 yards. But if there's nobody blocking, how am I going to return it? Credit to everybody."

(On what that play did for the sidelines) "Honestly, I think that was an energy changer; you could say it was an energy boost. I'm just glad I was able to get in that end zone. It felt so good."

(On what happened during his fumble) "It's crazy. I've only had one other fumble in the league, and it was against them (49ers), which is so crazy. Maybe it is just the mind playing games, and it's just how the world works. But I'm just glad I was able to make it right. It is still something I can't do and something I can't put on tape at all. But at least I was able to find the end zone."

WR Tyler Lockett

(On where his head is at right now) "I guess where it'd be at when you lose a game. I mean, it was tough. We started slow. We showed a lot of fight and a lot of resilience, but losing three straight, nobody wants to do that: it's too late to put your head down. I mean, it's kind of like the 24-hour rule. You take the loss, you figure it out, and you can do whatever you want for 24 hours, but then the next day, you have to focus on the next game. This isn't college where you lose three games, and now you're out of the playoffs. You can lose three games, six games, or seven games. As long as you win your division, you're in. We don't want to lose that many, but we just can't let these three losses continue to push us down. We have to make sure people aren't giving up. We need to make sure we're not tapping out. We just got to fix the intangibles like pre-snap penalties and stuff like that. We just got to fix some of those little things so we could be able to figure out where we are when we're not getting penalties. We know holding might happen, and we know interferences might happen, but the pre-snap, the little things, we can fix that so it doesn't shoot us in the foot."

(On if it is easier said than done to fix the mistakes) "No, it is just on us being able to understand how we line up, understanding the cadence. I mean, we're at home. Just being able to do the little things. A lot of that could be focused. We could be more focus-oriented when it comes to walkthroughs, not just in practice. It's just those little things. We have to treat walkthroughs as the game, and I think we already do that as it is, but we must learn from the mistakes and be able to correct the mistakes at walkthroughs. You'll be surprised if you correct them, and they start to get corrected in practice, which then gets corrected in the game."

(On what he is seeing with the slow starts) "I just kind of think it's just kind of how it goes at times. We have started slow before, and I don't think if you start slow, that doesn't mean you'll lose a game. I just think for us, we just got to be able to figure out what is it going to take for us to be able to play in the first half the way that we do in the second half, and if that means we got to play catch up, then hey, let's get that mentality where at the beginning of the game we're already losing if that's what it takes for us to be able to play at the high level. I don't know. I think for us, it's just going back to the drawing board and being able to look at what happens in order for us to be able to play it our best. Are we overthinking it? Are we over-energized? What is it? Because sometimes, when you're down, you don't overthink, right? You're not over-energized. Sometimes, you just have to breathe. So, I think for each person, it might be different, but for us, I just think you can't let this knock you down to where you get yourself in a bigger hole. It's good. We at least started 3-0 instead of 1-2. Because then three straight losses put you at 1-5. Obviously, the record's not where we wanted to be at, but we're also not in a bad position as well. We just have to make sure we take care of business and do our part in practice so we can actually see where we are on game day."

FS Julian Love

(On the mood of the team) "It's tough. First division game, just didn't execute. I think that's kind of the mindset right now. Obviously, tough loss, you want to win games. But, again, we just didn't play well enough in the critical moments, in the critical things, turnovers, penalties, all that stuff, to win the game."

(On how he sees the team pulling themselves out of this slump) "It's early, obviously, and we'll see how we attack this week. It's been a beast of three games in eleven days. I think everyone's approach, coming after last game, was just to go to work. That's what it's going to take. We're still figuring each other out, figuring out what each other does well, what people might not do well, and we just got to play cohesive ball. Defense, starts with me not getting turnovers. We have to get the ball, we have to protect the ball, going minus three [in turnovers] against a team like this, you're just putting yourself in a giant hole. So, I think the mindset is still, just attack this thing. It's early. We're still meshing, we're still going. There are a lot of games left. We just have to catch our strength."

(On the long touchdown by Deebo Samuel) "Great scheme, great route vs. the scheme we were in. He kind of broke free a little bit, and then I took a poor angle. Poor angle, going for the ball, he came back to it pretty well. Great play by him. I just got to get him on the ground. So, that one's on me. Now I owe this team a few more teams."

(On the difficulty of making a play after coming over from so far) "It's a beast. That's my job, though. It's the balance between going for the ball and going for the tackle. I was breaking like it was a good thrown ball, but it was underthrown. So, I rounded my break, and Deebo was able to get in front of me, and I didn't have the right angle. Tough, but that's my job."

(On making it through despite his injury) "I made it through fine. A lot of kudos to the training staff. We kind of just grinded every minute of this week. Three games in this amount of days is tough on the body. Strick (David Stricklin) and crew just went to bat for me, and we just worked, every day. Just tried to get ready for this game, and just continued to work."

(On the difficulty of playing three games in eleven days) "Yeah, it's a beast. It's just a beast. It's tough, for sure. But, I know some guys that really take care of their bodies. Right now we're a little banged up, obviously, some guys went down again today. We just to get more reinforcements back and just really attack this thing. We got to take advantage of this and just go into Atlanta and do what we know how to do."

(On the 76-yard run late in the fourth quarter) "I think that's just kind of, just the overall gist of what we got going on on defense. You can't have 10 people communicating, and doing the same thing, that one off, it's been killing us. I take that is on me. I got to communicate to the people who need to be in the right spots so they can just do their jobs. I have to take a bigger step in communication and leadership to try to get guys going in the right way. Guys want to play fast, guys want to make plays. That last play, we had a chance there, and just a little bit mis communication and mis fits."

(On what it is about the 49ers that gives Seattle problems) "I'm not sure. New to the team last year, new to the division last year. I think it's just playing clean ball. You're not going to beat them going minus three in the turnover battle. I don't know what the penalty numbers were, but they couldn't have been good for us. That's what it takes. I think we know the people, we know how to execute, you saw a lot of great plays out there. But, it's just too many one offs. That's what it takes to beat a team like this. We had them there. Fourth quarter we were rolling, offense, Laviska sprung that kick, the energy was right there. The energy was good. But, just situational football. Turnovers, penalties, and just being smart."

(On the inability to force turnovers on defense) "That's tough. We got to get more turnovers. I have to get more turnovers for this defense. I think that's just it. We will work it, obviously, in practice and the ball will come to life, and once it does, they come in bunches. It's a positive mindset, it's an attacking mindset. I think guys were attacking that ball today, and we've just got to come up with it."

(On giving up long drives in both halves on defense) "I can't, off the top of my head, think of our get back on track numbers. I think we've been solid on first down. Second down we just do some leaky stuff and give them a third and manageable. And it goes into when we're in man, understand your leverage, and win your one on one. In zone, just understand where your spacing is. Understand that these guys want to attack the middle of the field, and there were a lot of checkdowns that were leaky today. I think that kind of goes into ,I don't know, just how we need to play defense. These drives get strung out together because we just aren't disciplined enough, consistently. Again, we have the players, we have the scheme, we have the right mindset. It's just cleaning it up. We have to attack this week. It's a long season ahead of us."

(On his confidence level of the team coming back) "I feel real confident. I got to do more. I think that's as simple as it can be. I need to just be more vocal, be more accountable for myself, and others. I think all the leaders, for sure, have that approach. That's what it takes. It's a long season. We're meshing. Right now, we're 3-3, 0-1 in the division, lot of games in front of us. So, we have to finish this second quarter of the season in a strong way."

(On whether the issues on defense are a function of new scheme, new players or just fundamental errors) "I don't want to excuse it to being a new scheme and all that stuff. I think it's just fundamental stuff. We have to keep it black and white in the meeting room, and address what needs to be addressed in terms of simple stuff. And that's the good part, that's the promising part is that it is bread and butter things that we're not executing on. Mike's really dialing it up, or trying to dial it up, and we just have to find a way to mesh and catch our flow. So, we're still kind of catching that stride and trying to figure it out."

G Laken Tomlinson

(On the 49ers' performance) "They did a good job. They executed at a higher level than we did. Honestly, it's all us. The attention to detail, level of execution. I know we got it, we've got a team here. We've got to look at the tape. We will see them again. We're going to see them real soon."

(On what he notices about this team that will allow them to get through this) "There is a ton of fighters in this locker room. I don't doubt anyone in here. Just that attitude alone, I know for a fact that we're going to take advantage of these next 10 days. So that alone, I know that we're going to find a way to break through this."

(On the mood in the locker room after the game) "Sucks to lose. But, we're going to get to work. That's one thing I can promise."

LB Derick Hall

(On how he would characterize this game) "I feel like after halftime, the team transitioned and gave ourselves a chance in the second half. Obviously, things don't always go your way. But I felt like going down to the wire, we fought hard. We fought hard and that's one thing you can take away from it. We're going to play hard until the very last play. Just assessing this, we'll come back in on Monday and prepare for a really good Atlanta team."

(On getting pressure on Brock Purdy in the third quarter) "I think just not trying to do too much. Just lining up and bombing, trying to whip the guy in front of you. Really trying to be intentional with every opportunity that we have to rush the passer there in the second half. I think those were the biggest reasons. Just going up and doing what you do best."

(On if guys are still getting used to the defense) "No, I think the guys are used to the defense. The biggest thing I would say is guys not playing or not having a ton of time to play one another. We're banged up, we have some injuries across the front and we're just trying to piece it together. But the guys we do have out, obviously [Byron Murphy II] and those guys will be back here soon. When we're all together, we're a better unit. Just really trying to fit around and still learning how to play with one another early on in the year."

CB Devon Witherspoon

(On how frustrating the last three games have been) "It's been very frustrating. Defense, we have got to play better."

(On if there have been any commonalities between any of these losses) "Defense has got to play better, we've got to create more takeaways. So that's been a common theme."

(On if it is fixable) "It's definitely fixable. We just have to be better in practice and translate it into the game, so that's all."

SS Rayshawn Jenkins

(On what the challenge was tonight) "I think we did fairly decent, besides the two long runs. And it just really comes down to the plan at the end of the day. Just discipline and run fits and knowing what you need to do and having your eyes right."

(On the team's psyche now after losing three games in 10 days) "Just get better. Obviously, go evaluate the film, rest up. We had three games (in 10 days). Come back and go on another run."

(On what the defense thinks about after the three losses) "I'd just say discipline. Discipline because when you play against good teams and, it's the NFL, and they're gonna exploit you and find out. They're going to find wherever you miss gaps or misfit or whatever it may be."

(On how fixable it is to fix the discipline) "It's very fixable. Everyone just has to be open. I think we got the right guys. I think that is the case. But we just have to really hold each other accountable and we can't beat around the bush."

(On what went wrong on the long run at the end of the game) "It was just not fit right. That's all I'm going to say. But we have to get him on the ground. That's all."

(On if he's frustrated or if it's the natural progression of a new group) "No, I'm not frustrated because like I said, we have the right guys in the room to get the job done. We just have to be real and accountable. And as long as we do that, we should be okay, but it has to happen sooner rather than later."

T Charles Cross

(On if he feels the offense did a good job of sticking to the game plan) "We all just (need to) continue to be better as a group man. Just continue to get better week to week and just try to stack on that."

(On what it was like to try to keep the pocket clean with San Francisco's dominant pass rushers) "You just got to be technique-sound. Do the little things right and just stay inside out."

(On why it was so much easier to move the ball in the middle of the 2nd quarter and 3rd quarter) "You got to continue to be consistent with moving the ball well and playing together as offense and everyone just getting on the same page."

(On how close he believes the offensive line is to clicking at 100%) "I feel like we definitely are going towards the right track. We'll just continue to work together and see things through. One set of eyes, all fives of us as one, and just continue to gel together."