LB Sione Takitaki (10.9.23)
When you watched, I’m assuming that you may have watched the 49ers game last night, and if you did, what were your thoughts and impressions of Brock (Purdy) and George (Kittle) and the gang?
“Yeah, really good team. Obviously, they’re 5-0, they put some great things on tape as an offense. A lot of guys that could do a lot of things personnel wise. So really good, explosive team. I feel like Brock Purdy does a great job with the ball and they got a great running back, some pass catchers, Kittle, good O line. So, I’m excited for the opportunity to go against a great team and, yeah, we’re excited.”
What’s unique about (George) Kittle compared to (Mark) Andrews or (Travis) Kelce or somebody like that? What makes him unique?
“Yeah, Kittle, man, he’s a really good blocker. You know, he’s a little thinner than Andrews, but you watch him on tape, he could block as good as he could catch, you know what I mean? I feel like he’s a complete tight end. You can kind of line him out with the wide flex. He can kind of do things there. But with his run game, he’s kind of one of their big guys in the run game and helping block Chip, DNS and working up to linebackers. And obviously, he scored three times so you guys know what he could do when he catches the ball. But just wanted to highlight his blocking game, too. So yeah, excited to go up against him.”
How imposing is that offense when you watch them on tape? I mean, just you watch it on TV and they just seem to hit you hard, hit you fast.
“Yeah, well-coached team. Feel like they do a good job taking care of the ball, making sure that they’re not giving it away. Brock Purdy does a great job with his reads, a lot of movement, pre-snap, a lot of eye candy. But I think they’re a real solid team. Obviously, it’s the reason why they’re 5-0, tip our hat to those guys. We’re excited for the matchup.”
It seems with (George) Kittle and with (Christian) McCaffrey in the passing game that you kind of stress the linebackers more than most teams. Is that fair to say, at least in the passing game?
“Not really. Every team has what they do right. I feel like, yeah, it’ll be a big challenge for us, but got trust in the guys that we have and it’ll be a good match.”
To kind of combat that eye candy, it seemed like the Ravens kind of threw a little bit of that at you guys, but with how much motion 49ers?
“Yeah, just being prepared for it, just knowing that they’re going to do that. They’re going to probably watch tape and see that it worked a few times on us, but that’s just what they do. I think 80% of the time they have preached that movement and so just being aware of that, you know what I mean? Knowing that they’re going to move guys and run some other plays.”
Looking back at that Ravens game and then looking ahead to this one, did you guys miss tackles or did they do something? It seemed like they had more success running than the first three opponents. So how do you make sure that doesn’t happen this Sunday?
“Yeah, just getting back to the details, man. We pride ourselves on a team that swarms to the ball, tackles guys, including myself. So I feel like just getting back out here on a Monday and working on the details of bringing your feet and working as a whole of swarming to the ball.”
Did you not swarm as well as you did? Not you personally?
“We could do better, for sure. Yeah, we could do better.”
Coach (Kevin) Stefanski said there’s an emphasis on ball security and taking the ball away defensively and on special teams. What do you think is going on turnover-wise? Defensively?
“Yeah, that’s probably the biggest stat in football that helps teams win. So, I feel like we just got to do better as a whole, keeping the ball and then as a defense, taking it away. And we work on that every day as a team. So, we’ll continue to get after it until it’s right.”
A month of watching you guys defensively, what would you say is the biggest difference in mentality defensively from last year?
“Yeah, the bond with the guys and then the scheme stuff is kind of different this year, letting the front four just kind of get after it and hit certain spots. And so I feel like that helps us out, and then we have great cover guys with the back end. We’ve been talking about this for months now, and I feel like you guys are starting to see, obviously, we could do better. And so that’s why the bye came at a good time for us to kind of see what we’ve been doing good and what we’ve been doing bad and just kind of fix up the things we need to do.”
You feel like the scheme fits the personnel?
“Oh, yeah, for sure. I think we have the right guys and four games, you know what I mean? We’ll see with the next four. It’s a long season, you know what I mean? So, we’re excited to keep this thing going, get back on track.”
Over at the other sideline, you have one of the best linebacker duos in the league in Drake Greenlaw and Fred Warner. What makes them so good?
“Yeah, I actually played with Fred at BYU, so that’s my dude, man. He’s a baller, very smart player who’s really disciplined, and Greenlaw is obviously physical. Those guys just fly around to the ball. I feel like the schemes have fit them well, and they’ve been putting it on tape year after year. So, excited to see those guys in action, too.”
What did you take away during your time with him?
“Yeah, just the biggest thing, he was a real disciplined guy, you know what I mean? At a time where I [was]18,19 [years old], you know what I mean, kind of learning things. I felt like he was just very mature for his age in college, and it’s definitely paying off.”
Is (Christian) McCaffrey the guy that kind of makes that offense go? They have all those weapons?
“Yeah, they have all those weapons. But McCaffrey definitely adds more explosiveness to their offense. Him being fast. The stuff that they could do with him, lining him out in empty, letting him run routes, and then also what he does in the backfield. He’s an explosive player. Definitely helps the offense be more explosive.”
He (Brock Purdy) goes from the last pick in the draft. Now he’s like the leading MVP candidate. What is so impressive about him?
“I feel like most impressive is just how consistent he has been with his reps and the games he’s been out there starting. I feel like that’s probably, I would say the most. And then he just took advantage when he got his opportunity, went out there and took advantage, and then no looking back, he’s kind of their guy, so felt like he’s been doing well.”
How does your knee feel?
“Yeah, no, the knee is strong. Obviously, it was good to get out there for four games and really get out there and gain confidence and run around letting myself know that I’m fine. And so, I’m excited for these next 13 games, you know what I mean? To really get after it, just knowing that the knee is strong. Ton of rehab, continue to stay up on the little things. So, yeah, everything’s good there.”
Did it take you four games to feel like that?
“No, I would say the first game I kind of knew. I’m like, okay, and then the practice staff did a great job. Kind of just let me go at my pace. And then I feel like with the four games, it definitely just built more confidence over time. But I knew after the first game that I was going to be good.”
Has that defensive line made you a better player?
“Oh yeah, know what I mean? Our defensive line, that’s our team, you know what I mean? So, they make the defense go. When those guys are firing, getting sacks, disrupting stuff, makes my job much easier. So, I’m happy to play behind some of those big boys, let them do their thing and then let me come and just clean stuff up so it meshes well.”
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