HC Kevin Stefanski (10.11.23)
Opening Statement:
“Awesome opportunity. Undefeated team coming to our place. Everybody knows this is a very talented football team, very well coached. I know a bunch of their coaches. I know it’s a sound scheme and then good players. So, they’re undefeated. You watch them play in their games, it’s a really difficult challenge in a bunch of different areas. I think offensively, what Coach (Kyle) Shanahan and that crew is doing and they’re running it well, they’re throwing it well. They have players that can touch it and go. They do a great job with rack. They run it well, always well schemed up, ton of shifts and motions in their offense. Defensively, Coach (Steve) Wilks, I have a ton of respect for what he’s been able to do, blending in his defense into what they’ve done previously there under Coach (Robert) Saleh, under DeMeco (Ryans). It’s a really good scheme. It’s very similar to how we play. You’re going to see their defensive line get off the ball very similar to ours. That defensive line is talented. Speed all over the field, physical, good football team, good defense. Then special teams really do a nice job. A returner that’s difficult to get on the ground. They’re sound and what they do. So, we got to have a great week of practice, but it’s an awesome opportunity for us. Undefeated team down at our place and we’re looking forward to it. On Deshaun (Watson), he’s not going to practice today. He continues to be day-to-day with this injury and we’ll continue to treat it. And that’s really – I’m not going to have updates past today, but with that, I’ll take any questions.”
After the Baltimore game, you said you expected him to be ready for San Francisco. Has something changed since then with the injuries?
“Yeah, I think with injuries, Jake (Trotter), as you can imagine, you just have to treat each one specifically. And with this one, that’s what we’re doing. So just taking information from our medical staff, from Deshaun (Watson) and making sure that we’re making the right decisions with everything.”
How does this change how you prepare your other quarterbacks?
“I think that’s kind of what we do with your backups at every position, they have to be ready to play. I think we’ve talked about this a lot with a backup quarterback – sometimes, you know, you’re playing early in the week, sometimes it’s the third play of the fourth quarter that you’re going in there. So, you always have to stay ready. I will tell you, for this week, PJ (Walker) is going to be the backup quarterback. So, he’ll get the reps today with Deshaun not being out there.”
Kevin, how much was Deshaun able to do on Monday? He threw inside, right? Like was he able to throw close to normal?
“Again, it’s all part of the rehab process with his injury. He’s working extremely hard. You know, he’s working around the clock and we’re just going to continue to take it day by day.”
What went into the decision to elevate PJ (Walker)?
“Just felt like it was the right decision for the team, Tony (Grossi). Think PJ’s been here now for a month plus getting a better understanding of what we do, but just felt like it was the right decision for the team.”
Kevin, will you put together two separate game plans? One if Deshaun (Watson) is available, one if you have to go to PJ (Walker)?
“I think that’s kind of – it’s our job every week, knowing who is available, who might be available, and put a plan together. You also have to be cognizant of the rest of the team, and sometimes if you have two or three game plans, that’s too much to ask of the entire team. But there’s ways to do it, there’s ways to pivot both in game and during the week.”
Will this be a game-time decision for Deshaun (Watson)?
“We’ll see how the week goes. I’m really focusing on today.”
How about Joel Bitonio? He’s got that knee. Can you give us a progress report?
“Yeah, day-to-day. Doing better, so we’ll see how he goes throughout this week.”
After Baltimore, you could have done on your guys a little bit, you could put Dorian (Thompson-Robinson) in better spots. If it has to be PJ (Walker), what can you guys do to help him out?
“Yeah, I think with any player that’s in there, we want to make sure that we give them the best chance to succeed. So, with your quarterback you’re always trying to get them easy completions, get them in a rhythm, all those types of things. But that’s something that we work real hard during the week and make sure that we’re giving our quarterbacks stuff that they’re comfortable with. And I’ve told you guys before, there’s so many plays you can run, but you just want to run plays that your quarterbacks are comfortable with.”
What does a healthy run game do for the backup quarterback?
“As you guys know, we want to run the ball way more efficiently than we have the last couple of times out. There are reasons for it and all those types of things, and we know that we have to be better.”
What was DTR’s (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) response to when you told him that PJ (Walker was going to be backup?
“Yeah, Dorian’s a young player, very excited about his future. He’s a young player, but he’s a great teammate, so he’s going to support whoever’s in there, and he’s got to be ready to play. As you guys know, you got to always stay ready.”
Is there any concern that the shoulder injury could linger for Deshaun (Watson) throughout the season, and then could it get worse if he takes a certain hit on it in the game? Is that factoring into the decision for him not to practice and potentially play?
“Honestly, more so just day-to-day, how he’s feeling today, how the injury is coming along, how they’re rehabbing it. I’m not thinking past today.”
Do you think (PJ) Walker’s NFL experience is a comforting factor for the rest of the team?
“I think with a veteran, he’s played in some games. He’s won some games. Obviously, PJ is not 40, but he’s played in some games. He’s been around a little bit. He’s played in different systems. So, he’s getting comfortable with what we do here. He’s got a great demeanor, great way about him. He fits in well with the team. But really just if PJ does end up playing, you’re just looking for him to be the best version of himself.”
What is it about PJ’s (Walker) game that you think is the best fit with this team?
“Yeah, talented player. I think a lot of coaches remember when PJ was coming out of Temple. Cherry and White, Jeff (Schudel). A very athletic player, strong arm, can throw it to all areas of the field, very intelligent. So, he’s fit in well with us.”
Will he be added to the 53 or would he just be a standard game activation?
“We’ll see. Yeah, working through all those things.”
You said before, or after the Ravens game, it’s not a pain tolerance thing with Deshaun (Watson). So, I guess what’s keeping him from being able to play?
“Yeah, I would say any injury, don’t care if it’s ankle, knee, shoulder, you have to be able to do your job and you have to be able to function and be able to do all the things that are asked of you to play your position. So that’s really what it is, making sure that he continues to rehab and get to a place where he’s able to do his job at a high level.”
Deshaun throw it like he wants to throw it?
“Yeah, meaning with a quarterback, when you’re dealing with this type of injury, you want to make sure that they have able to drive the football, make all the throws, those type of things.”
Deshaun (Watson) didn’t practice Monday, but you said that he threw inside. Will that be the case again today?
“He’ll be rehabbing today. There may be some throwing part of that, but it’s rehab.”
This would be a big challenge for you coaches with a healthy Deshaun (Watson), 49ers, after everything you said. How much more of a challenge is it to break in another quarterback?
“Yeah, I think you have to embrace opportunities. You have to embrace these challenges. Our players love the idea of playing a great team. We love going up against good coaches. I know a ton of their coaches. I know how good they are. So, it’s exciting. I mean, you get to watch them on tape. You see what makes them good. It’s a good scheme with good players. So, all of our players, all of our coaches embrace that challenge.”
Where is Myles (Garrett) with his foot injury, is giving him the day off today more precautionary?
“Precautionary.”
How might the quarterback injury situation affect your guys’ willingness to involve the quarterback in the run game?
“It really just depends on what the game plan calls for. Whatever you need to do to move the football, find a way to win. We’ll always do that.”
I think you said that before the Baltimore game, he (Watson) would wear some sort of protection on that shoulder.
“I don’t recall that, Jeff (Schudel), saying that. I’m not sure.”
With David (Njoku), obviously the burns and then he played right away. So, the thing that’s keeping him from practice, could that keep him out Sunday?
“Yeah, it’s a serious injury, as you guys know, so he’s working through it. He’s not ready yet to participate in practice. We’ll see how this goes over the next couple of days.”
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