Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (11.3.24)

Opening Statement:

“Okay, obviously very disappointed with today, that first half. Costly mistakes hurt us and then we just could not dig out of that hole in the second half. So extremely disappointed and we got to learn from this. With that, I’ll take any questions.”

 

What happened on the coverage on those two deep touchdown passes? 

“Yeah, miscommunications. We have to be better and we will better. Those are costly. We can’t do that.”

 

Same thing both times, Kevin?

“Yeah, I’d say it’s in some ways a miscommunication, yes.”

 

What did you see from the (Los Angeles) Chargers defense that seemed to make it so hard for you guys? 

“Well, it’s a good defense. We knew that going into it. They were stout, we weren’t good enough on third down in the first half. I think that was a big key, not being able to sustain drives in that first half.”

 

What about Jameis (Winston) with the three picks? Obviously not what you wanted.

“No, and again, we knew that team that we’re going up against was preying on takeaways early in the season. So, we have to do a better job of taking care of the ball.”

 

Was there any thought in the fourth quarter of putting in DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson)? 

“No, we’re just going to continue to fight.”

 

So, Kevin, at 2-7 where do you go from here? 

“Yeah, I’m not thinking really big picture, Jeff (Schudel). I’m thinking about we need to play better bottom line.”

 

You went with Dawand (Jones) at left tackle, again. Jed (Jedrick Wills Jr.) was a not healthy scratch, but what was the reasoning behind it? Are you trying to see what you have in Dawand at left tackle? 

“Well, we moved him over there in that first week, first time over there. I thought he did okay and would do better. So, I wanted to keep him over there, keep that development going.”

 

You had two special teams miscues today, the return led to a touchdown, blocked field goal led to a touchdown. Just how disappointing is to have that unit not play as well as we’ve seen?

“Yeah, we own these, Daryl (Ruiter). Offense, defense, special teams, we have to play better on all three sides of the ball. We got to coach better on all three sides of the ball, but we own it. It’s all of us.”

 

Did you feel like guys were getting open in the passing game? 

“It’s hard to say. Obviously, it’s not as simple as that in terms of we got to protect, we got to make decisions, all those types of things.”

 

You guys obviously really wanted to build on last week’s win and try to keep this thing going a little bit, just being at home.

“Yeah, that’s why it’s very disappointing. I mean, it’s tough to not play to our best. That’s really frustrating.”

 

You get six sacks in the first half, you have great pressure, and then you get them in third and long and they’re able to get those long passes. 

“Yeah, the third downs in the first half were the key to this game. How we performed on offense, how we performed on defense. We had them in some really good distances there and we had some miscommunications, and it hurt us.”

 

Is there any sign that (Jim) Harbaugh benefited from his brother’s game the week before? 

“No.”

 

Were you surprised by something that they shut down? 

“No.”

 

Why do you think you’ve been unable as a team to kind of sustain any positive momentum you’ve gotten? 

“Well, I think, listen, we’re not playing good enough to win a football game, especially in that first half. We did not play well enough; we didn’t play well enough on all three sides of the ball. So that’s our focus really more than anything is finding a way to not beat ourselves, not have costly mistakes because they will hurt you.”

 

There was a report during the game that Za’Darius (Smith) will be traded to Detroit. Any comment on that?

“I don’t have any comments on those type of things.”

 

As far as Jameis just kind of swinging around there, trying to get back in the game in the second half, do you fault him in any way with just kind of throwing it around? 

“Well, I think you learn from every mistake, Mary Kay (Cabot), and I think there’s some plays that I think he can learn from for sure. We were definitely going to play a style to try to get back in that game. More wide open, if you will, just trying to score some points. But I think you learn from every mistake, if you will. But it’s something that he’s got to — we have to do a better job of taking care of the ball.”

 

I know I ask you this every week and you said that he was your starter for the rest of the season. But now at 2-7 and after a game like this, is he still your starter?

“Yes, and again, those are the type of things that we just have to play better as a team.

 

What do you make of Myles’ (Garrett) performance today?

“I thought he played really well. I thought he got pressure early and often in that game. Unfortunately, some of those big plays that we gave up, we put ourselves in that hole in the second half. But we were getting off the field quite a bit in the second half. Just didn’t sustain it like we need to.”

 

Does this change anything at all about your bye week plans? I mean, would they have gotten a extra day off?

“No, our plan was already in place.”