SANTA CLARA — Colin Kaepernick spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers P.R. department.
You guys got out to a fast start in each of the last two games. Has that been a point of emphasis? And if so, is it even more so given the crowd situation in Seattle?
“I think we’ve come out and executed better to start the games. That’s something we’re trying to do throughout the whole game.”
Are you emphasizing that even more coming into this game?
“It’s same as every week. We want to execute every play we run at a high level. The more we do that, the more points we’ll put up.”
How motivated are you by the last two performances in Seattle, and kind of have a different outcome this time for yourself versus them?
“Well, those games really don’t matter at this point. We’re trying to win this game to get to where we want to be.”
You’ve always said you throw to receivers because they get open and that’s why you throw to them. Is it that way with WR Anquan Boldin, he was just always getting open, or is it something else?
“No, it’s him and [WR Michael Crabtree] Crab both. They’re doing a great job getting open. [WR] Quinton’s [Patton] making plays, [TE] Vernon’s [Davis] making plays, there is a lot of people getting open on our team.”
With Anquan, can you throw it even if he’s a little bit covered just because you know he’s going to catch it?
“At times, yes.”
When you’re in the huddle before a big play that might decide the game and you’re getting the play, are you emotional or is your tone of voice just sort of matter of fact, like any other play?
“Well, you never know what play in the game is going to be the big play. So, you really can’t change your tone before you know it’s going to happen.”
What is your tone like, just soft, matter of fact?
“Trying to win. Whatever tone that is.”
What is head coach Jim Harbaugh’s when he’s calling the plays into you?
“Depends how excited he is.”
When you’re in the huddle in Seattle, how difficult is it to simply communicate the play call to all 10 other guys?
“It depends what you’re trying to get done. I think for the most part we’ve done a pretty good job of communicating while we were up there, we just haven’t executed.”
Are there times where you have to repeat it several times so that everybody can hear?
“At times.”
Even with those previous games in Seattle not being predictive of the future, are there certain stadiums where you have a bigger comfort level or certain opponents where either you have their number or they have yours to any degree?
“I wouldn’t say that. I think the biggest thing is we haven’t played well when we went up there and they do have a good defense. So, we have to go up, we have to execute at a high level.”
Can you describe what you learned and sort of how you have changed from last year to this year when it comes to the playoffs?
“I wouldn’t say there is a huge difference. I think for me it’s experience and comfort level with the offense and what we’re trying to do, how we want to get it done, things of that nature.”
What makes Jim Harbaugh a good head coach? What’s his best quality as a head coach?
“He knows how to motivate people. He knows how to get people to go out and execute for each other every day.”
Give me an example?
“Not off the top of my head.”
Two such physical teams will be playing on Sunday, you and the Seattle Seahawks. How much of this game will be won at the line of scrimmage?
“I think a lot of it will be. They have a great front seven and we have a great offensive line and vice versa, and I think that’s where the game will be decided.”
You almost had a chance to go to baseball. The games are so different. Is there emotion in baseball as much as football?
“I wouldn’t say it’s the same emotion. I think football, there is a lot more going on, it is a lot more of an emotional sport, there is a lot more invested in my opinion.”
What has RB Frank Gore done over this season that’s most impressed you, some of the things maybe behind the scenes that we don’t see?
“He works. He works at his craft, from before practice doing drills to being in meetings, going over protections, knowing where he wants to hit different holes and ultimately going out and performing. He’s a true professional.”
How come you have been so successful on the road? You have been able to maintain that level away. What do you point to for that?
“Good teammates. Good coaches.”
What is the back story on your new headphone commercial that’s out there? Can you share some of that experience with us?
“As far as what?”
How did that get started? Any parallel there with the fact that it’s so loud in Seattle maybe if you have your headphones on you won’t hear what’s going on?
“No, I wore the headphones for a long time and they wanted to do a deal so we did.”
What can you tell us about just the challenge there, you turned the ball over a couple of times the past couple of times you played them. How much is that experience attribute to why you’ve turned the ball over up there?
“We do have to protect the football. That’s something that we haven’t done very well up there. I think going into this game we have to make sure we do that so we can come out with a win.”
What do they do, where do they challenge you on that that makes it difficult?
“They have a good defense, so there’s times that they make plays. The more we can eliminate that and make plays on our side of the ball the better off we will be.”
How do you tune out the talk that this team is doing great but they’ve struggled in Seattle, the last two games have lost in Seattle?
“It’s a different game. It’s a whole separate entity.”
So many people see those three Pro-Bowlers in the Seahawks’ secondary and think that’s their strength. You’ve cited the front-seven. Can you talk a little bit more about the front-seven up there?
“They have a great front seven. They’re fast, they’re physical, they play hard, they know what they want to get done. That’s where a lot of their strength comes from.”
What’s the bigger challenge in that department than compared to say Carolina or Green Bay where you had some success?
“I think they’re similar to Carolina, as far as they’re a very physical defense, they’re going to come downhill and they’re going to try and make plays.”
In terms of the venue and the crowd specifically?
“Oh, it’s a little bit louder in Seattle.”
Do you guys get sick and tired of the “12th man” stuff and hearing about it nonstop? Does that ever, in the locker room, do you guys play it up at all?
“We only have 11 on the field just like them.”
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