Vernon Davis: “I’ve been healthy since the Bye week. I’ve been full go.”

SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of Vernon Davis’ Wednesday interview.

ME: Last season, you had 8 touchdowns in the red zone.

V.DAVIS: That sounds good.

ME: This season you have one target in the red zone, and it was Week 1. Why is that?

V.DAVIS: I don’t know why, either. I’ve been here for nine years now. All I can do is just take care of my assignments and do my job and play as hard as I possibly can and do whatever it takes to help this team win. And that’s what I’m here for. As far as not getting those touchdowns or those yards, I’m not sure. I’ll leave that up to the coaches.

ME: Have you talked to the coaches about it? You help the team win when you’re involved in the red zone.

V.DAVIS: I did not talk to them about it. I don’t feel like it’s something I need to do. They’re aware, so I will let them continue to do their job and I will do mine.

Q: You’ve had dry spells before. Does that give you confidence now?

V.DAVIS: Yeah, I know everything always works itself out. If you’re working hard and you’re doing the right things, it will come. It’s just a matter of time. I know that I have to be optimistic, keep my faith and just keep working hard.

Q: You had some injuries earlier in the year — your back and your knee and your ankle. Where are you health-wise?

V.DAVIS: I’ve been healthy since the Bye week. I’ve been full-go, running and just having fun.

Q: Your stats are down. Are you the same player that you’ve been in the past?

V.DAVIS: I would like to think so. I feel like I’m doing the same things I’ve been doing in practice since I’ve got here. It starts in practice, that’s where it all starts. If anyone is asking that question, I just tell them to come to practice.

 

This article has 49 Comments

  1. Vernon we don’t care about practice. We care about Sunday’s. You do what you need to do in practice and then make it happen on game day!

  2. Running and having fun isn’t enough Vernon. It’s not what you get paid for. They want you to make attempts at catching some balls that are not just right in your bread basket.

  3. Note to Kap throw all VD passes at his head as his catch rate multiples when he gets to leap and catch in stride.

  4. Imagine this: G. Roman calls Jimmy Raye to talk about the trouble in the Red Zone

    GR: Jimmy Raye, I can’t figure out why we can’t score in the Red Zone…
    JR: Throw it to Vernon
    GR: I mean we try Crabs it doesn’t work…
    JR: Throw it to Vernon
    GR: We try Gore up the gut, it doesn’t work…
    JR: Are you listening to me, boy? Throw it to Vernon Davis!

  5. I just don’t believe him when he says he’s a full go. His play is has not been indicative of someone who is….

    1. Razor:

      Well, yeah, but that’s because he’s faking and has quit on the team. Dr. 23jordan says so.

      1. Not sold on that theory Claude, but I haven’t bought any Jamba Juice or invested in any of the VD stock or brand. The perception is he may have spread himself out too thin, consequently tapping into his passion for the game. That perception was ignited by the hold out before he was against it. A dominant, physical performance on Thanksgiving would go a long way into erasing that perception, however it’s hard to do when you’re dealing an ongoing physical impairment. When the season is over, it will not surprise me in the least to find out, just as we did with Kaepernick last year, that he was indeed playing with such….

        1. Razor:

          Not sold on that theory

          No one is, except for jordan. But given his extensive medical training and uncanny ability to diagnose ailments based upon what he sees on his TV (it’s hi-def!), we have to consider it.

          1. VD is not that crazy, but after what Brooks pulled, I would put more credibility in that theory if it involved him. Even then, along with the 1080 p @ 60 fps, it is hard to see….

          2. A great way to “protect your brand” is giving the appearance of dogging it. Let’s hope, following his medical career, Jordo doesn’t get into the public relations biz.

  6. Knowing that Harbaugh doesn’t criticize his players in front of the media it seems obvious that he doesn’t give an answer as to why VD isn’t targeted more. He couldn’t really give an answer without saying something not flattering about VD to the press. Like he is not a trusted agent in that sort of situation. Or we thought about using him as a defender in the red zone because he did an excellent job of breaking up that sure TD pass to McDonald.

  7. In my opinion it’s not all on Davis,

    He can’t throw it to himself so it falls back on Kaep for the most part. And from what I’ve seen #7 has been either inaccurate or late getting the ball to Davis in space so he can do serious damage.

    49er Empire….

    Your thoughts?

    1. Davis needs to catch with his hands. He needs to deliver blows rather than taking them. He needs to protect the football better when running with it. Kaepernick needs to be more decisive and accurate, and could do a better job of protecting the football too. The team needs to improve offensively, and I think they will because they have a bunch of competitors and workers in that group….

      1. I think this is the game the offense starts to really click together. I think Vernon is a big part of the struggle on the offense. It seems like the offense is trying to go back to the identity they’ve been successful with, but Vernon was a big part of that success. They need to get him going.

      2. Hasn’t Davis “disappeared” midseason in the past, only to show up for the end of the season and the playoffs?

  8. Davis needs to hit the field fired up. Call for the ball. Show that he wants to be out there and be part of the reason that they are winning.
    I question his honesty in terms of being healthy though. I have not seen him run away from anyone in a while. Haven’t seen him make a good catch in a while either.

    1. I’m not sure how you got that avatar through, but lose it man. No need to sink to that level.

      We all have our differences, but I’d like to think we don’t have to resort to a 12 year old level of response.

  9. Washington is top 10 in yards in both defense and offense.

    So much talent, but just can’t put it together.

    1. Ya think perhaps Shanny sold too much
      of the farm for RG III ?

      (h-mmm … maybe the ‘Skins should call
      1-800- Vinny Testaverde)

              1. I’m saying if AZ can go back into SEA and win, the mystique of 12th jerk down could be dwindling.
                And I already know who’s the best team in the NFC West.
                Niners win out!
                12-4. After that TBD.

              2. Niners will drop one more game. Not sure how or where, but it’s going to come down to a simple play, and someone is gonna blow it and that will be that. Not saying it’s going to be Kaep, but I wouldn’t rule it out where he throws the ball so hard it hits a ref who was ready to throw a PI penalty on a DB, maybe Sherman! But then the ref is knocked out by the Kaep Rocker, and the ball is deflected into the air back at Kaepernick, who tripped over a line-man and is sprawled out on the ground, and then some lunatic fan wearing a Number 7 jersey runs out onto the field, calling everyone a douchebag, he dives on top of Kaep to save him from the runaway football. The ball would have bounced on the ground as in incomplete, but instead hits the douche bag right on his butt. The ball is live, the opponents pick it up, run it back for a pick 6. Ball game.
                The good news is Kaep threw for over 400 yards. Bad news — no TD in the 4 quarter, unless you count the score for the other team.
                Other good news — Ref got knocked out by a Kaep laser! Other bad news he was trying to hit Vernon Davis but missed by a mile.
                Go Niners!

              3. Fan, you are hilarious, but not in the way you wish. More like a “B” movie that doesn’t receive a single star review and never makes it to a theater. So terribly scripted and badly acted that you just have to laugh at it when played for insomniacs at 2 am on cable .

  10. Maybe in poor taste by XLIX is certainly, uh, creative.

    Stepped into some dog doo in my Red Wing Engineers during lunch break. Come back to the office, what’s that smell? Had to go home and change boots. Smell is still here. It’s been that kind of day…

  11. I’ve said it before and don’t mind repeating it again, I don’t believe that VD has quit on the team.

    Evidently there were some injury issues pre-bye week that limited VD’ output. Since the bye week he has had a couple of drops, one may have gone for big yards except that VD took his eyes off the ball to see the safety coming his way. Another pass was thrown out of his reach that may covered a nice gain as well.

    VD has never had vise-grips for hands – so the drops are not surprising. I happen to think that VD hasn’t really had a good sample size to truly weigh his production.
    VD can, and I believe will be a valuable contributor in the coming weeks.
    His numbers obviously will not match his past seasons, but he will come through sooner than later.

    1. I don’t think many people think he has quit on the team.

      But as I have said before, I think he may be struggling a little with motivation and focus. It’s not uncommon, it is hard to maintain the same level of motivation and focus over an extended period of time, especially if you are on the emotional side like Vernon and have been through three tough seasons of nearly, but not quite, getting there.

  12. My two bold predictions for the week are…..
    Oakland wins tonight to get their first win of the season.
    Davis catches 2 TD’s in an offensive route over Washington

  13. Anyone want to try the “comparison game”? Vernon and Gronkowski can be considered comparable TE’s, top 5 the last few years, both matchup nightmares with gamebreaking (although in different ways, Gronk breaking tackles, Vernon speed) abilities.
    What I mean is, I haven’t seen enough N.E. games the last few years to compare. But isn’t it true that Gronk’s injuries have been much more serious, even career-threatening, yet at least this season Vernon’s production has been almost non-existent, whereas Gronk seemed to gut it out more, and contribute more? It’s hard to tell just looking at the stats and Wiki pages or whatever…

  14. ***I should add “when they played”, I know Gronk missed 14 games throught the 2012 and 2013 seasons…

  15. Currently I can’t with a straight face rank VD top 5 TE in the league.

    I still can’t believe how Saints Graham looked unstoppable against a fangio def. NE Gronk is also another player that can dominate a game.

    Really strange how VD just isn’t dominating. His arrow has always been up. This has to be one of if not his worst season since drafted.

Comments are closed.