SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of C.J. Beathard’s Week 8 Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers P.R. department.
Your wide receiver corps has been battling some level of injury with WR Pierre Garçon and WR Trent Taylor and obviously WR Dante Pettis and WR Marquise Goodwin. How hard has that been just not always having guys at practice, having guys at other positions? How much has that affected their lack of production?
“It definitely makes it a little bit tougher just not having the same guys getting the same reps every week. It’s nice to have a routine, same guys in there. Obviously, it would help to have everyone healthy as it would at any position, but that’s part of football and you’ve just got to go with the guys that you have in there and trust in them.”
What do you do at practice? I don’t know if anything’s different this week, but what do you do at practice generally to focus on holding onto the ball and not turning it over?
“Nothing really any different than what we do. I think a lot of stuff goes into that. We do what we do in practice, focus on trying to take care of the ball and watching film and seeing their tendencies and which players are good at getting their hands up and reaching for balls and kind of having that in the back of your mind.”
Obviously, the defense has struggled getting the ball as well. On the practice field, have you noticed any increase in tenacity on their part, trying to rip the ball out or trying to pick you off more?
“Definitely. We’ve put an emphasis on it. [Head coach] Kyle’s [Shanahan] put an emphasis on it. You can definitely see it out at practice, guys going for the ball and trying to punch balls out.”
So, it kind of works both ways?
“Yeah, obviously it does, but I’m not necessarily going against our number one defense in practice all of the time. We go against them for some reps, but not all of the time.”
Last time you guys played Arizona, Arizona Cardinals OLB Chandler Jones obviously was getting back there. Are you more aware of him now?
“Definitely. Definitely more aware of him and know his range and his length and the kind of player he is. Definitely more aware of him.”
Have you noticed a different sort of feeling whether it’s in the huddle or the locker room, when you play on the road, just in terms of the urgency you have or how you react to the atmosphere away from this place?
“I don’t really notice anything different. We go out there with the same mindset every game and try to win whether it’s home or away.”
What is it about TE George Kittle that makes it easy for you guys to connect on the field so much more?
“I think he’s just a good route runner. He’s talented, he’s athletic so he can turn little plays into big ones. Obviously, we’ve had chemistry going back to college so I can kind of read him and know what he’s doing pretty easily. But, he’s just a really talented athlete and player and he’s doing really well.”
Is that history with you, obviously that’s part of it, but do you feel like you’re building that more with your other receivers? I know it’s been hard because you had less consistency with who’s been out there?
“Definitely the more reps you get with guys, the better you feel with them, the more consistent you feel with them. It’s tough sometimes when those guys aren’t practicing or not getting the reps and they’re out a week here or there. But, like I said before, it’s part of football. You’ve got to go with the guys you’ve got and I’ve got all of the faith in those guys and that’s how it is.”
ME: In terms of your turnovers, do you feel you need to alter your game to be more cautious or do you need to keep doing what you’re doing and the luck will come?
“I feel like a lot of them are just unfortunate plays. There’s a couple that are bad decisions. Green Bay, I wish I would have put the ball out more. But, a lot of them aren’t bad reads, they’re just unfortunate plays. But, obviously I’m going to work on taking care of the ball better, whether it be in the pocket or throwing the ball.”
You talked about Marquise and his speed and how that kind of keeps a defense honest. Do you see Dante Pettis and his return something similar?
“Definitely. Dante’s a big-time guy to have back for us. He poses threats whether it be his speed or route running. He’s got good hands. So, it’s nice to have another good receiver thrown in the mix, a guy that we haven’t had for however long it’s been. It’ll be nice to get him back out there practicing today.”
When you’re watching the Cardinals film, did Arizona Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson jump out at all on tape as a quarterback?
“Yeah, he’s just one of the best corners in the game. He’s a guy that you’ve got to be aware of when he’s out there, where he’s at. He’s got a lot of experience so he knows quarterbacks’ tendencies whether it be quick-game feet, five-step feet, good with eyes. He’s seen it all. So, he’s a veteran player at that and he’s just a good player.”
He announced that he no longer wants to be traded so he’s going to play for them Sunday.
“I figured he would. I wasn’t thinking anything else.”
Unfortunate…like your career is taking an unfortunate turn. Harbaugh went way too far in creating a restrictive media environment during his tenure. Shanahan is at the other extreme. Too bad it took Grant’s snark to point out how Kyle has adopted a ready, fire, aim approach to his press conferences. I couldn’t find the words like Grant did but when he said “CJ is the best QB in the building” I immediately took that as an obvious brain fart but failed to express the obvious. Grant picked up on what I was thinking immediately like in: “Hey Dude, it’s your building and YOU are responsible for who is in it.” That’s why they pay him the big bucks and I’m just an old timer who is frustrated beyond expression.- I do have to say that the KS regime has added something that I was never aware existed in football at any level: That some things are just “written in the stars” and, even though we’re all working so well on our program….well- sh-eye-t just happens.
That turnover question seemed too easy. My question during my turn would have been, how much faster are you processing through your reads as opposed to last year, and do you feel as though the clock in your head to either get rid of the ball or run needs to be quicker?
The last 7 meetings between 49ers and Cardinals it is 0-7. The last win was on Dec 2014 and Harbaugh was the coach.
Its fair to say the Cardinals (actually Bruce Arians) have dominated us.
That being said, should see a good bounce back from CJ.
With fumbles mistakes are usually involved, but in who recovers the fumble it usually depends on the luck of the bounce. There is one area the bounces have not been going in 49ers favor. They seem to be losing all their fumbles while not recovering any of the oppositions .
There’s fumbles and then there’s extractions. The play Donald The Dominator made on Breida was an extraction.
Didn’t take Chad Kelly long to get himself bounced out of the league.
Let’s hope the O (QB, RB’s and WR’s ) stop having Unfortunate Plays.
seat CJB play Mullens!!
I will root for CJB to succeed, but still think superior alternatives exist.
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Thankfully, the level of competition make these next 3 games winnable.
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Unfortunate? Sounds unlucky. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Hope they can prepare themselves.
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If only they do not beat themselves……
http://www.knbr.com/2018/10/24/dante-pettis-eager-to-return-after-terrible-three-plus-weeks-of-sitting/
“In the three games that Pettis missed, all losses, the 49ers receivers averaged just 126 receiving yards per game.”
“Kyle Shanahan has featured tight end George Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the absences of Pettis and Goodwin, who missed games in Week 2 and Week 5. When the passing attack has succeeded, it typically highlighted screen plays and misdirection.”
“If he does not, Pettis will see reps in Garcon’s place at the “Z” spot, as opposed to his customary “X” spot, where Goodwin starts.”
So Pettis might play Z after all. X, Z, or slot, hope CJ can get him the ball.
“When you are hurt and not out there, there is not much you want to do besides just play football again,” Pettis said. “That being the first time I was out, I was like, ‘This is terrible. I have to get back on the field.’”
CJ, love him, but he’s a train wreck. Shall we just ignore this, hope for best, ot be realistic and put the yellow tape up now on what is an offensive Crime Scene.
Beathard is correct to a certain degree. His turnovers aren’t like Nate Peterman’s constantly throwing the ball to the other team type of turnovers. BUT his turnovers are avoidable. Beathard doesn’t have great pocket awareness. He doesn’t feel the pressure and move to a safe zone to throw. He improved in stepping up in the pocket but he’s still not clearing the danger area to make the throws. Not sure if that can be learned or if some guys have it and others don’t. Either way, Beathard is a backup and these snaps he’s getting are valuable for the future for him and the 49ers.
Agreed.
Don’t understand your position that developing a career backup is valuable for the team doing the developing. They invariably end up playing for a lot of different teams. I’d favor letting someone else develop a backup and then calling the union hall when there’s an opening. Other teams agree more with my philosophy. It seems like Kyle is bent on his system, his system, his system. I’ll buy in when “his system” produces wins on a consistent basis.
@Whine,
I agree with you to a certain extent. Most teams go into disaster recovery mode when the starting QB is hurt and their season tanks. That doesn’t always have to be the case though as the Eagles proved last year. IMO if the 49ers develop Beathard now and then get him on his 2nd contract to be a long term backup with years experience in Shanahan’s offense they can continue to be competitive even when the starting QB goes down. I don’t think Beathard will be highly sought after as a free agent so it is possible the 49ers could keep him for 5-7 years which is an eternity in the NFL. If he does develop into a desirable NFL QB then the 49ers could potentially get good compensation for him in a trade. Obviously, it sucks that JG got hurt but the 49ers could end up with an opportunity down the line by developing Beathard now.