Here is my Thursday column on the 49ers’ upcoming game against the awful Jaguars. Beating the Jaguars is way down the list of important things the 49ers must accomplish this weekend. Beating the Jaguars isn’t even top-three. Beating the Jaguars is expected. Everyone beats the Jaguars. The Jaguars are the worst. The 49ers should treat this game like an exhibition or a scrimmage. There is no way the 49ers lose…
Jim Harbaugh spoke to reporters Wednesday in London. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. What’s been the biggest challenge thus far in acclimating to The Grove and the situation here? “Can’t say what the biggest challenge has been. But, it’s a great place to set up camp. Honker down in a great football environment. I think we have everything we need. Great set up here at The…
Jim Harbaugh spoke on KNBR from London on Tuesday. Here is a transcript. Q: Where are you guys? HARBAUGH: It’s a hotel. We’ve got a real nice football facility set up, field, weight room, locker rooms. We turned conference rooms into offices and meeting rooms. It’s very good. I would compare it to our setup in Youngstown or when were in New Orleans for the Super Bowl. Q: How have…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jim Harbaugh made an interesting digression in his postgame interview. Here it is. HARBAUGH: Great road win. Had a lot of families here for this game. Daniel Kilgore had close to 100 friends and relatives. Patrick Willis’ family was here. Quinton Patton is from here, his mom came over and cooked for us last night. It was a neat day. You could see it brewing when we…
Colin Kaepernick spoke in the locker room Wednesday afternoon.
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here is a transcript. Q: What are your early impressions on Tank Carradine and Quinton Dial? HARBAUGH: It’s early. Had some walkthrough at this point. Excited, that’s my impression. I know they are. It’s much like their first day in football. I’m sure that there is some gravel in the gut and some anticipation, excitement, nerves, all those…
Here is my Tuesday column on the wave incident at Candlestick Park last Sunday, October 13. SANTA CLARA – You and I are supposed to feel contempt for certain football fans in San Francisco and Houston this week. Last Sunday in Houston, some Texans fans cheered when Matt Schaub, their own quarterback, sprained his ankle in the third quarter and limped out of the game. Cold. A few hours later…
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the defensive meeting room Monday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. Were there a few more people getting treatment today after having such a physical game yesterday? “It was normal, a normal day.” Did it seem like a more physical game than usual? “It was very physical.” On the 18-play drive in the fourth quarter, how well-executed…
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Friday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. You have a new quarterback. Why bring in QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson? “Really, always liked him. Always had a plan for him to be here. He just went to Minnesota after the first year. So, now we’re reconnected. It aligned and we had a chance to get him and put…
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. Coach, you want to comment, we just reported that three felony charges have been filed against LB Aldon Smith in connection with weapons and his party in 2012? Will you comment? “Well, the organization has a statement. My comment would be, we’ve been aware of the incident that you’re…
Arizona Cardinals’ head coach Bruce Arians spoke on a conference call with Bay Area reporters Wednesday morning. Here is a transcript. Q: Do you feel like your team is getting better each week as we go along here? ARIANS: We are starting to improve each week. Offensively it’s taken a little more time than we had hoped, but special teams and defense so far have been playing pretty solid. Q:…
Here is my Tuesday column on Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers’ 31st-ranked passing game. SANTA CLARA – You could argue Colin Kaepernick has been one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL this season. He definitely has been the worst starting quarterback in the Bay Area. The Raiders’ Terrelle Pryor has outperformed Kaepernick in nearly every statistical category. Kaepernick was great Week 1 against the Packers but since then Kaepernick…
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the defensive meeting room Monday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Any word on Ray McDonald’s injured bicep? HARBAUGH: Not yet, no. Q: Did anything strike you on film last night about the way your team played last night? HARBAUGH: There was a lot of good, good overall play. Very disciplined, evidenced by the penalties, three penalties and one was a delay of…
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Friday afternoon. Here’s a transcript. Q: What’s the outlook for Patrick Willis for Sunday’s game? HARBAUGH: We’ll see. He’s progressing good every day. We’ll see what the chances are tomorrow and the next day. Q: How did Michael Wilhoite look this week in practice? HARBAUGH: Good, good. He’s done a nice job in games and practice. Q: Is he at…
Here is my Thursday column about the 49ers’ signing of John Skelton. SANTA CLARA – You think you know Jim Harbaugh, and then he goes and signs John Skelton as a backup quarterback. Signing Skelton is a defining move of the Harbaugh Era. Not because Skelton is good. He isn’t. He represents a dramatic shift in the 49ers’ offensive philosophy. Skelton does not fit into the offense the 49ers have…
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Would you address the move of releasing B.J. Daniels and bringing in John Skelton? What’s your reasoning for that move? HARBAUGH: Felt like we wanted to have two veteran quarterbacks, two guys who have started games, played in games, won games. Felt like that’s what we needed to do at this time. We’ll…
SANTA CLARA – John Skelton spoke at his locker Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: What are your thoughts about coming to this team and initial impressions? SKELTON: I’m excited. When I first talked to the coaching staff about the possibility of coming here, I got super pumped, just being able to work with Coach Harbaugh and the rest of the staff. I think his track record, especially for…
Before the 49ers play the Texans Sunday at Candlestick, I’ll break down a few key matchups. RG Alex Boone: 6-8, 300 pounds vs. LE J.J. Watt: 6-5, 289 It’s the best defensive player in the NFL vs. the 12th-best guard according to Pro Football Focus. The 49ers have had success running power off right tackle the past two weeks, especially with Boone as a pulling blocker. Will Greg Roman and…
ST. LOUIS – Here are the grades for the 49ers’ 35-11 win over the Rams. KAEPERNICK: B+. He played very well – 115.7 passer rating – even though he rarely went through his progessions. He didn’t have to – in this game his first read usually was open. This season if his first read isn’t open, he scrambles. On one play in the fourth quarter Kaepernick started scrambling to his…
Here is my Tuesday column on the upcoming 49ers-Rams game. You don’t have to look hard to find reasons to pick the 49ers to beat the Rams Thursday night in St. Louis. Here’s one: The Rams stink. Last Sunday they got destroyed by the Cowboys, a .500 team the past two seasons. And the Rams showed no emotion while they got stomped. It was like they expected it and didn’t…
