SANTA CLARA – Both Niner coordinators spoke in the media tent this afternoon. I’m giving you the transcript of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s interview first.
Q: When you look at the Cowboys what are some of the aspects of their offense that stand out to you?
FANGIO: Just their overall talent level jumps off the screen at you, starting off with Romo, Bryant, Witten, Jones, Austin, you name it. These guys are loaded up. They’ve got a good line. These guys played really well against the Jets in the first game – they scored 24 points against the Jets which is one of the better defenses in the league. Had opportunities to score more and definitely didn’t take advantage of them. The Cowboys will definitely be, when it’s all said and done, one of the better teams in the league record-wise this year.
Q: You said they have a good offensive line, yet they have three young, inexperienced guys on it. What makes you say that about their line?
FANGIO: They’ve got the top-ten draft pick (Tyron Smith) as one of those starters, so obviously he’s a guy that’s highly thought of by everybody, us included. He is a first time starter but he’s a good player. They still have Free at left tackle. I thought their guards and center played well in the game against the Jets the other night. They ran the ball well against a team that was loading (to stop the run). It may not have looked it statistically, but they were competitive running the ball the whole game. That played a big part in them getting the 24 points and having those other opportunities for more.
Q: How much did you use the first series of the Seattle game to gauge how you were going to call the rest of the game?
FANGIO: Not so much the first series. I think that’s something you decide between each and every series of the game, not just the first. The complexion of the game changes as you go on. Obviously, the first half we played well. It wasn’t going quite as well in the second half. We were up and down a little bit. The complexion of the game changes from series to series, and you react to that.
Q: How long will it be before you’ve got a firm handle on the personality or the identity of the defense?
FANGIO: It takes more than one game and the preseason. But really your team evolves during the season. You kind of get a feel, both from the coaches’ stand point and the players’ just what your dominant personality is going to be, what style best suits you. That could change from week to week also. We go into a game with a complete pressure package. If we need it, we think it’s the right way to go we use it. If we don’t, we’ll play four-man rush coverages. To me, game to game, and it can change within a game. We have a package where we pressure a lot. We have a package where we won’t pressure a lot. That will change more so by the opponent than by what we may want to be in a particular game as a personality. We’re capable of playing both styles.
Q: How much did you rely on Carlos Rogers this week in film preparation since he has so much experience against the Cowboys?
FANGIO: Very little. You’d ask him if he played against this receiver and what he thinks about him. Very little. All that stuff is overdone.
Q: Parys Haralson has been a three-down player the last few seasons. Now that he’s a two-down player can you expect more out of him.
FANGIO: There’s no question that probably one of the reasons he was able to come in there late to get that last sack on the last play for us was, you know, he was fresher. The other guys had just rushed a bunch of plays in a short period of time, and he came in there a little fresher and took advantage of the situation. It helps being able to roll those guys when you get into a fourth quarter of a game and it’s a lot of pass rusher. That’s the most taxing thing that happens in a football game is guys rushing the passer.
Q: He was in for Ahmad Brooks on that play?
FANGIO: He was in for Ahmad on that play.
Q: What’s the status of Shawntae Spencer on the team right now?
FANGIO: He’s still working back. I think a big mistake you can make any time a guy’s injured, although he may be cleared medically, you’re talking about with Shawntae, he basically had zero training camp for us. Not only did he not have the offseason because of the lockout, he had no training camp. I think he got hurt very early on the second practice we were in. So he essentially had no training camp. He’s not in football shape as of last week. Although he’s cleared medically, he’s still not really ready to play NFL football. He would have played if he had to (last week), and we were prepared to play him, but there comes a point in time even though you’re cleared medically, that your body needs to be right to play in an NFL game, and he’s getting closer to that.
Q: People talk about Donte Whitner’s intelligence as a football player. Has that struck you?
FANGIO: First off, one of the reasons he’s so intelligent football-wise is because he is an intelligent person No. 1. No. 2, he really likes football. He gets into learning football, studying the game plan, studying the opponent, doing the right thing. It’s a combination of him having an innate intelligence as well as a true love for the game and wanting to do well. When you combine that together you get a very smart football player and we’re very happy we have him.
Q: Have you had any conversations with the league about that hit Madieu Williams made?
FANGIO: It was a legal hit.
Q: Did the league tell you that?
FANGIO: I guess I don’t know if I should say that, but it was a legal hit.
Q: That’s what you teach?
FANGIO: He did nothing wrong there.
Q: Did Ray McDonald surprise you at all with the way he played.
FANGIO: He’s been, I don’t want to use the word “surprise” but he’s been better that I thought he was. He’s really played well for us right from the get go. He’s defended the run well. He’s given us good pass rush. He has definitely emerged and picked his game up to another level than I think it’s been in the last year or two. We’re really glad to have him. He’s a good football player – both run and pass. He’s not a one-trick pony. He can play both.
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