49ers 17 - Broncos 16: Pictures and post-game comments

I'm heading back from San Diego at lunch time and have to say I'm rather excited to finally get to watch the game.  I know the 49ers beat the Broncos 17-16 and I know more or less what went down, but I still like being able to see it all with my own eyes.  In the meantime, I thought I'd roll out the post-game media sessions.  Also, feel free to click on the picture above to view some more shots from the game.  Due to the length, the transcripts are after the break.

For a conversation starter, that was probably discussed in the game threads (I'll be checking them out later today), any thoughts on Shaun Hill getting yanked after one series?  After the jump, Singletary addresses that and many other issues.  We also have several players' comments, including Alex Smith and Shaun Hil.

San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Mike Singletary
Post-game Quotes – 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

Opening Statement:
"Good evening. Thank God for pre-season."

On his impression of QB Shaun Hill and QB Alex Smith this game:
"You know, I thought they played okay. Nothing to really make you jump one way or the other. I thought they did a pretty decent job overall. I want to look at the film and see a little bit more in the reads or some of the missed opportunities. But overall, I thought it was okay."

On Shaun Hill coming out after one series:
"I think he got down the field. We had a chance to see what we wanted to see there. That’s pretty much a consistent. Alex Smith we just kind of had a couple of plays or shortened series and we just kept him going with that, Alex. I think with Shaun, we saw that and that was fine, and that was apparent with the number of plays that he got. Alex I think it was broken up a little bit more."

On why he said thank God for pre-season:
"Thank God for pre-season because it just wasn’t as sharp as you want it to be. The execution wasn’t as sharp as you want it to be. Thank God we got a few of them, because we need to play ourselves to our game-time, season, ready-to-go."

On if he has been swayed one way or the other by Smith or Hill’s performance:
"Have not. No, have not."

On if Smith is more of a mystery to him than Hill:
"I think Hill is less of a mystery. I think you kind of have a better idea of who he is and what he brings. But still, there are still some things there that Hill does from time to time and you look at it as you want to see more consistency going downfield. He’s great at managing the game. You know he can manage a game, but we can also throw the ball downfield, and something that’s very exciting to see. How consistent, and on what basis, that’s something we still have to look at, but we pretty much know what’s there."

On the 49ers’ two injuries in the game:
"With Zak Keasey, I think we had a fracture. There’s a situation there and we’ll look at that tomorrow, maybe an MRI and kind of determine for how long… to what extent is the damage and whatever. [Thomas] Clayton: knee sprain, same situation there. Just have to look at the damage tomorrow and get more information on both of those guys."

On if it is not as clear with Smith as it is with Hill what’s there:
"I would say that. I would say when you look at Shaun Hill, you have a situation where he’s had a chance to play and lead. We have a good read on him. We saw last year, in the second half of the season. Alex Smith, I think because of some of the injuries, because of the inconsistent playing time, I think that Alex is capable of some things and we need to know to what extent. How capable, how much better, so we just have to continue to watch it and see it."

On if the bullets were flying for Smith:
"The bullets were flying. The bullets were flying. I thought he did a pretty decent job here and there, but once again, nothing great. We just have to continue to watch the film, continue to do what we’re doing right now in our practices, and helping him get the fundamentals down and hope we have better results."

On the three interceptions in the first half:
"Well, I think our guys did a pretty decent job being where they needed to be. Maybe the quarterback thought he saw something higher that it works out. I’m going to say that [Kyle] Orton is a better quality quarterback than people think he is. He’s very solid, very consistent. I think our DB did a pretty decent job."

On if he saw what he thought he would from Denver Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan’s defense:
"I saw Mike play his defense. He mixed it up, and had some blitzes here and there. Whether it was a cover-2 guard, or 3 guard, or putting the safety on the edge. That’s what he does."

On if he knows what his quarterback rotation will be next game:
"No. Do not."

On who is FB Britt Miller:
"Are you talking about the fullback? He’s just a guy that’s going to give you all he has. He’s still learning to be a pro, still learning how to run routes and those sorts of things, but he continues to work his tail off."

On if he is comfortable with having Hill or Smith start:
"Absolutely."

On what he thought of the 49ers pass-rush today:
"What did you think of it? Non-existent. I’ll put it this way, I started out the session saying, ‘thank God for pre-season.’ We have to continue to work on it. We have to continue to get the right chemistry and momentum, but I’m not going to be disappointed or whatever. We will get to a quarterback, and I’m confident in that. We’ll see when the time comes."

On if tonight was an indication of how much the full back and the tight end will be a weapon in the passing game:
"I think when you start the season and you have to come down and make a decision on the quarterback and maybe that quarterback is not at the top of his game at the very beginning, you might have to run the ball some. He’s got to have a comfort zone somewhere and normally that’s going to be the running back out of the backfield or a tight end until he gains that confidence and momentum to begin to spread the ball out more. Hopefully at the beginning of the season, the quarterback will be at even more of a better place and we can spread it out at the very beginning, but we’ll just have to see how it goes."

On if he’s happy with RB Glen Coffee’s work:
"For the most part. I thought he did a pretty decent job. He ran hard, he did was he does it practice."

"All camp, they were emphasizing creating turnovers and trying to get our hands on the ball. We were able to put together some good coverage. The defensive line was able to put some pressure on the quarterback and he was able to throw us the football. That’s what we pride ourselves on, making big plays and we were able to get three which was huge."

On what it was like playing against his old team:
"It’s sort of odd because a lot of my friends are on the other side. I had a chance to chat with Champ [Bailey] and Brandon Stokley, he was one of my good friends, covering him in the slot. It’s like a rivalry, a fun rivalry, but at the same time I’m out here competing and I never thought I’d be in this uniform, but I’m here and I’m blessed to be here. It’s a good situation, a good head coach, but it’s a football town and I’m just glad to be a 49er right now."

On what it’s like playing opposite Nate Clements:
"I had a chance to play opposite of Champ and Nate has had a good career also, going into his 9th year. He has played in Pro Bowls, made a lot of plays and I think just having a chance to come and add what I can add to the secondary, good things are going to happen. Nate has had a great career and hopefully we can both benefit from playing in this secondary."

San Francisco 49ers LB Ahmad Brooks
Post-Game Quotes – 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On his assessment of tonight’s game against Denver:
"It was an alright game, we didn’t do as well as we thought we were going to do. We held it down for the most part. It was our first game together and we pulled out the victory."

On finally being able to play for the first time with the 49ers:
"I felt good. I was held out from playing for the past two seasons and it felt really good to get my feet back on dirt."

On what he thinks the defense needs to work on against the Oakland Raiders:
"We definitely need to be stouter on stopping the run. [The Broncos] were pretty much doing anything that they wanted to do. They were doing a lot of quick passes and they were also getting big yardage on the run game so we definitely need to step that up."

San Francisco 49ers CB Nate Clements
In-game Quotes – 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On the execution of the defense:
"I think that guys were just relaxed out there, taking chances, trusting and believing in what they saw. We weren’t really out there worried about what they were going to do we were more focused on what we could do."

On his interception:
"I saw the route and played my responsibility and he threw it. When an opportunity presented itself, I just made a play on it."

On the Broncos first offensive drive of the game:
"They were more efficient at executing than we were and that’s why [they] had the long drive. We had that bend but don’t break philosophy and they came away with zero points."

On what they can improve on next week:
"Just starting fast and just executing more efficiently on a regular basis."

On having two other defensive backs get interceptions:
"I like seeing all of our [defensive backs] get interceptions and just making plays because we’re game breakers."

San Francisco 49ers RB Glen Coffee
Post-Game Quotes – 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On FB Brit Miller’s play in the game:
"That’s crazy. If there’s an MVP of the game, he deserves it. For him to do that is great for him and I’m just happy for him."

On the defense’s play in the game with four interceptions:
"They definitely played well. We put them in a lot of situations and they came through for us. We’ve got to have the offense help the defense and the defense will help the offense and they did a great job."

On the excitement of getting out there:
"Yes, it was exciting. It’s just a start to a big future with this team, this organization. We’re definitely going to come out and win a lot of games this year. We definitely have the talent. There are a lot of guys on this team that can make plays, so it’s just about getting it done."

On his comfort level out there:
"You’re a little rusty when you first get out there, but after a few snaps, you get back to the way it used to be."

On whether he’s looking forward to getting balls like that all season:
"I’m looking forward to getting balls like that all season."

San Francisco 49ers TE Vernon Davis
Post-Game Quotes – 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On how it feels to know that he is going to be utilized in the offense:
"My thing is, I’m just going to take it one game at a time, one practice at a time and just continue to grow. I’m not worried about whether I’m being utilized or not. I’m going to take it slow and take it one game at a time and whatever happens, I’m going to do my job and take care of what I have to take care of, and let everything flow the way it needs to flow."

On whether he thinks this game is an extension of this spring and training camp, and how he is going to be featured in this offense:
"Most definitely. [Offensive Coordinator] Jimmy Raye is known for utilizing his tight ends and that is what you’ll get out of him. You’ll see him throw his tight ends the ball. That’s what he believes in, especially if you have a playmaker, you’ll get the ball."

San Francisco 49ers QB Shaun Hill
In-Game Quotes – 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On what the team did well on the field:
"We were able to move the ball and we had a big conversion on third down.  That last sack kind of hurt us. That was completely on me. The offensive line did a great job out there. So I’d like to have that play back and I feel like we could have gotten seven out of that."

On his comfort level with Vernon Davis tonight:
"Vernon’s had a great camp and he continued to come out tonight and do a good job. The first ball, it was kind of a tough ball for him and he handled it well, turned up field and got some yards."

On whether the pressure concerned him tonight:
"No, not at all."

On the running game when he was on the field:
"It was okay. The run game is funny. Sometimes you have to wear them down before you can pop a few, but we’re doing a good job in all facets right now. We just have to get some more drives going and put seven on the board."

On what he can improve upon going into next week:
"That sack I took down there on first down. I need to get off my first read quick and get to number two and throw it away if that’s not there."

San Francisco 49ers QB Damon Huard
Post-game quotes, 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On rating his performance:
"It was great. It’s always nice to get out there and play. We had a nice scoring drive there in the 4th quarter. The defense did a nice job in the end. There was a goal-line stand. So it was great. It’s something for us to build on."

On his touchdown pass to FB Brit Miller:
"They had a blitz on and I just kind of drifted back and got it out into the flat, and the fullback made a great play for me. It was a lot of fun."

On the team utilizing him to score on two offensive possessions:
"We had some plays drawn up and it just ended up working out. Fullbacks don’t score a lot. We are kind of the grunt workers on the team. Along with the offensive and defensive line to be able to get a little bit of that payoff and reap the benefits is a pretty amazing feeling."

On his transition from linebacker in college to fullback in the NFL:
I started four years at linebacker at the University of Illinois and it’s just one of those things that kind of worked out this way. I feel as if I am versatile enough as a player and we’ve got some great linebackers here. One of the spots that [the 49ers] thought that they could get me in at was fullback and I think that I fit the bill here in giving the team more of an athletic presence. We’ve also got big Moran [Norris] here he’s a lot bigger than I am so I’ve got some things to work on. Whatever I was able to do to help the team I was able to do tonight."

San Francisco 49ers WR Josh Morgan
Post-game quotes, 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On how it felt to get back on the field for the first preseason game:
"It felt good. It felt good. As soon as the offense starts clicking, as soon as you get those plays, you’ll always get those jitters, no matter how long you play. As soon as you get those first couple of snaps out of the way, you realize it’s still football. It felt good out there, especially going against Champ Bailey."

On how he felt about matching up against Champ Bailey:
"It felt good. I was really looking forward to going against him. He’s one of the best corners in the game. I was really looking forward to that. I feel as though I did a good job."

San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith
In-Game Quotes – 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On the excitement of getting out there:
"It’s great to be out there playing in a game again, not watching. That was nice. The preseason is about us, and it’s about us doing our job and going out there executing and getting better. You’ve got to learn from it. There are a few plays out there that I’d like to have again, but you’ve got to get better and not let them happen again."

On his comfort level:
"It was good. Obviously, I was raring to go when I got out there. It’s been a long time for me, so I was pretty amped up. It’s nice once you get to settle in a little bit and get that first completion."

San Francisco 49ers S Reggie Smith
Post-Game Quotes – 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On the interception that he had during the Broncos drive:
"I was dropping into coverage and I saw [QB Kyle Orton] looking my way and I thought it was a deep route because I saw the receivers going behind me and so I just kept backing up and he just threw it and I just lucked-up and ended up in the right spot and got the interception."

On how the defense performed as the game progressed:
"We came out kind of slow but we got better as time went on but we’ve still got a lot of work to do, we still have a lot of stuff to do. Some of the things we did were just mental busts. We’ve got to be smarter and more technically sound."

On the secondary play of the 49ers defense tonight:
"It makes me feel good to see us perform well. It makes me feel as if all the work that we’re doing at practice is paying off. We’re out there ball-hawking right now and, hopefully, if we can carry that into the season that would be great."

On what he feels the 49ers secondary needs to work on getting ready for the Oakland Raiders:
"We need to work on talking and communication. We need to communicate and make sure that we get our calls right. Sometimes we mess up so we need to get our communication right."

San Francisco 49ers T Joe Staley
Post-game quotes, 08-14-09
San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

On whether he felt good to play in a game:
"It felt good. The first preseason game is always the most nerve-racking for me because it’s the first game of the season. It’s good to get out there and play against someone besides ourselves every day. I thought we did some good things as a first-team offense. We were able to move the ball a little bit on that first drive, some things to build on. But, it’s early. We know we’ve got a long way to go. I’m pretty excited."

On how he rates the play of the first-team offensive line:
"I thought we did good. I’m going to have to watch the film to see how we really did. We were giving the quarterback time. We had a couple of nice runs there early. The film doesn’t lie. I feel like we didn’t have any breakdowns, so I feel that we did well."