I just received some of the psot-game notes and quotes from the 49ers and thought some were worth throwing out there.
- With his 130 yards today, Gore passed QB Steve Young (3,581) and RB Kevan Barlow (3,614) to move into seventh place on the 49ers all-time rushing list with 3,692 yards for his career. HB Hugh McElhenny is sixth with 4,288 yards.
- QB J.T. O’Sullivan entered the Detroit game with an NFL-high of seven pass completions over 25 yards. He completed a 25-yard pass to WR Bryant Johnson in the second quarter.
- The 49ers offense had 351 yards of offense last week at Seattle and 370 yards today against Detroit. Last season the 49ers went over 300 yards in total offense just twice.
- The 49ers scored 33 points last week at Seattle and 31 points today against Detroit. It is the first time the 49ers have had back-to-back 30-point games since the 2003 season when they won 30-10 vs. St. Louis (11-2-03) followed by a 30-14 win vs. Pittsburgh (11-17-03).
Mike Nolan
Whether he was surprised that Detroit played more of a read-and-react defense rather than doing a lot of blitzing:
“I saw them blitz some. I didn’t study their play-by-play, what they called, so I don’t think it’s wise for me to comment, to be honest with you, on that opponent, because I’d be wrong. I’d just be speculating on what I saw.”
Fooch: If they were in fact not doing a lot of blitzing, I'd be a bit stunned. If they had scouted out the 49ers the past two weeks they would see an offensive line that struggled and a QB who took a beating even when he got some time.
On who decided to go for it on 4th down (him or Martz):
“No, that’s my decision. Just like when we don’t make it, that’s my decision too. It was one yard to go but it was inches the first play. When Frank (Gore) got hit, I wasn’t sure if it was a yard, a yard-and-a-half or two yards. Somebody actually hollered out, ‘Two yards.’ That’s why I ran down the side to kind of see, and that’s why I called timeout when I got down there. I saw that it was a yard. We went for it.”
Whether that attempt was meant as a statement play:
“No, I did reflect on it – our offense was moving the ball. They were playing well. They had a lot of confidence. I thought that they would’ve had every reason to feel like they could stick it in. If we had not gotten the points (Detroit was) still two scores and a two point (conversion) at that point away from it, and the ball would have been on the one-yard line. So I felt to go 99 yards, basically to have three scores and still beat us it would be a good choice.”
On whether he wanted to talk to O'Sullivan about sliding at the end of runs:
“I thought about it two or three times today in the game, but I thought I don’t need to do that in a ball game. Just let him play because he was playing well. You don’t want to get a guy out of their game. But believe me, I thought about it a few times…about saying, ‘Look, just do something.’ But anyway, he makes plays. You don’t want to take a guy out of the zone because that’s where they get. They just get to playing the game and things happen. They happened well. He did it last week as well.”
Isaac Bruce
On the team's overall performance:
“[It’s] very evident that the word of God works. He’s confirming his word and sings following. His favor is going toward this team.”
Fooch: I can see why people call him the Reverend. There was a vote against using The Reverend so I'm down with that. Bruuuuuuuuce works just fine with me. Either way, I'm a fan of his game.
Frank Gore
Had the quote of the day when asked about how it feels to rack up big numbers: “It’s not about stats. It’s about winning.” Hell. Yes.
About as close as he'll come to slamming either Jim Hostler or Alex Smith:
How do you like playing in the Mike Martz offense? “The passing game is a whole lot better. The more we throw the ball, the more the receiver catches the ball, the better it’s going to be for me in the run game. Whatever it takes to win, I’m with it.”
J.T. O'Sullivan
On improving going forward:
"I think we are moving in the right direction, but I still feel we left a lot of yards on the field. I think I missed throws and from that standpoint, I want to get into the film and keep us going in the right direction.”
Everybody is saying the right things in terms of improving going forward. As previously mentioned, the Saints game is a big one. I'm willing to accept that we can't be sure how good (or not good) the 49ers will be this season. They've won on the road at a beaten down Seattle and at home against a god-awful Lions team. Next week will certainly be a better marker of the team's progress (or lack there of).