The injury report for the day hasn't arrived yet. For now I've posted Jimmy Raye and Greg Manusky's transcripts after the jump. As soon as I get the injury report I'll add it before the jump.
Also, we'll have two game threads tonight for those not busy with your families. At 4:30pm, Drew K will be posting the open thread (with essential players to watch) for the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. It'd certainly be nice to be in Hawaii right about now. That game kicks off at 5pm. At 4:45 I'll be posting a retro game thread for the NFL Network's re-airing of the original broadcast of the 1981 NFC Championship game between the 49ers and Cowboys ("The Catch" game). The game will be airing at 5pm pacific time and again at 10pm pacific time on the NFL Network. I'm thinking it might be fun to also roll out a recap later tonight after the second airing. Enjoy and Merry Christmas.
49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
K Joe Nedney (left hamstring)
Did not Participate in Practice
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
RB Glen Coffee (hamstring)
DT Aubrayo Franklin (not injury related)
Limited Participation in Practice
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)
CB Shawntae Spencer (ankle)
Full Participation in Practice
CB Marcus Hudson (back)
OT Joe Staley (knee, elbow)
RB Moran Norris (toe)
RB Michael Robinson (shoulder)
Lions
Did not Participate in Practice
CB Phillip Buchanon (shoulder)
LB Larry Foote (foot)
QB Matthew Stafford (left shoulder)
S Louis Delmas (ankle)
DT Grady Jackson (knee)
Limited Participation in Practice
WR Dennis Northcutt (groin)
LB Vinnie Ciurcio (ankle)
DT Joe Cohen (knee)
C Dominic Raiola (knee)
Full Participation in Practice
WR Calvin Johnson (knee)
LS Don Muhlbach (concussion)
DE Dewayne White (toe)
Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky
Post-Walk Thru - December 24, 2009
San Francisco 49ers
On the defense wanting to finish the season on a high note:
"Yeah, I think that not being in the playoff hunt, I think that defensively we want to keep bumping up our stats. They've been playing well pretty much all year and it will be good to get some of those numbers up to where we want them to be."
On whether he has been content with the pass rush this year as compared to last season:
"I don't know where we stand in the league right now but it's not one guy getting the sacks, it's a couple of guys, which is good. It's more versatility and guys coming off and beating whoever it is and it's better than it was last year."
On what he saw from QB Drew Stanton last week against Arizona:
"He's a talented quarterback. He's got some scrambling ability. It looks like he can read coverage's pretty well. They've got a couple of good receivers and we've got to make sure that we take them out of the mix."
On the team's familiarity with Detroit WR Bryant Johnson and RB Maurice Morris:
"Yes, I think with both of those guys, it's a little bit of familiarity and the guys going up against Bryant were pretty good last year and we kind of knew the running back from Seattle. I guess it's a good thing for us."
On Detroit WR Calvin Johnson's size differential:
"He's a big, talented receiver that gets vertical with a quarterback throwing it up to him. We have to make sure that we're taking care of the deep balls and his ability to go up and get the ball."
Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye
Post-Walk Thru - December 24, 2009
San Francisco 49ers
On whether he envisioned TE Vernon Davis leading the league in touchdown receptions:
"No, I'm not surprised that he is because, as I said earlier when we started, we are tight end friendly, and his ability to run down the middle of the field once we expanded to where we are and unlocked the box, it gave him more opportunities in the passing game. He's been very productive in the red area. So, I'm surprised a little bit, but pleasantly surprised that the production is where it is, and hopefully he can add a couple three or four or five more on to that before we finish."
On whether the Eagles defended Davis differently than other teams have:
"I don't know that it was different, but they cross-trapped it, which we hadn't seen before. But, everybody we've played since, I guess, starting a month or so ago, has had a different plan of how to negate the verticals up the field on Cover 2. The Eagles plan was to cross-trap it. They did a good job of holding the disguise on it and cross-trapped it from the back side, and I think it was evident in the first pick in the game. It was a surprise. That doesn't excuse what happened, but it was something that, collectively as a group offensively, that the perimeter unit hadn't seen. We got it sorted out after that and went on from there, but they did have a little different plan, yes."
On whether TE Vernon Davis getting the touchdown reception record for tight ends would be gratifying to him as a coach:
"I think I've been in that situation before. I think I've been a part of that situation before. I think it would be very gratifying to him, and as a coach, you always - part of the reward is seeing the players have the ultimate amount of success, and the gratification you get out of that is them doing the job real well. If that was the case, I think I would like the fact that I was involved in both situations."
On his thoughts of QB Alex Smith's play against the Eagles:
"I thought he played OK, but he didn't play well enough for us to win the game. I'm not excusing the turnovers that he made because they happened, and at that position and the way we were playing, the way we were going, sometimes good enough isn't good enough. The measurement of that position is to win and we didn't do that. So, it's kind of tongue and cheek that he played OK, or played well, because ultimately we didn't win the game."
On what he's looking for in Smith in the final two games:
"I'd just like to see him continue to develop and eliminate the doubt and the anxiety that surrounds that position in the organization. I think his development has been very good. I think it was a learning experience over in Philadelphia, another learning experience in a hostile environment against a very good football team with as many distractions a team could have, coming off of a Monday night game and travelling across the country and flying into a nor‘easter and cold. I think it was good for him in his development, but as we experience these things as he goes forward, we'd like to, as we embrace them, we'd like to, in the end, win the game. I think winning, for a quarterback, solves a lot of the other problems or the anticipated other problems that could come up. So, we're looking for him to continue the way he's been going, and we can finish on a positive note."
On the play of T Joe Staley:
"I think after being off for five or six weeks or seven, that is the most difficult position, other than quarterback on offense, that is the most difficult position to play and it takes a tremendous amount of skill and time and all of the other attributes you have to have to play left tackle. So, I thought coming back in after being off for that time and having the anxiety a little bit about the injury, I thought he was serviceable. I thought he played well."
On the significance of RB Frank Gore reaching the 1,000-yeard mark:
"From my vantage point, and I said this way back in the spring, the best friend that Alex Smith could have is Frank Gore. I think it is a testament to the ability and the accomplishments he has, given all of the things that have gone on this season and still be in the upper echelon of rushing yardage, having missed time with injuries and the quarterback change. I think as he and Alex become best friends they will understand the mutual responsibility they have to each other and how one feeds the other. Frank is vital to the success of what we do and how we do going forward."
On whether he meant Smith needs to eliminate the doubt from inside or outside the building:
"From the outside. Not inside the building."
On whether it is possible for Smith to eliminate that doubt given the quality of competition the rest of the season:
"The last time I checked, they were still pro football games. I think the St. Louis Rams and the Detroit Lions play in the NFL, so I think the answer to that would be yes."
On the development of WR Josh Morgan:
"Josh and I got off to a little bit of a rocky start because early on I pressed him probably a little harder and faster than he was ready to go or thought he needed to go. I think of all of the guys that I inherited here in the perimeter unit, he has come the farthest. I think he has a chance to ascend to the next level as a wide receiver. He is a big, physical guy that has burst and power and speed which is evident on the kickoff returns. He has good run-after ability and he is a good blocker, adding on in the running game. I think he has been the most improved perimeter guy. I am very pleased. We are very pleased with his development and hopefully, going forward, he will continue to ascend."
On whether he believes Morgan could be a full-time kickoff returner:
"From [special team's coach] Al [Everest's] perspective, probably so. But, it makes me a little nervous when the starting wide receiver is standing back there on the opening kickoff and we have to go 70-plus offensive plays. But, I think yes. I think he is young enough at this point and he likes to do it. I think he is very good at it, which is evident by what he has displayed. Hopefully as he develops that way, he will continue to develop with the nuances of playing the position of wide receiver."