The London game has screwed up all kinds of things with how I receive press conference transcripts and when news is reported. While Fooch is in London presently, drowning in some English pub, I'm eight hours behind him counting on my fingers trying to figure out what time everything is going down in London, here in America. It's not all that hard to figure out, granted, but it's 3 a.m. and I have the sneaking suspicion I'm going to fall asleep right when something big happens.
Either way, I was looking over the transcript from coach Singletary's press conference yesterday (full transcript after the jump), and I came across a bit about Vernon Davis and his injury. He still has yet to practice with the team and, naturally, is on the injury report.
On TE Vernon Davis' status for practice:
"I think that's going to be one of the things depending on how the trainers feel before we go out and practice. It's still a day-to-day thing and I think he'll be fine. As far as practicing today, we'll be smart about it."
On whether Davis has an ankle injury:
"It's an ankle."
On whether it is different than his knee:
"Yes."
On whether it happened in Carolina:
"Yes."
Who knows whether or not Davis will play, but it's probably a good idea to keep him there even if he's going to play for sure. Keeping the other team guessing as to your lineup has always been a part of the game and always will be unless they have the league in there mandating injuries and placement on the injury report. It helps, too, when you have a dynamic backup who could be a starter on another team, like one Delanie Walker.
When asked whether or not Delanie Walker would make the start, Singletary had this to say ...
On whether TE Delanie Walker would start for Davis:
"It depends, it could be Delanie. It could be [TE Nate] Byham because they do different things. So, it will depend."
Obviously the word "start," here is used loosely. If Delanie Walker is healthy, which might not be the case entirely, he will see plenty of action if Davis is out. But if the 49ers were to hit the ground running, I'd wager Byham lines up in Davis's spot more often than not. Still, you have to wonder how healthy Delanie really is. Could be an issue if both of them are hurt. Even when they're not racking up stats, both Davis and Walker pose a huge threat to opposing defenses and will always command the respect of a defense. Full transcript after the jump.
Head Coach Mike Singletary
Press Conference - October 29, 2010
San Francisco 49ers
Listen to Audio I Media Center
On TE Vernon Davis' status for practice:
"I think that's going to be one of the things depending on how the trainers feel before we go out and practice. It's still a day-to-day thing and I think he'll be fine. As far as practicing today, we'll be smart about it."
On whether Davis has an ankle injury:
"It's an ankle."
On whether it is different than his knee:
"Yes."
On whether it happened in Carolina:
"Yes."
On whether TE Delanie Walker would start for Davis:
"It depends, it could be Delanie. It could be [TE Nate] Byham because they do different things. So, it will depend."
On the week of work:
"I thought the week was good. I thought the thing that we accomplished, the mental work that we needed to get in and some of the bonding. The guys spent a lot of time with each other this week. I think it's a good time to do that. Overall, I thought it was very good for us."
On it being a good time because of the new QB:
"The quarterback, the way the season has gone to this point. So, I think a number of reasons. I think the time that we have spent over here has been well served."
On the wet conditions and how the playing surface held up during the week:
"I think the surface has been fine for what we were doing. It wouldn't be ideal for training camp, but it was fine for what we needed."
On whether it is good because Wembley may be wet:
"Yes, that's something we discussed early on in the week knowing that the situation that we're going to play in is going to be very similar to what we have out here. Rather than try and find a bubble or something like that, let the guys out and experience what the field is pretty much going to be like because the grass is cut just about the same level at Wembley as it is here."
On what he knows about QB Troy Smith now that he didn't at the beginning of the week:
"I think it's kind of like I've said before, you never really know about a quarterback until he plays in a real game. So, I'm looking forward to seeing how he responds on Sunday."
On how much of the play book will Troy Smith have down:
"He'll have enough for us to function and to get where we need to go."
On whether he will be calling his own audibles:
"Not a lot of them."
On the problems Broncos QB Kyle Orton poses:
"Well, the biggest thing that Kyle does is that he gets the ball out. He really gets the ball out quick, and I think when you face a team that does that, it makes you work that much harder in terms of trying to apply pressure. As a defense you have to figure out different ways of defending against that."
jazzmine hayden-bigness
On whether you expect to see more of RB Brian Westbrook and RB Anthony Dixon this weekend:
"It's possible."
On whether that is a priority for you:
"It is a priority, yes it is."
On whether you consider Dixon your number two running back:
"No, I wouldn't exactly say that, I think both he and Westbrook, we just need to figure out ways to get them in and different packages or what have you. We just know that [RB] Frank [Gore] is the primary and as far as Westbrook and Dixon, we just have to do a better job of getting them in."
On whether there is a guy on the roster that could step in at quarterback in case Troy Smith or QB David Carr are injured:
"Yes. No [Laughing]."
On what kind of game you can promise London fans this weekend:
"Promise? It's going to be a good game. I don't know what Denver is going to do, but I can say that we will play well."
On why you say that:
"Why? Ok now you have to watch the game and then you will see."
On why you didn't activate QB Nate Davis to the active roster and have an emergency quarterback:
"Because there are other needs that we have on the 45 man roster and there are only so many people you can bring up. We have one or two guys that could step up in case of emergency and if we have to go through two quarterbacks, hopefully our offensive line can block a little better than that."