The San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers released their practice participation reports for Wednesday and the most intriguing name on the list is probably tight end Kellen Winslow. He had a solid game last week against the Panthers catching six passes for 65 yards and a touchdown but has been battling a knee injury recently. He didn't practice last Wednesday as well but practiced the rest of the week and played Sunday. We'll get a better idea of this injury tomorrow depending on if he practices or not.
Joe Nedney didn't practice as well and the 49ers actually signed Shane Andrus today. If Nedney can't go (as seems to be expected), Andrus will be the guy handling kicking duties.
After the jump I've posted transcripts for head coach Mike Singletary and QB Troy Smith, and Smith had some interesting comments for the media. He was asked whether the coaches consult him leading up to the game and he said:
"They do. They do, but myself being here in this short amount of time, I don't feel comfortable yet saying what I want or what I need. I have to show improvement first. I have to show I can do exactly what they want me to do first before I even, you know, try to think of anything that would be tailored toward me. So, just continuing to service everybody else and remain humble."
I'm curious how we'll see his play affected as he gets more comfortable in the offense and is willing to make more specific requests about what he'd like to see. Or maybe he'll continue improving without ever taking full command of the offense and making it a little more his own.
49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
OT Joe Staley (fibula)
Did Not Participate In Practice
CB William James (concussion)
K Joe Nedney (right knee)
Full Participation In Practice
CB Nate Clements (quadricep)
RB Frank Gore (foot)
G Adam Snyder (shoulder)
Buccaneers
Did Not Participate In Practice
LB Quincy Black (ankle)
DE Kyle Moore (shoulder)
TE Kellen Winslow (knee)
Limited Participation In Practice
DT Ryan Sims (knee)
WR Sammie Stroughter (foot)
Full Participation In Practice
RB Earnest Graham (hamstring)
T Jeremy Trueblood (knee)
Head Coach Mike Singletary
November 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers
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On how soon he expects to have a decision on a kicker:
"Don't know, I mean, there could be a kicker that jumps out at us that's obvious this morning, or we're going to take our time and pick the right one."
On whether any of the kickers they are looking at are left-footed:
"Don't know. I don't know that personally."
On whether anything stood out about K Shane Andrus:
"No."
On whether K Joe Nedney is definitely out for Sunday:
"He will be out for this game."
On whether this is a big decision given the close nature of a lot of the games:
"Yeah, it's - it's football. Guys get hurt, unfortunately it's Joe. The bottom line is one of those guys is going to have to be the guy. And at the same time, there are other guys on offense that have to step up. There are other areas on special teams that guys are going to have to step up and make plays."
On whether he has decided on a left tackle:
"No, no. We'll get there sometime this week."
On what the criteria is to choose a kicker:
"There are a number of things. You look at leg strength, you try to look at accuracy, you try to look at probably one of the biggest things is probably the toughest thing to evaluate, and that is the mindset. A lot of guys, just like anything else, can come out here and kick 50-yarders, but in the game, it's tough to kick a 20-yarder. So I just think it's tough to evaluate. There's a reason why they're out here trying to kick the ball. So, hopefully we find the right one."
On whether it is more difficult to try to find a temporary kicker versus one for the whole season:
"Yeah, I think that's a correct statement."
On how difficult it is to go to a guy with limited experience:
"I'm going to try not to make it difficult, you know, really, really difficult. I mean, it is what it is. We're going to try to find the right guy and go with him."
On whether Steelers K Jeff Reed is on his radar:
"I'm not going to rule out anything at this point."
On whether he will possibly bring in other kickers to evaluate:
"Could be. I'm not going to rule it out right now, it just depends what we feel this morning, what we see."
On his mindset during overtime play and whether there is different thinking as a coach:
"Yeah, I think you have to think about coaching a little differently. I think first and foremost, if they get the ball, the kind of defense you play, you have to make sure that you're playing whatever they're strengths are. If they're a team that likes to go down field, do you gamble and go get the quarterback or do you cover and spend more time covering - so yes, it is, because it's a one-shot deal. If you're on offense first, do we try to take the ball down field, walk it down, or do you make quick strikes? Are they tired? Are we tired? Are they beat up? There are a number of things. It just depends on, what are the factors at that time."
On how T Barry Sims did filling in for T Joe Staley last year:
"I thought he did a very nice job. Last year he was pretty fresh. This year, we just kind of have to see what it looks like and how it works out and we'll make a decision before the game."
On whether he is more likely to go for it on fourth-and-one with the kicker situation:
"I don't think it's any different. Depending on who it is, I don't think it's any different than the mindset right now. If it's fourth-and-one or whatever, depending on where we are in the red zone area, if we feel that it's more advantageous to go for it and we can, then we'll do that. If not, you know, we either punt it or try for the field goal."
On whether S Reggie Smith played well enough Sunday to earn a starting position:
I think we're going to continue to work Reggie and [S] Taylor [Mays] and there may not be a starter right now. But we'll let that work itself out. Right now, the combination of both of those two and we're trying to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of both of them and it will work itself out in time."
On what he saw from Reggie Smith:
"He's a good football player. Taylor is a good football player. They both have strengths and weaknesses, and we've got to continue to look at which guy deserves to be out there the whole time. For right now, the system that we have working is going to be in place."
On whether it was a difficult decision to not start G Chilo Rachal on Sunday since he wasn't at practice because his wife was giving birth:
"No. I was in favor of him missing practice. If a guy is - I mean, I have seven kids. The thing that I want you to understand, because some people really, really misunderstood that, unfortunately, but the thing is, on Friday, Friday Chilo texted and told us. He did all the right things, he did all the right things in letting myself and Coach [Mike] Solari know that he wasn't going to be here. Even on Thursday. And that was fine. He was going to miss Friday. That was fine. [C David] Baas had a baby, did something very similar, [T/G Adam] Snyder had a baby, did something very similar. And then the next day, there was a text. But I think the biggest thing, the biggest reason that Chilo did not start is because to miss Friday and Saturday, without getting the finer details from Coach Solari, the changes or whatever they were, and Snyder was here Friday and Saturday, getting all the little details. And having a rookie beside you that's trying to make sure that he has all the little calls and we got a new quarterback trying to make all the little calls, and it's a little bit much. So the things that - the reason that I had Chilo not start, because there are complications in the situation. I know that - I want a guy's mind to be where he is. I don't want him to be in a situation where he's thinking about losing his job. He's going to start this week. It would be different if I said, you know, you're not here, you're not going to play and you're not going to start. I mean, I don't do stuff like that. That's a family issue, you got complications there, worry about that first. But just know that I have decisions here that I have to make and I can't put the offense in harms way by making a decision on emotion. I felt that I did what I had to do in order for our offense to have a chance to win. And at some point in time Coach Solari felt that okay, it's time to get Chilo in the game, get him in the game. And that was - it's as simple as that. All the other stuff, I don't really know what it is. That's what I was looking at."
On whether it is a concern that Sims has not been active at all this season:
"He's going to move fine. He's been moving fine in practice, he just hasn't started any games. It's no different to me than it was last year when he came in at Indianapolis and he hadn't taken any snaps. He didn't play in the games until Joe [Staley] got hurt. So, I want guys that are able to do that. Thankfully we have a guy that's a veteran guy that is tough minded and we just have to see how it works."
On whether Snyder will practice today:
"From what I understand, I think he's going to practice. He'll go out here and do walk-thru and whatever and kind of see how it feels, and if he can go, he'll go. And if he can't, we'll try and look at it tomorrow. We'll have to see how it works out."
On whether CB William James will be able to practice:
"Don't know about that one. That's something that we have to continue - you know a concussion as well as I do. You just have to kind of see and weigh it and look at it, monitor it, and see how it works out."
On what he is hoping to see next from QB Troy Smith:
"Just another step; just a continued progression, trying to get the full understanding of the offense, protections, and all of those things."
On Chicago Bears MLB Brian Urlacher approaching his record for all-time tackles:
"You know what, I don't really think about stuff like that. If he breaks a record, more power to him, fantastic, I'm happy for him. But I don't really, I don't really get into that. It really comes down to - I hope that he stays healthy and I hope that he continues to play well and that's a good thing."
On the evolution of a black quarterback in the NFL and having a matchup of two this Sunday:
"It's interesting that you'd ask that, because I hadn't thought about it. Maybe so. You know for me, I just look at Troy and I'm happy for him and the steps that he's been able to take so far. And [Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB] Josh Freeman, you know, he's been able to do some good things as well, so I'm - it's a good thing to see."
On his reaction to the game plan this past Sunday and whether he thought it showed creativity:
"Well, I think there was a reason why [offensive coordinator] Mike Johnson was chosen as the coordinator. I think the best thing about Mike Johnson is his ability to get everybody in that room - the reason that game plan is creative is because [offensive line coach] Mike Solari, [wide receivers/senior assistant coach] Jerry Sullivan, [tight ends coach] Pete [Hoener], [running backs coach] Tom Rathman; all those guys have the opportunity to have input and when you do that, then you're going to get creativity. You're going to get a different thought process when everybody is involved, so its definitely going to make a difference and it has so far."
On Tampa Bay RB LeGarrette Blount changing his original decision to come to the 49ers and Singletary's impression of him being a physical player:
"That's why I like him. He's a big physical guy, runs hard, and he's got a little edge to him. So it seems like he's having a good season, having a nice impact on their team, and that's good to see. I'm happy for him."
On whether he is okay with the way the Blount's decision to not come to the 49ers was handled:
"Yeah. I thought he handled it - he was a class act in the whole thing and he made certain it made sense, but Jeff Fisher was a better salesman than I was."
On whether Blount committed to him:
"Yeah, just like a recruit, you know? But I understand that, I understand that - the thing that I told him at that time is, I appreciate you calling me back. I appreciate you not having your agent call me, or me hearing it tomorrow. The fact that he called me back and said Coach, you know what, I have reservation and this is why - I told him, I'm not going to try to talk you out of it, I appreciate you calling me back, and best of luck to you. And that was it."
On whether Blount's reservation was the amount of depth at running back:
"Yes."
QB Troy Smith
November 17, 2010
San Francisco 49ers
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On whether he sensed the 49ers offense was more tailored to his strengths in the Rams game than in the Broncos game:
"I mean, you can think like that. The plays that we do have definitely have been in the game plan for a while, it's just bringing them out, putting obviously all of us into a situation where we can make plays. There were certain plays that St. Louis did that Denver wasn't doing that allowed us to do, you know, those things."
On whether he liked the deep drops, long throws and max protections in the game plan against the Rams:
"A little bit, a little bit. I'm very pleased to see some of the things, as a quarterback, you tend to get. I don't want to say get greedy with some of the down-the-field throws, but the intermediate and short stuff is just as important as your long ball throws. You got to be able to hit some of the short stuff before you start going deep and you want things to be complemented that way, but, game plan wise, what the coaches see and what they see fit is going to be something totally different. So, you just got to follow, I mean execute, exactly what's being called."
On whether the coaches consult him for game planning:
"They do. They do, but myself being here in this short amount of time, I don't feel comfortable yet saying what I want or what I need. I have to show improvement first. I have to show I can do exactly what they want me to do first before I even, you know, try to think of anything that would be tailored toward me. So, just continuing to service everybody else and remain humble."
On people not talking about his arm strength and whether he thinks he showed them something about his throwing skills against the Rams:
"Maybe it's a given, maybe everybody already knows and they don't have to talk about that. You know, there's nothing you can do about that. We definitely call plays to score points and get our playmakers involved, whether it be something short, long or intermediate. We're going to throw the ball, whether people are talking about whomever's arm it is, we're definitely going to throw the ball and teams need to get ready for it."
On whether he thinks his arm strength has been underrated:
"I don't care if anybody rates it, rates my arm strength good or bad. I know what I can do. I know the throws that I can make. Obviously the game plan shows what throws that we can make on the field, and we just continue to move forward."
On his mindset of not looking at past accomplishments and whether he takes that mindset into each week:
"Yeah, it's something different each week. That's the way I approach everything. I think if and when you start to think and worry about the things that happened to you in the past, you obviously take away from the things that can happen to you in the future. I truly believe that every situation is different from every other one, so it has to be treated accordingly and that's just the way we approach it."
On his appreciation for his current opportunity:
"Oh there's no doubt about it. My appreciation level definitely, you know, just within a couple of days you wouldn't be able to see how appreciative I really am of the opportunity. I just have to take full advantage of it and hopefully that shows how important it is to me."
On what percentage of the playbook he knows now:
"I would say probably out of 100 I am at 99.9 percent of it."
On his relationship with Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris from the 2006 Senior Bowl:
"Yeah I remember. Well, definitely at that time, obviously Raheem Morris wasn't the head coach then, it was [former Buccaneers head coach] Jon Gruden. I had a tremendous time with their whole staff. They definitely did some things offensively that; obviously we blew the South out that game so we knew what we were doing offensively. But I had a great time with all those guys over there; fiery bunch. We had a great week of practice, a great week of preparation and we went out and won the game."
On whether he has an understanding of Tampa Bay's defense:
"It's very, very early in the week. I'm not going to say that we don't have a full understanding, but we still got days left in the week, still got preparation days to where early on when you look at film, it's kind of vague, it's not exactly getting right to the point with some of the things that you really want to find out. And then throughout the course of the week things start to clear for you, you start to understand exactly what we're looking at, but film study is a constant and we continue to do it, so."
On whether he was surprised Tampa Bay didn't draft him, given the week he spent with its coaching staff during the 2006 Senior Bowl:
"I wasn't worried about that. You know, I had a very, very prosperous conversation with a couple of people I could vie with, in terms of the Senior Bowl and things that were going on back then. So I think we did a good job of just getting through the week and winning the game."
On whether he remembers the opposing coaching staff from the 2006 Senor Bowl:
"The San Francisco 49ers. I do remember that."
On whether he remembers any specific people or instances from that 49ers coaching staff:
"Coach Turner, [former 49ers offensive coordinator] Norv Turner. I mean, you know, mid-week you switched staffs so to speak and we got a chance to chill out with coach Turner, so that was a good time."
On whether he envisioned himself being the 49ers starter prior to coming to the 49ers two months ago:
"Yeah. Yeah, I mean my thought process definitely and I talk all the time about being confident in what you can do and the steps that you take to become a better person, a better player or whatever the case may be. But definitely I could see myself and envision myself, whether it's at the podium or being under center."
On his developing relationship with offensive coordinator Mike Johnson:
"I think it's coming together very well. We both have an understanding that he's the coach and I'm the player. I understand my role and obviously he knows his. As long as you know your role and you know your niche, I think you shouldn't have a problem."
On the tonsil infection he had in 2008 and its effects on him:
"Well, having the ability to breathe being taken away from you for however long it was definitely is scary. I don't know the way you guys think, but I know on the average you kind of take just the ability to breathe for granted, you know what I mean? That was taken away from me for about two and a half weeks and it definitely put a new perspective on life and what life is really about, and even though we love this game, it's just that; it's still a game and life is so much more precious, there's so much more going on. Definitely it put things into perspective for me, but that happened to me for a reason. It helped strengthen my backbone, it helped strengthen my faith. It helped strengthen a lot of things for me."
On how much weight he lost during that illness:
"Forty pounds."
On how long it took him to be himself again:
"It took a while; it took a while. You want to get back out there with your teammates and enjoy the fun and just get back out there on the field. But along those same lines as being able not to breathe, my diet was taken away from me so I couldn't really digest food or eat as you normally do. I mean, it was rough, but we got through it and we're back better than ever."