Colin Kaepernick talks Seahawks prep, very briefly about Richard Sherman, toughness

Any part of you looks more forward to this game because of the history between these two teams?

"Just another game we need to win to get into the playoffs."

Do you like playing teams two times in three weeks? Does that change anything for you guys or does it matter to you?

"Taking it one game at a time."

What have your emotions been watching the film from last year's NFC Championship Game as you prepare for this?

"Once again, this is another game we need to win to get into the playoffs."

Was it painful, though, going back and watching that film?

"Obviously you want to win that game, but it's in the past now."

Do you feel like you guys have put a stretch together here that gives you some nice momentum going into this key stretch for you?

"Once again, one game at a time. That's all we're worried about."

How deep are you guys into preparing for Seattle and seeing how they've changed over the course of a year?

"We take preparation one day at a time. Right now we're getting into them and what they're doing."    

Can you put a finger on, right now, how they've changed with some of the new personnel that they have?

"We don't talk about scheme, personnel, anything like that."

What have some of these close wins done for you guys?

"Put us one win closer to where we need to be to get into the playoffs."

Your coach brought up a toughness factor today. Does that play into it, toughness at this stage of the year?

"We've had some tough games that we've come out with wins and you have to be able to do that to get into the playoffs and play well."

In a normal week, when do you stop thinking about the game that you just played and sort of turn the corner to the next game?

"The night we played."

Okay, so that's what you did last night. Did you go beyond that? Did you start to look at the Seahawks, sort of accelerate that normal routine?

"Yeah, this whole week's accelerated. It's a quick turnaround for us."

Think you're now 12-3 in games after Week 10. Is there a moment in the season for you where you kind of step your game up?

"It's good things work out that way, but I think it's more the fact that we have to win games to make sure we get into the playoffs."

What has LB Aldon Smith shown you his first two games back in terms of where he is after a long layoff?

"He's been playing amazing. He started off the game great yesterday and I think he's just going to keep getting better."

When you went back and looked at the film from last night's winning drive, what did you like most about it?

"We made plays. I think that was the biggest thing. Our offensive line played well. We converted a fourth down, which was big. [WR] Anquan [Boldin] had a great catch and [RB] Carlos [Hyde] ran hard. There was a lot of good things that happened on that drive."

On the touchdown where you handed it off to him on the read-option, did you know right away you were going to be handing it off or did you have to see the defense react right from the snap or--?

"I was pretty confident I was going to be giving that ball."

I'm sure LB NaVorro Bowman is eager to get back when the timing's appropriate. Is it all disappointing to see that he's not quite there yet? He's going to rehab again this week.

"No, I wouldn't say disappointing is the word. Obviously we want to have him back on the field, but it has to be when he's ready, when he's healthy. You don't want to have him go out too soon and re-injure something."

At the end of the first half, how was that communicated to you to let the time run off and take that one shot with 11 seconds left and not try to rush to the line of scrimmage and get more plays off?

"That's something that just happens at that moment. Every situation is going to be different."

That was kind of a unique situation though. Were you on board like right away? Did you know what was expected of you in that instance?

"Yeah, to get as many yards as we can to get a field goal. But, once again, that was a spur of the moment kind of thing."

How much do you think WR Michael Crabtree is anticipating this matchup?

"It's another game for him. I don't think he's worried about anything else."

I guess to that as you know, Seahawks CB Richard Sherman has insulted Crabtree, he's taken shots at you, what are your views on Richard Sherman?

"I don't have any. I'm worried about what we're doing."

Do you plan to throw to his side?

"I'll throw to whoever's open."

Did you guys ever have any communication in events that you were at in the offseason, you and Sherman?

"No."

You talk about it's all about making the playoffs. Last couple years at this time, it was all but a foregone conclusion. A little different now, you guys are scrapping. Could you speak to the different feel and the flow of the way the season is right now?

"We're in the same spot we were last year, something we're very familiar with. We just have teams that are in other positions now."