HEAD COACH KYLE SHANAHAN
(Even though most of your team wasn't around for this long losing streak to Seattle. What do you think it means to them just to snap that and to beat a division rival like that?)
"It means a ton. Not all of us have been here since 2013, but a lot of us were here last year. We were all definitely here two weeks ago. It's a division rival. We're also very sick about the way we lost two weeks ago. I was really proud of the guys just not saying anything. I just knew it meant a lot to our guys. Especially after two weeks and to the fans and everything since 2013. I hated having to answer those questions all week. I definitely didn't want to go a whole 'nother year doing it. This was our last opportunity to end that and I'm glad we don't have to hear that again."
(What does this say about your group that you guys can get blown out two weeks ago and bounce back and put together a game like this? )
"That's how the NFL is. I look at the blowout and I think it's just the difference of a few plays before it gets out of hand. That's how every week is and you can't over react when things are like that. You have to play good football. We definitely played better today, but there were times when we weren't perfect, whether it was one side of the ball that struggled at one time, the other one stepped it up. Especially special teams making that play with the kick return, especially the way they started the third quarter two weeks ago, so I know that felt good for [WR] Richie [James Jr.], especially having the fumbled punt at the end of the second quarter two weeks ago. A lot of guys stepped it up in all three phases and it was a great team win."
(After losing the way you did a couple weeks ago, to see Seattle score first and then respond immediately with that touchdown from Richie. How important was that early in the game?)
"Very important. It always is, we knew it was going to be a battle today regardless of how the score went. They are a good team and they were coming in playing hard like they always do. We knew we were going to be ready today also. We knew it was going to come down to the wire. Didn't know it was going to be overtime. Was glad it was. I think it was our first overtime win and gives us a little experience with that too."
(How pleased were you with the defense overall considering the way they set the edge today? Got home on Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson a few times? Considering how they played two weeks ago, they gave up seven plays for 110-yards on the edge.)
"Overall, I was very happy with the defense. By no means were they perfect. They got their edge on a couple. Got it on the third and one. Then they ran the ball well, but that's what that team does. What I was excited about was our defense never let them break them down, even when they gave up some plays. I thought the goal line stand was very close. I know that guy made a helluva run to get in at the end, but our guys just battled. They didn't worry about any bad play, just one play at a time. They did it all game. I was really disappointed when they had the stand at the end that the offense had a chance to go down and answer and finish and the offense didn't. We ended up punting it back to them, going to overtime and then the defense did the same thing. They stopped them, gave the offense another chance and then the offense finished. The defense did a helluva job all day."
(The second half the last game, Mullens seemed to get it going a little bit. How much do you think, whether Xs and Os, or confidence-wise, do you think that helped him seeing them again today?)
"The more guys play and the more success they have, the more confidence they get. He did a great job that second half throwing the ball two weeks ago. I thought we had a lot more success throwing the ball today. We struggled on third downs form what I remember today in the second half and we didn't get to stay on the field as long and get those opportunities. I think Nick is getting better the more he plays."
(How big were DeForest Buckner's sacks and on that second one are there many defensive tackles in the league who are chasing down Russell on the sideline? )
"No, it's tough and sacks are huge verse them. When you get a sack it's very hard to recover from that on any type of drive for an offense and the way that they run the ball and how efficient they are in it, you've got to get some negative plays and you don't get too many opportunities at it. So, when you can get to him and sack him, keep him from doing those off schedule plays, a lot of times it's the difference between winning and losing with a quarterback like that."
QB NICK MULLENS
(Among the positive things CB Richard Sherman just had to say about you, he said he felt like you really established yourself and you're a guy that he hopes is a big part of the future plans here. Do you feel like you've proved that, not only to yourself, but to the league?)
"I think I can play in the league, that's for sure. I believe that. But, as far as the extra stuff goes, I don't really worry too much about it. You know, today I was focused on the game one play at a time and really just trying to end the streak against the Seahawks. It's pretty cool that we got to do that as a team today."
(How has your confidence grown in the last few weeks? How confident do you feel now?)
"You can't play if you're not confident. So, I always take the field as a confident player. I'm confident in my teammates, as well. Everybody worked together really well today. I've said it to you guys so many times, but when everybody is focusing on their specific assignment, working together, that's when we're best. That makes me most confident. So, that's how it felt today. Confidence; the more you play, the more you do it, the better you feel. Always confident, that's for sure."
(On the same topic, how much do you think the success you guys had in the second half against the Seahawks a couple weeks ago, how big was that coming in today knowing that you could do it against that defense?)
"I think the previous game against Seattle helped us a lot. I really felt like there were places we could attack them. Even in the first game, we just didn't do a very good job of it. So, we were excited coming in. We knew it was going to be a dog fight. We knew they were confident. We were confident. Obviously, the rivalry and things like that. Those are the games you get pumped up to play in. Like coach said last night, I don't even have to tell you all anything. If you're not pumped up for this, then something's wrong with you. So, that's kind of how I felt going into the game and how we felt. We knew it was going to be a dog fight. I was just so proud that we found a way to win. Might not have been the prettiest. Everybody worked well together. When we were passing the ball, that was cool. But when we didn't do good passing the ball, we ran the ball well. Then, when we didn't convert on offense, the defense stepped up and then the special teams touchdown. So, if you want to look at a textbook, collective team win, I believe that was it."
(The last two drives of regulation didn't go well. But as you said, you guys somehow scrapped together, found a way to move in overtime. What was the conversation like in between regulation and overtime to get that to work? )
"We worked great as a team. Everybody had each other's back. Offense didn't do well; the defense did great when they needed to. That's how you play winning football. If somebody is not doing good, the next guy steps up and does something. It was cool."
(Was there an offensive adjustment you guys made from regulation to overtime to get that to work? )
"Nothing too specific. Obviously, we had good field position in overtime. It was really cool to see us run the ball to win the game. I don't know how well we ran the ball previously. [RB] Jeff [Wilson Jr.] with the fumble, for him to step up and get two or three really important carries. There's a lot of cool stories about overcoming adversity in this game. So, for us to be able to run the ball to win the game, I think the O-Line and myself take a lot of pride in that. That was really cool to see."
DL ARIK ARMSTEAD
(What does this mean to you guys to win two straight games and the resiliency of this team?)
"It's huge. That's the number one thing about our team. Even though the season is not going the way that we want, we're still fighting and still trying to win. We're still trying to go out there and get a victory. It's a big win for me. I've never beaten Seattle in my career, so it's my first time beating them. To get that monkey off of our back is a great win for us."
(How important is it to put one in the win column?)
"It's great when you're able to finish. Winning cures a lot. Especially with the way our season is going, it brings a lot of joy to our fans. It brings a lot of joy to our team. It's been great these past couple of weeks to win and experience that."
(That's two wins against teams that were battling for playoff positioning. In the world of building momentum, that has to help this team in the overall picture. )
"Anytime you step on the football field, you have to treat it like it's your last opportunity. We haven't given up on this season. We're still trying to go out there and fight, compete and win games."
(How much did this win mean for San Francisco 49ers CB Richard Sherman?)
"He came in the locker room extremely excited. We were happy for him to beat his old team. He spent his whole career up there. It was a big win for him and a big win for us."
DL DEFOREST BUCKNER
(How satisfying is the win? Seattle has had your number for a while.)
"Yeah. Shoot, it's a great feeling, man. This organization hasn't won against Seattle since 2013. It was definitely a much-needed win. I'm proud of everybody. I'm proud of all of my teammates. We went out there, we knew it was going to be a physical game and everybody fought from start to finish."
(What do you think it says about this team that after getting beat pretty soundly a couple weeks ago by the Seattle Seahawks, to come back just a couple weeks later and pull it off?)
"We took it personally. They flat-out embarrassed us two weeks ago. Everybody from top-to-bottom wasn't happy about it. We knew it was going to be a dog fight coming in this week. We just played them two weeks ago. It was a long two weeks for sure. Everybody wanted to get out there and redeem themselves. Like I said, from start to finish, everybody gave it just a little more. When it got to overtime, it was about who wanted it more. Like I said before, I'm proud of every single one of the guys on the team."
(Does getting to double digit sacks mean something to you?)
"Yeah, on a personal level, for sure. Getting to double digits, I knew I was capable of it and to see my hard work get paid off, it's definitely gratifying. I knew I could do it and I worked my tail off in the offseason to get there. I'd like to thank most of my teammates. It's not one guy, it's the whole unit up front rushing as a team. Eventually if you rush as a team, someone will get rewarded."
TE GARRETT CELEK
(The game started kind of like another 49ers – Seahawk game. They scored quickly, it was 6-0. Was there a feeling of, 'Here we go again against this team--? )
"No, no. If you could've been in this locker room before the game, we were so juiced up before this game that nothing could've fazed us, and it showed."
(People would say you're a 3-10 team, why such excitement about this game?)
"Whenever you get any win it's exciting, especially when you've had as many losses. Just to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You're like, 'We need to get something going.' It was kind of like how last year went at the very end of the season. Things haven't gone our way this year, but there's still fight in us, a lot of fight in us. We'll never give up, we'll never lay down. I don't think most teams are like that. I think that's the type of character that we have on this team. The kind of guys that [49ers GM] John [Lynch] and [49ers head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] brought in. We will never give up."
(I think Kyle Shanahan talked about the fact that you had lost ten straight games to the Seattle Seahawks during the week. Nothing something he was hiding, obviously. Was his message, 'Let's not extend this for another year so we don't have to keep talking about that'? )
"Yeah, I mean our focus wasn't completely on that. We don't focus on, 'Hey, we haven't beat it.' This is a game. We have to win. We have to do whatever we can to win. That's the attitude we all carry into every game, no matter who the team is."
(As a group, collectively the tight ends seem to be playing really well right now. How do you assess how much you guys have grown within this scheme and gotten more comfortable?)
"In our room, we hold ourselves very accountable. A very high level. We try to play to the best of our ability in practice and our [San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach tight ends] coach [Jon Embree] gets after us. He's an amazing coach, tight ends coach. We've proved over the past year that tight ends can perform in this offense, and now that we've been doing well, Kyle's continued to call plays to help get the tight ends involved more."
K ROBBIE GOULD
(On a game-winning field goal attempt in overtime, is it mentally the same approach as any other field goal? )
"Yeah. I've had a lot of success against the Seahawks, surprisingly. My rookie year, the kick that put me on the map was a 49-yard field goal in the playoffs against [former Seattle Seahawks head coach] Mike Holmgren. Those guys were playing really well with [former Seattle Seahawks QB] Matt Hasselbeck and [former Seattle Seahawks RB] Shaun Alexander. We had [Seattle Seahawks head coach] Pete Carroll come in a few years later. At home in Chicago, I hit the game winner against them. I enjoy playing the Seahawks. This one feels pretty good for us because I know they're in playoff contention and I enjoy playing spoiler."
WR RICHIE JAMES JR
(I'm surprised you even stopped running. What was that touchdown return like for you?)
"I couldn't stop running. I don't know. I just felt like I wanted to keep running. I wanted to go to the other end zone where I was just at. I don't know, I couldn't even tell you the feeling. Those guys blocked really well and I just had to hit the hole."
(At what point in that run did you sense you were going to go all the way?)
"When I saw the kicker on the left and I was like, 'I've got to make him miss and then I'm going to keep running.'"
(Talk about this big win over the Seattle Seahawks. You weren't here on December 8th, 2013, but what does this mean for the team? )
"We've been hearing it. Five years and not beating Seattle. We're tired of hearing it. [49ers head coach] Kyle [Shanahan]'s tired of hearing it. We needed it and we got it done."
(San Francisco 49ers CB Richard Sherman, a former Seahawk, really wanted this win, didn't he?)
"Oh yeah. We've been talking about it. We needed it for him. We did it for him. We did it for the team, but we did it for him, for sure. He contributes so much to this team and helps us out. Especially with most of us being younger, he contributes so much and helps us out."
T MIKE MCGLINCHEY
(Capping the losing streak that you weren't apart of, what do you think that means?)
"It is huge for us. We talk about it all of the time. Seattle is number one for us in terms of the rivalry. We hadn't beaten them in a while. We have a lot of guys in this locker room that this game means a lot to, Sherm, [San Francisco 49ers CB Richard Sherman] [San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert] Saleh, all of the guys that played there, have coached there. It is huge for us to get over this hump and build on this for the next two weeks and obviously next season, as well."
(At what point do you just need W's to validate all that is being said?)
"Everything feels better with wins. Obviously, we made mistakes in this game offensively. We have to close that out in the second half, myself included. I had a chance to end that game there on that third- and-four when we kicked that field goal and I missed the block, and things like that. You feel better about it after you win. It certainly helps validate what we do every single day when results happen on the weekend."
(You have been able to close out games two weeks in a row now against teams that had something to play for as far as the playoffs. Is that growth again for this team? )
"Huge for us. Yes, absolute growth for us. I think it is a huge step in the right direction, our defense stepped up in a huge way when we didn't on offense get the ball in the end zone. It was a complete team effort for all us from all three phases. [San Francisco 49ers WR] Richie James [Jr.], that touchdown that he had, unbelievable effort by our whole kick return team. It was just a huge team win."
(The opposition had the ball late two weeks in a row and the defense got key stops--?)
"Right. Again, huge step in the right direction. There was a lot of growth happening there. We got a lot of young guys playing on that side of the ball. It definitely feels great for those guys. I am so happy and proud of those guys for getting it done after all that they have been challenged with and been through this year and the way that they finished in the fourth quarter is just absolutely huge."
CB RICHARD SHERMAN
(What does this one mean to you?)
"It means a ton. It means more that the guys showed up the way they did. Honestly, it means a lot beating Seattle for me, but it's just the way the guys showed up and kept battling throughout the game. This was a tough game. Those guys played their hearts out. We're out there with an incredibly young team. I would guess we're putting out the youngest guys in the league at this point. We have three rookies in the secondary. We have basically three rookie receivers. [TE George] Kittle is in his second year. Rookie running back. Second year quarterback. They're young guys, but they stepped up to the moment. They stepped up to the moment. [QB] Nick Mullens stepped up to the moment week in and week out. He's shown he can play in this league. I hope we can keep him because teams need a quarterback. This guy's not just playing conservative football, oh man, get the ball in the right places. He's making the right decisions, he's making good throws under pressure. I'd say he's playing like a top half quarterback in this league. You have guys that are out there right now that are not playing better football than Nick Mullens. He could be a starter for a lot of teams in this football league and we appreciate that we have him and he's playing his tail off for us."
(How much did the game in Seattle weigh on you personally and the rest of the team through the week and going into today?)
"Oh, it's frustrating. I think the moment and the environment was a little bit much for young guys. We're a young team right now. When you get [QB] Jimmy [Garoppolo] back, you get [RB Jerick McKinnon] Jet back, you get the guys that we lost back, then I don't know if the environment will be as much of a factor. But, for young guys, [S] Marcell Harris, it was his first start. You have guys out there who haven't played as much football as I have and they've never played in that environment, that energy, the noise. So, I think it might have gotten to them a little bit. But this time, guys were ready, guys were prepared. It wasn't Marcell's first game anymore. He played his tail off. [DB] Tarvarius Moore came out there, was ready for his moment. I think sometimes you run into situations where a young guy gets thrown out there and he hasn't played substantially throughout any part of a season. For [CB Ahkello Witherspoon] Spoon to get hurt and for him to go out there, he's only practiced left corner, and to go out at right corner and be ready for his moment and step up and make those plays for us, I can't say enough about the job he did. I can't say enough about the job that [TE Garrett Celek] Celek-time did. Nick Mullens, the offensive line, the defensive line, stopping their run game, guys came to play."
(You had such an impact on why this rivalry has been so lopsided. Do you think there's any chance the Seahawks, especially after what happened two weeks ago, overlooked you?)
"I highly doubt it because just like I'm pretty inflammatory on the other side, I'm pretty inflammatory on both sides. My truth isn't always everybody's truth. Sometimes my comments are used as, I highly doubt [Seahawks head coach] Pete [Carroll] is overlooking any game that I'm playing and [Seahawks QB] Russell [Wilson] as well. Those guys played hard. They played their game, they brought it. It wasn't like they just played a lackadaisical game and just gave away things. They played hard, they battled. Our guys just executed down the stretch. We played our tails off, we strained."
T JOE STALEY
(Out of all these guys in the locker room you and San Francisco 49ers TE Garret Celek were the only the ones that were on this team when you last beat the Seahawks. Five years of losing to them, how does this feel? )
"It feels good but it stinks that we have to go through a streak like that. I just wish we had more to play for this year. It is pretty disappointing about the season, but we will take this win. It was a hard fought battle. Everybody had a hand in it today. It was fun out there."
(Last game against the Seahawks was 43-16, what was different about this game this time around? )
"It is always hard to play in their stadium. Their energy and crowd noise makes it difficult for offenses to operate. We had the big play from [San Francisco 49ers KOR] Richie [James Jr] obviously, the kick return. I thought we were able to move the ball. [San Francisco 49ers QB] Nick [Mullens] did a good job of moving the chains in the passing game. I wish we were able to get a little more running game going. The defense played terrific. It was a full team effort."
(The defense has really been stepping up after blowing some fourth quarter leads in games earlier this season. Talk about how the defense has developed? )
"They have been playing really well. I don't know exactly, I don't sit in their meetings as far as schematics and all of that stuff goes. They are finding their way. They are doing really well. There are some young guys in the secondary that are really starting to get a hang of the schemes. They are playing really well, so I am excited for our development of a football team."
(I know Head Coach Kyle Shanahan has talked about cutting this streak off now so it doesn't carry over next year. Was that kind of the rallying cry this week? )
"I just don't like them. I don't like Seattle. I don't think there is a rallying cry we need to get fired up for this game. We just are fired up to play against them. This locker room is always going to continue to play hard no matter what the circumstances are. It was a fun game, a team win today."
Fan photos from the Seattle Seahawks' road game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 of the 2018 NFL season.