The San Francisco 49ers are set to face the Las Vegas Raiders as they look for their ninth-straight win. Here's what both teams had to say ahead of the Week 17 matchup:
Niners Liners
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on quarterback Jarrett Stidham starting for the Raiders:
"I know he is a talented thrower. We've seen him play before, not just at the Senior Bowl, but I think we played him a couple years ago, but he can make every throw similar to (Raiders quarterback Derek) Carr in that way, but he hasn't been out there a lot, so hopefully we'll confuse him. Make it tough for him."
Shanahan on his expectations for the Raiders:
"I see some great players who can beat you. That's why I think they've had a chance in so many games this year and they have been close. They're just a few the ball bouncing a different way to be locked in as a playoff team right now, so I know they're sitting down their quarterback, who I think's a real good player, but they've also got three big time weapons there on offense. Their defensive end in (Maxx) Crosby is playing as probably the second-best defensive player in the league. At least that I've seen this year. I think he's been unbelievable, so they've got some guys who can wreck games and you better be on your stuff regardless."
Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans on preparing for Stidham:
"Jarrett is a guy who's been in that system for a while, so I think he'll be able to run it efficiently, understand what (Raiders head coach Josh) McDaniels wants from him and I feel like he can move the ball and he's a good quarterback and he'll be able to operate within that scheme."
Ryans on what he's expecting from the Raiders:
"I do see a very dangerous team because they have playmakers all over the field. You talk about their big three, they have guys who can really take over games and we still have our hands full no matter who's at quarterback. We still have our hands full with this team. They have been in a lot of close games. They're a team who's vying for a playoff spot, so we know we're going to get all that they have and we know they're coming out gunning for us, so we have our hands full and we're ready to roll."
Ryans on defending Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams:
"With Davante, this guy is one of the best receivers in the league and we faced him a few years in a row. He always seems to make plays, no matter where he aligns on the field, they move him all over the place, get him on the outside, this guy can go up and make plays. He does a really good job of finding the ball, making it tough on corners and he's a guy who's always looking forward to that matchup. You can tell he thrives in that one-on-one moment. I know Charvarius Ward is looking forward to the matchup as well, or if our other corner Deommodore Lenoir lines up on him. Whoever lines up, they have their hands full and they have to go make a play."
Offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Foerster on the 49ers O-line facing Crosby:
"He's one of the best players we've faced all year. I think Shanahan might have mentioned earlier in the week that (Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle) Aaron Donald and this guy probably present the most problems. He presents problems rushing the passer. He presents problems in the run game. He rushes the passers as well as most of those elite edge rushers in the league. He presents a unique style. He's hard to get his hands on and in the run game, he's kind of like (Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman) J.J. Watt a little bit in that he can swim around blocks and still make plays. It's not only that he's really talented and really good, it's unconventional, so you don't see it every week and that does create issues for whoever has to block him, so you have to come up with plans and things you want to try to limit the amount of opportunities he has to exhibit all that stuff."
Quarterback Brock Purdy on preparing to go up against the Raiders defense:
"Overall, Maxx Crosby is really good on the edge, so whenever they have a player like that that you have to focus on they can do a lot of other different things that you can sometimes slip up and not be ready for in terms of what they do with their secondary and their backers and whatnot, but I think they're talented across the board. For us, we're just focusing on what we have to do to get better and get right for this week and work on little things and habits and details that we want to clean up. It's going to be a really good challenge for us going into a really good environment and they've got a solid team all around."
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw on his thoughts of the 2022 Las Vegas team:
"They're a good team. It hasn't been the team they hoped for, but they have a good team. They do a lot of good things and have a really great running back, good tight ends, good catchers, one of the best receivers in the league."
Offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey on Crosby:
"He's as good of a player as we've faced all year. He certainly presents a lot of problems for a lot of people. He's so multiple in how he rushes and how he plays the run. He's complete."
Raiders Quotes
Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels on Shanahan and the 49ers:
"He's a friend of mine. We've got to know each other a little bit over the years, certainly compete against each other in some big games and I have a great deal of respect for him. He's a creative guy. He's really really good with the quarterback, does a lot of things that challenge you schematically and gets his players to really execute at a high level. They play fast, they're physical, they're aggressive. They do a lot of the right things to win the game. And you can see that in his football team there. This is as good of a football team in all three phases that we've played all season and that's a fact. Special teams, defense, offense, they're really good in every phase. This will be a big challenge, they've got good players."
McDaniels on Purdy:
"He's doing a good job. He's a mature young guy. Coming out, he's played a lot of football and he has a presence about him and you can tell that he's really grasped their offensive system. His eyes are almost always in the right place, which for a young quarterback that's a great starting point... It allows him to get the ball to the playmakers that he needs to get it to. He's run their system very effectively the last month, moves in the pocket well, he's got some athletic ability, has made a lot of good throws in critical situations and seemingly has a very good grasp for what they're asking him to do. He's really playing well for a young player."
McDaniels on tight end George Kittle:
"You've got to try to get him early. You can't give him a bunch of space. If he gets into space, this guy is like Earl Campbell running with the ball. He's physical, he's aggressive, he's big, he's strong and he's very difficult to tackle. A guy like him with the speed, the hands, the ability to win in the passing game – you just can't give him too much space. We're gonna have to do a good job of playing with proper leverage, using our help and denying him those big opportunities to have the ball in space where it's really difficult to get him into the ground."
McDaniels on the 49ers offense:
"They've got a lot of guys that are like that unique skill sets. Kittle, Deebo Samuel Sr., Christian McCaffrey, Kyle Juszczyk. There's a lot of different players that they have that are really rare in terms of what they do and and he aligns them all over the place. So, identification, communication and being able to play our assignment right is going to be a big thing for us on defense."
Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham on competing against the 49ers defense:
"I'm a firm believer in whatever it is in life that you do, you're not gonna get any better unless you do it against the best. So it's gonna be a great challenge for us as a team. They're good in all three phases, so, it's gonna be a lot of fun. I'm super excited about it. I think it'll be a great challenge for us."
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby on Shanahan and the 49ers offense:
"Shanahan is an excellent coach. He's been a great coach for a long time and their skill position is elite. From McCaffrey, to Deebo, to Brandon Aiyuk, it goes on and on. Obviously, they've got the best left tackle in the league. They have a lot of other good linemen as well, McGlinchey is a good right tackle. They have a lot of good pieces. It's not a coincidence that they're doing well."
