The San Francisco 49ers are set to face the Miami Dolphins as they look for their fifth-straight win. Here's what both teams had to say ahead of the Week 13 matchup:
Niners Liners
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel's performance in Miami:
"It's what we expected. He's doing a great job with his personnel. Those two receivers (Miami Dolphins wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle), the speed they have and the good football players they are combined with the speed of (Miami Dolphins running back) Raheem (Mostert) and the way that (Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa) quarterback is playing. Tua is playing at an extremely high-level. He's been doing it since the preseason, big time in Week 1 and hasn't fallen off at all and they're doing a good job on defense too."
Shanahan on the Dolphins offense:
"Tyreek, there's a number of fast people in this league and to me he's different than everyone else, probably ever. Just the physicality and speed he runs with. So just some of the things that they can do with him is cool to watch, but the question was watching Tua in the offense and I wasn't totally sure of that and I remember turning it on in the preseason and watching his first game and I was like, 'wow, this guy looks totally different and looks very comfortable,' and then turned it on Week 1 and I thought he was playing in Week 1 as good as anyone in this league and I don't think he's had a game not like that."
Shanahan on Tagovailoa:
"Tua, to me, is the reason that they're leading the league in explosives because he knows how to hit people over the middle. It's rarely deep. It's usually running and hitting these guys on the move and there's some really open space with all that speed and then the quarterback who can drop it over linebackers, who is not worried about safeties and is doing that part of his game as high as anyone I've seen right now."
Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans on the Dolphins offense:
"I think the Dolphins, their offense is very efficient because of the quarterback. Tua is very efficient at not only getting the ball out quick, but the accuracy and the way he delivers the ball that allows the offense to be as efficient as they are. And you add the playmakers in that he has with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, those guys all have elite speed and big-time playmaking ability where they can take an intermediate throw and they can make a guy miss and go to the house. Not all offenses have that. I think that's where this offense really lights it up because each throw, it doesn't have to be a 50-yard bomb down the field, it can be a screen behind the line of scrimmage, and these guys have the speed and the playmaking ability to make guys miss and go to the house."
Ryans on Miami's offensive scheme:
"McDaniel does a really good job of mixing things up. Not too many plays are the same. He finds a way to get different players in different positions, a lot of different looks, a lot of different motions to get defenses confused and looking at all these things that are going on. He does a good job of creating space by moving guys around, making guys have to communicate and he hits you with any type of play, whether it's run game, pass game, he makes the play action marry up with the run game, which makes it even more difficult, so just shout out to McDaniel. He's doing a really good job there."
Ryans on how he's preparing San Francisco's defense for the Dolphins:
"It goes back to us and just playing our fundamentals, our technique and being exactly where we're supposed to be. That doesn't change for us each week and I want to keep it consistent with our guys to make sure we're playing as fast as we can play, so really, it doesn't matter what they do or what they present. It doesn't matter, it's about us and how we handle those things."
Ryans on Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill:
"His speed is just different from anybody you've seen in the NFL. There are fast guys in the NFL, but then there's Tyreek's speed and it's just on another level. Nobody runs as fast as him. The routes that he's able to run, like he's behind the line of scrimmage and he's able to run deep routes from there and it's impressive. It's impressive and it's a special talent that he has. No one else in the league has that ability that Tyreek has, his ability to separate and not only is it just his speed, but he is very strong. When he gets the ball in his hands, he is a very strong runner and he can bounce off of tackles and make guys miss."
Ryans on having relationships with the opposing team:
"It doesn't really cross my mind. Once we step out there, it's not about those guys, it doesn't matter. Guys have on Dolphins jerseys and we have to be what we're supposed to be. Play physical, play fast, play together and relentless. Everything else will take care of itself. It really doesn't matter who's under the helmet across from us. We're just excited to play another football game. We're excited to go out here in front of our fans and put out a good performance for them."
Offensive line and run game coordinator Chris Foerster on practicing in the rain ahead of a rainy gameday forecast:
"Oh, it was great. I sometimes like the little change, the cold weather, rain, as long as you're not doing it every day. It's kind of a little adversity but the guys were great. It was a very energetic practice today."
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on how his knee feels ahead of gameday:
"Feels great. Feels great, baby. It's coming along. I feel pretty good with it."
Garoppolo on supporting T.A.P.S. for the 49ers 2022 My Cause My Cleats Campaign:
"It's a new one for me this year. I've seen George Kittle do it in the past and I just thought it was a cool opportunity. T.A.P.S. is people who have lost someone through the military and any bit of light we could shine on their situation and just bring a little bit of joy to them, I think goes a long way. So that's what we were trying to do."
Garoppolo on playing in the rain:
"I think it'll affect the game very little. I think elements are what they are. Wind, rain, snow, whatever it is we've played in just about everything this year in practice, so I think we're ready for the game. We practiced out there in it today. It didn't seem too crazy, but we'll deal with whatever's dealt to us."
Running back Christian McCaffrey on how his knee feels ahead of gameday:
"It just had some knee irritation. That was pretty much it. Just making sure I was checking all the boxes to make sure everything was good. I feel great."
Defensive lineman Arik Armstead on his return from injury:
"I feel great. I'm excited to get back out there. I'm able to play... I'm excited to get back regardless of who we are playing. I missed a lot of time, but it's going to be a fun game against a high-powered offense. There are a lot of eyes on me in this game, top teams in the league, so definitely going to be a lot of fun playing in this one."
Defensive lineman Nick Bosa on how McDaniel has coached Miami:
"To come in first year, get that quarterback playing the best ball he's played... and defense, they have a lot of talent. I'm sure he wouldn't have gone there if he didn't know there was a good shot they could be good. He's done an amazing job."
Offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey on playing against former teammates:
"It's definitely a little different, but nothing but love for those guys. Jeff Wilson Jr. is one of the best teammates I've every had. To lose him obviously hurt... It's the way this business works. I'm excited to see him again, excited to see all the guys we've played with."
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw on playing against former teammates:
"It's going to be fun. We've gone up against those guys a lot. They (Mostert and Wilson Jr.) know us, and we know them. It's going to be a matchup that is fun to be a part of, so we can't wait to see those guys."
Dolphins Quotes
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on returning to Levi's® Stadium:
"I have a very high opinion of the 49ers franchise and players, coaches, staff members. I have a lot of love for anybody that I worked with, especially for that extended period of time. So those relationships and people will always matter to me. But in terms of this week, it will be odd for a second, for sure, to be in a different locker room, or pulling up on the bus in a weird area, or being on a different sideline for a second, I'm assuming – just odd as in abnormal."
McDaniel on Shanahan:
"I owe a lot to him in general. I will be forever grateful, and I think he's always been one of the best, if not the best, offensive coaches and head coaches that I've ever had experience being around."
McDaniel on preparing for the 49ers:
"It's a tough test, and that's the bigger deal – No. 1 defense in the league, an offense that does a great job getting yards, getting it to all their unbelievably talented skill position players and a special teams that has definitely – Ray-Ray McCloud III is an issue that you have to handle. So that's the bigger thing is that we've been progressing week by week, and in the NFL, if you're aspiring to do big things, you have to play big time football in December and January against big time teams. So that's something that I think our team will be excited for, and I know the 49ers will be excited to play football like they always are each and every week."
McDaniel on his expectations for playing against San Francisco:
"One thing I do know, in all three phases, the 49ers will have a good plan to go against us. I know that's what they do."
McDaniel on Nick Bosa:
"If Nick Bosa has a pulse, you're concerned. If he walks past you in the parking lot, you're concerned. He's one of the better players in the entire NFL. You could easily argue, many people have, and I think a lot of teams that have played him have, that he's the best pass rusher in the NFL. You always will encounter really good players, or elite players, on really good teams. That never fails. And so you always have to get used to playing teams with exceptional players. He's going to make his plays. You try to do your best to minimize those with various things. Every little detail, you have to be mindful of where he's at and how he's going about his business, regardless of who's there. I think from an offensive staff perspective, you have to do your due diligence to try to minimize him as best you can, knowing that you're never going to stop him and he lives and breathes pass rushing."
McDaniel on the 49ers offense:
"They're as good as it gets in terms of people with the ball in their hands. I think statistics reflect that and I think you have to approach a game plan with 100 percent certainty that they're going to play. So yeah, they affect the way you play football because you should be mindful and be deliberate in your approach on how you defend really elite players. I don't know Christian McCaffrey at all personally. I've just watched him play and marveled at a lot of stuff that he could do. I do know Deebo Samuel Sr. and know him well enough that I'm assuming that him and Kyle are in cahoots and trying to hustle me. I think both those guys are elite players because amongst talent, they also have a drive to play and I would be very surprised if both weren't out there on Sunday."
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on the 49ers defense:
"We're preparing for these guys like every other defense. We understand that this is probably going to be our toughest competition because it's our next. But for us, I don't think we look at it as something that we shy away from. We embrace adversity, we embrace competition and it's a great opportunity for us to showcase what we can do against the best and what more can you ask for."
