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On whether he has decided where Coach Jimmy Raye will be situated for the game:**"I have not. I told you on Sunday after the game that we would deal with it, and before the game we will have it dealt with."
On the report that came out about communication issues from Yahoo Sports and whether it is factual:"You know, let me address it like this. As the head coach, one of the most important things for me to do is decide where I need to spend my time. The time that I have, I need to think about certain things that are important or not important. What's in that article, the thing that I always try to strive to do is to deal with men. And if a man has something to say, he's going to find a way to come and tell you. But I don't want to deal with a rat. And I don't want to spend my time trying to find out, who said this, who did that. The article is not factual, number one. Number two is I don't want to spend my time trying to find the rat. In time, the smell will come."
On whether that rat is in the building:"Oh I don't – if the rat is in the building, it will show in time, but I'm not going to go trying to find it. It'll show."
On QB Alex Smith potentially playing with a wristband with plays on it:"It's a thought. It's a thought, it's an option."
On the one thing that needs to be cleared up to face the Saints on Monday night:"Finish. You start the game, finish the game."
On what he sensed happened during the game:"You know what, I want to say this about the game and then I want to move on. There are many different reasons why we lost the game, many different reasons that I don't have time to go through. But the bottom line is, we didn't finish. But now, I'm excited about the game that we have Monday night. And in all honesty, that's what I'd really like for us to focus on, because that's what we're focused on."
On the status of CB Will James for this game:"Questionable, day-to-day."
On whether James will practice:"You know what, he's just going to continue the progression that he's on with the trainers, and thankfully we have an extra day, but we'll see how that works out."
On whether that puts CB Phillip Adams in a critical defensive position:"I think if he has to play, we'll create the right matchup and we'll go from there, but if Phillip has to play, he'll do fine."
On whether WR Jason Hill will take over responsibilities for WR Ted Ginn:"Right now, the biggest reason we brought in Hill was simply because we want to make sure that he can be that next guy if Ginn can't go. Right now Ginn is a day-to-day situation and we have to continue to observe it. But Hill's that guy that, if Ginn can't go, he'll step in. So we'll see how that goes."
On whether Hill or WR Dominique Zeigler is the number three wide receiver:"What I'm saying is, I'm just talking about from a depth standpoint. Zeigler is the number three guy."
On the return game situation going into this week's game:"Well, I kind of addressed it on Monday. We got a number of guys that could do it, could be Josh Morgan, could be Delanie (Walker), (Dominique) Zeigler, it just depends on how it works out. As far as the punt, it could be any number of guys there. It could be the kid, the young kid, Phillip Adams. Also could be 17, Zeigler. Could be him."
On how close WR Kyle Williams is to returning:"We're just continuing to evaluate. He's looking better, but he's the same as William James, just continuing to do the progression work that he has to do in order to get where he needs to go and we'll see."
On whether WR Jerry Rice has been invited to the 49ers facility after reports that he was working with the Seahawks:"Jerry's been here a number of times, but you know, where Jerry goes is his business. So the fact that he was with Pete Carroll, that's great. Great for Jerry. But yes, he's been invited here."
On the defensive secondary and how they can evolve and improve:"Our DBs? Oh, it's just technique, technique, details. It's as simple as that. You know, they know that as well as I do, it's the first game of the season, they got caught in some tough situations that basically they put themselves in, but we just have to continue to go forward and get better."
On whether protection or his ability to get the ball out makes it difficult to get Saints QB Drew Brees:"I think it's a combination. Sometimes a player is in a great system, and I think the system that they run, it caters to him very well. And he would be successful in any system, but particularly that one. And I think he understands the offense very well and I think when you begin to talk about Drew Brees, once again it goes back to the relationship, it goes back to the relationship with the coordinator. They've been together for a number of years and I think when you have a good coordinator and a good quarterback, if they can stay together for a little while, good things are going to happen."
On whether LB Ahmad Brooks will play Monday:"Yes, its – he's looking good, it's probable he's going to go. We'll see how it looks but he's looking good."
On how he determines which outside linebacker will play:"It's going to be a tough call. We just have to continue to evaluate throughout the week, and we'll see how it looks and what's better for the team at the end of the week."
On whether LB Manny Lawson and LB Parys Haralson are set as starters:"Well we've got to look at everything right now, but Manny and Parys, they've done a great job and there's no reason to begin to look at them, but right now we're looking at every situation and we'll evaluate if it's what's best for the game."
On whether G Chilo Rachal will play:"Right now, you know he has that pinched nerve and it's a day-to-day thing, we'll see."
On his thought process on bringing in T/G Adam Snyder over G Tony Wragge last week:"Well I think Coach Solari felt that Snyder would be the best fit in that situation and made that decision."
On what he can do to keep the team together when things get tough:"Well right now is a tremendous opportunity for us very early on. I'm very excited for where it is right now because sometimes it's tough to tell a team that's as talented and as young as we are that, you know what, the stove is hot. And it's just a matter of understanding after you go through it and you touch the stove, and you know, hey it's hot. I think our guys understand the challenge that we have going forward, I think they understand that we have to go out there and start the game, finish the game, and just continue to get better. Every opportunity that we have to get better we have to take it, whether it's in practice or it's in the game. So for us, we're going to stick together, we're going to continue to work. We're a work in progress, but I'm excited about Monday night and I'm excited about the challenge for our team."
On whether there are any other ideas being discussed on how to address the play-calling issues:"No, I think we have enough. I really do."
On whether there are any elements of accuracy in the Yahoo Sports article:"You know, I'm going to say this. I'm going to leave it where it's at. Some things are better off left alone, I'm going to leave it where it's at. I said what I needed to say about it, and I'm looking toward Monday night and every bit of energy that I have has to go toward that game. And like I said, wherever that story came from, I don't believe its in the building, but if it is, it'll find itself out in time, but sometimes you just have to know when to let something go. That's done."
On whether he is pissed off about it:"Am I pissed off about it? I would say this. It's just something that's disappointing. Pissed off, maybe a little in my immediate reaction, but to look at it and put it in perspective, you're just disappointed that something like that is written."
On what he means by a rat:"Here we go, okay? I want you to understand that I believe that in our country, it's the saddest thing that's happened. One thing that I want to teach our guys is to be men. If there's something that you have to say, go say it. And say that you said it. But don't go say a bunch of stuff, but 'don't tell him I said it.' To me, that's a rat. That's a coward and a rat. So those things I can't spend my time on, and that's all I have to say."
