The San Francisco 49ers are set to face the Arizona Cardinals for an NFL International Series game in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca. Here's what both teams had to say ahead of the "Monday Night Football" matchup:
Niners Liners
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on the difference of preparing for Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks Colt McCoy and Kyler Murray:
"They're still going to run a similar offense with both, so schematically, you still have to be ready. There's definitely some different skill sets, but we saw both last year so our defense knows from going against both of them. They're both a problem and you have to be ready for both."
Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans on expecting to face Murray:
"I tell the guys, some things we can't control, the things we can't control, we don't get consumed with. So we've played Kyler, we've played Colt, we know what both guys bring. Both guys are really good players in their own different styles. Kyler is very effective in making plays with his feet. He's one of the fastest quarterbacks in the league, so his ability to scramble and make plays, you have to be prepared for that. And we're working on that, expecting him to play. If Colt plays, Colt is a guy who runs their offense very efficiently, he gets the ball out fairly quickly, makes really good decisions with the football, so he's another guy who we have to be on. You have to be tight with your coverage. You have to be disciplined with both of these guys. The big word that comes up throughout the week for us is just us being disciplined. Whether it's the quarterback run game, whether it's Colt playing, you have to be tight with your coverages. We just have to be disciplined in everything we do. And it never changes, no matter who's playing quarterback, it will always be about us defensively and playing our best."
Offensive line and run game coordinator Chris Foerster on his main concern facing the Cardinals defense:
"Every week is a great challenge... They are a talented group and they play really hard and really fast. (Cardinals defensive coordinator) Vance Joseph does a great job with that defense. He always has. He uses those guys, maximizes their ability, how they use linebacker Isaiah Simmons, how they use linebacker Zaven Collins, defensive lineman J.J. Watt is still playing at a high level. I don't want to leave anybody out, safety Budda Baker is one of the best players in the NFL right now... Man, that front seven, eight, if you include the safeties, both those safeties, they're great players. This is a talented, talented defense... They play a physical brand of football and we have to be ready to match it."
Linebacker Fred Warner on preparing for both Murray and McCoy:
"We're preparing for both. They're going to run a similar offense with both of them. There's the extra element with Kyler and his ability to move around, as unique of a player he is. We'll be prepared for both."
Warner on playing "Monday Night Football" in Mexico City:
"Everything that goes into it makes it a really special moment. Obviously, me having the connection too is really cool. The things I'm seeing going around about how there is supposed to be 80 percent of 49ers fans in the stadium even though it's an Arizona home game – it puts a smile on your face. We want to make sure we go out there and give them a product that they can be proud of."
Tight end George Kittle on playing in Mexico City's high elevation:
"I've talked to guys who played in Mexico before that said it's way different than playing in Denver. I know it's going to be something, I'm glad that we're here getting adjusted to it. I think it'll be helpful for us."
Kittle on how the Cardinals have changed since San Francisco last saw them in 2021:
"Them losing Chandler Jones is awesome for me. I love not blocking him twice a year, he's really good. Besides that, they're very downhill, their D-line gets across the ball, they're penetrators like our D-line. It's something that we've got to go against all training camp so that will be familiar. They still run the three-four stuff so it's a little bit different, but you've still got Buddha Baker back there who's flying around like a missile."
Kittle on playing against Baker:
"He's one of the first guys that's always there to tackle me if I have the football. We're not in man coverage too often, he's more in the middle of the field and he's the last guy in the safety net. He comes downhill, hits hard, but he's definitely one of my favorite guys to go against. His effort on tape, you see it every single day, every single game, he does a fantastic job. I don't want to say he's an Energizer Bunny, but he doesn't slow down. Every single rep, he's 100 percent going through your knees and that definitely changes how you play the football game."
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw on preparing to play against Murray:
"He's just going to be running more, so you've got to be able to plaster and stay tighter on your guy a lot more."
Defensive lineman Nick Bosa on preparing for multiple quarterbacks:
"We don't really know who's going to be there, but we're preparing for whoever. Murray is tough, definitely elusive and really fast. We have to be sound in our rush lanes and do our thing."
Bosa on playing in Mexico City:
"It's going to be really cool to see how a different country reacts to our games and I've heard there's a lot of Mexican 49ers fans, so it should be pretty good. And the stadium looks really cool, so it should be loud and fun."
Cardinals Quotes
Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury on not traveling to a higher elevation for practices:
"Our sports medicine staff and sports science group felt like we could get a good plan here, keep the guys here and maximize what we wanted to do. That's what we settled on."
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray on playing against the 49ers defense:
"The 49ers have a great rush defense. Their defense is playing well. Regardless of their record, we know what they're capable of. People are high on the 49ers right now for obvious reasons, they're a great team... Everybody knows they've had a great front seven for as long as I can remember and they're going to get up field, so we've got to be prepared for that."
Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph on running back Christian McCaffrey:
"He's a great player. We played him in Week 4. He has the passing game element from the backfield. Their running game is obviously their first deal they do, but as a receiver, he's a tough match for most backs. To have a plan to get the right guy on him on first, second and third down is a must for us. Adding one more great player to their offense, it's obviously good for them and bad for us... To watch what they've done with him the last month has been kind of scary. We'll see what happens on Monday."
Joseph on the Week 11 matchup:
"This is a big, big game for us, being a divisional game and being two in a row for our team. Everyone's locked in. Hopefully we play our best football on Monday and we're excited about it."
