How the 49ers can Clinch the No. 1 NFC Playoff Seed in Week 16
Clinching the No. 1 seed for the NFC playoffs is possible for the 49ers in Week 16, but they need help to do so.
Transcript
00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:10 >> Right, mixed emotions for sure.
00:15 The number one thing, don't ever wanna take away from a win, first and
00:19 foremost, especially winning the division in what, week 15?
00:25 I mean, back to back years, that's big time, and that's the standard now.
00:29 I remember last year, I remember I got in front of the team and I said,
00:33 we won the division, man, these don't come around often,
00:35 let's make sure we cherish this.
00:37 And I immediately regretted saying that, cuz I'm like, man, no,
00:41 this is the standard, it's not, this doesn't come around,
00:44 this is the standard now.
00:45 And so on the topic of standard, defensively, we have a standard here.
00:51 And today, obviously, we didn't live up to that standard.
00:53 And so we gotta make sure we come back and go to work this week,
00:58 cuz we got a team coming in who loves to run the football, and
01:01 they do it really well, so we gotta be better.
01:03 >> What did you see, why was the run defensively so good?
01:07 >> Just missed tackles, missed tackles, I look at myself, I look at,
01:11 I'm always gonna point the finger at myself first and foremost, and
01:14 I gotta be the standard for everybody else.
01:16 And then if we do miss a tackle, we gotta make sure guys are getting to
01:21 the football to get them down, too many explosive runs.
01:26 And then, yeah, I mean, that's honestly what sticks out the most.
01:30 >> I know you guys have been dying for a defensive touchdown,
01:33 and Charter has got one today, no lateral needed.
01:36 >> [LAUGH] >> How nice was it to finally break
01:39 through there and work your way to the base plate?
01:41 >> Yeah, that was amazing, we needed that, especially in that moment,
01:45 big time play by him.
01:46 And he's been playing at an all pro, here we go, Nick Bosa,
01:49 get on in there, buddy, looking like a champion.
01:54 Yeah, I mean, he's been playing at an all pro level all season,
01:56 leading the league in PBUs.
01:59 But he's been kind of talking about how he needed to get those interceptions to
02:02 really lock it down.
02:03 And so to have two today, one for a touchdown,
02:06 can't speak enough to how amazing he's been playing and needed them big time today.
02:09 >> Is that where this defense can take another step down the stretch of
02:15 the season into the postseason by putting points on the board?
02:18 >> I mean, yeah, that'd be great if we can continue to do that.
02:23 But I think at the end of the day, we gotta hone in on fundamentals,
02:25 that all that scoring touchdowns and stuff is great.
02:28 But if we can't tackle and stop the run, then the touchdown doesn't matter.
02:32 We just gotta play fundamentally sound defense.
02:34 >> With all that said, what's your reaction to being an NFC West champ?
02:39 >> Man, I'm excited, I'm excited.
02:41 That was the goal coming in, and that's the goal every season.
02:44 That's the standard here with the Niners.
02:46 And so really proud of the team, the way we've played all season long, performed,
02:50 bounce back from adversity to be able to win.