San Francisco - 21
Seattle - 13
KYLE SHANAHAN: -- at the beginning of the year, we had two games that I think got away from us. We didn't let it get to us. Kept working, kept practicing. Felt like our guys have gotten better throughout the year.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: Definitely another level. It was another level for me just watching someone do it. The injury he had last week, for him to be ready to go today, which still you could tell in pregame warmups a number of things that were really tough for him.
For him to be able to just play, let alone to play the way he did, to protect the ball, I knew he struggled to move a little bit at times, but there at the end for the third-and-one, for him to be able to run and move the chains, team had a lot of respect for him before that game, but a lot more now.
Q. The first touchdown he killed, faking right and left...
KYLE SHANAHAN: Yeah, it's a play we've ran a few times. Run it like once a year. It was a good look. Got it to the right guy.
Q. Was that a designed run for him?
KYLE SHANAHAN: No, it was a pass to Christian in the flat. They took him, then he just kept going.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: I was. I was there right by him, though, I saw him. I thought he for sure got the first down. When they challenged it... It's weird when guys start to slide. Got nervous when that happened. Once I saw it on the scoreboard, he was starting to slide, but the ball was in front of him. It was pretty easy to see after that.
Q. Is he one of the most mature rookie quarterbacks you've seen in the NFL?
KYLE SHANAHAN: Mature in what way?
Q. How experienced he seems on the field, how poised he is. Plays like a veteran.
KYLE SHANAHAN: He's definitely the most poised rookie I've ever had. He's been like that since he's gotten here. From what I hear about him in college, I think it was very similar, just starting as a freshman.
He's been great. He was poised all week. Even him being unsure of whether he'd be able to go or not, I think that was uneasy for him because he didn't know what to expect till he got in the game.
Under the circumstances, we didn't have any other options or choice. Going to see how long he could last and ready to go with Josh. But he got comfortable and got better as the game went. It was pretty unbelievable.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: I got a ton of respect for this place. It's a hard place to play. Been a hard place for a long time. But was just real proud of our guys we got it today.
Q. Was he skipping drills early on to limit the work he had to do?
KYLE SHANAHAN: Yes, no, didn't want to do too much till he had to. That was the concern kind of all week for him. We didn't know exactly how it would play out in the game. But we were ready to go with Plan B as soon as it didn't happen. But it happened, and he stayed out there. Didn't just make it through the game, he played at a real high level and one of the main reasons we won.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: A little bit. I mean, we try not to put him in some situations. I don't want to get into all those plays. We had a number of plays we weren't going to do today because of where he was at.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: Just giving us another weapon in a different area. I think we got a lot of guys that are interchangeable. To have a back who's such a threat out of the backfield on pass plays, to me as good as anyone in the league at that.
Plus the runner he is, pairing him with some of our guys. We haven't had to force much to him. When he can run the ball, catch checkdowns, also be the main guy on some routes, just a great weapon to have.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: I thought the defense was unbelievable. Didn't give up a touchdown till that last drive. Had some breakdowns on that drive.
I think the only thing that really hurt us were some penalties on both sides, offense and defense. We had a 28 and 3 at one time, got that taken back on the personal foul. Three drives when we were in field goal range. Bad penalty that got us out of there on three of those drives.
Our defense was unbelievable. They did it, to me, throughout the whole game. Had one lapse there, two plays on the final drive. They've been unbelievable all year. They're continuing it.
Q. Last year there was a point when you said you weren't quite in rhythm calling the plays. It's not just about you. Do you feel like you're in a rhythm right now?
KYLE SHANAHAN: I mean, depends on the game. There's times where you get in it, just like in that game, and there's times you get out of it.
A coach gets into a rhythm with his players. We're just calling plays. You never do just good as a play-caller. Your players are in rhythm, so that gives you a chance to get in rhythm.
Sometimes you can help and get a lucky one. But our guys have been playing well. When they're like that, especially the way Brock has been playing, it's really fun to call plays for them.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: I mean, you don't ever expect someone to be that open. We were hoping to get it called versus quarters, you could pump twice, get him to chase Ray-Ray to the left or pump to the right. When that happens there's no one left for Kittle down the middle. That's the best opportunity for it to happen and it worked out perfectly. He has the explosiveness to score.
The second one, we weren't expecting that at all. It was a read across the board. Brock did an awesome job when he got to the left, he was going to go to the flat, and a number of people jumped Christian, they left Kittle all alone.
I think it was a three-man rush, which our protection allowed Brock to get all the way across the board and make a big-time play.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: Fourth.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: Yeah, I think he passed it originally. I just didn't feel totally right about it, just talking to him and stuff. We didn't think he should go back in.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: I thought it was huge. Just watching him, D.K. is as big of a challenge as any receivers in this league, how physical he is, how explosive he is. Just really cool to watch him battle with him.
The one early in the game, I think they missed an offensive PI, from what I saw. They got the one later in the game, the second one. Just watching him battle in the game, not shy away. Thought he played a hell of a game.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: Just when you get a bigger back in there for some short-yardage situations or some four-minute situations, I think you guys have seen Mason the last month in that role. I think that was a similar situation today.
Q. Celebrations going on in there?
KYLE SHANAHAN: I think so. That's why I was late in here. Excited to get back. A little wiped out right now.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: Yes. The play is called Hollywood because Kittle is supposed to do a good acting job. We've done it in the past where he falls down, so they really forget about him. Sometimes I think it's too obvious when he falls down.
The fall down is all good as long as you don't call it versus a blitz. I've called it versus a blitz before. He's sitting there laying on the ground while Nick is waiting for him to get back up. It is not worth it to me. Did a good job of acting without falling down on the ground and we had the right look.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: I mean, right now I'm still excited to have a few days just to reflect. That's the coolest thing about Thursday games. We had a real good win on Sunday. You don't have time to talk about it, think about it at all to get ready for this. Big win tonight to be able to clinch the division. Have a couple days to relax a little bit.
There's no doubt about it, this isn't our final goal by any means. I'm very proud of our team, what we accomplished throughout the year to get to this. Our goal is to get in the tournament. We accomplished that today.
Now it's all trying to set that up to be the best situation we can. Hopefully get some of our guys back, too, in the process.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: He did without throwing. We walked through it yesterday, so...
Q. Is that a play where you need to do it? He should be able to do it full speed to get the timing down?
KYLE SHANAHAN: You'd like to do that with all plays. We hadn't ran that this year yet. But all he's got to do is pump twice and throw it to the middle. It's just playing catch. You should be able to do that (smiling).
Q. Did he throw in practice at all?
KYLE SHANAHAN: No, huh-uh.
Q. His throws today on the field were the first ones he thrown?
KYLE SHANAHAN: Yes. I think he threw a couple in the hotel today when they had a walk-thru in the ballroom.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: Yeah, that's what the risk was. That's what's so hard about having to activate people. That's why we were nervous on Monday. We wouldn't know until then. If he goes out there and tries to do it, then can't do it, you're just down to one quarterback because you got to decide that before that point.
We were all in at that time. Just going to see how long it lasted. It lasted all game.
Q. (No microphone.)
KYLE SHANAHAN: In the ballroom at the hotel, yeah. That's what I was told. They started the walk-through. I come here right away. I wasn't at the walk-through.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports