NFC Championship Game preview: 49ers vs. Lions, by Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy

Before Wednesday’s practice, quarterback Brock Purdy and head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers spoke with reporters as the club got ready to play the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game. This is what they had to say.

The San Francisco 49ers Communications team contributed the transcripts.

Kyle Shanahan, head coach

First remarks:

“We only have [WR] Deebo [Samuel] for practice today due to his shoulder. He refuses to practice. Everybody else is occupied.”

What state is Deebo in?

He’s feeling more relaxed.”

Does that give you more hope that he will be available on Sunday?

“It makes me feel better.”

What specific harm has he sustained? Is it a fracture, a dislocation, a bruising, or a separation?

“Just his shoulder hurts.”

Just discomfort?

Yes, that is all. It simply aches.

Everyone seemed to agree that there was some acting involved when T. Trent Williams was given that penalty in the third quarter. Given what transpired in the Championship Game and a few other games last year, is there any reason to fear that other teams may use that as a tactic to sort of goat him if he does anything similar?

“It certainly is. It’s how we deal with everyone. That kind of thing is done by everyone. Between it, there’s a very thin line. Trent may have crossed it, but you cross it when the flag is raised. You must therefore ascertain what that line is, how the game is progressing, and that you are incorrect if you receive a penalty.”

Going into the NFC Championship Game, how do you feel about the offense’s general depth, not just with regard to the quarterback?

“Very good. Like other teams, I believe we’ve had some hardship this season, which has given people the opportunity to play a variety of positions. But simply having Deebo there is fairly helpful heading into this final game.”

You brought about DB Deommodore Lenoir the other day, saying that he plays at a higher cerebral level than most people. Is it something you had to train, or is it something he brought in and it’s grown?

“No, I believe he brought that up immediately away. It was him at rookie camp who immediately got me penalized for slamming someone too hard and posting it online. I therefore needed some time to recover from that. But that’s the mindset he’s always had. You go through some ups and downs early in the year, I believe, just like all rookies do. I believe that he occasionally lost that a little bit, but that was more due to his attempts to understand the cerebral and strategic aspects of the game rather than who he is. However, Demo has always been a brat. I believe this explains why he performs at such a high caliber.

How do you feel about the cornerbacks for the Lions?

“They use their defense as a game. They produce a few plays. You can see their entire defense in the figures, and in the pass game, I believe they rank 31st. However, after watching the tape, you begin to understand them better. Their actions are hostile. They are prone to big plays because they jumble everything. They rank fourth when it comes to negative effects. In terms of turnovers over the past five games, I believe they are leading the league. If not, they rank among the top five or something like. You’re going to hit or miss with this club because of how aggressive they are in what they do. However, I believe that none of the actors in the.