Speaker 1: M m M. Hello and welcome to the forty Niners
Speaker 1: First and ten Podcast, ten minutes of the most up
Speaker 1: to date forty Niners news first thing in the morning.
Speaker 1: I'm your host Brian McDonald, and I'm joined with forty
Speaker 1: Niners team reporter Lindsay Polariz. Lindsey, thanks for joining me,
Speaker 1: of course, Brie. Alright, So before we get into previewing
Speaker 1: the Week sixteen matchup against the Washington Commanders, let's talk
Speaker 1: Pro Bowl. The forty Niners received the most fan votes
Speaker 1: out of every team in the league, so shout out
Speaker 1: to the faithful. Six San Francisco players earned spots on
Speaker 1: the Pro Bowl roster. Those players being defensive lineman Nick Bosa,
Speaker 1: fullback Kyle use Check, tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner,
Speaker 1: left tackle Trent Williams, and safety Teleno who Funga earned
Speaker 1: his first trip to the Pro Bowl. Additionally, offensive lineman
Speaker 1: Jake Brendle, kicker Robbie Gold, running back Christian McCaffrey returned,
Speaker 1: specialist Ray Ray McLeod, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, cornerback Trevorius Ward,
Speaker 1: and punter Mitchishnowski were selected as alternates. It's a long
Speaker 1: list of Niners we've got going this year. So, lindsay,
Speaker 1: what was your first reaction to seeing the list of
Speaker 1: forty Niners who made the Pro Bowl. First of all,
Speaker 1: it is great to see six players on that first
Speaker 1: team selection, and of course you're just happy for anybody
Speaker 1: that gets a Pro Bowl NOD. I know that. I
Speaker 1: spoke to safety Talo who Fonga Um, Who's just so excited.
Speaker 1: It was like one of his personal goals to get
Speaker 1: his first Pro Bowl. UM. So obviously a lot of
Speaker 1: excitement surrounding that. The rest of the players, UM, the
Speaker 1: other five not huge surprises. They're obviously just huge contributors
Speaker 1: on this team. But I do want to say, I
Speaker 1: think there is a name missing from this and it
Speaker 1: is something we from head coach Kyle Shanahan as well.
Speaker 1: I don't know, there's been a lot of enthusiasm for
Speaker 1: a linebacker Dre green Law this year, especially when it
Speaker 1: comes to just within the organization and the faithful fan base,
Speaker 1: So I feel like that's maybe a name that is missing,
Speaker 1: especially just because he's been playing lights out, kind of
Speaker 1: the one to punch a linebacker duo with Fred Warner. Um,
Speaker 1: you know, just a great stretch of games by Dre
Speaker 1: green Law, so maybe maybe a big miss there. UM.
Speaker 1: And then also, you know we heard head coach Kyle
Speaker 1: Shanahan also mentioned Christian McCaffrey is one that UM feels
Speaker 1: like he should have been a first selection as well.
Speaker 1: Really tough to not see them making that starter list,
Speaker 1: especially with Dre green Law having the most tackles on
Speaker 1: the forty niners number one ranked defense in the league.
Speaker 1: But this week, the forty Niners are going to be
Speaker 1: up against a tough Commander's team that's fighting for a
Speaker 1: spot in the postseason. The Commanders are currently sitting in
Speaker 1: the seventh and final seed in the NFC playoff picture.
Speaker 1: What should we expect from Washington come Saturday. I think
Speaker 1: we should expect a team that is playing for their
Speaker 1: lives basically, you know, they want to be able to
Speaker 1: continue on in the postseason, and you know, for them,
Speaker 1: a win is very critical. Obviously on the forty Niners
Speaker 1: side now is just about playoff positioning, but definitely not
Speaker 1: a team to be underestimated. Their first in time of possession,
Speaker 1: they have an amazing top five defense, UM, so definitely
Speaker 1: a force to be reckoned with. Not somebody that should
Speaker 1: be underestimated. And you know, I know that the entire
Speaker 1: forty Niners team is not taking this next opponent lightly. UM.
Speaker 1: I think the mentality on the forty Niner side is,
Speaker 1: you know, UM, don't take your foot off the gas
Speaker 1: because they want a very competitive home stretch of the season.
Speaker 1: We heard from head coach Call Shanahan on Tuesday and
Speaker 1: again yesterday. Here's what he had to say about competing
Speaker 1: against Washington m ayone who plays defense as well as
Speaker 1: they do and commits to running the ball UM usually
Speaker 1: is recipe to be in the playoffs. UM. You know,
Speaker 1: they're number one in the league in time of possession UM,
Speaker 1: their top four in yards I think, their top their
Speaker 1: third on third down UM, their top five at least
Speaker 1: amount of explosives UM, and they they're top five defense.
Speaker 1: And when you have that and you're able to stop
Speaker 1: the run UM without always having to play the run,
Speaker 1: make some rolled up to go against. They don't give
Speaker 1: up big plays, They make everyone work for everything. And
Speaker 1: then on the other side of the ball, UM, they're
Speaker 1: controlling that clock. So UM usually when they take care
Speaker 1: of the ball, they win. Shanahan mentioned it and his
Speaker 1: team echoed it. Also the Commanders are entering the contest
Speaker 1: with a very physical defense there ranked number four in
Speaker 1: the league, and their past rush is what really stands out.
Speaker 1: With it being brock parties only third start this season,
Speaker 1: what does the forty Niners offense have to do to
Speaker 1: replicate the success that they've had over the past two games.
Speaker 1: You know, I think it comes down to making sure
Speaker 1: that Brock is well protected, especially against a pass rush that,
Speaker 1: like you said, has been very successful. Um, they are
Speaker 1: one of only two teams that have three or more
Speaker 1: players with seven or more sacks than Also, UM, defensive
Speaker 1: lineman Chase Young is also back in the fold for
Speaker 1: this game, so little extra firepower on the Commander's pass rush.
Speaker 1: So definitely just want to make sure that Brock pretty
Speaker 1: is protected in the pocket. Obviously, he is working back
Speaker 1: from a ribbon an oblique injury. UM he didn't get
Speaker 1: an injury designation this week, so he's obviously trending in
Speaker 1: the right direction. But you know, you just want to
Speaker 1: protect your quarterback at all times. And then also, you know,
Speaker 1: I think if you want to replicate the success, you
Speaker 1: want to have a good game on the ground, and
Speaker 1: we saw Christian McCaffrey really take a bulk of the
Speaker 1: reps in Seattle, probably going to see more of that.
Speaker 1: And Kyle Shanahan also hit tied at the idea of
Speaker 1: Jordan Mason getting more reps earlier in the game. UM,
Speaker 1: we'll see how his hamstring tightness that we heard about
Speaker 1: today kind of plays into that. UM, But definitely definitely
Speaker 1: lots to do in order to keep plugging away. Here's
Speaker 1: what offensive line and run game coordinator Chris Forrester had
Speaker 1: to say about preparing the offense for the Commander's aggressive
Speaker 1: defensive line. And this group defensively is uh. You can
Speaker 1: see their very sound uh and what they do schematically.
Speaker 1: They're very well coached. Their techniques are very very good.
Speaker 1: They've got skilled players. When they come to tackle, you
Speaker 1: know you're getting tackled. When when you hit one of them,
Speaker 1: you know you hit one of them. I mean, it's
Speaker 1: a it's a stout group. They bring it every single
Speaker 1: week and they present a great challenge for us up
Speaker 1: front on the offensive line. On the other side of
Speaker 1: the ball, the forty Niners defense has been preparing for
Speaker 1: a Commander's offense that's known for their run game, dominating
Speaker 1: in time of possession, and with their rookie running back
Speaker 1: Brian Robinson Jr. Having the hot hand in Washington's run game,
Speaker 1: how is the forty Niners number one defense going to
Speaker 1: match up against that? You know, I think for them
Speaker 1: it is just keep doing what you're doing. Uh. The
Speaker 1: forty Niners defense obviously top ranked right now, and they're
Speaker 1: holding opponents their averages fifteen points allowed per game. Um.
Speaker 1: I was reading a stat that the Commanders are averaging
Speaker 1: just over eighteen points a game on offense. So it's
Speaker 1: going they're going to be really really tough to beat
Speaker 1: if they're holding the Commanders to that very low average
Speaker 1: as well. Um. So I think it's just about getting
Speaker 1: those big plays, and we've seen kind of the big
Speaker 1: playmakers on defense switch every game. You never know who
Speaker 1: it's gonna be, who's gonna come away with the force
Speaker 1: fumble or the interception. Um. But obviously a matchup to
Speaker 1: watch is going to be the forty Niners run defense,
Speaker 1: which is number one in the league, going against, like
Speaker 1: you said, a run game from the Commanders that is
Speaker 1: eleventh overall, and just making sure that Brian Robinson doesn't
Speaker 1: have a good day on Saturday for the forty Niners defense,
Speaker 1: The rich is only getting richer since Jevon Kimla is
Speaker 1: expected to play on Saturday, and they'll also have the
Speaker 1: star power of Eric Armstead on the defensive line. So lindsay,
Speaker 1: what does the game status is for those possibly injured
Speaker 1: players look like going into Saturday's game. We have cornerback
Speaker 1: to our Various Ward who is on the last steps
Speaker 1: of his concussion protocol. Kyle Shanahan said that they would
Speaker 1: have more clarity on his status later today, which is Friday. Additionally,
Speaker 1: we have Ambree Thomas questionable with an ankle injury, Carrie Hyder,
Speaker 1: junior defensive lineman also questionable with an ankle injury, and
Speaker 1: defensive back to our Various More dealing with an illness
Speaker 1: and a knee injury. Someone to look out for there.
Speaker 1: And then new to the injury report like I mentioned earlier,
Speaker 1: was rookie running back Jordan Mason Uh. They described his
Speaker 1: issue as just some hamstring tightness that happened during Wednesday's practice.
Speaker 1: He didn't close out the workout and they were just
Speaker 1: being safe today. So I think that those are going
Speaker 1: to be just injuries that you keep a look out for,
Speaker 1: and the team will have more clarity as we get
Speaker 1: into the weekend. Thank you for those updates. Well. With
Speaker 1: the forty Niners playing on Christmas Eve this Saturday, some
Speaker 1: of the forty Niners members shared their favorite holiday traditions
Speaker 1: and Christmas songs. Here's what they had to say. I
Speaker 1: would say Silver Bells is my favorite song, um by
Speaker 1: who's that Dean Martin? So I love that song. And
Speaker 1: then some favorite movies I do, like The Grinch, like
Speaker 1: The Family Stone and uh, shoot one more, probably Home
Speaker 1: Alone it's a classic favorite Christmas song be uh Silent
Speaker 1: Night by the Temptations, and favorite Christmas tradition Uh. I
Speaker 1: would say this when I was younger, like my family
Speaker 1: always would we have a few gathering on Christmas Eve
Speaker 1: and everyone would just always exchange gifts as a matter
Speaker 1: of giving and everybody just being thankful for what they
Speaker 1: had and it was just a really cool time for
Speaker 1: the family to get together. And I think that's what
Speaker 1: you know Christmas. It turns it is all about his
Speaker 1: family being around each other. Probably me reading the night
Speaker 1: before Christmas. I always do that the night before um
Speaker 1: and I'm trying to make it as entertaining as possible
Speaker 1: where everyone just laughs at me and mis pronounced things
Speaker 1: and stuff. Okay, well I think we have to share
Speaker 1: our own favorites too, Yes, okay, So my Christmas tradition
Speaker 1: that I have with my family is that we actually
Speaker 1: celebrate Christmas Eve rather than Christmas, so everyone everyone will
Speaker 1: get together and come midnight, that's when we open up
Speaker 1: the presents and we share all of the fun things. Um,
Speaker 1: And I don't know if I have a favorite Christmas song.
Speaker 1: I might just have to go on the good, reliable
Speaker 1: and where I carry. But how about you? Yeah, same
Speaker 1: thing with my family. We typically celebrate on Christmas Eve.
Speaker 1: So I'm going to be at the game on Saturday,
Speaker 1: as will you, and I'm going to rush home to
Speaker 1: southern California to catch the tail end of a family
Speaker 1: get together. And then I think, I don't know if
Speaker 1: I have a favorite Christmas song. All time favorite Christmas
Speaker 1: movie is The Home Alone, the original one, just because
Speaker 1: it's it's a classic and I watch it every year.
Speaker 1: That's a good one. But what's better than Christmas and football?
Speaker 1: This Saturday should be a fun day. Yeah, the two
Speaker 1: best things ever. I'm so excited for it. Right, All right, Well,
Speaker 1: that'll do it for today. Make sure you tune into
Speaker 1: the forty Niners You've Got Mail podcast on all platforms.
Speaker 1: Kick off for Saturday's game against the Washington Commanders is
Speaker 1: that one oh five pan Pacific time at Levi Stadium,
Speaker 1: and you can catch the game on CBS. For more
Speaker 1: information on the latest team updates, check out the news
Speaker 1: on forty niners dot com. Don't forget to follow first
Speaker 1: and ten on Spotify. That's it for today, and you
Speaker 1: can hear from us again for a game recap on
Speaker 1: Monday morning. Thanks for tuning in m