49ERS COACH KYLE SHANAHAN
(On the lack of offense after the opening drive today)
"It was disheartening. I thought we had an opportunity today. I thought we should have had the lead going into half. We couldn't get anything going in the second half. We did not get much out of our run game today. Those turnovers are what killed us. I know we had two interceptions in the red zone. Our special teams has to be better from a turnover standpoint. Three times we gave up the ball to our defense inside the 20. We had the two fumbled kick return and the long kickoff. It's not even close to good enough."
(On the Saints run defense)
"We knew they would be a challenge going into the game. I think they are one of the top teams against running the ball. Our backs were banged up in the game and going into the game. We knew it would be a challenge running the ball today. I tried to stay balanced as much as I could, so we didn't become one dimensional. We didn't want to make it tough for our quarterback and our offensive line. We stuck with it as long as we could. We knew it would be a challenge going in. I wish we would have gotten a few bigger runs out of the 25 carries that we had."
(On if the turnovers were the undoing)
"Definitely. I think we all knew that we had to play some really good football coming into today. I was really impressed with the guys and how hard they were going for it. If we do not get the turnovers fixed, then it doesn't matter what our situation is. I believe in our four wins we are +5 or +8 and in our six losses we are -10 or something. It is a huge difference there. I know that we are missing some people, but we would have had a very good chance of being in that game had we taken care of the ball today. We didn't and blew an opportunity there."
(On the explanation on the roughing the passer call on Kentavius Street today)
"That's just how he saw it. He thought he saw it and got some agreement from the refs around him and that's what they went with. They said that they drove him into the ground and landed on him."
(On if the dome affected the three muffed punts)
"I don't think so, but you can ask those guys. He fair caught it and then let it go. He didn't tell me that he didn't see it. He should have caught it. You can ask them, but not that I know of."
(On why Brandon Aiyuk hasn't been used as a punt returner)
"He has been out (injured and trying to get back healthy. We are trying to get him at receiver first. It something we definitely have to look to after what happened today."
(On why he sat Nick Mullens for a play)
"He was hurting on that play, so we got him out. We checked him out and he was better after."
(On the Saints nickel blitz)
"They brought the nickel a bunch. We had a bunch of good plays on it, but when we didn't you saw what happened. A couple I thought we could have made, but didn't. It's something they did a ton throughout the game. They did a real good job of blitzing and got us a couple of times."
(On the bye week)
"I just want to give more time for guys to get back. Hopefully, we can get a couple of guys back on offense with that extra week off. I know we are going to get one back on defense. Maybe more. We have had a lot of guys that have to be out there a lot. We have some rotational players who have been carrying the load for way too long. I have a lot of respect for these guys who have just been hanging on. They need some rest. They need to get away. We'll have a couple of days just to keep guys loose and moving around a little bit so we don't get too far away from football. This is a much needed rest for any team that I have ever been on."
(On the fourth and one run play decision today that was stopped)
"I debate every call and play. I knew when it was third and one we were going to have two downs to get it there. I was going to throw on one and run on the other. I debated as long as I could which one I wanted to do each one on. Obviously, neither of them worked, so I wish I could have had that back."
(On if the defensive line was one of the bright spots)
"From what I noticed, they had a real good game. It seemed like they were getting pressure on the quarterback. They were put in a number of tough spots. They played well. I thought as a whole they were fighting their ass off. There are no moral victories here I knew there was a challenge going in. They fought hard and we had a chance to win that game and I think it came down to turnovers. That was the most disheartening. I think that if we take care of that ball and with the effort that the guys gave that it would have been a much different result."
Game action photos from the New Orleans Saints vs. San Francisco 49ers matchup in Week 10 of the 2020 NFL season.
49ERS QUARTERBACK NICK MULLENS
(On the New Orleans Saints defense)
"It was just going against a good defense. You are not going to be perfect every time. You aren't going to be as perfect as you can. I thought that we had some good drives. I felt like we were moving the ball, but you have to be clutch every moment of the game going against a good defense. They did a good job of shutting us down. We kept fighting. I was very proud of the fact that we kept fighting. We stayed at it. They did a good job. We just have to overcome that and make more plays."
(On how he is feeling after coming out the game)
"I'm good. I couldn't breathe. I got the air knocked out of me. I was shaken up on that play and had to come out. It is what it is. I was glad that I was able to go back into the game."
(On Brandon Aiyuk earning his trust)
"Brandon's dynamic. I feel like he can win on any route that you put him on. That is why I love throwing to him and playing with him. He's a really good receiver. I think dynamic is a good word to use. His ability to separate on the long routes and the short routes. He's a really special player."
(On the two interceptions)
"It was frustrating. You really want points especially in a key moment of the game. It was really frustrating. I felt I did a good job of protecting the ball throughout the game. They blitzed. I felt like there was space in the middle. I really wanted to put it past that guy, but he got under it and made a good play on it The last interception was an opportunity ball. It was a one on one with a double move. I put it up there for him. I'm really frustrated with myself. I can easily make that throw. I just needed to put it out there for him."
(On if they needed to play perfect today to win against the Saints)
"I agree with that. We needed a really good game. We did some really good things, but the mistakes are going to be more crucial when you are playing a really good team like that. It proved that today. We needed a disciplined, sound football game. We didn't get that."
(On C.J. Gardner Johnson giving them trouble today on defense)
"He is a good player. He does a good job. He is aggressive. He's obviously a good blitzer. That's something that we had to adjust to during the game. It was on me to get rid of the ball before he got to me. Those are tough situations, but I have to find ways to make those plays. They did a good job. You have to give them credit."
(On mood of the locker room today going into the bye)
"I'm just frustrated by the loss. I feel like we really could have done special things out there. We have a resilient group. We have a bye week, then six games left. I feel like we can win a lot of games. That is going to be the mindset moving forward. We need to play disciplined football. We are going to put our head's down and go to work. It's the last stretch and it's time to kick it in there."
(On him building trust with Jordan Reed)
"Jordan is a beast. He is a playmaker. That is what it all comes down to. He's good against zone coverage. He's good against man coverage. He has really good hands. He's just a great football player. He has a great mindset. He's a great target."
(On the left handed catch)
"It was good coverage. We had him on a choice route. It was a coverage that we liked. They kind of hit my hands. I didn't like the throw obviously. It wasn't a great throw. I am surprised that he caught it. I guess you expect nothing less from Jordan. It was a great catch."
New Orleans Saints fans and cheer on the team from inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10 of the 2020 NFL season.