QB Kevin Kolb
On whether he remained focused after the change at quarterback for a time like this, when the team needed him to start again: "Yeah, you have to be ready for it, especially with the way (QB Michael Vick) scrambles around. Just the short time that I've been in this league, I've seen it happen. There's a lot of changes, and a lot of things that you don't expect."
On what he would like to do differently personally on Sunday, assuming he is the starter: "Win. That's all I care about, and that's the truth. We've just got to go over there and win. That's our number one focus right now."
On whether he thinks he has a chance to win the starting job back during Vick's absence: "Again, if I get it into all of that, then I'm focusing on the wrong things. My focus right now is to go beat San Francisco and make sure I do my part to do that."
On whether he felt he was being a little conservative last game: "(The Redskins) were playing the style of defense that called for that. Going back and watching the film, there may have been one or two that I could have been more aggressive on, but as a whole, I think I had to do that, and take what they give me. If you get too aggressive, and don't play your own system, and play what they're giving you, then you're not making the right reads. So, that's my only focus, and to keep doing the right thing with the ball and put us in a better position to win."
On whether he feels more pressure going back in as a starter more so than beginning the season as the starter: "Pressure's a weird deal. You don't necessarily feel it. As a football player, you just try to focus on the task at hand, and the rest of it takes care of itself. I'm not nervous about it, I'm excited about it. I'm having more fun right now than I've had in this game ever, so I'm looking forward to getting back out there and going and getting a victory."
On whether he has more of a chip on his shoulder this time around because of things worked out at the quarterback position: "I think you always have to have a chip on your shoulder as a QB, especially in this league and this city. If you don't, then you're probably in the wrong sport. We all try to play with that chip."
On how he managed to remain positive while waiting for a second chance: "Well, I'm a positive person, so I always see the good in things. The coaches around here helped me with that, teammates, we all rally around each other all the time, so that was never an issue. It was a difficult time, but again, like I said that week, there's a chance that this could happen, so you have to be ready to go whenever it does."
On what his comfort level is in the pocket: "Very comfortable. That's the most playing time I've seen since last year, really. So that was the one thing that was very encouraging, I felt good back there, felt good moving around. So just continue on that and build, and then, of course, get the W, like I said."
On playing against a team that is winless: "Well, in this league, if you're around it long enough, you understand that everybody's good. Especially if you go back and you see the film and see the games they've played. They've been right there at the end of two of them, for sure. We know they're going to come out. It's a primetime game. It's at home. So they're going to come out on fire, and we've got to match their intensity and make sure that we come out of there with a win."
LB Moise Fokou
On his thoughts about getting another crack at the starting job: "It feels good, but I'm there to instill a physical presence. So, that's the mentality I'm going in there with."
On how he feels to possibly have the chance to start: "Early in camp I was announced as the starting SAM. And then, due to linebackers leaving and coming in, and having (former Eagles LB) Tracy (White) come in, there was a rotation that they have to move guys around and I took it like it was. I did my role, played a little bit of (defensive) end. They kept me around the scene, and just having the opportunity to go back to the SAM position where you put all of your energy and hard work into; it feels good. But, at the same time I'm just ready to get in the game plan and try to be effective out there."
On whether he has done anything in the last two weeks to put him in the position he is now: "You know, nothing special. I'm out there working hard every day and preparing every day like I'm the starter. So, I think just this weekend my number was called. Last year, we had a lot of rotations, in terms of linebackers rotating in and out. I don't know if this is the start of it, but at the same time I'm just here to help whenever I can."
On whether his opportunity has anything to do with the physicality of the 49ers run game: "Definitely. A lot of teams have been running the ball pretty well on us in the past. And I think that's one of our priorities right now; we have to stop the run. Especially, with the performance that (RB Frank) Gore had last week – the 49ers had about 160 yards rushing. And we definitely have to stop the run in order to allow the other things to work."
On whether there are other things that can be done to help the defense or whether it is as simple as making a small personnel change: "You know, remember, if I go in now (LB) Akeem (Jordan) is going to be right back in. So, you can look at it in terms of personnel. But look, Akeem does things better than I do, and I do things better than Akeem does. So, you can look at it that way, but at the same time he's still a very good linebacker and he can come in and step up at any time."
On whether he has been told that he is the starter this week: "No. I'm just told that I'm stepping in today, so start getting some reps."
On his thoughts about covering 49ers TE Vernon Davis and his abilities as a linebacker in pass coverage: "I feel like I've always been kind of a hybrid linebacker; pretty good on the run and pretty good in coverage as well. So, I think having me in there trying to take away the run game and the pass game is probably more suitable."
On whether he was told why the team made the change to go with Jordan during training camp: "I mean no reason really; it was camp. There are a lot of things moving around, so just, if your opportunity comes again you show your best foot."
On whether he feels he can be effective in game action since he hasn't had a lot of playing time since preseason: "I'm a football player; this is what I do. Every week I'm training, I'm working for this and I know how to do this. So, we're just going to prepare hard and then see what happens on Sunday."
On whether it is dangerous to play a winless team: "Honestly, I don't think we look at it like that. Every week your back is against the wall. Every week, every team is almost evenly matched. The (players) get paid just like we get paid and they put their shoes on just like we do. And we're coming off a loss ourselves. I know they haven't won at all, but I think we're just going in there trying to get back on track."
S Quintin Mikell
On whether the 49ers look like a typical 0-4 team: "No, even last week, they should have beat the Falcons. It really came down to a fluke play at the end. And the Saints, a team that everybody is all up on right now, they almost beat them. So they're definitely a good team. They have a lot of weapons. Just, for some reason, they can't pull it out. So, we're definitely not going to take this lightly at all, even if they are 0-4. We pulled the tape on them, we see what's going on. We're going to be ready to play. We don't have that luxury anyway, to overlook anybody. We basically got our butts kicked last week, so we've got to be ready to play."
On what needs to be done in the first half, since the defense seems to get off to slow starts: "I wouldn't say that, because I think, against the Packers we had a good first half. Really, it's more about putting four quarters together. Even when we played Jacksonville we didn't play great, but that wasn't a stellar offense. I think, really, the main thing is everybody's got to settle down. Early on, you just got to rely on your fundamentals, and rely on your technique. Sometimes when you get all amped up or you're thinking too much out there, you kind of get away from what got you there, and so I want us as a unit to get back to, especially early on, sticking to the fundamentals, sticking to the basic stuff, blocking, tackling, getting off the ball, getting off blocks—and that's what we have to do early on."
TE Brent Celek
On whether it helps to work with Kolb leading up to the game as opposed to him coming into a game after a quarter because of an injury to Vick: "I think that helps a little bit, but both guys get reps at practice, so I don't think it makes too much of a difference. But the fact that he's probably going to take all the reps this week, it'll help a little bit come game time."
