Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks Press Conference

Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks

Press Conference – February 2, 2024

San Francisco 49ers

Opening comments:

“I’m excited about this opportunity along with everyone else, but of course we are looking to go finish the job. I know you guys have a lot of questions in regards to last week as well as this week so I’ll open up the floor.”

How big of a challenge does Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes offer you guys?

“Well, it is definitely a challenge. Not only him, you look at [Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis] Kelce, you talk about two First-Ballot Hall of Famers there. We definitely have to prepare and be ready. It’s different things that we have to do. Number one, he’s doing a tremendous job, really extended plays. We talked all week. It’s two plays within one down. When the ball snaps and then once he starts to scramble. So he’s phenomenal. The best I’ve ever seen for just buying time, winning with his feet and getting the ball where it needs to go down the field.”

There’s a lot of improvisation between those two, Mahomes and Kelce. When two players have that, what can you do on defense? It seems like any sort of set plan can be foiled by adlibbing?

“They do adlib and that they do a great job of it. But we still have to have a great plan. We’ve still got to execute and finish. When they start to adlib we’ve got to do a great job of really plastering the man within our zone and really straining to make sure we finish the rep.”

What’s unique about their relationship that they know exactly where the other one is going on the field? Have you seen a relationship between a quarterback and a tight end like that?

“With anything, it’s time. You build a strong relationship over time and they seem to be in sync with one another in regards to Mahomes could be going to his right and Kelce really is going to his right as well, and he’s throwing the opposite way. They’re always on point with one another. So that’s the point that we’re trying to emphasize in practice is that the down is never over. You’ve got to be ready to extend it down once Mahomes starts scrambling.”

How important is it to have somebody like CB Charvarius ‘Mooney’ Ward in the secondary who’s been through this and won a Super Bowl?

“It is great. His experience being there before, I’m sure he shared that with the players. But the key thing with all of us is not to get so caught up with the emotions of this game to where it overwhelms us. We’ve got to go out there and execute and have a calm demeanor about ourselves, but also a sense of urgency.”

Head coach Kyle Shanahan, LB Fred Warner and DL Nick Bosa spoke yesterday about how they felt that effort and pursuit was an issue for the defense in the NFC Championship Game. What do you attribute that to? What do you feel that was?

“I think you really have to ask them individually. Collectively as a team, I can tell you as a defense it’s unacceptable. Alright. We talked about that. I wish I could tell these guys on play four, on play 27, this is what’s going to happen. You don’t know. So we’ve got to make sure that we play every down as if it’s going to be the difference in the ball game. And you could see on those particular plays, it wasn’t to our standard. Those guys understand and know that and quite honestly it was embarrassing.”

With the screen game and short passes the Chiefs like to run, what makes them so successful with that and how do you kind of counteract that?

“Well, one is just getting the ball out quickly and into their playmaker’s hands. Once again, just trying to get things on the perimeter with Kelce and, then having those lead blockers. So we’ve got to do a great job setting the edges as we talked about all year on the perimeter. Whether it’s the toss sweep, jet sweep or the actual screen game itself. So that’s something that we’ve been emphasizing.”

Did you feel the linebackers not necessarily the D-Line setting the edges, but getting more vertical up the field was better or was it roughly the same as last week?

“We had some spurts where we did it well and then we showed some where we’re inconsistent. It’s just really about trying to pull the trigger. Sometimes on those permanent games, it’s not anything dealing with the scheme. It’s just that individual ready to go make a play and just got to pull the trigger.”

How does Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid use motion and things like that differently maybe than other coaches and how big of a challenge is that?

“I don’t want to say what he used differently. I think all offensive coaches try to create different dynamics with the motion. It could be trying to get a receiver off press. It could be really trying to if you’re a big-man team, trying to disrupt your timing, as far as who you have within the bunch or stack formations. They do a lot of that. We have to do a great job with our communication, making sure that we’re on the same page.”

You speak of the emotions going into the Super Bowl and just controlling them. You’re about to take this trip over to Las Vegas and it’s an entire week of media, publicity and basically a celebration. So how do you keep these players focused before they even leave Santa Clara on what’s happening on Sunday?

“Kyle does a great job of that from a standpoint of painting a picture that needs to be painted each week. This is a normal week for us. Our approach is as if we’re playing this week. You did mention there is somewhat of a circus once we get there with the media and all that stuff and having to go through the fan fair of that process the early part of the week. I don’t really consider it to be a celebration until after we win. We’ll get our guys locked back in on Wednesday as we approach and get ready for practice.”

What do you think of Kansas City’s run game? It seems like it’s become more of a featured part of their attack.

“[Kansas City Chiefs RB Isaac] Pacheco, I think he’s phenomenal. The guy runs hard between the tackles, outside. We talked all week, we’ve got a gang tackle this guy. He’s not going to go down on first contact. A lot of respect for him, just watching him over the years or last year. Then also just seeing what he’s done this year is just he’s phenomenal.”

What are you seeing from DT Javon Kinlaw? It seems like he has done a nice job at protecting LB Dre Greenlaw and Warner’s legs and just absorbing the interior guys. How has he looked in the last couple games to you?

“I thought he’s performed well. He’s been doing a great job for us all year. I’m happy about his performance. Looking for that consistency in the Super Bowl. When you talk about the guys up front, we do have to do a great job of keeping the double teams off. But likewise, our linebackers have got to do a good job of getting downhill and getting the double teams off as well. So it’s hand in hand in what we’re trying to do with the D-Line and the linebackers.”

How would you describe Mooney’s personality and just kind of what guy type of guy he is?

“Mooney, he’s real consistent and he has somewhat of a laid-back demeanor, but extremely focused. I was watching tape yesterday, I was telling the coaches you can tell somewhat the excitement of going against his old team because you could see a different gear yesterday and just how he was going about his just technique and running to the ball and things like that. So, I love Mooney. I love his preparation and what he brings each and every week. Second-Team All-Pro, Pro Bowl player, well deserving.”

What’s challenging about stopping a run against a team that uses two and three tight end formations?

“When you’re talking about challenging, I think rather one tight end, two tight ends, it’s challenging as a whole just because of what we just talked about with the running back. They create different dynamics when they come to 13. And to be quite honest, what you just mentioned, sometimes it’s not really the case they get in that 13, all of a sudden they spread you out and it looks like 11. So you may try to bring in an extra lineman, all of a sudden now you’re really defending 11 personnel. So we’ve got to really get a feel for what they’re doing throughout the course of the game and continue to try to stay on schedule.”

General manager John Lynch said earlier that Mooney has an innocence to him. Do you think that contributes to his laid-back personality and do you see that?

“Yeah, I do. A true innocence. But, I still say he has that dog in him once he gets on the field. I love his demeanor once he gets out there. He’s physical. He’s tough. He fits our DNA for sure.”

How many films do you want to watch in a game of this magnitude because Mahomes threw 14 picks this year, but he hasn’t thrown one in like four or five games. Is there anything that you’ve seen that he’s changed from early in the year to late in the year?

“I think you take your time to really dig through a lot of stuff. We watch a lot of tape as coaches together and separate. Going back to previous Super Bowls, to whether it’s Tampa, it’s us, previous years. This system hasn’t changed. Their system hasn’t changed. So you try to figure out things that may have hurt you in the past and feeling like they may try to exploit that. So, you watch a lot of tape.”

From a defensive coordinator’s point of view, when you’re looking at the 49ers offense like you did last year, they obviously have a lot of talented guys at skill positions. Where does T Trent Williams come into play when you’re making a defensive scheme game plan?

“One of the best tackles to play the game. I think First-Ballot Hall of Famer. You definitely have to know exactly where he is in the standpoint of trying to create different matchups. Stunts to his side. Different things. You know they’re going to run the ball there. When it comes to pass pro, he can definitely take care of the best rusher one-on-one by himself. So, I don’t know how much you can really do to avoid him in that situation. You just know he is there and run opposite.”

The Ravens had an elite unit and the defensive coordinator is getting a job in Seattle. I think people have an instinct to say, copy game plans and how much validity is there to see a team do something well on defense? Do you copy it or is it something where you see what try and fits into your scheme from that?

“I think it’s a combination of both. We just talked about how much tape you watch. So you go back and as you’re watching tape, you’re trying to figure out what created problems for them. Whether it’s against the Ravens. Whether it’s last year. Whether it’s two years ago. Then you take that data and you try to incorporate that into what you do schematically. So, I think you’re right. It’s a combination of both.”