NFC Notes: Brock Purdy, Jauan Jennings, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 49ers, Seahawks

49ers

The 49ers are currently in last place in the NFC West at 6-8 but are still within striking distance of the top spot. 49ers QB Brock Purdy said they are taking inspiration from previous seasons and are focused on taking things one game at a time. 

“The last couple years, all we cared about was just week-by-week,” Purdy said, via 49ersWebZone. “We didn’t care about where we were at going into the whole playoff thing. We wanted to get in, we wanted to win our division, and what that took was to win every single week.”

Purdy reiterated they can’t look too far ahead and must pay attention to “each play, and drive, and quarter.” 

“With where we’re at now, it can’t be what is the end going to look like?” Purdy said. “It has to be we have to take care of business today, and then tomorrow, and then when the game comes, take care of each play, and drive, and quarter. It’s just being in the moment and not looking too far ahead. With that comes playing together as a team and playing desperate because we don’t have room to lose or anything like that. That’s just where we’re at.”

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan called every week a “playoff game” for them.

“Since that Buffalo game, every week is a playoff game,” Shanahan said. “It feels like it this week, and hopefully, we can take care of business, so next week feels the same.”

49ers

49ers QB Joshua Dobbs said that WR Jauan Jennings was someone the team turned to for contested catches due to his ability to come down with the ball.

“We circled him as our contested catch guy knowing that if he had one-on-ones, grimy situations — third-down, red zone — he was the guy we wanted to give a chance,” Dobbs said, via The Athletic.

Seahawks

Seahawks QB Geno Smith misplaced a ball that WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba came down with. Smith said that Smith-Njigba’s playmaking abilities make him one of the best wide receivers in the game today.

“But that’s why he’s JSN,” Smith said, via Fox Sports. “He’s one of the better receivers in the league. He’s really developing into his own right now.”

Smith and Smith-Njigba are on the same page as a tandem and opposing teams know not to run man coverage against Seattle’s three-headed monster at wide receiver.

“I just think the way that teams are playing us coverage wise, I feel like it’s the ultimate sign of respect. Just playing a lot of zone, dropping eight (defenders),” Smith explained. “We don’t really get man coverage anymore. They’re not really blitzing us anymore. (Smith-Njigba) is going to be able to find those windows in there, and he does a great job finding pockets in the zone coverage. If there is a scramble situation he’s always friendly and always finds me and gets in the right spot.”

• Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald said RB Kenneth Walker III (calf) is still considered “day-to-day” but there are “positive signs” going into Week 15, via Michael-Shawn Dugar.