Tracy Sandler | Founder & CEO of Fangirl Sports, 49ers Insider

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That's betterhelp.com slash positive. Tracy Sandler, the founder and CEO of Fangirl Sports, and specifically covers the Niners. So Tracy, you were at the game. What was your perspective on that George Kittle grab for 30 yards?

It was really unbelievable. It was one of those things that I was like, is he going to? No, he's not. Is he going to? Oh, my God.

Yes, he is. George Kittle's going to catch that. And I would say, you know, there's no cheering in the press box, and the press box kind of erupted not in cheers, but just in disbelief of like, oh, my God, how did he catch that? It was rather incredible. And as you said, it was a complete turning point in the game.

The result is definitely a spark, and it was interesting to hear some of the Niners afterwards reference that moment. What do they have to say about George's catch? Well, first of all, I thought was so funny is every time Brock Purdy was asked about it, he would make this hand motion and be like, you mean the bobble?

And he would bobble his hand. And I found that to be so funny. But everybody talked about really what a turning point it was. Of course, what an unbelievable catch it was. George Kittle was not, I think, I don't think he was the first, second, third, fourth, whatever read on that play. But he found space and he made a play, as George Kittle is apt to do.

And everybody just talked about it. It really was a turning point. And that's the thing with playoff football.

At this point, everybody, for the most part, is really good. And when you have two very good teams, especially like these two teams with two very good defenses, it was going to have to be one big offensive spark. And when it was 9-all, it felt like it's going to be whoever scores the next touchdown that's going to win this game.

And then that was the case. I thought it was noteworthy that each time there was a turnover, the other team only managed a field goal. And I saw you tweet at some point during the game, field goal season, SZN, because that's what it was turning into, right? We have one touchdown in the first half, but it really operates more like a pair of field goals because there's no extra point. And then we have the one touchdown drive in the second half. So, putting it all together and now big picture, Tracy, what was the difference for the Niners in this game? Well, I think, first of all, in the second half, they just wore down the Cowboys.

They stayed with their plan and they just wore them down. The run game wasn't doing much in the first half, but they were able to wear them down a little bit. The defense was amazing. But here's what it comes down to, and this is always what it's going to come down to, especially the playoffs, turnovers. The Cowboys had two interceptions. The 49ers had that one fumble, which resulted, as you said, in three points.

But when you win the turnover battle, you usually win the game, especially at this point in the playoffs. Just out of curiosity, when Brett Maher had the first PAT blocked, what was the reaction around you? I mean, everybody like, oh, not again. I mean, I personally just felt for this guy. I thought to myself, I was like, I hope this game does not come down to one point because I would just feel so bad. And when he got the field goal, everybody was obviously very excited for him, but the field goals have not been his issue. It's been his problem. But there was just like disbelief, but I just kept thinking to myself, don't let this game come down to one point.

I would just feel so badly for this poor guy. Tracy Sandler is with us from the Bay Area after covering this divisional victory for the Niners over the Cowboys. Very slim margin for error, but the Niners extend their win streak.

It's now 12 in a row before they hit the road to Philadelphia for the NFC Championship. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio. The last time you and I spoke, it was the start of the Brock Purdy era.

And yes, I'm using my air quotations just for fun. We talked about the fact that this young man was poised and calm and what little you knew of him, you shared with us, but it was about his personality and thinking that they really believed in him to be able to step into this role. Whoo! Hindsight is 20-20, so now eight weeks later. What do you think of the young QB? Well, I think what's amazing about him, and I've been saying this now for I guess probably the last week or so, and the thing that just stands out to me is how much trust Kyle Shanahan has in Brock Purdy.

And today, I think we saw it a little bit differently. You know, he was really committed to the run game, and I know there were times in the game where people were saying, let him throw, etc. But we've seen him just trust him, and Kyle Shanahan had even said after the game, your playmakers have to make plays, and George Kittle made the play that we get him to make like George Kittle does.

But you also need the quarterback to get the ball to him, and the quarterback helps those plays happen. And you could just tell how highly Kyle Shanahan thinks of him, and I think what you see is he doesn't look like a rookie. There were times today, more than any other week, where he has looked somewhat like a rookie. Last week, there were times in the first half that he looks somewhat like a rookie, but the thing that stands out to me about him is how he responds.

That's the difference. It's that he can make mistakes. He held onto the ball too long at the end of the first half, and he should have thrown it away, and Kyle Shanahan told him he should have thrown it away. George Kittle talked about it after. He should have wanted to throw the ball.

He should have thrown it away. George Kittle made a joke, like, rookies, rookies, rookies. But it's the way that Brock Purdy responds to mistakes that I find to be the most impressive thing, because he responds like a veteran. He just doesn't get rattled. And so, like I said, we saw him look the most like a rookie today that he has, but at the end of the day, he got the job done, figured it out, and that was that.

Well, if he looked like a rookie, then so did Dak Prescott, considering some of his mistakes against this Niners defense. And as you point out, it was one of those games that takes every ounce of energy. Christian McCaffrey talked about the intensity of it. So has there been any indication from Brock about nerves or anxiety or anything like that about being on this stage for the first time? He certainly says no. Kittle said that he felt like if he needed to say something to Brock Purdy, he could say to him, listen, take a deep breath, it's going to be fine.

You know, whatever it is, get your head back. He didn't feel like he needed to do that at all today. He said that there was one time last week where Brock got in the huddle and said the play so fast that no one could understand him. And Kittle said to him, Brock, take a breath. But others like that's been like that story is the one story in eight weeks of any sort of like nerves or anxiety. And he certainly he doesn't seem like it.

Either he is a spectacular actor or he really is just fine. And he he is looking at it as just another game. But, you know, I saw a graphic today. You're down to the final four. Your final four quarterbacks are Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahone, Joe Burrow and Brock Purdy. And that's kind of amazing. And for I think, you know, you put him in that.

I'm not saying that he is that caliber of quarterback, obviously, but I'm just saying like that's quite a group to be with. And I don't know, he showed he can get the job done and he seems to feel very confident he can. And why wouldn't he? Yes, he keeps doing it.

So I guess why wouldn't he feel confident? Great story. Love that insight. Brock, take a breath. Tracy Sandler is with us from the Bay Area. Fangirl Sports and 49ers Fangirl Insider with us after our CBS Sports Radio. There's no way you can overlook the impact of Christian McCaffrey. And his joining the team coincides with the Jimmy Garoppolo injury and Brock Purdy taking over. So what type of influence, what type of next level production has he brought to the table? When it comes to what is an offense that has so many weapons? Well, one of the big things right off the bat is that he commands so much attention. So but the thing with the 49ers offense and all the weapons, as you just said, is so if you've got all your attention on Christian McCaffrey or a fair amount of attention on Christian McCaffrey, well, then it leaves Deebo Tangle open and Brandon Iuke and George Kittle, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

So there's that thing. The other part of it is he's just such a dynamic runner. And we saw it from him today and we saw it from Deebo today.

He just could he could really make something out of nothing. But he's also a dynamic pass catcher. I believe that there was a play where they really need to first down and it was third and long. And they threw it to Christian McCaffrey and he got it done. He got the ball and they got it first down.

And that's really incredible. He's just different. You just you see it, the talent and the way he sees a field and his eyes, his vision. I don't just mean like 20-20 vision, his vision of the field and where he can make a play.

It's really something to watch. And this offense works so well for him. I think he'd work well in pretty much any offense, but this offense works so well for him. And the 49ers are finally in a place in the Kyle Shanahan era where they can properly utilize a Christian McCaffrey.

And it's made all the difference in the world for the team. The Niners now head to Philadelphia. The Eagles also like to run the ball and do the ball control game and they'll put together these drives that are 10 minutes.

Jalen Hurts is clearly not missing a beat despite a couple of games away. How do the Niners match up with the Eagles in your opinion, Tracy, at least initially? Well, it's interesting because I actually felt this way most of the season. They're built very similarly, these teams. The way they're built, the way that's like you said with the run game, but just generally they match up so well against each other. Dallas had that to a point, but the Eagles probably even more so. I think we're going to see very similar offenses, very similar defenses. This is going to be a tough matchup. I do believe the 49ers are a skosh better than the Eagles, top to bottom in terms of their roster and what they have going on. But it said all week that this Dallas 49ers game was going to come down to defenses and the quarterbacks. And I think this Eagles game is going to come down to defenses and the run game. But these teams do match up very well against each other.

They're very similar. So I think it's going to make for a very good football game. Alright, let's talk about a couple of off the field or at least not on the playing surface moments that were kind of cool before I let you go. George Kittle ends up catching the spike in the end zone from Christian McCaffrey. So same drive where he has the 30 yard reception off of his face mask. And McCaffrey spikes the ball so high that George is actually able to come down with. It almost looks like he's making a catch. If you couldn't see where he was on the field, it was perfect for him. And then he gives the ball to Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.

I don't know how many people could see that, if you could see it. But was there a reaction in the stadium? I couldn't really tell if there was that much of a reaction in the stadium just because there was so much going on at the same time. But it was a really cool moment. And Jerry Rice is in almost every 49ers game. It was even a cool moment that I noticed last week and this week as the receivers come out of the tunnel and they're warming up here and they get in their huddle.

Jerry Rice is like right outside the huddle clapping. And there's something kind of cool about that. But it is a cool moment. And Jerry Rice also had the most incredible change day I've ever seen with like a diamond encrusted 49ers on it. So there was that. There was that as well. Just there's another off the field story for you. But it was a cool moment and it also kind of shows just the history of the organization and how the history of the president have kind of come together and the support that's there.

And that's just kind of a cool thing too. Especially on a day like this when they're playing the Cowboys and there's so much just story history going back to the catch with these two organizations. Right. Two teams that have not won a Super Bowl going back to those early 90s days. And because of that there's always so much buzz around these two when they match up. Jerry Rice you mentioned he's around all the time but there was a lot of star power there. Could you feel that buzz in the stadium or even just the days leading up to this game?

Absolutely. And you could really feel it today. Joe Montana was on the field.

Nice. Gabe Kapler was there today. Jock Peterson. I didn't see them on the field but I know that they were there. And there was definitely a lot of star power. It was a lot of excitement.

It was the last home game the 49ers will have this season. So there was something exciting about that as well. But there was definitely a buzz on that field pregame and excitement.

And you know I think that they delivered. And I know there were people early on who felt like the game wasn't that great. But I did think it wasn't a game and I think when you put in the stakes and the franchises and everything that went into it. There was some weirdness. There was weirdness at last year's game.

It just made for a fun day all around. But you could definitely feel the buzz in the stadium for sure. Lots of tension. Lots of intensity as McCaffrey points out. Ultimately very little margin for error. And the Cowboys just made a few more mistakes. But certainly the Niners deserve the credit for forcing the issue.

Alright this was quite an afternoon. You can find Tracy on Twitter at 49ersFangirl. And she not only is an insider and beat writer for San Francisco for the Fangirl Sports Network.

But she's the founder and CEO of this network that continues to grow. We're always thrilled to have you on the show Tracy. Thank you so much for a couple of minutes. Safe travels. Thank you so much.

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Learn more at Goalie.com today. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself. Because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit BetterHelp.com slash positive to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHELP.com slash positive. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself. Because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit BetterHelp.com slash positive to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHELP.com slash positive.