Here is the transcript from a locker room interview with 49ers free safety, Dashon Goldson. He is second on the team in interceptions (4), only behind Carlos Rogers (5), and third on the team in tackles (51) behind NaVorro Bowman (110) and Patrick Willis (93). This is what he had to say regarding the upcoming match-up with the Cardinals after his team wrapped up preparation for Sunday’s game in Arizona:
Do you do as much game planning as you would do for a different opponent?
It depends, a lot of teams show you different things. I’m pretty sure they’ll look at the film from when we played them [previously] and try to polish up, look at things they could try to implement this game. It’s the same thing with us. We left things out there. We’ve just got to sharpen up, tighten up things for when we play them next time.
It’s only been three weeks, are there still some tensions simmering in you about that team?
Not at all. I don’t have any tensions at all.
What about the difference between Kolb and Skelton, does that change that offense?
Same offense, just another quarterback in there. He’s pretty good. He’s doing pretty good for their football team. They’re coming off a good win last week against a good football team in the Cowboys. I’m sure they’ve got a little momentum coming into this game. Kolb wants to prove, I’m sure he’s got stuff to prove, he’s been hurt the last couple of games – he’s going to be ready to play against us.
In the playoffs you’ll probably be playing against some more pass happy quarterbacks. As a safety, would you want to see more teams passing against you in these upcoming weeks so you can get more prepared for that style of offense?
Nah. We’ve played a couple quarterbacks that threw the ball. We’ve played some good quarterbacks thus far. As far as getting prepared, I’m sure teams are going to stick to their game-plan just like were going to stick to ours … we just need to polish up and tighten up stuff that we need to as a team.
Three of your last four games will be on the road. Do you feel like that’s the kind of stuff that will toughen you up or prepare you as you enter the playoffs?
We’ve been good so far on the road. A number of our wins have come on the road, we’ve been good on the road this season. We’ve just got to continue that. Momentum going into the playoffs, whatever the case may be as far as playing teams on the road, winning … I don’t really pay attention to stuff like that. I’m not the guy to ask that kind of question to.
Some of these teams that you’re going to be playing have no chance of making the playoffs. Playing you guys will be like their playoff game, their super bowl. Do you get the sense that teams will be getting up to play the 49ers?
Definitely. Especially Arizona. We know they don’t like us. They’re in our division. For sure those guys are going to be coming out to play like they do every week, or every time we’ve faced them. We’ve just got to go do what we’ve got to do, stay fundamentally sound and play our game.
Players on both teams seem to agree that you are each others’ biggest rival. What do you see as the root of that, why the Cardinals?
I don’t know. Personally, I think it’s them more than us. Just some of the comments I’ve heard since I’ve been here, from some of the guys made over there … we don’t talk about the Arizona Cardinals over here. We talk about us and what we have to do.
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