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The way the 49ers defense teed off on Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen, you’d think he refused to shake their hands.

Or something.

Along with the seven sacks Allen absorbed were his first three interceptions of his career, one of which went to veteran cornerback Richard Sherman. And after the game, Sherman said he was upset and looking for vindication against Allen, though a teammate may have just been winding him up.

Via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, Sherman said a conversation with teammate Dante Pettis offered all the motivation he needed in advance of playing Allen for the first time.

“I guess (Pettis is) friends” with Allen, Sherman said. “He’s like, ‘Hey, man, his plan is just to go at you.’ It’s like you’ve got to understand: I’m not new to this. I’m true to this. And my 15 minutes started an hour ago.”

Asked if he was certain Pettis wasn’t just trying to inspire him with some #fakenews, Sherman laughed and acknowledged the possibility.

“No, I’m not completely sure,” he replied. “He knows how I am, too. So he could have not known this kid at all and just said that. . . . I don’t know if he said it, but Pettis said he said it, so it pissed me off.”

And that’s all Sherman needed, no apologies required.