Danny Crossman – January 4, 2024
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Thursday, January 4, 2024
Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman
(There were a lot of kickoff returns the last time you guys played Buffalo. Was that by design, or wind related? Why was that?) – “There are a lot of different aspects that go into it. There are times you want it in play, there are times you don’t want it in play. There are times that it is in play whether you want it or not. There are a lot of different aspects that go into it.”
(What happened with the kickoff return to start the second half?) – “That’s a great example of if you’re a little bit off on a fit, or if you’re a little bit late on a fit, against good people, bad things are going to happen. We had a bad fit and a late trigger, and a terrible play you can’t afford.”
(Buffalo also allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown to start last game. Is there something you can find that may exploit that?) – “Every play is independent. If there was a pattern at this time of year, it would’ve been exploited numerous times. It was a one off. They had a fit and a missed tackle. At this time of year, all of those things are amplified.”
(Do you think at this time of year, special teams are more important than the usual 1/3 of the game?) – “No, I don’t. It’s similar. It’s just at this time of year when you’re playing in late December and playing in January and playing in February in critical games that have major implications, whether it be in the playoffs, seeding in playoffs, advancing in the playoffs, whether it’s offense, defense or kicking game, every single play of every single phase is amplified because there may not be many more.”
(WR Braxton Berrios is the fourth alternate for the Pro Bowl with the season he’s had. Do you think he’s close to breaking one?) – “I do. We’ve been close on a couple. Like we talked about with the kickoff coverage, we’re a little bit late getting to a responsibility or a second leverage player or whatever it may be. But I’m really happy with where Braxton is and he’s done a nice job. We just got to get him a little more help.”
(FB Alec Ingold is a Pro Bowl selection for the fullback position but I know he plays a lot on your units as well. I just wanted get your perspective on his work on special teams and how happy you are for him.) – “No. 1, a great individual as a person. A great leader. Plays through a lot of stuff. Does everything and anything you could ask for. Yes, super happy for him. Like all of these guys, I’m very happy to have him on our club.”
(LB Cam Goode had a hold on a punt that went out of bounds. What happened there?) – “It’s all technique. He got something earlier in the play and tried to do something to help himself, and put him in a negative position, and got called for it. Those things are amplified, the ball would’ve been on the 30 if they catch the front end of it and a positive. They catch the back end of it and now we’re starting the drive on the 10-yard line. It’s a 20-yard swing, so those things can’t happen.”
(Was WR Braxton Berrios upset with himself on that kickoff on the sideline? He called fair catch, but did he think it was going out of bounds?) – “He thought in hindsight it might have been going out of bounds, or maybe establish himself out of bounds before he caught it. But it was a long way to go. Fortunately he made the right decision early with the fair catch. The rest of it was going to play out. I think he thought if he may have taken another half a count, maybe the ball would’ve went out on it’s own. Those decisions happen in a split second. He ran over 28 yards to get there. In hindsight, you say ‘I could’ve done this.’ But I’m happy with the way he executed the play. The results are what they are.”
(What is the risk/reward with that? What do you instruct him to do on those?) – “If we can, if we know the ball is going to go out of bounds, we’re going to establish ourselves and touch the ball, and then we’ll get the ball on the 40-yard line. But in that situation where you’re running and you’re not sure and the ball is drifting away, you’re not sure where you are because you’re still tracking the football, so you’re going to live with what you get. He made the right decision early with the fair catch, so at worst we were going to be on the 25.”
(Regarding K Jason Sanders, we saw him against the Jets last year, and we saw him against Dallas this year. We know he’s not afraid of those moments. Does he really relish those moments and look forward to them? Or is he pretty business like about it and it doesn’t matter either way?) – “You’d have to ask him that question. The way I look at Jason, he’s ready no matter what. He doesn’t blink and whenever we send him out, we’ll look for the positive results.”
Alec Ingold – January 3, 2024
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Wednesday, January 3, 2024
FB Alec Ingold
(WR Tyreek Hill is dealing with a fire at his house. What goes through your head realizing he’s got a wife and kids at the house and is practicing and has this to deal with?) – “Yeah, just seeing him bolt and go take care of what he’s got to take care of right now, obviously he’s a prioritized guy and he’s going to take care of it. So you hope everyone’s safe, happy and healthy, can get out of there and just allow for family to be safe so that your home is good. That’s the priority in all of this. This is a workplace, this what we do for a job, but that’s obviously wellbeing. You definitely have prayers for their family that they can get out and Tyreek can go back and take care of business there.”
(You’re so good at having perspective not only in football but outside of football. Seeing something like this, what’s your biggest takeaway?) – “Man, it’s a shock, right? It catches you off guard a little bit. You don’t think that it’s ever going to happen to you until it does. It’s something as a team, we’ve got to be able to come together and make sure that we can reach out to Tyreek (Hill) and be human beings with him and make sure everything is squared away and we can do everything we possibly can to help our teammate. That’s the human element of this locker room. I think that’s what special about this locker room is we actually do care about each other outside of the building. We’ve been there, we’ve taken care of one another, so it’s just another step in being good teammates and human beings to one another in this organization.”
(Let’s talk about Sunday. A big one. So much excitement for the actual game. What can you do to stay calm? It’s a late, late kickoff on Sunday.) – “I had a wise high school coach, Gary Westerman, once tell me, it’s a slow build. You can’t peak too high, too late. It’s a slow build. We’ve had a number of different primetime games and opportunities, so that’s what I’m going to do, man. You get extra time to review that play call sheet, dial in on those details a little bit more and then by the time kickoff goes, I’m going to be locked and loaded and so will the rest of the guys so it’ll be exciting.”
(You guys are special at home. You win here all the time. How much of an advantage is that knowing that the Bills have kind of had your number the last three times?) – “I think it’s a collective belief. We’ve shared in all of those experiences. The wins, the losses, we’ve learned from all these opportunities throughout the year. So this is the next one. It’s the biggest one because it’s the next one and it’s the regular season finale. I think it’s a great opportunity for this team to be able to get right, to go back and do what we know we can do and just be at our best. I think that’s what everyone is going to be gunning for and I think if we do that, we’ve got a shot.”
Andrew Van Ginkel – January 3, 2024
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Wednesday, January 3, 2024
LB Andrew Van Ginkel
(LB Bradley Chubb going down, we know how emotional that was. What’s your confidence level in DE Emmanuel Ogbah and LB Melvin Ingram?) – “First it starts with Bradley. Obviously the ultimate competitor. He brings so much energy and juice and is just a guy that does everything right. It’s tough seeing him go down like that and we’ve got his back. We’re going to be praying for him and wish him a speedy recovery and surgery. Obviously Ogbah is a guy that’s played a lot of years in this league. He’s no scrub. He’s going to come in and he’s going to make plays. That’s what he’s done his whole career. It’s tough, but it’s the next man up. Obviously, Melvin (Ingram), the same thing. He’s been in the league a long time, Pro Bowler, knows how to play and has played at a high level. So I’m excited for what they can do for this team and I’m excited to see them ball.”
(For you, another big stage, Sunday Night Football, primetime with so much on the line. What do you do during the day to kind of stay calm?) – “(laughter) That’s a good question. Obviously, I just try to relax in the morning. I’ll get up and get a little activation or something in, just to keep my body moving so I’m not laying around all day. I’ll usually try to get a little nap in or a little downtime just to relax and try to get the game off my mind and then get ready to roll. When I head to the stadium a few hours before the game, just let my body build up from there.”
(The Bills have had your number the last three times. What feels different about this game that you feel gives you the edge?) – “We’ve got a team that’s hungry. Obviously, we’re coming off a difficult loss. We’re motivated. We know what we’re capable of doing, and we’ve got a lot of guys in this room that they want to get that sour taste out of their mouth. Obviously, it’s a big game and we know what’s at stake, so we’re going to come out in full force.”
Melvin Ingram – January 3, 2024
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Wednesday, January 3, 2024
LB Melvin Ingram
(How has it felt out there?) – “Amazing.”
(Is everything back? The speed, the quickness?) – “Yes. It never left.”
(How tough is it for an NFL player to not play and then be thrown into important playoff caliber games?) – “I can’t speak for everybody else but I know it isn’t tough for me. I can’t speak for other players. I can only speak for me and it isn’t tough.”
(The luxury of this team having players of the quality of you and DE Emmanuel Ogbah and LB Andrew Van Ginkel, when two really good edge players go down, how much of a luxury is that?) – “That’s a blessing. That’s a blessing for a team to have that. We have a lot of guys here that can play football, including all of those guys you just named. It’s a next man up mentality. We don’t plan to skip no beats.”
(You’ve played QB Josh Allen before. What are the keys to limiting him?) – “We’ve just got try to cancel out every phase. Josh is a tremendous athlete. He’s one of the best in this business. We just have to try to cancel out everything and play smashmouth football.”
Tua Tagovailoa – January 3, 2024
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Wednesday, January 3, 2024
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(I’m assuming you know what’s going on with WR Tyreek Hill in terms of his house being on fire. How difficult would that be for just any teammate, in your opinion?) – “Yeah, I think that would be difficult for not just my teammates, but anyone in general to be going through what Tyreek is going through right now. The main thing is his family is safe, his loved ones are good and he’s good as well. I know it’s a little cliché to say, but things like that, part of the house, some of those things can be replaceable. I’m just glad that a lot of his family members are safe.”
(Were you able to talk to WR Tyreek Hill before he took off?) – “No, I wasn’t able to talk to him. I didn’t know that it happened until after practice. So we’re thinking of them, hoping that everyone is good.”
(With this game, obviously a high-stakes game, which is what you guys have been talking about playing in December and January. Does it get any bigger than this? What would you kind of compare this situation to based on what you played so far probably in college and the NFL?) – “I don’t think I am making this any bigger than what it is. I understand there’s seeding at stake if you will, but outside of that, I think if we continue to prepare the way we’ve prepared and play team football, in which I think is the most important thing for our team in this back half, then I think we’ll be fine.”
(There were a lot of people who said Monday when we talked to them that the offense began to press or the team began to press against the Ravens. How do you counteract that when obviously the game is getting out of hand?) – “Well, I think the most important thing in games like that is that we continue to fight regardless of what the scoreboard says. In regards to that, what you don’t want to do is make something that’s bad, worse. And compounding that with interceptions, the turnovers, you can’t do that. I think that’s what they meant by pressing and whatnot. You can’t have everything back in one play. That’s what I would say.”
(How’s your shoulder feeling? Is it limiting you in any way?) – “My shoulder is good, brother. It’s all good. Thank you.”
(We saw on Hard Knocks you were complaining about some inflammation maybe on your thumb? It was bruised.) – “They showed that?”
(Yeah. How quickly or how long did it take for those residuals on the thumb to sort of get out of the way for you?) – “Well, everyone has the nicks and bruises at this point of the season. So that’s not an excuse for me. But that’s what was going on.”
(How much pride do you take getting to this point and playing an entire NFL season for the first time?) – “I take a lot of pride in it. But I also take pride in helping our team win. I look back at some of the losses we’ve had and wish I could’ve had some plays back. Wish we could’ve done some things different. I think those things stick in my brain more than where I’m at right now this season. Things that I could’ve done better to help our team.”
(Does it ever get frustrating having the focus and attention on your health and durability? I think I remember last year you did an interview with Maria Taylor where you hated that the rule would always be attached to you. Despite all the work you did this offseason, does it kind of get frustrating the additional attention on your health considering everyone is nicked up this time of year?) – “Not really. I haven’t heard anyone say much this year about concussions having to be something that I had last year. Everyone has their own ways of have their concussions, whether it was a hit or a hit from the ground and other different ways. But I would say no to that this year.”
(What has your relationship been like with some of the other receivers not named WR Jaylen Waddle or WR Tyreek Hill and sort of building those up as those guys battle injuries during this season?) – “Yeah, I think my relationship has been good with those guys. I think those guys have also done a great job. This isn’t an easy offense to work yourself into given the longevity of the calls and things you need to really hone-in to with the motions and hear if it’s tagged for you or not. But this late into the season, I think they’ve done a good job.”
(It’s been a while since the last division title for this team. You guys can accomplish that on Sunday. Is that something that brings extra value to the game for you or to the team?) – “Yeah, I would say that’s our goal short term. We want to win the division. But like I’ve said in many of these press conferences, in order for us to go where we want to go, we have to win every game. And it starts this week.”
(You’ve seen this defense a lot of times. What’s the first and foremost thing you think of when you think about going against the Bills defense?) – “They are very sound defensively. They’re coached well. They know where their problems are. They hide their problems well. I mean, they are really good in that sense. They’re really good also with their disguise and showing shell and then going one-high, and disguising that with their other coverages and their two-high deal. They present some good problems for us, and it’s going to be a good challenge for us this Sunday.”
(One scenario if you guys win is to face them back-to-back weeks, have them come right back to Hard Rock Stadium for the Wild Card Round. What would that be like to see the same team two weeks in a row?) – “It wouldn’t matter what team we play. I think what matters to us is our style of football and how we play and how we execute.”
(What would it mean to you personally to beat the Bills, win the division, to put yourself in position to make a Super Bowl run? To do that all on Sunday.) – “I think it would mean a lot to the team for us to do that. We’re looking forward to the challenge this Sunday and we’ll be ready.”
(The last time you faced them, they got a lot of pressure on you with just a four-man rush. Obviously now you have a couple of injuries on the offensive line that has impacted the performance. Do you feel like this unit and especially considering all that they’ve gone through and all they’ve endured, will be ready for what the Bills will bring?) – “Yeah, I think our guys up front, I think our guys outside, offensively and defensively, will be able to handle what the Bills have. I say that because a lot of our guys, we have a lot of guys have been told they ‘can’t’. A lot of guys ‘can’t do this, can’t do that.’ I think they’ve heard enough and they want to do something about that.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel talks a lot about adversity being an opportunity. Certainly with what WR Tyreek Hill is dealing with, he’s dealing with some adversity. How do you guys, with all that swirling around this week, focus on what you have to do?) – “Well, it does get tough, especially when it comes to family. But you have to find your happy medium. Everyone is different with how they find that and how they go about their business. It’s up to every individual with how they go about that process.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that after the first Bills game in Week 4, you kind of changed the way you practiced and kind of simulate game situations more in practice. How do you think that has helped you up to this point?) – “Yeah, I think we have done that, but it was just to the extent of being deliberate with how we are offensively, in and out of the huddle, no one talking when I’m spitting out the play. Then after the play, then you can ask your question with what the formation is and whatnot. Then after the play is done, getting back to the huddle. What’s the personnel? Things like that. We sort of try to simulate game-like situations where prior to that our operation just wasn’t as good.”
(Coach McDaniel was saying earlier today you arrive early, you leave late. You don’t have office hours when it comes to taking time to take care of your body with the trainers, no matter how long the session lasts and also in preparing for the games, as long as it takes. How have you evolved in that area since your arrival in the NFL?) – “Yeah, I think a lot of it is trial and error for me throughout the years. What’s worked, what hasn’t worked. Then trying new things. And then also asking veterans what their process is. I think someone that has a really good process or routine weekly is Christian Wilkins. He has a really good process in how he goes about taking care of his body, taking care of the mental aspect of things, how he goes and does his thing. But just hearing everyone’s process, it is different and tailored to what I do. But it’s also cool that I can find what works for me and implement what needs to be implemented.”
(How significant is it to you to start 17 regular season games this season?) – “It’s a blessing that I get to play the entire season. I think anyone would say the same around the league that it’s a blessing to make it this far as healthy as anyone can be right now leading up to this week. So, very blessed. Very fortunate. And I don’t take this for granted.”
Mike McDaniel – January 3, 2024
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Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(I wanted to touch on the one guy we didn’t get to Monday, WR Jaylen Waddle. Will he practice this week? Is there any sort of realistic chance he would play, or do you need to rest him another week, realistically do you think?) – “There’s a little time. We just got done with walkthrough, which he participated in. Then we’ll take it step by step. He’ll be working with the training staff today, to make sure there’s no setbacks and see where he’s at. If all signs are a go, then we’ll give some practice reps a try, see how he responds to that. With steady communication with everyone involved, we’ll come to a decision on that. The team’s prepared to play without him, but the team would also love to play with him, so we’ll see how his ankle decides.”
(Is LB Jerome Baker getting his practice window open and if so, is he at a point where he’s potentially close where he can come back within this week?) – “He will be practicing today. It will be the first time that he’s practiced since I think November something. It’s January, I believe. So what does that mean as far as the game? Time will tell. You can’t just go there and say ‘hey, yes, you’re going to play,’ or ‘no, you’re not.’ We have to get him out there and see how he responds with that and then how he feels and how convicted his body is allowing him to play, so that he can do right by himself and the team.”
(A couple days ago when asked about your concern or lack thereof for QB Tua Tagovailoa’s shoulder injury, you said some things that he does on his own time or with Head Athletic Trainer Kyle Johnston kind of inspire confidence within you. Could you maybe specify or go further into that? What kind of things does Tua do to protect his body in the season and make sure he’s right for Sunday?) – “Well, he doesn’t have office hours relative to what needs to be done with his body or his mind. If he’s working out a contusion on his leg, however long that process needs to take, he’s not inching his way out of the door. He’s coming early, staying late. If a gameplan, if he didn’t like the way that he executed some plays or if he didn’t like his ownership of the plays, there’s been times that I see his car in the parking lot well after its dark. His nature is to say to me that he’s fine. However, our relationship is too connected where I’m like, ‘What? You’re just saying nonsensical words now. Let’s have a conversation about it.’ And then he’ll tell me. But in that process, you can see a person trying to will himself to, this is not an issue, I need to focus on the matter at hand. He just is relentless with that stuff. It’s a big deal for a football team when we have the leader that has the ball every play is in the same and he’s toughing out things. Really at this stage of the season, a lot of guys aren’t feeling what you’d call 100 percent just with the game of football. So if you want people to strain and separate, I guess, something that hurts versus an injury, I think as a leader, as a captain, you lead by example. I know he knows that. He tries to exude toughness in any opportune time and he’s really willing to do whatever it takes. I mean, case in point, he had issues with hitting his head on the ground, so he took jiu-jitsu and spent a lot of hours of his life training so that he could be proactive and preventative. Not everyone’s doing that. Not everyone would do that. Anything that he can control, he tries to take in his hands. He’s my guy, man.”
(A couple weeks ago, we were talking about how the team had learned from its various losses. You said that the Bills loss forced you guys to change how you practice. I was curious what specifically changed after that loss in terms of your practice, maybe regimen or routine?) – “Communication and focused, deliberate intent. I think practice, there’s a lot of them. Hundreds. It’s every athlete’s human nature – not every athlete, but a majority of them – to not look at it as though it’s the game, because it’s practice. However, if you get yourself as close to that mindset of the game in practice, you’re getting more reps at how to act and react in a game. I think from a team-wide perspective, I saw it wasn’t that a bunch of people were telling me, I got it. It was that I see better than I hear. There was more communication, more game-like attention to detail, all the way to the little things of how you break the huddle, how you strain within the play. You’re as good in the game as you’re able to execute your assignments in practice and I think guys have started to understand what that really means, how you can use practice instead of letting practice use you.”
(You were talking a little bit ago about QB Tua Tagovailoa’s progress. I know a big question was his availability going into the offseason. He’s about to play his 17th game. I’m curious what the significance is for that for you?) – “It’s significant for the organization, but more importantly, it’s significant for the player. I really gravitate to the human experience of each individual player. And I can relate to ‘you can’t’. I think he’s understood in a much better manner. You don’t need to be mad at any sort of narrative. You have to understand it, and you have to understand that you shouldn’t be entitled for this, that, or the other. The fact of that matter is he hadn’t stayed healthy for a whole season. So what he did was try to take control of everything that he could control and made that a goal. That’s a big deal to me when people are winning, in that sense, where you’re taking head on something that you can’t control and doing your best to control all things and just being at peace with what it is. Alright, if I want people to say that I have the ability to stay healthy, then I need to do everything in my power to try and do that. And then there’s things that are outside of your control that if you do, you’re at peace with it. That’s the ultimate test of what really pretty much every person has to go through. You have to decide what is said or how you’re perceived. You have to decide if you’re ok with that. And if you’re not, are you going to blame people for saying that? Or are you going to do something about it? So, that’s a big deal. Much like a lot of the feats that numerous individuals on this team. It’s why I’m so connected with all the people that they said ‘you couldn’t’. We talk about it a lot with the offensive line and Raheem (Mostert)’s story and Alec Ingold, etc. That’s a big deal because you have to focus on what you can control. It’s a hard thing to do.”
(A couple of weeks ago you had DT Ndamukong Suh in for a workout. I know DE Frank Clark’s out there as well. Was there any consideration after LB Bradley Chubb’s injury of signing one this week? And if so, why did you decide against it?) – “You consider all things. But we’re considering it under the veil of we know and are very happy and can depend on the guys we have. I know (Emmanuel) Ogbah and ‘Mel’ (Melvin Ingram) are thirsty for the challenge. The whole room is. They’re very much connected. That’s what their teammate would want . And that’s what they want to deliver for their teammate and the team. I think we might have acted differently if we didn’t have so much firsthand fact that we’ve witnessed day in, day out, that we know the team’s in good hands with that group. So, that’s kind of how it rested.”
(Was DE Emmanuel Ogbah a healthy scratch?) – “There’s a lot of nuances to it. He was eager, as eager as really anybody, to force his hand with a soft tissue injury. So he was inactive one week and then the following week on the heels of do we press it? Do we allow him to get fully healthy? Because he was letting everyone know what his mindset was. Then, we felt with the practice reps that went on in the individual week that was best served for the whole team and him, to have him down. We’ve depended on him and he’s come through in a bunch of ways all season and he’s tough minded and I think he’s got his energy focused in the right direction, which is, ‘okay, well, this opportunity is the only opportunity.’ This game – just in general, we’ve been talking about what type of team we want to be and you have an opportunity to win the division and that’s important to us. So the only way you can and should win the division is beating division opponents. That’s where his focus is at, as the rest of team’s.”
(With WR Tyreek Hill, it seems like since the ankle injury against Tennessee, we’ve seen him do un-Tyreek things like go down after making a catch, pounding on the ground in pain, limping to the sidelines. What have you seen from his ankle injury? How has it affected the offense?) – “I’ve seen a warrior. He takes that ‘C’ on his chest very serious. So from the team’s perspective, he’s doing everything he can. Generally, he can will himself to do pretty much anything and most of the time, he does. But the team knows that. He’s done some inspiring things, making sure he’s on the field. And he’s a fast guy that cuts very violently, so I don’t think people can totally understand the amount of toughness it takes to do what he does. That’s just physics and science. He can’t tip-toe around in his game, nor does he. He’s done everything that the team could ask for and more. And I think that’s kind of helping guys really commit to each other because that’s what you need down the stretch of the season, specifically in January.”
(The Bills have won 10-of-11 against the Dolphins. You’ve only been part of that equation. Is there a mental hurdle that you have to overcome when a team has had a number for several seasons going into a game like this?) – “I can’t speak for other teams. This team, I think does a pretty good job of understanding that each game is won in itself. I think the expectations, I’ve never – that’s just not part of the equation, I think it’s one of the reasons this team has been able to minimize losing streaks to one loss all season is you understand that this is a tough game in an unbelievable league, and you have to earn everything you get. Then sometimes you are naturally humbled, but in that process, I haven’t seen anybody literally waver or blink. They have full expectations to put their best foot forward for this game, whatever day that is. Today is Wednesday, it’s the only day that exists.”
(We were talking to the players on Monday, and they feel like they’re a completely different team than they were when you saw the Bills in Week 4. From a coach’s perspective, what do you see different about your unit?) – “I would totally agree with that. I think it was in all three phases, it felt like at that point in the season, maybe the players were running the system that we have in each phase. Now it feels like they’re owning the system, and there’s an incredible power to that. When we’re at our best, that’s what you’re seeing. It’s not anybody’s plays, play calls, systems – it’s theirs, which I firmly believe because they are painters. They’re doing all the stuff. We give advice. We give every tool that we can possibly give in preparation and then we try to put players in the best position to succeed. But they’re the ones that are out there doing all of it, the doing part. I think everything that we’ve – all 11 wins have been an orchestration of that. I think they’re proud of that and they take pride in their work, because this is their art, their craft and they’re not speaking a second language anymore. And that happens every year as you evolve, it’s not just in Year 1 or (Year) 2 of a scheme. You have to have true ownership for you to be able to evolve. We’ve been talking about December and January all year, and they’ve taken it upon themselves to work at developing their craft. Along the way it’s not always easy, but that’s what makes you who you are. You don’t get that much better from all high fives. You need to go through stuff together to become closer to have the intangibles that it takes to move the needle when you’re going to have good teams every time you’re on the field that want every bit as bad to win that game as you do. So when push comes to shove, something’s got to give. It’s all that that you compile for these moments, which is what you work for, what you play for. We’re in the moment now, and it’s cool to see guys really take ownership of their moment knowing that it’s going to be a fun product Sunday night, but until then we have a lot of work to do.”
(What do you see as the value or advantage that you get to play Sunday night at home for the offense in particular?) – “Home field advantage, you take all the knowns, the controls of the situation and you try to own them and have nothing reside as an excuse. You want to win every single game, but in the process, in terms of communication and how things are orchestrated, how you can communicate with one another and just all the natural things that come with being able to hear, those things prove beneficial to a degree. But it’s also, what ends up happening is teams that don’t worry about home or away, you end up getting better in both. I think this team has earned confidence at home, but I know that the Bills probably don’t care about that. It’s a football game that we’ve played this team the last three times in Orchard Park, which is a little unique. It feels like a lifetime ago that we played here at home against them. I guess in a sense, it’s just odd to play three road games against one team in a year, so that’s kind of unique. But they just want to play and beat an opponent after not being able to sleep or harboring all the things that come with a collective experience like that. We’re eager to press forward and do something that we feel very fortunate to do, which is compete for a division and something that has been on our mind since we started this in April.”
Mike McDaniel – January 1, 2024
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Monday, January 1, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(With CB Xavien Howard and the foot, do you have any sense yet if he’s going to miss game time or if he’s out for the season?) – “The good news on ‘X’ is that it doesn’t look like it will require surgery, what we found out today. So that was good, and because of that, it’s kind of a week-to-week measure. We have to see how he responds. Feet at that position are just tricky. Each person’s different so we’ll take that with due diligence and press and assess.”
(Does week to week mean that CB Xavien Howard is probably not going to be able to go Sunday?) – “Ish. Yeah, probably. I am not planning for him to. I’m out of the crystal ball world. I tried it with Raheem (Mostert) and I was wrong. But yeah, it feels week to week so I’m not anticipating this week.”
(How is LB Jerome Baker feeling?) – “Jerome has been doing well, so we’ll see how the work goes with the training staff up until the practice week. There’s nothing that’s – I’m optimistic that window will begin here soon.”
(Just to confirm there’s a report out saying that LB Bradley Chubb did tear his ACL. Can you confirm that that’s true or what do you have on it?) – “Yeah, he tore his ACL. Confirmed.”
(Just how big a loss is LB Bradley Chubb? He is huge on the field but from a locker room perspective?) – “Yeah, it’s a big loss for the team and the locker room just because of the human being that he is and then his play. It’s one of the things that is a challenge for every single team that’s in the league at this stage of the year. It’s something that it takes a collective mindset from everyone with those types of injuries in that you have to be worried about the right things. Not who’s not there, but what can I do in my game better. And that goes across the board. That’s not just at the edge position. It’s really the entire team and how you pick up for that slack. But that’s what you have to do every single year to win in December, January. It’s just kind of the deal. I know one thing that there will be some inspired play as a result of it from his teammates because they truly care about him a ton.”
(Do you anticipate this injury changing at all how you go about those late-game situations whether you’re up big or down big?) – “Every situation is independent. One thing I will tell you is that, as a head coach, you have to make a ton of decisions. A ton. That’s literally your job. And it’s important to know how many people are depending on you to have the right intent. I think that was an emotional situation that the bottom line was, the situation was very unique in that the offense had just taken out offensive players. Mike White went in for his first snap and I was in the process of communicating stuff to the defense. It was a fumble, a one-play drive, so then the position coaches are communicating to the guys and guys run on the field. I could tell they didn’t want to wait a week for a series. So then you make decisions with the proper intent always knowing, fairly, that the consequences of those rest on your shoulders. If that exact scenario plays out again – there’s too many variables. It was a tough moment that I wish wouldn’t have happened. Hindsight’s 20/20. Every decision I make, I understand how important it is to everyone that I’m doing the right thing for the team and the organization. When things like that happen, yeah, the burden is great. I’ll always learn from things. One thing you can be rest assured is the proper intent will be applied to every decision I make, because I don’t take the weight of that lightly at all.”
(I wanted to get an update on your two cornerbacks particularly, CB Cam Smith who we haven’t seen in a while, especially playing on defense, and then CB Nik Needham. If CB Xavien Howard isn’t able to play, do you look at it as an open competition or do you want to rely on CB Eli Apple and continue that journey?) – “I think every single week, you’re assessing. There’s not a day that goes by that I overlook what people are doing on the field. That’s how positions are secured, earned and kept; however I think Nik (Needham) is doing a great job in his role. I think I’d be confident with him in various amount of roles. He’s a really smart football player, so he knows several positions. His teammates really hold him in high regard, so he’s doing a good job. I think Eli (Apple) has really been doing a good job as well. Cam (Smith), as a rookie at the corner position, he’s done what we’ve asked in terms of developing. Corners to me are kind of like quarterbacks where you have to be careful of – you’re hoping to put them in position where they’re not going to have results that would have scar tissue. It’s not anything he hasn’t done, necessarily. He’s developing really each month and each week, but there’s also some players that have earned the trust of their teammates on the field that compete every day. I think it’s more to do with the fact of the professional football players within the group this exact moment as opposed to, ‘Ok, we can’t put him out there.’ It’s not like that at all. And really almost every game, he’s one play away from getting a lot of time. It’s just the way it’s played out, those reps have gone to Eli (Apple) because he’s earned them. We’ll keep assessing that every week, that’s never a dormant thing.”
(How do you make up for the loss of LB Bradley Chubb now and what role do you think DE Emmanuel Ogbah will have?) – “Ogbah has a huge role. I feel very much more comfortable with a man of his size that much removed from a soft tissue injury. He’s been productive all season, but it’s not just him. Really, it’s everybody. When you lose a player like that, which has happened to us during this season a lot, it happens more often than it doesn’t. It’s not, ‘Ok, somebody else be that guy.’ Everyone has different skillsets. You have to play team defense to those skillsets, so you adjust schematically sometimes. I think it’s more the whole less than the part. There’s different things we’ll feature with each player’s game, but I see it as more the whole team as a starting point and then the defense. You want it to be this way. You want the backend to be like, ‘Alright, we’re going to cover better and longer.’ You want Ogbah and every edge player to be like, ‘I’m going to play my best game and put my best foot forward,’ and you want stack ‘backers to feel the same way, ‘I’m going to rush faster.’ All of those things. The bigger thing is that people focus on the job at hand, not ‘Ok, what did we lose.’ You have to focus on the team as it stands, the unit that’s out there. Each individual focuses on their game and how that relates to the whole plan. You have to play together, which is the key in this portion of the year, and that’s what we’ll be counting on.”
(With OL Robert Hunt’s status, obviously this game is to determine the AFC East title. Do you think he’s healthy enough to play at this point? I know you’ve been justifiably cautious but is he healthy enough to play right now?) – “I think we’ll find out with the practice week. I think he’s going to get the uptick that’s on schedule. I think he’s really eager to take the next step. I anticipate a lot more reps coming his way. If there’s no setbacks at all, I’m fairly optimistic that we’ll see him very soon.”
(You just mentioned the importance of playing together. A couple of the players just came in here and said looking back at the tape, they might have pressed a little bit too much and tried to do too much individually. What’s the best way to get everybody back cohesively?) – “Well, I think you have to rip the band-aid off. I think you have to look at each game independently. I think that lesson we have learned in different ways along the season. What was unique to this one was the timing of things, how things progressed. You start out really strong on the first possession, then they match. Then you almost score a touchdown, you get your punt and then they’re successive. It’s the orchestration of a game like that against a good opponent, that you’re frustrated that the score isn’t the way you feel like it should be, and then you try to make a play to wish that into existence that’s independent to that game. But the biggest thing is you can’t run from it. Case in point, thus far in the season, I think our team has really done a great job of that considering last year all we did was lose on streaks. We’ve been able to minimize all the losing streaks to one game this year. I think that speaks to what it takes in a parity-ridden tough top-tier league. You have to be able to not run from things that hurt, and when you put in the work, and then certain things happen in the game – and to the Ravens’ credit, they played a really strong game. It hurts to even turn on the tape, but you have to go that direction so that you can put your best foot forward toward Buffalo, which is a critical assessment of the last game today and get your minds right for our plan for Buffalo on Wednesday. Just like you can’t ride the sails of a big win and coast through something, you have to be able to move on with learning tools. It’s a collection of learning during the course of the season. Our job is to make it purposeful, which I think our guys diligently have attacked today.”
(How did QB Tua Tagovailoa come out today, with that shoulder coming back in and RB Raheem Mostert as well not playing?) – “Yeah, I’m off the Raheem crystal balls. It was a scar I felt. The intent was not to mislead, I promise. So we’ll approach it the same way we did last week with Raheem and see how that goes. Tua, I’m not really worried about it just where he’s at in the season and how crazy competitive he is. It’s not something that’s a huge blip on my radar right now.”
(You don’t concern yourself about QB Tua Tagovailoa’s soreness impacting throwing motion at all?) – “There’s always residuals to soreness. I guess what I’m not worried about is the player fighting through that, being able to be productive. He’s usually with any time anything happens, I find out the next day. I didn’t even know he hit his thumb on a helmet during the game (against Dallas) and he just kind of grits his teeth and rolls through it. The biggest thing is I wouldn’t anticipate it being extremely sore because of the way that he attacks rehab. He truly lives with and is best friends with (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston) when he has an issue, so he’s down there all the time and it doesn’t matter how long it takes.”
(I wanted to ask about LB Melvin Ingram. He got here like yesterday and pretty much played a prominent role the last two weeks. What is it about Ingram maybe his skillset or understanding of the scheme that has allowed him to contribute so early?) – “I think ‘Mel’ (Melvin Ingram) has come in with exuberance, very, very appreciative of the opportunity and very hungry to deliver on the opportunity. I think his skillset and really what he’s done throughout his career is very similar to what we ask of our edge players. It kind of fits his game and it’s something that kind of came up with (Emmanuel) Ogbah having a soft tissue (injury) and it kind of fit the particular game plan. It’s like he hasn’t left, really. He’s a cool piece of our locker room that shows up for game day and you know he’s going to compete.”
(You guys were rolling on offense a lot of the first half and it seemed like there was kind of a road block. I’m curious if the Ravens did anything to try to time you guys up that maybe shifted your production on offense?) – “I think that’s kind of one of the things that we learn through the course of the game is I think the offensive players were feeling that success and then I think they went a step further and tried to force some plays that ended up in turnovers and that’s kind of what derailed the entire game from the offense’s perspective. I think pretty much they were able to have success in certain situations and then there were turnovers a little bit and some missed opportunities that kept the ball from rolling. I think early in the game, it was probably 11 out of 11 guys executing and then everybody had their hand in it, but there was maybe a short route here or a protection issue there or a forced throw. Those types of things came in the heat of the battle that didn’t present themselves at the beginning of the game, so you have to get your mind right for how long these competitions are and to really lean into– you have to learn that if you’re not pressing and you’re having success, it’s irrelevant or erroneous what the score is or what stage you are in the game. To stay true to team football and doing your job and letting the plays come to you, I think that’s something that is evident from my perspective and I thought that kind of hindered and added to the disparity of the score because of some of those turnovers and overly aggressive, not just taking what was there, decisions. And I’m included in that, too. You have to protect your players from that and be responsible in play calls and I never skirt around anything that’s adverse that happens to the team. I’m the decision maker so the best way to not throw a pick is to call a run.”
(Any plans to possibly bring back LB Jason Pierre-Paul or add a veteran edge rusher?) – “We’re sorting through that. I’m comfortable with the guys that have been straining and investing on the team now. However, whenever there is an injury, we’re working through our process. It’s not inevitable. I would say it would be possible.”
Terron Armstead – January 1, 2024
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Monday, January 1, 2024
T Terron Armstead
(What was the message today for the team?) – “Reviewing the film from yesterday, make corrections and get ready for Buffalo.”
(Seems pretty simple. One game here task at hand. Do you feel like anything needs to be said or everybody pretty much knows exactly what the expectations are?) – “Yeah, I don’t think there’s much explaining needed at this point. It’s the last game of the regular season. We have our goal number one in front of us: win the division. So we’ve got to go out there, execute, and get that done.”
(Is the feeling after this loss any different than after the other losses this season? More resolve? Do you need to change anything?) – “No, we’re not about to try to revamp or switch up anything. It was a tough loss for sure. They beat the (expletive) out of us in all three phases. We can’t take that lightly or ignore it. We’ll figure out where we lacked, how the game got away from us, and prepare for Buffalo, so we can go out and execute and win the division.”
(I think it was 27 minutes into the game, you guys were down by a touchdown. Even yardage. Everything was even across the board. I’m curious in your mind offensively what changed from that point forward?) – “Kind of hard to say. A team like that, they play very sound football, very in-tuned with each other and they execute at a high level. We have to do the same. You have to do the same. You have a team that’s a well-oiled machine, you have to go out and execute the same. Opportunities that we missed, we can’t really afford to do that in those types of games. So, just bad plays at the wrong time. Turnovers, busted coverage, missed blocks. You get into a game like that with a team that executes at a high level, it’ll get away from you quick.”
(With this game, obviously last time you faced them, I know you got injured in that game, and they got a lot of pressure on you with a four-man rush. Obviously that’s a challenge for the offensive linemen that you guys are looking forward to. What does it take to protect QB Tua Tagovailoa in such a critical game like this?) – “Yeah, every game. Every game that’s the goal. The first objective is to keep 1 (Tua Tagovailoa) as clean as possible. That’s never going to change no matter who’s in front. Four, five, six, doesn’t matter. We try to keep them as clean as possible. That’s going to be our objective number one. In our preparation this week, we’re going to go over our protection, make sure we keep him as clean as possible.”
(How much have TE Durham Smythe and TE Julian Hill helped you in terms of attaching some of those wide blocks off the edge all year long? Just kind of talk about their ability and what they have done to the running game?) – “Yeah, those two are amazing. They’re great. They feel like an extra o-linemen when we get a chance to run some plays with them two in the lineup. Understanding the leverage, angles, combination blocks, it’s pretty seamless. It feels like o-line to o-line. Definitely a lot of praise to Julian and Durham.”
(I’ve been asking everybody in light of the LB Bradley Chubb injury, being on the field when the deficit is so large when the game is basically out of hand. What are your thoughts on the Chubb injury? And your thoughts on being on the field in such a large deficit?) – “We’re here to play. We here to play football. So whether a coach tells us to come out or stay in, we’re not looking to look up at the score. They’re up 21, time for me to come out? Nah, that’s never the case whether we’re up or down. We’re just here to play football. Chubb specifically, he loves it. He loves being out there regardless. He’s not a guy who chases stats or watches the scoreboard. Chubb just loves to play football. It will never be a situation for him to be like, ‘They’re up big coach, take me out.’ That’s not him.”
(How hard was it just seeing LB Bradley Chubb go down?) – “It’s tough. It’s tough, man. I’ve grown closer to ‘B. Chubb’ (Bradley Chubb) throughout this process. He attacks it every day. He works. He works relentlessly every day, so it’s tough, man. To see him go down in that manner, he means so much to us. He’s an impact – he’s been phenomenal all year. It’s tough, man, but the first thing he said yesterday when I talked to him after the game was, ‘It’s God’s plan.’ So he wasn’t questioning it. He’s got the right mindset. He’s going to attack his rehab and be back better than ever.
(You guys have had a bad string of injuries recently, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and I know up front, y’all have been battling through a lot. How do you separate the emotions you were just talking about with LB Bradley Chubb and playing through stuff versus just making it happen, know that you have to?) – “That’s really it, we have to. Regardless of what we’re dealing with personally, at home, or an injury to our body, this game is going to kick off when it kicks off and it’s going to go down. You want to go out there with your best foot forward regardless. So when you prepare through the week, that kickoff time is going to be that kickoff time, no matter who is on the field, no matter what they’re dealing with. That’s how you’ve got to approach it.”
(You’ve had some deep playoff runs with the Saints. Just how important is it to win the division to get these two home games versus having to go on the road first round?) – “Yeah, I mean I don’t know the stats on hand, but I know those first two seeds have a higher percentage of getting to the big dance (and) get a chance to play at home in front of your fans, that energy that we can feed off of. We’ve been dangerous at home. But home or on the road, we’ve got to come with it. We’ve got to bring that energy, find it within. It’s always better when it’s the home crowd that can feed into it and they can be on the field with us. So locking up the (No.) 2 seed would be huge, for sure. But if we’ve got to go on the road, it doesn’t matter, man. It doesn’t matter. We’ve got to line up and go.”
(You’ve talked about how good you guys have been at home with the fans, what operationally feels different at home versus the road for you guys?) – “The road presents some challenges through communication. Like you said, the operation. So silent count – the silent cadence is 11 people trying to non-verbally communicate. Sometimes it gets a little grey, crowd noise can be grey, the center could be thinking it’s one mechanism when it’s another and we’re all relying on that indicator to when the ball will be snapped. But if he’s off, or if the quarterback is off, or if the play comes in late, or if the motion is coming in late, you can’t really communicate that stuff with the crowd noise. So that’s the challenge. The fans play a big part of the game.”
(Is it more impactful for your offense, like you mentioned, given how much motion and timing is based on?) – “I mean it is a challenge for the details, yeah, for the motions, snap timing. That’s probably the biggest challenge for the offense on the road is a lot of the snap timing Tua (Tagovailoa) can control when he verbally asks for the ball, but now he’s got to kind of watch the motion happen, tell Liam (Eichenberg) when to snap it and Liam has got to snap it on time. So just small details like that people don’t really know or understand, but that’s a big part of the game.”
(If I could ask you one more just from an educational purpose, the Ravens, at least when I saw it, it looked like they were maybe shifting a little bit late based off your motions. Is that something unique to them or have you seen other teams try to, I don’t know if they’re timing up your snap count based off the snap point or the motion?) – “Historically, the Ravens for a number of years now have been known for their disguises and trying to present one thing and show you something else at the snap. That’s kind of historically what they’ve done. Yesterday, I felt like they were pretty calm, actually. They didn’t go too exotic with the looks yesterday. We got out early the first couple of series and we were moving the ball on them pretty smoothly and it was quiet. But then when they got the lead, they were able to do a little bit more and get a little bit more risky.”
