Vance Joseph – September 6, 2016
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Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph
(On if DE Jason Jones will be a starter) – “Yes. In our first and second down package, which is obviously more run and mixed play-action pass, Jason Jones will be the starting end along with Mario Williams. Cam (Wake) will be used some on first and second down but mostly in pass rush situations.”
(On what he has seen from DE Mario Williams after he had been criticized last year) – “I’ve seen Mario from Day 1 being fully engaged in what we’re doing. Sometimes players just need a new change; they need a change of environment. I think it’s been good for Mario to be here. I was with Mario in Houston so I know the person. He wants to rush the passer, like most defensive ends want to. He’s rushing the passer here so, so far, so good.”
(On his confidence in CB Xavien Howard) – “I’m confident. He was drafted in the second round for a reason, because he’s a talented guy. The spring workouts and OTAs kind of proved that he is a real talent. I was impressed then. Obviously missing time during training camp, that’s not going to help his growth as far as being a starter Week 1; but, I feel like his physical tool set and being a corner, I feel comfortable. Playing corner, there’s probably three or four assignments that they have to perfect and he’s done that well.”
(On LB Jelani Jenkins’ replacement if he is unable to go Sunday) – “It would be a mix of guys. On base downs, it would probably be Spencer Paysinger as the starter, if Jelani can’t go. And then in our sub nickel package, it would probably be Koa (Misi).”
(On what this first game means to him, his first as a defensive coordinator) – “What does it mean? It’s a big game for all of us, obviously. It’s the first game, but who we’re playing. Being a new staff and trying to change the culture and going towards a winning environment, this is a critical game for us because Seattle has been winning for a long time. That thing has been built right for a long time, since (Seattle Seahawks Head Coach) Pete (Carroll) has been there. They do things right. They play with energy. They play tough; they play smart. They draft and pay their own players. That’s a standard that we’re trying to get to so I think this is a perfect opening game to see where we are; but also, we’re aspiring to be those guys, eventually – to be an every year playoff team and to build our team in that light.”
(On why the pass rush specialist role for DE Cameron Wake) – “Again, I think if we chose to, he could be a starter on every down. But I think, just keeping him healthy and allowing him to be a dominant pass rusher – taking some downs off of him – makes us better and allows him to be fresher for 16 weeks.”
(On his expectations when they added CB Byron Maxwell to the secondary and if he’s lived up to them) – “He’s added a No. 1 corner for us. We didn’t have one before he got here after we let (Brent) Grimes go. He’s added a No. 1 corner for us (and) so far, so good. When he came in, he was about 205, maybe 210 (pounds). Now he’s down to 194 (pounds and) that’s helped his game. He’s running better. He looks quick out there. Having a guy who has played corner at a high level, that helps you, especially when you’re playing with a rookie opposite him.”
(On if he has explored having CB Byron Maxwell shadowing an opponent’s best receiver) – “I have not. He has not been a guy who has matched (up) left and right. He’s been a right corner for most of his career so to make him comfortable and to have him play his best, playing (on the) right (side) is the best option.”
(On how DT Jordan Phillips did during training camp and preseason) – “I thought Jordan Phillips started off really slow but came on really strong. I thought he had a hell of a preseason, as far as the games. Obviously you can see his size and his explosiveness in the run and pass game alike. I’m very pleased by Jordan right now and where he is.”
(On his comfort level with the depth at the defensive tackle spot) – “We have four guys that we feel comfortable with. Most teams only have four. Between (Ndamukong) Suh, Jordan (Phillips), Earl (Mitchell) and (Julius) Warmsley, I feel very comfortable. That’s what most teams have – two starters and two guys that can back up. In my mind, we have three starters with Jordan being able to start for Earl if Earl is not ready to go.”
(On what Julius Warmsley did to earn a spot on the 53-man roster) – “For players sometimes, the system helps them play better. Warmsley is a quick, high-energy guy. We’re an attack front. He can rush the passer in close spaces. It helped him not being a read-and-react guy. He’s not a big, big guy so his quickness definitely showed in the pass game and run game alike.”
(On one thing the group is better at right now) – “I think the front is a lot better at playing the run. When you’re an attack front and you’ve got a bunch of pass rushers, they want to rush the passer. They don’t want to talk about the run game. From OTAs to the first part of (training) camp until now, I feel very comfortable with the run defense now. I wasn’t during the spring and I wasn’t early on in camp, but I feel better about it now because now they’re focusing on both. They’re reading their keys and when it’s pass, they rush, and when it’s run, they set the edge. That’s been a lot better, in my opinion.”
(On the importance for the secondary to read their keys when playing against a mobile quarterback) – “It starts with having a hell of a rush plan. That’s important. You can’t rush him reckless so our rush plan is going to be very, very important – how we rush Russell (Wilson). The second part of it is, in the secondary, when he scrambles, which he will scramble, if you’re a corner covering (Tyler Lockett) or (Doug Baldwin), stay with your guy. Cover the guy until … I don’t know what that means (necessarily) but cover the guy until the play is over. That’s going to be critical. So between the rush plan and guys chasing him down and the back end guys staying in coverage, that’s the key. We could have a perfect rush plan and (Wilson) is going to break contain. He’s going to do it probably more than once. So the back end guys have to stay in coverage – that’s the key.”
(On having a different rotation of guys up front and what that does for him later in games) – “You keep guys fresh, especially big guys. Big guys – you want them to play hard and always going 100 percent. But when they get tired, it’s tough to lean on 300-pound guys all game and play 65 snaps so having a rotation helps those guys, at the end of the game, be fresh enough to finish the game off. So Cameron (Wake), not playing a lot of first and second down reps, when the game is on the line, he can finish it for us.”
