Patrick Graham – December 3, 2019
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Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham
(I wanted to talk to you about the defensive packaging that you guys do and how extensive it is. How do you get guys to, I guess, do those assignments? How do you pick? How do you know what a guy can do because it seems very specific to me?) – “I think first it starts with the assistant coaches. They do a great job of identifying the strengths and the weaknesses of each player and then challenging them to improve on them – a lot of times improve upon the weaknesses (and) keep your strengths going in the right direction. Coaches will say, ‘okay, I think this guy can get this done, I think this guy can get this done. Maybe we can expand his role a little bit.’ That’s what ends up happening and so from there, if the guys can handle the role expansion right there, then we’re able to introduce more packages, introduce to them to more roles. Again, it always comes back to what we think is best. Whatever we did last week against the Eagles, that’s done. We’ve got the challenge now with the Jets in terms of their offensive line is gelling together a little bit. I know they have some injuries, but they’re working together. They’ve got a dynamic back back there. They’ve got several backs, really when you talk about (Bilal) Powell and (Ty) Montgomery – they all present challenges along with (Le’Veon) Bell. Then the receiving corps. It’s going to be a difficult task, but we’re going to try to figure out which guys do the best job for what we need to get done for the game.”
(So once you get to that point, it seems like you’re able to take the fight to the offense as opposed to reacting. Is that correct or no?) – “We’re always trying to take advantage of their weaknesses and really take advantage of our strengths. Usually, hopefully it plays into our favor, but again, none of that matters – the meetings, the practice, all that stuff is – we’ve got to get it done on Sunday. That’s the main thing. And that’s really a combination of assistant coaches getting the players ready to go and the players being ready to go on Sunday.”
(You have no problem going eight, nine defensive backs deep or however many linebackers because you know if he’s one of those 46, he’s got a role. You identify that through the week and this is what we’re going to do?) – “If they’re up – and I’m sure ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) – if they’re up for the game, we’re going to use them. We’re going to try our best to use them, and they’re up for a reason, so that’s the main thing.”
(I wanted to ask you about the evolution of CB Eric Rowe and the move to safety. I know he played the position in college, but what went into the thought process of making that switch from having him on the boundary to working as the tight end coverage guy?) – “I just think his skillset in terms of what we’re asking him to do – he’s a big long body, he’s physical, he can tackle and he’s smart. Those are like a lot of things – for the role he’s playing right now – that helped for last week and then we’ll see what it morphs into this week. It’s really, his skillset really gives us an advantage there as long as we play well. I think that’s part of it. Then the thing is his selflessness. He’s willing to do whatever is best for the team. He’s a guy that does a good job of communicating, as well. We’re going to need all that this week against the Jets because all the problems they present, with (Jets Head Coach Adam) Gase being one of the best offensive minds in the league and how they deploy all their weapons. Those guys – the smart guys, the communicators, the tough players – those are all key and vital, and we’re going to need it really bad this week against the Jets because they present a lot of problems. A lot of problems.”
(With CB Eric Rowe, how much has he helped because you’ve got a young group of cornerbacks, defensive backs who get here one week and start the next – how much has he helped that unit in terms of understanding the schemes, concepts, the philosophies?) – “I think you have to ask the individual players; but from what I’ve observed, I know Eric (Rowe) is a professional. He comes in – and he’s consistent. He’s a professional and he’s consistent with his demeanor. I’ve never seen him get too up, too down. He’s always taking notes. He always has his iPad, working through (and) looking at film. I’m sure the players – you’d have to ask them specifically – but I would think his consistency in terms of his levels, in terms of emotions, I think is pretty strong. And I think the fact that he’s a diligent worker. Players see that – especially young players see that – and they kind of gravitate to that because he’s had success in this league. That’s a big part of it.”
(How much is that important? That guys gravitate to players – veterans – that have had success?) – “I think just in general – I’ve been coaching in this league for 11 years – some of the most important things I’ve learned as a football coach in the league have been from players.”
(Really?) – “So like guys that have done it. I didn’t play in the league, and I wasn’t a very good player in college; but some of the most important lessons I’ve learned have been from players in this league, so I can’t even imagine a young player, what they’re learning from (veterans) if I’m a coach and I’m learning something from these guys, because it’s pretty remarkable what they have to do on a week-to-week basis. You take this week for example: we dealt with a team that was good offensively last week. Now you’re going into this and it’s a whole different set of problems that you’ve got to deal with. There’s a whole set – different receivers, different backs, different offensive alignment – and they’ve got to get all that information, go out to practice, get that right, come back in, get introduced to more situations. Now you’ve got to get on the third down for the Jets. Now you’ve got to get on the red area for the Jets and then get all that done within six days and then go out and play on a Sunday? Yeah, I want to learn from the guys that have done that consistently because it’s pretty remarkable. I know it’s not curing cancer or anything, but it’s pretty remarkable to be able to do that, I think. That’s why I’ve always looked up to those guys. I’m always willing to learn from them.”
(When they come from the field, they tell you what they see and what’s going on.) – “Or even just about the game and how they see it. It helps – it’s their perspective. I’ve learned a lot of lessons from guys in the past.”
(What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a guy?) – “The biggest lesson was not football. It was how to be a better father during the football season.”
(Really? Who taught you that?) – “(laughter) I’ll keep that to myself, but he helped because he was a father before I was a father, so I asked him. He gave me good points.”
(What was the advice?) – “He said, ‘I don’t care how tired you are. Take your wife out on Friday.’ (laughter) That was more so a coach, but a player reiterated that.”
(When you look at this team now compared to maybe when you were first molding it early in the season, in what ways can you see the development that you guys have made and the cohesion of what you want this team to be?) – “I think one of the things that sticks out to me is the brotherhood or camaraderie is starting to build. I think these guys genuinely care for one another, and I think ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) touched on it, how much he loves coaching this team. That love doesn’t – it comes through blood, sweat and tears, too. There’s a lot of grind that goes through it, and I think the players, they’ve had to go through the grind with one another and you start to build that relationship. There’s only 16 of these opportunities you’re guaranteed to have, and you do all that work to build up for those 16 opportunities and there’s just a bond, a camaraderie that gets built through that process. It’s good to see that. You can see the genuine care that they have for one another whether they were here since April or they just got here. It’s good to see because that’s what’s going to help us on Sundays. If they genuinely care about each other, we’ll have a shot against the Jets. We’ll have a shot to get the defense right and cover these guys and stop the run. If there’s a genuine care for one another where we’re able to be honest with each other, that’ll go a long way this week when we go against the Jets.”
(How did you guys build that because I know early in the season there was a lot of continuity thing you had to get through because of the trades, the transactions, whatever; but you guys have seemed to – especially at this point in the season – started to pick up things to where like you mentioned, everybody seems to be playing for that single approach?) – “I don’t know exactly. The only way I know how to get improved in anything at this job whether it’s coaching,or playing, is to put the work in. I don’t know what the magic pill or wand or whatever it is; I just know that you’ve got to put to work in, and you’ve got to work at relationships, too. You can work at your craft, but you’ve got to work at relationships, too. If you want to have a fruitful relationship and a fruitful brotherhood or camaraderie with one another, you’ve got to work at it. It might not be pleasant all the time. The best brotherhoods I have, have not been pleasant all the time; but they’ve been honest. I would think – you’ve just got to put the work in. That would be my assessment.”
(It’s interesting because I know you guys always take principles from Head Coach Brian Flores because he’s the head man and I talked to some of the guys in the locker room about what does he and what the coaching staff done throughout this period, and they mentioned consistency. “They’re the same every day. Flores is the same every day. Even through all the adversity when we’re getting blown out, when we’re winning, it’s the same.’ When you hear that, is that what you guys want and how do you guys keep that?) – “I think just lessons learned from whether it’s our parents – I can’t speak for ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) or the players – but lessons learned from our parents. My parents are emotionally consistent. I didn’t know how broke we were. (laughter) I didn’t know. I didn’t know. Did they get too up or too down about anything? No. They just went by their faith and I just know they treated us well, so I think you try to give them examples of just being consistent because that’s how you’re able to push through and get to that breakthrough or get to wherever it may. I think it’s probably lessons learned from family. A lot of stuff of who I am is lessons learned from my mom and dad.”
(When you look at just the culture Head Coach Brian Flores and you guys are trying to implement on this team, how much impact do you think that’s had at this point on recent team success?) – “Again, I just think it’s the work the guys put in. That might be part of it, but it’s about the work we put in. It’s about the work we put in and then showing up on Sunday because showing up on Sunday, being able to execute, that’s where it comes (from). I don’t know, but I know if you put the work in, prepare to be ready and then if you are ready on Sunday and you’re able to execute when the whistle blows, you’ve got a chance. You’ve got a chance.”
