Vic Fangio – September 28, 2023
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Thursday, September 28, 2023
Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio
(There’s a lot of talk with your scheme about how the framework of it deters deep passing. But I was curious how you see it also helping in matchups against mobile quarterbacks like you’re going to face with Bills QB Josh Allen this weekend?) – “Yeah, he’s a handful to play against. I don’t think there’s any one way to play him. That’s kind of the definition of a great quarterback. There is no one way to play him or everybody would do it. And he’s tough to handle and you always got to defend two plays – the play they call in the huddle and the play he can create on the run. And they utilize the RPO game too which he’s good at. So he’s a tough assignment.”
(You made changes in the nickel and dime with CB Eli Apple. How did CB Justin Bethel and CB Parry Nickerson do last week?) – “They did okay. I think it’s the first time that Justin’s had to play full time, and Parry got some snaps from when we went to six DBs. And then late in the game, when it was out of hand, he got to play some corner. And I think they both did a good job.”
(Are those changes, without giving away strategy, are those changes fairly permanent? Or is that up for grabs this week?) – “Nothing’s permanent in the NFL. (laughter) Not for long, right?” (laughter)
(Regarding S Jevon Holland, it seems like he does so much that maybe we don’t get to see from a casual observer standpoint. I’m just curious to hear the impact he has no difference from your perspective.) – “He has a tremendous impact. We utilize his abilities a lot. And as you alluded to, some of it’s not very visible to the average person. He’s just a tremendous player. He has a chance to be a special, special player in the NFL.”
(CB Cam Smith was inactive. Where does he stand right now?) – “Cam has been getting better in practice. We’ve been giving him more reps. When you come down to your last couple DBs, special teams plays a part in that. Versatility plays a part in that. We only had three real safeties dressed last week, so we have to have an emergency fourth. So everything plays into that. But I think Cam’s progressing.”
(As a matter of general philosophy, where do you stand on the idea of having a cornerback shadow a wide receiver?) – “It’s doable and I’ve done it a lot in my career. And then a lot of times, I haven’t. I don’t think with our team right now it’s something that we would do. But it could be down the line.”
(Did S Brandon Jones’ play make you all re-think about how you want to allocate safety snaps with him in and S DeShon Elliott?) – “Yeah, it was good to finally get him some action. He’s had very limited practice. He had very, very limited reps in training camp. Didn’t play in any preseason games. We’ve been getting him more reps in practice and hopefully we’re seeing the progress that allows him to play.”
(As it relates to building your game plan for the Bills offense, I was wondering if you looked back at any of the film from the three matchups last season? Or are you just focusing on what the Bills have shown this year so far?) – “Yeah, we didn’t really look too much back at the three games last year. Didn’t feel they had a lot of relevance to us.”
(What do you think Bills WR Stefon Diggs does best?) – “Get open and catch the ball. He’s one of the top receivers in the league. The quarterback has good (chemistry) with him. He’s heavily targeted. He’s a top-level receiver in this league and that’s one of the reasons their offense is scoring at a high pace. He’s a good player.”
(You’re deep at inside linebacker, but if you find yourself in a spot where you have to use LB Channing Tindall, what’s the skill that you think could help you that he has?) – “Well, he has good athletic ability. He’s been contributing in the special teams area and improving on defense.”
(I know it’s kind of offbeat, but in watching the offense put up 70 points last Sunday, have you seen anything close to that in your years?) – “No. I think that’s an anomaly. You just don’t see that very often in the NFL. And games can turn. We went for it on fourth down there in our own territory. Didn’t get it. It’s 21 to 10. They should come away with at least the field goal to make it 21 to 13 or score a touchdown and we ended up making them punt. With the final score what it was, it’s hard to say that was a big series, but it really was. Maybe that game doesn’t get out of hand like it did. And then it just steamrolled. Plus, there were two short fields. We gave the offense the ball on the two, I think, and the eight, and it just rolled.”
(CB Kader Kohou had been primarily nickel in the first couple of games and then played wide corner a lot in this last game. Obviously, he can do both, but how do you think he looks as a wide corner?) – “Good. I thought he played well this past week. I think he plays well.”
(I could be wrong, but I think the last time you coached against a Josh Allen team was back in 2020. Anything stand out from that game? I know Josh Allen had a pretty good day that day.) – “Yeah, he’s had a lot of good days in his career, and we were victims of one then. He’s a really good player. He’s one of the few quarterbacks in the league that can put a team on his back and carry it with his arm and his legs. He’s a tough guy to stop.”
(Is there anything you’re telling your guys or need to tell you guys about tackling a quarterback that big?) – “Yeah, he’s not your ‘Average Joe’ quarterback. With his movement and his size and his strength and his courageousness, he’s tough. He’s really good.”
(You mentioned that you didn’t look at the games last year. The Bills have kind of changed their offense to more 12 personnel with two really electric tight ends. How does that challenge your defense when you have two tight ends that can stretch the field like they can?) – “Yeah, it gives them a lot of versatility. They can, as you say, it’s a 12-offense, but they can run an 11-offense with those people on the field and they do that. So it gives them versatility – you never know quite what mode they’re in. Anytime you have versatile players, offensively or defensively, it’s a plus, and they have that.”
(Two questions here and they’re related. How has the defense played this year in a three-game sample? And if you haven’t taken that sample yet, at what point do you do it? Like at the four-game mark or the eight-game mark? When do you look overall and see how your defense has played?) – “It’s a game-by-game operation. We obviously didn’t play well in the first game. We did some good things, though, to help us win the game. The last two games have been better. We’re progressing. I don’t think you’re – you never get a final report card. You’re just constantly – every week is a test and a final exam. We’ve got to pass it.”
(I just wanted your general thoughts on LB Jerome Baker in your defense?) – “’Bake’ (Jerome Baker) takes the signals for us. He kind of quarterbacks the defense, and he’s been playing pretty damn good. I’d like to see more out of him. I think there’s more there than we’ve been getting, and hopefully we’ll get that.”
(I wanted to get your perspective on having a cornerback shadow an elite receiver. Based on what I know, it’s not something that you’ve done on a consistent basis. I wanted to get your thoughts on why that’s not necessary?) – “We’ve done it in the past, and when I say ‘we’ meaning me at different places. It has to be warranted. You have to have the guy that can do it, and you have to have a guy that’s comfortable doing it. There are some corners that really only like to play one side and they’re only comfortable on one side, and they don’t like constantly having to flip. So that’s one reason why you wouldn’t, but I’ve been involved where we’ve done it a lot. Some years, we don’t do it at all. Some years, we do it a good bit.”
(So it comes down to the cornerback and his comfort?) – “It comes down to both corners, because both corners have to flip. Some guys just don’t like flipping. They want to stay on their side, they want to stay in their home. There are other guys where it doesn’t matter, they don’t care.”
(I know it’s tough to make extreme statements, but have you ever seen an offense that puts as much pressure on a defense as your offense?) – “Well, they certainly have had it going here in two of the first three games for sure. Obviously, they’ve got a lot of speed, and we have a good mix of run (and) pass. They’re a tough assignment.”
(What’s it, the Rams that was “The Greatest Show on Turf?” Did that offense put as much pressure on a defense as this offense?) – “They were really good. I was the victim of one of those, and they were really good. I don’t think we should go there yet after three games. We’ll see how we do on the road against a good defense this week.”
