Mike McDaniel – December 11, 2024
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Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Did anyone else emerge from the game Sunday beaten up to the point where their status is in doubt for this week beyond T Terron Armstead and WR Dee Eskridge?) – “We have some bumps and bruises – I wouldn’t say forecasting for the week. There are some guys that we’ll be downshifting our tempo some portion of the practice that if we didn’t might not be able to go, but we still have a lot of time and fortunately there wasn’t any of those injuries you hate to see. We feel more bruises than injuries I think at this point, and I have some optimism for several guys that are working through stuff, so no news is good news.”
(How do you envision the second week of practice going for those window guys – LB Bradley Chubb, LB Cameron Goode and LS Blake Ferguson?) – “I’m excited for their work week. I think this week represents 100% increase in what they’ve done thus far, so I think that’s exciting just in general. For me, I’m just waiting to see the signs of guys that are unable to tolerate not playing in the games anymore and that they’re ready, so some good week of opportunity and observation really to get those guys jumping back in, but we won’t get ahead of ourselves. We’ll let it play out because again, especially guys coming off extended missed time, half of it is what they’re able to do that day, then half of it is the feedback the next day. Because when their bodies are telling them something, we’re trying to listen to make sure that we don’t overcook the whole process.”
(Rough estimate of how much time you and Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans spent talking football and how much will that be used against each other this week?) – “That conversation of DeMeco (Ryans) and I talking football started in 2006 because he was a rookie – first pick of the second round – draft pick who became the Rookie of the Year and was the starting Mike linebacker and made all the calls. It was my first year as a full-time NFL coach, so we were the exact same age, I think, and just watching him as a player. Then we get back together in San Francisco and how fast he took to coaching was not a surprise because again, you can’t underestimate the quarterback of the defense as a rookie from the jump. I think philosophically, the tape makes more sense when you’re watching the opposing team just because we kind of know the starting point and the philosophical beliefs. At the same time, so much of – like for me – what DeMeco coaches, it doesn’t matter that I know. It’s the nuts and bolts of coaching that actually matters to players when you’re talking directly impacting how well they play the game. So much of it is consistency of fundamentals and details and mindset that it’s helpful to a degree, but I know how well-prepared he’ll be. I know to call the game, I know how well-prepared his team will be. They kind of take on his playing mindset just collectively. I remember feeling that when we had our joint practices against them and then you can just see it on tape, the relentless physicality and the connectivity and strain. It’s all real so I know to be prepared based upon my experience with him, and we’ll have our guys tuned up because it’s a challenge but one that we welcome.”
(Houston has one of the league’s best pass rushes. Does QB Tua Tagovailoa’s quick delivery time help to ease your mind in that respect and does it help to negate a little bit of the effectiveness of that pass rush?) – “I’m very, very confident in Tua’s ability. I’m also a football coach that’s directly observing very, very good pass rush, so you don’t take that lightly. I think the biggest part is it’s a collection of individuals on both sides of the ball that kind of determine QB pressure and sacks. What do I mean by that? Well yes, Tua has to have a quick delivery; he has a quick delivery if there’s someone that’s running the appropriate route in the timing of the play, so that has to be in unison. The launch point in where we’re blocking from and where he can make those decisions, that has something to do with it. Defensively, sacks come in bunches when coverage is on point. So there’s a lot of stats sheets filled just around the league in general that the sacks go to the defensive end or the defensive tackle and goes against the offensive line, but in reality, the quarterback didn’t have anybody to throw to. I think overall in this situation, the talents that Tua has delivering the football, who’s to say it’s plus or minus the talents of the pass rush? I think overall they’re very, very good at pass rushing. Tua is good at getting the ball out. Overall, I think it’s going to be more of a complexion of the unit or the entire group and defensively, how are they defending, how are they covering with pass rush, (and then) offensively, how are we protecting but how are we moving down the field, beating reroute, beating man coverage, separating the timing of the play. Those things I think are what it’s going to come down to – less individuals, more a collection of the group.
(You’re one win closer to a .500 record. These past couple of weeks special teams played an important role in winning and losing. Specifically WR Malik Washington, what have you noticed this week about him?) – “Factually, I think every week special teams is special in its own right. Plays are plays. A ball is being moved by a group of people, or attempting to being moved, down the field to get into the end zone. If you don’t get into the end zone, you get closer and then try to have one player use his foot to get it through the uprights. That whole thing, yards, field position, it all plays together. I think this past game we don’t win if we don’t have three phased complementary football when it mattered most. The ebbs and flows of each game, the first quarter is different than the second et cetera, et cetera. I think it was after a three-and-out, it started with Siran Neal on that punt making a play. The defense responded to that momentum and then you’re getting yourself to a fifth quarter without timeouts, being able to have a shortened field. I think the equivalent of two extra first downs he was able to execute on that kick return – monumental. I think if I’m a fan of just maybe the Miami Dolphins and I’m observing Malik Washington from one week to another, I think I already know what I need to know of who he is. It was just a week ago that he had probably one of his worst football moments in a muffed punt, but he didn’t run from it. He works tirelessly and as a result, if he was passive by any measure, that’s a touchback – that ball could’ve gone through the end zone. But he aggressively fielded it and displayed his confidence and I think also displayed what makes him unique. There is a lot of rookies in the National Football League, but if you – I don’t know the ratio of sixth round draft picks that are playing and contributing versus not, it’s the exception to the rule I would say and that’s because of things like that. But I think he really got to show people who he is, and all you need to know is how his teammates feel about him. They absolutely love him because that’s the greatest respect you can pay towards your team is being accountable for a mistake and then making up for it in the moment of truth.”
(Today DT Zach Sieler received his first AFC Defensive Player of the Week award. What’s your reaction to that? Do you think he’s playing at a Pro Bowl level this year?) – “Yeah – I know the coaches that I talk to after games think so. I think Zach Sieler – he represents a lot of things that I firmly believe in. He’s a player that far after he gets done playing, he will serve an example for the next 20 rookie classes of perseverance and what you can do if you just refuse to give up and attack adversity. This is a guy that was – I think there was a random stat that he was the first player to be cut to sign a contract at whatever level he signed at, whatever that number was. And what has he done with that? Earned it every week, and then some. Week-in, week-out, he finds ways to make plays. He is a monumental piece to our team. Every Sunday, a lot of his teammates are relying upon him bringing what he has to offer for the team and he never, ever backs down and loves the game of football and is just one of the cooler players I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach, quite honestly. So he’s very deserving of accolades and I have a feeling it won’t be the last.”
(Going back to the question about QB Tua Tagovailoa, I noticed on the touchdown to WR Tyreek Hill, he kind of drifts away from that hot pressure off of the backside and finds a new launch point that you mentioned in that answer. So I guess kind of a two-part question, is that something that is inherent to him in the play or can he be coached to do that? And also, if you could describe the value of the little nuanced details of Tua’s game that kind of takes him to a different level?) – “I think everyone is observing how much the nuanced things within the quarterback position have helped his game. I think it was probably the summer of 2022 when Tyreek (Hill) was going public about how accurate he was and people thought he was crazy, and now people are talking about how accurate he is. The accuracy hasn’t changed, it’s quite literally the same. What’s changed is playing the position and how, for me, Tua represents the epitome of accountability and security in one’s skin. So often, one of the bigger challenges in this profession – coaching, playing, whatever – is you have arrows coming at you left and right and it is human nature to be like, ‘Listen, I’m good. This is not my fault,’ and that’s not him. He’s attacked his game in a relentless fashion, and I think the greatest example is I’ve talked to him a ton today and zero has been about any feat, anything that’s happened literally last week. We watched film on Monday and talked about his game-winning touchdown but turned the page, firmly Texans. And that’s, when it comes down to it, win, lose or draw, praise, the anti-praise, you have a game against a very good opponent that you have to prepare for in the National Football League. There’s a lot of distractions, but can you focus on your job and how it relates to all of your teammates and how vastly important that is – I think that’s what he’s really doing a great job of. He is right now, could care less about completion percentage or 300-yard games or whatever. He’s trying to make sure that he’s doing the right ball-handling on run plays, as well as knows how to move everybody in and out of the huddle, lead the offense and lead this team.”
(I wanted to ask about CB Jalen Ramsey. The Jets targeted him in a way that we haven’t seen much here. Your thoughts on them taking that approach, how he handled it and how he’s played in general this year?) – “I think one thing that can happen when you have an asset such as Jalen Ramsey is you can lean on his talents in very aggressive ways and sometimes kind of give all help to all others – not just safeties, but body position of underneath coverage. There’s certain times that I think he believes, and we believe, that the defense is best served when he’s on an island. And then within that, I think sometimes with those bold approaches, a play here or there can happen, then there can be another play that is affected. Ultimately, taking on the responsibility of being the big ask of the defense for that week is not something a lot of people would even sign up for. Based upon our experience, you aren’t totally thinking that he’s going to get targeted that much, but we all know in the game of football that there’s a lot of nuances, a lot of change and you have to adjust. As a head coach, I couldn’t be happier that one of our top competitors on this team was challenged because I just know how he responds. I thought he had some of his best technique within that game. He’s a very prideful dude that is one of those guys that takes everything personal on the football field in a good way. So I know we’re going to get the best version of Jalen Ramsey versus the Texans which is mostly what my brain is on right now.”
