Adam Gase – October 21, 2016
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Friday, October 21, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Where is your offense, in your mind, after six games? Is it ahead of where you thought it would be? Is it on schedule?) – “I think from what I thought in training camp and where we are right now, I thought we were ahead of where I had been in the past. And then I think we took a little bit (of a) step back when we had some guys, some influx and DeVante (Parker) missing as much time as he did and then shuffling around the o-line. I think we kind of slid back a little bit. That was earlier, those first two or three weeks. I think now we’re starting to really come together and guys are really understanding the why of why we do everything. Each game plan is different. We’re going to change throughout the year. I think guys have really taken to it. They understand that it’s not an easy offense as far as if you don’t put in the time outside the building, it makes it tough on yourself. I think the guys have figured it out. Last week was a good example of what we could be as far as the balance using both the run game, pass game, screens – things like that – moving the quarterback. That’s really what we want to try to be. Obviously, every week is going to be a little different, but I think we’re catching up to where I thought we were going to be.”
(Any one or two things that came along faster than you expected? Any aspect?) – “Nothing I can really think of. I will say the running game really seems to have taken off for us here, especially the last three weeks, as far as assignments and guys doing the right thing.”
(With Bills RB LeSean McCoy supposedly being a game-time decision, does that change in any way shape or you’re your preparation?) – “I think whoever they have back there, we’re going to have to do a great job of stopping the run. Obviously, that’s what they want to do, and they’re really good at it. That’s like an understatement. But I know they can throw it too. I’ve seen what they’ve done in past as far as when (Bills QB Tyrod Taylor gets hot, and he starts hitting some deep shots off those play actions, it makes it tough. I know if (McCoy) doesn’t play, the fact (is) that he is one of the best backs in the league, anytime you got a guy like that, you get him out there, (and) it’s going to be a difference maker.”
(Do you put any credence into revenge games?) – “I haven’t personally, but every guy is different. Some guys, that doesn’t bother them. They’re good. It’s just another NFL game for them. Some guys, it might mean a little more to. I know everybody keeps asking me that about Mario (Williams), but he hasn’t said anything to me that makes me feel like he has some revenge factor going into this game.”
(I saw you talking to S Reshad Jones before practice today. I don’t know if it was the first time since he got put on IR, but what were his spirits like?) – “I hadn’t seen him in a couple of days. Obviously, it’s tough for him going through this. He was playing really well, and he was one of our top leaders. Losing him, I feel terrible for him, because he wants to be out there. He wants to help. He wants to try to figure out a way to get us flipped here on our record and have our best guys out there. It’s just unfortunate – for both him and us – that he’s not going to be out there. My biggest thing with him is we both keep talking about once he gets this done, we want him around. We need him around the guys. We want him to be involved, because he has a lot of information to offer guys that don’t have a lot of experience.”
(Obviously everybody, the next man has to step up, but how do you change – or how are you forced to change – in terms of the way you play considering Reshad was so good in the box?) – “We’re just going to have to do a great job as far as, it has to be team tackling. It has to be gang tackling. He saved us a lot of times. When we were leaking early in some of our run fits, and he was the last man there and making those plays to prevent the explosive runs or the touchdowns. We’re going to have to do a great job as far as we do have three guys that we know right now have played for us, know what they’re doing, have the skill set that we need. It’s just now we need them to step up in that role and understand you’re going to be a vital piece there on the field, make the plays that we need you to make.”
(Where is S Walt Aikens in his development?) – “He has really come a long way since at least we started. I know he wasn’t healthy early, especially in training camp. I know he was pushing through some things. He has done a great job. He knows what to do. He’s reacting quicker, as far as his breaks go, especially when he’s in the middle of the field. But I think him having that special teams background and as vital as he is to us on special teams, he is a good tackler. Hopefully that translates to defense, which everything that we’ve seen tells us yes. So we feel like we have a good group back there as far as trying to do … you’re never going to match what Reshad (Jones) brought, but just try to get as close as possible.”
(What’s your opinion on the play that the Steelers sent to the league with DT Ndamukong Suh?) – “Yes, I guess I didn’t notice it when I watched it after the game and then going back and just watching it again, I mean I see a guy who’s just trying to play hard. He’s trying to figure out a way to get to the quarterback. I don’t know if I can comment on it past that. I just know how I’ve watched him play. He just goes as hard as he can and he does everything he can to try to sack the quarterback.”
(Have you guys been in touch with the league?) – “I haven’t.”
(This may come out left field a little bit but DT Kyle Williams is one of their best defensive players. What, if anything, do you remember from your one year together at LSU?) – “I remember a guy that was very intense right from the get go. Just seeing him – I feel like I’ve played him quite a bit since he has been in the league – he just hasn’t changed. He’s just full go, 60 minutes. He’s just a guy that shows you what you should be as a pro. He just gives everything he has. He sells out every week for his team and he’s disruptive. He’s a tough guy to block. When you (have to) deal with him, you know it’s going to be the full gamut. There’s not going to be one play off.”
(How big of a role did you have in his recruitment way back then? Do you recall?) – “I don’t even remember. I don’t think I had any.”
(Weren’t a big recruiter?) – “No. I was a G.A. recruiting intern or something like that. I don’t even know what my title was.”
(When you think of a Rex Ryan coached team, what are some of the characteristics of the team?) – “I think of speed, attitude, swagger. I think those are the things that I think of most. Creative is something that comes to mind right away. Any time I’ve been on the other sideline against him, I’ve always come out of the game going, ‘I never thought that was coming.’ I know in 2014, he threw some stuff at us that we hadn’t seen and he had a really good game plan for us. I know he had a lot of injuries that year. He made it tough. That was probably the toughest 24 points that I’ve ever been a part of as far as being with that Denver crew. Every yard we got we really had to earn.”
(RB Jay Ajayi seems in a pretty good mindset as far as humble and not getting too big headed after his 200-yard game. Just curious from a coaching staff’s perspective, what’s your expectations of him in these final 10 games?) – “I think we’re just worried about this week. It’s hard to look that far ahead. I just know every day that we’ve had meetings, walkthrough, practice, I’m seeing the same effort. I’m seeing the same intensity in meetings. When I stand up there and I’m going through installs, he’s taking notes. He’s doing … it’s the same. Everything looks the same to me as it did the last three weeks. So I don’t know. I think he has got that mindset of, ‘What I did last week is irrelevant once we hit Sunday.’ So he’s going to build off that as far as confidence goes, understanding the scheme we’re doing, playing in a game versus a good team having success. But I think when we hit Sunday, it starts over for him again. As long as our whole group, we keep that mindset of, ‘We got something to prove this Sunday,’ because no one’s going to care what we did the last week.”
