Brian Flores – December 31, 2020
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Thursday, December 31, 2020
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Just wanted to ask about a couple of offensive linemen. I know you can’t judge players as rookies on a scale. You just judge how they play. How do you think T Austin Jackson has played overall? And what C Ted Karras has given you this year at center, just your thoughts on him as well, please.) – “I think Ted has given us leadership. I think he’s given us good play. I think he’s played some good football and I think he’s improved over the course of the year. Same for Austin (Jackson). I think he’s improved over the course of the year, was out for a little bit, fought his way back, so that showed some mental, physical toughness getting through that and then again, I think he’s improved and developed over the course of the season.”
(We’re seeing the forecast now saying one to three inches of snow on Sunday. How much of an impact might that have on your game plan and the way the game is called?) – “I mean the elements are what they are. I don’t see it having much of an impact. I’ve played and coached in snow before, so one to three (inches) should be okay there as far as play calling and things of that nature. I don’t see it being that big of an issue, to be honest with you.”
(It’s the last day of what’s probably been a difficult year for a lot of folks. What would you take most out of 2020 the year as a coach and as a man?) – “2020 has been an interesting year. A lot has gone on with the pandemic and things like the George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and things like that. It’s been difficult for a lot of people – a lot of people in the country and around the world. On the bright side – which I like to look at that – that time when we were on lockdown, I got to spend a lot of time with my wife and my kids, so that was good. Really good. I think we learned about making sacrifices and not seeing your family and things like that with Thanksgiving and Christmas for us as a team. I know that may not be the case for everyone; but yeah, from 2020 I take for me, there were a lot of things that were difficult, but that time in March and April and May where literally everyone was locked down and I would normally be – a lot of coaches would normally be – on the road doing draft, this or that, but I was with my wife and kids. I thought the draft was a lot of fun. My kids can’t wait for the draft next year. We could sit here and talk about how bad everything was. I thought there was some good – a lot of good – also from a family standpoint and I think the growth in this team, obviously I’m happy with that. But we’re still trying to improve and develop like we always are.”
(Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe you told us growing up you were a Giants fan. Obviously being from New York, that would make sense. I was curious, when you were young, did you understand the significance of Dan Marino and Jim Kelly and that rivalry, Bills-Dolphins in the early 90s? And since you’ve been a coach, what have you learned about how important this game is to a lot of the alumni and the fans?) – “Yeah, I know the rivalry. I know it well. I think every game is important to the fans on both sides. Obviously this is a division game; but the Dolphins fans, the Bills fans, these are diehard fans who root for their teams through thick and thin, so every game is important and this one’s no different. There’s a lot of great players over the years on both sides and I’m just humbled and honored to be a part of it.”
(You spoke on the draft just a second ago and the first-round pick from Houston has the potential to be either No. 3 or No. 4. I know the draft is a couple of months away, but just the thoughts on having such a high draft pick or potentially having such a high draft pick?) – “I talked about my kids enjoying the draft. (laughter) I let (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and the personnel staff handle that stuff. I know you want to take what I said about my six- and seven-year-old and turn it into a draft question, but I’m focused on the Bills. We were reflecting on my family and the 2020 year, not the draft. Chris (Grier) and (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore), whenever you get Chris on one of these Zooms, you can talk to him about that stuff. I’m focused on the Bills.”
(Road teams have won almost exactly half the games in the league this year. Now that we’re deep into the season and the intensity is ratcheting up, what are your thought about the affects that the pandemic and few or no fans has had on home field advantage?) – “It’s still tough to win on the road, especially against a good team like this. Every year is a little bit different. This year the elements on the road, there are still elements that make it difficult. The No. 1 element being the team across from us. Everyone has good players, good coaches. Again, 2020 is a little bit different in that you don’t feel the affects of the crowd noise as you have in other years. There are still the strengths of the other team that are still issues. The coaches and the adjustments they make, I guess I would say I don’t feel like it’s easier, if that answers your question. It’s still hard. It’s still hard to win in this league. It’s still hard to execute, especially when they’ve got good players over there. It certainly doesn’t feel easier, if that answers your question. I’m not sure what the numbers are – you just said 50 percent, but it certainly doesn’t feel easy to win on the road.”
(We’ve asked Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey over the last couple of weeks about his future and obviously this is not the time to address that, I understand. I just wanted to get your thinking behind – when you hired a 68-year-old offensive coordinator, there will be questions about his longevity obviously here. What was your plan at the time and has that changed?) – “When you say this is not the time to ask this and then ask it – I’m just trying to go through that. I think Chan is focused on the Bills, just like we’re all focused on the Bills, and that’s where I want his focus and energy. I’ll leave it at that.”
(Yesterday you said that you’re quite familiar with Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll in terms of his play-calling. I’m assuming that’s from your history with him in New England. What has made effective in his stint in Buffalo as a play-caller?) – “I wouldn’t say I’m familiar with him as a play caller. I’m familiar with him as an offensive mind. I think part of that – part of him being a good play-caller is that I don’t know what he’s going to call. I think he’s done a phenomenal job there with (Josh) Allen and that offense. I think he’s got a lot up his sleeve. He and I have had many conversations – offensively, defensively, you do this I’m doing that, you do that I’m doing this – and you see it all kind of come to fruition in the way they play. (I have) a lot of respect for him. I certainly don’t know what he’s going to call and that’s what makes him good. He mixes the run, the pass, the shots, the screens – he’s got every element to the offense. They’ve got good players, and they execute. He’s a damn good coach. So is (Head Coach) Sean (McDermott), so is (Defensive Coordinator) Leslie (Frazier), so is (Special Teams Coordinator) Heath Farwell. They’ve got great coaches there. They’ve done a really good job of coaching those guys up. They’ve got a talented roster as well. You throw all of that together and you have what you have, which is a very good team. Daboll is a good friend of mine – a great friend of mine I would say. He’s someone that I’ve got a lot of respect for. But we’re looking to compete on Sunday, and I know he’ll have some bullets in his gun. I know that.”
