Brian Flores – November 13, 2019
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Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(There’s been a considerable change in how you guys have played the last five weeks, especially after since the fourth quarter of the Redskins game. Is there any point maybe when you have a moment where you think maybe we could have four or five wins, if a play goes here, a play goes there, after the last couple weeks?) – “Really all we can do is point towards the future. I think every team has four or five plays that they wish they had back that could’ve been the difference between winning, losing, a different outcome; but all we can do is move forward than to sit and go back and say it could’ve been this, this or that. You could do that, but it’s almost wasting energy – energy that we could use towards the Buffalo Bills. I would say as far as how we played the last couple weeks, all the credit goes to the players and the way they’ve practiced, prepared and then gone out and executed. Hopefully we continue to do that.”
(As you know, the NFL has set up a workout on Saturday for QB Colin Kaepernick. Will you attend and if not, will someone from the organization attend?) – “Like all players – we’re on the waiver wire on a daily basis and we do our due diligence on all players; so yeah, we’ll have someone there. We’re still finalizing how – we just got that information, just like you guys did – so we’re still finalizing who (and) when. We’re still kind of going through that; but yeah, we’ll have somebody there.”
(Does a three-year layoff for a player – let alone a quarterback – kind of affect things with a player like QB Colin Kaepernick?) – “I would say having that much time off, you’ve got to get back into the swing of things; but he’s a very good player so we’ll see what it looks like, do our due diligence and take it from there.”
(This has been a team that’s given a lot of second, third chances. Obviously QB Colin Kaepernick’s second chance would be for a different reason than others. If he is fit, if he looks good, is there a place for him on the Miami Dolphins?) – “It’s hard to – I don’t have a crystal ball – it’s hard to say. We like our quarterback situation right now. We’re going to do our due diligence. I would say any time we can add a good player, we try to do that, we want to do that; but there’s a lot of moving parts to that. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and the personnel staff, they do a great job from that standpoint. (It’s a) conversation we would have if that situation came up, but that’s a conversation we have about not just one player. We’ve made a lot of transactions this year, so those conversations are had on a daily basis. If we feel like any player helps us win, then we would look into it.”
(QB Colin Kaepernick obviously a polarizing person for a lot of reasons. Some of his comments about the Cuban regime didn’t go over very well here. Would the decision to have him on this team be purely football or would there be other considerations?) – “There’s a lot of layers to that one. To be quite honest, (it’s) not really something I’ve thought a lot about. My focus is squarely on the Bills. I heard about this when you guys did. I talked to (General Manager) Chris (Grier), we’ll have somebody there, and I went right back to the Bills. That’s kind of where my focus is and that’s where my focus should be. I owe that to the players in that locker room. This is a good team we’re playing against – a tough, physical team. They beat us a few weeks ago. I think that’s where my energy and effort is right now.”
(What’s been the advantage of having two former corners at safety in recent weeks? Obviously S Bobby McCain all season, CB Eric Rowe recently. Is there any downside to that or has it been only positives, and how have those two guys played?) – “I think those guys have played well. I think some of the upside there is, I would say just the communication from those guys and understanding the corner position, moving to the safety position and then just kind of having an overall understanding of what the corner position entails and what guys can handle what communication and the communication at the corner position. Having played that role, moving inside to a safety role, they kind of understand what you can and can’t do, whoever those guys are. I think they’ve played well. I think from a coverage standpoint, it’s good. Having some corner ability and playing out on the perimeter, especially on a lot of tight ends, if not playing out on the perimeter, that’s helpful. I think those guys have done a good job.”
(How much would you say your team has changed since the last time you played the Bills?) – “I think we’ve come together as a team a little bit more, but I think every team has. I think the more time you spend with a group of guys over the course of a season, the communication is better. You kind of know what the guy next to you struggles with so you help him with that, the things that he’s good at. There’s just some situations where we just play the team game better, I would say. I think we’re moving in that direction. We’ve still got a long way to go, and again this is a very, very tough opponent. Again, the improvements we’ve made have been, I would say a testament to our coaching staff and the job they’ve done – (Special Teams Coordinator) Danny Crossman, (Offensive Coordinator) Chad O’Shea, (Defensive Coordinator) Pat Graham – they’ve done a really good job kind of leading those three phases, those three units. At the end of the day it’s the players that go out there and make plays. Players win games.”
(We see QB Ryan Fitzpatrick obviously in games and see how he plays. How is QB Josh Rosen doing in practice? What is his assignment? How’s he doing?) – “He gets reps every week being the backup. Obviously he had to go in the game last week. You just never know what situation will pop up where somebody has to be ready to play, and he was ready to go in. He’s done a good job in practice. I think he’s taken every rep (and) taken it very seriously. We ask him after every snap, ‘hey, what was the coverage?’ ‘Did you think you went into the right place with the ball?’ Things of that nature; so he’s constantly being evaluated (and) constantly being asked questions. We do a lot with him. We time every one of his throws, make sure he’s getting it out quickly enough; so there’s a lot of things that are happening in practice that are helping his development, I would say. I think he’s taken to it and he’s getting better.”
(QB Josh Rosen is a young guy. Is there any work towards not letting him get down on the situation?) – “I think that’s the case with every young player. Guys who are – let’s call it ‘not the starter’ –I think everybody wants to play. I’ve said this since Day 1. I want 53 – well 63 (including the practice squad) – competitors on this team. Everyone wants to compete and play, and I don’t want it any other way. I think not only Josh (Rosen), but some of the other guys who are in similar roles or similar situations, I think they’re just working to improve, get better, and when their opportunity presents itself, they want to take advantage. You just never know when that’s going to be. You just have to be ready.”
(What has DT John Jenkins brought to this defense?) – “John (Jenkins) has brought energy, enthusiasm. He’s one of those kind of unsung players that no one really knows about, talks about; but I would say our linebackers really enjoy having him in front of them because he takes up some space. He does a lot of the dirty work that – it’s those dirty (work) plays that if you get enough of those contributions from several different players and that’s how you get productive plays and string good plays together. He’s been a big part of, I would say, the improvement defensively. (He is) one of my favorite guys to be honest with you.”
(And why is that? In talking, DT John Jenkins seems like he’s always upbeat.) – “Oh yeah. He’s got a great energy, great enthusiasm, loves to play the game. (He is) a guy we really like. We got him after the 53 cut. We were happy to get him. He’s been very productive, but his effort, his energy, his enthusiasm, his leadership – being one of the older guys in that room – that’s shown up in a big way for us and we’re happy to have him.”
(Any hesitance on getting him because DT John Jenkins is an older guy which you guys haven’t picked up a whole lot of older guys.) – “No hesitation. We watched him, watched his film with the Giants and it was good. We felt like we were getting a good player. That’s showing up.”
(What have you learned most about DT Christian Wilkins in his first nine games?) – “I think he’s really started to pick it up the last few games. He’s very talented. He’s got size. He’s got athleticism. He plays with a really good motor, and I think he’s starting to come into his own and really understand how we want him to play and then how we can use his talent and athleticism to help this team defensively and ultimately win some games. Whatever we ask, he’s willing to do. He’s the wing on the field goal protection. He plays end. He plays tackle. I’ve been very – I like Christian a lot. Some things he could clean up. We know what those are, but I like him.”
(How is DE Charles Harris lately? Is there improvement there?) – “Yeah. Certainly. I think he’s – again – another guy who’s getting more comfortable with that role and the defense; and again, playing end in this league is – people think it’s just, ‘hey, line up and rush the tackle, right tackle, left tackle and get sacks,’ but it’s read-zone, it’s speed sweeps, it’s screens, it’s rushing the passer, it’s playing the run game, it’s flash blocks. There’s a lot that goes (into it) – getting cracked. There’s a lot that goes into it. I think he’s done a good job from that standpoint – just understanding all those different aspects of that position which if it was just ‘line up and rush the edge’ – if it was just that, I think – it’s not that. There’s a lot that goes into it that nobody else really talks about. I think he’s done a good job from that standpoint.”
(It wouldn’t be Wednesday if I didn’t ask you if any of the remaining IR guys will become your second to practice beyond T Julién Davenport this week?) – “(Andrew) Van Ginkel will be out there today.”
(Is there hope that you’re going to be able to get a sense of LB Andrew Van Ginkel this year as far as whether he can be an edge rusher, what he can do? We saw some things early on in August.) – “That’s the hope. That is the hope. That’s the hope. We’ll see. We’ll see in practice. We’ve got some time to work him in there and (I am) looking forward to seeing what he’ll be able to bring to the team.”
