Brian Flores – October 2, 2019
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Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(What can you tell us about the plan for today’s practice in terms of how intense or light it might be?) – “We’ll be out in pads, working on our fundamentals and technique. We did a lot of self-scout the last couple of days. Some things we just need to work on offensively, defensively and in the kicking game – specifically the run game, both offensively and defensively. Just areas we need to improve and get better, and be more consistent. It’s something we’ve really talked about all year but this morning was a good time to really highlight them over four games, going through it, and showing them game after game after game of things we could have done better (and) ways we can improve. We’re going to try to implement that in practice today. It’s the same thing defensively. In the kicking game, on return units, there’s just some opportunities we feel like we could have taken advantage of. If one guy makes a block or we don’t get a penalty here – there’s basically one (mistake) on every play. Just highlighting those things in all three phases. You don’t want to overload them with information either. This, this and this – we’ll focus on those and try to improve them in practice today.”
(I think you guys are last in the league in passer rating. Is that a reflection on how the quarterbacks have played or how the offense has played?) – “I think it’s everything. To put it just on the quarterbacks or to put it on the offensive line – there’s a lot of things. It’s dropped passes, it’s poor reads by the quarterback, it’s inconsistent play on the offensive line. It’s basically something on every play. I wouldn’t put it on the quarterback. Our quarterbacks have made some good throws, made some good decisions, and then there’s a drop. Or a guy is open and we have a breakdown in protection. There’s a myriad of things that go into it. We’re trying to get them all fixed. But at the end of the day, it’s about each of us individually or each player individually, taking care of their responsibility and winning more consistently on each and every play so we don’t have one breakdown. Inevitably the rating goes down based off of – it could be 10 different people or 11 different people on 11 different plays. It’s just the breakdown. We just need to play more consistently as a unit.”
(With QB Josh Rosen specifically, what can he get better at in these two weeks before the next game?) – “Look, he’s a young player. He’s developing. He can get better in every area – command of the huddle, accuracy, deep, long, intermediate, going through his reads and progressions, checking the ball down, specifically throwing the ball away or running or getting out of bounds or sliding just to kind of protect himself. Look, there’s 100 things; but we really try to pinpoint one or two things for him and prioritize those things. We really do that for every player, every position group, every unit. Again, it’s football. There’s 100 things but we need to prioritize and pinpoint one or two, and we’ll try to focus on those things today.”
(The bye week is a time for evaluation and maybe some self-reflection. How would you evaluate the job that you and your coaching staff have done so far?) – “Not good enough. That’s the first thing I would say. We’ve got to do a better job – and it starts with me – of getting this team ready to play and specifically in the second halves, just talking the last two games. And putting our guys in position to make plays. This is what we have and we haven’t made the plays on the field. But at the end of the day, we can always do a better job as a coaching staff. Each person in the building takes responsibility. This isn’t a finger-pointing team or a making-excuses team. We all kind of look at ourselves individually – players, coaches, personnel. Everybody kind of takes a look at themselves and tries to get better. I think that’s the best way for a team to grow. I think the one thing about this place is that there is no finger pointing. There is no placing the blame. We’re all kind of rallying around each other knowing that each guy, each coach and each player is working their butts off to help this team win. I think if we keep up with that, then we’ll be just fine.”
(Have you learned anything about yourself since the start of the season and if so, what?) – “About myself? Yeah, I mean I think I’m always on a quest to get better and improve. I’ve always kind of – I see myself as a resilient person, who someone who goes through and can deal with adversity, and has dealt with adversity. I try to impress that upon the team and I think we have a team full of guys who can deal with tough times. I would say we’re going through that right now; but at the same time, I think tough times make you better. I think they make you stronger. I think that’s happening for myself personally, and this team and this organization. But at the same time, we’re going to come out here, improve, get better and try to put a good performance out on the field in practice today and then in practice next week. That will hopefully lead up to a good game.”
(Has it been easier or harder than you thought it would be?) – “It’s been about what I thought. Coaching in this league is not an easy thing. Dealing with different personalities, especially in this role – players, coaches – and just dealing with different individuals; but it’s something I enjoy. I love what I do. I love coaching. It’s a passion of mine. I’m fortunate I get to be in this position. You’re not going to ever see me feeling bad for myself. I really enjoy it. I love working with this group of players and everyone in this organization. I think if we keep doing the things we’ve been doing – these guys have been practicing hard – I see improvement. I see a lot of good things. You’re not seeing the results we want; but I think hopefully in time, if we just keep doing the things we’ve been doing and continue to believe in what we’re doing, things will turn out the way we want them to be.”
(To go back to the Dallas game very briefly and the onside kick, the offsides penalty – it didn’t look like CB Ken Webster was beyond the line of scrimmage when the ball was kicked. What is the rule and what was the violation?) – “The rule is – I think he picked up his foot before it crossed the line which is an offside penalty. It happened. It’s one of those things, it’s a learning experience for really everyone on the team. It was a big play in the game. Again, (it was) another one of those opportunities we could’ve taken advantage of and we didn’t. (It was a) big play in the game. We just scored. We had an opportunity to kind of steal a possession and it didn’t work out for us, but I think we’ll be ready if that situation presents itself the next time. Who knows? It could be two years from now, but it’s a great learning experience for everyone on this team, Ken specifically. It was a good kick by Jason (Sanders), a great kick actually. If that opportunity presents itself, hopefully we’ll make the play next time. That’s football though.”
(Is there any element of this head job here over your last eight months here that you would say has surprised you the most or been different than when you were an assistant to head coach?) – “The amount of media. (laughter) No. Nothing has really surprised me. I came in understanding that I’d be working with IT to equipment to getting up and talking to you guys every day, security – I work with really everyone within the building. We’ve got a lot of great people in this building, really in all departments. I enjoy coming in to work every day and spending time with the people within this organization. Surprising? Not really. I had a lot of thoughts going in. I think when you’re actually doing it, I’m surprised that – I knew I was going to enjoy it – but how fulfilling this is for me and what a great opportunity and how fortunate I am. I would say that’s one of the things that’s not surprising, but I love what I do. I really do. Wins, losses, I get to – I try to – make an impact on 53 players on the active and 10 practice squad players, really 11. The way I message, the way I try to lead by example, I think it’s rubbing off on some of the guys and that’s why I got into coaching.”
(If you look at the start of your season, you’ve had a lot of stuff at all levels with DT Kendrick Norton, Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Jim Caldwell, former Offensive Line Coach Pat Flarhety, WR Kenny Stills with Stephen Ross, and President Trump, and Stills with Jay-Z. You couldn’t have counted on all of that, right?) – “That’s life. I’d say with the Kendrick situation, I think it taught me and everyone else on the team that no one is exempt from tragedy. No football player, no NBA player, no political – no one is exempt from tragedy. With all of the other – Look, we deal with situations on a day-to-day basis. I’m sure you guys do, and so do our players, and so do I. As the leader of this team, I had my hands really in every area of this team, and every person on this team. I think that’s part of the job. It’s not something that – I’m never going to run away from it. I try to meet things head on, and be honest and transparent about every situation. I think I’ve done that. There is always going to be something. That’s life. I think that’s kind of my approach to coaching and how I handle myself on a day-to-day basis. Through all of those situations – and I think there has been a lot of them – I think we’ve handled them as well as we could. Some tougher than others. At the end of the day, as a leader, I feel the most important thing we can do is never get too high, never get too low, try to stay even, because there is people watching. There is a team of guys watching, and if I lose my cool, the rest of the group loses their cool as well. That’s not to say I’m perfect, because I do lose my cool at times. I’m sure Christian (Wilkins) is going to let you guys know about that, and you guys know that. (laughter) Overall, I think those are situations that come with the territory, and we just try to handle them the best we can.”
(How is WR Allen Hurns doing?) – “Allen is doing much better. I’m happy to see him doing a lot better. He’s as tough as they come. (He’s) dependable, smart and I think he embodies a lot of the things that we want out of our receiver group and out of the players we want on this team. I’m happy to have him back. He’s still in the (concussion) protocol; but when I say have him back, just in the building and meetings, and working his way back onto the field.”
