Byron Maxwell – December 18, 2016
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Sunday, December 18, 2016
Cornerback Byron Maxwell
(With the ankle, do you feel any better?) – “Yes, it feels better. It feels good.”
(Are you hopeful that you’ll be able to play next Sunday or is it way too early to tell?) – “It’s way too early to tell. We’ll know more as we get more information. I just had the MRI, so we’ll know more today.”
(Is there concern that it could be more than just a sprain?) – “I have no idea. I’m waiting for the information.
(Do you need any help in terms of walking like a crutch or are you able to put pressure on it when you’re walking?) – “It’s a little tender right now but I’m able to walk on it.”
(What did you see from CB Xavien Howard in his first game back?) – “I saw a kid that wasn’t afraid of the moment. He understood what he had to do when he got in and he was ready. When his name was called, he was ready to ball.”
(What did you tell him after the game?) – “I was just proud of him. He stepped up. That’s what the team needed and that’s what you need, though, when you’re trying to go where we’re trying to go.”
(You definitely need that depth at cornerback anyway, don’t you?) – “You need it everywhere; but, yes, especially there. I look at the Denver Broncos, they’ve got three or four guys that can be called upon – as far as in the secondary – that can play. So we definitely are trying to be that type of team.”
(It looked like the secondary was really aggressive in reading where QB Bryce Petty was going and jumping on some things.) –“Yes, there were a couple times where if he just threw it, Xavien (Howard) probably would’ve had a pick. I remember on a slant, if he just threw it and let it go, it was probably going the other way.”
(How much better a player is CB Tony Lippett than the day you arrived here to now?) – “He’s leaps and bounds better. You can see the game starting to slow down for him. I think him having that offensive background is definitely helping him. He knows our guys running routes. He knows splits. He’s a guy that you can tell, just by talking to him in meetings, that he’s starting to understand the game and it’s starting to pick up for him.”
(Speaking of Denver, are you going to find yourself watching their game today since obviously it affects you guys in terms of playoffs?) – “Yes, I’m not sure. I think it’s like … What did they say? It was Denver? We need Denver to lose or something like that?”
(At some point, yes.) – “I’m just going to watch a whole bunch of football this Sunday to just get to relax.”
(So are you a New England fan today?) – “No, I’m not a New England fan.” (laughter)
(For three hours you might be.) – “I don’t know. Could a tie help?” (laughter)
(You guys are playing more vision coverage. How has that helped you guys to be able to read the quarterback’s eyes and react to the football?) – “It’s definitely better. It’s a chance to make plays and break on the ball. So it definitely helps to get your eyes back to the quarterback. Things happen. You’re thinking very opportunistic when you get your eyes back.”
(And when the defensive front is getting pressure on QB Bryce Petty like that and the ball has to come out quickly, is that also a help for you guys?) – “Definitely. I went back and looked at (Ndamukong) Suh and guys like Cameron Wake, I’m just amazed at them. I was looking at Suh, it was on … You go back and look at the TV copy, and he reminds me of a Reggie White-type. He was just so … I’m looking at him and I’m like, ‘This dude is huge.’ So it’s great to be a teammate of these dudes. They’re great guys. You know they’re going to get pressure on the ball. You know what they’re going to bring to the game every week. I feel great to be behind them playing with those guys.”
(I believe you guys are +53 in point differential in second halves and overtimes, which is No. 2 in the league. Why is this team so successful in second halves? What’s going on at halftime or whatever that gets you where you need to be?) – “Yes, I think it’s definitely halftime adjustments. We just focus on finishing better than the other team, and we train harder, I think. We’re smart when we’re training but we definitely … At least me, I try to take it to the edge every time I’m out there at practice. You can tell it is starting to pay off. We’re more conditioned when we get to the fourth quarter and we feel stronger. It’s like, ‘Time to finish.’”
(I imagine sometimes over the last few months, you’ve been up against WR Kenny Stills in practice. What does he do for an offense, not only in terms of having a deep threat, but what he can do to make defensive backs of opposing teams maybe not be able to concentrate on shorter routes against WR Jarvis Landry and WR DeVante Parker?) – “Yes, like I said, he’s the deep threat. So it’s good to always have that guy in your back pocket. You can throw it 40, 50 yards down the field and change the game in the blink of an eye. So that’s always good for offense to have that threat and be able to change field position.”
(Is he one of the few fastest you’ve covered in practice or games?) – “Yes, when he goes, his top end speed is up there with the best.”
(Is there a sense the stakes are getting greater with every week now?) – “Yes, that’s definitely what it is. But you embrace that. That’s December football. That’s where it’s at. That’s normal for a team that’s trying to go where we’re going. So we embrace that. That’s cool.”
(So with that in mind, to see the way the team responded last night, how much confidence does that give you going forward?) – “It’s a lot of confidence. We have one … We have Buffalo right here, an away game. We have to take care of them.”
(More cold weather.) – “More cold weather. It’s not true. It is what it is. They have to play in it too.”
(You’ve played in cold weather quite a bit. Was there any talk about it this week?) – “No talk. We’re not making giants of small stuff. We didn’t worry about it. Like I said, they have to play in it too. It wasn’t an issue. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase didn’t bring it up one time.”
