Chad O’Shea – October 22, 2019
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea
(On RB Mark Walton – I always thought of him as a good receiving back who does spin moves and he’s kind of a little quick guy, but he’s kind of tough. What are your thoughts on that – his toughness?) – “I think one of his greatest strengths is his toughness; and I think both physically and mentally, I see a very tough player and person, and that’s something that we really have seen in him. It’s been a great trait.”
(What’s RB Mark Walton’s personality like?) – “He’s highly competitive. He’s got great energy. He plays with an edge. He has a lot of traits that you really want in a player.’
(That’s two weeks in a row for TE Mike Gesicki really making an impact in the game. What are you seeing? What is the tape showing you as far as how he’s evolving?) – “I think the tape that’s really showing up is his practice tape because the practice tape is really transferring to the game. He’s had two really good weeks at practice, and it really hasn’t been a surprise that he’s kind of taken that to the game. He’s been able to really make some nice catches and kind of do it in a couple of different ways of where we’ve aligned him. I think he’s making the most of his opportunities, and I think he’s making the most of his opportunities on the practice field and really then doing that in the game.”
(That’s three straight games for WR DeVante Parker with a touchdown. What are you seeing from him in the red zone more?) – “He’s been consistent for us in that area. He’s certainly somebody that I think the quarterback has confidence and we have confidence in as a coaching staff. He’s really worked hard to be more consistent in certain areas. I know that he’s also made the most out of his opportunities when he’s had them, whether it’s been in the red zone or it’s been in the field.”
(That three-tackle-Isaiah-Prince formation seemed to be successful for you guys. What was the brain-child behind that and should we expect to see more of it going forward?) – “I think any time you can vary those things and add another element, whether it’s a different personnel grouping or bringing in a tackle to play at the tight end spot – so I think it’s something that’s a work in progress. It’s something that has allowed us to not only run the ball but also throw the ball from that (personnel grouping). I think that as we look at all the personnel groupings and different combinations as we start to game plan – which we’re doing right now for Pittsburgh – it helps to have a variety of those available to you.”
(Can T Isaiah Prince catch the football?) – “Yes, he can catch the football. (laughter) That is the correct answer. (laughter) Effectively. And he reports eligible on all of them.”
(In a similar number of drop-backs, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has been sacked six times and QB Josh Rosen has been sacked 16 times. Can you take me in the game a little bit and help me understand some of the things that enable Fitzpatrick to limit sacks?) – “I think it’s a combination of a lot of things. Certainly, we were fortunate in this last game that we had really good protection from the offensive line, but I also think that ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) does a really nice job of playing on-time in the pass game and has great awareness and understanding of when he needs to get the ball out. I think that his knowledge and understanding of the defensive scheme that he’s facing is very helpful in anticipation of getting the ball out when he needs to. But I certainly think a lot of this resulted from a combination of a lot of efforts from the offensive line protecting well to the running backs, really – Mark (Walton) was another one that protected really well in the game and did a nice job being physical. That’s an area for Mark that’s kind of unforeseen, but he does a really nice job for us in protection. The offensive line did a good job for us in protection, and then ‘Fitz’ has a kind of an inner clock and just a good feel for when the get the ball out and when to scramble.”
(Did C/G Evan Boehm have to do a little bit less to help QB Ryan Fitzpatrick than for example C Daniel Kilgore does when QB Josh Rosen is in the game?) – “I thought Boehm really handled everything really well from an operation standpoint. I think that’s the biggest concern with the center – a center that hasn’t played – is all the things that are required from a communication to a snap, especially playing in a road environment with some of the various cadences or lack of cadences, the silent cadence that we use. So I thought that Boehm really handled himself very well in the game. I know Danny Kilgore was a great mentor to him during the week and really spent a lot of time with him on getting him to a place where we were confident in the game that he could handle all those things from an operation standpoint.”
(What has this season been like from an offensive line standpoint? Five starting lineups in six games – how difficult is that on a coaching staff?) – “I don’t see it as difficulty. I see it as a great challenge. It is. I stand here every week and we talk about a different combination, and that’s okay because at the end, we’re trying to find the right combination of guys. Some of that is due to unforeseen circumstances whether it be injury or things like that, but it was nice to see a group play together in this game and play with some consistency and some continuity during the game and have good communication. There’s so much that it entails from communication to combination blocks that they need to do together to be good at. I see it as a challenge, but it’s very rewarding in the end if you can kind of get the group to kind of mesh and play well together.”
(How has C/G Evan Boehm looked to you from coaching/film standpoint in all the roles that he’s asked to do? I know he played center this week, but how had he been doing at right guard?) – “I think that probably one of his greatest strengths is his ability to function in a multiple-position kind of role, and certainly one of his strengths is to play center, and that showed up on Sunday. But his preparation has always been very good. He works extremely hard at it, and I think you have to at the center position. It’s the next quarterback out there. It really is. You have to be on the same page with the quarterback. You have to be a great communicator with the other guys you’re playing with, and then at the end of the day, you need to use the proper technique and be good enough to stand up to the physical part of blocking and all of those things. I think that it’s a really hard position, and I think that he handled it very well being out there on Sunday.”
(What happened on the interception?) – “There are a lot of plays in the game that are good, bad or indifferent. Certainly that is something we stress, is the turnover part. We had a route to Isaiah Ford and maybe (it was) timing, route, or all of the above. At the end, it’s a turnover and we don’t want turnovers. We’re moving on on that one.”
(Could WR Isaiah Ford have helped?) – “I don’t know. I think there are a lot of things that have to be perfect on a play – whether it’s the timing of the receivers, top of the route, or whether it’s the protection, or the timing of the throw. I think at the end of the day, you’re never going to put that on one person. Certainly from a route perspective, there are certain things we want on a route, there are certain things we want from the timing of the quarterback. We’re never ever going to put it on one player, one person, or any of those things. There are a lot of things we could have done better, and certainly that is one thing we’re going to look to moving forward.”
(Is QB Josh Rosen receiving typical backup NFL quarterback snaps? Or are you trying to get him more than typical?) – “I think that in that spot, it’s a universal issue in the NFL that you’re not going to receive a lot of reps. He’s receiving as much as he can in that role. I think he’s made the best out of those reps at practice and he’s really doing a good job as far as following ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick). When we’re in a walk-through or when we’re in a meeting setting, he’s right there with us. I think that you can gain a lot from the mental aspect of it in addition to the limited snaps that the backup positon does have across the league. I think that’s an issue or challenge for those guys. He’s definitely done a good job at practice and he’s continuing to improve.”
(Have you had to have a talk with QB Josh Rosen and keep his head where it needs to be?) – “Yeah, Josh has really approached this as a professional. He really has. I’ve been impressed with that. He had a really nice week of practice last week. His preparation was good. It was positive. That’s what we ask from all of our players, and Josh is no different. Just because his role changed, he still has to approach it like a professional and that’s what he’s done.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has made some good plays scrambling. What goes through your mind when you see him approaching a defender, lower his shoulder and be the one to initiate contact?) – “It brings energy to the team. It really does. I think it’s contagious when ‘Fitz’ does that. Certainly obviously the health of our team is the most important. For him to be in harm’s way, sometimes you look out there and you don’t want him to be in that position; but it’s certainly something that I know shows his toughness, shows his competitive style of play and I think it really helps our team when ‘Fitz’ does what he does.”
(We all have fun with the magic, the ‘Fitzmagic’ part of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s game. Can you quantify that as far as what that part of his game does for the team and the young players?) – “I think that is also something that is really contagious to the team. His ability to play off-schedule some and make plays on his own is something he’s always had the ability to do. I know it’s something that the team gets rallied up and rallies around him when he does that. That’s one of the traits that you really like about ‘Fitz.’”
(You guys have obviously been aggressive with your play calling and decision-making. Some of it has been Head Coach Brian Flores with onside kicks and fake punts; but you have done some on offense as well. What goes into that mindset when you decide to be more aggressive than the norm?) – “We always start the week in game-planning saying we want to be aggressive. This week will be no different. I think that some of the things that fall into the aggressive category are some special plays. There are also some plays that may not be in the trick category or special category. I think you can play really aggressive without always using those type of plays. I think that there were times in the game where we were able to be aggressive with our play-action game. We established the run and certainly that helped us. I think that the word aggressive definitely comes up in our game-planning – whether it’s something we install or is a special play or is something that we consider is an aggressive style of play in the game, it’s something we’re always going to look to do.”
(On the fake field goal, how much of that is something that you guys look at that as an opportunity to take advantage of a play you worked on or was it just that opportune situation?) – “(Special Teams Coordinator) Danny Crossman does a great job of trying to find ways to have an edge in the kicking game, and certainly that was a great opportunity for us on offense when they converted that fake. I know it’s something that – the special teams here is very, very important. All of our players know that. The coaching staff is definitely very supportive of the kicking game. When those guys can convert – and we’ve had some fakes with the punt game in the previous game and the field goal fake this game – that brings great energy to the team. It’s one that we have to play complementary football and take advantage of.”
(T Isaiah Prince played some left tackle when T J’Marcus Webb got hurt. Is that an indication that you would like to just allow G/T Jesse Davis play a position that he is comfortable with, which is right tackle?) – “Yeah. I think again – like (you guys) were talking about with the combination and all of that – the challenge – I think it’s something that’s still, I’m going to say, a work in progress. We’re still trying to find the right fit for everyone. Prince has allowed us to look at some different combinations. Jesse playing on the one side has been consistent for us in the last game. We’ll continue to look at not just that combination, but other combinations. We’re just trying to find the right fit.”
(Looking at Pittsburgh, you guys have obviously had an whole offseason with S Minkah Fitzpatrick. He’s one of their key players on that team. How does that impact your game-planning knowing that he may know some of what you do, and you may know what he does as well?) – “I think that whenever you have familiarity with a player that’s been on your team previously, it’s nice; but by no means – there are so many other factors that are involved in game-planning, and those things. There are just so many challenges with this Pittsburgh group. Minkah is certainly a good player that I have a lot of respect for; but across the board, this is going to be a great challenge for us defensively and that’s one we will have to work real hard on this week.”
