Clyde Christensen – November 3, 2016
Download PDF version
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen
(This game, we know how well you’ve been running the ball. How much of this game comes down to your run game versus their run defense?) – “Probably the same as every week. I always laugh, because every staff meeting to start the week, the offensive guys go, ‘We got to run the ball this week.’ It doesn’t matter who you’re playing; you got to run the ball. And every defensive coordinator if you’re playing Brett Favre – or whoever you’re playing – starts off with, ‘We have to stop the run.’ It almost in a weird way … But that’s the case. It always starts with that. It always starts with the offensive line. Same thing. Third week in a row we’re playing a really, really good run defense. (Jets Head Coach) Todd Bowles is a defensive head coach. He’s a tough-minded guy, super guy. Here’s a little-known fact: I coached him at Temple. (I have a) long history with him. (He is) really a smart, bright guy. He’s going to be physical. He’s going to have them ready to go. I think the other thing, too, is if you want to play big games and you want to be relevant – as we head toward the second half of the year – you’re going to get people’s best shot. We’ve had a little bit of success running the ball. This league has a way of turning the tide on you when you think you’re doing something well. So, it’ll take a great effort for us to run the ball at all. It’ll be a battle of wills again just like every week. We’ll have to commit to it. We’ll have to keep pounding it up in there and have to be okay with a couple 0-, 1-yard runs and hopefully land some body blows as we go.”
(What makes that rush defense so stout? 74 yards a game.) – “In an oversimplification, they’re big, girthy guys. They’re big guys. They’re committed to stopping the run. That’s kind of the (Bill) Parcells, that whole fraternity … They’re big stout guys who are going to try and build a big ol’ wall across the line of scrimmage, and they’re good at it. They take pride in being a good leverage team. I think this fraternity of defensive guys, they play with great leverage. They get underneath you and stop you. They’re not as much in your backfield and flying up field, et cetera, et cetera; but they’re really good at stopping the run, because they get ahold of you, they stand you up and they play with leverage, and they get off blocks and they’re big, physical guys.”
(T Ja’Wuan James obviously played a lot better in the last few weeks. What spurred his turnaround in your mind?) – “I don’t know. I don’t know what it is, but he really has (played better). He’s improving. He hasn’t been earth shaking, but all we want is for him to keep improving, and he has really done that. I think, probably, he would … Being a part of the whole group that everyone’s buying in, you have a little more success – all those things are good. I think he’s part of it, a large part of it. I think that line being together, I think there’s some pride. I think they’re starting to have some fun blocking and playing together. I think he has probably jumped on board, got caught in that wave of momentum as far as, ‘We can be good. We can be a good offensive line before this year is out.’ We said from last offseason all the way through last week, ‘This can be a good offensive line. We’ve got to stay healthy. We’ve just got to keep going. We’ve got to keep doing the same things over and over and over again.’ All of a sudden, you do get a little bit of confidence – some success – and you breed a little confidence and then your practices get better and your meetings get better and everyone is buying in a little bit more, and you keep improving by inches. It’s still about us. It’s still about how we do things. It’s still about worrying about the Dolphins more than it is the opponent. That’s what we’ve tried to stress, and he has been improving. He has been making good, solid improvement the last two, three weeks, which has really been great. I think I’ve said it all along: we think he can be a top right tackle in this league. That’s what we believe he can be. Maybe he’s buying into that, too. But he is playing better. He’s playing better and improving and working. It’s all about those workdays during the week. The games are the games, but you get better in practice. You win games during the week in practice and how you do things there. Then the game is just a reflection of what you’ve been doing in practice (and) how you practiced. That’s improvement. We’ve stressed it, and that’s improving some.”
(How did the unbalanced line come about, because I don’t remember seeing that earlier in the season?) – “It was just a little bit of a changeup. It was a little way for us to get a little bit … You give them a little bit (of a) different formation. It’s just a way of getting bigger people at the point of attack. Sometimes it’s a way to set up a play-action pass. It’s a fourth or fifth pitch, if you will. It’s something they have to prepare for. It’s something that maybe you get an extra 40 pounds at the point of attack. We had the tight end situation where we were down a couple bodies, so that’s another way of getting a little bit of girth grouped together on one side of the line. It wasn’t any gigantic thing as much as it’s something, a little bit of an adjustment with the tight end situation the way it was. It’s always a good changeup to have people prepare for.”
(The Jets have been first against the run. They’re 32nd against the pass. I think they’ve given up 14 passes of 30 yards or more. How much do you balance when you’re doing a game plan of attacking a team that other teams have attacked, against the past two weeks you’ve run the ball?) – “Less than think, right? Really, it is more about us. It’s more about, ‘What can we do? What can we be good at? What is our personality? What is our deal?’ It’s much more that than it is, ‘They’re 32nd, so let’s go become something we’re not,’ and try and do this or that. You’re always looking at matchups. This league is a game of matchups. I think you get off track if all of a sudden you read those statistics and you go, ‘Look what so and so did to them. Let’s put that in.’ All of a sudden, next thing you know, you got a little designer offense going, and that’s not what we want to be. We want to be what we – what the Dolphins – are and do it well and do it better and better every week, do it faster and faster, do it harder, then it doesn’t matter what other people do. We try not to fall into the trap of that. It’s hard sometimes, but you really don’t want to do that.”
(I guess within your formula then, you’ll have shots, maybe?) – “Sure. We’ve been taking our shots. We’ve been really good on first and second down, on yards per first and second down. We want to continue on that. We want to … You do want to build it off of … We’ve had some success running the ball. You want your counters off of them. You want you nakeds (bootlegs), you want your play action, you want a couple shots as extra guys come into the box, sure. But that, again, is more by philosophy than it is we’re playing this team or that team. It’s more about us. It’s more about, ‘Here’s how we’re building this thing. We’re going to pound the ball. We’re going to play action off of that. We’re going to get a shot when they get their safeties too involved.’ It’s offense by the numbers, if you will. That’s when you have a system. That’s when you have a chance. That’s when you can be unpredictable. That’s when you got something going. We’re a long ways from that. We’re a long ways from being where we want to get to. I think everyone is encouraged that we’re improving and that we’re practicing better, and we’re doing some of those things better.”
(You have a lot of versatility on your offense, a lot of players that can do a lot of different things. Personnel-wise, are there things that you can do to keep defenses honest by putting different guys in the lineup?) – “I think keeping balance keeps them off balance. I was looking out there today, and you really do … All of a sudden, you’ve got three talented receivers. Jarvis (Landry), it has to start with Jarvis. He’s kind of the energizer, the battery of this thing. You do have three guys. Kenny Stills all of a sudden runs past you. Now you’ve got the running back running. Now we’ll get our healthy tight ends back, hopefully. It has happened from a lot of different positions, different places. It’s a quarterback run here, it’s a drop-back pass and then it’s a naked (bootleg). So, all those things should be to our advantage. We do feel like we have some skill guys who the ball can get spread around (to), and it’s not a, ‘Here’s our bell cow. If he doesn’t go …’ There are a lot of people that can make some plays. That’s important. That’s really good. That’s when you are a good unit instead of just ‘a guy’, featuring ‘a guy’ or this or that. That’s what we would like to be.”
(Where is WR DeVante Parker in his development? I know he’s been slowed by the hamstring injury. Do you feel like you’re getting the most out of him right now?) – “I don’t think he’s been healthy. I don’t think he’s been 100 percent. There’s something about just not feeling great. It’s hard to play that position when you don’t feel great. Your body just isn’t 100 percent, but I told you last week, I think he’s really improving. I think he’s practicing better. I really do think his number hasn’t come up quite as much but he’s made a couple big plays and I’m encouraged by him. I think he has a chance to be a great player and (he’s) very talented. I do think it’s one of those where you don’t feel good for a couple days early in the week and that’s no fun. You’re in the training room, you’re getting treatment, you have to watch you reps at practice. Some of it is just learning to play like that. Everyone feels that way. For the next eight weeks, the whole NFL feels that way. No one wakes up feeling very good or physically fresh or any of those things. I think he’ll grind through it and he’ll have some big games. We’re encouraged with him, we think he’s improving, we know what kind of talent he has and he’s been excellent. He’s really been excellent.”
(What does he have to do to get his number called more?) – “Yes. I don’t know that it happens quite like that. I think you guys … where does the ball end up going? Right now it’s been going to the running back. Who knows what this Sunday will be? They’re all different. They’re all different, but we are conscious of it. We took a shot last week and we lost it in the air. That has the chance to be another 50-yarder that was a good ball and he just never picked it up. Sometimes his number is called more than you think and it just doesn’t hit. I would say this: I think we’re comfortable with how he’s playing and his role and stuff and you’d love to … He’s going to have some breakout games. Last week it was Kenny (Stills). This week, who knows who it’ll be? Does that make sense? Does that answer your question? So I think we just (have to) keep doing what we’re doing. We don’t see any big changes there or any panic or we’re lacking ways to get the ball to him or he’s not … He’s fighting through this thing injury-wise and that’s no fun. But I think he’s going to be fine. I really do think he’s going to be fine and have some big, big days in this second half of the season.”
(Has it been his hamstring that’s still bothering him or does he have some inflammation?) – “I wouldn’t speak on injuries. But yes, he’s recovering from that and sometimes when you’re nursing that, then other things don’t feel quite right. So yes, I think it is all back from when he did have the hamstring; but just an overall feeling good and just feeling fresh and fast and those things, I don’t think he’s fully there quite yet, but he’s getting there.”
(Going back to you and Jets Head Coach Todd Bowles at Temple, was he like a coach on the field?) – “Yes, he was. He was. Kevin Ross was in that secondary. That was really a good secondary back there. Bruce Arians was the head coach and that was really a fun … those were fun years and those were good guys. Kevin Ross and Todd Bowles were working for ‘B.A.’ (Bruce Arians) out there in Arizona, and then Todd got his head job. So that ended up being kind of a special group of guys. Some coaches came out of that and still kind of a tight bond. Arians is extremely loyal to those guys from those years. We were all just a bunch of young guys. I think Coach Arians was 27 or something and we’re working down in the inner city of Philadelphia and it was special stuff. We’ll still text when the Owls have a big … when they beat Penn State, that was something that will always … all those things are special things. So Todd … that was kind of a little special fraternity from back in the ‘80s there. We all had a special bunch of guys and great relationships from it, and (I) have an unbelievable respect and fondness for (Jets Head Coach) Todd Bowles as a man and as a coach.”
(Regarding your offensive line, we’ve seen what they can do, those five when they’re healthy the last couple of weeks. Are you at the stage where you’re believing that they’re going to be healthy every week or are you still kind of crossing your fingers and hoping that they’re going to be healthy?) – “I have believed in them from the very beginning. Now the health, I would say this: I never fully get comfortable that someone’s going to stay healthy, right? We talk all the time, there’s no guarantees, right? The percentages say that someone’s going to have to stay up, right? We talked a lot about ‘Q’ (MarQueis Gray) last week. MarQueis at tight end, right? That’s huge. That he comes in there as your third tight end, he has to go in and start a game. Who would’ve known that was going to happen? He comes in and plays extremely well. (He) played extremely well. So that’s part of our emphasis that the chance of those five staying healthy, I hope it happens. But probably the percentages would say, ‘Hey. sooner or later (Anthony) Steen’s going to have to come back in there and deliver.’ Some of those other guys are going to have to play some … come out of the bullpen and give us some relief help. That’s just more … it is more like those baseball games we’ve been watching. It’s the whole unit. It’s all 53 guys and they’re going to have to step up at their time and deliver, and you hope it goes as you script it, but very seldom does it – that everyone stays healthy, everyone’s 100 percent. But it just doesn’t work that way very often.”
(Do you see a different, maybe not different is the right word but a different view or shade of QB Ryan Tannehill when he’s not getting hit?) – “Yes. Yes, I do. Sure. I always laugh because … I’m just telling you when you stand in that pocket and you get hit – and he’s amazing because he’s a tough guy. I’ve always … coming here I was impressed with him that he kept standing in there. A lot guys don’t. A lot have fallen by the way-side along the way in this league. Then all of a sudden you get hit and you just can’t do it. Someone raises their hand and gosh, you cower and it’s hard to keep looking up the field and those things. The guys like Tannehill, who are tough guys – one thing that I don’t think anyone has ever questioned about him is his toughness and that he hangs in there and keeps looking up the field even knowing he’s going to get hit and been hit. There’s nobody, nobody, that isn’t affected by just getting hit early in games and that all of sudden, you’re not sure how long you have. You’re not sure … you know you’re going to get hit but you’re not sure when or where or by whom. And that’s a bad feeling for playing the position. So I do think that, and I do think that’s really a foundational thing to him becoming really a good player is that he’s really an extremely tough guy. That, his worth ethic, those things are things you can build on. Those are things you can build on that maybe you can’t teach. Some guys after they get hit a few times for a couple years, or their rookie year, never make it back. (They) never can come out of that thing or come back from an injury or something. So I think that really is one of the traits that’s something to build on with him.”
(Do you expect a full workload from TE Dion Sims this week? This game?) – “It wasn’t a full workload, but we’re still being careful with him. Even early in the week, we had to limit his snaps a little bit. So he hasn’t had the full week but we do feel like each day it’s gotten more and more. Sunday, hopefully he should be darn close to 100 percent, but he didn’t get the full work week as far as just a green light on everything. It was limited, build it up, a little more reps, four snaps per team period, five snaps per team period, (and) all of sudden … I do think by Sunday and then certainly past Sunday, he should be back to full speed. (We’re) hoping again, obviously, that we wouldn’t have a setback of any kind, and he hasn’t had one. So we have been able to increase his reps as the week has gone on. So he’s getting back into the flow, but he’s not been just 100 percent where he takes every rep, like he was doing before the injury.”
(I noticed in the Bills game, QB Ryan Tannehill ran for a first down.) – “Yes.”
(You’ve told QB Ryan Tannehill to do that, to run for first downs.) – “We’ve certainly told him that teams that convert third downs in this league are teams where the quarterback runs for one or two a game. That’s a fact.”
(There was also a critical play late in the fourth quarter where QB Ryan Tannehill sensed DE Shaq Lawson behind him…) – “A huge play in the game.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill ran to his right, made an accurate off-balance throw. My question is about Tannehill’s enthusiasm about running, feeling pressure vacating the pocket more quickly. How have you seen that evolve?) – “Yes. I think … it’s a hard teach. It’s a hard teach; but I think (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has done a good job of just encouraging him. ‘Hey, you’re a good athlete. Don’t be afraid. One, two (seconds), pull that thing down and … you don’t understand how valuable your legs are in this whole thing.’ Stuff doesn’t go like it’s set up very often in this thing and off-schedule plays are critical. We have to make off-schedule plays. So he runs … those two plays were huge. We were trying to burn some time and ice that game and he slides out of there on a third-and-12 or something, third-and-long, and he hits Jarvis (Landry) on a huge play, so that’s really, really important. I think he’s getting more and more comfortable. It’s a fine line. It was always a fine line with (Colts QB Andrew) Luck. When do you protect yourself? When do you not protect yourself? When do you put yourself out there? When do you sit in there and hang and see if your third read comes open? When do you pull it down and go run for a first down? That’s the hardest teach, in my opinion, with quarterbacks, is how do you teach that? How do you teach that? I think I shared with you that first year, I went out to where we train our fighter pilots because I was looking to, ‘Hey, how do you teach when to engage? When not to engage? When to sell out? When to put yourself at risk? When do you …’ Those things are hard questions and I think as he gets more and more comfortable with this offense, that’s again where I think continuity and being in the same offense, doing some of the same things over and over and over again, that’s where you develop. It’s not on a chalkboard and you just teach, because you can’t give them every scenario. I don’t know which guy is going to spin free or which twist is going to come clean or which edge is going to get tightened up and which guy is going to come open in the progressions. ‘And I got flushed to my left, but the guy on the right comes open.’ You can’t hit all of those so some of it is just a school. I think (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase is really doing a good job with him of just giving him some parameters, just continuing teaching and emphasizing it, and I think we saw some results from it. I think we saw some benefits, some profits from those deposits. I think that’ll be an ongoing thing. It’ll just keep getting better and better and better, and a feel for ‘Hey, when? When?’ Those are tough questions and you (have to) learn the hard way. Those aren’t taught on a chalk board.”
