Transcripts

Search Transcripts
Danny Crossman – December 7, 2021 Download PDF version

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman

(I wanted to ask you about K Jason Sanders and where you feel he stand. Relative to the kicks that have occurred, they have been various ranges. I think two in the 30s, two in the 40s and two in the 50s. I’m wondering if there’s something that you’ve noticed that has been a common denominator? Something that is just common in all those kicks?) – “There’s not and as odd as this is going to sound, I wish there was because then it would be an easier fix. Some have been mid, they’ve been long, they’ve been short, they’ve been left, they’ve been right. I go back to – and you guys aren’t at practice every day but you guys were at training camp – Jason has been the same guy he’s been all year. That missed opportunity, that ball that creeps in there is just creeping in at the wrong time. He still strikes a lot of really good balls and we still have great confidence in him. Again, I’ve said it a million times, that play is designed to score points and we’ve got to get those points.”

(I’m assuming that physically, K Jason Sanders is fine. Tell me your thoughts on missed kicks relative to the percentage of time that it’s actually not physical but more getting the proper and correct mindset and mental approach?) – “Again, I think at this level, I think that being in the proper headspace and having that innate confidence, that’s a big part of it. Everybody in this league, regardless of position, is talented. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t. Again, we’re just going to keep working and like I said, we feel very good about Jason. We see every kick he makes and every kick he hits during the week so we are very confident in him.”

(It feels like P Michael Palardy has really been better in the punting game in recent weeks. What’s been the key for him?) – “I think he’s been a little bit more consistent. I think we’ve had some different balls and some different opportunities. We’ve had some weeks, and it’s a good thing, where we’ve been a lot more around the 50-yard line and those are going to present and have us do some different things. I think you’ve seen over the last couple weeks we’ve been backed up a little bit more and had to try and flip the field a little bit. I think like anything, it’s consistency. That’s still a work in progress. We’re trending in the right direction but like always, we always want to be better.”

(I noticed late in the game against the Giants when WR Jaylen Waddle was dealing with his cramping issues that WR Albert Wilson was back there on one of the kickoff returns. Might we see him getting some opportunities down the stretch especially as Jaylen’s importance to the offense gets more significant every week?) – “Again, that’ll be a really play-to-play, game-to-game situation based on a lot of factors. Last week as we saw, Jaylen was cramping and was not available at that time. That’s why you have to have a lot of guys ready to go and anybody that we put out there, we feel confidant in their ability to get something done.”

(What about the blocking for the return game? Where would you assess that is? I think we had always taken for granted how good the special teams unit had been for a while and now there doesn’t seem to be as much of a return game.) – “I think it’s a combination of things. I think there’s been some plays where we’ve had some very good blocking and we’ve missed some opportunities with the ball in our hands. I thought we’ve had some opportunities where we haven’t had great blocking. I think those two things go together. When you don’t have a lot of opportunities, when you do get them, you have to find a way to get something out of them. I think we’re averaging about one kickoff return a game so it’s hard to find that rhythm. I think it’s a two-phase, two-fold deal whether it’s the blocking, whether it’s returning it. We had one situation last week where they had a good call, they had a little changeup that presented a player that we couldn’t get to. It all goes together but we’ve got to be better across the board.”

(I wanted to ask you about a coaching point. A few weeks ago, you guys had that punt blocked and it seems to me like it hasn’t even come close to happening again. I was curious what was your message to the guys was and how they responded to that message?) – “Well obviously I think they’ve responded well. Again, that’s a technique and effort play. It always has been, it always will be. With the proper technique, with a lot of the new rules, there’s only so many things you can really do as a block unit. If you’re doing the right things physically, playing the right techniques and you’re giving good effort, we feel good about where we should be with that play.”

Search Transcripts

Weekly Archives