Darren Rizzi – October 7, 2016
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Friday, October 7, 2016
Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi
(On his thinking of using WR Jakeem Grant versus WR Jarvis Landry on punt returns) – “Really, we’re just going to continue to do what we’ve done in terms of having both guys available. It has been a four-game sample, so we’re not going to overreact over anything right now. I’ve seen plenty of what Jakeem can do between the preseason and now. I think some people get tied up in the numbers. A couple of his better returns have gotten called back for penalties – keep that in mind. We had a couple of decent ones against Seattle that got called back and there was one more, I believe. Like I said before, I’m very happy with the way he is progressing. At some point, I think you’ll see both of those guys back there together – between Jakeem and Jarvis – on punts, just like we have multiple guys back there on kick returns. We’re going to keep doing the same thing (depending on the) game situation – keep it situational, keep it game-by-game and kind of game plan it.”
(On how many phone calls he got about his reaction after the roughing the punter penalty at Cincinnati) – “There was a video? (laughter) I’ll put it this way, I have three teenagers that live under the same roof as me. They waited for the right time. They were smart enough to let it pass a little while (before bringing it up). I have an 18-year old in college and a 15-year old daughter and a 13-year old son, so they were all too happy to share the meme with me. It took me a second to even know what a meme was, for the record. I’m not really a social media (guy).”
(On if he saw that the NFL had some fun at his expense) – “No. What was it?”
(On the NFL Twitter account sending out a meme of him) – “I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”
(On research about deferring the opening kickoff) – “It’s a great question, because prior to this new kickoff rule, I’ve done plenty of research. Now with this new kickoff rule, there’s only four games worth of data. I’ll start prior to this year: When you look at teams’ first drive of the game, a long field, the numbers will tell you to kickoff first, without going into great detail about the exact percentages. If you can make a team go (on a) long field on the first possession of the game, the percentages are in the defense’s favor. There is also the thought process of … I think one of the things that’s really interesting to look at is the last possession of the first half and the first possession of the second half. How teams have done – number one: the teams you’re playing and number two: just from a general standpoint, I think there are some people …Tthere are different names for it – the double-whammy and all kinds of names, the double-down. If you defer and you can get that last possession of the first half and you end up with the football and get points and then come back and get the ball again (in the second half) and get points, there’s a high percentage – the numbers are really high – in terms of winning the football game. If you can finish the first half with points and start the second half with points – whether it be a field goal or touchdown – that number is high. Now, you have a new rule (on kickoffs) and with the ball coming at the 25(- yard line after a touchback), now some people will say the numbers aren’t going to change that much. It’ll change a little bit. That 5 yards, believe it or not, is the difference a lot of times in whether you’re going to punt or kick a field goal, so it certainly changes that aspect. Now, with a lot of teams kicking the ball high and short, if you can pin the team down inside the 20(-yard line), then even better. Obviously, the numbers are going to go up for the defense and down for the offense. There’s definitely some interesting (research there).”
(On when deferring became popular and if there was a recent rule change) – “I don’t know the exact year that deferring came into (play). I’m not going to lie to you, I don’t know the exact year. It might outdate me a little bit. But since the defer has been an option, I know you have a lot of defensive coaches, the defensive head coaches – a guy like Bill Belichick came through on the defensive side, Bill Parcells came through on the defensive side – you got coaches like that … John Harbaugh has come through on the defensive side. If you look at their history – the defensive coaches – they kind of do it all the time. The defensive coaches would tell you … Now you have an offensive coaches … We do (have an offensive head coach here), but I think so far, Adam (Gase) has been great in terms of going through … That’s what we do in the offseason. We really study those things, those game management things. In perfect conditions … Obviously, wind, rain, all of those things are going to affect it in terms of what you’re going to do. For example, (if) the forecast (says) it’s going to downpour from the second quarter on, then you don’t want to defer. (You want to) get the ball early when it’s dry. So there are going to be different aspects that go come into it. But when you’re playing in a dome or you’re playing in good conditions or things like that, numbers will tell you – and again if you talk to different people, they’re skewed – but numbers would tell you that deferring is probably the best way to go, just in terms of the way the percentages have worked out over the last, let’s say 10 years in the NFL.”
(On the new kickoff rule and if it makes sense to return kickoffs that are in the end zone) – “It’s a great question. What you’re really seeing – and I was even watching last night’s (Cardinals vs. 49ers) game and it was the same thing – what a lot of people are trying to do is get that ball right to the goal line or just over, because now that returner – even if you’re playing 5 yards deep in the end zone and the ball is in the air – if you caught the ball and I ask you, ‘Where are you right now?’ It’s hard for that guy to realize where he is, because he’s focusing on the football. So, if you look last week at the Patriots (vs.) Bills game, the first kickoff the game, the guy is like 1-yard deep. He’s not sure if he’s out (of the end zone), he stutters, he comes out, then all of a sudden he realizes he’s on the field, he starts to run and gets tackled inside the 10(-yard line). Those decisions are becoming harder and harder. Now, those guys need help back there – the guy fielding the ball – with the communication. I’m going to stand here and tell you that we have not done a good job of communication at a couple points this year. That needs to improve, and it’s something we’re working on every day. But it’s a really good question, because a lot of people are kicking it high and short. When it lands on the 1- or 2- or 3-yard line, it’s obvious, you’re going to roll with it. But it’s that minus-1, minus-2, right at the goal line, those decisions are what you’re seeing in the first four weeks, where guys are going to get caught in that purgatory, if you will.”
(On if a year ago, guys would have just gone for it when catching a kickoff just inside the end zone) – “100 percent. Most of the time, I would say maybe there’s a couple of teams in the past where, if it was in the end zone, they were staying in. They were just more conservative approaches. In the past, usually you see – and again, this is generally speaking – usually you see teams line up their guys 6 or 7 (yards) deep. If (the returner) is coming forward, and it’s within the numbers, and he’s coming forward downhill, he’s coming out with the ball. Now you’re not seeing that. You’re seeing those guys staying in, and you’re seeing those wide kicks out by the numbers where it’s a really uphill play – guys are staying in. The problematic kick has been the one that’s just over the goal line, because let’s be honest, those guys that are back there, they want to make plays. Those returners, they’re all playmakers. When they can get the ball in their hand and get an opportunity, they want to make a play. It’s no different than Kenyan (Drake) or Damien Williams or Jakeem Grant. All those guys, they want the ball, and they want a chance to help the team and make a big play. It’s the decision-making and the communication on the back end that a couple of times this year has gotten us and gotten a lot of other teams too. When the NFL instituted this rule, I don’t think they thought out of every last detail; but one of the interesting details that I think is really neat is you’re finding that the kickoff return formation and personnel is completely changing. You look at team by team and then look at the kickoff teams … In the old days where you had – I say the old days, (I mean) five years ago – you had much bigger people busting up wedges. That’s kind of come to an end. You’re seeing teams with seven, eight (and) nine defensive backs, receivers (and) running backs going down because people want speed on the field, because you’re going to kick it high and short. The play is almost turning into more of a punt return, if you will, where you don’t see as many double teams and kick outs and bigger guys out there like we’re used to growing up with the old kickoff. You’re not seeing that. So, the play has changed. To me, because of what I do for a living, it’s really become a neat strategy type of thing. The play has changed dramatically.”
(On what would happen if he put a big return unit and the opponent still had little guys out there) – “It’s hard for a big person to block a little person if he’s quick and fast in the open space. More on special teams than anything, because a lot of times, it’s hard. You have those guys back there and they’re kind of sitting and waiting. That guy has a 40, 45-yard head start, and he’s running full speed, and he’s doing this and weaving, and he’s a skill guy. That’s hard for those (big) guys to move in open space, which is why you’re seeing a lot of these plays getting tackled inside the 25. It’s become an interesting deal. Last night, opening kickoff, if you watch the game – San Francisco and Arizona last night – San Francisco pooches one, Arizona blocks everybody up, and they had a huge return. It can go both ways. Not every pooch kick is getting tackled inside the 25. I think that’s a little bit of a misconception as well. Not every single time you’re pooching the ball is it staying down there. But I think what you’re looking at is – percentage wise – the high and short kicks, the majority of the time they’re getting tackled inside the 25 right now. But it really has changed the dynamic of the play. It’s a totally different play. Then you have kickers that can do everything. (They) can kick it deep, kick it short, kick it right, kick it left, directional. Now it really adds a different dimension to it. It’s definitely a strategy type of thing, for sure.”
(On how the loss of CB Xavien Howard affects special teams) – “He provided some depth. Obviously, it’s the next man up type of thing for however long he’s out. I don’t know the timetable right now with that. A guy like Jordan Lucas, for example, that may not have been active every week, a guy like that comes into the mix potentially. We’ll obviously talk about the inactives and where we are. But he hasn’t been a guy that’s been active every week, so certainly he’s going to be part of the discussion. Some of the skill guys – the receivers, the running backs – those guys will come into the mix and the discussion of who is going to be active.”
