Darren Rizzi – September 28, 2017
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Thursday, September 28, 2017
Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi
(Any concerns about the missed extra point by K Cody Parkey at the end of the Jets game? How do you view that? It was almost extenuating circumstances.) – “Yes, obviously you’re always concerned with that play. It seems to be a common theme across the league now. The last couple of years, you’ve seen more and more. I think it’s already like nine teams have missed one (this year). Yes, I am concerned. He actually hit a good ball, it wasn’t like it was an operational thing. It was just a little technique flaw. He had a really good day in practice yesterday, so I’m certainly not overly concerned about it. It was a little bit of a crazy deal because Cody played two plays – the first play of the game and the last play of the game. That’s certainly a very extenuating circumstance, if you will, but I am very positive he’ll get it fixed.”
(I know we ask about WR/PR Jakeem Grant all of the time. He did have the fumble against the Jets. What’s your level of concern there?) – “Yes, he’s got to finish that play. I think he relaxed a little bit. It was a fair catch deal and I thought he just relaxed. He’s been really, really cognizant of finishing the plays. It’s something that we reviewed watching the game film and he’s just got to make sure he finishes the play. Like I said, I think he relaxed a little bit. I think I showed the team the last couple of weeks – that’s been another common theme throughout the league – I’ve shown like four or five muffs (by) a lot of sure-handed guys around the league. Without naming names, you go through and you look at a lot of guys throughout the league have fumbled fair catches inside the 10. You see that a lot of times in the beginning of the season. A lot of these marquee returners or guys that are starting returners don’t actually get a lot of game reps in the preseason. Now Jakeem is a guy that did, but a lot of these veteran guys (don’t) so you see a lot of balls on the ground. Again, the biggest thing there, the biggest factor is you’ve just got to finish that play. Just finish with the ball.”
(On the flip side with WR/PR Jakeem Grant, he fielded a punt inside the 5- or 10-yard line, whereas last year, under those circumstances, it would have been WR Jarvis Landry who was back there. Obviously it’s a statement in the increased confidence in Jakeem?) – “Yes. It continues to be a situational thing. There was going to be a couple of times where had they punted, Jarvis would have been up there as well; but we’re going to continue to rotate those guys. Jarvis had been in the week before on the one that we got a hand on – the one Senorise (Perry) got a hand on. They’re both ready to go, both practicing. They’re both part of the game plan. It’s really a situational thing. But as far as my confidence in Jakeem, certainly from last year, it’s certainly better.”
(Who’s been your best punt coverage guy so far through two games?) – “Best punt coverage guy is probably Mike Thomas so far. We’ve had a mix of guys get people on the ground. Mike Hull had a tackle last week in punt coverage and we’ve had a bunch of different guys. I feel like overall, in that phase right now, we’re getting good effort. We’re a little bit sloppy, I thought, with just some of the things we teach – our technique stuff. So that’s one of the things we’ve really harped on this week.”
(And for kick coverage?) – “Kick coverage, well obviously we only had the one last week, and it was a touchback. So really going back to the first game, obviously (Kenyan) Drake, Senorise (Perry), Mike Thomas, those are the guys that kind of stick out.”
(This London thing, you’ve done it already before. Do you think you’ve got a pretty good formula on how to deal with it, even though it’s been a little crazy this year leading up to it?) – “Yes, I think the way we’re doing it in terms of the timing, leaving tonight and doing it that way, I really thought that that was good the last couple of times. I’ve talked to other coaches and players that have been out there for the whole week and everything, and there’s pros and cons to both. We’ve given our guys a plan of action. I think (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) has really laid out a great plan. We went through it yesterday morning – it seemed like it was about three days ago, but yes, yesterday morning – he kind of laid out a plan for our guys and how exactly we’re going to do it, the itinerary. I really think we’re doing it the right way. The rest obviously is a huge thing. The sleep is obviously a big thing – the time difference – but from having gone over there a couple of times, we obviously talked about a bunch of stuff and consulted a little bit. I really like our plan going into it.”
(If you could talk in general about CB Bobby McCain coming off the edge on field goal and extra point blocks. Is there a certain angle? Does he have to avoid a reach block from this guy? Is he going for the ball or a point?) – “It’s definitely a knack that you have to have. The one thing we harp on the most with that deal is that most kickers are getting that ball of between 1.25 and 1.3 seconds. That’s pretty quick. So in order for an outside edge guy to get home and block or affect a kick, he’s got to have really, really good technique, to a point where if you have one wasted step, you’re not going to get there. Literally, if you have one false step or a slow get off. It starts with your get off, off the ball, coming off the edge. It starts really with your alignment and then your get off. Those two things have to be precise, and then the footwork. Bobby’s really worked at that and we have a technique we call the drive-and-crank – not to get too technical on you – and he’s really become really good at that and he enjoys doing it. It’s a thing that he’s really been accountable for and he’s really accepted that role. Like I said, he’s been a factor here doing that role. I really like the way he’s been playing on that.”
(Do you know the success rate of that under yourself or league wide over any amount of time?) – “Success rate in terms of?”
(Of getting a tip on the ball?) – “To me, it’s not even always about getting your hand on it. It’s about just being a presence there for the kicker. We talked about the first game, I think (Bobby McCain) affected that one. I think a couple of times, the kicker feels that edge pressure, there’s no doubt about it. You talk to kickers and they go out there and practice with their tees and everything, and they don’t like a lot of noise around them – kickers and punters. They don’t like a lot of noise. They like to be comfortable and so we try put them in an uncomfortable position. In talking to plenty of kickers throughout the years, they’ll be the first ones to tell you, they can feel that edge pressure sometimes. Even if you don’t block it, you can still affect the kick for sure.”
(Getting back to kickoff coverage, if I’m reading the stats right, K Cody Parkey’s distance is really good on kickoffs and yet there haven’t been as many touchbacks, is that right? You’re okay with all of those stats?) – “With only two games so far, they hand me the stats and I don’t even look at them until we get a little bit more of a body of work. I will say this, Cody Parkey’s kickoffs, when we ask him to drive the ball, he’s been really good so far. He had a really good day at practice yesterday. He can drive the ball out of the end zone. he can drive it deep into the end zone. There’s other times – like in the (Los Angeles Chargers) game – we had multiple kickoffs, where we actually asked him, we’re not driving the ball deep every time, we’re asking him to lay it up a little bit and try to get coverage and get tackled inside the 25. The thing I would say about him is he does both well. He’s a guy that can do both. I think sometimes when you look at that distance stuff, his drive ball is good and his average might be good, but it’s a little bit skewed because we’re asking him to lay it up sometimes as opposed to driving it in the end zone. We’ve done both. So it can be a little bit skewed, the numbers. Like all numbers. (Laughter).”
(How do you evaluate P Matt Haack’s play so far?) – “I’d just like him to be a little bit more consistent. Last week (against the Jets), there were a couple of low snaps that he got out of there pretty quickly. He flipped the field twice for us though, in that game. (He’s a) very, very talented guy. One of the punts he hit last week was a 5.25 hang time. He really allowed our coverage to get down there, and the gunners and ‘Mike T’ (Michael Thomas) got him on the ground. Really the same so far, (I’d) just like to see him … Obviously with game experience, he’s going to get better and better and better; but (he’s a) very level-headed guy, a very, very talented player; and again, like all rookies, you’re just looking for that consistency at every position. He’s no different. ”
(What’s a great hang time?) – “If you get a 5-second hang time, that’s a really good hang time. If you keep the ball in the air for five seconds. Anything over five is outstanding.”
(So Hall of Fame punter Ray Guy did that regularly, you think?) – “I don’t know. If you look, overall, your average punt in the NFL, probably for the year, is going to be about 4.5 (second hang time), on average. For every single punt from last season, in 2016, you’re probably going to be somewhere around 4.5. So if you get the ball up around 5.0 and all that, (it’s good). I didn’t time Ray Guy or Reggie Roby and all that. (laughter)“
(So a hang time of 5.0 seconds or greater is great?) – “A 5-second hang time is real good. A 5.25 is elite.”
(You’ll take that every time?) – “Yes. A 5.25 (second hang time) is elite. A 5-second hang time is outstanding. If you get the ball over 5.2 (seconds), you’re really allowing your coverage to do a lot of work. It’s amazing what two-tenths of a second will do. The difference between a 4.6 punt and 4.8 punt is amazing. When those guys are running full speed, two-tenths will allow them how much more distance to gain on the return? When you really break it down, it’s really incredible. When you watch it on film and live action, it’s pretty impressive.”
