Bobby McCain – October 24, 2019
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Thursday, October 24, 2019
S Bobby McCain
(Do you have a favorite Monday Night Football memory either as a player or a kid growing up?) – “My first Monday Night Football game was against the Giants. I was in Miami. It was pretty fun, a lot of fun actually. The lights were on, they had the fire going. It was actually a lot of fun. We ended up losing. That was actually my first start of my career. It was a pretty big moment for me.”
(Have you talked to Head coach Brian Flores about any kind of discipline with the fan incident in Buffalo?) – “Yeah, we have. We talked internally, and we’re handling it internally.”
(I know you like to chirp a little bit. Is it any extra fun when you have a guy like S Minkah Fitzpatrick on the other side that you can chirp with?) – “Oh yeah, man. It’s definitely going to be fun, just seeing Minkah again, getting to see him and see him play, I’m excited to see him play. As bad as it sounds because he’s on the other team, I want to kick his ass; but I’m excited to see him play. Even though he’s on the other team, he’s still my brother.”
(Do you still talk to S Minkah Fitzpatrick?) – “Yeah. Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. I just got off the phone with him two days ago maybe.”
(With some of the struggles on offense – we’re familiar with the season. But last game, TE Mike Gesicki with some catches, some big plays. Does that spark you guys on the sideline knowing that they are taking those strides?) – “It’s big. We have playmakers on both sides of the ball. Just seeing those guys make tough catches like Gesicki, he made a couple of tough catches in the third and fourth quarter that were big for us. We’ve just got to capitalize on it. We have to understand that when you have plays like that, when you have playmakers making plays, those are the times and drives that you’ve got to capitalize and put them away.”
(There is a perception of you guys as a team throughout the year. Do you kind of look at this Monday night game as a chance to show the world?) – “Definitely, definitely. It’s always a good opportunity. That’s the good thing about the National Football League, there is always next Sunday. You’ve got to put whatever is behind you and put it in the past, and just go out there a perform. It’s a big stage. If we can go out and get a win on a big stage on a Monday Night Football game, that will definitely change the perception around here.”
(You guys have struggled in the second half. You and I were talking in the Dolphins locker room last week about how it’s just mental. Did you talk about it in practice this week? How do you guys try to make sure that lackluster…?) – “Just focusing on the details, focusing on the little things and understanding that everybody has a role and everybody has a job to do. Within that job, within that role, you have responsibilities. Just getting down on really the minute things, the things that are going to matter at the end of the game like that extra yard or I could’ve got that first down and kept the drive going or I could’ve gotten a stop and stopped a drive from going. Just those little things, just not having those ‘uh-ohs, my bad.’ If you can come out of the game and not have any ‘my bads’ or ‘uh-ohs,’ then you should be all right.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick – October 24, 2019
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Thursday, October 24, 2019
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(Do you have any good Monday Night Football memories?) – “Not many. No. I’ve played on Monday night a few times, but not many good memories.”
(A lot of your teammates have never played in a Monday night game. What kind of advice would you give them as far as the atmosphere and the stage and how they should approach it mentally?) – “It’s shifted a little bit from the last 10 or 15 years, I guess with the Thursday night games. Now I think Thursday night, all eyes are definitely on you – around the league – with your peers watching you. Monday is sort of like that. It used to definitely be like that where all eyes are on you, and I think Thursday has overtaken that a little bit in some ways. It’s a chance for you to go out there with everybody having the opportunity to watch you and to go play, so I think it’s cool. It’s fun to be on the national stage like that and to be showcased in a game for a night. Once you start playing, everything’s the same. It’s just a game, but it’s going to be a great atmosphere. It’s a fun place to play. Those fans are as rowdy as any when the Steelers are going and we’re looking forward to it.”
(How about growing up? Any Monday Night Football moments that kind of stick out?) – “Was the Brett Favre game Monday night? Like after his dad passed away?”
(Yeah.) – “Yeah, so to me, that’s the one that I think about. I remember watching that one feeling tingly the whole game. That’s the one that pops into my mind, I guess.”
(What are some of the ways in which you or any quarterback is best able to limit sacks? Because you’ve done it pretty well so far this year.) – “There’s a lot of different things. I think playing on time is a big thing in terms of knowing when to get the ball out and where the ball needs to go. I think our guys up front have done a really nice job. (They) just continue to work. I think you obviously vary in the protection schemes a little bit and then just knowing your opponent and their strengths and weaknesses and how you’re going to attack them every week. Every week it’s different. You come up with a different plan every week depending on what their strengths are, and I’ll tell you that the Steelers – people can say what they want about their record and everything else – but this is a very good defense. This is a top five – top 10, top five defense in the NFL. Just watching them on tape – when you put on the tape – the speed that they have at all positions, how physical they are up front. They’re very talented. It goes along with the history of the Steelers, and since 2007 when I was a Bengal and started playing them, they play a certain brand of football and this year is no different.”
(I’ve got a question about a quarterback’s relationship with his offensive linemen. We know that the quarterback and the center work closely together, but if a left tackle is changed or a right tackle, does that change things for you? Do you actually kind of have a relationship with those guys? Are you tied to them in that sense?) – “I think there’s always awareness of who’s in the huddle and just like we’re trying to attack and know a team’s strengths and weaknesses, I think we know what’s going on up front with our strengths and weaknesses. I think as a player, I know my strengths and weaknesses. You obviously try to accentuate the good and the positive. I think certain guys on our team have different skillsets. Once we start playing, there’s certain things you can’t think about maybe as a scheme throughout the week – things you try to do to put guys in good situations – but once you start playing, we’ve just got to go out there and play and react to it.”
(When C/G Evan Boehm was acquired, it was kind of like a roll-in week because all those transactions were being made; but two months now or a month now into your time with him, what are your thoughts on how he’s played and what was your first memory of meeting him?) – “He’s done a great job. Boehm and Chris Reed always get confused. (laughter) We were walking through the TSA screening the other day and they had the wrong guy. (laughter) He’s been really impressive, just coming in and (Evan Boehm) had some familiarity with ‘Guge’ (Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo) in the past; but coming in, really he’s got an infectious attitude. He likes to talk a lot, maybe too much sometimes, (laughter) but the thing that I was most impressed with was when he played center last game, you never want a nervous center. You never want somebody – that’s the last thing I want to have to worry about when I’ve got a million other things on my mind and he did a great job. He stepped right in there, was confident the whole game with his calls, played really well, and so that was a huge, huge plus coming out of last game for us with him.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said that the team is lacking in recognizing critical situations whether that’s in the red zone. How do you assess that and is that something that is just in a game or can you practice that in practice?) – “I think maybe more so than recognizing them, it’s just rising to the occasion maybe. The significance of those two plays that we had in Buffalo to go up a couple scores and to have the interception, for them to take it 98 (yards) and score. In the NFL, that’s the difference between good teams and bad teams. I think it’s good to point out those moments after they happen. I think we knew we needed to score there; but to point out those moments and realize what a big part that had in the game – the outcome of the game – it really shifted the momentum of the game; and just making sure that when those happen, we highlight them, we talk about them maybe in the huddle as they’re going on just to make sure everybody’s on alert.”
(How do you teach a team to play at a higher level in those critical moments?) – “I think a lot of it is just working together. A lot of is experience. So some of that, there’s going to be growing pains a little bit. You have to have guys that rise to the occasion. We’ll just continue to try to do that. A lot of that is through repetition in practice but then going out there and doing it in a game. We just have to continue to try to get better on game day with some of that stuff.”
(When you take a 14-9 lead against the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo, do you think that they’re surprised by a team that was supposedly winless and easy to beat?) – “You’d have to ask them if they were surprised or not. I think we’ve hit on it: we’re a different team than we were the first few weeks in terms of settling in and being more competitive. I think at this point, everybody that’s been in the NFL for a while, you understand that this is a competitive league and you’ve got to bring it every week. Sometimes – they were coming off a bye and whatever else, and sometimes some of that stuff plays into it. They stepped up and we didn’t at the end of the game in the fourth quarter there.”
(I was thinking about the N.Y. Jets QB Sam Darnold “seeing ghosts” thing. I’m wondering in your whole career, have you ever been mic’d and realized you said something and been like “Oh, I hope they don’t use that?”) – “I’ve been mic’d a few times but now when they ask me, I always say no. (laughter) I don’t like to be mic’d. I think a lot of times they have to pass it through. I’ve been on Hard Knocks before and there’s certainly been a few things in the meetings and elsewhere that I’ve said where I’ve looked up at the camera and … (laughter). So there’s some buried footage somewhere. (laughter) I think a lot of times they have to pass that through the proper channels. Whenever they ask me, I avoid it if I can.”
(Can you share any of those stories now?) – “No. (laughter)”
(You mentioned this team looks different from what it was the first few weeks. You look different as a quarterback than the first couple of weeks. Is there anything you can point to that’s changed your game?) – “No. I just think familiarity. I’m just a little more comfortable with the guys in the huddle and everyone is playing together a little bit better. I think the coaching staff is understanding the guys that we have and the talents that we have and again, the positives and the negatives and really trying to bring up those positives. So learning the players as we go. I really think it’s just we all kind of know each other now so we’re coming together a little bit more.”
(I’ve wanted to ask you this for a couple of weeks now. You have such a settling presence and a coach-like mentality. I’m not trying to rush you into retirement but what do you want to do when you’re done?) – “I don’t know yet. I want to be a full-time dad for a little bit and then I know after that, I’ll try to figure it out from there. I know I owe my wife a lot of emptying of the dishwasher and other little chores that I have neglected to do during the season. I’m not sure yet. I get that question a lot and I just try to say I’m going to wait and put everything I have into playing and then when I’m done, I’ll see what comes up.”
(What has this season been like for you away from your family? Is this the first time that you’ve been away?) – “Yeah, the first time. It’s been very difficult in that regard and the rollercoaster of playing and not playing and playing. It makes it a lot easier when I’m playing because I’m so busy and focused and into it; but it’s not the easiest thing in the world.”
(What’s the thing you miss the most about your kids being around?) – “Going home and eating dinner or going home and being able to watch a soccer practice or a football practice or help with math homework. Those are the little things that they start to add up a little bit after a while. It’s things that I’m not able to do with some of my younger ones that I was able to do with my older ones because I’m not around as much right now. But going into this season, I knew there were certain sacrifices that had to be made and they’re my biggest fans, so they enjoy it when I’m out there playing.”
(Do you feel like you’re playing as long as you produce?) – “You’re talking about in the present right now or for years?”
(Right now.) – “I think I just look at it as a week-to-week proposition. I’m pouring everything I have into the Steelers right now. I know and have experienced a lot just how quickly things change in this league, so I’m giving everything I have to perform well on Monday night this week.”
(I know we talked about it after the game but that hit you had on Bills S Micah Hyde – did you feel that afterwards or the next day?) – “I feel good right now. It makes me feel more like a football player sometimes to do stuff like that.”
Brian Flores – October 24, 2019
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Thursday, October 24, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(RB Kenyan Drake is a guy who has had his name out there in trade rumors. I was wondering if you’ve been able to talk to him about that and if it’s a potential distraction.) – “I try to talk to most of our players on a daily basis. Right now, our focus is on the Steelers and that’s kind of where all of my conversations and messaging to the team is. Really, that’s where we’re at. Then again, any conversations from that standpoint – I know the (trade) deadline is next week and it’s what a lot of people want to talk about – but those conversations, if they’re even had, will be internal for us as an organization between myself, (General Manager) Chris (Grier), (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore) and our staff. No, from a distraction standpoint I don’t even mention that. I don’t think that’s the case at all. I think Kenyan is going to be at practice today and he’s excited to play, just as the rest of the group is.”
(Do you anticipate RB Kenyan Drake being on the team for the rest of the season?) – “I mean, yeah, I do – unless there’s some other situation that presents itself. Look, I can’t sit here and predict the future; but yeah, I do. He’s been productive for us. He’s a good player. That’s what I expect.”
(Do you have an update on T J’Marcus Webb?) – “He’s doing everything he can to get back out there. He’s a tough kid. He wants to play, wants to practice. He’s doing everything he can. Hopefully we get him out there today.”
(What’s the plan if T J’Marcus Webb can’t go?) – “We’d have to move some things around. Obviously Isaiah Prince has started games for us earlier in the year, so he’d be the next guy in; but we’ll see how J’Marcus is feeling. Again, he’s a tough guy so he’ll do everything he can to get out there.”
(A phrase that came up a couple of times and I think you used it after the game on Sunday was referring to learning how to win. How does a team go about doing that? Is it something where you know you’ve done it once you’ve actually won? What’s the process? You’ve been on teams that have won a lot.) – “I think there’s a lot that goes into it. I think the one thing that – well, really every play counts. I think that’s the first piece to it. From the first play to the last play and every play in between, they all count. So you want to have high execution really on every play, and good communication, because you don’t know which one it’s going to be that is the difference between winning and losing. I think that mentality, that every play counts and if you dwell on previous plays – good or bad – that will affect the next play. So just having a next-play mentality and an every-play-counts mentality. That’s where I would start. To me, the next part is there are critical moments in the game. Let’s call it critical red-zone possession or a critical third down or a defensive possession after a score. There’s kind of critical points in the game. Again, every play counts and every play is critical; but there are critical moments and junctures in a game where as a team, we need to kind of recognize that and play our best football right then. So the best execution, the best communication, the best calls from a play-call standpoint. There’s an entire series of – look, a lot of people are involved in that, myself included. That’s kind of what we’ve talked about as a team, as a staff, and those are things you have to recognize those situations in the game.”
(Is there any aspect of what you just described where you think the team is doing particularly well at this point or needs to really focus on that’s been lacking up until this point?) – “Yeah, we’re lacking in a lot of those areas – recognizing those critical situations, execution in those critical situations. I think all of it plays a role and we need to get better at that. It starts with me.”
(Sacks are easy for us to see. DE Taco Charlton has three in four games. What’s not so obvious in terms of how he’s doing?) – “I think he’s doing well. I think he’s still learning. I think from a consistency standpoint, rush to rush, there are some things he could be doing a lot better. He’s had some production. There could be more. That just comes with knowing your opponent, knowing the scheme and putting yourself in a good position. I think he’s doing a lot of good things and I think if he continues to improve and gets more comfortable within the defense, he’ll continue to have the production that he’s had and hopefully even more.”
(What has been at the root of the issue in terms of the team’s inability to stop the run?) – “Communication, setting the edge (and) tackling I would say, at the end of the day. I think if we tackle better, and that’s going to be a big thing this week against this group. They’re tops in the league as far as yards after contact. So tackling I would say is at the forefront. But again, there’s a lot of things that go into it from a communication, alignment, setting the edge (standpoint). At the end of the day, we have to do a better job of tackling.”
(Your back end has seem to hung in there pretty good without CB Xavien Howard the last two weeks. What has shown up to you that has impressed you?) – “I think between Ken (Webster) and (Nik) Needham and Ryan Lewis, I think those guys play hard. They work the techniques, they try to be physical at the line of scrimmage. All three guys can run pretty well. We’re trying to develop everyone on the team. I think you can kind of see some progress in the back end with those guys. Look, they’re all hardworking kids. It’s very important to each one of them. They listen, they’re attentive and they’ve had a little bit of production.”
(How demanding are you on them to learn a bunch of different things and then play on Sunday? We’ve talked about obviously CB Eric Rowe playing some safety, but you’ve been moving a bunch of guys around.) – “We try to put a lot on that group and try to put them all in positions to play well. I think they’ve responded, that entire group, and I would say that about the entire team. We’ve ask multiple guys to play different roles and defensively they’ve all responded. It’s not all perfect. I’d be the first to say that. I think this is a hardworking group. We’ll continue to put more on them, ask them to do more and hopefully they’re productive out there.”
(You’ve obviously seen all the games. Do you think there have been times where the opponent has underestimated your team?) – “No. That’s not really something I think about. I think in this league, I don’t think there’s a coach out there that’s underestimating another team. I don’t think that’s how – I don’t think that happens a lot in this league. I think every week it’s another test for every team, just like it is for us. I think teams, hopefully they see that we’re going to compete and fight. I can’t speak for other teams, to be honest with you.”
(The reason I’m asking is if you watch the New England game, the Dallas game, last week’s Buffalo game, it’s almost like they’re not all that into it and then all of a sudden they turn it on and things game in the game. That’s why – You notice that, right?) – “I just think you go out, you start the game, teams make adjustments (and) we try to make adjustments. I think that’s how every game goes. There’s ebbs and flows in each game. I can’t speak to whether or not another team underestimates us or didn’t underestimate. There’s no way for me to actually know that. My opinion is that they’re not. I think every team, every coach, they’re trying to go out there and move the ball offensively and stop them defensively and win the field position battle in the kicking game. I don’t think anyone is not trying to do that or thinks that the other team is going to not go out there and play. I don’t think that’s the case. That’s my thought process there.”
(You have such a young team. What advice would you give to all those players that who have never played on Monday Night Football before?) – “Take it one play at a time. Look, it’s a road game on Monday night. It will be our first night game of the season. (There will be) a lot of attention paid to the game, but just take it one play at a time. That’s going to be my message really the entire week. Let’s try to execute, let’s try to communicate, execute on a play-to-play basis and let’s see how that works out for us. Let’s not think about it being Monday night or who’s watching or the outcome of the game or anything like that. Let’s just take it one play at a time.”
(What’s your assessment of T Andrew Donnal and C/G Keaton Sutherland since you’ve gotten them here and have you been able to implement them into the offensive line?) – “Donnal’s had some experience in the league and that shows up on the field as far as communication, having seen different looks. (He’s) tough, he’s physical, he’s a hard-working guy. Keaton is young, a young player in the league. (He’s) got some athletic ability. He’s a smart kid. He kind of understands things almost like a veteran in a lot of ways. That’s been good. I think I like having both guys. I know (they) haven’t gotten much time for either one of them, specifically Keaton; but I think they’re developing and that’s really what we’re looking for.”
(You’re very familiar with Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick and obviously you play him this week on the other side. How do you evaluate how the deal has affected both teams short-term and long-term?) – “That’s not really – I just kind of evaluate their defense and him as a cog in their defense, as well as their offense and their special teams. They’ve got a lot of good players. Minkah happens to be one of them. I’m not thinking about the deal. I’m thinking about the Steelers and T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree over here and (Javon) Hargrave in the middle and (Cameron) Heyward and Devin Bush and Minkah and (Terrell) Edumunds and (Steven) Nelson over here, (Joe) Haden – (laughter) They’ve got a lot of guys. You can’t focus on one guy. Then offensively, we can go into all of that. The deal was the deal. That happened, but it’s in the past and it’s not really – I’ve got a lot of other things on my mind. I understand the question.”
(What have you noticed of how they’ve used Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick and how he’s kind of delved into their defense?) – “I think he’s had some production. He’s playing safety. He’s playing some in the box, in the deep part of the field. I think they’re using him well, and he’s been productive. I have a lot of respect for Minkah, as do a lot of our players; but I have a lot of respect for that entire team. He’s a good piece for them.”
(How would you assess WR DeVante Parker’s development through the season?) – “I think he’s made a lot of improvement over the course of the year. Every week he seems to kind of come up with a catch – a big catch for us – deep down the field, across the middle. He’s made some tough catches as well. The way he’s practiced, the way he performs – the way he practices has shown up in games. I think he’s really done a good job along with the rest of the receiver group. I think we’re starting to get some guys back. Preston (Williams), Albert (Wilson) – Albert had a catch last week and I think we’re starting to get him back going and (Allen) Hurns. I like what I’m seeing from that group and hopefully, we continue to improve.”
Patrick Graham – October 22, 2019
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Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham
(If I could ask you a housekeeping question in regards to what you saw in the first week of practice with CB Cordrea Tankersley and DT Robert Nkemdiche?) – “With Robert and ‘Tank’ (Cordrea Tankersley) – with guys that are injured and coming back and stuff like that, I really defer that stuff to ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) to talk about that staff; but the guys are working hard in the meeting room and stuff. They all have been. It’s been positive in terms of what I’ve been exposed to with them.”
(This LB Vince Biegel guy – I know he’s got a motor and he’s got enthusiasm and he makes everybody happy and that’s awesome. He’s got an infectious thing going and he’s good, but I’m curious from a pure football talent perspective – not just “oh he works hard and he tries hard” – what is something you’ve learned about him that’s maybe surprising?) – “Aside from ‘go hard,’ his beard is pretty strong, too. (laughter) Like I told you last week – I believe it was last week – he plays with extension. Like if you watch the play from this past weekend when he broke through for the sack, it was blocked at first, but then the hands – he remained active with his hands – he kept pushing and clawing through. Again, is it something you put on a drill tape in terms of, ‘okay this is the perfect way to break through for a pass rush?’ No, but he understood, ‘if I want to rush these guys correctly’ – (It’s) no different than what we’re dealing with this week with Pittsburgh because they’re bigger bodies, long guys who get their hands on you. You have to play with extension and continually use your hands. If you watch that clip, that’s what he does. He’s a long body who plays with his hands. That’s going to aid in the pass rush. That’s going to aid in the run game. I think that’s – if you go back and revisit that play – that’s a perfect example of his physical tools that aside from the motor and all that stuff like that, the physical tools of playing with your hands, playing with extension and being violent and working you throughout the down will help him out.”
(Linebackers Coach Rob Leonard told us a couple weeks back that he actually had talked to LB Vince Biegel about “not killing the quarterback on scout team.” Is that an experience that you’ve had to have as well?) – “With him or just?”
(Yeah, LB Vince Biegel.) – “Everybody practices hard. We just as a group, we’ve just got to learn how to practice together. That’s always a process. Any football season you’re dealing with in the beginning of the year, especially when you have transition with new guys, how does this team practice? How do we practice well together? How do we get better where we’re being competitive but we’re also being safe? That’s just something normal that takes place between coaches, players – no matter what team it is – early in the season.”
(I guess the broader question is that kind of speaks to the level of intensity and focus LB Vince Biegel brings to the unit?) – “Whenever we practice, it’s the most important thing we do during the week. Period. The meetings, I get the meetings; I love getting up there and talking to them and getting the information to them, but the practice is the most important thing we do during the week leading into the game, so everybody’s intensity is up for practice. The thing is, does Biegel work hard at practice? Yeah, but there’s a bunch of a guys working hard at practice because it’s the most important thing we do on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. That’s the most important thing that we do when we go out to the field, because it’s the most similar to the game. That’s the only way we can improve. That’s the only way we can build confidence with one another between the coaches, the players, the players with each other; so everybody’s intensity level is up. My intensity level is up for practice because it’s the most important thing. All the preparation that goes in from a 24-hour work day – well, not 24-hour work day. Sorry. Sometimes it feels like that; (laughter) but an 18-hour work day, it’s to get ready for those two hours of practice. That’s why it’s so important. That’s why the intensity is up.”
(In the last two weeks – especially on the third down, there seem to have been some play calls that have gone really well. What do you like about your play-calling in the last two weeks?) – “Very few times in the history of football does that have anything with the play calls. It’s about the players out there. It’s them executing what we’re asking them to do. Again, any success we’ve had on third down has been because of what they’ve done out there. I have very little to do with that and aside from that, it’s a collaborative effort. Thankfully for me, I’ve got a good resource with our head coach, (Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks Coach) Josh Boyer, (Safeties Coach) Tony Oden, (Linebackers Coach) Robbie Leonard, (Defensive Line Coach) Marion Hobby, those guys all help with the input on the play-calling in terms of defensive calls; but it comes back to the guys executing, the guys believing in the call and guys executing their assignment. Whenever you’re talking about third down, it’s an awareness thing because it could be different from third-and-1 to third-and-20 obviously. Secondly, I think once you realize it’s run, you’ve got to set the edge and play with power inside. Once you realize it’s pass, you’ve got to play proper leverage and you can’t give the quarterback clear throwing lanes. All that stuff combined together, what the call is – does it matter? I don’t know. It matters how the guys do executing those tasks.”
(CB Ryan Lewis wound up starting a few days after you guys picked him up. What goes into the process of getting somebody ready that quickly and how would you say he did?) – “I think – and I’ve talked about it before – that’s our job. Whoever we get and if we’re telling them they’re going to play, that’s our job to get them ready. The process of that is extra time – when permitted, we get extra time with them – and it’s about how much work they put into it, because they’ve got to get caught up. It’s definitely a challenging task, I would say for the player more so than the coach. I’m used to doing it, but that’s a lot of credit to him in terms of getting ready to go, playing in a competitive game, a great environment like Buffalo. Now it’s a process of getting ready for Pittsburgh right now because we’ve got a huge challenge there. A huge challenge there with – I know I’m sure (Ryan Lewis) is studying now their receiving corps. Their quarterbacks are playing well. I know it’s different without Ben (Roethlisberger) there, but these guys are playing well. They’re running the offense. As usual, Pittsburgh provides a challenge in the passing game and in the running game. I’m sure that’s what they’re focused on now.”
(How would you assess how CB Ryan Lewis did?) – “He competed. He competed. He did what we asked him to do. He was playing the way we wanted him to play. I thought he did a good job. We’ve all got to do a better job and improve because we’ve got to do enough to win the game.”
(I noticed that you guys have been playing CB Eric Rowe a little bit more in a safety/linebacker hybrid role. What about his skillset has allowed him to transition into more of that role?) – “The funny thing is for me – because I have to keep things simple because I’m not that smart – but the roles in football are in terms of, ‘Are you physical? Are you tough? ‘Okay, so there, he can do that. He can tackle. Right now, because he’s physical, tough and he’s smart (and) he can tackle, now we can maneuver him throughout the defense. If we need him to play d-end in a certain role, (he could). Because of those attributes, he’s able to play different spots. On top of that, he plays with extension; he has length. So now, moving him down closer to the box is not as much of an issue as it could be with some other players. All of the physical tools there – extension, playing with some toughness, can he tackle, the intelligence there, the length – that all plays into it. Now it provides us with an opportunity to have some flexibility.”
(CB Eric Rowe’s kind of switch is more about him rather than you guys needing help at certain other positions?) – “I don’t know if it’s a switch because if you just take a look at it from game to game, everything changes and we’re game plan-specific. If Eric or whoever it may be, they could be playing a different spot or how you see the spot. We might still be calling it whatever spot it is. It’s not necessarily like where – it’s based on where we need them to play and then his skillset fits that mold.”
(DT Davon Godchaux has emerged on this defense. What do you see from him on a week-to-week basis?) – “It’s funny. We talked about that. I remember the first time I met him in the cafeteria and he was talking about his stance and how it was going to be different and all that stuff like that and I remember – I won’t use the language I used – I said, ‘no.’ Obviously there was something before that, I was like, ‘_______ no, we’re not doing that.’ (laughter) To his credit, I really enjoy being around him and coaching him. He’s worked his butt off to improve and do the things we’re asking. He comes in every day. He goes to work. He’s in good shape. He’s playing with better pad level. He’s playing with his hands in front of his eyes. He’s playing violently with his lock out and shed and getting rid of blockers. I couldn’t be more pleased with him. Obviously, he has still stuff he can improve upon and we’re working on that; but in terms of him as a worker along with the other guys on the defense, I’ve been pleased with that.”
(What went through your mind when they announced DT Christian Wilkins disqualified?) – “I’m calling the defense. (It was) just: next play. Next play. That’s what ends up happening. You’ve got to move on and just move onto the next play and just keep rolling.”
(I wanted to ask you about the run defense. You guys are no longer the last in the league, but you are allowing 160 rushing yards allowed per game. When we talked to you back in the spring, you said that is your top priority. What is it going to take for this defense to get better when it comes to containing the run?) – “The run game again, to me, it starts with the mentality, I think in this league. I think our focus on that is starting to improve. It starts with mentality. Then after that, just in terms of understanding how we have to defend the run in this league to be successful. Then after that, it goes back to the fundamentals: set the edge, play with power inside and proper pursuit angles to the ball. All things that I think we’re working to get improved upon. Honestly, what we’re doing is we’re starting in practice trying to work it. Whether it’s individual drills, whether it’s extra 9-on-7; whatever it may be, we’re doing what we have to do to improve that. Any improvement we’ve seen is because of practice. Now what’ll happen this week is the challenge – you’ve got (Steelers James) Conner back there. It doesn’t matter what you work on, you’ve got to tackle that guy. (laughter) You’ve got to defeat the blocks of this offensive line who is probably one of the bigger offensive lines in the league and they have tight ends that are willing to block. It all comes back to we’re trying to improve it in practice and then what we do on Monday, we’ll see, because it’s definitely a challenge with Pittsburgh. They’ve been violent with their double teams. You’ve got (Steelers G David) DeCastro pulling. You’ve got all this stuff going on. These guys are again, a very good up-front offensive line. (They are) strong guys, big guys and they’ve got good backs.”
(How do you explain the two takeaways in the season and how do you get more of those?) – “Again, to me, what we’re going to try to do is, it starts with practice. Not to sound cliché, but we’re practicing to get the turnovers. The thing that’ll happen, usually a lot of times they come in bunches. We’ve got to get our hands on more balls. We’ve got to force some more turnovers, but we’re working to improve that. There are teams that are a little bit more prone to ball disruption and some that aren’t, but we’ve got to find ways to get the ball off of them.”
(Are you surprised that by only two takeaways at this point in the season?) – “Surprised? We need more. Let me just put it that way. We need more, so that’s what we’re working on.”
(You’ve used a formation from time to time with one lineman and whole bunch of linebackers and DBs. What needs to happen with that formation to make it work?) – “Well, just in the NFL in general, you want to try to be multiple out of whatever you do. Here’s the thing I’ll explain to some of my friends. I’m like, all I do is football aside from my family. That’s all I do. If you stay in one thing the whole time, people will figure it out, so that’s a part of it. You’ve just got to keep growing it and then again, you start getting input from the players, input from the other coaches. Then it just starts to grow and you see where it goes from there. Again, if it’s not going to work for that week, we won’t use it. So for this week, who knows? I don’t know. We’re not even there yet, to be honest with you. We’re still focused on the people and the early-down stuff right now, but it’s all based on what we think is going to be best for this week.”
(It seems like you got a pretty good result with it, though, does it not?) – “Yeah, I think it’s been – again, we’ve got to get the win. That’s the main result I’m more concerned with, but we’ve gotten some pressure. We’ve forced them not to convert on third down. We’ve had some success with it; but again, whether it’s going to be a viable option for this week or not, we’ll see when we get to the point studying it.”
(You mentioned earlier how Head Coach Brian Flores of course has an input on play-calling, the game plan and everything. I was trying to think about what that’d be like because you’re the guy that makes the calls. I was thinking maybe it’d be like I’m cooking dinner and my wife is making suggestions all the time. “How about adding some mushrooms? You need some more salt and pepper.” What’s it like?) – “(laughter) Well, you know (Brian Flores and I) shared a office together for like four or five years. I’m not saying we’re completing each other’s sentences, but we go into it as he’s the head coach, (and the) coordinators and assistant coaches being on the same page. That’s in terms of the input there. Whatever Coach (Flores) wants to input during the game, he can; but we spend a lot of time together. (laughter) I don’t know if it’s like cooking dinner. I don’t want to go that for. You come up with whatever you want to come up with on that one. (laughter)”
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.”
Brian Flores – October 21, 2019
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Monday, October 21, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(When you look over the film, obviously the special teams score was a misstep or complication; but what areas do you feel you were close to getting over that hump?) – “I thought we played well in a lot of areas. I thought we moved the ball well offensively. I thought we got the run game going. I thought the protection was fairly good. I thought we made some plays down the field. I thought we converted on third down. But really, at the end of the day, this game comes down to execution in the critical moments – so third down, red zone, two-minute – and then limiting turnovers. We didn’t do those things. There were a crucial couple of plays there down in the red zone (where) we didn’t convert and we turned it over. I would say in those critical moments, we didn’t play well enough. We did a lot of good things really offensively, defensively and in the kicking game; but we’ve got to do a little bit more.”
(I know moral victories aren’t really important in the NFL but do you have to remind the players that you are getting closer to where they need to be?) – “I think they know that. I think they’ve heard that before. I think we’re at the point here where (we’re getting) closer and closer and closer and closer but at the end of the day, the result isn’t what you want, so we’ve got to do a little bit more. We’ve got to coach it better. We’ve got to play better. We’ve got to execute better. We’ve got to practice every situation with the intent to execute those situations in the game in all areas, because I don’t know which play it’s going to be and they don’t know which play it’s going to be. So we have to practice all of those situations with an intent to execute the way we’re going to try to execute it in the game, and I’ve got to do a better job of getting this team to do that.”
(What qualities does RB Mark Walton have to enable him at his size to run so successfully up the guy of the defense?) – “He’s got really good vision, a low center of gravity, good burst through the hole and he’s just got a good feel for running the football, setting up blocks and I guess he’s a small guy to find behind those big linemen. I thought he ran the ball well yesterday and I think he’s been running the ball well for the last few weeks. We’ll keep giving it to him since he’s being productive and hopefully he’ll continue to develop and get better. This is a guy that comes in and works on his craft at a daily basis from blocking to catching to running the football to playing in the kicking game. Those are the types of guys that we need around here.”
(Is that what you want – what you’ve seen from RB Mark Walton – a guy who makes it clear that I need to be playing more?) – “Oh, yeah. We want every person on this team to take advantage of their opportunities when they get out there. Once you do that, I think it’s clear to anyone who watches that if you’re a Dolphins fan, you want to see Mark Walton get the football a little bit more. I like all of our backs. (Kenyan) Drake has gone in there and made plays, (Kalen) Ballage has gone in there and made plays. But Mark has definitely been playing well the last couple of weeks.”
(What do you need to do to start getting some takeaways?) – “Those, a lot of times, come in bunches. I think we just need to get one. Let’s just start with that. Punching at the ball, making the catch when the opportunity presents itself on a tipped ball. I think once we get one – well let’s just start with one. That’s really where I’m at with that. Let’s just start with one.”
(Obviously you don’t want to lose but how do you stay optimistic and not let the losses get to you?) – “I mean I’ve dealt with a lot of adversity in my life. I’ve been punched before and you just get up and you just keep going. That’s kind of been my – that’s kind of how I go about my business. Look, I’m never going to make excuses. I’m not going to point fingers. I’m just going to get up and get better the next day. That’s been my approach and that’s the approach of this team. That’s the way I’m going to handle my business.”
(There’s a report that a fan claimed that S Bobby McCain threatened or spit on a 13-year-old boy. What do you know about that report and have you followed through?) – “Yeah, I talked to Bobby about this this morning. He and I had a pretty open dialogue. I heard his side of the story. It’s unfortunate. I feel like he needed to handle that situation better. We’re going to discipline Bobby for that. We’ll handle that discipline internally. Situations like this, we’ve got to handle those situations. Before I say that, we take those very seriously. There’s a standard that we’re trying to set here of professionalism, of the way we go about things, and we need to live up to that standard and we’re going to. I talked to Bobby and again, I heard his side of the story but we need to handle the situation better – really on the field, let’s talk about Christian (Wilkins) and that situation, and then this other situation as well. That will certainly get handled internally.”
(Will the discipline involve S Bobby McCain missing playing time?) – “Again, that’s going to be handled internally.”
(Obviously the losses are at the forefront but besides the losses, what’s the most disappointing part of the season that you’re going through with this team?) – “I don’t focus on that. I focus on the improvement I see, the progress we’re making as a team. The communication, the guys coming together, guys playing hard, guys fighting for one another, guys practicing and trying to get better and improve, and you see the improvement. I really don’t focus on disappointments yet. Is it tough to lose? Yeah, especially when you come out here and you work on a daily basis. I see progress, I see improvement. At the end of the day, it’s about wins and losses. We’ve got a group of guys who are tough and they are motivated and they don’t quit. I like this group.”
(With DT Christian Wilkins, do you see a common denominator between what happened yesterday and his roughness penalty against the Chargers?) – “(He is) a young player trying to play aggressive, trying to play with a fight, and a vigor and an ‘I’m not backing down from anyone type of attitude,’ but you got to play with poise. It’s just – losing your starting d-tackle for an entire game, that’s a tough loss for any defense. I think our guys fought through it. Christian was upset about it. Look, he’s a good kid. There’s no doubt about that. He works hard, and this is important to him; but again, there are consequences to our actions. I think that’s something that we all need to understand, on the field and off the field. Aside from football as a coach, that’s what you’re teaching these guys, or trying to teach them. There’s consequences for your actions. If you throw a punch in the game, you’re going to get kicked out. If you miss a meeting or you have an issue, there are consequences for your actions. That’s not just on the football field, that’s life. We need to learn that and learn a lot of life lessons in this game. That’s part of coaching as well.”
(How did your center adjust to his first start? How did he do?) – “(Evan) Boehm, I thought he played well. The communication was good, the snaps were good, he made some good blocks. We played well as an offensive line for the most part. Protection was solid. We had time to throw it. ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) did a good job of getting it out and for a guy who – (Daniel) Kilgore is a big part of this team. (He’s) a captain, a leader and his voice is – he’s a leader on this team. Boehm stepped in and I thought he did an admiral job.”
(How did G Shaq Calhoun play?) – “He played – look, he’s a young player. I think he had a missed block early I think resulted in a TFL (tackle for loss). I want to say the safety came off of the edge and we missed him. After that, I thought he played pretty solid. As an offensive line, and as an offense, I think we moved the ball fairly well. He’s a young player. It’s good to get those reps and that experience.”
(Was C/G Chris Reed in there because of injury or just performance-based?) – “Shaq had a little – he got dinged a little bit and he had to come out. Chris has been in there. He has been with us since the spring. He knows exactly what we’re doing. He can play multiple positions. He’s a tough kid. He’s worked hard. We felt fine sticking him in there. That was no issue.”
(This is your fifth combination on the offensive line in six games. At what point do you want to see some continuity, some consistency there?) – “There’s – Injuries happen. That’s been the case for us. I’d love for everybody to stay healthy and have the same offensive line the entire season. The likelihood of that – I don’t know how many teams have the same five guys the entire season. As far as continuity, I mean this is the game. This is kind of how it goes.”
(I know you never want to see your starting quarterback try to run over a defender, at least I assume you don’t. After watching that on tape, what did you see on that play with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick?) – “I saw someone who – It’s very important to him to put it in the end zone and score. That’s what we want out of guys on this team. At times, a quarterback has to do that. I think it – at that position, at that leadership position, when that guy shows that type of toughness, I think it permeates throughout the entire team. ‘Fitz’ is a tough guy and thankfully there was no injury or anything like that. I like the toughness.”
(Are you optimistic that CB Xavien Howard and S Reshad Jones will be back this week?) – “Both guys are working extremely hard to get back. We’re close with Xavien and I think we’re going to be close with Reshad this week as well. It’s early in the week and we’ve got an extra day, so hopefully. But look, we’re going up to Pittsburgh. It’s another tough place, another tough environment. (They’re a) really good team – physical, tough, great environment. If you like football, this is the type of environment you want to be in.”
Preston Williams – October 21, 2019
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Monday, October 21, 2019
WR Preston Williams
(Do you feel like you’re getting closer?) – “Yeah. We’re working every day. Just different situations, different ways we’ve been losing games, different reasons why; but I feel like we’re getting better.”
(I know there are no moral victories, but do you sense that things are different around here the last couple of weeks with the way things are trending?) – “Yeah, we’re definitely progressing. We’re getting better. We’re moving in the direction we want to move. (We’re) still trying to get that first victory, though.”
(The roster turned over a lot right before the season started. Does that, kind of looking back at the first few weeks, almost feel like sort of like the preseason again as you were all trying to get to know each other, know each other’s tendencies and stuff like that?) – “It’s business at the end of the day. Everybody is working for a situation like that. Somebody might go down, somebody might get traded or something. We just (need) to be ready when our number is called or anything.”
(You personally after the game said that you feel like you’ve gotten a lot better since the start of the year. Is there certain things that you can pinpoint that has changed a lot for you since you got here?) – “The number one thing is the game is slowing down for me. It was very fast the first couple of games. My mindset was just trying not to mess up and just trying to be perfect and more consistent. I’ve been more consistent. I just face different obstacles every week, just different ones. I’m just working on myself trying to be a better pro.”
(How much pride do you take in the number you’re posting?) – “I take pride in it, but it’s nothing without wins. Winning is number one on my list.”
(Drops were an issue for you particularly early on. As you kind of get used to the speed, does that kind of naturally clean up?) – “Yeah, the drops – I’m not known for dropping balls. The game is kind of fast. I’m just trying to get chemistry with both quarterbacks at the same time. You can see it’s getting better and everything is starting to mold.”
(How would you describe what QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has brought to the offense with what he has done the last five quarters?) – “Energy, great leadership and being a 15-year vet, just keeping everybody positive. We’re a young team and ‘Fitz’ is one of the only veterans here. He’s taking his wisdom and knowledge and spreading it over all of us. We need that.”
(How do you like watching QB Ryan Fitzpatrick lowering his right shoulder and plowing into the end zone?) – “’Fitz’ swears he’s a running back. I’ll let ‘Fitz’ do his little dual-threat stuff he’s got going. (laughter)We believe in ‘Fitz;’ we love ‘Fitz.’”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has done it before, right? It’s not like it’s new.) – “Yeah. He’s a hard-nosed quarterback.”
(Obviously to lose is tough on everyone. What have you seen from Head Coach Brian Flores, especially lately, and how he has handled everything?) – “He’s real motivated and just keeping everybody together. He’s not letting the losing get to him. He’s still staying positive. He’s not giving up on anybody.”
(How important is that from your coach?) – “It’s real important from your head coach. Everybody is looking at him when stuff hits the fan or we’re going into the fire. He’s probably one of our biggest leaders on the team.”
Evan Boehm – October 21, 2019
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Monday, October 21, 2019
C/G Evan Boehm
(On the offensive line’s performance yesterday.) – “I think we had a pretty good game, but we lost. That’s what it boils down to is the wins and losses. I think overall as an offensive line, I think we played pretty well. Like always, there’s a couple plays that we always want to have back and see what went wrong here and what we needed to do better in certain situations. You look at the sack category; we didn’t let up any sacks and that’s a big plus. ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) also helped us out with scrambling and doing what ‘Fitz’ does, but I think overall our pass pro(tection) wasn’t too bad. Like always, there’s always corrections that need to be made.”
(A lot of moving parts, so how did you feel it worked in terms of the chemistry and the communication?) – “I think we’re all starting to get a lot more comfortable with each other. It’s another brand new offensive line that went out there and played in the sixth game of the season. I think this week at practice, we had a pretty good week at practice with the chemistry of the offensive line and Jesse (Davis) and Shaq (Calhoun) – they’ve probably played together in preseason or OTAs or something like that. (Michael) Deiter and ‘J-Webb’ (J’Marcus Webb) – I think they did pretty well on the left side. Sticking me in the middle – like I said last week – I’m just trying to help this team win and do the things necessary to help this team win. We’re getting closer and closer and closer, but we’re doing something that’s not good enough still and we’ve got to figure that out and figure out how in the offensive line room we can set this team and push that boulder over the hill and get that first W.”
(And for you back at your old familiar spot, how nice and comfortable did it feel?) – “We miss Danny (Kilgore). Danny is the captain of this football team. Danny is the captain of the offensive line. He’s the old guy in the room and we definitely miss Danny and his leadership out there. It was nice being back, but ultimately we miss Danny and we want Danny back as fast as possible.”
(Considering how many of the starters are guys who got here just a couple days before the season started, is the progression like you guys are having, do you feel like that’s pretty natural just as you get comfortable not just with the five but with the seven or eight or however many guys?) – “It’s not only the new guys, but it’s the guys that have been here before like Jesse (Davis), like (Michael) Deiter, like Shaq (Calhoun), like (Isaiah) Prince, Danny (Kilgore) and Chris (Reed). ‘Guge’ (Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo) got these guys, what, three weeks left in training camp? They’re trying to learn a brand new technique, scheme that ‘Guge’ teaches that’s not ‘normal’ – that’s not what the norm was here, what they were used to and stuff like that. I think everybody is getting more comfortable with it and buying into it more and more and more. I think it’s just starting to show that we’re getting more comfortable and more confident in the technique that he’s teaching, plus also with each other.”
