Vance Joseph – November 17, 2016
Download PDF version
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph
(What are some of the specifics you see with regards to CB Byron Maxwell. He seems like he has turned his season around. What has looked better lately than it did early in the season?) – “I think what’s better is he’s playing to the system. He’s understanding where his help is. He’s doing a better job with his technique and leverage. It’s a corner-friendly system if you play to it, and he’s kind of figured it out.”
(How do you feel like your corners have played in the last month or so?) – “They’ve played solid over the last month. Both of those kids have worked hard. They’ve improved with technique. We’ve given up very few big plays at the corner position. It’s been more concept, coverage stuff that has been exposed sometimes to force the big plays; but they’ve played solid and they’ve competed well. They’ve tackled well, both of those kids have for the last month. So I’ve been pleased.”
(Where’s the biggest area of growth you’ve seen in CB Tony Lippett’s game?) – “I would think his confidence. He’s a young corner and he hadn’t played much corner. He was a receiver in college. His confidence has gone up a lot. He believes now he can make plays. Not only being close, but going up for the ball and make the play. All spring and even some of the fall, he would be in a spot to make a play and he wouldn’t make it but now he’s trying to make plays. That’s the biggest thing with him. He’s gained confidence.”
(S Bacarri Rambo got himself some significant playing time very quickly. What did you see from him that gained that trust from you?) – “He was a very similar pick up to Donald Butler. He was a veteran player that’s played in this league, so I knew he could play, especially as a high safety on third downs for us. Once we lost Reshad (Jones), it was kind of toss up who’s going to be our high safety in a third down zone. Watching his film in the past, he was really good at that – playing the ball, having range in the high zone. He’s a smart guy. He makes very, very few errors. He’s been good for us. Same with LB Donald Butler – he’s been good for us in base downs as a Sam ‘backer once Koa (Misi) went down. So they’re very similar players – veterans who have played at a high level in the league at one point in their career.”
(With S Bacarri Rambo, he learned your defense according to your players, in one week. How does that happen?) – “Well I think it happens because he’s played some ball. In this league, we’re all playing the same stuff. We just call it different. Most veteran players come in and once they figured the certain words out, they can play. In a secondary, it’s four major coverages. It’s man. It’s zone. It’s Cover 2. It’s Cover 3. So for a safety it’s easier than a linebacker would have coming into the system. He’s played some ball. He’s been good for us. He’s made very few errors. He’s been good.”
(How did the injury affect LB Jelani Jenkins and might his injury affect who plays linebacker this week?) – “Jelani (Jenkins), he’s been beat up a little bit but played well last week. He had a club on his hand for four quarters and played well, and now he’s got a knee. If he can’t go then Neville Hewitt would play most of the base downs and Spencer Paysinger would play the sub downs. Neville has been splitting time with Jelani in base the last month and he’s played well, so I’m pleased with Neville. If (Jenkins) can’t go, Neville will play for him and we have Spencer playing the sub downs.”
(What do you think of the penalties in the defensive backfield last week? Do you think they were all legit?) – “I would say two or three were. And again, I don’t mind corners being close and playing with their hands. Sometimes it gets to be too much but I think two or three calls were the right calls. Maybe two could be … they were questionable; but again, I want guys close. I want them competing and that’s part of competing at corner. I’d much rather that than guys that are 5 yards off and not making plays and not trying to make plays. I’m okay with that. Some of it I’m okay with, not all of it.”
(DE Mario Williams and DE Jason Jones, were nursing some injuries. If you have an issue there, is DE Terrence Fede the next guy in line?) – “Absolutely. Jason practiced today for the first time this week. He should be okay. I think Mario will try to go tomorrow. If one guy is out, Fede would be up. Absolutely.”
(On LB Kiko Alonso’s game-winner the other day, what’s something that impressed you on that play that we might not have noticed?) – “Kiko, he’s a hell of an athlete. He’s popping from the A-gap and he’s playing zone coverage off a two-to-one read. If two’s up, he stays up. If two’s up and one comes under he has to drop two and come back to one. So he’s kind of carrying two a little bit and he sees one stop, so he comes back and picks the ball off and runs off with it. I mean he’s … that was a special play – a special play. The catch was really special and the run afterwards was obviously big-time. He’s been great for us. The last month, he’s played really at a high level. The Jets game to me was his best game all year. Obviously last week he had a productive day. He’s played really well for us.”
(Did you catch LB Kiko Alonso’s strut after he scored?) – “On TV I did. I didn’t see it on the field.” (Laughter)
(Did you know what it meant?) – “No, I did not. The boys told me it’s the Conor McGregor, I guess, right? It’s his postgame fight thing, I guess. He loves that stuff. Kiko loves the UFC and all of that stuff. It fits his bill.”
(Has LB Kiko Alonso surprised you at all?) – “No. I think this: as a rookie, he’s rookie of the year. That’s no accident. After that, he had two years of injuries and he wasn’t healthy, so he didn’t play as well. We got him healthy, so this is what he should have been the last two years but he wasn’t healthy to do it. Obviously we’re lucky to get him. He’s a young player still. He’s still learning how to play the position. His future is bright.”
