Zach Sieler – November 6, 2023
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Monday, November 6, 2023
DT Zach Sieler
(I noticed you guys had a lot of success running tackle/end stunts yesterday. I’m curious what impact or how much easier it makes your job when someone like LB Jaelan Phillips or LB Bradley Chubb can make such an impact rushing inwards to give you lanes to run through?) – “I think it helps a lot. I kind of hit on this earlier this year. We talked about this I think at the end of camp, start of camp, was just building that conformity between the four of us. Me, Christian (Wilkins), (Jaelan) Phillips, Chubb, Raekwon (Davis), (Emmanuel) Ogbah, ‘Gink’ (Andrew Van Ginkel) – any of us that rotate around in there – and building that unity with each other and knowing how each other rush and how to play off each other. It helps tremendously.”
(I think DT Christian Wilkins has a career-high in sacks or is enroute to a career-high in sacks. LB Bradley Chubb has been really hot recently. How does the defensive line feel? I think Chubb has, if I’m not mistaken, like four sacks in the last four games and two caused fumbles or whatever it is. Does it feel like the defensive line is getting hot right now?) – ”I think it just feels like we are doing what we are supposed to do and that’s what it is. We’ve got to take advantage of the plays we can. The calls that are called from Coach (Vic) Fangio, we’ve got to play them to the best of our abilities and we’ve got to make those plays when they arise and that’s what we’re trying to do, and Chubb is doing a great job right now of making every opportunity count that he’s able to do. He’s a great pass rusher and he’s getting there.”
(Earlier in the season obviously you guys were still figuring it out a bit. What’s been the difference aside from getting back a bunch of really good players?) – “I think a lot of it is just figuring it out and kind of seeing how we’re playing in (Vic) Fangio’s scheme compared to the older scheme that was here previously, and then how our blocks are different for us or how we’ve got to play something and adjust to something else, and sometimes that just takes time.”
(I imagine that was frustrating because you guys knew what your ability was and it was just a matter of kind of playing until you got to where you needed to be?) – “Yeah, you don’t get here without being frustrated at some point and having to work through something, so that’s something that we’ve all been built and coached and viewed as our strength for so long, is finding a way to make something work when you know you have all the abilities.”
(You and DT Christian Wilkins last year – you might know this – two of the four highest snap totals among all defensive linemen and now you guys are back to playing nearly all the snaps. Both of you only got a couple off yesterday. Besides being in great physical condition, what is required as a defensive lineman to play that many snaps? Is it mental toughness? What other qualities might you point to besides being …) – “Honestly you hit the nail on the head with the first one. It’s physical conditioning. Absolutely. And it’s also just the mentals of it and knowing – he and I both pride each other on ‘hey look, if we need to do it, we can do it.’ If we rotate, we rotate. If we don’t, we don’t. It’s just whatever the team calls for, he and I are ready to do.”
(Have you felt tired at all? Late in the game it’s natural to an extent, but has that been an issue for you these last couple years playing as many snaps as you have?) – “Early on, I think when I was trying to just getting into starting playing here – I didn’t play obviously when I was younger in the NFL and adapting to just everything. But now I think – and Christian (Wilkins) has done a great job helping teach me because he did play early on in his career a lot of snaps, and just kind of how weekly what we need to do to get your body right to recover and to get ready for next Sunday’s game, to be able to take those amounts of snaps if needed.”
(When you look at this defense, I’m wondering if you consider this a big-play defense. Your big plays – the sacks – and we just mentioned LB Bradley Chubb and CB Jalen Ramsey and CB Xavien Howard and S Jevon Holland. You guys, sacks, fumbles, interceptions. Do you look at you guys at a big-play defense?) – “I guess I never thought of that. I guess really what I look at is how we play as a defense and we go through a set of goals each week, what we want to accomplish and if we hit those goals or not.”
(Those goals, are they…?) – “It changes. It changes every week.”
(Did you have visions of six on that fumble recovery? I saw you trying to get back up.) – “(laughter) No, I just wanted to make sure I had full security of that ball and then just do what we can.”
(You mentioned learning from DT Christian Wilkins. Have you become a creature of habit to his extent or …?) – “I wouldn’t put me to his extent. I’ve always been a creature of habit. I’ve always been one that routine helps someone succeed, but no, not to Christian’s extent. That’s one of his greatest assets.”
