HEAD COACH JESSE MINTER
Opening Statement: "Again, I think yesterday, [we were] disappointed in the results of the game. [It was a] tale of two halves. I am disappointed in how we played in the second half. But [I] told the team today, 'We control where we go from here.' I feel like it's kind of one of those points in the season where you make a decision of the type of team you want to be. [I] feel like we have a 10-game season [where] we're in a good spot. We're not in a great spot. We're in an OK spot with our record being what it is to still have a lot of control over what happens to us in the next 10 games, starting with obviously this one, two in the short week. So, it's about our ability to respond to what's happened to us, to get better, to chase improvement as we always try to do and then to attack this thing. I think games can be trends if you let them be, or they can be a one-off if you let it be. And so, it's our responsibility to make sure a half like that is more of a one-off perspective from the way the half went and go from there. So, [I will open it up for] questions."
What is the optimism level as far as QB Lamar Jackson being able to play in Buffalo? (Jamison Hensley) "I think, again, Lamar [Jackson]'s working his butt off to be back and be out there. I think he was able to get in a little bit of work obviously towards the end of last week, and so I think he'll be in a decent spot, but we'll know a lot more on Wednesday."
You guys downgraded QB Lamar Jackson on Saturday. Typically, that's something you don't see too often, unless it's a road team for a player who doesn't travel. The CBS broadcast mentioned that he woke up Saturday with some swelling in his ankle. Can you confirm that, and is that what led to shutting it down, at least for Sunday? (Luke Jones) "No, I'm not going to speak really on the details of anybody's injury. So, look, if [Lamar Jackson]'s able to play, [is] healthy enough to play and play the way that obviously we feel like he needs to play, then he will play."
Not specifically about that injury, it was described as you guys being shocked that QB Lamar Jackson was able to play. Is that a mischaracterization, or what would you say to that? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I would say a little bit, but again, we had Saturday that – [Lamar Jackson] got a little bit of work in on Friday, came in Saturday and felt it out, saw where it's at, saw how it's going, how it felt, how it responded, and then what happened – happened."
Just following up on what you said after the game yesterday about the momentum of the team. How do you guys keep that message this week? What is the day-to-day work like to make sure that's not a defining characteristic of this team? (Childs Walker) "That's a great question. Again, I think it just goes to being able to have tough conversations, talking through things and being extremely process-oriented in everything that we do. When you're process-oriented, you do things a certain way and operate a certain way, that allows you to – to me – play with a level of focus and a level of consistency that sort of alleviates yourself from some of the external factors. So, that's really our main focus. As I was telling you, we have a talented team, right? We have guys that have – you hear the pregame announcements of who's starting, and it's Pro Bowl this, this, this, that and the other. So, we know that we have a capable team. We've even played like that at a good amount of spurts this year. But there's a level of consistency that we haven't found yet that we're searching for; some of it is like the ups and downs and things like that. So, it's just something, to me, constant that you're working through, that you're talking through. You don't want to make it a broken record that you're always talking about it, but I do think you have to own things that happened, and that's one of those things we have to own."
Right now, you guys are first in the league in point differential in the first half and last in the second half. I know you talk a lot about momentum, but how do you feel about the adjustments as the game goes on? Do you feel like you guys are making the right adjustments? (Cordell Woodland) "Well, I would say the numbers would say that we're not fully where we want to be in that regard, and that's just based off the facts of the score differentials. So, all three phases [need to be] doing a better job. Then also just – I think it's all of us. So, it's taking ownership of what we're doing offensively, defensively, special teams, how we're coming out of the half, what we're doing at halftime, how we're doing in the third quarter, what adjustments the other team's making, what are we ready for [and] what do we kind of think that they're going to do. I think all those things go into being better in the second half, and [it's] stuff that we'll constantly chase. But to your point, the numbers would say no, that we haven't done a great job of that, and that's something we'll focus on."
Yesterday aside, when you look at the bigger picture, what do you see when you look at the defensive backs when it comes to defending those top receivers? What has kind of been the struggle there for those guys? (Alex Glaze) "I would say every play's its own entity, and you could look at a bunch of different plays where it's something different [or] where it's certain coverage one play, certain coverage another play, certain guy one play, certain guy another play, playing a coverage one way versus the same route, or playing a coverage two different ways versus the same route even though we're in the same coverage. So, I think it's so many different things that it'd be almost unfair to say that it's one thing. To me, it just starts with us putting them in a better position. [It] always starts with the coaching, in my opinion, and I'll leave it at that."
How do you decide how to keep trusting the process versus figuring out what's not working and starting over? (Giana Han) "To me, [as far as] starting over and doing something different, I'm not really sure what you mean by that."
When it comes to your approach, whether it's at practice, what you're doing in meetings, or what you're doing on the sidelines. (Giana Han) "I think part of the process is obviously looking at how you do things and being willing to adjust and adapt those things. I don't think sticking to the process means, 'Hey, we're just going to keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results.' I think actually being process-driven is a willingness to look at how you practice, how you meet, how you do everything, and having the willingness and the adaptability to be able to make adjustments to those things to make it better. That, to me, is all part of diving into the process."
Obviously, there was growing frustration in the second half as there would be for any team with how it transpired. When you watch the tape, were you okay with the effort level late in the game? Is that something you felt you had to talk to the team about, or is that something you didn't see an issue with? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think that if all the players were sitting here right now, I think everybody would say that the product on the field and the results is not something that we're proud of. You can take that a bunch of different ways. But that, to me, is like all of us collectively taking ownership of what happened. There's plays where we're not making tackles or we're not playing something right or we're not communicating, and to me, that all falls under the same umbrella. When you're not playing at the level you need to play at, it can mean a lot of different things. Do the guys try hard? Yes, the guys try hard. It's not because they don't want to try to do well. But to me, it's just [that] you can throw a bunch of things in a bucket and say we're not doing all these little things that lead to success. And so, that's how I'd answer that one."
When your best and most experienced players don't play well, how do you deal with that? Do you challenge them? Do you trust them to fix themselves? How do you go about that? (Childs Walker) "I think there's a level of accountability, especially when you're creating your own standard and culture and things like that, you have to be able to hold those guys accountable. But at the same time, normally the really good ones are the first ones coming in and saying, 'That's my fault. This was me. How do I do this better?' And so, we have a bunch of guys that take accountability when they mess something up, just like we have a coaching staff that does the same thing. Again, we're all in this thing together. It can be finger-pointing and blaming and this and that, [but] that's not how we really want to operate. We want guys to be accountable to how they do things, just like I will be, just like the coaches will be [and] everybody throughout the building. There is a level of, 'Hey, we all need to do this better. [On] this particular play, maybe it's you. [On] this particular play, maybe it's you. These are the penalties. These are the missed tackles.' Showing those [so] everybody sees who it is without saying, 'Hey, that guy, man, he missed blah, blah, blah tackles.' The film you're showing in front of the whole team kind of tells the story. There is a way to try to do it. I always try to do it in a way that it teaches everybody else a lesson at the same time, and it's not just calling out one particular player."
In those moments when things are starting to snowball, are you seeing what you want to see within the locker room from its leaders and how they respond? (Giana Han) "That's a great question. Again, we have guys that care and want to do it right, but there's also moments in the game where it's like, 'Who's the guy that's going to grab everybody together [and] get them together on the sideline? I think as a team, we're working through who that is. Who is that person? Who are those players? There's guys that want to do it, and then there's guys that maybe they're dealing with something or they're not playing the way they want to play, so they don't feel like they can do it in those moments. To me, again, it's like if you're kind of a known leader, sometimes you have to even erase how you're playing if you feel like you can collectively get everybody out of a funk or whatever it might be in at the time. Those are things I think we're continuing to work towards, but yeah, I think there's moments where we need a little bit more."
This past offseason, owner Steve Bisciotti said one of the reasons he made the coaching change was because of some of the inability to finish games in the second half or fourth quarter. You obviously attack that with the saying, 'Be at your best when your best is needed.' Why do you feel like that's still an issue right now? (Cordell Woodland) "That's a great question. I mean, I don't get too caught up in what happened before. I certainly know the history here and what's happened the last couple years. It's something that I think every team tries to attack and own. This 2026 version, we've had a few games that have gone our way and a few games that haven't, I would say, in that regard. And so, I think we're seven games in of going at these things together. We're figuring out each other and how we respond in these tough moments. And so, I think, to me, it's okay for players to have scars and coaches to have scars. I have my own scars from other places that I've been, and things like that. But it's also us collectively together, let's look at what we've been through together. Let's keep chasing how we fix ourselves in those moments. We've proven a couple times that we can do well in those moments, and we've proven a couple times that we haven't had what it took to close out those really tight games. Let's keep attacking it together. Let's keep adjusting our process and finding a better way for us to play well in those big moments. That's what we'll constantly be searching for."
Is there a common denominator in some of the struggles in the run game over the last couple weeks? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I don't know that there's a common denominator. I think any time you look at specifically the run game, to me, it's [about] what are you asking the guys to do? Can they do what you're asking them to do when you go to the [offensive] line, to the tight ends [and] to the wide receivers? Obviously, we lost one of our key blocking tight ends a few weeks back [in Durham Smythe], and so it's like, what are we asking some of these younger guys to do? Can they do it? Can we be good at the things that we're asking them to do? So, I think it's just a constant search for the schemes, the plays [and] what you're asking the guys to do. We've certainly had a little bit of flux on the O-line, but that's not an excuse to say that we shouldn't be able to run the ball with who we have. Again, it's figuring out what you're really good at, finding ways to window-dress the things that you're really good at and not have to have a million different things. I think, again, that's the constant search that we're in right now."
How would you evaluate how offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, a first-time play-caller, has handled all this, managing all these things up there for the first time? (Jamison Hensley) "I think Declan [Doyle] has done a really good job. Obviously, there have been games and times where you've kind of had a little bit more of a full plate and what that's looked like. Any OC managing the starting quarterback being out [is difficult]. I think he's managed that pretty well. We started off the games well; he's had some really good opening scripts. Again, I think he'd be the first to tell you, 'I have to be better finding that consistency and finding adjustments.' One thing I love about 'Dec' [Declan Doyle] is [that] he's such a process guy. He's always trying to find a better way to get better and evolve and be better at certain situations, be better at certain parts of the game, be better coming out of halftime. So, he'll continue to search for ways to be better, but he's dealt with 16 or 17 different offensive line combinations, Zay [Flowers] missing a game, Lamar [Jackson] missing some time [and] some injuries. So, I think for what we've dealt with, he's done a good job, and he's a really steady leader from his mentality and how he operates and his demeanor. I think he's been really good for our offense."
Did you get an update on G Vega Ioane? (Alex Glaze) "No update yet."
Do you expect G Vega Ioane to miss any time? (Brian Wacker) "I think it's still to be determined. We're getting some things looked at today. I think we'll know more on Wednesday."
Back to QB Lamar Jackson, what do you see as your responsibility in terms of setting expectations for return to play? I think there are a lot of frustrated fans hearing Lamar say that he couldn't run two weeks ago, saying he had a high-ankle sprain, and at the same time, you're saying he's day-to-day. (Jonas Shaffer) "Again, when a player is healthy enough to play, they'll play. I think all players are like that. I do think there's things that change sometimes with injuries [and] what you think [about it] right when it happens in a game and things like that, where the adrenaline and things are still going on. So, Lamar [Jackson] has worked his butt off. He's continued to work his butt off, and when he's ready to play, he'll play."
Do you have to have a dialogue with QB Lamar Jackson about what he is going to communicate to the outside world about what his status is? (Jonas Shaffer) "No, I think when Lamar [Jackson] and our training staff and our doctors and myself and everybody in the organization feel that it's best for him to be on the field, that he'll be on the field, and everybody will know when that is."
With the inconsistencies on the offense, do you think that's simply because you don't have Lamar Jackson? (Cordell Woodland) "Look, Lamar [Jackson] is one of one, right? [He's a] two-time MVP, obviously a high-caliber player, but I just don't like the built-in excuse of why things are going a certain way. I think our offensive line, if they walked in right now, would say, 'We need to play better in certain situations. We need to do things better.' Tight ends would say the same thing. Declan [Doyle] would say the same thing. So, while we know the caliber of player Lamar is and the numbers when he's out there versus when he's not, we understand all that. That's why he's who he is and why he's won the awards that he's won, but we can still operate better in those times where we don't have him, for sure."
Is it fair to say you just simply don't know when QB Lamar Jackson is going to be back at this point? (Brian Wacker) "I think we'll definitely know for sure on Wednesday kind of what it's looking like."
Does the short week ahead factor into how you guys approach that with QB Lamar Jackson? (Cordell Woodland) "I think that's a factor dealing with any injury, going into a week where you know you got a four-day stretch right after. But again, I think we'll know on Wednesday with [Lamar Jackson], specifically."
Did you sign S Rayshawn Jenkins to the active roster or the practice squad? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Practice squad."