HEAD COACH JESSE MINTER
Opening Statement: "[I] appreciate you guys being here. [It's] always good to be up here on a Monday after a win. I think just watching the tape and studying the film, [I am] proud of our team. I think it was a tale of two halves a little bit, starting the game fast with the turnover and a touchdown. I thought that was really important. I think [the] energy [in the] game, coming off of the travel the week prior, I thought we really had good energy, and then really just handled the first half the way we wanted to. Obviously when Lamar [Jackson] was not in the game in the second half, [we] chose to probably get a little bit more conservative offensively. I told the team today, just because you get more conservative does not mean that you don't want to convert and get out of your own way. We had three-plus third downs between the 50 [-yard line] and the plus-40 that we were not able to convert and really keep some drives going in the second half that I think would have maybe changed the outcome of the game even more so. But [we] just handled a lot of adversity. We had a lot of moving parts, and we were able to get the results that we want while also having plenty of things to continue to chase and improve, which is always great. We look forward to just having another good week, worrying about us [and] trying to fix some of the things that continue to show up. We will shoot for that this week and look forward to a great challenge on Sunday night."
With QB Lamar Jackson, what did you learn from any tests for him? What are the chances of him playing Sunday night? (Jamison Hensley) "I don't know the chances yet. We are still gathering a lot of the information, the imaging, and things like that. But [Lamar Jackson is] just dealing with a little bit of an ankle, and we will kind of see where that shakes out. [I have] full trust and confidence in him that when it is ready to roll, we will roll and go from there."
Are you able to say whether or not it is a long-term injury or a shorter-term thing? (Childs Walker) "I really do not think it is going to be crazy long-term, but we will see what happens."
There are some pretty significant-sounding injuries with TE Durham Smythe, G Andrew Vorhees and CB Marlon Humphrey, who also left in the middle of the game. Do you have any update on those guys? (Kyle Goon) "[There is] nothing concrete yet. We use Monday to figure all that stuff out. [We] have a meeting here this afternoon, [and] we will see how all that shakes out."
You said yesterday when we were asking you about OL Vega Ioane in the postgame that you thought the film would show what you wanted it to show. Now that you have seen it, what did it show? (Childs Walker) "I thought it was really impressive for [Vega Ioane] again. [To] play that position [and to] start to work it a little bit over the last few weeks and have one full week of preparation to be able to play, particularly against some of their D-tackles and their front that they have, [to] play the way that he played; really physical in the run game, really good in pass protection. [There were] probably a couple snap infractions that he would like to have back as his first game going through the operation. But overall, I think that guy, wherever you put him, he is going to play really well."
Was there enough there to feel comfortable with OL Vega Ioane going forward if he has to stay at that position? (Childs Walker) "[We] talked about this a little bit last week. I think we are still in that stage of like, 'What is the plan for right now in this particular game? [Are] there any long-term things that may happen?' We will have to see how all that shakes out. But, I think he has proven that he is definitely one of our best interior linemen, if not our best interior lineman. Wherever he plays, we will feel really good about whatever position he is playing."
With G Andrew Vorhees going out, G Emery Jones Jr. played his career high in snaps in a regular-season game. What did you see from him? What did you like? (Luke Jones) "I saw some similar things in a sense. I thought [Emery Jones Jr.] got better as the game went on and did some really nice things. He brings a physical toughness and kind of a tenacity that he plays with that I really like to see on tape. I think sometimes guys like that, the more you play, the better you get. If he is in there, I feel really good about him just getting better and better as it goes. But I thought he acquitted himself well."
How tough is it to build each offensive line when every week you are either moving somebody or putting somebody out there? (Jamison Hensley) "It is the National Football League. Not to disregard the question, but nobody cares. Nobody feels sorry that you are dealing with things. We have a bunch of guys that we feel good about, and it is our job to find the best combination for that particular game. Obviously, there are seasons where it might be the same five for every game. I was at a place last year where I think we had a different combination of at least 12 [players], maybe even more. I think the coaches have to do a really good job having different guys ready, building your own depth by training guys to play different spots, and then each week figuring out what we can do well, what presents well against that particular scheme and defense that you are playing against. That is [the] job of us — to get those guys ready to play."
Does that impact how you go about things offensively based on — some of those guys probably have different skill sets than others and are better at certain things than others? Does that sort of impact how you go about planning week to week? (Brian Wacker) "Definitely. I think that is the job of a coach and of a designer of the scheme in really all three phases. [It] is, 'What do you have available [and] what do they do well?' If you are asking them to do things that they don't do well, it is probably not going to work out in your favor. I think there are some things in all areas whereas it changes a little bit week to week and then guys settle in and you learn more about each guy. We are only four games into this thing [and] figuring out what we are best at in all three phases. That can change with an injury. That can change with a guy in and out of the lineup. But that is our job, and we want to own that. We want to look forward to trying to put our guys every week in the best position to be successful based on our skill set, their skill set [and] what we can be best at. That is a great point with your question."
Obviously you were missing a huge force in OLB Trey Hendrickson on the pass front, but just with the amount of time Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward had, it seems like the pass rush has been inconsistent. If that is a fair characterization, what do you kind of see among the guys who are there on the team that they have to get better at? Or is there something that you are looking at from a scheme point of view as to how you could help them? (Kyle Goon) "I thought we rushed, watching the tape, maybe better than I felt during the game. I do not know that we were always connected in our pass rush, and so I thought we forced [Cam Ward] to move around a lot. We got him moving his feet. We got him out of the pocket, which I think led to some of the, 'Hey, he has got this amount of time to throw,' but it is also because he is moving in and out and we are doing a good job kind of forcing him to move certain directions where we lost contain on a game or things like that. I thought Nnamdi [Madubuike] rushed really well. I thought Mike Green maybe had one of his better games rushing. So again, I think it is just [about] the coordination. With the way the game was going, we did not pressure that much, a little bit by design, and they ended up on third down — because of probably their own offensive line injuries — gave us a ton of seven-man protection, which was a little bit different than they had done going into the game. So, they were very protection-conscious, I would say. If you go back and watch all the third downs, they are in split-back [formations], chipping both edges. When you rush four against seven, it is going to look like what it looks like, so I thought the guys rushed pretty well overall. We can be a little bit more coordinated, and then I thought four or five times where we had opportunities to sack the quarterback, we are either leaving our feet too early or not taking that extra step. So again, I think our defensive line — especially some of the interior guys that we missed a lot during camp — [is] working toward that, and I expect us to have really good days rushing the passer going forward."
On the penalty situation, you had brought up in your response yesterday on the podium about motions and shifts. Of your penalties, I think 26 of 39 are on offense. Have you discussed at all with offensive coordinator Declan Doyle potentially simplifying things a little bit to try to limit some of those penalties, or do you not think that the complexity of the offense is a reason for them? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think it sort of goes back to the comment about who you have and what they are good at, whether it is young guys that have not been at it as much and things like that. So, I think all that stuff you are always looking at, you are always trying to find that perfect balance. You do want to use motions and shifts and cadences as a weapon, and I think when we see our offense really operate, it creates problems. It creates explosives. It creates running lanes [and] it creates angles blocking. Some of our best runs yesterday were with multiple motions and guys crack-blocking and guys getting around the edge, and so we just need to find that really good balance, and we need to make sure that we are doing the things with the guys that they are capable of doing, that we are not trying to do too much, that it might not be something that is a one- or two-time thing [and] that it is things that we are working on a lot. Again, I challenge the coaches and myself more than anybody for us to get that right, and we will continue to strive for that."
You talked about in training camp how you had the challenge of trying to defend WR Zay Flowers a bunch of times. Kind of taking some of what you knew of him before as a player and looking at what he is doing in your offense now, why has that marriage between him and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle been so ridiculously potent this year? (Kyle Goon) "'Dec' [offensive coordinator Declan Doyle] does a great job of putting him in different positions. So, you can game plan for a guy like Zay [Flowers], but I also think, in our offense, he is going to line up at five different positions. So, you can have a game plan for him when he is the outside receiver to maybe take him away, or maybe when he is the slot receiver, but then he is ending up as No. 3 a lot. He is ending up on linebackers in zone coverages. He is ending up out of the backfield a few times as we have seen this year. So, I think that is just a credit to Zay to be able to do all that and sort of understand the concepts that he can move around to different spots, and then to [offensive coordinator] Declan [Doyle], obviously, moving him around. And then the other guys, when you move a guy around, then everybody else has to sort of move around, as well. So, Zay has been everything as advertised, and [I am] just excited to see him continue on that trend that he is on and play at a really high level."
It kind of feels like the last maybe three games, going back to that New Orleans Saints game — I know the game script changed to where they are throwing the ball quite a bit — but are you concerned at all, especially in the second half when you see so many plays where there are multiple wide-open receivers? It felt like WR Carnell Tate was able to find a couple of multiple open spaces yesterday, same with WR CeeDee Lamb and those guys in the second half in Week 3. Is that a concern at all? (Cordell Woodland) "I think every play is its own deal. I think a couple of the plays yesterday, I thought we played really well on defense in the second half, to be honest with you, other than the one drive. We ended up in a third-and-17 [and] let the quarterback kind of stay alive. [We] ended up in a fourth down, [and] we let the quarterback out of the pocket. [It] turned into a scramble drill, [and] we did not plaster on [Carnell] Tate. So, I do not necessarily agree with that. I think we are always chasing — I am a secondary guy — and we will chase to be the best secondary in the National Football League. I think there are a lot of things to improve on, but I thought we did some better things overall yesterday. We missed a couple plays where we really had a chance at interceptions trying to break in front of routes, so [I'm] definitely [going] to continue to chase that. But I think, to me, yesterday the main theme of some of Tate's explosives were scrambles out of the pocket, not being able to sustain coverage when the quarterback is moving around and is extending past the initial play. So, that is definitely something we will chase."
There is obviously a lot of belief in QB Tyler Huntley and what he has been able to do. What in you watching him gives you the confidence that if Tyler Huntley has to step in at any point, you guys can still go out there and win games? (Jamison Hensley) "You just look at what [Tyler Huntley] has done over the last few years, and [where he has] been in games like that, been in must-win situations and got the job done. He has played well. The guys believe in him, and I think that is as important as anything. The guys have a lot of confidence in him to be able to go out there and do it. Again, we took the ball a little bit out of his hands just with the way that game was going. The weather, I thought, was more of an impact in the second half than it was in the first half. But again, we have tons of confidence in 'Snoop' [Tyler Huntley] to go out there and get the job done."
Do you expect CB Bilhal Kone and RB Adam Randall to practice this week given they are eligible now? (Jeff Zrebiec) "It is possible, but we will see. I mean, we have to do what is best for the roster right now to make sure we do not put ourselves in a position to pigeonhole those guys to only having a small window, as well."
Going back to QB Tyler Huntley, there are obviously some similarities, what are some differences between him and QB Lamar Jackson in terms of what he brings to the position? (Brian Wacker) "I mean, look, there is one Lamar Jackson. The guy is a two-time MVP, and so I think for anybody to have to say like, 'We are being compared to Lamar,' is unfair and not realistic. I think 'Snoop' [Tyler Huntley] as a backup quarterback in this league and even as a starter at times has shown the ability to come in and really kind of run the offense, make plays with his legs and be able to make plays on third down. [I] thought he did a nice job on a couple of the keepers yesterday in getting yards. And so, he just gives you that ability to kind of make plays with his feet. He has kind of got a really cool, good mentality to be that guy. He does not really get bothered, and so he keeps a pretty cool head about himself. [He] does not feel pressure too much. And to me, when a guy is needed to go in there and he has that type of mentality, that is what allows him to be successful."
If you were to have to go without TE Durham Smythe for a while, is that a bigger absence than maybe people realize? You do not necessarily have another guy in your 70 who has that specific skill set. (Childs Walker) "I think Durham [Smythe] has done a great job with our offense and coming over really with 'Dec' [offensive coordinator Declan Doyle], I would say. Having the knowledge and being a problem solver on the field, being a guy that can line up in a bunch of different spots within the blocking schemes and the pass schemes, his value has certainly been good. Again, we have a deep room there. We have a bunch of guys, and it may be an opportunity for somebody else. Again, it is going to be our job as a coaching staff and the position coach and the coordinator to make sure we are doing the things that those guys can do. But again, man, credit to Durham for how he has played for us this year."
Do any of the injuries, especially now with G Andrew Vorhees going down, change anything in terms of how long you would like to still have OL Vega Ioane play center? (Cordell Woodland) "I think it all depends on just again, like there is the short-term plan and there is the long-term plan. If something happens where we end up getting a position [and we need] a guy that is ready to jump in and play, then Vega [Ioane] gives you the flexibility. That could be a guard, that could be a center and that could be whatever. He has proven that he can play both spots, and I know this, he will do whatever is best for us week to week to put the best product on the field."
Do you think TE Nick Vannett could be a person that could help at tight end? (Ryan Mink) "I mean, there is a reason we have [Nick Vannett], and there is a reason when you fill out the 70-man roster. I think there are pinpointed spots where you need a guy that could be ready to play at the drop of a hat. And so again, [I] feel confident in all those guys, Nick being one of them, whose opportunity could show up."
You had some pretty dynamic plays this week from both ILB Trenton Simpson and ILB Teddye Buchanan. Now that Teddye Buchanan is healthy, what is the challenge — since you usually use light linebacker packages — of trying to find the right moments to get those guys on the field when they both obviously are capable of certain kinds of plays, but then you are not calling for three-linebacker packages all the time? (Kyle Goon) "That is a great point. I think it is like anything — it is figuring out who your best 11 are for specific situations, specific personnel sets that the offense is in. You can have three linebackers out there and they can have three receivers on the field, and you can end up in a mismatch in a hurry. So, it is always weighing the best personnel against what they have. We had all three out there a few snaps yesterday against some 12 personnel, [and we] kind of mixed in some different groupings with those guys. But I think as Teddye [Buchanan] has come back and proven to be now capable of playing some more snaps, that we will certainly try to find ways to get use out of both him and Trenton [Simpson]. And again, 'Trent,' credit to him, man. He is playing at a really high level and playing really physical. [It's] great to see a guy rewarded for how he is playing and getting the turnover. And it's great to see Teddye — made a great play on a screen play, [and it] just looked like his film from last year [of] playing with confidence, knifing through there, making a really nice open-field tackle. And so definitely those guys are going to become some of our better guys, and it is about us trying to figure out our best guys for each situation."
You were obviously asked about pass rush, so not necessarily specific about that, just overall — DL Nnamdi Madubuike just got back — but do you feel like you are getting enough out of your interior defensive line right now in both aspects? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think it is improving, I would say. Again, that is a position where, going back to OTAs, going back to training camp, those guys missed a lot of time. And we knew that — we knew that 'Trav' [Travis Jones] was dealing with something, Nnamdi [Madubuike] was obviously dealing with it and Calais [Campbell] was dealing with what he was dealing with. So that position in particular, when you are kind of working your way back into the real violent, physical reps, I think they have gotten better and better. I thought we played the run up front a lot better yesterday. Again, I think Nnamdi brings an element in the pass rush that we are going to be able to take advantage of as he gets his feet underneath him, and Calais as well. So, I think Travis has been really good at times and made a huge impact play last game; [he] made some really nice plays in the run game. Nnamdi made a great play on the goal line on the fourth down. And so, I like where those guys are at, and I think they would be the first to tell you that there is a whole other level that we can reach."
Is the silent count something that OL Vega Ioane can learn within a week? Are there more advanced versions that you just cannot get to because of his inexperience, or is it all kind of one-size-fits-all and go for it like a regular guy? (Jonas Shaffer) "I think there is — [Vega Ioane] has obviously been involved in that playing guard. And so, I think again, he understands exactly how that works and how that operation — a lot of times it is the people next to him that are really helping him with that as well. So, sometimes the silent count for a center is actually easier in a sense because the guard is controlling a little bit more of the tempo of the count based on how you are doing it. There are a bunch of different ways you can do it. So again, [I am] confident in Vega that whatever he puts his mind to for a week, that he will be ready to roll."
When we asked K Tyler Loop after the game about the 40-yarder, he said, 'It was a kick that should have been made, so I have to make it.' Is there anything you could share about maybe what went wrong with the operation or field? (Jonas Shaffer) "I think all those guys would probably tell you that the operation from the snap to the hold could have been a little bit better. [Tyler Loop] would tell you that he should have made the kick, [and] that he probably hit it a little differently. I think all three of those guys would own that, and again, in that game situation, it is one that you need to make. But I do not think that based on that kick and just how it went, that it should shake Tyler's confidence at all."