Opening Statement:
"Ready to roll? All right, what's up everybody? I'll get started. As we're getting into the end of the week, I spoke with the team a little bit on Monday and again, today on leveling up and aiming to execute a little better. Can we get a little faster while maintaining the discipline? Can we try to up the physicality while maintaining our discipline? And so, into those things of leveling up. That's the skill work and that's what we'll continue to dig in hard with the guys to make sure, like improvement, improvement, improvement. So, there's plenty for us to dig in on. Then having a couple games away, back-to-back. It's also great to be back home, night game with our fans and it'll be rocking. So, we're all looking forward to that and lastly to the Caps [Washington Capitals] and [Washington Capitals Head Coach] Coach [Spencer] Carberry, good luck. I know they begin their season, I believe tonight. So, with that, let's get started with you guys."
On expectations for WR Terry McLaurin and WR Noah Brown this week:
"You'll see Noah out at practice today. Terry won't, and then with the extra day we'll just kind of work our way through with Terry to see where we're at and just kind of watch as we're going through it with he and Noah both."
On the impact the game against the Chicago Bears last year had on QB Jayden Daniels and the team:
"Well, I think for one, I think he showed a lot of toughness. You know, he was coming back from getting banged up and I thought for him like that just kind of solidified, I guess, what we already knew about the toughness and who he is and what he does. I think past that, man, just some belief that would be the one thing that you're never out of the fight."
On if Brown's current injury is a separate injury from minicamp:
"Yeah, this is separate. Okay. And so, when he had the knee from earlier that part's doing better. So, at Green Bay, that's when he injured the groin. So, he's doing well. He is getting closer and with the extra day, that certainly helps. But we'll just see where the week takes us with he and Terry both."
On wide receivers Coach Bobby Engram:
"Yeah, he's an excellent coach and he's got perspective. He's got insight. Like today, he presented to the team and so different guys on different days will present some things. And so, he was one that went today. He and [Linebackers Coach] Ken [Norton Jr.] both did. We talked about tackling, breaking tackles and just perspective examples, teaching. And so, when you have that kind of excellent world class level teaching, it gets through and over and over. And that's why even this year, added him into some of the team presentations just because of that."
On what went into deciding the final running back room:
"Yeah, I think because you also had [RB] Austin [Ekeler] into that space as well. And so, which guys could you feature into different spots and we're comfortable doing that about whether it's on offense or defense but what it does, push you towards is what's the things that somebody can do best? And we felt they were complimentary in their own ways. I love how [RB Jacory] Bill [Croskey-Merritt] is continuing to progress and then there's like a consistency side with [RB] Chris [Rodriguez Jr.], with [RB] Jeremy [McNichols] that also feeds into him too. I wish I could explain their support of one another and how they get better and grow but having proof and examples of that from those three and including, you know, Austin from the training camp. Yeah, that definitely gave us vision. This is a talented group. I knew it was going to be a good group going into camp. We felt that would be one of the more competitive ones – there and tight end – that and offensive line that speak to like, and the whole room was very competitive. You could feel the energy of like, man, this rep counts, this day counts."
On what was going through his mind during the Hail Mary against the Bears last season:
"I would say, and one, I don't mind the question that was one of the most fun chapters of last year. It is last year's story, not this year's but probably like most of us there's like, the longer a scramble goes on a Hail Mary, at least you know, the play is the ball is going to get off [laughs]. So, you're not looking down the field too early, but to make somebody miss you're waiting, waiting and then probably like most of us a collective gasp. And so, I don't know if there was a lot of activity in that little space in between from like, he's going to get it off to the catch. I think like everybody was just like, 'Shit', and you're waiting and not knowing and so like that's probably the space that I was at. But it's a play that's also, and I think [Steelers QB] Aaron Rodgers probably been one of the best that I've seen going against it of buying time, when to go, how high you have to throw it to create trajectory to go down because you have to have time for the players to get down the field so far. So, it's something that the guys work on, but yeah it was rare and fun and all those things."
On if he has talked to the team about the Hail Mary while preparing for this year's game:
"That was the first I talked about it right there. Zero."
On his plans to talk to the team about the Hail Mary:
"None. That's last year's story. Like it was awesome, we loved it, but like it doesn't apply to this week's game at all unless we get into that exact scenario and that exact situation. So, then we can talk about it. But until then, like we got a lot of stuff to get better at and work on to get ready."
On Daniels ability to keep plays alive and its impact on the team:
"You want, that's where some of the explosives come from. I was pleased to see in some of the plays. We didn't complete one in the end zone, but I thought he remained a passer and did a nice job of ripping one down into the end zone at L.A. and so, that's a big deal. When do I take my shot to go? When do I remain a passer? And as long as you're staying with your eyes downfield and being aggressive, they have to stay back, which allows some scrambles to take place because if they do, you can rip it. But we do practice it. Just like you practice many other things. Sometimes just, we've done this route against this coverage, now it's time to get outside the pocket and the second play would begin. So, it is something that we practice. It's not, you know, five or six times in a practice because it's an off-schedule play, but you do have to practice it and there's certain routes that come from that play and where we would go. But it does take work and with somebody who's athletic as he is, you can see why I'll just run for it. And knowing that like there's actually a bigger one, you know, on the other side of it."
On the next steps for G Sam Cosmi:
"He did a lot of reps last week. We practiced him two days because we left, and he stayed back. So, he'll get the full week of practice, he'll work both scout team and with the offense. So, we're not putting any space other than just, man just go play and get your technique right and allow our eyes, his eyes to trust that he's put himself in a good spot with all the work that he's done. But I'm just going into the week with fresh eyes, like did the walkthrough today, got reps there, he is getting reps in the practice today, so let's just see where it goes. The padded practice tomorrow, that's a big factor. That'll be his first time doing that as well."
On competition between G Chris Paul and G/T Andrew Wylie for the other guard position:
"I'd say there's competition all the time, but as we're going into it, let's wait till [Cosmi] gets back and gets going. I think that's more appropriate for it because even then, you know, how much are we going to go right when he does get back? I think we got some time to work through where we want to get to there."
On how WR Deebo Samuel Sr. has added to the success of the team:
"He's meant a lot. I think it's the competitive nature also that he brings. I think we've all seen him, you know, different ways he can be featured. So, from kick returning, he's done it out of the backfield, catching down the field routes. I'm pleased with the trajectory that he's headed. The next steps, different spots, different locations and so he's making all the right moves for us and so we just want to keep him on this trajectory and where he is at and how we're going. But it's the competitive nature that he brings into the play. Sometimes, there was a screen the other day that could have been two yards gained, and I think it ended up being eight just by the sheer force and nature that he entered into the tackling. And so, plays like that, they may not show up big on the stat sheet, but they just convert into the next one and into the next one. And so, he's had a lot of those so far."
On DE Dorance Armstrong this season:
"I think he's got versatility that he's able to work more this year inside, outside, different spots, knowing when to take a shot. And so, that's a big piece for us. The addition of [OLB] Von [Miller] and [DE] Jacob [Martin] and where we can feature him and [LB Frankie] Luvu and how we do it. So, I think it's allowed his ability to match up on guards, be out on both sides. So, just the versatility that he can play a number of spots. I think that's the big reason to it."
On creating a home environment where it's a tough place to play:
"We want that. We've got to demonstrate that to the fans and make sure they know how hard we want to play for them and in return make it such a loud environment that it can be challenging and they can affect the game with snap counts and other things that go into that. So, it's definitely something that we don't take for granted and that's why we're so pumped to be back home after a couple weeks on the road to get back at Northwest and get rolling with everybody."
On the rushing attack and on the team's performance on third downs:
"Yeah, two things I think we're still digging in on, like most things are, we're still trying to get better at some of our pre-snap fouls. We've had some of those that knock us into some longer ones. And the third downs as you referenced to say, how many of these can be smaller and closer as opposed to ones that have more time and distance onto them, so they do tie together. When the thirds that are medium compared to thirds that are long. And so, those are definitely ones that do tie together. But it's definitely, as we talked about, our leveling up, that's one of them. And as a coach you get to spend more time on some certain areas and how do we affect that both ways. And so, third down's I think a big piece for us and in Chicago that's one of the things that they do excellent."
On an update on G Brandon Coleman:
"Yep, I was pleased to see the practice by BC last week. What he did, how he played [in practice], and then we'll go back through the whole thing again. But I thought he threw a really good week last week and it's a good group that we have and so it is high competition, and we'll continue to play it out. But I was pleased with what I saw last week and then we'll head that into this week as well."
On playing to your team's strengths versus playing to an opponent's weaknesses:
"Yeah, quite a bit. And I think you want to talk a little bit like counterpunching. Where are we strong, where do we go, where do we take our shot? Where do we have to protect yourself if you're vulnerable in an area? So, the way that we go about it is talking to the team. There's a way that you want to go win every game and these are the important factors in this game of things that you want to emphasize or do, not differently, but there's some things that you may want to emphasize. My job as the head coach is to kind of interlock those with offense and defense and special teams and why field position would be so big and how can we find an edge on a certain play or side of the ball. And so, I share that with the entire team as opposed to just the special teams group or just the offense that way. I want the whole team to feel connected to how we have to go and play. So yeah, it's a big piece of that, where they're vulnerable, where you are, where you're strong, where the matchups are, it's a big piece of it."
On not having any home 1:00 p.m. games for the rest of the season:
"Well, I think you want to stay consistent as much as you can for the players. And so, if you have a longer week, I don't think you need to put in more into the gameplan, just, okay, you have an extra day to do more. So, I want to stay consistent in almost a three-day block of a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday installs, the teaching, the things that you emphasize. And so, when it's a shorter week, like coming off a Monday, I'd still like to stay in that same block. This is what we're emphasizing this day, this day, this day to get ready. So, a day or two extended in between, we just try to remain consistent that way for the players, their learning, so their preparation can stay consistent. Where we don't throw more on them one week and less on them another week, man, this is the process that we go about it. Now the times change, and the days may change, but as long as we have that space where we have three days to put in the gameplan, go through it, rehearse it, talk about it, get to the details of it, then we feel good. That includes a Thursday night where it's shorter or a Monday week where it could be longer. We still focus on the same set of installs and teachings to go through it. And I think that levels out over the course of a season where you're not giving one opponent too much or too much emphasis, too much credit or you can gameplan too much, meaning every little thing that can be too much for the players or not giving a team the amount of credit that they deserve. We try to stay consistent with all the opponents saying this is how we go about it and try to stay consistent with that."
On leading the league in rushing while being ranked 28th in time of possession and on how rare that is:
"Yeah, it would be. I think it's the whole factor of it, there's probably some games we had too many long drives defensively that we didn't like. So, I think it all kind of works in together as we're going. I still feel like there's plenty of areas for us to improve upon. Third downs would be a big part of that as well because obviously now there's some punts and some things that end some drive. I think that's probably the closest correlation. When you're playing really well on third down you have more extended drives. If you're really effective on first and second downs, you could actually have less third downs and you're just maintaining the ball. So, we've got plenty of work to do on third down, but I would say going in, that could be one of the topics."
