Opening Statement:
"As we get started, I thought I'd give you guys an injury update. Some tough news on [DE] Javontae Jean-Baptiste. Peck injury and that will knock him out for a while for sure. I know you'll probably ask also about [QB] Jayden [Daniels]. He had a strong workout here Saturday, and we'll take today and tomorrow and work out his practice plan. We'll go through the whole process with him this week, medically, how he feels, how he practices, and give you the updates Wednesday as I know them and I thought just from a team standpoint, sit here 2-2 and the vibes of the two losses, two wins, lots to discuss through there. I thought really just sustaining high energy throughout. You've heard me use different boxing analogies and I do that with the team. Not looking to feel it out through the first round to see where it goes. You just want to be aggressive, want to be bold, right from the beginning. What I do know is that this is a resilient team. We'll grow from yesterday and we have to, but lots for us to correct and get right and, before we take it out on the road to head out to L.A. So, all that said, glad to get started with you guys this afternoon."
On WR Terry McLaurin, WR Noah Brown and TE John Bates:
"I'd would say we're all trending in the right space on there. We will have a better update on Wednesday in terms of practice planning and that, but arrows are heading up for a number of the guys. The big news today was Javontae with the game, but for the guys that have missed some, we're making progress."
On defending against explosive plays:
"We definitely have to. It's, for sure, a combination of things. Like most things when there's some issues that you want to fix, you want to get it cleaned up as quickly as you can. On some it could be as simple as a communication of a switch of a receiver of two and three. Certainly helps from our pass rush when we're really ripping into that space to go and then communication, like in line, how does it go? The calls quickly to communicate to one another. So, we'll work really hard to nail that. We have to and we'll get better at that for sure."
On G Sam Cosmi becoming eligible to return to practice this week:
"We're going to huddle up here soon but he's getting closer for sure for being in his window to begin practice. We're going to, we'll give you a definite answer on that Wednesday, but he's really put in a lot of work to begin that window to begin the practicing. So, we'll huddle up on that tonight and tomorrow, but I'll give you an answer for that Wednesday. But it's definitely trending in the right spot."
On WR Luke McCaffrey's growth and on his contributions on special teams:
"I recognized him today in the special teams meeting. I thought, what a cool play. You catch the touchdown and then make a tackle on the next play on a kickoff and involved in a tackle. I think that speaks to him as the competitor. I love the fact that the opportunity's there for him to dig in some more and like he's taken advantage of it, whether that's on offense or on the return game. He's got a fearless side to him as a returner, which in this day and age, in terms of the kickoff return, you have to do that. It's what makes [WR] Deebo [Samuel Sr.] excellent at it, what makes him excellent at it. Yeah, so over the last two weeks, I've certainly been pleased to see the growth in Luke."
On missed tackles and his level of concern and on if that can be improved at this point in the season:
"There's plenty to do. In each practice and each day you can, you can work on that hard. It doesn't have to be something that you have to take to the ground, but you do have to get your angles, your tracking correct. But they're way too high. We were in double digits and if you hit double digits between defense and special teams, that is too many. Going into it, we knew [Atlanta Falcons RB] Bijan [Robinson] is somebody that's exceptional at that, but you track two man tackles and we've got work to do. Yeah we were not pleased with our tackling performance and yes, there is plenty you can do to work on that."
On deciding what is a physical mistakes versus a communication issue:
"I think you're right on the – we didn't talk about the second-and-longs because up until maybe through the first half, through the first three games and into the first half defensively on third down. That would actually have been, we've been leaning into one of our strengths, but I thought the same as you. We had some second-and-longs that were able to be converted. It was second-and-12, second-and-15, maybe might have even been second-and-17. That's one you want to be in like there's something that took place, good to go. So, heading into the last drive, that's where the third down I was disappointed in because I said like over the first three and I'm calling it three and a half weeks, but I meant like the first half of the game, I think there might've been two and six, but three conversions on the last drive. That was hard. That was difficult. It wasn't just one call. One had been its own pressure. One had been a man-to-man, one had been a man pressure and that's where it has to be all connected. But as far as the second downs go, usually that's a screen or you give up to one. So, for us to give up some on those, you're setting yourself up for a great third down. And so, to not nail those I think that was one of the examples where I just didn't feel the same type of energy and intensity that I'd seen just a week before. And so, we're going to really push hard to make sure this sustains, man – all the way throughout the game. And if we do that, I know what that looks like and when we don't, unfortunately, I also have proof of that."
On if anyone on defense is being targeted in particular or if communications issues are leading to players being isolated:
"A little bit of both to be honest with you. There could be at some point somebody has a hard down, like that's just how it is. If it's man-to-man, it's outside. If you're in zones, oftentimes, like who's number three, that can be a linebacker, and you don't want that matchup to go. So, there could be 20 times where the matchup could have happened, but the certain formation didn't click to go. So, I think it's a little bit of a combination of both. Certainly, give credit to Atlanta [Falcons] to schematically have some, but we've also had to have the right leverage. You have to have the right techniques, and if you do that, you give yourself a fighting chance, even when they're hard. But if you don't, boy, we all know like hard matchup and poor technique that that'll put you in a bad space fast."
On avoiding slow starts on the road:
"We want to talk through all the things to in terms of like the energy to have it sustained. I think it's important to not shy away from one or the other. Our process is the same, but we want to make sure, like in that boxing analogy, you're not waiting it out. See where we are, all of a sudden, you're behind 10 nothing. And so, man, let's play bold, let's play aggressive right from Jump Street. And when we do that, it can carry over into it. But you don't want to say you can only start fast if you have punt, that doesn't mean you're going to lose the game or if you give up a field goal. But it does mean you're, you're entering into the arena into the contest in the right mindset to go throw the first punch and be aggressive and we'll work hard to continue to do that. It's really a mindset, it's a way, and if you go into it in that way, you have a way better chance of going forward. I love the fight for the team, but fighting to stay in it is different than fighting to finish the play. And so I want to make sure like our attitude, our mindset is absolutely bold and aggressive."
On his thoughts on the season thus far:
"I would say I thought offensively the guys have done a good job with the ball, in terms of taking care of it, being mindful for it, we've not created enough takeaway opportunities defensively. So, I'll start with that, right? Kind of at the top of the pile. I think we're gaining on our running game and making progress into that space. Up until the second half, I was pleased with where we were gaining ground on third down on defense but overall, just, man, let's make sure consistent at it. No rollercoaster. Like this is how we go all the time, and I want that play style to be wherever we're at and however we go. And so, we'll dig in hard to do that."
On coaching player mistakes versus making personnel and scheme changes:
"Yeah, you want to do both. You're kind of coaching all the time through at first to make sure the technique's right. Can we dig into something to get it aligned like we want it to align. Then the second thing you want to see is there repeat issues that could come up, whether it's scheme or player, and now you have four games of work as opposed to one or two. So, that's what I want to make sure we don't miss on these opportunities. You just acknowledge we're roughly one quarter into it. And some of the things that I like I want to see more of, some of the things that we need to improve upon, ball hawking defensively to get better into that space. Third down on offense, those are some things that we can now shine a light on to make sure let's give that some extra attention, knowing that's going to be really important to what we do."
On defensive communication:
"Yeah, the main thing is there hasn't been a lot of change to go. So, if there is that something that we have to take out, I think we would. I don't feel like we're at that space, but if there are repeated communication issues, then the plan, you're exactly right, would come down smaller and smaller and smaller again to do that. I think the best way is continue to ramp up in the meetings, talk it in the walkthrough, talk it on the field, talk it and acknowledge when plays come up. You repeat them again in practice to make sure that there is no gray in some of these. Now there's a time or two when there's a new concept or a new play that offense does that, you're going to take time to go through, but what you don't want to miss on ever are things that you've been doing and, just because of speed motion or something happens that you get out of whack. So, I want to make sure that's the difference. Things that you can control and that you have good training on, man, don't miss those, nail those every single time. If they come up with new look or new wrinkle and you talk your way through that, that's normal football that happens often. But man, let's make sure that stuff that we have practice that we have down, that we nail those 10 out of 10 times."
On the defensive pass rush against Atlanta:
"Yeah, I agreed. Yeah, I thought, when are we going to take our shots, when to go? I thought early on I thought they did a nice job of getting rid of the ball quickly to get intermediate throws to go. But the ones that are down the field, those are the ones that we've got to capitalize on. I thought we could have stunted more to try to put the offensive line in some disadvantages to go. When you have good balance like they had yesterday, you're not teeing off to go, but I do feel like we've got to get them off the spot. We had a number of chances, and we didn't nail those yesterday like we had the week before. That would be my main take and then honestly, like I said at the end of the game, not being able to close on the third downs. I thought that was the biggest factor here. We had some chances here to get them in some third downs that you can get off the field and when we didn't. And [Defensive Coordinator] Joe [Whitt Jr.] tried three different ones, a zone, a man, a man pressure, and so we have to be able to nail those when those come up, that's for sure."
On if Jean-Baptiste's injury is season-ending:
"Yeah, for sure it'll head to injure reserve. Until he has the surgery, I don't think they'll know to the extent of what that could look like. So, that's what I meant, it could be [season-ending]. We'll have a better sense after he goes through the procedure, but torn pec is usually something that's months, not weeks. Yeah, and we're bummed for him. He's worked hard to come back from injuries and starting to make his move again. So, definitely a setback for him and a blow for us as well."
On defensive communication issues:
"Yeah, I think there's a fine line between trying to play perfect and hitting the communication and being loud on the go. By being perfect, what do I mean by that? Sometimes a speed motion happens. Being so careful that you're late on a communication, you're not quick on it to go. And so, I really want our guys to really trust their training, they put good work in and allow that to fully be expressed and heard and acknowledged. There's not that many moving parts with different people on the defensive side, so we want to make sure we can nail that. It could be as easy as communication could have been, you said it, did I receive it on a call when somebody's going quickly. It doesn't always mean in motion or in the one we had a pressure that didn't look as good. One player was doing one thing, thought heard a different call or different technique. So, I just want to make sure they trust their training. We don't have too many different things up, let's make sure, call it, let it rip, be aggressive."
On CB Mike Sainristil:
"Yeah, I was pleased to see a lot of what he did at the nickel in this game. I thought he had some good tackles, he was aggressive inside, had the interception. So, I was pleased to see Mikey improve from last game into this game. And so, I thought he and [LB Frankie] Luvu were two that stood out to me of some things that had real progress."
On the most pressing thing he told the team today:
"Yeah, it was good that it's exactly what I had discussed with you guys earlier about let's make sure the identity of how we want to play, it just shows up in every way. That means at home at away, the ability to go finish, not feeling it out, fighting early, first round. Man, make sure we are aggressive and bold and go right from the beginning. And I also remind that doesn't mean that you can't finish with a punt or if they get a field goal, it's not starting fast. It's a mindset. It's an attitude. And we all have seen what it looks like when that energy does come out and we've seen it where it's not to the level that we want. So, that was at the top of the pile for me. I know that they'll fight and finish, that's who they are. I want to make sure the whole time through, that's just how we play and being bold and aggressive. When you miss your moments, it stings, it hurts, and you want to acknowledge them. So, we point them out and say, 'Hey, this is how we're going to get better.' And it takes all of us to do that, so those were the two things for us, the energy and let's go get better."
On picking spots to use LB Bobby Wagner versus having on the field every play:
"We discussed a lot of the guys, but specifically not to a matchup to that we're regarding with him. I think you're probably talking about the long swing that went for a long play. That could have been a matchup that could have happened on other plays as well. And so, I think, where do you take the lesson from it? When you're going through traffic, you take the air out of it. So, I think Bobby would be the first to tell you technique is first. And so, if you get into that first that can play through a matchup to go, okay, he's not outside, man-to-man by himself on somebody in a tough matchup. So, you try to mitigate those things with he and any of the guys as best you can but also give credit to Atlanta. The guy also made a fantastic play. I couldn't have been more impressed by Jeremy's [S Jeremy Reaves] speed on that particular play. It would've been nice to hold them to a field goal into that space just to demonstrate how he expressed how hard he'll play. He was absolutely flying."
