Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford talk about the team’s resiliency in the face of adversity, game-planning for the Arizona Cardinals, and their “next game” mentality each week.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, guys, as far as injuries are concerned, Kiren cam
kitchens and no more spaces will be limited. Davante with
his hamstring will be a d n P. Darius a
little bit of a tibia is kind of bothering him,
so he'll be a d n P. And then pun
A Ford with his calf will be a d NP.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Guys, go ahead, I do.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Yeah, it's a possibility with you too, that he's not
actupator for the DA.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
You know, we haven't gone down that road yet, you know,
but there is there are some number of things like
what we've talked about, got a lot of love for
him and what he's done, and now he's handled it,
and it's been just kind of been a unique set
of circumstances relative to the timing and figuring out how
you get you know, forty eight guys up and kind
of being able to balance that out relative to how
many on offense, how many on defense.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Obviously you're three specialists, and so that's not.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Something that you know, we've explored or really you know,
thoughts of possibility, but you never know.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Sean, what do you see when you look at the
Cardinals right now?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I see you know, a really tough football team. You know,
a team that we're very familiar with. They're they're really
well coached, they got good personnel all over the place.
I think there really sounds schematically. They pose a lot
of issues on both sides of the football. They've obviously
always been really good in the kicking game, had continuity
at the coordinator spot, and so a lot of respect
for this group. I think if you look at the record,
(01:23):
you know, you're you're kidding yourself, because this is a
team really outside of you know, the Seattle game, in
the San Francisco game, every one of those games they've
been in and it's been right down to the wire
and one possession games, and so we got a tremendous
amount of respect for this group, and we got to
be ready to go for sure what it was. Offense,
he's it's it's amazing. I mean, he'll stand tall in
(01:45):
the pocket, he'll move around, he can still buy time
with his legs, and he can activate all parts of
the field, and he's a hard tackle.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
He's obviously very experienced.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
You know, you can see there's a comfort in terms
of reading with his feet, getting through progressions, recognizing coverage
just got great overall. Command really impressed with his body
of work. You know, you've seen there's a lot of
production from the numbers, but then once you start to
dive into the tape, he's playing at a really high clip. Uh,
doing an excellent job of getting at a lot of
different people involved, and you know, and they're pushing the ball,
(02:15):
you know, and he does a you know, he poses
a lot of problems.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Been very impressed with his body of work.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
And reviewing the game tape and the delay a game
penalty was he gonna make it? Was that an early whistle?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
They blew the whistle. I'm on to quote coach Belichick.
We're onto the Cardinals there, so yeah, it doesn't really matter.
I mean that's how I felt, you know it, you know,
because the way that it's articulated is is that when
you look at it's really a forty one second play
clock or twenty six out of a clock stoppage. Because
(02:49):
you look at the clock once it hits zero, then
your eyes flashed to the formation.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
If the ball's not snapped, then you blow the whistle.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
And so.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
You know, again that's not my decision to make, but
that you know, I do understand. That's how it's officiated
or being taught to be officiated, And so whatever I think,
it doesn't matter. We got the delay and that moved
this back and we'll learn from it. And like anything else,
every experience is a great opportunity, whether it be good
or bad, for us to be able to say, Okay,
how can we control what we can control relative to
(03:20):
not letting it get so close down to that and
not taking a penalty in that situation, and that'll be
a great learning opportunity for all of us collectively.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
In terms of the number one seed, how much, if at.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
All, do we track I don't track it in the
least bit. We just listen. It's not important to me
at all. What's important to me.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Is us being totally and completely present today. You know,
I think the important we're not even in You know,
we have no guarantee to play past seventeen games, and
so the only thing that I know and that I
fully believe is that our ability to be totally and
completely present, have a great Wednesday, and put ourselves in
a position to earn the right to feel confident to
be able to go forward against the Cardinals. But there
(03:57):
was a lot of good things that you know, we
can learn from on that game, whether we win or lose.
But you know, when you come up short, I think
it's a great opportunity for us to be what we
want to be about.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
And that is the furthest thing.
Speaker 6 (04:09):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Our goal is to try to prepare to go, try
to get the result we want week in and week out,
and those other things take care of itself. But that
is not in the least bit of my concern. I
want us to get back to playing better quality football
that we've been accustomed to seeing that that we didn't
do the other day.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
You're thinking about the number one statement we lost left
team and very requirements or for any team, what is
Susai be on.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
You know, here's what I would say. The significance is
is that it's an awesome opportunity to be able to
even earn the right to play extra football. I wouldn't
say because we were in those environments is why we lost.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I was really pleased with how we handled both of those.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
We just came up short and we played two excellent
football teams in the Lions and the Eagles, where it
just didn't go down for us. Would we love to
be able to be at home. Yeah, but again that
is so far from my thinking. And the fact that
we lost on the road in the playoffs the last
two years.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
I don't think being on the road had anything to
do with us coming up short in those games.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Now, when you look back at the game, come well,
the run game play, I wish you'd lead on it more.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Did you like kind of the waiting played pretty good?
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I mean we punted one time with the sequence, you know,
but I thought, you know, we moved the ball.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
We had five third downs the whole game.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
I don't think I've ever been a part of a
game where you have so few third downs, and a
couple of those were in the red zone. So I thought,
I thought our guys did an excellent job of executing
really whatever it was. It was just unfortunate because those turnovers,
two of them in the tight red area and then
one of them that goes the other way. But you know,
we were moving the ball, only punted one time, and
so you look at it and you say, man, I
(05:48):
thought our guys did a great job executing it.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
You know, as a play caller you always look back
and you say, hey, what could you do?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
A better job of But you know, I thought for
the most part, we collectively, you know, ultimately it's about
the players bring it to life. I thought they did
a great job. I didn't think there was other opportunities
really that I'd say. I wish I had run it
more there because we were still moving the ball and
those other drives, you know, the one the one drive
that we did punt. What I will say is is
we had a good five yard run on first down.
(06:15):
Then on a second and five, they did a good
job of bringing a blitz where Matthew ended up being hot.
We took a sack that got us to the third
and thirteen. That's one of those where you say a
tip of the cap to you, e Jerro, I didn't
do a good job putting our guys in the right
spot there, and that one chefs my ass to no end.
But for the most part, in terms of like the
run pass balance, felt like our guys did a great
(06:36):
job executing whatever we had kind of called and and
I thought I was really pleased with the run game,
the way that we were able to strain and finish.
And I thought both Kyron and Blake ran really well.
Speaker 6 (06:45):
Sewn because that game was so much dictated by the turnovers.
Do you coach turnovers or did you just say that
happened and.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Well you're aware of it.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah, I mean we coach attacking for the football and
ball security. I mean those or two of the most
important things. And you know, when you really look at it,
other than points, you're talking about turnovers and explosives, and
that's taking the ball away taking care of it, or
that's creating explosives or preventing them from a defensive perspective.
And so we talk about that stuff all the time.
(07:15):
But when for our guys to even give themselves a
chance to be in that game. When you lose a
turnover battle three nothing and one of them goes for
a pick six and two of those the other two
were in the tight red area where you're in scoring position,
I think it's a tremendous credit to their resilience.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
But absolutely, we talk about that stuff all the time.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
But moving forward, is that just talk about last week?
How do you move?
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Yeah, you emphasize it, you know, and really like you
look at it and you say, okay, the first one.
Sometimes those are unfortunate occupational hazards of you get a
tip ball right there, and you know there's not a
lot that you can do right there. But then the
next two you know, absolutely you talk about what are
the things that we could do to prevent maybe turning
the football over, whether it's the interception or the fumble.
(07:58):
And you know we always talk about you know, ball
security is all eleven and so those are the things
that we discussed, you know, on a daily basis.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Years.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Last year's loss of the Cardinals ar, to say, kind
so a low point from the team. Obviously a lot
of factors went into share, a lot of injuries, but
what do you remember about how the team responded to
that game and let it roll? It played, and how
you guys were.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Forwarding that Well, you know, the next game, you know,
we we were you know, we were playing from behind
and ended up finding a way to pull out our
first win of the season against a division opponent. But
you know, they did a great job. I mean, Kyler
made some unbelievable plays. Obviously Harrison made his, and then
they were able to get the run game going. I
thought they did a really good job offensively and then defensively,
you know, you start off where you drop a third down,
(08:40):
you end up not converting on a fourth down, and
we ended up trying to throw a little perimeter screen
and it and things just kind of avalanched on us quickly,
but very humbling day. You know, those were one of
those days that was challenging. But I've always loved the
resolve and the responses of this group. That's all we
can control. But I think, if anything, there's a ton
of respect for this group that we're going against, and
(09:02):
we understand that, and last year serves as a good
reminder for sure.
Speaker 7 (09:06):
Coach.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
One of the things that.
Speaker 7 (09:07):
You've said after a protein testor like this adversity will
bring us together and make us tighter.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
How do you try to help especially the young guys
need and you as a coach try to recalibrate and
refrain the law.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Well, I think what you do is you acknowledge, Hey,
I don't like the way this feels. All right, but
then all right, let's take a step back and let's
say how do we channel that in a direction that
moves us forward. I think, you know, part of being
mentally tough is acknowledge. And I don't like where I'm
at now I have the awareness to be able to
address it.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
And then act accordingly.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
That's why we talk about all the time we want
to respond, not react, and so you acknowledge the things
that we can all do collectively better.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
But I think that you know, whether you want to
admit it or not, no matter the.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Most disciplined person, there is a heightened sense of urgency
and awareness when you end up coming up short like
what we did. Let's just say we ended up scoring
and ended up winning that game. The game would have
still gone down very similarly with you know, the one
hundred and fifty plus other plays, and it wasn't even
that many. There wasn't that many snaps in the game.
But the bottom line is is that you know, we
try to be consistent with it. But there is something
(10:08):
about when you have the right kinds of groups, they
can handle a setback. You can use it as a
setup for a comeback. And and I talk exactly like
what I'm talking to you, you know, to them about it.
And maybe I'm a little bit more candid. Uh, maybe
maybe I have a couple more curse words in there too.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
So, Sean, do divisional games feel different for you as
a coach?
Speaker 2 (10:28):
No, every single game feels the same.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
But there's a familiarity, you know, because there's been continuity
with coach Gannon, you know, and their coordinators, and so
you know, there's a familiarity tactically and schematically that you
go back and you draw on just because, all right,
what have they done to us? What have we done
to them? So maybe you know, just because there's a
little bit more familiarity, you know that that changes your approach.
But there's certain teams that we've kind of become accustomed
(10:53):
to playing, you know, whether it's some of these other
teams and some of the other divisions in our conference,
But it doesn't really change.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Every single game is very important to me.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Where man, you are grateful as hell when you come
away with that result, and when you don't, it just
crushes you.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
So all right, Michean, I know you're just focused on
this week. You're not in the playoffs, but you've got.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
To hear it your when you got to the Super
Bowl in twenty eighteen.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Yeah, with you had to buy twenty one? You did it?
Do you have when you think back, what was the
better road for you guys that you haven't preference?
Speaker 1 (11:26):
I think the twenty one road we won the Super
Bowl that year, didn't we I mean we lost that.
You want to bring up that we only scored three
points in that eighteen Super Bowl too?
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Huh, Gary, you're just killing me today.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
No, here's what I would say. I don't think I
know this. Here's what I can't tell you. And this
is so you know, I am not I can't even
contextualize enough to be able to just say I am
focused on trying to be totally present and no doubt
about it. Every game that we play, we go in
there with the intentions to try to win the game.
And so if you said, would I be happier if
we ended up being able to be in a position
(11:57):
where that means we won more games that maybe get
give you a chance to get an automatic bid to
the division around Yeah, of course. But I really promise you,
and I mean this wholeheartedly, and I think you know
that from us, you know, being connected for nine years now,
I don't think about those things. And last week serves
as a phenomenal reminder of man, you get all ahead
of yourself. We won't even be in the playoffs if
(12:18):
we're not careful, you know. And so that's where none
of that matters to me.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
At all.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
My sole focus and concentration is the amount of respect
that we have for the Cardinals, trying to make sure
that our players feel as clear and as confident going
into this game to be able to courageously go for it.
And I'm hoping that that leads to us getting our
tenth win and then after that we'll focus on what's next.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
And that really I think that has served us.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Well, you know, in all seriousness, because you know you
say it and it's the coaching.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Cliche, but it's easy to say, hard to do.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
But if you can be totally present and not allow
the things that make this game so popular, and it's
such a blessing, but like that has zero impact on
what we want to do on a daily basis. And
I do feel like it's important for us as coaches
to try to fight some of those narratives so that
our players can be as locked in on the moment
because those are the only things that we can control,
and I think we've got a group that can do that.
(13:07):
But you try to fight like hell to make sure
that those other things are irrelevant, because they really are
until those conversations become pertinent.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
If that's what is at stake given that given week. Okay,
thank you guys.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
By way, just.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Kind of looking back on the film from Sunday, what
do you want to clean.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Up and come forward?
Speaker 8 (13:34):
Yeah, just a couple of plays here there. I mean,
we move the ball up and down the field pretty
darn well. Obviously the turnovers hurt us, so try to
make sure we don't do that. But I love that
toughness we played with, you know, kept answering the bill
and it didn't come on with the result that we wanted.
But there's definitely a couple of plays here there that
you want back. That's every game. Those plays this time
(13:54):
just happened.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
To cost us.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
This team has shown adaptability and resiliency before the season
in the midst of a setback.
Speaker 7 (14:00):
Just when you think about, you know, that process, you
guys have a moving past those.
Speaker 6 (14:05):
You know what stands out.
Speaker 8 (14:07):
I think the fact that we just go back to
what we've been doing and trust what we do. You know,
football is an imperfect game played by a bunch of
humans trying to do their best, and.
Speaker 6 (14:15):
Sometimes it doesn't come out that way.
Speaker 8 (14:16):
But when you put the work in, you go out
there and put yourself out there and try to go
play for your team and try to get a win.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
And when it doesn't happen, yeah, you got a pit.
Speaker 8 (14:25):
In your stomach and it pisses you off and it's
disappointing and all those kind of things. But you can
sleep okay knowing that, Hey, I did everything I could
to prepare to be ready to play, go out there
and play. And so we just continue to do that process.
And we got a bunch of guys in that locker
room and coaches that believe in the same thing. We
continue to do that we like the result.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
Matthew Sean has often used the phrase don't let a
team beat you twice.
Speaker 8 (14:44):
Do you think like that when when you have a
game that's not up to your standards? Uh? Yeah, I
mean I think that's one way to put it, you know.
I think that's one way to put it. I know
that whether we win or we lose, I'm I'm move
on pretty darn quick. I just know that I have
another challenge front of me. I got a bunch of
plays I gotta learn. I gotta make sure everybody's in
the right spots at the right places and doing all that.
So I do move on pretty quick. So I feel
(15:07):
good about that, and I think the guys in our
locker room do as well.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
How long as an NFL player did it tell did
it take you to really master that ability to be
a bad before spot?
Speaker 8 (15:18):
I don't know. That's a great question. Played in a
lot of games now, so it just feels like it
comes easy to me. Doesn't mean that I don't care
about each and every single one of them and do
everything I can to try and help us win each
and every one of them.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
But I do know that, you know, unless it's.
Speaker 8 (15:35):
The last game of the year, uh, there's another one
coming and you better be ready for it.
Speaker 6 (15:39):
So just try to do my best to do that.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Last year's game against the Cardinals in Arizona was low
point for you guys. Obviously a lot of factors.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
Went into that. Yeah, but what do you.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Remember about how the team kind of took bad and
fed and was.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
Able to kind of move forward.
Speaker 8 (15:53):
Yeah, we were in a we were in a spot there.
I'm trying to remember. I think Pooka was out, Cooper
got hurt in the game. We got down early pretty quick, right, Yeah,
so not a recipe for a good day. Didn't have
a good day, but you know, we're able to, you know,
kind of figure things out as we moved along through
the season last year and play some of our best
ball late. So you know, each week is its own
(16:15):
story and its own game. You know, whether we had
played that game at their place or our place or anywhere,
I'm not sure that it mattered.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
You know.
Speaker 8 (16:23):
We just attack each week as its own and try
to put our best foot forward. And that's what we're
doing this week.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
Sun said, he's not hout the number one seed interestinking
you help this week, but play the last two seasons
and playoffs and here in twenty requirements a chance to
have THEE diet advantage basic hiding in you.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
I've never had it, so I couldn't tell you.
Speaker 8 (16:47):
Twenty twenty one, we got to play a home game, right,
and then we got home field for the NFC Championship
just because we were playing a lower seeds.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
So listen, that's the last thing on my mind at
the moment.
Speaker 8 (16:57):
I appreciate the question, and uh uh, you know, if
we get it this year, I'll let you know after that.
Speaker 6 (17:03):
But I do listen.
Speaker 8 (17:05):
Every game is ultra important, and you know, yes, we're
getting down to the end of the season. And the
games were you know, I don't know that they're more
meaningful just because if we didn't win the ones before
then you know, it doesn't matter either. So we just
take you every every single week, you know, pour everything
we got into it and try to go get the
result that we want and know that, hey, our process
is our process, and if we attack that with the
(17:27):
same kind of mindset and energy and enthusiasm that we
always have, you know we can live with the result,
and you know, more often than that we're gonna like it.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
You guys kind of had it by the last two
seasons because you had plunged to.
Speaker 6 (17:37):
Keep vision or fish saying yep, what did that right here?
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Us mentally do for ustream pay for when we outbroke.
Speaker 8 (17:46):
I guess it was good last year, probably a little
bit more physically than even mentally, but.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
You know, we didn't have it in twenty one. We
made the playoffs.
Speaker 8 (17:56):
So I mean, listen, we're we're like just trained to
do whatever is right in front of us. And you know,
if that is go play a game for this seed
or all the marbles or whatever it is, we go
do it. If it's to sit and rest and take
care of yourself, you do that, but we're not, you know,
anywhere near that conversation at the moment. So at the moment,
(18:17):
we're laser focused on you know, Arizona and trying to
get the result that we want.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
When you don't have the result that you want the
next week, do you find that the focus or the
energy is heightened a little bit?
Speaker 8 (18:29):
I wouldn't imagine, because I feel like every single week
we're doing everything we can. You know, I think, you know,
we understand what we did wrong in that game, and
we got to go out there and try to fix
those problems.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
But you know that's just through the normal process of
what we do.
Speaker 8 (18:44):
We prepare to go play well every single week. We
don't prepare to just fix this problem and then oh yeah,
we forget about the rest of it, right, So we
just prepare to play good football. You know, our coaches
give us sound football plays. We try to go out
there and execute them the best of our ability, play
together as a team and let the results happen. And
you know, I know that the guys in the locker
room are all focused on doing that.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Now, well, coach talks.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
About this is an opportunity to respond.
Speaker 7 (19:07):
Tighten up deal with adversities or something about this team
that you learn most last week with this game.
Speaker 8 (19:15):
Yeah, I mean, you know, we obviously didn't play the
game that we wanted to play, you know, on really
all sides of the ball. But I still thought we
gave ourselves a chance at the end of the game
to win it. And you know, obviously a mistake by
myself to let that ball come out of my hands
and not give us a chance to at least extending the
game or going to overtime.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
You know. So I do feel good about our resilience
as a group.
Speaker 8 (19:35):
That's been the whole season, whether that be in game
or after a loss, or after a.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
Win, whatever it is.
Speaker 8 (19:42):
I think we have the right kind of guys that
know that, hey, we need a big stop or a
big point in the game, you know, let's stay in
this fight. And hasn't gone the way we wanted or
is it, Hey, we didn't get the result we wanted.
Let's make sure that we just continue to do what
we've been doing, trust our process, trust each other, go
out there and play.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Have you swing the resilience grow in the last couple
of years. That's like that young the young roster in
twenty three is kind of grown and developed.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Last.
Speaker 8 (20:03):
Yeah, I mean I think that comes through experience. Right,
you get in the league and trying to remember back then,
but you know, everything is so new to you. Every
experience is so new to you. And and when you
get when you get to a couple of years and
a couple of games under your belt, you start to understand, Uh,
I mean, this thing keeps moving, this train keeps moving.
You got to make sure that, you know, you put
the last one to bed, figure out how you can
(20:25):
be better, go out there and attack the next week.
And and you know, I think our guys, uh, you know,
are doing a really good job of that.
Speaker 6 (20:30):
And that just comes with you know, experience.
Speaker 8 (20:33):
Cool.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
Thanks,
Okay, guys, as far as injuries are concerned, Kiren cam
kitchens and no more spaces will be limited. Davante with
his hamstring will be a d n P. Darius a
little bit of a tibia is kind of bothering him,
so he'll be a d n P. And then pun
A Ford with his calf will be a d NP.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Guys, go ahead, I do.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Yeah, it's a possibility with you too, that he's not
actupator for the DA.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
You know, we haven't gone down that road yet, you know,
but there is there are some number of things like
what we've talked about, got a lot of love for
him and what he's done, and now he's handled it,
and it's been just kind of been a unique set
of circumstances relative to the timing and figuring out how
you get you know, forty eight guys up and kind
of being able to balance that out relative to how
many on offense, how many on defense.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Obviously you're three specialists, and so that's not.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Something that you know, we've explored or really you know,
thoughts of possibility, but you never know.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Sean, what do you see when you look at the
Cardinals right now?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I see you know, a really tough football team. You know,
a team that we're very familiar with. They're they're really
well coached, they got good personnel all over the place.
I think there really sounds schematically. They pose a lot
of issues on both sides of the football. They've obviously
always been really good in the kicking game, had continuity
at the coordinator spot, and so a lot of respect
for this group. I think if you look at the record,
(01:23):
you know, you're you're kidding yourself, because this is a
team really outside of you know, the Seattle game, in
the San Francisco game, every one of those games they've
been in and it's been right down to the wire
and one possession games, and so we got a tremendous
amount of respect for this group, and we got to
be ready to go for sure what it was. Offense,
he's it's it's amazing. I mean, he'll stand tall in
(01:45):
the pocket, he'll move around, he can still buy time
with his legs, and he can activate all parts of
the field, and he's a hard tackle.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
He's obviously very experienced.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
You know, you can see there's a comfort in terms
of reading with his feet, getting through progressions, recognizing coverage
just got great overall. Command really impressed with his body
of work. You know, you've seen there's a lot of
production from the numbers, but then once you start to
dive into the tape, he's playing at a really high clip. Uh,
doing an excellent job of getting at a lot of
different people involved, and you know, and they're pushing the ball,
(02:15):
you know, and he does a you know, he poses
a lot of problems.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Been very impressed with his body of work.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
And reviewing the game tape and the delay a game
penalty was he gonna make it? Was that an early whistle?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
They blew the whistle. I'm on to quote coach Belichick.
We're onto the Cardinals there, so yeah, it doesn't really matter.
I mean that's how I felt, you know it, you know,
because the way that it's articulated is is that when
you look at it's really a forty one second play
clock or twenty six out of a clock stoppage. Because
(02:49):
you look at the clock once it hits zero, then
your eyes flashed to the formation.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
If the ball's not snapped, then you blow the whistle.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
And so.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
You know, again that's not my decision to make, but
that you know, I do understand. That's how it's officiated
or being taught to be officiated, And so whatever I think,
it doesn't matter. We got the delay and that moved
this back and we'll learn from it. And like anything else,
every experience is a great opportunity, whether it be good
or bad, for us to be able to say, Okay,
how can we control what we can control relative to
(03:20):
not letting it get so close down to that and
not taking a penalty in that situation, and that'll be
a great learning opportunity for all of us collectively.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
In terms of the number one seed, how much, if at.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
All, do we track I don't track it in the
least bit. We just listen. It's not important to me
at all. What's important to me.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Is us being totally and completely present today. You know,
I think the important we're not even in You know,
we have no guarantee to play past seventeen games, and
so the only thing that I know and that I
fully believe is that our ability to be totally and
completely present, have a great Wednesday, and put ourselves in
a position to earn the right to feel confident to
be able to go forward against the Cardinals. But there
(03:57):
was a lot of good things that you know, we
can learn from on that game, whether we win or lose.
But you know, when you come up short, I think
it's a great opportunity for us to be what we
want to be about.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
And that is the furthest thing.
Speaker 6 (04:09):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Our goal is to try to prepare to go, try
to get the result we want week in and week out,
and those other things take care of itself. But that
is not in the least bit of my concern. I
want us to get back to playing better quality football
that we've been accustomed to seeing that that we didn't
do the other day.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
You're thinking about the number one statement we lost left
team and very requirements or for any team, what is
Susai be on.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
You know, here's what I would say. The significance is
is that it's an awesome opportunity to be able to
even earn the right to play extra football. I wouldn't
say because we were in those environments is why we lost.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I was really pleased with how we handled both of those.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
We just came up short and we played two excellent
football teams in the Lions and the Eagles, where it
just didn't go down for us. Would we love to
be able to be at home. Yeah, but again that
is so far from my thinking. And the fact that
we lost on the road in the playoffs the last
two years.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
I don't think being on the road had anything to
do with us coming up short in those games.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Now, when you look back at the game, come well,
the run game play, I wish you'd lead on it more.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Did you like kind of the waiting played pretty good?
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I mean we punted one time with the sequence, you know,
but I thought, you know, we moved the ball.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
We had five third downs the whole game.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
I don't think I've ever been a part of a
game where you have so few third downs, and a
couple of those were in the red zone. So I thought,
I thought our guys did an excellent job of executing
really whatever it was. It was just unfortunate because those turnovers,
two of them in the tight red area and then
one of them that goes the other way. But you know,
we were moving the ball, only punted one time, and
so you look at it and you say, man, I
(05:48):
thought our guys did a great job executing it.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
You know, as a play caller you always look back
and you say, hey, what could you do?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
A better job of But you know, I thought for
the most part, we collectively, you know, ultimately it's about
the players bring it to life. I thought they did
a great job. I didn't think there was other opportunities
really that I'd say. I wish I had run it
more there because we were still moving the ball and
those other drives, you know, the one the one drive
that we did punt. What I will say is is
we had a good five yard run on first down.
(06:15):
Then on a second and five, they did a good
job of bringing a blitz where Matthew ended up being hot.
We took a sack that got us to the third
and thirteen. That's one of those where you say a
tip of the cap to you, e Jerro, I didn't
do a good job putting our guys in the right
spot there, and that one chefs my ass to no end.
But for the most part, in terms of like the
run pass balance, felt like our guys did a great
(06:36):
job executing whatever we had kind of called and and
I thought I was really pleased with the run game,
the way that we were able to strain and finish.
And I thought both Kyron and Blake ran really well.
Speaker 6 (06:45):
Sewn because that game was so much dictated by the turnovers.
Do you coach turnovers or did you just say that
happened and.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Well you're aware of it.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah, I mean we coach attacking for the football and
ball security. I mean those or two of the most
important things. And you know, when you really look at it,
other than points, you're talking about turnovers and explosives, and
that's taking the ball away taking care of it, or
that's creating explosives or preventing them from a defensive perspective.
And so we talk about that stuff all the time.
(07:15):
But when for our guys to even give themselves a
chance to be in that game. When you lose a
turnover battle three nothing and one of them goes for
a pick six and two of those the other two
were in the tight red area where you're in scoring position,
I think it's a tremendous credit to their resilience.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
But absolutely, we talk about that stuff all the time.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
But moving forward, is that just talk about last week?
How do you move?
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Yeah, you emphasize it, you know, and really like you
look at it and you say, okay, the first one.
Sometimes those are unfortunate occupational hazards of you get a
tip ball right there, and you know there's not a
lot that you can do right there. But then the
next two you know, absolutely you talk about what are
the things that we could do to prevent maybe turning
the football over, whether it's the interception or the fumble.
(07:58):
And you know we always talk about you know, ball
security is all eleven and so those are the things
that we discussed, you know, on a daily basis.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Years.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Last year's loss of the Cardinals ar, to say, kind
so a low point from the team. Obviously a lot
of factors went into share, a lot of injuries, but
what do you remember about how the team responded to
that game and let it roll? It played, and how
you guys were.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Forwarding that Well, you know, the next game, you know,
we we were you know, we were playing from behind
and ended up finding a way to pull out our
first win of the season against a division opponent. But
you know, they did a great job. I mean, Kyler
made some unbelievable plays. Obviously Harrison made his, and then
they were able to get the run game going. I
thought they did a really good job offensively and then defensively,
you know, you start off where you drop a third down,
(08:40):
you end up not converting on a fourth down, and
we ended up trying to throw a little perimeter screen
and it and things just kind of avalanched on us quickly,
but very humbling day. You know, those were one of
those days that was challenging. But I've always loved the
resolve and the responses of this group. That's all we
can control. But I think, if anything, there's a ton
of respect for this group that we're going against, and
(09:02):
we understand that, and last year serves as a good
reminder for sure.
Speaker 7 (09:06):
Coach.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
One of the things that.
Speaker 7 (09:07):
You've said after a protein testor like this adversity will
bring us together and make us tighter.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
How do you try to help especially the young guys
need and you as a coach try to recalibrate and
refrain the law.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Well, I think what you do is you acknowledge, Hey,
I don't like the way this feels. All right, but
then all right, let's take a step back and let's
say how do we channel that in a direction that
moves us forward. I think, you know, part of being
mentally tough is acknowledge. And I don't like where I'm
at now I have the awareness to be able to
address it.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
And then act accordingly.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
That's why we talk about all the time we want
to respond, not react, and so you acknowledge the things
that we can all do collectively better.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
But I think that you know, whether you want to
admit it or not, no matter the.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Most disciplined person, there is a heightened sense of urgency
and awareness when you end up coming up short like
what we did. Let's just say we ended up scoring
and ended up winning that game. The game would have
still gone down very similarly with you know, the one
hundred and fifty plus other plays, and it wasn't even
that many. There wasn't that many snaps in the game.
But the bottom line is is that you know, we
try to be consistent with it. But there is something
(10:08):
about when you have the right kinds of groups, they
can handle a setback. You can use it as a
setup for a comeback. And and I talk exactly like
what I'm talking to you, you know, to them about it.
And maybe I'm a little bit more candid. Uh, maybe
maybe I have a couple more curse words in there too.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
So, Sean, do divisional games feel different for you as
a coach?
Speaker 2 (10:28):
No, every single game feels the same.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
But there's a familiarity, you know, because there's been continuity
with coach Gannon, you know, and their coordinators, and so
you know, there's a familiarity tactically and schematically that you
go back and you draw on just because, all right,
what have they done to us? What have we done
to them? So maybe you know, just because there's a
little bit more familiarity, you know that that changes your approach.
But there's certain teams that we've kind of become accustomed
(10:53):
to playing, you know, whether it's some of these other
teams and some of the other divisions in our conference,
But it doesn't really change.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Every single game is very important to me.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Where man, you are grateful as hell when you come
away with that result, and when you don't, it just
crushes you.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
So all right, Michean, I know you're just focused on
this week. You're not in the playoffs, but you've got.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
To hear it your when you got to the Super
Bowl in twenty eighteen.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Yeah, with you had to buy twenty one? You did it?
Do you have when you think back, what was the
better road for you guys that you haven't preference?
Speaker 1 (11:26):
I think the twenty one road we won the Super
Bowl that year, didn't we I mean we lost that.
You want to bring up that we only scored three
points in that eighteen Super Bowl too?
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Huh, Gary, you're just killing me today.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
No, here's what I would say. I don't think I
know this. Here's what I can't tell you. And this
is so you know, I am not I can't even
contextualize enough to be able to just say I am
focused on trying to be totally present and no doubt
about it. Every game that we play, we go in
there with the intentions to try to win the game.
And so if you said, would I be happier if
we ended up being able to be in a position
(11:57):
where that means we won more games that maybe get
give you a chance to get an automatic bid to
the division around Yeah, of course. But I really promise you,
and I mean this wholeheartedly, and I think you know
that from us, you know, being connected for nine years now,
I don't think about those things. And last week serves
as a phenomenal reminder of man, you get all ahead
of yourself. We won't even be in the playoffs if
(12:18):
we're not careful, you know. And so that's where none
of that matters to me.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
At all.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
My sole focus and concentration is the amount of respect
that we have for the Cardinals, trying to make sure
that our players feel as clear and as confident going
into this game to be able to courageously go for it.
And I'm hoping that that leads to us getting our
tenth win and then after that we'll focus on what's next.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
And that really I think that has served us.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Well, you know, in all seriousness, because you know you
say it and it's the coaching.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Cliche, but it's easy to say, hard to do.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
But if you can be totally present and not allow
the things that make this game so popular, and it's
such a blessing, but like that has zero impact on
what we want to do on a daily basis. And
I do feel like it's important for us as coaches
to try to fight some of those narratives so that
our players can be as locked in on the moment
because those are the only things that we can control,
and I think we've got a group that can do that.
(13:07):
But you try to fight like hell to make sure
that those other things are irrelevant, because they really are
until those conversations become pertinent.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
If that's what is at stake given that given week. Okay,
thank you guys.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
By way, just.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Kind of looking back on the film from Sunday, what
do you want to clean.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Up and come forward?
Speaker 8 (13:34):
Yeah, just a couple of plays here there. I mean,
we move the ball up and down the field pretty
darn well. Obviously the turnovers hurt us, so try to
make sure we don't do that. But I love that
toughness we played with, you know, kept answering the bill
and it didn't come on with the result that we wanted.
But there's definitely a couple of plays here there that
you want back. That's every game. Those plays this time
(13:54):
just happened.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
To cost us.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
This team has shown adaptability and resiliency before the season
in the midst of a setback.
Speaker 7 (14:00):
Just when you think about, you know, that process, you
guys have a moving past those.
Speaker 6 (14:05):
You know what stands out.
Speaker 8 (14:07):
I think the fact that we just go back to
what we've been doing and trust what we do. You know,
football is an imperfect game played by a bunch of
humans trying to do their best, and.
Speaker 6 (14:15):
Sometimes it doesn't come out that way.
Speaker 8 (14:16):
But when you put the work in, you go out
there and put yourself out there and try to go
play for your team and try to get a win.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
And when it doesn't happen, yeah, you got a pit.
Speaker 8 (14:25):
In your stomach and it pisses you off and it's
disappointing and all those kind of things. But you can
sleep okay knowing that, Hey, I did everything I could
to prepare to be ready to play, go out there
and play. And so we just continue to do that process.
And we got a bunch of guys in that locker
room and coaches that believe in the same thing. We
continue to do that we like the result.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
Matthew Sean has often used the phrase don't let a
team beat you twice.
Speaker 8 (14:44):
Do you think like that when when you have a
game that's not up to your standards? Uh? Yeah, I
mean I think that's one way to put it, you know.
I think that's one way to put it. I know
that whether we win or we lose, I'm I'm move
on pretty darn quick. I just know that I have
another challenge front of me. I got a bunch of
plays I gotta learn. I gotta make sure everybody's in
the right spots at the right places and doing all that.
So I do move on pretty quick. So I feel
(15:07):
good about that, and I think the guys in our
locker room do as well.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
How long as an NFL player did it tell did
it take you to really master that ability to be
a bad before spot?
Speaker 8 (15:18):
I don't know. That's a great question. Played in a
lot of games now, so it just feels like it
comes easy to me. Doesn't mean that I don't care
about each and every single one of them and do
everything I can to try and help us win each
and every one of them.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
But I do know that, you know, unless it's.
Speaker 8 (15:35):
The last game of the year, uh, there's another one
coming and you better be ready for it.
Speaker 6 (15:39):
So just try to do my best to do that.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Last year's game against the Cardinals in Arizona was low
point for you guys. Obviously a lot of factors.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
Went into that. Yeah, but what do you.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Remember about how the team kind of took bad and
fed and was.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
Able to kind of move forward.
Speaker 8 (15:53):
Yeah, we were in a we were in a spot there.
I'm trying to remember. I think Pooka was out, Cooper
got hurt in the game. We got down early pretty quick, right, Yeah,
so not a recipe for a good day. Didn't have
a good day, but you know, we're able to, you know,
kind of figure things out as we moved along through
the season last year and play some of our best
ball late. So you know, each week is its own
(16:15):
story and its own game. You know, whether we had
played that game at their place or our place or anywhere,
I'm not sure that it mattered.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
You know.
Speaker 8 (16:23):
We just attack each week as its own and try
to put our best foot forward. And that's what we're
doing this week.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
Sun said, he's not hout the number one seed interestinking
you help this week, but play the last two seasons
and playoffs and here in twenty requirements a chance to
have THEE diet advantage basic hiding in you.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
I've never had it, so I couldn't tell you.
Speaker 8 (16:47):
Twenty twenty one, we got to play a home game, right,
and then we got home field for the NFC Championship
just because we were playing a lower seeds.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
So listen, that's the last thing on my mind at
the moment.
Speaker 8 (16:57):
I appreciate the question, and uh uh, you know, if
we get it this year, I'll let you know after that.
Speaker 6 (17:03):
But I do listen.
Speaker 8 (17:05):
Every game is ultra important, and you know, yes, we're
getting down to the end of the season. And the
games were you know, I don't know that they're more
meaningful just because if we didn't win the ones before
then you know, it doesn't matter either. So we just
take you every every single week, you know, pour everything
we got into it and try to go get the
result that we want and know that, hey, our process
is our process, and if we attack that with the
(17:27):
same kind of mindset and energy and enthusiasm that we
always have, you know we can live with the result,
and you know, more often than that we're gonna like it.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
You guys kind of had it by the last two
seasons because you had plunged to.
Speaker 6 (17:37):
Keep vision or fish saying yep, what did that right here?
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Us mentally do for ustream pay for when we outbroke.
Speaker 8 (17:46):
I guess it was good last year, probably a little
bit more physically than even mentally, but.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
You know, we didn't have it in twenty one. We
made the playoffs.
Speaker 8 (17:56):
So I mean, listen, we're we're like just trained to
do whatever is right in front of us. And you know,
if that is go play a game for this seed
or all the marbles or whatever it is, we go
do it. If it's to sit and rest and take
care of yourself, you do that, but we're not, you know,
anywhere near that conversation at the moment. So at the moment,
(18:17):
we're laser focused on you know, Arizona and trying to
get the result that we want.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
When you don't have the result that you want the
next week, do you find that the focus or the
energy is heightened a little bit?
Speaker 8 (18:29):
I wouldn't imagine, because I feel like every single week
we're doing everything we can. You know, I think, you know,
we understand what we did wrong in that game, and
we got to go out there and try to fix
those problems.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
But you know that's just through the normal process of
what we do.
Speaker 8 (18:44):
We prepare to go play well every single week. We
don't prepare to just fix this problem and then oh yeah,
we forget about the rest of it, right, So we
just prepare to play good football. You know, our coaches
give us sound football plays. We try to go out
there and execute them the best of our ability, play
together as a team and let the results happen. And
you know, I know that the guys in the locker
room are all focused on doing that.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Now, well, coach talks.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
About this is an opportunity to respond.
Speaker 7 (19:07):
Tighten up deal with adversities or something about this team
that you learn most last week with this game.
Speaker 8 (19:15):
Yeah, I mean, you know, we obviously didn't play the
game that we wanted to play, you know, on really
all sides of the ball. But I still thought we
gave ourselves a chance at the end of the game
to win it. And you know, obviously a mistake by
myself to let that ball come out of my hands
and not give us a chance to at least extending the
game or going to overtime.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
You know. So I do feel good about our resilience
as a group.
Speaker 8 (19:35):
That's been the whole season, whether that be in game
or after a loss, or after a.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
Win, whatever it is.
Speaker 8 (19:42):
I think we have the right kind of guys that
know that, hey, we need a big stop or a
big point in the game, you know, let's stay in
this fight. And hasn't gone the way we wanted or
is it, Hey, we didn't get the result we wanted.
Let's make sure that we just continue to do what
we've been doing, trust our process, trust each other, go
out there and play.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Have you swing the resilience grow in the last couple
of years. That's like that young the young roster in
twenty three is kind of grown and developed.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Last.
Speaker 8 (20:03):
Yeah, I mean I think that comes through experience. Right,
you get in the league and trying to remember back then,
but you know, everything is so new to you. Every
experience is so new to you. And and when you
get when you get to a couple of years and
a couple of games under your belt, you start to understand, Uh,
I mean, this thing keeps moving, this train keeps moving.
You got to make sure that, you know, you put
the last one to bed, figure out how you can
(20:25):
be better, go out there and attack the next week.
And and you know, I think our guys, uh, you know,
are doing a really good job of that.
Speaker 6 (20:30):
And that just comes with you know, experience.
Speaker 8 (20:33):
Cool.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
Thanks,
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