August 28, 2025 • 22 mins
HC Dan Quinn speaks to the media before today's practice.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, what's up everybody?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
All right, our final kind of wrap up training camp,
roster decisions, all of that, you know, to kind of
discuss that. After today's practice, the players will also get
a three day break over the weekend, and they need
it too. Our times together with them are really intense,
so they're time.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
To recharge and go.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
But practice today is really squarely on us and things
that we need to hit on. Things we need to
work timing, execution, our skill work into the game situation.
So we're going to go right back into it, into
that spot. And finally, and most importantly, Mike Sanders still
and John Jones are excused today for two very good
(00:42):
and special reasons. Okay, it's pretty weird.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Yeah, that's pretty that's worked out last year with with
Terry and Jane, Like how much are they able to do?
How much are they able extra that they're doing to
just maybe get that connection back. What are there some
of the little things they're doing to regain that.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, I think more of it, just you know, time
on task.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
John honestly to say, did they have experience together yes,
banked reps yes, but still like yesterday we ran a
deep play action, you know, that was over to Terry.
That was like a good route that you'd seen before.
So now let's say, let's work this one some more,
this one a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Jaden's excellent with that to work a specific route with
a specific player.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
On some things.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
And so that's what you'll see more with him and
Terry extras early, this specific route, this timing, because it's
not all the same for every player, and so that's
kind of the challenge of it, you know, from a
quarterback and a receiver, not the you know, the playing
zone where you're you know, in back facing the quarterback,
but you know, deep overs, comebacks, the timing of it.
(01:58):
So that's what they'll continue.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
To work through.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Obviously they're both very good players, right but together they
you know, the connection the reds and all that. Is
there something else about how they are, how they operate,
besides just being good that allows them to have a
certain connection.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yeah, I would say the complimentary reason that comes to
mind first, I would think John is one's an exceptional
deep ball ability to go track it, and.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
The other's exceptionally throwing it.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So I think maybe there's I've never really thought of
it in that way, but there's probably some complimentary football
that goes to one another. So here's a guy that
can really go and get on top of people and
catch it over different shoulders on a deep ball and
a quarterback who's got the touch to do it. So
I think that's probably the biggest complimentary piece, you know,
(02:45):
of their games that they're able to, you know, support
one another on the things two of the things that
they both do really well.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
To the guys who made the squad, they take a
deep breath, exhale. What about you guys who who sat
there and went over every different name and every player
and went back and forth.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, you finally make that fifty three. How did you
guys react?
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yeah, it was a it's a hard thing. It's not
as hard as the players going through it. That's for sure.
They have the toughest spot. But there were a lot
of ones that kept us up at night. Let's think
through it again. Get a late text from Adam this
and this, so you know, like a either or a scenario,
And so I like going through those exercises with him, chick,
(03:28):
because it also gets me to think and think of
it in different ways. And so I had for my
own knowledge, I wanted the coaches they're going to rank
everybody at this spot and what their roles would be
week one, what about week five? You know, so we
could think about what it looks like today and then
what it looks like a month or two from now.
So as coaches, you do have to think that way.
(03:48):
And then also I really just I know we talk
about practice squad and not but I think of it
like seventy men knowing that here you're counted on to
be responsible, to be ready. So if that's an elevation
this week or a following week, it just it's going
to happen. So I want them to just prepare and
play in that way. So it's not like they don't
(04:09):
get reps at practice. They do. And I want to
make sure that these are the standards and how we
have to go about them.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
And with the departure of b Rob, a guy like
see Rod Chris Rodriguez who's been here now three years,
his evolution is what to you.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Consistent?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
For one, I would say like when somebody can demonstrate
over and over again that they're willing to put the
work in buying the right read not just the physical skill,
but mentally on the special teams, like he's a player
chick that this team really trusts if he ask Larry,
Like yesterday he was giving the look on punt to
(04:51):
another player who's playing the wing. That's the same spot
Chris often plays, So that move that he hit, he
knows what stresses him. And so I thought, what a
great example of like Jeremy and him providing the look
of things that can be troublesome to.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Some of the other players.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
And if you can get your team to a spot
like that where they're testing one another and pushing one another,
that's a really big deal. And I think Chris is
a great example of that. I saw it in the
preseason games. Whether he was just excited when Bill had
a big run against Cincinnati as he was for himself,
and so that doesn't happen all the time. And I
(05:30):
like his fight. I like that he really worked hard
to change his body. And you know, those are things
that when people continue to show you that, then like
you pay attention.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
To follow up on that. Did you did you intend
to keep four backs once once you guys traded Brian Robinson?
Did you know you would keep four backs? And how
much did Chris's play in you know, preseason camp, and
I guess even lay last season kind of play into
his getting.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
A spot this year.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, it's a good question, and I think it was
definitely like usually at the skill spot, how many tight ends,
how many running backs? The evolution also of the return game, Nikki,
that's influenced me too, because those are more plays and
examples to go see if we can, you know further,
(06:21):
even that starting field position. You know right now at
the touchback on the thirty five, we're anticipating a lot
of people putting it into play, but we don't know
that yet, and so I think that part of the
game does it feels running back ish, Not to say
that Debo is a receiver, but he runs hard like
a back in a lot of ways. So he's certainly
(06:42):
another one that we'll have. But I think that is
a big part of it. We think of like an
A back and a B back Austin out of the
backfield third down, So it's not one size fits all,
but I do like the versatility of the room.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
Cliff said a week or so ago that can't really
tell what offenses until you got some of the pieces back.
Right now that you have those two receivers back. I
know you don't have Sam Cosmi back yet. Are you
able to see what the offense is yet? I mean,
given the limited time frame before.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
The opener, maybe not fully, but I do know that,
Like we've still run the same so it's not like
the system changes. So putting them into some of those
plays may look differently because of who the ballplayer is,
you know, at that spot, but it's not like a
new system comes in. So I think that's important to
(07:31):
know for ten others on that specific play, they'll be
doing the same exact job. So let's face it with
you know, well that I think it grows, you know,
like I'm hopeful that the team we are and one
is going to be really strong and stronger in four
and stronger in eight as we're building it. And if
(07:52):
we hit all the marks, then we should do that.
Our skills should get sharper. But I like the competitiveness
at the receiver spot. And it's not just you know,
Terry and Debo and Noah, but like Jalen is that way,
Luke is that way. Like these are guys that like
to battle for it. Our league is made up of
(08:13):
a lot of contested catches, and it's one of the things.
Terry's exceptional at Debo's in that same space, Noah is there, certainly.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Luke and Jalen.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
They make up like a fierce competitive group, and so
that's important and knowing that, like in tight coverage, these
guys are going to go fight for the ball, Sir,
Hey Dave.
Speaker 6 (08:34):
I know that the offensive line is a unit, and
John's part of that too, and so there's a lot
of moving parts. But do you have a working theory
as to which side you'd like to run to on
third and two, fourth and one?
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Like? I like that you included John.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
I think Don Morren would be awful proud of you
to put the tight end as part of the O line.
He is an exceptional blocker. I don't know that yet, no,
but I do like the athleticism of the group, and
so we have tested gap pulling schemes to the left,
to the right, putting different guys in different spots. Coleman's
(09:11):
been back in there. He's another guy that can get
to the move. We've improved also in the screen games
because we're ready to go to one side. But as
far as like a fourth down, gotta have it going
to this side. We're not there yet to say this
is where the ball is going to go.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
You're not there yet with.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Yeah, or I'm not there to share that with you yet.
I might be closer to that than letting on, but.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I am. I'm closer closer than you.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
Next week with the schedule, how much packers do you
put in next week along with the Giants given that
you've got a short schedule the following week.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
The coaches really had to be the ones to put
it in over the weekend Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. So
while Adam and I were busy with that, they really
dug in on Green Bay and so that way when
they could. Then as the week went on that it
kind of shifted. But having a Thursday game is challenging.
(10:10):
Having a Thursday game at week two is better than
week seven because having I don't know if the term
would be exactly right, like a preseason by you know
how we've changed the schedule so this window allows flexibility.
I'm sure some teams are just doing hey, two weeks
on the opponent they're playing in the opener, But with
(10:32):
that Thursday, there is some windows that the coaches aren't
with the players and they had Sunday off. I met
with them by myself Monday. The players that had off
Tuesday to begin practice Wednesday, So there was some pockets
that they were able to do that. And then you
have to shut the folders and put that in the
drawer and it doesn't come back out again until that Monday.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
But it did help.
Speaker 7 (10:57):
It did fourth downd success last year such a big
part of the team story, like history and like this
probability would say, it's very difficult to duplicate eighty seven
percent success, right and for it agreed, So how do
you approach that the idea that you're you know, chasing that,
but it's also you know, probably not.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Something you can like count on, yeah, achieving Again, it's
not all one you know, going into the game. Sometimes it's, uh,
I want to make sure we're stealing another possession, So
there's some strategy.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Going on with that.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
It's about like nine drives or so a game as
you're going through it, and so how do we gain
an advantage on somebody? Sometimes going forward on fourth does
that where's the kicker you know, comfort level to go
into that space? And then it's really by the distance
you look at the opponent.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
You know where do they fall on the end ones?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
How about in two's? You know what do they play
on the threes and four is? If it's a certain style,
maybe you're more apt to know what you're going to expect.
But yeah, Jaden was a big factor, you know, and
that eighty seven percent or whatever the number was, there
was a handful for sure that was called one thing
and then something happened and like he made the rest.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Go down, Like we'll have a play called that. You
don't want to count on that.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
That's a reactive way of the ballplayer doing his thing,
But you don't want to lean into that. I think
that's irresponsible. You want to make sure this is what
we think we're gonna do, how we're gonna go down.
But really by game is we make those decisions as
much as we can before the game, So going in,
the coordinators know what to expect, how we're going to
do it, and then as the game unfolds, I'll communicate
(12:37):
with them.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
You know where we're at.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
But I think the secret for me on the telling
the coordinators is early in the drive, so no one's
ever caught off guard. Hey, we're gonna go for it here,
you know, like because it can impact some of your
third down calls if it's into fourth down, knowing that
you may have two downs all of But.
Speaker 7 (12:56):
What John's asking for about it, you know, quarterback receiver connection,
You've deft a lot of those. You know, you had
Matt and Julio in Atlanta for you, Like what are
kind of like the you know, earmarks of what makes
a great quarterback receiver of tandem aside from just you know,
a great skill on by both players.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
From my defensive perspective, you know this route's going to happen,
and they still complete it.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Like that's the hardest, Like, damn.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
We talked about this throw or this route and they're
so exceptional at that that they were able to you know,
put it in the right location at the right spot.
But it is a real thing. The connection, chemistry, all
of that matters the best of the best players. They
spend a lot of time together, that's even outside of
(13:43):
coaching and that to make sure those moments.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Are delivered upon.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
But uh, we're fortunate that Jaden and Terror two that
that do that extra.
Speaker 8 (13:55):
Dan, you you mean, welcome, thank you, good to be back.
You mentioned Jalen Lane I guess I'll start with a
specific question. You knew what you were getting in him
kind of when you drafted him. What has surprised you
about him over the past couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
We knew the pump return ability was really strong. What
I probably didn't know and I knew he was fast
and explosive. But the way that he's taken to coaching
from Bobby, you can almost see the drill work come
into the play and so like there's a specific way you.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Run an option route.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
When somebody's on you, you don't want to hustle too quickly
because then the defenders not really into the stress. So
seeing him fully express how to work somebody into a technique,
that's a really big deal. Because in college, especially on
offenses that play really fast, there's not as much man
to man and so that's one of the things that
can be more challenging for a slot or a wide
(14:48):
receiver that's playing in a tempo offense, like because college
plays faster than we play, so you see less matching
and tight coverage, so they're able to run their routes
at full speed and hit it and go to the
next play. And so running an option route defeating leverage,
beating people in Manda. Man, that's been an impressive I'm
not going to call it catch up, but like development
(15:10):
from the time he's arrived to where he is today.
Speaker 8 (15:14):
And then a philosophical question. I know he played for
his dad in high school and you probably get a
lot of guys who are sons of coaches. Is that
like an overblown thing or is there something different about
guys who grew up around the sport in that way?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
That's a better question for Jalen. I would say it's
got a factor in somehow. And you're five years old
and you're at football practice when other people aren't. You know,
you saw things that happen, and I'm sure like you
know it matters. You know, Chliff's father was a defensive coordinator,
so you know that different sides of the ball and
coached him as so he said, yeah, tried throwing an
(15:48):
interception at high school when your dad's a decordinator, you know,
not so easy. So with Jalen, like being around football
his whole life, is that a factor on why some
of those things are coming easier? Possibly, But at the
end of it, man, like I like just the work
that he's putting in for these rookies. What they're doing
right now. This is the hardest thing they've ever done.
And that's a real thing. And but they'll make it,
(16:11):
you know. But they have to put in the work,
whether you grew up as a coach's kid or not.
Like it comes down to what we do out on
the field on the grass, like at practice, that's where
it has to go down. And I'm encouraged because what
I've seen from him is this steady rise.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Good have a new coach. Well, yep.
Speaker 9 (16:29):
We talked extensively about you taking lessons from your first
head coaching run to this one and not copy pasting
making things better this time around. Having led a previously
successful team through training camp this year, are you what
are some of the lessons you pulled from that last
experience to this one.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I really lean in, David, and you'll appreciate this. From
the military side, is the after actions. What did I like,
What did we need to do differently, what needs to
stay the same, and so that prepared me to go
into okay. From a coaching side, in these practic this
is we changed the length of our individual session to
being longer. They wanted more time on more skill work.
(17:06):
The team's in better shape now, so we practiced a
little bit longer. We got more reps than we did
last year in almost the same amount of time, so
we're becoming more efficient. But because the guys are really
fit and they're ready in the system, it's allowed us
to practice more. So that's been a benefit. So I'd say,
looking back, before you begin the planning of what took
(17:29):
place on the last training camp, what did I like?
And I just finished this year's of things I like,
so as i'm that, I'll go into the drawer and
be ready for twenty six. But it does help to
have an after action process to say this went well,
we need to do this more, and that's how I
went about it.
Speaker 10 (17:49):
Hey, coach, good afternoon, Good afternoon. That which one. So
when you take a look at the preseason and you
also performance, run, defense, performance, were your takeaways there and
how did that mirror to what you all where you
all landed on the roster.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Sure, I would say our tackling got better as we
went Candy, So first game I didn't like it at all.
Second game got better. As we got to Baltimore, I
liked it better. As far as the run defense goes,
if I just counted the preseason games, it'd be incomplete.
(18:26):
So in totality, I like where we've added guys into
the mix. Eddie jk wise like, these are some big,
strong guys inside, So I'm pleased with the trajectory there.
So it was a combination of adding some personnel and
then I would say, like, the technique feels better going
(18:47):
into it. It'll always be something I see us working on,
But our tackling that's to me, the top of the pile,
and we're not.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Where I think we need to be and will be.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
I feel that way every year at this time because
it's the thing we don't do full on, and so
tackling feels like it gets better defensively kind of as
the season grows, and you got to stay on the
skill for that. But I'm more much more pleased than
I am a year ago sitting here at this time,
that's for sure.
Speaker 10 (19:21):
Hey, Hey, coach, when you look through training camp and preseason,
was there any wow moments for you that you did
not expect to see.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Man, that's a good one. Going into the season, the
communication defensively reached a new level and I was pleased
to see that, Donna, and like that may not seem
like a wow one for the coaches, I mean for
the fans or for somebody watching practice, but the level
(19:55):
of focus it takes to get that communication right. I
know that the players and the co which is man,
they are putting in work, and so the walkthroughs, the
consistency of that, the wow moment probably came for me.
It was like before Baltimore, we had a practice that
was designed only for situations, and I really pushed us
(20:16):
to ones that come up a lot and some that
don't come up very often. But their ability to execute
on that day and what I would call winning time
moments that showed me while like they've put in the
work and they have an understanding of what we want.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
To get done.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Sideline catches, timeouts, long field goals, on side kicks, those
are the separators between winning and losing so many times.
So I really wanted us to get tested and test
the times, the thresholds. So that would have been my
wow moment. I was expecting, let's hit that one again,
let's repeat that play, and I only did that probably
(20:54):
twice in that whole practice. Where I was expecting I
bet five or six more times. There wasn't quite right
because you don't really get a second chance when there's
six seconds left and you have no timeouts and you
got to get the ball out of balance like either
you do or you don't. And so that was a
good sign for me that both sides of the ball
(21:15):
on teams like they've been putting in that work in
the winning time. So that would be my wow moment.
We got a lot of work to do. Just That's
how I feel about practice.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Man.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
You just keep going for it, Donna, and eventually you
keep getting better and better. But I like that we
had a really good practice yesterday. It sometimes feels weird, Okay,
who's here, who's back? It's like this unusual spot. It's
better than for some of the old heads in the
room that when you cover the team, it went from
like a lot to a little really fast. So with
(21:47):
the extended practice squad that helps. But I was pleased
on the first day that.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
We were able to really step into a rhythm together.
All right, see everybody, Yeah,
All right, what's up everybody?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
All right, our final kind of wrap up training camp,
roster decisions, all of that, you know, to kind of
discuss that. After today's practice, the players will also get
a three day break over the weekend, and they need
it too. Our times together with them are really intense,
so they're time.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
To recharge and go.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
But practice today is really squarely on us and things
that we need to hit on. Things we need to
work timing, execution, our skill work into the game situation.
So we're going to go right back into it, into
that spot. And finally, and most importantly, Mike Sanders still
and John Jones are excused today for two very good
(00:42):
and special reasons. Okay, it's pretty weird.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Yeah, that's pretty that's worked out last year with with
Terry and Jane, Like how much are they able to do?
How much are they able extra that they're doing to
just maybe get that connection back. What are there some
of the little things they're doing to regain that.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, I think more of it, just you know, time
on task.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
John honestly to say, did they have experience together yes,
banked reps yes, but still like yesterday we ran a
deep play action, you know, that was over to Terry.
That was like a good route that you'd seen before.
So now let's say, let's work this one some more,
this one a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Jaden's excellent with that to work a specific route with
a specific player.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
On some things.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
And so that's what you'll see more with him and
Terry extras early, this specific route, this timing, because it's
not all the same for every player, and so that's
kind of the challenge of it, you know, from a
quarterback and a receiver, not the you know, the playing
zone where you're you know, in back facing the quarterback,
but you know, deep overs, comebacks, the timing of it.
(01:58):
So that's what they'll continue.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
To work through.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Obviously they're both very good players, right but together they
you know, the connection the reds and all that. Is
there something else about how they are, how they operate,
besides just being good that allows them to have a
certain connection.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yeah, I would say the complimentary reason that comes to
mind first, I would think John is one's an exceptional
deep ball ability to go track it, and.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
The other's exceptionally throwing it.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So I think maybe there's I've never really thought of
it in that way, but there's probably some complimentary football
that goes to one another. So here's a guy that
can really go and get on top of people and
catch it over different shoulders on a deep ball and
a quarterback who's got the touch to do it. So
I think that's probably the biggest complimentary piece, you know,
(02:45):
of their games that they're able to, you know, support
one another on the things two of the things that
they both do really well.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
To the guys who made the squad, they take a
deep breath, exhale. What about you guys who who sat
there and went over every different name and every player
and went back and forth.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, you finally make that fifty three. How did you
guys react?
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yeah, it was a it's a hard thing. It's not
as hard as the players going through it. That's for sure.
They have the toughest spot. But there were a lot
of ones that kept us up at night. Let's think
through it again. Get a late text from Adam this
and this, so you know, like a either or a scenario,
And so I like going through those exercises with him, chick,
(03:28):
because it also gets me to think and think of
it in different ways. And so I had for my
own knowledge, I wanted the coaches they're going to rank
everybody at this spot and what their roles would be
week one, what about week five? You know, so we
could think about what it looks like today and then
what it looks like a month or two from now.
So as coaches, you do have to think that way.
(03:48):
And then also I really just I know we talk
about practice squad and not but I think of it
like seventy men knowing that here you're counted on to
be responsible, to be ready. So if that's an elevation
this week or a following week, it just it's going
to happen. So I want them to just prepare and
play in that way. So it's not like they don't
(04:09):
get reps at practice. They do. And I want to
make sure that these are the standards and how we
have to go about them.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
And with the departure of b Rob, a guy like
see Rod Chris Rodriguez who's been here now three years,
his evolution is what to you.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Consistent?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
For one, I would say like when somebody can demonstrate
over and over again that they're willing to put the
work in buying the right read not just the physical skill,
but mentally on the special teams, like he's a player
chick that this team really trusts if he ask Larry,
Like yesterday he was giving the look on punt to
(04:51):
another player who's playing the wing. That's the same spot
Chris often plays, So that move that he hit, he
knows what stresses him. And so I thought, what a
great example of like Jeremy and him providing the look
of things that can be troublesome to.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Some of the other players.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
And if you can get your team to a spot
like that where they're testing one another and pushing one another,
that's a really big deal. And I think Chris is
a great example of that. I saw it in the
preseason games. Whether he was just excited when Bill had
a big run against Cincinnati as he was for himself,
and so that doesn't happen all the time. And I
(05:30):
like his fight. I like that he really worked hard
to change his body. And you know, those are things
that when people continue to show you that, then like
you pay attention.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
To follow up on that. Did you did you intend
to keep four backs once once you guys traded Brian Robinson?
Did you know you would keep four backs? And how
much did Chris's play in you know, preseason camp, and
I guess even lay last season kind of play into
his getting.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
A spot this year.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, it's a good question, and I think it was
definitely like usually at the skill spot, how many tight ends,
how many running backs? The evolution also of the return game, Nikki,
that's influenced me too, because those are more plays and
examples to go see if we can, you know further,
(06:21):
even that starting field position. You know right now at
the touchback on the thirty five, we're anticipating a lot
of people putting it into play, but we don't know
that yet, and so I think that part of the
game does it feels running back ish, Not to say
that Debo is a receiver, but he runs hard like
a back in a lot of ways. So he's certainly
(06:42):
another one that we'll have. But I think that is
a big part of it. We think of like an
A back and a B back Austin out of the
backfield third down, So it's not one size fits all,
but I do like the versatility of the room.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
Cliff said a week or so ago that can't really
tell what offenses until you got some of the pieces back.
Right now that you have those two receivers back. I
know you don't have Sam Cosmi back yet. Are you
able to see what the offense is yet? I mean,
given the limited time frame before.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
The opener, maybe not fully, but I do know that,
Like we've still run the same so it's not like
the system changes. So putting them into some of those
plays may look differently because of who the ballplayer is,
you know, at that spot, but it's not like a
new system comes in. So I think that's important to
(07:31):
know for ten others on that specific play, they'll be
doing the same exact job. So let's face it with
you know, well that I think it grows, you know,
like I'm hopeful that the team we are and one
is going to be really strong and stronger in four
and stronger in eight as we're building it. And if
(07:52):
we hit all the marks, then we should do that.
Our skills should get sharper. But I like the competitiveness
at the receiver spot. And it's not just you know,
Terry and Debo and Noah, but like Jalen is that way,
Luke is that way. Like these are guys that like
to battle for it. Our league is made up of
(08:13):
a lot of contested catches, and it's one of the things.
Terry's exceptional at Debo's in that same space, Noah is there, certainly.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Luke and Jalen.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
They make up like a fierce competitive group, and so
that's important and knowing that, like in tight coverage, these
guys are going to go fight for the ball, Sir,
Hey Dave.
Speaker 6 (08:34):
I know that the offensive line is a unit, and
John's part of that too, and so there's a lot
of moving parts. But do you have a working theory
as to which side you'd like to run to on
third and two, fourth and one?
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Like? I like that you included John.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
I think Don Morren would be awful proud of you
to put the tight end as part of the O line.
He is an exceptional blocker. I don't know that yet, no,
but I do like the athleticism of the group, and
so we have tested gap pulling schemes to the left,
to the right, putting different guys in different spots. Coleman's
(09:11):
been back in there. He's another guy that can get
to the move. We've improved also in the screen games
because we're ready to go to one side. But as
far as like a fourth down, gotta have it going
to this side. We're not there yet to say this
is where the ball is going to go.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
You're not there yet with.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Yeah, or I'm not there to share that with you yet.
I might be closer to that than letting on, but.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I am. I'm closer closer than you.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
Next week with the schedule, how much packers do you
put in next week along with the Giants given that
you've got a short schedule the following week.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
The coaches really had to be the ones to put
it in over the weekend Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. So
while Adam and I were busy with that, they really
dug in on Green Bay and so that way when
they could. Then as the week went on that it
kind of shifted. But having a Thursday game is challenging.
(10:10):
Having a Thursday game at week two is better than
week seven because having I don't know if the term
would be exactly right, like a preseason by you know
how we've changed the schedule so this window allows flexibility.
I'm sure some teams are just doing hey, two weeks
on the opponent they're playing in the opener, But with
(10:32):
that Thursday, there is some windows that the coaches aren't
with the players and they had Sunday off. I met
with them by myself Monday. The players that had off
Tuesday to begin practice Wednesday, So there was some pockets
that they were able to do that. And then you
have to shut the folders and put that in the
drawer and it doesn't come back out again until that Monday.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
But it did help.
Speaker 7 (10:57):
It did fourth downd success last year such a big
part of the team story, like history and like this
probability would say, it's very difficult to duplicate eighty seven
percent success, right and for it agreed, So how do
you approach that the idea that you're you know, chasing that,
but it's also you know, probably not.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Something you can like count on, yeah, achieving Again, it's
not all one you know, going into the game. Sometimes it's, uh,
I want to make sure we're stealing another possession, So
there's some strategy.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Going on with that.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
It's about like nine drives or so a game as
you're going through it, and so how do we gain
an advantage on somebody? Sometimes going forward on fourth does
that where's the kicker you know, comfort level to go
into that space? And then it's really by the distance
you look at the opponent.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
You know where do they fall on the end ones?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
How about in two's? You know what do they play
on the threes and four is? If it's a certain style,
maybe you're more apt to know what you're going to expect.
But yeah, Jaden was a big factor, you know, and
that eighty seven percent or whatever the number was, there
was a handful for sure that was called one thing
and then something happened and like he made the rest.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Go down, Like we'll have a play called that. You
don't want to count on that.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
That's a reactive way of the ballplayer doing his thing,
But you don't want to lean into that. I think
that's irresponsible. You want to make sure this is what
we think we're gonna do, how we're gonna go down.
But really by game is we make those decisions as
much as we can before the game, So going in,
the coordinators know what to expect, how we're going to
do it, and then as the game unfolds, I'll communicate
(12:37):
with them.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
You know where we're at.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
But I think the secret for me on the telling
the coordinators is early in the drive, so no one's
ever caught off guard. Hey, we're gonna go for it here,
you know, like because it can impact some of your
third down calls if it's into fourth down, knowing that
you may have two downs all of But.
Speaker 7 (12:56):
What John's asking for about it, you know, quarterback receiver connection,
You've deft a lot of those. You know, you had
Matt and Julio in Atlanta for you, Like what are
kind of like the you know, earmarks of what makes
a great quarterback receiver of tandem aside from just you know,
a great skill on by both players.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
From my defensive perspective, you know this route's going to happen,
and they still complete it.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Like that's the hardest, Like, damn.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
We talked about this throw or this route and they're
so exceptional at that that they were able to you know,
put it in the right location at the right spot.
But it is a real thing. The connection, chemistry, all
of that matters the best of the best players. They
spend a lot of time together, that's even outside of
(13:43):
coaching and that to make sure those moments.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Are delivered upon.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
But uh, we're fortunate that Jaden and Terror two that
that do that extra.
Speaker 8 (13:55):
Dan, you you mean, welcome, thank you, good to be back.
You mentioned Jalen Lane I guess I'll start with a
specific question. You knew what you were getting in him
kind of when you drafted him. What has surprised you
about him over the past couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
We knew the pump return ability was really strong. What
I probably didn't know and I knew he was fast
and explosive. But the way that he's taken to coaching
from Bobby, you can almost see the drill work come
into the play and so like there's a specific way you.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Run an option route.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
When somebody's on you, you don't want to hustle too quickly
because then the defenders not really into the stress. So
seeing him fully express how to work somebody into a technique,
that's a really big deal. Because in college, especially on
offenses that play really fast, there's not as much man
to man and so that's one of the things that
can be more challenging for a slot or a wide
(14:48):
receiver that's playing in a tempo offense, like because college
plays faster than we play, so you see less matching
and tight coverage, so they're able to run their routes
at full speed and hit it and go to the
next play. And so running an option route defeating leverage,
beating people in Manda. Man, that's been an impressive I'm
not going to call it catch up, but like development
(15:10):
from the time he's arrived to where he is today.
Speaker 8 (15:14):
And then a philosophical question. I know he played for
his dad in high school and you probably get a
lot of guys who are sons of coaches. Is that
like an overblown thing or is there something different about
guys who grew up around the sport in that way?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
That's a better question for Jalen. I would say it's
got a factor in somehow. And you're five years old
and you're at football practice when other people aren't. You know,
you saw things that happen, and I'm sure like you
know it matters. You know, Chliff's father was a defensive coordinator,
so you know that different sides of the ball and
coached him as so he said, yeah, tried throwing an
(15:48):
interception at high school when your dad's a decordinator, you know,
not so easy. So with Jalen, like being around football
his whole life, is that a factor on why some
of those things are coming easier? Possibly, But at the
end of it, man, like I like just the work
that he's putting in for these rookies. What they're doing
right now. This is the hardest thing they've ever done.
And that's a real thing. And but they'll make it,
(16:11):
you know. But they have to put in the work,
whether you grew up as a coach's kid or not.
Like it comes down to what we do out on
the field on the grass, like at practice, that's where
it has to go down. And I'm encouraged because what
I've seen from him is this steady rise.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Good have a new coach. Well, yep.
Speaker 9 (16:29):
We talked extensively about you taking lessons from your first
head coaching run to this one and not copy pasting
making things better this time around. Having led a previously
successful team through training camp this year, are you what
are some of the lessons you pulled from that last
experience to this one.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I really lean in, David, and you'll appreciate this. From
the military side, is the after actions. What did I like,
What did we need to do differently, what needs to
stay the same, and so that prepared me to go
into okay. From a coaching side, in these practic this
is we changed the length of our individual session to
being longer. They wanted more time on more skill work.
(17:06):
The team's in better shape now, so we practiced a
little bit longer. We got more reps than we did
last year in almost the same amount of time, so
we're becoming more efficient. But because the guys are really
fit and they're ready in the system, it's allowed us
to practice more. So that's been a benefit. So I'd say,
looking back, before you begin the planning of what took
(17:29):
place on the last training camp, what did I like?
And I just finished this year's of things I like,
so as i'm that, I'll go into the drawer and
be ready for twenty six. But it does help to
have an after action process to say this went well,
we need to do this more, and that's how I
went about it.
Speaker 10 (17:49):
Hey, coach, good afternoon, Good afternoon. That which one. So
when you take a look at the preseason and you
also performance, run, defense, performance, were your takeaways there and
how did that mirror to what you all where you
all landed on the roster.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Sure, I would say our tackling got better as we
went Candy, So first game I didn't like it at all.
Second game got better. As we got to Baltimore, I
liked it better. As far as the run defense goes,
if I just counted the preseason games, it'd be incomplete.
(18:26):
So in totality, I like where we've added guys into
the mix. Eddie jk wise like, these are some big,
strong guys inside, So I'm pleased with the trajectory there.
So it was a combination of adding some personnel and
then I would say, like, the technique feels better going
(18:47):
into it. It'll always be something I see us working on,
But our tackling that's to me, the top of the pile,
and we're not.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Where I think we need to be and will be.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
I feel that way every year at this time because
it's the thing we don't do full on, and so
tackling feels like it gets better defensively kind of as
the season grows, and you got to stay on the
skill for that. But I'm more much more pleased than
I am a year ago sitting here at this time,
that's for sure.
Speaker 10 (19:21):
Hey, Hey, coach, when you look through training camp and preseason,
was there any wow moments for you that you did
not expect to see.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Man, that's a good one. Going into the season, the
communication defensively reached a new level and I was pleased
to see that, Donna, and like that may not seem
like a wow one for the coaches, I mean for
the fans or for somebody watching practice, but the level
(19:55):
of focus it takes to get that communication right. I
know that the players and the co which is man,
they are putting in work, and so the walkthroughs, the
consistency of that, the wow moment probably came for me.
It was like before Baltimore, we had a practice that
was designed only for situations, and I really pushed us
(20:16):
to ones that come up a lot and some that
don't come up very often. But their ability to execute
on that day and what I would call winning time
moments that showed me while like they've put in the
work and they have an understanding of what we want.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
To get done.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Sideline catches, timeouts, long field goals, on side kicks, those
are the separators between winning and losing so many times.
So I really wanted us to get tested and test
the times, the thresholds. So that would have been my
wow moment. I was expecting, let's hit that one again,
let's repeat that play, and I only did that probably
(20:54):
twice in that whole practice. Where I was expecting I
bet five or six more times. There wasn't quite right
because you don't really get a second chance when there's
six seconds left and you have no timeouts and you
got to get the ball out of balance like either
you do or you don't. And so that was a
good sign for me that both sides of the ball
(21:15):
on teams like they've been putting in that work in
the winning time. So that would be my wow moment.
We got a lot of work to do. Just That's
how I feel about practice.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Man.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
You just keep going for it, Donna, and eventually you
keep getting better and better. But I like that we
had a really good practice yesterday. It sometimes feels weird, Okay,
who's here, who's back? It's like this unusual spot. It's
better than for some of the old heads in the
room that when you cover the team, it went from
like a lot to a little really fast. So with
(21:47):
the extended practice squad that helps. But I was pleased
on the first day that.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
We were able to really step into a rhythm together.
All right, see everybody, Yeah,
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.