January 1, 2026 • 6 mins
Defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen speaks to the media Thursday from the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What are you looking to get from the guys this
last week?
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Just one more performance of continued improvement. You've really been
happy leading up until this moment at the guy's commitment
and dedication to just getting better every week. And I
think there's been some good moments on the field, you know,
and you're seeing that these guys are playing a pretty
(00:24):
good brand of football right now, and I'm proud of
that and appreciate their willingness to keep pushing. And so
that's that's what I expect this week, is just to
keep trying to get better.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
A duel just the last few weeks, probably since the
Patriots game or sense.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
To buy Yeah, just again, his his desire to be great,
and he's he's committed to it. And you know, we've
talked a lot about him committing to his process and
making some tweaks and changes, which is great, you know,
and he's just it's just been more of that, you know,
and he's learned a lot in his rookie year.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
And.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I think you can't you can't always force the process
as well. So I think it's just been continued commitment
by him, you know, off the field, and then on
the field, he's had some success and I think now
at this point he's in a little bit of a
groove and a rhythm and gain confidence and so that's
what you're seeing on the field. For sure.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
They got a game on Sunday, But looking forward is
probably a big off season for him, like just to
maybe make continue that development. What what is the next
step for him to come back next year as you know,
a consistent player like he's been in the last couple
of weeks.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, just to build off what he's what he's built
at this point. Yeah, I think he's in a pretty
good place in terms of the production you're seeing on
the field, and he's had a month of a good
rhythm again on and off the field. So for him
going into next year, being able to draw from that
confidence and start off even in this offseas' in the
(02:00):
oltas and training camp where he left off, I think
that'll jumpstart him for next year. And that's that's the
importance of having these moments for him and feeling that
success on the field and the payoff from his commitment
to his process. You know, he knows what that how
that translates to NFL games now, So all off season,
you know, when it's time to come back to work,
(02:21):
he'll be able to draw from that and that'll fuel
him as he works, you know, for next year.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
What do you make? Sixteen and a half sacks from
Brian Burns.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Again a result of a commitment to his process. We've
talked about that. It's been remarkable to see just how
much or how he approached his process this year and
how intentionally he was. And so he's gotten he's gotten
some payoff from that, you know. And every great pass
(02:52):
rusher has a freebie or two every year in the
sack department, you know. So he's had some fortuitous moments
in that regard. But again it's just this reward for
the work that he's put in, you know. So that's
why I see that.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
What's it like to be able to just draw up
plays on third down with the guys that came in
adult you obviously use them a little differently. Just what
is that like as a as a like on Oh
it's great.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I mean, you know, again, players overplays mentality, you know,
that's that's one thing to put guys in positions to succeed.
But as imaginative as we can get as coaches, they
still have to execute. So but with those two guys
in particular, the disguise the limit. Because they're so good
and they're so versatile, you can do a lot. So
(03:37):
the ways that we've been able to use them has
been fun. But again they're the ones that have to
execute it and then they have so as a staff
that has been enjoyable for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
What's it been like watching Garrius Alexander these last few weeks,
just seeing him kind of grow and make some strides
a little bit this Riki.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Year, it's been great again, you know, just going back
to continued improvement and development. We talked about a duel.
I think has been much the same for DA. He's
just been working every week and focused on trying to
get better and it's kind of coming together for him
now at this point in the season. And that's that's
(04:11):
what you're seeing. But he's he stayed focused and steadfast
and tried to get better and it's paying off.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Now.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Has it been perfect? You know, it never is for anybody,
But he's been working the whole time and I'm proud
of him. On Bobby's interception and we talked about it
a lot last week, the Russian coverage being tied together
and it would be no different this week with Dak.
But on Bobby's interception, DA had a great rush, a
power rush on the guard and was able to walk
(04:39):
him back and affect Geno's throw. So as great of
a play as it was for Bobby, DA was as
much a part of that and ended up contacting Geno
to the ground. And you know, that was part of
last week's game plans, just getting hits on him early
and that was in the first quarter, you know, and
he kind of felt us the rest of the day,
But that was an early blow that we talked about
(05:00):
in DA that was a result of him striking with power,
using his length, running his feet. So that rush, for
sure is a high, high praise moment for him. But
he also did in the run game as well. There's
a couple of clips where he's striking and running his feet.
In a couple of weeks before that he was striking
blocks really well and not running his feet, So here
he was just continuing to work and took it to
(05:21):
the game run and pass.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
It was great to see this probably the last time
we talked to you this season in this format. Moving forward,
how much do you think You've proven to people here
and really the rest of the league that you know,
you can do the job that you're you know, you're
a defensive coordinator in.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
His safe Yeah, you know, I'm really not that concerned
about that. You know. It's just been a great honor
and privilege for me to even be in this position,
you know, and the way it came about, of course.
So I've just enjoyed having the opportunity to work with
the players and coaches to make this as best as
we can and try to win games. So that that's
(06:01):
where my focus is at right now. And I tell
the players all that stuff takes care of itself, you know,
just work hard, compete, do your best to win and improve,
and that stuff takes care of itself. So that's really
not on my mind at all right now.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You feel more comfortable then doing it, like to feel
more yourself like game three or four than you did
in game one and two.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Maybe I do. I do for sure, Yeah, yeah, no
doubt
What are you looking to get from the guys this
last week?
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Just one more performance of continued improvement. You've really been
happy leading up until this moment at the guy's commitment
and dedication to just getting better every week. And I
think there's been some good moments on the field, you know,
and you're seeing that these guys are playing a pretty
(00:24):
good brand of football right now, and I'm proud of
that and appreciate their willingness to keep pushing. And so
that's that's what I expect this week, is just to
keep trying to get better.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
A duel just the last few weeks, probably since the
Patriots game or sense.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
To buy Yeah, just again, his his desire to be great,
and he's he's committed to it. And you know, we've
talked a lot about him committing to his process and
making some tweaks and changes, which is great, you know,
and he's just it's just been more of that, you know,
and he's learned a lot in his rookie year.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
And.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I think you can't you can't always force the process
as well. So I think it's just been continued commitment
by him, you know, off the field, and then on
the field, he's had some success and I think now
at this point he's in a little bit of a
groove and a rhythm and gain confidence and so that's
what you're seeing on the field. For sure.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
They got a game on Sunday, But looking forward is
probably a big off season for him, like just to
maybe make continue that development. What what is the next
step for him to come back next year as you know,
a consistent player like he's been in the last couple
of weeks.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, just to build off what he's what he's built
at this point. Yeah, I think he's in a pretty
good place in terms of the production you're seeing on
the field, and he's had a month of a good
rhythm again on and off the field. So for him
going into next year, being able to draw from that
confidence and start off even in this offseas' in the
(02:00):
oltas and training camp where he left off, I think
that'll jumpstart him for next year. And that's that's the
importance of having these moments for him and feeling that
success on the field and the payoff from his commitment
to his process. You know, he knows what that how
that translates to NFL games now, So all off season,
you know, when it's time to come back to work,
(02:21):
he'll be able to draw from that and that'll fuel
him as he works, you know, for next year.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
What do you make? Sixteen and a half sacks from
Brian Burns.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Again a result of a commitment to his process. We've
talked about that. It's been remarkable to see just how
much or how he approached his process this year and
how intentionally he was. And so he's gotten he's gotten
some payoff from that, you know. And every great pass
(02:52):
rusher has a freebie or two every year in the
sack department, you know. So he's had some fortuitous moments
in that regard. But again it's just this reward for
the work that he's put in, you know. So that's
why I see that.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
What's it like to be able to just draw up
plays on third down with the guys that came in
adult you obviously use them a little differently. Just what
is that like as a as a like on Oh
it's great.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I mean, you know, again, players overplays mentality, you know,
that's that's one thing to put guys in positions to succeed.
But as imaginative as we can get as coaches, they
still have to execute. So but with those two guys
in particular, the disguise the limit. Because they're so good
and they're so versatile, you can do a lot. So
(03:37):
the ways that we've been able to use them has
been fun. But again they're the ones that have to
execute it and then they have so as a staff
that has been enjoyable for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
What's it been like watching Garrius Alexander these last few weeks,
just seeing him kind of grow and make some strides
a little bit this Riki.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Year, it's been great again, you know, just going back
to continued improvement and development. We talked about a duel.
I think has been much the same for DA. He's
just been working every week and focused on trying to
get better and it's kind of coming together for him
now at this point in the season. And that's that's
(04:11):
what you're seeing. But he's he stayed focused and steadfast
and tried to get better and it's paying off.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Now.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Has it been perfect? You know, it never is for anybody,
But he's been working the whole time and I'm proud
of him. On Bobby's interception and we talked about it
a lot last week, the Russian coverage being tied together
and it would be no different this week with Dak.
But on Bobby's interception, DA had a great rush, a
power rush on the guard and was able to walk
(04:39):
him back and affect Geno's throw. So as great of
a play as it was for Bobby, DA was as
much a part of that and ended up contacting Geno
to the ground. And you know, that was part of
last week's game plans, just getting hits on him early
and that was in the first quarter, you know, and
he kind of felt us the rest of the day,
But that was an early blow that we talked about
(05:00):
in DA that was a result of him striking with power,
using his length, running his feet. So that rush, for
sure is a high, high praise moment for him. But
he also did in the run game as well. There's
a couple of clips where he's striking and running his feet.
In a couple of weeks before that he was striking
blocks really well and not running his feet, So here
he was just continuing to work and took it to
(05:21):
the game run and pass.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
It was great to see this probably the last time
we talked to you this season in this format. Moving forward,
how much do you think You've proven to people here
and really the rest of the league that you know,
you can do the job that you're you know, you're
a defensive coordinator in.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
His safe Yeah, you know, I'm really not that concerned
about that. You know. It's just been a great honor
and privilege for me to even be in this position,
you know, and the way it came about, of course.
So I've just enjoyed having the opportunity to work with
the players and coaches to make this as best as
we can and try to win games. So that that's
(06:01):
where my focus is at right now. And I tell
the players all that stuff takes care of itself, you know,
just work hard, compete, do your best to win and improve,
and that stuff takes care of itself. So that's really
not on my mind at all right now.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You feel more comfortable then doing it, like to feel
more yourself like game three or four than you did
in game one and two.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Maybe I do. I do for sure, Yeah, yeah, no
doubt
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