DC Shane Bowen on finding ways to make plays 'when it matters most'

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen addresses the media heading into the Week 11 matchup with the Packers.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Obviously want to address coach Stable, very appreciative of my
time with him these past two years. Has done a
lot for me, learned a lot from them. Really can't
say enough good things about him as a leader and
what he's meant to me over these past two years,
and wish him nothing but the best. There's responsibility that

(00:24):
falls on me. We haven't been good enough defensively, particularly
closing out games. Something we're working at, evaluating everything scheme, personnel,
different situations, what we can do to continue to improve
and find ways to be at our best when it
matters most. Find ways to put these in these players

(00:46):
in positions to make plays at critical parts of the
game when it matters most. So it's something we're continuing
to dive into, continue to work at. We got to
find ways to win these games, not give it up
in the fourth quarter. Moving forward here. Obviously got a
great relationship with coach Kafka through these past two seasons.

(01:08):
Excited about the opportunity for him, and again my focus
is doing my best to get our guys in a
position to make plays where we can finish these games
and perform better defensively when it matters most.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Do you expect any changes to the defense that would
be noticeable to like the naked eyed I'm not talking
about like, you know, inner workings, but like to us
like new new boss, new head coaches, You expect anything
to be noticeably different with the defense.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
Yeah, I don't know if it's going to be anything drastic.
I mean, there's obviously things we need to do a
little bit differently, and I think that's obviously game day
is most important, but that's throughout the week as well, right,
just the process throughout the week. What that looks like
to be able to get us the game day and
then be able to go out there and perform on
game day. So I don't know if there's going to

(01:58):
be anything drastic, but there will be some things that
we're adjusting as we go.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
What about roster personnel changes?

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Any changes with the starters that you plan on making.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
Right now, we're dealing with a bunch of injuries. There's
a bunch of guys, So I mean, we'll work through
that as the week goes and kind of see where
that plays out.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Anything you can with He's a new set of eyes
at the topic.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
What does he said that he expects to see you
change or do better on your end.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
Yeah, I mean, I'll keep all those conversations private between
me and Mike and what we have discussed. But again,
the major emphasis for us is finding ways to be
at our best when it matters most at the end
of these games we have leads and doing the best
job I can to make sure our players are in
situations when when the time comes, they can make the

(02:45):
plays that are needed to win those games.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Particulating different ideas on how to do that.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yes, we've had we'd have conversations about that specifically.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Did you have Was there any concern for you, like
new head coach, Is he gonna, you know, want somebody.

Speaker 4 (03:02):
Else to do this?

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Is there is he gonna want different play caller?

Speaker 1 (03:06):
Why?

Speaker 2 (03:07):
You know, I've seen other interim coaches make wide ranging
staff changes. Was that a thought for you or No?

Speaker 1 (03:13):
I've focused on control and what I can control, making
sure I'm doing everything I can for these players and
to get the results we want and to get the
results these players deserve, and being at our best again
when it matters most, and that's really where my focus
has been here throughout this week.

Speaker 3 (03:30):
How much you but do you see any commonalities I
guess with these fourth quarters, is it a matter of execution,
the t discipline? Are you seeing any commonalities at this point?

Speaker 1 (03:39):
Yeah, I mean I think all all three of them
are a little bit different, just in terms of the situation.
I think, Uh, it's a myriad of things. Like like
you mentioned, ultimately it's in these situations you look around
the league and and as it as they come up,
I mean even the end of half ones that have
came up at times. Right, It's it's about finding ways

(04:01):
to make plays when it matters most, and it starts
with me putting them in position to do so where
we can. And last week, I mean, guy gives some
credit to Caleb to like he made some plays and
we did it. They made the plays and we weren't able.

Speaker 3 (04:17):
To abdul Carter. How much of this is he needs
to improve some things and how much of it is
maybe you guys need to scheme up some plays for
him to make to get some confidence going.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
Yeah, I think that's a good question. I think it's
a combination both, I do. I mean, he's had three
sacks taken off the board by penalties, you know, to
last week, So I think it's a combination of both
just continuing to find ways that utilize them best and
where we can put them where he can be most
productive and find some production for us. But I mean

(04:50):
he's battling. He's out there competing every play. Again, those
things happens obviously with the penalties and the sacks that
he had last week, and but he continues to work
hard and that's our charge to to help them.

Speaker 4 (05:02):
How much do you view confidence as something you're managing
there also with him?

Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yeah, I mean I don't. I don't think he's lacking confidence.
I don't. I think he's He's probably a little discouraged,
you know, as all these guys are with with where
we're at right now on a unit level and an
individual level, and it's something we're we're working through together
to make sure we're we're getting the things fixed that
we need to get fixed. But I mean, I think

(05:28):
he's in a good spot. His approach every week has
been good. Again, it comes down to our performance and
being able to do those things on Sunday.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
You should have your secondary closer to Is that fair
to say you should have it closer to full strength?

Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah, we'll see where Deebo's at. I mean he's still
working through here. I think today we'll be more telling
for that, so we'll see kind of where that's at.

Speaker 3 (05:52):
How do you think Deckster's played the last couple of
weeks and what more do you look for from him?
The leader of your defense.

Speaker 1 (05:58):
I think he's battling in there for us. I do.
I think he battles every game, just with what he gets,
what he sees, the different things teams try to do
to him to get four hands on them. Just continue
to work to improve, to take advantage of the opportunities when
they come. You know, like we ask all these guys,
when we get our opportunity, let's let's do our best

(06:19):
to take advantage of it. Continue to lead, right it's
a unique situation right now, Continue to lead these guys,
continue to press on the accountability and everything that comes
with it. But happy he's here, Start telling if Bobby
doesn't play, who's a green dot? Yeah? So we got
some options, Uh, you got Flanning and Foles, You've got Zaire.

(06:44):
Obviously Neville's played a little bit, so I and we
have some options there. Kind of went through it a
little bit early early in the year where we're a
little limited at that spot, so guys will have some opportunities,
they'll be able to step up and play and hopefully
make the most of it. If that's If that's the.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
Case, wouldn't go back to a safety the green dot,
wouldn't go back to it now, No, you.

Speaker 4 (07:07):
Talked about it last well speaking with Mike about the
end of game problems. What have you been able to
put when you guys talkic what have you talked about, Like,
what do you recognize and say that this is the problem?

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Is that?

Speaker 4 (07:19):
Are you guys wearing down? Is it schematics?

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Is like?

Speaker 4 (07:22):
How do you look at that?

Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yeah, I mean, I'll keep the conversations I had with
Mike in private. From from my point of view, my perspective, again,
I think it's a myriad of different things that are
showing up, and I gotta do a better job finding
ways to create some opportunities for these guys to make
the plays we need when we need them at those
times in the game.