WEBVTT - Press Pass: Doug Pederson 0:00:07.080 --> 0:00:09.760 Is this some Matthew's ankle injury. I mean it's it's 0:00:09.800 --> 0:00:12.400 the same ankles that had the issue at the start 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:15.320 of training camp. Yes, yes, And it's the same one 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:17.640 also in the in the Cleveland game that he got 0:00:17.720 --> 0:00:21.119 rolled up on the first game of the season. It's, um, 0:00:21.320 --> 0:00:24.960 it's more left ankle. So it's more more than it's 0:00:25.000 --> 0:00:26.799 more guy rolling on it than I had any to do. 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:29.520 That was that was still left over lingering from from 0:00:29.520 --> 0:00:32.040 the initial injury. Yeah, and and and and you know 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:37.040 with that thing too, being being that ankle. Um, it's 0:00:37.080 --> 0:00:40.239 it's it's kind of a funny thing, but I mean 0:00:40.440 --> 0:00:44.959 it it's something that for him it just never never 0:00:45.040 --> 0:00:49.080 loosened up, and and uh kept getting stiff and and 0:00:49.280 --> 0:00:54.320 uh so again just opted on the side of caution 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:57.600 more than more than anything else moving forward and obviously 0:00:58.400 --> 0:01:02.200 and can do. How's that rotation going to work? What's 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:06.399 everyone's healthy? I think we just continue continue the same 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:09.759 the same way. Really, Uh you know, um when when 0:01:09.840 --> 0:01:12.480 Ryan healthy, When Ryan is healthy, he's the guy. And 0:01:12.520 --> 0:01:14.800 then Darren. We mixed Darren in there, and he saw 0:01:14.840 --> 0:01:18.400 what Wendelle can do, and uh you saw what Kenyon, Kenyon, 0:01:18.520 --> 0:01:21.720 we know what he what he's all about, and uh, 0:01:21.800 --> 0:01:25.600 you know everybody's a little different, uh runner. Um, you know, 0:01:25.640 --> 0:01:28.400 Wendelle did an excellent job between the tackles last night, 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:31.240 sort of downhill Kenyon off tackle, and then of course 0:01:31.319 --> 0:01:34.520 Darren just came to kind of do everything. Um, So 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:38.200 we'll still keep the rotation the same. We're not going 0:01:38.280 --> 0:01:41.039 to change much that way, and just want to get 0:01:41.080 --> 0:01:46.039 everybody in the football game. Would have been much for 0:01:46.160 --> 0:01:49.520 Ryde against the Browns with with the ankle, or would 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:52.640 be less. No, I think that's I think that's a 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:55.400 good number for him, honestly. Uh. And then if everybody 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:57.160 else can get a few touches after that, I think 0:01:57.200 --> 0:02:00.680 I think you're um, you're on track, you know. Um. 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:05.880 It's kind of like with Carson, you know. I I 0:02:05.960 --> 0:02:07.360 don't think you ever want to go into the game 0:02:07.360 --> 0:02:09.480 thinking you're gonna have to throw fifty times. You know, 0:02:09.520 --> 0:02:12.600 if if you manage it and keep him around thirty, 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:15.760 um and still have a successful running game, I think 0:02:15.760 --> 0:02:21.720 that's a good balance. In camp or the preseason. Um, 0:02:21.800 --> 0:02:24.080 what made you confident? Go? I mean you that you 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:25.840 gave him carrying the you know, as I'm actually the 0:02:25.880 --> 0:02:27.440 first game what made you confident that he'd be able 0:02:27.440 --> 0:02:30.680 to handle that load and then subsequently what he did yesterday. 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:33.320 I just think he's another one. He's much like Carson 0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:36.080 and how he prepares during the week. And you know, 0:02:36.280 --> 0:02:39.680 um uh, you know, we've been we've been fortunate with 0:02:39.680 --> 0:02:41.960 our with our young players, even Jalen Mills. I mean, 0:02:41.960 --> 0:02:43.800 we've been we've been fortunate with these guys and how 0:02:43.800 --> 0:02:47.360 they work and how they handle themselves on and off 0:02:47.360 --> 0:02:50.880 the football field. And um, you know, he's done a 0:02:50.880 --> 0:02:52.720 great job in practice and he's put himself in a 0:02:52.760 --> 0:02:55.720 position to help us, and and uh uh it was 0:02:55.760 --> 0:02:57.560 great to see him. You know, we we saw it 0:02:57.600 --> 0:02:59.160 early in the spring, we saw it a little bit 0:02:59.200 --> 0:03:05.040 in training camp before the injury, and you know, it's just, uh, 0:03:06.400 --> 0:03:09.640 it's it's, it's it's it's it's good to have that 0:03:09.720 --> 0:03:13.200 kind of depth at that position, with as many touches 0:03:13.840 --> 0:03:16.440 collectively as a group they're going to get each game 0:03:17.160 --> 0:03:19.480 and the wear and tear on that position, it's it's 0:03:19.480 --> 0:03:21.480 great to get that many guys in the game. For 0:03:21.680 --> 0:03:24.880 the season. You've seemed to have fairly good physical, physical 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:27.200 control of football games after the half that you guys 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:31.280 are in decent shape and maybe impose your your will 0:03:31.320 --> 0:03:34.040 a little bit. I mean, obviously, yesterday the snowball was 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:37.160 rolling downhill and that happens sometimes, and the Pittsburgh got 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:40.040 behind it. But do you feel like from a conditioning standpoint, 0:03:40.200 --> 0:03:42.240 the team is where you were hoping it was going 0:03:42.280 --> 0:03:44.920 to be coming out of training camp. And do you 0:03:44.960 --> 0:03:46.760 feel as well that you are able to have some 0:03:46.800 --> 0:03:50.680 physical control of games and especially the second half. Yeah, 0:03:50.680 --> 0:03:54.440 And as part of the whole training camp philosophy for 0:03:54.520 --> 0:03:57.880 me is the being physical in camp, making camp as 0:03:57.880 --> 0:04:02.800 hard as I can, you know, being hard on him, 0:04:02.800 --> 0:04:06.120 and then backing down, letting, you know, taking the pads off, 0:04:06.160 --> 0:04:08.560 and you know, then going hard again. I just think 0:04:08.560 --> 0:04:11.000 it builds them in a mindset that once you get 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:13.160 into the regular season and and then deeper you go, 0:04:13.320 --> 0:04:17.039 that you know they can lean on those experiences as players. 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:20.880 And I just felt yesterday our guys just really took control, 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:25.839 um offensively and defensively up front the our d line 0:04:25.839 --> 0:04:27.800 and our offensive line to be able to control the 0:04:27.839 --> 0:04:32.360 game that way. And um, you know, conditioning was good. 0:04:32.560 --> 0:04:34.719 I felt like our guys were in We're in good 0:04:34.720 --> 0:04:38.880 shape in the fourth quarter, um, and and it's a 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:41.680 you know, it's all it all stems back to the 0:04:41.680 --> 0:04:46.240 way we practice in camp about Carson's is smart. Um. 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:48.360 But as far as his memory goes, I've heard maybe 0:04:48.400 --> 0:04:53.680 it's a photographic memory. How much does that help him preparation. Well, 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:56.280 it's good, it's good, and I mean it's good from 0:04:56.279 --> 0:04:58.760 a standpoint of if if if it's a bad play, 0:04:58.839 --> 0:05:01.479 he forgets it. If it's a good play, he forgets 0:05:01.480 --> 0:05:02.960 it and he just kind of moves on. But at 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:06.680 the same time, he can he can recall things fast 0:05:06.760 --> 0:05:09.839 and quickly, and things that we're seeing even during the 0:05:09.839 --> 0:05:11.599 course of the game that we can we can tweak 0:05:11.640 --> 0:05:16.560 on the sideline, you know. Um, it's just uh, it's 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:20.760 a he's a different it's a different Uh, it's a 0:05:20.760 --> 0:05:23.320 different player that way. You know. He's much like again, 0:05:23.440 --> 0:05:26.400 much like our last quarterback Alex Smith, you know in 0:05:26.440 --> 0:05:28.839 Kansas City. He's the same type of same type of 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:34.880 type of memory. And uh. Um it's for a young 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:39.960 kid to do that, Um, it's pretty special. Atthews was 0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:42.680 talking about how even sometimes when the guys are having breakfast, 0:05:42.880 --> 0:05:46.039 Carson's in there watching film. Would you say that that 0:05:46.120 --> 0:05:48.680 he's obsessed with the film study part of it and 0:05:48.680 --> 0:05:51.120 how much of that is attributable to his success of 0:05:51.800 --> 0:05:55.520 it's it's uh, it's accurate, very accurate. Um, he loves 0:05:55.600 --> 0:05:58.200 he loves watching tape. He's you know, like I've mentioned, 0:05:58.200 --> 0:06:00.359 he in the Quarterbacks Chase and Aaron in here at 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:03.000 five thirty in the morning. I mean, you know, watching 0:06:03.080 --> 0:06:06.400 film and they're they're exhausting the tape. And and he's 0:06:06.480 --> 0:06:08.880 constantly I hear him just even in the building talking 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:13.039 to guys about plays and routes and protections and you 0:06:13.080 --> 0:06:16.800 know that's it's Peyton Manning ish. I mean, you know, 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:18.600 and you hate the label. I don't want to put 0:06:18.680 --> 0:06:21.400 labels on guys, but that's how Peyton prepared, you know. 0:06:21.440 --> 0:06:25.600 And that's how these top quarterbacks prepare each week. And 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:29.080 and um, you know he has that now, you know, 0:06:29.120 --> 0:06:31.760 as a young quarterback, and that'll just carry him throughout 0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:36.640 his career. Um. And and you know, the the challenge 0:06:36.680 --> 0:06:39.919 now is the more success, how much how much gets 0:06:39.960 --> 0:06:44.080 pulled on him and taken away from him. But um, 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:46.839 he's off to a good start. And it's it's definitely 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:50.680 part of the process in his preparation, arm strength, all 0:06:50.800 --> 0:06:52.800 all the other intangibles of what about some of the 0:06:52.800 --> 0:06:55.920 touch passes that he throws when guys are open in 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:58.120 between your zones. I think there's one specifically the Brent 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:02.240 Selick you know, is that is that tough you typically 0:07:02.240 --> 0:07:04.240 for for rookies to kind of you know, throw a 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:06.200 change up in instead of a fastball in that situation. 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:08.040 It can it could be hard because you're so geared 0:07:08.080 --> 0:07:11.960 on throwing everything fast and hard and anticipation. And um, 0:07:12.040 --> 0:07:13.720 that throw to Sellek was a was a thing of 0:07:13.800 --> 0:07:16.400 beauty the week the week before the Monday Night, Uh 0:07:16.560 --> 0:07:21.400 to Jordan Matthews, the little touch pass was was was great. Um. 0:07:21.440 --> 0:07:23.880 The little floater to Darren for the long touchdown run 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:27.160 was another one that was a touch pass with accuracy. 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:30.960 And um, those are those are hard throws to make. Um, 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:33.480 having been able to in that position before, those are 0:07:33.480 --> 0:07:35.600 those are hard because you're the guy is running away 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:38.200 from you and and you're trying to put air on 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:41.920 a throw but still judge the distance and the speed 0:07:41.960 --> 0:07:43.760 of the receiver. And those are those are tough things 0:07:43.800 --> 0:07:47.160 to do. And uh, he really has a good feel 0:07:47.200 --> 0:07:50.960 for that, and uh, you know, um it just makes 0:07:51.040 --> 0:07:53.240 him you know, just makes him an all around, all 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:57.400 around solid quarterback. How have your first drive has been 0:07:57.440 --> 0:07:59.400 so successful? What do you do? How do you go 0:07:59.480 --> 0:08:01.840 about ding up what you want to do on the 0:08:01.880 --> 0:08:07.640 first drive? Without giving my secret away? Uh, you know it. 0:08:09.080 --> 0:08:12.160 The biggest thing for me is is, uh, you know, obviously, 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:14.800 how how how does our opponent begin to you know, 0:08:14.920 --> 0:08:22.960 begin games? Um and and really I have a couple 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:24.840 of that you want to make. You want to mix 0:08:24.840 --> 0:08:26.720 the run with the drop back. We threw a screen 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:29.200 yesterday somewhere in there. You want to take a shot. 0:08:29.640 --> 0:08:32.080 And it's all based on on tendency. It's all based 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:36.800 on you know, um, conversations during the week with the quarterbacks, 0:08:36.840 --> 0:08:40.880 what they like, what they don't like, um and and 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:42.959 really a lot of times it's just going off feel 0:08:43.200 --> 0:08:45.959 you know how how I feel they're going to attack us? 0:08:46.000 --> 0:08:50.440 And and listen, they're they're only first and second down thoughts. 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:53.760 They're not anything other than that. And and UM. It's 0:08:53.800 --> 0:08:56.439 also a way to to help your quarterback and I 0:08:56.520 --> 0:08:59.679 think your offense because I'm playing the game during the 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:02.439 week my mind, so I'm I'm scripting him going Okay, 0:09:02.440 --> 0:09:05.960 here's first down, here's second down, then and third down, Okay, 0:09:05.960 --> 0:09:09.360 here's first down again, second down. So I'm constantly scripting 0:09:09.360 --> 0:09:12.920 that in my head and um, kind of laying the 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:17.320 openers out that way, and um, the execution has been 0:09:17.440 --> 0:09:19.439 has been has been great and as plays that we 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:22.720 work on obviously during the week, he does actually have 0:09:23.080 --> 0:09:27.360 an identic or photographic memory and if he does, does 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:29.920 that help him? And during a game, just because he 0:09:30.000 --> 0:09:32.439 can on the call freeback, he says, he's seen on 0:09:32.559 --> 0:09:36.720 the film and as a quarterback, if I'm bad that ability, 0:09:35.880 --> 0:09:39.360 what would it do for you? Yeah, I think I 0:09:39.400 --> 0:09:42.320 think he does have that type of that type of memory, 0:09:42.360 --> 0:09:45.040 that type of recollection. He sees things, he remembers it. 0:09:45.720 --> 0:09:47.840 We can talk about it after a drive is over. 0:09:48.640 --> 0:09:50.480 We can obviously see it on the pictures on the 0:09:50.480 --> 0:09:54.200 tablets on the sideline and um, and then and then 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:56.560 when he goes back out there, he can he can 0:09:56.800 --> 0:09:59.200 remember that defense if he sees that front or that 0:09:59.240 --> 0:10:02.479 covers that low again, he knows exactly what's coming defensively, 0:10:02.559 --> 0:10:04.840 and um, he can he can put us in the 0:10:04.920 --> 0:10:09.920 right play. And it's just for young for a young quarterback, Um, 0:10:09.960 --> 0:10:12.120 after just a few weeks, to have that type of 0:10:12.160 --> 0:10:17.840 recollection is something special deal with the expectations because obviously 0:10:17.880 --> 0:10:20.680 now they're going to change. You guys, were you know, 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:23.040 beating the Steelers the way you did. You know, you 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:25.280 don't play for two weeks, Everyone's gonna be going crazy, 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:26.839 Like how how do you think he's going to deal 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:29.360 with all that? I think he. I think he's gonna 0:10:29.360 --> 0:10:32.439 be fine. I think it's the it's it's the number 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:34.719 one challenge for all of us. And I speak for 0:10:34.800 --> 0:10:37.800 myself too when I say that, Um, you know, we've 0:10:37.840 --> 0:10:39.679 got to stay humble through this whole thing. And the 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:42.800 season is very young. Um, only three games in a 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:45.000 lot of football left is you know, and and um, 0:10:45.640 --> 0:10:47.080 you know we just take them one at a time. 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:50.960 And uh, you know that's just things that, uh, that 0:10:51.040 --> 0:10:54.440 I've learned over my career as a player as a 0:10:54.440 --> 0:10:57.079 coach at this level. You know, twenty two years in 0:10:57.080 --> 0:10:58.960 the National Football League, You've seen a lot of ball 0:10:59.120 --> 0:11:02.400 and um, you've been on teams that have started fast, 0:11:02.440 --> 0:11:05.840 You've been on teams that started slow, and um, it's 0:11:05.840 --> 0:11:10.040 just how you stay the course. And you can't substitute 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:14.880 you know, preparation, hard work for for anything. And um, 0:11:15.280 --> 0:11:17.320 if you do, if if if we just stay the 0:11:17.360 --> 0:11:20.600 course and um, the guy who's prepared the way they've 0:11:20.600 --> 0:11:23.760 prepared each week. Then and then we'll see what happens 0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:26.000 on Sundays. But but so far it's been great, and 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:29.440 be good to get them, give them some time and uh, 0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:33.400 you know, get ready for them second half of veron Carson. 0:11:33.559 --> 0:11:35.600 Is that something that you feel like you need to 0:11:35.640 --> 0:11:37.800 talk to Carson of Powders. That's something he gets already, 0:11:37.840 --> 0:11:41.120 go up. I think he gets it personally just being 0:11:41.160 --> 0:11:44.720 around him. But yeah, we'll definitely have those conversations. Um, 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:48.920 not only this week, but you know, just as we go. Um. 0:11:49.520 --> 0:11:52.800 And and it's my job to to shelter him from 0:11:52.840 --> 0:11:56.880 from all the outside noise, you know, from from people 0:11:56.920 --> 0:12:00.160 pulling on his time, because you know, the bottom line 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:01.880 is we got to keep the main thing, the main thing, 0:12:01.960 --> 0:12:05.280 and that's that's football. And and uh, um he's done 0:12:05.280 --> 0:12:08.000 a great job so far and I expect the same 0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:16.079 going forward. The messages just get away, get away from football, 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:18.200 kind of free your mind a little bit. It's been 0:12:18.200 --> 0:12:20.360 a long, hard training camp. Number one, right into the 0:12:20.400 --> 0:12:25.120 regular season, they've had three physical football games already. Uh, 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:30.160 get healthy, rejuvenate, rest and and come back ready to 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:32.920 go because uh, you know, we got thirteen thirteen straight 0:12:32.960 --> 0:12:35.920 weeks and it's one at the time. And um, but 0:12:36.000 --> 0:12:38.680 at the same time, uh, you know, they need to 0:12:38.679 --> 0:12:41.320 take time to be with their families, coaches the same way, 0:12:41.480 --> 0:12:44.559 and um, you know, make this make this push now 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:47.160 last part of our but say the last part, but 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:52.719 the next next few weeks. How parsis of inspiring and 0:12:53.320 --> 0:12:56.640 what better cars has had all the pushers. Now, well, 0:12:56.679 --> 0:12:59.160 I mean, obviously just the way he plays. He he's 0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:02.160 so aggressive on the field. Is when I say aggressive, 0:13:02.280 --> 0:13:04.840 not necessarily from a physical standpoint, but just from a 0:13:04.880 --> 0:13:09.920 mental mental standpoint and his personality and he's always constantly 0:13:10.000 --> 0:13:15.040 smiling and and it's it's infectious, and guys have gravitated 0:13:15.120 --> 0:13:18.120 to that. And I think I think there was probably 0:13:18.160 --> 0:13:21.840 maybe you know, uh, three weeks ago when when when 0:13:21.840 --> 0:13:24.480 I named Carson starter, you know, there were obviously some 0:13:24.520 --> 0:13:28.680 eyebrows raised. And but but now these guys, these guys 0:13:28.679 --> 0:13:31.719 have bought in. They they've bought in. They they've got 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:34.320 the leader of the football team. And and you see 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:36.240 it yesterday, you watch the tape and you see it 0:13:36.280 --> 0:13:39.400 on film, and and um, you know, these guys, these 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:43.360 veteran players, um have really embraced it, and really they'll 0:13:43.400 --> 0:13:45.600 do anything they can now for a guy like that, 0:13:46.960 --> 0:13:50.040 Like Jeff's question about the touch passes, how rare is 0:13:50.040 --> 0:13:52.800 it for a young kid three games in to have 0:13:52.880 --> 0:13:55.040 that ability to fire it when he needs to and 0:13:55.160 --> 0:13:57.560 just kind of floated when he needs to. I mean 0:13:57.559 --> 0:14:00.520 we've seen veteran quarterbacks who who can't do that. Yeah, 0:14:00.760 --> 0:14:02.959 it is. It is a challenging thing because there's a 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:05.839 lot of times in practice. Um, you know, if you're 0:14:05.840 --> 0:14:08.000 not working on those types of throws, it just doesn't 0:14:08.080 --> 0:14:11.880 happen then. And again it's it's a it's sort of 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:13.960 a math problem in your head as a quarterback because 0:14:13.960 --> 0:14:16.240 you've got a receiver that's running away from you full 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:18.320 speed and you're trying to put a touch pass on 0:14:18.480 --> 0:14:21.480 a twenty twenty five yard throw, and so you have 0:14:21.560 --> 0:14:24.440 to judge it just right, and um, that's that's a 0:14:24.440 --> 0:14:26.600 lot harder to do than just just zipping it right 0:14:26.640 --> 0:14:30.280 at right at your target. So, um, he's got great 0:14:30.320 --> 0:14:32.960 touch that way, he's got great accuracy on his deep throws. 0:14:33.000 --> 0:14:34.520 He saw the one, you know, I wish we would 0:14:34.560 --> 0:14:37.560 have caught it to DGB, but he's got great accuracy 0:14:37.560 --> 0:14:40.680 on those throws, and um, he works on him every 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:44.120 day in practice. So um, it's just that's just who 0:14:44.160 --> 0:14:47.280 he is and his ability to make really all the throws. 0:14:47.880 --> 0:14:51.360 Jenkins seemed to elevate his game in a pretty big spot. 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:53.160 There is that Is that the way that you read it? 0:14:53.160 --> 0:14:55.040 And what do you attributed to it? I did read 0:14:55.080 --> 0:14:57.160 it that way. I mean, he's such a great he's 0:14:57.160 --> 0:14:58.920 a good football player. He's a good leader, a great 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:02.680 leader of this team. And um, you know, I just 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:04.760 I just told him before the game, I said, just 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:07.040 just do what you do and just be you and 0:15:07.160 --> 0:15:10.760 lead this team, you know, And um, he did that yesterday. 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:13.480 And I can't say enough about how well the defense 0:15:13.520 --> 0:15:16.240 played as a group. And um, you know, there was 0:15:16.280 --> 0:15:19.680 a lot of a lot of double coverage on Antonio 0:15:19.760 --> 0:15:22.680 Brown and rightfully, so, I mean he's a great player. 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:26.160 And um, I think we blitzed twice the entire game 0:15:26.200 --> 0:15:28.360 and got after Ben which is a four man pressure 0:15:28.360 --> 0:15:31.200 and that was something we had talked about in the spring, 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:34.000 you know, the style of defense. And but he he 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:37.080 leads the charge back there. He he and Rodney great 0:15:37.080 --> 0:15:41.280 communication all day long. Um, and uh, you know, it's 0:15:41.360 --> 0:15:43.480 it's it's good to have him, good to have him 0:15:43.520 --> 0:15:48.000 back there up on the defense. Um, you've given Shorts 0:15:48.040 --> 0:15:51.080 autonomy over that unit. But as a head coach, how 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:54.360 comforting is it that you really at this point, you know, 0:15:54.440 --> 0:15:57.120 you don't have to kind of I don't know how 0:15:57.160 --> 0:16:00.320 much do you spend with him prior to the game 0:16:00.320 --> 0:16:02.960 in terms of game planning? And you know, if not, 0:16:03.640 --> 0:16:05.360 does that really kind of help you as a head 0:16:05.360 --> 0:16:06.760 coaching that you don't have to worry about that as 0:16:06.840 --> 0:16:09.320 much as you do? I don't. I don't spend any 0:16:09.320 --> 0:16:11.600 time with him game planning. I just that's not my 0:16:11.680 --> 0:16:14.440 side of the ball. You know, that's not my expertise. 0:16:14.520 --> 0:16:17.800 But but we do communicate. We communicate on the practice 0:16:17.840 --> 0:16:20.520 field during the week, you know, on certain thing, whether 0:16:20.520 --> 0:16:23.560 it be personnel or packages that he's wanting to put in, 0:16:24.600 --> 0:16:26.600 how many reps we might be getting a guy or 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:31.360 something like that. Um, we're constantly talking that way. But UM, 0:16:31.400 --> 0:16:33.640 you know, it's it's it's a comforting thing for me 0:16:33.960 --> 0:16:36.320 knowing he's called a lot of games in the National 0:16:36.320 --> 0:16:38.880 Football League as a decordinator. He's been in my position 0:16:38.880 --> 0:16:40.720 as a head football coach and it's just kind of 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:43.880 you know, turn that side over to him and let him, 0:16:43.960 --> 0:16:47.240 let him roll and uh, um, he's got those guys 0:16:47.280 --> 0:16:49.680 playing playing great right now. A lot of the players, 0:16:49.720 --> 0:16:51.800 I think we're kind of enjoying the fact that they 0:16:51.840 --> 0:16:55.000 were flying under the radar, kind of an underdog situation. 0:16:55.320 --> 0:16:57.560 Now that you guys might have more of an X 0:16:57.600 --> 0:17:01.040 on your bat, what sort of changes that? You know, 0:17:01.080 --> 0:17:03.360 we just have to approach it the same, one day 0:17:03.360 --> 0:17:06.239 at a time. Um, you know, it's the way this 0:17:06.280 --> 0:17:09.520 business goes. I mean, you're you're you're on top of 0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:10.960 the world one minute, and you could be at the 0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:14.000 bottom of the heap the next. And you just got 0:17:14.000 --> 0:17:17.719 to keep things even keeled and and uh can't get 0:17:17.760 --> 0:17:20.600 too high. I can't get too low and approach approach 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:23.200 it the same again, like I mentioned earlier, you can't 0:17:23.240 --> 0:17:28.160 substitute for hard work and and that pays off on Sunday. So, um, 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:30.560 you know, we just have to stay the course. And again, 0:17:30.640 --> 0:17:33.359 long long a lot of football left. You're looking ahead 0:17:33.400 --> 0:17:35.600 to how the defensive coordinators are going to adjust to 0:17:35.600 --> 0:17:38.000 what you've had success with, whether it was the screen 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:40.959 game yesterday or whatever. For the first three games, how 0:17:41.000 --> 0:17:42.919 do you even just say, or what do you think 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:44.639 they are going to try to take away from you 0:17:44.800 --> 0:17:47.440 as you look ahead? And might that be a time 0:17:47.440 --> 0:17:49.400 where you might even go to Schwartz and say, hey, 0:17:49.400 --> 0:17:51.320 what do you what do you think defensive coordinators are 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:53.880 going to think about what we're doing and what might 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:57.000 you expect. Yeah, part of this week as an offensive 0:17:57.000 --> 0:17:59.640 defensive staff, as we get to self kind of self 0:17:59.680 --> 0:18:01.920 scout ourselves and just kind of see where we're at. 0:18:02.000 --> 0:18:04.760 I know it's only a few games in, but if 0:18:04.800 --> 0:18:07.159 there are any severe you know, tendencies one way or 0:18:07.160 --> 0:18:11.240 the other, um and and just trying to make adjustments 0:18:11.280 --> 0:18:15.440 as we go, I still you know, listen, my my, 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:17.320 my fall. I learned this a long time ago with 0:18:17.359 --> 0:18:20.600 Mike Holmgren is I'd be glad to give the defense 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:22.919 in my playbook, you know, and and let them have it, 0:18:22.960 --> 0:18:26.120 because if I just coach the guys up on offense 0:18:26.160 --> 0:18:29.760 to do our jobs, you know, um, we have enough 0:18:29.800 --> 0:18:32.760 stuff in the offense to be successful and um and 0:18:32.920 --> 0:18:37.120 defensively the same way. So you know, we we'll look 0:18:37.160 --> 0:18:38.840 at it, well, we'll take a look as we go 0:18:38.960 --> 0:18:41.840 and and but at the same time, you know, uh, 0:18:41.960 --> 0:18:45.600 we're just gonna keep doing what we do. And you know, UM, 0:18:45.960 --> 0:18:48.240 protect Carson to get the ball out of his hand fast. 0:18:48.720 --> 0:18:52.240 Lean on that offensive line. UM. Put our skill positions 0:18:52.240 --> 0:18:55.360 in great, great positions to make plays and and and 0:18:55.480 --> 0:19:00.359 use you know, use use our strengths, UM, you know, 0:19:00.480 --> 0:19:03.360 as an advantage for us. Hit on what you've been 0:19:03.480 --> 0:19:05.879 what you've been talking about, which he said afterwards that 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:09.119 sometimes it's it's harder to deal with success than it 0:19:09.280 --> 0:19:12.760 is failure. Over your experience what happens. I mean, if 0:19:13.280 --> 0:19:15.760 what have you seen where a team's riding high, what 0:19:16.240 --> 0:19:18.920 you know, what can potentially derail them. The biggest thing 0:19:19.000 --> 0:19:24.959 is complacency. Um. You think you've arrived, you think you're 0:19:24.800 --> 0:19:29.160 you're all that, UM. And and that when that creeps in, 0:19:29.720 --> 0:19:32.520 that's when that's when you get beat. And you know 0:19:32.600 --> 0:19:34.800 it's my job not to let that creep in. And 0:19:34.840 --> 0:19:37.520 I've got to keep the guys focused and grounded. And 0:19:38.240 --> 0:19:40.640 you know, UM, I told him this week, they're gonna 0:19:40.720 --> 0:19:42.880 they're gonna travel and go home and people are gonna 0:19:42.880 --> 0:19:44.920 pat them on the back and say how great they are. 0:19:45.800 --> 0:19:50.840 But next Monday, I'm gonna tell him, you know, hey, 0:19:51.040 --> 0:19:53.840 we're back to work. We're zero and zero is this 0:19:54.040 --> 0:19:57.639 game one and let's go and and um, that's just 0:19:57.680 --> 0:20:00.560 the way it has to be. And you know you're 0:20:00.600 --> 0:20:04.119 building for one ultimate goal and that's a few weeks 0:20:04.119 --> 0:20:05.760 down the road. You know, that's what you're trying to 0:20:05.800 --> 0:20:08.200 get to. But you can't get there unless you take 0:20:08.200 --> 0:20:11.320 care of the next the next opponent. And UM, it's 0:20:11.359 --> 0:20:20.920 my job to keep him focused that way. Yeah, just 0:20:21.080 --> 0:20:23.720 knowing knowing him, kind of coaching against him like I have. 0:20:23.880 --> 0:20:28.239 I mean, just he's always had aggressive, aggressive defenses and 0:20:28.240 --> 0:20:32.000 he's he's prided himself in in in getting you know, 0:20:32.040 --> 0:20:36.080 pressure with with four guys and you know, um, whether 0:20:36.119 --> 0:20:39.720 it was in Detroit or in Buffalo, Um, as a coordinator, 0:20:39.960 --> 0:20:42.680 you know, um, great, great defenses that way, and he's 0:20:42.720 --> 0:20:45.520 always had just from a number standpoint, he's always had 0:20:45.560 --> 0:20:50.879 top top five defenses. And oh and then uh, just 0:20:50.920 --> 0:20:53.160 to fallow up on that and just and then now 0:20:53.200 --> 0:20:57.119 having him here, um, gosh, you're seeing it firsthand, and 0:20:57.400 --> 0:21:01.199 you're seeing the aggressive style. The defensive line we're rolling 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:04.679 you know, seven eight guys in that D line to 0:21:04.760 --> 0:21:07.320