Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (9.8.24)
Opening Statement:
“Okay, injury front. David Njoku has an ankle injury, Mohamoud (Diabate) has a hip flexor injury that we’ll look at. Tony Fields has an ankle injury. We’ll get tests on all those guys. You know, that’s not good enough to win in this game versus a good football team. Really disappointed in our performance. Too sloppy, minus two in the turnover battle, gave up a punt return. Offensively, felt like were behind the chains the vast majority of the game, which is, again, not good enough and not how we need to play in order to win football games. Now, that’s all the bad news. The good news is we have a game next week down in Jacksonville, and we have to get back at it. We got to look at the tape, we have to own it, we got to figure out ways to do better. But there’s a lot that was not good enough. And again, that’s me, that’s our coaches. We will get it fixed. With that, I’ll take any questions.”
How do you account for so many five yard penalties; illegal procedures, misalignments. Where does that come?
“Yeah, it’s disappointing. We’ll look at ways that we can fix that. We don’t practice that way, you can’t play that way because that’s just, again, it’s hard to win in this league. Don’t want to make it harder on yourself.”
Deshaun (Watson) was under so much duress the entire game. Took a bunch of hard hits. How does he come out of that? How does that happen and what can he do?
“Yeah, he got hit way too often. We can’t let that happen to him. He fought like crazy, and listen, the football team fought like crazy to the end. But bottom line is, we have to protect our quarterback better than that.”
Was (Jack) Conklin anywhere close to playing in this game?
“I think all those guys are getting close, Tony (Grossi). But, we’ll just keep taking those things day by day.”
With the offensive struggles, how much do you think that is implementing all the changes you guys tried to do?
“Yeah, I wouldn’t say. I really wouldn’t say that. I think we just — there’s things that I know we can do better, things that right away you saw that was not how we wanted to do it, but we had plenty of time to prepare. Just did not get it done today.”
Do you think not having any preseason games, playing those guys together had any effect?
“I don’t.”
Even just in practice, it never seemed like they were all out there very much together. Do you really feel like you practiced hard in the last, whatever, ten days?
“Yeah, I think again, Mary Kay (Cabot), I think that’s really — if you look up and down the league, there’s guys that are out, guys that are coming back from injury, those type of things. That’s no excuse. Really isn’t enough.”
Deshaun said earlier in the week that no matter what happens on the play, if he gets sacked, he takes full ownership of it with his offensive line. How much do you think the pressure today was on him versus on the O-line?
“Yeah, those are things that you have to really look at the tape to give a informed answer on that. I’ll say this, that’s everybody. We all own those things. It’s never about one person.”
How about just the game that Micah Parsons had? I mean he was just all over the place. He was relentless.
“Yeah, they have good players. It’s good scheme, good coaches, good players and he certainly is going to make some plays.”
I know that you said you’d get more information on all guys that were injured. Do you have any announcement or have you guys ever ruled out David or any kind of update on his status?
“David Njoku you’re saying?”
David Njoku.
“I don’t have any update. He’ll get tests in the morning.”
Defensively, what did you think of the way that the guys pressured Dak (Prescott) and just kind of made it difficult?
“You know, obviously there were some good things out there on the football field. I thought we played good defense, especially in that second half. There were definitely things that I know we can do better, but some opportunities in the pass game, opportunities in the run game where we can try and get them off the field.”
Did you worry about operational and timing things because you guys hadn’t had anyone…?
“Yeah, I’m not gonna use that as an excuse. I really am not. There’s no excuse for hurting yourself in those games. Now, who’s the blame going? Me, coaches, players, all of us. That’s just how it goes.”
What happened on that one touchdown? Looked like might have been a miscommunication to I think it was (Brandin) Cooks. The other end of the Dawg Pound, first quarter.
“Yeah, again, would have to see it. But they did a nice job. We were free to the quarterback, quarterback threw it with anticipation and the receiver went and got it.”
Can you put into words maybe how shocked you are that you guys put on a performance like that today based on the way you’ve practiced?
“Yeah. I would tell you this, Mary Kay (Cabot), it’s football. That’s a good football team. We didn’t play well enough to win. You can’t do all those things that we just talked about and expect to win. We’ll learn from it and we’ll be ready to go next week.”
What can you take of this now? You obviously have this film, but, you know your still constructing confidence in this offense. What from training camp and some of the offseason workout program gives you the confidence that this is not gonna be a sign of things to come?
“Yeah, I’ve seen this group play. I know what we’re about. We need to do better, and that’s coaches, players, you name it. We just need to do better.”
Do you think Deshaun came through it okay? Physically took that real big hit play.
“He got hit too often, but he battled like crazy.”
Did you think about taking him out?
“Yes. I mean, those are the things you talk about all the time. But he did not want to come out of that game either.”
How do you think he’s seen the game? How do you think he saw the game today?
“Well, I would just tell you he was — there were some good moments. Obviously, as a quarterback, we can’t let our quarterback get hit that many times, period.”
Especially coming off of a shoulder surgery, right?
“Right. Yeah. I mean, any of them. I really can’t let that happen.”
Did he probably show you even more about his toughness? You already know that he’s a tough player.
“Yeah. Deshaun is — he’s tough as they come. He’s played that way his whole career. He’s trying to make plays that’s never been in doubt.”
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