Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph (10.17.21)
Opening statement:
“It feels weird [being back at the post game podium], but I have been here before.”
On the team’s effort today:
“Amazing. Obviously it’s been a rough week with losing our head coach (Kliff Kingsbury) and a couple guys to COVID. It’s been an up and down week, but our team leaders were great all week. No one wavered, no one blinked. The staff didn’t blink. Every day it was bad news and no one blinked – not one time. Even yesterday. Even Saturday morning at practice when the players knew that Kliff was down for the game, there were no worries. There was really an excitement to go play a really good football team. The boys performed. This staff is amazing. It’s a great football staff. It’s our third year all together and that helps – having continuity like this. Kliff, obviously with his offense has coaches to call as he would call it. We didn’t miss a beat offensively. It was aggressive. It was the way Kliff would have called the game. Obviously on defense, I was there and (Cardinals Asst. HC/Special Teams Coordinator) Jeff (Rodgers) was there on [special] teams. Nothing was different from the first five weeks.”
On how the operation on offense worked between Asst. Wide Receivers Coach Spencer Whipple and Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Sean Kugler:
“It was really good. It was really seamless. Obviously, every play they talked through different calls. What was impressive was the last quarter. We burned about nine minutes just running the football. That’s the sign of a great offense. When you can throw the ball obviously and score 30 points per game, but when it’s time to screw it down and run the football as soon as you get on the field, that’s impressive. That was very impressive.”
On whether Whipple primarily called the plays with input from Kugler:
“Spencer (Whipple) was the communicator to get to the quarterback. You want one voice calling the plays for the quarterback, but obviously it was a group effort as far the entire offense is concerned.”
On the Browns Hail Mary play to end the first half:
“I’ll just say this: I have to coach that better. I probably should have been in victory, but I didn’t think he was going to reach the end zone from there. He tried it. First of all, he can’t pop the pocket. Once he pops the pocket, I knew that was going to be a bad deal because now it’s 6’2” guys for the corners. That wasn’t a good feeling when he popped the pocket. I have to coach that better. It wasn’t coached properly. Once it became a Hail Mary, my guys at the midpoint should turn and run with those guys, and they didn’t. At the end of the play, there were three Browns players and only two corners. That’s on me. I didn’t coach that well enough. I probably should have called victory there but I wasn’t sure he could reach it from where he was on the field. I’ll coach it better and make a better call there. Outside of that Hail Mary, the drive before that wasn’t good. We lost a couple gaps in that series before the Hail Mary. We had a screen for a big play. Outside of that, the boys played well. It was a bunch of backups playing again. It was fun to see those guys play.”
On how it important it was for LB Markus Golden, CB Robert Alford, and DL J.J. Watt to make significant contributions with several players out:
“[It was] absolutely key. Obviously Golden, J.J. Watt and Alford are our veteran guys. Those guys have to play good every single week. Having them there chasing the quarterback was fun to see. Having a bunch of those young defensive linemen that we’ve drafted and raised here is also gratifying to watch. Those guys played at a high level.”
On how they dealt with being down DL Zach Allen, LB Chandler Jones, and DL Corey Peters:
“It was definitely a surprise. We traveled (DE) Jonathan Ledbetter in case we had more positives in that D-linemen group because of Zach. That was a smart decision by (Linebackers coach) Bill (Davis) to travel more D-linemen. He played about three or four snaps today. Also getting (DL) Jordan Phillips was huge this week. To lose Zach and Corey, but to get Jordan back was kind of a wash as far as experience. Again, when those young kids stepped up and played well. It was a run day first for us. All week we wanted to stop the running game, and that happened. We made (Browns QB) Baker (Mayfield) pass and that was the goal.”
On how DL Corey Peters will travel home:
“I’m not sure. He is in good spirits and he is happy for the team.”
On whether they are worried about more positive cases coming:
“I think everyone is nervous about the COVID issues. It is a moving target. Obviously, if you have one positive, there can be two or three more. I’m surprised there weren’t more. Right now it’s a moving target. We’ll see what the league gives us this week as far as protocols. It speaks to our young guys and our reserve players who can step up and play for us. Everyone is dealing with this. We had our bad stint right now, but it’s not going away.”
On whether the win today meant a little more:
“Absolutely. It was a tough week. Kliff is disappointed he couldn’t be here. Kliff’s entire life and lifestyle is for this team. He is there at 4:45 in the morning and he leaves at 9 [p.m.]. He doesn’t go anywhere. He pops positive for COVID so everyone felt for him. His entire life is this team. All those guys, it was tough on their teammates to watch them not be there. Again, the best teams win, and that’s where we’re headed. It’s a team effort always.”
On whether they Face Timed the guys who couldn’t be at the game:
“That already happened a little bit. [Kliff] is fine. He is happy obviously and he is at home recovering.”
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