Defensive Coordinator Mike Rutenberg (11.12.26)
The run defense. What do you think you guys can do better this week to get that shored up?
“Every week, whatever it is, we address it, like I always say, because that’s just what football is. And in terms of the run defense, great run games are based on violence, which is what we’re built off of. Discipline fits and straining of the ball. And we’ll continue to preach our style of strain and violence and our style of the mind to do our best in the fits, practice it like we’ve been doing it, and continue to, whatever it is, take that approach in everything we’re trying to fix.”
I don’t know what percentage of plays you use the third linebacker, but it’s a very small percentage. Yet teams are adding extra offensive line against you. So why are you reluctant to add a third linebacker?
“It has nothing to do with reluctance. It’s just constantly about different formations, schemes, people on the field, and how we can get our players to try and get them to be at their best, to see the same thing over and over, to get their cleats in the ground, to get their eyes where they need to be. So, it’s more just about repetitions more than anything from that perspective.”
So, is it a case of you think your third safety is a better player than your third linebacker?
“No, it has nothing to do with this person’s better, this person’s better. The whole key to playing great defense is to play as fast as humanly possible. So, during a week, to get as many reps for as many people as we can between walkthroughs, pre-practice walkthroughs, practice. That’s just the approach we’ve taken.”
We talked to Jared Verse earlier today, and he said that he visited with a team psychiatrist to help him be a better pass rusher. How do you think that’s going to help?
“I’m not going to discuss Jared Verse in terms of what he does off the field, but I’m really proud of Jared for his approach, for his attitude, the way he’s working with his teammates and our D-line coaching staff to help himself get to where he wants to go.”
But do you think he’s… How close is he to being that player that he was with the Rams?
“I don’t look at it as how close he is. I know he is that player, and he’ll continue to work. He’s working on it in practice. He’s constantly working and studying film. It’s not how close he is, it’s just him continuing to do what’s best for him to get himself to where he wants to play, and us helping him as much as humanly possible.”
I know you guys always call that D-line the engine, but I think only three sacks from the unit as a whole over the last three games. So just how do you look at that production? I know last game you got sacks from other positions but struggled with it obviously these last three weeks.
“Yeah, again, you guys have been around me long enough that I never look at it from one position. It’s all 11. And sacks don’t just come from the engine. Across the league, sacks come from sometimes great coverage. Sacks come from sometimes a good pressure. Sacks sometimes come from the engine. And we will go as our engine goes, and as we continue to go, and you continue to see those guys revving that engine up. But it’s not actually anything about, like, D-line has to have sacks. It’s just us trying to make the offense as uncomfortable as possible.”
It looks like the Texans are incorporating Tank Dell into their offense. He’s a top receiver. So, how does that affect you? Just talk about his emergence.
“Unbelievable player, right? I mean, he was unbelievable coming out. Obviously unfortunate with his injury. Always happy to see a player come back from any type of injury, and it’s not just Tank. They’re an extremely skilled offense. You could rattle off their whole receiving corps and put the tight end in there as well in terms of the pass game, which I know you’re referencing. And then kudos to CJ Stroud and what they’re doing. So, I’m excited for a battle. I love our DBs, I love our back seven, and I’m excited for the battle.”
What is it about Myles Harden that makes him such an effective blitzer?
“Man, you know, I could go on for a while. It’s kind of like how you asked me about Carson (Schwesinger) last week, and I was like, ‘Well, he’ll just fix himself.’ Myles is one of those guys who’s self-made. And obviously I wasn’t here with him previous to this year, but you can see his preparation, you can see his attention to detail, his diligence, his desire to play for his teammates. So, not only is he an effective blitzer, he’s an effective cover guy, but he’s constantly working on his craft, constantly working on the different schemes of the week, and he’s asking questions, ‘Hey, Rudy (Mike Rutenberg), if they do this, what about this?’ He works with Jeff Anderson, our nickels coach, and it’s really cool to see all that come together and see success. It’s a credit to him.”
Going back to Jared, is there anything, I’m sure you’re trying to figure it out but, anything schematically you can do to free him up, give him better opportunities than he’s had?
“As a coaching staff and from Monk (Todd Monken) down to the defensive staff, we’re always trying to get all of our players in the best positions, and we’re always looking schematically, technically to see where we can get all of our players. Whether it’s Jared or Myles or Carson. So, that’s just a constant day-to-day process. Obviously, it has to do with the opponent and what we think they’re doing or what we think they’re going to do to us. And then how can we get our players in that best position to be successful by situation as well?”
At this point, no one’s really 100%, but you’ve got a number of guys on your side of the ball either coming back from or dealing with injury. Mason (Graham), Maliek (Collins), Denzel (Ward), Carson. How much, maybe as the weeks go on, do you see the help maybe improving on some of the things you’re working on, stopping the run game and tackling, and even going into bye week and just trying to give them more time to come back from what they’re going through?
“It’s probably cliche, but it’s week 10 of the NFL season, and everyone’s beat up across the league. I don’t think… what’s the best way for me to say this? Circumstances aren’t going to get in the way of us trying to be successful, and whether we’re beat up or not, I know those men that you’re talking to, they went out and just had an awesome practice. No matter beat up or not. And they do it every day, and they give everything for each other, and it’s cool to see. But yes, I’m sure they’re excited to get healthy when the bye week comes, but that doesn’t mean that their mentality isn’t heart, mind, fist and they’re doing it every day. Those guys are in that training room, those guys are working, and they practice their butts off.”
I don’t know if you’ll answer this, but I’m going to ask.
“Probably not.
If a team like Houston puts four wideouts on the field, which they do, would you cover that fourth with E-Man (Emmanuel McNeil-Warren) or a cornerback?
“I mean, you don’t really think I’m going to answer that question, do you? I appreciate it. You said, ‘You’re probably not going to answer this.’ So, I’ll keep what we’re doing internally, but I appreciate you asking.”
Coach Monken talked yesterday about mental stamina in these games, in all phases. But I just want to ask you about your unit, because of some of the fourth quarter drives you guys have had. What do you do to kind of help when it’s late in the game and guys are tired and worn down, what can you do to help them be in a better position to get that crucial stop to get off the field and give the offense the ball back with a lead rather than needing the offense to go back down and get those points?
“We absolutely in those situations want to get off the field, and when we don’t, it kills us. It kills us football wise, not in life, it does. But no one drive defines a game, and I think that’s important for the whole team to know and that’s what Monk always talks about. Whether it’s starting fast, finishing faster, making the play at the end of the half, going in, getting a three and out after the halftime. Each little six second play defines the game. And then of course at the end of the game, great defenses try their butts off to finish. And during the week, I’m not going to get into what we do, but what I can promise you is we are always addressing whatever came up head on, honestly, together, and figuring out the best ways, whether it’s in a meeting, whether it’s out at practice, whether it’s a drill. We do all that, and our guys are bought into that and it’s really cool to see.”
With Ronnie (Hickman) not being able to practice, how comfortable are you with Emanuel if he’s got to take on that full-time role? I know he had to fill in earlier in the season. And how have you seen him grow into that?
“Yeah, I think we’ve all seen him together grow into it. Starting with all the great plays he was making on special teams into his role on defense. Not only has made a lot of plays for us defensively and helped us, but he’s communicating at a high level. He’s helping us through all the different adjustments that we make. And if that is the case, everybody counts on E-man (Emmanuel McNeil-Warren) because he’s done it already. When called upon on special teams, he did it. When called upon to come in a game, he does it. When called upon in crucial third down, he does it. So, if he’s out there, nobody’s going to bat an eye, including him.”
I know I’ve asked you this before, but, and you’re getting plenty of rush from the interior, but the fact that you guys really aren’t getting what you expected or originally thought you were going to get from your edge rushers, can you play the kind of attack style defense effectively the way that you want to without those guys on the edge?
“Absolutely Absolutely. Again, the attack style defense, well, we always reference it, starting with the engine, which it always will be. That is the core of what we do. But our attack style defense is all 11. It starts with the engine, and it goes to the second level of getting downhill. It gets to the third level of protecting us on deep balls and explosive plays. And then when a third level player is asked to come down to the second level, the attack style defense has to do with pressure, bringing different people. So, we are an attack style defense, and I’m proud of the way those guys are doing it.”
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