Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (10.6.25)

Opening Statement:

“Okay. Obviously still feel the same way as I did after the game. Frustrated, disappointed that we don’t close that game out in the fourth quarter, obviously. So got to find a way in those moments to play complementary ball, and that’s on us to get it done, and that’s what we’ll focus on, and that’s what we’ll work very hard at doing and making sure that we are all at our best in those moments. But with that, I’ll take any questions.”

 

Hey, Kevin, after watching the film, what were your takeaways about Dillon’s (Gabriel) first start? 

“Yeah, a lot of positives, Scott (Petrak). Obviously can always better, and certainly we as an offense have to better and score more to help this football team. But for, you know, a young player in that environment versus that defense to take care of the ball, make the plays he made, I thought was a lot of positives with plenty to clean up. And that’s what he will do. And that’s the mentality he has, certainly to be a player that continues to get better week in and week out.”

 

And when you look at that last (Minnesota) Vikings drive, the winning touchdown drive, what were the issues defensively that you saw? What could you have done differently? 

“Yeah, obviously, you know, give them credit, but we had a couple mistakes there, and guys played really, really well, and then kind of had one lapse there towards the end, and it cost us in that drive, which is disappointing. Our defense wants to be on the field in that moment, and I have no doubt that in the future, we put them in that spot, they’ll come through.”

 

Hey, Kevin. I wanted to ask about that last drive, too. So, I know you got asked about this yesterday with the timeouts, the first one specifically. Would you have liked to have had that timeout called earlier? It felt like there may be 10 or 15 seconds that went off the clock before you called that. 

“Yeah, obviously, anything in those scenarios, Dan (Labbe), I want to make sure I’m putting the team in a good spot. If there’s things that we can improve, we will. Obviously, the mentality was try to keep some time on the other side of it, but we can definitely be better there.”

 

And then just with Quinshon (Judkins), yesterday, obviously his best game since you’ve gotten him here. Can you just talk a little bit about how he played yesterday and when he plays like that, what does that do for your offense? 

“Yeah, He’s a tough out. He’s kind of showing us and everybody the type of player he is. You know, have to remember that he got here late and has continued to get better each and every game. He’s a fiery competitor and he had a bunch of plays there, obviously had one called back for the holding, and I understand why that was called. But he continues to make hard yards when there’s hard yards to be made. And then when it’s blocked clean, as it was a few times yesterday, you see that he does have the ability to go. So, a young player again, that will only get better each week.”

 

All right, I actually have seven questions. Hopefully some of them will be asked after my stint here. Two quick ones for Kevin. Do you believe that the left tackle on the Vikings false started on that touchdown to win the game? 

“Honestly, it doesn’t matter. I understand the question, Tony (Grossi). I thought it live, but it doesn’t matter.”

 

Another question I have is, we’ve talked over the years of your head coaching job here, how you share input in-game and hectic situations through the headphones. Do you believe you have too many voices in your ears in those hectic situations? 

“I don’t, Tony. I don’t. I’m very comfortable with the group we have in game.”

 

Yeah, Kevin, I wanted to ask about your guys second to last drive, the three and out. Just given the way the Vikings were stacking the box against you guys, watching that back, what did you think of how you guys handled that? 

“Yeah, you know, obviously Ashley (Bastock), getting the four-minute drives and the goal there is to stay on the field, get first downs, make the clock roll and finish the game with the ball. Obviously going three and out doesn’t get it done. And when you look at that as a coach, you always immediately and also now think about different things that you can do. There’s a ton of philosophies there on what you’re trying to do, who you’re trying to play through if you want to have risk involved and you know, potentially use the quarterback there. So, there’s all sorts of things that we can do in that situation. And anytime you come up short, you always think about putting your players in position to succeed. So frustrating to not gain yards on that first and second down calls and then frustrated obviously to come away with an incompletion on third down. But we’ll teach off of it. We’ll learn from it.”

 

And then I wanted to ask about David (Njoku) because, I mean, stats wise, this was his best game. How important was he and the performance he had in terms of what Dillon was able to do? 

“Yeah, obviously we ask a lot of Dave (David Njoku) in the run game and certainly in the pass game as well. I thought he had some good moments out there in the run game, straining versus a very good Vikings defense. And then, you know, come up big in the red zone there in the middle of the field. I thought was a nice outing by Dave.”

 

Hey, Kevin, I have two questions. One, on those timeouts, did you think or consider not using them since the Vikings were down to one timeout and just forcing them to end up kicking a field goal as time was ticking off?

“Yeah, obviously, Jeff (Schudel), you think about all those things in those moments. You know, obviously it didn’t work out for us how we wanted it to work out, both in the result of the game and that drive itself. So, you’re always thinking about different ways you can do it. But we trust our guys to come through it. But we didn’t come through as a football team. That’s players, coaches; that’s offense, defense, and special teams.”

 

And then secondly, did Dillon Gabriel show you enough that maybe he can start throwing downfield more to Jerry Jeudy and the other wide receivers? 

“Yeah, it’s always a product of the game you’re in, Jeff (Schudel), I would tell you. We have a lot of faith in Dillon and our pass receivers, whether that’s from the wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, you name it. We have a lot of confidence in our guys, so, it’s just very dependent on the team you’re facing and what they’re doing in the back end.”

 

Yeah, Kevin. A little bit on the wide receivers. I mean, going in, I think the very end of the game, you got a catch or two, but only five catches for the wide receivers. I mean how can you get them going? You know, it seemed to be a big difference. You got 10 catches out of your tight ends. But on the difference in the game, you see the Vikings wide receivers making plays all over the place, and you’re limited to three or four catches. 

“Yeah, I think it’s so game specific, Fred (Greetham), but we obviously believe in our guys, and we have to find a way to be more explosive and obviously stay on the football field so you can score those points. And our wide receiver room will factor into that. So, every game is different, but we have total trust in those guys.”

 

Hey Kevin, on the last play of the game, besides Jamari (Thrash) breaking that tackle, what needs to happen there for you to get a shot at the end zone? 

“Well, yeah, like you said, trying to get the ball out of bounds, figuring you like your chances throwing the ball in the end zone from the 25 better than you do from the 50. You know, good play by them. Felt like we had a decent chance of executing there, but you got to say good play by them.”

 

I mean, looking back, does it feel too risky that you don’t get a ball thrown into the end zone there? 

“Yeah. You know, again, it’s a risk reward in all these types of discussions and decisions that you’re making, Scott (Petrak), whether you take that Hail Mary from the 50 or from the 25, you’re taking a risk in what you do.”

 

And is the plan to get Cam (Robinson) ready to start at left tackle next week? 

“Yeah, we’ll work through all those types of things the next couple days.”

 

Yeah, Kevin, a question about Dillon and his workload. How much did the circumstances of last week, only having two real practices and having to travel to London, how much did that dictate what you could ask him to do? And will a full week of practice, will that mean he can put a little more on his plate this week? 

“I would say it’s very game specific, Dan (Labbe), in terms of the opponent and who you’re facing, and what they do and how they do it. Obviously, the week last week was unique. I thought that Dillon and the guys handled that fine, I don’t think that had anything to do with the plan and those types of things. They were very prepared. But I think it’s very specific to your opponent is probably the biggest thing.”

 

In preseason, Gabriel was very good at converting third downs. Yesterday you were three-of-15. What do you attribute that to? 

“Yeah, I think each one you can probably talk through, Tony, and it’s a combination of things, but I thought by and large he was getting through progressions. There’s things that I know he can do better, that he knew when he was walking off the field. So, he’s got very good self-awareness and those types of things. But that was a very good pass defense that we were facing, both from a coverage and a pass rush standpoint. So, I thought he did a good job of taking care of the football, moving in the pocket when he needed to. But bottom line is you have to try to find a way to stay on the field, and a lot of times it’s your ability to be efficient on first and second down and put you in some manageable third downs that will allow that.”

 

All right, and this last one falls into the category of who cares at this point, but was anyone on the sideline aware that the 51-yard field goal caromed off the cable? 

“I was not aware. I’m not sure if anybody else was. I was not aware.”

 

I know you talked about the receivers as a whole, but just with Jerry (Jeudy) specifically and these handful of drops he’s had, including the one yesterday. Is there anything that you’re seeing with him, like technical there or anything? Is it just a weird stretch for him right now just with that part specifically? 

“Yeah, nothing technical, Ashley. Jerry continues to be our best wide receiver. We have to find ways to get him involved in the game. Having said that, he’s a leader on this team, he will do anything in his power to help this football team, and I’m excited about the future for Jerry and this offense, but obviously I know he wants to do more, and we want him to do more.”

 

I know postgame you talked about it with having Jerome (Ford) in for that final drive before the half for pretty much all of those plays. Is that more so about experience, where he’s been in those situations more? Obviously, Quinshon’s only played the four games at this point, and maybe trusting in pass protection a little bit as well?

“Yeah. You know, when you get into two-minute drives and you’re playing at the line of scrimmage, obviously we have a veteran in Jerome that we trust in the pass protection game, and the run game, pass, running routes, etcetera. Quinshon will continue to grow in those areas. And then you’re also trying to be mindful of Q’s workload, and making sure that he’s fresh, for all 60 minutes.”

 

Any injuries coming out of the game, Kevin? And how do you think Jack (Conklin) held up in his first game back?

“Yeah, some guys banged up, but feeling good about where they are to start the week out. And then I thought Jack held up real well, performed well in his first game back.”

 

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