Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (12.20.23)
Opening statement:
“Okay, starting our work week, getting ready for Houston. Really good football team. At the top of their standings in their division. I know three-way tie, but good football team. I think Coach (DeMeco) Ryans is doing an awesome job down there. Really huge challenge on all three sides of ball, good players. Defensively, I’ll start – I know Coach Ryans heavily involved with that side of the ball. Matt Burke, their defensive coordinator. Great coach, bunch of coaches that I know, really good coaching staff that he put together down there. Defensively, run a very similar system to ours. It’s an attack front out of a four-down lineup most of the time and they really get off the ball and they are very good up front. I mean really, really good. Those edge players, the defensive tackles, outstanding. They can run at really all three levels of the defense. Good corners, smart safeties and they’ve been very ball aware. So, got to be about our business. Offensively, they’re doing a really nice job under Coach (Bobby) Slowick. They’re not giving the ball away. That’s really where you start. They’re leading the league as a team in turnover margin and they’re taking good care of it on offense. Really good playmakers, really all over the board. They have a very good understanding of that scheme. I think they’ve done a nice job there in their run game and their pass game and all the things that they’re doing in that scheme. And then special teams. As you saw, their kicker just won player of the week I believe. It’s a talented group from top to bottom. Coach (Frank Ross) does a great job with that group. So, we need a great week of work going down there, trying to find a way to win on the road against a really good football team. And with that, I’ll take any questions.”
Kevin, on Monday you were very complimentary of the season that Myles (Garrett) has had. You said he’s the best defensive player in the league this year. Did you notice a different presence with him coming into training camp? At least from our perspective, he looked so dominant right off the bat. You kind of have the feeling it might be different for him this year?
“Yeah, I mean, I think we’ve talked a lot about Myles over the years and I always say this, and I think it’s true, he can always get better. I think all of us can get better. And I think there are things that are untapped with Myles that he continues to work on and some of its small details of fundamentals and techniques. Other things are maybe bigger picture for how he leads his football team. So I’ve seen him mature over the time that I’ve been with him. Obviously a very intelligent player and intelligent person, great off the field, but I think in his leadership is where I’ve seen a huge jump as well. And I think his teammates would tell you that as well.”
What’s the mindset of not practicing today?
“Yeah, late in the season. We had an early bye. We have a Thursday night game next week, so just trying to account for all those things.”
Kevin, you mentioned or you’re talking so highly of David Njoku the other day, what a teammate he is. And I saw him on some interview and he said that he thought you butted heads a little bit when you first got here. How did you view that and how is your relationship with him growing?
“Yeah I mean, with any player, all players, you don’t always see eye to eye. I try to be as real with them and honest with them and sometimes those are hard conversations and I’m not going to get into all the details of that. But I think Dave in particular, if you look at him, he was very young when he came into this league. I was obviously not here when he was drafted, but the player he was and then the person he has become are different versions than when I first got here. And the credit goes to him. He’s been intentional about getting better as a player and I think he’s been intentional about getting better as a teammate. And really that’s where that comes from.”
It’s looking like C.J. Stroud probably won’t be available. So how does Case Keenum change things for Houston and your preparation to play a familiar player?
“Yeah, we prepare for all of their quarterbacks. I think you have to do that in this league. So, we’ll monitor that like everybody else does. But you have to prepare for all their guys. And the truth is all their guys can beat you. They’ve all won. I think C.J. Stroud’s having as good a year as there is. That position for rookies, doesn’t not look like a rookie. The way he plays, the decision making, the physical talent is off the charts and then Case comes in last week, starts and wins. That’s what he does. He’s played a lot of football games in his career, started a lot of football games in his career, has won. So we know the type of talent that he has as well.”
Kevin, what do you guys have to do…you’ve had such great success at home. What do you have to do to carry that now on the road since you’re probably will be in the playoffs?
“Yeah, I think for us it’s always focusing on the little things, Jeff (Schudel). Things that – the little things add up to the big things. So whether you’re at home or on the road, you have to be clean in your assignments. You have to be great as a staff and putting your guys in position to succeed. But big thing is always doing your job and that doesn’t change home or road.”
Kevin, is there some optimism with Ogbo (Okoronkwo) that maybe he could return before the season ends?
“I’d say still working through all of it. Obviously, we haven’t put him on IR just yet, so those are things that we’re working through.”
Kevin, I know on Monday you mentioned the way the safeties stepped up was something that really jumped out and sounded like from that game. But with the D’Anthony (Bell) in particular, I mean unconventional path to get to the NFL, how has he managed to not only remain on this roster the last two years, but to kind of step up in those key moments that you guys need him?
“Yeah, he’s made plays for us, Ashley (Bastock), really throughout his career. Think about the plays that he’s made on kickoff for us. And there’s a lot of players in this league that start out as special teams players and that’s their proving ground. And then they get an opportunity on offense or defense and they play well. So I think he’s a young player that you continue to see what he has. He had really good moments for us in that football game, and we’re going to be counting on him again.”
Sticking with that group, the corners and the safeties, just how important have they been to the success of this defense?
“Yeah, it all goes hand in hand, and I think Coach (Jim) Schwartz has mentioned it before that our D line is our engine and we certainly play off of them. But a lot of the success also, you can’t help but look at some of the plays that have been made in the secondary. So it all goes together, but I think the playmaking that you see from the secondary is the biggest thing.”
Saw Joel (Bitonio) show up on the injury report for today, do you have any more updates on how significant his back injury is?
“Yeah, no real updates. I think with all of our guys, day to day literally means you see how they walk in the building and check in with them and how they do through their treatment every single day and making a decision based on how that is each day. That’s kind of what we’re doing with Joel.”
What’s the most impressive point of that touchdown that (Joe) Flacco threw to (Amari) Cooper last week? I mean, about as tight a window as you can have.
“Yeah. Really well executed. I thought the protection was excellent on that play. Joe saw it really clearly because he had great lanes to see and knew exactly where he was going with the ball. Once Amari cleared the linebacker there.”
With all his throws, the old adage about not being late and over the middle and stuff, and he still does that. Is that just the trust experience, all those things of a 15 year veteran?
“Yes, and there was one throw in particular on a scramble drill to Elijah (Moore) late over the middle. You have to be very careful, and I always tell the quarterbacks, you have to clear your vision. Like, you have to be very clear about what you see when you make those throws. Joe’s got great height, so that helps him see it in the first place. But even then, there are times in the pocket where he doesn’t have great vision and you have to slide and move. But yeah, you have a lot of reps under your belt. You have a lot of turns at some of these things, and you know where you can get into trouble. But when you can clear your vision and be confident in what you see, then you can pull the trigger.”
With Case, he stepped in and won two games for you in 2021, he comes off the bench and wins for them. What is it about Case that he can just come in and just excel right away?
“Yeah, he played a ton of football in college, so he had a ton of experience coming in. He’s played in multiple systems since before we had him and since so has a very good understanding of offensive football, defensive football, son of a coach. So Case knows the X’s and O’s really well, has always been a playmaker throughout his entire career, but a really good football player, a guy that we have to study this week, just like every week, getting ready for multiple quarterbacks.”
Since he left, have you been able to drop your guard? No one’s going to mess with your office the way that he used to.
“Yes, I have been able to do that. There’s still some guys that I’m on alert for.”
Finally saw a quarterback hook up with (Marquise) Goodwin, he hasn’t been used for a variety of reasons. Does he have a lot more to give him this final month?
“I do. And Marquise is a guy that has been through a lot this season and continues to work really hard. Then with Joe being new, you have to rhythm up with all your new teammates, Marquise being one of them. So I think Joe’s getting a good feel for him as well.”
Cedric (Tillman), I think, did he run the wrong route on that one or obviously some miscommunication there? Do you see Joe and all of his receivers, there’s still room for them to grow in that area?
“For sure. And that’s the part of practice, that’s the part of getting to know your teammates. It’s not going to always be perfect. Guys are going to make mistakes and that type of thing. But I think Joe now, having been here forever, however long he’s been here, has a pretty good book on our guys in terms of what they’re good at, how they come out of breaks, those type of things.”
Did you like how Ced kind of responded to, I mean, he was the target at those first two interceptions and then he made some catches after that?
“No. Yeah, I was proud of Ced. He’s a young player. Obviously there’s things that clean up in every single game, but he plays hard. I mean, he plays hard when balls in his hand he’s going and he’s going to make plays and he’s playing aggressive and he’s a tough guy to tackle. And then in the run game for a young player, he’s pretty good and pretty physical out there.”
How do you have to try to keep these guys locked in and focused when you’re going on the road playing Houston on Christmas Eve, fit Christmas in there and then a game Thursday night again?
“Yeah, I think that’s kind of the nature of this beast, Mary Kay (Cabot), and everybody in the league is dealing with that and where Christmas is and that type of thing. I know some people are playing on Christmas, so it’s just every year it’s part of being a professional and making sure that you are getting your work done and getting your shopping done on your own time.”
Does the conversation shift from 1-0 to the playoffs are right here? If we do this and this.
“Yeah, I mean, a little bit of it is. That’ll never change. It’ll always be a one game season for us. That doesn’t change. Now, obviously you know that you can earn more. I think everybody understands that. But in terms of how you do that, you really have to focus on this week.”
How much scoreboard watching are you going to be doing on Saturday and Monday?
“Not much. Yeah, I have no idea. Other than we have a big one on Sunday.”
There’s eight scenarios that they put out for you guys this weekend to clinch.
“Not a mathematician.”
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