Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (9.24.25)
Opening Statement:
“Great challenge this week, going to Detroit to play a terrific football team. Obviously, everybody sees the talent they have on the football team, offense, defense, special teams. They’re well coached, have a ton of respect for what Dan (Campbell) and his staff do. I know a lot of his coaches, they’re terrific. Unique challenges every single week in the NFL. No different with their attack, I’m talking offense, defense or special teams. Very physical group. Obviously, their offense is playing at an extremely high level. I think the quarterback’s great, they have great playmakers around him, including an explosive running back that can hurt you in the run and the pass. Terrific offensive line, Hank Fraley is the coach of that offensive line, a good friend of mine who I’ve coached with. So, I know how they’re taught, I know how they’re playing, and they really play through them. Defensively, Kelvin Sheppard’s doing a tremendous job with this group. Talent at all three levels, obviously, 97 (Aidan Hutchinson) is terrific, can get off the ball, can rush, can play the run, never stops. Big physical linebackers, very good in the back end. I think (Brian) Branch is as good as it gets in this game. 31 (Kerby Joseph) led in the league in interceptions last year, so they can take the ball away. They can play a variety of different defenses, but they do a really, very, very good job. And then special teams, Dave Fipp does a very good job with that group as well. Sound, physical, good returners. Kalif Raymond, I believe, was a Pro Bowler last season. He can punt return, kick return, multiple guys that they can put back there. So, a very, very good group, as we all see on tape, and then watching these guys. So, great challenge for our football team. We need to have a great work week and then get on the bus Saturday to Detroit. With that, I’ll take any questions.”
In watching some of that film from the game the other night, they do so many tricky things with motions and all the different things that they’re doing, lots of trick plays. How much on point is your defense going to have to be for all that stuff?
“Yeah, it’s interesting, Mary Kay (Cabot), every week it presents a different challenge. This is a challenge because the scheme is really good and the players are really good. They’re well coached. I think Coach (John) Morton does a great job with that group. Like you mentioned, shift, motion, different playmakers that they can get the ball to, whether in the run game, between the tackles, outside the tackle, screens, play actions and trick plays. So, you have to be ready for them.”
They obviously lost both coordinators from last year, but philosophically, I mean, pretty much the same, just maybe some minor tweaks.
“I think every year these units are evolving. So, while the DNA is certainly the same, that there’s definitely been different things that they’ve leaned into offensively, different things that they’ve leaned into defensively, but the core of what they do is very similar.”
Kevin (Stefanski), (Jack) Conklin’s not on the pre-practice report. Will he be full go today? Do you know?
“We’ll see. Really day-to-day.”
Kevin, with what (Dan) Campbell does on fourth downs, how much does that kind of change maybe game planning, because it seems like he’ll go for it on any situation?
“You know, we talk about the other teams we’re playing and what they do, what their philosophy is, fourth down wise. So, we’re aware of that, and we really have to be prepared, obviously defensively, knowing that you may get a third down stop, but you’re going to have to do it again on the fourth down.”
Kevin, with (Jahmyr) Gibbs and (David) Montgomery, and especially what they were able to do against the (Baltimore) Ravens, I mean, just how do you feel about the run defense going into this matchup and the fact that you guys did what you were able to do the last two weeks against (Derrick) Henry and (Josh) Jacobs?
“Well, every week is a new challenge, and it’s a different challenge, and it really doesn’t matter what you’ve done prior. So, this is a great challenge, again, because it’s a really good scheme. They’ve got good blockers up front and, on the perimeter, their wide receivers are always freeing up guys with extra blocks down the field, which is really impressive. But then you add those players, you add Gibbs and Montgomery to it, they’re extremely talented. They can really run every run style, meaning they can run tight zone, wide zone, and toss schemes. And then they can also use them on the perimeter in a variety of ways.”
Kevin, after the game Joe (Flacco) said that there are probably some downfield opportunities that he didn’t take advantage of or didn’t try to hit. So, did you see those available and then how important is it to mix in some of those?
“Well, obviously offensively you need to find ways to be explosive via run or pass. And when there are opportunities in the pass game, you know we’re going to take our shots. So much of that is dependent on having the time that allows you to do that. So, this game is no different than any other game in that you’re going to try to game plan or scheme up some opportunities to take those shots, quote unquote. But it’s really dependent on what the defense is doing.”
So, will your tackle situation be fluid throughout the week as you see who’s going to be available and how they fare on each side?
“I think that’s fair to say, yes. In this situation and many positions, you’re always waiting to get more information throughout the week.”
Kevin, we saw Denzel (Ward) pop up on the injury report, when did he suffer that shoulder and toe injury, do you expect that to be hindering his play time?
“Yeah. Again, take him day-by-day, but it’s always something that we’re gonna do with our guys. Just make sure they’re feeling good before.”
Kevin, what was it about Thayer (Munford) that attracted you guys? That he was the guy that you guys went out and and brought in and placed them on?
“Yeah, I think Andrew (Berry) and the personnel crew do a great job of looking at a ton of different options. He was a guy that we thought would be a good fit for our group.”
How much do you know being with (Mike) Vrabel, you know, during training camp, and everything. I mean, did that connection play any role?
“I wouldn’t say so, no. I think we’ve had so much homework on these guys from their playing days and obviously him being right down the road, studied him a good bit. He has a lot of experience playing in this league. So, he’s a guy that we feel like can add to this group and see how it shakes up.”
In terms of his play faking ability, where would you rank Jared Goff?
“Well, yeah, they do a very good job, Tony (Grossi). They’re, I believe, the number one team under center in the NFL. So, he does a lot of his play fakes from under center. He’s always done a really good job at it. It’s something that they certainly take advantage of in Detroit.”
I think you said he was a great quarterback. What do you like most about him?
“He was the number one overall pick for a reason. He’s really, really talented. He can make every throw. You can see off the tape how intelligent he is. They put a lot on his plate in terms of pre-snap decisions and checks and those types of things. But extremely talented thrower, more athletic than you probably think. He can really move. So, he’s outstanding.”
And then I know Friday you said Mike Hall was still progressing, but it’s been, I think a week now since he’s practiced. Was there something else going on there, a setback?
“I wouldn’t say setback. I’d say he’s continuing to progress. He’s working very hard. We’re kind of sticking to the plan.”
When you’re facing a coach like Dan Campbell, who’s notorious for going for it on fourth down, how does that kind of play into your coaching on third down on the defense?
“Well, like I said, we talk about these types of things going into the game because it is important to know, particularly for our defense, to know when it is four down territory and when it may be four down territory. And that may adjust their call on third down. It may adjust your call on third down. But as a team, you really have to play through all four downs and not just assume anything.”
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