Offensive Coordinator Alex Van Pelt (12.14.23)
Tough week on the injury front.
“Yeah.”
When would Joel (Bitonio) become, I know he’s always an option to slide out, but is that even more possible now than ever?
“I don’t think so. I don’t. I think our tackles played well last week. Really proud of James (Hudson) and Geron (Christian), both those guys. To throw it 45 times against those edge rushers and have one sack, that was really an RPO that wasn’t on the line, that’s really impressive. So, yeah, he’s always available and he’s done it, but I feel confident the way our guys are playing.”
What can you say about the game that Joe (Flacco)had and his first victory, how well he did?
“He did great. He’s getting back into the groove, I think, now and starting to feel confident in the play calls and what we’re asking those guys to do. And it showed whatever little rust he had looked like it’s knocked off now he’s playing at a high level again. Like the way he’s seeing the field. And his ability again to be accurate at all three levels has been impressive.”
89 passes in two games. Is that too much? Is it just how it worked out? What’s it say about Joe (Flacco)? What’s it say about how the games have gone?
“Yeah, I mean, I think it shows Joe how much confidence we have in him in the pass game. I think that’s the key part there. You’re going to play differently each week. Just so happens the last two weeks, we felt like we had some good matchups in the past game. That changes week to week. But obviously we feel confident with his ability to make decisions and read the field and make the throws. So probably has something to do with” it.”
Looking at the Bears defense, what does it allow with the opportunity for your passing game against their pass defense?
“Yeah, really good defense. The record wasn’t an indication of how good they’re playing on defense really the last four games, playing at a high level. The scheme is really good. I think there’s some change philosophically over the course of the season of how that defense is running compared to earlier in the season. So definitely some challenges there. Really good corner to the field. I think he’s one of the premier corners in the league, so definitely presents some challenges. They’re nickel. Really good cover nickel as well. So they definitely present some challenges in the pass game mentioned.”
You mentioned the stat on RPOs. Has Joe (Flacco)done a lot of that in his career? RPOs, it looks like he ran a handful of those?
“Yeah, we did. It’s not hard. I don’t think just because he’s a taller pocket passer you can’t run RPOs. You’re just reading a defender on the field. So I wasn’t surprised by the reaction as everybody else, but, yeah, that was an RPO. We tried to do a little too much there and held on to the ball, too long. But yeah, I mean, it’s not unrealistic for a pocket passer to run RPO.”
We talked about how good his play action is, Joe (Flacco), with the little hand movements and what have you. Is that the reason that those plays were as wide open as they were to David (Njoku) and to even little David (Bell)?
“Yeah, really the last one was a drop back to was. That was cool. Just zero pressure. What a great job he did of hanging in, knowing exactly, the protection was blocked, exactly how we had to have it blocked. Kareem (Hunt) laid out, blocked the guy in the A gap, which is awesome. We drifted away from the b gap pressure guy and draw it up. Yeah, I mean, as far as just how we operated in that key situation on the fourth down is really impressive with those guys and proud of the way we handled. Yeah, but the play action going back, really strong play action fakes. The touchdown to David, the second one, really good play action. The back did a great job of picking up the pressure right in the B gap to his side. And the linebackers really bit down on that run action. And that allowed Dave to pop out of the back sides. You know, he’s got big hands and you can do a lot with that ball in the play action part of that.”
Have you had anyone with more arm talent than him?
“As far as just talented arms, Aaron obviously was an extremely talented passer. Maybe not the velocity that he has, but the accuracy for sure. As far as velocity and down the field throws, probably not.”
How much of these last two games, I think it was nine receivers and then eight this past game. How much of that is what you guys have drawn up offensively and how much of that is show Joe (Flacco) just reading the field and finding ways to distribute? Is that by design that having this many receivers?
“We definitely pinpoint guys to do certain things. For example, the touchdown that David Bell had, that was his route. We felt really confident he would make a great decision on that route. So, guys definitely get put into spots where we’re going to use their skill set for them to be successful. And then that’s a portion of that. And then the other part of that is just reading the defense and getting the ball to the open player.”
Going back under center more. Does that change a whole bunch? Does it boost the offense at all? Is it a lot different for you?
“It’s just a different approach. We did a lot of the stuff. Same type of plays from the gun, just allowing us under center. It does have a little more pool in the play action game when you get under center. That’s definitely true.
Alex, is there something to be said about Joe (Flacco) coming in fresh at this time of year that he hasn’t taken kind of the pounding that most of the other quarterbacks in the league have?
“I think so, for sure. I mean, he’s fresh as a daisy right now and feeling great, and there aren’t many players in the league right now that are feeling great at this time of the year.”
How much differently are you dealing with he offense right now versus what you would have maybe been doing if Deshaun Watson was still around?
“Yeah, it’s definitely different. I mean, there’s differences for sure. I would put it back into the Jacoby (Brissett) time when he played when were under center more. The good news is we’ve been through that and we know how to operate in both.”
Along those lines. Is this more like Kevin’s (Stefanski) bread and butter, if you will? I mean, what he’s most comfortable and familiar with in terms of an offense with kind of a traditional pocket passer?
“Yeah, I think so. I think Kevin does a great job of adapting to whoever is there, and I think that’s one of the things that makes him such a great coach is his ability to be flexible and adapt and change. Definitely that’s probably an area that feels most comfortable coming from the systems that he was. I mean, I think we change and we can do as much as we need to do depending on who our players are.”
Your every formation is now a little more limited because of that?
” It’s a little different. We’ll still have some of those situations. I thought the guys did a great job. Nick (Harris), obviously coming in and playing for Poe (Ethan Pocic) last week, huge way he stepped up, and then that put Harrison (Bryant) into some different spots into those packages. So, a lot of changing game day on the sideline to get everybody lined up correctly. Jobs change for sure. It definitely had an effect, but we’ll work through that.”
A few teams that have four quarterbacks over the course of season, as you guys have throughout the season, kind of adapted to the quarterbacks uncertainty. What would you say has just allowed you guys to be so successful?
“Obviously it starts with Kevin (Stefanski), and I think the mindset for him is we’re always going to try to put whoever that person is behind center in the best position for them to be successful. It all starts with the quarterback. If we can play to his skill set, whatever that is, that’s going to help us all. And I think he’s done a great job of how we design the plan each week for each guy that’s playing and then how the game’s called as well. So really, I think it’s a hat off to Kev.”
David (Njoku) had such a big half, big first half, right. And I don’t think caught any second half. Did they adjust defensively to take him out?
“Not so much. It’s just kind of how the game went at that point. His plays were big early and then were attacking other places later in the game, but great game for him. Obviously, he’s done an outstanding job all year, not just as a player, but as a teammate. We give out the awards for the pickups each week. He won last week. He’s not only being productive, he’s being a great teammate, and he’s having a heck of a year. I’m proud of him.”
Alex, a couple players have mentioned recently about the next man up thing, that the younger guys or the bull players have done a really good job developing behind the scenes to make sure that they are ready to step in and contribute right away. So my question is, have you guys changed anything this year with maybe like behind the scenes development to make sure that guys are ready, or do you feel like it’s just more initiative from the guys that aren’t getting those reps?
“Yeah, no, there’s a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes, not on the practice field. Our young coaches do a great job of getting the extra work with those guys, whether it’s Scott Peters or John Decoster working with the younger players off to the side, Callie (Brownson) working with Ced (Tillman) and some of the younger receivers getting them ready. There’s a lot of work that goes in on the side to get those guys ready, but it is important. We do feel like we do a good job of developing the young players so when they do have a chance to play, they’re ready to go.”
Is there more that you guys can unfold with this offense and does that play a part in it? Joe’s (Flacco) ability to get that ball to different receivers and have that diversity?
“Oh, definitely. I think know you got to defend the whole field, you got to defend every player and the more you can spread it around, the more they can isolate on your top guys. If they’re spending more time with Dave (David Njoku) and Amari (Cooper), then that should open up, Ced (Tillman)and Elijah (Moore) and the other guys. So only helps the whole offense, the more players touch the ball.”
What was the biggest improvement in (Joe) Flacco’s second game?
” Oh, man. Just probably just operation, knowing where the snap points were, the cadence work that we did, we do a lot of motions and shifting. So just a fuller understanding of just really operation to that point. We’ll keep loading more things on as we get more familiar with the system with Joe, but yeah, I think it was really clean last week in our operation, minus the false starts, but we did a nice job there.”
The poise of (Joe) Flacco out on the field and key moments. Just how valuable is that for you guys, especially at this key stretch where you’re trying to kind of finish it off and earn that playoff spot?
“Yeah, he definitely brings a calming presence. I think the amount of games he’s played in his career, it’s not too big, obviously, and he’s seen a lot of football, so he definitely brings a calming factor to that sideline for those guys, I’m sure in the huddle as well.”
Alex, how much does (Montez) Sweat change that Bears pass rush?
“Definitely skilled pass rusher, good against the run. Really good player. Big, strong, physical power rusher. He’s definitely helped him a ton since he’s gotten there.”
Alex, in terms of unlocking more with the pass game, I mean, Amari’s (Cooper) obviously been playing banged up and he’s done that throughout his career. But even just in that respect, do you think that alone is a lot more left to be mined there between their connection?
“Oh, for sure. Yeah, we’re just scratching the surface, I think, as we get to know each other. I go back to the Rams throw on third and 14 where he just two guys had not worked together a ton that were on the same page, so that’ll continue to grow.”
How happy were you to see David Bell get to the endzone Sunday?
“There’s a picture, I don’t know if you guys get out to the front, but on the big screen out there’s that picture of Dave smiling as he’s going into the end zone. That just made my day. Like, how happy was he and how happy was everybody for him, too. I think Joel (Bitonio) was the first guy down to celebrate with him.”
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