RG Wyatt Teller (10.2.23)
Hey, Wyatt, I was wondering if you could just touch on the run game and some of the struggles it’s been really getting that going since the Pittsburgh game. I know Jerome (Ford) had that great performance after Nick (Chubb) got hurt, but against Tennessee and Baltimore, you guys really seemed to struggle getting it going on the ground. What do you think is going on there?
“Yeah, I think that missing 24 is a big deal to that. He’s the human eraser, as we like to call him. Damn good player. So, we got to be able to run without one of the best running backs in the league. It’s not easy. It’s a good front. Even though they were banged up, the scheme is good. Those linebackers are unbelievable. So we had to run the ball well early. When you don’t do that and you get behind, it’s hard to just be able to run the ball. I know that’s what a lot of people say and a lot of couch coaching would say, but it’s not that easy. You got to be able to pass effectively, run effectively, and if you can’t do that, then it’s going to end up like yesterday.”
And just what was the adjustment going into the game? Everyone was feeling like Deshaun (Watson) was going to start that game. So just what type of an adjustment was it for you guys up front having DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson)in there and how do you think he handled it?
“Yeah, no, I mean, it’s hard. Experience is so much in this league. We had a good plan. We went into it, a couple of mistakes here and there and it’s going to be the telling of the game. You get behind. Our defense played extremely hard but we left them out there too long. Any defense is human when you get them tired. So, we had to execute and we didn’t do that. We got to play better. We got to be able to deal with the adjustments, deal with the schemes no matter what they are. And we didn’t do that yesterday, so it sucks. But I still believe in this team. Deshaun, whoever’s back there, I always say this, I’m too busy worried about the guys who’re trying to rip my head off at the defensive line than worried about who’s trying to throw a pass. So, I’m more focused on my job and trying to win my one-on-one.”
Going off of that yesterday, Joel (Bitonio) said that part of the issues that he saw came with the blocking. What did you see in that aspect of just kind of that led to some of those struggles as a line that you guys have to work through heading into next week?
“With fronts like that, they try to put one-on-ones all game. So it’s basically four hours of one-on-ones. It’s not easy. Everybody has to be doing their job. That’s why this is, coach always says it, but this is the greatest team sport ever because you’re only as strong as your weakest link on any given play. I mean, I had plays that I wish I had back. Every single one of us does. And when that happens throughout the game, 50, 60 plays, 70 plays, and someone, one player of the 11 is messing up, it sucks, but that’s kind of what happens. We got to be able to, I’ve said this before, but execute. If we can execute, then execute your one-on-ones. Be able to make someone miss. And that’s what makes Nick (Chubb) you know so prized, is that he can make one guy miss, and even if you’re not know, he can make it right. And he’s awfully missed, but we got to be able to do it without him.”
Yeah. Wyatt, after two straight games of kind of some really tough run defenses and also just some challenging output by you guys in the running game, what makes you feel really super confident that you guys will be able to kind of pull it together and run the ball the way you know you guys can?
“Yeah. No, I mean, you hit the nail on the head. We have to. To be able to pass effectively, being third and manageable, we got to be able to run the ball and run the ball early. It’s something that weren’t able to do yesterday. We got a couple of stops. We had a huge run the first play of the game, called back on a holding call. But reffing or not, we got to be able to stick to it. And even if something like that happens, we got to still be able to keep that aggression going. But like I said, that’s a hell of a front, great linebackers. So, if you get into the passing game, it’s not going to be as fun. So we got to be able to run the ball early and often, and whenever given the opportunity to make a big play, we got to take it. So, execute on their mistakes. Every team makes a mistake. Like I said, if 70 plays and one guy misses on a play, you got to be able to make one guy miss and make plays. But again, I’m not throwing the ball in the NFL. It is crazy difficult. I could not imagine. I just have to block the big guys who are trying to rip off their heads. And if I can do that, then I’m doing my part. And if we all do our part, our one-11th, we’ll be all right.”
Did it feel like it was a jolt or any confusion when you found out it wasn’t going to be Deshaun (Watson)?
“No, I don’t think it was any confusion. This system in the NFL is how it’s always been, but especially now, it’s next man up. We got to be able to execute with whoever’s out there. If that’s Deshaun, then great. There’s a reason he was paid so much. He’s a hell of a player, and if it’s DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson), there’s a reason he’s the number two. He’s got to be able to take those mental reps and do it. And it’s not easy. Like I said, I couldn’t do it. So, me having an opinion on a quarterback is, who cares? I’m an offensive lineman. I don’t put my hands under center. I don’t deal with the ball all the time. I just got to be able to do my job better. And if I give one more yard, hopefully someone can make someone miss and get an eight-yard gain. I mean, we’ve done it for years. Obviously, 24 (Nick Chubb) is great, but whoever’s back there, Jerome (Ford) is a great back, Kareem (Hunt) is a great back, Pierre (Strong Jr.) is a great back. So we just got to be able to do it. Obviously, Nick is going to be that absolute monster, but it sucks. Missing him, but we got to be able to do it and it’s hard. I mean, this is the NFL. You’re going against pretty stout defenses, especially early on right now. So, we just got to be able to execute.”
Obviously, you know, Dorian (Thompson-Robinson) didn’t have the game he wanted to have yesterday, but how did he handle himself throughout that game and in the know, kind of as everything was going?
“I mean, he’s tough man. He was getting hit leaving the pocket. You know, trying to get those last couple yards and getting absolutely smacked. You know, some plays where I wish, that I gave up a sack where I wish I just protected a little bit better just to save a hit. Late in the downs where you’re blocking for four, five, six seconds and then your guy gets off late to hit him in the head. You got to be able to take care of him and it sucks. I mean, I apologized to him. I was like, dude, I got to be able to play better, make sure that you’re not touched by my guy. And if all five of us do that, we’re going to be all right. Obviously, there are plays where guys get hit. I mean, this is the NFL. They’re paid to, and they’re a damn good team, so we got to be able to do it. Dorian is a great kid. He’s just got to be able to compartmentalize this, put this in the past. Yeah, it sucks, but you’re a great player. You’re going to be great. Just take it with a grain of salt and be ready to work.”
And I guess Kevin (Stefanski) told us that Ethan (Pocic) is going to be day-to-day, so I guess, how relieved are you that wasn’t a more serious injury?
“Yeah, I mean, the play that it happened on, I’m hopping back, and my guy kind of falls inside and I think the running back was running right through, and the guy landed right in front of the line, tripped right over the running back, right into his knee. So, I was super sick yesterday, feeling like I hurt him. And really, he was like, ‘Yeah, my leg, it’s hurting, but I’m day-to-day.’ I’ll be alright. And I was like, thank the good Lord. I love my brother, so I don’t want to ever hurt anybody, even the guys that I’m playing against, you never want anybody to be injured. You never want anybody to be hurt. It’s a physical game, but I want everybody to go home and see their family. You know what I mean? I’m not trying to see anybody get hurt, and especially someone on your side of the ball, especially after these past couple of weeks where we’ve had some serious injuries. I thank God that he didn’t have a super serious injury. I know him. I know his work ethic. And even if it was serious, he would be back to the plow and working again. And if it wasn’t serious, he’s going to be back to the plow and working again. He’s a great teammate, great leader, and I’m thankful for him.”
Hey, Wyatt. Just like, I mean, obviously the other big injury being Jack (Conklin) for you guys, just what’s it been like these last few weeks, like, kind know, plugging Dawand (Jones) in there, and you getting used to playing with him on that side and what’s important going into the bye week in that respect.
“Yeah. No, we got to be able to take a step. Win or loss, it’s a step. You learn from the wins. You learn from the losses. You try to treat them the same way. Obviously, wins are better. Everything’s better when you’re winning. You could have a couple of bad blocks, and it’s okay because you won. And they can be ugly wins. And I know Bill Callahan will be upset, but we’re going to be okay as a unit. And when you’re not playing well it sucks. We win a game, lose a game, win a game, lose a game. We just got to be able to be consistent, win back-to-back. And if we can do that, we’re going to be okay. We just got to be able to right the punches. Good teams [it] doesn’t matter what the score is, their mindset is they’re going to win. So, we just got to be able to do that.”
And then the last couple of years, I mean, you guys have gone into bye weeks with a win. You’ve gone into bye weeks with a loss. What’s most important, I guess, this week when you don’t have the opportunity to flush like a bad game right away.
“Yeah. No. We definitely have to be able to get our bodies right, get fresh, but realize that this is just one quarter of the season. We still have three quarters to go. There’s so much ball to play and we have really good teams that we have to play and beat, and our future is our destiny. If we handle it, if we do it the right way, we’re going to be okay. If we sulk on it, we suck – which is not, this team does not suck. This team is a great team. We just got to be able to play right and execute when we need to. Our defense is unbelievable, but when you leave them out there, they’re going to get tired. You still see them, we had a play, I think, where we stayed on the field for two minutes and our defense finally got some energy back, was like, all right, we’re going to go whoop their butt. So, if we can do that, if we can play complementary football, execute when we have to, manage what we can control, we can’t control what the defense is going to do. They’re really good players. They’re going to go into different fronts that we may not have seen but be able to know your adjustment and your assignment. If we can do those things, it’ll be alright. I believe in this team. We have all the pieces. We’ve lost a couple of key pieces, but we’ve got to be able to next man up and play.”
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