JAGUARS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DARRELL BEVELL
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
(On QB Trevor Lawrence’s progress) “As you watch and you assess his play, there’s things that he’s getting much better at. One of the things that I thought he did a really nice job of was getting through his progressions. I think I mentioned last week there was a couple plays where he did that and this week, he’s doing it even more. I think one of the really good plays was the one where he started off to the left and came back and hit Marvin [Jones Jr.] in the middle of the field. Just plays like that where he’s calm, he’s patient, he gets through it and is reading it out is plays that he’s improving on.”
(On OL Andrew Norwell’s role during the flea flicker play) “He was not confused. I mean I don’t want to give away everything, but there’s different styles of protections that you can use. On that flea flicker, I know probably the big deal is he’s running his whirly bird technique on the backside. He was doing it correct. We didn’t do a good job with the rest of the execution of it and [it’s] something we’ll continue to work on.”
(On what could’ve improved the flea flicker play) “It’s selling the play to the right, so we all have to come harder on the right. But sometimes, it leaves issues on the backside. You have the whirly bird that can pop out and come to the backside and help clean up protections, so we need to do a better job with getting the full flow look.”
(On if someone was supposed to block the interior on the flea flicker play) “Yes. [It was supposed to be] all of the other guys that were in there, all the other guys.”
(On the benefit of having a successful run game) “It’s been something that we’ve been trying to get established and we were able to do it better in the game. We had better situations, we were ahead in the game, and so how cool is it just to be able to run the ball, turn it into nine on seven and run eight plays and score a touchdown. Then we came out and ran it again, so I thought it was a good start, good place for us to be able to continue to work on.”
(On the multiple trips to the red zone in Week 3) “Yeah, just moving the ball in general and, as we’ve talked about, staying on the field. [We] still had way too many three-and-outs in this game and we’ll continue to emphasize that. We have to make our plays when we get opportunities to make our plays. But to get those opportunities, unfortunately the last one counts, you’re in the red zone in that two minute hurry up situation. When we’ve gotten down there, whether it was the preseason or some of the earlier games, we’ve done well. We just have to get down there more.”
(On making plays to extend drives) “I thought our last game was our best one. It had a really good feel to it. I think the guys got to see our style of play, how we want to play. I thought they were handling all of the adjustments and things that we were doing well. We have to make sure we continue that on and finish that game. Obviously the one play’s a big turning point.”
(On the turnover in the tight end room and getting the newly acquired TE Dan Arnold up to speed) “That’s the NFL. Guys go down, next guy comes in, another guy comes in, so it’s our job to get him up to speed as fast as we can. Unfortunately, it’s a short week, so he [TE Dan Arnold] got here last night. We’ve already started, he’s in there now getting as much information as he can. We just have to find out what he’s going to be able to get to, what kind of carryover that he might have with some of the things we do on offense and be able to correlate it for him so he can go out and play fast. That’s always the thing, you know. You pour it all into him and you just have to make sure that they’re not thinking while they’re out there because when you start to think, you start to slow down.”
(On what he likes about TE Dan Arnold) “I like his size, I like his speed, and I like his catch radius. I think those would be the three things I’d say.”
(On similarities between the Cardinals and Bengals defenses) “They have similar structure. It’s not exactly the same, but they have similar structure, obviously different players, some different pressures. But overall, the structure of it is similar so I think that helps. In terms of sometimes for some of your rules that you’re going in with the week where if you have a different structure, you have different rules. I think anytime you have a short week you get an opponent like this that there is a little bit of carryover, think it mentally helps to take some of the pressure off.”
(On the challenges of the Bengals defense) “I think their front seven is where they start. They do a really nice job with their front seven and they want to get pressure with those guys. They want to stop the run with those guys and that’s really where they’re making their hay right now is with those front seven.”
(On preparing during a short week with a rookie quarterback) “A short week is a short week and whatever it is, we have to be able to handle it. We’re going to put our guys in the best situations that we can. If there’s anything that you did in training camp or anything that you did last week that you had in the game plan, you try to carry those over if they still fit so that there’s a little bit less learning. But we still have to game plan and go beat the Bengals.”
(On QB Trevor Lawrence being able to handle a short week) “There hasn’t been anything that we’ve done up to this point that he hasn’t been able to handle.”
(On the eight play, 75-yard drive that was only run plays) “I don’t know if I can remember the last time I had that many. I remember one time in a first 15 against New England a few years ago where it was mixed with runs and passes, you’re going first 15. The first couple runs kind of hit, so I started skipping all the passes and just went to the runs, the runs, the runs. I’ve done that before. The thing that helps if that you’re gaining the yards and staying in positive situations. Anytime you run it on first down, this may seem different, but you can run for zero [yards] and it feel one way and run for zero [yards] and be like, ‘Oh okay, we’re not moving’. You might run for zero [yards] and you’re like, ‘Well, we just missed this, but we had this back here on the backside’ and all those kind of things. They can feel different to you. Obviously when you gain yards it’s better. I think one of the first runs, he came but James [Robinson] came out the backside, we broke it for an explosive play. That gets you a good feel and then you go for four more, so those get you into a flow where we’re moving them off the ball, we’re handling them upfront, and then the runners were doing a great job with their eyes and reading it.”
(On DJ Chark Jr.’s progress) “I think he’s getting closer. He’s had some rough times in the early training camp, particularly with his hand and some of the time that he missed, but I like where he’s getting to.”
(On QB Trevor Lawrence’s decision making) “Obviously, we want to make sure that he’s making the decisions correctly. I think we’ve had this conversation before, I don’t want to take the aggressiveness away. We always want to read the plays how it’s supposed to be read. If it’s top down, we want to read top down. If the top guy’s open, take it. He’s done a nice job of that but there’s been plays where some of those decisions came into question. But we’ll continue to work with it. You can look around the league and I’ll take our guy any day in the rookie quarterbacks and how they’re doing. It is a different game for them now when they come into the NFL. I’ve said this to other coaches, but when you think about quarterback play from when we were all growing up and being very little, there’s three things that nowadays in college that some of these guys come to our NFL and they haven’t done. Number one, they haven’t taken a snap under center, so that’s a change for them. Number two, they don’t call a cadence. You think that’s a little thing but that’s a huge thing to be able to bark out the cadence, help you out. Then, they don’t call a play in the huddle. They’re looking off to the side or the coach is changing the play. So, just the three most basic things that a quarterback does, not all the quarterbacks that come into the league are doing it. There some of those just simple carryovers that as they come to our league, they haven’t had, so just the basics they’re getting up to speed. Trevor’s progression has been great. He’s doing a great job. He works his tail off. I think his communication with the players on the team and the guys in the offense, communication during the game, all those things he’s just really doing a nice job with it and his play’s getting better and better.”
(On QB Trevor Lawrence’s poise after a bad play or a loss) “From our studying him and our studying with him at Clemson and all the way back to high school, things he’s done, that’s been him. He’s been a very steady guy. Obviously, he’s been really successful where he’s been, so the not winning the games has probably been the biggest change for him. But all the other stuff, he’s handled big moments really well and so I didn’t expect anything different.”
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOE CULLEN
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
(Opening Statement) “Quick turnaround. Ready to roll. Get ready to go to Cincinnati. To recap the last week, [it was] a tale of two halves. Thought the guys really executed the plan that we wanted, kept the ball in front of them. We’re flying to the football, made some great plays, not necessarily game changing. We came out of that half, they started the drive and Andrew [Wingard] was able to get that first interception. It’s the course of throughout a game, I remember my college coach [former UMass Head Coach] Jim Reid always said this, ‘There are four or five plays that really make the difference in a close game, and you never know when they’re going to come.’ We just have to learn to keep getting better and make those plays when the opportunity presents itself. With that, I’ll open it up to questions.”
(On defense getting beat by the run and preparing for Bengals RB Joe Mixon) “Well I always said this when I was defensive lineman playing and you gave up 20 yards, but you gave up 400 throwing, you felt like you did pretty good. On the other hand, if you gave up 400 yards rushing, the whole place just felt like they get their hearts ripped out. It always starts with that, and you always give yourself a chance to make a team one-dimensional. I tell you; we’re going to have our hands full. He’s as good a back as there is in the league. I played him the last five years, played him twice [being] in the same division. When he’s steam rolling and going, he’s as good as they get. We’re going to have to gang tackle him. He can get the ball in the perimeter, he can slash, he can cut back. He’s not a one-cut guy but he gets downhill, he lowers his shoulders, and he can run you over, so we’re going to have to get population to the football on him.”
(On how Cincinnati’s offense has progressed in recent years) “With [Bengals Head] Coach [Zac] Taylor, he’s done a great job. He’s a protégé of [Rams Head Coach Sean] McVay, was one of his disciples, so it’s a challenge and thing to get ready for. I tell you, with the wide receiver corps. they have, they have as good a wide receiver core, if they’re all healthy, as there is really that you’ll face week in and week out. They have a great back [Bengals RB Joe Mixon] and then obviously the number one pick in the draft [QB Joe Burrow]. The guy’s a competitor and they’re doing some great things there, they really are.”
(On what has changed in Cincinnati from last year to this year) “You look at the Pittsburgh game, going into Pittsburgh and beating them like they did, that hadn’t happened in a long time. They’re making the plays when they need to make the plays. You take out the Chicago game, but there were some takeaways in that game that turned the game around. But really, they’re just playing good, sound football. They’re running the ball well and I think Joe [Burrow], he’s not taking chances as much as he did. He’s taking the stuff underneath maybe. They’re just playing good, sound football.”
(On CB Tyson Campbell’s performance against the Cardinals) “I just think he really competed from that first third down when he went and knocked the ball out on that third-and-1. He ran with their receivers really well. Even the one, as much respect as I have for [Cardinals QB Kyler] Murray, it looked like that was shot out of the jugs machine. He went up there and, you know, he was the corner on that play, so I mean we have to have some help by the middle field safety on that. But he competed really well and he’s only going to get better.”
(On CB Tyson Campbell playing on the outside) “He’s played both and I think, for a young guy, nickel’s a real hard position. You have to be great in the run game, you have to be a great blitzer, and then you’re going to have to have some different cover skills for those quicker wide receivers. But I think it helps him a little bit seeing everything from one side of the field.”
(On CB Shaquill Griffin covering Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins last week) “He’s a veteran guy and I think as you look at the statistics, we did pretty well on him. A couple other guys had some big afternoons, but I thought he did a really great job on him.”
(On CB Shaquill Griffin following WR1 every week) “It’s a week-in, week-out league and obviously there are certain situations where you can’t do that, but I think down the road you’d like to have guys that can match up.”
(On if Head Coach Urban Meyer and General Manager Trent Baalke consulted him on the trade of CB CJ Henderson to the Panthers) “The one thing that [Head] Coach [Urban] Meyer and [General Manager] Trent [Baalke] have done, it’s an organizational hierarchy. They obviously ask for input. We give our input. I just think it’s a great trade for the organization, for CJ [Henderson]. It’s an opportunity where we felt like [we liked] the way Tyson [Campbell] played and it gives CJ a fresh start where he’s going. I wish him well. I talked to him yesterday. It’s a business and things happen in this league day-in and day-out. Right in the middle of the year when I was in Baltimore, we traded two guys, we got Marcus Peters, so things fluctuate week-in and week-out. But absolutely, they do.”
(On doubting the depth of the secondary with the trade of CB CJ Henderson) “No. With Tre [Herndon] coming back, with him being healthy again, and getting Nevin [Lawson] off the wire, we felt good.”
(On DL Adam Gotsis) “He brings his hard hat and his lunch pail every day. I love the guy. You know, he was injured most of his career. At Georgia Tech, I loved him when he was coming out. He had an ACL there, then he had another one. We looked at him when I was in Baltimore. He was here on the roster, but this is the first year he’s really healthy in about the last four or five years, completely healthy. He just went in and did a great job. Sometimes his position doesn’t show up on the stat sheet other than the opponents limiting their running yards. He can stack blockers well and he’s a plus-two guy as [Head] Coach [Urban Meyer] talks about in our culture. He runs to the football. He gives you everything he has every snap.”
(On DT Jay Tufele not being able to make the active roster so far) “I just think it’s a deep position. I think he’s doing well, and he was close to getting up, but when you look at the type of team we were playing, they were going to be in a lot of four wideout sets. If it was a different deal where they were going to be three tight ends a lot or running the ball a lot at two backs, there was a good chance he could’ve been up, but he’s progressing well.”
(On CB Tre Herndon being ready to play on Thursday) “He’s been working towards that, yes.”
(On the cornerback position in last week’s game) “First of all, Tre [Herndon]’s been practicing and we’re looking forward to when he can come back. But [CB Chris Claybrooks] Clay did a great job, he did some great things out there. Like anything, when the rush doesn’t get there, you’re going to have some holes and there were a couple seven routes that we would’ve liked to have him a little bit deeper. But the rush has to get there, it’s all 11 have to stop the pass. It’s just not one or two guys. He’s been giving us everything. He’s really good in his blitzes, really good in his run fits, and he’s a plus-two guy as well.”
(On the advantages of getting CB Tre Herndon back on the field) “One, he’s a great leader. He doesn’t say much, but when he does, people listen. He goes hard, he’s tough, he’s physical, and he’s just a guy that you love to have on the field.”
(On the rotation of S Andrew Wingard and S Andre Cisco) “Sometimes the games flow in a way, like [S Andrew Wingard] Dewey was playing really well, made a great play in the screen coming out of the hole, had the interception. [Andre] Cisco will continue to rotate. They’ll still rotate.”
(On disappointment thinking the staff could’ve done more to help CB CJ Henderson before the trade) “No, not at all. I think our coaching staff, [Secondary-Corners Coach] Tim Walton I was with 20 years ago, Tim Walton’s as good a coach, [Defensive Backs Coach- Nickels] Joe Danna, those guys have done everything, [Head] Coach [Urban] Meyer. No, not all.”
JAGUARS QUARTERBACK TREVOR LAWRENCE
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
(On the development of special plays being developed in training camp and worked on in practice and when they are used) “Yeah, typically it is something like that – that is pretty much what it was. We had practiced for it and we were ready for it and it was in the game plan. Everything that is in the game plan is fair game, so you are just ready for it whenever. On plays like that it is tough because when it works, it is the best call ever and when it does not it is like, ‘Oh why’d you call that?’ you know, so it is like you just have to execute it. I thought it was a good call in the situation and did not execute it. For me it is just on plays like that instead of making a bad play worse, throw it away [and] live with it. It is alright, do not try to force it. Yeah, that was just one of our plays that we have in [the playbook] kind of all the time, but some games we will use it and it will be in the plan and then sometimes it is not.”
(On thinking about the hard stuff as a rookie and preparing for the negatives) “Yeah, I did not think about it too much. I mean obviously you have some thoughts like not everything is going to go perfect – it never does. It did not in college, I mean it went really well in my career but it was never perfect. You know I had my struggles, so you always are aware of that and you know that it is going to happen but I do not think that is what you should focus on. You have to focus on just being your best and being prepared and I feel like I have been prepared. Obviously, I have not played as well as I have wanted to up until this point, but I feel like I am getting better each week and that is really all that I can do and I know I am getting there. To your point though, I do not really think before the season that this is going to be a really tough year where it is [hard]. I do not really have those thoughts.”
(On relationship with Bengals QB Joe Burrow) “Yeah, I have met him one time at the [Peyton] Manning camp three summers ago maybe. It was actually the summer before we played in the National Championship and that was the only time, I have really met him or talked to him. After the game I congratulated him after he beat us [Clemson] in New Orleans. I do not know him super well, but I have two teammates that played with him and those guys like him. He is a great player obviously.”
(On the routine changing this week) “Oh gosh yeah it is completely different. It is like you do not even know what day it is because we just played two days ago and usually today is our off day so just everything is faster. Just getting in as much as you can, try to do the same things you do in a normal week, but you just can not do them as long as far as preparation. First, second down, third down, redzone, two-minute, all that stuff you just have to be a lot more efficient with your time. You can not take forever breaking those down, so it is just faster [and] you are here a lot longer because you only have three days to get ready instead of usually five or six [days].”
(On asking any veteran quarterbacks about playing on a Thursday night) “Not really, I mean some of the guys on the team obviously that have played for a while we have talked about it and then the coaching staff we have tried to figure out as this thing has gone on like after this past game what the schedule is going to be like for the next few days. I feel like we have a good plan and it is really hard as a player you know to play on a Sunday and then Thursday but we are going to be ready – we are excited.”
(On having quick back-to-back games in college) “I do not think we played a Thursday, but I think we played on a Friday, so Saturday to Friday is only a one-day difference but I do not think we played a Thursday.”
(On where he has made the most strides this season) “I think I have got better at getting through all my progressions. This past week I thought I did a really good job of being quick with my reads [and] not holding on to the ball too long. I think I was more accurate – those are two things I said I think after the game was just accuracy and just getting through progressions, I thought were a lot better this past week. I would say those are the biggest things.”
(On it being hard to get better in a lot of areas because it is week to week) “I think it is important just to not over complicate it. You know have one thing that [you are working on] whether that is taking care of the ball, accuracy, footwork, time clock in the pocket, just having one thing though like a day that you really are focusing on that is what I have tried to do. You have enough to think about with the new game plan going in every week and trying to get on the same page with all of the receivers and offensive line on protection calls that are changing this week and all that. I just try to pick one thing. Last week some of them were just like simple eyes [and] quick reads and that was one thing I worked on all week and I feel like it helped me so that is really what I try to do.”
(On what stands out about the Bengals defense) “Yeah, they do a really good job. Obviously, you look at their defensive statistics and they are top of the league in a lot of those different categories. Really physical, they do a really good job mixing up the coverages in the secondary. They do a good job with their pressure package. Their front is really good, similar front to last week as far as structure you know the three down (linemen) with the two linebackers that are kind of like defensive ends – really good pass rushers. That is the similar structure there and really good at stopping the run, really physical up front. They are just a really good defense all the way around. They do not give up a ton of big plays, they do a good job in zone – they are good.”
(On throwing with new TE Dan Arnold) “Not yesterday, I am still knocking off some of this soreness. We are going to get out there today and move around a little bit. I actually watched him. Some of the other quarterbacks threw a little bit that did not play in the game and some of the other guys. It was great seeing him run around, he looks great. I am really excited – I met him and talked to him a little bit this morning and feel really good about it. [He] seems like a great guy and ready to go to work, it is going to be fun.
(On what part of his body is sore) “Everything, nothing serious. It was the first game I kind of ran around and took a few shots. I feel like more so than the other games so just a little sore, but nothing serious. Like I said, it is just tough going from Sunday to Thursday because you have to get your body right and then take care of it. I am feeling better every day, feel a little bit better today and [I] am ready to get back going.”
(On feelings about the designed runs and getting those opportunities) “I felt good, I thought I did a good job of using my legs. I think I really took advantage of most of my opportunities that I had. There was not necessarily a ton of wide-open scrambles like maybe I could have had in games past, but I thought I did a good job of keeping the defense honest and making them respect my ability to extend plays and get outside of the pocket. I thought that helped us for sure and it definitely felt like we were kind of in a groove and mixing those in. I thought we did a good job, so I was pleased with it. Looking back on it I think I did a good job of getting as many yards as I could get and then getting down. Maybe I need to get down a little bit faster on some of them. I know Cam Robinson always says that to me every time I get hit, he gets all mad at me because I did not get down, but it was good. I felt like that helped us. It makes it harder on the defense when you can threaten them with your legs and that is just one other thing they have to worry about so when you do scramble, they start to come up and then you get big plays down field or if not, you can use your legs and run.”
(On his preference for Sports Performance Recovery) “I do a lot of different things – it depends. Yesterday, I did contrast you know cold and hot tubs. I think that was big after the game [just] getting some of the soreness out and then I use a ton of different machines in the training room. I could not even tell you the names of half of them, they are pretty complex. We have a great team in there, the trainers do an awesome job getting us ready.”
(On having some of the same types of recovery equipment at Clemson) “Some of them are new, there is like the lasers that are really good. I use that on pretty much anything that is sore or bothering me and then like I said, I could not explain half of the stuff [and] what it actually does but I know it has helped me.”
(On each interception having a story and balancing being aggressive and taking care of the ball) “Yeah, I think I have had four bad decision turnovers which in three games is a little bit too much for sure. I do not really want to have one every game and then the other three, one was a bad throw in the first game, the other one against the Broncos was Patrick Surtain made a great play and then the one this past week was the tip in the red zone and there is not much you can do there. That is just football and those things are just going to happen, but the other four definitely need to clean those up. I feel like every week I have gotten better. I think against the Texans I had a few bad decisions that maybe did not get intercepted but were close and a lot of them were intercepted and then against the Broncos a little less and then against the Cardinals I felt like I made really good decisions besides the one that ended up being a pick-six which hurt us. I really felt like that was my only bad decision in traffic. I felt like I was really clean on all my other reads, so I definitely feel the progress and I feel like I am seeing it really well and I feel good about where I am at.”
(On determining when to take chances when you are losing) “Yeah, I feel like every game is different, but I was really happy with the way we played on Sunday because we really weren’t [taking chances]. Towards the end obviously on those last drives, we are trying to score quick and stay in the game but
other than that we were in the game or leading for most of it and you can see we can really use our game plan and stick to it and I thought we were way more efficient on offense. [We] could have been a little better on third down but I thought we did a really good job so as a quarterback that made it a lot easier. That also stems from what you do earlier in the game you know when you are not good on third down, when you have three and outs, turnovers, or whatever it is then that is how you get behind. That was kind of the story in the other two games, so we did a better job of that and then a couple plays did not go our way down the stretch. You know the one fumble – got my arm hit in the red zone the second to-last two minute is just one of those plays that happens once every 15 games like man just tough in that situation when that happens but no, I feel like we are really getting better and I have been happy with it.”
(On keeping composure on the field and after the game) “I do not think [so], that is really not my personality to play furious or whatever. There are definitely games that I look back on – honestly the games we have played so far after the game you are like ‘dang so many missed opportunities.’ In the NFL, it is all about execution and everyone has talent and everyone can win any game. Obviously, we did not play great in our first game but the last two games we had plenty of opportunities to win the game and we did not. You look back at those plays but really I try to look on it as ‘What can I learn from that and how can I get better?’ I do not think it is good to dwell on it you have to move on. Like I said you have to play this week, you have to play three days later so you have to move on and get ready for the next one. That is always been how I have looked at it. Obviously there has been some tough losses – lost the National Championship, lost to Ohio State last year in the semifinals like those games at the end of the season when you are that close is like that is tough and you think about those for a while but right now during the season you have to keep playing [and] keep moving.”
(On understanding that developing as a quarterback can take some time) “Yeah, it is always you know it is always good to [remember] everyone is human. No one is perfect, you are not just going to come in and everything go perfect. It does not usually happen that way. Like I said, part of me kind of expected that but also everybody is different, everybody’s situation is different, but I am also not expecting this thing to take a year or two until I start taking care of the ball and playing better. I am trending that way right now and I am looking forward to the rest of the season and feel like there is a lot of work for us to do and a lot of games that we can win. I am going to do that as fast as I can and accelerate that as fast as possible but at the end of the day all you can control is how you prepare and when you get on the field just trust that and go play that is all you can do. I feel like I have done that and I have obviously have not played my best but I know there is a lot of good football ahead.”
(On this game being a homecoming game for Head Coach Urban Meyer) “I did not even think about that. He has not said anything, he seems like he is locked in he is not thinking about that so even more so will make [us] want to get that win for him.”
(On practicing sliding) “I did in college a couple times, but I guess it did not work because I still do not really [know].”
JAGUARS OUTSIDE LINEBACKER/DEFENSIVE END JOSH ALLEN
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
(On the defense taking it more personal when they get ran on versus being passed on) “Yes, I just do not want to lose. I do not want to be down on any category especially if they are running the ball. It is the easiest thing to do in the National Football League. If you have a good team that can just hand the ball off and run and get six yards, seven yards a carry [then] they will continue to do that all game. If that is not working then they are going to throw the ball, but I know that our main focus is to stop the run this year and man I feel like we have been doing a heck of a job. I feel like we have the guys to do and this is another challenge for us and we are looking forward to it. We are going out there to make some plays.”
(On getting your body healthy on a short week and the importance of that) “For sure, I know just being in the wellness cocoon and the ark bed that is what I use literally every day. It might be like a mind trick, but I do feel the difference between game four now than like last year. I feel like last year I was hurt [and] banged up quick and now I am taking care of my body more, eating the right stuff and working out the way I want to so it is more of just a preparation week in and week out that I got better in but that does add an extra value [and] an extra protection layer on it. It is up to the player though if you get the treatment or not. You know if your body is banged up, you get on that immediately.”
(On what a wellness cocoon is) “Oh man, it is literally like a cocoon shaped thing and it is like you just put your body in it but your head is sticking out. It is like the infrared and it is like a massage, it just vibrates a lot. I have taken a couple naps in there, it is like a 30 minute session. I will probably like listen to some music but depends how I am feeling that day if I listen to music or I just vibe out and just listen to my thoughts and you know just relax. That is what helps me. I go in the Ark bed and the inflammation and the performance just to get my body back and get my blood flowing back to the regular position. I do contrast the old way hot tub [and] cold tub, I feel like that is the best way and the best treatment that someone who is going everywhere, but yeah I stick to my schedule man and I have been feeling good lately.”
(On if he played Joe Burrow during college) “Nope.”
(On playing against Joe Burrow last year and what is different from last year to this year) “The offensive line has got a lot better so that gives him more opportunities to get the ball to a lot of his playmakers but like I said the easiest thing to do in the National Football League is to turn around and hand it [the football] off. They do a really good job at that. I am not knocking them or nothing – they do a really great job. Joe Mixon is a great running back so much respect for them up front, but I know what webring to our table and it is going to be a battle especially coming quick Thursday. It is typically who has their mindset on what they need to do that is the team that typically wins not the game plan just the mindset of the players and coaches. I feel like we have a good plan and we are ready to go play Thursday and get our first win.”
(On this being the first away Thursday night game) “I mean I am ready. I knew this week was coming and I knew what I have to do. It is weird, I was thinking about the last night [and] telling my wife like ‘Yo this is going to be my first away Thursday night game, that is pretty dope.’ It is going to be an experience you know only team playing but our main focus is on getting this first win, getting this under our belt. There is nothing better than getting a quick turnaround especially because how we played early now we got the chance to finish and we are looking forward to this week.”
(On there being extra motivation when going against an elite running back) “I do not want to say extra motivation, we all have a job to do. You know last week we were playing against arguably one of the best offenses and one of the best play making skill-sets on the field especially at quarterback, receivers running backs, it is like we know who we got. Every week it is like ‘oh you have to play against this guy, or next week you have to play against that guy’ so it is like we cannot look at the people we just have to look at ourselves and just be like ‘okay get ready’ you know it is going to be one of those games and we know it is going to be one of those downhill, hard fought wins, games, whatever but we are looking forward to this challenge and we cannot wait to play against a good running back so we can show the league what we are about up front.”
(On the game being nationally televised and having all eyes on the team) “You just have to know man, everyone is watching. That is the fun part [and] the bad part, like I said earlier a couple seconds ago this a game where you have to get right. You play Thursday and have to get right. We have to play our keys man and do what we need to do and like I said the right mindset, that is the team that is going to win this game – you just have to ball.”
(On LB Damien Wilson helping with the run game) “Both of them – Myles and Damien. Definitely, you can see the plays they have made in the run coming down hill and taking those blockers off the defensive line so we can make plays. Everyone is just doing their job and Damien [Wilson] played at a high level. We have guys that played on championship teams and great defenses, he is an asset. He is a player that we have that played on a Super Bowl winning team and went to the Super Bowl twice and knows what it takes to make those plays and he has been making those plays. We are just getting better and better and as long as we get the more experience and camaraderie around each other to play for each other, that is when we are going to get better and I feel like we are getting there. We are about to break the rock as we say and like I said good quick turnaround from last week. Look at the positives and look at the negatives and we can just turn around and I know Dame [Damien Wilson] is going to be one of the guys out there making plays and I am excited for him.”
(On anyone from Kentucky making the trip to Cincinnati) “I do not know man, they might be ready for Florida. I know they have Florida this week and a sold-out crowd back at home so I would not feel any type of way if they were getting ready for that game and wanted to get their minds right. I know I am going to have family out there and it is going to be a good one [with Kentucky and Florida] this Saturday and I cannot wait to see that one.”
