Wednesday, September 25, 2019
(Opening statement) “Good news – obviously when you win things come about, and it’s a team game, we know that, but Calais [Campbell] was named AFC Defensive Player of The Week and he really had a heck of a game. It just goes to show you, here’s a guy that’s probably done all of the right things throughout his whole career as far as taking care of his body, things of that nature, and still be productive. So, we’re excited about that. We’re going on the road [and] we’re playing a good football team. Tough place to play, [I’ve] played there many of times and we’re just going to try to get our team ready to go and do the best job we can and just concentrate on what we can do today. So, today’s Wednesday, we have a couple of guys not practicing. Dede Westbrook, Marcell [Dareus], Jalen [Ramsey], those guys. D.J. Alexander. Josh Oliver’s coming back, you’ll see him out there on the field. Everybody else should be doing something except for those players and then we’ll get those guys back.”
(On what the prognosis was on Ramsey’s illness on Monday) “He was sick.”
(On if Ramsey is feeling better from the sickness) “Yeah.”
(On when Ramsey’s back injury popped up) “I don’t know. I really don’t know. I mean it just gets tight. His back got tight, it’s normal, his back has gotten tight before. My back’s tight, a couple of guys’ backs are tight. A couple of guys have hamstrings, everyone gets this stuff.”
(On if he is concerned about the timing of Ramsey’s back injury) “No, I’m not. I’m really not concerned about it.”
(On his thoughts on Denver RB Philip Lindsay) “I like both of the running backs. I think Lindsay’s good, fast, quick. [Can] Cut, can take it to the house. Runs inside, outside. Think you have to get people around him, makes a lot of people miss in space. Can make the first guy miss, so we need a lot of people around him to go. I think he’s a really good all-around back. He catches well, runs inside, runs outside, breaks tackles. A lot of respect for him. Really good football player.”
(On if Jalen’s back injury stems from the Week 3 game vs. Tennessee) “I’m serious, I don’t know. He reported that his back was sore. Usually when someone reports their back’s sore it could have happened – I don’t know. I really don’t know. And in [the] past, people that have had the same issues I haven’t known about that either, because it happens after the game then we know after the game.”
(On if Ramsey reported his back tightness immediately after the game) “No. I think it just got sore.”
(On A.J. Bouye’s performance in Week 3 vs. Tennessee) “Well, close. He got his hands on some balls and was close and hopefully we’ll be able to create some turnovers. We haven’t gotten any on defense yet. We’ve had opportunities, but we haven’t gotten any. So, hopefully we’ll be able to do that, obviously that’s important. When we start to create those turnovers that’ll help and conversely on the offensive side, we can’t. Denver has some really good players on defense. It’s almost like an arc for some of them that they can take the ball away. Von Miller and [Bradley] Chubb and those guys, they do a heck of a job. Sack fumbles, taking the ball away. Chris Harris, all of those guys, they do a nice job. So, we have to do a good job protecting that ball.”
(On why both team’s defenses have not been able to create turnovers despite their talent) “I can’t speak for them. I don’t know. But for us, we’ve had opportunities, we just haven’t taken advantage of them. The ball’s been on the ground, it has hit our hands, things of that nature. So, we just have to keep plugging away and I think we’ll start getting them.”
(On how devastating the special teams unit recovering a fumble in Week 3 was to Tennessee) “For them? Yeah. That’s special teams, yeah. So, that was good to get one on special teams.”
(On if he is surprised that there has been no delay of game penalty called against rookie QB Gardner Minshew II through 11 quarters played) “I am. I think that’s one of the things I look for. I think early on obviously you’re putting someone in the game, when he first got in [against] Kansas City, I’m thinking to myself, ‘OK, listen, I have to really be sharp on this play clock.’ When do I want to use one, when do I not [call a timeout], almost like you’re prepared to do something. And then you don’t have to, and you’re close on a couple. And you get a chance to – after that game’s over you get a chance to talk about it. ‘Hey, tell me what you’re thinking,’ ‘Here’s what I feel, let’s work on this during practice. Let’s speed this up.’ [There’s a] Couple things that we worked on; it was good. I’ll tell you the other thing is the other day, when we were trying to take some time off of the clock, I was getting worried that it was too much time, which I think rarely ever happens, meaning that he cut it down to like – normally you want at five seconds you want to start getting that ball snapped, and it was down to one and I was like, ‘Holy shoot.’ He did that like three times where it was [the play clock] at one [second left] and the ball was snapped. Right on the money, which, that’s close for me. But obviously he felt good and felt in control.”
(On how concerning it is that 11 of the team’s 23 penalties are by the offensive line) “It is [concerning]. I think a lot has been made about the holding penalties this past week as far as how they have been reduced. It was a point of emphasis and it’s been called quite a bit. I’m not saying by any means that the ones that have been called on us should have not been called. They were all good calls. Obviously, I watch them and look at them. We’re constantly talking about our alignment and making sure they keep their hands inside. Having played the position, coached the position and having [Offensive Line Coach] George Warhop and [Assistant Offensive Line Coach] Tony Sparano Jr. and guys that have been around a long time, you harp that you just have to keep your hands inside. Like I have always said, I have always been a firm believer that when you get in the red zone … I used to tell them – I would rather a guy make a play for a 2-yard loss than get a holding penalty. I told them. I said that’s the worst thing that you can do. Those are hurting us. They are hurting from the standpoint of first down, our production on first down and putting us in tough, tough situations obviously on third down when we can’t overcome that. We’re harping on it and doing the best job we can be. Obviously we have to do better.”
(On if they see a dangerous pass rush from the Broncos) “Hell yeah. You are talking about arguably probably the two most dangerous guys you are going to see on the edge from any of the teams in the league. I have a ton of respect for them. Those guys can literally take over a game. Usually when I talk about defensive players and I talk to our players about them … When you talk about a defensive player, you say, ‘Hey listen, here is a guy that can literally [take over a game] … Here is another guy. They have a couple.’ They have a couple guys that can literally change the game or take over the game. You have to be on that for 60 whole minutes. One play can literally change the game and those guys all have the ability to do it.”
(On where altitude ranks in terms of difficulty) “I talked to the players about it today – having played there as a player and coached there many times, talked to the guys in the AFC West and talked to guys prior to the season … We have given our players some tips and made sure [they are prepared]. There are a lot of things, I remember playing for Miami with [Head] Coach [Don] Shula, we would land and go run. I don’t know whether it helped. I just remember sitting there and going, ‘What the hell are we doing? This is crazy.’ I think there is a lot to be made of it. It’s not like we’re going skiing or we’re way up there. I can tell you some funny stories about me and skiing, but that’s for another time. I don’t really see it being an issue at all. We’ll get some things to make us feel even better about ourselves going there and kind of push away all the rumors or false conspiracy theories about altitude and what they may be.”
(On Jalen Ramsey never missing a start and if he expects Ramsey to play) “I don’t like to talk for players, but one thing I don’t have a problem saying about Jalen is that he loves football, loves football. If he has the ability to play, I’d be of the understanding that he will play. The guy loves football and he loves his teammates.”
(On how the kicking game is impacted by Denver) “I think [Special Teams Coordinator] Joe [DeCamillis] will tell you.”
(On what he thought of Josh Lambo’s tackle) “I know this. When your punter or kicker are making tackles, that’s not good. Yeah, are you happy because he’s probably the last line of defense? But you don’t want to make a living out of that. We don’t want [Josh] Lambo [making tackles]. Hopefully that is the last tackle he has to make with the guys that are out there.”
(On how much respects he has for Broncos Head Coach Vic Fangio) “He was a coach when I played for the New Orleans Saints, so I have a ton of respect for Vic. He’s an unbelievable coach. He’s done a great job where he has been and this opportunity has probably been too long in the waiting for him with what he has been able to do. He’s a great guy. When he coached the linebackers in New Orleans, this was back in 1989, that tells you how old I am and really how old his ass is. When I was playing, he was coaching. [Defensive Assistant] Coach [Dom] Capers was with him. Coach Capers was a DBs coach. They had a good staff. Coach Jim Mora Sr. was the head coach. Good staff. Good football coach, and I like him a lot.”
(On if it’s a cool experience to be able to coach against Vic Fangio) “There is nothing cool about the experience of being an NFL head coach. There isn’t.
(On if there is one thing that is cool about being an NFL head coach) “I get to be with you guys! How is that? That’s cool.”
