OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR PRESS TAYLOR
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2024
(On what he saw from QB Mac Jones coming in for QB Trevor Lawrence) “He handled it the
right way. That’s the life as a backup: you’re always one play away. You hope it’s not that
situation, but it’s the reality of it as a quarterback. You’re probably going in off an injury in
the middle of a drive, in the middle of the game. You’ve kind of got to get yourself into the
flow of the game at that point in time. I thought Mac did a good job stepping into the huddle.
There was a lot of emotion which was different than normal scenarios, but he did a good
job of being where you’re supposed to be at the right time. Kind of letting everyone operate
the way they already were within the flow of the game. Then did a good job finishing out the
game and kind of getting himself in a rhythm as it went.”
(On quarterbacks utilizing the slide) “It’s always going to be a little tough because
everybody understands what’s about to happen, you think. There have been videos of
people with the fake slide and stuff like that and issues like that. It’s always going to be
about protecting the quarterback and understanding that, and guys protecting themselves
as plays like that go. I don’t want to get into that specific play with it, but it’s always just
going to be a fine line. I don’t think you take out the ability for the quarterback to slide, but
at the same time are we making sure we’re putting everybody in the best possible position
to play and make the best decisions as it goes.”
(On if it’s easier to game plan knowing that Jones will be quarterback going forward) “I think
you can always try to engineer the game plan to best fit that player’s skillset. The
quarterback, obviously a lot revolves around him, so just understanding the
communication throughout the course of the week of, here’s our first, second-down game
plan, what do you think? And Mac giving feedback, providing feedback. We’ve built a
couple of plans for him now, so we kind of understand things he does like. So maybe you
can expedite that process a little bit more, where it’s maybe less communication because
we’ve had this two weeks ago, three weeks ago, whatever it is as it goes. So yeah, I think
from that standpoint of knowing who you’re building the game plan for and what he likes
and doesn’t like against certain things, that can help.”
(On if Jones will be using the next few games as an audition for next season) “I don’t even
know that that necessarily needs to be said. I think everybody just kind of understands. I
think this is a professional football league. Everybody gets that everything you do, your
resume is your tape. I think everybody approaches it with that mindset. Everybody wants to
do the best. At the same time, I think guys do a great job of when you’re in-season, it’s just
week-to-week. You don’t ever really pick your head up and think about what’s next or what
happened. If you do that, you’re going to fall behind, and you can’t do that with the game
coming up Sunday. So, I think a lot of guys just kind of keep that narrow vision, keep that
focus, and not much is said about it because I don’t think much needs to be said. I think
everybody kind of understands what’s ahead of us.”
(On WR Parker Washington stepping up vs. Houston) “Yeah, he’s done a great job, and it’s
just kind of the comfort, guy in year two. I think the coolest thing is how he’s grown as a
receiver outside. He had a lot of wins in third-down situations, two-minute situations where
he was one-on-one outside on a corner. Did a great job getting himself open, making plays.
We certainly know he’s capable of carrying the ball. As a punt returner, you saw that in even
in New England and things like that. When he gets in space, he’s tough to tackle. But he’s
done a good job of just winning within the structure of the scheme. The routes we ask,
everybody makes routes their own. So, we’ve kind of honed in on things that we think he
does well, that he’s very comfortable with and the quarterback’s comfortable with him
running.”
(On what skillset WR Josh Reynolds will provide) “It’ll be fun to see. Josh has obviously had
a lot of experience in this league. Just spent at least one year out in L.A. [Rams] with my
brother [Zac Taylor], so I’ve always kind of kept an eye on him, known him, have followed
his career, just the type of player he is. But I think it’s nice to add an experienced veteran
receiver that’s done a lot in this league. He’s got range. He’s got size. He’s got all those
things that—the experience that I think you see flourish in a veteran receiver.”
(On adding Reynolds’ veteran experience to the wide receiver room) “Any time you get to
add talent to your roster, you’re always excited to do that.”
(On what the team needs to do to run the ball vs. Tennessee’s defensive line) “Yeah, I mean,
you always want to do what you can to stay ahead of the sticks. I think that’s a big part of it.
Runs on second-and-10, second-and-nine, they’re not always the most exciting. You may
have a productive run that’s still setting you up for a third-and-long situation. So just being
able to mix and match when we’re trying to run the ball. Making sure we’re creating ideal
looks, whether it’s just matchups or the numbers in the box or staying in those manageable
situations is always key to being able to do that. It’s not an easy group to run on. It’s a very
good defensive line, particularly on the inside. They’ve always done a very good job
stopping the run, just personnel. And then you add in the new scheme with Coach Wilson
[Titans Defensive Coordinator Dennard Wilson], and they make it really hard on you. But
the game script is a big part of that, too.”
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR RYAN NIELSEN
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2024
(On what the rest of the season looks like for DT Maason Smith and DT Jordan Jefferson)
“Bright future. We’re going to continue to mix the rotation like we have been. You’ll see
them both out there at times, probably by the end of the season. We’ve got five games left,
and so we’re going to continue to mix that position. From Maason particularly, saw a guy
using his hands really well. Got off a couple of blocks, made some plays. Little bit of rust.
It’s been a little bit since he’s been out there, but trending in the right direction. Had a good
week of practice so far yesterday and then walkthrough today, he was into it. I’m
encouraged, encouraged to get him back to where he was. So yeah, he’s doing pretty good.
Like to see him tick up, trend up this game.”
(On the challenge that Titans WR Calvin Ridley presents) “Speed. Elite speed. Take the top
off defense. Huge deep ball threat. Like, we have to protect the deep ball against him. Make
his catches—he’s going to get his catches. The guy’s a really good football player. He’s
going to get his catches. We’re going to try to eliminate as much as we can. But we can’t
give up the explosives over the top.”
(On how Titans QB Will Levis has grown during his time in Tennessee) “Huge arm. He can
make all the throws. That’s his thing. Then you’re seeing him, we played him last year, and
then his movement in and around and getting out of the pocket. I mean, he’s making some
plays with his legs. He’s extending. It’s first-year, now it’s towards the end of the year. He’s
going through a new offensive system. The arm talent is impressive. It really is. It’s really
impressive. We’ve got to do a good job of mixing some things up in our coverages and
staying tight on the receivers. Like we talked about, protect the deep ball because he could
throw it as far as he wants.”
(On what he saw from his personnel adjustments vs. Houston) “Yeah. Thought our guys did
a good job handling it. We did a couple of different personnel groups that we had out there.
We got bigger. We put five down a couple of times. But we’ve got to continue to rotate that
stuff. We can’t just sit in one grouping the whole time. Thought our guys did a pretty good
job managing those things, making some plays. Thought our run defense in the first half
particularly was a lot better. A couple popped that I wish they wouldn’t have. But they did a
good job. Then we’ve just got to continue to wrinkle, changing up a few coverages, things
like that, and then calling it differently, too.”
(On how LB Ventrell Miller has progressed having stepped into a larger role) “I think he’s
done a good job. I mean, really, he’s a contact player and that’s what you really like. He’s
run, hit. He’s that type, and he does not slow down. I mean, the contact speed is fantastic.
Where I’ve seen his growth is in coverage. He’s doing a better job in coverage. Sometimes
that takes a little time for a young player. But I’ve seen him get better every single game,
every single day. You can see he’s confident when he goes out on the field. Not, ‘Can I play
at this level?’ He knows he can. He can. Just continue that growth. He’s a good player, and
he’ll play in this league for a long time.”
(On the cornerback rotation if CB Tyson Campbell is not available vs. Tennessee) “Kind of
like we had at the beginning of the year. We’ve got Tre [CB De’Antre Prince], got Buster [CB
Montaric Brown]. You’ll have Darb [CB Ronald Darby]. Then we’ll be able to continue that
rotation with those three guys. That’s probably what you’ll have out there. We’re going to
change a few coverage things to do some things if and even when Tyson’s there. So just
change a few coverage things this game. Mixing up the look type-wise. So that’ll help as
well.”
(On if he said anything to CB Jarrian Jones after his ejection) “Didn’t see him. Didn’t see
him. To be honest, I didn’t see it happen live, and it was on the other side when that all
happened. It was just a wall of bodies. Went back, obviously, watched it and everything like
that. But I didn’t see what he did live when that happened for him to get ejected.”
(On how using S Darnell Savage more at safety has changed the look of the defense) “We’ve
changed a few things. Just more personnel-wise. We had a plan at the beginning of the year
that these were the spots that we thought these guys were going to play and with some
early injuries, it kind of changed some things around. This is a position he’s played his
entire career. I think he’s doing it at a very high level. You’re seeing him make a lot of plays in
the quarterback manipulation things. One-high, move around and those type of things he
does really well. Really, I think he’s been having a pretty good season, and so his ability to
play other positions is what makes him special. He can play safety, he can play the nickel
position and he’s a good pressure player, a good tackler. So, all of those things, he’s done a
good job. Yeah, I mean, there’s been some things that we’ve had to massage through in the
season. But I think he settled in a role that he’s playing at a pretty high level right now.”
(On the way he coaches defending the quarterback slide) “Sure, that’s obviously a hot
topic, right? As we talk about the quarterback a lot of times, if we can make a form tackle,
that’s the kind of tackle we want to make. Then when the quarterback is running, he goes in
to get into the slide as we have an aiming point that we want, and if that aiming point then
drops, then we try to jump over the top of them. We don’t want the penalty. Like that’s the
extra yards on the thing. Sometimes it’s tricky, sometimes the fake slide, and so that’s why
we try to form tackle it first. Then if he does fake, I’m going to take that shot and then go
over the top if he goes and slides down. So, it’s something that we’re going to continue to
coach. Obviously in this situation, I think it’s something that we need to revisit and make
sure that we don’t have something like that happen because obviously you don’t want that
to happen and also, the penalty yards on top of everything that happens to you. That’s a
big—15-yard penalty is a big—it could put you in point situations. Obviously, you don’t want
it to happen to our guy. But if we’re just coaching this particular play and taking Jacksonville
out of it and just talking about how to coach the thing, then yeah, we need to eliminate the
hit to the head and go over the top.”
(On if the main takeaway with defending the quarterback slide is to keep your feet on the
ground) “Yeah, and it gets to a point where the form tackle part of it is. When you’re
wrapping and trying to clamp a guy and not leave your feet, that’s the important thing. It’s
particularly on the quarterback. That’s part of the fake slide. You want to be able to come in
and wrap them up and get them to the ground.”
(On what he’s seen this season from DE Josh Hines-Allen) “Yeah, he’s affecting the
quarterback. You’re seeing a little bit more power out of him. I think that’s the difference in
the two years you’re seeing. A little bit more power. He’s a little bit bigger going through the
guy instead of so much around him. Then he’s still doing a good job in the pass-rush game
and things like that. So, his effects are there. It’s just the production and getting them
down. He’s working on it. It’s not anything we’re stressing out or anything about it because
he is affecting the passer.”
(On how a player’s sack numbers can vary from year-to-year) “Yeah, and it’s getting them
down when you have the opportunity to get them down. Missing one could be the
difference between nine or 10 and you have a double-digit sack or a single. ‘Man, I could
have had him down there.’ So, getting them down in the opportunities where you do have
them, have a chance to do it. That’s the big thing too. So, we practiced this tackling the
quarterback just kind of like we were talking about.”
(On if he takes Hines-Allen being 4.5 sacks away from the franchise record into account
when planning for certain situations) “One game at a time, one rush at a time type deal.”
