Opening Statement: “I’ll just start with this, we’ll get – Evan Brown will be back today and A.J. Parker. So, obviously we’ve got them back at practice and certainly anticipate them playing for us. Other than that, obviously it’s a good opponent. It’s an explosive opponent. This quarterback is something else. We’ve got to have answers for – we’ve got to score some points and we’ve got to be able to keep him bottled up as much as possible.” On if there is concern over the recent uptick in positive COVID-19 tests around the League: “Yeah, there is concern, but there is nothing we can do about it. I mean, we’re doing all we can do to prepare for a game. You guys know COVID and football don’t go together. So, as far as how everybody is dealing with it, we do the best we can with it and we’re trying to keep our guys as safe as possible, but also prepare. We’re trying to be as smart as we can about it.” On if there is another solution to help limit the spread of COVID-19 among teams: “You’re asking the wrong guy. I don’t have any control over any of this. I’m sure there is a better way, but we’ll keep working through it and the League will and all of us and we’ll figure it out. But, in the meantime, we’ve got to go by what we’re told to do.” On how many players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list are vaccinated: “I don’t know if I should answer that, but I would say probably a high number of them are, very high number.” On the Cardinals’ 7-0 record on the road this season: “It’s very impressive. They can jump on you in a hurry and then when they do, it takes a lot of pressure off of what you do for them defensively and offensively. I mean, you can open up Pandora’s box because you feel like – and I know defensively, look (Cardinals Defensive Coordinator) Vance Joseph does a hell of a job and he’s got multiple looks, multiple personnels, multiple pressure looks, but it also helps when you know you feel like you can score at will and now, you can really just do whatever you want. That puts a lot of pressure on teams, and so they work hand in hand, they complement each other well over there, O, D and special teams. And so, you look at it as a challenge. It’s a challenge for most teams, but I think you’ve got to try to make them play your game a little bit if you can.” On what the enhanced COVID-19 protocols from the League entail: “Look, we’ve been all year – we still meet in the bubble. We are all spread out. And so, everything that we do, everybody is masked up, whereas before it was if you are someone that was unvaccinated, you had to. Well the whole team, we started that last week before we even came in. But then the bubble, we’ve been doing that all year and we’ve been spaced out and we’ve been to where we’re trying to get where our trackers are far enough apart. So, I would say it’s the mask. I think it’s just being as diligent as possible about staying on top of all of those things, grab and go food. That’s it.” On if he has a sense of where RB D’Andre Swift and TE T.J. Hockenson are in their recovery: “Not really. I don’t think either one of them are going to practice today, but yet they will move around and we’ll see where it goes. If we feel like we can get them back by Friday or something, certainly we’d love to have them. Right now, it’s still pretty early.” On if the team will have a walkthrough or a full practice today: “I felt like we were – look, I’ve thought about every scenario. But, I know that there is a fine line. We need the work. We’ve got a lot of new faces that need looks. You’re going to fight that balance between, ‘Do you have a roster to play a game?’ But also, preparing them and making it fair for them to go in there and prepare properly to play a game. So, we chose to do it this way is to get them in here, get them spread out, everybody is masked up and we test. We’ve been running the tests and prepare.” On if the coaching staff has been affected by COVID-19: “We’ve been pretty good. I mean, no issues until you just asked that. Now, I’m sure I’ll go upstairs or I’ve got one in my pocket right now. No, we’re good.” On if the team can take extra precautions with the recent uptick in positive COVID-19 tests around the League: “Well, I think if you really want to make sure you have a roster that can go out and you can just suit up a roster, you just don’t bring them in at all and you just virtually do a practice if they’re home. I haven’t figured that technology out yet where each individual is at their home practicing as a unit. Honestly, that’s the only way if you want to just be as safe as possible, then you don’t even bring them in and that’s unrealistic in our sport.” On the expectations for the new players that were signed this week: “It’s to come in and play and help us win and as fast as you can go.” On if there is an opportunity for the newly signed players to come in and contribute to the team immediately: “There is always an opportunity. I mean, nobody has played more free agents than us. That’s a blanket statement by the way. I don’t know that, but I would assume we have to be up there. And so, anybody looking at our situation, you’d love to come in here because you’re getting the opportunity, whether by injury or now what we’re going through here. And so, we’ll get those guys up to speed as fast as possible. You may be thrusted into a role immediately. Some of these guys are. Let’s get them up to speed and give them a chance to have some success and then evaluate off of that and see where they go. So it’s, ‘Hey, you’ve got a great opportunity and let’s see what you can do.’ I mean, no different than Craig Reynolds last week. He showed he’s worthy of continuing down this road with us.” On the players who have gotten an opportunity to play because of injuries and illnesses and have impressed in games: “That’s a silver lining in all of this and that’s kind of the bright spot is that you are finding out about a lot of these guys that have been backups or have been on the practice squad. Ultimately, you don’t always know until you throw them into the fire and then you find out about some guys who normally have not had that opportunity like we have. But, we have because of different circumstances and that is a positive. You find out, ‘Do you move forward with these guys? Do you keep them around or are we looking to upgrade? Are these guys we can count on?’ And so forth.” On if there are any players that have been ruled out of practice this week because of illnesses: “Nobody. Everybody is good other than what you guys have seen on the wire with COVID obviously. But, everybody else is good. We’ve gotten over the flu. I feel like we, for the most part, knocked that out last week. And, so we’re pretty good there.” On how he wants the team to improve in the last four weeks of the season: “Look, I think you’re continuing to try to improve on what you do. Like, for example, I feel like our receivers are really coming on over the last three weeks, three to four weeks. Particularly, these last two weeks I feel like they’re doing some real good things. We’re getting a lot more crisp, a lot more detailed, those guys are making plays. And so, I’m encouraged. I feel like it’s not as cloudy as maybe it was before. You’re starting to see things a little better. And so, for them to continue to climb, we’ve got two new tight ends on the roster, young – Brock Wright and those guys keep improving. Their stuff, they did some good things, but just to clean up things that they don’t know what they don’t know. By the end of this season, are you a guy that you start to feel like this is more of a veteran-type guy because he’s learning that fast. That’s what you really want is to growth of these young players, these rookies and first-year players to have by the end of this season you feel like, ‘OK, these guys feel like veterans to us. They are learning at that rate and improving.’” On reports about the team’s plans for the 2022 NFL Draft: “Is the draft within the next day or so? Because I would be very interested. But right now, no, and I really don’t. That’s (Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes)’s department right now. I’m so focused on what we have here and getting prepared for Arizona to be honest with you.” LIONS QB JARED GOFF QUOTE SHEET December 15, 2021 On the wide receiver room improving over the last few games: “They’re doing a really good job, all of those guys. Those three starters now with (Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint, Kalif (Raymond) and Josh (Reynolds), they’re all stepping up, all doing a great job. I think Saint in particular, you just see these last couple of these games, he’s a special a player and has that ability to be really special for a long time and has done a good job. We’re excited about him and hope to continue to see his production go.” On if WR Amon-Ra St. Brown can develop into a security blanket for him: “Sure, I think it’s growing. That’s the role that as a slot guy and what he can do, he’d like to grow into and we’re getting there and I’d like him to grow into that too because it’s a nice thing for a quarterback to have.” On the chemistry that he and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown have built: “It’s a handful of routes that you just continue to rep and continue to feel good on. I think specifically the choice route, the option route, whatever you want to call it, that’s kind of – that takes a while for a guy to get on the same page with a quarterback and we’re kind of at that point now where he’s doing stuff and the anticipation is there and he’s able to anticipate what he wants to do and I’m able to anticipate what he’s going to do. And, when you can get to that point with a slot who’s good at running choice and can make yards after the catch, it’s all you want. That’s a big area where you’ve seen it grow.” On how much WR Josh Reynolds has opened up the offense’s pass game: “A lot. He’s a guy who’s done it at a high level in the League for some time now and has that feel. The moment is not too big for him. He’s played in big games. He’s made big catches. He’s made big plays. He understands the defense, what they’re trying to do. So, he’s a guy who can kind of elevate that room in ways beyond the X’s and O’s just how he shows up to work and his professionalism.” On what stands out about T Penei Sewell: “A lot of stuff. He’s obviously extremely physical and strong, but I think his speed kind of his agility and able to work his way through the hole or get up to the linebacker at times is what kind of makes him really special, and then his work ethic. He’s a hard worker and does all of the right things. He’s got everything in front of him. It’s exciting to see a young guy like that with so much potential and excited to see where he takes it.” On the hit T Penei Sewell took against the Broncos: “Yeah, he took the big hit. I think he thought we may have scored, so he was going to get treated there for a second. When he found out we didn’t score, he kind of popped right back up and was like, ‘No, we’ve got another couple plays.’ And, unfortunately we didn’t punch it in there, but it was cool to see that out of such a young guy. And, that’s just who he is. That’s his character. That’s how he’s built and it’s exciting to see.” On what the team is playing for Sunday against the Cardinals: “Pride. Pride and both the name on your back and the name on the front. You’re playing for both and who you are as a person and what your character is. At the same time – (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) kind of talked about this a couple weeks ago – but being spoiler sometimes is fun. You don’t hope you have to be that way, but that’s kind of the role we’re in now.” On if the Cardinals are similar now compared to when he shared a division with them throughout his time at the Rams: “They’re doing a lot of different stuff, but there are still some principles there that hold true that I’ve played against and still, with what they’re doing this year and the players they have though, it’s still a challenge every week. I’m just thinking Chandler Jones and Budda Baker and I think Jordan Hicks is playing well, Byron Murphy and all of those guys, Markus Golden. Those guys are real deal players. So, regardless of how much success or how much I’ve played against them, it’s always a challenge against them.” On if he has lost to the Cardinals before: “I lost to them my rookie year a couple of times. I didn’t play the first game. I lost the second one. So, whatever and one.” On C Ryan McCollum’s performance against the Broncos and C Evan Brown returning from the Reserve/COVID-19 list: “Ryan I thought did a good job. Obviously, his first start and there were obviously those jitters there for him, but he settled in nicely. I thought he did a really good job and his command and the way that he was assertive in things was awesome to see. And then, getting Evan (Brown) back is great. A veteran guy obviously and knows what he’s doing, so having him back has been great.” On Cardinals QB Kyler Murray: “I think he’s a special talent, as special as it gets. He can do things that not many humans can. He’s a great player and does a great job for them. I’ve seen it firsthand for a few years now.” On if the team feeds off of T Penei Sewell’s energy: “I think he’s still young and figuring out his voice a little bit. But, he’s got the respect of everybody and when he speaks, people listen, regardless of how old he is and his experience. He works hard and is prepared and that’s kind of all you ask for from a rookie is work hard, be prepared, and be genuine. And, he’s all three of those things and so yeah, when he decides to speak up and be that guy, he’s listened to.” On how RB Godwin Igwebuike has bounced back this week after fumbling against the Broncos: “Godwin’s got a great head on his shoulders. It’s really cool to see. He’s fairly unbothered now. I know it was hard on him on Sunday and he’s hard on himself, but he bounced right back. He’s a guy who’s been through quite a bit of adversity in his career, so something like that, seeing him bounce back is not surprising.” |
