October 22, 2021 Opening Statement: “It’s been a good week. The guys snapped back at it, came back to work and we’ll finish it out today and then we travel tomorrow.” On injury progression updates on DE Da’Shawn Hand, DE Kevin Strong and T Taylor Decker: “They’re all getting better. I would say Strong is just a little bit closer than Hand is, but the fact that we started Hand’s clock, that’s a good sign. Actually, he may work into team today. He started individual and now he’s going to take a couple of team reps, so that’s good. That’s a step in the right direction. Certainly, no setback. Decker, so he’s – look, he’s doing OK. The fact of the matter is he had a little bit of a setback last week. We’ve kind of talked about the knuckle and everything, but I don’t see him playing this week and we’ll just take it as it comes. Look, I know he wants to play, man. Hell, I talked to him yesterday. He’s dying to play, but we’ve got to get through it and let this thing just get to feeling right. That’s the bottom line.” On if the bye week counts as additional time to make a decision on T Taylor Decker returning to the active roster: “My understanding is we get the extra time. The bye won’t count, so I think will have to make that decision probably the Tuesday after the bye.” On correcting throws short of the first-down marker on third down: “Some of it is there’s a little bit of – the more you’re trying to get to the sticks, that’s the longer you’re having to hold onto the ball and protect and do these things. We started a little bit that way earlier in the year trying to throw past the sticks, which is like, ‘Well, yeah. You should.’ And then we try to gravitate another way to see if we can help ourselves and see if we can get some catch and runs like (Quintez) Cephus got before he hurt himself in Minnesota. And so we just felt like depending on the type of defense you’re playing and the pressure packages they had, there needed to be a little bit of run and catch to it. Now, you don’t want to do that on all of the plays, but certainly we’re mindful of you can’t have a whole third-down package of that. So, yeah, we’re mindful of that.” On if he has made any specific changes to the depth chart: “We’re going to give an opportunity to a couple of guys. Nothing specific right now.” On how the changes to the practice structure have worked out this week: “Actually, I thought they worked well. Here’s what we did, really we’ve been coming out and we do everything – and you guys have been here – we walkthrough. That’s how everything begins is the walkthrough, then you get into the warmup and then you go. What we’ve done is we basically – we just took a little bit of the block of the meeting time off in the mornings and then we’re doing the walkthrough, went out on the turf, and it’s kind of part of your morning meetings if you will. But now, we’re out here. They don’t need to get dressed, they’re in what they’re normally in, you’re not taped, but it is a walkthrough and it’s a teaching environment. That way, we dial everything back to where we can really just hone in on all of those things schematically, go back in, prep for practice, eat, come back out. It’s nothing revolutionary, but now when we come out to the field, we’re going. We’re going. We’ve done that the last two days and I’ve thought we really – I do feel like we’ve started fast and the energy was there immediately because now it’s – you’re not walking through. You’re getting warmed up and we’re going right into it. And then we started the periods – every period was O versus D, so a competitive – ‘It’s third-and-6. It’s third-and-5.’ That’s how we started it. Wednesday we started – it’s a three-down sequence. ‘Offense, you’ve got three downs to get a first down. You may get it on first down. Defense, you’ve got to hold them to three-and-out.’ And that’s the winner. It’s amazing what you can do with these guys. It doesn’t matter what you – they can play for a peanut and then all of a sudden it’s like they’re going crazy. But, it’s been good, it’s been competitive, the energy’s been up, and I like it. I think it’s created a little bit of a spark.” On the defense’s struggles in the red zone: “I think what’s gotten us a little bit has kind of been one of our strengths for the most part is stopping the run, and we’ve gotten down there and we’ve gotten hit on a couple of runs that have hurt us. Now, last week was a little different. They got a matchup out there for their first touchdown and then late in the game they hit the all-across, but I think some of that – I still go back to this, you make an emphasis on stopping the run, you still have got to stop the run in the red zone. If you don’t stop the run, it’s going to be a heyday down there. I just think everything gets tightened down there and if you are not finishing or you don’t have lane integrity or gap responsibility, it will catch up with you.” On if they will put a point of emphasis on the Rams’ passing attack in the red zone: “Sure, absolutely. And they run that speed ball, spontaneous stuff. They’ll hit a big one and they’re doing that and then red zone, that’s where they major in it. They get down there and they run it and they get six, they’re going. So, we’ve worked on all of that. We’ve prepared for it. We know it’s coming. It’s part of their DNA. But yeah, absolutely we’ve got to be ready for it.” On what the younger players on the roster can learn from playing against a talented team like the Rams: “Anytime you go against a good team and good players, you find out what you are. And we find out you can evaluate these guys against really, really good talent under, hopefully, a stressful situation because you’re in it and you’re scrambling for a win, you’re fighting for a win. But, I think it makes you better and what I’m looking for is – like, a good example is Jerry Jacobs. I want to see if Jerry is out there battling. I don’t care if you are a rookie. I want to see him battling. Like, he’s had a hell of a week of practice. He’s been competitive. We finished yesterday with an end-of-the-game situation and I’ll tell you what, it was good. That’s what you want. You want to know you’re in the fight and these guys, it’s not too big for them. They’re not scared. They’re not, ‘Oh well.’ Just play your keys, do what you were taught to do, trust your technique. You just want to know you’re in the fight.” On what CB Jerry Jacobs did well at the end of practice that got him excited: “It was just the way he played coverage. He was like a pit bull. It was tight coverage. It was really a – for the most part, we kind of recreated Minnesota at the end. To watch him out there competing, play tight and defend – I’m trying to run daggers and he’s sticky and it was good. It was impressive.” On if CB Jerry Jacobs has improved: “He’s grown about as much as anybody has from the time that he walked in the door. He probably has because he was light-years away, light-years. And to see where he’s at now and how he just improves every week is pretty impressive. He’s got some talent, but he’s also – there’s a demeanor about him. He’s not putting up with anything. He’s pretty tough, not afraid to tackle. He can run. He can hit. He’s a good communicator. I think there may be something there. That’s what we’re hoping. He just keeps competing and he’ll only get better.” On how he breaks down the reasons players like CB A.J. Parker and CB Jerry Jacobs have exceeded expectations: “I think it’s a little bit of everything, you’d like to believe. Like, Jerry’s a case of – it’s not like Jerry lacked talent. Jerry had some ability. Now, there were other reasons maybe why he wasn’t drafted, but he had some ability. But, to his credit, he put in the work. He’s got the right temperament about him, the right attitude, and he works at it. He kind of knows his own deficiencies if you will. By him knowing that, understands who he is, it just makes him better. And Parker I would say is – what makes him pretty unique is the fact that he’s very instinctive. He’s a smart player. He’s very instinctive, particularly for a rookie. Now, it doesn’t mean things don’t still pop up, but he’s pretty good about – he sees it once and it’s corrected. But, he does have some instincts. He’s got ball-skills. But look, I think (Defensive Backs/Pass Game Coordinator) Aubrey (Pleasant)’s done a hell of a job back there, I really do, getting those guys better. And you talk about just secondary in general, Tracy Walker is beginning to take off. He’s starting to feel this defense and feel what we’re trying to do in the secondary, let our safeties go make some plays. Anyway, I think Aubrey’s done a good job.” On how CB Jeff Okudah is mentally handling his Achilles injury: “He really is doing great. I’m proud of the fact that he’s not letting it – I mean, I know he wishes he could be out here. He wants to play, he does, but he also understands, ‘There’s nothing I can do other than let this thing get right, let it heal and then start rehabbing, begin the rehab process.’ But, he’s been good. He scoots out here and comes and sees us and he’s back there. He’ll go into meetings. He’s been good. It’s been good to have him back. While he was recovering, he was out for a couple of weeks. Since he’s been back, he kind of brightens the building up a little bit.” On if CB Jeff Okudah will stay in the area through his rehabilitation to be around the team: “Yes, he will.” On if those in the personnel department and locker room who used to be with the Rams have talked about facing their former team this week: “They haven’t said one word about it. Listen, everybody is ready for this one. We’re excited. We’re excited. I’ll leave it at that.” On CB Ifeatu Melifonwu’s timeline to return from injury: “I still say we’re still a little ways away. Now, what is that? I don’t know. Certainly, not before the bye, but he is progressing. He is getting better. He is getting better. I wish I could give you a timeline, but I do see him – I do feel like we can get him to return before the season’s out. I feel that way and I’m not a doctor, so don’t hold that on me.” |
