Opening Statement: “I’ll just start with this, Jared Goff has been cleared off of the COVID/Reserve, so he’s back on the squad. And then, two other things to note because you’re going to hear about it later anyway is Josh Reynolds tested positive for COVID and as well as Steven Montez on practice squad. So, those are the two new things up-to-date.” On FB Jason Cabinda and TE Shane Zylstra’s injury statuses: “Right now, Zylstra would certainly – he’s out for the year. We’ll see what it looks like. Two weeks from now we’ll know a lot more, get the swelling out of the knee and then decide where you go from there, is it able to heal properly or does he need surgery? All of that is being checked out, but he’s out. And, Cabinda is a little more hopeful. At least certainly next week. We’ll have to see this week, but he’s better off. So, that’s a positive. We’ll just see where it goes and how he feels everyday from here on out.” On CB Ifeatu Melifonwu’s performance yesterday and his opportunity to receive more playing time due to injuries at the position: “Look, the film showed a guy who – look, he went in there and competed. He drew Kyle Pitts quite a bit and it showed that he hasn’t played a lot since Green Bay is what it showed, and that’s OK as long as he improves from here. He did go out there and here’s what we want to see, here’s what I want to see these last two weeks – I want to see a guy that is not a slow burn. He comes out hot early and has already got it turned up and he’s ready to compete and he’s got the look in his eye and not take him a minute to get going. That’s what we’re looking for because he’s got it in his body and he’s smart and he works. So, that’s the next step here for him.” On why the team has been so aggressive with going for it on fourth down this season: “It’s a good question. I just – I don’t know. I feel like – when you feel like you have trust in your players or in the play or where the game is at, I don’t know, it feels right and so, I want to do it. I think you’ve got to feel good about your players and the plan, and if you do, I think you go for it. I want to send a message that we’re playing to win and we’re not playing to lose and there is a time to be conservative and there is a time to be aggressive. And so, it’s just I think a little more in my nature to roll the dice if you will. But I still feel like it’s calculated risk.” On if the aggressiveness on fourth down will continue into future seasons: “I would like to believe the aggressive nature will stay, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will show up on fourth downs all of the time. That can show up on first and second down on some different things that we do. But I think – there again, if the timing is right and it’s one of those things that you really feel strongly about with your players and the play, the schemes, yeah, you do it.” On what RB Jamaal Williams’ presence and energy has meant to the team this season: “I think it’s meant a lot. Look, it was one of the reasons why we wanted to sign him, just the nature of the way that he runs. You can tell he was a guy when you watch him on tape, not only is the production there as a runner, but he’s high-energy and he’s upbeat. You can tell that he made the guys around him better. It gave those guys a boost, particularly the offensive line when you watch him in Green Bay. That just popped off the tape when we watched him. And, then certainly to be able to get him here, you can tell early – I could tell early that he was definitely our type of guy. And so, I just bring this up, a guy like Jamaal is – here’s what I love most is he is reliable and he’s steady. Like, I know exactly what he’s going to do on damn near every play, whether it’s run or pass or routes, whatever that is, and protection. You just know what kind of – you’re going to get a day’s work out of him and it’s going to be good work, good productive work. And man, I appreciate that, and it helps you as a play-caller.” On who has been the most reliable player this season: “Look, there is a number of guys, but I mean certainly one of the first ones that pops in my head is Jalen Reeves-Maybin pops up. And, I know he missed a couple of games here due to injury, but when he’s been out there on defense and on special teams, he makes plays. He’s a football player. That doesn’t go unnoticed. Michael Brockers has been steady all year long. He’s been a force for us and just a steady, constant, reliable force for us. But look, Jamaal (Williams) I know – when Jamaal’s been able to play. There is, there are a number of these guys. Alex Anzalone before he got hurt, (Kalif Raymond) Lif, (Amon-Ra) St. Brown as a rookie. I could go down the list for a lot of these guys that have been here for most of the year. Look, Will Harris, he’s been here and he’s been doing it and he’s had to play multiple roles for us. Amani (Oruwariye) before he got hurt. So really, there is a nice core group of guys here that have been steady and reliable for us.” On what he learned about his play-calling in the red zone after watching game film from yesterday: “I would start here – I mentioned this last night – there was a sequence there where we had two false starts back-to-back in the red zone. Actually, within two plays of each other. I felt like one of those I got the play in late and it kind of started this whole thing because we had a kill on it and then you’re trying to hard count and you’re going to – and it’s just a lot of thinking and I felt like I put a lot of that on me. And so, get the play in on time and I try to be mindful of that, but I didn’t do that there when it needs to come in faster. That’s one thing you learn. The other thing this is look, the end of that game with Tim (Boyle), talking about working the right side, I could have helped him. When I go back and watch that tape, I should have helped him better with a good solid man-zone read, maybe start the back outside, bring him back in, and I kicked myself for that in hindsight looking at it. Just something that could help him see it quicker and sooner. So, I think little things like that. Other than that, I thought the plan was pretty good. The penalties killed us in the red zone, they really did. So, if I’m putting anything on me as well from that, it’s, ‘We can’t green light. We’ve got to be careful with these hard counts because we’re not handling them right now.’ And look, it’s Tim Boyle is a new quarterback, they’re used to Goff, but that’s not an excuse. We’ve got to be able to handle it. And so, until we can, we’ve got to back off some of that stuff.” On if getting a better man-zone read means having more motion from the running back in the backfield: “Yes, just to clearly give him a true indicator. I wish I would have done that.” |
