| October 26, 2020 Opening statement: “OK, afternoon, hope everybody is doing well. Obviously got a chance to go through the tape of yesterday – a lot of things in there, certainly, that we’re very excited about, a lot of really good football all the way through the game, certainly some situational football, first and foremost. Definitely some things in the game though that we went back through and really had to do a good job of coaching up, trying to get better and improve on. That’s the point right now, is just (to) try to get better every week and improve and still try to find ways to win. We have another big game in front of us this week, playing at home obviously, and want to get off to the right foot there. Really, like I just said yesterday, just give the players credit. I thought they did a tremendous job all the way through the game yesterday, just stayed in the moment and playing hard all the way through the end and just never once – not doing anything other than trying to go out and win. Just really proud of those guys, I thought they played really, really hard yesterday. So let’s just go to questions.” On how DT Danny Shelton, DT Nick Williams, DL Da’Shawn Hand and DT John Penisini have performed as a group: “I think we mixed in a little bit of those guys rolling through there, and I think done a good job of pulling off some reps on some other guys in certain situations to try to keep everyone little bit fresher. I think that’s helped both in the run game and the pass – really some of the pass rush situations too, which is good. But I think that those guys have done a really good job inside anchoring that middle a little bit. I think certainly, a guy like John Penisini, who we’re just getting to know and putting through the first four games and then really had a chance to look at what he was able to do, and certainly Nick Williams getting healthy, and obviously Danny Shelton being consistent in there – Da’Shawn Hand getting better. So just feeling more comfortable with those guys after a set of the first four games and putting them in different positions that we thought maybe they could perform better in. So I think it was a good job taking a look at some of those sets.” On the difficulty of coaching in chaotic situations and the possibility of missing little things that could impact the outcome of a game, like the miss-spotted ball: “The guys that were working our sideline mark – those guys were great. We had great communication. I thought those guys were doing a tremendous job at just trying to keep me informed. So really, I mean, I don’t really have anything to say on that at all, to be honest with you. I thought those guys did a great job.” On if he was provided an explanation as to why the ball was spotted at the 11-yard line when WR Kenny Golladay caught the ball at the 8-yard line late in the fourth quarter: “You know what – just in the moment, just going with everything as far as that’s concerned. Obviously a lot going on, so I really don’t have anything for you right now.” On the strategy of allowing a touchdown and the art of engaging the player to make sure he doesn’t slide or dive: “There’s definitely some coaching points in there that are critically important that we do try to emphasize in those situations. Those are tough moments, I think on both sides of the ball, and certainly offensively. I think there’s situations in there where it’s hard, you know someone is coming at you, they’re going to hit you really hard to stop your momentum. So sometimes you can try to use that a little bit to your advantage if you can get it just right.” On if the amount of zone defense called matchup specific or a reflection of what works best for him and Defensive Coordinator Cory Undlin: “I think that’s a great question because I would say through the years, I’ve probably run all different types of coverages. I think you always try to do the best of whatever is working for you, maybe that particular week, that particular gameplan or maybe with the different unit that you have out there. We played it all. Our playbook is pretty thick, probably have just about every coverage I think you can think of in there. It’s really just trying to do what we think is best that week, from that standpoint. We’ll always try to do what we think we can do to stop that opponent that week.” On the challenges of getting refocused after an emotional win: “Absolutely, I think you’re 100 percent correct. I think it’s critically important for us to just get through the game today, get the corrections and then really, move on. Certainly it was a great game, and I’m proud of the team for the way they handled yesterday, but that really won’t help us next week. The Colts are going to be ready to go. They’re coming off a bye week; they’re going to be rested. The game of football, and whether you talk about game-by-game, the season or play-by-play – it’s just about staying consistent, and like you said, not riding the wave, but just being the same all the time. I think that’s where you show improvement, that’s where you get better. I think that’s where you are really the most aware of what’s going on around you and how you can learn and grow. I think when you go either the too high or too low, you miss a lot of details, whether in-game or form each game, and when you miss those details, you can’t apply them the next time. So for us, it is about just trying to stay consistent no matter what. I would agree that the challenge obviously after a very emotional game like yesterday’s is to go back to work, but I would say our guys – they’re tremendous in that area. We’ve got great leadership. It just helps us refocus each week. We understand that they’re all one-game seasons, and we just have to go back to work.” On if the Lions will be buyers at the trade deadline: “I don’t know if I can really predict anything that’s going to happen going forward. I know that for us, we’re always going to try to do whatever we can to help our team get better. Sometimes those situations in particular, trades, it takes both parties, and everyone involved. I don’t know. We’ll see how all that goes. But right now, it’s just focused on turning the page, getting ready for Indy, from that standpoint.” On QB Matthew Stafford’s assuredness when orchestrating the comeback drive: “Absolutely. I think football in general sometimes is organized chaos – sometimes it’s organized, sometimes it’s not. But I think that the guys that are calm in those situations are obviously guys that have been there before and Matthew Stafford’s been there a lot of times, and really just phenomenal in those situations. It was just great. I think everyone around him, too – give credit to the offensive line and the receivers and the skill guys. I thought they did a phenomenal job of everyone just being on the same page. (Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell) ‘Bev’ did a great job of getting the calls in and helping those guys with the situations. (I) thought it was an excellent operation, but certainly, no doubt, you see the leadership of Matthew Stafford in all those situations. He’s so situationally aware all the time with what’s going on on the field. It’s pretty awesome. It’s pretty cool to watch that and to see his ability to really see the entire field of everything that’s happening during those final seconds – it’s pretty neat.” On how to decide when to allow a play, like Falcons RB Todd Gurley’s touchdown run, to happen: “There’s definitely some numbers that are involved with that and time on the clock and really down-and-distance, that’s a big part of it, too. So that all being said, there is conversation, maybe a little bit earlier, and you kind of weigh it back and forth between what you think your chances are, maybe those downs previous to what it looks like, and then just making sure you’re also communicating in those situations. There’s a little bit of a formula that goes through that.” |
