December 9, 2020
Opening statement: “Good morning. We definitely have a tough challenge this week ahead of us with Green Bay coming in here. It’s one of those games that you’re excited to play really late in the season. A home game, divisional opponent. Obviously, the team that’s leading the division. So, really, a great challenge for us this week to come out and play a great game.
“Just a couple of things here for you guys: We will be outdoors practicing today. From some injury notes just to provide some information for you (since) you guys will be out there, but Kenny Golladay won’t be practicing today. C.J. Moore won’t be practicing. Jeff Okudah won’t be practicing, and then Tyrell Crosby won’t be practicing either. As far as (D’Andre) Swift and Austin Bryant, both of those guys will be out there. We’ll kind of continue to progress them through the week and we’ll see how that goes.”
On how RB D’Andre Swift is feeling: “He’s continued to improve each and every day, so we’re excited to see him out there at practice today. And like I told you, we’re trying to monitor how that goes and then see the next day. But so far, so good, and we expect him to be out there today.”
On if the big plays on offense were a gameplan-specific thing or if the offense has unlocked a new dimension: “I think it was a little bit of all of it, to be quite honest with you. As I said, we have those built in, we’re trying to look for them. But we did talk about just aggressively, how much we wanted to take them. I think it was a perfect storm that we were finally able to get as many as we got. Matthew (Stafford), I thought he was – like I said earlier – I thought he was really settled in. I thought he did a great job inside the pocket with some tough rushes at times, but his eyes continued to stay downfield. And then, he just took them and gave his guys opportunities to make plays. I think that a couple of them, particularly the one to (Quintez) Cephus on the right side for the touchdown, I mean he gave him an opportunity, and he took the shot. We’re continuing to work on that and hopefully it stays in that direction.”
On how much of RB D’Andre Swift’s status is about recovery versus easing him back: “I think it’s still just trying to ramp him up from what he was going through more than the rustiness, but we’re still taking that into consideration. It’s important for us to kind of get him up to speed. When you take that much time off and you’re not out there running around full speed, (you) don’t want to give him full go and then have him have a soft tissue injury or anything. Kind of want to work him back in as well, but I would say kind of more from the illness.”
On the level of concern with RB Kerryon Johnson’s knee injuries: “We’re still going to continue to treat him like we normally do. He’s a veteran player, so we’ll continue to monitor him during the week. On Wednesday, we’re usually a little bit lighter and then kind of ramp him up as the week goes. We’ll continue to do that, and there’s really no change in his status.”
On if there is optimism that DE Trey Flowers can return this season: “I believe there is. Obviously, it would be a huge boost for us to be able to get a player of his caliber back. He’s progressing that way, I think that’s his mindset, which is probably the most important thing, and we’re looking forward to that day.”
On his role with the defense: “I think it’s important for me to have a touch on all the aspects of things that are going on because I’m responsible for that. But like I told you guys last week; I mean I’m very comfortable with Cory (Undlin). Cory and I have great conversations. Really, if anything’s happening, Cory and I talk about it, he tells me what we’re doing. So, I really feel like I’m up to speed on most of it. I wouldn’t tell you I’m going to walk in there and tell him, ‘No, he can’t do that. Yes, you can do that.’ I think it’s more of a little bit of a conversation of, ‘Hey, what’s our thought? How do we plan on playing this game? Have you thought about this?’ And he kind of bounces it back and forth that way. So, that’s kind of the way I see that relationship right now.”
On the different expertise he has about defense from the perspective of an offensive coordinator: “I think it’s just a different perspective. I’m looking at it from the eyes of an offensive coach. It’s interesting. When you kind of do go back and forth with – an offensive guy thinks a defense is doing, and what a defense thinks an offense is doing. I think that’s really a cool dynamic. So the things that we think are hard, I’m able to communicate with him, the same thing with him to me. Like I said, I think it’s a really good give-and-take right now.”
On if he has had the opportunity to reflect that two years ago he was out of football to where he is now: “I think that’s a great question. The first week, yeah, it was definitely a whirlwind, kind of learning on the fly. But as I did take time Sunday night and Monday – first of all, I know I’ve said this before, but just how grateful I was to coach (Matt) Patricia and the opportunity that he gave me. It was no small task. I mean, obviously I was sitting down for a year, so it was a really huge deal just to take that step to bring me in. I know that this coaching circle is really small, and it’s a really interesting profession. So I know you guys asked me the other day if I had heard from (Patricia) and if he texted me or called me, and it’s something I really didn’t expect from him. It’s just such a hard time when you go through that transition, and you’re out of the game, the first thing you want to do is you want to get away from everything, you want to spend as much time with your family as you can. I know that from experience because I was in that exact same situation. I just do want you to know that I have a great relationship with him. When all this is said and done, I have no doubts that we’ll great conversations, and we’ll talk a lot about all this time while we were here. Again, I just can’t be more appreciative and grateful to him for the opportunity that he gave me.”
On TE T.J. Hockenson’s biggest developments since last season and why he is getting more open this year: “I don’t know how you want me to answer. You want me to say the great scheme that we’re doing for him? I mean, he’s done such a great job of continuing to work. He’s a guy that when he’s in the building, he’s willing to put the work in. I think that’s the most important part about this thing, is he’s willing to learn the X’s and O’s, he’s really willing to put the time in, out on the field he’s getting extra stuff with Matthew (Stafford) and the quarterbacks at times. It’s the behind the scenes things that you don’t get to see that he’s doing every day. He works hard at his craft. There is stuff you get a comfort level – remember, at the beginning of the year he’s coming off that injury; we’re limiting him a little bit. So he has that comfort level with Matthew, I think they have that good relationship where they know what each other is getting ready to do. I think that helps as well. Right now, he’s playing really well for us.”
