K Jason Sanders
(We’ll start with the 20 straight kicks. What’s next on your mind. Is it 21? That’s a huge accomplishment, and obviously something that a lot of us have been talking about all season, but what does it feel like to accomplish that, and what is the next goal?) – “It feels great. There is a lot of thanks to be given to a lot of people too. I’d like to thank coaches – both (Special Teams Coordinator Danny) Crossman and (Head Coach Brian) Flores for just putting me out there for even long kicks like the 56(-yarder) last week. We can also look at our rookie long snapper out of LSU (Blake Ferguson). He comes in here as a rookie and has done as good of a job as I can ask him to do. Then you take Matt (Haack) who is arguably one of the best holders in the NFL. With a good support staff and a good long snapper and holder, it makes it that much easier to do my job.”
(Can you talk about the significance of setting the franchise record for most consecutive successful kicks? And I’ve noticed your beard is longer than it’s ever been. Is this something where you’re not shaving until you miss a kick?) – “The beard is working. If the beard’s not working than I don’t need it anymore. But, it’s working right now. (laughter) Just to be in any franchise record book, to be named the most consecutive – whatever it is, it’s an honor to be in any history book. Any record you get in the NFL is something to be proud of.”
(You mentioned a minute ago about your holder and long snapper, and that was actually the question I wanted to ask you. For the layman that doesn’t really understand what goes into special teams, how important is that? How the snap comes in, and how you process that, and how the hold get done – how much does that impact the kicker’s approach and everything you do to set up for a field goal?) – “To be able to have a group that’s together for a good amount of time, like with Blake (Ferguson) and Matt (Haack), we get a lot of work in the offseason so when the season comes around, we can have a nice smooth operation. I think that smooth operation makes your kicking that much easier too.”
(I can’t grow a beard, so what can I do to grow a beard? Another reporter has been a hot topic on Twitter this week wondering how you can keep the beard groomed without it itching. How can I grow one, and once I get to that level, how I can I keep it from itching?) – “I don’t know. Maybe we should go to the pharmacy and see if we’ve got anything we can pick up. (laughter) Once you get passed the itchy phase, it’s just hair now. I don’t see it bothering me. If I did see it bothering me, I wouldn’t have it. I don’t see a need to shave it right now. And we have face masks too. So when I wear a face mask, you guys probably didn’t even know I had a beard this length too. I think that helps me a lot in the grooming process of there is no need for me to shave it.”
(Have you gotten the QB Ryan Fitzpatrick stamp of approval on your beard yet?) – “No. That’s the thing, we are in COVID protocol so a lot of the guys don’t even know the length. I’ve gotten some jokes. People think I look Amish. (laughter) I’m ok with that.”
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Are LB Kyle Van Noy and DT Christian Wilkins ruled out for Sunday and will RB Matt Breida play Sunday?) – “Christian (Wilkins) and Kyle Van Noy are on COVID IR (Reserve/COVID-19 list). (Matt) Breida – he’s listed as questionable. So anyone on IR is unavailable.”
(So just a follow up on that, so we’re to assume that this wasn’t a false positive, that these two are actually on the COVID list and will not be available for you on Sunday?) – “I’m not going into anybody’s medical situation. They’re on COVID IR and they’re unavailable.”
(I just wanted to ask when you look at sort of what you guys were able to do – I hate to go last week – but what you guys were able to do against Arizona, were you able to learn anything maybe based on how Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury went about your defense that sort of changes how you expect the Chargers to combat it?) – “Every week is different. Every coordinator is different offensively, defensively, in the kicking game. The players are different. I think there’s always pieces of a game plan that if they’re similar, then potentially you can use it if you feel comfortable with it offensively or defensively. But there’s really no way to know, to be honest with you. So we try to prepare for everything and at the end of the day, you’ve got to rely on your technique, your fundamentals and following the rules and try to play sound football.”
(How many coaches, if any, do you anticipate not having available on Sunday?) – “We’ll make that available to you guys later in the day. It’s a league rule now; but again, I’m not going to go into anybody’s medical situation. I think that’s – each of us obviously has or has had medical situations and I think we all should have that privacy. Clearly in these situations, that’s not necessarily the case, so I’m not going to divulge anyone’s medical situation.”
(You’ve busted some ceilings along the way. I’m wondering what you reaction is to the Marlins hiring Kim Ng as the first female general manager in major professional sports.) – “I think it’s phenomenal. I think there are quality candidates who are women, who are men, who are Black, who are Asian; I don’t think it really matters as long as they’re qualified. Obviously she’s – I don’t know her, I don’t know much about her – but I know the Marlins, they do their due diligence and they’ve done a great job of hiring and they’re just coming off a really good season. I imagine she’s very more than capable. Anyone who thinks a woman can’t manage or coach or lead, I think is silly. That’s just my personal opinion, so kudos to the Marlins, but at the same time you always should hire the best person. It’s almost a Catch 22. We want to congratulate them and celebrate them for doing something groundbreaking, but at the same time this is – she’s capable, she’s worthy – why wouldn’t we do it?”
(I wanted to ask you about RB DeAndre Washington. Since he’s been with the team, what have been your impressions and do you think – I know you’ve played a lot of guys who got there last, in a week and played the next Sunday. Do you think he’s had enough time to contribute to your team?) – “He spent a lot of time with (Running Backs Coach) Eric Studesville and he’s had three days of practice. I think he’s kind of gotten more comfortable each day. Eric’s spent a lot of time with him and Eric’s a really good coach, so he’s gotten up to speed fairly quickly. So we’ll see. We’ll talk as a staff here in a little bit. He’s done a few things in the kicking game, he’s done a few things offensively; but we can only take 48 to the game, so we’ll see.”
(I wanted to ask you about a moment that NFL Films captured on the sideline with you talking to your defensive line and your pass rush in general about getting after the quarterback and I couldn’t see who it was but somebody had replied, “I got you coach, I got you.” I was just curious who that was and if it’s common for that type of energy to kind of be reciprocated for you and your players in the heat of the game like that.) – “I think it’s an emotional game, so especially late in the game, in those critical moments, as a coach you try to encourage the guys. Our coaching staff has done a really good job of that – encouraging them and tell them what’s expected of them and what we need to try to win the game. And I think the players, they’ve received it the right way. It’s important to them that they execute, so I’m not exactly sure – I want to say I tried to wave the cameras off when I pulled the team together because it’s not about the cameras. It’s about that group of guys. Clearly they didn’t listen to me, which is about right; but it’s about that group of guys and trying to execute and to have it reciprocated, that’s par for the course for the group we have. It’s important to them, so they’ll do everything they can to try to execute and do it right. So pick any guy – Shaq Lawson or (Emmanuel) Ogbah or (Zach) Sieler or Christian Wilkins or (Kyle) Van Noy; that could have been any of them because honestly, probably all of them in some form or fashion, whether it’s their body language or they yell something out at me.”
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
(With LB Kyle Van Noy and DT Christian Wilkins out, how can this defense kind of fill that void and kind of fulfill that next-man-up mentality?) – “We have guys and players that can come in and step up and do their job. That’s the good thing about this defense. A lot of guys can step in and just handle the responsibilities of the guys that we’re going to miss.”
(How does it work when you go inside? I guess you consider yourself an end but you’re also used as a defensive tackle. What are the challenges that that presents?) – “Well, this is a multiple role defense so some plays I’m an edge, some plays I’m a d-tackle. That’s why I’m here because I’m able to play both positions and be good at it, so that’s one of the reasons they brought me in because of my versatility. I’m just doing my job and doing what I’m asked to do.”
(The last two games you’ve faced a pair of quarterbacks who really couldn’t be more diametrically opposed in Rams QB Jared Goff and Cardinals QB Kyler Murray. And I think Chargers QB Justin Herbert is somewhere in the middle of that, I want to say, athletically. My question is how does your pass-rush approach change based on the athletic ability of the quarterback? Does your launch point change? Do you have to keep your eyes up more for one quarterback over the other? How do different athletic quarterback styles change the way you rush the quarterback?) – “There’s a difference. How you rush Goff, you can’t rush Kyler like that because Kyler will move around and can beat you with his feet. Yeah, it’s a different approach when you rush. More so with Kyler, you’re more so power rushing. With Goff, you can take your chances. It just depends on the quarterback we play. Those are the rush plans that we get.”
(Do you ever get a little bit of envy with you not getting to be the one that picks it up and takes it back to the house?) – “It’s a team sport. If they score, we score. Shoot, I’m just doing my job. I’m happy for those guys scoring the touchdowns. I’m just happy to be able to make plays for them to score touchdowns.”
(I wanted to ask about DT Zach Sieler. We’ve talked about him before, especially as he’s emerged. What’s it like competing with him and having him there in the huddle? Obviously both of you guys are trying to attack the quarterback. What do you notice about him when he’s out there?) – “Zach is a dog. He’s a hard worker. He plays hard. We love him when he’s out there. He’s stepping up big this year for us. He’s just doing the right thing and making plays for us. Every time I’m back there, I look to my right and I see him back there too. So I’m happy for him. I’m happy with the way he’s come since training camp. He’s getting better every week.”
(When you guys have those zero blitzes that you throw at offensive linemen, is it designed to get certain guys or is it just about somebody is going to be free and making the most of it?) – “Like Coach Boyer (Josh Boyer) always says, expect to be free when you’re rushing on those pressures. I just rush like I’m going to be free or Shaq (Lawson) rushes like he’s going to be free. It just depends on who they let go because they can’t block us all.”
(With the productivity that you’re having, do you expect to get a lot more attention?) – “Yeah, I think at a point I’m going to probably start getting a lot more attention, which opens the door for a lot of guys. I’m excited. I’m just going to keep doing my job, make plays when I can and help those guys make plays too.”
