Friday, November 19, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Do you expect to have DT Christian Wilkins and LB Andrew Van Ginkel available on Sunday?) – “Both those guys are limited. Let’s call them day-to-day. Hopeful that they are out there. Today’s practice will tell us a lot. Both guys are doing everything they can to get out there.”
(The thinking in changing the quarterback on the practice squad? Another young guy in QB Jake Luton. What was some of the stuff that appealed to you about him?) – “We did a lot of work on Jake pre-draft a couple years ago. He’s someone we had some interest in so when he became available, (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and his staff, we felt like it was a good opportunity to take a look at him. He’s been here a day and we will just keep working with him and see what that looks like.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa told us on Wednesday he doesn’t expect any limitations on Sunday. Is that the way that he’s been progressing throughout the week?) – “I think he’s had a good couple days of practice. We’ll see how today goes. There’s definitely some discomfort but he’s fighting through it. He’s looked good.”
(How is the team doing mentally? Obviously, you had a tough stretch but now you have two wins. How is the team mentally doing, getting ready for the game on Sunday?) – “I think they’re excited to get back out there. It all starts with their preparation, which we’re kind of finishing that, the preparation today and putting the finishing touches on the gameplan and having as good an understanding of how we want to play on Sunday. That’s where the focus is. It’s on this game”
(When you have to face a team twice in four weeks or whatever it is, does that change the way you gameplan at all?) – “No. No, I think we just try to, as a staff, put our players in the best position to have success this week and we’ll worry about – I don’t even know when the next time we play them is – we’ll worry about that when we get there. Really kind of just focused on this week.”
(Have you and General Manager Chris Grier given any thought to changing personnel at all in terms of injecting another player at running back? I know you have trust in RB Myles Gaskin. He’s done good things over the last year and RB Salvon Ahmed as well. Have you thought about RB Duke Johnson, RB Gerrid Doaks, a guy on the waiver wire or do you just want to continue on with primarily Myles and Salvon at this point?) – “I think there’s always conversations about who the best guys are to help us win this week. I think the focus is on the Jets and what players can help us have success. Those are always conversations that we’re having. That’s guys on the active roster, guys on the practice squad. Obviously, we’ve elevated a number of guys over the course of the season. Yeah, those conversations are being had and we will always do what we feel is in the best interest of the team.”
(You’re leaving town this weekend for basically the last time until Christmas as a team. Do long stretches of playing at home like that impact how you practice at all – how you schedule practices and schedule things around the team?) – “I think we take things week to week based on injuries, based on my overall sense of what we need. I get feedback from everyone in the building – strength staff, medical staff, etc. So as far as scheduling down the road, it’s really week to week. I think the focus right now is just on the Jets. They’ve got some good players. They’ve got good coaches. It’s hard to win in that building so that’s kind of where the focus is. We’re going to have a good day at practice today, finish off the week strong and hopefully that’ll lead to some success during the game.”
(It’s a question without an answer probably but when you’re going to a building that has a wind element to it – it does kind of swirl there – how do special teamers prepare for things that you can’t control and things that you can’t really replicate?) – “Yeah, obviously weather, wind and rain are all elements that we have to deal with at times. We’re going up north to play in that particular stadium. There are some gusts and winds that definitely play a role in the kicking game first but then offensively, defensively, there are some things that the wind could play into how the game is called, what we do offensively and what we do defensively. Those are things we talk about as a staff. Weather obviously changes day to day so we try not to inundate the players with, ‘Hey if the gusts are this.’ We just don’t really know. But I think some of the conversation is, ‘Hey, this is the environment we’re used to. These aren’t the elements we’re used to. There’s probably going to be a little bit more wind, a little bit chillier.’ I know it’s a cold front here but it’s 75 degrees. (laughter) It’s going to be colder than what we’re used to and that’s part of playing on the road.”
(I wanted to ask you about the gunner role. How difficult would you say that job is not just on the special teams level but in football overall?) – “It’s probably the hardest job in the game for let’s call it one play, one specific play. I would say my first, when I got into the league, I started in the kicking game. I started in special teams with Brad Seely when I was up in New England and I worked with the gunners. I understand the physicality, what goes on from a play-to-play basis at that position, especially when you got two guys on you. You’ve got to be mentally tough, physically tough. You’ve got to be strong. You’ve got to be fast. And it’s a tough down, especially when you’ve got a vice there. Only the strong survive out there.”
(On that note, how fun is it having WR Mack Hollins on this team? Yesterday we just talked about how much he enjoys playing special teams and how passionate he is about that and how that can really elevate the other special teamers.) – “I’m sure Mack had plenty to… (laughter) It’s great to have Mack. He brings a lot of energy and juice to practice. As you mentioned, he’s a lot of fun and I’m sure it was a great interview. (laughter)”
(Have you ever heard of his duct tape theory? Do you know the duct tape theory?) – “I don’t know the duct tape theory. I’m ok not knowing it. (laughter)”
(Can you talk about the matchup between two young coaches who have defensive backgrounds? Can you talk a little bit about that and if you have a relationship with Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh?) – “Yeah. I think highly of Coach Saleh. He’s mentally tough, smart. He’s had a lot of success in this league. Intense. And you see that with his team. I think they’ve done a lot of good things. I think they play with great effort. I think they do a good job in a lot of areas and one that comes to mind with me is rushing the passer. That is right in Rob’s wheelhouse. We know what to expect from that standpoint. They are tough, they are disciplined. It’s a hard-working group and that’s pretty much what Rob is. That embodies a lot of Rob’s characteristics and him as a person.”
(Have you ever crossed paths professionally with Robert Saleh other than just coaching circles?) – “Yeah, just the coaching circles. The Combine, on the road, working players out, games. We’ve gotten to know each other over the years and I think highly of him.”
(RB Michael Carter is a guy that you guys got a significant amount of exposure to at the Senior Bowl. He leads them in rushing yards, and is tied for the lead in receptions. What kind of challenges does he present to a defense?) – “He’s a good back. He’s a good young back, good vision, downhill runner. But he can also make you miss in space. He’s good out of the backfield. He’s done a nice job for them. They’re doing a good job getting him the ball and highlighting his skillset. We liked him at the Senior Bowl. I think he’s smart, he’s tough. You could see some of the professionalism just in that week, that he would do the things necessary to give himself a chance to have success, and clearly that’s happened.”
(What’s it like to have CB Jamal Perry to stick around your entire tenure here so far and what went into his promotion to the 53 this week?) – “His versatility, his ability to play in the kicking game, corner, Star, free safety, kicking game, he’s fast and we like him. We’ve got a lot of DBs in the room so he was on the practice squad. We were able to elevate him this week. He’s helped us in a few games this year and hopefully he helps us this week.”
(There were some reports that when you guys brought DT Andrew Billings this week, he would rise up quickly. Do you expect him to be able to play on Sunday?) – “Reports? Who got those reports?”
(There was a report from NFL Network saying he was expected to rise quickly.) – “He’s been here two days, two practices. There is a lot that – I’m not sure if he knows how to get to the stadium. (laughter) There is just a lot we’ve got to get through – playbook, getting to know his teammates, if we want to make a call on the line, what’s the guy you’re making a call with’s name? There are some things we’ve got to work through. But he’s done a good job. I would say the first day we had him out there, we were in pads and he showed some things that we liked. We’ll keep working with him. You guys know I don’t really give much into the reports and speculation. I’m here. I’d like to think I know what the plan is. We like Andrew. He’s doing a lot of good things and if he could help us, we’ll put him out there.”
(There is a facial change-up. You’ve got hair growing, you’ve got a beard growing. Your appearance, did you just figure to change it up?) – “My son asked me to grow my hair out. He wanted to see what it looked like.”
(Are you pleased?) – “My son asked me to grow my hair out, so that’s what I’m doing. (laughter)”
(Knowing that you don’t like reports and all of these things, is there something to be said though that you’ve won two games after the trade deadline. I know you said guys weren’t focused on it, but you are 2-0 since that chapter closed for this season.) – “I think we’re just having better execution and playing better. I think we practiced better, we prepared better, we played better. That’s the formula. We can get into other things if we want to, but that’s the formula that I know, and that’s what I’ve seen and what I’m trying to do is help us continue to do the things we’ve been doing the last couple of weeks from a preparation standpoint, from a practice standpoint and we’ll see what happens when we do those things.”
