Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - January 10, 2021 Head Coach Sean McVay
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Los Angeles Rams Transcripts -
January 10, 2021
Head Coach Sean McVay
Head Coach Sean McVay
(Opening statement)
"First off with (Q
John Wolford, he has a stinger, he'll be day-to-day. We'll monitor him and see what his status is for this week. (OL) Dave Edwards has Achilles tendonitis, so he'll be day-to-day. We'll see how he makes it through the week, if he's going to be available or not. (DL) Aaron (Donald) had a rib. We'll be smart with him throughout the week, but I do think that if there's anything that he's going to do, he's going to do everything in his power to be ready to go, don't expect that to affect his game status for this week. (OL) Andrew Whitworth made it through the game. When we went up 30-13, I thought he did a great job competing throughout and wanted to make sure we were smart with him, but we're going to rest him and progress as needed throughout the course of the week but do expect him to be ready to go. And then, (WR) Cooper Kupp had bursitis of his knee, we're going to just monitor that day-to-day for him and hopefully get that swelling and inflammation down, with the anticipation and the hope to have him ready to go. So, that's kind of where those guys that ended up coming out of the game yesterday. Looking forward to the opportunity to compete against the Packers this week. We know it's going to be a great challenge. They're the one seed for a reason. As far as for the quarterback, we're going to take it a day at a time with both of those guys. Really, John coming off the stinger, (Q Jared (Goff) still recovering from the thumb. I'm not going to make any statements, kind of like we had talked about yesterday. We're going to just take that a day at a time as we move forward and progress closer towards Saturday against the Packers."
(On what his message to the team will be this week)
"I think it's, let's handle our business. Let's be consistent with our rhythm and routine. Fortunately for us, having a short week last week, it'll feel like a normal week. Because we played yesterday, today’s like Monday, tomorrow will be like Tuesday and so, we'll basically treat what you know when we play on Sunday as a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, that'll just be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for us. We'll travel up Friday. It will be cold, but it'll be a great change of pace for us. We're excited about the opportunity to still be in this thing and to go compete to the best of our ability."
(On clarifying DL Aaron Donald’s rib injury)
“It's a rib right now. That's really all I can say.”
(On what he needs to see from Goff and Wolford to determine who will be starting)
“I think I want to just be able to see their health. That's the first thing and then we'll just kind of go from there.”
(On if WR Cooper Kupp suffered bursitis from one particular play)
“I'm not sure. I think he had hit it earlier in the game. I think it was a combination of you hit it again and then that thing ends up swelling up if you hit it in the right spot. That was kind of my understanding of what occurred.”
(On what stands out to him from the Packers)
“Great football team, obviously. I think they're playing really well in all three phases. It's why they're the one seed. I follow them very closely because of my relationship with (Packers Head Coach) Matt (LaFleur). It's well-documented how well they played offensively. (Packers Q Aaron (Rodgers) is playing like Aaron’s played, it's unbelievable. (WR) Davante Adams, you look at the amount of skill players that they get involved while they play upfront. They're explosive. They can beat you in both phases. I think their defense is playing really well, special teams. I've always been impressed with anytime that you go 13-3 back-to-back years, it's a real credit to the job Matt's done and their ability to really play complementary football, win in a variety of ways. It's something that we will really jump into, because we had to kind of clean up our stuff, see where we're at and start to really evaluate ourselves as we move forward without truly knowing the opponent based on the outcome of that game that we just saw. That was kind of where, after this conversation, that'll really represent the start of the preparation for the Packers for us and our coaching staff.”
(On the Rams top-ranked defense versus the Packers top-ranked scoring offense)
“It's a great matchup. Our defense has done a great job, but I have tremendous respect for these coaches, these players and what they've done for the Packers. This is what you love. These are the type of matchups and opportunities that as a competitor, you can't wait for. We have to take it a day at a time and have a great week of prep.”
(On if Goff suffered any setbacks to his thumb after playing in yesterday’s game)
“I don't think so. I don't think he has any setbacks. I think you continue to monitor and progress. I think he said that it didn't bother him too much, so that's a positive.”
(On if Goff will start in Saturday’s game if he continues to progress without any setbacks)
“Like I said, I'm going to take it a day at a time. It affected him yesterday. I mean, if you watch the game, it did. It might not have been painful, but it was something that – he did a great job battling and being ready to go. There were some things that he typically is able to execute that it seemed like they were a factor.”
(On if the weather in Green Bay will impact his decision for quarterback)
“I'd have to get a clear understanding of exactly – obviously, it makes it a little bit more difficult to grip the football just in general. But if he's not having any issues with it, everything that we're going to do leading up to this week, we will take a lot of things into consideration to try to make the best decisions. There's a lot of layers to it and that’s exactly what this will reflect.”
(On if he is more likely to have a third quarterback active this week)
“I think that's a possibility, something that we would explore, especially just given the circumstances that's definitely something that we've talked about and we'll heavily consider this week.”
(On if RB Cam Akers was able to run the ball more due to OL Andrew Whitworth returning from IR)
“I thought, really, we played physical upfront. I thought (R Cam (Akers) did a great job. I thought the tight ends, receivers – I thought it was really a good reflection of the entire unit. Cam was outstanding. I thought, being able to make some of their players miss the hole when they're unblocked, I mean, he's a special player. But you could see, (OL) Andrew (Whitworth) brings a spark to our team, to our offense. He was physical. You can really see it show up early on in the game. I thought you could just feel his energy throughout, and it was great to have him back. I think there was a lot of contributing factors. I think you get (WR Cooper) Kupp back in it. Cam's a week removed from that ankle and it certainly isn't too big for this guy. He was having fun, doing his thing and I think that's a great credit to him, but also the other 10 (players) around him and that's why you love being able to run the football and what that represents for playing good team ball.”
(On if Kupp had his knee drained or if they’re waiting for it to decompress)
“That's something that we'll talk about. I'm not going to get into the specifics of exactly how he's being treated. That is a possibility to make that as minimal of an impact on his ability to play this week.”
(On how he balances the messaging between him and Goff about his injury and decision of who starts at quarterback)
"The No. 1 thing, I never want him to be anything but honest and upfront with you guys. My understanding was he's telling you guys about the pain. I've got a job as a coach to evaluate the ability to execute the things that we're asking of each of the positions, not exclusive to the quarterback and some of those things may be a factor, maybe they're not, but it's all part of the evaluation as you move towards it. And so, I think the pain is separate from the ability to have the functionality of what that entails. That's kind of what I would say, but as far as the messaging, it's always about as we get closer to it, as we really start to get into this preparation, the first thing I'm going to do is sit down and talk with those guys about the direction that we're leaning once you get an idea of another day removed from the game, having a better idea of what that health status looks like of those guys. We always make sure that we're communicating with them and then make the best decisions for the team accordingly. Sometimes those things are good for everybody, but you can't always accommodate everybody, but that's what my job is. I'm going to be clear, open, and honest and upfront about it and that's what this week will entail as well, just like I think last week was."
(On what his mental process is week-by-week going through this quarterback situation)
"Just taking them through exactly what my thinking is. It's not even really a process, it's clearly communicating kind of the thought process and how you come to decisions and where you're at with how those decisions are being made to try to create a clear understanding and sometimes those things might be agreed on, sometimes they might not be, but that's the responsibility that you have, but that's really what I would say. Really with any player, like I've said, not exclusive to the quarterback."
(On how he will prepare for the cold conditions in Green Bay)
"I think all those things are things that are worth really figuring out and thinking through. So, it's definitely something that we've got to be considerate of while also kind of realizing that we are out here and we've got to be able to handle it, especially with just the limited opportunities we've had to play in those settings. They've got to play in it too and we look forward to it and it'll be a great setting for us on Saturday night."
(On if there is an advantage or a disadvantage to knowing the opposing coach as well as he knows Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur)
"I think what it is, is it gives you a perspective of why they've done such a good job. You're not surprised. I don't know that you'd say advantage or disadvantage. I think it's just when (Packers Head Coach) Matt (LaFleur) got the opportunity to go there, the last thing I was surprised by was the success that he had. He's a great coach. He's a great friend of mine. You're so happy to see that success. It's pretty crazy that we're getting an opportunity to play against one another, really our teams are getting to play each other in the divisional round. That's going to be the most important thing, is the Rams versus the Packers and we'll see if we can go and get after Matt a little bit. It'll be fun."
(On what he believes makes WR Devante Adams such a difficult target to contain)
"Yeah, he could do everything. I think he's one of those guys, you see guys get parallel at the line of scrimmage, verse bump, work edges. He can play outside. He can play in the slot. He can run after the catch. He can track the ball down the field. There are no limitations in what he can do, but I just think his consistent, aggressive hands, the rapport that he and (Packers Q Aaron (Rodgers) have. Like I guarantee to you this guy's an unbelievable basketball player too. I mean, when you watch him get parallel and work edges on people at the line of scrimmage, when people come up and try to bump him, it's almost like you can envision Allen Iverson crossing somebody up with a basketball in his hands. He's just got great body control, (inaudible) acceleration, good ability to get in and out of cuts. I mean, this guy, his numbers are what they are because he's a special player. Matt does a great job moving him around and I think the rapport that you see that exists between he and Aaron is second to none."
(On if Wolford is in concussion protocol this week)
"He's not, no. It was a stinger, so it was a neck injury. He's not in the concussion protocol. So, that's where he's at right now."
(On if OL Bobby Evans will be the replacement at left guard for Edwards if he can’t go)
"He would. Yeah. I thought (OL) Bobby (Evans) did a nice job. Bobby's a guy that when he's had his opportunities to play, he has always come in, played well. One of the things when you watch him, I love his play energy. He's got just a great juice about himself. You can see he's one of those guys that he's a physical, tough football player, but he enjoys playing out there. You can see when you just watch how excited he gets when good things happen. I was really pleased with what Bobby did and that was reflective of what he did when he came in and started at right tackle last year for us. You know it's not too big for him and I think he's done a really nice job playing at that guard position for us this year."
(On if Goff’s reps will be limited this week due to his thumb injury)
“I don’t know about that. I think you’ve got to continue to monitor it. The good thing is, when you talk to (Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott) and from talking to Jared afterwards, it didn't sound like he had any actual setbacks in terms of the pain, kind of like what we were talking about. So, don't know that that would necessarily be the approach. I think you want to just figure out strategically what's going to be the best way for us to put together a plan for our offense to have success against what I know is a really tough defense and (Packers Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Mike) Pettine does an excellent job.”
(On if he knew about the team’s capability to galvanize)
“Yeah, no question. I mean, it was something we needed yesterday. I don't know that I was surprised though, because this is a resilient group. I think the leaders and even some of the guys that had to go out of the game, have done an excellent job of really providing leadership in their rooms so that those guys are truly ready to step up and kind of follow that next-man up mentality and mindset. I thought the coaches did a nice job just being able to handle it, have those other guys ready. So, I think that's a great representation of the collaboration and ultimately the players are the ones that came in and made the plays and did a great job. But. I also think it's a credit to the coaches, having their entire groups prepared and ready to go and seamlessly adjust and adapt, which I think is necessary. It was especially relevant for us yesterday.”
(On if he will keep a quarterback decision under wrap this week)
“Really where we're at right now, is you've got two guys that are legitimately banged up a little bit. Last week, that was definitely the approach. This week, you're really saying, ‘All right, let's kind of gather our thoughts.’ Just found out who we're going to play. Let's collaborate with the coaches and then sit down and really think through what's going to be the best way to approach it for players given the health and then everything else that goes into that.”
(On if Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley will meet with the Chargers and Jets as previously reported)
“He spent some time with both those teams today, earlier this afternoon. Sounded like it was an enjoyable visit with both groups. Now I know his full focus and concentration is on the Packers. I think it's a real credit. You guys know how highly I think of (Defensive Coordinator) Brandon (Staley). He has done an outstanding job and I was happy to hear that he felt like it was good opportunities to be able to sit down on Zoom, I guess, and meet with those groups. Now, this guy was jacked up, I was on the phone with him before this about getting ready for the Packers and the challenge that will be for us this week.”
(On any specific plays he remembers creating with Coach LaFleur)
“I don't necessarily know that it's a concept. I think it's more of a philosophical approach to how you operate offensively. You guys have heard me talk about it, the marriage of the run and the pass, being able to move the spot with the play-actions, the keepers, how you want to spread people out, how you want to run the football. What I think is really cool is, you've seen Matt still keep the same philosophical approach while adjusting and adapting to the players’ skillsets and shrinks that he has in Green Bay. He has done a great job of really still well, like a smart coach does, have Aaron have a huge input in a lot of the things that have enabled him to be so successful prior to them working together. Then you've really seen their collaboration and their connection come to life. I mean, they've had 26 wins, really are 13 wins each of the last two years together, it's a real credit to what he's done. Those 26 wins in the regular season and then they went to Divisional game against the Seahawks last year. It's unbelievable what they've accomplished, it's a real credit to the rapport. I think it's just the overall approach that I've enjoyed kind of learning from Matt and really, when I got with Matt and (49ers Head Coach) Kyle (Shanahan), Coach (Mike) Shanahan in Washington, they had already been together in Houston before. I was coming in and learning and I think that was really such a valuable time for me to be around those guys. There was a commitment, there was a belief in how you want to do things. I think having an identity is a really important thing to establishing something offensively. You can really see that identity come to life when you flip the Packers tape on and that's a real credit to Matt, their coaches and their players.”
(On if he sees any familiar players from their time working together pop up on tape)
“Oh yeah. No, I joke with him about running plays that we ran the previous week the next week and I'll steal from him too. So, we definitely give each other a good time. But, there's a handful of plays that I think each of us have run over the last couple years that we've copied from one another.”
--RAMS--
January 10, 2021
Head Coach Sean McVay
Head Coach Sean McVay
(Opening statement)
"First off with (Q
John Wolford, he has a stinger, he'll be day-to-day. We'll monitor him and see what his status is for this week. (OL) Dave Edwards has Achilles tendonitis, so he'll be day-to-day. We'll see how he makes it through the week, if he's going to be available or not. (DL) Aaron (Donald) had a rib. We'll be smart with him throughout the week, but I do think that if there's anything that he's going to do, he's going to do everything in his power to be ready to go, don't expect that to affect his game status for this week. (OL) Andrew Whitworth made it through the game. When we went up 30-13, I thought he did a great job competing throughout and wanted to make sure we were smart with him, but we're going to rest him and progress as needed throughout the course of the week but do expect him to be ready to go. And then, (WR) Cooper Kupp had bursitis of his knee, we're going to just monitor that day-to-day for him and hopefully get that swelling and inflammation down, with the anticipation and the hope to have him ready to go. So, that's kind of where those guys that ended up coming out of the game yesterday. Looking forward to the opportunity to compete against the Packers this week. We know it's going to be a great challenge. They're the one seed for a reason. As far as for the quarterback, we're going to take it a day at a time with both of those guys. Really, John coming off the stinger, (Q Jared (Goff) still recovering from the thumb. I'm not going to make any statements, kind of like we had talked about yesterday. We're going to just take that a day at a time as we move forward and progress closer towards Saturday against the Packers."(On what his message to the team will be this week)
"I think it's, let's handle our business. Let's be consistent with our rhythm and routine. Fortunately for us, having a short week last week, it'll feel like a normal week. Because we played yesterday, today’s like Monday, tomorrow will be like Tuesday and so, we'll basically treat what you know when we play on Sunday as a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, that'll just be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for us. We'll travel up Friday. It will be cold, but it'll be a great change of pace for us. We're excited about the opportunity to still be in this thing and to go compete to the best of our ability."
(On clarifying DL Aaron Donald’s rib injury)
“It's a rib right now. That's really all I can say.”
(On what he needs to see from Goff and Wolford to determine who will be starting)
“I think I want to just be able to see their health. That's the first thing and then we'll just kind of go from there.”
(On if WR Cooper Kupp suffered bursitis from one particular play)
“I'm not sure. I think he had hit it earlier in the game. I think it was a combination of you hit it again and then that thing ends up swelling up if you hit it in the right spot. That was kind of my understanding of what occurred.”
(On what stands out to him from the Packers)
“Great football team, obviously. I think they're playing really well in all three phases. It's why they're the one seed. I follow them very closely because of my relationship with (Packers Head Coach) Matt (LaFleur). It's well-documented how well they played offensively. (Packers Q
Aaron (Rodgers) is playing like Aaron’s played, it's unbelievable. (WR) Davante Adams, you look at the amount of skill players that they get involved while they play upfront. They're explosive. They can beat you in both phases. I think their defense is playing really well, special teams. I've always been impressed with anytime that you go 13-3 back-to-back years, it's a real credit to the job Matt's done and their ability to really play complementary football, win in a variety of ways. It's something that we will really jump into, because we had to kind of clean up our stuff, see where we're at and start to really evaluate ourselves as we move forward without truly knowing the opponent based on the outcome of that game that we just saw. That was kind of where, after this conversation, that'll really represent the start of the preparation for the Packers for us and our coaching staff.”(On the Rams top-ranked defense versus the Packers top-ranked scoring offense)
“It's a great matchup. Our defense has done a great job, but I have tremendous respect for these coaches, these players and what they've done for the Packers. This is what you love. These are the type of matchups and opportunities that as a competitor, you can't wait for. We have to take it a day at a time and have a great week of prep.”
(On if Goff suffered any setbacks to his thumb after playing in yesterday’s game)
“I don't think so. I don't think he has any setbacks. I think you continue to monitor and progress. I think he said that it didn't bother him too much, so that's a positive.”
(On if Goff will start in Saturday’s game if he continues to progress without any setbacks)
“Like I said, I'm going to take it a day at a time. It affected him yesterday. I mean, if you watch the game, it did. It might not have been painful, but it was something that – he did a great job battling and being ready to go. There were some things that he typically is able to execute that it seemed like they were a factor.”
(On if the weather in Green Bay will impact his decision for quarterback)
“I'd have to get a clear understanding of exactly – obviously, it makes it a little bit more difficult to grip the football just in general. But if he's not having any issues with it, everything that we're going to do leading up to this week, we will take a lot of things into consideration to try to make the best decisions. There's a lot of layers to it and that’s exactly what this will reflect.”
(On if he is more likely to have a third quarterback active this week)
“I think that's a possibility, something that we would explore, especially just given the circumstances that's definitely something that we've talked about and we'll heavily consider this week.”
(On if RB Cam Akers was able to run the ball more due to OL Andrew Whitworth returning from IR)
“I thought, really, we played physical upfront. I thought (R
Cam (Akers) did a great job. I thought the tight ends, receivers – I thought it was really a good reflection of the entire unit. Cam was outstanding. I thought, being able to make some of their players miss the hole when they're unblocked, I mean, he's a special player. But you could see, (OL) Andrew (Whitworth) brings a spark to our team, to our offense. He was physical. You can really see it show up early on in the game. I thought you could just feel his energy throughout, and it was great to have him back. I think there was a lot of contributing factors. I think you get (WR Cooper) Kupp back in it. Cam's a week removed from that ankle and it certainly isn't too big for this guy. He was having fun, doing his thing and I think that's a great credit to him, but also the other 10 (players) around him and that's why you love being able to run the football and what that represents for playing good team ball.”(On if Kupp had his knee drained or if they’re waiting for it to decompress)
“That's something that we'll talk about. I'm not going to get into the specifics of exactly how he's being treated. That is a possibility to make that as minimal of an impact on his ability to play this week.”
(On how he balances the messaging between him and Goff about his injury and decision of who starts at quarterback)
"The No. 1 thing, I never want him to be anything but honest and upfront with you guys. My understanding was he's telling you guys about the pain. I've got a job as a coach to evaluate the ability to execute the things that we're asking of each of the positions, not exclusive to the quarterback and some of those things may be a factor, maybe they're not, but it's all part of the evaluation as you move towards it. And so, I think the pain is separate from the ability to have the functionality of what that entails. That's kind of what I would say, but as far as the messaging, it's always about as we get closer to it, as we really start to get into this preparation, the first thing I'm going to do is sit down and talk with those guys about the direction that we're leaning once you get an idea of another day removed from the game, having a better idea of what that health status looks like of those guys. We always make sure that we're communicating with them and then make the best decisions for the team accordingly. Sometimes those things are good for everybody, but you can't always accommodate everybody, but that's what my job is. I'm going to be clear, open, and honest and upfront about it and that's what this week will entail as well, just like I think last week was."
(On what his mental process is week-by-week going through this quarterback situation)
"Just taking them through exactly what my thinking is. It's not even really a process, it's clearly communicating kind of the thought process and how you come to decisions and where you're at with how those decisions are being made to try to create a clear understanding and sometimes those things might be agreed on, sometimes they might not be, but that's the responsibility that you have, but that's really what I would say. Really with any player, like I've said, not exclusive to the quarterback."
(On how he will prepare for the cold conditions in Green Bay)
"I think all those things are things that are worth really figuring out and thinking through. So, it's definitely something that we've got to be considerate of while also kind of realizing that we are out here and we've got to be able to handle it, especially with just the limited opportunities we've had to play in those settings. They've got to play in it too and we look forward to it and it'll be a great setting for us on Saturday night."
(On if there is an advantage or a disadvantage to knowing the opposing coach as well as he knows Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur)
"I think what it is, is it gives you a perspective of why they've done such a good job. You're not surprised. I don't know that you'd say advantage or disadvantage. I think it's just when (Packers Head Coach) Matt (LaFleur) got the opportunity to go there, the last thing I was surprised by was the success that he had. He's a great coach. He's a great friend of mine. You're so happy to see that success. It's pretty crazy that we're getting an opportunity to play against one another, really our teams are getting to play each other in the divisional round. That's going to be the most important thing, is the Rams versus the Packers and we'll see if we can go and get after Matt a little bit. It'll be fun."
(On what he believes makes WR Devante Adams such a difficult target to contain)
"Yeah, he could do everything. I think he's one of those guys, you see guys get parallel at the line of scrimmage, verse bump, work edges. He can play outside. He can play in the slot. He can run after the catch. He can track the ball down the field. There are no limitations in what he can do, but I just think his consistent, aggressive hands, the rapport that he and (Packers Q
Aaron (Rodgers) have. Like I guarantee to you this guy's an unbelievable basketball player too. I mean, when you watch him get parallel and work edges on people at the line of scrimmage, when people come up and try to bump him, it's almost like you can envision Allen Iverson crossing somebody up with a basketball in his hands. He's just got great body control, (inaudible) acceleration, good ability to get in and out of cuts. I mean, this guy, his numbers are what they are because he's a special player. Matt does a great job moving him around and I think the rapport that you see that exists between he and Aaron is second to none."(On if Wolford is in concussion protocol this week)
"He's not, no. It was a stinger, so it was a neck injury. He's not in the concussion protocol. So, that's where he's at right now."
(On if OL Bobby Evans will be the replacement at left guard for Edwards if he can’t go)
"He would. Yeah. I thought (OL) Bobby (Evans) did a nice job. Bobby's a guy that when he's had his opportunities to play, he has always come in, played well. One of the things when you watch him, I love his play energy. He's got just a great juice about himself. You can see he's one of those guys that he's a physical, tough football player, but he enjoys playing out there. You can see when you just watch how excited he gets when good things happen. I was really pleased with what Bobby did and that was reflective of what he did when he came in and started at right tackle last year for us. You know it's not too big for him and I think he's done a really nice job playing at that guard position for us this year."
(On if Goff’s reps will be limited this week due to his thumb injury)
“I don’t know about that. I think you’ve got to continue to monitor it. The good thing is, when you talk to (Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott) and from talking to Jared afterwards, it didn't sound like he had any actual setbacks in terms of the pain, kind of like what we were talking about. So, don't know that that would necessarily be the approach. I think you want to just figure out strategically what's going to be the best way for us to put together a plan for our offense to have success against what I know is a really tough defense and (Packers Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Mike) Pettine does an excellent job.”
(On if he knew about the team’s capability to galvanize)
“Yeah, no question. I mean, it was something we needed yesterday. I don't know that I was surprised though, because this is a resilient group. I think the leaders and even some of the guys that had to go out of the game, have done an excellent job of really providing leadership in their rooms so that those guys are truly ready to step up and kind of follow that next-man up mentality and mindset. I thought the coaches did a nice job just being able to handle it, have those other guys ready. So, I think that's a great representation of the collaboration and ultimately the players are the ones that came in and made the plays and did a great job. But. I also think it's a credit to the coaches, having their entire groups prepared and ready to go and seamlessly adjust and adapt, which I think is necessary. It was especially relevant for us yesterday.”
(On if he will keep a quarterback decision under wrap this week)
“Really where we're at right now, is you've got two guys that are legitimately banged up a little bit. Last week, that was definitely the approach. This week, you're really saying, ‘All right, let's kind of gather our thoughts.’ Just found out who we're going to play. Let's collaborate with the coaches and then sit down and really think through what's going to be the best way to approach it for players given the health and then everything else that goes into that.”
(On if Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley will meet with the Chargers and Jets as previously reported)
“He spent some time with both those teams today, earlier this afternoon. Sounded like it was an enjoyable visit with both groups. Now I know his full focus and concentration is on the Packers. I think it's a real credit. You guys know how highly I think of (Defensive Coordinator) Brandon (Staley). He has done an outstanding job and I was happy to hear that he felt like it was good opportunities to be able to sit down on Zoom, I guess, and meet with those groups. Now, this guy was jacked up, I was on the phone with him before this about getting ready for the Packers and the challenge that will be for us this week.”
(On any specific plays he remembers creating with Coach LaFleur)
“I don't necessarily know that it's a concept. I think it's more of a philosophical approach to how you operate offensively. You guys have heard me talk about it, the marriage of the run and the pass, being able to move the spot with the play-actions, the keepers, how you want to spread people out, how you want to run the football. What I think is really cool is, you've seen Matt still keep the same philosophical approach while adjusting and adapting to the players’ skillsets and shrinks that he has in Green Bay. He has done a great job of really still well, like a smart coach does, have Aaron have a huge input in a lot of the things that have enabled him to be so successful prior to them working together. Then you've really seen their collaboration and their connection come to life. I mean, they've had 26 wins, really are 13 wins each of the last two years together, it's a real credit to what he's done. Those 26 wins in the regular season and then they went to Divisional game against the Seahawks last year. It's unbelievable what they've accomplished, it's a real credit to the rapport. I think it's just the overall approach that I've enjoyed kind of learning from Matt and really, when I got with Matt and (49ers Head Coach) Kyle (Shanahan), Coach (Mike) Shanahan in Washington, they had already been together in Houston before. I was coming in and learning and I think that was really such a valuable time for me to be around those guys. There was a commitment, there was a belief in how you want to do things. I think having an identity is a really important thing to establishing something offensively. You can really see that identity come to life when you flip the Packers tape on and that's a real credit to Matt, their coaches and their players.”
(On if he sees any familiar players from their time working together pop up on tape)
“Oh yeah. No, I joke with him about running plays that we ran the previous week the next week and I'll steal from him too. So, we definitely give each other a good time. But, there's a handful of plays that I think each of us have run over the last couple years that we've copied from one another.”
--RAMS--
