Transcript

(Opening Statement)
“(I) don't have an injury update from (Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott), yet. Our players are still trickling in as you guys can imagine. Unbelievable job by our guys last night to find a way. Certainly, wasn't the cleanest or the prettiest, but I think it was a statement from the guys to be able to bond together and make enough plays to be able to get it done. Now we got to figure out the logistics of this week. It's basically like kind of a modified Thursday approach. Guys are going to have to turn their bodies over quickly. We're having to reshuffle a lot of the facilities to make sure that we accommodate all the things with safe protocols. And so, (I) want to be able to answer all your questions, but we are flying and trying to make sure that I handle all the things that are necessary in the meantime.”
(On if he has a sense that a couple more guys might come back from the COVID list)
“I think that's the hope. What I would say is, the levels have not really been indicative of when you can expect guys to come back or not, because (OL Von Miller was somebody that I would've never guessed was going to be available, and he did. So, those levels are very misleading based on some of the potential projection. So, I put zero stock in those levels based on how the last couple days have come about. But (OLB Ogbonnia) Obo (Okoronkwo) and (S Terrell) Burgess were cleared this morning. Those are two guys to add to the list. (OL) Rob Havenstein’s ten-day window expired, so he is back. And then we're continuing to get the results of the other guys that are still out.”
(On if the plan is to work remotely or at the facility this week)
“I want to be able to get the guys in and try to make sure that we have safe precautionary measures to do stuff in person where you can have all those measures in alignment with making guys feel comfortable. But I think it’s very important if we can, in a safe setting to get the guys in person. You get so much more out of the meetings and the interpersonal interactions that can occur there. Especially with us having to really condense four days of prep into two. This is very similar to a Thursday game given the fact that Saturday is Christmas. Want to be considerate giving guys some time with their families on that morning before we travel as well.”
(On if it’s too soon to ask for a general take on the challenge of the Vikings)
“It is, yeah. I'm going to start really getting into that. It's been a whirlwind, so yes. I'm not prepared to probably answer that in a fair manner.”
(On what’s gone into TE Brycen Hopkins development considering his first NFL catch yesterday)
“(Tight Ends/Pass Game Coordinator) Wes Phillips did a great job with him. He's got skills. He's a strong, explosive, twitchy athlete. (I) thought it was a big-time play that he made on third down - being able to run a shell cross. He kind of ended up winning at the line of scrimmage on his release. (Q Matthew (Stafford) gave him a good ball and turned a four, five-yard catch in and nine yards and then moved the sticks. So, hopefully we'll continue to just see him grow. He's gotten a lot more snaps these last couple weeks and was happy for him to be able to get that one under his belt.”
(On how RB Darrell Henderson is feeling after the game health-wise)
“He was good. One of those was kind of misleading where you catch a checkdown. You get off balance and you're kind of getting ready to square your shoulders up and you get caught off guard. It looks like a bigger shot than really what it is. He's a tough guy. (I) think more than anything, it was just getting his wind

underneath him yesterday. But (R Sony (Michel), we were kind of riding the hot hands. Sony did a great job, but you can expect (R Darrell (Henderson) to get healthier and healthier and look more and more explosive with his opportunities moving forward.”
(On if recent circumstances have enabled his team to rally and bond together)
“Yeah. I think that's the only way that you can look at it because that's the hand that you're dealt. And these are the circumstances that we're having to deal with in the moment. In an ideal world, would you like to be able to get some more time on the grass, fundamentals, techniques, things of that nature? Of course, but we've got to maximize the things that we can control and maximize really the moment. And so, I think the guys have done a good job rallying around one another. If anything, a lot more guys have gotten an opportunity to contribute than maybe in another situation or scenario other than really injuries. So, our guys have handled it really well, and it's one of those deals that it's out of our control. So, we're going to do the best we can with that hand that we're dealt. And here comes another week for no excuses, but we just got to be able to manage it in the best way to give ourselves the chance to go get our 11th win against a great football team in the Minnesota Vikings.”
(On what the depth of his roster allowed him to do in terms of getting contributions from all of the guys)
“I think a lot of guys have been asked to step up. I mean, you look at (OL) Bobby Evans - I thought he competed well. Certainly, it wasn't perfect by any stretch, but he’s a tough kid. He's resilient. And for him to really come in where the only thing he was able to do was a walk through - in essence the day before the game - and then play right tackle where he really has been kind of working on the interior parts of the line, I think it's a real credit to him and (GM) Les (Snead) and his group have helped really established depth. And I think (Offensive Line Coach) Kevin Carberry deserves a lot of credit as well. You look at the way (OL) Coleman Shelton played in the two weeks that (C) Brian Allen missed. It's good getting Brian back. You look at the way that Bobby Evans was able to step in the way (OL) Joe Noteboom stepped up. So, we've had a lot of key contributions from really some of the depth on our line in particular that I think has really been a great reflection of that group, but also Carberry and (Offensive Assistant) Zak Kromer and (Offensive Assistant) Nick Jones.”
(On how the players have approached and handled the uncertainty of this past week)
“It's been really impressive. I think there's a real credit to the ‘above the neck’ approach and the guys that know how to apply it. I think that's one of the things that is really a great separator between these veterans...(inaudible)...done it at a high level. Then some...(inaudible)...very instrumental and play ball within the framework of your assignments, snap in and snap out. (C Jalen (Ramsey) - he's a rare outlier that can come in and do those types of things. But I think Jalen would be the first to tell you, he loves to practice. When you watch the way this guy competes, he knows that these are ops for him to be able to get better, perfect his craft. And even whether it's (DL) Aaron (Donald), whether it's Jalen, (Q Matthew (Stafford), (WR) Cooper (Kupp) - all of our best players - those guys would still tell you that the work throughout the course of the week is vital, but there are some rare guys that could come out and still play at a really high level, even in the absence of that work and Jalen is certainly one of them.”
(On how much the uncertainty of the availability of some players limited the coaching staff as far as game planning and ability)
“I don't want to make an excuse. We kind of had two plans in place. So, we were a little bit more - I don't want to say (inaudible)- but you were a little bit more limited in terms of some of the inventory and different things that you can explore. But that was the approach that we took and we found a way and our players ultimately found a way to deliver and get it done. What this week looks like is what we're in the midst of figuring out. There were some challenges, but I thought our coaches and our players handled it really well and that's a credit to them.”
(On why Kupp has been able to thrive this season)
“I think like any great player, they're so conscientious. He's extremely talented, but the way that he works at it, you can't help but get better. I always talk to our players. You either get better, you get worse, you never stay the same. Cooper is a guy that the way that he intentionally approaches every single day, you can't help but get better. And then I think he is just such a great football player. He's got such a high football

IQ. He's got the ability. And then I think he and Matthew have a really special rapport. He is so smart. We're able to move him around and get him in a variety of different spots, but he and Matthew have a great rapport. I think the other 10 guys around him have played well, but it's just a real credit to everything that goes into becoming a special player and really seeing it all come to fruition like he's done in these fourteen games up to this point.”
(On how critical it is for the growth of a wide receiver to have a great relationship with their quarterback)
“It's vital. You look at it, any great connection you see, a great rapport that exists. Whether you look at Cooper and Matthew, whether you look at (Packers QB Aarons) Rogers and (Packers WR) Devante Adams, any great pairing, there's a great rapport that exists. It's vital to be able to have anything that is sustainable over time, and certainly it looks like those two guys are off to a great start their first 14 games together.”
(On if practicing at SoFi is still a possibility with the rain coming)
“That's kind of part of what I'm dealing with. I don't think so. I got to find out a little bit more about that. But we're in the midst of trying to get this tent up. Because we'll be limited in terms of the type of practice that it'll be with really for these guys body clocks, tomorrow will really be like a Tuesday. So not thinking that and really on Friday being Christmas Eve, there's some obstacles that I think will get in the way. And I'm hopeful that we'll still be able get our work done at the facilities, but I am in the midst of working through that as we speak.”