Head coach Brian Daboll
Q: What's the vibe around the team today? What can you guys do, what's the message in terms of turning the page?
DABOLL: Well, that's what you need to do, but there are certainly a lot of guys that are hurting right now. Some physically. But they gave everything they had and we came up short. That was a tough one, make no mistake about it, but you've got to get back on your horse and get ready to play a very talented team that we just played two weeks ago. Look at the things that we didn't do quite as well and we'll get onto Philadelphia with the right mindset.
Q: Have you guys made a decision on the kicking situation yet, whether you would elevate Younghoe Koo or whether Graham Gano might be ready for the weekend?
DABOLL: We'll see where that goes here throughout the week.
Q: Looking at this game and maybe the Dallas game as far as just not being able to close out games. In your mind, what do you see being a common thread maybe between just kind of how, mentality-wise, how this game was almost eerily similar in terms of not being able to execute down the stretch the way you guys wanted to?
DABOLL: I would just say this, it's not about one play, one player, the offensive side, the defensive side, the kicking game. There's plenty of plays and opportunities that we had and we didn't end up making those plays. Get the results and there's a lot to learn from it. We played some good football for a while, but at the end of the day, we didn't finish the game.
Q: Defensively when you've gone back and looked at the tape, obviously we spoke about how it ended yesterday, but do you see anything different that you guys would want to do this week or just going forward which you guys can learn from, just how those last drives ended defensively?
DABOLL: Yeah, again, every game is different. So, this game was different than the Dallas game relative to what we played or how we played it. You're always learning and trying to do better.
Q: Specifically from this one though, what do you think you guys can learn from this as far as maybe any differences schematically? Or as you said before, you want (defensive coordinator Shane) Bowen to be more aggressive. Is there anything you can see that maybe you'd want to do differently?
DABOLL: Like I said, it's all three phases. There are plenty of plays that we had opportunities on, decisions we made. We can all be better.
Q: I'm sure you heard or saw that some of your players were upset about the idea of dropping eight and rushing three there on that first play of the final drive. What do you make of that and have you spoken to guys about that?
DABOLL: Look, there are plenty of plays that we had opportunities to make throughout, I'd say, the fourth quarter and we just came up short. So, it's not about one play. Like I said, it's not about one player. It's not about one specific side. It's a collective and I can do a better job.
Q: But when you have players upset about that and obviously it could be looked at as okay, do they have full confidence in the defensive coordinator and you guys as a whole as a coaching staff if they're looking at that and being critical of that specific decision? I know you said it's a different play call but the concept of not being aggressive is similar to the Dallas game. Does that concern you that they're upset about that?
DABOLL: Like I said, there are plenty of plays that were out there for us and we need to do a better job of that.
Q: When you're up 19 points, you go for the two-point conversion. What's the thought process behind that? There are a lot of people saying you should kick the field goal there because two touchdowns, two two-point conversions, that's 16. Then three, it gives them an opportunity to do it without scoring three touchdowns.
DABOLL: That's the decision that we made. That's what was on our chart and that's what we went with. That's what I went with.
Q: Do you have any update on any of the injury guys? (Safety Jevón) Holland, (cornerback Paulson) Adebo, (outside linebacker Brian) Burns?
DABOLL: Not yet, nope.
Q: One specific one that you mentioned slightly last night. Letting (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart) throw the ball, third-and-five. They had used two of their timeouts. You could run it and make them use a third timeout. You obviously put trust in your rookie quarterback, he threw an interception. What are all the things that you're thinking about there, the ramifications, the pluses and minuses?
DABOLL: I have confidence in Jaxson to go out like we did, similar, I'm not saying it's the exact same thing, but the Chargers game when he hit (tight end) Theo (Johnson) there. I thought we had a good play called. They had some pressure, kind of got tripped up, but I have a lot of confidence in him and that's why we called it.
Q: Is that basically a more physical error than a mental error? I mean, sometimes a young player just doesn't see the linebacker or something. He certainly saw it.
DABOLL: He was right in front of him. He saw him.
Q: He just did not get the ball over him, right? So you would call that a physical?
DABOLL: He was kind of tripping up over his feet and he threw it to him and the ball got away from it and they made a play. But I have a lot of confidence in him and our offense to go out there and execute at that particular time. I thought (assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike) Kafka had a good play call dialed up.
Q: That could really hurt a young player, throwing an interception then watching them take it 19 yards. They score quickly, now he's back on the field, Jaxson. What did he show you to not cave into that in a very tough situation? I mean, it's fourth-and-19, that series is going haywire, to get you guys down the field.
DABOLL: A lot of mental toughness and ability to execute under pressure, which was a big drive for us there. He contributed significantly to it on some of the plays that he made, whether creating it with his feet, holding on to the ball a little longer to give him time to get downfield. So again, things to learn from, from him, but tough environment, he played his butt off.
Q: Just along the lines with Jaxson. How do you evaluate a game like that from him in the lens of the collapse and the loss? How do you go about doing it?
DABOLL: Watch the tape, watch his decisions. I thought he did a lot of good things. That play got away from him, obviously, where we threw the pick. But had a lot of mental toughness, made a lot of good plays for us, gave us an opportunity to win against one of the better defenses on the road in a hostile environment, along with a lot of other guys. Obviously that one play hurt, but there are a lot of plays that helped get to where we were at.
Q: When you named him the starter, you sort of prepared everybody for the bumps and the learning curves and everything that would come along with a rookie quarterback. Is he ahead of where even you thought he might be four games in?
DABOLL: Look, we meet with him every week. He puts everything he has into it and he does everything he can possibly do to help put our team in good positions. He puts the time, the effort in, he's got talent. There are things to learn from, like I told you earlier, and that's what we continue to try to do.
Q: Are you considering any major changes, whether it's with a coach or a coordinator or a play caller, to your staff? Or are you just riding with the same guys you have?
DABOLL: Like I said, there's - no I'm not considering that. But we've all got to do a better job. It starts with me. There were plenty of opportunities to finish that game the way we wanted to and we didn't get the job done.
Q: About the play call on the interception, I understand, like you said, there was a situation a few games ago where it worked out doing this. But considering your lead with this time remaining in the game, why not put in a run that forces Denver to use their final timeout there because the clock is on your side?
DABOLL: Look, I thought the play call that Mike called was a good play call. I thought it was an aggressive call to make a good play against the right coverage, what we anticipated to get. Credit Denver, they made a play.
Q: I know you said you didn't have any specifics on injuries yet, but for the starters on defense that were banged up, Burns, I guess (outside linebacker) Abdul (Carter) at one point, Adebo and Holland, any idea whether those are expected to be more than potentially a one-week or a short-term thing?
DABOLL: I'll find out. They're all kind of getting looked at right now and I'll find out here tonight.
Offensive tackle Andrew Thomas
Q: When you guys look back at the film, obviously that fourth quarter sticks out. But that last drive you guys led with (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart), looking back at it, how impressed were you with how Jaxson showed some poise on that last drive?
THOMAS: Yeah, I thought he did a great job handling the pressure. Obviously, a tough environment to play in, two-minute drive to win the game, I thought he did a good job executing. You go back and watch the film, there are definitely some things we can clean up as an offense, but I thought all the guys fought hard.
Q: As an offensive line, you guys have obviously gotten better each and every week, it seems like, since you've come back. For three quarters, you guys seemed like you did a really good job kind of limiting this Denver defense. Does that feel like something you guys can build on even if the fourth quarter, they started to get a little bit more pressure?
THOMAS: I would say earlier on in the game, just from watching film, there are some things we can clean up, especially in the run game, some of our play action stuff. Then going later into the game, I think just communication. They brought a lot of pressure, communication between us, the backs, receivers, and hots and things like that just to make sure we're all on the same page.
Q: There was a lot of attention to your matchup with (Broncos outside linebacker Nik) Bonitto going into this game. He was leading the league in sacks. You certainly lined up across from him, but he also went to the other side at times. What goes through your mind as a run and pass protector and blocker when the sack leader is against you, and then he tries his luck on the other side of the line?
THOMAS: The beauty of playing offensive line is you have to play a complete game. Obviously, he's a great pass rusher and they're leading the league in sacks, but each play my mindset is to win my rep, use my technique regardless of who's in front of me, because we have to play a complete game.
Q: Do you notice that when the game's going on? He's there, he's there, he's there, and now someone else is there, and he's over there?
THOMAS: Yeah, you definitely notice when you're looking across, but especially with that environment, as loud as it was, I'm more focused on what's the cadence, what's the call, who's the Mike. Then after that, I'm just trusting my technique. You don't really have a ton of time to think about who's lined up across from you.
Q: In your long rehab, and obviously you couldn't do a lot of running or any running for a while, and things like that, is there anything you did that you think is helping you now as far as your upper body, your mind, your game plan, your physical presence, that maybe is helping now that your lower half is now where it should be?
THOMAS: I would say in the offseason, I did a ton of upper body stuff. That's all I could do for a while.
I don't know if it's helping or not, but I feel like I look stronger.
Q: Do you feel like you're playing stronger? The metrics that people are analyzing offensive linemen with are basically saying you're playing off the charts right now.
THOMAS: I really try not to get too caught up into that. Like I said, there are so many things I need to clean up, and the offense, we need to clean up. I just try to have that mindset and everything else will fall into place.
Q: But do you feel stronger? It's a leaning on another man's profession for you. Do you feel it sometimes that you're just physically stronger?
THOMAS: I wouldn't say much different from years prior. I think just making sure my technique is right, because those guys are strong and fast as well. I think it's more about technique and understanding my assignment.
Q: You've been here long enough where the old cliche about having to learn how to win, to win games, to be able to put games away. I'm just curious what that means to you when someone says that to you, and do you buy it? Do you think that there is something, the level of each individual team having to figure out what to do when the game is on the line?
THOMAS: I honestly don't think there is a secret sauce to winning. I think it's execution in moments that matter. That's really what it comes down to, and you don't make those plays, you lose. We've just got to figure out a way to do that. When the game is on the line, execute, do your job, and that's how you win.
Q: Is there any difference going in now, you're seeing a team for a second time. You're used to this, you've played in this division, I'm just curious, how much do you guys take from two weeks ago?
THOMAS: We'll definitely go back, watch the game. They'll definitely have adjustments for us, and we'll have some new things in as well. But like you said, divisional opponent, we know who we're going against. They know us. It's just about, like I said earlier, execution.
Inside linebacker Bobby Okereke
Q: When you go back to look at the film, I know we asked several, you and several guys this yesterday, but do you guys see ways where you would have liked to maybe have been more aggressive, maybe not just on the last drive, but in other plays, plays in the fourth quarter?
OKEREKE: I think from a play style perspective, yeah, just could have been more aggressive with our detail. Whether it's being a certain leverage, being tighter to a guy, envision a break in our coverages, some of those plays that went for eight or nine yards getting them down to four or five yards and kind of stopping them where they catch it. So that was kind of the, the emphasis going back, looking at the film, just when you get these fourth quarter games and both teams are tired and it really comes down to execution, you got to be aggressive with the details. And I think that's where we as players are excited to grow.
Q: Using this and also, yes, going back to the Dallas game, how much do you guys emphasize maybe more just trying to, like you said, finishing these games, you mentioned this is a four-quarter game. You mentioned that that's going to be important. How much are you guys emphasizing that the need to finish is maybe the biggest lesson from this game or just one of them?
OEKREKE: Yeah, like you said, might be the biggest lesson from this game. Obviously, it's an emotional loss, but with perspective there's lessons you can get in every game and to become the team we want to become. We got to go through some growing pains and mature and learning the lessons that in the fourth quarter, it really comes down to execution. Obviously, it's a physical game, guys are tackling and hitting, but that fourth quarter, both teams are tired, drives are going long. It really just comes down to execution and getting off the field. We saw in the film there's a couple plays, one play away where we could have turned the result.
Q: There was a video after the game of (outside linebacker) Brian Burns, obviously very upset, kind of with the rushing three dropping eight. (Defensive lineman) Dex (Lawrence) made a pretty well known that that wasn't probably his preference either. How much did you guys have to talk about that as a group? I mean, you're a team leader and stuff and making sure that everyone's on the same page and, and still not getting upset with everything else going around.
OEKREKE: I think that's part of the league. We're a bunch of fiery competitive dudes. Obviously, frustrations boil over in a tough emotional loss like that. The way the momentum was swinging, it was up and down. I think that's positive for us as a team to get those frustrations and emotions out. Us as grown men have the accountability to get better. We talked about it today. It's not one player, one coach, one position group. Everybody really had their hands in the pot in this loss. It's really just that aggressiveness of having the details to finish and having the urgency to finish because these games are going to come down to one score or less and you've got to win in the fourth quarter.
Q: Obviously Dallas was kind of similar at the end. So, you view it as an isolated thing. You're not worried about it being a bigger issue on a grander scale.
OKEREKE: No, I mean, every game, obviously there's plays that go one way or the other and you learn from it. When you have a growth mindset you don't get too high, you don't get too low. That's what we're preaching. You don't let one big play lead to two and you don't let one big loss lead to two. So, we're compartmentalizing this, making the corrections and we're excited for this coming week.
Q: And in your estimation, do you think that you feel like there's full support for (defensive coordinator) Shane (Bowen)? Like everybody's fully bought into what he's, what he's doing and why?
OKEREKE: 100 percent. We're all hands-on deck. We're all bought in. Everyone's got to look at the man in the mirror. It's easier to point the finger but from a team perspective, it's better to point the thumb and figure out what I can do better as an individual. So, that's what we're all about to do. And we're excited for this upcoming opportunity.
Q: With every call, I mean, what is the conviction a player must have in his heart and his head when the call is in that? That's not the call I would have made real quickly in real time. I don't love that call. I guess I'll play it or that's the call I'll play it to the best. You know what I'm saying? I mean, there has to be a conviction in your head that that's the call you're going to play, even though you might not always agree with it.
OKEREKE: For us as players, from our standpoint we all love playing football and we're very blessed to play this game, it provides for us and our family. Regardless of the call, regardless of the situation, um, you know, we get paid to play defense and we're extremely excited to play defense, whatever the coverage is, whatever the situation is, however, we got on the field, whoever's responsible. So, you got to have conviction. I mean, it's the NFL, guys are great. So, if you're playing, you know, trepidatious and maybe with some hesitation or doubt, guys get on, and you're going to get beat. So, we're all bought in. We have great conviction and we're just excited to make the corrections from this loss.
Q: The classic, the line about your first down play when you guys got on the field, it was rush three drop eight, right? There were weaknesses and strengths to every, every play call, right? What should happen there? Because rushing three, you're probably not going to get great pressure up front. Probably not. So, what should happen there?
OKEREKE: I think (head coach Brian Daboll) Dabs and Shane probably talked to you too, we were in a double robber situation. So, you got two free guys kind of sitting there looking for the in breakers. You got everybody outside leverage. You got me, man on the back and the backs chipping. So, obviously they're trying to neutralize our pass rush. And I think, like I said, this is a maturation process for our team. So just going to grow and understanding how they're trying to attack us in a two-minute situation like that, based off the time. I think time on the clock was maybe 37 seconds or something like that. That's a lot of time. You're thinking the game's almost over, they got no timeouts, but 37 seconds is a lot of time, especially with the new kickoff rule. And I mean, with kickers playing the way they are, they only got to get to the 45, to the 50. So, just understanding how teams are trying to attack you in two minutes. And obviously this is a painful lesson, but we're excited for the opportunity to grow from this.
Q: Obviously after the Dallas game, there were some similarities there and people inside spoke up that we wanted our defensive coordinator to be more aggressive there. And even Shane said, maybe I can be more, or I can't be more aggressive there. Then you see first down and it's rush three, drop eight. I mean, should a team be more aggressive there all the time? You know what I'm saying? I mean, you can see from a fan's perspective, they're saying we learned that lesson. Why didn't we, why did we repeat that mistake again here?
OKEREKE: Yeah, I think it's tough. It's based on situational. It's based on the flow of the game. You could say you can get in a similar situation and you, you rush six or seven and you have everybody isolated. One guy misses a tackle and he goes off and you're saying 'Why don't you have help?' So, we have great trust and conviction in Shane. I thought he put us in a great situation to execute in that situation. Just us as players, obviously in the fourth quarter, just got to have that aggressive mindset to be more detailed and just understand how they're going to attack us in those critical situations because it's, it's one play here or there that that'll turn the tide of the game.
Q: I'm just wondering as you watch the film, can you remember a game where there was such a disparity in just the sort of the tone that you guys played with for three quarters and then, and then it changed into the fourth quarter. I mean, you guys were really a physically dominant team most of this game. Thinking of the hits you had and (safety Dane) Belton had and (linebacker Abdul) Carter and Burns and, and those seem to go away. So, did that stand out to you when you watched the film and is that concerning at all?
OKEREKE: I would say from a play style perspective, like you said, we came out in the first three quarters and we played very physical, we played with great urgency. Once momentum shifted in the game, I feel like that's where we got to grow as a team and to stop the bleeding because this is the NFL. Everyone's professional. So, whether you get up on a team, three scores, and you feel like it's going to go your way, all it takes is one momentum shifting play for guys to start to believe in that, 'Oh, we can come back.' Especially at home, especially in the environment they were in. I think, like I said, it just comes down to execution and detail in the third and fourth quarters. At that point in time the physicality is still there in the game, but guys are fatigued. So, it's really catching the ball here, staying onsides here, eliminating a penalty here, executing a call here. So, like I said, we're all taking our individual responsibility. We all had our hand in the pot and we're excited to make the corrections this coming week.
