Head Coach John Harbaugh
Q: I want to go back to something you said yesterday about this is a player's win. Given everything that happened in the game, whether it was (Quarterback) Jameis (Winston) contributing when he came in, (Tight End Thomas) Fidone's first catch, (Inside Linebacker Micah) McFadden stepping up. How important would you say this game was with so many contributions from different players, in addition to the running backs and (Quarterback) J.J. (McCarthy) ?
JOHN HARBAUGH: That's probably the main point. Just so much contribution from all three phases and different players, all the different positions stepping up when they had to, players making plays, executing technique. I think it was our best execution game after watching the tape across the board. Certainly many things that we need to improve upon that we'll be very focused on going forward because we have to keep getting better, but this was our best all-around well-played football game as a team And that's the players, that's what the players do, they did a great job.
Q: And do you think it kind of sets the table going forward? You mentioned obviously the next two games are important and do you think the bye week kind of sets a great table, given you guys have lost so many guys to injury, that it shows what this team can do with guys stepping up and showing that they can move past those injuries?
JOHN HARBAUGH: It's just a matter of keep growing and keep building our execution and our ability to do things the right way at a high level. It takes that, it's a race. It's a marathon, but a marathon is, I've been told, is a series of sprints, one after another. That's really what we're doing, a series of sprints, so we'll get a little bit of a break here, grab some Gatorade and a granola bar at the table, and then we'll be back into the race when we get back.
Q: I'm curious about your philosophies when it comes to bye weeks, because you have the best winning percentage among head coaches after the bye, I don't know if you know that, but what do you think is going into that and what are the things that you're looking to evaluate and improve with this group?
JOHN HARBAUGH: We'll try to see where we're at, things we can improve upon. The guys are in today, film review, looking at the game, also getting a workout type of work, certain type of a workout, and we'll be in tomorrow again. We're going to have a developmental, we call it a keep ready practice, stay ready practice, keep ready, stay ready practice, also. We'll have that in kind of late morning tomorrow around another lift and we'll have a team meeting tomorrow, and then the guys will be away. We'll take advantage of that as much as we can, we have five full days plus a little bit for them to rest, recover, all three phases, you know, mind, spirit, body. And then we'll be back Monday afternoon to start on the Eagles.
Q: Is there any secret formula you feel like to being so successful after bye week?
JOHN HARBAUGH: No, not that I'm aware of. I think we just come back and play really well the week after the bye. That's the secret formula, play good football.
Q: Last week it just seemed like you and your assistant coaches, (Defensive Coordinator) Dennard (Wilson), were a little bit more vocal in terms of challenging guys openly as opposed to keeping that behind closed doors. I'm just kind of wondering what's the balance or the philosophy you have as far as openly challenging guys and how you go about challenging guys to get them to up their level of play?
JOHN HARBAUGH: I would have to say Dennard probably beat me on that one, wouldn't you say? As far as the openly, I think he got me by a little bit of a stretch there. To me, I don't know if it's philosophy so much. It's just a week to week feel thing with your guys. We have a bunch of good guys. Our guys understand that we have to confront everything that has to do with our football, and if we do that, that comes from a place of love because we care enough, we all care enough, and we need to hear it too, as coaches, and we did from our players. There are plenty of things that our players talk to us about that they want to see done better from a coaching perspective, and if we have that kind of relationship, that kind of partnership, coaches and players, to me, you just have a chance to be successful because you build trust that way. I just am appreciative of the fact that everybody in the building made it about what's important, which is the football. That's what we have to continue to do, and we will continue to do that. We've all seen it be successful. We have a long way to go, we have a lot of work to do, we're going to be playing some really tough games coming up here in the next few weeks, really physical, violent, tough games that are going to require our best football, our best execution. We're going to have to be at our best. November football is in front of us, and that's what we've got to be pointing towards.
Q: I don't suppose, in the interest of fairness, you're willing to share some of the feedback you got from the players, are you?
JOHN HARBAUGH: No, not really. In the interest of fairness? Well because the players were sharing? I will say this, there were some things about game planning in terms of like how much was on our plate in different kind of ways that we had to know, and I think first time through, we're trying to build in a lot of football that over time kind of adds up. We were probably getting in front of ourselves, getting over our skis a little bit, I would say maybe, in terms of just being on point with execution. We talked a lot about that, we did, we did talk a lot about that. Our coaches tried to do a good job of responding, and I thought the coaches did a good job too, in all honesty.
Q: Hey John, I know you went into the year trusting (kicker) Dominic Zvada as your guy. I'm curious your thoughts on his misses yesterday and lately, and do you think as an organization it's time to try out new kickers at this point?
JOHN HARBAUGH: We're not going to be doing that right now, no.
Q: With (running back Tyrone) Tracy hurt, obviously you have some guys banged up. How nice is it just to have the bye week now to be able to give guys a little extra time before playing again?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Well, it's coming at the right time for us. We've got a lot of metrics. (Director of High Performance) Sam Rosengarten does a great job. We've got a lot of people here that do a great job of keeping the guys in a performance place. I think our strength and conditioning coaches have been phenomenal. Our training staff has been phenomenal, led by (Head Athletic Trainer) Adam (Bennett) and that crew down there. They do a phenomenal job. Everybody's done a good job of keeping our guys in that kind of optimal performance place. When these weeks start to add up, these physical games, these extended games we've had, to be able to be as strong as we've been in the fourth quarter and the extra period has been really remarkable. I think it says a lot about the work ethic the guys have put in, but also about the science behind it. The people involved with that I think deserve a lot of credit. Just with that in mind, there was a plan going into the timing of when the bye week was going to be. We've hit it. Just from performance metrics, we were staying steady. We were even improving into the bye. There are a lot of little nicks and bumps and bruises and strains and stresses on guys' bodies that can use a little recovery time. I would say it did come at the right time in that sense.
Q: John, I realize you want your players focused on each game and each week, but how much do you talk to them about winning the division and making the playoffs? Is that something, as the season unfolds, you want them to consistently keep in mind?
JOHN HARBAUGH: I think they do keep it in mind. It's definitely always forefront because that's the ultimate goal. We'll bring it up every now and then, just answering the question in terms of how often, I don't really know. Whenever it comes up or comes to mind, it gets mentioned probably. It's more in context of what is the value of this game. What is the big picture value of this game? Why is this game so important? Why does this game matter? Why does this game require all of our attention? Because this game puts us in this position for what we're trying to accomplish ultimately. That's really the context of it. Our guys keep it in perspective, it really comes back to one play at a time. I know it's a cliche, but it's true. If you can do that and if you can lock in on one play, because it could be the play that makes a difference in the game, you have the best chance to be successful in that play. I think it all ties together, I guess is what I'm saying.
Q: Just to follow that, when you do speak about it, do you almost feel like with a team that hasn't done a lot of winning in recent years that you have to will it into existence or speak it into existence? Is it more of a challenge for a coach with a team that hasn't done that in a long time?
JOHN HARBAUGH: I don't know. I think it's good to speak, will, hope, pray everything into existence. I just believe that. Sure, I don't know if it matters what team it is, but what you're saying is exactly right. I believe in that wholeheartedly.
Q: I think I have this right, but your offense had three plays of 20-plus yards on offense, weeks one through three, second lowest in the league. And since then, weeks four through seven, you lead the league with plays of 20-plus yards at 24. Can you point to one or two things or credit anything for such a wide margin and how you got this offense to be so explosive?
JOHN HARBAUGH: That's a great question. I mean, I don't know. I didn't even know that we were number one since then. I didn't know, were we last or second to last, did you say?
Q: Weeks one through three, you were second to last with three.
JOHN HARBAUGH: So, at least we weren't worst to first. We were second worst to first. Yeah, it's a great question. I mean, I don't know. It's just the guys who made the plays deserve the credit. There were some great schemed up passes in there. We had some runs, but I think you look at the guys who were probably making the plays and give them the credit. The offensive line, first of all, for protection, quarterbacks making throws. (Wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) has obviously been a big part of that. I'm sure Isaiah's (tight end Isaiah Likely) been a big part of that. I feel like Malachi's (wide receiver Malachi Fields) had a couple of big plays, maybe he's in that mix. Skatt (running back Cam Skattebo), obviously, with the big runs this past game, it was a huge. Motor (running back Devin Singletary), I mean, it's just the guys making the plays, really. That's what it is.
Q: Hey, John, what did you think of the penalty call against Skattebo lowering his helmet? How do you coach a guy who's trying to play physical, right? I think he's trying to protect the ball. What did you think of the play or the call, and how do you guys discuss it internally after that?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Did you see me after the play? Did they show me expressing my opinion?
Q: I did.
JOHN HARBAUGH: That's how I felt about it. I don't know. I mean, I understand the idea, but I also understand human physiology and anatomy and the way the body works. Skatt runs low. You have to run low. You have to run low to protect the football. You have to run low to protect your body. You can't run in there and give tacklers your chest. When you run low, your head's down there, too. You can't move your head off your shoulders. It's a physical impossibility. I'm quite sure Skatt's not trying to use his helmet as a weapon, as a battering ram. It's not the way he's thinking. He's leading with his shoulder. That's what he's trying to do. He's trying to keep his head in a good, strong, upright position. But his pads are down there low. He runs low to the ground. That's a good thing, that's football. That's the way you're supposed to run. That's how you protect yourself and the football. So, I didn't have a problem with the technique personally at all, but we haven't heard from the league. Maybe they'll be able to enlighten us a little bit on it in terms of what they want us to teach, and that would be great.
Q: Did it catch you off guard that they actually called a penalty? Because sometimes those things, they just make it an emphasis. They fine it later, but they don't throw the flag. Did that catch you off guard?
JOHN HARBAUGH: It did. It certainly did, yes.
Q: John, I know you don't like to talk about injuries the day after the game, but how did you come out of your tackle of Motor?
JOHN HARBAUGH: (Laughter) Oh, yeah. Day-to-day right now. Day-to-day. Good thing we're not full speed tomorrow. No pads (laughter). But no, it's so bad. It's so terrible. As I was going down, all I could think was like, I mean, I just felt like a total non-athlete, over the hill, washed up. I don't know, man. I just felt so weak, so pathetic. But once we were on the ground laughing and enjoying the moment and celebrating the football joy moment of the touchdown run, it just made sense. It made all the sense in the world. So, it was just a great moment. I mean, that whole moment, it's funny because we talked about with our team, we talked about football joy. We talked about playing with joy. What is football joy? It's different than other kinds of joy. There's different kinds of joy. There's all kinds of different kinds of joys. When you get married or you have kids or, I don't know, you win the lottery. There's a lot of different kinds of joys, but football joy is different. It's kind of gritty. It's kind of tough. It's fierce. And that was a football joy moment. That was a football joy moment. That's why we do it. I think it's why the fans love it, love to watch it and be a part of it. And hey, we had a bunch of fans there too. I mean, the number of fans we had there, it was incredible. The Giant fans that were there cheering in that moment in the tunnel, man, they were all around the tunnel going into our locker room, going crazy after the game. It was a great football joy moment.
Q: And if I could just follow that up real quickly, it's not lost on us that it was the guy that you had benched a couple of weeks.
JOHN HARBAUGH: No, no, no, no, I refuse to acknowledge that term.
Q: Well, the guy who hadn't played.
JOHN HARBAUGH: Okay, fair enough.
Q: And a guy who was your starting quarterback also scored a touchdown. So, what does it say about the personality of players like that, the players that you have on the team now who don't take those things and sulk, but are ready when their number is called again?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, it says everything. Everything that you're implying and saying that it says is exactly what it says. And it says so much about them and who they are, the type of men they are, the type of mindset they have, the attitude, the approach to just doing everything possible to be successful, understanding that if things aren't working out for you, that's not the final say. You have the final say on everything ultimately, and they just do that. I mean, as you said, Motor's (Singletary) a great example that, Skatt's a great example that, Jameis is a great example that. And even the other guys. I mean, J.J. is a great example of that. Everybody's got their story, everybody's got their path. And that path invariably includes the very thing that you're talking about. For all of us, every single one of us on this on this call right now have had the same story, just a different iteration of it. And we are where we are now because we didn't quit. We didn't back down. We didn't sulk, as you said, so I'm just proud of the guys for that, but that's who they are. It's not anything other than their character shining through and I just have so much admiration for those guys for that very thing.
