I believe this is the first time you fed three times. So having prepared for them place already, albeit last year, does it make this week a little bit more easy.
I mean, I don't think so. Obviously, it's a new year. The situation of this game is a little different. Uh, the personnel is a little different. They had they have guys that we haven't faced. So there's all that in the in the in the in the play. So I think it's different for sure. And so that's how I'm looking at it. And I think that's really the reality of it. And so they're they're a good team. So you know, we're not going in thinking, oh, we beat
these guys however many times before. It isn't like that. You know, this is a new game, new team, and that's how we're looking at it.
I don't describe your.
Man. Yeah, I have all the confidence in the world in the NBA. He you watched the film, The separation that he creates. You know, you get the ball in his hands obviously, the second gear that he has to to, you know, pull away from DB's or whoever's on the field. He does it all and I think he's just one of the most underrated receivers. I think in the NFL we have so many playmakers like kid Old, McCaffrey, Debo, But Ba and what he's done and his production as
a as a receiver, he's got it. And so I have all the confidence in the world and him man, and and he's always where he needs to be and as a quarterback, that's all you could ask for.
So he feels like you feel that have a really good feel for how he's going to run every route. How do you get to that place with the receiver, and how did you make it work with him specific?
Yeah, I mean I know people say this all the time, but it's his reps on reps, you know practice. It started out I think in camp for us when I got back, it was just you know, studying how Ba runs, how he breaks in and out of breaks. You know, he's different from Debo, he's different from George, and so sort of just take note of that. And then Ba's just got length, man, he's got range, and so knowing I know where where he can get to and where I shouldn't throw the ball and where he's not going
to be. So and then obviously the games and stuff and the experience that we had last year together. We we've built on that. I feel like, but throwing with anticipation is huge for me, and so he understands that. And when I let the ball go, he gets to where it needs to be and and we've made it happen.
So how he runs? What do you mean exactly that?
Yeah, like certain breaks. You know, there's receivers that run up and chop, chop and then break out, so it may take another you know, hitch or so with BA, I feel like he can cut on a dime and get in and out of things pretty quickly. And you know, and then just his speed, his explode, his explosion off the line gets DB's to push back and and that makes it easier too for to create separation. And as a quarterback, I can sort of see where he's going to be. It makes it easier for me. So those
are the little things. I mean, as a quarterback, what you look and study for on film at in your recovery.
Did you feel like you could throw a fifty yard.
Passive year right where you want?
Man, I'd probably say, you know, a couple of weeks before camp started, you know, there was times where I was ripping it around fifty yards to where I wanted it to be, you know, to do it consistently. I feel like that was you know, during camp, I was still trying to get to that point, build up that arm strength and everything and and and sort of work
out the fatigue kind of thing. So yeah, it's been it's been a work in progress, you know, starting back to camp, but for once the season hit, I was able to do it.
So, yeah, it feels stronger now than last year and then.
We really refresh.
Yeah, yeah, I do feel like, Yeah, just my pre and posts, you know, routine of throwing has allowed my
you know arm to get stronger. Just in general. You know, I've after the surgery, it was recover, but just my habits and stuff of what I've done, you know, in the NFL compared to college, like it's a night and day difference, and I feel like it has helped my arm you know, get stronger and so and then obviously with the bye week two that that was huge, you know, just to let my arm rest up and feel fresh again. So all of those components added in, I feel like my arm has yeah, gotten stronger.
For between series. What do you like to do or what's an essential part of what you do between the series on the.
Sideline, he said again, sorry, like.
Like between series and you're on the sideline watching the defense, what kinds of things do you like to do during that time to prepare you.
For the next series.
Yeah, I mean you come off and obviously look on the iPad of the pictures that we get, just like any other team, and we're going over you know, what we think they're doing and what our plan of attack is. And then you know, sort of just talk to the quarterbacks greasy of what they're thinking and what they're seeing in real time, not just on the iPad, picked their brain a little bit, and so to just regroup, breathe
a little bit, and take breathing like pretty seriously. And so from that moment on, just getting back into a state of mind of you know, going back out and making consistent decisions, the right decisions consistently. So that's what I do, is try to get my mind right and not try to be so consumed with how the other team is doing or anything. Just what what am I doing? What do I have to do on this next drive against the defense? So breathing pretty seriously, team and meditator
or yeah. I mean, like here within our team, we work with Ian and doctor Royer. You know, they do a great job with just teaching us, you know, how to breathe pretty consistently, and it sort of just helps, you know, with our heart rates and and being able to be in the present, you know, not getting caught up in what's going on around us, but being where we're at and there's like a you know, they just sort of teach us how to breathe and have consistent breath. So that helps me.
The off season that you guys want to really add the deep ball that was a kind of a priority for you. Why would why was that important and how do you think it may be has helped as offense kind of take another.
Step forward from Yeah, I mean, I think it's just another component you know, the defense you know, has to be aware about and respect in a sense. You can obviously open up a lot of other things when there's a threat of going deep, and that's just what that's what it is. You know, we we have a personnel where we can go deep and we have some speed, and so there's opportunities when the defense gives the right look for us and when we have the right play on.
Let's let it rip and let's take a shot. Let's take an opportunity. Even if it's not a completion, it's it's showing them like, hey, we can stretch the ball downfield. So yeah, something that we've obviously looked at on film and be like, we can do it. We have the personnel to do it. Let's take it serious and give it a go. So something that we looked at in the off season, and I mean we've always had, you know, a plan every game, you know, dating back to last
year and stuff. It's always been a thing. So we just got to be aggressive and take the right shots at the right time.
Are you seeing that, especially her recently since you've started very consistently.
Yeah, I mean, I think our offense has always done a good job within the short the quick game, the intermediate game. But to be able to hit some deep balls, yeah, I think it definitely does. Puts in the back of the minds of dbs like, man, they can they can go deep, and we got to respect it. And then it has opened up some things that I think, you know, we've seen the last couple of games the intermediate game looking looking pretty good, just in terms of the defense
respecting our deep ball. So I think it's true very early in your starting career, and what would the atmosphere like and how has that helped.
You prepare this week?
Yeah, I mean it's a great, great environment, hostile environment, and so it's just more about you know, being on top of your the details, the the pre snap operation, you know, speaking clearly in the huddle, breaking the huddle on time, making sure we're all on the on the right page with the snap points and not stuff. So it's it's crucial, especially when you're in that kind of environment.
There's a lot of easy ways to get distracted, and that crowd is obviously gonna do what they can to you know, try to get us off you know, off beat. And so yeah, it's it's one of those games where every single play matters. Every everybody has to be paying attention to detail because if not, you'll slip up and and it won't be pretty.
So yeah, throws, what kind of did you say you can't? I'm just due to your entry. Let you know, there are certain things you just couldn't do.
You I mean, you know anything that just you know made me really coil up and absolutely rip it you know, I feel like the quick game, the intermedia, all that kind of stuff I was able to do, but you know, to to really launch a ball or to I think roll left roll rolling left was sort of tough. And throwing on the run going to my left just the way I positioned my body and then it tweaking on that rib. So that was something that we sort of
accounted for. But you know, outside of that, I felt pretty good with the adrenaline of the game and stuff and was able to make it happen. So yeah, thanks guys,