Fred Warner: ‘Playing at Home is an Advantage’ | Press Pass

Just because I'm sure you can figure it out. Receivers and TIFFs.

Uh there. Uh Ki was just talking about Juwan in practice, you know, and just said the guy who were well, just like how a guy like he had to tell guys like that's just you know, how he blocks is not.

To do anything dirty.

What from a defensive perspective, are you like, buddy, it's practice, you need to cal him down a little or do you respect it because that's kind of your your tempo.

I mean, I don't know if I've ever seen him dump anybody in the gatorade in practice, but I mean that's just that's exactly who he is, throw and through. He plays the He plays a game exactly the way that that you wanted you wanted to be played, especially at that position. I mean, I've said it before. I think he's one of the best football players on our team.

Now compared to the guy.

A lot better, you know, not to say that he wasn't good when when we played him back, you know, when he was with the Rams, But I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now with the way that he's playing. You know, I think he finished what top three in passing yards this season and uh, you know, I think his just the delivery of the football, his decisiveness. Obviously, with the amount of playmakers that he has on that side, I think he's

And receiver Amara, what are your faults on that?

And how are you gonna cover here?

Yeah? I like him a lot.

I I love the way that he plays the game. You know, I think I met him for the first time or.

Was it last year at the Pro Bowl. I played with his older brother.

Back in high school uh in LA when we did seven on seven. I always remember seeing his little brother, just a fiery little cat like who was really talented, went to USC had a great career there, and now being with the Lions, he has a.

Chip on his shoulder. You know.

I think he got drafted in the fifth round or something like that, fourth round, and uh, you know he took that personally and he's been able to assent himself into the top tier of receivers receiver play in this league. Uh, really early in his career. And so he does things the right way. He could tell he plays hard, he practices hard, does things the right way, and uh, he's somebody that we're for sure gonna have to be aware of when we play them.

Right.

What challenge.

Uh, I think it a lot of challenges. I think it starts upfront with their offensive line. I think they have one of the best offensive line groups in the league. They have big guys who are athletic, who play with the right mindset along with the rest of their team. But then also you add the two headed monster with at the running back that they have with Montgomery and Gibbs. I think it's a one two punch. You got your

Is there?

Is that possibly.

Helpful in terms of yeah, I do see similarities, you know, just in terms of what they what they run, personnel, what they're trying to do, a lot of different weapons, trying to get ball, get the ball on everybody in everybody's hand, to make sure that you can't just stop one thing, like you got to make sure you cover all your bases.

Your third NFC game in a row, Championship game in a row, it will be the choice first.

What role does experience play on a game like Sundays.

Yeah, it could be used to our advantage.

But at the same time time, you know, my first NFC Championship game back in nineteen was my first one.

It was at home.

I think that's more so the advantage is playing at home in front of our fans, the faithful, uh, playing on on our on our grass, knowing exactly you know, the environment that we're playing in. I think that's that's the advantage. I'm not I'm not really putting too much into them being there for the NFC Championship game.

They proven they can win in the playoffs.

Now, back to back games at home for them, So I think the advantage here is playing at home, right.

Being such a high scoring first quarter offense, you know you guys always want to get the early stop.

But is that a bigger emphasis this week?

I wouldn't.

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on that. I think, like you said, like you mentioned, I think that the goal is always to get stops early, to gain that momentum for our team. And knowing how explosive and how explosive our offense is and how quick they can get points on the board, the quicker we can get the ball out of their offenses hands.

And into our offense. I think that that's the recipe that we want. Reporter seems to play with like some veteran trades, But he's rookie. What do you see when you watch him?

I think you can say that about all the rookies. Honestly, I think they're all out in the exact right way. They obviously scouted and drafted guys that are made of the right stuff. I really like Laport's game. I think, uh in the past game, the fact that he's able to be what top three, top two in the league, and yards and uh savvy and his routes that you don't really see in young tight ends. Great hands, you

Out there for this defense, for your defense to accomplish.

And what do you guys put on your plate to do your part to get through to the next round.

Yeah, there's plenty. Uh, you know the time for hey guys, let's get better. You know, let's get better this week. Let's let's let's get better. Like like that's kind of over with, Like you got to perform at your best now when when your best is needed, it's it's time to really put it out there and and and lead from the front. If if we want to win this game, I'm putting it all defensive hands. I'm saying that we all we need to do is score three on offense

That's over with.

You know, we got to make sure we come out guns of blazing. We gotta set the tone right away, and we got to make sure we're coming out playing our best football.

And then the rookies.

I was chuckling reading back about when you were a rookie, and I think coach maybe the feedback that you were a little too loud on the field, that you could hear you from the sideline things, what other you know things have you worked out with him over the years and just can you talk about.

Your relationship with them?

Yeah, I just from that from that jump trying to play mike linebacker from coming out of BYU, never playing off the ball backer and never given calls before.

You know, I had a great.

Coach and Damiko Ryans, who obviously played the position at a high level, was one of the best coaches out there. And he he told me from from the start, like he's like, you need to be demanding. You need to uh say the calls with conviction when you're out there, and uh, I took that and I ran with it obviously, and I was screaming them. Uh, you know, but just

Remember self described to my best friend Brandon, and I just came in and talked about how it's big to get over the hump obviously last two years losing the NFC Championship game. Would you say the defense has the same mindset like trying to get over that hump that's been an issue.

Last Yeah, I think, you know, the last two years are I mean, every year is unique in itself. You talk about last year and and uh in Philly, we went into that game fully with full confidence, believing that we were gonna win that game, and uh, you know, Brod goes down, We lose our backup quarterback and didn't have much of a shot. The year before that, nobody

That was a type tight battle all the way through.

It's just one or two plays in the game that that win or lose you the game. At this point, you know, it's the team that that plays the best for three hours. And uh, you know, I even this past uh Saturday will be the best team that played for the those three hours. I mean, we made one or two plays in the end to make it, to make it happen, you know. And so I don't know

But I know it's not the ultimate goal. But you said throughout the season, I think you said it after the game.

Once you lose last year's NFC championship, you can't just snap your fingers to get back to the game. But what is the sense of satisfaction, if there is any just to be back here, one went away.

From going back to the Super Bowl. Yeah, it's crazy, it's crazy to look at it, you know. I walk up here, I.

See this this little uh, this little sheet behind me, and I'm like I can. I can blink and our remember getting up here, you know, getting ready for Philly, seeing that same exact banner, and like the fact that we're here.

You work so hard all season long.

We talked about it all season to be able to put ourselves in a position where we could play the NFC Championship game again and also do it at home. You know how big that is for us, and we did that. You know, we have that opportunity right now. So how can you not sell out? How can you not give your all to this thing? How can you not make sure you're playing your best ball for three hours on Sunday? You know, I know the type of team we have, the type of players we have in talent.

Thanks guys,