One game going again. You know, we really just kind of went back to basics in terms of what we're doing. Run wise, I thought, you know, Ryan hit it in there a few times. Give him credit. I think he um like his style in terms of how it fits in terms of what we're doing. Um. They they got some big bodies up front, you know, so we had to try to get outside a little bit more, run, a little bit more outside zone than um, but just
trying to get away from those big bodies. But I thought, you know, um, in the first half, we gotta go one of the second half, we we you know, there's a little bit more guys in the box. You got a big lead. You know, everybody knows you're trying to run and trying to work the clock a little bit. We need to be better at that aspect of it. But in the first half I thought it helped us. How would you describe where you just the overall performance today?
I thought it was gritty, you know it was. We knew going in that this was just going to be one of those kind of us a box and analogy two. You guys are gonna stay in the middle of the ring and just start swinging at each other and that's
what happened. I mean that that defense that they have and we talked about it earlier in a week with outstanding corners, you know that the you know, can really cover and then they so they can devote a lot of people in there um to the run game and then just you know, I just kind of want to pretty win, but it was, you know, kind of ugly, but it's what we had to do to um to win this football game. And then I think our defense played really really well. You know, he created a lot
of turnovers over there. We knew what they were gonna do. There's a lot of empty sets that they run, UM trying to figure out if you're in manner zone, if you're in man there's you know, Marshall's such a big target. You know, it's a difficult matchup at times. Uh and fits he's so smart he kind of gets the ball
out quick, so the RuSHA doesn't really get to him. UM. But I thought our defense, especially some of those young guys, had an opportunity to pay kind of stepped up today, so made some big plays, got the turnovers, Yeah, they did. You know, we were really excited about Jordan when we got him when we talked about him being a third down linebacker, and I think you're starting to see that he's got great coverage skills, um, and he's really got to there's a calmness to Jordan. He's got a real
good awareness out there. So I don't think anything was really too big for him. The obviously made a you know, big catch on the tip ball and I think it was Brandon Barrow at the tip um and then Eric. I thought they had really good coverage a couple of times they broke up one on our sideline and then come up with a pick on our sideline, So you know, it was good to see. You know, the two of those guys contribute to the victory on the defensive side, So getting out, you know, the first one. So what
can you do for Tea top that it's going forward? Yeah, you know what, It's really like everything, it's got to be the same mentality is that obviously, Um, you got to make your corrections on Tuesday, and then you got to go because what happened the week before in this league, you know sometimes really doesn't have a real big impact on the next week. You know, every week's going to be kind of a street fight, you know, and you
got to be prepared. We still have a lot of corrections we have to make, um, But it's obviously easier on Tuesday when you're talking to a team after after a win than it is after a loss. So um, but we still have a lot of work today. Could you see of the scrolls touchdown? Yeah? Again, and we
it's another thing. We're just trying to talk about getting there, getting there and started back there and I thought we had a great hold up, you know, and um, I had some gave him an opportunity to catch it clean and then once he gets a head of steam, he's very difficult to block. But I thought, um, you know, that's what we kind of expect out of our punt return team because we have such a dynamic return back there. If we can we can kind of get him started.
We're hoping good things can happen. And that's what that's what happ Can you see when he has a chance to catch a clean and us Yeah, everybody, I think everybody's like that on on our team, you know, just because of the impact he can he can make on a football football play, just being able to flip the field. Um, you know and and and you could tell him that one he gotta he was he was gonna get We're gonna get something out of it because he was gonna
get a chance to get started. To Ryan Matthews running staff compliments, what you're trying to do? What do you mean exactly? He's a real decisive what kind of one cut runner, stuck us foot in the ground and go. And you're gonna have to run through some arm tackles
at times, um, and he did. You know, he's got some uh some size to go along with his explosion and and he can you know, there there are times where guys are kind of running off the tackles and he's you know, it's it's not a um, make you miss thing, it's you got to be physical through there. And he was really physical. I thought today running the football. Two weeks the Jets were plus and in turnover? Is that something you left We did? We really did, and I think they were plus ten in the first two
weeks they had ten. Yeah, they created a ten. So you know, it's really what we talked about, is creating turnovers on our side of the ball. It's been something since we talked about last April is that we turned the ball over too much last year offensively, and we got to create more on the defensive side of him. And then obviously, um it had a huge impact on the game today. Yeah, we tried. He tried pregame and just couldn't go so ran the Bears impact at the line.
I mean, it really seems like he does a good job coming in and getting his hands up and get to know, passing lanes somewhere. He does he and a lot of that. He has a knack for that, but it was part of what we talked about with what fits he does. You know, one of Billy's emphasis is this week with those guys is that if the ball's out so quick, we may not be able to get
to him in a pass rush. So we need to cloud throwing lanes for him and be able to you know, it takes a kind of a little bit of a knack to start to pass rush and then get a field for the timing in your head and get your hands up and hum. Brandon does have a knack for it, but I think he got too today and one of them resulted in the three yeah three today And I saw too, you know, so and I know they resulted in a turnovers for him. But again that's that's a
big impact. You know, if you're not going to get to the quarterback, can you disrupt his timing and can
you disrupt the throwing land? And I thought he did that soever where you got the big lead, So look like you slowed down the offense a little bit, sort of picking picture spots where you picked up the tenhottle orney just trying to figure out they were giving you so many different looks so you can kind of get into you know, we tried to get in some formations and see what they were doing and then you know, just get us into the appropriate pliers. I thought Sam
did a nice job considering what they brought. They think they can bring a rush um unlike any team we play they bring they bring seven. You know they're gonna play zero man behind it. Um. You know, I think there are a few of those drops. I think all those guys would like back. You know, they had the one down the far sideline that when he released it spoils. He hadn't even turned the corner again, and then he turns the corner and it drops right into his hands.
So um, but he kept battling just like everybody else. I'm sure there's probably a couple of throws he'd like back, and there's probably some catches that I think our receivers which they made so taking away stuff in twenties and twenty arts. These guys did a good job. But I mean you're talking about Rivas and Kramarti, so I you know, when you go back, we'll look at the film in terms of where we are. But you know, I don't think there was there was. They were pretty close and
coverage out day long. But that may be the best tandem we play um and this year, so it could have word, there's so many three and outs of the second half. Were you disappointed by that? Now? I was really excited, actually, I mean I was fired out now. I mean it's something we have to get better at. We have to be able to run the ball when everybody knows we're gonna run the ball, and uh um, you know, we just got behind schedule. Come times, we'd have a big game on first and first and ten,
but then not real good. Probably maybe play selection on second down to get us you know, kind of that first first down. So you know a lot of that falls on my shoulders. In terms of calling plays. I had to do a better job in the second half. Could you had six guys are six guys are prior to game two more guys get hurt jouring the game. Is that what you meant by by gritty win? Well, that's part of it, you know. I think some other guys, some guys had some opportunities to step up and make plays.
And you know, obviously Jordan in terms of what he did because we had Michael and Keiko weren't playing today, Brandon bar as a prime example, you know, was said. And Taylor Hart, you know, being able to step up in there. Uh, Chris Marrigos went down during the game. So Eric role gets pressed into you know, gets pressed
into service. And when he gets pressed into service, he responds, So um, you know it's a it's it's a tough league from that, you know, Ryan, because you know, we get a little bit more of the shoulders because it's Demrco being out. So um, there's a lot, you know, we talk about it. You know, the injury rates probably about one hundred percent in this league. So um, when you when you have an opportunity, if you're dressed and you're part of the forty six, you got to contribute.
And I thought the guys that that took advantage of their opportunities because they got a chance to play. So the outside zone pay today. I think they were playing a lot of double three techniques, a lot of bear looks, nose guard two three techniques trying to take away the insight. So we had to try to get the ball to the perimeter. So when you when you acquired and extended scrolls, was this the division you had in mind for ever?
What was now? I mean, there's so many different things he can do, you know, and um, we probably still haven't utilized them to the role we can. But I think he his ability to change a game as a returner also as a running back. Um, you know, didn't hesitate when we had the ball in the half yard and to give it to him, I think a lot of people would why are you giving it to him there? But he's got a knack for finding his way through um, and he's just such a weapon trying to come out
of the backfield. We had one third down there where um, you know, he they came all out in the blitz. We end up throwing it deep but he kind of got tackled trying to run through and there's a lot of guys devoted to him, so offensive line show. Um, they battled. You know, we can still improve there. Um, But I thought they battled this week, and um, you know, especially we we you know, Garner went down, so Toben's got to come in the game. And then JP was
on in the last series. Um, and then Dennis came in the game. But you know, so he had to kind of use everybody in that situation. But I thought they battled and against a against a really good front, you know, with with Leonard Williams and Couples and uh Muhammad Wokerson. You know that's that's a pretty formidable group
that you're playing against right there. He didn't Yeah, he got I don't know exactly what it was lest to be honest with it, I know he got hit and so with Dennis went up, we kind of flipped Tobin over. Dennis went into right guard and don't Tobin flipped over to left tackle. But I haven't gotten I don't know exactly. He looked happy in the locker room. Souff injury. Was it during the practice, It was during yesterday Yeah, he was just running around until something in his hamstring, so
he tried to see if he could go today. But I couldn't go. So what was the message? Was gay for the day to day? Um, we're getting ready to go back. But you know, we talked about it kind of being a gritty game. We knew it was gonna be a gritty game going into it, and you're gonna have to kind of stand toe to toe and take their best shot and then we're gonna give our best shot. And um, you know, I think everybody all phases offense, defense,
and special names contributed to the win. So defensive cos I you know, we did Billy did about devoted a lot of guys to coverage, you know, so we were only gonna rush, you know, four and three at times. Uh so can those four and three kind of disrupt the throwing lanes a little bit? And I thought they did. They got a good push on the pocket, um, and I thought we did a decent job in coverage. You know.
I think probably the only drive we'd like back is that last drive right at the end of the first half.