Is this some Matthew's ankle injury. I mean it's it's the same ankles that had the issue at the start of training camp. Yes, yes, And it's the same one also in the in the Cleveland game that he got rolled up on the first game of the season. It's, um, it's more left ankle. So it's more more than it's more guy rolling on it than I had any to do. That was that was still left over lingering from from the initial injury. Yeah, and and and and you know
with that thing too, being being that ankle. Um, it's it's it's kind of a funny thing, but I mean it it's something that for him it just never never loosened up, and and uh kept getting stiff and and uh so again just opted on the side of caution more than more than anything else moving forward and obviously and can do. How's that rotation going to work? What's everyone's healthy? I think we just continue continue the same the same way. Really, Uh you know, um when when
Ryan healthy, When Ryan is healthy, he's the guy. And then Darren. We mixed Darren in there, and he saw what Wendelle can do, and uh you saw what Kenyon, Kenyon, we know what he what he's all about, and uh, you know everybody's a little different, uh runner. Um, you know, Wendelle did an excellent job between the tackles last night, sort of downhill Kenyon off tackle, and then of course Darren just came to kind of do everything. Um, So
we'll still keep the rotation the same. We're not going to change much that way, and just want to get everybody in the football game. Would have been much for Ryde against the Browns with with the ankle, or would be less. No, I think that's I think that's a good number for him, honestly. Uh. And then if everybody else can get a few touches after that, I think I think you're um, you're on track, you know. Um.
It's kind of like with Carson, you know. I I don't think you ever want to go into the game thinking you're gonna have to throw fifty times. You know, if if you manage it and keep him around thirty, um and still have a successful running game, I think that's a good balance. In camp or the preseason. Um,
what made you confident? Go? I mean you that you gave him carrying the you know, as I'm actually the first game what made you confident that he'd be able to handle that load and then subsequently what he did yesterday. I just think he's another one. He's much like Carson and how he prepares during the week. And you know, um uh, you know, we've been we've been fortunate with
our with our young players, even Jalen Mills. I mean, we've been we've been fortunate with these guys and how they work and how they handle themselves on and off the football field. And um, you know, he's done a great job in practice and he's put himself in a position to help us, and and uh uh it was
great to see him. You know, we we saw it early in the spring, we saw it a little bit in training camp before the injury, and you know, it's just, uh, it's it's, it's it's it's it's good to have that kind of depth at that position, with as many touches collectively as a group they're going to get each game and the wear and tear on that position, it's it's great to get that many guys in the game. For
the season. You've seemed to have fairly good physical, physical control of football games after the half that you guys are in decent shape and maybe impose your your will a little bit. I mean, obviously, yesterday the snowball was rolling downhill and that happens sometimes, and the Pittsburgh got behind it. But do you feel like from a conditioning standpoint, the team is where you were hoping it was going to be coming out of training camp. And do you feel as well that you are able to have some
physical control of games and especially the second half. Yeah, And as part of the whole training camp philosophy for me is the being physical in camp, making camp as hard as I can, you know, being hard on him, and then backing down, letting, you know, taking the pads off, and you know, then going hard again. I just think it builds them in a mindset that once you get into the regular season and and then deeper you go, that you know they can lean on those experiences as players.
And I just felt yesterday our guys just really took control, um offensively and defensively up front the our d line and our offensive line to be able to control the game that way. And um, you know, conditioning was good. I felt like our guys were in We're in good shape in the fourth quarter, um, and and it's a you know, it's all it all stems back to the way we practice in camp about Carson's is smart. Um. But as far as his memory goes, I've heard maybe
it's a photographic memory. How much does that help him preparation. Well, it's good, it's good, and I mean it's good from a standpoint of if if if it's a bad play, he forgets it. If it's a good play, he forgets it and he just kind of moves on. But at the same time, he can he can recall things fast and quickly, and things that we're seeing even during the course of the game that we can we can tweak on the sideline, you know. Um, it's just uh, it's a he's a different it's a different Uh, it's a
different player that way. You know. He's much like again, much like our last quarterback Alex Smith, you know in Kansas City. He's the same type of same type of type of memory. And uh. Um it's for a young kid to do that, Um, it's pretty special. Atthews was talking about how even sometimes when the guys are having breakfast, Carson's in there watching film. Would you say that that he's obsessed with the film study part of it and how much of that is attributable to his success of
it's it's uh, it's accurate, very accurate. Um, he loves he loves watching tape. He's you know, like I've mentioned, he in the Quarterbacks Chase and Aaron in here at five thirty in the morning. I mean, you know, watching film and they're they're exhausting the tape. And and he's constantly I hear him just even in the building talking to guys about plays and routes and protections and you know that's it's Peyton Manning ish. I mean, you know,
and you hate the label. I don't want to put labels on guys, but that's how Peyton prepared, you know. And that's how these top quarterbacks prepare each week. And and um, you know he has that now, you know, as a young quarterback, and that'll just carry him throughout his career. Um. And and you know, the the challenge now is the more success, how much how much gets pulled on him and taken away from him. But um,
he's off to a good start. And it's it's definitely part of the process in his preparation, arm strength, all all the other intangibles of what about some of the touch passes that he throws when guys are open in between your zones. I think there's one specifically the Brent Selick you know, is that is that tough you typically for for rookies to kind of you know, throw a change up in instead of a fastball in that situation. It can it could be hard because you're so geared
on throwing everything fast and hard and anticipation. And um, that throw to Sellek was a was a thing of beauty the week the week before the Monday Night, Uh to Jordan Matthews, the little touch pass was was was great. Um. The little floater to Darren for the long touchdown run was another one that was a touch pass with accuracy.
And um, those are those are hard throws to make. Um, having been able to in that position before, those are those are hard because you're the guy is running away from you and and you're trying to put air on a throw but still judge the distance and the speed of the receiver. And those are those are tough things to do. And uh, he really has a good feel for that, and uh, you know, um it just makes him you know, just makes him an all around, all
around solid quarterback. How have your first drive has been so successful? What do you do? How do you go about ding up what you want to do on the first drive? Without giving my secret away? Uh, you know it. The biggest thing for me is is, uh, you know, obviously, how how how does our opponent begin to you know, begin games? Um and and really I have a couple of that you want to make. You want to mix the run with the drop back. We threw a screen
yesterday somewhere in there. You want to take a shot. And it's all based on on tendency. It's all based on you know, um, conversations during the week with the quarterbacks, what they like, what they don't like, um and and really a lot of times it's just going off feel you know how how I feel they're going to attack us? And and listen, they're they're only first and second down thoughts.
They're not anything other than that. And and UM. It's also a way to to help your quarterback and I think your offense because I'm playing the game during the week my mind, so I'm I'm scripting him going Okay, here's first down, here's second down, then and third down, Okay,
here's first down again, second down. So I'm constantly scripting that in my head and um, kind of laying the openers out that way, and um, the execution has been has been has been great and as plays that we work on obviously during the week, he does actually have an identic or photographic memory and if he does, does that help him? And during a game, just because he can on the call freeback, he says, he's seen on the film and as a quarterback, if I'm bad that ability,
what would it do for you? Yeah, I think I think he does have that type of that type of memory, that type of recollection. He sees things, he remembers it. We can talk about it after a drive is over. We can obviously see it on the pictures on the tablets on the sideline and um, and then and then when he goes back out there, he can he can remember that defense if he sees that front or that covers that low again, he knows exactly what's coming defensively, and um, he can he can put us in the
right play. And it's just for young for a young quarterback, Um, after just a few weeks, to have that type of recollection is something special deal with the expectations because obviously now they're going to change. You guys, were you know, beating the Steelers the way you did. You know, you don't play for two weeks, Everyone's gonna be going crazy, Like how how do you think he's going to deal with all that? I think he. I think he's gonna be fine. I think it's the it's it's the number
one challenge for all of us. And I speak for myself too when I say that, Um, you know, we've got to stay humble through this whole thing. And the season is very young. Um, only three games in a lot of football left is you know, and and um, you know we just take them one at a time. And uh, you know that's just things that, uh, that I've learned over my career as a player as a
coach at this level. You know, twenty two years in the National Football League, You've seen a lot of ball and um, you've been on teams that have started fast, You've been on teams that started slow, and um, it's just how you stay the course. And you can't substitute you know, preparation, hard work for for anything. And um, if you do, if if if we just stay the course and um, the guy who's prepared the way they've prepared each week. Then and then we'll see what happens
on Sundays. But but so far it's been great, and be good to get them, give them some time and uh, you know, get ready for them second half of veron Carson. Is that something that you feel like you need to talk to Carson of Powders. That's something he gets already, go up. I think he gets it personally just being around him. But yeah, we'll definitely have those conversations. Um,
not only this week, but you know, just as we go. Um. And and it's my job to to shelter him from from all the outside noise, you know, from from people pulling on his time, because you know, the bottom line is we got to keep the main thing, the main thing, and that's that's football. And and uh, um he's done a great job so far and I expect the same going forward. The messages just get away, get away from football, kind of free your mind a little bit. It's been
a long, hard training camp. Number one, right into the regular season, they've had three physical football games already. Uh, get healthy, rejuvenate, rest and and come back ready to go because uh, you know, we got thirteen thirteen straight weeks and it's one at the time. And um, but at the same time, uh, you know, they need to take time to be with their families, coaches the same way, and um, you know, make this make this push now last part of our but say the last part, but
the next next few weeks. How parsis of inspiring and what better cars has had all the pushers. Now, well, I mean, obviously just the way he plays. He he's so aggressive on the field. Is when I say aggressive, not necessarily from a physical standpoint, but just from a mental mental standpoint and his personality and he's always constantly smiling and and it's it's infectious, and guys have gravitated
to that. And I think I think there was probably maybe you know, uh, three weeks ago when when when I named Carson starter, you know, there were obviously some eyebrows raised. And but but now these guys, these guys have bought in. They they've bought in. They they've got
the leader of the football team. And and you see it yesterday, you watch the tape and you see it on film, and and um, you know, these guys, these veteran players, um have really embraced it, and really they'll do anything they can now for a guy like that, Like Jeff's question about the touch passes, how rare is it for a young kid three games in to have that ability to fire it when he needs to and just kind of floated when he needs to. I mean
we've seen veteran quarterbacks who who can't do that. Yeah, it is. It is a challenging thing because there's a lot of times in practice. Um, you know, if you're not working on those types of throws, it just doesn't
happen then. And again it's it's a it's sort of a math problem in your head as a quarterback because you've got a receiver that's running away from you full speed and you're trying to put a touch pass on a twenty twenty five yard throw, and so you have to judge it just right, and um, that's that's a lot harder to do than just just zipping it right at right at your target. So, um, he's got great touch that way, he's got great accuracy on his deep throws.
He saw the one, you know, I wish we would have caught it to DGB, but he's got great accuracy on those throws, and um, he works on him every day in practice. So um, it's just that's just who he is and his ability to make really all the throws. Jenkins seemed to elevate his game in a pretty big spot. There is that Is that the way that you read it? And what do you attributed to it? I did read it that way. I mean, he's such a great he's a good football player. He's a good leader, a great
leader of this team. And um, you know, I just I just told him before the game, I said, just just do what you do and just be you and lead this team, you know, And um, he did that yesterday. And I can't say enough about how well the defense played as a group. And um, you know, there was a lot of a lot of double coverage on Antonio Brown and rightfully, so, I mean he's a great player.
And um, I think we blitzed twice the entire game and got after Ben which is a four man pressure and that was something we had talked about in the spring, you know, the style of defense. And but he he leads the charge back there. He he and Rodney great communication all day long. Um, and uh, you know, it's it's it's good to have him, good to have him back there up on the defense. Um, you've given Shorts
autonomy over that unit. But as a head coach, how comforting is it that you really at this point, you know, you don't have to kind of I don't know how much do you spend with him prior to the game in terms of game planning? And you know, if not, does that really kind of help you as a head coaching that you don't have to worry about that as much as you do? I don't. I don't spend any time with him game planning. I just that's not my side of the ball. You know, that's not my expertise.
But but we do communicate. We communicate on the practice field during the week, you know, on certain thing, whether it be personnel or packages that he's wanting to put in, how many reps we might be getting a guy or something like that. Um, we're constantly talking that way. But UM, you know, it's it's it's a comforting thing for me knowing he's called a lot of games in the National
Football League as a decordinator. He's been in my position as a head football coach and it's just kind of you know, turn that side over to him and let him, let him roll and uh, um, he's got those guys playing playing great right now. A lot of the players, I think we're kind of enjoying the fact that they were flying under the radar, kind of an underdog situation. Now that you guys might have more of an X
on your bat, what sort of changes that? You know, we just have to approach it the same, one day at a time. Um, you know, it's the way this business goes. I mean, you're you're you're on top of the world one minute, and you could be at the bottom of the heap the next. And you just got to keep things even keeled and and uh can't get too high. I can't get too low and approach approach it the same again, like I mentioned earlier, you can't
substitute for hard work and and that pays off on Sunday. So, um, you know, we just have to stay the course. And again, long long a lot of football left. You're looking ahead to how the defensive coordinators are going to adjust to what you've had success with, whether it was the screen game yesterday or whatever. For the first three games, how do you even just say, or what do you think they are going to try to take away from you
as you look ahead? And might that be a time where you might even go to Schwartz and say, hey, what do you what do you think defensive coordinators are going to think about what we're doing and what might you expect. Yeah, part of this week as an offensive defensive staff, as we get to self kind of self scout ourselves and just kind of see where we're at.
I know it's only a few games in, but if there are any severe you know, tendencies one way or the other, um and and just trying to make adjustments as we go, I still you know, listen, my my, my fall. I learned this a long time ago with Mike Holmgren is I'd be glad to give the defense in my playbook, you know, and and let them have it, because if I just coach the guys up on offense to do our jobs, you know, um, we have enough stuff in the offense to be successful and um and
defensively the same way. So you know, we we'll look at it, well, we'll take a look as we go and and but at the same time, you know, uh, we're just gonna keep doing what we do. And you know, UM, protect Carson to get the ball out of his hand fast. Lean on that offensive line. UM. Put our skill positions in great, great positions to make plays and and and use you know, use use our strengths, UM, you know,
as an advantage for us. Hit on what you've been what you've been talking about, which he said afterwards that sometimes it's it's harder to deal with success than it is failure. Over your experience what happens. I mean, if what have you seen where a team's riding high, what you know, what can potentially derail them. The biggest thing is complacency. Um. You think you've arrived, you think you're you're all that, UM. And and that when that creeps in,
that's when that's when you get beat. And you know it's my job not to let that creep in. And I've got to keep the guys focused and grounded. And you know, UM, I told him this week, they're gonna they're gonna travel and go home and people are gonna pat them on the back and say how great they are. But next Monday, I'm gonna tell him, you know, hey, we're back to work. We're zero and zero is this game one and let's go and and um, that's just
the way it has to be. And you know you're building for one ultimate goal and that's a few weeks down the road. You know, that's what you're trying to get to. But you can't get there unless you take care of the next the next opponent. And UM, it's my job to keep him focused that way. Yeah, just knowing knowing him, kind of coaching against him like I have.
I mean, just he's always had aggressive, aggressive defenses and he's he's prided himself in in in getting you know, pressure with with four guys and you know, um, whether it was in Detroit or in Buffalo, Um, as a coordinator, you know, um, great, great defenses that way, and he's always had just from a number standpoint, he's always had top top five defenses. And oh and then uh, just to fallow up on that and just and then now having him here, um, gosh, you're seeing it firsthand, and
you're seeing the aggressive style. The defensive line we're rolling you know, seven eight guys in that D line to keep guys fresh, and that's part of his system. And you know, um, guys are rallying in the back end and making plays in the back end. But they all feed off of that defensive line, and that's that's where it starts. And obviously that's the style he's brought us, like nine stops. I mean, was that kind of a result of like the injury, the fact you were nickel
pretty much the entire just Nickel. Yeah, it was just their offensive personnel basically just dictated that for us. Saw when you were miked up the first couple of games. Just the amount of input did you take from your players,
even end game and stuff like that. How much do you value that and what they're seeing as well on the field, how much is a beneficial one and your openness to that, how much does it come back to you Being a former player, I tell you I listened to the players all the time, all the time, and I got a chance to you know, I listen obviously being miked up and talking to some players and just
building those relationships and those bonds with those guys. But in the course of the week, practice and preparation and then obviously in game situations. I think is as a head coach or as a coach in general, if you're not listening to your players because they're the ones that are playing the game, and it happened yesterday, we were able to make adjustments based on what they were the
information they were telling us. We see it from a different perspective, but they're playing the game and then we're able to make adjustments based off of that information. So I think it's valuable and for me, I just I just think it's it's important, you know, personally, to to listen, listen to the guys and take all the information in. Thanks guys,