Press Pass: Doug Pederson

Um again, it's it's still you know, a little ways away week to week with him, but he's he's he's definitely improving and feeling better. And then update you on Brandon Brooks. Everything uh, um checked out fine with him, So so we'll get him, I get him working this week and and uh and getting back in there. He'll be he'll be fine. Marcus Smith came out of the game with a left shoulder contusion. Um, he'll be he'll be fine. It's uh just sore. So he's gonna be okay.

And everybody else is um is healthy and good to go. Yeah. Do you have a sense with Big V what we're looking at the time wise yet or is still kind of still don't. It's still kind of a week to week uh injury you know is um pretty substantial. So these things with with these big guys like this will be you know, a ways ways away. So again we'll evaluate later in a week. But I don't expect it prob with Fletcher Cox this year. What it is the problem with Fletcher as he's not playing as well as

he was last year? Am I wrong? And that he just says, well, well, I think he's he's he draws a lot of attention, um, and draws a lot of double teams. He gets a lot of a lot of hands on him, you know. Um, he he he still is very uh at times is very disruptive and um you know, can can be a can be a force inside Um. You know, it's just uh, you know, he's mentally he's good. Physically he's good. It's just just a matter of just uh the sheer determination and wanting to

wanting to get the job done. He's still a very capable defensive lineman for us, and and uh, um we do expect and I do expect you know a lot from from guys like Fletcher, and and he does he does as well, you know, so Dougy, you had a good bounce in the first drive and then from there on out forty four to fourteen in favor of the pass. Um, she feels like you got away from the bounce too early. Well, we started to get into our we call our mock ur tempo tempo world a little bit, and we mixed

it in there. Um. Carson actually managed a couple of situations for us where where he got us, uh, actually from from a couple of passes into a couple of runs and vice versa, based on what they were doing defensively and and um, you know, you can always look back on a on a Monday or Tuesday and say we should have done this and should have done that. But um, I felt that that uh the way things

were going in the game. And we didn't have a ton of touches offensively either, So um given us the best opportunity to keep ourselves in that in that football game last night. I think, did you think that countering their ball possession would have been the way to go in terms of, you know, trying to establish the run yourself. I mean they were able to control the clock, um, to keep the ball to Aarons. Aaron Rodgers hands. Did

you think you should have possibility? Yes, I think that's definitely a a you know, a possibility in any football game if you can if you can do that against good offenses, Um, I think that you can. Um, you know, you can control the clock, the thing that that gets his You got to make sure your execution is is pretty much flawless at the time, so you can stay on the field. You know, you can't have penalties obviously offensively, you can't have negative rushing plays, you can't have you know,

things like that can can obviously hurt you. But yeah, he was having you know, he was having himself a pretty good day. We were doing a good job in the run game, and so, um, yeah, looking back on it today with different eyes, yeah you could probably you could probably say that a lot of games where you stood up here and said, I wish I ran the

ball more. Is there something that you guys can do on game day to kind of, you know, as far as quality control, to kind of make sure, you know, you stick with it constantly monitoring you know, the run pass ratio constantly during the football game and series starts, uh, first down within a series, I'm always monitoring that asking the question upstairs, because they're keeping track of that for me and and Frank and I are always dialoguing on

the sidelines. So there's there's ways that that that we monitor that and um and keep ourselves as you know, as man les we can in those situations. But rest about a ankle was this morning before committing to him on Sunday, because that mean now the children will be okay and Nelson sit down again. This well, I'm not gonna again. I'm not gonna come out and say that right now today. I'm gonna get through this week of

practice again. Jordan will be okay with the ankle. Um. And just got to see again where Nelson's at and whereas where his mind and his head is at and and uh um he had a good week last week, and um, you know, so we'll we'll monitor that again later on week. Did you get a chance to talk to him after the game last night? I didn't see

him after the game. No. I just think he The biggest thing is just uh seeing seeing the way the offense kind of works, seeing the way the game kind of unfolds, and how guys react in certain situations and and and I wanted him to put himself into game situations and and see how he would react, see how he would play, see how he would run that route.

And it's a lot easier to do that, obviously from from a removed position where you can kind of see it from a big picture and and a little bit calmer eyes, where the where the pressure and the stress is not on you to perform. So, um, that's what I'm hoping he takes away from this and uh learn learns from this down the road lads, he said it was not Number one is a coach? Is there anything you can do it? A third time? To see you he does that? Can use do anything to stop it?

And three penalty? Stop thinking about yeah, you know and what I what I saw, um, and and obviously what the officials saw. I think as anytime you you you strike the quarterback in the head neck area, um, which is what they saw. Um. Then then obviously the flag is gonna be gonna be thrown. Listen it some of it. I'm not gonna slow his aggression down based on penalty. It's it's um. Then I then then then we need to sit down. I need to sit down with him

and just say, hey, Fletcher, we need to. Let's let's let's keep our hands down. Let's uh, let's not hit the quarterback. Let's let's lower our target, let's let's do a lot of other things. Next thing, you know, we're going low and it's a flag for hitting the quarterback at the knees or something. It this game happened so fast that, uh, it's hard sometimes when when you're in that heat of the moment um, you know, it's it was that a pass interference on Bryce Trais alls bang, bang,

I mean, who knows. I mean, it's it's those those types of things that happened so fast in this game that um, I can't um. All I can do is grab him and say, hey, look, we got to be careful. You know, we got to make sure that we're we're lowering our target where you know, Fletcher's a big man, he's a tall man, he's got a got an arm reach, he's you know, he's aggressive. Um, and and yeah, we gotta be careful and we got to be smart about,

you know, um, how we hit quarterbacks. But at the same time, I want our defensive line two hit quarterbacks. So you're given a disappointment of the last two weeks and that, you know, combine with you being in first year coach, playing a foundation, how important is it for you, Well, what do you do to make sure the wheels don't come off in these last five weeks? And how important

is to you that you that that doesn't happen. Well, I think the biggest thing is, you know, we're we're individual, We're very prideful in our jobs and what we do. And and uh, um, you know it's it's my job to to make sure that that that doesn't happen. And so we continue to communicate and talk with the players and and you find out a lot about your football team in the next month, and um and and and you know, um, you continue to go to work every day.

You know, you don't back off, you don't lighten up the loads. You just keep working. You stay the course. We have a process, we started the process back in OTAs where we're gonna stick with that, with that process and that routine, and uh you know, it just it just becomes it eventually becomes second nature to you. And uh um, you know, you look back on seasons like this and some of the close games that we were in, you learn from them and it puts you in better,

better positions in the in the future. And uh so we just continue to continue the journey, continue the process that the players that every game that that your message was these next five games to show who wants the year? What exactly did you be? You just find out who who, who's gonna put forth the effort, Who who's gonna you know, who's gonna you know, sort of man up, as they say, and uh and take pride in in in their in their jobs and their profession. And that's coaches and players.

And and that's not a listen, that's not a not a threat or anything like that. That's just that's just because that's what happens teams, teams in our situation right now, even though you know you're still on the maybe on the edge of of getting to where you want to be at the end of the season, you can kind

of go the other way. And and uh, it's not to put any added pressure on anybody, But at the same time, I don't want people to just start tanking it, you know, in the last last half of the you know, the last month of the season, and and uh, then you jeopardize injury, you jeopardize injury up from another another teammate. So you know, we all have pride in this and and um, you know, uh, we still want to compete

and go out and win football games. And that was the message and the challenge for the guys you're right now, Well, I think you're constantly evaluating. I don't think it's just for next year. I think I think you're doing that, you know, um, even even currently. And uh, you know, so we're all always you know, evaluating, UM staff and players and and and just we're trying to, you know, make sure that we're heading. And I and like I said last night, I do think we're heading in the

right direction. I do. I feel that, you know, the wins and losses, yeah, you got to take a look at that, and and um, you know that's a big part of the direction that you're heading. But what I see on a daily basis in practice too, with some of the youth that we had with Carson, with with the Windale Smallwood, with the you know Jalen Mills, I mean we got pieces and you know we keep adding too and down the road. Um, as I mentioned, these these games go in our favor, and that's what you want.

You guys had twenty sacks the first six games and six sacks the last five games. Uh, Brandon has has not gotten the same. You know, a video has not been effective. We talked about Fletcher. Uh Connor hasn't had this season he's had in the past at a new position. What's going on with the pass rush? Is it possible to win like that without getting pressure? Well, you're you're seeing, um, what we're seeing in games is obviously you know, teams, teams know we have a good defensive line, we have

a good pass rush. They're they're keeping tight ends and backs in. Uh. Some teams are using two tight ends and protection um seven seven man protection, six man protect They're chipping our defensive ends, which secure your A and B gaps and and then your pass rush lanes become a little tighter, um, and and just it's just something

that we you know, UM, we keep working games. You keep working pick stunts, you keep working all the things that that you do to to try to free up free up these guys, whether it be linebackers and tackles, tackles and ends, ends and tackles, and and just keep keep working at it. You know it's uh, Um, you

know we do that. We do the same thing a lot with with backs and tight ends, trying to trying to add an extra element of protection knowing that you know, a team has a good defensive line and and um, this is what this is what we're seeing, this is this is why good defensive lines in the NFL get this type type of attention. Um, I can remember the days when we were constantly going against the Giants with

with stray handing those guys. We kept constantly keeping tight ends and backs and and and more protection elements in the uh in the game plan to to to nullify the pass rush. So, um, we got to keep working. It's tough. Um they know it, and UM we just we just we just keep working. And on a daily basis follow up on the you know, you guys spent a fortune on the D line on contract. It's supposed to be the strength of the team and one of the top D lines in the league. Shouldn't they win

some of those battles? I mean, shouldn't they be getting to the quarterback more than they are, even if there's a tight end helping out. To answer your question, I would say, yeah, you know, should should your quarterback hit an open receiver. Yeah, should a receiver catch the football? Yeah, I mean those that we get paid to do that, you know. And it's if you've never played that position or played this level of football, I think it's easy

to speculate and see you know what's going on. But at the same time, these guys are working extremely hard, you know, to get to the quarterback. It's not that they don't want to, you know. The effort is there, the determination is there. Again, when you're a good player, you're gonna get a lot of double teams, You're gonna get a lot of chips. It just slows down. I preach it to our offensive guys all the time. Slow

down the pass rush. How do you do that? You do it with chips, you do it with double teams, you do it with you know, extra extra height ends in the game and sliding your protection and it's it's difficult. It is tough. Um ball is out. The thing is how fast did Aaron Rodgers get the ball out of his hand? How are you going to get to the quarterback when he gets it out of his hand so fast?

It's it's tough. It's extremely hard, and end up in front of everything is is the ball's out so fast and it's left and it's right, and everything else is in front of you, and that's the hardest thing. Game is the only game, I'm sorry, the Minnesota game is the only game you up more than two sacks. It's like week three. So I mean it's not just I'm not just talking about yesterday. It's really been an ongoing

thing where it just hasn't been there. So that's what interception. Um, a little bit of pressure in his face, kind of threw off his back foot, ball was high sailed over his head. Um, you know, just something that obviously happens, uh, you know occasionally in a game. But a play that he can he can definitely make and from that he got He took a big hit. Carson, Yeah, yeah, he did take a big hit. Peppers hit him pretty hard

before you called the play. I saw the hit. Yeah yeah, I want to run play there just to give him No, No, I'm not listening. I'm not just because of a hit. It's you know, yeah, trying to show you something though.

I mean, spite, you know, the banged up offensive, you know, bank up situation, my receivers, just the way he played, I thought he played, you know, um, outside of a couple of plays, I thought he thought he played he played well, you know, and being able to manage the number of um, you know, formation adjustments and things that we did with with a young group, getting those guys lined up, the communication, getting getting us in and out of you know, runs and passes and protections and um,

one of his better games that he's had here recently. From from that standpoint, Jim Jay twenty three stap yesterday, we talked about evaluations. She having a hard time getting open or what he wasn't targeting the ball black ball wasn't um, you know again it's a lot of it was uh, you know, design of the play ball was going in other other other areas. UM. You know it's it's you can evaluate off for twenty three plays, but you'd like to see more obviously, So these next few

weeks could be even more important for him. UM. You know, we had we had uh a few plays in the game plan for him, you know, him specifically, and and the way it was going, we just uh. And then when Jordan got nicked up, I went more to the two tight end sets a little bit with with Zach and Trey, so that that sort of uh, um, you know, sort of sort of kept him a little a little bit on the sideline at those in those times, you're playing a Packers that you're playing a Packers defense that

other teams have just dominated lately. Forty seven points, forty two points, You got three points in the second half. What in the world was that about the fact that we I think we had maybe six possessions the entire game. It was a keepaway game. We didn't have enough touches, you know, and then the touches we had, we we got to make sure that we're doing, um, the best we can to score points and score touchdowns, especially against again a good a good quarterback in Aaron Rodgers in

that offense. Um, you know, uh, that's what she that's you know, bottom line, that's what you gotta do. Scort says all time, me over the defense pretty much right. Um, you know, he doesn't answer questions after the game. You used to stad up there and stand out, stand out and answer questions for scheme decisions the players are responsible for end up having answer questions. Are you okay with them? Yeah?

Because you know, ultimately, um, you know, um, it's it's I have to answer for it all, you know, and and and and I'm gonna I'll stand up here and and and and take the heat. I'll take the good, the bad, the ugly, the indifferent. It doesn't doesn't make me any you know, one way or the other doesn't. There's no difference to me. I got I got to do that as part of you know, it's what I

signed up for. So um, I'm okay with that. The comment after the game that you think the team's pointed in the right direction because of the effort that you're seeing out of them, curse, Why that's the standard? I mean, this is a this is a team that's been in playoff contention, you know, basically throughout the season. It's kind of a given that they would be giving effort. It's not like you guys have been out of playoff contention

for weeks. So why is that the standard? And why is that something that that gives you confidence that this is a team moving in the right direction. Well, I just think that you know, we we we've given ourselves opportunities if we if we just make a few more just a couple one or two more plays, and some of these ball games, the outcomes are different, and we're not talking about this right now. Um. Yes, I'll admit that we're playing with some young guys on offense, and

these young guys are getting valuable, valuable reps. Um. You know, we had Big V in there for a while. Now Isaac is in there, and you know, Wendale and Carson and these guys and the youth at receiver that that are getting valuable reps. And and yes, I agree that it may not show on the scoreboard and it may not show what the wins and losses. I totally get that. And you know, we're in this business to win games.

That's that's why we're here. Um. But at the same time, I look at the process and I look at the plan. I use those words because those are words that we use around here, because there is a plan and there is a process. And and you know, you build your team through the draft, you pick up a couple of good free agents in the offseason, you you continue to work. You you watch these these young kids develop and turn

into into ball players, and you see the potential. And that's why when I say that, that's what I see with these guys. And you know, I look at the I look at how Seattle's built their team. I look how the Raiders have built their team. I look at the plan that's been in place for a lot of teams around the National Football League. They're having success now in their third, fourth, seventh years. And that's the direction that we're heading in. And so that's why when I

say those comments like that, that's what I see. I see us three four years down the road. I see us seven eight years down the road, having consistency that way and winning more of these games than not. Thank you, all right, guys,