Press Pass: Frank Reich

some percent. So I just wanted to make that correction, hold myself accountable on that one point when he said it. I can't quite do it a good imitation of it. But anyway, Yeah, Bryce Treg's active and it seemed like he provided that deep threat for you guys. How much did that help the other guys just to have him kind of stressed the field? Yeah, I think havin Bryce was it was an injection of speed, you know, to the offense, and I think it helped not only are

the players. I think that helped us as coaches, helped us on our minds. That helped me in my mindset, I know, just thinking about the way you know, script and plays last week in practice, Let's throw it deep, you know, let's throw it deep and everybody kind of feeds off that, so that that was good energy he brought. And then of course you still got to make the play, which he did, and that that was good for our offense up some of the other neat stuff and even

didn't even the run game. It helps them massively. I mean, the longer you go, the more games you play and don't stretch the field, the field starts shrinking on you. And that's a real bad feeling as a quarterback when you feel the field shrinking. Um, So you got to continue to push the ball down the field. We've been calling in numroom. But thankfully last week we got to

go in in that in that way at least. I mean, there were a lot of other areas that we didn't do so well, but that was an area that was a bright spot for us. Sure, what area you're not happy with? The third dat conversions? Is that more a productive to make third lows? It's certainly that's a part of it. But you know it's something that we work very hard at. You know, we trust the process, we trust the plan, we trust the people. We just got

to keep working coaches, players together. We just got to make a commitment that we're going to find a way to get better. Usually you watch third downs, like I always go back after every game and watch every third down two or three times and to evaluate, first are we putting the guys in the right position? What are we doing from an execution standpoint? And then what are

we doing from a playmaking standpoint? And invariably there's a you know, there's a handful that you think we just should have had that, and if we made two or three more, it looks like we're a good day. But at the end of the day, it's like coach always says, there's no excuses. We just have to find better. What we have to find ways to get better on third down rules done play eight percent of the station. You know, I think last week was really was not the plan

going into the last week's game. The way the game plan was divided up, there were certain personnel groups that Ryan was going to play. For instance, in our two tight end package, Ryan was going to be featured in that package, and going into the game, the plan was to kind of mix our our three wide receiver package and our two tight end package. You know, not fifty fifty, but it would be a good mix and then you know,

we got behind early. It ended up being a game in which we were a lot more three wide receiver set than what were you plan for, And and Sprowles was going to be featured in that personnel group, and so that was, honestly, that was one of the reasons we really thought it would play out a little bit differently. So but then certainly, you know, Darren's a great player, and it's hard to want to take him off the field, but we just have to keep reminding ourselves that's it's

good to mix it. We got a lot of talented players. Let's use them all right. He's in sample size with Carson now at the halfway point. What's your assessment of his playing the different things that he's had to work? For me, I couldn't be anymore glad we got this guy. I mean, I'm really he's a he's he's a good player. He's you know, the start of his first eight games of his career, there's been a lot of really shining moments.

You know, like all of us, like everybody in this room, who goes out and works every week to prepare for these games, and then you go out and you play, you actually have to play. You can't just do it in the meeting room or on the practice field. You really got to go out compete in one of the highest competitive industries. There is one of the hardest position to plays. And you know, I think he's he's done well. He's made his mistakes, but we all have and I'm

just glad he's on our team. And I think the future is very bright, and I think the near future is very bright. Lest the acron thing he was, I wouldn't say, well, I don't know. I don't it doesn't feel that way to me. Um, it doesn't feel that way to me, But I don't know. I mean, I guess we could go back and measure, you know, the statistical thing on each throw. I feel like he works

hard as mechanics. You know, you throw at forty seven times, you're gonna miss some throws usually, so they're still making a lot of good throws. Well down the field is as much Sunday as it has all season. I think times he had passes over twenty yards. Um, what was

New York shelling that kind of encourage you to do that? Yeah, it was, you know, it was just coverage based, you know, I mean they played some of those concepts that you know, honestly, some of those plays that we hit downfield have been in previous game plans. But at for instance, when you just play a soft two deep zone, some of those aren't as good. But you know, they played we caught

on the one to Bryce. They were in a blitz palms coverage, which everyone around the league understands is a kind of four across two under deep, and you know, we just hit the right call at the right time, and uh and hit the right you know where other times we've called a similar play hoping to get that and it's not that coverage, and then you got to take the underneath stuff. So there were a couple of things at work there, um, but certainly that was one

of them. The coverages dictated its question, you know, because he added that speed that you mentioned into lineup. Why do you think it took so long to kind of get him in the line But it wasn't. The injury was a learning the offers Bowl. I mean, I think some of it is we got him late. You know, you just tend to We worked a whole off season with all with our other guys, and we got Bryce late, and you know, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna lie. I mean, I didn't know. We get the report from

how and A scouts. Hey, we like this guy, that's why they're bringing him in here. Let's think about how, you know, how can we use a guy with this kind of speed? And uh, but until you see it, until you see it. And it took us being kind of forced into having to use him with the situation that we had. So that's good for Bryce, um, but that that's pretty much I think the answer. I mean, you've got that whole off season invested with those other guys, and you know what you have, and so I think

there's a comfort in that. Like nine possessions inside the twenty three and Carson through fifteen passes in that situation, but none of this passes one only one one to Decorates goes pretty much a check down. None of them have been thrown to him in the end zone. Pretty much. It's been it seems like that's been the trend all season. What has been the issues of trying to get hurts the ball in the in the end zone when you

guys are in the red zone. Yeah, I mean, you know, that's you know, he's he's a guy we want to feature. I mean, obviously last week was a big week for Zach period and um, as you guys have noted, he probably wasn't targeted as much into previous games period, not just in the red zone. But to your point, um, yeah, he's a playmaker. Um, we need to find ways to get him the ball in the red zone. I would agree, right. It's kind of the deal with the run game, have you, guys?

I mean, that's who you wanted the big at the beginning of the year, a team that ran the ball, and in the wins you pretty much did that. Is it just getting behind or have you gotten away from the philosophy a little bit? Um? I think some of it. Some of it's the flow of the game and getting behind, you know, not all of it. I think we've run the ball pretty consistently the whole year. You know, we haven't had a game where it seemed like we had that thirty five carry game yet. Um, you know, for

whatever reason. So um, you know, I know all you got to do is look at Doug's past to know you know, they run. You know, he runs the football. His philosophy is to run the football. His mindset, his play caller is to call. You know, So some of us just been the flow of the game and feeling like where we're making plays and where we're not making plays. But you know, we definitely I think every team would say this, we want to be a team that can

run the ball effectively. I don't know what the numbers you want to put on it are, but you know there's a number that floats around in the NFL that if you can get one hundred and twenty five yards rushing, you know, usually good things are going to happen in a game. Um, we don't live and die by that number, but it's a general barometer of where you're at the offensive line at all affected the ability to run the ballast,

you know. I mean obviously losing Lane. Losing Lane was a big loss, but I think big vs stepped in there, and you know, and then losing Allen for a game or two. I really think the guys that played well. I think in the off season, you know, I know how he had said, Hey, one of our priorities was to improve at that position, at the offensive line position. Let's get some depth there. Let's get some guys that we can develop into long term starters. And I think

that's paying dividends. I think that that was the right move and I think it's showing itself in the way it's playing. Out has played well after struggling with injuries last year. A doesn't surprise you he's playing so well at his age. And B how much emphasis are you guys putting on him during the week. I mean for Jeff to kind of keep madis some drills that he's aren't necessary and things like that. Yeah, I mean, he and Stout and coach peterson't have have a good understanding

of you know, Jason is not looking. You know it's not but he doesn't want to work. I love the way he works every week. When we at the end of the week, when you go back through the practice film, I get amazed. And I've shown this to our show that's to the offense once or twice. You look at how hard he practices on the reps that he's taking from a coach's standpoint, you look at the athleticism that he still has in his body. I mean, it's really astounding to me. I mean, he's got a lot of

athleticism left in that body. Um. I don't know how many players he has left, but I really don't see any signs. And I wasn't here when he was in his prime prime, but he might be the best offensive lineman I've ever coached. I mean, guy's awesome. Where you seeing all of this with the size down poundations roles, Is there anyone comparable? Yeah? No, He's a unique player.

I mean, you know, Danny Woodhead in San Diego is a good player, but Sprawls is a different kind of player than even like a Woodhead or some of the other smaller backs because he's so strong. He's just physically a strong man. And I remember when I was in San Diego for a couple of years there, he was legendary there. You know, in the weight room he's the strongest guy pound for pound, how hard he works and so and so forth. So I just think he is

a unique player being up the seed or Playbol. And with that, do you find yourself wanted to say more? Because obviously, yeah, Bryce is a real smart guy. I don't think he's all the way there yet with the playbook. I think he's studying hard and um and but there's a lot that goes into a lot of little nuances. Um, I think he's getting there very quickly, and there's I think there's something about the mindset of knowing that you're going to be active and knowing that you're in there

that it even accelerates. That's just a different mindset. So UM, I would anticipate in the next week or two it'll be like he's been here forever. But right now, I think there's still a little bit of a ramp up as far as learning the offense and all the nuances

as a fullback and playing. And I used to bow Allen earlier in the years, not just because Bo was, you know, more involved in the deepense at that point, and also how he Feac did Did he get the right guy on that play which he supposed to take it out? Well, Isaac did a real nice job. Actually someone someone else kind of we had leakage and Isaac had to clean something up on that play and did a nice job. You could tell in practice he's got

the athleticism, he's got it to do it. And you're right and that you know, Bo was in there earlier. But then when Bo kind of got called more into action, you know, for the defense and playing a little bit more there. You know, it's just easier when you can use your own guys, And so circumstances kind of dictated us experimenting with Isaac back there. He did a nice job, so I would anticipate that, you know, he'd be an

option going forward. When you bring along a rookie quarterback, what markers of growth are you looking for throughout the season, like things that you want him to be able to deserve do that. Maybe it wasn't the perfect dat from the beginning of you know, I think just show an unwavering toughness, you know, and mentality that even though this is a game with a lot of huge ups and downs him this is a very emotional game played by

passionate players. But you've got to have a steadiness. You got to see him go through those ups and downs and not waiver and not blink. And I think, you know, that's just kind of the general thing. And I think

more specifically, it's get a little bit sharper. And I'm I'm speaking for all of us now as an offense, but certainly, you know, just growing in situational football, and and that in no way is meant to say anything other than we as an offense need to make improvements, and he's our quarterbacks, so he needs to lead away. He needs to lead away, and we need to give him put him in position to lead away and H and so that's really will be an emphasis and a

focus going forward. We've kind of got all that early stuff out. Now let's go. Let's let's really concentrate and be great in this area.