Excited to get, you know, our preparation underway this week.
Really good team coming in here.
I think Raheem, Zach, they're really their whole crew, our
coaching Staffs doing a really good job with this team
and talented, talented team that we're going to have to
play well against and need that great home environment to
be rocking on Sunday and expected to be coming off
of.
You know, I thought they were a huge reason late
in the game coming to life.
They're giving us the kind of juice they did to
really make it hard on our opponent the other day.
It's huge by our fans.
Just quickly before we get going, didn't want to highlight
saw on social media that, you know, Randy Moss put
out kind of message in regards to to something he's
got going on and I just went out on behalf
of the whole Minnesota Vikings organization.
Just send him our well wishes and support.
You know, we love Randy and and know our fan
base feels the same way.
I really revered by all Vikings fans and really by
all NFL fans the Hall of Famer that he is.
And I just want to let him know that we're
here for him here from Egan and we always got
his back.
So just well wishes and support to him.
How much experience and time did you have with Brandy?
Yeah, I remember my first practice, I think I threw
a pat and go ball to him, kind of got
to him a little end over end.
And I think instead of catching, I think he spiked
it down on the ground like it was a but
yeah, he was.
My locker was right near his for my whole time
there.
Just always just just was so wildly impressed by the
way he prepared, just how much the game meant to
him.
He loved playing football.
He was a great teammate, you know, to everybody in
that locker room.
And his energy, you know, infectious energy really made us
a better team and made players around him better.
So he's, I mean, one of the greatest ever do
it clearly a Hall of Famer.
And, you know, it's always as a young player to
be around, not only Tom, but, but Randy early in
my career and Coach Belichick, I mean, I couldn't have
been exposed to any higher level of, of football at
that point.
So had a huge impact on me.
Kevin close your relationship like with Ray Morris?
Yeah, you were with him.
And yeah, my, I'm very close with Raheem.
He came in, you know, that that year that we
were together, we won the Super Bowl.
And just I remember just his consistency has an unbelievable
way about him with the players energy, enthusiasm.
He always seemed to have more energy than anybody else.
And and even on days where you were trying to
find it, Raheem, Raheem had some extra to give out.
So always had a positive impact on everybody.
I thought it was a really cool thing for me,
you know, and my coaching journey to be around somebody
like that, a former head coach that, you know, was
coordinating and kind of just seeing the leadership that that
he had.
But yet how he played so well off of Sean
and the principles of our organization.
I just I thought that was something that that really
stayed with me and I was really excited for him
that he got that opportunity and with a great organization
and a lot of folks coaching for him that I
know well.
And that's where, you know, I know it's going to
be a heck of a challenge.
He's going to have his team ready to go.
Is, is the coach, you know, Kirk Custom better than
probably anybody, which means you know what his strengths are,
but you also know what gets under his skin is
is there anything in your game plan that you would
do that that would take advantage of that knowledge?
I, I just, I have tremendous, tremendous respect for Kirk.
One of the, the players, you know, throughout my journey
as a coach that either coaching them in Washington and
17 are getting, being very fortunate to, to, you know,
get 2 years with him here.
I just know how impactful of a player he is
from, you know, what he's doing right now as far
as his preparation for the game and, and how he's,
you know, he's done a really good job with that
group of skill players and kind of getting a lot
of guys involved and running the show.
And, and what is a new offense?
There's probably a lot of characteristics that were able to
carry over for him with, with Zach coming from a
a similar background that I came from when we came
here.
But what I thought that what Kirk did best, you
know, over the two years is just the dialogue and
and the connection that him and I had to try
to build our version of the offense here.
And then his ownership of that being really good end
of game situations.
And, you know, totally taking us, you know, bringing us
back in, in many instances in 22.
And then just how he was able to, even despite
the injury last year, just still continue to have a
positive impact on this building and his teammates.
So it's going to be a challenge.
You know, he's going to be very accurate.
He's going to throw with great timing and rhythm.
He's going to get the ball out.
And when he does, it's going to be going to
the right guy.
And we got to be, you know, all 11 mentality
every single snap because you know, he can he can
easily put together the type of performance where he can
have you scrambling on defense from a coverage standpoint, being
a play ahead, all those things.
So we we got to do a really good job
with the principles of of our defense that we feel
very strongly about and know that they're going to have
a plan for it.
There's always going to be some, you know, change ups
and game plan things just like any other opponent.
And we'll have those this week.
And Flo and his staff are working through that stuff
right now.
Yeah.
So we open the window for for Will and Depot.
We'll see kind of how their their work week looks
like.
But, you know, barring any setbacks, hoping to have both
of them back.
And we'll work through that, you know, throughout the throughout
the week.
I did you know, I did want to highlight Jake
McQuaid.
Just you know, just what he you know, to lose
your your long snapper and kicker the same week in
an NFL season is pretty unique.
Not sure how many times that's happened, but really, since,
you know, both he and park arrived, you know, we
were pretty darn successful And so such a pros pro.
How he you know, he'd be in the indoor late
at night on a Wednesday, just getting snaps in working
his sets.
Just I mean, setting a great example of a guy
that truly loves football and came in and and when
we need him the most, he was there for us.
So just want to highlight Jake and and the same
thing will be said for Park, but we're going to
let will kind of work through the week, make sure
you get some kicks and things like that.
But can't say enough about both those as Parker's been
as as big as anybody here over the last few
weeks, helping us to ensure some of these wins.
Yeah, I don't think he'll work today.
But as we work through the week there, there might
be a chance that, you know, the good news is
I think that we avoided a a serious longer term
injury.
But at the same time, it's, you know, we're into
December now and he's giving us a lot of great
snaps And, and I feel really good about what Fabian
was able to come in and do as well.
So we're going to make sure that we're smart with
him, but by no means hold them back if if
he's ready to go.
So I still early enough in the week where I
can't really project that right now.
But today he will keep on rehabbing and recovering and
we'll see if we can, you know, assess a way
of getting them out there for some work by the
end of the week.
I don't think you can look at it like that.
My whole goal this whole year has been to make
sure that that we're constantly chasing improvement.
And we're in a part of our schedule where, you
know, between the opponent we played last weekend and really,
you know, many of our opponents moving forward here through
the end of the year.
Not only are they NFC teams, but their teams that
are right in the mix to either win their divisions
or win our division.
So it's, you know, I look at every single week
here as we move forward, like we've got to start
building the mindset of which we've done throughout the year.
But that want to know mentalities you get later in
the year, you better have some urgency on it and
make sure you maximize every second of your preparation because
we're playing everybody we're playing down the stretch is going
to have a mindset of, you know, not quite must
win, but we're all kind of in the business now
of late in the season.
You know, winning is a very, very important thing.
Yeah, I think it started back in in the spring
and then in training camp, had a great training camp.
Just, you know, there's always that young DB that seems
like they're making a play a day kind of thing.
And and Dwight was definitely that throughout training camp.
He's got really good, you know, natural skills to play
the position and cover fits kind of in alignment with
how we're playing a little bit more tighter coverage now
and and getting up on people.
And that cover true coverage ability is something that, you
know, it's hard to find sometimes, especially with younger players.
So the fact that he was able to come in
and demonstrate that right away, it's really just been a
matter of being pretty healthy at that position.
But, you know, I I think his, you know, his
opportunities are coming.
It could be this week.
And if he gets his off, you know, we know
he's going to be ready.
Yeah.
He's you know, it's hard to put into words like
the off the field stuff just because he's so consistently
himself and authentic.
And what that is is such a huge driving reason
by behind why he was such a marquee guy for
us to bring in here because it's the energy, it's
the positivity.
But then there's there's this Workman like approach to everything
he does.
You guys see it.
He might be off to the side working his hand
usage or maybe it's he's, you know, he's complimenting one
of his rush moves with, you know, you know, working
on a new tool there.
And then I think the the underrated part is just
the all down aspect of the physicality, setting edges, playing
blocks and and making some plays at or behind the
line of scrimmage that set up his chances to then
rush the passer.
And he's played, he's played a ton.
We're we're trying to be aware of, you know, just
how much he's played and see if we can give
him some spurts here and there where we can kind
of keep his play count where we want it.
But at the same time, he's one of our best
players.
And, you know, as I like to call him, he's
the closer.
You know, how many times this year is he affected
the quarterback, drawn a penalty, sacked the quarterback strip sack,
you know, last week in these critical moments where, you
know, you need your best players to go make those
plays.
And he's done it time and time again, for sure.
Yeah, I think Cash's athleticism and just ability to run
and play in space is so real.
He still has the physicality.
But even, you know, I look back on a couple
plays the other day where it's either a check down,
throw in space that if you don't have, if you
don't have somebody that can run, hit and finish that
play these 4 yard completions when you've done a great
job with all the other eligibles.
Those are, you know, we've experienced it this year where
we checked the ball down to Aaron or, you know,
Chicago 3rd and long.
You check it down to him and he he runs
for 14 yards and a first down like those underneath
plays, as well as his feel and instincts and zone.
You know, sometimes those guys, you know, it's one thing
on a sheet of paper to be told, hey, here's
your landmark.
You're dropping, you know, 10 to 12 yards outside this
hash mark.
But then there's a play going on and the eligibles
and and the play expresses itself.
And he's got a really good feel for reading eyes
of the quarterback, the pocket movement of the quarterback and
just kind of knowing where he needs to be to
provide body presence in the zones, but then make a
play on the football, make a play and and get
there and make a tackle.
So it's it's just it's such a space thing with
Blake.
And I think he's shown time and time again that
his comfort of playing in space matched with his physicality
when he arrives at the football is it was a
huge reason why we went and got him and he's
shown up for sure.
Yeah, yeah.
And, and you can just tell Dave by like his
play style on tape last year.
And I think it fit with how D'amico coaches.
And, you know, this guy plays hard every single snap,
you know, to the point where, you know, sometimes he
plays himself to a point of exhaustion.
And that's why we use the time out late in
the game to to try to get him back in
there.
You know, it's very rare for me to call a
time out and then go stand by somebody when you
know they're getting water and trying to catch their breath
and you know, you ready to go?
You ready to go, you ready to go type thing.
But that's what it is.
And I think, you know, he no no doubt he
was going back on the field and and going to
have a really impactful snap.
I thought he had a great rush even on Murph's
interception, you know, beats the tackle and then and kind
of bowled over the back trying to save the day
and kind of forced Kyler off the spot.
And as the game went on, I thought we did
a better job with our rush plan of, you know,
not letting him get up and out and really attack
us as much as he started to have to go
backwards.
And then we were able to capitalize on some of
those last couple.
Kevin, we talked a lot about Donald's arm town.
What?
What does that allow you to do from the game
planning standpoint?
Or does it change things when you know that he
can make throws that maybe not?
Yeah.
I think, you know, you got to watch yourself sometimes
because you're almost, you know, getting to a place where
of course he'll be able to make that throw, of
course he'll be able to make that throw and there's
other factors involved, protection, the pockets got to allow time
for some of this stuff to express itself.
So it's a good mix.
But at the same time, like I thought he had
some really nice completions just simple underneath the coverage early
and then he hits Justin, you know, on an end
cut and kind of the intermediate part of the zone.
Then we kind of, you know, figured out as the
game went on where we're kind of the the holes
in the coverage maybe.
And sometimes it was a moving route through that area.
Sometimes it was our receivers doing a great job coming
back to the football through kind of, you know, through
the zones.
And then Sam anticipating those windows and then having the
ability to drive the football layer of the ball up
and over to Jordan on on on that bench cut.
So there was just countless examples.
And then you get to a simple play to try
to win it.
And it's 1 foot in front of the numbers to
Aaron.
Aaron makes a great catch and walks in the end
zone and sometimes you can take for granted even me
calling the plays, just the pitch and catch value of
what Sam's brought this year.
And then the plays and the and the report he
has with the guys catching the football has been really
watched.
They're really fun to watch.
Just slowly build and build.
And we make a few more plays and now we're
kind of at the point where, you know, there's an
expectation from our guys that we're going to go out
and and and make enough plays in the passing game
to win the game.
And and and we feel good about, you know, the
volume of runs we've gotten off this year.
But it's still going to be about here December football,
a good mixture of both and marrying up the run
in the past to try to generate as many of
those easy OPS, quote UN quote easy that Sam certainly
makes look that way.
Yeah, I thought he was fantastic.
I mean, his tape was really, really good.
You know, I remember really watching a couple times him
and him and Gibbs and just really thinking, you know,
either one of these guys are going to be incredibly
impactful.
He's a he's a tough runner.
He's a really, really good wide zone runner.
And and that's, you know what they specialize in running
those truly trying to attack the sea gaps And you
he's got a great feel for when to put his
foot in the ground, when to bounce it.
You know, he can run through arm tackles kind of
at that moment of truth with it.
You get sometimes on those zone plays where one guy
might be able to get there, but if he doesn't
make the play, it's going to be an explosive run.
And that's what Bijon does a ton of.
I think he's got really good hands.
He's got a good feel as a route runner.
And so you can just tell, you know, Zach's just
trying to find as many ways to get him the
ball in space as they possibly can.
And you know, he's everything.
He he I expected him to be.
He's been that and more, and I think he's consistently
getting better, too, even in his feel of their run
scheme and the speed of the game and making his
decisions off his read.
So we got to set edges, we got to defeat
some blocks and we got to play the cutback.
And it's simple principles.
Easier said than done sometimes.
Yeah, I've been a a fan of his since he
came out.
He was.
I remember I was in LA at the time.
And Eric Yarber, our receiver coach, you know, stay shared
cut up with me and his and by the time
I got through it, I was like this guy can
play inside, he can play outside.
He's got long speed, he's got separation skills.
He's a really good catcher of the football and and
really good after the catch.
So I was like, there's there's not many more box
to check from a prospect standpoint.
And just in that offense with Drake being, you know,
a big explosive receiver that can, you know, take the
ball right off the top of the backboard as a
former basketball player.
And then you've got, you know, the tight end, obviously,
and you've got Bijan and you've got you just you're
you're in a world where you got to have a
really, really detailed plan to defend them all.
But I think he he's shown to be a really
good fit and a great pick up by them because
he's he's fitting in so many different layers of that
offense and making a lot of plays.
You mentioned December football.
What changes in December?
I just think you start, you have to deal with
the the aspect of you've played twelve games you've played.
There's been a lot of these games are physical.
The schedule sometimes is more friendly at different times than
others and a lot of time on task has stacked
stacked up.
So really December football is about play style.
It's about elite communication.
So that at this point in the year, you know,
technique fundamentals, you can't let those things slip either.
But at this point in the year, if every, if
all 11 guys know what to do and the communications
been good and more sound with our scheme and then
the play style gets thrown in, good things are going
to happen.
But you can't let any one of those areas slip
because we experienced it last Sunday.
Whether it's a protect, a protection call, not everybody gets
it.
It's going to be a catastrophic negative drive ending play
or you know, who's setting the edge on the defense.
And hey, we went from this defense to that defense
and jobs changed and the ball snapped every single time.
We don't have all 11 on the same page this
late in the year.
That's on us.
That's on me.
So we're trying as coaches to make sure we're stressing
those things and doing the little things out on the
practice field and walkthroughs and meetings to ensure that we,
if we get those things, we feel really confident about
the talent level of our guys, the connection of our
team in our locker room.
Good things are going to happen.
And it might not be for 60 minutes just steamrolling
people, but we have a belief we're going to find
a way to win the game.
And that's what I want this team to truly feel
it down the stretch here.
We're finding a way to find a way.
And it's, it's as simple as that.
Not every Sunday is going to look the same.
It's going to express itself differently.
But we're going to do whatever we can, coaches and
players, to find a way.