Kevin Stefanski Postgame Press Conference After Win vs Ravens
Kevin Stefanski Postgame Press Conference After Win vs Ravens
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00:00 It's a fight. The whole way didn't start out how we wanted it to start out.
00:05 The team's gotten behind here at this place. It's hard to fight back.
00:09 But I know the team, the type of team we had that brought the bugs back wasn't perfect.
00:13 It wasn't pretty all the time. We can learn from those things.
00:17 But I was really proud of the effort. It was the first 60 minutes and it was going to be a 60 minute game.
00:21 That'll take ages.
00:23 John was 6-20 in the first half, 14-14 in the second, and then let that game win and drive.
00:30 Your thoughts on how he came back and played in the second half?
00:32 He's a warrior. He battled through an ankle injury in the second half.
00:40 The first one gets tipped. The kid makes a great play. It is what it is.
00:45 We'll get better from that, but he's a warrior.
00:49 Did he show you everything in this game that you've seen and that you believe in, DeJong?
00:55 Yeah. The kids, again, makes plays when they're not there.
01:01 Makes unbelievable throws, leads this football team.
01:04 There was really never a doubt in his mind how this game was going to turn out.
01:11 I say that throughout the week, throughout the game itself.
01:15 He's a leader in this football team for a reason.
01:18 Did you have anything to say to Hopkins after the game?
01:21 No.
01:23 What did you think about him?
01:26 That's why we got him.
01:29 Listen, we're not perfect. These players are perfect. I know I'm not perfect, but I trust our guys to come through in that.
01:36 Just to finish his thought, not trying to 60-yarder at the end of the half.
01:41 Yeah, it was a little long. Once I thought about it, it was a little long. They had their returner back there.
01:47 Just didn't feel right to put him in that spot.
01:50 Kevin, did DeJong get hurt on the last play of the first half?
01:53 Because he went to locker room as you guys were deciding on that.
01:56 No. The last play was before the field goal.
02:00 I don't think so.
02:02 Did you know that he was going to be able to come out in the second half because he was one of the later guys?
02:07 He told me he was coming out, but he got in here.
02:10 I did not think he'd be coming out.
02:16 Kevin, what are you thinking target line-wise for that last drive?
02:19 When you see Kareem in the pile pushing like that.
02:21 That's my favorite play of the game.
02:24 We talked about this one. You're going to have to play hard.
02:27 You're going to have to play for 60 minutes to see all 11 in the frame pushing their buddy, pushing their brother.
02:34 That's what this team is about. They're about that fight, and that was on display.
02:39 What does it say about your team and some of the backups?
02:42 Mike Ford comes to mind, your two tackles. It wound up making a huge play.
02:46 As part of football, guys need to step up. I thought they did a nice job.
02:50 Obviously, Mike, you know I'm going to fight the crazy tackles.
02:53 I thought the protection was pretty good throughout the day, all things considered.
02:58 Again, really proud of the guys in terms of all the guys in executing.
03:04 It was not perfect, and that's the NFL to go.
03:08 We've got another big one next week.
03:10 What did you see or feel from your guys on the sidelines when they got down 14-0 right away and 7-3 at the end of the season?
03:16 We've been here before. We know that.
03:18 Obviously, it's not the goal to start to get behind.
03:22 That's the things that we can get better.
03:24 Those are things that we can certainly improve from a player standpoint, from a coaching standpoint.
03:28 I can do a better job for our team to make sure that we're starting fast in these games.
03:33 I know that locker room. I know what type of people are in there, so we know they're going to fight back.
03:38 Kevin, you always talk about 1-0 each week, but can this be the type of game that really propels you guys going forward the way you fought and overcame so much?
03:45 I don't think so. It's 1-0 this week. We've got a game next week. We're going to try to go 1-0 next week.
03:51 It might be easy to get rattled after a pick-six like that early on, like we saw happen earlier this season.
03:59 How do you feel like Deshaun just got out?
04:01 He's a pro. AVP does a great job. Those guys know quarterback quite well.
04:08 They had a good conversation. Deshaun put him in.
04:12 Craig Newsome's first career interception.
04:15 Yeah, it was awesome. I liked it.
04:17 [laughter]
04:19 Is this almost like a – I know you don't like to put things into big categories, but this almost felt like a signature win for Deshaun in this division, for this football league.
04:29 I don't know. Again, remember, we want to keep – we want to be playing our best football moving forward.
04:34 We want to really be getting better each week. That's a very good football team, as you guys know.
04:39 We know it's going to be a battle. We felt good about it, but we have to go out and do it.
04:44 Then just the way the guys competed throughout, we really keep our focus very narrow.
04:50 Kevin, when did you guys decide to play Christian at left-hand?
04:53 [inaudible]
05:00 Yes. I'm trying to think if it was Monday or Tuesday.
05:04 Early in the week, we talked about our options. We practiced him out there.
05:09 We practiced Leroy out there. Just felt confident with the plan.
05:14 What did you think about the defense?
05:16 It gets a lot of third-down penalties. It kept them out of the field.
05:19 Then they get a late stop, and then Greg gets that late –
05:21 Yes, that was tough. They're battling like crazy.
05:24 I'll have to look at some of those penalties. It is what it is.
05:28 But then that interception at the end of the half, the blocked field goal by Jordan, maybe got it.
05:36 You saw a defense. You serve a soft team, but in that instance, you saw a defense that was just going to go make a play.
05:44 However you do it, whether it's going to be rushing the passer or balls in the air, it belongs to us.
05:49 So no bigger play than Greg's touchdown.
05:53 Kevin, it doesn't get any easier from here. Next week, you've got the Steelers coming in.
05:57 Can you just talk about the magnitude of now having to just go out and do this again?
06:01 Again, that's the NFL. That's this division.
06:06 We'll get ready for Pittsburgh starting tomorrow.
06:10 But again, they come at you fast. That's how this league works.
06:14 Just thoughts about Jerome Ford and just how in some very bleak moments there, he kept the train going and just a great performance.
06:23 Yes, that's a very, very good defense that our offense was going up against.
06:28 So you know it was going to be tough sledding at times. I thought Kareem ran hard. I know Jerome ran hard.
06:33 He probably squirted it out of there for a few long gains.
06:36 But the guys battled. Again, this was not going to be easy. This was going to look like that.
06:41 Do you have an update on Greg or Ryan?
06:43 I shall. Yeah, MRIs.
06:46 Did you see the time? It looked like there was a late shot.
06:49 I didn't see it live, but I will look at it.
06:53 Perfect. Anything else?
06:56 Okay, thank you.