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00:00 >> You expect to see something that shouldn't Texas want to change drastically,
00:04 but considering the game that Amari had against him a couple of weeks ago,
00:07 you think they'll see a lot different look from them?
00:09 >> I know it's hard to say, but I would expect so.
00:11 With the success that he had during that game that they would have to try something
00:15 a little bit different, but who knows?
00:16 I mean, that's a defendant that believes in who they are and what they do.
00:20 So we'll see, but we're ready to adjust and
00:23 we're ready for anything that shows up on Saturday, excuse me.
00:26 >> [INAUDIBLE] If you've done something all year long and
00:30 you made your mind to try to change something just for a playoff game.
00:35 >> It's always hard.
00:36 I mean, you are who you are to your core.
00:38 You have your core beliefs in your system and you hang your hat on those.
00:42 So we'll see.
00:44 >> Alex, there's so many key defensive guys for them out last game.
00:48 So how much of an impact is that?
00:51 Like knowing you're gonna have to see like Anderson or Bernard or this time around.
00:54 >> Yeah, definitely.
00:55 I mean, those are great players for him.
00:57 We didn't see Bernard last time he left early in that game.
00:59 But we know what he brings, his productivity has been outstanding this year.
01:05 And Anderson's an extremely talented pass rusher as well.
01:08 Their strength is up front in their D line we feel and that's a good challenge.
01:13 So we hope they're healthy, hope we get them at their best.
01:18 >> What's going on with the back of court?
01:20 Is the audition still continuing?
01:23 >> No, not as right now, Jeff is our backup moving forward.
01:26 Thought he did a good job last week, put in a tough spot, come in and
01:30 just go after a week of being around.
01:34 It wasn't always perfect, but he did some really good things.
01:37 >> In terms of after that game,
01:39 to make a Ryan's kind of a magical fact that they gave Joe all day tomorrow.
01:43 So I'm sure you're expecting that they're gonna dial up and
01:47 bring way more heat.
01:48 How are you guys ready to- >> Same way we prepare every week,
01:52 Mary Kay, to be honest with you.
01:53 We go through our blitz meetings, our blitz pickup responsibilities,
01:57 then we walk through it.
01:58 So nothing will change for us in our process.
02:00 >> And I know Eladj Mour got off the field in Cincinnati a little bit.
02:06 How's he looking?
02:07 >> Yeah, he looks good.
02:09 He looks really good.
02:10 I thought yesterday even in a walk through, he's twitchy and
02:12 he's coming out of breaks.
02:14 And we had to slow him down a little bit.
02:16 So expect and excited to see a healthy Eladj out there.
02:19 >> Eladj went through a lot of the season, not stroke, but
02:22 he's not reducing.
02:23 Did you guys have a talk at any time or
02:25 did you just feel confident that when the right time came, he'd still be on?
02:29 >> He'll definitely help us, he has all year.
02:31 Doesn't always get a ton of throws throughout the course of a game, but
02:36 he's definitely on the guys that we try to get the ball to.
02:38 There's no doubt about that.
02:39 That's just the way it's going.
02:42 He's gonna make big plays for us.
02:43 All the way through, he's been a true professional.
02:46 All the way through, he works as hard as anybody in the classroom and
02:50 on the field.
02:50 So he's deserving for sure.
02:52 >> How much has Joe Flacco's ability to throw down the field
02:56 allowed you to adjust your game planning to take advantage of that?
03:04 >> Yeah, we'll try to push it at all three levels of the field.
03:06 There's no question we're gonna make him defend the whole field.
03:08 And his ability to throw accurately down the field helps us in that regard.
03:13 >> It's a first in the run game, but it's kind of been up and down the season.
03:17 Since Nick went down.
03:18 Just where's your confidence level with that?
03:22 >> No, I feel good about our run game and
03:26 it hasn't been as productive as the past run games.
03:29 But at the same time, it's just playoff football.
03:32 You gotta run the ball to win in these games.
03:35 I think we're healthier up front than we have been in a while.
03:38 Thanks to last week.
03:40 And we didn't run it as well as we wanted to last time against this group.
03:43 So that's a big challenge for us and we've addressed it.
03:47 >> How do you see your on getting better in the last month or so?
03:55 When they get in there?
03:58 >> No, I think they've been great.
03:59 I really do.
04:00 I'm really proud of those guys.
04:01 James played really well last few weeks.
04:04 Geron's playing well.
04:06 Those guys just to come in and play, I think it's been, it's really helped us.
04:10 It's saved our bacon, so to speak a little bit to have two guys that can hold up on
04:13 the edge and proud of those guys for that.
04:15 >> Alex, most teams when you lose your starting quarterback to a fracture
04:19 children don't have the opportunity to go pluck a former Super Bowl MVP off
04:25 the couch and plug them in there and have it go like this.
04:29 Stand up in front of the team and
04:30 talk about what it's like to win a Super Bowl and things like that.
04:32 How cool is it for you guys to be able to go into these playoffs with obviously
04:37 everything at stake with the guy like Joe?
04:41 >> Yeah, Joe cool.
04:42 I mean, he is.
04:43 He's just, he's been there.
04:44 He's done that.
04:45 There's nothing too big.
04:46 He's experienced a lot of football in his day.
04:48 And it definitely gives us a level of confidence and
04:53 comfort going into the game knowing that he's at the helm.
04:55 >> There's some guys that are going one to know and
04:59 there's some guys that talked about feeling the weight of this game and
05:03 it being the playoffs, especially ones that have been there, haven't been there
05:06 before for you as a coach, how do you value the different kinds of approaches to
05:10 this week and how much do those mix in as they're talking to each other?
05:13 >> Yeah, the biggest thing in these games is don't do anything that you haven't done
05:17 all year for these guys, just a little bit more time like it's the importance is there.
05:22 Yes, is the most important game of the year?
05:25 Yes, it is.
05:26 Because for us, it's our next game and that's our motto going in.
05:28 So we're just gonna heighten our awareness and laser focus and
05:32 you really focus in on the little things of the game plan.
05:35 And that'll just allow us to go out and play free and fast.
05:38 The last thing we want is a tight group out there on Saturday.
05:42 So just being who we are, I think is important.
05:46 It's been good enough to get us where we are right now.
05:49 And I hate for guys to feel like they need to change and
05:51 do more or less than they have at this point.
05:52 So that's gonna be the message going through the week is trusting the process,
05:56 really emphasizing the preparation.
05:59 So you have freedom to go play loose on Saturday.
06:02 >> Can you leave alone the notion of, for the most part, of interceptions so
06:07 that it doesn't become a thing inside anybody's head?
06:10 Or do you have to send some messaging about not getting fixed?
06:14 >> We do every week, really.
06:16 Every week when we talk to the team in front of a Saturday night meeting,
06:21 it's all about ball security first and foremost, and it ends with ball security.
06:23 Like I said before, sometimes you don't mention it and you don't get it.
06:27 You do, I mean, that's just what we gotta take care of the football.
06:30 We're last in the league in turnovers.
06:32 So, and they're first in the league at not giving it away.
06:36 So we gotta play better there.
06:37 >> Kevin, when he starts here,
06:42 how has he evolved as a coach in your mind?
06:47 >> I mean, he's awesome.
06:49 I've enjoyed every second with him.
06:51 His ability to adjust and adapt with the coolness,
06:54 it's just a consistency that he brings every day.
06:58 I mean, he's coached a lot of football, different schemes.
07:02 His ability, again, to change on a dime based on who this player,
07:05 starter is, quarterback, I thought it's been really remarkable.
07:08 But the message, the culture he's built here over the last four years,
07:12 I'm really proud of him.
07:13 >> How do you guys reconcile your giveaways?
07:17 [INAUDIBLE]
07:27 >> Not looking into it that deep right now, Tony, just try not to turn the ball over.
07:35 The more I talk about it, the more I start sweating.
07:37 So we'll just stop there.
07:38 >> Is it difficult to, you've been preaching, just do your job.
07:44 Is it difficult though for guys to not get caught up in this being a playoff game and
07:49 trying to do too much?
07:50 >> The good news is we have a fair amount of guys that have been in playoff games
07:54 before, including R2 in 2020.
07:57 So hopefully we've learned some lessons from that.
07:59 I know we went to Kansas City the first series and a half, first two series.
08:03 I didn't know what football team was out there, that wasn't us.
08:06 We got a little tight, a little nervous.
08:08 So hopefully the guys in that game have learned from that.
08:10 Again, we're preaching the process, we're preaching preparation.
08:13 These guys should go to bed on Friday night feeling like, okay,
08:17 I feel really good about my week's work.
08:19 And we'll go from there.
08:20 But there's no need to be tight in these games.
08:22 Again, it's the most important game of the year because it's our next game.
08:25 >> I don't know, Joe, if you're confident, it's Joe cool out there.
08:32 What's his impact behind the scenes because he's been there, he's won.
08:39 This is nothing new to him.
08:41 Just what's that like been behind the scenes as far as the club influence and
08:49 also on the side of his engage?
08:51 >> Yeah, no, I mean, that's who he is.
08:53 That's the strength, one of his strengths that he brings to us is his ability to
08:57 talk to guys on the field, off the field, after practice reps, after meetings.
09:02 His ability to communicate, make sure everybody's on the same page.
09:05 Those are the types of things that veteran quarterbacks do behind the scenes, but
09:09 he's been doing that since he got here.
09:10 >> The first Houston game, they just were to apply that pressure on the flackoil.
09:17 They really haven't got those two guys back.
09:21 So if you see, let me go right, adjust that or
09:24 just plug it in for that, Jerry Hughes.
09:26 Is there a scheme adjustment there?
09:29 >> Yeah, I mean, we're ready for it.
09:31 Don't know, to be honest with you, not quite sure.
09:33 But it's definitely, you get the checklist of things that you have to be ready for.
09:38 That's on the list.
09:39 But we're ready.
09:40 >> Sorry, how about your uncertainty at the receiver position a little bit?
09:43 With Sadie, he's, how do you feel just about- >> Hopefully we get some guys back.
09:50 Regardless of who's out there, feel confident about who's out there.
09:53 I mean, David Bell, last week, all he does is catch two touchdown passes,
09:56 does his job every time.
09:57 Feel very comfortable.
09:59 If he's out there, he'll do a great job for us.
10:01 Elijah coming back, Amari, the week's rest, feeling better.
10:05 I'm excited about that.
10:07 >> [INAUDIBLE] was obviously on sort of changing the culture,
10:12 establishing a winning culture and all that.
10:16 You make the playoffs that first year, you go two years without it.
10:18 How much more does it feel like that culture change,
10:21 the message has just kind of gotten through to get to the point now where you're
10:24 making it a second time?
10:26 >> Yeah, I think that's a big part of who we are in this building.
10:29 That locker room is really, really tight, connected locker room.
10:32 The great teams that I've been fortunate enough to be around or on,
10:37 that's the same feeling I get from this group.
10:39 They love to play for each other.
10:42 They really love to play for the man to the right and the left of them.
10:45 That's all that matters, the trust they have in each other.
10:47 That culture has been built here now for four years.
10:50 I really, you can feel it this year.
10:52 To talk about David Njoku, I think I read one of his articles where he said,
10:56 as soon as I put the team in front of me, I became a better player.
10:59 And I see that through a lot of players on this team.
11:01 I love the way that these guys fight, scratch and
11:03 claw from each other every week.
11:05 All right, thank you.