Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott addresses the media ahead of Wednesday's practice in Orchard Park, as his team gets ready to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on "Monday Night Football" at Highmark Stadium. (Courtesy of the Buffalo Bills)
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00:00Good afternoon. I'll give you the injury update here to get you started.
00:05So, Taryn and TB will both be out for the game this week.
00:11Everyone else will practice, which would include Duvon Smoot, Javon Solomon, and Casey Twohill.
00:17So, they'll all practice and be out there, and you guys can take it from there.
00:23Are there any new updates on Terrell potentially going on IR or not?
00:27No new information right now. We just keep taking it one day at a time.
00:32Are you optimistic on Smoot after not having him for the two weeks to get him back out there?
00:37I think we'll see, Sal, how it looks today, and just take it one day at a time and see how the week goes.
00:44That's a guy playing against his former team, too. He can probably be a bit motivated, do you think?
00:50So, is that, you know, you hoping maybe for that reason, too, to get him back out there?
00:54I mean, he's a pro, so, you know, I think right now just putting one foot in front of the other,
01:01no pun intended with his injury, but just taking today and focusing in on today
01:07and getting him back into the mix here.
01:09A weird week Thursday into the following Monday.
01:13How did you go about deciding this practice schedule this week?
01:16Just trying to keep it as normal as possible and focus on our team and focus on, you know,
01:22how we can best improve ourselves and get ourselves where we need to be.
01:26Just trying to improve one week at a time, one day at a time here.
01:30Knowing that it's next man up, but I'm sure in the sort of training camp,
01:34even going into August before the Pittsburgh practice,
01:36you're looking forward to seeing Terrell and Matt and seeing what they can do.
01:40What's it like now going into this game, not having either of them,
01:44and where does Nick Morrow fit in this whole mix?
01:47Yeah, Nick's right there.
01:49It's an opportunity for Baylin and Dorian to work together like they did in the back half of the game
01:57or really the majority of the game the other night.
02:00So another opportunity for someone to step up, opportunity for Nick as well
02:05and his role that he currently is in, and I think he's done a nice job to this point.
02:10Do you anticipate Baylin starting?
02:12Yes.
02:14What gives you the confidence that these two youngsters are capable of holding that job,
02:18even though these two guys are tough to replace?
02:21Yeah, they are tough to replace.
02:23They just got to go in and be themselves.
02:25We'll play well around them, and they did a nice job last week,
02:30but they're focused on this week and, again, today's practice
02:33and just really learning the game plan for this week here.
02:37Sean, how much do you think it matters that the players you've had to rely on
02:41as replacements and even your new starting safeties
02:45are all guys that have been in this system for a while?
02:48They haven't necessarily been starters, but they've been with you in your defense for a number of years.
02:52I think that's important.
02:54You're talking about continuity there, experience, reps in this system,
03:01Jamarcus being another example of that.
03:06That's important, and it allows those guys to know what we do, how we want it done,
03:12the style of play we want to play with,
03:14and then some level of comfort with them being out there
03:20from the time they've put on the field with their teammates.
03:25I know they may not have been starters,
03:27but they've played alongside of some of the other guys that are out there.
03:32There are a couple of kickers in this week for a workout.
03:35Where do things stand with Tyler,
03:37and what went into the decision to bring in a couple of guys to look at?
03:40Just keeping an eye on things like we do at every position,
03:43and we remain confident in Tyler and what he's doing,
03:47and we are confident in what he'll continue to do for us going forward.
03:51What stands out when you watch the Jacksonville defense?
03:55I think they're well-coached, extremely well-coached.
04:01They play extremely hard.
04:03Their front is a headache, and they do a lot of good things up front.
04:09Really good personnel up front, really good personnel across the team, for that matter.
04:15They're playing hard, and through two games,
04:18they haven't allowed a whole lot of points there.
04:22We've got to make sure we've got a good week of practice starting today.
04:26Sean, when it comes to having guys to develop in your system,
04:29how much better is the way you and Brandon work together now
04:33than maybe the first two or three years you guys were together
04:35when it comes to identifying players that you want that work well here
04:38that you can't develop over multiple years?
04:41I think that relationship of the head coach and the GM, like any good situation,
04:48it's important that it continues to grow and develop and get stronger.
04:52I would say that that's been the case for Brandon and my relationship.
04:56From just a relationship standpoint to an understanding of what we want,
05:03what we need, and how the game is also evolving from 2017
05:08when we first came in together.
05:10That's been enjoyable to be a part of,
05:13and I certainly appreciate Brandon with that.
05:15You talked highly last week about seeing Jordan Poyer
05:19and getting a chance to see him.
05:21This week or next week, Monday,
05:23it's going to be Mitch Morse and Kate Davis, two valuable guys.
05:26What will it be like to see them with another uniform on,
05:30given the roles that they had here?
05:33What will it be like to see them with another uniform on?
05:38Yeah, I wish those guys well.
05:41Two studs as it relates to what they added here
05:45and two guys that I loved being around
05:48and we loved having here that helped us have the success that we had
05:53when they were here in particular.
05:55Like as you mentioned with Jordan and Mike,
05:58those two have left a mark on our organization in a good way as well,
06:03and we're happy that they're happy and their families are happy.
06:07So we want the best for them.
06:09I recognize that they're on opposite sides of the field pretty often,
06:13but how have you seen Christian and Russell work so well together?
06:16Maybe that's in practice or in the meeting rooms.
06:19It seems like they've formed a nice little bond off the field as well, Jane.
06:25I think that's important.
06:26Russell's been in the league a little bit longer than CB,
06:30and he can share some of his wisdom with CB
06:33and how things work and the journey of an NFL corner.
06:37So that's been interesting and fun to watch,
06:41and I think it's helped CB as well
06:44and maybe in some ways helped Russell as well,
06:46just getting CB's thoughts on some things,
06:50maybe playing specifically in this defense
06:52since he's actually been in it a little bit longer than Russell.
06:55How have you seen James Cook continue to grow his game now
06:59as the offensive player?
07:01Yeah, so steady.
07:03His day-to-day approach is so steady,
07:05focused on what he needs to do to improve,
07:10and really just, again,
07:13a delight to watch a young man come here from South Florida
07:17and really embrace Buffalo and the community
07:24and focus, really hone in on his job and what he's trying to do.
07:28I know it means a lot to him to do his part,
07:31and that's what you're seeing unfold here.
07:33James got offensive player of the week, second straight week,
07:36that your team gets the offensive player of the week.
07:39Went through so many changes on offense,
07:41losing some wide receivers,
07:42changes up front on the offensive line.
07:44What does it say about your team
07:46to be able to produce such explosive performances
07:50week after week,
07:51going through such a distinct transition as you have?
07:54Yeah, I think we had defensive player of the week
07:56maybe in week one, defense in week one,
07:59offense in week two.
08:00That's okay.
08:01No, I mean, it's good individual honors,
08:04but I think overall, those honors don't happen by themselves,
08:08but it's great recognition for those guys.
08:10Those two guys work extremely hard,
08:12and I know they're set on improving each and every week,
08:16so happy to see those guys get acknowledged.
08:20Hey, Sean, obviously the game script for Miami
08:22was different for Josh,
08:24but overall throughout the league,
08:26why does it look like passing is so much harder in the NFL?
08:30What's going on?
08:31It used to be guys would put up 300 yards routinely,
08:34and that's not happening right now.
08:35Yeah, I think the league is growing.
08:37It's changing, evolving, if you will, as well,
08:40and rosters are built in some ways
08:44maybe a little bit different than they used to be built,
08:47and schematics have changed a little bit as well.
08:51So I think with that,
08:53you're seeing the game change then as well.
08:55In terms of rosters being built, what do you mean by that?
08:57What's different about the roster building
08:59that would affect the passing game?
09:02Some people are getting smaller, some people aren't
09:05in terms of the way they're constructing defenses.
09:08We could be here for an hour
09:09and have this back-and-forth conversation.
09:12It'd be a good conversation
09:13because I think that's part of a philosophical approach
09:19that is maybe slightly different around the league,
09:23team to team,
09:24but yet in some ways remains the same over the years, right,
09:29for some of us.
09:30So, yeah.
09:33When you're facing a team like Jacksonville
09:35that has very high expectations,
09:37finds itself 0-2,
09:39probably being criticized from all directions,
09:43do you, is it when you set the tone for the team
09:47at the start of the week,
09:48do you spend any time talking about
09:52needed the need to match their desperation, energy level,
09:56or what you're expecting from that regard?
09:58They're a good team.
09:59Yeah, they're a good team,
10:01and we respect every team that we play,
10:05and I think that's where it starts
10:06and that's where it ends.
10:07We have a lot of respect for the Jaguars.
10:09Sean, Brian Thomas has already made a couple big plays
10:11at receiver for Jacksonville.
10:13What stands out about him on tape?
10:15Yeah, really good player.
10:18Obviously picked where he was for a reason.
10:20You see the talent on film even at this level early.
10:24You know, a big splash player too in the first week,
10:27another two or three in the second week against Cleveland,
10:30first week against Miami, two good defenses.
10:33So, you know, he's off to a good start.
10:36Sean, last year, five-year losses to teams in the playoffs,
10:40several of them were struggling at the time they played you.
10:43Is that a concern for you when you look at,
10:46you know, applying that to the Jacksonville game
10:48or any other game you would have against a struggling team,
10:50when you look at that pattern?
10:52Yeah, I don't think it's a pattern necessarily.
10:55I know why you're saying that.
10:57We respect every opponent.
10:59It's important in this league,
11:01with the amount of parity that's in the league,
11:03that you keep your focus where it needs to be
11:06and you concentrate on your game, right?
11:09Us individually, us collectively as a team,
11:12like I said, every week in the NFL is anybody's game.
11:17So, we understand the challenge that's in front of us this week.
11:21How would you describe the evolution of your philosophy
11:24of secondary play from your first year as a coordinator
11:27to now, just in terms of being able to stay up with the trends
11:30and still be among the leaders in receptions every year?
11:33Yeah, I feel like, you know, over the years,
11:37and this is some of what I was alluding to
11:39on Sal's question earlier about,
11:41as much as things have changed, things still stay the same.
11:45Just fortunate to be, to grow up, if you will,
11:48around Jim Johnson in Philadelphia
11:50and his defensive philosophy
11:53and the way we put our rosters together back then
11:56with how we constructed things, what we valued,
12:00what positions we valued, and what type of body type
12:04or athlete we were looking for.
12:07And so, I'm just fortunate and grateful
12:11that I grew up around that type of environment
12:14led by Jim Johnson.
12:15Is that body type, that athlete,
12:17is that still the same now as it was 10 years ago?
12:20You know, I think to some extent,
12:23I think for the most part, yes.
12:25It's probably subtly changed a little bit,
12:29but for the most part, yes.