Rex Ryan Monday Media Transcript

Buffalo Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan

Monday, September 14, 2015

Opening Statement:

We will make this short. So I’ll just stick by my comments after the game. You know the thing that is funny, when you get back in I don’t know if I did our fans justice. It’s the truth. It was amazing for me, but it was also amazing for the players. They literally said they couldn’t heard themselves, they couldn’t do anything, but that’s perfect. I can’t wait to see what our fans are going to be like when you have the hated Patriots, I mean this kind of rival coming into our stadium. I don’t think our fans need any more prompting. I am looking forward to it. I am just so glad that we play the game here, so that is going to be fun. The game we just got through playing it was a great effort. I think when we lost Corey Graham the first play of the game he has a concussion, or he is going through the concussion protocol now. For guys to step up, for [Bacarri] Rambo to step up, that was really good. The communication was challenging, but man we did a good job of it I thought. The ball, [Andrew Luck] was getting the ball out of his hand quick. It is sometimes frustrating for a defense linemen sometimes you beat a guy and you know the ball is out, you beat a guy and the ball is out. The good news is we did a good job covering. That team right there had more vertical passes than any team in the league last year. For us to keep them to two explosive plays on offense, I think was good. I think we had seven explosives on offense ourselves. That was a big part of the game. Obviously the three turnovers to no turnovers was huge. Obviously we will sign up for that every week. With that I will open it up for questions.

Q: Sammy Watkins wasn’t targeted until late and only had three targets on the day. What did the Colts do to lead to that?

A: I think sometimes it is going to be like that. Whatever the plan is…and you know quite honestly we were trying to play keep away a little bit from Indianapolis and you know had some more underneath throws and things like that. I will say this he was open a couple times, but it’s just like gosh the protection broke down once or we would have had a 60 or 70 yard touchdown. A guy whiffs on protection and we can’t make the throw down the field. Is it rare that Sammy [Watkins] is going to go without a catch? Yeah, that will probably happen once this season. Our thing is our focus is trying to win the game, whatever the means, however we can do that, to give ourselves the best chance that is what we are going to do.

Q: What did you see from LeSean McCoy who said he wasn’t at 100% yesterday?

A: I could tell you this. (Opponents) know where he is at, they know where Sammy is at. But we will get going. Let’s not judge them on one game.

Q: How did you feel Stephon Gilmore did on an island?

A: Yeah I think he did more than hold up, I think he thrived, I really do. If he comes away with that pick you know… he had a phenomenal game. Really the four corners we that we had play I thought all played extremely well. With [Nickell] Robey playing nickel, [Mario] Butler coming in there replacing the kid [Ronald Darby]. I thought all the guys played well. If we can hold up as you say on the corner like that with our guys, oooo its going to be fun. It is going to be hard to do anything against us on defense.

Q: Does that make you feel more comfortable bringing the blitz?

A: Oh yeah. Absolutely. You know the threat of the blitz, the dropping out, in, whatever it is the chess match part of it. Yeah when you feel great about your pieces on the outside it makes it a heck of a lot easier.

Q: Was that Karlos Williams first time in the game?

A: You know I am not sure. I am not real sure if that was it.

Q: If that is the case what went into the decision to put him in there at the end of the first half like that?

A: We felt great about it. LeSean [McCoy] just had a great for a touchdown unfortunately we got a holding call, but he makes a great run for a touchdown. Put the fresher guys in, and that’s what we did and pounded him through there. But there is going to be times, look at our backs. We have two horses back there some… we got the thoroughbred, and we got the Clydesdale, and we got the in-between guy, but we have some studs back there. Every now and then you’re just going to go, go ahead rook get in there. Slam it on in there, and that is what he does. He is a big physical guy who runs behind his pads.

Q: Special Teams yesterday overall performance thoughts?

A: It doesn’t get much better than that. That is a huge factor in why we won the game. And it starts with our kickoff guy. He blasted them out of there. When you make a tackle on the three yard line on the kickoff I don’t know if I have ever seen that before. I mean it was amazing, until my fake one, one time, I had last year I think we made it back to the six, but it was real good either. It tells you about the cover teams, but the kicks are amazing. On the one that was returned, he hits it about a five second hang time on a kickoff which is unheard of. But that ball kind of hung in the wind, he left it there, the guy brings it out gets to the three.  Very pleased there. I thought our punter was outstanding. I thought Colton [Schmidt] outstanding. And then [Dan] Carpenter obviously. Some of the hidden points you have a Hall of Fame, a first ballot Hall of Famer if you can say that about a kicker with [Adam] Vinatieri and he misses a kick. Our guy comes out and launches one, it was a deep kick and we nail it. That was huge right there a huge part of the game. When Carpenter made that kick that was obviously a huge part of the game for us.

Q: After watching the film can you summarize how the offensive line performed and especially against the run block?

A: It wasn’t our best. We had a couple guys take a step back. I will say this Richie Incognito, woooo was he, he played outstanding, I mean he was outstanding. We have to be better, we have to be better, I know we can get better.  You kind of just… our techniques just some things we have to tighten up a little bit and I think when we do we can be special running the football.

Q: Your defense how were you able to disguise your blitz like you were in mid-season form?

A: I don’t know. We had some practice at it. With Marcell [Dareus] out we had some… we had to kind of create different match ups if you will. Obviously we did that during training camp, we would come up with what we were going to do. But really it is kind of…decided to go with Manny [Lawson] quite a bit, we called it a niner package or something. Moved him as a fourth rusher, a dropper, something like that. Really challenged him mentally and he did a great job of it. Really a smart guy. When you have smart players you are able to do a lot of different things and change up your plans week to week. That is what we need to do, and keep teams guessing so to speak. Especially when they play at our stadium with that type of noise. I am not going to say it’s impossible but man it makes it difficult there is no doubt about it.

Q: How impressed were you with Mario Butler?

A: You’re right, I have been impressed with that young man for a long time. All he does is make plays. That’s what he did, steps right in and that is what you got to do. When you are the next guy up you have to go in and play to the starter’s ability and mentally sometimes it is a challenge. To mentally prepare yourself as if you were going to be a starter, you are one play away. Sometimes it is like I am not going to play, and if you do that when you get out there you let the entire team down. But we have guys that stepped up and they did prepare like they are supposed to and it is a credit to them, a credit to our coaches, and we had guys ready to play. Butler is one and obviously Rambo is another one.

Q: Is Percy Harvin kind of the X factor for this offense?

A: I don’t know about X factor, I know he is a great player. So he is going to be a guy you are going to have to account for each week. If you are treating him as just another guy, then good luck to you.

Q: You played against the Patriots 13 times with the Jets. What is different about Patriots week for you?

A: I don’t know if a whole lot has changed. The fact that they are kind of the hunted in my eyes. Because they are the world champions. They obviously won our division every single year that I have been here. Obviously they are ones you want to knock off. That probably hasn’t changed a whole lot.

Q: Is it a hard week?

A: A hard week?

Q: For a coach just getting ready for them and everything?

A: No. It is a tough Sunday because of their skill. Obviously they have a great coach, a Hall of Fame coach, and you get a Hall of Fame quarterback. That is probably what makes it more difficult than anything else. But I don’t think we are going to worry about getting our team ready to play.

Q: Does the fact that it’s the Patriots make it a little easier to follow the 24 hour rule?

A: Yeah, I mean the Patriots are the ones you want to beat. Everything you do, it is not like we are just now preparing for them. We have been preparing for these guys for a long time. Shoot, I’ll go home early. The plan is ready, that plan has been ready for a long time.

Q: Do you anticipate the headsets working on Sunday?

A: Yeah. I mean I guess. I don’t know why they wouldn’t. I couldn’t hear, so maybe it was the headsets were terrible. I think it is going to be challenging. I don’t think there is any doubt about it. It is going to be hard, hard as heck for them to communicate.

Q: How hard is it to prepare against Gronkowski?

A: I don’t know I think we will stand by our record against him. He is tough, there is no question, he is huge. He is a hell of an actor. He is a big huge dude though, I mean he is like this 6-8 or 6-7, whatever he is. He moves good. The guy makes so… he can adjust on the… I don’t care if it is short, long he has great body control. He is just a huge target, and he can run a lot better than I think people know.

Q: Why do you think Belichick gets such good production out of his no name running backs?

A: It is the kid that is playing quarterback that will make it a lot easier to be a running back. What are you going to do play him in eight man spacing. I don’t think so. I think that’s what makes them… I don’t care, put anyone back there–you would do good there. I mean they are decent backs in their own right. I don’t think we are going to focus on that kid, I can’t even tell you that kids name. But you are going to focus on the guy throwing the ball, I can tell you that much.

Q: The Patriots have 3 rookies on offense line what does that mean for Kyle and Marcell?

A: Well you have two average football players going against their guys.

Q: How tough is it to give Brady something he hasn’t seen?

A: I don’t know.  Well I have tried everything. I have given him a thousand different calls I think on defense. To come up with something new, probably isn’t (going to happen). But we will just try to hang in there.

Q: There is footage of your defense for the first time out there safe to say you still have a lot you didn’t show?

A: Each week changes. So if you are focused on this we may or may not do what you see on tape. We are pretty multiple I think on defense.

Q: Update on injuries and Corey Graham?

A: Well the really injury really of note besides Tony [Steward] and [Marquise] Goodwin, ‘McRib.’ Other than that coming out of the game, Corey was the only but he is in that concussion protocol. So we will see how that goes through. I mean it is a great thing, it is obviously in place there to protect your player. And again you just want what is best for him. Hopefully he is ready to go, but if he is not, he is not. He will be out there soon.

Q: Tyrod had almost no reps with the skill positions how do you think that worked out?

A: I thought he did really well. I think for a guy, technically he never had a first start, I guess I screwed that one up. I mean he started man come on give me a break, ridiculous. I thought he did a tremendous job, I really did. Was it perfect? Nah, he can get a little better, a couple things but not much. I thought he did a great job, he was accurate with the football and he made some big plays with his legs as well. I was pleased with how he played.

Q: Is timing still a work in progress because you just don’t have the reps?

A: That is probably true. I mean those guys were out a majority of the preseason. So I would say that’s true.  It is also hard because people haven’t played against him so it is going to be tough on a defense. But also in your preparation it is a little tough. Because I think sometimes how are they going to play you, what you see on tape before might not be what you see when you play us. For instance against Pittsburgh I don’t know how much of that defense New England is going to play against us. Because the quarterback is different, the wide out, our weapons might be a little different than there’s. I think they will come down and stop our run. I think they are going to have to come down and defend us with eight guys to stop our run, and if they do that then you have some issues outside. We will see, it is kind of part of it. But our quarterback the timing all that type of stuff, what are you working against. Is it cover two, is it cover whatever, so there is some challenging things with that as well.

Q: Did the 3-4 come into play at all, maybe gave some guys trouble early in run blocking?

A: Well it certainly wasn’t a surprise. You know we…the first play was going to be a great one by the way it looked awesome man. But we missed a block. But nah, it is always a challenge, these guys get paid too and know how talented you are at running back and things like that. So it is not going to be easy. You are not going to play a traditional here is a seven man spacing front and that is how we are going to play you. I don’t think that is going to happen very often to us.

Q: Report on Charles Clay knee and he might not have long left?

A: I don’t know who would put that out there, because that is the first I heard of it. Somebody obviously that wanted to keep him probably. I don’t know what team was that. No, I have no idea where that came from. Hey we will see, he is here and we are glad we got him.

Q: Quieter game for Mario and Jerry on the ends?

A: It was a poor scheme. Obviously that never helped them. But when you really look at I think as I mentioned the ball came out fast. Mario [Williams] played well and Jerry [Hughes] we are giving Jerry a game ball, I mean he is phenomenal. But sometimes it ain’t going to show up. If you don’t hold the ball… but you are not getting the ball down the field so you change, you alter your plans. How much did our big ends alter their plan, I would say a good bit. So sometimes stats can be a little misleading. But those two guys played outstanding. So did Kyle [Williams] I thought Kyle was absolutely terrific in there. He missed a sack so I am sure that bothered him. But I think he forced two holding calls and things but all those guys they did a great job for us.

Q: What did they do to alter their plan that shows up on tape?

A: Well, no you are throwing the ball on three steps. You are getting the ball out of your hand, why because they know they can’t hold it. And that is why it is easier to jump first cuts and things like that if you are a corner. It makes your job a lot easier if all they are doing is running three step drops and getting the ball out. That is fine. It doesn’t show up on the sacks or something like that but it shows up in the win column.ya

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