JONATHAN GANNON: Good to see you guys.
Q. JG, Nick made a big thing about physicality pregame, postgame. For you, who's that guy? Is it TJ who sort of brings that extra physicality?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, we had a lot of guys play very physical. TJ being one of them. But I thought our entire unit really had a stinger, edge, whatever you want to call it. I felt like we did a good job of outhitting them. And we played hard.
And that was one of the challenges to our guys, to, Hey, we need to play harder than this team. Which it always is. But I think that -- they kind of rallied around, Hey, we're going to outplay this team. And I think we did that.
Q. What made you guys so good in the red zone?
JONATHAN GANNON: It's kind of week to week. Because we haven't been great in the red zone some other games.
Yeah, execution. You know, it came down to -- you know, I think our plan was pretty good. And, you know, those were huge stops down there. Because that's a different game, if they score a couple touchdowns.
You know, we always talk about, you know, those are four-point plays and just how games are played. And, you know, that score looks a lot different in the middle of the third if they convert some of those.
So, really, all about the players on this last week. They executed at a high level. And I do think some of the, you know, the attitude where they tried to run it in a couple times on early downs, and you see some legit strain from our guys to not let them run it in.
And it was good to see that response of our guys. But, you know, the plan was not complicated this week. And we executed. And that's why you saw us hold, you know, them a couple times in the red zone.
Q. What's been your evaluation through Davion through five starts?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, he's playing well. I mean, he's got a lot -- he's a unique player as far as his skill set, what he can do when the ball is snapped.
And we ask, you know, our linebackers to do a lot in the run and pass game. And, you know, he's continuing to get better on certain plays that he hasn't seen. Because he hasn't played a lot of ball.
And so, you know, some mistakes that's just a couple weeks ago, he's not making anymore. He's in the right spot, you know, a lot -- not a lot more, but there's certain harder plays and harder things we've asked those guys to do. He's improving in those areas. He's doing a good job for us.
Q. What do you -- obviously, not focusing too much on the stuff that hasn't gone well. But for linebackers and young linebackers, when they come in the NFL, what are those areas that they have to work on the most?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, depending on what system you are in college, you know, and what you're running in the NFL, as far as -- you know, that's a good question, Jeff.
For us, it's processing, really. And what I mean by that is: You know, he has a responsibility, a line assignment, key technique. So he has a key responsibility. But then, you know, presnap or post-snap, that can change quickly.
And the picture changes on him -- on all our linebackers. It can change quickly. So you can be -- before the ball is snapped, he needs to do one thing. But after that ball is snapped, that can change fast.
So it's really just a standpoint of pre and post-snap, What do I have to get done within this call and how fast I can get to it, really, post-snap.
Q. What prompted the rotation at safety?
JONATHAN GANNON: We feel like those guys are doing a good job. So, you know, we feel like, you know, dependent on how we set up the game plan, certain packages, certain calls that we have in those packages, we like to try to put our guys in certain spots to where it suits their unique skill set.
And like I've said all along, that room is doing a really good job. And if they're playing winning football, we're going to figure out a way to get all those guys on the field.
Q. (No microphone.)
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, he's done a good job. You can see a couple weeks ago, whoever asked.
Q. With Davion, that balance where he needs the reps to get better and he won't get better until he gets those reps, you know, balancing the short term and the long term, what made it the right time to put him into the lineup to get those reps?
JONATHAN GANNON: You know, from just what he showed, a sample size of reps that he had gotten as we were rotating a little bit, you know, early in the season.
And, you know, just felt from a, you know, standpoint of, Hey, let's get a guy comfortable in one spot and just let him go and play so we can see that improvement. That's kind of what led to that decision.
You know, Hey, if you keep asking a guy to do these couple things in this certain package, okay, well if as great as whatever it is this week, let's see if he can improve on that.
And, you know, the -- it's like all our guys. You know, mistakes that you've made, Why did you make that mistake in a game or in practice? Okay, well, let's understand why we made the mistake and then improve on that so we're not making the mistakes over and over.
Q. We've seen some of the rookies get in limited action kind of take advantage; Zech, Taron, and Patrick. Have those guys developed to the point where you feel like you can put them in situations if you're stuck in a spot where a guy has to leave?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, I don't -- really, in my mind, it's not stuck in a spot. Anybody who has a jersey should be able to play winning football for us.
You know, we understand a ten-year vet is different from a rookie who has played 10 odd snaps in a season. You know, I do understand that.
And you know there's going to be some certain mistakes that have happened just because, you know, some experience and lack of playing time.
But the guys that you just named, I feel good about all those guys going into the game and contributing to us and continuing to play winning football.
Q. John, what helped you become more effective, the defensive line or the secondary tightening things up? What made it -- what was more the part of making the improvement?
JONATHAN GANNON: That's a good question, Howard. All 11. You know, when -- you know, when we talk about, you know, certain games that we struggled, it's, like, Well, the front's playing good, the back end not -- you know, we could have played a little bit better. The back end is playing better, the front, we didn't win one-on-one's.
And it all comes back to the 11 doing their job at a high level and when they get a chance to win those one-on-one matchups.
So I think it's really a combination of both this last game, the back seven when we covered, did a good job of taking away certain things that Teddy, I think, wanted.
You know, we covered extremely well, I thought. And that leads to the front having a little more tick of time. And they won some one-on-one matchups where it wouldn't have mattered if we were covering. And we just won and beat their guys.
And, you know, other times when we pressured -- you know, a lot of guys when we pressured, a couple won their one-on-ones. Which pressure typically forces one-on-ones.
And then in the backend, we did a good job because the pressure you stress in the backend, when you have less guys in coverage, they did a tougher job winning their matchups.
It's always a blend of who's taking on the stress of the call and who is the strength of the call. And I think both times where we stressed the front or stressed the backend, and vice versa, they did a good job of either winning or absorbing that stress.
Q. How would you assess Avonte's season?
JONATHAN GANNON: He's doing a good job. He's playing winning football. Like I said before, we put a lot on his plate. And he has a lot to process and think about. And we put him in that spot as a nickel corner.
He wears a lot of hats. He's in the run game, he's covering man to man. He's in zone. He's got a pattern match. He makes a lot of adjustments.
So, I mean, I like where Avnote is. I like where he's going. And he's doing a really good job for us playing winning football in that spot.
Which you need that spot. You know, I was in another place and we had a good nickel and he got hurt, I mean, the pass defense went, I mean, south really fast just because of that one guy.
And, you know, that shows you the value of that position. That guy has to play winning football in there for you because of what we ask him to do. So he's doing an excellent job. I love having him.
Q. (No microphone.)
JONATHAN GANNON: Just keep improving it. Just keep working on your game. It's got to be on his mind, which it is. And, you know, love how DB played this last game. I know he had some production.
But this guy, he's playing winning football for us. So, you know, the presnap stuff, we got to continue to, you know, practice that stuff and put him in those positions in practice, which helps.
And, you know, the one -- the other one that he got, kind of a bang-bang. And, you know, sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn't.
And, you know, we got to keep educating our players, why that penalty was called over and over and over.
Q. Do you know why it was called?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, we actually asked for some clarity from the NFL on that. You know, Did he lead with his crown or did he fall on him with the body weight? So I actually haven't heard back on that.
But, you know, they're always going to protect the quarterbacks. And you saw one where -- the one third down where Alex and Milton hit him later in the game, I think it was in the fourth quarter, and Milton did a good job of instead of landing on him -- and that's hard, you guys.
You know, they're going full speed, full tilt, and they're hitting a guy, bang, bang. And all of sudden, by the way, pull off the guy when you're falling on him.
But those are the rules. And so, we have to enforce that and continue to educate our players and tell them, Hey, you can't land on a guy.
That's tough rule for pressure players, whoever's hitting the quarterback, to, Hey, as you're going to the ground, pull off. But those are the rules and we got to do a good job of it.
Q. Rather than getting up, can you roll off? Do you think that could have been the call, too, when he pressed against him?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, I looked at the tape. I mean, I think he was just getting up. But you, obviously, want to get him up, and slap him on the butt, I'm going to get you next time.
Q. How many more doubles has Hargraves seen and what are the coaching points to beat some of them?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, well, he's seen more doubles. And I think that you saw, you know, teams -- as I always say, teams block us a little bit different than what we see on tape leading into games.
And it's -- you know, we know that going in. You know, they doubled him a few times and Fletch train wrecked a game, as you saw.
So, you know, it's kind of pick your poison there. But like I said, Graves is doing a good job. He won a lot of those one-on-ones. He split a double one time.
They doubled him in the game one time where it's a hard block and he got back in and got back into his gap and had an assist on the ball. So he's doing a good job. He's playing winning football and his production will continue to come.
Q. (No microphone.)
JONATHAN GANNON: In the run or pass game?
Q. Either.
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah. Yeah, there are. You know, we teach our guys certain things in the run and pass game, depending on the front and what we're asking them to do.
And, you know, in the pass game, it's tough. There's not a lot of spacing there when you're getting doubled, the slide's coming to you. Not a whole lot that you can do when that happens.
What you need to have happen is your other guys that are getting the one-on-ones win their one-on-ones. And you saw that happen.
You know, if it's a six-man protection and they're doubling the inside guy, well, you should have two or three one-on-one guys on the other side or the other people.
And so, I think that's what you saw early in the year he was getting some one-on-ones, because Fletch was getting the double and he was winning those one-on-ones.
So it's always a blend of, you know, When I get my chance to win my one-on-one, do I? And when I get a double, do I need to get done what I need to when I get a double. So he's doing a good job of that, as all our inside guys are.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports