Q. Hey, Nick, after seeing Saquon's production and workload in week one, how much thought goes into managing him and making sure he's fresh at the end of the year, and is it a season-long plan or week by week?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, obviously you do everything you can do to win each football game, and so once the game is in the flow you think about how you're going to win that game. And whether that's Saquon getting 20 whatever touches, us throwing the ball to AJ, DeVonta, Dallas, whatever it may be, you try to manage them more within practice.
So something like that with Saquon having that many touches, we'll have a plan for that this week in practice where we can take some of the load off him there. Every time you go into the game -- every game in the NFL is important, so it's hard to say -- and when he's got a hot hand like that, too -- to say, hey, you don't want to keep giving him the ball. You're trying to win every single game you play.
That's our job as coaches to manage that. Throughout the week during practice, and games will take care of itself as it goes. Like there will be naturally a game where we throw it fifty times or Kenny or Will will have a couple carries.
So that will take care of itself throughout the year. As of right now we handle that through our practice.
Q. You talked about Zack Baun's motor and toughness during camp. How do you see those traits show up as he was executing all of his responsibilities in his first start, especially considering that he hadn't had many starts at inside linebacker in his career?
NICK SIRIANNI: I think one real good shot of his incredible motor was when he came off the edge on a play and they threw a little bubble screen to their back and he peeled off, and then Reed Blankenship made the guy cut back in and Zack came and hit him right on the side and got a hit in on the ball that kind of jarred it a little bit.
Guy did a good job hanging on to the football. I think that was a great example of how he's played throughout camp and why we mentioned it during camp. And then that shows up during the game. Great indicator of how you're going to play in games is how you practice. You know, he's been relentless to the football. Relentless effort. That really showed up. That showed up with a lot of production in this game on Friday night.
Q. Nick, the Packers average a high amount of rushing yards before contact. From your offensive perspective what did you see there in reviewing the tape with Vic?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, one thing that we know we got to clean up is our tackling. I know what you're asking. You said before contact. One thing that definitely we have to make sure that we're not giving them extra yards. That's something that's on our mind. We worked a lot of it throughout camp, but we've got to keep working it and being really diligent upon that.
As far as your question, Brooks, as far as the yards before contact, that's just going to be different types of schemes that they have of when you get hands on. I don't know exactly -- to me it's like when you play run defense, are you getting knocked back on front? Then are you get to go the ball and tackling?
I definitely saw at times we were getting that knock back. I thought Brandon Graham did and awesome job of controlling the line of scrimmage of with his hands and knocking the tight end back. There were definitely performances there. At times they got some push on us as well at times that led to some of those rushing yards.
But at the end of the day we have to tackle better than we did on Friday night.
Q. Just wanted to ask what you saw after watching film from Mehki and Cam.
NICK SIRIANNI: Good question, Roob. I thought they did a good job. Mehki is so big, and what you saw there with Mehki on Friday night was he was controlling the guy -- like he was going against good players, right? That's a good front.
He was controlling them at the line of scrimmage and there wasn't a lot of pushback into Jalen's face because he is so big and so long that he was able to control there. So I thought he did a really nice job, particularly in the pass game, of keeping the pocket firm inside.
Cam, had some really nice plays. You know, Cam, there was a couple plays where Cam's getting that initial hit, whether he's working with Landon or working with Mekhi, and then getting off to that second level. The one play that really comes to mind is Saquon's touchdown run where it looks like him and Mehki are working a combination block and Cam gets that block in with him, that made-block as we call it, in with him to get him up into the second level.
And so I just thought that was really -- I thought those were really good plays there.
And obviously any time you put the ball on the ground two timings, you know, there is a miscommunication there. We can't put the ball on the ground two times. Cam and Jalen touched the ball on every down so we got to make sure we're taking care of that football.
But as far as those two guys playing, you know, their first game at those positions -- Cam played that position his entire life. Be fair to say that Cam was not out of position, but playing a new position last year. So Cam, center for Cam is very natural.
I thought Mehki did a really nice job his first game starting at guard.
Q. Want to ask you about -- we always talk about how many weapons this team has. We've seen openers where D'Andre Swift has one carry, DeVonta Smith has no carries. Pretty good job distributing the ball in terms of targets for AJ, DeVonta, touches for Saquon. How challenging is that to be consistent in that as the season goes on?
NICK SIRIANNI: It's impossible to be consistent in that. Every game plan -- I think I've said this to you guys. Every game plan in the pass game will run through AJ, DeVonta, and Dallas, and the run game plan is going to run through Saquon.
To be consistent with that would mean that teams aren't the going to focus their attention to one guy. And so the great part about having all these different weapons -- and Howie and his staff have done such an unbelievable job of building this roster -- but the great part of that is when they take one guy away, they make themselves susceptible to another guy.
I think that was shown in the four-minute drill. We were running a four-minute drill and we liked the match up there with DeVonta, that DeVonta had. It was that second down call kind of going in -- Kellen made a really good call. Second down call after we lost a couple yards. Second and 11 and hit that slant to DeVonta.
Why did we do that? Was it something they were doing defensively when AJ -- I won't get specifics of that -- but with AJ that they weren't doing as much as DeVonta. You shift him around to take advantage of what the defense is doing.
Our personnel gives us the ability to do that because they're so -- we have so many different weapons that you can do that.
And so it's important that the game plans go through them, but also understanding that when it goes through them, there is going to be different circumstances that take balls away from them, and that's where it's going to be so important, the selflessness. That's why you get so excited when you see AJ and DeVonta celebrating with each other after a big play, after a touchdown. Or how enthusiastic Dallas and AJ are when they're getting blocks for Saquon during his run.
Because it truly is who is going to have the hot hand that day? What is the defense focusing on? Where are they giving you these opportunities to go with the football?
And it's going to take all of them to have the type of season that we want to have and be consistent. It's going to take every one of them to be consistent there and to be able to handle the highs and lows throughout the season of how the ball comes to you.
Q. You were just talking about the four-minute there that turned into seven and a half minutes.
NICK SIRIANNI: Isn't that a great thing, John? When you say four-minute and the clock -- and that much time came off the clock, that's like one of the coolest things that we have. We look at each other as coaches and are like, that was awesome.
I think we had a game like that last year against Tampa, if I remember right. Go ahead, sorry, with your question.
Q. From Jalen's perspective, I'm sure he wanted some throws back, some plays back. You always talk about that next play, next play, forget about the last play. It's easier said than done. You look around the league, how important is it to have a quarterback that really seems to be able to forget the bad even in the biggest spots?
NICK SIRIANNI: Man, to be able to be successful in those drives you have to be able to do a little bit of both, right? You have to be able to run it efficiently, pass it efficiently when that's called upon.
Jalen was so calm and cool in that area. Yeah, he definitely wants plays -- he's definitely going to want plays back. We all do. He was solely in the moment of how do we go close this game? We had a two-point lead. How do we go close this game?
We gave him the ball back with 24 seconds left down five points with no timeouts. That's pretty tough to do. As an offensive coach you look at that, like, man, it is going to be really hard to score a touchdown.
So Jalen, that throw on the shallow to Smitty on the second down early in that drive and then the slant, made just really good plays there on both those second downs to get those first downs and continue that drive.
That was something I saw from the entire team, like the dog mentality, the mental toughness to be able to push through the adversities we were going to see. We knew -- there will be adversities all season. Within game, week to week, within practice. But it is so critical they can focus their attention on the next drive and the next play, and Jalen did an unbelievable job of that that really helped us seal that victory.
Without that dog mentality, mental toughness that Jalen had, would've been hard to close that game out. And so just really, again, we couldn't have started that game any worse either. We were down 6-0. How about the mental toughness of the defense to respond with a short field to stop them for six points?
How about the mental toughness of Jalen to put us up 7-6 when we couldn't have had a worse quarter to start our season as an offense. So it just happened day in day out.
Again, I really believe that you get what you preach, and we talk about that a lot. The guys talk about that a lot. To be in that mindset of having a clear mind to play the in ex play. The guys did that. It's a tribute to the character of the guys we have on this football team to be able to do that in the first game of the season in front of the entire world to see.
Q. What factored into Bryce Huff getting fewer snaps than Brandon Graham and Nolan Smith?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, just the way the snap counts went for that day. You know, sometimes you're in a -- like there is different reasons for how the drive is going, and they were going on the ball at certain points so some of those plays can kind of build up.
In that game with the style of game it was and with some of the tempo that was happening, you know, those guys -- I don't know exactly how many more reps was it, Jeff?
Q. I think just a couple for Brandon and one for Nolan.
NICK SIRIANNI: (Shrugs shoulders.)
Q. Well, you know, this is a guy that you gave...
NICK SIRIANNI: I know, but when it's that close, one or two more, the context of that, yeah, couple more. Just like with the catches or with the touches, that can go different ways each game.
I knew it wasn't that much more. Okay.
Q. Yeah. I know that you've said that maybe Vic said this too, new scheme for him.
NICK SIRIANNI: Sure.
Q. And Huff didn't really produce much. Are you guys concerned?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, no, not at all. Again, like I said, Jeff, just sometimes the way it goes. Again, you want to keep guys fresh is how it goes throughout the game.
But sometimes that's very similar to how the touches on offense go as well.
Q. When it comes to the brotherly shove, what made Kelce so good at his role there? What are your thoughts on the transition this season, and what gives you the confidence that it'll be an almost automatic play for you guys moving forward?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I mean, it has been an automatic play for us as we've been through the last couple years together with it. Jason was really good. I won't give away any secrets because obviously Cam is going to use some of them. Jason was obviously a phenomenal football player in everything that he did.
As far as the way that game went, there are circumstances that -- trying not to give too much away -- there are circumstances that kind of go into that play being successful. There are different things that go on obviously to make that play successful.
And some of the things we were challenged with on Friday night made it a little bit more challenging to be successful on that play. I think we converted the one, missed -- I think two of four at the end of the day with that; is that right?
Q. Yeah.
NICK SIRIANNI: One of them was on third down and converted on fourth and fumbled the one, yeah.
So I was pleased with the way we were getting some push on some of them. We have some things to clean up. I think going too much into this, Tim, I respect your question and I want to be able to answer it as best I can, but I also will keep some things close to the vest for us.
Q. You said after the game that you'll be asked about the pre-season playing time. Now that you have some context and perspective, how do you balance what you admitted was some sloppiness compared to the competitive advantage and the health you get not playing the guys in the pre-season?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, again, every year we'll go back and refocus ourselves on what we need to do better. We actually do that each week. We do it after training camp, during each week during training camp.
You know, obviously the availability of your players is highly important, right? AJ Brown is a special player so you want him there for the long haul. Lane Johnson is a special player. Jalen Hurts is a special player. We got a lot of special players. All these guys. Brandon Graham is a special player. You want them to be as fresh as they can going into the season because we know he's a long season.
Like I've said to you guys, Zach, practice, we are practicing, you know, highly intense practices. We're treating these games and coaching them like games and correcting them like games and players are taking accountability like games.
Again, a great indicator of how you're going to play is how you practice. If you practice your butt off. And so I know we're getting the work we need during practice. Week one of the season I think you can probably look around the league and see sloppy football all the way around. You're trying to control as little of that as possible.
I don't think it matters who played their starters in the pre-season, who didn't play their starters in the pre-season. I saw sloppy football out of both sides yesterday. I won't get into this team was sloppy and this team, whatever. I got to sit and watch football yesterday and there was a lot of the sloppy football.
Just like we had sloppy football. That's something your always trying get better at through the season as you go.
And so I'm pleased with how we've start obviously here. I'm pleased with how we've went about our process. We've start fast. Now, the only way to go 2-0 is if you go 1-0. That's our next focus. We've done our evaluation of the pre-season and what we will do better next time and the things we thought we did well.
But it prepped us to get an opening day win against a very, very good opponent who went to the divisional round last year. Again, I got a lot of respect for their coaches and that team.
So to beat a good opponent -- and, yeah, by the way, I think someone brought this up to me also. We haven't had a home game in four years on openers. So to be able to go on the road -- I know this was considered a home game, right, but I believe it was the farthest we've had to travel. Atlanta wasn't as far as this.
But, again, to be on the road and being in a home game -- or being that far away from home I'm pleased how we went out and performed.
But, a lot of things to clean up.
Q. I was wondering if you could -- specifically I guess, what did you see in Jalen's two turnovers and how concerning is that for you, especially considering the training camp that he had?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, obviously we're hyper focused on the football. We talk about the football a lot.
You know, Jalen touches the ball every down, so obviously you never want turnovers. He's trying to make a play. But we got to take care of the football.
He's going to want those plays back. You know, obviously both of them are in third and long scenarios, so being able to take what the defense gives him in those scenarios is going to be key.
Not concerned. He made a lot of good plays in this game. Like we talked about, the four minute, even with some of those plays that didn't go his way he made a lot of really good plays. You know, bunch of throws that -- the touchdown throw to AJ, touchdown throw to Saquon, four-minute throws to DeVonta. Like there is a bunch of plays there.
There was a fourth down throw he made. Fourth and three where I thought he really made a really good throw to keep the drive alive on our two-minute drive at the end of the half to DeVonta. So made a lot of good plays.
Listen, we all have a lot of things to clean up: Myself, coaches included. We got a lot of things to clean up that we want to do better. But just in those scenarios, being able to take what the defense gives us is going to be probably the main coaching point we talk to him about.
Again, made a lot of big time plays in that game that helped put that game in our favor.
Q. You mentioned watching all of the other football action yesterday. If you look around the league, it seemed like rookies in a lot of ways played like rookies, like you would expect. That did not seem to be the case with Quinyon. How do you think he was able to avoid that? What did you see when you went back and watched the film?
NICK SIRIANNI: Again, the moment is never too big for him. He's just very calm. You know, very confident. Which you need to be as a corner. Short memories, confident in yourself. You're on an island out there the entire game. At times during the game. I know there are times where you got to help over the top and this and that.
But so I just thought just his poise in his first NFL game, not surprising. He doesn't get too up, too down. And you saw that during camp. Again, great predictor to how you're going to play in the games is how you practice.
So he's been able to go against AJ and DeVonta throughout the entire camp. That's obviously a huge advantage that he has over different guys, that he gets to play against two of the best receivers in the game every day at practice.
He got to do that for OTAs, training camp.
But like I said, the moment is not too big for him. He's very calm and poised when the ball is in the air and coming his way.
Q. During that last drive you called a timeout. I think 5:31 left, somewhere around there. Clock was running down. Are there things that you feel like you can do now in this role a little bit different that you couldn't before that maybe you can do better? Is clock management one of them?
NICK SIRIANNI: The reason I gave up the playcalling to Shane a couple years ago was because I wanted to manage the game better. And so I felt like we've already been on this step of, hey, this is why I gave this up initially, is the game management portion of it.
So I think that's similar. I think from the years past, because I wasn't calling it the last three years. I was -- so I was still being able to manage the game. Same thing here. I'm not calling it and I'm here.
One thing it does is instead of having to be in every offensive meeting -- and I've talked about, right, not going just so the offensive meetings but the defensive meetings, right, to hear what's going on in special teams meetings.
But also when we go to a Tuesday which is our game plan day, which will be messed up this week because we play Monday night, it gives me an opportunity to look around the league and do some game management things while the offense is getting ready.
I'll pop in and out of the offense to hear the game planning, to give my expertise. What it allows me to do is not be in there at all times. I can study fourth down decisions throughout the league. Study two-point decisions throughout the league. I can watch all the four-minutes throughout the league and two-minutes and all those different scenarios throughout the league.
It's just like practice, right? You're putting yourself in those scenarios so you can think through your process. Then you got to go back into the offensive meeting and say here is what I'm thinking here in these scenarios. Not necessarily play-wise, but hey, whether it's run, pass, aggressive, not aggressive. These different things. And so that's where I think -- you know, really good question.
That's where I think it's different that I have a little bit more time it study that on Tuesday as opposed to what's different on game day, if that makes sense.
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