Q. What bothered you the most from the first quarter and a half Sunday?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, they came out throwing obviously and throwing quick. We weren't close enough. We played a lot more man in those first three series than we usually do, or we were in some tight matchup zones and didn't play it good enough.
Their pass offense was better than our pass defense.
Q. Vic, curious how the defense can look so good one week in New Orleans and then come out to Tampa and not look the same. Why is that do you think?
VIC FANGIO: Well, that's a good question. You know, they came out throwing real fast, real quick and we weren't tight enough.
We fell behind the chains because of that. It just kind of snowballed. We never got -- couldn't make the play to get them to second and ten or third and ten. Just never happened.
Q. Tom Brady suggested on the telecast that you're not comfortable playing press coverage right now. Is there any validity to that?
VIC FANGIO: No. Our guys, particularly the corners, have the ability to press based on formation. If they're stacking receivers and stuff it's hard to press then.
On normal splits they have the ability to press in almost all our calls.
Q. Is it their decision?
VIC FANGIO: It's by matchup and receiver split, yeah, but we can press more.
Q. When does that adjustment come? You say they're playing a little bit too soft, whatever. When does that adjustment come from you?
VIC FANGIO: We tried to communicate that early, that we had to get tighter. But credit to them. They threw it and caught it better than we defended it.
Q. What happened there? You realize you have to get tighter; is that the players not doing it, you not coaching it well enough?
VIC FANGIO: Probably me not coaching it well enough.
Q. Then what do you have to do differently?
VIC FANGIO: Coach it better and do a better job during the week. Then understanding that sometimes teams come out in different stuff, different attack than what you saw going into the game.
We got to adjust.
Q. Jalen Carter is on pace for 850 snaps, which will be 300 more than last year. Do you feel like that's sustainable or feel like you might be running the engine a little too hot?
VIC FANGIO: I don't know. It's an individual thing. I'm used to -- in a lot of places defensive lineman can play that much. To me it's an individual thing.
And it's also how the reps are falling in a game. In some of the games, in the New Orleans game, we had a fair amount of three-and-outs or five-play drives. That one the other day obviously, and then the heat factored in.
Rather than being a hard number, circumstances do affect it. Guys are capable of playing.
Q. What was the issue with the tackling or lack thereof?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, lack thereof. A lot of times we left our feet too early. Sometimes we didn't wrap up well enough.
We missed 15 tackles by our count, and that's way too many.
Q. How do you fix that?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, emphasize it through film study, practice drills, and better technique.
Q. If it's a better tackling day, does that come with that coverage problem or you still think it was too -- in other words, if they tackled better?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I follow you. The answer is yes to a degree. A lot of their bigger gains came after missed tackles so that would've had a major plus for us it we could have tackled better.
But still we got to be tighter, too.
Q. Passing things off within zones and guys being in the right spot, having been as many places as you have, what's a realistic expectation when that will look like you want it to look?
VIC FANGIO: Hopefully soon. Like soon.
Q. How much do you think Sydney Brown can contribute coming off the...
VIC FANGIO: We'll see. We're excited to get him coming back. We all have to have some patience, which I know isn't a big virtue among any of us at this time of the year. The guy hadn't played any football since his injury first week of January last year.
Here we are, in October, and it's going to -- his OTAs in training camp are going to have to be squished together fast, which he is ready to do mentally and emotionally.
But we have to be careful ourselves to not overdo it with him, overdo it from a physical standpoint and an expectation standpoint.
Q. What did you see from him on film that maybe you think helped this tomorrow?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah. He's a good football player that brings energy. Good tackler. I'm excited to see him, you know, for the first time.
Because I do think he's a good football player. Where he'll exactly fit in we'll have to see.
Q. Did Reed enter the game ill?
VIC FANGIO: He did, which I wasn't aware of until he finally came out. They said he woke up sick that day. I think with some food poisoning, I'm not positive of that. Yeah, I was not aware of that.
Q. So the heat...
VIC FANGIO: Obviously the heat.
Q. ...compounded that?
VIC FANGIO: Very much so. I would think so.
Q. ...on third and long situations that extended drives, what's that a reflection of?
VIC FANGIO: Well, the downfield throws, quarterback scramble, we got to be disciplined like we did, but we can't hold, and then always the one offsides against us was -- they actually moved which caused it but the refs didn't see it.
One time we got our head in the neutral zone.
Q. Nick said he sat down and watched all the defensive tape with you following this game. Is that the first time you guys did that or that a weekly thing?
VIC FANGIO: No, we do that all the time.
Q. What's the value?
VIC FANGIO: Just so he knows exactly what's happening and what we are coaching them to do and what's expected.
Q. Is that your experience over different stops?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah. Yeah.
Q. I know we ask you a lot about Bryce Huff. After four games, what are you seeing from him? What's kind of like the situation with him going forward do you think?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I think he's improving. When I say improving, against the run, that's something he hadn't really been asked to do in the past.
That's been an adjustment for him. Seeing some improvement there. We don't ask him to drop very often. When he does, I'm seeing some improvement there.
So he's working hard at it. He's as frustrated with it as any of us are, but confident he'll get it going.
Q. You had a couple guys go down with injuries, Reed and Slay, saw Rogers come in and McCollum come in. What did you see from those two guys?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I thought Isaiah was out there a little bit but thought he did good. McCollum, he had a good week of practice the week before. You remember Chauncey had a foot injury that came up during one of the walk-throughs.
He got a full days' practice, Tristan did on Thursday and Friday last week and was very encouraged by that going into the New Orleans games, and then got thrown in this week when Reed had to leave.
He had our some errors there, but I'm encouraged by his play and where he can be as an NFL safety.
Q. On Huff, what are the tools that you liked about him that maybe you hadn't really had yet in a defense like this before?
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, you know, obviously what he -- in his past, pass rushing was his forte. That was number one for us, and then to see if we can develop him in the other areas so he can play for.
Q. Slot corner do you see Avonte keeping that role or is Cooper getting up to speed?
VIC FANGIO: Cooper is closing in on being ready. At some point we'll put him out there. Avonte has played fine in some areas. Obviously some plays he would like to have back, like all of us, including me.
Yeah, he's getting better.
Q. What are Chauncey's issues, what specifically does he need to improve upon in terms of technique?
VIC FANGIO: He needs to tackle better. That would be first and foremost. Then be sharp in his execution, knowing his assignments, and executing them.
Q. Do you anticipate having Sydney at practice?
VIC FANGIO: I think so. I think so. We're going to open up the practice window, and I'm not positive of that, so don't hold me to that. That has been the timeline over the last few months.
Haven't been told anything to the different.
Q. Will you look at him in the slot at all?
VIC FANGIO: It's possible. It's possible. But I think a guy coming back from that long a layoff, it's best to get him in one spot before you start moving him around.
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