Q. How do you know when it's the right time to go to Kenny and give Saquon a break?
KELLEN MOORE: Jamal does a really good job with that. Just the rotation with the backs obviously I think Saquon is going to get the heavy bulk of and it's just a matter of giving him different rest periods throughout the game.
And a lot of it comes down to when Saquon needs to come out and then obviously feel really comfortable with Kenny in there. We end up staying on the ball so Kenny kind of ended up staying for a number of plays just because we were in position we felt like we wanted to stay on the ball for a couple particular looks there and so he ended up getting a couple plays in a row.
Q. What goes into the timing, having waiting to run those specific run plays?
KELLEN MOORE: Just the flow of the game. Obviously they kind of end up in some no-huddle situations, so. We felt like we had some particular looks and we can keep them on the ball and we felt comfortable with where we were at and those are sometimes plays you're chasing throughout a game, and it's just a matter of it just happened that they went back-to-back, which was awesome, which was a great sequence for us. And sometimes those work out that way and sometimes you're chasing them all game. And you may not always get them versus a particular look.
Q. What goes into the execution from a coaching and player standpoint?
KELLEN MOORE: Just extremely high level of work just because those are such specific plays that sometimes they are in-game plans, like I was saying, and they don't get called just because of the looks or you have to get out of a particular play. There's different plays like that that you kind of chase throughout a season and throughout a game and when the look's right and you go for it.
I think credit to our guys because they made some incredible blocks in there, Jordan on the second one, incredible block, hit a bad angle against the linebacker and just big-time plays by those guys.
Q. How difficult is it to stick to the run game when through three quarters, it seemed like it was a little bit bottled up and you kept at it? How tough is that as a coach to keep calling those run plays?
KELLEN MOORE: Those things happen and certainly we have -- we feel comfortable with that that eventually we have been fortunate in a number of games this year where eventually those big plays happen, whether it be at New Orleans where it's kind of ugly, ugly, ugly, and eventually a couple pop. Cleveland was one where none of them really ever popped and you're kind of stuck there. You don't quite get those.
But I think our guys obviously have a strong commitment to it. They feel really confident that we just keep getting after it, keep giving ourselves opportunities. Eventually we're going to steal something at the end and we were able to get those in this game as well.
Q. Having this offensive line and Saquon, has it changed you as a play-caller?
KELLEN MOORE: Certainly every year, your team is going to be structured differently and I think it's important for us to build how we want to play based off the identity and the players that we have.
And so our guys have done an awesome job. Obviously we have ran the ball a number of times the last few weeks and certainly that's become a big confidence thing for us. But we know you are going to have to play different styles throughout the season and there's going to come a game we have to throw the football and people are going to be very committed to it and we'll have a challenge at some point but it's something we believe in and want to continue to emphasize.
Q. Are there things that you can do that you can't when Jordan is in the game? Fred obviously does a good job filling in but can Jordan allow you to do even more?
KELLEN MOORE: That's a great question. I think every game plan is different. Obviously we feel very fortunate that we had Fred, to be in that position to handle that situation, and certainly we are really excited to have Jordan. He showed up, just impressive.
Credit to him to come back in in a short week of all times where you don't really even have any physical practices and for Jordan to hop in there and play ball, credit to him. He's obviously one of the best left tackles in this league and he's showed it again.
Q. With rotational positions in general, are there ever moments where you're calling a play where, I need this guy in there, or you just leave it up to Jamal and Aaron and Jason?
KELLEN MOORE: There are certainly going to be specific plays for certain players and sometimes it's the starter. Sometimes it's the role player. There's a lot of plays that are kinds of, you know, mixed down, so to speak, whoever is in there will play ball and there will be situational calls that maybe only get one or two reps during the week. So you want one guy working on that and so that certainly comes up throughout a game and really for all positions, tight ends included, receivers, running backs. All those situations.
Q. When you got to the 36, when you called the trick play, why do you think that was the time to pull the trigger?
KELLEN MOORE: Just an earned first down. Obviously any time those don't go well, you feel like it's a dumb play call. Earned first down, left hash, sometimes you're chasing a specific hash to try to get to that play call. Once we crossed the 50, try and be aggressive there. See if we can get it and if not play out the situation the rest of the way and obviously turned into big negative play. Cost us an opportunity.
Q. When you understand the yards that could be lost in a play like that do you take into account being within field goal range still?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, that was the thought process. Obviously felt like there was an opportunity there. We had kind of been hanging on that for a few weeks. Fortunately, obviously poor -- poor play call on my end. We were able to kind of dig ourselves out and at least put ourselves in position to at least steal some points on that drive. Credit to guys on the second and third down getting completions.
Q. In the last few games especially, and maybe overall Jalen has struggled early and then he starts to get going. Have you guys identified what some of his issues early in the game are?
KELLEN MOORE: I think for all of us we are trying to play cleaner football at the beginning of the game.
For me, it's always the rhythm of the play calls and how can we get ourselves into it because again, you know, we have a really good opening drive as far as we're moving it and then we kind of get into some situational football down high red zone, just outside the red zone and then we kind of get stalled out in some penalties, knock us out.
And so I think it's critical for us to get clean rushes, completions as much as we can early in the game and so it's something that for all of us, we are all trying to get better in that aspect, not just Jalen. I think every single one of us, we are trying to play faster, play cleaner football in the first quarter, because once we get into our rhythm we tend to play pretty well in those middle two quarters.
Q. When you guys run the football 40 times a game, there's not that many passes. Receivers don't like that. What are the conversations like? Because your identity since the bye, you've run it 45 times a game. Do you have to take extra time to talk to the receivers about there's not that many targets?
KELLEN MOORE: The beauty of what we have on offense, we have a lot of really talented players and they all deserve opportunities no these games. In the pass game when you have a game like that where you have a lot of rushing attempts and not as many pass opportunities, naturally those guys are not going to get as many touches as they deserve and have earned.
But yeah, I think those guys, you're constantly in conversation about those opportunities eventually present their self. Again, like we said, not every game are we going to be able to rush 40, 45 attempts. We'd love to but there's going to come different games and different styles, and that's the beauty of the NFL that every week is a different challenge. And there's going to come a time we have to sling it around and make some plays in critical situations, and those guys will be ready.
Q. What's it like playing for Rams defense without Aaron Donald, and how are they different?
KELLEN MOORE: I think they have done an excellent job of kind of evolving this year, building off of the scheme they have in place for a number of years.
Credit to them as Aaron has left and they have transitioned into a little bit of a different structure just because of what they have on the defensive line, I think they have a really, really talented defensive line, a bunch of young guys that are playing extremely well. High level. They give you a lot of different looks, a lot of different presentations which can be challenging throughout the week just as you get comfortable anticipating going against these guys.
These guys are playing really, really good football right now. They are playing well. Coming out of their bye week you can tell they took advantage of the bye week and playing as well as anyone.
Q. What have you seen from Jared Verse that has led to his early success says so far?
KELLEN MOORE: Relentless motor. Premiere playing in this league. I think you definitely see it in him and a number of the other guys on the defensive line. They are doing a really, really good job, and they are getting after the quarterback, pressuring him.
I think they are doing a really good job on the run as far as utilizing their fronts and stuffing out the run game. So this will be a big-time challenge for us.
Q. When you think of how successful you guys have been on the ground since the bye and teams focusing on that, did you see that last week against Washington?
KELLEN MOORE: Certainly any time your rushing attempt are that high, naturally it will be a focus for defenses. We have to play good adjustment football. Teams will give you different challenges and presentations and we have to be able to adjust throughout the game.
I thought Washington, credit to those guys. I thought they made some adjustments coming into our game on a short week. Gave us some looks we had not seen previously by them and I think our guys did a really, really good job as the game went, hang in there, hang with it, make the adjustments we need to make and able to make some plays as the game progressed.
Q. You were teammates with Matthew Stafford in Detroit, as his teammate ten years ago, what did you see from him then that allowed him to have longevity and success in this league?
KELLEN MOORE: He's just one. Premiere quarterbacks in league. I was around him for a few years in Detroit. I think what I always learned so much from him when I was in the room with him was just how much work went into it during the week. I think, you know, Matthew's preparation is very rare. You know, the work he puts into it, just the amount of film he watches, I think he's got an excellent, excellent feel for the game. His ability to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage and kind of control the whole operation is very rare, and so certainly I learned a lot being around him for those first couple years and obviously he's continuing for a number of years.
Q. On the topic of having specific packages for specific players, it seemed like there was a thing in this game with Jahan and the forward motions, is that something you put in for the game itself or something that has been waiting all season long?
KELLEN MOORE: It's been utilized a few other times with Jahan. Obviously that game, we made the decision, felt like it presented itself and gave us an opportunity. I think just like our other receivers, we think really highly of Jahan.
So any time we can get those guys on the field, give them opportunities, we feel he's been able to take advantage of a number of these. We felt like it was just a different presentation to help us and he does a nice job with playing that space game.
Q. Nias Smith on the jet sweep --
KELLEN MOORE: Again just giving guys different roles and different opportunities, and Nias, I think obviously going back to his role in college and some of the space game that he has played, he does a really nice job with that.
So you know, the last couple weeks we have kind of put him in that type of role and we'll just let those roles adjust and he involve as the season goes on and we'll see. For him coming off of IR and hopping in and having that role and that package, he's embraced it and he's done a nice job and so we'll see where it takes us.
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