Q. Other than Fairbairn missing two big kicks the last few games, you've made plays that have helped the offense, including a big one in both games. Talk about where you guys are right now, please, compared to where you want to be on special?
TRACY SMITH: Okay. Work in progress. I think we're getting a little better as the season has gone on. We've been mixing, matching personnel as we've gone through. The guys are getting a feel for taking advantage of the moments we have.
We're trying to turn some of these games on special teams plays when we can. Return game still getting going. They've done well in coverage. The and guys show up ready to work every week and do their best.
Q. Other than great coaching, talk about Anger. Since he got here, he's been tremendous with his (indiscernible), his accuracy. Why has he been so good here?
TRACY SMITH: You already said the title of your article, I appreciate that: Great coaching improves Bryan Anger in all aspects.
Bryan is an especially talented punter, always has been. High draft pick, one of the highest drafted punters of all time. Has got the talent, he came in with that. And he's a hard worker. He shows up every day. He's good with the other guys.
He's a good holder, and he works on his craft. He punts and punts and punts. And he's had good results to show for it.
Q. As far as your return game, what are you seeing from DeAndre Carter? At least for you, has there been a thought of mixing in Keke Coutee in that role? Is that something you have discussed as a staff?
TRACY SMITH: Always try to have the best guy at every spot we possibly can. Keke works every day at catching the ball. He doesn't have experience as a punt returner from college, so the experience that he has is all stuff you've seen from last year's pre-season and in practice.
Same thing this year. Without the pre-season, he's only had a few spins at it. His last time really out there was against the Packers last pre-season in a game. Punt returner is a pressure-filled spot as far as getting the ball caught. He has improved on that and he's certainly ready to go in a game when that situation arises.
DeAndre has been a reliable punt catcher. He has had the ball on the ground, but both of those times have been on returns after he caught the ball. That's a team issue, not a DeAndre Carter issue. We have to help him, block him out, to keep him clean for as long as possible.
Q. What do you see overall from Ka'imi, his season, accuracy, progression since you signed him?
TRACY SMITH: Showed up ready to go. He's still strong. Still a worker. Had a streak just recently of 10 in a row where he was hot as can be. Unfortunately he missed that one, the field goal hurt here in this last game. It was his first kick of the half, and pushed it a little bit.
I think he kicks an incredibly straight ball and he's been great on kickoffs. He puts the ball where we want him to, so we have a chance to cover where we have an advantage.
Enjoy working with him. He's really good with the guys, good with John, Bryan, good guy every day. He has a smooth attitude. Shows up the same, make or miss, you can't really shake him. He's been a good guy to go through this season with as far as a steady hand at the kicker spot.
Q. In this last game, in the second quarter when they were punting around the 50-yard line, what was the thought there with what you were doing with DeAndre? He was obviously on the field but he had come up so far, not in a position to return the kick.
TRACY SMITH: If you watch that game, we had an overload rush look to the one side. DeAndre was covering the gunner who was temporarily uncovered on the right side. He didn't had enough time to run back and grab the ball.
That ball landed on the six-yard line and we hoped that was going to bounce into the end zone. But that's a ball he's not going to catch no matter where he is that's over his head. We were trying to put a little pressure, hoping that Logan, not Logan, hoping we could get a kick into the end zone with a little bit of extra pressure.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Tracy.
TRACY SMITH: All right.
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