SHANE WALDRON.
Q. ...(in progress.) Pretty challenging defense obviously. Second week in a row. What have you seen?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, week in, week out in the league with great defenses everywhere, this is a defense that starts really with the two inside linebackers playing at such a level, and elite level, and directing the defense.
They got a great defensive front where they mix and match a lot of different people in. They're leading the league if sacks and they have just a good, well balanced amount of guys that have three, four sacks.
And so they've done a good job just down in, down out getting guys free, starting with that rush plan, but playing great as a front seven, and then the back end's tied into the rush plan really well.
So it's a great challenge for us. We're ready for it. See where it goes.
Q. The run/pass ratio on Sunday, was that a concerted or the way the game went, or did you want to try to even that out a little bit more?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, in terms of being balanced to us for that game especially, it really comes back to the issue on third down that we -- after the first couple where we were successful. Then we had some three-and-outs mixed in there. So the run/pass balance will get a little off with the two-minute drive at the end the half and two-minute drive to close out the game.
It's always going to be our goal to be efficient in those situational calls and situational football, especially on third down, which leads us to having that better balance, getting a chance to have more carries in the run game, get a chance to get some more mixing and matching on those first and second down plays, which we got a little bit away from after that first quarter in that game.
Q. ...since the bye week?
SHANE WALDRON: It's really like everything, all 11 guys doing an excellent job of execution in certain areas. Certainly the first third down of the game this past week where Tyler runs a great route, Geno is on time in the line blocking.
So I think every week just keep re-emphasizing third down. Keep playing in a great rhythm. Trying to stay out of as many third and long situations as we can, which we knew Cleveland had done a great job of getting teams into those third and long, second and longs throughout the first group of games of the season.
So every week that's going to be a point of emphasis. Trying to balance that and being aggressive as well on first and second down is something we're always mindful of.
Q. (Indiscernible)
SHANE WALDRON: Exactly. You know what? I can't wait. One day in the way distant future there when Tyler hangs them up, I hope they have either a bunch of footprints in that left corner of Lumen Field to represent all the amazing plays he's made in that same spot over and over again.
So, yeah, Geno did a great job stepping through, and then Tyler, always open.
Q. What have you noticed (regarding Geno and running game)?
SHANE WALDRON: For him and our offense in general, when the run game is going you feel like you can get the defense to really honor the run or the pass every single down. It obviously alleviates the pass game a little bit in terms of the second level of the coverage isn't going to be as impactful on some of the play-actions.
So when we can run the ball efficiently we know that's going to tie into the rest of our offense, and especially help Geno in the throwing game.
Q. Baltimore is really good at taking away deep shots down the field. (Audio distortion.)
SHANE WALDRON: Yes.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think whether it's our group of receivers or our tight ends, running backs, we feel like we have a good balance of players that can all come alive down the field with different opportunities.
Like you said, Baltimore does a great job of really preventing the deep shots. Their safeties do a great job. I know Geno's thrown the five interceptions there, and down in, down out, those DBs are doing a great job with ball disruption way down the field.
They make it hard on you, especially with the rush plan like we mentioned before. Feel confident in our receiver's ability, and when the time allows or when the look allows, trust Geno to put the ball down the field and give us some opportunities for those explosive plays.
Q. You and Andy obviously go way back.
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah. I think Andy, just as a teacher in general, because I think that's so much about this game, and especially with the O-line play, where the offensive line has so much time, of individual time, whether it's certain special teams, whether it's during some of the pass game stuff we're doing in seven on seven, he has a unique ability to keep teaching constantly for the two hours, two and a half hours, whatever the length of practice is.
It's nonstop. I think his ability to teach the starters all the way through the practice squad guys the same way, everyone is getting different information and everyone can take a little bit of information from a tip maybe to another player that they can use for their game.
So Andy has done a great job being a teach experience being a teacher first at that position I think is paramount.
Q. How did Jason's experience show up to you?
SHANE WALDRON: First his leadership was awesome between Jason and Tyler Lockett in the game, I thought both these guys stepped up as leaders when we hit a little bit of a lull. I think that was something that enabled us, especially with Jason in that last drive right there where he's got that confidence that aura about himself where he's been in all these situations. Good, calming presence, but also a good motivational presence for everybody around him.
I think one of the great things of any leader is making yourself and everyone around you better, and that's something that Jason is able to do through his leadership ability, not just through his play.
Q. How long can you alternate at tackle?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think every situation is totally different, right? Certainly guys you want -- you don't want to rotate guys through. Fortunately or unfortunately through all the injuries we've had to withstand these first several weeks, we have a lot of confidence in all these guys playing down in and down out and their communication because they've had to play with a couple different combination of guys next to them.
Whether it's Stone or Jason, Jake's in there, all these different guys have been able to practice with each other throughout the course of weeks, and feel good about in the game, different than a situation where maybe a guy is going in that hadn't played next to the guard that's next to him or hadn't played in a certain combination.
So it's a little unique for us this year, and feel totally confident that any of those things can still take place and still allow us to execute at a high level in terms of rotating throughout the game.
Q. D Eskridge I think had two or three snaps on Sunday.
SHANE WALDRON: Uh-huh.
Q. I guess how can that work out with him getting few more with what you already had with the top four guys?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think D has done a great job being back in the mix now and flying around out here today especially. Had a great day of practice today.
I think the more he keeps stacking up practice reps when he is around us, the more he'll be able to be impactful with more reps in the course of the games. Starting point obviously is on special teams, and then, yeah, some of those reps bleed into the offense and as different guys have been playing at a high level already, so still have to have that combination of getting him back into the flow, but keeping the guys going that have been playing at a high level as well.
Q. ...is that how you drew it up?
SHANE WALDRON: Oh, yeah, hey, I'll say this: With Jake it's just one of those things. Just knowing that his football sense, his awareness there, just felt great about how everything was going to play out, and felt great they were really going to extend the edge right there and he was going to find a way to get in the end zone right there.
Q. With Lockett, what's his best skill when the play breaks down and he has to extend?
SHANE WALDRON: I think he has a great spatial awareness and sense of urgency to get to the right spot in the flow of quarterback scramble. Once he's set his angle or his decision into motion right there, his ball tracking skills really take over and he has that sense -- like, you know, he can kind of figure out ways to get open, and then from there, figure out ways to track the angle of the football into a pocket of the defense that's a void that maybe not everybody is a seeing that the same way.
The other part is he seems to have that innate ability to find that same window that is through the quarterback's lens right there as well.
Q. Pete was telling us that you tried to corral them, at least give them assigned escape routes so to speak. Is that an area thing -- I know you won't give away secrets, but is that a --
SHANE WALDRON: All the good receivers have that understanding, if the play goes out of rhythm, off schedule here, what are the routes around me, and then what is my scramble plan based on what the play is around me.
I think he does it as good as anybody in the world of understanding that and then being able to bring it to life.
Q. Obviously had all those years playing with Russell and kind of similar. Is it all the same with Russell and Geno in terms of when the plays break down?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think both quarterbacks have done a great job. Obviously Russell for years and years was unbelievable in those off-schedule situations, and I think that obviously built part of Tyler's repertoire of understanding and being on the same page, and same with DK.
I think Geno has done a great job of learning from that, starting to fill those voids, so when he was able to take over as the starter, some of those similar things have come to life, whether it's with the tight ends or with the receivers.
But having at that understanding and that sense of where the ball should go when the play breaks down.
Q. (Regarding highest success rate in the screen game.)
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think practice, practice, practice is something that we have tried to get better at, tried to add to it as an area of our offense. Hasn't always come to life the way we hoped. Players bring the plays to life, and Jaxon did a great job this past week gaining -- I think he gained 19 on a perimeter screen there.
So we tweaked something we'll keep looking at and practicing and trying to get better and better at.
Q. (Regarding Jaxon's skillset.)
SHANE WALDRON: His ability to catch the ball, staying grounded, and instantly transition, and then once he gets into traffic, he has a good feel of where to weave, how to set blocks. So just like he does as a route runner there, I think that ability to play grounded and play with that lateral quickness allows him to excel in the screen game.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
SHANE WALDRON: I think obviously the big thing with him, the thing we work at every week with all our players, is trying to limit the turnovers, because we know some of those things make the games either closer than they need to be or keep the other team in the game longer than they should be.
If we can do a good job of taking care of the ball, I think that's the next step we need to take as an offense. Geno, but also anyone that's part of possessing the ball, whether it's the running backs, receivers, tight ends, everyone having that conscience every day of taking care of the ball.
Our defense is playing at a high level and special teams is playing at a high level. As we keep progressing on offense, look for that consistency, taking care of the ball first and foremost and going from there.
Q. (Regarding Leonard Williams.)
SHANE WALDRON: Oh, man, he has a lot of great traits. I'm glad -- well, would've been nice if we had him before we had to play against him in New York this year. His ability to transition from speed to power, you know, inside player, but also work edges. He has a lot of complementary moments. Works well. I can't wait to see -- I don't get to watch a lot of those guys on game day as we're usually talking offense on the sideline there, but can't wait to come in on Monday there and see the highlights of those guys all working together and how he mixes in with a bunch of other great defensive linemen that we have.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports