Q What happened on Sunday?
SHANE WALDRON: On Sunday? We got outplayed by a good Baltimore defense right there and some great learning experiences that happened for us on offense. A great chance for us to bounce back and remind ourselves that here we are 5-3 football team. We're an offense that's shown the ability to be explosive and we're always going to be searching for that consistency and not letting one outing really dictate the rest of our season other than the fact that we'll learn from it, grow from it and move on to this next game.
Q When we talked to Evan Brown earlier today, he said in his experience it's that first, first down. With any team he's been on. That helps get things going with the run game in particular. Has that been your experience as well?
SHANE WALDRON: Anytime you have a chance to start fast within a game, it's a great thing. I know in the Cleveland game we had that opportunity. But we've also had games where we've had maybe a three and out to start the game and we've been able to bounce back on the next drive and get things going. But really that early first quarter effectiveness being able to marry the run and the pass, play a balanced football game. Execute on third down. All the things we know we want to emphasize, having those things come to fruition in the first quarter obviously sets things up for the course of the game right there.
Q You mentioned third down [inaudible].
SHANE WALDRON: I think after going against a tough defense, they did a nice job on really all three levels of the defense. We didn't execute at a high enough level there. Things that I can do a better job with as well as the play call put our guys in good position, really learn from those like we took Monday and Tuesday to do, really bounced back Wednesday, come out here on third down day and for us it's like everything else, we're always going to emphasize all these key areas every single week, coach them, coach the basics, when we get back to Wednesday, whether it's hand placement, whether it's foot placement, route running, route technique, all these things are going to eventually lead up to game day execution at a high level there. And for us we know the third down is that opportunity for us to gain more plays within a game, have a chance to get more runs and all on first and second down when we're able to extend those drives. No doubt every week is going to be a high point of emphasis for us. We've had some spurts there where we've been playing at a high level on third down over the last month took a little dip this past week like we did really throughout the game in general. Again, it's one of the areas, one of the many areas where a lot of people would say how do we grow, learn from it and go forward.
Q How do you assess..?
SHANE WALDRON: In the pass game, when you get to those key situations there we know obviously doing a great job taking care of the ball is a priority, but then starting with me and then going through the rest of our team, that clear communication, that clarity so that everyone's in this together, we're all helping the quarterback and I know Geno is a guy that's got the ball on every one of those throws but there's a lot that goes into it and a lot of things we can do better to help him with his success things we've done in the past things we know we can do moving forward.
Q How much more productive Geno in the passing game.
SHANE WALDRON: I think anytime you have a chance where you have the threat of the run over the pass, I'm a big believer in the action game and our keepers is stuff that's been successful for us. So you're making the defense really honor multiple layers of a play different than in some of those known passing situations like the "D" linemen, getting the pass rush going. As long as we can live in more of those scenarios, we're going to be a better offense for that and it's going to be the goal of each game.
Q Is it hard to get to some of those plays when you're not [inaudible] as well, can you do it without establishing the run --
SHANE WALDRON: I think there's a balance. Each game is going to play out differently. I think you go into some games where you're going to throw the ball to be able to open up the run game and other games you need to run the ball to open up the pass game. But it's a week-to-week game scenario right there. The main thing it comes back to situational things third down areas extending drives and the ability to stay on the field will allow more calls and more opportunities to get them into the runs and the play-action pass game going, more snaps throughout the course of the game. Obviously each game can play a little differently, games you have two-minute drives at the end of the half or this past game you get stuck in a scenario behind in multiple scores in that third quarter, you end up a little pass heavy more than we'd want to be, but each game, like I said, is going to play out a little differently. Our goal is to have that balance and week-to-week depending on the defense that we're going against, that approach might vary with which play will set up the other.
Q [Inaudible].
SHANE WALDRON: I think they do a great job. Another great front. Starting up front right there. With Alan and Payne, inside/out, they're built strong and ready to rush the pass, or stop the run. They create negative plays. Create turnovers with that chaos that's like I said all started inside, and then it works their way to the back end of the defense right there where they've got multiple good players there, been there a long time playing at a high level. They present a lot of different problems, again another week of varied coverages, varied blitz packages there. Coach Del Rio does a great job playing fundamental defense but also mixing matching some of the exotic pressures or things that may come into play in those known passing situations. For us it will be a game of great execution which will start with our communication from myself to the players, the players with each other, and then leading to the results on the field.
Q [Question about play action] you have to establish the run so play action so they'll honor it. In your studies, have you found you can do play action effectively without a run game, you can do the cart before the horse.
SHANE WALDRON: Absolutely. I think it depends on the style of defense you're playing against. The threat of run or having great technique up front, really having that true marriage where from the defensive standpoint there they can't tell the difference between is this a run, is this a pass, based on stuff that we're trying to marry up. I think it's week-to-week. I think there's definitely circumstances where you could be playing an aggressive front seven that's going to allow you to have play action open early. Other weeks they may be playing stuff deep to short where the run thing would be the thing to establish before you can expect to get beyond that second level.
Q When we hear you need to help Geno, is that one way, play action can be a help?
SHANE WALDRON: Yes, that's one way. I think the main thing is that just to remind ourselves there's ten other guys on the field. Coaches helping. We're all in this together. And I think Geno's done a great job of being accountable, coming out every day, leading the guys, talking through any of the issues that come up within the game, and I think like you said, it's a team game. There's a lot of other people that are involved in it and Geno's done a great job being the leader, being accountable. We're all in this together to help him and help our team and our offense to get to where we want to be.
Q A week like this how important is it the message regarding all 11 winning the individual battles, collectively to execute?
SHANE WALDRON: I think it's a great starting point. If you're in your individual mindset I'm going to win my one-on-one knowing it's a team game but it really does start there. Winning your one-on-one and then also understanding each player has different toolbox tools that they can use within the course of a play where they might need help or might be able to utilize their help. So I think starting with winning one-on-one battles but also understanding the structure of the defense, understanding the different tools that players can utilize to get help if there's any sort of stunts or any different things in route running or really applies to all the team right there I think we can do a good job of utilizing our individual matchups but then also that communication where guys are working well together and that's the key to bringing together that successful offense is getting all 11 on the same page every single snap.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports