Q. We're hearing get the ball out of the pocket more quickly, it's not that simple. What are the complexities that come into getting the ball out of the pocket?
SHANE WALDRON: Sure, I think number one starts with me getting the guys into position where we can get some of those plays where they are ball-out plays in a good rhythm against the right coverage structures. But anytime we drop back and throw the ball or any of our plays, it's always going to involve all 11 guys, and everyone is going to have their part in that. For the receivers with the timing and rhythm with which those throws get out, for Geno staying in that rhythm, getting good pre-snap coverage indicators, understanding what's going on in the play, and then the O-line and the running backs doing a nice job being aggressive up front there.
We're going to continuously work at getting better and improving every single day in that area because it's something that we need to do and we will do.
Q. How do you feel like Zach handled the bigger role last week?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think Zach, with his professional approach that he's had since the day he walked in the door, I think it really has helped me now as he's been the lead back the last few weeks with Ken out. He's playing physical, playing tough, doing a good job knowing all the protections, all the plays, what to do, and looking for him to keep continuing to improve as he's been doing.
Q. Geno Smith mentioned to us that he needs to throw guys open when he can see them open. Has that been part of the problem do you think?
SHANE WALDRON: I don't know if that's a specific part of the problem, but I think as we've talked through, had a great week of practice right here starting yesterday with Wednesday and leading into today, was really proud of the guys the way they handled it and getting those front pad throws, getting those throws out in front so we can get our catch and run opportunities like we had a couple weeks ago where we're able to produce a lot of those yards after catch. I think that's one thing that we'll continue to work on throughout the course of the year of throwing those guys open and putting the ball in position and that great accuracy which Geno knows he has and has displayed in the times that we're rolling and really working on that every day in practice.
Q. He hasn't run as much this year, but when he does run it, he can still be effective. Do you want to see more of that from him?
SHANE WALDRON: I think as the pocket allows it and different rush structures present themselves, I think the ability for the quarterback to scramble, especially on a 3rd down scenario or in a known passing scenario just adds that extra layer to the defense that they know they have to defend, and I think Geno has done a good job of understanding when is the right time to do that and when is the time where maybe the throw away is better than putting himself at risk as the quarterback with the rush lanes as they're going.
But something we'll talk about each week and continue just like we talk about the timing and the rhythm of the pass game is one of the right times, one of the moments where Geno can show off his athleticism and gain the 1st down through a rush and also at the same time protecting himself.
Q. How have you felt like the offensive line has sort of held up? You've had a lot of moving parts this year and things like that. Tough defensive line last week --
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think the O-line as a whole, every week they're going to go against these top-notch defensive linemen. Got it again this week obviously with Parsons and the rest of the guys there.
But I think they've done a good job of having to mix and match different guys playing together, different moving parts throughout the course of different weeks. But I think just like the O-line, just like our offense as a whole, it's something that we need to work out that we're in right now and continue to improve, and like I said, I'll reference back to Wednesday's practice where I couldn't be more proud of our team and knowing why do we have confidence moving forward, because we've got a group of guys that are so committed to improvement starting with the offensive line and coming out here in a full padded practice.
I say Wednesday knowing I'm talking football long here. I have no idea what day of the week is actually is right now, but on our Wednesday schedule right there, the guys coming out there and able to run and hit and get back into it, and for us as an offense to get at it, this rut that we're in, we need to show that improvement, and we know we can, and we have confidence in the players and ourselves in getting that done.
Q. You guys are 29th in the league in rushing attempts per game, around 23 a game or so. Is that anywhere close to where you guys want to be or just where things have gone? How do you read into that?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think you read into it in the games that we haven't had the 1st and 2nd down success has really led to our rushing game being low totals, whether you talk about the different games that we've struggled offensively, we haven't gotten enough plays off. We haven't been efficient enough like the first half in that San Francisco game especially where we're getting into three-and-out mode right there, so you just don't have enough carries and then you end up in a two-minute mode, so we're not where we want to be right there with the run totals due to some of the other circumstances that we need to keep working on and keep improving.
Q. In a situation where the game is in hand, do you feel like your numbers are where you want them to be?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think we've looked back at different games where we've been in a more balanced attack, those are where our run numbers have gotten better. We've talked about getting over 100 yards in a game is just a number, but those are helpful things. Anytime you can get that rush total and the completions total together to get to a certain number, whether it's 50 or whatever the number you want to get to, those are times where you're usually playing in a good position in that game.
For us, as always, looking back to getting into our true identity as an offense, whether you look at the Detroit game or different games throughout the course of this season or the last couple, those balanced attacks, those games where we can utilize our play action, our run game, our keepers, our screens have started to come to life more this year, those are the times when we're at our best, and that's where we're searching for that continuous improvement to get to that stage in our offense.
Q. What's the one aspect that if Geno Smith improves, your offense will take off?
SHANE WALDRON: The one aspect I think for Geno is that timing and rhythm in the pass game right there, especially in the known passing situations in the 3rd down. But for those things to happen for Geno, there's a lot of things that go into it, and I think for us as an offense as a whole in the passing game, taking all 11 every snap into account, including Geno, I think that's one thing where we're looking to take a step forward.
Q. How good was Jaxon's catch?
SHANE WALDRON: It was unbelievable. I feel like that was one of those rare catches where the slow motion replays don't do justice to it as it was on the sideline. From my vantage point I'm standing right there and looking at that ball in the air and thinking, wow, this is -- I don't know if he's going to be able to even get a fingertip on the ball right here, and sure enough, just like -- no one should be surprised, he's done this in practice multiple times from training camp on through. Just so impressive, and then to be able to finish the catch through the -- landing on the ground right there in that locked-up position, just an unbelievable play and really displays his ball-tracking skills to a tee right there where you can picture him, whether it's Jaxon or Willie Mays making that catch, you can picture the same body control, the same result.
Q. Has he been getting a little more confident as the season has gone on?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I definitely think Jaxon's confidence is sky high right now. Was able to battle through the tough start where he had his wrist injury and getting his rapport going with everything, and now I think you see his talent is coming to life, and he goes out there and works hard every day. It's no surprise he's going to continue to get better.
Q. His ball tracking skills, that's natural, or is that something he's worked at?
SHANE WALDRON: I think it's a combination. I think it's a God-given talent that guys have, those guys that you feel like they can go play in any of the outfield positions in baseball, naturally track the ball like the DeSean Jacksons or Tyler Lockett has always been displaying to do, and then the combination of those guys that can do that naturally like Jaxon and then they work like crazy at it, as well.
I think you take a good skill set and then you maximize it by your work effort.
Q. Did you have to alter the game plan or anything last week with the injury Geno was dealing with, or was he fully available to you?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think after we seen him in pregame warmups able to throw, it did take all the way until then to really see him, where he was going to be at, but he was confident in it and was able to spin it well in pregame and was able to carry it into the game.
Q. On 3rd downs, are you seeing a lot of tendency breakers, teams are showing (indiscernible)?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, I think it's a combination each week in the 3rd down world where it's rare to get a team that does have true -- there's no 80 percent, 90 percent tendencies anymore. Guys on defense do a great job just like Coach Quinn does with mixing and matching different masked coverages or playing man and showing man and playing zone, so we have to do a great job in those things of using some pre-snap tips and tells, but also that pre-snap picture of transitioning into the post-snap read for the quarterback, for the receivers, tight ends, running backs, seeing it as something that we need to continue to keep getting better at to help our 3rd down efforts.
Q. Is there a lot of in-game adjustment in that regard for you guys?
SHANE WALDRON: Absolutely. When you're talking about different style of play and what's it looking like this game, because generally speaking, game to game, you're going to see what that style of defense is going to be throughout that game. You have a good plan going in. You have an understanding of what are the overall numbers look like, what are the analytics telling you, but then also the feel in the game, okay, here's how they're playing us in this particular week in the 3rd down world right there and what are we anticipating for the next 3rd down call.
Q. Can you see all that pretty well from the field, or is someone upstairs helping you?
SHANE WALDRON: It's definitely a combined effort right there. We have different guys whose eyes are responsible to be in different spots on every single play so that we make sure we're doing a good job maximizing, seeing everything that's happening on the field and then combining that with the surfaces are always a good tool post-drive right there to go back there and verify the things that everyone has seen on live action.
Q. Why do you like being on the field versus upstairs?
SHANE WALDRON: I like being on the field to be able to communicate with all the guys, from the offensive line to the quarterback with the instant feedback to the running backs, receivers, tight ends, so for me personally and for us as an offensive staff, that's where we've seen the advantage there.
Q. Do you feel an urgency this week?
SHANE WALDRON: I think there's an urgency every week in the NFL, and I think after a performance like we had this past week, like I said, showing up on that Wednesday, quote-unquote, practice schedule there, just the intensity, the sense of urgency, that urgent enjoyment that the players still need to find because this is a game of excitement, a game of playing with energy, so finding that balance of, okay, yeah, we're frustrated, we want to make this better, we want to fix this thing right now, but then also not going outside the box of what's our fundamentals, what's our core techniques, and how do you make that urgency, use that urgency to funnel it into the right place with your emotions and your energy out on the field.
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FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports