Q. As the guy calling the plays, what is that Monday like? Geno is going to work out, he's active, but that process of getting two quarterbacks ready to go?
SHANE WALDRON: That was a week where it was a full process, taking it right up to the pregame there. I think going back to -- the thing I love about working with Geno and Drew, they're similar skill sets, their ability to bring the offense to life with similar play styles. So that allowed us during the course of the week to prepare for the either/or scenario there.
Obviously the results came out on the positive side there for Drew, especially with that amazing ending that he was able to put together. It all worked out. It was a little different week. We did our best to get through it.
Q. You meant the game plans didn't have to be -- the two different game plans you had to prepare didn't have to be too different from one another?
SHANE WALDRON: Correct. Going back to the reason, both of those guys in this offense, it's Drew's ability to operate and play at a high level in a similar system, similar conceptually to what Geno can do. It allows us to have that ability during the course of the week to game plan and keep in mind the other ten guys that will be on the field every snap where they're not trying to say, hey, we've got to learn two different systems going into the week, and they can feel comfortable and confident going into the game.
Q. What role, if any, did you have in the will he play, won't he play? Or were you just going to deal with whatever cards they gave you on that?
SHANE WALDRON: For me, I stay away from the medical part of that. So just trying to stay in the positive mindset knowing that -- Geno's mindset is he's going to play every chance that he can and push it to the limit. So he was in that mindset.
Then for me, just going out there and listening to his input, and then everyone coming together collectively for a decision there and keeping the player's safety in mind as the number one factor going into that. Once that decision was made for me, then I'm clicked into, okay, let's go with Drew.
And I thought the amazing part about that was seeing the true relationship that Geno and Drew have both established with each other, with us as coaches. So it's not an easy thing for Geno to deal with knowing that his mind is set on playing and then it's not going to work out that way.
But then to flip over and be supportive and helpful on the sideline with Drew, you see that genuine appreciation and happiness when Drew is able to make the play at the end. And those two guys that really care about each other, have been through a lot in competition going back a couple years now, but have built a relationship that extends beyond just the competitive nature of the position that they're in.
Q. What kind of assistant coach is Geno Smith?
SHANE WALDRON: What kind of assistant coach? He's a good one. Take any quarterback, take Geno on the sidelines. He's seeing things. He's seeing things going when he's getting a chance to step away and just watch the game happen. He's good. Positive reinforcement, little tidbits here and there as he's seeing it throughout the game, stuff that's, I think, encouraging.
From my lens, all the input you can get throughout the course of the game, the players are going to see stuff throughout the course of the game, and we've talked about that, clear, open, and honest communication. I want all that, the input that they can give us.
Just like we talk as assistant coaches throughout the course of the drives, the player input to me is just as important as the coaches' input because those are the guys that are out there living each play down in and down out. I think to be able to openly hear everything that's coming across the airwaves from my role and then being able to filter through and use what can best help our team.
Geno was great with it, and I think he'd have a great future down the line, a long time down the line, once his great career is over.
Q. We saw the headset he was wearing. Was that a one-way listening, or was he talking to you between plays?
SHANE WALDRON: That's a one-way, but the advantage of being on the field, getting to interact with him right there on the sideline.
Q. Why was the ground game so effective coming out of halftime? Was it the number of plays that were called, or was it just the looks they were getting?
SHANE WALDRON: I think being able to get out and establish the run after a first half that was really disjointed by penalties. We've talked about it over and over, the time when our run game is best is when we can stay efficient on those first and second downs, convert on some third down opportunities, so we can stay ahead of the chains and keep working the run game.
The guys did a great job in the second half, especially that opening drive there, of having good, efficient plays. They weren't all explosive plays, but we stayed away from some of the negative plays, and we were able to get those things going.
The O-line, the tight ends, the receivers blocking downfield, and then Ken and Zach with the combination of those two guys getting to work and getting more and more touches. Ken with the great -- the touchdown run there on the short yardage situation.
It was just a good, efficient mindset by the offense right there, and something we're striving for each week.
Q. Shane, you guys hadn't racked up a bunch of passing yards that final drive, but you seemed to throw a bunch of different coverages and stuff at Drew. How do you think he managed that moment? Obviously the touchdown comes out of it. But going into that drive, his personality going into it and delivering in that moment?
SHANE WALDRON: Yeah, leading up to it, it wasn't like we were throwing the ball all over the field, like you mentioned. They did a good job of having good umbrellas type of coverage over the top of our routes. It was one of those games too playing complementary football. The defense is doing a great job there keeping us in the game.
We wanted to just keep playing positive football, keep playing positive football. Not turn the ball over. Run the ball efficiently.
And then when it came down to it, getting there with a chance to win the game at the end once the defense makes that stop, then I think it just -- we talk about it here. It clicks back in. You're in the VMAC. We do this walk through, two-minute drills a couple times every single week, going all the way back through training camp, OTAs.
I think Drew did a good job of clicking back into the moment here and executing every single play as they occurred. If something didn't play out the right way, it was right on to the next play. And knowing in that two-minute drive, you don't have to have every play be a completion. Time is obviously the most important thing, so keeping an eye on that.
When the opportunities presented themselves, he went to the right spot with the ball, and players made some unbelievable individual effort plays starting with D.K. on a couple of those tremendous catches right there. Then obviously finishing with Jackson's touchdown in the back corner there.
Q. Drew told us that you reminded them right before that play, hey, if Jackson's one-on-one. That's his second game-winning touchdown. He's a guy you've gone to a bunch on third down. What about him as a rookie makes everyone so comfortable, whether it's the play caller or the quarterback, just trusting him to make big plays?
SHANE WALDRON: That's what it is. With Jacks, we have total trust and belief he's going to come through in any situation there. We have a lot of good players, so the ball is spread out throughout the course of the game, whether it's D.K. or Tyler or the tight ends getting involved, the backs getting involved. When Jacks has his opportunities, there's no moment too big.
There's a cool replay of him at Ohio State really making a similar catch. He's been there in these big moments before. He's been a receiver, even going back to his high school career, who's been consistently productive in all sorts of scenarios. Our trust in him, and all of our guys really, is the ball should go where the coverage dictates.
In that particular instance there, Drew did a great job with the read, going where the ball should go right there, and having total trust in Jackson to come through with the play.
Q. You told us, I think it was before the Dallas game, you and Pete made it pretty clear the priority was going to be getting the ball out quickly and throwing in rhythm. The numbers say that Drew has continued to do that after Geno did it in the Dallas game. What does it look like from your end?
SHANE WALDRON: I think just overall -- because we talked about it with the timing and rhythm in the pass game, part of it is the quarterback because obviously he has a big part in that, but also it's how the guys are blocking up front. It's the receivers being where they're supposed to be when they're supposed to be there and the timing and rhythm.
I think overall as an offense we've stressed it, trying to keeping working towards a more efficient goal in the pass game.
I think just overall, all 11 guys that have been on the field, whether it's been Geno or Drew the last few weeks, we've done a better job of staying in rhythm, and that's allowed us, again, to stay a little bit more efficient and staying ahead of the chains.
Q. Whether it's Geno behind Russ or Drew behind Geno, what do you appreciate about your quarterbacks' ability to stay ready the whole time?
SHANE WALDRON: Geno was the guy that was around first, when he was backing up Russ, and his ability to treat every single game like he was a starter, even in that backup role, I think that's something that Drew has also learned from and seen happen and seen take place. It's the right way of doing it.
It is a position unlike any other where you're the backup, and most of the other guys, they're going in and out of the game, whether you're a backup receiver or backup tight end, but that backup quarterback, you're either on the bench the whole game, or something strange happened and all of a sudden you're in the fire.
I think both of those guys, Drew taking Geno's lead from before and his mentorship in that role, treated that like they're the starter every single week. So when these opportunities have taken place, for them to go in there and be the starter, they've been able to step up and have our offense execute at a high level.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports