GREEN BAY – The Packers' coordinators and offensive assistant coaches met with the media over the past couple of days. Here's a sampling of their key comments.
Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia
On the challenges this week:
I think our biggest challenge right now has been be a better us. We kind of have the balance of, played really well the first week, didn't play very well last week. I think our tackling needs to be cleaned up. How we played on the outside on punt needs to be cleaned up. And so we just have to be a better us, fundamentally, technically, do the things that we're supposed to do when we're supposed to do them the way we're supposed to do them, and then I think it'll put us in the right position to hopefully make plays.
On reminding players after an ending like the Denver/Indy game:
We watch all the tape that goes on every week throughout the league, and then mistakes that we make, or mistakes that someone else makes, it's always brought up in the meeting. The whole team gets to see some of those things that went on that were costly mistakes, that cost teams games. The ball goes through the (Pittsburgh) kid's hands (vs. Seattle), and you've got to go down and down every one of those now on kickoff returns. So we're all learning from each other's mistakes over the years. With the new kickoff something new comes up every week that possibly didn't happen last year, whether it was in preseason or it came up last week. So, yes, those are always addressed and always looked at.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
On learning more about Micah Parsons:
Loves football. Ultra competitive. Likes to have fun. He's a good teammate. He's got really good energy with our players and he's quickly integrated himself into that room, with both the coaches and the players, and he's really into it. And he practices really hard. I mean, he GOES.
On Devonte Wyatt:
D-Wy for the ways he's practicing and prepared, I think he's coming off the ball with better pad level. He's playing really fast. He's using his hands really well. He's a physical, explosive guy. When he was healthy last year, this is what we saw and he's healthy right now. He's playing more snaps. Just gotta keep him going.
On the lack of takeaways so far and S Xavier McKinney's play:
As far as the takeaways go, if you really study the film and watch it, it's not for a lack of effort. We're taking more shots on the ball, and we're charting that, than we did last year. They just haven't come yet and the two teams we played did a pretty good job of protecting the ball. And there's also the best safety in the National Football League sitting in the middle of the field for a lot of parts of the game, and I don't know how many balls you guys have seen go up there, there's not many. So with 29 sitting back there, there's probably a big red circle drawn around him and people are very careful right now of where they're throwing the football. They will come.
We've certainly put him in a lot of other positions and we will continue to do so to get him around the football. But I would never measure him and his first two games by the amount of interceptions he has because of really the lack of balls thrown his direction. In my opinion, he's playing as good as he ever has, maybe the best he ever has. Last Wednesday I was watching film late and I started to see … (how) I think they're going to attack us and it kind of just dawned on me. So the first person I called was X and I was like, 'X, I know it's late and we're really playing tomorrow, but if you can handle this, I need you to get me into this check,' and he's like, 'Yeah coach, I got it,' and really without practicing it. That's what they came out in and X continued to get us into the right call. That's the type of player he is and I don't care how many interceptions he has. He is the best safety in the NFL and what he does for our defense is beyond interceptions.
On facing Browns QB Joe Flacco:
He's going to get rid of the ball quick. Shoot, when I was with the Browns whenever it was, he was with the Ravens, so we went up against him many times and now I think it's Year 17 for him. I have a ton of respect for him. He sees the field really well. He can still make all the throws. He gets rid of the ball really fast, so you're just not going to fool him doing base stuff. He's going to see it, he's going to know where to go with the football, so we're going to have to get more creative and try to figure out ways to not allow him to know what we're in.
On the vibe of the unit:
We want to play harder than anybody in the NFL … they've done that thus far. So the challenge now is can we take this on the road and do it. Give our fans and our crowd, what they've done to light up that stadium from the first third down on, I mean that's electrifying and that's appreciated, and our guys have fed off of that. We're not home this week, so the challenge is can we go on the road and can we play with the same energy? Because we're going to have to bring it. It's going to be us. Now, hopefully our fans will travel like they do and give us a little bit. But this is the first time we're taking our show on the road, and we better bring our own juice, and we better bring that energy because it's not going to be loud on our third down. Because last week's over, the week before's over, so the challenge is can you do it again?
Can we stay detailed? Can we stay locked in? Can we keep communicating and keep talking so we're all on the same page, right? It's got to be detailed, as well as playing as hard and as physical and as violent as we can.
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich
On handling premier pass rushers:
I would say you've just got to make sure you have a plan for them for sure. In the NFL, it's like whatever you did in the past, the only thing that matters is what you do this week, and we're going to have a huge challenge ahead of us with Myles Garrett and not only him, but the entire Browns defensive line. They're very good, so we've just got to take it one week at a time, and trust our techniques, trust our schemes, and just do what we do.
On taking shots downfield:
We've been landing some long plays, and that's kind of who we are. If the defense gives it to us, we're going to try and take it. So that's kind of our mindset, and the first two weeks playing some very aggressive defenses where a lot of single-high (safety looks), guys in the box trying to stop the run. If they're going to do that, the nice thing about our offense is we're very versatile. So yeah, we're going to take what they give us.
On throwing in wrinkles like direct snaps:
That's part of the pleasure of being a coach is coming up with new stuff and just trying things out. As a season goes on, you've got to just keep being fresh and keep coming up with new ideas. Guys really appreciate that, and they gravitate towards it, for sure.
Passing game coordinator Jason Vrable
On rookie WR Matthew Golden:
Coming into the league, we knew he was fast, we knew he could catch. He's gotten open. I thought Week 2 was a better performance overall than Week 1, which is all you can ask from him – to do your job and to get open. He played faster. Obviously, we missed the two deep ones but there was a lot of other routes I thought he did a good job pressing his depth. Continuing to work on his shot clock (is important). What happens so many times for young players, they just rush their routes because they want the end result, and the process is your route's supposed to be 18 to 20 and if you cut at 14, you might be open but the QB's not always ready to throw. I think that's the biggest growth for guys as they get in the league is just seeing the big picture, the timing, your shot clock, how it marries up to the quarterback that it's not always just about you getting open.
On TE Luke Musgrave:
Luke's had as good a camp as I've seen. I think he's truly healthy. He's been flying around. It's not that he hasn't had success in the games, it's just those two years the injuries kinda set him back. He's caught the ball as well as I've seen him since he's been here, just catching the ball with his hands, tracking the ball. I think he's been playing with supreme confidence. The one (joint) practice we had at home, I mean it was basically 'The Musgrave Show.' I think he caught three balls over 20 yards in the air. I told our tight ends coach the other day, 'This is the best I've seen him since he's been in the building.' I think it has a lot to do with his offseason training and his habits. He's stronger. He's always been fast, but he's stronger, he's playing with more confidence and he's, in my mind, catching the ball at a really high level, and that's what you like to see.
Quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion
On Jordan Love's scramble vs. Washington:
it was a huge play for us in the game. I really think throughout camp and even through the first two weeks he's done a great job using his legs. Both as a passer, we had a big conversion to Tuck in the game as well on an off-schedule play, and then as a runner there, too. As his coach, when you see him take a hit on a run like that you try to tell him, 'Hey, if there's a chance to avoid it …' but I will say this, man, the guy's a total competitor. And I know being on the sidelines, the juice that that brought our guys, seeing him compete like that, going for a first down, for a big conversion, that gives your whole team a jolt. Just, when possible, try to avoid heavy contact. But man, I love the way he's been using his legs and that was a great example of it.
On Love's deep balls:
I think it's a strength. Part of it is the way he processes on-field. He's able to get the ball up early. He diagnoses the play quickly, he's very accurate. I think him and the receiver being on the same landmark in terms of where he's trying to drop that ball for him so he can run through it, there's been two near-misses and we're always working to get better on those. But on the whole, I've been really happy with where he's at in terms of his deep balls. I do think it is one of his strengths.
Wide receivers coach Ryan Mahaffey
On the Browns' secondary:
Very competitive unit. They're a veteran unit. They have a great understanding of their scheme. They're well-coached, they play together. One thing that was pretty apparent when you turned on the film is they attack the football, whether the ball's in the air or whether it's with their pursuit. So they play the game the right way and it's going to be a great challenge.
On WR Malik Heath's sideline/replay catch:
I didn't know (he was in bounds) right away. I was looking up at the video replay as much as anybody. But that was definitely an infusion of energy when he was able to come down and make that play. Great ball by J-Love, the protection was good. I did not know, but I have a lot of confidence in Malik. He's been able to make those type of plays in the past. He's a big, physical guy, he has a lot of confidence in his hands, and he's able to play through contact. I think that was a really good demonstration of that.
Running backs coach Ben Sirmans
On RB Josh Jacobs' TD prowess:
He has a knack for finding the end zone, and you combine that with how quick he is, along with his power, that makes it easier for him to get tacklers to bounce off him, finish with great strength. He's got really good instincts and vision to find the hole.
On what RB Chris Brooks brings to the offense:
His diversity. Obviously you can put a second tight end in those same roles, but sometimes when you have a guy that's a little more athletic in terms of maneuvering inside the box because of his running skills, it can help you get up to linebackers or safeties or whoever it is that your scheme is designed to block against. Plus, it helps us to utilize him in other ways, too. Like throwing the ball to him – with the ball in his hands, he can be a threat for us.
Offensive line coach Luke Butkus
On preparing to face Browns DE Myles Garrett:
He's a very good player, but when it comes down to it, it's about us. It's about our play style. We know he's there, and we're going to do everything we can to get after him, but it's about our play style and what we're going to do. We're going to have our hands full but we're going to give it everything we've got.
On Anthony Belton subbing in:
He's a rookie, so going in, he's going to play like a rookie, but I was pleasantly surprised, not just how well he played, but just everything, his effort, his intensity, his detail. He had a few things to clean up, we all do, every game, every play, every practice, but he was locked in, ready to play, and it wasn't too big for him.
On Jordan Morgan playing different spots:
That's incredible. I can't play any position and here this guy is playing all over the line and he is handling it in stride. He's, 'Whatever you want me to do coach,' and that's what type of kid he is, and that's what we love (about) him, how athletic and how easy he makes a lot of things look. Again, there's a lot of stuff to clean up as well, but his want to and his effort has been awesome, and like I said, he is a very talented player.
Tight ends coach John Dunn
On TE Tucker Kraft being named captain:
A big part of that is the way he works, the way he goes about it. He's a guy that's here early. He does things right off the field. He's getting treatment. He's taking care of his body. He puts in extra work. He finishes hard. He gets done with practice, and he's exhausted, which is how you want it to be. I think it certainly started there. I think he's getting more and more comfortable of turning that into a little bit more of a vocal deal. It always starts small in the tight end room, having that voice, and then it kind of seeps out into other venues. I think he has everyone's respect with just how hard he works and how he goes about it and how he loves this game.
On his playmaking:
Sometimes it's scheme him open and sometimes it's beat the man one-on-one. It comes in all different shapes and sizes. There's times where they might not be great, but you break a tackle and it turns into an explosive, right? All those things kind of manifest themselves.
When the ball's in the air, he's done a great job of having aggressive hands, making the play. And he has such an aggressive mindset. You know, that's the fun part. Obviously whether you catch the ball short or catch it deep, it's just the mentality of run after the catch that provides also the YAC that he prides himself on.
