Redskins Misc News & Info

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Krusheasy]

gruden presser

September 21, 2017



Head Coach Jay Gruden



On injuries:

“Limited: Jordan Reed, rib/sternum; [Mason] Foster, shoulder; [Rob] Kelley, rib; [Morgan] Moses, ankle/shoulder; [Montae] Nicholson, shoulder; Josh Norman, shoulder. Full were [Deshazor] Everett, knee – lots of guys here – [Josh] Doctson, hamstring; [Spencer] Long, knee; and [Chris] Thompson, back.”



On if it seems like there are more injuries this year:

“Uh, no. I think it’s about normal this time of year. Some teams are more fortunate than others, some players are more fortunate than others, but it is a physical game and these things happen.”



On TE Jordan Reed’s progress:

“He did more today, so I think the pain is becoming manageable, we hope. We’ll see how he does tomorrow.”



On if he was still able to conduct a productive practice with so many players limited:
“We did a good job. They had a good practice today. The limited guys participated a little bit in their periods here and there, so we were able to get everything done.”



On drawing the line between playing limited players vs. playing healthy players:

“Yeah, first of all, that’s not my call. That’s the player’s call and the trainer’s call, so I have to find out from the trainer A) if they’re able to play and

if the player feels up to it and then we have to make that determination – whether or not the person who would play in their place would be better than that person at 80 percent or what have you. So, a lot goes into it, but ultimately it’s the player’s and the trainer’s call.”



On if QB Kirk Cousins or C Spencer Long has the final say on protections:

“We have a system in place but obviously Kirk can always trump it and change it at the line of scrimmage if need be. Spencer initially makes the calls and then if Kirk sees something different and needs to change it, he will.”



On if WR Josh Doctson is at the point where he has no limitations and should be producing:

“Well, we’ve got other players too that are producing and have been producing, so it’s not like he’s just going to jump out there and get 80 snaps. Terrelle [Pryor Sr.] is doing a good job at X, Ryan [Grant] and [Jamison] Crowder are doing a good job at Z, Crowder at slot, so he’ll work his way in the lineup. He’s a good player. Brian Quick’s going to get his share here and there, so I think the rotation’s going to be key. Keeping them fresh is going to be key and then taking advantage of opportunities when they get them is obviously the most important.”



On if he will game plan plays specifically for Doctson:

“We’ll have some special plays for Josh because he does some special things. Obviously we haven’t seen him a lot around here as far as on game day, but we’ve seen him out at practice so there will be some instances where we try to get him the ball.”



On how tough it is to face quarterbacks like Raiders QB Derek Carr who get rid of the ball quickly:

“It’s tough, it’s tough. It gets frustrating for pass rushers. You know, you say, ‘Rush the quarterback, rush the quarterback,’ and the ball’s gone – at one point I think the average was under two seconds that he gets the ball out of his hands. So, the big thing is to make him the feel the pressure if we don’t get home. We’ll get our hands up, maybe bat some balls, but still I think if you make the quarterback uncomfortable, even if you don’t get the sack, it can be equally as important as getting the sack. So, I think just making him uncomfortable, maybe getting him off his spot, will be critical and then having tight coverage on the wideouts to make him hold the ball.”



On how he is going to stop Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch:

“I am not going to stop him [laughter]. Hopefully, I think it’s just going to be a group effort like it is with every great back in the NFL that you face. Todd Gurley’s a different type of back but, you know, it takes more than one. He might jump over one guy and the next guy’s going to have to come get him. Marshawn might stiff arm one guy but the next two or three guys are going to come get him.[It’s got to be a group effort and we’ve got to run to the football – all 11 of them on defense have got to pursue to the football with great passion.”



On if he sees any lag in Lynch’s game after a year away:

“No. No lags. He looks fine.”



On doing multiple things in the run game, and if that’s just trial and error or the fact that this group of backs is capable of multiple things:

“Yeah, I think it’s a combination of both. We do have young backs with Samaje [Perine] and Rob Kelley still fairly new, only in his second year. Mack Brown obviously is fairly new. But the line really and the tight ends are a big part of that. The tight ends are a major part of the run game too, so they all have to be on the same page and they’re all smart. They targeted all the runs correctly. Targeting is one thing and then you’ve got to hang on to your blocks and you’ve got to finish blocks. We did a great job of that last week that gave the backs some holes to run through. So each week is a different challenge and each front presents something different. Oakland’s a little bit different with their fronts and Reggie Nelson and [Karl] Joseph will be a factor in the running game also. They come down and blitz from the safety spots from time to time, so we’ve got to make sure we target them right, account for those guys and get to running.”



On how impressive it is to see his receivers blocking downfield:

“Yeah, it’s important. They’ve been challenged and they’ve been up to the challenge. They were against the Rams, so that’s got to carry over. That’s something that they have to do. The backs, Chris Thompson, they do a great job on play actions and the dropbacks and protecting for them when they run routes so it’s important for them to return the favor in the running game. We have big guys. Crowder plays big. Despite his stature, he’s a good blocker. So all those guys are expected to block and will block on my watch.”

 

[Krusheasy]

manusky presser

Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky



On to what he attributes the defense shedding blocks successfully so far this season:

“I just think overall, I think it’s from a coaching perspective. You just teach guys to get off blocks, not to stay blocked. The defensive line is doing a good job up front of keeping the linebackers free and the linebackers actually striking and separating and making the play. So, I think it is both player and coaching alike.”



On if the technique is being taught differently this year:

“No, that’s the way I have always taught it. You know, over my years I don’t think technique-wise it was anything different. It was just - we are just playing harder, we are playing smarter and we are playing faster.”



On the Raiders’ offensive line:

“I mean, overall, they are big body guys. They work well together. Mike Tice does a good job of putting them into positions where they are pushing the double teams, doing the duos, doing all that kind of stuff. He has got them at a high level right now and we have got to defend that on Sunday night.”



On the combination of S Montae Nicholson and S Deshazor Everett:

“I think both of them are getting into the flow of the game. For Montae being a young guy, to get him into that flow of the game and Deshaze of course, you know, not playing as much – he didn’t play much last year – and this year getting him into just feeling it and working with D.J. [Swearinger] on the back end. It was a good little complement back and forth.”



On Nicholson’s performance last Sunday:

“He did a great job. From a communication standpoint, he communicated with D.J. He flew around to the ball. He did what he had to do and he was in the right spot the majority of the time.”



On DL Matt Ioannidis focusing on defensive end and if he has noticed improvement:

“I mean, sometimes when you have individuals, sometimes when you move them around over my past and Jimmy’s [Jim Tomsula’s] past, moving guys from nose to left end or to right end, it kind of confuses them and sometimes certain guys just get in a mind frame of being in one position and seeing it from a certain standpoint and that’s Matt, and he is doing a great job of playing where he is right now.”



On his ability to use different players at different times:

“Well, I think that anybody that’s up could be playing and it doesn’t… For me personally, I don’t really care who is the guy that is in there playing. It could be Junior [Galette]. It could be Pete [Robertson]. It could be Harvey [Josh Harvey-Clemons]. You have got to make sure that you be able to be ready for the game and get ready to play. It could be Comp [Will Compton]. It could be Mase [Mason Foster]. It doesn’t matter to me, from my standpoint. We do have our starters, don’t get me wrong, but you have to go into the week going like you’re the starter and that’s what we do.”



On having all the options at linebacker and how that helps attack an offense:

“Oh, it’s great. You have different guys, sometimes if it’s always Preston [Smith], they are always seeing him on tape and then put somebody else like Junior in the game, it is a different body, different athlete. It just changes it up for tackles and inside guys as well.”



On if it is helpful to have DL Stacy McGee, who played in Oakland:

“Yeah, it’s pretty good. From Stacy’s mentality he is kind of a soft-spoken guy, doesn’t say much. But for the most part, he kind of told us about the offensive line and how they are.”



On Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch:

“[I’ve] played him many times. He’s a beast. He has great sight lines. He can hit it downhill. He can make guys miss in the hole; he has been doing that for years. It is just like – it is just like he is regular or has been the past couple years, the same player that I remember when he was up in Buffalo... and Seattle.”



On what he told his players about the Raiders’ quick passing game:

“Well, I mean, that is the way the offense is, you know? They are quick hitting, getting the ball out. It doesn’t matter if it is going up top, underneath. He does a great job of knowing where the ball is going to be going before he wants to go. He is going to throw it out and we just have got to make sure that we be in position to make the plays Sunday night.”



On what he has learned about his players from the first two games:

“Just trying to build that camaraderie amongst these guys, you know what I am saying? D.J. [Swearinger] does a great job of bringing everybody together. Just trying to get the guys to keep on working, working every day. We do a lot of drills and stuff out there on the field. Everything is so precision-like during the game that some of those things that we are trying to hit, they are coming together and they are understanding what the guys around them can do. So it’s pretty good.”

 

[Krusheasy]

gruden presser

September 22, 2017


Head Coach Jay Gruden


On injuries:

“We’ve got five guys questionable. Jordan Reed will be questionable. Rob Kelley, Mason Foster, Montae Nicholson and Josh Norman all are questionable. We’ll probably wait until Sunday to make the decisions on all five.”



On if there’s a chance of dressing four running backs on Sunday:

“Yeah, there is a chance. Mack [Brown] is ready to go. [Jeremy] Sprinkle is ready to go if Jordan can’t go. Josh Harvey [Clemons] is ready to go if Mason can’t go, and the rest of them we have backup plans.”



On TE Jordan Reed working with the receivers during individual drills:

“Yeah, we just wanted to make sure we keep working those legs and his stamina, which he’s obviously in great shape but we wanted to get some running in and catching the ball.”



On if he has to balance Reed trying to push through injury with his performance while injured:

“Yeah, no question. You know, like I said, ultimately with all five of these guys it’s the trainer’s call and the player’s call, so we’ll make that determination. I mentioned the other day, if we feel like Sprinkle’s the better option at 100 percent than Reed at 70 percent, we’ll also take that into consideration. A lot of things to think about for us but luckily we have a couple more days to make our decision.”



On if TE Jeremy Sprinkle is ready to go if needed:

“[He] better be. He’s been here, so he better be ready [laughter].”



On if having a night game makes a difference for players listed as questionable:

“Not really, a couple hours.”


On the Raiders’ safety blitzes and how they help Raiders DE Khalil Mack:

“Yeah, I think that’s part of the reason they do it – for run blitzes and to try to get [Khalil] Mack one-on-one a little bit more, so it’ll be a good challenge for us. They bring them any time – third down, first down, second down. Reggie [Nelson] comes, sometimes [Karl] Joseph comes. They do a nice job. It’s a good package for them. It helps them in the run game and in the pass game.”

 

[Krusheasy]

cavanaugh presser

Offensive Coordinator Matt Cavanaugh


On if QB Kirk Cousins is getting into a rhythm:

“I think he is, yeah. I think he’s getting close. We all are. I’m never going to stand here and that it’s one guy that’s got to get better. We as a group have to get better. We made great progress in the run game last week, which, from a quarterback standpoint, you kind of sit back and say, ‘Wow, that’s pretty good. Second-and-four, first-and-10, second-and-three, first-and-10.’ So we really didn’t put a lot on his plate last week and it wasn’t by design, we just came out and ran the ball really effectively. But from his standpoint, I know he’s excited about getting a chance to play again. And that’s what you want – you want a guy who… we’re 1-1, wish we were 2-0, we’ve got a long season ahead of us, he wants to get better every week no matter how he played the week before, so we’re excited about it.”



On the improvement in chemistry between Cousins and WR Terrelle Pryor Sr.:

“As you can imagine, the more time you spend with a guy, the better you should be getting. And I think their rhythm is coming around. I think the ball placement, I think Terrelle is starting to understand ball placement, his relationship to a defender, where he should expect the ball based on the route he’s running, whether it’s a deep ball or an intermediate route, a short-game throw. He’s starting to get a feel for what Kirk’s seeing. That’s huge… And by the game token, Kirk has to see what the receiver’s seeing too, when he’s running his route, what kind of leverage that he has, how he anticipates the break that he’s coming out of. So that just takes time. You can sit here and say, ‘Well, they’ve been together since OTAs,’ but sometimes it takes a while. I think each day they’re working. They’re aware of it, they want to be better at it, and they’re working real hard to get on the same page all the time.”



On how long it takes for free agent signings to make major contributions:

“Well, I hope about another two days that it all kicks in [laughter]. We’re going to be patient. We like these players that we’ve got. They’re all working hard and it’ll come. Believe me, it’ll come.”



On what RB Mack Brown offers that other running backs don’t:

“I wouldn’t say that ‘the other guys don’t,’ but he has great passion for what he does. He loves the game. He works really hard. For two years now, I have been watching him work real hard for the scout team and he treats it like it is a game. He takes the ball and runs hard and finishes. He understands run concepts. He hasn’t had a lot of work in protection, full-tempo protection, but he’s very capable of doing that. I just think he has got some explosiveness to him, strong runner. He can break tackles. So there is some real upside there, it’s just he has to get his opportunity. We will see if it is this week or down the road.”



On the running backs’ role in accounting for the Raiders’ safety blitzes:

“Well, by design, our protections, we have guys assigned to certain people. There’s clearly protections where the back is responsible for a safety. But I have no doubt, if recognized, he knows what his responsibility is and he’ll step up there and make every effort to block the safety. I’ve got confidence that they all can do that. A lot of that is just being aware and anticipating it. Sometimes the looks, it’s hard to disguise secondary blitzes because they’ve got to get rolling, they’ve got to start coming toward the line of scrimmage. If you’ve got your eyes up and you know what your first responsibility is, you see the next one start to show up and you’re ready for it, it makes it a lot easier. And that’s just experience too. I think he’s gotten some of that in training camp, he’s gotten some here in the last few weeks. It’ll be a challenge for any back. But all our guys can feel that coming and get fitted up on a safety.”



On sticking with the run last week:

“I think with any time you’re trying to execute a game plan, when something’s working, you’re silly not to stick with it. We obviously had success running the ball early. The first drive was an example – just getting good chunks. At that point, you’re nuts to say, ‘Now we’re going to just start throwing the ball every down.’ Vice versa, sometimes you come out throwing the ball a lot and have success, and we keep throwing it. I always say you want to have balance at the end of the game. Sometimes you don’t get it, because you’re so successful doing one thing. We’ll do what we’ve got to do to win – whether it’s run or throw.”



On how RB Chris Thompson has improved in the past few years:

“I think the temptation early on was, ‘Man, he’s a little small-ish. Can he hold up? How much can you give him the ball, how much can you play him?’ He was a big part of special teams. But then when he’s on the field, he’s so productive in every phase of the game. He’s a good runner, very good runner. He’s got great explosion. He’s excellent in running routes and catching the ball, and he’s a very good pass protector. So when you’ve got a guy that can do it all, it’s tempting to have him in there a lot. But we’ve also got other backs that give it different dimensions. They’re a little bigger built, can take a pounding on some of the inside runs. So we’re selective with how to use him but we don’t hesitate to put him on the field if we think it’s something he can do.”

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Sportster 72]

Sadly he played one and only one play on the day. This could hurt because he is the valuable reserve tackle.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Sadly he played one and only one play on the day. This could hurt because he is the valuable reserve tackle.

Yep. It was CT big run play.

 

[Sportster 72]

Yep. It was CT big run play.

Yes a screen to CT. They had Trent at guard and Ty at tackle. Don't know if Lavauo had an ouchy or it was a coaches design.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Yes a screen to CT. They had Trent at guard and Ty at tackle. Don't know if Lavauo had an ouchy or it was a coaches design.

Thought I read it was planned, but can't find it.

 

[Krusheasy]

gruden presser 1/2

September 25, 2017


Head Coach Jay Gruden


** The following is a transcript of a conference call with local reporters this afternoon.**


On why the offense was able to perform so well:

“Well, I think a little bit of everything. I think when you are talking about successful offensive play, it takes all 11. It takes the quarterback getting us in the right play. It takes the line with their protection and the run-blocking, and tight ends and receivers doing what they’re supposed to do. I think everybody was honed in, they were focused and then they finished plays, made big plays. We stuck with the running game again. We didn’t hit a lot of big time runs but, still, the ability to run the ball and control the ball, possess the ball, helped our defense out, obviously. And our defense helped our offense out by getting the ball back. I think all around, you just have to credit everybody. Coach [Bill] Callahan had a great run plan again. The protection plan was sound and guys executed.”



On what worked particularly well for the defense:

“Well, I think, like I said last night, I think it was a combination. I think we played very strong in the middle of our defense. Our defensive linemen did a great job being stout. Our outside backers were stout in the running game and held them to minimal yards per carry and forced them to throw the ball in known passing situations, enabled our rush to get home and our coverage was tight. I think just all around, the calls were sound, the players executed, we tackled extremely well, we flew to the football, didn’t give up any big plays whatsoever – other than the touchdown pass after the turnover. I think when you’re talking about a defense that played that well, I think it’s impossible to just say, ‘This is why.’ I think it’s because everybody who took part played well, played hard, played with great passion and energy and played smart.”



On tackling:

“It was excellent. It’s a huge key. Every week, it’s a huge key. It’s going to be another huge key this week with Tyreek Hill and [Kareem] Hunt and all the guys that the Kansas City Chiefs have. It’s a major emphasis for us since OTAs, it’s a major emphasis in training camp, and it’s a major emphasis during the week – good fundamentally sound tackling and pursuit to the football. So hats off to the guys for executing the plan and playing well.”



On S Montae Nicholson:

“I think Montae really has been impressive, there is no doubt about it. You just look at his stature coming out of the tunnel. I mean he looks the part. He is physical. He is big. He can run. I just can’t say enough about what D.J. Swearinger means to Montae. As far as communication, giving him the confidence where he can play fast and free. Those two together are just a great tandem. [Deshazor] Everett had seven or eight plays and did a good job, almost had a pick six. So he played well. So I have just been really impressed with Montae and his development and I think he is a guy that is just going to continue to get better and better with the more reps he gets.”



On having a performance like Sunday’s early in the season despite all the defensive changes this past offseason:

“Yeah, it says a lot really. I think it says a lot about the character of the guys we brought in, number one, and the energy they play with. When you talk about bringing new guys in and how they fit a scheme, you’re never quite sure until they get here. Just getting to know D.J. in the offseason, Terrell McClain and Stacy [McGee] and obviously the young guys – Jonathan Allen and Montae and Fabian [Moreau] – then having veteran guys like [Ryan] Kerrigan and [Josh] Norman and [Bashaud] Breeland and Preston Smith, Ziggy Hood. They all work together. They all play hard and they all are very, very, very coachable. You have got to love the energy they play with. Now it is just a matter of keeping it up week in and week out and getting better and continuing to strive for greatness.”



On the defensive line and the impact that Defensive Line Coach Jim Tomsula has made:

“Huge impact. It helps when you coach good players and we’ve got good players in here. I think the development of Matt Ioannidis has been critical. I think Jonathan Allen – obviously getting him in the first round is a huge, huge lift for our defensive line. Having a main stay like Ziggy Hood at nose guard, he has bounced around and played some defensive end, but when we lost Phil Taylor, I think him stepping in at nose guard and filling a need for us and playing well has helped the linebackers free up and make plays. Coach Tomsula’s coaching has really obviously been a key component of that, working with their alignments and their get-offs and their hand placement and fighting off blocks, double teams. He is the best in the business. Obviously he has a huge impact and then the players buying in and performing. It works hand and hand.”



On if he thought he would be able to get this big of an impact out of DL Jonathan Allen this soon:

“We sure as heck hoped so. I think when you’re picking in the first round, I think you have to have somebody with that type of impact. That’s what you’re looking for and everything on tape said that he would be that type of guy from his junior year to his senior year, the production he had at Alabama obviously. We had no idea that he would be there when we picked. We were just glad he was because we knew he would help and he will continue to get better. That’s the beauty; that’s the most exciting thing about Jonathan. He just hasn’t scratched the surface of his own potential yet. He is just going to get better and better the more he sees and the more he plays.”



On if he could have realistically expected Nicholson and CB Fabian Moreau to contribute this early given their injuries in the offseason:

“You’re exactly right – we weren’t quite sure. We obviously liked them on tape. I know that Torrian Gray thought Fabian was one of his top corners in the draft, period. And we got him in the third round. We thought very highly of Montae. Just the injuries, we weren’t sure when they were going to be available. Our training staff did an excellent job of giving us a sound projection that was pretty accurate, but still you just never know how these guys react to their surgeries and how quickly they are going to recover and fortunately for us they recovered a little bit faster than we thought. We were able to get them in walkthroughs in training camp so they could get the mental reps and then they were available to us in a physical standpoint a little bit sooner than we anticipated and then you have to see how they produce once they get the reps and they are producing.”



On what initially concerned him most about throwing Nicholson into action so early in his career:

“I think it is just the mental part of it, really. He is a young player. Obviously he is a rookie and playing safety there is so much change. There’s change of strengths, there’s change of calls that happen fast, there’s no huddles and you have got to get lined up. And that’s why I say playing along D.J. [Swearinger] has really made the transition smooth for Montae. I think if we had another young safety back there, I don’t know if he would be as productive quite frankly. But with D.J. back there leading the way, communicating, talking has made life a lot easier for Montae. I think Montae’s success is really dependent on D.J., and then once he gets more reps, he won’t need D.J. as much, but he needs him now.”

 

[Krusheasy]

gruden presser 2/2

On the improvement he has seen in CB Kendall Fuller:

“The thing about Kendall is he’s one of our smartest players and he understands leverages and down and distance and techniques. He is a fundamentally sound guy. He is a lot more healthy. I think he feels better about his body this year then he did last year. He’s coming off that injury obviously, and I don’t know ever if he was quite 100 percent or was confident that he was 100 percent last year. He tried to fight through it and he did fight through it. Now I think he’s 100 percent healthy and feels confident and mentally he is always going to put himself in good positions. That’s what I love about Kendall. He’s not going to line up with poor leverage or play with bad technique. He is always going to have good technique and play with the right leverage and do what he is supposed to on defense. When you do that, man, good things will happen and they happened for him last night. I think he was 3-for-3 when they went after him. He had a nice interception, had a forced fumble, had a forced fumble last week. He is tackling good and he is playing with good, sound fundamentals.”



On LB Martrell Spaight:

“I think early on he was a little all over the place, but I think he settled in and was physical like we know that he would be. That’s the great thing about our linebacking corps even though we lost Mason [Foster] who was playing extremely well for us, we didn’t really lose any sleep because we know we have Spaight and [Will] Compton backing him up. They are both excellent linebackers. Spaight took advantage of his reps and played well. You can see the depth that we have at middle linebacker is very good and very solid. Spaight is another player that has battled through some injuries and I think the more he plays the better he is going to get also.”



On what the defense did well on third down:

“Like I said before, it’s not one thing. I think it is a combination. I think Coach [Greg] Manusky did a good job of disguising coverages and playing different coverages and the guys did a good job executing. When you play good team defense and you hold a team to 0-for-11 on third downs, it is everybody. It is all 11 playing as one. That’s what I liked most about our defense. It was somebody different all the time. It was the interior pass rush. It was the edge pass rush. It was the coverage. It was tackling. It was pursuit. It was a little bit of everything. Fighting off blocks. There was some fundamental clinic tape in that game that I am very, very impressed with. Now the key is to… the standards are set very high around here now and the ability to maintain it is going to be critical for us.”



On QB Kirk Cousins’ ability to operate the offense effectively without RB Rob Kelley or TE Jordan Reed:

“Well, we had great protection, number one, and then number two, he’s just very accurate with the football. He was very precise and he anticipated some great throws. He really was very accurate and had great anticipation and that’s a great combination for a quarterback, that’s for sure. He saw the field. He saw the coverages and then anticipated throws and was accurate. And he had time to do that. Your quarterback is only as good as your protection, and the protection was sound. And then the receivers have to finish plays for him and make plays for him and get open in man-to-man. They did that for him.”



On to what he attributes the improvement on third downs on defense this year:

“I think, number one, we’ve upgraded our talent pool. Like I said, we added three new defensive linemen – Terrell [McClain], Stacy [McGee] and obviously Jonathan [Allen]. And Matt Ioannidis is playing a lot better… I think our outside edge rushers are better because we have more of them. Preston [Smith] only played 19-21 snaps and he was very effective in there every snap that he played. Ryan Anderson got in there. Junior Galette gets in there. Ryan Kerrigan played one of his better games since I’ve been here. So we have a great mix of players that can play well and we can keep them fresh. Linebackers, adding Zach Brown to the mix with his speed and his ability to play the run and the pass has been outstanding. And then [Martrell] Spaight stepping in and playing well. And our coverage was sound with Josh [Norman] and Bree [Bashaud Breeland] and Kendall [Fuller]. They were excellent. And then the safety play has been upgraded considerably. We have two new safeties playing with D.J. [Swearinger] and obviously Montae [Nicholson]. So when you talk about why we’re better, we have better players. Coach [Greg] Manusky is doing a great job of getting the calls in on time and guys are doing what they’re supposed to do and Torrian Gray is teaching great, fundamental techniques and [Jim] Tomsula is great teaching hand placement in the running game and obviously Chad Grimm is doing a great job with the outside backers and KO [Kirk Olivadotti] with the inside backers. Guys are buying in, but most importantly, they’re playing hard, they’re playing fast and they’re playing physical.”



On if T Trent Williams sliding to guard on the screen pass to RB Chris Thompson was a personnel grouping for that particular play or related to G Shawn Lauvao:

“No, that was Lauvao. Lauvao got his facemask ripped off or something like that, so he had to come out for a play. Trent just moved into left guard and we just called a screen out there and let Trent lead the way and get a key block. Obviously Ty [Nsekhe] got a little bit and Brandon Scherff had an unbelievable block on the second level and Chris did the rest – and Terrelle [Pryor Sr.] had a great block.”



On why Cousins tends to find his rhythm a few games into the season:

“I just think every week is a different challenge, obviously. And the first game of the year against Philadelphia, we didn’t match their intensity up front. They beat us up front. I mean, I can’t sugarcoat it. I mean, Brandon Graham and those guys, they put a lot of pressure on our quarterback and made times tough for him in the pocket where he couldn’t see and get off to his second level or he was throwing out of a hole, was pushed in the pocket. Last week and this week, he’s had time to step up and scour and see the field and make good, accurate throws with his feet underneath him. When you’re throwing off your back foot and you feel pressure, you’re not going to be as accurate. The ability to run the ball, keep teams off-balance and then the ability to step into your throws and see coverage and get to your second and third progressions, Kirk is going to be very, very effective every week.”



On if it was challenging to stick with the run:

“Yeah, it is. I think sometimes it is. But we had faith in our plan and we thought we hit a couple. We ended up hitting some. Still rushed for over 100 yards, which is good. But I still think it just takes pressure off the quarterback a little bit, takes pressure off the line just to be able to hand the ball off, you know, and not make the quarterback think on every play. ‘What coverage is this? What’s my protection going to be? Who’s hot?’ All this stuff going through his mind. You know, it relieves the quarterback to be able to just turn and hand it off on an inside zone or outside zone or power play. So I think that’s important for the quarterback. And then you have to be effective on third down. We were more effective on third down, made some good third down plays, conversions. Had a touchdown, had a big play on third down on the first drive of the game to Vernon Davis. Guys were winning in man-to-man and Kirk’s reading the zone coverages and getting them to the right people. So I just think after Week 1 he settled down a little bit and is playing well.”



On injuries:

“Jordan [Reed] and Rob [Kelley] will be day-to-day. I think we’re going to get them out there… They’re off today and tomorrow. We’ll get them out Wednesday for practice and we’re hoping to get them on a limited basis. Ty Nsekhe has a core muscle injury. He’s going to see a specialist in Philadelphia, Dr. [William] Meyers. There’s a chance he could be out for a little while, so we’ll see on him. Samaje’s [Samaje Perine’s] hand contusion looks to be OK. He just got hit right on the hand with the helmet. Didn’t break any bones. I think he’ll be OK.”



On how much WR Josh Doctson’s touchdown will help in developing trust with Cousins:

“That’s exactly it, and that’s something that’s got to continue to develop because Josh can do things not many people can do when the ball is in the air. He can track it, he can go get it, and he can leap and high-point it like he proved last night. I think with that will hopefully come more opportunity for him to make plays down the field on the ball where he looks like he might be covered but Kirk might give him a chance. Hopefully it won’t lead to interceptions, but Josh will make plays for him. We’ll give him more opportunities.”



On electing to punt prior to halftime and how tempted he was to go for it on fourth down:

“You know, I really was tempted, man. You’ve got to bring that up, don’t you [chuckles]? Yeah, I was very tempted. But we were in a position right there, it was 14-0, we’ve got the ball coming out, and I didn’t want to give them a chance to have any hope into halftime to have any kind of rally, you know what I mean? We tried to no-snap, no-play to get them offsides and it didn’t work. Took the delay of game penalty and punted and got out at half, 14-0. I think the risk was probably just a little bit greater than the reward because if we don’t get it there, they’ve got the ball at the 40, they come out of there with three points and a little momentum. I didn’t want to give them any momentum going into halftime.”



On how much the Redskins starting the second half with the ball factored into the decision:

“That and the two-score lead. You know, it was 14-0 and we had the ball coming out. Had it been a close game, 7-7, 14-14, I probably would have gone for it and try to get some points on the board. Since we were up two scores with the ball coming out, I didn’t want to give them a chance to put points on the board at the end of the half.”



On LB Mason Foster:

“Mason looked better today a little bit. You know, he’s still a little sore, but again, Wednesday I think we’ll strap him up and see what he can do on a day-to-day basis, so we’ll see. He’s got a chance to play, I would think.”

 

[Krusheasy]

 

[Krusheasy]

Roster Move: #Redskins release WR Dres Anderson from practice squad.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Mike Jones from the Washington Post is leaving for a national position at USA Today. Will miss his Skins coverage.

 

[Sportster 72]

This is NOT possible. I was just reading posts this morning about how he was only an average QB. I must have been good at stuffing the ballot box.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

This is NOT possible. I was just reading posts this morning about how he was only an average QB. I must have been good at stuffing the ballot box.

Really thought CT had a real shot to win this but QB usually gets the glory. Kudos to Kirk and your mad fingers with ballot stuffing

 

[Sportster 72]

I would have been fine with CT winning the award. It is hard not to root for that kid. He is the kind of guy you love having on your team. He did get the Sunday Night game ball.