It’s Going to be a Competitive, Divisional Football Game | Press Conference

It’s Going to be a Competitive, Divisional Football Game | Press Conference

All right, getting ready for Houston. Uh really, really talented defense still. Uh they got really good players on offense. They got a good quarterback. The record is what it is. Ours is what it is. And it’s a divisional football game that we’re going to go try to go and see who’s the more desperate team to go win. And uh it’s a heck of a challenge to go play on a road in the division and they they are a talented football team. Um I know their record isn’t what they want, ours isn’t what we want, but um it’s going to be it’s going to be a competitive divisional football game and and we’re excited to get going. But we got to be on top of it. Their their edge rushers are as good as they they come in football. Those guys play really hard. They’re a jet style front. They’re disruptive. Their linebackers are fast and aggressive. They got really good talent in the secondary. Stingley is one of the best corners in football. Um and offensively they they got real pass catching weapons. CJ’s a really good quarterback. A lot of respect for them and what they do. Um and it’s you know Nick Chub’s running the ball decent form too, which it’s good to see him back out there running. And they’re a good football team and we got we got our hands full. We got to go play well. got to play better than we played for the first three weeks to go get a divisional win and um looking forward to that. Good challenge. Uh I know the Brownley trade is on everybody’s mind on top of it. Um those are conversations that that we have and Mike and I have all those conversations. We’re in lock step with it, those decisions that get made and um you know, those are those are things that are made for the short-term and the long-term uh interest of the football team. And um that’s ultimately what it was. There’s some there’s short term there that’s that’s part of it. And then there’s a long-term part of it too that um those are the conversations we have. So, not more to elaborate on, but um those are those are how those things get made and that’s what we think about when we make them. What are the short-term and long-term uh benefits of the trade? I’m not going to go into too many details of those conversations. But, uh I think how I answered it is how I’m going to stay with it. So, was he headed for maybe a lesser role if he had stayed around with the emergence of Armor Davis? You know, I I think whether that’s whether it’s a lesser role or not, I think the important part is we do have some players there that we feel good about that that are starting to play good football for us and and getting ingrained in the systems and starting to have a little bit more action. So, those guys uh that we’re looking forward to seeing more of, too. Um, you know, got a couple of Marcus Marcus Harris is in there. Jaylen Armor Davis Bake played well for us. So, uh, Sne’s playing really good football as well for us on top of it. So, we got some guys there that that that uh that we’re excited about. Do you anticipate that starting spot being taken immediately or is it going to kind of be a a rotational competition for a week or two? Uh that’s the latter probably more likely. Some competition and some rotation depending on how the practice goes and and how they how those guys perform. Uh that’s part of it. You know, obviously both Jaylen and Bake played last week. That’ll probably continue through this week and we’ll see where we get to by game time. Did he ask to be traded at all? What’s that? Did he make any kind of request to be traded? Did he did he want that? Uh not none that I’m aware of. No, that was nothing that uh that was brought up to that to my attention. So, no, I don’t think so. When you guys talk draft and develop, these are young players started and had some success for you. It’s hard for people to kind of put together how you draft and develop operates with trading a young cheap guy who’s shown some talent. Can you help connect the dots? Yeah, again I think it’s one of those those decisions that get talked about the details of we’ll keep between us, but it’s still part of the short-term process and the long-term range goals that we have and um you know, I think those things are are between Mike and I and then what we see and feel and and we’ll keep those things in house. What do you think you signal to the team with this train? Uh not a whole lot other than we’re we’re trying to continue to perform those those goals that we want here in the short term, which is to win games and then the long-term version of of how that goes when you accumulate picks. That’s all part of the process. Um that’s not really their job to worry about. Their job is to get ready to go play for go play Houston and play well. Um those are just part of the business as a business of the NFL. Are going to wonder when a team struggles, you know, even though it’s only three weeks and a trade is made, maybe that signals the start of of more. Should should anything be taken along those lines? Uh no, I don’t think so. I think that was a that was a a one-off situation unique to to what it was. And um I don’t again those conversations happen as they happen. Um there’s front offices around the league from now until the deadline that call everybody in in football and they all are looking for different things and so I can’t say whether or not there’ll be um something more or nothing more. It’s hard for me to make any predictions about that or or state any statements about it. But um I think that’s always what front offices around the league are doing is is trying to figure out um if there’s players to be had and if there’s draft capital to be had and that’s constantly going on. You mentioned shifting. Go ahead. Oh, sorry. Uh, how much is locker room fit and character part of those short and long-term decisions you mentioned? Well, that’s always a part of that’s part of every decision we make when it comes to the acquisition of players when it comes to adding people that that we want to be a part of the locker room that we think have the right makeup and mentality uh to continue to fit into what we’re trying to accomplish. Um, those things are are every player we talk about, whether it’s a draft pick, a free agency signing, a trade, uh, all those things are a part of the conversation. Did Jarvis fit into that picture for you? Yeah, it wasn’t anything about Jarvis in particular. It was more that these are things that that we look at from again trying to make sure we have the best team to be able to put forward and then what we have moving forward in the long term. So, those are all parts of the conversation. You mentioned the change in the It wasn’t anything about Jarvis in particular, but you decided to trade a semi-productive fifth round pick in his second year. Sure. for a step up from the seventh round to the So, so if it wasn’t about Jarvis in particular, what was it about him? Again, it’s about the short-term and long-term goals. I’ve already elaborated on it. You’re not going to get any more details about the conversation. It is what it is. Specifically, how is it not about the play? It’s all it’s always about all of it. All those things factor into the process. Whether it’s the player, whether it’s the fit, whether it’s what we think we can get for him, whether it’s something that adds to the value of our draft capital. Those are all parts of the conversation and those are decisions that we make as we talk about them. what you mentioned the shift in the play calling yesterday. I know it’s only Wednesday earlier in the week, but have you noticed a difference when it comes to your preparation this week for the Texans after those changes made time up for me personally? Uh yeah, I’ve I’ve spent, you know, I’ve I’ve spent most of my time in special teams and defensive meetings and and making sure I got a good pulse of what’s happening there and having more conversations with players, understanding some of the things that they think and feel. That’s all a part of the process for me. and I’m still involved in the offense and still around it and and in the meetings and all that stuff when it comes to the the game plan and um but those guys doing a great job. We got a really good offensive staff and I put a lot of trust in them anyway when when I was calling it and I have a lot of trust in him now with with Bo calling it. So um it’s been good. I’ve actually enjoyed stepping back and looking at some other things that maybe I didn’t have the time and and energy uh to put into it because of other responsibilities. So it’s it’s been productive I think to to get an understanding of it. Uh, you said short-term and long-term goals for Brownley, but entering this year, he was your starting quarter corner, like one of your your better corners. Did something change from camp until now to uh I I think we’ve got some other players that are playing pretty good and guys that we’re excited about and and think that they can help us. So, again, those are all parts of the what you weigh uh when you have that guys that can can potentially gain you some value in the long term when it comes to draft capital. Um, but we feel good about the guys that we have and and how they performed. going to be on the field. He’s still working through that. Uh that’s a that’s a personal preference for the play caller. Um some guys like to be on the field because I like to be able to have conversations and look guys in the eye and all that. Some guys like to be removed because it’s when you’re upstairs, it’s it’s quieter, it’s calmer. Uh you can sort of lay things out in front of you. Um I think he’s done both. I think he started at one point in the booth when he was in Vegas and then came down. So it’s up to him wherever he feels most comfortable. Um I don’t have a strong preference for that. I’ll be down there. Nick’s been upstairs and and that conversation will continue. And then I think wherever he sees the best fit is is where that’ll be for him. Impact the attention Cam gets. How’s that going to impact because we see him down there with Cam the whole time. That’s part of that’s part of it. You know, that’s going to be part of part of the equation. It’s again, it’s going to be up to him and and I don’t know what the final answer is at the moment. I think he’s going to work through that, but um you know, we got plenty of guys that can that can go have those conversations and talk through it. I mean, we’re all in the headset, so there’s nothing that that’s going to get uh missed if that’s the case if he calls from upstairs. But um yeah, I’m not going to speak for him. He’ll he’ll figure that out and and we’ll have a plan in place for that if he does. You talked about playing playing with the desperate mindset. I know some players said that on Monday as well. How do you do that without maybe putting additional pressure on yourself as well or players not putting extra pressure on themselves? So the first part you talked about playing with a desperate mindset maybe on Sunday. I know some players mentioned that Monday as well. What does that look like and how how do you not put pressure on yourself by playing? Yeah, there that’s that’s always the the line you got to tow is there’s a a part of just making sure you’re focused on doing the the fundamentals right, doing the basics right, playing good solid football. Um, but there’s there should be an an urgency and an energy that that goes into uh how badly you want to find a way to win a game and and that needs to come out in how we prepare uh how we practice. Um, then hopefully on game day there isn’t there is no feeling of that. You just play fast and play free. But I think the urgency during the week is what really more what I’m referring to. Um, when it comes to those things, I know it’s about potentially rotating some of the the front seven, I guess, around to try to get more pass rush. Are there other options as well in order to try to, you know, get the get the pass rush numbers up? Yeah, that’s all that’s all a part of what we need to do better. Um, we have to find a way to get the quarterback on the ground. There’s some guys that got some inside flex. Um, you know, Hott’s got some, Dre’s got some. what is the best combination for for who we’re playing and who what type of players we’re playing against. Um there’s pressure packages that that figure into that as well. You know, when and where uh do you bring five and six? Uh when do you fire zone? When do you zero? All those things are part of it. Um so yeah, there’s there’s things that we are looking at and how we can better improve our ability to get the quarterback on the ground. I know it’s ultimately I just had a follow on that again. Speaking of the edge guys, I know you guys are one of the bigger types in in this year maybe to help on the run games or setting the edge. Are you are you seeing evidence that at least in the run game you’re setting better edges? Yeah, that part’s been we we haven’t uh we’ve we’ve done a better job sort of condensing the C gap and and keeping the perimeter runs in check. Uh our biggest issues in the run game right now is is the missed tackles. That that’s where we’ve had our explosive runs come from. um you know guys getting get to the second level and and we’re not getting them down for the runs that we should be getting them down for. You know the fourth and one against the Rams for example, we got them got them dead in the back field ends up being a 40-yard run. Um those are the things that that we got to do a better job of is getting those guys on the ground. But I do feel like our edges have been we’ve been stouter, stronger, more physical. Um it’s been a little bit harder to get in those C gaps and outside over the early part of the year. Um so just got to get do keep doing with that and then be able to get them on the ground. It’s ultimately It’s ultimately on him to do it, but what can you guys do as a staff to try to help Calvin snap out of the funk he’s been in? Um, I think there’s there’s the work part of it. You know, it’s just go back to work and focus on the things that that help you um execute the basics. You know, again, catching a football is sort of the basic requirement of the job. And you have to work at that sometimes. And that’s a mindset. That’s a focus thing. The other part of it is, you know, I sent I try to remind him every now and again. You just try to build their confidence back up. But, uh, you know, it’s Calvin Calvin Ridley, you know what I mean? Like, he’s a first round pick. He’s been a great player in this league. He’s won national championships. Sometimes guys need to be reminded that that’s that’s who they are. Uh, and build the confidence back up. It’s like I said, it’s like a slump for a hitter. Um, and you got to find a way out of it. And sometimes it just just takes the one catch or the one play to to break that feeling and you’re kind of right back to where you are. So that’s the that’s the sports psych part of it. You know, there’s there’s an element of that for all these guys. Um you know, when things aren’t going their way and we got to find a way to to help them get out of it. Where’s the middle screen in kind of what you’re looking at and and doesn’t doesn’t seem like you you looked at that at all in terms of what you’re doing short game. Yeah, we’ve we’ve had a a couple of screens get called um not not necessarily executed well enough. Uh we’ve had one or two with uh with Cam trying to find a lane with some of those screen plays and where the ball fits in that uh he’s actually ran a few of them you know that were actual screen calls cuz you know the the the way the window looked and how the ball had to get delivered he just took off and ran with it. So there’s been a couple of them that have been called. We just haven’t hit on them and we haven’t executed those well enough. And then some of the like I said we had legal downfield on one screen you know a couple weeks ago and um the the halfback screen middle screen game is is something that we’re still trying to continue to improve the play calling and uh how’s that uh work in terms of your relationship with him on game day on the sidelines. Uh I think it’s going to be great. U he understands the offense just as a whole. He understands you know where my head is at. Um just what I see on the field. Um but I think he’s has experience you know with the Raiders. Um he’s been around some great quarterbacks and players there, but I just think the the biggest thing about Bo is that he’s going to put us all in situation. Um especially today just finally listen to him, say the play call, um play calls, just coming in. Um me thinking, you know, watching more film with him, just what he’s thinking, then also coach Callahan having his input on it. How would you describe, I guess, kind of your relationship, interaction with him since you got here, even maybe taking you back to your pro day at Miami? Well, it’s been good. um he’s one of the first ones who who hit me up uh in the pre-draft process. I talk to him a lot of a lot of phone calls, a lot of installs with Bo throughout the pre-draft process. So, I have a great relationship with him. Uh I meet with him every day. Um he he just he knows where my mind is and how I feel space on the field. Um and I just think he’s going to be a good, you know, addition for us. Cam, you had talked about uh wanting stability here with this team. the fact that it’s Bo and you have worked with him so much help with that stability even with this change? I think it will. Um, even before I just think stability is what good what gets good, you know, franchise clubs to the to the top of the NFL. Um, a lot of the best teams in the league have stability in the building, whether it’s the coaching staff, whether it’s not the coaching staff, but the the standpoint of it, the people who’s been there for a long time, they they know how it’s supposed to run. Um, and the staff we have here is great. Um, so us making this change, you know, it’s not going to make a big difference on how we think as a offense, how we think as a as a building. We just going to go play football. When you and Bo have your silent chats in game, what usually is talked about? Is it next drives and previous drive? What are you guys talking about? Just going through the previous drive, uh, just if they’re showing us what we think, you know, they show it all week on film or if they come out first or second series and they change up, you know, completely different look. So, just trying to stay ahead of it, um, and try to limit uh, limit bad plays. What what challenge does Houston present you guys with those pass rushers that they got on that side? Well, I just think they’re real explosive. Um they get off the ball well. They rush the quarterback uh well. Um so, you know, we gonna have to, you know, block them as best as we can. Got to get the ball out. Got to help my offensive line out. And then about I think the biggest thing is that we got to stay above the above the chains versus them. Uh they they love keeping offenses behind the chains. They’re good to get back on track situations. So, we just got to stay above it. Apparently, they’re kind of in between whether or not Bo is going to be on the field with you or in the box. You said what you said about him. So, how important would it be for him to to be down there with you on game day? Um, I don’t think it would be real important to me if he was in the field or the box. Um, whatever the best view he needs to call the best plays for us. Um, and then whether if he’s in the box, I’m going to talk to him on the headset after every drive. So, it really won’t change my operation. Um, but I think it’s what it’s going to be what’s best for him and for us to, you know, help us score some points. You talked last week about getting off your first read to the backside to to two and three. How do you feel like you did uh against Indie with that and and overall, what’s that process like to kind of get used to figuring out the first read quicker? Um, it’s really just coming with more reps and timing. Um, and that’s something I’m getting better on every week. uh getting off the first three, getting to the second, the third if I have to, and then also just me constantly reminding myself just get the ball out, let my playmakers make plays, and that’ll do a lot for us. Are there are there certain situations? Are there certain situations there where you come off one and and enough time has passed that you go to the checkown at at that stage? What do you mean by that? Are there times where the play pans out, you you read one and and there’s no time to get to two and three, you got to go to the check. Uh yeah, it also depend on the rush. I would say if I feel pressure, I’ll try to get my check down as fast as I can. Um if not, I got to take the first read. I guess from a player standpoint, quarterback standpoint, how much has play calling been an issue and how much does execution maybe need to improve as well? Um I don’t think it’s been an issue. I think the the biggest thing is that coach just has so much to deal with. Um and it’s probably it’s probably hard for him to, you know, give a play calling. He’s one of the best play callers out there. Um, but he has a lot of important decisions to make for, you know, us to win games. And I just think him giving that up to Bo right now. Um, he thinks it’s best for us. I think it’s best for us as well. So, whatever coach agrees with, I’m going to go with with the Jarvis trade as well as this move with Bo. What’s your level of confidence in the way the franchise is moving with those things? Uh, my my confidence is high. Um, especially um in the GM, Mr. Mike. Um, I think that’s that’s one of the best ones, you know, out there. You see what he had when he had his input in with the Chiefs and what that that program has done. And so, it’s really all about us sticking to the process. So, staying patient, we just try to do our job and go win games. What’s the what do you feel like the mood of the team has been during a few rough weeks? And as a rookie, do you feel confident as confident taking a leadership role as as you thought you would, you know, to try to keep everyone spirit? So, uh, yep. Vibes are high in the locker room. We in there saying some crazy stuff, being good teammates. Um, so I mean the the only way up, the only way for us right now is up. Um, we own 0 and three. We got to get oursel We put oursel in the hole, but we didn’t dig it, you know, two two down. So, you know, we just trying to get up, win games, but we got to win one. Try to win one this week and try to repeat the next weeks. Have they emphasized the importance of the Texans Titans rivalry to you this week? Have they emphasized it? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Um it’s something they going to emphasize, you know, the whole week. Um but we not we not really too focused on uh rivalry. We focus on winning the game. Any special significance for you personally playing so close to home in this one? Um that’s going to be the game or just is it significant to you? How many people all that stuff? Um it’s not really that significant to me. Um I would say I’m just playing football. Hopefully, you know, I know I have a a couple family members down there. probably a lot of family members down there, especially with Quandre side, but I mean, I’m locked down playing football. I’m going to do my job. Did you go to Did you go to Texas games growing up? Yeah, I went to one game. It’s when Quandre when he played the Texans, that was the only time I went to Tex game. I know Brian’s talked about playing with a desperate mindset, maybe approaching the week with the desperate desperate mindset. What’s that mean uh to you and the guys? Um that, you know, we got to throw everything out there to win the football game. Um, we got to put ourselves back on the right track to, you know, try to try to win our division. Um, and that’s going to be a week toe process, but we got to stick to it. You know, it’s no life matter. You want to score touchdowns. Do you give Chim a hard time about the bad luck he’s had? He’s had two touchdowns called back already. Same thing to him how your your time is coming too. Third time’s a charm, man. He better you better stick the ball across the goal line. Hope it’s wor down. the wristband. Uh, is that something like Are you a big proponent of wearing the wristband and being able to refer to that on on the play calls or do you think that’s something that’s not necessary? Um, it is necessary, but it isn’t necessary in the in the It just depends on what down it is. I would say the biggest thing cuz I’ve used it in college. Um, not as much as here. Um, but it just we have so much information on one play. Um, if you don’t get the first time, you might be a delay a game. So the wristband just not only simplifies it for everybody, but we get to play in faster. We can move at a at a faster rate.

Titans HC Brian Callahan and QB Cam Ward address the media on Wednesday at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park.

00:00 – 12:42 HC Brian Callahan
12:43 – 20:37 QB Cam Ward

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