We are Working to Improve Everyday | Press Conference

We are Working to Improve Everyday | Press Conference

after watching the tape uh last night and this morning and and meeting with the team and staff and all those things feel, you know, pretty similar to to how I did after the game is we played, you know, three quarters of of really good defensive football. Um, and had a chance to be in the game and then I think again our our biggest biggest issue thus far has been we’ve we’ve not made plays late in the game or and or given plays up. you know, we throw another interception in the fourth quarter that kind of blows the game open at the end, which is disappointing. Um, but there’s a lot of things that that we got to get fixed. We’re not where we want to be right now. Um, it’s I’ve been disappointed with the start, been disappointed with the totality of our play, and um, there’s a lot of things we got to get better at, but um, I like the way our team attacks it. We work at it. Uh, we just got to get those things to carry over to Sunday. Was that second 32 conversion, was that kind of where things broke defensively for you guys? Uh that’s a big play to give up. You know, we’ve we we get them all the way back to second and 23 and and you hope to make it another, you know, at minimum a third and 15 plus. Um and get the ball back with pretty good field position. You know, where they they were backed backed up enough to where that field wasn’t going to flip the same way it would if they were, you know, in the in the 45ish 50-ish range. And that’s usually how you can set yourself up for some success offensively. Uh yeah, so giving that up was was a was a big play in the game. Um and and those are the down distances that you work really hard to get teams into where you can get them way behind the sticks and to not take advantage of that was disappointing. Are there some ways Brian, I guess obviously 0 and4 the numbers aren’t aren’t great for you guys. Are there some ways that you can point to any any improvement either from the end of last season or from the first game of this season? Any areas that you can say we think we’re better in these areas? Yeah, there’s there’s things that that are better. I mean, you know, I that’s that’s that’s hard in the moment being 0 and4 and trying to to show a lot of things that are posit. Yes, there’s things that are are better. Um, I do think we’re running the ball well. I think we need more of it, but I think we’re running the ball well. Um, there’s been some really good things defensively, just not consistent enough over the course of a game um to be able to point to that and say that that’s that’s good enough. You know, I hesitate to say anything at this po moment is is where we want to be because we’re 0 and4 and and haven’t played a brand of football that would allow us to win a game. So, um there’s definitely things that I see that are encouraging, but but we got to do more of it and more of it more often. You haven’t having haven’t gotten an opportunity to sit step back. What did you gain uh on game day from from doing that uh yesterday? Yeah, it was it was uh unique. You know, that was a weird feeling for me. Um but but there definitely was uh it was clearer on a lot of just in terms of like there’s nothing not that much going on. I just do a lot of listening on both sides and just making sure we’re paying attention to where we are situationally and and the things that that are coming up or could be coming up. Um I did go try to spend more time talking to the players over the course of the game. So um it was trying to find out where where I where I’d fit in like that, you know, that was that was different. You know, again, I’ve I’ve only known calling games, you know, as the head coach. So, it was it was a unique experience. I um again, I don’t know if if it was good or bad or not, but I just it was different. And um I felt like there was some positives from it, though. Potentially get uh Spears back in the mix this week. That’s potentially. Yeah. I think we’re going to activate him uh open up his window. You know, it’s a 21-day window he has to to get elevated back to the active roster. He’s done really well uh in the course of especially last week. Uh some of the workouts and stuff looked really really good. He’d be a nice uh addition to get back on the field for us. I’d be be pleased to see him back and help Tony out a bit too because you know Tony’s doing a phenomenal job for us. Um that’d be nice to get him somebody to to complement that. How do you describe what Cam’s going through right now? Do you see him as stagnating aggressing at all or is it just kind of rookie has to take some lumps? I think it would be hard to put put a regression tag on a on four starts, you know? I don’t I think that would be tough. Um, I think he’s learning every time he goes out there. I thought there was some really incredible moments o over the second half of the Indie game with the amount of things that he saw, uh, how he responded to them, uh, the management of it, knowing where the answers are, understanding, um, how to protect himself, understanding where the ball needs to go. Um, I think there’s definitely he’s got to keep improving. you know, there’s always the the timing and accuracy u portion of the passing game with tied in with the footwork that are all kind of things we continue to work on. Um it’s hard to play quarterback in the NFL and and he’s he’s had to learn some tough lessons, I think. Uh but he’s also incredibly willing, incredibly passionate about trying to do things the way that you need to do it. He’s he’s understanding what it takes to play NFL quarterback. Um and again, through four games, he’s seen he’s seen a lot of different things in four games. uh the schemes, the rushers, the the style, the defenses that we played, uh all very different, all very good, and he’s only going to get better every time he sees those things. You talk about the timing. Does it have more to do with getting the ball out or timing with receivers? Where is the timing right now? Uh it’s all of that, you know, and and some of it’s depending on the on the play. It’s it’s not a a one a one-time thing or an all the time thing. there’s just there’s spots where within a concept of just understanding uh when to move on, how quick to move on, where to progress, what’s the next thing, and how fast does it have to happen. So, all of those things are are things that, you know, it’s constantly going to be coached and and you don’t just arrive in the NFL uh a perfect product like that. And um but man, he’s he’s he puts the time into it. He works at it and and he understands it and now it’s just to continue to build on the things that he’s done well and to keep stacking that stuff. yesterday. It felt like yesterday he his accuracy and maybe ball security was a little off from from previous weeks. Do you have to guard against that when you’re not scoring points against an offense? You’re not winning games. The young quarterback in particular tries to do too much and do it all on the himself. I think that’s a that’s a great way to put it. You know, you you always that’s that’s a lot of players, you know, that’s a lot of players that that know they can be really impactful in games and they get into moments where they feel like they need to do something other than what’s asked of the job, you know, whatever that coverage or play or or uh what’s asked of them to do in that particular down. uh you always have to be mindful of that and especially at the quarterback position because you do feel at that spot some some pressure to to do more uh when really that’s that’s not what we need, you know, from a down and down basis from Cam. We just need him to do his part as one of the 11 guys on the field. And again, got to do things around him better, too. Uh but you always want to be careful of trying to do too much. is usually when bad things happen, you know, when you try to make a different a bigger play or a more uh exciting play because you think you have to. About play calling in in light of the results you’re getting. Is there any inclination to do anything else that would qualify as as a shakeup for more for the for the player? Uh are you talking about like people’s roles and playing time in that? Is that what you’re referring to or is that or anything? Um, yeah. I Yeah, I think what we need there’s when you’re 0 and four, sort of everything is is always on the table that to try to improve and find a place to win, you know, to I do think when you sit back and you just say that, you know, everything’s great. I mean, it’s not. We’re 0 and four and we got to do some things better and we got to do them different if that’s the case. And so, uh, nothing imminent, uh, to answer the actual question, nothing imminent and change, but there’s those there those are always things we’re evaluating and looking at. And if it’s if there’s a place where we can do better and put ourselves in better spot, then then we’ll have to do that. Part of it’s part of the misfires in the passing game. Are the receivers winning their battles enough and are they winning them on time to help him out? Yeah, there’s been moments where they have and then moments where we haven’t, you know, I think it’s it’s always an up and down. Um there’s been really nice moments of wins that we’ve connected on some. Uh there’s been some wins that maybe we missed the throw and then there’s times where we haven’t won and we got to do a better job of that too. Um I I think the general consistency from top to bottom in the passing game where we’re still working to improve um every day. Snaps were down for Calvin yesterday. Was that health related or Yeah, he was fighting through uh he was fighting through it yesterday. Um, nothing serious, but just those things that happen, you know, especially guys that run when they get banged up a little bit, they uh they sometimes can’t take the normal volume that they’ve taken before. So, he he was battling. He battled his tail off yesterday. Um, but but certainly was was feeling some some nicks and bruises. Was that in the game or or bleeding up to in the game? Yeah. Fair or unfair, Brian, to characterize this team as regress from week one to week four? I think all the games have been different for varying reasons. I think regression is a, you know, again, four games is is tough to to nail a regression when you’ve when you’ve lost them all, you know. Um, I think we did, we’ve done some really good things in all of the games that we’ve played. We’ve just got to find a way to to do those things for the entirety of the game and then make the plays that help us win the game in the fourth quarter, which is really where all these games have gotten away from us in some way, shape, or form. whether it’s a turnover, uh it’s a it’s missed tackles, it’s a big run, those types of things have have have put some games out of reach that that we we felt really good about, you know, heading into that fourth quarter. It felt like we were, you know, dancing toe-to-toe with some of these teams and we didn’t we didn’t do the things for the last 15 minutes or 12 minutes that we needed to do to win the game. We never really seen we never really seen Cam get animated until maybe yesterday in the postgame presser and the way he characterized the team. How do you feel about that? And I mean as a good thing for him to set that tone as the quarterback. The I think what everyone learn is learning about Cam is that uh he cares a tremendous amount. Um it’s really important to him. He wants to win football games. He wants to deliver winning performances for for our organization, for our fans. That that’s that’s what he that’s what he cares about. There’s nothing else that he has any interest in other than playing football and trying to play football at a high level. and those responses, you know, for him that he wears his emotions a little bit out there and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Um because at the end of the day, I know where it’s coming from and I know why he’s the way he he is in those moments is because he’s he wants nothing more than than to play well and win. You said last one the challenges of of leadership in 0 and4. What’s the key to getting the guys to still buy in and still believe that do what we say and we’ll be on the other side of the ledger? Well, you just you keep showing them, you know, you show you show where things are are good, you know, and there’s a lot of that. You show where we have to be better. And there’s plenty of that. And um you’re honest about it. You tell the truth and and you fix what you as many things as you can fix in the short amount of time as you can possibly fix them. Uh and you keep pushing forward. And uh we got we got the right kind of guys. They got the right makeup. They understand. They’re pros. And that’s how this that’s how this business can be sometimes is it can be challenging. And uh you have to you have to play the next play is the best way to put it. And you have to play the next week and you play the next game and um you have to do everything you can to fix your issues and you work really hard at that. Uh and you hope that it shows up sooner than later. Um but you know, you know, backs up against the wall a bit and you have to ball your fist up and fight your way out. There’s really not much uh much much else you can do. Has to be player led. How much of that has to be player? Right. Uh, I think all the best teams I’ve ever been on have a have a have a really strong player leadership and um I’ve been really pleased, you know, on the growth in that area from top to bottom. U, again, not something that that I can point to and say, see, you know, that that’s not that’s not the case, but I I know it because I’m around it every day. But um the player led teams are are usually the best ones and the ones that that uh can win the most games are when you have the ability of your team to to put the players in the position to understand what what you need from them and how they need to to respond. And um I’m really proud of of that part of our football team and the and the things that they’ve done. Again, not that show up to anybody watching, but to what I see in the building every day that in the fourth quarter that that that you’re seeing that that one the imbalance in the fourth quarter each game there’s been an explosive multiple missed tackles. What would you say that is that fatigue on the defense or what would you say has happened? No, I I don’t think it’s fatigue. You know, there’s definitely a moment it’s just particularly in this last game. You know, you throw that interception and and all of a sudden it’s I think it was what 12 nothing at the time maybe. I can’t remember quite exactly the score, but those are moments that that can be uh that can be deflating, you know, especially when you’re playing that way. Again, playing pretty good defense for the majority of the game. Um, and to to have that happen, you know, in that big spot where you’re just you need something to go your way to capture some momentum back. And I think that’s something we got to we got to work on that response, too. Like we got to go bow up when that happens. Um, but that’s something that we’re continuing to work on. You said last week that this game was about who’s more desperate to win in lie of how it unfolded. What did that tell you about your team and desperation? Um I I think we just we didn’t we didn’t do enough of the things that we needed to do from an execution standpoint um in the spots that that were that were big. Again, you alluded to second and 23 earlier in the game. We talked about like those are the things that you have to do to win games. You can’t put yourself in that spot. Um, I think we got to co we got to coach better than we did. We got to put ourselves in those in better spots u from some of the the schematic choices and and those are things that we continue to look at after every game and try to find what’s our best mix of things and how do we best deploy the people we have. So, um, I think we we played really hard. Uh, we put ourselves in in a spot, you know, deep into the game where where it was a a one-sore football game and and, you know, again, had a chance for it to be a tie game at that point, but we didn’t we didn’t hit the kicks that we needed to hit. Uh but yeah, there’s there’s some things that that are really encouraging about the the way that they played early and then we got to find a way to finish. You mentioned that Thursday was good. Couple players mentioned that Thursday was good. Does Sunday being so bad tell us that Thursday doesn’t mean a lot. Uh I think practice always means something. I mean, it’s an important part of the process and you know, the only way you know how to judge on where your team’s at is how you practice. And uh that part of what we do has been really positive and and I’ve I appreciate the way the guys work. I appreciate the intensity they practice with. I mean, all the things that pointed to a a winning style week. Uh we’re all there and that’s that’s the disappointing part is to not see enough of it show up on Sunday. Um but how we practice is always going to be a really really important factor in winning and losing football games. How close Dan Moore not how close is Dan to not playing? How do you think Kim and Oie did? And then how optimistic are you about potentially getting JC back this weekend? Yeah, Dan was really close to to not playing. Um, you know, he woke up in the morning and was was battling some some legitimate sickness and we worked him out at about 10 10:00ish 10:10 to see if he’s going to be able to go and he said he said, “I got you. I’m I’m going.” But that was right up against the the 90minute mark that we had attorney and activives in. So, we were right up against it and he gave it everything he had and I appreciate that about him. Uh, for him to go out there and battle that way against the players he had to go battle against uh was good. I thought that he had some moments um you know against great pass rushers and one-on-one spots that he had some wins and he had a couple losses and that’s usually what happens when you play against those guys. Oie was was Oie was solid. Um there’s things that you know we tried to help both those guys wherever we could because again those are those two edge rushers are probably two of the better ones in football. Um and so we tried to help where we could but I thought Oie had a had a solid performance. Um again still got to play better than than we did up front for sure. But but I thought that uh you know in a reserve role against a really good player he had some he had some moments that were really positive. Just two more guys. Do you have asurances that you’re going to be able to see this through this season where you’re not looking over your shoulder after every Sunday? Yeah, I don’t you know whether I do or I don’t or they that’s it doesn’t matter to me. Um, my job is to is to try to put our team in position to win as many games as possible and to keep coaching uh until the day comes that they don’t want me to coach here anymore. And that’s that’s the reality for everybody that coaches in the league. You you don’t think too much about it. Um, I don’t look for asurances. I can I can tell you I’ve always been supported here. Um, I’ve always felt like uh the people that that I have to work with on a day-to-day basis believe in what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. But again, I’m also I also know how the NFL works. Um, so yeah, I just I go in every day and I work as hard as I possibly can to try to put ourselves in good position and and I do that for as long as as long as they’ll have me. And that’s that’s the only way I’ve ever known how to work. That’s how I’ve worked every spot I’ve ever been. Um, you know, I your assurance has come from how you how you play and you win. That’s at the end of the day. That’s that’s just how it always goes. So, um, we got to get ourselves to that spot. Last year there were a lot of there were a lot of turnovers and mistakes made in the name of trying to make a big play and you know get an explosive play and but this year there have been a lot fewer of those type plays but there’s also been a lot fewer explosive plays. Have you guys been cons more conservative in your by nature in your calls and how you want to approach? Uh I think it’s a mix of a lot of those things. I think part of it a rookie quarterback trying to make sure that you’re putting them in the right spots. Um part of it is, you know, we we lose a our starting right tackle, you know, three quarters into the season. Um and you’re trying to help manage that and you’re trying to find ways to be explosive while uh trying to get the ball out of the quarterback’s hands. It’s it’s sort of this kind of continual flow of things that you’re trying to to to balance um and try to run the ball to to help, you know, you’re trying to lean on the running game to help a young player, too. So, all of it, all of it has parts where it factors in. Um, and we’ve taken plenty of of shots down the field. They’ve been called. We we’ve tried to get the ball down the field. And whether the ball gets checked down or or we have to move off our spot and we don’t get to throw, um, there’s certainly been calls that that the ball hasn’t gone down the field, too, which is which is another part of it. So, it’s all of those things. Um, and and we’re trying to do the best we can to to help a young quarterback and take some of the pressure off him while still trying to give him opportunities to make some plays down the field. most of the play call sort of indefinitely, I guess. And and if so, uh is there rust at all in something like that when a guy is just getting started? Yeah, I think that’s that’s to be expected. You know, it’s it’s uh you that changes a lot about your process when you’re trying to get ready to call a game. Um and you know, there’s some things that he’s going to keep he’ll keep growing and keep learning. And uh again, I I don’t think we’re at the spot where, you know, we make anything indefinite, but um yeah, I think we’re we just we’re just going to keep on pushing. In terms of a positive just play, how good has he been? How good was he yesterday? Talk about player leadership. How much do you point to his play and hope guys follow along? That’s a I’m I’m happy you asked that and gave me an opportunity to point it out because Jeff has played at a level that uh I’ve not seen many defensive players play at. Uh he’s been he’s been absolutely fantastic uh in every way, shape, or form you could ask of him. He’s I I I don’t know that there’s somebody playing interior defensive line at at the level he’s playing at right now. I mean, he’s he’s been phenomenal. Uh he’s been super disruptive in the running game. Uh he’s he’s getting pressure and push on the quarterback. Um, and then I think what the the area that I’m probably the most um, you know, proud of him and and excited for him is his leadership and how he carries himself and and talks to the team. And that area of of his professional growth has been incredible. Um, it’s it’s really been cool to see that maturity process in the leadership role. Um, it’s it’s it’s cool. It really is. and and he’s he’s backing it up with how he plays and I I point him out all the time because, you know, you got a team of guys that that can play like Jeff plays. Now, Jeff’s also supremely talented. Uh he’s he’s he’s one of the top players in his position for a reason. Um but he backs it up with how he works and how he plays and effort he plays with and the tenacity he plays with and then on top of that has really grown in in a leadership role. Um so he’s he’s he’s he’s been fantastic. I don’t want to get you trouble on this, but did you get any explanation on how the penalty wasn’t called on the hit to the helmet right in front of you? I did not. I made I made a lot of stink about it to those guys and I kept asking what how how did we not see that? Um, you know, and they those are always when there’s that many guys on the boundary and there was two or three guys in front of him and he got a pretty good shot uh right on right on on the top of his head and um I was I was mad about it certainly that that wasn’t called. Um, I felt like that should have been a penalty and and again, you can’t control what they call and don’t call, but um, you know, I I I felt like that that was a pretty clear roughing of the passer. Is there a sense of hopelessness in the building, Brian? Hopelessness? I sure hope not. Um, I I don’t feel hopeless. I know that. Uh, I don’t sense that from anybody that that works in in our building. I don’t sense that from our players. Uh, look, we’re in a rough stretch. You know, we’re four and and that doesn’t feel good. No one’s excited about that. But, um, I do feel their their, uh, willingness and, um, you know, there’s a there’s an excitement about trying to climb out of it, too. There’s there’s something about that that’s, uh, real competitors relish that challenge. And, I think we got a bunch of competitors on our team and on our coaching staff and in our building that that are that are going to fight like crazy to to turn this thing, man. That’s that’s that’s that’s the fun part about these jobs is is you get in these adverse situations and you’re trying to find a way out. Uh, and trust me, the I’ve I’ve done it before, been a part of it before in a couple places, but that reward and that feeling is there’s nothing like it. Uh, and and that’s what keeps me going is that that moment where we could find a way to get it turned um is is really something that that you can’t find anywhere. That that feeling of of accomplishment and I think that’s what drives us and I think our our guys are excited about the the the chance to go try to prove it. See any similarities between this and the 2019 or 2019 Bengals? Um, you know, similarity. They’re very different teams in very different places. Um, but I think I think um, you know, we we went through a similar style where, you know, we won six games in two years. Uh, and that was that was a really challenging time for for us, a challenging time for Zack Taylor. Um, and all you can do is draw back on those experiences on on what got you out of it and how you got out of it. What things mattered, what things didn’t. Um, and and having lived it, you know, you you know what it feels like. So, this is not a foreign place. I’ve I’ve felt this before. Um, but again, that that turn was that turn was remarkable. Um, and it was a really incredible accomplishment and that’s what keeps us going. Kelly just said there’s no hopelessness in the building. Said there’s excitement towards trying to dig your way out of this. Is that how you would characterize it? Oh, absolutely. You know, looking over the film all like yesterday, all the last couple weeks, you know, there’s opportunities all over. You know, there’s still hope. we see things, you know, they’re not getting executed at the moment, but there’s chances out there. So, it’s all on us right now. We just got to start executing and good things are going to start happening. What did you think? I don’t know if if you saw uh you know, Cam’s comments at the podium yesterday with like kind of a frustration level, fairly high as a veteran, you know, can can you talk to him about that kind of the situation? Any words of advice you can share with him, you know, in moments like that? You know, I think uh you know, he’s fiery right now. He’s a competitive guy and I know he’s taking a lot of this to heart. You know, he cares a lot and he wants to get things going here too and he’s putting a lot of pressure on himself. But, you know, that’s what you want from your QB. You know, he’s has high standards. He wants to play better. You know, as everyone wants to play better and, you know, we just got to keep pushing through the week every week getting better and once it starts executing, you know, we’ll get going. Since training camp, you guys have expressed confidence in your ability to run the football with this offensive line. Yesterday, you had some success, but you couldn’t sustain it. How do you sustain the running game to help this offense out? Oh, you know, I think like you said, we did some good things yesterday, which was pretty nice. And, you know, you just keep working out. You keep pounding. You know, TP keeps running and breaking tackles, and we just got to, you know, keep ourselves in good position, you know, so we can continue that into the fourth quarter. Feel like you guys are as a group as far as cohesiveness and and kind of jelling at this point. Honestly, considering everything that’s happened, I’m pretty happy. you know, had a good work with Juice and Oolie over at right tackle and, you know, it’s really unfortunate JC’s been missing time, but it’s also kind of a blessing. You know, we have our other guys getting some work in now early in the season, so god forbid we need it late in the season. You know, at least people have some, you know, in-game experience and I think each week we’ve been getting better and better and that’s a good thing. You’ve been a part of some quality organizations, so you know what it’s supposed to look like. What would you say are some of the things you may have seen here that give you a sign that this organization can get there? Um, I think more so than anything right now, kind of like I said, you know, watching the film, you see the opportunities that are on film, you know, it’s just like an inch away, one block away, you know, ball out on time thing here and there and then the opportunities like it’s close. So, you know, that gives you hope. So, it’s on us now to, you know, buckle down, get back to work and, you know, get it executed. Well, what about more from a culture perspective? I mean, culture, I think, is honestly really good. You know, considering, you know, we’re in a hole right now. It is what it is. But the team, the locker room, how tight they are, there’s competitiveness in the locker room. You know, you know, you talking about like Jeff playing like just dominating out there no matter what the situation. It’s awesome. You know, other players playing really well right now. So, it’s right there, you know, and as soon as like things start executing, like everything’s just going to take off. You mentioned Jeff. I mean, what what did you know about him from afar and what’s it been like competing against him on the practice field and kind of seeing him on a regular basis? I mean, before I got here playing against him, I know always knew he’s one of the top dackles in the league. And then having to deal with him in practice every day, that just reaffirmed it and made my life miserable. But, uh, you know, Jeff, you know, everything he gets he deserves. You know, he’s a fiery, competitive son of a gun and, you know, he just doesn’t do it in practice. He takes it to the game field every single week. And, you know, it’s really impressive to watch. I’m glad he’s on our team. your opinion, Kevin, what’s the key to finding success in the fourth quarter when it’s fleeting so far? I mean, I think we’ve done a lot of good things, you know, for the first three quarters and then the key is, you know, now it’s time to finish up both offense, defense, special teams in the fourth, get it going and, you know, we just got to keep putting ourselves in good positions and, you know, we just got to get it done. Is there is there any secret though to carrying that over because you haven’t been able to do it, I guess, up until now. Yeah, I mean it really isn’t a secret, you know. It’s all about execution late in the game and that’s what we got to do and it’s as simple as that. Been in the league as long as you have. Do guys look to you for some direction right now with with with the hole that you’re in? Uh, you know, I mean, I’ve been part of some very good organizations. I’ve been on some, you know, rougher teams as well. And, you know, what I keep telling them, good things happen to those who keep going. And right now, it’s on us. We got to keep going. Like, it is what it is. But you know 0 and4 it doesn’t matter right now. We got to keep rolling. We keep going and some good things will start happening. You were in Detroit when you guys dug out of that thing, right? Oh, no. I was only there for last year. Yeah. So, I came in at a good time. The time you spent in Cleveland, you saw the bad end and climbing out of it. Are there lessons you can draw on or maybe share with us about how that turnaround took place and how that can be translated at all? I mean, you know, so like when I got to Cleveland, you know, it was uh the 0 and6 year and you know, we built the base up pretty good that year. I mean, it wasn’t fun, but it was part of it. You know, the guys never quit. You know, everyone kept working and no one enjoyed it, but you know, that, you know, angst and anger, you know, it just set us up for the next year and we were firing, you know, pretty quickly and it was fantastic. So, kind of like I’ve been saying, like you just got to keep going. We’ve got so many good pieces and great players and we just gota, you know, put it all together and we’ll go. Did you guys see the hit that Alshare had on Cam that probably could have been a rough in the passer? Uh uh yeah. Uh that in my opinion, yeah, that was a shot to the helmet with a forearm and it is what it is and you know just the league. Sometimes you get the call, sometimes you don’t and that’s just what it was. You guys weren’t given any kind of explanation on why it wasn’t a call. I haven’t heard anything, but you know, it is what it is. Little bit better yesterday despite the fact you guys were going against some some pretty good edge guys. What What was the line maybe doing a little better than than previous games? Definitely. Um, you know, I’m just going to give a ton of praise to Ollie out there like him going toe-do. You know, they have some great edge rushers and Oi did a fantastic job I thought, you know, given the situation going out there and competing and, you know, I I was really impressed with him. It was pretty great. And then overall as the line like you know tough crew and then you know as the game gets that way late in the game you know puts a lot of pressure but I think the guys held up nicely. Played well and you know just keep it rolling. How eager are you for the interior three to kind of take a game over and give you guys a chance you maybe to put one away if you have a lead late? Oh yeah. No there’s no better feeling than like when you get to a four-minute drive in a game and you’re able to do the things you need to do to win. like it’s just a great overall feeling, you know, puts confidence throughout the whole team and you just want to keep doing it week after week after week. Um, and you know, when that opportunity comes up this year eventually, I’m excited for us to get it done. How you feel like that you’re connected with Lloyd and and Peter as far as working together? I think we’re doing great. Like I think Pete is an outstanding town and Lloyd, his ability to move and his ability to call the offense is really fun to play with. It’s a really fun interior to be a part of. the more you play, how much more comfortable you feel like you’re in the flow of the game and anticipating things better. Yeah, definitely. Just, you know, the more you play, uh, the more experience you you get, the more information you’re able to gather. Um, and just learning experiences and I think I’ve been able to do that um, all throughout last year, all throughout this off season, preseason um, and continuing that even during the season um, and and just growing as a player. you get a front row seat at Jeffrey Simmons and what he’s able to do. How would you describe the way he’s dominating and how much does that help you, you know, do some of the things that you need to do? Yeah, I mean, Jeffrey is is is a great player. Um, he’s got great get off, very explosive, physical, but but quick at the same time. Um, so I think he’s he’s able to kind of use that to his advantage. uh going up against offensive lineman. They don’t know if he’s going to power or or use some speed. And you saw saw in that one particular play, he just he just got off the ball and got to the quarterback pretty quickly. So, you love playing behind guys like that. Makes my job easier. You saw that 17 tackles. Uh did it surprise you ever had a a game college, high school, anything like that? 17. I’ve had a few like that in my my college days and and in in high school. Um, you know, you kind of just just get a groove going. You feel it kind of catch a little bit of fire and, you know, sometime plays come your way more in in, you know, certain games than others and I was just able to make them. You feel like as a defense as a whole, you guys kind of kept a team in it for a long time and then kind of gave way in the fourth quarter. when you look back at a game like that, I guess what do you think about the overall performance? Yeah, I mean, you know, defense played a a pretty solid game first three quarters um and and then all hell broke loose um in the fourth quarter u which unfortunately has kind of been the theme for us defensively uh this year. Um, so we we we have got to find a way to, you know, come together and and and figure it out, you know, later in these games, late third quarters, fourth quarters, uh, to how to continue our defenses performances that they’ve been like. What’s been the uh impact of of not having Tandre there for the last few games and and how does that impact you guys, especially inside linebacker? Yeah. Well, you know, you obviously, you know, love having a guy like, you know, Tandre in there. He’s big body guy. He plays hard, plays well, takes up both of the A gaps for you. So, he’s he’s definitely a guy that that you kind of miss being out there. But, you know, I’ve honestly believed that, you know, the guys that we have had in there, uh, Shai James, uh, Jeffrey, uh, just name a few, I thought they’ve, you know, played pretty solid. Um, so yeah. What would you say is happening on some of those like the late game runs where it’s an explosive and there missed tackles and it it seems like it’s it’s like a pile up of things and it just pops right then and there. Yeah, I I you know, I really can’t put my finger on on why exactly it’s happening. Um, but I do know that it’s it’s it’s all kind of happening so fast. is, you know, like you said, we’re playing good football and, you know, two, three plays later and it’s like boom, this two, three touchdowns. Um, so like I said, we we have got to find a way to survive these woes later in the game. You feel like that the locker room is still pretty much unified despite the struggles this year? Yeah. Yeah, I definitely, you know, feel unified. I don’t think anybody’s really pointing a finger at anybody. I mean, there’s enough blame to go around. Nobody is perfect. Um, that’s why we are 0 and4. Um, but I think there’s definitely a sense of the team like, you know, we got to figure this out. You know, nobody’s coming to save us. You know, we’re kind of tired of saying the same things after every game. Oh, we got to do this better, that better. You know, we just we got to go do it. Up until maybe just before the start of the season, it was kind of neck andneck with you and James for for starting job there. What do you think from kind of from that point in what sort of clicked in that you’ve seemingly taken things up, you know, significant level since then? Yeah, like I said, you know, I feel like I’ve always believed in myself and I feel like I’ve just always tried to grow as a player um and get better. And you know, when I step on that field, just just give it my all and empty the tank. Um and you know, whatever happens happens.

Titans HC Brian Callahan, G Kevin Zeitler, and LB Cedric Gray address the media on Monday at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park.

00:00 – 22:54 HC Brian Callahan
22:55 – 29:59 G Kevin Zeitler
30:00 – 34:51 LB Cedric Gray

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