Calais Campbell Press Conference – 9.29.35 | AZ Cardinals

Calais Campbell Press Conference – 9.29.35 | AZ Cardinals

You guys have uh unfortunately had a bunch of guys get nicked up on the defensive line already and now we’re talking about Pal possibly coming back. Like as a guy who’s been in the room the whole time and is one of the leaders like how do you kind of manage through that when guys are kind of coming in and out and you’re having to deal with some losses. I mean that’s part of the game, you know, it’s the worst part of the game, but I mean it’s 100% injury rate, you know, just how bad you get hurt is kind of the the part that is up in the air. But um you know everybody’s dealing with something some stuff is play you can play through some stuff you can’t you know and uh time will tell but um you know uh getting the potential of Bal back that’s going to be huge you know he worked really hard to get back you know just this whole this whole offseason you know the whole time I’ve been here just seeing his work you know seeing the way he pushes himself you know knowing his history in this league and what he’s done you know he’s a guy that I work my foxhole and I’m excited to have him back. Do you ever start to envision because with Walter still being in the pen potentially to come back at some point what this room when it is fully healthy uh can look like? Yeah, you know, we got a a lot of talent, you know, that’s for sure. You know, just got to get everybody on the field together at the same time. Uh but um you know, uh we just keep doing our part till till everybody’s back. You know, I know uh Walter is um a very talented guy. um you know and he’s making his progress and when the time comes I think the whole world is going to be excited to see what he can do including me. You guys have lost by combining four points the last two games. What’s the messaging coming off two tough tough losses like that? Well, I say like this. Uh the mistakes that we made, you know, and the plays that, uh, you know, that we kind of hurt ourselves on, for us to still be able to be in the ball game at the end of it, you know, it says a lot about what we could be if we do it right, you know. Uh, we just got to get to that point where we’re consistently playing just good ball, you know, just good team ball and let the rest take care of yourself. But, um, you know, it’s a it’s a good sign that we’re still in ball games, you know, uh, even when we make the mistakes that we made. JJ was saying on Friday that he had talked to you guys about taking the mini buy or whatever you want to call it to kind of reset. Is there is there something to reset at this point? Uh is it good to have a couple extra days here? Yeah, I mean I don’t think you could consider a mini by because the way my body feel I don’t feel like a bye-week. But um you know uh mentally though you know I think on by week you kind of like look back you know kind of assess like what worked what didn’t how can you be better how could you be better and I feel like this is a good time you know after you know essentially a quarter of the season you know you get to kind of like reevaluate you know go back and watch the games again you had the time you know I’m you know not everybody’s going to do that you know but you know a guy like myself you know go back and watch you know what worked what didn’t you know what can I improve on you So, um, you know, like whatever what can I work on to continue to help this team win ball games, you know, put put ourselves in position to win ball games. Getting ready to host a winless team. Does that take more mental strength for a team throughout the week or on game day to not fall into a mental trap? Yeah, I don’t know. Um, I mean, in the NFL, every game is a tough ball game, right? You got some games you definitely win, but you know, you never know what those games are till you get out there, and that’s when the ball just bounces your way. you know, those tip turnovers right in your hands, you know, easy touchdowns. I mean, just and even in it still might go down to, you know, the very last play of the game. So, um, you know, this is a going to be a tough matchup. I mean, when I see a team that’s, you know, winless this early in the season, you know, to me, it just says that they’re hungry. You know, they’re going to come out, you know, with a lot of energy and, uh, you know, with a mindset that they’re trying to get that first win. And so, we’re going to have a hands full cuz they have all kinds of talent all over the place. you know, I mean, one of the best D lineman in the game and Jeffrey Simmons. Um, you know, just I mean, a guy that I admire when I watch football, when I watch Dline play, I mean, he does it the right way. And, uh, I mean, they got talent all over the place, you know. I mean, I think that, uh, you know, you know, they they could have they’ve been in, you know, they’ve been competitive in every ball game, you know. Um, just it’s definitely a team that we have to make sure we bring our agame and make sure we handle. plays. Um, Michael Carter wearing that number 40 Pat Tman jersey being player of the week. Just, um, how cool is it just to see where he started, you know, at the beginning of the season going to practice squad and now getting signed to the active roster? Yeah. Um, well, the Pat Tman, you know, scout team player of the week is a really cool thing that didn’t exist when I was here the first time. That’s new for me. Uh, but I think it’s a really cool uh thing that we’re doing now with that. you know, first of all, just helps kind of continue the legacy of of who Patman was, what he stood for. Um, and I think that’s important, you know, and inside the building there’s that little his locker that’s, you know, that kind of in glass you walk by all the time and that’s cool, too. I remember that being put there, you know, and that was a big deal. Uh, but just his legacy is a legacy we should never forget. Young guys should learn about. So, I think this a cool way to go about, you know, teaching guys about who he was and what he represents. And then for for Mike, you know, he’s just a a competitor, you know, uh I mean, we I always give him a hard time because he went to University of North Carolina and had amazing games against my Hurricanes when he was there. And so I tease him a lot cuz you I told him I didn’t like him till I met him, you know, now now I like him a lot. But um I know he’s eager for his opportunities to get his touches and have a chance. You know, uh he was active, you know, last week and uh you know, play a lot of special teams and stuff. And um I think that he’s a guy that you know is just going to continue to get better and work hard and try to put himself in position to you know get a consistent role. Is there excitement then when you get to go up against the Miami Hurricane and Cam Ward then this weekend? And what have you learned also about your throughout your experience when it comes to playing against rookie quarterbacks? Yeah, I mean I’m a big fan of Cam Ward. Um I rooted for him harder than probably anybody rooted for him last year, you know, other than just probably his mom. Uh he is um you know very talented quarterback, you know, uh incredible arm strength. I mean the way he can throw the ball from multiple arm angles, you know, throw it across his body and put it around the money, you know, uh you mean throw it across the field, you know, which you’re not supposed to do, but it just when he does it, it still works out, you know, pretty consistently. Uh it’s just like, you know, this guy’s, you know, tremendous talent. Um, you know, but like most rookie quarterbacks, you just got to go through his growing pains and he’s been getting better every week. You see his potential. I know um you know last week I I watched the game yesterday and um just you know you could see a lot of you know just he’s he’s close you know he’s real close to make a lot of plays and so you know be nice for him to wait one more week before he gets it together you know but um I’m I am a fan of his and I want to see him have a great career in this league and uh and really just be a dominant player. Uh but uh you know I’m also looking forward to the opportunity to play against him. You know, I think uh the greatest sign of respect is to give your best, you know, and so every time I got a chance to play against guys who I considered Hall of Famers or just guys I had a lot of respect for, you always get my best effort, you know. I mean, Brett Favre, I still uh I never forget uh I got fined for second Brett Favre, but in my mind, like I watched him win the Super Bowl when I was 10 and I respect I had to give him everything I had. So, yeah, this part of it. you’ve uh because you’ve been around for a bit. Um you were on this team when they played when you played Cam Newton in his first NFL game when Russell Wilson. Is as a defender, do you do you do you ever get in your head there’s a rookie over there or do you try hard not to or is it hard not to kind of have it in the back of your head even if you tell yourself that’s you know? No, I mean I I definitely uh you know think about like you know I mean there’s a lot like quarterbacks who are just younger, right? rookie, second year, you know, guys who just don’t have a lot of experience. You know, how can I use that to my advantage? You know, what can we do to try to make it harder on them, you know, and you know, just personally like, you know, uh, you know, hands up in in throwing lanes to try to, you know, make him comfortable, try to, you know, just get in front of him where he has to get the spot. You know, now he’s a guy who’s, you know, crazy athletic. You know, so is Cam, so is Russ. Those guys are, you know, just spectacular athletes. And so, you know, you kind of want to keep him on the spot, you know, won’t get too far off the spot, but just getting in front of his face, you know, uh just do little things to try to, you know, that they probably haven’t seen as much of, you know, coming from, you know, when they’re in college, you’re dominating versus when you get to the NFL and it’s a lot more equal talent. So, so four games is sort of the benchmark, you know, overall this Cardinals defense. Where would you like to see it improve? tackling uh is probably uh you know after the last couple weeks you know I think we uh can tackle better you know and that’s something that the coaches put a big emphasis on and then just being assignment sound trusting your teammates you know I think um you know most of our explosives come up you know you know just different guys taking turns you know doing trying to do too much and you know I think it’s just like settle down you know understand that we have we have all the pieces in place just do your part do your 111 and let rest take care of itself. Um and then um I think just yeah you mean getting a ball hands on more turnovers, you know, get our hands on more the ball more often, you know, and and I’m I’m still sick of myself because there’s a couple opportunities where I could have probably forced the fumble and I just wouldn’t even think about it. It didn’t cross my mind till afterwards. It’s like, you know, we work the drills too much, you know, it has to carry over to the field. You have to, you know, keep that focus and be able to, you know, bring the stuff that you work in practice over into the game. And so, um, it’s a big part of emphasis going forward, but I think that, uh, this defense has a chance to be really really good. You know, I know points per game, we’re we’re up there, you know. Uh but you know I think that uh you know especially like with me up front like you know you know the run game matters and you know I felt like you know there were a lot of good plays in the run game against Seattle but then you had you know you know quite a few runs that just like really hurt us and you like look up and they have 150 yards rushing like you’re not going to win a a ball game in the NFL give up 150 you know it’s just you know not too often. I mean, you got a few chances, but it’s it’s rare. And so, u you know, we have to be better and um you know, and I know we will be. We have to just, you know, focus on, you know, every play is crucial. You know, uh you do a good job for four plays, that fifth play is just as important as the first one. You know, can’t can’t relax. Have you ever played in this many unique defensive fronts or setups or looks in your career? This defense is unique. Um, you know, uh, I felt like, um, you know, Coach Rollins is a very, uh, cerebral guy who loves the game of football and tries to, you know, really, uh, put us in position to make our job as easy as possible, which I appreciate, you know, if it’s easier, we we make more plays. Um, and so, um, you know, he tries to do a good job of giving us one-on-one matchups, you know, kind of avoiding double teams and stuff like that, which, you know, I think allows for us to be more successful generally. And so um you know it is it’s nice you know you don’t get that as much. So you know and who knows if we do well enough with it it could be a trend going forward but you know we have to go out there and perform you know can’t give up 150 you know that’s that’s it’s a bad taste of mouth you know and it’s going to be there until we can get back on this field and and redeem ourselves.

DL Calais Campbell speaks to the media ahead of Week 5 vs the Tennessee Titans

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