Richard Hightower, Dennis Allen, Declan Doyle on preparing for Week 6 vs. Commanders | Chicago Bears

Richard Hightower, Dennis Allen, Declan Doyle on preparing for Week 6 vs. Commanders | Chicago Bears

How’s everyone? Great. How are you doing? Fine, thank you. Uh, go ahead. What do y’all have? HT, the the last play that you were a part of was a block field to win a game. What What convinced you in that moment that you guys were going to get that one? Well, I mean, you you got to credit the players for the effort on the field. um everything that they do in preparation um paid off uh for them and I’m just glad and happy that we were able to help the football team uh in a major way and uh it’s really I mean that’s really what it comes down to preparation studying um and then the players executing. So um phenomenal job by everybody involved. Obviously, Blackwell gets the um the the big time flowers on that, but we I mean, we all know that when since Blackwell’s been a rookie that he’s been playing at a Pro Bowl and he’s he’s special. So, uh we’re happy to have him and uh we’re excited for this week’s challenge because obviously it’s going to be a huge challenge for us. So, uh we need to put more good football plays together is where we are. Given how much time you guys invest trying to find a a competitive edge every single week, how fulfilling is it for the entire unit to have something that you saw in preparation pay off in a in a moment like that? Yeah, Dan, I think it’s why we do what we do, Dan. You know, um, and what we’ve done now is really, honestly, we’ve moved on to the commanders and what we’re trying to do is find the edge there. Um, studying tape, uh, studying a lot of tape. Um, obviously you got the extra day, you got the buy, you got some different things that go into that. So, uh, we’re we’re hellbent and focused on trying to get u a next role win. In regards to the preparation element, Scott Daly told us that like or I guess it was Blackwell who told us Scott Daly is the one who saw something in his and then he presented it with a player report. How just generally generally speaking, how does the player how do the players factor into the overall preparation of what you have them scout and then what they do to present to the team? Yeah, everything we do, Courtney. Everything we do is so that we can be the best that we can be. It’s no different than what every player does uh in every other meeting in a offensive or defensive meeting. So all we do is put together tips, reminders, things that we can do to help our players at all times go be the best that they can be so we can get the result that we want and that’s that’s winning the football game and it’s that’s what we always do. That’s what we’ve always done. To have the specialists give a scouting report on their counterpart, is that common? And if it’s not, where did you come? Yeah, I can’t I can’t confirm or deny any of that stuff you guys talking about on that stuff. I just, like I said, we moved on to the Commanders. Uh, and I’m happy for the players and I’m happy for our football team that it turned out that way. But this is the NFL. So, if you bask in the glory of anything that you’ve done in the past, good or bad, but obviously I’m talking about good here. That sets you up for the next week for you to get humbled. So what we are looking at is what we can do this week to put our best foot forward to play a really good special teams unit in the commanders. Ben said that Ben was saying that uh the commanders uh special teams unit is particularly aggressive. What’s aggressive about them? Uh they’re just a really good football team when it comes to special teams offense and defense. But in special teams specifically, uh what I see is, you know, really good teamers, really good players, dynamic returners. Obviously, they got Debo, um that’s returned kicks, who I was a part of being a draft with Debo, so know him really well. They have Nick Balure over there who’s been a multiple Pro Bowl player who I had as well um before he ever got any Pro Bowls. So, that dude’s mind is wired the right way. He’s outstanding player. He’s phenomenal. They got good veteran leadership over there. You got a couple guys that I’ve been lucky to coach that are over there. Um, and we got some guys that they’ve coached over here. So, my point is is we know how they’re wired. They know how we’re wired. And it’s going to be a hell of a heavyweight fight. And uh, we can’t wait uh, for Monday night. What does it do for your when you’re preparing your players knowing that they are aggressive and violent and physical and you know they that they that their special teams is specifically known for that? How does that impact I mean I’m I’m sure you’re coaching the guys the same way every week, but facing a Washington team, how does that impact? What do you guys have to know about facing that? Yeah, they just have to know is what what they are is just what you said, a violent physical team. I would like to think some of our guys, you know, Hardy in particular, uh, is violent and physical and has made some really, uh, dynamic plays, you know, uh, I’d like to think Blackwell’s a good player, uh, for us as well. Um, they just have a lot of them. Like, they got a dream team, honestly, if you want to know the truth on special teams. Um, they got a lot of good players, but that’s what we thrive on and that’s what we live on. And I’ve coached against this coordinator a couple times when we were in the division together and then obviously um when he’s been in Washington and he’s a really good coach and he was a really good player. Um so it’s going to be a really good matchup. Um it’s what we looked at all of this kind of stuff coming out of the buy where we could get better, things that we could do better. Right. This is a really good test for us coming out uh to play a team like this. um coming out of the buy. It’s a really good test for our ball club and we’re looking forward to it. Richard, the the punt return that they took back for a touchdown against Vegas, what did you see on that play that you need to alert your guys about how that sprung? Yeah, what I saw is really good blocking. I saw a really dynamic uh player with the ball in his hands and I saw a lot of space when the guy got the ball. Um, and we just got to do a great job of in punt coverage when anytimes there’s a touchdown that mean guys are been stacked in coverage. Okay? So it either they’re right on top of each other so they’re not dispersing the field. Now I’m not just talking about that particular play. I’m talking about those plays in general or you could have a bad hang punt where the punt is too far for you to cover it. Or you could have those things right and then have a a t a missed tackle at the point. a couple different missed tackles. Those are the factors that that that factor into uh really big, you know, punt punt returners. If Kairo’s able to go Monday, is there a conversation you guys need to have about who’s doing kickoffs just in terms of trying to save his leg or if he’s healthy, he’s going to do everything? Yeah, I mean, we talk about obviously I can’t give you a game plan of what we’re doing uh and how we going to do it. But I’ll just say this, coach speaks to injuries, um, and all of that good stuff, but we’ll always have those conversations. We have those conversations all the time on the sideline for everything we do, not just field goal, not just, you know, kickoff, for everything. Say, what was that communication like between him and you in the third quarter of the Raider game when he, you know, when he feels it? I imagine it takes pretty good trust on both sides to have an honest conversation in the book. Yeah, just a normal conversation just like we always have. We have a really good culture uh in the specialist room and with the special teams players. So they know that they can talk to me and I can talk to them and we all trust each other and we know where we’re coming from um at all times. We know it. We always talk about, you know, what are your intentions, right? And if people come from good intentions and have good intent, then everybody trusts each other. There’s no there’s there’s no agenda. There’s no there’s none of that here. And Ben’s done an awesome job fostering this culture where everybody trusts one another, everybody loves one another, everybody plays for one another, and nobody quits. Everybody plays to the final play around here, and it’s exciting to be a part of. Now, are there things that we feel like we can get better at as a special teams unit? Yeah, it’s been good. It hadn’t been great. I don’t feel like it’s been great. I feel like it’s been good, but I feel like there plays that we’ve left out there that we looked over the buy and I feel like we’ve had more impact plays up until this point in the past and I want more impact plays because impact plays help win games and we all want to win games. I know you mentioned uh what he is back there on kick return. Just what do you have to be with him? Yeah, Debo has excellent vision and Debo’s a Debo’s a dog. Been a dog from the get-go. I was fortunate to coach the Senior Bowl. Um, when Debo was in the Senior Bowl, he was on our team. So, he rolled with me every day to go with the specialist to warm up because there’s only one field. So, specialists don’t get to warm up. They got to warm up before practice because there’s only one field. and he rode with us every day and treated the specialist with utmost respect. He uh he was a he was a a pros pro even then. So, we got to know that we going against a pro and we’re going against a dog with really good vision and really good contact balance and that we have to swarm tackle him. We got to gang tackle him. It’s not going to take one guy to get him down. It’s going to take all 11 guys. They got to get there. Uh Luke McAffrey on the other side of that. I know he’s pretty explosive to you at that 58 yard. What do you need to be aware of with him? Yeah, both of them. I mean, they got dynamic guys back there. He’s a good point, Courtney. I think I think McCaffrey is really good, really smooth. Uh, has a really good average. Obviously, they got the number one kickoff return team in the National Football League right now. Um, and Luke is a part of that. All right. And then 83’s been back there, the guy who returned the punts for him, but he hasn’t had a return yet. So, they got dynamic returners, like I stated before, and we got to be ready. We got to be on our We got to be on our stuff this week in order to give ourselves a chance to to to factor in this football game. Thank you. Go ahead. Fire away, guys. Dennis, what have you identified as really the special nature of their run game that you have to kind of dissect? Well, look, I I mean, there’s a lot to it. I mean, I think um you know, the engine to this thing is the quarterback and the ability of the quarterback to run the football and and that makes you play 11 on 111 football. Um and so you can’t just, you know, isolate on the running back. Um you’ve got to be able, it’s like, it’s like back in the old days of defending the triple option. you know, everybody’s going to have a dive, quarterback, pitch responsibilities, and everybody’s got to do their job, you know, on each and every one of those plays. So, uh, that’s the thing that really makes it, uh, you know, really challenging is that, you know, they can be running a a play over here, uh, where they create numbers and yet the quarterback has the ability to take the ball out the backside. And so, uh, that that that makes it, you know, very difficult to to block. I think their running backs run extremely well. I think they got great vision. Um I think they are able to find the the seams in the defense. They get vertical within the defense. Um and they run uh they run really hard. So this is this is obviously a very good running team and and uh that’ll be a big part of the game plan. I would assume a lot of a lot of times when there’s a unique scheme, uh, a lot of coordinators spend the offseason trying to study it and see what they can do differently. Have you noticed a difference in how teams are playing him this year as opposed to last year? Um, no, not really. Um, not really. I mean, I I think, you know, all of us, when I say that all of us, I’m talking about all of us defensive coaches have the same challenge when you’re looking at, you know, defending these type of run schemes. Um, we’re seeing it more and more in our league now. Um, with with, uh, call it the evolution of the the the athletic quarterback. I don’t like to call them running quarterbacks because particularly guys like, you know, Jaden Daniels or Lamar Jackson, those type of guys, like they they can beat you throwing the ball from the pocket, too. Um, and so that that that presents another challenge. So, um, but yeah, I think we’re seeing a lot more of this scheme and, uh, you know, the college guys have seen it for a long time and so I think all of us at some point in time throughout our careers, spent some time visiting with some college coaches in terms of how to defend this. What gives you optimism that the pass rush could be more impactful than than it was in the through the stretch of the first four games? Yeah. Um, well, look, certainly we’re our pass rush is still, you know, a work in progress. Um, you know, I think we’ve got to be uh create more pressure on the quarterback and I think we’ll we’ll be able to do that. Um, I I do also think this. I do think, you know, sometimes those things can be a little bit misleading and that there’s a lot of times, you know, where the quarterback’s getting rid of the ball pretty quickly. Uh, and we’ve we’ve been able to take advantage of that a few times, too. So, um, you know, obviously pass rush and and pass coverage have to work together. U, but look, I I think we’ve got good players up front. Um, you know, getting Austin Booker back, uh, whether he’s available this week or not, I think he’s a guy that can, you know, help us in terms of our pass rush. So, it was something we spent some time looking at, you know, where we can do some things better and some things that we can do from a call standpoint that might give us an opportunity to get after the passer a little bit more. specifically, how how have you evaluated Montes? Like, you know, they trade for him, they give him a contract that makes kind of centerpiece guy on the roster. Um, couple three quarterback hits or four, I think, the one sack, he had one nullified by offsetting penalties. What has he looked like? Yeah, look, I I think, you know, Montes has been u pretty consistent in terms of the run game. Obviously, I think all of us in terms of what we’re doing in the passing game, we’d like to get a little bit more and and so I got to try to do a better job of putting him in position uh you know to where we can you know give him some opportunities to go to go get after the passer and then when he does create or we create those opportunities um you know he has to take advantage of those by winning his one-on- ones. And so I think that’s, you know, I think it’s a combination of, you know, me as a play caller putting him in those positions a little bit more, trying to create some more opportunities for him, and then when we do create those opportunities, uh, him doing a good job of winning his one-on-one matchups. Generally speaking, in like those critical situations like Red Zone, how holistically as a defensive coordinator do do you determine who’s on the field in those got to have it situations versus who who isn’t? because I think on one of those one of the touchdowns in the second half, sweat was off the field. Um, how does that work in terms of figuring out if a guy needs a blow, but also the rotation and having your best? Well, it’s it’s it’s it’s a complicated process because I don’t know how the drive goes to get down there. You you know, you know what I’m saying? So, and here’s the other thing. Like, we have confidence in all of our players. Um, so um sometimes that’s how that’s how it works out. you know, you’d like to have uh you know, your best p if you know they’re throwing the ball, you’d like to have your best pass rusher out there on the field uh as much as possible and yet um it doesn’t work that way every time. So, um I think the game situation dictates a lot of that. Um and yet I think that’s an area that we can look to try to improve on. You mentioned Booker and what you saw of him before the injury. What makes you believe that he can be an impact part of this defensive front? Um, well, look, I think he demonstrated that uh in in training camp. I think he demonstrated it in preseason games. I think he demonstrated it in the joint practices. Um, now we just got to get him, you know, to a healthy enough spot where he can get out there and play in games and and then we’ll be able to see what he can do. But I’ve seen I’ve seen signs that say that he can impact the game. Uh, in particular from a pass rush standpoint. Coach, how is Kyler going to impact your defense? just that single player alone coming back. Um, well, look, I I I said this, you know, back in the spring when I first got here or in the winter when I first got here that I I I was, you know, really excited about working with that player. I think I think he’s an impact type player uh in particular, you know, inside in the slot. um some different things that we can do with him from a coverage aspect, some different things we can do with him from a pressure aspect. I just think he’s a dynamic player and so um you know hopefully we’ll we’ll we’ll have him back out there and and and he’ll be able to you know impact the game. Now how much I I don’t know what that answer is. you know, um you know, he he has played a lot of football since really December of of last year. And so, um you know, hopefully hopefully when we have him and when he’s out there, hopefully he can impact the game like we think he can. Similar question about TJ. What would getting him back mean for the defense, especially against the run? Well, look, I think TJ’s a smart, tough player. Uh he’s been very productive here. Um, and and I think as with a lot of where we’ve been on defense, when you have a lot of moving parts, you know, it makes it a little bit challenging. So hopefully we can get guys back, uh, stay healthy and kind of develop a little bit of continuity within the group. I mean, I think, you know, there’s something to be said about guys being able to work together uh, for extended periods of time. And when you’re able to do that, you you you kind of understand where each piece to the puzzle is going to fit. Um, and sometimes when when you’ve got guys kind of in and out of the lineup, that becomes a little bit more challenging. Dennis, when you went through the by-week self scout, what did you see with the run defense that in areas to fix some of those big yards you guys are? Yeah. Well, I think this I think um a when when when teams are able to to run the ball effectively and get explosive runs, um it it’s it’s all three levels, you know, and so I I think we we we just looked at it and and really we’ve we’ve got to do a better job uh of, you know, attacking and getting off of blocks. Um and then we’ve got to be do a better job of tackling and and in particular tackling in space. And I think that’s, you know, probably the biggest thing that we’ve got to we’ve got to work on. I think our guys are working extremely hard on it. Um, and and we’re going to get better at it. With McLaren, obviously, uh, they don’t know whether he’s going to play or they’re not saying. Just as as a matter of principle, do you prepare as though somebody’s always going to play when they’re I think you have to I I think you have to be ready for all scenarios. Um, and so you you go into the game, you know, planning for everybody to be up until you know for sure that they’re not. and then you adjust off of that. But yeah, we definitely are planning on him playing. What stands out about the Commanders defense when you look at them on tape? I think they play hard. Um I have a lot of respect for a number of their guys. You know, the two interior players are really good players. Uh Payne and Kinlaw. I think uh Frankie Luvu I’ve been able to go against in when he was in Carolina. Um I have a ton of respect for the way he plays. And then uh obviously I have a little bit of crossover with Marshon in uh New Orleans. And so I think it’s a talented group. I think they play hard. Um I’ve always respected the way um DQ and and his staff uh you know approach the game and and the way they coach their guys. Um but that’s kind of what stands out. Obviously been working with Caleb since you got in here and simulating all kinds of game scenarios. What do you learn about him when he’s in a situation like in Las Vegas and leading you guys down the field to to take the lead late? Yeah, I think that’s the stuff that has shown up really from the beginning here. Um, his competitiveness in in crunch time, you know, it it kind of takes over. I know he’s spoken to you guys about that. Um, but that’s what makes him him. You know, that’s why he was in the position he was in to be drafted where he was. And, um, that’s something that, you know, we love to see that come out. Um, and, you know, we just want to continue to put him in positions where, you know, he can go, uh, show that off. Declan, when a run game is effective as your vision, what does that look like that what what what do you guys want this thing to morph into? Yeah, I think the the first thing is you’re running off the ball up front, okay, with the O line, so they’re coming out of their stance flying. Uh you’re using the cadence as an advantage. Um your O line and tight ends are working in combination together and they’re communicating well. Uh you’re seeing the backs, you know, press their landmarks. They’re able to read their keys. they’re able to put the ball where uh you know really the defenders aren’t and you’re trying to get the ball onto that third level of the defense as often as you can onto that free player. So anytime we’re running the ball uh generally there’s going to be somebody that’s going to be unblocked. We’re trying to put schematically you’re trying to put the back as deep into the defense on that unblocked player as you can. And then the last thing is blocking on the perimeter really well. Um we’ve placed an emphasis on that since we got here. Uh just on, you know, whether that’s the tight ends, the wide outs, whether that’s a back, you know, blocking outside. Um, but being physical on the perimeter and really uh being willing to go after defensive backs. With Von Miller, he’s 36, but he’s still impacting games. What have you seen from him on tape? And I I think anytime Von Miller is playing for the other team, you got to you have to have a plan. You have to account for him. Um, have a ton of respect for, you know, the career he’s had and, uh, you know, I’ll kind of leave it at that, but you you always have to have a plan when he’s he’s going against you. When did Field really start to make an impression on you? Uh, I would say, you know, really the whole time we’ve been here, OTAA is in training camp, he’s done a good job in the in the position meeting room, and you just seen him kind of grow. I think Kyle and Dan have done a great job of uh training our guys, cross trainining them, putting him in different positions, you know, not only uh tackle, guard, and and uh, you know, really the versatility there. you know, I I really uh like about him and you know, the way he’s able to move um you know, he’s a he’s a a player that’s ascending and that we expect to continue to grow. When you put him out there in August when you guys had the pads on and gave him a chance with the ones, what did he show you that that checked that box and said he can do this at with the ones? Uh I think he’s competitive and I think that uh you know it it probably wasn’t consistent enough at that point in time. um you know as far as what we were expecting from him and I just I think that uh even since then he’s continued to progress and get better. Um but it wasn’t it wasn’t like he went out there and it was too big for him in any way. Um you know his mentality and and how he approaches the game I think it’s been consistent since we’ve been here. You mentioned almost every element in terms of getting a successful running game. Is there one particular thing that you’re focusing on like improving going forward maybe more than some of the other things? I think it’s one of those things that it it never is just one thing. It’s all these little details that add up. And so you if something’s not going well, whether that’s the run game or the pass game, you go back to the process as far as um every single individual position, everybody’s job, all of 11 have to be tied together, you know, and I I didn’t say it earlier, but the quarterback carrying out his fake and holding that backside end. Um all of those little things have to be harped on. They’re details that we can’t let slide and they’re things that are being focused on, you know, as a whole. And then in their individual position rooms as well uh with the position coaches. Do you feel like they’re close to coming together? Like there’s close to getting that consistency. Yeah, I think that you know you’re always close. You want it to be consistent. And so anything less than it being right, you know, all the time isn’t consistent enough. Um so yeah, I think we flash at times. I think at times you see it and you’re like, “Okay, that’s what it looks like.” But you want it to look that way all the time. And and that’s really that’s the purpose of practice is um going out there and ingraining habits so that on game day, you know, you’re not thinking about anything. You’re just going out and playing and you’re uh bringing those habits really in into the light for everybody to see. What’s been Caleb’s biggest area of growth? I think uh there’s a couple things, but um his footwork one, two, um you know, processing post snap and pre- snap. Uh and I think those are two separate things. Um, obviously with the communication pre- snap and then post snap really is his eyes and his feet. Uh, but those are the areas that I think that he’s progressed uh in, you know, training camp and in these four weeks and he’s got to continue to get better at that as we go. U and I think he would tell you the same thing. From your position, what do you appreciate about Cliff Kingsperry offenses and what he’s been doing over the years? Yeah, he’s very creative. Um, you know, obviously they’re they’re playing well right now and so, uh, you know, we watch crossover tape a lot of times because we don’t necessarily always study other offenses where most of the time we’re studying the defense we’re going against, but a lot of times we have crossover tape, you know, where they play the Raiders. Um, and I I appreciate the way he approaches the game. Um, you know, you go back to him being uh in the air raid and in some of those principles and yet when you turn on Washington’s tape, they’re physical, they run the ball. Um, I think he’s morphed uh as a coach through time and I think that’s really the calling card of any uh good play caller is they adapt to their personnel uh and they kind of morph uh to create a a balanced attack that that really goes after defenses. All set. Thank you guys. Thank you.

Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle address the media on Friday at Halas Hall.

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