Derwin James: Chargers were ready for Steelers’ physicality | PSNFF | NFL on NBC

Derwin James: Chargers were ready for Steelers’ physicality | PSNFF | NFL on NBC

All right, we’ll get the real story here. You told him before the game what was going to happen. Don’t matter, baby. Uh, where’s his mic at? Oh, I got to say this is probably the new world record for fastest player out to the set. So, we appreciate you, man. We appreciate you so much. Hey, for you, what was the best part of this win tonight? Uh, just being confident. Uh, we knew all week we had a great week of preparation. Uh coaches had a great game plan and we just came out and executed today as a team. Physical game, wasn’t it? Did it feel that way to you? Oh yeah, man. Anytime you playing a team like that, Pittsburgh, man, their their culture known for that, man. You got you got to come with it. So, it was a great win today. Yes, sir. Go ahead, Rob. What was your game plan against, um, the Pittsburgh Steelers today? Uh, as a defense, uh, we just wanted to come out. We know Aaron Rogers has seen every look in the NFL. It’s hard to trick a guy like that. So, we really just wanted to come out, play simple football, and, uh, play fast and get to the ball. So, kind of bend but don’t break. Don’t let nobody get in front of you. Keep everything in front. Make them make them earn it and uh make them go the long way and see if they can do it all game. I feel like every every phase came to play today and uh it was a great team win. What I saw Rogers had been getting rid of the ball quick all year sir and it seemed like you guys were on you weren’t going to let those quick throws get in there. Tell me what those corners and those DBs were doing to get on those short routes. They just was ready. Uh they was ready all week long. Uh all week long we we wanted to challenge oursel as a secondary to be more physical. uh the the play coverage more tighter and uh we did that all week long and uh we came out and executed today. There you go. Blitzing right there. Look at you like a mad man. Trying to get to him. Why were you surprised that Aaron Rogers was off today? Uh cuz he did not play well today. I wasn’t surprised because I feel like like I told you before the game, if we go out and execute, it don’t matter what the fans, it don’t matter what uh nobody’s else doing. We come out and execute. And um that’s what we came in. You told me that, too. This defense has been hot. I mean, I’m looking at coming in tonight only giving up one touchdown the last two weeks. Last touchdown you guys gave up. That was in the third quarter of week eight. What kind of a role have you guys been on from your perspective? Where’s this coming from? Oh, we definitely didn’t want to get that last one up. Not so mad about that one, but oh man, all day, man. All all year long, we’re just trying to get better as a defense. Coach Jesse Mentor, best in the game, man. Um, we got a lot of assistant coaches that do a great job, too. Just going out there getting game plans ready and guys just taking upon their self and make plays. Their defensive line was extremely good today. Those guys in inside tier tart and those guys, talk about them and just what they bring. Physical, nasty, man. Uh tart tart those guys hand up front, man. Those guys just having those guys in the middle and then you got guys like Khalil Muli on the outside getting pressure. So, it’s a lot of fun. Yeah. Talking to the Pittsburgh people uh before the game, they felt like they had to run on you guys to kind of get things set up, but you didn’t let them run today. But h how did you stop that run game? Uh just winning first down. Uh I feel like um part of the run game is when DB’s coming up to tackle crack replace. And I feel like it wasn’t just on the D line and the linebackers corner play big rolls and um I feel like everybody you were a little close to the line of scrim. I I was trying to get a little action. You like being around that action, don’t you? I thought I was going to get a little It’s all good. Hey man, I’ve been I’ve been yelling and screaming at these defensive coordinators not playing you the right way. Mentor comes in, he put you close to the line. Now all of a sudden you’re playing on that allp pro level. I I love it. I’m just making a statement. I’m not even I’m just saying I love it. Co. Did you have a conversation with him about what you need? First day. First day. Hey, I went offensive the first day. I said, “Hey, coach, how you see you using me, man? How how you see my role? I know you knew coming in. How how you see my role for me?” And he was very honest with me, straightforward. And uh he he was like, “Man, we need to uh get that proclaimed as you one of the best safes in this league.” You know, we just been working our butt off every day trying to go do that. Yeah, it was very frustrating to see you 30 yards down deep middle of the field. I’m like, man, you got to get him closer to the line of scrimmage. I think about Harball mentor. How do their personalities match perfectly with yours? Um they’re they’re winners. Uh they’re competitive and they love football. And I’m a guy that love football. So when when we all love football, we show up to work hard every day. We don’t just come out here on game day. It’s uh from OTAAS, the training camp, the preparation been in for the last year and a half. And we just trying to keep working. Yeah, we saw you guys welcome Keenan Allen into the locker room. How special was that to see him get the record? Uh, this is my eighth year and I I remember just being a rookie coming in and leaning on guys like him and leaning on guys like Philip Rivers, man. And uh he’s just being man Charger legend. Uh one of the best going down in history. A lot of respect for him and uh to break the record, man. He going down in history. And that says something about your coach, too. Everybody on your sideline knows he’s one catch away. You guys have the game salted away. Most people would just take a knee, but he said, “Let let’s get the record for him.” Yes, sir. Yes, sir. That was special, man. That’s a special moment that Keenan got to celebrate it here with his family. He ain’t got to worry about it on the road. He got his family here, and uh we was just happy for him. How did you guys contain DK Medav? I know he’s the number one receiver. They don’t have a legit number two. So, did you draw more attention on him? Uh you definitely got to know where he’s at. Uh I I feel like we drew attention, but sometimes we we left those guys one-on-one, and they did a great job on the outside. Shout out to our corners today. They played allaround game. A DJack interception. They came up and tackled. Cam played good. Ben St. Juice. Nico Big PB. You on the high seven over there. So, man, corners played good. Want to get better and stack it. Let’s go do it again. No doubt. You personify energy juice. When you watch you play, it’s evident. But when you talk to you, you feel it. Where’s that come from? My parents, the Lord, and uh just enjoying life every day and never taking it for granted. And uh man, just want to go be the best every day. Good for you, man. I love this dude right here. Right here. This is my guy right here. One more reason why you love him. Let’s go to this. Cuz he he came into the stadium in your jersey. This meant a few things. Why did you do this? Legend, man. I’m I’m chasing after his record, man. I think he the alltime leader in sacks as a DB. So, man, he’s a legend, man. Um, need more respect. And, um, like I said, Chargers legend, man. Whatever you want to call Patriots legend, Charger legend. He’s He’s that guy, man. Appreciate you, D. Chargers Hall of Famer. Patriots Hall of Famer. in my mind soon to be NFL Hall of Famer. We appreciate you so much coming out here. Spend a little time. Go enjoy with your teammates, homie. Absolutely. Great job. Great job. Respect. Congratulations on this win. Thank y’all baby. Vote up baby. [Applause] And Rod, you always talk about that cuz you know him well. You always talk about his energy, but when you talk to him in person, there’s just something different about that mentality that he has. Yeah. And I think coach can attest to it too. He’s just different. He loves the game. He’s is very passionate about it. Um it’s all about the teammates. He never talks about himself. That’s one of the things I was like, “Dude, do you ever talk about yourself?” He always talks about his teammates. Give his his coaches credit. Just the energy, just the positivity. I mean, all the guys talk about him. They love him. And I I I think you hit the nail on the head. Jesse Miner is playing him in a way that gives him a chance to be himself and do what he does out there so well. They they’ve got him around the football. Absolutely. How about him walking right into coach’s office and saying, “How are you going to use me?” And when they agreed on that on day one, what a foundation. That’s something that I had to go through, too. I had several def defensive coordinators when I played with the Chargers and every time somebody came in, okay, what do you see my vision as a player? What do you see me as? You know, close to the line, deep half or whatever it might be. And um I’m just glad finally somebody came in and using him the right way. And you see how happy he is. He wouldn’t be happy if he was sitting back there 25 yards and cover two. Good point. Good point. Hi, I’m Mike Trico and thanks for watching. Make sure to hit subscribe for the latest news and highlights from NBC Sports.

Derwin James joins Rodney Harrison, Tony Dungy and Jac Collinsworth to unpack the Chargers’ mentality entering Week 10, discuss why Keenan Allen’s record-breaking moment was special and more. #NFL #SNF #NBCSports #Chargers #PeacockTV
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Derwin James: Chargers were ready for Steelers’ physicality | PSNFF | NFL on NBC
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