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Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – Post-Practice – October 2, 2013
(On who the starting running back will be this week against the Jaguars)
“I haven’t decided yet. Probably play most, if not all, the running backs that are active. Depends on what package we’re in when we start the game.”
(On what he’s seen in RB Isaiah Pead this week in practice)
“We’ve just had one day of practice and all the backs got to participate in practice. We’ve got different things. They’re different style runners and we’ve got different things for different backs.”
(On if he has a social media policy for the players in reference to RB Daryl Richardson’s recent tweet)
“Yes, we do. That was just brought to my attention. I was surprised about that. We haven’t gone one direction or the other right now.”
(On if he is upset with Richardson for tweeting about his status in this week’s game)
“I’ll discuss it. I don’t think he meant it…He’s coming off some injuries and he just needs to be more thoughtful about his responses. Really not going to affect the outcome of the game.”
(On WR Austin Pettis’ progression over the first four weeks of the season)
“He’s coming along. He’s got a good feel for what we’re doing. We’ve been talking about emphasizing the running game and that’s what we’re going to continue to do that. But as far as Austin’s been concerned, he’s making plays and moving sticks for us.”
(On what he’s seen out of the Jaguars)
“They’re a young team. They’re starting two rookie safeties. They’re fighting and scratching and clawing and playing until the end. Their run game’s coming on. (RB) Maurice (Jones-Drew), he is a good football player. I’ve seen him a number of times over the years and he’s hard to get down. They’re getting back to basics. Quarterback’s got five interceptions and they’ve all been tipped. That’s a familiar territory for us. He keeps drives alive with his legs. Their defense, it’s Seattle’s defense, we’ve got a feel for them. They’re very aggressive. They play hard and they’ve got outstanding special teams. Yeah, they’ve been outscored and they’re giving up points, but they’re a team that’s going to improve. Coach (Gus Bradley) is a good football coach and he’ll eventually have this group as a contender.”
(On what Jaguars WR Justin Blackmon brings to the game)
“He’s very explosive, runs very well. Runs good routes, breaks tackles. In his situation, he’s been there working out. He’s been studying, so I’m sure he’s going to be ready to play.”
(On the offensive line specifically its run blocking)
“Well again, we haven’t had the carries, so it’s hard to evaluate. We hope over the next few weeks we’ll be able to evaluate them better, but we just haven’t had the carries. Our intention, as their intention is, is to run the football. You’ve got to do that to stay in ball games.”
(On if it’s hard to get in rhythm offensively without running the ball)
“Yes. We’ve been talking about that. When you attempted 50 passes a game and 14, 15 runs a game it’s hard to get in a rhythm. We’re hoping to get that behind us.”
(On how QB Sam Bradford has played through the first four games)
“Again, I think he’d be more productive had we been able to keep games close and run the football. But, he’s making good decisions. Unfortunately, he’s been hit the last two weeks by two pretty good defenses. We’re going to continue to keep him upright. But, he’s making good decisions and he’s doing the best he can. As a team, we can all help him by creating field position, by getting turnovers, and by running the football and stopping the run.”
(On if he needs the fans loud and excited inside the Edward Jones Dome)
“We’re hoping for home field advantage. We’re hoping to take advantage of that, absolutely. We understand the frustration, especially over the last two weeks and especially Thursday night. But, we look at this as another opportunity to play a home game and take advantage of the great fans that we have.”
(On the struggles on third down)
“On both sides of the ball, we’ve played some good quarterbacks on the defensive side. Offensive side, we’ve had an unusually large number of third and longs. Third-and-10s, plus they’re typically hard to convert. If we can get them down into manageable, then we’ll have better opportunities with more success.”
(On if he is familiar with Jacksonville’s personnel from when he was the head coach in Tennessee)
“There’s been significant turnover there on the roster. It’s a completely different team.”
(On if he thinks he is still disliked in Jacksonville)
“I’m quite sure that I am, yes. But, I think this one’s here, isn’t it?”
Rams QB Sam Bradford – Post-Practice – October 2, 2013
(On the challenges Jacksonville presents)
“I think the biggest thing, you look at them the past couple weeks and they’ve given up some points, but at the same time each game they’ve been able to put a significant amount of pressure on the quarterback with their pass rush. They’re struggling right now a little bit in the run game. They’ve given up some yards rushing the ball, but, I think, hopefully this week we can the running game going and kind of spark that.”
(On how they plan to get the running game going)
“If you know, we’re looking for answers, so we’d love to have it. I think the biggest thing is we’ve got to keep trying to rush the ball. More rushing attempts, just getting those guys comfortable running the ball. Positive runs, we’ve got to avoid negative runs because when we rush the ball for negative yards and put ourselves in second-and-long, it’s really hard to keep coming back to those runs. So, I think the biggest thing is starting fast, starting with positive runs and just keep pounding it.”
(On RB Zac Stacy)
“I think Zac’s done a really good job since he’s been here, just trying to understand the offense, understand the blocking schemes, his protection assignments. He’s a very talented runner. You look at what he was able to do in college. I think…did he lead the SEC or was close to it? Behind a not great offensive line. He’s a powerful guy. He’s got great vision. He’s able to see things. He makes cuts in the hole that are quick and decisive, so I’m excited to see him out there.”
(On reminding WR Tavon Austin that his time will come to shine)
“I think positive reinforcement goes a long way with anyone, especially those young guys. Obviously, Tavon is an extremely talented player. He’s a really good football player. He’s being asked to do some things right now that he’s probably not used to. In West Virginia, everything ran through him. He probably never left a game without eight to 10 touches. So, this is a little bit different for him, but we’ve got to keep him going because there are things that he does really well and he’s going to help us.”
(On if the running backs are picking up their assignments or if there has been bumps)
“With anyone, I don’t care how veteran or how young you are, I think there’s always going to be some bumps in the road. I think from myself and even some of the veteran guys, there’s been mistakes made, things that need to get corrected if we’re going to play to our potential and become the football team that we know we can be. I think there’s a lot to learn from these first four weeks. It wasn’t all bad. We did a lot of good things as well. So, hopefully we can get the things that needed to be corrected, corrected and build on the things that we’ve done well.”
(On if the short break was good for the team)
“Absolutely. No doubt. I think, obviously, the past two weeks haven’t gone nearly as planned or as anyone expected. Very frustrating for everyone in this locker room. So, when you have things like that happen, I think it is nice to get a break and for everyone to get out of the building, clear their minds and come back with a fresh start, fresh attitude and ready to take the second quarter of the season on.”
(On if he was frustrated after the game against the 49ers)
“I was very frustrated. I think last week was definitely one of the tougher games that I’ve had just knowing how good this offense can be and the way that we can play, to perform the way that we did, it was very frustrating.”
(On if Week 5 is a must-win game)
“Absolutely. There’s no doubt that I think this is a must-win for both teams. We know that they’re going to come in here and give us their best shot. We’re going to be prepared for that. At the same time, it’s a must-win for us. We’ve got to get things back on track. We’ve got to get rolling and this is the week that starts all of that.”
(On the team’s struggles on third down)
“There’s been a lot of mistakes made in a variety of different areas. To convert third downs, it takes 11 guys doing the right thing. We haven’t had that all the time. I think the biggest thing is keeping ourselves third-and-short, third-and-manageable. A lot of those third downs last week in the second half…third-and-eight to 10 – everyone in the building knows what’s coming. We’re making it tough on ourselves.”
(On if the players are still learning how to be a team)
“I think so. I think any group, especially a group as young as we are, and guys who haven’t been in this locker room or haven’t been in this offense, there’s always things that you can learn about each other, about how to play together and about how to become a team. I think we’re definitely united in this locker room. We’re together and we’re growing closer each week.”
(On if he sees similarities between Jacksonville’s defense this year and Seattle’s defense last year)
“Absolutely. I mean, you look at the defense and it’s very, very similar to what they do in Seattle. There’s a few wrinkles that are slightly different, but for the most part, it’s pretty spot on with what we’ve seen from Seattle the past couple years.”
(On if he enjoyed the Oklahoma game this past weekend)
“It was good. It was fun to watch. It was a great win for the Sooners. To be at home and sitting on the couch watching them, it was a pretty fun Saturday.”
(On who the starting running back will be this week against the Jaguars)
“I haven’t decided yet. Probably play most, if not all, the running backs that are active. Depends on what package we’re in when we start the game.”
(On what he’s seen in RB Isaiah Pead this week in practice)
“We’ve just had one day of practice and all the backs got to participate in practice. We’ve got different things. They’re different style runners and we’ve got different things for different backs.”
(On if he has a social media policy for the players in reference to RB Daryl Richardson’s recent tweet)
“Yes, we do. That was just brought to my attention. I was surprised about that. We haven’t gone one direction or the other right now.”
(On if he is upset with Richardson for tweeting about his status in this week’s game)
“I’ll discuss it. I don’t think he meant it…He’s coming off some injuries and he just needs to be more thoughtful about his responses. Really not going to affect the outcome of the game.”
(On WR Austin Pettis’ progression over the first four weeks of the season)
“He’s coming along. He’s got a good feel for what we’re doing. We’ve been talking about emphasizing the running game and that’s what we’re going to continue to do that. But as far as Austin’s been concerned, he’s making plays and moving sticks for us.”
(On what he’s seen out of the Jaguars)
“They’re a young team. They’re starting two rookie safeties. They’re fighting and scratching and clawing and playing until the end. Their run game’s coming on. (RB) Maurice (Jones-Drew), he is a good football player. I’ve seen him a number of times over the years and he’s hard to get down. They’re getting back to basics. Quarterback’s got five interceptions and they’ve all been tipped. That’s a familiar territory for us. He keeps drives alive with his legs. Their defense, it’s Seattle’s defense, we’ve got a feel for them. They’re very aggressive. They play hard and they’ve got outstanding special teams. Yeah, they’ve been outscored and they’re giving up points, but they’re a team that’s going to improve. Coach (Gus Bradley) is a good football coach and he’ll eventually have this group as a contender.”
(On what Jaguars WR Justin Blackmon brings to the game)
“He’s very explosive, runs very well. Runs good routes, breaks tackles. In his situation, he’s been there working out. He’s been studying, so I’m sure he’s going to be ready to play.”
(On the offensive line specifically its run blocking)
“Well again, we haven’t had the carries, so it’s hard to evaluate. We hope over the next few weeks we’ll be able to evaluate them better, but we just haven’t had the carries. Our intention, as their intention is, is to run the football. You’ve got to do that to stay in ball games.”
(On if it’s hard to get in rhythm offensively without running the ball)
“Yes. We’ve been talking about that. When you attempted 50 passes a game and 14, 15 runs a game it’s hard to get in a rhythm. We’re hoping to get that behind us.”
(On how QB Sam Bradford has played through the first four games)
“Again, I think he’d be more productive had we been able to keep games close and run the football. But, he’s making good decisions. Unfortunately, he’s been hit the last two weeks by two pretty good defenses. We’re going to continue to keep him upright. But, he’s making good decisions and he’s doing the best he can. As a team, we can all help him by creating field position, by getting turnovers, and by running the football and stopping the run.”
(On if he needs the fans loud and excited inside the Edward Jones Dome)
“We’re hoping for home field advantage. We’re hoping to take advantage of that, absolutely. We understand the frustration, especially over the last two weeks and especially Thursday night. But, we look at this as another opportunity to play a home game and take advantage of the great fans that we have.”
(On the struggles on third down)
“On both sides of the ball, we’ve played some good quarterbacks on the defensive side. Offensive side, we’ve had an unusually large number of third and longs. Third-and-10s, plus they’re typically hard to convert. If we can get them down into manageable, then we’ll have better opportunities with more success.”
(On if he is familiar with Jacksonville’s personnel from when he was the head coach in Tennessee)
“There’s been significant turnover there on the roster. It’s a completely different team.”
(On if he thinks he is still disliked in Jacksonville)
“I’m quite sure that I am, yes. But, I think this one’s here, isn’t it?”
Rams QB Sam Bradford – Post-Practice – October 2, 2013
(On the challenges Jacksonville presents)
“I think the biggest thing, you look at them the past couple weeks and they’ve given up some points, but at the same time each game they’ve been able to put a significant amount of pressure on the quarterback with their pass rush. They’re struggling right now a little bit in the run game. They’ve given up some yards rushing the ball, but, I think, hopefully this week we can the running game going and kind of spark that.”
(On how they plan to get the running game going)
“If you know, we’re looking for answers, so we’d love to have it. I think the biggest thing is we’ve got to keep trying to rush the ball. More rushing attempts, just getting those guys comfortable running the ball. Positive runs, we’ve got to avoid negative runs because when we rush the ball for negative yards and put ourselves in second-and-long, it’s really hard to keep coming back to those runs. So, I think the biggest thing is starting fast, starting with positive runs and just keep pounding it.”
(On RB Zac Stacy)
“I think Zac’s done a really good job since he’s been here, just trying to understand the offense, understand the blocking schemes, his protection assignments. He’s a very talented runner. You look at what he was able to do in college. I think…did he lead the SEC or was close to it? Behind a not great offensive line. He’s a powerful guy. He’s got great vision. He’s able to see things. He makes cuts in the hole that are quick and decisive, so I’m excited to see him out there.”
(On reminding WR Tavon Austin that his time will come to shine)
“I think positive reinforcement goes a long way with anyone, especially those young guys. Obviously, Tavon is an extremely talented player. He’s a really good football player. He’s being asked to do some things right now that he’s probably not used to. In West Virginia, everything ran through him. He probably never left a game without eight to 10 touches. So, this is a little bit different for him, but we’ve got to keep him going because there are things that he does really well and he’s going to help us.”
(On if the running backs are picking up their assignments or if there has been bumps)
“With anyone, I don’t care how veteran or how young you are, I think there’s always going to be some bumps in the road. I think from myself and even some of the veteran guys, there’s been mistakes made, things that need to get corrected if we’re going to play to our potential and become the football team that we know we can be. I think there’s a lot to learn from these first four weeks. It wasn’t all bad. We did a lot of good things as well. So, hopefully we can get the things that needed to be corrected, corrected and build on the things that we’ve done well.”
(On if the short break was good for the team)
“Absolutely. No doubt. I think, obviously, the past two weeks haven’t gone nearly as planned or as anyone expected. Very frustrating for everyone in this locker room. So, when you have things like that happen, I think it is nice to get a break and for everyone to get out of the building, clear their minds and come back with a fresh start, fresh attitude and ready to take the second quarter of the season on.”
(On if he was frustrated after the game against the 49ers)
“I was very frustrated. I think last week was definitely one of the tougher games that I’ve had just knowing how good this offense can be and the way that we can play, to perform the way that we did, it was very frustrating.”
(On if Week 5 is a must-win game)
“Absolutely. There’s no doubt that I think this is a must-win for both teams. We know that they’re going to come in here and give us their best shot. We’re going to be prepared for that. At the same time, it’s a must-win for us. We’ve got to get things back on track. We’ve got to get rolling and this is the week that starts all of that.”
(On the team’s struggles on third down)
“There’s been a lot of mistakes made in a variety of different areas. To convert third downs, it takes 11 guys doing the right thing. We haven’t had that all the time. I think the biggest thing is keeping ourselves third-and-short, third-and-manageable. A lot of those third downs last week in the second half…third-and-eight to 10 – everyone in the building knows what’s coming. We’re making it tough on ourselves.”
(On if the players are still learning how to be a team)
“I think so. I think any group, especially a group as young as we are, and guys who haven’t been in this locker room or haven’t been in this offense, there’s always things that you can learn about each other, about how to play together and about how to become a team. I think we’re definitely united in this locker room. We’re together and we’re growing closer each week.”
(On if he sees similarities between Jacksonville’s defense this year and Seattle’s defense last year)
“Absolutely. I mean, you look at the defense and it’s very, very similar to what they do in Seattle. There’s a few wrinkles that are slightly different, but for the most part, it’s pretty spot on with what we’ve seen from Seattle the past couple years.”
(On if he enjoyed the Oklahoma game this past weekend)
“It was good. It was fun to watch. It was a great win for the Sooners. To be at home and sitting on the couch watching them, it was a pretty fun Saturday.”
