TRANSCRIPT: Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher, 9-24-12
Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – News Conference – September 24, 2012
(Opening statements)
“As I reported yesterday after the ball game, we really didn’t have any injuries, per se. That’s also the case. We didn’t have anything trickle in here this morning, so we ended up in pretty good shape. We do have a chance to get (DT) Michael Brockers on the practice field. He had a good workout yesterday prior to the game, so we’ll keep you abreast of that. It would be great to get him back.
As far as the game’s concerned, I think you tend to take a different perspective after you’ve been able to sit there and look at the three phases in detail with the staff. The bottom line is I guess we can make a case our defense played a pretty good ball game, specifically in the second half. Special teams – I think we kind of broke even with a really talented group. We didn’t have any big plays per se, but we hung in there. We need to punt the ball and kick the ball off a little bit better than we did, especially when you’re facing a dynamic returner like (WR Devin) Hester. But I thought, for the most part, both the young guys did a fairly decent job. Obviously, our difficulty was on the offensive side of the ball. It ends up as a staff, you just point to little things that are all correctable. We didn’t play as well as I think we’re capable. We had a lot of little mistakes that cost us here and there, and we, as well as the players, are encouraged about where we’re going. As long as we continue to improve, we should be OK.”
(On the offensive line)
“We’re going to continue to work with them. As I said yesterday, we’re going to have another week to work together. We’ll continue to do the same things that we’ve been doing with these guys. You coach them up, you put them in positions where you think they can be successful, and then you’ve got to adjust. We did make some adjustments at times yesterday that we thought were the correct ones, but that’s a very talented defense. At times, we were just put in positions where we were just outmatched up front.”
(On if QB Sam Bradford could have gotten rid of the ball earlier at times)
“That’s always the case. There’s always those things, but you don’t put blame on anybody. Sam’s trying to make a play. Wait for somebody to clear, try to take an opportunity to buy an extra split second to make a play.”
(On if the Cover 2 defense forces offensive plays to take longer to develop)
“Yeah, it’s clearly the case. Our difficulties were, for the most part, on third down. When you have too many third-and-seven-pluses, you’re not productive on first down or second down, so you’re third-and-seven, so in order to get the sticks, you’ve got to hold it. That’s what that defense is all about. They do a great job with pressure and a great job relating to the different route concepts.”
(On their third down offense)
“Yeah, we got stopped short on a run play that we thought - we had in the plan - it was going to work and it didn’t work. Credit the defense. You’ve got to convert third downs and same thing on defense: you’ve got to get off the field on third downs. Basically, our problem yesterday was too many third downs and then not being able to convert them.”
(On if RB Steven Jackson will be healthier next game)
“I would think he would benefit from the week, yes.”
(On the percentage of Jackson’s health)
“He was good enough to play yesterday. I wouldn’t put a percentage on him.”
(On if the way the offense played against Washington is what they will play like in the future)
“Yeah, the second half of the Detroit game, fourth quarter of the Detroit game, Washington, and at times, we saw some things. We had some chances. Against a team like this… (WR Brandon Gibson) Gib’s got to make that catch down there on the five yard line. Those kinds of things. We need to make those plays. We just didn’t have a lot of opportunities to make the plays.”
(On Chicago being a team that makes few mistakes)
“That’s the way they play. There was a time, and I think our players would agree, they all felt like we may have a chance to win this, 12-10, but it didn’t happen that way. We had two drives, then we’re off the field. Both instances we probably would’ve had the ball. One of them we did have the ball on the 20-yard line. It was a touchback and we were called for the penalty for roughing the kicker. It actually was running into the kicker – it’s not roughing. And running into the kicker is five yards, not 15 and for an automatic first down, so that was one that was hard for us to overcome. They scored a touchdown on that drive.”
(On if the penalty should have been running into the kicker instead of roughing the kicker)
“Running into the kicker, yes.”
(On if the call was unnecessary roughness)
“It was unnecessary roughness, yes. It was roughing the kicker. Yes, that’s what was called.”
(On S Darian Stewart’s penalty)
“‘Stew’ did a good job adjusting in the defense and adding, as we call it, on the play. Yes, there was some contact. There was helmet-to-helmet contact. It wasn’t extreme, but they’re going to protect the quarterbacks, for the most part.”
(On if Stewart’s penalty is one that sometimes get called and sometimes does not)
“Yes, sometimes. Exactly.”
(On if he’s happy that the officials are back at the negotiating table)
“I’m hopeful, as everybody is, that we can get this resolved. These guys are doing the absolute best they can. It’s a very, very difficult task to do what they’ve been asked to do.”
(On if the delays bother him when the referees are determining calls)
“As long as they get it right, they can take as much time as they want.”
(On what he liked defensively)
“Well, what I didn’t like was the explosive runs early in the game, but we made the adjustments. I think if you take (Bears QB) Jay’s (Cutler) scramble, I think, they had seven carries for 11 yards in the second half, so we made some good adjustments. We got some pressure on him. We felt like we needed to get pressure on him. We need turnovers. We have yet to force a fumble on this football team and we need to start, not that we’re not trying, but the ball has not come out. Those types of situations, whenever we get a couple balls on the ground, those types of situations can help you.”
(On how difficult it is to play two games over 10 days)
“It’s not easy, but we’ll certainly deal with it. We’ve already addressed it. The players have a good sense for what’s ahead. They’ve been given the schedule in advance and they know how we’re going to go about approaching it. So, when they come back to work, when the coaches come back to work Sunday after the ballgame, it’s Wednesday. When the players come back to work on Monday, it’s already Thursday, so they’ve got to get a lot of work done.”
(On if there were times in the game that QB Sam Bradford threw the ball when a running play was called)
“There were probably a few situations, yes, and that’s very common around the league now.”
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Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – News Conference – September 24, 2012
(Opening statements)
“As I reported yesterday after the ball game, we really didn’t have any injuries, per se. That’s also the case. We didn’t have anything trickle in here this morning, so we ended up in pretty good shape. We do have a chance to get (DT) Michael Brockers on the practice field. He had a good workout yesterday prior to the game, so we’ll keep you abreast of that. It would be great to get him back.
As far as the game’s concerned, I think you tend to take a different perspective after you’ve been able to sit there and look at the three phases in detail with the staff. The bottom line is I guess we can make a case our defense played a pretty good ball game, specifically in the second half. Special teams – I think we kind of broke even with a really talented group. We didn’t have any big plays per se, but we hung in there. We need to punt the ball and kick the ball off a little bit better than we did, especially when you’re facing a dynamic returner like (WR Devin) Hester. But I thought, for the most part, both the young guys did a fairly decent job. Obviously, our difficulty was on the offensive side of the ball. It ends up as a staff, you just point to little things that are all correctable. We didn’t play as well as I think we’re capable. We had a lot of little mistakes that cost us here and there, and we, as well as the players, are encouraged about where we’re going. As long as we continue to improve, we should be OK.”
(On the offensive line)
“We’re going to continue to work with them. As I said yesterday, we’re going to have another week to work together. We’ll continue to do the same things that we’ve been doing with these guys. You coach them up, you put them in positions where you think they can be successful, and then you’ve got to adjust. We did make some adjustments at times yesterday that we thought were the correct ones, but that’s a very talented defense. At times, we were just put in positions where we were just outmatched up front.”
(On if QB Sam Bradford could have gotten rid of the ball earlier at times)
“That’s always the case. There’s always those things, but you don’t put blame on anybody. Sam’s trying to make a play. Wait for somebody to clear, try to take an opportunity to buy an extra split second to make a play.”
(On if the Cover 2 defense forces offensive plays to take longer to develop)
“Yeah, it’s clearly the case. Our difficulties were, for the most part, on third down. When you have too many third-and-seven-pluses, you’re not productive on first down or second down, so you’re third-and-seven, so in order to get the sticks, you’ve got to hold it. That’s what that defense is all about. They do a great job with pressure and a great job relating to the different route concepts.”
(On their third down offense)
“Yeah, we got stopped short on a run play that we thought - we had in the plan - it was going to work and it didn’t work. Credit the defense. You’ve got to convert third downs and same thing on defense: you’ve got to get off the field on third downs. Basically, our problem yesterday was too many third downs and then not being able to convert them.”
(On if RB Steven Jackson will be healthier next game)
“I would think he would benefit from the week, yes.”
(On the percentage of Jackson’s health)
“He was good enough to play yesterday. I wouldn’t put a percentage on him.”
(On if the way the offense played against Washington is what they will play like in the future)
“Yeah, the second half of the Detroit game, fourth quarter of the Detroit game, Washington, and at times, we saw some things. We had some chances. Against a team like this… (WR Brandon Gibson) Gib’s got to make that catch down there on the five yard line. Those kinds of things. We need to make those plays. We just didn’t have a lot of opportunities to make the plays.”
(On Chicago being a team that makes few mistakes)
“That’s the way they play. There was a time, and I think our players would agree, they all felt like we may have a chance to win this, 12-10, but it didn’t happen that way. We had two drives, then we’re off the field. Both instances we probably would’ve had the ball. One of them we did have the ball on the 20-yard line. It was a touchback and we were called for the penalty for roughing the kicker. It actually was running into the kicker – it’s not roughing. And running into the kicker is five yards, not 15 and for an automatic first down, so that was one that was hard for us to overcome. They scored a touchdown on that drive.”
(On if the penalty should have been running into the kicker instead of roughing the kicker)
“Running into the kicker, yes.”
(On if the call was unnecessary roughness)
“It was unnecessary roughness, yes. It was roughing the kicker. Yes, that’s what was called.”
(On S Darian Stewart’s penalty)
“‘Stew’ did a good job adjusting in the defense and adding, as we call it, on the play. Yes, there was some contact. There was helmet-to-helmet contact. It wasn’t extreme, but they’re going to protect the quarterbacks, for the most part.”
(On if Stewart’s penalty is one that sometimes get called and sometimes does not)
“Yes, sometimes. Exactly.”
(On if he’s happy that the officials are back at the negotiating table)
“I’m hopeful, as everybody is, that we can get this resolved. These guys are doing the absolute best they can. It’s a very, very difficult task to do what they’ve been asked to do.”
(On if the delays bother him when the referees are determining calls)
“As long as they get it right, they can take as much time as they want.”
(On what he liked defensively)
“Well, what I didn’t like was the explosive runs early in the game, but we made the adjustments. I think if you take (Bears QB) Jay’s (Cutler) scramble, I think, they had seven carries for 11 yards in the second half, so we made some good adjustments. We got some pressure on him. We felt like we needed to get pressure on him. We need turnovers. We have yet to force a fumble on this football team and we need to start, not that we’re not trying, but the ball has not come out. Those types of situations, whenever we get a couple balls on the ground, those types of situations can help you.”
(On how difficult it is to play two games over 10 days)
“It’s not easy, but we’ll certainly deal with it. We’ve already addressed it. The players have a good sense for what’s ahead. They’ve been given the schedule in advance and they know how we’re going to go about approaching it. So, when they come back to work, when the coaches come back to work Sunday after the ballgame, it’s Wednesday. When the players come back to work on Monday, it’s already Thursday, so they’ve got to get a lot of work done.”
(On if there were times in the game that QB Sam Bradford threw the ball when a running play was called)
“There were probably a few situations, yes, and that’s very common around the league now.”
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