Buffalo Bills Quarterback Tyrod Taylor

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Q: Tyrod, you mentioned the offensive points, the struggles to move the ball down the field, mostly on Sunday after going back and watching the film.

A: Yeah, like I said, my initial feeling after the game and after watching film, was just a lack of execution on my behalf on some [and] as a whole on the offense, but just some plays we left out there that we would definitely like to have back. You’ve got to move forward, learn from it and continue to keep moving forward.

Q: Did Carolina do anything specifically different on defense? It looked like they were taking away some cut-back lanes and things like that. Anything you guy’s kind of didn’t anticipate them doing?

A: No, some of the stuff they showed on film, most of the stuff they showed on film, definitely played true in the game. We knew there was a flash flow linebacker core. We weren’t able to get our lines going like we would like to. [We’ve] just got to continue be consistent in that and eventually [LeSean McCoy] and the other backs, [Mike] Tolbert, whoever’s back there, will make something happen.

Q: What are some of the things that maybe you could do to get the running game going? And how much input are you offering on, perhaps, to the coaches on ‘okay, maybe consider this’ because you know what this running game has looked like these past two years, and some of those shot gun plays where Shady lined up next to you in the back field, those sorts of things? Have you suggested any of that or what are your general thoughts about that?

A: We’ve talked as a group, offensive lineman, the veteran guys up front, Shady, as well as the coaches just about what we feel comfortable with and running. I think we’ve done a good job. Like I said, last week it just was a game that we didn’t get the running game going. That’s not going to be the case every week, but more importantly we have to be able to go out there and execute multiple looks, and I think that that’s what makes our running game unique is that we don’t need a certain look just to run certain plays. We’ve got to be able to execute.

Q: Is this scheme, this sort of winds-down, stretching type thing that Rick [Dennison] wants to do, does it change you at all? Is your role the same regardless of, you know, put the ball in the belly and move, or are you mindful of some different things with this scheme?

A: It’s the same, the one thing that I have to do is carry out fakes just in what they’re doing on the back side and relaying that communication to him as far as keepers and stuff. For the most part, it’s the same to me.

Q: What concern do you have that what Carolina did to you in stopping the run might be a blueprint for, say, a team that has a stout defense like Denver and other teams you might face down the road?

A: I wouldn’t say it’s anything concerning, because after watching film there were still some things we could’ve done better to block certain looks, whether that’s just getting beat [in] one-on-ones up front. Some things happen in the running game that you can’t control. There were still some looks that we could’ve blocked so I don’t think that they set the blueprint. Like I said, we have a very strong running game and it’s been proven over the years, and even this year within the first game, so we just have to continue to keep doing what we do well and we’ll do that.

Q: Do you have to stretch the field a little bit more with the wide-outs because the feeling is that they didn’t fear separation by your receivers and that’s why [they’re crowding in the box]. It’s going to happen in the future, isn’t it, if you can’t get that kind of stuff figured out?

A: Definitely, we’re going to have to pick and choose when we take our shots down field and be able to just have that threat of going down field. We have the players on this team, Kaelin [Clay] and Brandon Tate, some of the more quicker guys that can run down the field, as well as Zay [Jones], Andre [Holmes], those guys can stretch the field. We have to be selective when on we call those plays down the field.

Q: Tyrod, I think you said the first game, you said there was one designed run that was in the 4th quarter late, I don’t know about last week. The question is, to help get the running game going, maybe they should look to you, maybe get a few designed runs a couple more hoops, maybe show a different look?

A: Always having those QB runs, run-pass options in the game plan, definitely gives the defense more to prepare about, and once they see it once or twice on a Sunday game, it definitely gives them more to think about, as far as having those hands closed and having backers run chasing Shady. Definitely those looks confuse the defense and keeps them honest as well, so we’ll definitely mix that in as the year progresses.

Q: Tyrod, do you feel there’s enough of a similarity in terms of your guys’ offensive philosophy and that of Dallas that Denver’s tape last week would be very good study tape for you, maybe even more than usual?

A: Yes, I mean, Dallas does a lot of similar concepts. They’re in empty (spread) a lot more than most teams, but a lot more than us. There’s other films throughout the preseason that they played, just even having [Rick Dennison] being with them in the last couple years, going against that defense, just giving us insight on what he feels that we can attack certain areas definitely helps us in our preparation this week.

Q: Tyrod, after your time with the Ravens, how close were you to signing with the Broncos given that their offer was reportedly more lucrative than the Bills’ [offer]?

A: It never got to the point where I was that close. I never took a visit out there. Me and Coach [Gary] Kubiak were very close in our relationship with the year that I spent with him in Baltimore. Ultimately, it came down to a decision that I wanted the opportunity to get a chance to compete and at the time, Peyton [Manning] was there. Here, it was a three-way battle for a chance to start and I wanted to play at that time in my career so I wanted to get here and compete and everything worked out well.

Q: From your perspective, how challenging has it been for your wide receivers to win one-on-one battles?

A: That’s a battle each and every week. You face good corners each and every week. There’s going to be one-on-one battles that we have to win. I have confidence in all the guys that line up at wide receiver for us and we’re going to make those one-on-one battles work in our favor.

Q: Is chemistry still an issue? This is a new receiving corps and you missed that time with a concussion so is chemistry and getting to know these guys with familiarity maybe still a bit of an issue for you?

A: It’s a work in progress. I mean, you’re not going to learn guys within two weeks or three weeks. Sometimes, it takes a full season. But, we’re doing our best to get on the same page day in and day out. Staying back after practice, talking over film, just trying to get on the same page and making sure we’re seeing the same thing. But it’s not going to be something that happens overnight. It’s over time and like I said, we’re working hard. That’s for sure; to get on the same page.

Q: Do you think the linemen are still learning the scheme too?

A: The linemen, they’re definitely learning it. Some stuff was similar, but those guys, no one works harder than those guys on a daily basis. Coach Juan [Castillo] has those guys doing all types of drills throughout the day and you can see the effort that’s being put in and the work that’s been put in and things will pay off. Like I said, those guys have been playing well and [we’ve] just got to continue to keep pressing forward.

Q: How much freedom do you have to audible at the line of scrimmage?

A: We’re getting to that. That’s something, like I said, as you progress in the offense, as I progress in my relationship with [Rick Dennison], the comfort level in him allowing me to do that [increases]. In certain packages, we definitely have plays where I can audible, but that’s not a free-range thing every play.

Q: Is it getting to it, so you’ll be able to do it more in the future, you think?

A: Yeah. Like I said, I just think as you build a relationship with Coach [Dennison] and in this offense, just certain looks that you talk about on the field. I think as a receiver corps, as an offense, we’re not to the point where we are audibling yet.

Q: Earlier this week, Sean McDermott kind of conceded that maybe the offense is a little bit too dependent on the running game. Do you think that’s true?

A: No. Our offense is built around our running game and that allows us to go deep and we’ve got to continue to keep our identity the same.

Q: After watching what the Broncos defense did to the Cowboys on Sunday, how impressed are you with what they’re able to do and in particular, on the back end of their defense with their defensive backs?

A: Yeah. Talented group. As far as the back end, a very confident group of guys that have been playing together for a while now. Some talented guys as well, too. I think the only new guy is the safety, but he had some reps last year so it’s a very confident group. Guys that have great ball skills and it’s going to be a challenge for us this weekend.

Q: It looks like even more of a challenge than what the Panthers were able to bring. That defensive backfield is going to be tough for the wideouts to get open, right?

A: It’s going to be one-on-one’s across the board. That’s what we have to focus [on] as far as our execution. Going out there and the game plan this week and going out there and winning those battles.

RB LeSean McCoy

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Q: Last Monday on the radio Eric Wood said you are very hard on yourself when things are not going right. How frustrating is it when you are going through a situation like last week, how hard you are on yourself, on the team, and things like that, just from a personal stand point?

A:  I just try to think, when I watch the tape, it is never as bad as you thought but it’s never as good as you thought either. I just felt there were some plays I could have made. You watch the tape and maybe it is not as many as you thought but just knowing myself, everybody has to be honest to their self when they watch the tape. You have to know your game. The problem with this league is a lot of players don’t take accountability and I do. I will get it right this week. I’ll watch the tape and get the game play right. They are a good defense, they really are but we have playmakers also. We just have to stay true to our game and no matter if they are stopping us at times or we may get down, but we have to keep at it.

Q: What are the challenges this offensive line, you are dealing with as far as learning a new blocking scheme and this whole wide zone thing, it is different. What are your observations? I know it worked really well the first game but obviously last week it looked like it was tough.

A: They made plays. They made plays last week and we didn’t. Simple as that. It is a different scheme but I do not think it makes that big a difference. We have been doing this since camp and we know what to do, what not to do. That might be a poor excuse saying just last week for the offense, because we know the offense. It is about going out there and executing, putting ourselves in better positions. 

Q: Does it change anything for you?

A: Not really, the reads are the same, still the same keys. It doesn’t change much for me.

Q: You were the team that had Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods last year, one of the better NFL receivers. Are you noticing the first two games, that teams are playing you different because your receiving core is vastly different this year?

A: Last year if you looked at all the rushing teams, we were always in the top two as far as seeing the most eight man boxes. We are going to get a lot of touch on the running game, it doesn’t matter who is on the outsides. You run the ball well. We have run the ball well for the last couple of years. I think any defense that is coming here, the main goal is to stop the run. But we have enough guys on the outside to make plays. I think we get it done. Just a matter of doing it.

Q: What is it like after a 9-3 loss watching your defense keep it close and as an offensive star, see the game is right there and the unit still not being able to click. What is it like walking out of that game?

A: Well it is frustrating, for sure. A close game, all you need is a touchdown, and there was definitely times we moved the ball, especially in the 2nd half and didn’t get any points from it. That is also tough. And then also, your guys on the field, the defense playing hard, tired, on the field for long periods of time. That is also frustrating but the only thing you can do is get better. Watch the tape and learn from it, make the corrections and move on.

Q: As frustrating as it is, as frustrated as you were after last weeks game, would you relish the challenge of going up against a top notch defense that you saw what it did to Ezekiel Elliott last week?

A: Yeah, I think when you look at the numbers, the rushing totals, and you look at what Ezekiel did. It is very, you have to watch the tape, see the possession, see how the TI game went. Dallas kind of got down early. They started to throw the ball more. They got stopped a couple of times with Ezekiel and they kind of went away from it. Every game is different, who knows if you the guy that scores closer and he had maybe something like 22 carries. All it takes is a run or two to bust but they are a good defense, they really are. You can’t take anything from that group, they play well together. They even added some pieces to make them better and all the things that you already know about. They play well, they cover well, and when you have guys that can cover, you can add more guys in the box. That is how it works but every game in the NFL is a challenge. It really is. Myself, my teammates, we look forward to going against them. I really do.

Q: You were given a rest day today, how much of that is related to getting your wrist right, and your groin right as well?

A: That’s what the rest day is for, the maintenance part of it, to keep me fresh. It’s a long season. That’s the coach’s decision, [Sean McDermott]’s the boss, I won’t argue that.

Q: If you didn’t have those injuries, would you anticipate being on the field then, or would you be participating in practice today?

A: I think I’d still get the day off just to keep my legs fresh. We talked about it, I wanted to go out there and run around a little bit, but that’s why he’s the head man, he makes the right calls. I’m going to follow him. Let’s get our guys healthy for this week, it’s a big game for us. We need to come back and rebound, bounce back from the loss last weekend, and [have] the offense kind of get it together.

Q: There’s been some clamoring that Tyrod [Taylor] should not be back there, what is your approach on that, and how much confidence do you have in Tyrod?

A: I haven’t heard that yet. I guess he gets blamed for everything, but I don’t think so. Tyrod’s a hell of a player, he makes plays, and without him we would have had no shot last week. He made some plays, things weren’t blocked well and he got out of it. Certain plays, I didn’t help him out. The whole week stressing Shady, on certain plays get to the outside and I tried to cut back inside. You guys don’t see that, and a lot of people don’t see those types of things, but he’ll get blamed for it. I haven’t heard that yet, but I’m sure that would start up, [I mean] you just mentioned it. I have a lot of confidence in Tyrod and the guys on the team, and the offense does too.

Q: There was a report right before the season started that you were getting some additional incentives into your contract, did any of that have to do with the anticipation that you were going to carry a lot of this load as a runner, as a receiver, and just wanted to have that extra financial backstop?

A: I just want the loot baby. It just happened, it wasn’t like that, it just happened. It had nothing to do with the extra loot. We didn’t know that the whole thing with Sammy was going on, we didn’t know any of that, it just happened.

Q: It sounds like they thought you might need more incentives later in the year, and things like that?

A: I guess, it’s my home here, so I’m just trying to be here for some time. Win some games, I have some things to chase and strive for along the way.

Q: From your perspective, is there too much emphasis put on facing an 8-man box you faced it in high school and college, and your entire NFL career, is it just another 8-man box for you, is that the way you look at it?

A: That’s the way I look at it. In this league, you have to deal with it, too much complaining, too many excuses, you have to deal with it. I would love to go small-box, and guys are off, every back would. Just have to play, have to get it done. Guys up front, they look forward to doing it, and going against an 8-man box. Ezekiel Elliott, he had a great year last year and he went against 8-man boxes, so it is what it is. You have to take care of the guys up front, make a guy miss. The good thing about big boxes is making a guy miss, there is nobody back there.

Buffalo Bills WR Zay Jones

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Q: Where do you think some of the struggles came from, particularly in the passing game for you guys?

A: Poor execution on our part, we need to do better and we know that as an offense moving forward. Cleaning up a lot of things, like we said we are moving forward. We had a great practice today which is awesome. We’re just getting back into the rhythm of who we are, and we have a great game plan in.

Q: How do you feel you guys are doing individually on the one-on-one battles out there on the outside?

A: Getting better, each and every day. I feel like today was a great start, back, at working and preparing for what’s to come. I’m excited for this game plan and what we have ahead of us.

Q: How challenging though has it been on the outside, do you think that’s one of the factors as to why the passing game has struggled?

A: I think this past game we struggled as an offense. It’s not something, we just have to move forward.

Q: How long did you dwell [with] what happened on Sunday?

A: 24 hours. I think if I would have made a spectacular catch, the game-winning touchdown, I would have only dwelled on it for 24 hours. I think everyone’s seeing I’m back to myself and having fun again, I’m enjoying football again. It sucks at what happened, it happened, it’s over and I’m learning from it, I’m growing, I’m developing. I’m a rookie, but, no excuses, you have to keep moving forward.

LB Preston Brown

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Q: Trevor Siemian is kind of surprising people, what do you see from him on film?

A:  He is doing well. He leads in touchdown passes. He is doing a great job of getting the ball out of his hands quick, finding routes. They are doing great on the route concept. They have a great relationship with those two good receivers, the tight ends catching balls, as well. [Bennie Fowler III] caught two touchdowns passes. He has a concussion I believe, but they still find ways to get the ball to the receivers so he has been doing a good job.

Q: How frustrating is it to have a performance like you did on Sunday and it not lead to a win?

A: We have to be the best defense on the field each and every week. We weren’t that. Everyone says “oh we gave up nine points” but that is more than what our offense scored. We have to find ways to get less points, to find ways to shut them out. We could have had times to get turnovers and we didn’t, so we have to find a way to get offense the ball on the other side of the field.

Q: What kind of pressure though, when the offense plays like that, you have to be flawless defensively. How challenging is that to try to be perfect?

A: Yeah, it is fun. That is our objective each week, to go out there and get a shutout. With a defense like that and another defense coming in this week, we are going have to find ways to be perfect so we have to find ways to limit points that get in the red zone, not just settling for field goals. We have to find ways to get the ball back to our offense.

Q: The Broncos have a top five defense; most people know that around the country. You guys also are a top five defense. Do you guys take a little bit of pride in knowing that you are going to go up and the other side of the ball is going up against one of the better defenses in the NFL?

A: It is always great competing against other great defenses. You want to be in that realm so you can see that great defense coming in, back to back weeks basically. We have to find ways to be the better defense, and that hopefully will lead to a win. 

S Jordan Poyer

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Q: Are you surprised how quickly it’s come together? The secondary’s totally brand new, you’re running a scheme where it’s not a lot of one-on-ones, you need communication, and yet you guys seem to be clicking right off the bat.

A: I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, we work hard. Our secondary works hard each and every day, each and every week. We watch film together, we understand what each other’s thinking and we practice hard too, so I wouldn’t say I’m surprised. I just know that we’ve got to keep working and continue to keep getting better and continue to feed off of each other’s work ethic and I think we’ll be fine.

Q: Jordan, [do] you guys feel any pressure, knowing the offense isn’t fully in sync, and then you’re going, they’re going up against a defense like the Broncos, do you feel like maybe you have to play a perfect game out there to have a chance to win?

A: No, I don’t feel any extra pressure, any extra anything like that. We understand what we need to do on the defensive side of the ball in order for us to have a chance to win in the football game, and we need to take the ball away and we’ve got stop the run. We’re focused on that. We’re excited about another opportunity to play football. We know what we’ve got to do to win, so we’re not worried about anything else that happens but doing the one eleventh and we believe we’ll be fine.

Q: Trevor Siemian’s really kind of taken a lot of people by surprise the first few weeks, what have you seen from him this season?

A: He’s an efficient quarterback, he does things really well, he runs the offense, he manages the offense really well and I don’t believe that they ask him to do too many things. He’s got a lot of weapons on that side of the football, you can’t ignore the fact that a lot of those guys played in the Super Bowl a couple years ago. We know we’ve got a huge test ahead of us, we know what we’ve got to do on our side of the ball, so we’re going to continue to work, continue to keep doing that.

Q: What about you, and Micah [Hyde] and [Tre’Davious White] have made this defense in this secondary, this pass coverage, the best defense, work so well so quickly? What about you guys? You know, personality traits that made it work?

A: Like I said, we all just gel with each other. We all understand what the outside world expects out of our group. I think we take that personally, I think each day we come in here and we have that approach that we want to be the best. In order be, you have to work to be the best, so when we’re out there in practice, we work hard, and we all work well together. That’s a huge positive. Even little things like hanging out off the field. We all went over to Micah’s house the other day and just kind of hung out, watched some Monday Night games. Stuff like that carries over to the football field when it comes to crunch time and you look your teammate in the eye, you know he’s fighting for you and you’ve got to fight for him. It’s very positive in that sense.

Q: What did you think the outside world expected of you? I don’t think anyone knew what to expect of you for this team?

A: Yes, I do not know if any of you knew who any of us were. You hear a little bit of the noise but at the end of the day we know what we expect out of ourselves. We just use our play Sundays to speak for ourselves. We are a quiet group outside of the locker room, we all just kind of kick back and hang out with each other. It is a good relationship with the group of guys that we have.

WR Andre Holmes
Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Q: Tell us a bit about Denver’s defense, that you probably know well?
A: They’re physical, they’re good at coverage, athletic, it’s a good group we’re going [against]. They showed it last week, they showed it over the past two years, I think it’s basically been the same, same players each year. They know how to play with each other, they’re a good group.

Q: Is there a little more emphasis maybe on getting the passing game going, to try and open up things for LeSean [McCoy]?
A: You always want to get the passing [going], and you always want to get the run game going. We’re going to be a balanced group, and for our offense to be effective, we need to both of those things well. I know that’s kind of a cop-out answer, but that’s basically what it is, that’s football. We need the run game and the pass game to be working together in unison to be able to move the ball down the field.

Q: Coach [Sean] McDermott said he feels the receivers need to start winning one-on-one battles a little more so, do you guys feel that you haven’t been as good at that through the first two games as you’d like?
A: I think we’ve beat [players] in one-on-one battles and everything, it’s just [not at] opportune moments. But I guess we haven’t, we all have to get better, that’s just the bottom line. Having three points in a game, that’s not good enough. We definitely have to get better at beating one-on-one battles, and that’s what we’re trying to work on because we know we can do it. 

C Eric Wood
Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Q: What’s the level of learning curve of a new run-block scheme, the wide zone stuff. How intricate, how hard is it to adjust to, to learn?
A: You know you have different techniques and stuff, a lot of similar assignments that we’ve been used to in the past, nothing too extreme from that. It’s just some different landmarks, we’re working through some things; obviously we didn’t run the ball like we’d like to last game, but there’s no excuse. We’ve had plenty of time to go through, if anything, it should’ve showed up in week one, not necessarily in week two.

Q: When it came to last week, again, it seemed like a lot of those physical battles was against the Jets, a different opponent, different quality. Where does that leave you guys, as far as your mindset?
A: You know, we’ve got to win more one on ones, we’ve got to stay on the field. I think the biggest, one of the biggest takeaways for me was, a lot of our really effective runs on the Jets were a little later in the drive, that’s where we were getting a lot of those big chunk plays. When a team gets to keep going three plays then off the field and coming back fresh the next series, it’s tough to move the ball, especially on the ground. There’s no one to blame for that but ourselves, I’m not saying it’s not our fault. We need to sustain drives, and I think the run game will kind of take care of itself.

Q: Did the Broncos, I mean they look like they would present every bit as much of a challenge front wise as you saw last week, maybe more so.
A: Yea, little different front, they still kind of got Wade Phillips’ front with a lot of five guys at the line of scrimmage, last week was more four down. This one, a little smaller pass rushers, fast athletic guys. Von Miller’s made a name for himself in this league, that’s a guy we’ve got to know where he’s at and you really need to be on your technique with him.

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