 }})
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2009
- Messages
- 49,310
- Reaction score
- 7,207
- Points
- 2,244
- Location
- Greensboro, NC
- Military Branch
- Alma Mater
September 11, 2013
Redskins Park
Executive Vice President/Head Coach Mike Shanahan
On Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting his first several years in the league and if there was a generational shift at quarterback leading up to Robert Griffin III starting as a rookie:
“I spent a little time with Aaron when I was in Tahoe. Played a little golf with him, got a chance to know him a little bit and it was really a unique experience for him being behind somebody like [former Packers quarterback] Brett [Favre], waiting his turn. I thought he handled himself the way you would like your quarterback to handle themselves. He had a lot of class sitting back there, learning, getting a lot of mental reps, getting to feel very comfortable under the system, and when he did get a chance to play he took advantage of it.”
On if he thinks we will ever see a quarterback drafted that high sit for three years again:
“Probably not. I think when you get a guy like that, very seldom do you have a guy like Brett Favre in front of him.”
On status of safety Brandon Meriweather and if he will play Sunday:
“He practiced full today… If there’s no setback, yeah.”
On the difference in the defense with and without Meriweather:
“Hopefully it changes. He’s been a big playmaker in the limited time he has played over the last year. I think everybody knows what he’s done and hopefully he can keep playing at that level.”
On the amount of time the Eagles blitzed on Monday:
“I really don’t think they blitzed that much to be honest with you. We were kind of anticipating some of the things they did because they’ve done it in the past. Sometimes those blitzes are to help them stop the run, especially those inside zone blitzes and most defenses change it up pretty good.”
On how running back Alfred Morris bounced back from mistakes:
“It’s always tough anytime you have two turnovers. It’s always tough. We were a little bit off the whole game. Our running game wasn’t there. We weren’t very consistent, and like I said following the game, it only takes one player here, one player there, and all of the sudden you go eight drives and you’ve got four turnovers, and I think our longest drive was five plays. Not a very good outing, and at the end of it we have three touchdowns out of four drives and we probably should have had four, so you can’t stop yourself.”
On why it was important to give the ball to Morris after the mistakes:
“He knows we believe in him, and anytime you have the success that he had last year there is a good reason why we believe in him.”
On if he would consider using the hurry-up offense other than when the game situation calls for it:
“You are giving our game-plan away. We’re putting it in this week [laughter]. No, I think everybody talks about the tempo, a lot of plays. Like we said, you have to be successful in running those plays. In the second half, we had a chance to win the football game. One of the reasons being is that it was a high-tempo. Three and outs put you behind the 8-ball pretty quick. Not very often do we get 21 first downs in a half.”
On defensive backs E.J. Biggers and Bacarri Rambo playing at safety on Monday:
“I think it was a little different game plan against a team like the Eagles with the way the quarterback ran. Our free safety had the quarterback on a number of plays, so it was more of a game plan-type defense, even though Bacarri is a safety and we did some things with [cornerback] Josh [Wilson] that was a little bit different, with E.J. that was a little bit different, but after the half we adjusted a little bit and it helped us out.”
On his confidence in the team:
“We feel good about our football team. Obviously we had a setback, and now we just kind of concentrate on practices day-by-day. We have got to get back our momentum, and it’s a tough place to play in Green Bay, but our players are looking forward to it, and we are glad we have a short week so we can play a little bit quicker.”
On how tough it is for a wide receiver like Leonard Hankerson to become an upper-echelon player in limited snaps:
“I think you do what he did during that game. When you get your opportunities you take advantage of it. You get a couple of touchdowns, no drops, and anytime you are switching off as a No. 1 receiver, one thing you are guaranteed is you should be able to go full-speed. A guy that’s playing 70 or 80 snaps like [wide receiver] Pierre [Garçon] did, that’s a little bit tougher. You have to be in great shape like Pierre is, but with as many passes as we threw Monday night in the second half, it’s tough to go through a half like he did. Overall, I’ve been pleased with our wide receivers. We’ve made some strides, and hopefully we can keep getting better.”
On Packers linebacker Clay Matthews:
“They’ve got the capabilities of moving him wherever they want the matchup. He’s a great player. He’s got instincts. He can play the run, play the pass. He’s the type of player that you look for.”
On the effect the cast had on nose tackle Barry Cofield:
“I thought he did a good job playing with that cast. You’d have to ask him, but it didn’t look like it bothered him at all from my standpoint.”
Quarterback Robert Griffin III
On Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting his first several years in the league and if there was a generational shift at quarterback leading up to him starting as a rookie:
“I think his [situation] is different with Brett Favre there. I’m sure if he had to come in and play right away he would have played well, too. He’s a confident guy, so I’m sure he believes he would as well. It’s just different situations. We were called upon to perform at a high level immediately and he didn’t have to because of who was on his team. It could be a generational thing, but I just think it was just his unique situation.”
On if he can imagine not playing in his first few seasons:
“I mean, that would be tough, you know. He handled himself well throughout that whole process. Who am I to give you a statement on that? I’m a second-year player. This guy’s won a Super Bowl and done a whole bunch of things, so he’s probably the better one to ask that question.”
On the NFL’s policy regarding his knee brace and the plan for the knee brace in the game at Green Bay:
“I heard that it was a miscommunication and that I don’t have to cover up my knee brace, so just move on accordingly. Other than that, I can’t say much.”
On what he learned about himself in the game against Philadelphia:
“I think we learned a lot about our team again. Every year is a new year. You’ve got to find out the identity of your team. I don’t think we found that identity in that first game, but we did find out about the character of this team. It’s similar to the one from last year. We’re going to fight, never going to give up, and that’s something you can be proud about. As far as execution-wise, we weren’t very solid in execution all the first half, and then into the second half we started getting better. So hopefully we can ride that execution into this next game. I think it started in practice today. Guys came ready with the right mindset. It’s not that we didn’t have that last week. You just have a wakeup call sometimes and you’ve got to push even harder, and that’s what we did.”
On how his knee feels two days after the game:
“The knee feels fine. Typical soreness from getting hit. Philly got me good a couple times. That’s just the way it goes. You just work those kinks out. As far as the knee goes, it’s fine.”
On if he welcomes the pressure the Philadelphia defense brought against him and what he expects going forward:
“It’s going to happen. Teams are going to decide to blitz you here and there. We did get blitzed last year. The biggest thing was we weren’t getting blitzed on third down very often. In this Philly game, they didn’t blitz a ton, but when they did, it was effective. They had some gaping holes to come through and get me. You just try to go with whatever you see and if the teams are going to blitz you, you’re ready for that. If they don’t blitz you, you’ve got to be prepared for that, too.”
On if he feels like he was being tested by Philadelphia’s blitzes:
“I think it was probably their strategy. Blitzes don’t really make the quarterback move. Free defensive linemen make the quarterback move. I was able to escape a couple of those, but it is what it is. A couple of those, they got us on that play, and you’ve got to move on.”
On differences he noticed in how he was defended:
“I think when you just talk about Philly, they played a little bit different. New defense, a bunch of new faces, new staff, so they played us differently in that game than they have in the two previous games last year. I don’t think you take just one game and say, 'Hey, teams are going to play you like this this year.’ You’ve just got to get a couple of games in and figure out what teams are trying to do. Every team’s going to be different. We’re not going to prepare for Green Bay like we prepared for Philly. They’re just a different defense, they run different coverages. Maybe Green Bay sees something that worked in the Philly game and they try to put that in. That’s why you correct it. That’s why you watch game film. We’ll have all that stuff down, and whatever wrinkle they throw at us, you just have got to adjust.”
On if he had a good line of vision to the pressure or felt it coming against Philadelphia:
“I don’t think the hits on the blitzes were as far as me not playing and being the first game back. They ran some good blitzes, they got us a couple of times and the outlets that I had were covered. You’ve just got to eat those plays and try to make up for it in the next down. We did that in the second half pretty effectively. We didn’t do that very well in the first half.”
On if his preparation for Week 2 will be more routine compared to the hype leading up to Week 1:
“You guys played that up, too. Don’t put that on me [laughter]. Don’t put that on me. Everybody was excited about it. I talked to my family after the game and at the end of the day, we lost the game, so you’re disappointed about that. The fact of the matter is we went through a hard offseason this year, not just me but this team. To get out of that game healthy, to move forward to the next week, I think that’s a big load off everybody’s shoulders. The game didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to turn out. You want to get that win, you want to have that first win at home, you want to protect your home field, and we didn’t do that. If anything, it’s going to make us even hungrier. Not just me, but the team as well, because the team wanted to win that game just as much as I did. It was disappointing, but it doesn’t ruin your season and you move on to the next week. In that sense, yes, it’s a more routine second week. Last year, we won our first game, lost our second. This year we lost our first game and hopefully we win our second.”
On if he wants to play more like Rodgers by passing more and running less frequently:
“We run a different scheme, and scheme is a big part of the game. You have to work to the strengths of your teammates, and the strengths of our offensive line, our receivers our running backs. I’ll never try to be like any of those other quarterbacks out there. Do I want a Super Bowl? Oh, yeah, I want a Super Bowl. As far as trying to measure my game up to his, or be like Aaron Rodgers, that’s not something that I try to go about every day. We just want to win, and Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have won a lot of games over the years, so in that sense, yeah, we want to win.”
On playing at Lambeau Field:
“They’re going to be hostile. They’re really excited about their team. It’s their home game and they want to win. As far as just the history around the stadium and everything, it’ll be a good experience. To be there, to play in that venue, it’s always an honor. You respect their home field, you respect the history that’s gone on there, and then you try to go get the win. We’ll have fun, hopefully, and go get the win.”
On if the game against Philadelphia felt like a preseason game considering he did not see game action during the preseason:
“Everybody said it, but a lot of guys were designated 20-25 plays in the preseason each game. After those 20-25 plays, it’s like, 'OK, this is the real deal. We’ve got to play four quarters.’ For me, I knew we had to be prepared that way. Not having any preseason, this is just a game. I’m going to get hit and things are going to happen, but I don’t look at it that way. All we need right now is the support. For people who say that was my first preseason game, I’m not going to use that as an excuse. It’s not what I’ve ever done. You always try to live by the mantra 'no excuses.’ That’s what this team is about, so you won’t hear anybody making excuses about the way we played. We didn’t play very well. We’ll play better, and I won’t use that either.”
On what he appreciates about Rodgers:
“I appreciate the way he plays. I appreciate what he’s done for the game. You have to look back on the guys that were before you and appreciate what they’ve done. So I appreciate that. I appreciate the way he plays, the swagger he plays with, how he treats his teammates, all those different things. So you look up to those things. When you’re playing him, you’re on opposite sidelines. There is no looking up to that. You’ve just got to go play.”
On when he first began admiring Rodgers:
“In college, obviously they won the Super Bowl. Coming into the league, he’s just done it over time. That’s what you want to be and that’s what we want to be, our rookie class. We want to be quarterbacks that play well over time, not just for one season, two seasons, but five, six, seven, 15 seasons.”
On the next steps he needs to take having played a game since his knee injury:
“We’ve just got to win, period. Offensively, we’ve got to clean everything up. That’s just the way it is. I passed the hit test, got hit a lot. I got hit every kind of way, too. I think that’s another huge relief for everybody, the coaches, players, myself. Other than that, I think we just got to clean up our execution of the offense.”
On if it is more challenging to regain his comfort level in the pocket or on the run:
“I don’t know. In the pocket, you don’t see the rush. You have to eye your keys, and if there’s a blitz that’s not going to make you hot, then you don’t worry about that blitz. You trust your guys and you move on and you try to go through your progressions. If there’s a blitz that makes you hot, you get rid of the ball. I don’t think I was uncomfortable at all in the pocket. Like I said, we’ve just got to execute better.”
On if he thinks he was mechanically sound against Philadelphia:
“I think you can always improve your mechanics. There’s going to be times when you’re in the pocket and you have to make an off-balance throw. You’ve just got to do that. But also, I’m not paying attention to that stuff. If I make a bad throw coming off of an injury, it’s 'my mechanics’ and 'I’m not driving off of my back leg.’ But if a healthy quarterback makes a bad throw, it’s just a bad throw. I understand that. There’s just stuff you have to just not look at. You know when your technique is sound, you know how you throw the ball, and you know what you have to do if you make a bad throw. You fix those things in practice, you fix them in the game and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Linebacker London Fletcher
On the Green Bay Packers’ offense:
“They have got a good offense. Obviously it starts with [quarterback Aaron] Rodgers. He’s been a perennial MVP contender each and every year, but he has very good skill position players across the board. The offensive line is very good so they have an extremely good offense.”
On the chess match between the Packers’ offense and Redskins’ defense:
“We’ll see come Sunday. It’s going to be tough because, again, he’s a savvy quarterback. He knows where he wants to go with the football. He has a strong arm. He can make moves, make plays outside the pocket. He buys time, and he’s very accurate.”
On how hard it is to disrupt the Packers’ offense:
“Obviously it’s difficult because they spread you out sometimes, but if you can get some four-man rushes and get some pressure and try to disrupt that way... You have to be disciplined in your coverages whether its man or zone, whatever the case may be, and just try to be as disciplined as possible.”
On how much of Monday’s game against the Eagles was related to facing something new as compared to how much was not playing sound defense:
“This is Wednesday, I’m thinking about the Packers right now... I think we’ll be ready to play come Sunday.”
On how to prepare for pass-heavy teams:
“You still have to go into each and every game knowing that you have to stop the run, because if you are not stopping the run then you create more problems for your defense where you have to defend the run and worry about the pass. We all know how potent their passing offense is. For us, you still have to stop the run. You don’t want to get them going in the run game.”
On when he moved on from thinking about the Philadelphia game to the Green Bay game:
“Probably last night. You have 24 hours to celebrate or sulk so, in the NFL you can’t dwell too long or celebrate too long because the next game is up on you pretty fast. With this being a little bit shorter week, you had one day and then last night I started looking at Green Bay film and started prepping for them.”
On the play of linebacker Perry Riley:
“For Perry, this is his fourth year in this defense, third year as a starter. He knows the defense very well. He knows what his responsibilities are in the run game and the passing game. He’s a really good blitzer, so utilizing all of his skillsets, I think Perry is continuing to get better each and every day in practice and each and every game.”
On if the team has addressed its pass defense from last season:
“I think obviously with the draft, getting [cornerback David] Amerson, getting [safety] Bacarri [Rambo], and getting a healthy [linebacker Brian] Orakpo back, those have been some of the things we have done to address our pass defense deficiencies and problems we had last year. It starts with pressure, and we know with 'Rak and [linebacker] Ryan [Kerrigan], what kind of pressure they can get on the quarterback and then with some of the pieces we added, even getting [cornerback E.J.] Biggers into the mix as well, so, getting a healthy [safety] Brandon Meriweather will help and [cornerback] Josh Wilson coming back stronger and ready to do some things. So I think we have a lot of versatility on that back end now.”
On what makes him so confident the defense will be ready to play Sunday:
“Because this is professional football, man, and we prep and we prepare each and every week. We practice, we’re going to meet hard, and football is going to be played on Sunday.”
On how this week will be different from last week:
“Each week we just prepare to get ready for a ballgame. You win some, you lose some, and then you learn from the tape. You watch and see where you need to make your adjustments, how you got better, what things you did good, what things you didn’t do good, and that’s how we do each and every week in practice, each week in the meetings. As coaches, they say and point out, 'Hey, we need to do this better.’ As players, you have to be tough on yourself and really know what you need to do better.”
On if he was surprised by anything he saw from the Philadelphia offense:
“No.”
On the threat posed by Packers tight end Jermichael Finley:
“Finley is almost like another receiver out there on the football field. The way they utilize him, the different positions they put him in, whether it’s lining him out at receiver, on the backside by himself, spreading him out wide or flexing him inside, just some of the different things they do with him. He’s a tough matchup because of his unique size, athleticism and speed.”
On how the change in offensive tempo from Philadelphia to Green Bay changes defensive plan:
“The Packers, they do have some tempo-type stuff, so they do some no-huddle type deals so, obviously it won’t be the same as we faced the other night, but you still have to be ready for some no-huddle stuff.”
On if he has a special appreciation for playing at Lambeau Field:
“I do. I think it is one of the great atmospheres in all of football. For the guys who experience it the first time, I think they’ll be very impressed. It’s really like a college atmosphere. I can feel the tradition when you come into the place. The whole city shuts down and everybody is at the Packers game. There is more people at the Packers game than they have in the city of Green Bay so that just goes to show how unique a situation it is. It’s an awesome atmosphere.”
On if he feels like this will be the first time to unveil the Redskins defense as it was constructed to play:
“It depends on how the game is going, how much playing time guys get. That’s dictated by those types of deals and the nature of the game and stuff like that. We have different packages that we’d like to get in, but you just never know how the course of the game is going to go.”
Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy
On the difficulty of maintaining balance while having a strong passing offense:
“It’s about distribution, and obviously, I think anytime the offense or defense takes the field, it starts up front. Throwing the football is obviously an opportunity to generate big plays, get the ball on the perimeter, but it definitely stresses out your offensive line if you’re doing it all the time. So we try to stay conscientious of that and frankly it’s more of a focus for us this year.”
On if he gets a sense of what Lambeau Field means to opposing players and coaches:
“Well, I don’t do a whole lot of chatting before the game, but it’s definitely evident when players do come out of the locker room, just the respect that they have for our history and our tradition, and one thing about Lambeau Field, and I can’t give enough credit to our organization, is the way they go about always trying to upgrade our facilities. This year we have our new south end zone that definitely should make a difference for us as far as the game day and obviously is a beautiful addition for our fans.”
On difficulty of getting quarterbacks in a rhythm as a coach:
“It’s definitely a challenge, and it’s usually the priority because, I can only speak on our offense and I’m sure it’s pretty much similar in most offenses, it’s built around making a quarterback successful. So getting the quarterback in rhythm is important and especially when you are playing defenses, particularly like [Redskins defensive coordinator] Jim Haslett’s defense, where they are designed on disrupting quarterback rhythm. It’s definitely something you try to establish, not only in the training aspect of it, but every Sunday.”
On if he saw anything different from Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III on Monday compared to last year:
“Not really. It was interesting how the game went. I think you have to keep in tune with the type of ballgame Washington was involved in. The first half and the second half were totally different. As a coaching staff and as a football team, we were very impressed with how Washington battled back in the second half and their ability to move the football and particularly the two-minute production that they had.”
On if his familiarity with Redskins Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett’s defense helps:
“Part of me just asked the same question. I really hadn’t given it much though until you asked me, but I think Jim probably is more familiar with me. I had the opportunity to work for him. I was very blessed for that opportunity, and we’ve had a chance to compete against one another. Jim is very, very, very respected in our building by both our coaches and our players so this is going to be a big challenge for us.”
On if he worries about facing Griffin III:
“Robert is a dynamic football player. He’s gifted. He’s unique in his abilities, so, just to build off the question asked earlier on if this is his opportunity to get in a rhythm and get comfortable. Their offense is definitely a huge strength of theirs and once again we are playing pretty close attention to that second half production.”
On Redskins linebacker Nick Barnett:
“Nick was an excellent linebacker for us, an impact player. Our old defense was pretty much built around Nick as the primary tackler and he had a number of great years for us. He’s a steady, hard worker, tough guy, very explosive. I definitely would feel he’ll be a help to the defense.”
On how developing their own players has helped the team’s success:
“I think it helps us a lot, there is no question about it. The opportunity to bring a player in and now going into year eight of being young pretty much every year – I’m not quite sure where we rank this year but I’m sure we are in the top 10 – it’s part of developing a program and not getting too far away from the basics of how we go about it. It’s given us the opportunity to create some consistency. We’ve been consistent as a football team, but we’re like everybody else, we want to win a lot more games.”
On how the location of the franchise helps the team to focus on football:
“I think it’s definitely a benefit. Just the whole environment in the community is a benefit. The community is attached to the football team. It’s a great relationship. The day that these young men walk into our city, they are recognized and there’s a support group that is put around them and that really helps them keep focused on football. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Green Bay, Wisconsin, but it’s pretty much about football this time of year.”
On if the stakes are raised for this game with both teams facing the possibility of starting 0-2:
“Well this game is the most important game for us because it’s the next game. Part of our message to our team is you play a game on Sunday. You take the time on Monday to correct it and evaluate and make sure everybody is on the same page and the opportunity to maintain and establish intangibles that you were able to get done in the first game and you have improve in certain areas. Our goal this week is to be 1-0 and that’s really our approach.”
On what quarterback Aaron Rodgers gained while backing up Brett Favre as compared to the number of rookie quarterbacks who played immediately last season:
“Obviously there’s two different paths. Aaron had an opportunity to prepare and really focus on the little things where you look at the group of quarterbacks you just mentioned, they were all able to play right away and gain experience and learn through their experiences. There’s obviously two different ways and both give the quarterback a chance to be successful.”
Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers
On how sitting a few years before becoming a starter helped him:
“It was the best thing that happened to me, the opportunity to learn behind one of the all-time greats, and get my body in great shape and get used to football being a full-time job. Learning the game, the ins and outs – defense, offense, honing my fundamentals. Every situation is different, but for me it was the best thing that could have happened.”
On if he ever wonders how he would have done had he started his rookie year:
“Not really. There are so many what-ifs in life. I’ve learned that not a whole lot of good things can come out of worrying about those things.”
On if opposing players have the same feelings about Lambeau Field that fans do:
“I hope so. I hope that the players still care about the history of this league. This is a special place to play. We are fortunate enough to play eight games in the regular season here every year, in a place where football has been for a long time and played at a high level. There has been a lot of legends associated with the Green Bay Packers and I’m proud to be a Packer and I think it’s a special environment. We added about 8,000 fans and some bells and whistles so it should be fun.”
On finding balance between using his legs to help his passing game rather than run:
“It’s got to be a feel thing. [Redskins quarterback] Robert [Griffin III] is definitely blessed with a considerable amount of athletic ability, more than I am, but it’s about using your abilities when you extend plays to run when you have to and know when to throw the ball away and also give yourself and your guys enough time to get open. That’s a fine line that we talk about a lot in our room about extending plays or throwing it away, or trying to avoid the unnecessary sacks, so that’s kind of the way we do things.”
On how he developed that feel:
“I think some guys have it and some guys need to work on it. Robert definitely has it. It’s pretty exciting to turn on his film and watch him play. You turn on his film and it’s pretty impressive. He’s playing at a high level. The way he moves in the pocket, out of the pocket, he’s obviously a very gifted runner, but he has the ability to make plays out of the pocket and that makes you a very dangerous quarterback.”
On what became easier for him with more experience:
“I don’t know if anything becomes really easy, but if you just work on your fundamentals, I think the accuracy comes easier when you are timing up your feet with the routes and you aren’t taking a lot of unnecessary hitches or steps in your drop. I found that it’s easier to hit your spots.”
On success of rookie quarterbacks Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson last year:
“Nothing surprises me in this league anymore. It’s more of an impressed thing. I’m impressed those guys can come in. I knew what I was thinking about when I was 21 and a rookie and its impressive to see these guys come in and have the success that they had.”
On if Griffin III looked different Monday night than he did last season:
“As far as watching Robert, I was watching the defense and there was also an exciting tennis match on that night.”
On continuity in the Green Bay Packers organization:
“Different organizations have their own ways of doing business. It’s been fun to get drafted and grow up in this system with one coach, it helps, and to get second and third contracts. It’s been fun to see a lot of the guys get drafted and play and play well and get rewarded. That’s the way they have been doing things down here during Ted Thompson’s time here and it seems to be working.”
On if he feels like he is part of a different generation than Griffin III and his counterparts:
“That’s a fair statement. It’s been fun to see. I kind of missed that wave, but it’s been fun to see the different levels all kind of doing more of the spread offense stuff, and as a quarterback that’s what you want, being able to throw it around. I wasn’t in the shotgun until I was in junior college and then had about one snap at Cal in the shotgun so I think it’s an exciting brand of football and the defense and the offense are always at odds of who can get ahead and then who makes the adjustments. Defenses, I think in really the early 2000s, made a jump with the various zone-blitz packages you saw, and then the offense to react to some of that has gone to the spread and you’ve seen it at all the younger levels on up.”
On if he has a relationship with Griffin III:
“I’ve run into him once, and that’s it.”
Redskins Park
Executive Vice President/Head Coach Mike Shanahan
On Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting his first several years in the league and if there was a generational shift at quarterback leading up to Robert Griffin III starting as a rookie:
“I spent a little time with Aaron when I was in Tahoe. Played a little golf with him, got a chance to know him a little bit and it was really a unique experience for him being behind somebody like [former Packers quarterback] Brett [Favre], waiting his turn. I thought he handled himself the way you would like your quarterback to handle themselves. He had a lot of class sitting back there, learning, getting a lot of mental reps, getting to feel very comfortable under the system, and when he did get a chance to play he took advantage of it.”
On if he thinks we will ever see a quarterback drafted that high sit for three years again:
“Probably not. I think when you get a guy like that, very seldom do you have a guy like Brett Favre in front of him.”
On status of safety Brandon Meriweather and if he will play Sunday:
“He practiced full today… If there’s no setback, yeah.”
On the difference in the defense with and without Meriweather:
“Hopefully it changes. He’s been a big playmaker in the limited time he has played over the last year. I think everybody knows what he’s done and hopefully he can keep playing at that level.”
On the amount of time the Eagles blitzed on Monday:
“I really don’t think they blitzed that much to be honest with you. We were kind of anticipating some of the things they did because they’ve done it in the past. Sometimes those blitzes are to help them stop the run, especially those inside zone blitzes and most defenses change it up pretty good.”
On how running back Alfred Morris bounced back from mistakes:
“It’s always tough anytime you have two turnovers. It’s always tough. We were a little bit off the whole game. Our running game wasn’t there. We weren’t very consistent, and like I said following the game, it only takes one player here, one player there, and all of the sudden you go eight drives and you’ve got four turnovers, and I think our longest drive was five plays. Not a very good outing, and at the end of it we have three touchdowns out of four drives and we probably should have had four, so you can’t stop yourself.”
On why it was important to give the ball to Morris after the mistakes:
“He knows we believe in him, and anytime you have the success that he had last year there is a good reason why we believe in him.”
On if he would consider using the hurry-up offense other than when the game situation calls for it:
“You are giving our game-plan away. We’re putting it in this week [laughter]. No, I think everybody talks about the tempo, a lot of plays. Like we said, you have to be successful in running those plays. In the second half, we had a chance to win the football game. One of the reasons being is that it was a high-tempo. Three and outs put you behind the 8-ball pretty quick. Not very often do we get 21 first downs in a half.”
On defensive backs E.J. Biggers and Bacarri Rambo playing at safety on Monday:
“I think it was a little different game plan against a team like the Eagles with the way the quarterback ran. Our free safety had the quarterback on a number of plays, so it was more of a game plan-type defense, even though Bacarri is a safety and we did some things with [cornerback] Josh [Wilson] that was a little bit different, with E.J. that was a little bit different, but after the half we adjusted a little bit and it helped us out.”
On his confidence in the team:
“We feel good about our football team. Obviously we had a setback, and now we just kind of concentrate on practices day-by-day. We have got to get back our momentum, and it’s a tough place to play in Green Bay, but our players are looking forward to it, and we are glad we have a short week so we can play a little bit quicker.”
On how tough it is for a wide receiver like Leonard Hankerson to become an upper-echelon player in limited snaps:
“I think you do what he did during that game. When you get your opportunities you take advantage of it. You get a couple of touchdowns, no drops, and anytime you are switching off as a No. 1 receiver, one thing you are guaranteed is you should be able to go full-speed. A guy that’s playing 70 or 80 snaps like [wide receiver] Pierre [Garçon] did, that’s a little bit tougher. You have to be in great shape like Pierre is, but with as many passes as we threw Monday night in the second half, it’s tough to go through a half like he did. Overall, I’ve been pleased with our wide receivers. We’ve made some strides, and hopefully we can keep getting better.”
On Packers linebacker Clay Matthews:
“They’ve got the capabilities of moving him wherever they want the matchup. He’s a great player. He’s got instincts. He can play the run, play the pass. He’s the type of player that you look for.”
On the effect the cast had on nose tackle Barry Cofield:
“I thought he did a good job playing with that cast. You’d have to ask him, but it didn’t look like it bothered him at all from my standpoint.”
Quarterback Robert Griffin III
On Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting his first several years in the league and if there was a generational shift at quarterback leading up to him starting as a rookie:
“I think his [situation] is different with Brett Favre there. I’m sure if he had to come in and play right away he would have played well, too. He’s a confident guy, so I’m sure he believes he would as well. It’s just different situations. We were called upon to perform at a high level immediately and he didn’t have to because of who was on his team. It could be a generational thing, but I just think it was just his unique situation.”
On if he can imagine not playing in his first few seasons:
“I mean, that would be tough, you know. He handled himself well throughout that whole process. Who am I to give you a statement on that? I’m a second-year player. This guy’s won a Super Bowl and done a whole bunch of things, so he’s probably the better one to ask that question.”
On the NFL’s policy regarding his knee brace and the plan for the knee brace in the game at Green Bay:
“I heard that it was a miscommunication and that I don’t have to cover up my knee brace, so just move on accordingly. Other than that, I can’t say much.”
On what he learned about himself in the game against Philadelphia:
“I think we learned a lot about our team again. Every year is a new year. You’ve got to find out the identity of your team. I don’t think we found that identity in that first game, but we did find out about the character of this team. It’s similar to the one from last year. We’re going to fight, never going to give up, and that’s something you can be proud about. As far as execution-wise, we weren’t very solid in execution all the first half, and then into the second half we started getting better. So hopefully we can ride that execution into this next game. I think it started in practice today. Guys came ready with the right mindset. It’s not that we didn’t have that last week. You just have a wakeup call sometimes and you’ve got to push even harder, and that’s what we did.”
On how his knee feels two days after the game:
“The knee feels fine. Typical soreness from getting hit. Philly got me good a couple times. That’s just the way it goes. You just work those kinks out. As far as the knee goes, it’s fine.”
On if he welcomes the pressure the Philadelphia defense brought against him and what he expects going forward:
“It’s going to happen. Teams are going to decide to blitz you here and there. We did get blitzed last year. The biggest thing was we weren’t getting blitzed on third down very often. In this Philly game, they didn’t blitz a ton, but when they did, it was effective. They had some gaping holes to come through and get me. You just try to go with whatever you see and if the teams are going to blitz you, you’re ready for that. If they don’t blitz you, you’ve got to be prepared for that, too.”
On if he feels like he was being tested by Philadelphia’s blitzes:
“I think it was probably their strategy. Blitzes don’t really make the quarterback move. Free defensive linemen make the quarterback move. I was able to escape a couple of those, but it is what it is. A couple of those, they got us on that play, and you’ve got to move on.”
On differences he noticed in how he was defended:
“I think when you just talk about Philly, they played a little bit different. New defense, a bunch of new faces, new staff, so they played us differently in that game than they have in the two previous games last year. I don’t think you take just one game and say, 'Hey, teams are going to play you like this this year.’ You’ve just got to get a couple of games in and figure out what teams are trying to do. Every team’s going to be different. We’re not going to prepare for Green Bay like we prepared for Philly. They’re just a different defense, they run different coverages. Maybe Green Bay sees something that worked in the Philly game and they try to put that in. That’s why you correct it. That’s why you watch game film. We’ll have all that stuff down, and whatever wrinkle they throw at us, you just have got to adjust.”
On if he had a good line of vision to the pressure or felt it coming against Philadelphia:
“I don’t think the hits on the blitzes were as far as me not playing and being the first game back. They ran some good blitzes, they got us a couple of times and the outlets that I had were covered. You’ve just got to eat those plays and try to make up for it in the next down. We did that in the second half pretty effectively. We didn’t do that very well in the first half.”
On if his preparation for Week 2 will be more routine compared to the hype leading up to Week 1:
“You guys played that up, too. Don’t put that on me [laughter]. Don’t put that on me. Everybody was excited about it. I talked to my family after the game and at the end of the day, we lost the game, so you’re disappointed about that. The fact of the matter is we went through a hard offseason this year, not just me but this team. To get out of that game healthy, to move forward to the next week, I think that’s a big load off everybody’s shoulders. The game didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to turn out. You want to get that win, you want to have that first win at home, you want to protect your home field, and we didn’t do that. If anything, it’s going to make us even hungrier. Not just me, but the team as well, because the team wanted to win that game just as much as I did. It was disappointing, but it doesn’t ruin your season and you move on to the next week. In that sense, yes, it’s a more routine second week. Last year, we won our first game, lost our second. This year we lost our first game and hopefully we win our second.”
On if he wants to play more like Rodgers by passing more and running less frequently:
“We run a different scheme, and scheme is a big part of the game. You have to work to the strengths of your teammates, and the strengths of our offensive line, our receivers our running backs. I’ll never try to be like any of those other quarterbacks out there. Do I want a Super Bowl? Oh, yeah, I want a Super Bowl. As far as trying to measure my game up to his, or be like Aaron Rodgers, that’s not something that I try to go about every day. We just want to win, and Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have won a lot of games over the years, so in that sense, yeah, we want to win.”
On playing at Lambeau Field:
“They’re going to be hostile. They’re really excited about their team. It’s their home game and they want to win. As far as just the history around the stadium and everything, it’ll be a good experience. To be there, to play in that venue, it’s always an honor. You respect their home field, you respect the history that’s gone on there, and then you try to go get the win. We’ll have fun, hopefully, and go get the win.”
On if the game against Philadelphia felt like a preseason game considering he did not see game action during the preseason:
“Everybody said it, but a lot of guys were designated 20-25 plays in the preseason each game. After those 20-25 plays, it’s like, 'OK, this is the real deal. We’ve got to play four quarters.’ For me, I knew we had to be prepared that way. Not having any preseason, this is just a game. I’m going to get hit and things are going to happen, but I don’t look at it that way. All we need right now is the support. For people who say that was my first preseason game, I’m not going to use that as an excuse. It’s not what I’ve ever done. You always try to live by the mantra 'no excuses.’ That’s what this team is about, so you won’t hear anybody making excuses about the way we played. We didn’t play very well. We’ll play better, and I won’t use that either.”
On what he appreciates about Rodgers:
“I appreciate the way he plays. I appreciate what he’s done for the game. You have to look back on the guys that were before you and appreciate what they’ve done. So I appreciate that. I appreciate the way he plays, the swagger he plays with, how he treats his teammates, all those different things. So you look up to those things. When you’re playing him, you’re on opposite sidelines. There is no looking up to that. You’ve just got to go play.”
On when he first began admiring Rodgers:
“In college, obviously they won the Super Bowl. Coming into the league, he’s just done it over time. That’s what you want to be and that’s what we want to be, our rookie class. We want to be quarterbacks that play well over time, not just for one season, two seasons, but five, six, seven, 15 seasons.”
On the next steps he needs to take having played a game since his knee injury:
“We’ve just got to win, period. Offensively, we’ve got to clean everything up. That’s just the way it is. I passed the hit test, got hit a lot. I got hit every kind of way, too. I think that’s another huge relief for everybody, the coaches, players, myself. Other than that, I think we just got to clean up our execution of the offense.”
On if it is more challenging to regain his comfort level in the pocket or on the run:
“I don’t know. In the pocket, you don’t see the rush. You have to eye your keys, and if there’s a blitz that’s not going to make you hot, then you don’t worry about that blitz. You trust your guys and you move on and you try to go through your progressions. If there’s a blitz that makes you hot, you get rid of the ball. I don’t think I was uncomfortable at all in the pocket. Like I said, we’ve just got to execute better.”
On if he thinks he was mechanically sound against Philadelphia:
“I think you can always improve your mechanics. There’s going to be times when you’re in the pocket and you have to make an off-balance throw. You’ve just got to do that. But also, I’m not paying attention to that stuff. If I make a bad throw coming off of an injury, it’s 'my mechanics’ and 'I’m not driving off of my back leg.’ But if a healthy quarterback makes a bad throw, it’s just a bad throw. I understand that. There’s just stuff you have to just not look at. You know when your technique is sound, you know how you throw the ball, and you know what you have to do if you make a bad throw. You fix those things in practice, you fix them in the game and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Linebacker London Fletcher
On the Green Bay Packers’ offense:
“They have got a good offense. Obviously it starts with [quarterback Aaron] Rodgers. He’s been a perennial MVP contender each and every year, but he has very good skill position players across the board. The offensive line is very good so they have an extremely good offense.”
On the chess match between the Packers’ offense and Redskins’ defense:
“We’ll see come Sunday. It’s going to be tough because, again, he’s a savvy quarterback. He knows where he wants to go with the football. He has a strong arm. He can make moves, make plays outside the pocket. He buys time, and he’s very accurate.”
On how hard it is to disrupt the Packers’ offense:
“Obviously it’s difficult because they spread you out sometimes, but if you can get some four-man rushes and get some pressure and try to disrupt that way... You have to be disciplined in your coverages whether its man or zone, whatever the case may be, and just try to be as disciplined as possible.”
On how much of Monday’s game against the Eagles was related to facing something new as compared to how much was not playing sound defense:
“This is Wednesday, I’m thinking about the Packers right now... I think we’ll be ready to play come Sunday.”
On how to prepare for pass-heavy teams:
“You still have to go into each and every game knowing that you have to stop the run, because if you are not stopping the run then you create more problems for your defense where you have to defend the run and worry about the pass. We all know how potent their passing offense is. For us, you still have to stop the run. You don’t want to get them going in the run game.”
On when he moved on from thinking about the Philadelphia game to the Green Bay game:
“Probably last night. You have 24 hours to celebrate or sulk so, in the NFL you can’t dwell too long or celebrate too long because the next game is up on you pretty fast. With this being a little bit shorter week, you had one day and then last night I started looking at Green Bay film and started prepping for them.”
On the play of linebacker Perry Riley:
“For Perry, this is his fourth year in this defense, third year as a starter. He knows the defense very well. He knows what his responsibilities are in the run game and the passing game. He’s a really good blitzer, so utilizing all of his skillsets, I think Perry is continuing to get better each and every day in practice and each and every game.”
On if the team has addressed its pass defense from last season:
“I think obviously with the draft, getting [cornerback David] Amerson, getting [safety] Bacarri [Rambo], and getting a healthy [linebacker Brian] Orakpo back, those have been some of the things we have done to address our pass defense deficiencies and problems we had last year. It starts with pressure, and we know with 'Rak and [linebacker] Ryan [Kerrigan], what kind of pressure they can get on the quarterback and then with some of the pieces we added, even getting [cornerback E.J.] Biggers into the mix as well, so, getting a healthy [safety] Brandon Meriweather will help and [cornerback] Josh Wilson coming back stronger and ready to do some things. So I think we have a lot of versatility on that back end now.”
On what makes him so confident the defense will be ready to play Sunday:
“Because this is professional football, man, and we prep and we prepare each and every week. We practice, we’re going to meet hard, and football is going to be played on Sunday.”
On how this week will be different from last week:
“Each week we just prepare to get ready for a ballgame. You win some, you lose some, and then you learn from the tape. You watch and see where you need to make your adjustments, how you got better, what things you did good, what things you didn’t do good, and that’s how we do each and every week in practice, each week in the meetings. As coaches, they say and point out, 'Hey, we need to do this better.’ As players, you have to be tough on yourself and really know what you need to do better.”
On if he was surprised by anything he saw from the Philadelphia offense:
“No.”
On the threat posed by Packers tight end Jermichael Finley:
“Finley is almost like another receiver out there on the football field. The way they utilize him, the different positions they put him in, whether it’s lining him out at receiver, on the backside by himself, spreading him out wide or flexing him inside, just some of the different things they do with him. He’s a tough matchup because of his unique size, athleticism and speed.”
On how the change in offensive tempo from Philadelphia to Green Bay changes defensive plan:
“The Packers, they do have some tempo-type stuff, so they do some no-huddle type deals so, obviously it won’t be the same as we faced the other night, but you still have to be ready for some no-huddle stuff.”
On if he has a special appreciation for playing at Lambeau Field:
“I do. I think it is one of the great atmospheres in all of football. For the guys who experience it the first time, I think they’ll be very impressed. It’s really like a college atmosphere. I can feel the tradition when you come into the place. The whole city shuts down and everybody is at the Packers game. There is more people at the Packers game than they have in the city of Green Bay so that just goes to show how unique a situation it is. It’s an awesome atmosphere.”
On if he feels like this will be the first time to unveil the Redskins defense as it was constructed to play:
“It depends on how the game is going, how much playing time guys get. That’s dictated by those types of deals and the nature of the game and stuff like that. We have different packages that we’d like to get in, but you just never know how the course of the game is going to go.”
Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy
On the difficulty of maintaining balance while having a strong passing offense:
“It’s about distribution, and obviously, I think anytime the offense or defense takes the field, it starts up front. Throwing the football is obviously an opportunity to generate big plays, get the ball on the perimeter, but it definitely stresses out your offensive line if you’re doing it all the time. So we try to stay conscientious of that and frankly it’s more of a focus for us this year.”
On if he gets a sense of what Lambeau Field means to opposing players and coaches:
“Well, I don’t do a whole lot of chatting before the game, but it’s definitely evident when players do come out of the locker room, just the respect that they have for our history and our tradition, and one thing about Lambeau Field, and I can’t give enough credit to our organization, is the way they go about always trying to upgrade our facilities. This year we have our new south end zone that definitely should make a difference for us as far as the game day and obviously is a beautiful addition for our fans.”
On difficulty of getting quarterbacks in a rhythm as a coach:
“It’s definitely a challenge, and it’s usually the priority because, I can only speak on our offense and I’m sure it’s pretty much similar in most offenses, it’s built around making a quarterback successful. So getting the quarterback in rhythm is important and especially when you are playing defenses, particularly like [Redskins defensive coordinator] Jim Haslett’s defense, where they are designed on disrupting quarterback rhythm. It’s definitely something you try to establish, not only in the training aspect of it, but every Sunday.”
On if he saw anything different from Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III on Monday compared to last year:
“Not really. It was interesting how the game went. I think you have to keep in tune with the type of ballgame Washington was involved in. The first half and the second half were totally different. As a coaching staff and as a football team, we were very impressed with how Washington battled back in the second half and their ability to move the football and particularly the two-minute production that they had.”
On if his familiarity with Redskins Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett’s defense helps:
“Part of me just asked the same question. I really hadn’t given it much though until you asked me, but I think Jim probably is more familiar with me. I had the opportunity to work for him. I was very blessed for that opportunity, and we’ve had a chance to compete against one another. Jim is very, very, very respected in our building by both our coaches and our players so this is going to be a big challenge for us.”
On if he worries about facing Griffin III:
“Robert is a dynamic football player. He’s gifted. He’s unique in his abilities, so, just to build off the question asked earlier on if this is his opportunity to get in a rhythm and get comfortable. Their offense is definitely a huge strength of theirs and once again we are playing pretty close attention to that second half production.”
On Redskins linebacker Nick Barnett:
“Nick was an excellent linebacker for us, an impact player. Our old defense was pretty much built around Nick as the primary tackler and he had a number of great years for us. He’s a steady, hard worker, tough guy, very explosive. I definitely would feel he’ll be a help to the defense.”
On how developing their own players has helped the team’s success:
“I think it helps us a lot, there is no question about it. The opportunity to bring a player in and now going into year eight of being young pretty much every year – I’m not quite sure where we rank this year but I’m sure we are in the top 10 – it’s part of developing a program and not getting too far away from the basics of how we go about it. It’s given us the opportunity to create some consistency. We’ve been consistent as a football team, but we’re like everybody else, we want to win a lot more games.”
On how the location of the franchise helps the team to focus on football:
“I think it’s definitely a benefit. Just the whole environment in the community is a benefit. The community is attached to the football team. It’s a great relationship. The day that these young men walk into our city, they are recognized and there’s a support group that is put around them and that really helps them keep focused on football. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Green Bay, Wisconsin, but it’s pretty much about football this time of year.”
On if the stakes are raised for this game with both teams facing the possibility of starting 0-2:
“Well this game is the most important game for us because it’s the next game. Part of our message to our team is you play a game on Sunday. You take the time on Monday to correct it and evaluate and make sure everybody is on the same page and the opportunity to maintain and establish intangibles that you were able to get done in the first game and you have improve in certain areas. Our goal this week is to be 1-0 and that’s really our approach.”
On what quarterback Aaron Rodgers gained while backing up Brett Favre as compared to the number of rookie quarterbacks who played immediately last season:
“Obviously there’s two different paths. Aaron had an opportunity to prepare and really focus on the little things where you look at the group of quarterbacks you just mentioned, they were all able to play right away and gain experience and learn through their experiences. There’s obviously two different ways and both give the quarterback a chance to be successful.”
Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers
On how sitting a few years before becoming a starter helped him:
“It was the best thing that happened to me, the opportunity to learn behind one of the all-time greats, and get my body in great shape and get used to football being a full-time job. Learning the game, the ins and outs – defense, offense, honing my fundamentals. Every situation is different, but for me it was the best thing that could have happened.”
On if he ever wonders how he would have done had he started his rookie year:
“Not really. There are so many what-ifs in life. I’ve learned that not a whole lot of good things can come out of worrying about those things.”
On if opposing players have the same feelings about Lambeau Field that fans do:
“I hope so. I hope that the players still care about the history of this league. This is a special place to play. We are fortunate enough to play eight games in the regular season here every year, in a place where football has been for a long time and played at a high level. There has been a lot of legends associated with the Green Bay Packers and I’m proud to be a Packer and I think it’s a special environment. We added about 8,000 fans and some bells and whistles so it should be fun.”
On finding balance between using his legs to help his passing game rather than run:
“It’s got to be a feel thing. [Redskins quarterback] Robert [Griffin III] is definitely blessed with a considerable amount of athletic ability, more than I am, but it’s about using your abilities when you extend plays to run when you have to and know when to throw the ball away and also give yourself and your guys enough time to get open. That’s a fine line that we talk about a lot in our room about extending plays or throwing it away, or trying to avoid the unnecessary sacks, so that’s kind of the way we do things.”
On how he developed that feel:
“I think some guys have it and some guys need to work on it. Robert definitely has it. It’s pretty exciting to turn on his film and watch him play. You turn on his film and it’s pretty impressive. He’s playing at a high level. The way he moves in the pocket, out of the pocket, he’s obviously a very gifted runner, but he has the ability to make plays out of the pocket and that makes you a very dangerous quarterback.”
On what became easier for him with more experience:
“I don’t know if anything becomes really easy, but if you just work on your fundamentals, I think the accuracy comes easier when you are timing up your feet with the routes and you aren’t taking a lot of unnecessary hitches or steps in your drop. I found that it’s easier to hit your spots.”
On success of rookie quarterbacks Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson last year:
“Nothing surprises me in this league anymore. It’s more of an impressed thing. I’m impressed those guys can come in. I knew what I was thinking about when I was 21 and a rookie and its impressive to see these guys come in and have the success that they had.”
On if Griffin III looked different Monday night than he did last season:
“As far as watching Robert, I was watching the defense and there was also an exciting tennis match on that night.”
On continuity in the Green Bay Packers organization:
“Different organizations have their own ways of doing business. It’s been fun to get drafted and grow up in this system with one coach, it helps, and to get second and third contracts. It’s been fun to see a lot of the guys get drafted and play and play well and get rewarded. That’s the way they have been doing things down here during Ted Thompson’s time here and it seems to be working.”
On if he feels like he is part of a different generation than Griffin III and his counterparts:
“That’s a fair statement. It’s been fun to see. I kind of missed that wave, but it’s been fun to see the different levels all kind of doing more of the spread offense stuff, and as a quarterback that’s what you want, being able to throw it around. I wasn’t in the shotgun until I was in junior college and then had about one snap at Cal in the shotgun so I think it’s an exciting brand of football and the defense and the offense are always at odds of who can get ahead and then who makes the adjustments. Defenses, I think in really the early 2000s, made a jump with the various zone-blitz packages you saw, and then the offense to react to some of that has gone to the spread and you’ve seen it at all the younger levels on up.”
On if he has a relationship with Griffin III:
“I’ve run into him once, and that’s it.”
