Skins Quotes 10/22/19: Callahan, Keenum, Zimmer

October 22, 2019
Interim Head Coach Bill Callahan

On the injury statuses of RB Chris Thompson, RB Adrian Peterson, CB Josh Norman and TE Vernon Davis and whether they'll be good to go for Thursday night:
“Right now [RB Chris Thompson] is day-to-day, we'll get a little more information again tomorrow. Yes, [RB Adrian Peterson] is day-to-day. [CB Josh Norman] is day-to-day. Well, I think they're gradually working [TE Vernon Davis] in to individual. He's limited right now, so it's precautionary in that sense. He's just getting reacclimated back into individual drills and skills.”

On whether he can feel prepared on a short week:
“Well, we're doing the best we can and everybody in the league goes through a short week. We're no different, so it's a great challenge for us. I think we really had a good last two days of preparation. As I mentioned to you yesterday, we started right at 1 p.m. on the Vikings and that went to about 4 p.m. yesterday afternoon. The players were in this morning for 8 a.m. meetings. We spent the entirety of the morning on meetings. Walkthrough was at 10:45 a.m. – we had a good 30-35 minute walkthrough before lunch, came out after lunch and we had a good practice this afternoon. We actually practiced, which I thought was a positive. It was great to get on the field and move around a little bit more. I think it's always great to kind of activate their central nervous systems and their bodies and get them ready for Thursday night, so this is the only day that we'll really move on the practice field. There was good individual tempo, I thought there was a really good team tempo. There was not contact, but I think the movement skill aspect of the practice was really positive.”

On whether veteran players can play in a game without practicing throughout the week:
“Well, I think everybody's different, everybody has different history. There's a number of players, especially veteran players, that at times go through a week without practicing and they know how to get their bodies ready through the rehabilitation process, so that's monitored very carefully and closely so that it can simulate actually what they're going to do in a game. Aside from what we're doing on the practice field, those skills that they have to go through are basically being implemented in their rehabilitation routine. I have a pretty good pulse of where they're at and I really do trust the veteran players that have gone through an experience like that to inform us – I trust that. I think that's part of the trust component of the team where a player is capable of going, and then on the flip side of that there are times when a player can't go and they'll basically point blank tell you, ‘I'm not ready, I'm just not ready to turn the switch on at this juncture.” It's all individual based. I think with the younger guys, it takes a little getting to know them and feeling them out a bit as to where they're at in their process and their rehab and how they get themselves ready. I think we have great pros around the building to emulate. So, it's always a little bit of a juggling act trying to find out where certain guys are at, and if they can be ready and if you might have to back them down.”

On how to get WR Paul Richardson Jr. more involved:
“Well, I think there are plays in the previous game plans for [WR] Paul [Richardson Jr.]. We go into every game plan and design plays for the playmakers. There's not one game plan that we go into and say, ‘We're just going to feature this player and not that player.' I think [Offensive Coordinator] Kevin [O'Connell] does a great job of getting everybody involved. There's something for everyone in that respect and it's just a matter of getting to those calls and getting to those plays. Unlike Sunday's game, we didn't have the volume of plays – the conditions were different – so that may limit targets and touches and things of that nature just based on the circumstances that you've got to deal with.”

On injury status of RB Bryce Love:
“Yeah, he just went in for a little cleanup. It was very minor, that was really the gist of it. They just wanted to go in and cleanup a little scar tissue I believe, but other than that I think he's doing really well and he'll be back up and going in no time.”

On whether Love had a setback:
“Not to my knowledge.”

On what has allowed Vikings RB Dalvin Cook to have success this season:
“He's really dynamic. Just watching him on tape is fun to watch, but you don't want to defend, obviously. He has the skillset that's explosive, it's fast, at any time he can circle the edge with speed, he's got lateral jump ability and lateral speed ability to get on the edge and create big plays not only outside, but also inside he can make you miss, he's got a lot of cut ability in the hole. He has it all. He's fun to watch and the challenge that presents itself is keeping him boxed in. Any defense would want to set the edge and make sure that they're secure from not allowing the ball to get outside and obviously getting hats to the ball carrier and making the pursuit happen. I think pursuit has to be a real emphasis – not that it's not [normally] – but when you have a ball carrier of his capability and caliber, I think it's really important that you have a more heightened awareness that he's alive on every cut. He may come out the back door, he'll bounce it out the front door, but he has all those elements of an explosive back and he's one of the finest backs I've seen in the league, so we've got a ton of respect for him and he'll be quite the challenge.”

Quarterback Case Keenum

On preparing for a short week and how it compares to a normal week of preparation:
“It's good and bad because you don't overthink things. You don't go back and re-watch and re-watch and re-watch. So, it's one time through a lot of the cut ups you normally get to study, but I kind of like it because it's simple – put together the game plan and let's go play. Don't overthink it. Trust what you see, trust your eyes, trust your feet and let's go play.”

On playing against the Vikings:
“I'm looking forward to playing a lot. I'm excited to play this game. It's a big game for us – Thursday Night Football, always special – it's a tough opponent. They're a tough football team.”

On what it means to him to play a game back in Minnesota:
“A lot of places mean a lot to me. I've been to a lot of places. Minnesota was another stop, I enjoyed my time there, it was short. I'm enjoying my time here. This is where we are and I'm excited to be a Redskin and I'm excited to go in there and win a football game.”

On whether it was tough not to be re-signed by the Vikings:
“No, it's a business and I understand how that goes. I love what I do, I love playing football, I love playing quarterback. There's a lot of positions around the league and to have the opportunity, anywhere, is an honor. I would say no, it's the business side. It is what it is.”

On the ‘Minneapolis Miracle' in 2017:
“No. On short weeks when we're playing Thursday night, there's not enough time to reminisce. It's a special time, it's a special play, special group of guys, something I'll remember forever, but not necessarily this week.”

On the Vikings defense:
“They're good, they're really good. Watching it sitting there, it's the same defense when I was there, all the same guys and they're all really, really talented players. So, they've been running that system for a while, so they know exactly where to be and when to be and they can disguise and fool with your eyes a bunch. That, plus the noise – it's a tough place to play. So, we've got to be on our P's and Q's.”

On how much his familiarity of the Vikings personnel helps:
“It does. It helps as far as knowing personnel and knowing matchups and things like that, but they've got a lot of different stuff, they can do a lot of different things, they've got a lot of gameplan stuff that we've got to be ready for. So, it's still tough, it's still a lot of studying to be done.”

On playing with talented receivers in Minnesota:
“Yeah, they're really good. They're every bit of what they show on film. They're very talented receivers.”

On what makes the Vikings receivers special:
“You guys can see it on film. They make plays down the field, they're explosive in and out of breaks and they're good players.”

On being back in the stadium for the first time and reflecting on his time spent there:
“Not that night. I mean, there will be time for that later on.”

On whether playing the Vikings gives him extra motivation:
“I mean, there's really no need to get more amped for any game in this league, especially when you're playing a team like this with a great defense. We've got to give it everything we've got no matter what. The fact is my old team – I've played long enough to where I feel like if I keep going like I'm going I might play against my old team every week. It's adding up now, so it's just a normal game for me.”

On how his shoulder feels:
“It's doing well. Came out of the game really well, so I think the training room is doing a good job.”

Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer
Conference Call

On what RB Adrian Peterson means to the Vikings franchise:
“[RB] Adrian [Peterson] had a great, great time here, tenure here. He's a terrific runner, good teammate. Probably the best back that they've ever had here.”

On his favorite memory of Peterson:
“There was a run against San Diego that he ran for a touchdown that was pretty impressive.”

On what QB Case Keenum did for the Vikings in 2017 and if it was hard to let him go in the offseason:
“Yeah it was really hard. [QB] Case [Keenum] did an awful lot for us here. Case was a terrific teammate, he had an outstanding year. I think the confidence that he played with instilled the whole organization and we miss him.”

On what Vikings QB Kirk Cousins' demeanor has been like this week:
“For the past few weeks [QB] Kirk [Cousin]'s preparation has been outstanding, and he seems the same this week that he's been. I haven't really noticed anything different in his demeanor.”

On if there's anything beyond Cousins' preparation that has led to his success in recent weeks:
“No, not really. I just think his preparation has been good, his confidence is good. Obviously, we're doing some good things offensively with him, but I just think maybe a combination of all those things.”

On what he has seen from WR Terry McLaurin:
“He's got outstanding ability. I think he runs really good routes, catches the ball well. He changes up speed in his routes, which makes it tougher for defenders and it looks like [QB] Case [Keenum] has a lot of confidence in him.”






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Maybe we might be able to see what Reynolds and Smallwood can do this week.

It would be nice to gameplan to have Steven Sims do something OTHER than the end around since teams have now circled it for review in their film study.

With Vernon Davis and Reed out, I certainly haven't been impressed with Jeremy Sprinkle.

He's good for the 1 catch for 9 yards and then he disappears and I never hear his number called again in these latest games.