GREEN BAY – The Packers' coordinators met with the media on Tuesday. Here's a sampling of their key comments.
Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia
On facing Miami's special teams:
They're really, really good in kickoff coverage, right now they're playing really well. Their kicker does a great job of directing the ball, putting it on the ground some and putting it in the corner some. I know they're near the top of the league, top 5, in kickoff coverage. That will be the biggest challenge, and then adjusting to whatever the weather is, wherever the wind is and the direction it's going and see if that can be an advantage to us or if it ends up being a disadvantage how we play into it. Their punter's playing really well, he's directing the ball left and right, he'd done a good job of putting it out of bounds, playing keep away with the return. They play with a big group on their punt rush team, Calais (Campbell) is playing on that as well (as FG block). They're just a challenge because they're a big, physical football team, so we'll have our hands full, but I know we're excited about playing.
On P Daniel Whelan's impact:
We've tried to learn here, we've tried to communicate that the punt play is the last play of offense. We still have the ball, so we have to protect it, and then it becomes the first of defense. It's a transitional play, and I think he's started to understand where he is on the field and what he wants to hit, according to the direction and the wind and those sort of things. The thing we've been most pleased with him is he's going out there with a conviction of what he wants to do, and he's stayed to task and he's played pretty well to this point. And we've done a good job protecting him. I think the guys up front have done a good job, and we've seen a variety of different rushes from some really good teams. This week will be no different.
On what he knew about RB Josh Jacobs when they were together with the Raiders:
Well, off the field, he's got a tremendous sense of people. He's got a character about him that can understand, have empathy for other people's stories and other things that they've been through and so when he sits in somebody's locker, or is in the cafeteria, he's been through an ordeal himself so he has the ability to relate to a lot of different things that players may go through. As far as football goes, I still think we're just scratching the surface with Josh Jacobs. In this building, we're all just learning about what the young man's makeup is. He is a real deal running back. He's built to carry the ball, he's built to catch it, he's built to protect and he loves football. He loves the grind of practice, he loves the grind of mental preparation, he loves the grind of playing in games. What you see from him in games is the way he practices. That's the way he practiced when we were together before, and that's the way he practices now and I think because of the example he set in practice, they have gotten a certain amount of respect for him and for what he's going to do in the games. I've said a long time now that the power of example matters more than the example of power, and he is definitely walking around as the power of example.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
On facing Miami's speed:
They're definitely the fastest group that we've seen so far on tape. We've got to do it in a variety of different ways – different coverages, different ways to try to slow them down. I don't want to get into anything too specific, but it's something that not a lot of people have been able to do. Ultimately you've got to try to keep the ball in front of you. Hopefully some of the things that we're going to do, some of the adjustments we're going to make will allow for that to happen.
On whether Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa will get the ball out quickly or fire deep:
It's both. You'll see them throw the ball downfield and hit some big plays, but then you'll see a lot of catch-and-run, where in rhythm he's throwing the ball, whether it's play-action or he's just getting the ball out quick in quick game. He does a really good job with it. He's accurate. Like I said, he really throws the ball in rhythm well, and then he has those guys, when they catch it, you'd better be on them or you'd better take great angles. Because not all the explosives are what you think, right? They don't just throw the ball down the field. It could be a slant that goes for 60 or 70, or it could be a screen. They probably throw as many screens as we've seen on film, and a variety of different ones. And it's not just the receivers. It's the backs, too. So they've done a really good job creating some mismatches, getting the ball in space and letting their guys kind of catch and run.
On DL Lukas Van Ness' strip-sack vs. San Francisco:
I hope it gives him the confidence that he's been looking for. He kind of went in with power, continued to fight and did a really nice job finishing on the ball. I thought he played a better game, and I think he'll continue to get better. Hopefully it's just confidence, just getting in routine, feeling good about himself and going out this week and continuing to do so. We have a ton of confidence in him. I think he did a really good job in the run game.
On DL Rashan Gary's improved play:
I think he's playing faster, more comfortable within the scheme maybe – that's probably a better question for him – but I also think some of the other guys have come on, and I think that he's done a good job with that. The coaches have done a good job moving him around, trying to put him in good situations, but I can kind of feel him coming now, and that's exciting because we're going to need him too down the stretch, especially in some of these games coming up.
On LB Quay Walker vs. the 49ers:
I thought Quay played his best game, which I was really proud of him. It was really cool to see because I think if you ask Quay, the week before he would tell you he didn't play his best game, right? And I thought the way he responded and the way he practiced, in practice it was like he was on a mission last week, and then he went out and played like that. He was fast, he was getting downhill, he tackled well. He played with great fundamentals, he was using his hands, he had a couple TFLs. You know the ball on those tosses that they were trying to get out on the perimeter like the Bears did the week before, I mean he was just getting there, beating people to the punch, he was knocking guys back, he was setting the edge, he was really good in pass coverage. I think if you ask him he probably should have intercepted that ball. I think that's the best game he's played at least since we've been together and I hope he can build off of that. But again, I think the coolest part is how he responded. I mean, that says a lot about him and I was really proud of him.
On the defense bouncing back from the Bears game:
What I saw when we talked as a staff after we watched the Bears tape, we were in position, maybe as good as we've been all year within our scheme to make a ton of plays. And for some reason or not, we didn't do it. And we didn't. We couldn't get off the field on third down, we weren't sending the ball back inside, and what the beauty of it was, we were able to correct hard off of a win – which doesn't always happen, right? And this game, we were in the positions and the guys went out and executed and they made the plays. They did. It's the first third down, instead of losing our rush lanes and missing a sack, we got him down and we almost got the ball out. It's fourth-and-2 in this game, and X comes out and he bats the ball down in a crucial situation of the game. It's another fourth-down situation and Evan Williams does the same thing. So they're 3 of 10 on third down this week and they're 0 for 2 on fourth down. That's the complete opposite. So the credit goes to the players because they went out and executed and they played really well.
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich
On the mentality with the run game:
It's just who we are and who we want to be. You can see as the game goes on, you just keep pounding it, keep pounding it and you find those seams, and you've got a back like Josh who can really wear out defenses, wear out linebackers, secondary. He's doing a great job making people miss, getting a lot of yards after contact. Yeah, we're just playing good ball right now.
On TE Tucker Kraft in the red zone:
You saw that play he made obviously on Sunday, just broke two tackles, I think he ran over Josh Myers. It was just an impressive play. He's just one of those guys, you keep giving him the ball, he has the will to get in the end zone. I was surprised honestly he didn't score on that keeper we threw on the left. He was very close. He just plays with the right mentality. He wants to score and make plays for his teammates.
On whether coaches like night games:
No. No. Noon. Every game should be played at noon. That's what I believe. Toe meets leather at high noon. It's one of those things. It's fun. The atmospheres are usually pretty electric. Lambeau, obviously, this last game – even the 3:30, you could just tell the atmosphere was just that much better. The later you get obviously into the night, people enjoy a few more Miller Lites and Spotted Cows and stuff like that. So, it's cool. It's a good problem to have.
On WR Malik Heath:
Malik's always had really good hands. Big thing this offseason was him working on his routes, working on his drop steps and all that stuff. Just being violent when he catches the ball and he's made some great plays in practice. He's just been biding his time and waiting for his opportunity. We'll see this Sunday – or sorry, this Thursday – see him out there in a little bigger role probably.
