GREEN BAY – The Packers' coordinators met with the media Thursday. Here's a sampling of their key comments:
Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia
On Brayden Narveson's debut performance:
On a big stage like that, all the way over there for the first time, we thought he played well. I think he had eight kicks in the game, went 7-of-8, he came back and hit the re-kick, on the offsides penalty on the PAT. He actually missed two re-kicks in Tennessee after they took a timeout when he was over there, so we thought he played pretty well. Did some good things on the kickoff and again the battery's improving as we go day by day getting ready for the next game, so we'll just expect him to keep playing well.
On his leg strength:
He's got a strong enough leg. He's done a lot of good things. He's hit some big balls in practice. We have some wind issues out there, to it and behind him, but he's got plenty of leg. It's just a matter of your contact point and getting it to go where you want it to go on any given kick.
On the Colts' special teams:
The guy's come from Notre Dame, first year in the league last year their special teams coach. He's blocked two punts last year and he blocked a punt last week. So they've got some exotic looks that we have to protect against. They do a really good job of playing extremely physical, they have a fast unit and the ability to block punts is something you have to protect against. And when you do it on a stage like this and you do it multiple times in multiple years, it's something you have to prepare for, so that's the biggest challenge we have right now.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
On containing Eagles QB Jalen Hurts:
I thought the guys did a really good job in the quarterback run game. That was a big emphasis and he had hurt a lot of people with that. They did a really good job of containing him most of the game in the run and I know right now people want to know about pass rush, where is the pass rush? We were playing a little bit different of a game with the quarterback we were playing. We were trying to keep him in the pocket and I think for most of the game we did. And I credit the D-line for that too, because you have to be really disciplined to keep a guy like that in the pocket when he's not rolling around, hitting off-schedule or running the ball for 20 yards at a pop. We did that well for most of the game and then at the end he kind of got away and made some plays with his feet, which was a little bit disappointing.
On getting rookie S Evan Williams some action:
We do believe Evan deserves to play and I know Evan has had a really good week of practice this week, and I'd anticipate Evan having a role going forward and I'm excited what he can do. So yeah, we need to have (number) 33 have a role.
On rookie LB Edgerrin Cooper's debut:
I saw a guy respond. I saw Coop as a guy who was injured for almost all of training camp and unfortunately couldn't play in a preseason game, and he just has minimal practice reps. You've got a really talented young player who you're counting on to be a really good player this season and you've got to play him. Guys are going to make mistakes, right? And hopefully the guys around him and coaches, I can put him in position, we can get him to know exactly what he's doing and get him caught up. But you saw what he was doing. He's got to study, he's got to be on it in practice and then he's got to know what he's doing in the game. But he gives us an explosive player that needs to play.
On CB Jaire Alexander's performance:
I thought he had some really good plays. He almost had two picks. It looked like the one guy grabbed his arm or he's got two picks in the game and one of them changes it. If you asked him, he had bad eyes on the double move, and you'd hope our safety would get him down and that would be a 25-yard gain rather than a 60-whatever-yard gain that it was. But the way he's practiced, the way he came back in this week, his attitude, that's the life of an NFL corner. I've got total confidence in him and I'm excited to see him play again. I feel the same way I did about Ja before we played that game as I do now, and I'm very glad he's on our team.
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich
On QB Malik Willis learning the offense:
You're at a different place and you have a different scheme and everything. So (he's) just trying to learn the verbiage, learn the terminology so that you can communicate to the guys in the huddle what's going on. He's doing a really good job of it. Not perfect by any means but every day he's getting better. He's working really hard at it.
He's got good athleticism. Good arm strength. He's got a quick release. So I think all that really helps him out, making decisions and getting the ball out.
On the rotation at RG:
I thought it went okay. Both guys had plays that I'm sure they'd like to have back. They weren't perfect by any means but they went out there and competed. I wouldn't say either one of them grabbed the job and really said, I'm better than you. It's one of those things I think as the season goes maybe we'll evaluate it every game, just see how it goes. I think it's good for Jordan Morgan to get out there and play being a rookie. Any time you can get that playing experience it's very valuable.
On WR Jayden Reed:
The second game of (last) year, was it the Falcons, he scored on a jet sweep to the right on a touchdown, and right then you're like, OK, this guy's got some juice. He's able to make some plays, make people miss, and anytime you've got a guy like that who's a punt returner or a kick returner, you know, you've just got to get that guy some space, and he just has that natural ability to find seams and play fast and make people miss.
