Vic Fangio
Q. What bothered you the most from the first quarter and a half Sunday? (Reuben Frank)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, they came out throwing, obviously, and throwing quick. We weren’t close enough. We played a lot more man in those first three series than we usually do, or we were in some tight matchup zones, and we just didn’t play it good enough.
Their pass offense was better than our pass defense.
Q. I’m curious as far as how the defense can look so good one week against New Orleans and then come out in Tampa and not look the same. Why is that, do you think? (Ed Kracz)
VIC FANGIO: Well, that’s a good question. You know, they came out throwing real fast, real quick, and we weren’t tight enough.
We fell behind the chains because of that. And it just kind of snowballed. We never got – couldn’t make the play to get them to 2nd-and-10 or 3rd-and-10. It just never happened.
Q. Tom Brady suggested on the telecast that you’re not comfortable playing press coverage right now. Is there any validity to that? (Bob Brookover)
VIC FANGIO: No. Our guys, particularly the corners, have the ability to press based on formation. If they’re stacking receivers and stuff, it’s hard to press then.
But on normal splits, they have the ability to press in almost all our calls.
Q. Is it their decision? (Dave Zangaro)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, it’s by matchup and receiver split, yeah, but we had more opportunities. We can press more.
Q. When does that adjustment come? You say they’re playing a little bit too soft, whatever. When does that adjustment come from you, or when do you try to make that? (John McMullen)
VIC FANGIO: We tried to communicate that early, that we had to get tighter. But credit to them [Tampa Bay]. They threw it and caught it better than we defended it.
Q. So what happened there? If you realized you have to get tighter and maybe that’s relayed; is that the players not doing it, is it you not coaching it well enough? (Dave Zangaro)
VIC FANGIO: Probably me not coaching it well enough.
Q. Then what do you have to do differently? (Dave Zangaro)
VIC FANGIO: Coach it better and do a better job during the week. And then understanding that sometimes, teams come out in different stuff, different tack than what you saw going into the game.
We’ve got to adjust.
Q. DT Jalen Carter is on pace for 850 snaps right now, which will be 300 more than last year. Do you think that’s sustainable, or do you feel like you might be running the engine a little too hot? (Tim McManus)
VIC FANGIO: I don’t know. It’s an individual thing. I’m used to – in a lot of places, where defensive lineman can play that much. To me, it’s an individual thing.
And it’s also how the reps are falling in a game. In some of the games, the New Orleans game, we had a fair amount of three-and-outs or five-play drives. That wasn’t the case the other day, obviously, and then the heat factored in.
So rather than being a hard number, circumstances do affect it. But I do think guys are capable of playing.
Q. What was the issue with the tackling or lack thereof? (Jeff McLane)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, lack thereof. A lot of times, we left our feet too early. Sometimes, we didn’t wrap up well enough.
We missed 15 tackles by our count, and that’s way too many.
Q. How do you fix that when you don’t practice tackling? (Zach Berman)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, you emphasize it through film study, through practice drills, and better technique.
Q. If it’s a better tackling day, does that help with that coverage problem? Or you still think it was too – in other words, if they tackled better – (John McMullen)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I follow you. The answer is yes, to a degree. A lot of their bigger gains came after missed tackles, so that would’ve had a major plus for us it we could have tackled better.
But still, we’ve got to be tighter, too.
Q. In terms of passing things off within zones and guys being in the right spot, having been as many places as you have, what’s a realistic expectation for when that will look like you want it to look? (Bo Wulf)
VIC FANGIO: Hopefully soon. Like soon.
Q. How much do you think S Sydney Brown can contribute coming off the … (Bob Brookover)
VIC FANGIO: We’ll see. We’re excited to get him coming back. We all have to have some patience, which I know isn’t a big virtue amongst any of us at this time of the year. The guy hadn’t played any football since his injury, I believe was the first week of January last year.
Here we are, in October, and his OTAs and training camp are going to have to be squished together fast, which he is ready to do mentally and emotionally.
But we have to be careful ourselves to not overdo it with him. Overdo it from a physical standpoint and an expectation standpoint.
Q. What did you see from S Sydney Brown on film that maybe you think could help this team? (Bob Brookover)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah. I think he’s a good football player that brings energy. I think he’s a good tackler. I’m excited to see him, you know, for the first time.
Because I do think he’s a good football player. Where he’ll exactly fit in, we’ll have to see.
Q. Did S Reed Blankenship enter the game ill? (Jeff McLane)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, he did, which I wasn’t aware of until when he finally came out. They said he woke up sick that day. I think with some food poisoning, I’m not positive of that. But yeah, I was not aware of that.
Q. So the heat – (Jeff McLane)
VIC FANGIO: Obviously the heat –
Q. So the heat adversely compounded that, is that what – (Jeff McLane)
VIC FANGIO: Very much so. I would think so.
Q. The penalties on third and long situations that extended drives, what’s that a reflection of? (Zach Berman)
VIC FANGIO: Well, the downfield throws, when the quarterback is scrambling, we’ve got to be disciplined to plaster, like we did, but we can’t hold. And then always, the one offsides against us was – they actually moved, which caused it, but the refs didn’t see it.
And one time, we got our head in the neutral zone.
Q. Head Coach Nick Sirianni said he sat down and watched all the defensive tape with you following this game. Is that the first time you guys did that, or is that a weekly thing? (Tim McManus)
VIC FANGIO: No, we do that all the time.
Q. What’s the value? (Tim McManus)
VIC FANGIO: Just so he knows exactly what’s happening, and what we are coaching them to do, and what’s being expected.
Q. Is that your experience over different stops, or is it just based on – (Tim McManus)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah. Yeah.
Q. I know we ask you a lot about DE Bryce Huff and everything. But after four games, what are you seeing from him? What’s the situation with him going forward, do you think? (Martin Frank)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I think he’s improving. When I say improving against the run, that’s something that he hadn’t really been asked to do in the past.
And that’s been an adjustment for him. I’m seeing some improvement there. We don’t ask him to drop very often, but when he does, I’m seeing some improvement there.
So he’s working hard at it. He’s as frustrated with it as any of us are, but confident he’ll get it going.
Q. You had a couple guys go down with the injuries, S Reed Blankenship and CB Darius Slay. We saw CB Isaiah Rodgers come in and S Tristan McCollum come in for some extended snaps. What did you see from those two guys? (Ed Kracz)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I thought [CB] Isaiah [Rodgers], he was out there a little bit, but thought he did good. [S Tristan] McCollum, he had a good week of practice the week before. Because if you remember, [S C.J. Gardner-Johnson] Chauncey had a foot injury that came up during one of the walk-throughs.
And he actually got a full days’ practice, Tristan did, on Thursday and Friday last week and was very encouraged by that going into the New Orleans game. And then, he got thrown in this week when [S] Reed [Blankenship] had to leave.
He had some errors there, but overall, I’m encouraged by his play and where he can be eventually as an NFL safety.
Q. On DE Bryce Huff, what are the tools that you liked about him that maybe you hadn’t really had yet in a defense like this before? (Brooks Kubena)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, obviously, in his past, pass rushing was his forte. And that was number one for us. And then see if we can develop him in the other areas, too, so he can play more.
Q. At slot corner, do you see DB Avonte Maddox keeping that role here, or is DB Cooper DeJean getting up to speed? (Zach Berman)
VIC FANGIO: Yeah, [DB] Cooper [DeJean] is closing in on being ready where, at some point, we’ll put him out there. But [DB] Avonte [Maddox] has played fine in some areas. Obviously, he’s had some plays that he would like to have back, like all of us, including me.
But, yeah, he’s getting better.
Q. What are S C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s issues, in terms of – he keeps talking about technique whenever he gives up some of these touchdowns or passes. What specifically does he need to improve upon in terms of his technique? (Jeff McLane)
VIC FANGIO: Well, he needs to tackle better. That would be first and foremost. Then be sharp in his execution. Of knowing his assignments and executing them.
Q. Just to clarify, do you anticipate having S Sydney Brown at practice once you guys get back? (Reuben Frank)
VIC FANGIO: I think so. I think so. That we’re going to open up the practice window. Now, I’m not positive of that, so don’t hold me to that. That has been the timeline over the last few months.
And haven’t been told anything to the different.
Q. Will you look at him in the slot at all? (Bob Brookover)
VIC FANGIO: It’s possible. It’s possible. But I think a guy coming back from that long a layoff, it’s best to get him in one spot before you start moving him around.