Vic Fangio

Q. What was the plan for LB Jihaad Campbell and LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. splitting time? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, we were going to play Trotter some.

Q. The broadcast said that you guys were planning on starting him. Is that right? (Tim McManus)

Vic Fangio: That is an out and out lie. Never said that.

Q. Why split the reps with them at this point? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: Well, Trot played good in the start that he had when [LB] Zach [Baun] was out and it was close. I just think he deserves playing time.

Q. How will you manage that rotation? Will it be dictated by situation or? (Dave Zangaro)

Vic Fangio: No, by series kind of.

Q. I know you did that in the playoff game, I think with [Cincinnati Bengals LB] Oren Burks and Trot after [Las Vegas Raiders LB] Nakobe [Dean] got hurt. (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, not too much.

Q. But you were going to and then [Cincinnati Bengals LB Oren] Burks kind of took control of that situation. I mean, could that happen in this instance? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: I wouldn’t draw any comparisons.

Q.: How did LB Jihaad Campbell play? (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: Played okay. Played okay.

Q. Are you expecting OLB Jalyx Hunt and then the Edge Rusher group overall, what do you think of it? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, I think it’ll be pretty miraculous for Jalyx to play this week, but he’s the kind of guy, he’s going to be pushing the envelope and making the medical people clear him. He’s not going to be one of those guys that’s going to be hesitant to come back.

Q. And then the edge rusher group overall, how do you think it’s looking and is OLB Jonathan Greenard close to contributing as well? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: Hopefully he’ll be ready to go this week, but we got to see.

Q. What are your first impressions of DB Kenny Moore II having to come in? (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, I think when you consider the lack of background, both he’s never played safety in his career, gets here after training camp, limited reps with our defense, he’s getting some in scout team. I thought he did a pretty damn good job considering the circumstances.

Q. Did DT Jalen Carter have more mobility? Was he wearing a smaller cast? It seemed like he had more use of his hands than he did before. (Jeff Neiburg)

Vic Fangio: It might have been smaller. I think it’s going to be significantly smaller this week.

Q. Any concern that with LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. playing more that it would be a setback for LB Jihaad Campbell? Do you worry about how he’ll take it and that he won’t be able to progress as much if he’s not playing as much? (Reuben Frank)

Vic Fangio: No.

Q. There are stretches where DT Jalen Carter looks like the best player on the field. What’s it going to take to sort of get that more consistently from him? (Tim McManus)

Vic Fangio: Yeah. I just think as he progresses as a player, understands what’s important from a technique standpoint and how to play, we’ll get more of that. But it’s not like he’s been not playing good since he’s been here. It’s just he obviously made a couple big plays the other night and hopefully that will continue and it’s hopefully his wrist [is] getting better.

Q. When DT Jalen Carter, it seemed like he started getting doubled a little more in the second half. Is that true or not? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: I don’t know. A lot of it’s dependent upon the protection they have called. It may be true. It might be.

Q. It seemed like it. And then when OLB Jalyx Hunt went down, what did you think about the other guys on that line taking advantage of their one-on-ones? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, I thought [DT] Jordan [Davis] with couple that he had did a good job. That’s the one that stands out the most.

Q. Head Coach Nick Sirianni wore that last game decision after the game talking yesterday, you’ve been around a lot of head coaches, you’ve been a head coach yourself. How much does he stress those situational things in the week, meetings, in practice? (Brooks Kubena)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, stresses them a lot. I know he spends a lot of time researching it each and every week and takes a lot of pride in that.

Q. You mentioned last week getting more reps for DT Jordan Davis. I don’t think he played more than 50% on Sunday. (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, but it was a little bit more than he had been.

Q. Is there anything holding him back? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: Well, one of the things that happens is it became a pretty big nickel game, not much base, which only two of those guys play. So it kind of becomes three for two with him, [DT Moro] Ojomo and [DT] Jalen [Carter]. So those three, and then when you add the other two guys, it’s going to spread it out some.

Q. What was the difference having LB Zach Baun back? I mean, obviously on that fourth-and-goal, he makes that really nice stop to end the half. Just how much of a difference does it make having him in there? (Martin Frank)

Vic Fangio: A lot. It always makes a big difference when a really good player is playing for you. And as you guys know, he’s been a really good player for us since he’s gotten here. The more really good players you have, the more chance you have of playing good. But Zach’s really one of the top linebackers in the league, and when he’s out there, that’s the type of play we expect from him. He played good, not just that play, but overall.

Q. What would you like to see CB Riq Woolen and do differently on that touchdown? (Reuben Frank)

Vic Fangio: Do a better job early in the down. He was pressed, get a little bit more done in the press part of the phase, and he did rally and get back in decent position, but kind of felt like he was, because he didn’t do a good job early, [it] affected what happened late. You

Q. Did you say DT Jalen Carter’s going to have a pretty significantly smaller cast? (Jeff Neiburg)

Vic Fangio: Significantly may have been a poor choice of words. It’s going to be smaller.

Q. Is that just he’s feeling better with it? (Jeff Neiburg)

Vic Fangio: No, that’s a medical thing. They had to protect it for four weeks with that cast.

Q. What could you have done differently on the long touchdown off the play action boot? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, we just didn’t play it very well. It was poorly played.

Q. Can you offer a little more on-? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: Really, it was poorly played.

Q. Was that a leverage thing from S Andrew Mukuba? Was that just getting out leveraged to a certain degree? (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, to a degree. Yeah.

Q. What stands out about the Panthers? (Dave Zangaro)

Vic Fangio: The quarterback has really progressed. I think I coached against him when he was a rookie, and to see the progress that he’s made from then to now, kudos to him and their coaching staff. He really good processor, makes quick decisions, knows where to go with the ball. He’s elusive, he’s a scrambler, really good anticipation. Very, very impressed by him.

Q. Is the tape of the last time you guys played them almost useless because he’s so much different now? (Jeff Neiburg)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, it’s two years ago.

Q. I was going to say, what about their offense in general? Obviously they have [Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa] McMillan and they might get [Carolina Panthers WR Jalen] Coker back and everything. Just how dangerous those guys are. (Martin Frank)

Vic Fangio: They’re dangerous. I think they’re third in the league in yards. It’s only a five game season up to this point, but fifth in points, something like that, or fourth in first downs. They’re balanced. They run it good. [Carolina Panthers RB Chuba] Hubbard’s really a good back, runs hard. They block good. They’re a good offense, and it’s not tilted one way or the other. It’s [not] all pass. They’re really good running and throwing and the run game and the pass game compliment each other in the early downs. They got it going right now.

Q. With the injuries that you have in the safety room, S Marcus Epps and DB Michael Carter, how do you overall feel about right now about that group right now, just the depth and quality? (Cayden Steele)

Vic Fangio: Well, obviously the depth is challenged. Marcus has been out. Michael replaced him. He got hurt early in the game. Yeah, it’s challenged.

Q. Have you analyzed your fourth quarter defense at all, and what are you seeing as to why there’s a drop off relative to the other quarters? (Tim McManus)

Vic Fangio: I mean, I look at it, but there’s no common theme. Obviously in the Rams game, we became a throwing fest and they outdid us there.

Q. Last year we had a conversation about how to change to the kicking ball or field goal has played into games. [Jacksonville Jaguars K] Cam Little had kicked a 70-yarder before. How much leading into the week was that part of the plan and how much did you think that factored to the end of the game? (Brooks Kubena)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, there’s no doubt that — we made our players well aware on what first day we met on him that they have a kicker that even during the normal flow of the game, they may attempt a 65-yarder and obviously the last play of the half or game, they’ll go even farther. So yeah, he’s got a big leg. The souped up kicking balls that they put in last year has affected that. Yeah, the end of game, end of half scenarios where a field goal is possible, you have to expand your yard line.

Q. I know it’s been a few months now, but when you look at Carolina Panthers OLB Jaelan Phelps, what’d you lose when he left and how did you expect to replace him this year? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: Well, [OLB Jonathan] Greenard was going to take a lot of that and unfortunately he got hurt in our weight room before training camp started, missed all the camp, missed the first few games, just started practicing and then got the ankle injury. So that was going to be a big piece of it.