Vic Fangio

Q. Hey Vic, did you intend to play OLB Jaelan Phillips that many snaps going into the game, or was it just how he was playing and you’re like, ‘Let’s just roll with it’? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: No, that was the intention. He’s been playing all year, it’s not like he’s been inactive.

Q. As far as picking up the scheme though? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: A lot of carryovers from ‘23.

Q. This is the first time speaking with you since that trade, what was your view of the acquisition and your background with him? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: All for it.

Q. What do you like about OLB Jaelan Phillips as a player? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: You guys saw it. He plays hard, he’s strong at the point, good pass rusher. When you shop at Nordstrom, you get good stuff.

Q. Does it help you to have that different type of body type at that position with him on the team? (Dave Zangaro)

Vic Fangio: It’s not so much body type, but I know what you’re saying. It’s the way he plays. He plays big.

Q. On that fourth and one with DT Moro Ojomo sort of calling it out, is that rare for a defensive tackle to be able to do that? (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: Some of it is preparation during the week, some of it’s what’s happened in the game, some of it could be a stance that he sensed, it’s everything. But no, I don’t think it’s rare if you’re a smart player and Mo is.

Q. You had a lot of moving parts this year, guys coming and going, injury layoffs, trades, coming out of retirement, going into retirement. When you look at the way they played together on Monday night, where does that come from? Just that ability to have kind of new pieces? (Reuben Frank)

Vic Fangio: I think the position coaches did a good job getting everybody ready. There’s a lot of things you mentioned which are all true, but some of them have some carryover. Like in [OLB] Jaelan [Phillips]’s case. BG [DE Brandon Graham] obviously was here last year, he didn’t get to play much because he was on a snap limitation. Same thing with [OLB] Nolan [Smith], he was on a snap limitation, and Nolan’s back and he’s been here. So yeah, I think overall the players and their position coaches did a good job getting him ready.

Q. The secondary cornerback two was a big question in training camp. You had your own doubts that you expressed about CB Adoree’ Jackson in training camp. Are you surprised that he’s still the guy there and what does that say about him, that he is still the guy there at this point? (Bob Brookover)

Vic Fangio: No, I’m not really surprised, he’s a survivor. I think this is his 9th or 10th year. So if you’ve survived that long, you got a little something in you. Hopefully he can take that game, build on it and keep playing good.

Q. Another week for CB Michael Carter to practice, what have you seen in him that you like and he can fit? (Brooks Kubena)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, I think he’s a good nickel, that’s his best position. He’s learning the nuances of our defense, different for him compared to [OLB] Jaelan [Phillips], everything’s totally new for him, plus there’s more to learn. But [I] like him, and if we need another nickel, he’s going in.

Q. Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell took over play calling last week for Detroit. What changed? (Tim McManus)

Vic Fangio: Well, I mean they had 550 yards I think. About half of it was running and half of it was passing, so they were really good. They got a lot of talent on that side of the ball. They got the best O-line in the league, a quarterback [who] according to [Head Coach] Dan’s [Campbell] [is] playing the best that he is ever played, two good running backs, the receivers are all fast. It’s a good unit to be calling plays for.

Q. When you look at OLB Jaelen Phillips’s impact, how much does he help DT Jalen Carter and vice versa with them both being on the field together? (Martin Frank)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, I think the more good players you have out there, it’s going to benefit everybody. That’s not rocket science. When you get disruptive players, other players fall into plays like on the sack that [OLB] Jalyx [Hunt] got. I mean Jaelen really made the play, applied the pressure, flushed the quarterback, and Jalyx finished it. So the more players you have that can do that, the better off.

Q. Were there some signs with DT Moro Ojomo, either in the summer or last year, that led you to believe he’d have this type of season? (Dave Zangaro)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, last year he played good. He was playing, I don’t know, Reuben would know how many snaps a game he was playing last year.

Q. Exact same number this year as he did all last year. (Reuben Frank)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, so he was at 25-play game guy last year, now he’s a lot more. But when he played last year, he played good.

Q. Is that tough to sometimes project if that production will remain consistent when the snap count increases? (Dave Zangaro)

Vic Fangio: It shouldn’t. In his case, the extra load does affect him a little bit. He’s on the smaller size as the defensive lineman goes, so he’s got a strain a little bit more than somebody else. So it does affect him a little bit that way.

Q. How do you sort of view LB Jihaad Campbell’s role right now with the defense side moving forward? (Jeff Neiburg)

Vic Fangio: Just what it’s been. We’re mixing him, he’s playing some outside, playing some inside. Totally happy with his play at both spots and thrilled to have him.

Q. Is it like a learning curve? He’s had a ton of snaps as a starter, now he’s moving around a little bit. Is it a lot on his plate as a rookie? (Jeff Neiburg)

Vic Fangio: There is, particularly when we move him outside. All camp and everything, he was strictly inside because we knew [LB] Nakobe [Dean] going to miss seven games or whatever it was. For a rookie, that’s tough. You’d compare it to last year with [CB] Quinyon [Mitchell], we messed with him at nickel early in the off season, a little bit of camp. Once we put him at right corner, never moved him. Same thing with [DB] Coop [Cooper DeJean] last year. He was the backup nickel to start because he missed all the camp. Starting dime, and then once we said, ‘Hey, you’re the nickel.’ You don’t want to give a rookie too many extra jobs, but sometimes you’re forced to.

Q. Does LB Jihaad Campbell give you a coverage element at that position outside? (Bob Brookover)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, he should excel at that, he should. But again, it’s the reps.

Q. What did CB Jaire Alexander show you, in the limited time you were with him, in practice? What was kind of your perspective? (Tim McManus)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, I thought he was looking pretty good. Was anxious to see him playing a game and see how it looked. He decided otherwise and we all respect that.

Q. As a coach, how do you go about balancing what’s best for LB Jihaad Campbell this week, because I know you want to win the game. (Elliot Shorr-Parks)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, it’s what’s best for the team.

Q. You don’t take development and next year and that stuff into consideration? (Eliot Shorr-Parks)

Vic Fangio: No.

Q. With CB Jakorian Bennett, you had mentioned a couple of weeks ago when he got back to practice, you used the term ‘incomplete’. (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: And it hasn’t changed.

Q. You always stress how important practice is. So, you’ve had him for three weeks back in practice. How does he look to you? (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: Still the same. I don’t think you truly know anybody, particularly a corner, until you’re out there where there’s a scoreboard. So, it kind of the feels the same, optimistic, but the same.

Q. It’s the last stop press conference with a topic of DB Cooper DeJean on the outside came up. You mentioned there wasn’t really another option inside. Does CB Michael Carter’s acquisition change the equation? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: Possibly, yep.

Q. Do you think LB Jihaad Campbell can grow into a full-time edge rusher as his career goes on? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: Maybe. I like him as an ILB, but we’ll see.

Q. Do you think he needs to get better at it to be able to become a full-time edge? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: I just haven’t seen him enough out there, so I don’t know that I can give you an informed great answer on that.

Q. When is it going to happen for DB Cooper DeJean to become a full-time outside corner? (Reuben Frank)

Vic Fangio: Cooper? Oh, just that the play out there is not good enough.

Q. In CB Quinyon Mitchell’s case, you’ve mixed up whether he’s playing field side or boundary side. What dictates that? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: Every game’s different. Could be a jersey number, could be a call. There’s a ton of variables in it.

Q. With DB Cooper DeJean outside to get better. He’s been at nickel all this time. Is there faith that if he has more reps there that he would get better to the point where he would be able to start there? (Brooks Kubena)

Vic Fangio: Well, he does start there in the base. Cooper’s a little different in that all he played in college was corner. There’s a little less to learn there, mentally. But, because of his background and his football acumen, he can adjust to that quicker and better than most.