Vic Fangio

Q. How’d you change things up in terms of keeping QB Patrick Mahomes from running in the second half? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, he was a real problem there in the first half. I thought we played good in the first half, except for letting him run for 60-something yards in the first half, and we had started in the first half. We pressured more to try and help with that and that pressure helped us.

Q. What was the philosophy with the blitzes? We obviously didn’t see them in the Super Bowl. Why in this game? (Dave Zangaro)

Vic Fangio: Well, we didn’t need them in the first game you’re alluding to, and we needed them in this game. They’re always there, it’s just whether you need them or not.

Q. How much did DT Jalen Carter’s presence mean for that pressure that you were able to- (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: He had some good rushes. I think he needs to round into better shape. Both he and I talked about that, and he readily admits that. I think we’ll even get more. But, I thought for everything that has gone on in his world, I thought he played pretty good.

Q. Him [Jalen Carter] needing to get in better shape. Is that a result of not playing in week one, or is that something you’ve noticed? (Eliot Shorr-Parks)

Vic Fangio: No, not just playing week one. It’s just everything.

Q. What did you see from OLB Za’Darius Smith during the week that gave you confidence that he could be part of the rotation, and then how did you think he played it? (Jimmy Kempski)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, I thought for coming in on such short notice, he made some good plays. Obviously, he can get a lot better too, which I think he will, with gaining more knowledge of what we’re doing. But it kind of put to bed, they have this rule where in training camp, you have to have these acclimation periods, notepads — they don’t do acclimation periods for signings in season, like [LB] Chance Campbell, who we signed two days before the last preseason game, played in that game.

Q. Was that the best game DT Jordan Davis has had for you? (Merrill Reese)

Vic Fangio: I don’t know. He’s been playing really good since the back third or back quarter of last year into this year. I think it’s been more of a continuation of what we’ve been seeing lately.

Q. How did that happen with DT Jalen Carter? How did he get to the point where he wasn’t in the fitness level that you guys needed coming out of training camp? (Reuben Frank)

Vic Fangio: There’s a lot of reasons for that. One, he has had a shoulder issue, which has limited his time on the practice field. The shorter practices that we do, the lack of reps that he’s gotten for multiple reasons, all of that.

Q. What’d you think of S Andrew Mukuba’s performance? Obviously, the big play at the goal line, but that 3rd-and-1 one stop specifically, how do you think he did? (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, he had some really nice plays, the two you’re alluding to, obviously. He did a good job. When we brought him on the one pressure, I thought he had nice plays, and then some other ones that we got to eliminate too.

Q. What happened to the two deep balls? One that wasn’t completed and then the one that was what happened? (Bob Brookover)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, on the last one we messed up an adjustment there. On the other one, Adoree [Jackson] lost his coverage there.

Q. Going back to DT Jalen Carter, it looked like he was having some issue with his hand there during the game. Did you notice that? Did he say anything about that to you? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: He’s got a little something there, but it’s nothing that’s going to slow him down too much.

Q. To follow up on the blitzing question. I know you have it in there, but what dictates whether you decide to use it in a given game? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: Well, two things. One, do we need it, and two, do I think it’s a good time to call it.

Q. What about your personnel? Is it playing to the strengths or having those types of linebackers or safeties that can do it and do it well? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, that’s part of the equation. You also have to have guys they can cover too, so it’s an 11-man operation.

Q. One more DT Jalen Carter question. Played outside few snaps wasn’t many, but is that something you see increasing? (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: That’ll be game to game.

Q. I think there was a feeling outside the building that this defense, since it had so many losses, would take a little time to maybe come together. It looks like it’s coming together pretty quickly. What’s your take on that? (Ed Kracz)

Vic Fangio: It’s a week-to-week league, as you guys know. It didn’t look good in the first half of the first game. Second half got better, this game was better. TBD, we got another one on Sunday at one o’clock. I think we’ll get better and better as the season goes on. We got some young guys, new guys, that should do nothing but improve. Also, I’ll get a better feeling for what the unit can and can’t do, and what needs to be the style of play that we need to play most often.

Q. What makes OLB Nolan Smith a good run defender? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: His mindset, number one. Playing good run defense is a mindset, and he’s got the mindset. He attacks blocks and he’s fearless.

Q. With OLB Za’Darius Smith, how much of the system did he know going into the game, and how much more can he grow into it? (Brooks Kubena)

Vic Fangio: He knew enough that we felt comfortable playing him. But obviously, he should know more today than he did then, and he should know more next week. He’s got a lot of learning to do.

Q. What’s your assessment of CB Adoree Jackson’s performance overall? (Tim McManus)

Vic Fangio: I thought it was improved. I thought he did some good things and hopefully that will kickstart him into being a good corner for us.

Q. What did you think of DT Moro Ojomo’s performance? I think I saw he had six pressures. What did you see when you watched him? (Cayden Steele)

Vic Fangio: Mo’s a good player for us. He was last year. Now he’s going to get more reps, so he should be showing up more. He’s a good football player. You need to stop being surprised by that.

Q. What’s top of mind for getting ready for the Rams? (Dave Zangaro)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, they have a great offense. Their scheme is really good and tough to prepare for, and tough to play. They got a great quarterback operating it. They now have two great receivers. [Los Angeles Rams Head Coach] Sean [McVay] does a great job calling the game. He’s a really good play caller throughout the course of a game. It’s an extremely difficult assignment.

Q. With LB Jihaad Campbell in week two, how do you think he performed, and his length is kind of unique, how in your history, how unique is his length? (John McMullen)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, he played well. Like we were just saying, he’s going to continue to get better and better as he plays. There’s usually a good correlation. The more you practice, the more you play, the better you get. He’s going through that, and he’s getting better every day. Really happy to have him, I love his work ethic and his attitude, and he’s doing a good job for us. His length and speed is an added bonus.

Q.What are the keys for those middle field defenders when there’s eye candy which Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay uses a lot at the snap? (Jeff McLane)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, you just got to play your techniques and your fundamentals regardless of what’s going on in front of you. It’s discipline.

Q. A lot of guys talk about S Andrew Mukuba’s ability to be around the football. I guess in your experience, what goes into that for a player? Is that something you develop? Is that something that’s purely instinctual? (EJ Smith)

Vic Fangio: Both. He obviously has some instincts for that and the more you play and the more you learn a defense and your assignments and what’s expected of you, that will improve too, but he’s got the foundation of it already being in him.

Q. It’s been a trend going back to last year that’s continued this year in terms of improvement in the second half games. What goes into halftime adjustments or in-game adjustments that allows your defense to do that? (Zach Berman)

Vic Fangio: Halftime adjustments are way overblown. Half time is 12 minutes long, takes me a few minutes to get down, takes me a few minutes to get back up. You need to be adjusting all throughout the game. If our offense has a good drive, there might be more than 12 minutes in between when we’re on the field, so in between series you have to be doing it. I have to be doing it in my own mind from a play calling standpoint, so it’s constant. The idea of halftime adjustments is overblown in my opinion. It’s a constant during a game.

Q. What do the Rams depth at receiver offer as a challenge for you guys? You tried different things in secondary so far this year. (Brooks Kubena)

Vic Fangio: Yeah, they got two great receivers, [Rams WR] Puka [Nacua] and [Rams WR] [Davante] Adams. They got good tight ends. [Rams WR] Tutu [Atwell] is a fast quick guy, and [Rams QB] [Matthew] Stafford is one of the most gifted passers you’ll ever see, with his experience and their whole offense is based upon running the ball, so it’ll be an all-day sucker for us for sure.

Q. Since you didn’t have to blitz in the Super Bowl, were any of those blitzes from Sunday just holdovers? (Tim McManus)

Vic Fangio: Maybe one or two, but really a lot of them were stuff that we carry every week.