Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik
On WR Nico Collins, RB Joe Mixon and T Laremy Tunsil being selected for the Pro Bowl
"I am really fired up for all of them, anybody who's name was thrown in at all. I think everyone in this organization couldn't be prouder of them. What they have gone out there and done this year as an individual, have fought through. As an offense and individuals, they have had some really good games and had some games where we know we could have done better. 'LT' [T Laremy Tunsil] in particular for me is a guy that really gets me fired up. I know I have mentioned it to everybody here before but there was a period where I really thought 'LT' was playing the best football that I have seen him play when I have been around him. He has continued that as we have kept going, his pass protection has been really well done and he has continued to excel in that regard. In the run game he has really taken a step in what he has been able to do for us on the left side over there. Obviously, Joe [Mixon] everyone is aware how important Joe is for us. The energy he brings, how he goes about his day, how he brings juice out at practice. He gets everybody going, gets everybody fired up. When Joe is on point, our offense is on point. I think that is pretty evident when you just watch us play. Nico [Collins], we have talked about a lot. It really just starts with the individual. How special of a person Nico is, how humble he is, how grateful he always is despite how good he goes out and performs and works every day. It is just really cool to see. He is just continuing to trend upwards, and I know C.J. [Stroud] being named alternate, I think that is awesome. It is the same as the other guys, everyone has had great days, days that they know they could have done better, but for him to get recognized like that and remember that even just some of the games he has had this year are really special games for a second-year quarterback. He is doing some things that you don't see second year quarterbacks do. Like all of us, we have had some highs and lows, and he has continued to fight through that and will continue to fight through that. For him to get recognized for that is really cool, for all four of them."
On thoughts on what happened during the Ravens game that led to team struggles
"I think there are multiple layers to that. It starts with the fact that it was the first game this year that we did nothing well. We didn't perform well in any regard, run game, pass game, execution of the game plan. Connections beyond that, that was not the Houston Texans offense. I would branch even further to say that wasn't the Houston Texans as a team either and I always start with myself when things like that happen. Did I do enough to prepare the guys for the game the right way. Looking at the pass game, I will start with in particular, did I do enough to detail every one of these pass plays to where we can be confident in where the receiver is going to be, be confident in the read, the receiver can be confident in the break point and we can make sure the connection can happen between these guys? That we go out and we get to the full speed rep on air. Did we then make sure we can the rep versus look we were expecting on defense? That is really where I start. What can I do? What can our coaching staff do? We are a better team than that, we are a better offense than that. For us not to go perform that is kind of a starting point for me."
On to balance resting players for playoffs this week while also getting them prepared
"That is not particularly a question for me, however, I think there are a lot of teams in the NFL that battle that exact same question the last game of the year, pretty repeatedly. I always go back to when I was growing up, when New England was rolling, and it felt like every last game of the year with [Bill] Belichick and [Tom] Brady. They were having to make this decision and what were they going to do, I felt like we all saw them do every which way. There were times where I felt like they didn't play, there were times I felt like he played the whole game. I felt like there was times that he played part of the game. That always resonated with me, no one has a better pulse of your team than the head coach. I think the head coach is always going to approach it like I am going to do whatever I feel like we need to do to play good football in the playoffs and I am sure DeMeco [Ryans] is taking that exact same approach."
On adding WR Diontae Johnson and what he is going to bring to this team
"Diontae [Johnson] has been a separator throughout his career in the NFL. He has played at an extremely high level, really at every stop that he has been at when he stepped on the field and you are watching the tape seeing who the guy is that separates, Diontae always jumps out. That is evident when we are out on the practice field these last few weeks. You can tell he knows what he is doing in routes, he is savvy, he is explosive, he is quick, he has great snap down and acceleration. Route wise he can do anything you ask him to do and it is really just hammering in on our offense which he has done a great job of so far. We have to help him in regard to that, just making sure he is in a spot where we can make him feel comfortable in what he is doing and how to do it. Also, our quarterback can feel comfortable with what he is doing and how he is doing it. The other receivers around him can so that is really the starting point and emphasis for us right now. As far as the receiver, he can do anything you want him to do."
On how to get him integrated so late in the season and expectations for what he can do in this offense
"I think that is a good question because I think if you don't start with almost no expectations, but you let him grow into it and you let him and C.J. grow into their rapport and you grow into routes and stems in our offense that he likes and is good at, I think you can get off course. We have a pretty good idea of what he has done in the past that he has shown on tape that he is really good at and when he separates and where he enjoys the ball and can go competitively catch it. We are starting there and as we go integrating some of our stuff and waiting for him and C.J. to see what they like and what they don't like and see where it goes."
On what goes into analyzing plays where QB C.J. Stroud missed the receiver
"If I am being frank, there is a lot. I could talk for fifteen minutes so if I go too long than stop me or I will stop myself. I always start with footwork, you get quarterbacks in the NFL, every single one of them are such a uniquely talented thrower that typically it is not mechanics, arm mechanics, body mechanics, things like that. That really impact their throwing. It is typically how they operate in the pocket or their footwork on any given play. Are they in the right platform for consistency? Golf is a great example, everything you do in other sports, in golf as a shooter, you are doing for consistency. Footwork is a starting point for consistency as a thrower. We always start there then we kind of branch outward from there. I would say directly as it relates to last game, once you get beyond that than I go did I do my part in preparing us to play. There are no plays in the NFL, in the pass game that aren't just extremely detailed all the way across the NFL. Did I make sure in the install did I hit the exact depth we are hitting this outbreak on? Is the receiver clear on how he has to break? So that our quarterback can feel confident as it is indicated so that he can start to let that thing go. Did we get the routes on air rep? Did we get the rep versus specific coverage? Did we get it as a primary or backside? There is a lot that you have to make sure that everyone is on the same page with as you get into it and that is where I always start with beyond the footwork. Then like everything in life, like in gold you hit a bad shot, Tiger Woods didn't always hit the fairway and I think that is part of it but the more you are on top of the other things, the more it just builds the consistency out and that is really where we start all the time."
On if expectations this season were set too high externally or if internally they had the same expectations
"I would say in general, I don't think anyone else in the world has higher expectations for us than ourselves. That is true even right now. As much as everything thinks as much as they want to think about any given performance that we go out and have. I promise we have significantly higher expectations every single week in what we demand and what we want how we want things done and how we go about our business over and over and over again. With that said, at the end of the day, the number one thing in the NFL In the starting point you have to make sure that you make tournament at the end of the year, and we did that. From this point on, it is really what makes or breaks your season. We would love right now to have a performance like last game where we are trending upwards, we are going in the right direction, and we are hitting this thing rolling. Obviously, that wasn't the case but right now we are using that as motivation. Right now, we know we can be significantly better than what we did than what we will be and that is where all of our energy is."
On TE Cade Stover coming back from surgery so quickly
"That is a credit to him, I forgot it even happened. He is the same Cade [Stover] he was when he left which I think is a credit to him. That is not an easy thing to go through, his physicality and his toughness just jumps off the tape and you feel him on the sideline he is a passionate individual that I think everyone feeds off of him. Especially when our run game gets rolling, he is usually a significant part in that and of that and we feel that on gameday live. When he comes to the sideline, he continues to supply juice to everybody and for him to keep rolling after that, I think that is awesome to see."
On how to fix struggles QB C.J. Stroud is facing this late in the season
"It is multifaceted. We know we have to have solid, sound, firm protection. That has been our big emphasis. Making sure pocket protection is sound. There should not be free runners, we should be able to pick up what people are bringing and feel good about hanging in there. On the flipside, in the NFL part of the battle is that there are good pass rushers everywhere every game and the pocket is chaos. I know we talked about this last year a lot, one of the adjustments C.J. had to make was handling the pocket and it has been too chaotic without a doubt. It is not just upfront that is just the nature of the NFL but we look at it like everybody is involved."
Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke
On what he thinks about CB Derek Stingley Jr. being named to the Pro Bowl
"Obviously, when you earn recognition in the league from fans, peers, coaches, it's an honor. And I think we've all seen the growth that Sting's gone through in kind of the last couple years. And so to see that growth sort of translate to other people seeing the work he's put in, I mean, we see it every day and see sort of the transition he's made into that type of player that he's become and so I think it's always cool to see that when outside people kind of witness the same thing and recognize the work he's put in to get where he is today. So, obviously great honor for him."
On what he thinks of the way DEs Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. have played this year and their Pro Bowl statuses
"I can't speak to that. There's a lot of factors that go into all those votes and stuff. But we are extremely pleased with everything that both Danielle and Will have brought to the table, to the team, to the defense. And obviously from a production standpoint, those numbers speak for themselves. I mean, from a leadership standpoint, from an everything. So, just very happy. Again, not everyone can get recognized in a lot of these things. There are limits on some of that stuff. And they both got recognition at some level from the Pro bowl. But I put those two in the top of the league with anyone."
On how having LB Azeez Al-Shaair back changes the defense
"I feel like, honestly, I feel like from the first press conference we had about Azeez in the spring and all the questions about his leadership and him running the huddle and sort of the communication and stuff and I think we've seen that kind of come to fruition through the year. So, obviously, we miss any of our good players that have missed time, we've missed. But getting him back from that point of view of just kind of being in command and in control and his presence in front of the huddle, as much as anything, has been nice to kind of have back for sure."
On how much changes scheme-wise now that LBs Azeez Al-Shaair and Christian Harris are both active
"I would say Christian's speed element, what you referred to as his cover stuff, I think, I think having that on the field with Azeez will be a nice piece to sort of go through like when you have two guys that can both run the way they can run and cover ground and overlap and do some different things. I think that's, hopefully, going to be a nice element for us."
On how they are preparing to face multiple quarterbacks with Titans QBs Mason Rudolph and Will Levis expected to play on Sunday
"I don't know what that means for them, so we're just going to go play ball. I would say I don't think their offense changes from a schematic or structural standpoint. But I think, obviously, they both have sort of different strengths and I think Rudolph's a little bit – delivers the ball a bit quicker, gets the ball out. Levis has, obviously we saw in our game, the ability to push the ball down the field a little bit more and make some deeper plays. So, how they're planning to deploy those guys, I don't know. But I don't think, from a preparation, structural standpoint, there's necessarily a lot of difference. And sort of like the run game's the run game and their concepts are the same. Now, kind of maybe where the ball's going, or how it's getting distributed is a little different. That we'll just kind of have to have some awareness. But I don't know that we're preparing any differently for either one."
On where he thinks DE Danielle Hunter's presence has been felt most
"Getting to the quarterback. I think, again, I think it's – I would partner him with [DE] Will [Anderson Jr.] and Will's growth and development this year from when you have a couple guys like that, that's hard to take one away. So, if you're spending too much time focusing on Danielle, then Will's gotten some shine and vice vera. So, I think having that balance of rush attack has been important for us in terms of protection-wise. It's really hard, I feel like, to just try to always slide to one side, or always protect a certain way against us because we have, now, multiple weapons that we can really attack offensive lines with. And he's a big part of that. He's done it for a long time. He's on the cusp of a big milestone from a personal standpoint with 100.0 sacks coming down the road for him, hopefully, this week would be cool for him. Just all that has been just really cool to see. It's been – from our perspective, just from like game planning pressures and how to attack protections, it's made it easier, obviously, because we just have different ways to deploy all those guys and it's just been – they both have rushed right and left, so be a little – like his ability to move around and play different sides and we've stood him up some and rushed him inside some and all those things. It just changes. We feel pretty good about being able to produce some pressure on the quarterback in a lot of situations no matter kind of what protection we're getting."
On the issues he saw on tape from the Ravens game that need to be corrected this week
"Where do we begin? I know [Head] Coach [DeMeco Ryans] talked about it, like I just – the execution from top to bottom wasn't up to par. I mean, just everything, missed tackles, dropped coverages, all sorts of things. So, took a hard look at it when we came back, we had some time off over the weekend. But I think the start of the week, it was – and actually, Azeez talked to the team about like, man, it wasn't something we wanted to, 'Hey let's just move on,' and brush it under the rug. Like we really took a hard look at some of the things and addressed, really, just the execution standpoint. We feel like if we're executing at a proper level, we're a pretty good defense. I truly believe that. I think we have a lot of talent and I think we have a good scheme and I think we can be a really, really good defense when we're executing and when we're not, it can go that way. So, I think the question of how we're making sure we're detailing out and executing every play is where we have to really grow into as we move forward to the playoffs, here."
On how S Calen Bullock has grown this season
"Yeah, I think, again, he's just – obviously, getting the ball, attacking the ball and playing the ball downfield has always been a strength of his and something that we try to put him in those positions to make some of those plays. I think he's probably growing – I mean we talked about tackling with him a few weeks ago in here also, which he's growing in that department. But I would also say, I think his – I don't know, awareness, recognition of things is starting to come as he's growing and getting those reps of recognizing sets and anticipating routes or jumping on some things and when he can take his risks on making a play, I think his sort of formation and concept recognition has sort of grown as he's gotten all that work and stuff. I mean, he's gotten invaluable time, obviously, time on task. So, I think that's one area I've definitely seen him kind of grow the last few weeks for sure."
On the value S Jalen Pitre has added to the team despite being out due to injury
"Man, you can't deny Jalen's heart and energy and just the presence out there. It's funny because I literally, [Defensive Passing Game Coordinator] Cory [Undlin], C.U. and I were walking out to practice today and Pitre was ahead of us. We came out of the locker room and Pitre was ahead of us and in his sling and I was like, 'Man, that's just like awesome that, that kid is literally showing up every day,' like it's – I mean, we know his season is over, but he's showing up every – he sits in meetings. He goes through every meeting, position meeting, defensive meeting, team meeting like coming out to the practice field. I think that speaks to who he is as a person and why he's won some recognition for the [Walter Payton NFL] Man of the Year stuff and all the things like who he is as a person, like I think that just speaks volumes. And I know the team is – I'm appreciative of it, for sure. Just, I love seeing his smile out there and I know the team really appreciates his energy and presence. A special kid."
Special Teams Coordinator Frank Ross
"Looking forward to the closing of the regular season and the only thing that matters is the first kickoff of this game, whether it's kick or kick return. To me, one of the reasons that we've had some level of success in the kicking game over the last four seasons is because we're day to day. Today we focus on Thursday's practice. Tomorrow we'll focus on Friday's practice, and we'll start on the opening kickoff and go from there. We have to find a way to get these guys back and we owe them one. Just got to find a way to play better football against the Titans this weekend. Excited to go out there and hopefully finish with a road victory to close out our regular season. We'll be ready to go."
On the Chargers fair catch kick a few weeks ago and if that's one of the most rare special teams quirks
"Yeah, we've got close to having one twice since I've been here in those situations with just enough time. One was 2021 preseason Week 1 at Green Bay and Alex Erickson was our returner at the time. It was maybe 18 seconds on the clock, so we had a chance – maybe a little bit more. We were kind of waiting to see how third-down played out and they were backed out. Then Buffalo in Week 5 and we had the mark where we can get a return and get a field goal, so we had enough time. When those show up, they are super far and between as you know but what's unique about it is that when we were creating the rule for the new kickoff, the conversation came up multiple times with the guys that were leading it and the NFL. They just said 'hey, we will coach up the fair catch free kick on the fly because it isn't happening.' Sure enough that happened this year, so allegedly the refs gave everyone time to organize what the new yard line is for where you're kicking and kick return team because when was the last time someone trained as a kick returner to drop 25 or 30 yards and setup. That was a year ago and now you just turn around and block. There is some minutia that goes into that play, but it's really from a punt yard perspective and time on the clock perspective to allow that to happen and every coach goes nuts when that happens and my phone blows up and I'm like 'alright, we got it.' Well executed by L.A. there at the time."
On his thoughts on how P Tommy Townsend and K Ka'imi Fairbairn have hit the ball this year
"I'm assuming you're referencing how they've been nominated for their postseason accolades. To me, every time a kicker steps on the field at practice on Wednesday, at practice on Friday, you've got to prove yourself. I think both of those guys have done a tremendous job of starting their season wherever that floor was and elevating their game and their play as the season went on, especially Tommy. From joining a new team and a new snapper, and new gunners. The way that he has finished his season strong. I think for both of them it's one, what are you going to do on the play and for their overall game if you're kind of looking in the mirror like where can I eliminate some inconsistencies. This coach standing in front of you right now is damn happy that we have number 15 and number six for the Texans."
