Sean McVay & Matthew Stafford On Team Injuries, Lions Matchup & Young Player Performances

all righty um as far as injuries today uh Rob havenstein and Christian roseboom will be limited Kevin doson will be out and so we'll go Kobe Durant uh he's just got a foot you think practice little well I you know we'll see how the week progresses um that's the hope and expectation so um if we are a little careful with him but we do expect him to make it to the game obviously there's a lot of Pride with the preparation that you do out here but when you go back and you look at the second half of uh the film from Sunday night you gain confidence knowing that I mean these guys were all out when you made the comeback yeah I was proud of the group like I mentioned after the game I thought they did a great job of especially when it goes to 173 to go on a 17-point run thought there was complimentary football on display ultimately we didn't finish and there was some opportunities to be able to do that but I was really proud of the resilience the mental toughness all the things that we talked about and and I think the film Illustrated that as well see way Johnson stepped up Sunday what makes disability to get guys ready in situation like that I think it's the clarity that he provides you know coach AR we've been together this is our eighth year he's an excellent coach he's connected with his guys they know how much he cares about them first and foremost as a person and then I think Nate Shield house um and Rob calibur's do a great job you know and so TJ ultimately delivered um I thought the shallow cross that he converts to a 60 plus yard gain was big but he made a handful of other plays did some good things without the ball um but you know it's always about all right making sure that you're ready for those opportunities if some unforeseen circumstances arise I thought TJ did a great job of being able to maximize the time that puka was out to be able to get better and to get a lot more reps than he would have gotten otherwise and I thought it showed the way he played Story by now but in terms of keeping ditions to your passing game I think it's really important and so you know the game the other day was such an outlier for how we had to play how we had to adjust you know I I've never been a part of circumstances quite like that um but I've also probably you know that's as proud as I've been of a group's ability to be able to adjust and you say all right hey everything we were going to do rip it up and adjust and the seamlessly handled that and I think it's a credit to our players to give ourselves a chance down 14 points and they add a lot of momentum at that point and to be able to you know take the lead with four and a half minutes to go now there's there's no moral victories but I don't think it's an all or nothing thing either like you can't gain anything from games unless you get the result you're hunging you know that that to me is not something that I believe in either do we want to go win and get the results of course but to go back to your original question about the dimensions it's really important you know and we want to be able to have you know all five El get involved we want to be able to do what we think is best to be able to move the football and score points um and so how that's reflected and uh Illustrated this week we we shall see and I sure hope we stay healthier by having I think just an example I think in a lot of instances Sarah being able to see what it looks like is more powerful than any words you can say um I always think the best teachers go off of the film you guys have heard me talk about whether it's Cooper um the best leaders they model the way um they pick and choose their spots to be able to say things but you know I see better than I hear and I think that's a great way of articulating what Cooper means to those guys because of the way that he moves and goes about his business and really his weekly and and daily and hourly rhythm is focused on consistently improving and and enjoying the opportunities that this presents Sean on Monday you talked about having a mindset to get yourself where you need to beated for Arizona you've also said don't let a team be yep can you talk about that process between Monday and where you're stand I think that's what's so great about the NFL is is whether we had gotten the result or whether we came up short like we did it's about how you move forward um how are we where our feet are planted and and all these things are so easy to say but it takes great discipline great mental stamina to be able to do it and to recommit and to be able to say let's pour everything that we have into this let's understand it's about the progress continuing to focus on those things that we can control not what we can't control and I've really liked you know up to this point these guys come back in the building we get back really late from Detroit but they got a great look in their eye and I think they're excited about you know preparing the right way to ultimately put ourselves in a position to perform as well as we can yeah I mean so I do know um you know Dylan was a guy that we had a lot of respect for coming out of college um had some traits and characteristics had some really good things he's obviously been under great Tage with Jeff Stalin in Philadelphia and so um that was one Ty and SEI were very familiar with um and so he was a guy I thought he played really well in 22 he's like he's Timeless you know he just he's kind of still doing his thing and it's great to be able to see him I was actually living in Washington when I was the OC so he's been uh wow he's been lasting for a while right um you know and then jiren Christian is a guy that's played a lot of football started a handful of games for Cleveland last year and so those were the guys that we felt like were the best available based on the parameters at which we could acquire players and so that was how we landed on those you've had a success against the Cardinals the last couple years by stopping Tyler Murray keeping him contained uh in the film against Buffalo got loose a couple times they almost pulled off that wi is that where it starts again on on Sunday oh he's a nightmare to prepare for and he's so dangerous because he can beat you in the pocket and then obviously if you lose a rush Lane he's so explosive I mean you me mentioned it I mean he made a handful of plays off schedule but that's been consistent throughout the course of his career and so being able to do things to try to make him uncomfortable easier said than done but that's always going to be a key because he's the focal point of their offense they've obviously got some great Playmakers and I think Drew does a great job of being able to mix it up Personnel wise and keeping you off balance but um if you allow him to be able to find openings he can certainly make you pay by extending plays keeping his eyes down the field or like you alluded to against Buffalo uh with his legs creating explosives and and then still being able to get out of bounds and not even take a hit coach I can imagine going into a game and having to rip up the game plan because of injuries how much pressure is there on you to find resolutions or or answers in real time well that's your job you know and I think that's what you know we're task to do you know we we didn't just sign up for all right hey if everybody stays healthy this is what you do um you know I thought just what we ask of our players we need to be able to do as coaches flexibility agility um some fluidity within the framework of the game and I was proud of our coaches um certainly there's still always things that you know when I look at myself critically from a decision-making standpoint there's always things you go back how do you want to sequence things what are the parameters around which you had to make some of those decisions how are you communicating you know to be able to connect with your coaches and your players so they understand what the intent is so I don't know if you look at it as pressure I think you look at it as hey that that was the circumstance that we were dealt um and you're just kind of in the moment trying to make sure that you handle things accordingly and and then afterwards you're saying anding man that was that was pretty wild but I was really proud of the way that we you know competed and and uh and showed some resilience and grip how do you build temp how do you build that contingency into your practice plan moving forward you you really don't have time to I mean you you know part of that is foundationally built based on what you do in OTAs and in training camp but if you told me you know all right hey basically all the stuff that you had planned for throw it out the window you know there's just not enough reps throughout the course but you do try to establish foundational understanding of all right here's some of the different things that we can do based on these parameters that were dealt um in whatever it is from a Personnel or just matchup wise and so um that's what we did now it doesn't mean there wasn't a couple things but there was a lot of things that we were planning on doing that were definitely out the door uh because of that situation does it feel like what's that does it feel like I don't remember that year what you're on the yes so I'm not trying to look backwards but you because they changed the overtime role in the playoffs would you being favored even if that yeah certainly here here's what I would say we were beneficiaries of it against Indianapolis last year in week four where we took the ball and went down the field um back and forth game like that of course you would love an opportunity now there are reasons behind it relative to okay 17 games you're extending the season it's going to be 18 at some point you know lengthening the time of games and that shortens it but um as a competitor if you're asking me you know would we have liked an opportunity to be able to get a chance to try to go match uh based on losing a point SAU answerers yes and I and I think all coaches would feel that way but I know there are some bigger picture things but uh but yeah that was uh that was something that that you would like for sure I thought they did really well you know I I thought overall I was really pleased with our defenses pursuit to the football the way that we took on blocks with the exception of a couple plays and give Montgomery a bunch of credit at the end you know where they were breaking some tackles I thought we you know when we flip the film on you say what does that unit look like and I thought you know Jared and Braden were extensions of the other nine guys around them when they were out there um I thought Jared made his presence felt on the very first play of the game obviously it was a big sack that he had at the end of the half to prevent them from getting a chance to get any points and then I thought Braden did some really good things I mean he's going to be relentless with his effort with his energy um and I think there'll be some things that he can take that he can apply moving forward just based on some situations that he was placed in against an excellent opponent with some different Personnel groupings that he'll only improve because of the way he's wired so overall Adam I was pleased with those guys y yeah you know that's that's the fortunate thing for us Gary um you know each of those three guys that are you talking about those three guys you know they each have unique injuries that as of right now it could keep them out longer than that and so we'll we'll see you know it what I think we want to be careful to do and I've kind of learned this just through experience let's not Place expectations on when they're going to come back because these guys are so conscientious let's allow them to be ready to go whenever their body says and when the doctors do say and I know they're going to accelerate it and be ready as quickly as possible um I can't even think about anything other than having a good practice today but we'll be great you know we'll be better when we get those guys back when that time is I don't know but you know to your point about the buy it does give us you know a little bit of you know luxury of another week in between instead of having to miss a game because of where it falls okay all right thanks guys don't you bring up 22 inmore how did you describe oh man great positive energy uplifting um great guy to be around he uh yards his you know I've been lucky lucky enough to be around him you know since I got here and uh you know his reputation across the league is is so positive and and rightfully so you know he's done it for a long time he's coached some great players um has his own unique style in doing it but man he uh he loves his players and pushes them and and as you can see gets a lot out I the guys in that room are conscientious on their own but what stands out about just's ability to have those guys ready for example like Tyler Johnson yeah I mean I think that's just a you know it's a testament to him it's a testament to that room he coaches everybody right he doesn't coach just the guys that are playing in the game he doesn't coach um you know just uh you know the starters or whatever it is man he's coaching everybody in that room he coaches them hard and and uh those guys um you know respond because they know he comes from a great place where he loves those guys and wants them you know wants the best for him so it's a great atmosphere in that room and and um does a great job leading it uh hugely I mean obviously his talent on the field is fantastic but I think in that room he uh you know he probably answers a lot of questions through my L sometimes hey what is Matthew thinking here because we spend a lot of time together he sees the game that way a lot of times um and then also just sets a standard of not only what it looks like on Sunday but Wednesday through Friday in practice and even preparing preparing for Wednesday and Monday and Tuesday so um you know just a great leader overall um and a great football player on the field I know there's there's no Memorial victories but now that you had a couple days to digest the Sunday night game what's your overall feeling with the way you guys battled um you know the other night yeah I mean I think uh I was proud of the way that we uh you know responded to some of the you know circumstances that happened in the game with guys going down and guys having to step up and play um you know I thought that obviously was not mistake free football there were opportunities to to win that game we had chances um but I was proud of the effort um you know we get to see some of the defensive tape and just watch those guys fly around that was an incredible effort that they put up against a really good def or really good offense in Detroit um really all three phases had their moments where they played well and battled and um you know it was a an overtime football game you know we were right there we had our chances didn't get it done but uh I'm proud of the effort and um you know the experience those guys got to get in there and play understand next mentality not just the quarterback Captain what's the L yeah I mean obviously a really good football player for us right um you know he's he's makes plays in the passing game he blocks in the Run game as good as anybody um does a lot of things allows us to be really multiple and what we want to do with you know just a couple personnels so um you know you lose him on the field there and then you lose his personality and the Huddle and the and the you know the juice that he brings out to practice the zest for football and life that he has um he's still around obviously it's not like we uh we put him down or anything but but uh you know you just don't get to see him in the Huddle as much which uh you know we all we all love being around puka so it's a little bit of a loss there yep [Applause] yeah just trying to uh make sure that I'm up to date on who's up and who's down there were a couple question marks there okay you know Joe battled there for a little bit okay now Joe's down um you know same with Steve trying to come back in maybe after half and just trying to figure out hey who am I taking Snaps with and then be what's the you know what's it going to look like in front and how can I try to turn protections to maybe help people or not or whatever it is um you know do the best that I can to try to let us operate at a at a high level and not miss much of a beat and uh you know got to give Sean a ton of credit for doing the same thing being able to adjust on the Fly and really all of our guys uh that stepped in there moved around and made plays so um you know it's uh it's not the ideal situation but I was really proud of the way those guys stepped in and played yeah it's great um you know he's he's been around here for a little bit he's made some plays um you know on the practice field did a great job making plays um you know the other night on Sunday so uh got a lot of trust in him um another guy I can have really good dialogue with right he's always I'm asking him questions way what it look like on the backside there what you know what happened here there or the other and he's got really good information he's a physical player like you know like puka like Cooper um not afraid to stick his nose in there and block so uh he's uh he's definitely a a guy that we value and and has done a nice job for us uh yeah I mean I think he's uh he's been great um he's really fun energy good guy to be around uh loves to play ball um loves to come out here throw around so he's been a really positive addition to our team excited to have him um you know he's back in with uh with meetings this week so it's good to see his face again see him around I'm sure he's excited to be back in here getting some uh getting some work in um you know it's it's been a really positive experience you never really know that it just felt like 2022 it feel that way to you no you know I I try to treat every single year as it's own right I mean we're going to have uh bumps along the way you know that's going to be the case uh this is NFL football there's injuries that happen um got to continue to try and you know come together as a team mold and uh you know like we said next man up at this point uh you know who's ever available to play ready to go get those guys as ready as we possibly can go out there rock and roll and and um you know I like I like our chances to you know just go out there and play well you never really know A team's medal until it's testing um you you don't know you know uh how a team is want to perform until the first game what did you learn about your teammates in that that first game yeah I mean I think just a mentally tough team mentally physically you know I mean we have guys um trying to battle through things like I said earlier physically uh you know and mentally you know guys having to move positions right um Jonah having to move around um you know new offensive lineman having to come into the game receivers having to come into the game and and probably didn't get a whole lot of reps order any at practice throughout the week and all of a sudden you're in there on Sunday Night Football um you know playing against some line so was really proud of the you know the mental strength that it takes to not you know not blink not miss a beat um come out there in the second half and play you know High Caliber football and that's really both sides of the ball right we were able to put some Drives together and score some points but if our defense wasn't getting stops and John Johnson's not making that pick uh you know the game might look different so um it took all All Phases of our team and uh was proud to see that those guys um you know didn't blink in in quite a bit of adversity on a tough environment on the road and that's going to serve us well throughout the season said because of the way the game unfolded he hadn't seen a game where take what game plan for and kind of rip it up yeah as as a ref looking back how strange was that to you well you know I think that's kind of how we that's kind of how we roll during training camp right we don't sit there and gam plan the teams we're practicing against our game plan our defense very often we just kind of go out there and play and so um I think I have a lot of experience in this offense po you or Cooper does um we were able to kind of piece some things together and and put guys in spots and be able to communicate enough to like hey this is what we're going to try to do and this is how we're going to go for it and um it's a huge Testament to coach and really our entire coaching staff and you know some of the things that we thought we're going to do earlier in the week weren't able to do um and so we just kind of adjusted on the Fly and we're able to put put Drives together uh and make some plays thanks