Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan – Conference Call – October 5, 2016
(On if he remembers the context regarding his comments on Rams DT Aaron Donald from Donald’s rookie season)
“I’ve made a lot of dumb comments in my days, that’s probably right up there at the top. But what it was, was I was disappointed. We had a guy, (Jets DE) Sheldon Richardson had a great year, never made the Pro Bowl and one of our coaches had said ‘This guy can’t hold his jock.’ So I go ahead and say it – I never even saw him play, but I knew he was a rookie, so rookies shouldn’t go to the Pro Bowl. But, anyway, after I’ve seen this kid play, I’m like ‘Oh boy!’ Mark that down as one of the dumbest ones – and I’ve had a couple of them, maybe one or two dumb ones, that one right there is right at the top. But, obviously, he’s a great player. And, you know what, there’s two other great players getting ready to come out there and play as well in (Bills DTs) Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams, who are pretty good players, too. If you like defensive tackle play, you’ve got (Rams DT Michael) Brockers and all that, it’s going to be a great game for it.”
(On what it’s like to have Dareus back and integrating him back into what they do)
“It’s going to be fantastic. It’s a Pro Bowl nose tackle and obviously, he’s just a rare guy. He’s a 340-pound guy, that’s a big cat out there. He’s just an unbelievable player. Obviously I’m thrilled to have him back.”
(On the new defensive tackle phenomenon with players like Dareus and Donald)
“They’re so athletic now. These guys are rare, though in any game. You don’t find Aaron Donalds or Marcell Dareuses out there. There’s a handful of these type of guys that are in the league now and they’re unbelievable. I’m looking at Donald, and the thing about him is he’s got such great quickness, but he’s also got such a change of direction, he’s got head and shoulder fakes and he uses his hands so well. And I love his motor, it’s rare to find someone who can play as many snaps as he does with that kind of intensity and effort. Really, a joy to watch – unfortunately, I’m not looking forward to Sunday, I can tell you that much. He really is a fun player to watch and I love his effort. I guess the nearest thing to him is John Randle, that I can remember – a guy with just explosiveness and power. Really a rare guy.”
(On how the team responded to the offensive coordinator change and what he was looking for when he made the change)
“First of all, I think Greg Roman is a tremendous coach, so I definitely don’t want to disparage him and his contributions that he made to our team. I just thought we needed a change and Anthony Lynn is a great football coach. I thought it would be good, we did a few things differently, but I know everybody in the locker room respects him. And we have a certain plan, we’re trying to get the ball to our playmakers and, obviously, our running game, we’re pretty multiple in what we do in the running game. I think he does a great job of calling the games. For a guy, if you think about it, he really hasn’t had a whole lot of experience calling plays – I thought he’s done a great job these last two weeks.”
(On what gave him confidence that Lynn could call plays and be effective)
“He’s been with me now for eight years, so I was very confident that he’d do a great job.”
(On his observations on the Rams)
“First off, I think they’re playing to the strength of their team. They play great special teams, I think that’s probably the most underrated unit, they’re unbelievable, (special teams coordinator) John Fassel does a great job coaching them. He’s got that riverboat gambler-type of mentality, as well, so you have to have your antenna up for that. But then their defense is led by an outstanding front-four, very athletic at the linebacker spot, as well. And then the corner, 22 (Trumaine Johnson), whoever he is, that sucker is a great football player. And I love (S T.J.) McDonald, I think he’s a tempo-setter, the way he plays. So they’re as solid as heck on defense with a great front. And then offensively, they have weapons. You’ve got as good a running back as there is playing right now in (Todd) Gurley. I think everybody is paying attention to him, and rightfully so. (WR) Tavon Austin, you have got two big wideouts. This is an outstanding group. The only stat that matters is what your record is and right now, they’re 3-1 and that’s all you really need to know about that team.”
(On what he remembers about Jeff Fisher coaching with his father, Buddy Ryan)
“Dad, he obviously loved Jeff Fisher and respected him – and for good reason. I think he was the youngest defensive coordinator in the National Football League when my dad hired him. He knows his stuff, he’s tough, he’s consistent, he’s a leader. It’s funny – look at the secondary he played with at USC, he played with Hall of Famers back there and then there was Jeff Fisher. But Jeff Fisher was a pretty decent player, as well. Obviously, he’s a tremendous coach, I know how talented his team and how he’s going to have them ready to play, without question.”
(On the last time he coached in Los Angeles and his thoughts on the NFL being back in L.A.)
“A couple things I remember. We went out there, Jerome Bettis was a running back there my very first game ever as an assistant coach – I was coaching defensive line with the Phoenix Cardinals back then before they went to Arizona Cardinals – and we got beat and I don’t think my dad could every get over it. Ricky Proehl was a great receiver, but he dropped a sure touchdown in that game and he was in dad’s doghouse from that point on. Steve Beuerlein (didn’t) have a very good day, we got beat, I want to say 14-7 or 10-7 or something like that (14-12). I just remember being so down on the way home. The NFL, you never get used to it, but man, it’s like golly – you can’t win all these games, you can’t schedule victories. I remember that about that, about playing there. I remember when my dad was coaching with the Vikings and they played the Raiders in the Super Bowl – that was a nightmare, that one. Obviously, it’s kind of exciting to get NFL football back in L.A., I think it’s awesome. And I loved the unis they had, the first week they had those unis, that looked pretty sweet.”
(On what he sees from Bills QB Tyrod Taylor that makes him effective)
“He’s a real talent, there’s no question. Things that pop off, immediately people are going to pop to his movement skills because he can run a 4.4 (40-yard dash) at the quarterback position, so that’s rare. But he can also make throws – the guy was the most effective deep-ball thrower last year with his accuracy. He can throw the deep ball, he has great movement skills. He maybe lacks the ideal height, but you know what, he’s a leader, he prepares like crazy and we’re very fortunate to have him.”
(On what Bills RB LeSean McCoy does well)
“Everything. He’s great out the backfield, he can run between the tackles, he obviously is a great player in space and he’s a decent pass-protector. I think he can do it all, absolutely do it all.”
Bills QB Tyrod Taylor – Conference Call – October 5, 2016
(On the challenges of the Rams defensive front)
“(They’re) definitely a very good front seven. They do a good job on the back-end as well. You have to be disciplined against this group. Like I said, just overall their defense has definitely been playing very well. They’ve been doing well for a couple of years now, and they still have their nucleus. You have to be disciplined, like I said, going into this game.”
(On some of the challenges of facing an unfamiliar opponent)
“I would just say trying to learn tendencies, and that’s through watching film, as a group and on your own. Just trying to get a better feel, like you said, it’s not often you get a chance to play these guys. When we do go out there and play, we want to be able to execute at a high level. The more that we know them, the more that we’re familiar with them, like some of their tendencies, the better off we are as far as going there and feeling good about executing plays.”
(On how he’s adjusting to the new coaching staff)
“It was a different change early on. But I think we as a team, the conversation has been open throughout offense. Our conversations between me and Coach (Anthony) Lynn, and (Senior Offensive Assistant) Coach (Chris) Palmer, have been an open one as well too. (I’m) getting feedback from both sides. Just trying to do the things we do well moving forward, and just trying to get our playmakers in the best situations as possible, and going out there and executing plays. Coach Lynn does a good job of pushing the tempo, and I think that has definitely throughout the past couple of weeks.”
(On the wide receivers stepping up in place of injured WR Sammy Watkins)
“Those guys have accepted the challenge to go out there and perform. We have a bunch of talent on our team at the wide receiver position. It may not be a big name as Sammy’s, but those guys will give us their all each and every day. (WR) Robert Woods has been a great receiver for us, for a while now. Some of the things he does go unnoticed and doesn’t get talked about. He’s definitely a competitor, as well as the other guys. You see guys like (WR) Marquise Goodwin going out there and making plays. Even a guy like (WR) Walter Powell last week, stepping and making some plays for us. We still have (TE) Charles (Clay), and we still have (RB LeSean McCoy) ‘Shady’. It’s my job to spread the ball around on offense. As a team, we’re confident in the guys that we have out there playing. The type of talent that Sammy is, he’s one of the top receivers in the league and he definitely makes us better when he’s out there, but when he’s not there, those guys accept the challenge. We go out there and try to execute plays.”
(On his chemistry with WR Rob Woods)
“Yes, I would say me and Robert Woods’ chemistry is definitely building. I’ve had time in the past year to work with him a lot. Sammy was absent throughout OTAs and mini-camps, so me and Robert worked a lot, as well as Marquise Goodwin wasn’t there, he was on his Olympic tour. So me and Robert Woods have got to put it together. From here on out, we’re going to be spending a lot of time together. You just go to continue to keep building, getting on the same page, and we definitely learned that we can be better. He had a great game last week. Another thing, as an offense, we felt like we left some play out there.”
(On what RB LeSean McCoy brings to the offense)
“Yes, LeSean, a dynamic player, of course, in the running game, and in the passing game as well, too. (He’s) a mismatch problem for a lot of defenses. It’s definitely important that we get him going for our team’s success. Just got to continue to keep building around him, and continue to keep getting him the football.”
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