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LB Jon Beason Conference Call (Transcript)

Eric from BBI : Admin : 9/9/2014 5:28 pm
LB Jon Beason
Conference Call -- September 9, 2014

Q: When you take a look at the tape what is the first thing that pops out?
A: A lack of collective execution. You play 60 snaps or whatever it was yesterday and if every guy who plays has one or two mental [mistakes], you can’t win a game that way, unfortunately. That is a problem, but it is a problem that we can control. If there is one positive, that’s it. We just need to do our job and trust that the man next to us is going to do their job and try to be consistent at it.

Q: Antrel [Rolle] said earlier he thought the team was too ‘lax’ and needed to find some more fight… Did you sense that?
A: I wouldn’t say ‘lax.’ I think we need to have more fun, but it is only fun when you are making plays. Throughout the game, when you are out there and things are not going well… what you are trying to get across to the guys in front of you is somebody step up and make a play and let’s have some fun. Once you make a play, we are going to get on a roll. Then we will start flying around and doing it together. When you make mistakes and you don’t get off the field on third down, it is demoralizing. Maybe that is what he meant by a lack of fight. We needed more spirit, somebody to ignite the game through making a play. We had an opportunity in the high red to come away with a fumble, and unfortunately that ball bounces funny and it went back to [Joique] Bell. It could have been a huge turning point in the game. We gave up some third and longs that can’t happen. You expected to get off the field and you finally get a stop and then the drive continues. It is demoralizing.

Q: How much of the [mental errors] could be attributed to the fact that those 11 were playing together for the first time because you obviously had not been in camp?
A: When you talk about being on the same page and having chemistry and being on the same wave length, however you want to say it, anytime you get a new guy in there, it is going to change it. It is going to ruffle the feathers. Hopefully going out there was a positive for our defense, which I think it was. For me, it just came down to trying to execute at a high level. Just doing my job and keep guys motivated and focused and confident in what we are doing and confident in our preparation in going out there and playing. The tape is not about the chemistry. I think we have that. I think guys understand what they are supposed to be doing and I think guys know the guys around them in terms of their strengths and weaknesses and how we all fit together. We just can’t get on the big stage and not do the bare necessities of what the defensive call entails.

Q: You said you anticipated being sore today… Were you correct?
A: Yeah. It is a big transition. Plus, for me, it came down to the last test, which was running around on turf. It is extremely rigid and not really forgiving, whereas grass is, but it is still the time of year where we try to take care of our joints and our bodies by practicing on grass right now. So that is a plus. Getting out there and moving around full-speed on turf was definitely an adjustment and you could feel the impact of the turf versus the grass. I was able to come out, and being sore today was something the training staff anticipated. We are going to work to get it calmed down so I’m ready to go tomorrow.

Q: Do you anticipate being limited in practice this week?
A: I think, regardless of the outcome of the game last nigh,t that would have been the protocol. There was a set number of plays per half and I was aware that, if need be, I’d be able to come out [and say], ‘I’m a little winded.’ I felt great. [Jameel] McClain stepped in and played well. We had a rotation planned, but it was going to be based on how I felt. I felt good, but the plays kind of snuck up on us quick in the first half and [the coaches/trainers] wanted to stick with the game plan where we want to work Beason back in. We want to get him to the next game where he can get more and more comfortable conditioning, from a physical standpoint, foot work, orchestrating the defense, tackling and just all the things you get over the course of a training camp.

Q: Have you ever been, in your time with Carolina [Panthers], with so many unsettled pieces just with the offense and so many new faces on the defense?
A: Well, I think it is like that every year. If you look at a team in terms of what they do in the draft and free agency… If you don’t do enough, then [the media] is always going to criticize us, saying, ‘You guys should have done this or should have done that.’ It is always hindsight, even though it is 20/20. It is always like that. No one knows what to expect the first game of the season. Everyone is gunning for the Super Bowl. Everyone wants to be undefeated at the end of the first game, and you never know what to expect. You could get hit with adversity and find out a lot about a team. That is why it is a 16-game season. Are we going to be a resilient group? How are the guys that you know and play next to, how do they handle making the corrections or owning up to mistakes? Are guys thick-skinned? ‘Hey, that was on me I have to correct it.’ All these things get answered when you get hit with adversity. It is easy when things go well. Right now the Lions are thinking, ‘We are great.’ And rightfully so, you can only measure yourself up to your last performance. That comes down to each play. That part of it is yet to be determined and we are going to go in tomorrow and be honest and look at ourselves, first individually, and say, ‘can 5-2 get there’ or ‘where were my mistakes’ or ‘where was my consistency and execution.’ Own up to it and let’s fix it. Let’s get it right because Sunday is going to be here. No one is going to feel sorry for us.

Q: In that regard, are you almost glad to get your first loss out of the way instead of going 6-0 and then be all excited but then [the team] would not have faced that adversity?
A: No, you never want to deal with adversity. The plan is to stop adversity from happening. It is inevitable. You are going to have a play, a series, a quarter or a game where things don’t go well. And that is really how you define yourself, in those moments. Who are you when it hits the fan? That is how teams make runs in the playoffs and make runs late in the season and figure out a way to overcome that adversity in the Super Bowl and win. There are guys on this team that know how to do that and unfortunately it is happening a little sooner than we would like, but nevertheless, it is part of the game. You line up against a guy across from you who is considered the best in their profession and you get to see where you measure up. There is no greater occupation in my mind where you can come to work every day and see where you are as a man.
What an articulate guy.  
CT Charlie : 9/9/2014 7:00 pm : link
I'm glad he's Giant, and I hope our D reaches its potential.
Good interview  
TMS : 9/9/2014 7:29 pm : link
Like his savvy and knowledge of the game. Hope Fewell listens.
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