Transcript: Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka

Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka

Q: With the uncertainty of (wide receiver) Malik's (Nabers) injury, how have you game planned this week?

MIKE KAFKA: I'll let (Head Coach) Dabs (Brian Daboll) talk about the injury stuff. But, generally, as an offense, it's just really taking a next man up approach on offense. Our coaching staff does a great job of getting everyone prepared. So, making sure we're all dialed in.

Q: Next man up is what you would say for everybody, obviously, at all eleven positions. But when somebody has accounted for 40% of your offense, the next man up is not going to be able to do that. So, how do you spread that around? How do you get more people involved? Do you have to ask for more out of everybody rather than just the guy who's taking Malik (Nabers)' spot?

MIKE KAFKA: Really the philosophy is next man up, next man in. He's going to carry the load. Then we just got to figure out, as a coaching staff knowing our players' strengths and weaknesses, how to put them in a really good position to be successful.

Q: So many times players get 10-15 snaps a game because they're just not practicing well during the week. Are you comfortable with (wide receiver) Jalin (Hyatt), say Malik (Nabers) doesn't play, getting 40-50 snaps a game? Is he at that point?

MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, I'm very confident in Jalin (Hyatt). He's been a pro since he's been here. He's been studying his tail off. You're right, he hasn't had a ton this year but he's practiced every single day like he's a starter. He prepares like he's the starter. So, again, talking about that next man up approach, he's one of those guys, if he has to go in, he'll be ready and prepared and we'll be expecting him to do his job and make plays for us.

Q: You're playing against a defense that just allowed literally a perfect game, 18-for-18. Is there stuff you can see from what (Detroit Lions quarterback) Jared Goff and the Lions did that you guys can apply? I'm sure you're not going to tell me what that is, but is there stuff or schemes that you can carry from their game plan or do you just have to do your stuff?

MIKE KAFKA: When you're game planning, you're looking at all the different schemes and all the different coverages they've got. They played on a Monday night so they had some extra time and stuff like that. You're looking at what they set up and what they've done in the past. (Seattle Seahawks Head) Coach (Mike) Macdonald has four games under his belt right now. There's a bunch of tape from Baltimore, so you can look at that. Our coaches, we've been spending a lot of time studying all the schemes with our players and trying to put them in good spots.

Q: If you look at the game against Dallas, was there a common factor in settling for field goals as opposed to scoring TDs?

MIKE KAFKA: No. I think last week, obviously, we want to score touchdowns in those situations, but there's been examples over the course of the season where we have. We've finished in the red zone, so really proud of that. In Washington. Did it in Cleveland. Those are things that we can build on.

Q: What specifically went wrong last week?

MIKE KAFKA: When it comes down to it, whether it's just execution or whether it's just communication, all those little tiny things. Whether it's a fundamental breakdown at the point of attack or whether it's just getting the right play in the right time, things like that. So, we just got to keep on working and getting better at it and I think we will and we have.

Q: Talking about next man up, the running back room might need that too. Obviously, (running back) Devin (Singletary) is dealing with an injury too. What is your confidence level in (running back Tyrone) Tracy and (running back Eric) Gray just going forward?

MIKE KAFKA: We have a lot of confidence in that running back room. (Running backs) Coach Joel Thomas does a great job getting those guys prepared and getting them mentally in tune to the pressures we're going to see, the run game and how they're going to fit off of our blocks. I'm excited about that group. It's a young group, so we'll have an opportunity. Obviously, will that injury stuff, but those young guys have been prepping for it.

Q: There's been a lot of focus on (quarterback) Daniel (Jones)' deep balls and leaving them short. He talked yesterday about trusting it and throwing in it. Is that something you're going to practice with him? Do you see him trusting in it? What does that look like?

MIKE KAFKA: There were several really good examples yesterday, even in practice, just putting it to a spot and letting a guy kind of go run underneath it to go get it. Again, we'll keep on repping it. We practice it for a reason. That way you can feel confident to do it in the game. DJ (Daniel Jones) has been doing that. We're going to give him those opportunities in practice.

Q: In the game situation, has the confidence been lacking in him to throw it deep?

MIKE KAFKA: No, I wouldn't say it's a lack of confidence or anything like that. I would just say sometimes the defense doesn't give you exactly the look you might see, so you have to reset and check it down, get the ball out of your hands and that's part of being a quarterback.

Q: The offensive line in the run game, it seems like they have taken ownership of, 'We have to do a better job.' They're doing well as a pass blocking unit. How do they perform better as a run blocking unit?

MIKE KAFKA: Last week, those guys… Compared to the weeks before where they were having a lot of good production, I think this week these guys are up for a really good challenge. I think they're in the right frame of mind and they're having a really good week of practice and today's one of those days. I'm excited to see how those guys respond.

Q: Is (quarterback) Drew Lock an asset for you this week? In terms of he's practiced against them for years?

MIKE KAFKA: Him being in that building and him understanding the players, it's a different scheme, both offensively and defensively, but he's had some insight into some of their guys and who they are and what they are. So, yeah, of course we've had those conversations.