Wednesday Media Transcript: Head Coach Ben McAdoo

Head Coach Ben McAdoo

October 5, 2016

Another big primetime road test for us this week. Great opponent in Green Bay. We look forward to the challenge. Their offense is led by future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, a cerebral player that can make all the throws. He’s a master of the hard count. We have to be smart there. He is great when escaping the pocket. We have to keep him contained. Their O-line is well coached and physically tough. They play well together. They have a strong one-two punch at the running back position with big backs in Lacey and Starks. Their receivers are back at full strength with Jordy in the mix.

Defensively, they’re multiple and well-coordinated by Dom Capers. They excel against the run and are having a lot of success this year. It all starts up front for them. Mike Daniels, Clay Matthews and Nick Perry are all playing at elite levels. They have a young trio of ball hawks playing inside linebacker and do a nice job there. Their secondary is full of young athletes, led by veteran Morgan Burnett.

Special teams, they’re deep and combative with a lot of linebackers and defensive backs on the unit. Hyde and Davis are a nice duo of punt returners.

Q: When you look at Rodgers on film, how much has he changed from the last time you worked with him?

A: Aaron is a little older and a little wiser. Fundamentally, he’s always been one of the best in the league. It’s always fun to see guys you used to work with, guys you used to coach, and how they develop.

Q: You’ve made some really good memories in Green Bay, is there a sense of nostalgia coming back to the Packers?

A: No. It will be a great challenge for us Sunday night. We look forward to it.

Q: Is there anything you can pull out of your relationship with Aaron that may be helpful this week?

A: Aaron does a good job each and every season, as well as Mike and the rest of the staff, at looking at the self-scout, evaluating your own team and things you can improve, tendencies. Really the game within the game. They do a nice job each and every year. A lot of things have changed, you see on whether it’s a TV copy or game tape. They do a nice job changing things up every year.

Q: How similar is what they do offensively to what you do with your offense?

A: I think some of the foundations and the fundamentals are the same. I think some of the core principles schematically. The reads may be the same in the pass game. The fundamentals in the run game may be very similar, but things evolve and change as you move on.

Q: When you study this week, do you just feel like you know this team and its personnel?

A: A little bit. They’re a young roster. They turn over a lot each and every season. They’re always one of the youngest teams in the league and they do a nice job that way. When you look at when the ball is snapped, you have a pretty good idea of what you’re looking at offensively. They have some differences, some changes and obviously some personnel has changed.

Q: If Aaron has a weakness, you would be the guy to know it. Does he have a weakness?

A: No.

Q: Is it beneficial to get a young team like them early in the season? They’ve only played three games.

A: No, I don’t know that there’s any benefit. We have them coming off a Monday night game. They’re coming off a bye week. That will be a challenge for us, but at the same point in time, we’ve done a nice job building our team into a strong team. We feel we will be fresh come Sunday night.

Q: Is there any difference in the practice scheme for you when you play a team that has only had a week rest as compared to two?

A: Yes. I mean we played on Monday night. We had a long flight, got back late. Tried to give them an opportunity to sleep in yesterday and sleep in today. We’ll be smart with them tomorrow. We were light on our feet today.

Q: How are your cornerbacks (DRC and Eli Apple) doing?

A: We didn’t do much today as far as full speed work. We got a little bit of a lift in. We were smart with them on the grass today. We’ll know more tomorrow.

Q: Tom Coughlin said he wants to help Odell. How do you feel with him saying that?

A: No feeling one way or the other.

Q: Has Tom reached out to you at all?

A: My personal conversations stay personal.

Q: Did you talk with Odell since the game?

A: I talk with Odell frequently.

Q: There was a report that the refs will be keeping an eye out for players that are trying to provoke Odell. Is that something that comforts you or is it on his shoulders not to respond?

A: We need to control what we can control. Let everyone else worry about themselves.

Q: Does he have to change the way he approaches that, the way he acts, because you know that they’re watching his every move?

A; I think he has great passion for the game. He has a great desire to be one heck of a player. One thing I would hate to see him lose is that drive and passion.

Q: Last year you used the phrase that you like him salty. Does that go against or can that work against him in certain situations? Do you like that in your players?

A: No, I like him as a salty, competitive player. That’s when he plays at his best. We just need to be productive when we’re doing it.

Q: How do you walk the line between staying within the rules and not losing that passion. It’s a fine line that he’s walking.

A: Absolutely. You have to stay within the rules. I want him to play with a salty, physical and attacking mindset.

Q: Do you feel like teams are trying to bait him and get in his head?

A; Like it’s hockey? Possibly. I’m sure that teams aren’t really thrilled about him having the ball in his hands. He can do something with it. They’re going to do whatever they can do to keep him from having the ball in his hands. If they feel that that’s a good strategy, then you may see it.

Q: Have you seen that so far?

A: I have not, no.

Q: Have you ever seen guys do things along those lines?

A: There are a lot of things that happen in the white lines. In piles, the game within the game. We’ll leave it out there.

Q: If you’re putting the scouting report out for the next game and you saw this recurring pattern from a receiver on the team you’re playing, what would be your strategy?

A: We’ll leave that for the game plan meetings.

Q: But it would certainly come into play in terms of strategy?

A: Everything factors.

Q: You’ve talked to us about taking emotion out of things. You’re not an emotional guy and it’s a business thing. Are there any emotions involved going up against Mike McCarthy?

A: How can I ask this team to be disciplined and poised, and be committed to it, if I don’t have it myself?

Q: So as far as going against Mike, it won’t make you emotional?

A: I have a job to do. I’m consistent with the way I do my job.

Q: Do you think the turnovers need to change for this team to start getting back to where it was?

A: I think we need to play better team football overall. We need to feed off of each other in all three phases, instead of always covering for each other. An example the other night was when we get a nice return to start the game and move the ball a little bit. We punt, get a nice stop on defense and then the ball is on the ground. It changes things early in the game. We need to bounce back sooner. We need to be able to field the punt, get a return, punch the ball in and take a lead on the road. That’s a big part of it. We’re not playing good enough team football right now. It goes with the field position, which is tied to the return game, which is tied to the turnovers and the penalties.

Q: How would you characterize an offense like yours that is high in the league in yards but quite low in points?

A: I think we’re ready to break out. In every way, shape and form, we’re ready to break out. We’re due.

Q Where do you stand at safety going into this week?

A: We’ll find out more each and every day we go through it. Tomorrow we will find out more. Nat (Berhe) is still in the concussion protocol. We have some other guys that can fill in.

Q: Is there something that you see that makes you feel like you’re ready to break out or is it just that you think you’re due?

A: I have a lot of confidence in the group.

Q: From an offensive perspective, what makes a defense effective on third downs?

A: I would say disrupting the quarterback, the timing and precision of the routes and changing up coverages.

Q: Is there any frustration on your part with DRC’s ability to stay healthy and be available?

A: Not at all. I’ve not seen any of that. It was great to have him available if we needed him last week. He fought through a lot.

Q: If Larry Donnell can’t go, you have Will Tye and Jerell Adams? What’s your confidence with the rookie?

A: We like to start young players. Give them an opportunity to produce early in the season and develop as the season goes on. We get a chance to play in the postseason, have them be a big part of it.

Q: Is that one of the reasons that you haven’t brought in a veteran?

A: We’re not afraid to play young players here.

Q: Is Rashad Jennings any closer to getting back on the field?

A: A couple of days closer, yes.