Thursday Media Transcript: Head Coach Dan Quinn

Head Coach Dan Quinn
October 18, 2018
Conference Call
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Q: You look at Julio Jones and Odell Beckham they have about 89 catches between them and only one touchdown. Is that just a function of defenses not allowing them to beat them?
A: That�s a good question. I would say that�s definitely part of it, especially when you go into a game, you�ve got to make sure especially down in the red zone, both of them have such a big catching radius and aggressively go after it that you say, hey, make sure these two guys get special attention. It is surprising, I�d agree with you that between then they don�t have more; however, I think that is a function of it, or call it like a by-product of special attention going their way, which creates opportunities for other men in those windows. I can�t speak for New York, but I can certainly for our side, that�s where Calvin Ridley, Austin Hooper, and some of the guys have maybe gotten some more favorable looks.�
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Q: Are they getting played similarly defenses, those two receivers, when you scout Odell and when you see what�s being done to Julio?
A: Yeah, you look at them when you go through it, and I�m not sure if the guys there do it the same, but which common opponents did they play against? For instance, when the Giants offense is playing a team, they may look if we played that team, how did they guard Julio to say, hey, you might get this kind of style. We certainly do the same if we�re playing an opponent and they may have played the Giants, how did they try to work towards Odell? There�s a little gamesmanship on that side to go through it of how do people want to play unique players, and in our league today, I would say there�s a handful of receivers that garner that kind of special attention and it just so happens that two of them are matched up this weekend. They�re different players, but both really effective in their own right.
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Q: Is there a common thread on your team�s defense that concerns you with some of the big point totals?
A: Yes, to answer your question. First thing�s first, at the heart of it fundamentally, from a scheme standpoint, make sure that part is right on and rock solid correct. We�ve given up some plays this year that we were disappointed at times when it was Falcons beating the Falcons. That might have been a communication error, could have been a leverage tackling error, so we�re going to work our ass off to get those points correct because at the core of it, that�s what makes us go, playing really rock-solid, good fundamentals to go. I�ve been encouraged about the work that the fellas are putting in to get that part of our game right. We�ve got really high standards for it, and we�re working to improve in that area. Some of the things may not show up on the stat sheet but I certainly am looking at it every day in terms of the fundamentals, the tackling, and the ability to create takeaways defensively is really kind of the calling card of what we do. From the scheme standpoint, it�s not so unusual � it�s not a matter of what we play, it�s how we play it, is one of the messages that we preach to the fellas. We�re not meeting the standards in some instances as we�ve set for ourselves. We�ve got work to do, but one thing I do know is they�re totally putting in the work and I�m seeing improvement certainly over the last week.�
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Q: How about with Matt Ryan, since his MVP season there�s been some ups and downs. What do you think of his game and do you think there is room for improvement this season?�
A: Yes. That�s one of the things I really admire about him is the extra that he puts in, I wish you could go through a day with him � the process, getting ready, the accountability on the practice field � he just comes out so locked in. I really admire his consistency in his approach and when he steps out on the field, there�s a real standard that he holds himself to, in practice as well, and the others to, as well. Concepts, new throws, there�s some part of his game that he says, hey, let�s tweak to this, let�s get my footwork right, and I like that about his game. He�s playing at a high level, it may not show up maybe at a 23, a 27 gain, but however, the right decisions to go with the ball at the right time, that part of his game is really intact. I think now that he�s through this system for a few years, he has full command and where to go, what to see, and any quarterback that has played a long team has seen lots of looks so they know when it comes up of where to go. He�s playing at a high level for us for sure.
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Q: You�ve been scheming against Eli Manning for a long time going back to your coordinator days. Is he playing the game differently now?
A: It doesn�t feel like it to me. Sometimes I�ll go back and watch old games against an opponent to remember, although the scheme may change and Pat (Shurmur) wasn�t there for it, I may go back just to look at is there a certain throw that a player likes or a certain technique that a guy likes to do � might be quarterback, might not be. Those are ones I look at, and I certainly always come away impressed by his accuracy of where to go with the ball. He can have a touch throw, he can throw over the top of somebody, and I�ve always felt like on the deep ball like the big crossing routes, that�s one of the things that�s been hard to guard with him. When I look at him, it feels similar to what I�ve seen in the past.����
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Q: They haven�t had a ton of success offensively this year. How much is that something you have to remind your players of that Eli that you�ve seen in the past can still do those things?
A: I don�t think it takes much reminding. When you look at the offenses, here�s an MVP player, excellent receiving corps, running back, so it doesn�t take a whole lot of reminding. We�re trying to just get our process right. They go through the week and get ready, but we so much try to make it about us and our improvement, for sure we�re not in any spot where we would overlook anything regarding them.
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Q: So much has been said about Saquon Barkley up here from opposing coaches every week that we�ve talked to. Is there one part of your game that might make a defensive coach more wary than others?�
A: Yes, I can feel you. My assessment is usually a player, whether it�s a wide receiver or a running back, there�s certain guys that have exceptional change of direction. In other words, they can start and stop with their foot in the ground, break somebody off. As a receiver, that can be option routes; as a running back, that can be the way a guy jump cuts. For us, that�s kind of like Devonta Freeman. When it gets to a safety or a linebacker, he puts his foot in the ground to violently change direction. Then there�s the other style of guys that have the gas to go really long and really fast, and when they get to an edge, they can go. At running back for us, Kevin Coleman is that way. When we get him to the edge, we know he�s got the speed to go long. Then once in a while there�s a guy that has the combination of those. On our team, that�s Julio (Jones), where he has change of direction even though he�s a taller and over 220-pound guy, but he can still change direction like he�s a slot player. I think that�s what I�ve seen, and what my long story is to be impressed by, is a combination of the guy who has homerun speed and has the ability to break you off with change of directions and spins. To me, that�s what makes him unique. He�s a combination of those two things as a ball player, and I think that�s a pretty rare combination, and probably why he�s having the success that he is, is because he has homerun speed for explosive plays and change of direction to make the two-yard run a 10-yard run, or the five-yard catch a 15-yardcatch. That to me, when I look at him, that�s what�s unique about him.
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