Head Coach Pat Shurmur -- December 21, 2018
Q: How close Odell (Beckham Jr.) was to being ready –
A: He’s closer, he’s closer. He did more this week, he’s able to do more field work, so we’ll just have to see what the next couple days bring so we’ll see.
Q: You guys scored 40 one game without him and 0 one game without him, so how do find the balance?
A: Two different scenarios, two different scenarios. I think I would say we didn’t do anything that we needed to do against any opponent with any player on the field last week. We didn’t do enough on first down, we didn’t do well on third down, we turned the ball over in a tight game, so it doesn’t matter who was on the field. The week previous we did all the things necessary, so that’s how I balance it in my mind.
Q: Evan Engram’s role seems to increase a little bit knowing Odell’s not there. How much do you have to get more out of him when you don’t have a playmaker like Odell on the field?
A: I don’t think that’s true, actually. I think he’s going to always get his touches. It’s not like because Odell’s there that we’re going to look to him more. I think they all have plays where they’re primary and just so happens that we hit on some this past weekend.
Q: You would be more inclined to pull plays where he’s the primary when you don’t have a weapon like Odell?
A: No, I think it’s important we spread the ball around. Even when Odell’s in there, I think it’s important that six or eight or nine guys touch the ball. I think that’s the way you need to play offense.
Q: When you’re evaluating people as far as for next season, what is the most important thing for you to see in these last two weeks just from a player routine?
A: I think they need to stay in the moment like I’ve been preaching throughout the year. Like today was a really good Friday practice. There was good energy, attention to detail was good, I know you’re able to practice the whole plan to some degree, they were moving around crisply. That’s what I needed to see today and certainly doesn’t guarantee a good performance on Sunday, but it gives you a chance and then on Sunday we just got to go out and play the game like nothing the next day matters, really. Just go play ball and looking for guys to have a good performance just like I would’ve if it was early in the year.
Q: The other team has a lot to play for. I think someone described it as it’s going to be a playoff type atmosphere. Can you guys benefit from that and is it going to be different for you guys too?
A: I don’t think the motivation to play should be any different. Certainly they’re still in the hunt and they have played well of late, but we’re going to go on the road and I’m sure it’s going to be a loud venue like it always is on the road, so we’ve got to handle the crowd noise and just play good ball.
Q: I know you don’t expect a letdown or anything, but obviously the media, the fans always wonder if that’s the case after a team is eliminated. In your career have you seen –
A: Why? I’m curious about that because I don’t know why. Let’s assume you have a finite number of games that you’re going to play as a football player. Let’s assume that. I don’t know why you would let down. On the rare occasion when you’re in the playoffs and that next game means nothing, I see resting guys, but in this case here, we’re coaches and players. We’re paid to play and it just so happens that our profession is our hobby. I don’t – I’ve never understood that. That’s part of the narrative that I don’t understand because as football players, coaches – sometimes you play poorly. We didn’t play well last week in some areas and we lost, but it wasn’t because we went in there and let down. I don’t get that.
Q: So you have never seen it in your career guys who just didn’t seem to give an effort the next week or anything?
A: No, I haven’t.
Q: With you guys eliminated, do you expect to try to get (Kyle) Lauletta active again and get him into games?
A: We’ll have to see. Again, we’re going to try to do everything we can to win the game, and I’ve said all along he’s got a bright future and we’ll just see where his participation is and when.
Q: What goes into that decision this week in that regard?
A: I’ll decide based on what I know about him and what I know about our team.
Q: John Greco will start at center?
A: He will start at center, yeah, and then Evan (Brown) will be active and back him up. Evan Brown.
Q: You had a special visitor (Santa) at practice (inaudible)?
A: Oh yeah. You saw that, huh? Same as when he’s not wearing the suit. He carries the pads well. Carries the suit well.
He sees this as a profession and guys get paid to play
Every game is the same. No different then the one before or after.
You get “rare”occasions to play for “opportunities” like playoffs or more
Compare and contrast to what Gettleman said when he wa hired
He sees this as a profession and guys get paid to play
Every game is the same. No different then the one before or after.
You get “rare”occasions to play for “opportunities” like playoffs or more
Compare and contrast to what Gettleman said when he wa hired
“There’s two kinds of players in this league, folks — there are guys that play professional football, and there are professional football players. And the professional football players are the guys we want,” he said. “I don’t want guys that want to win. I want guys that hate to lose. That’s the professional football player. That’s what you want.”
His quote is actually...
"On the rare occasion when you’re in the playoffs and that next game means nothing, I see resting guys"
I don't think he meant that it was rare for a team to be in the playoffs. He meant it was rare to have a meaningless game 16 because your team was already in the playoffs.
Quote:
Rare occasion you are in the playoffs, huh?
His quote is actually...
"On the rare occasion when you’re in the playoffs and that next game means nothing, I see resting guys"
I don't think he meant that it was rare for a team to be in the playoffs. He meant it was rare to have a meaningless game 16 because your team was already in the playoffs.
Bingo. That's exactly how I took that as well.