Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

September 28, 2023

Q: Where do things stand with injuries?

A: So, everybody will practice today. Some in a limited role, but we’ll see where they go from individual, team, but they’re all practicing today.

Q: (guard Ben) Bredeson is out of the protocol?

A: He’s got the last deal, but all signs are pointing to he’ll be fine. He’s full practice today. Pads, full practice.


Q: I don’t think we asked about the injury to (defensive lineman) D.J. Davidson, but do you have any issue with how that happened?

A: Look, football happens. You hate to see anybody get hurt. Competitive game, particularly inside in the trenches. So, he’s doing better, but he’ll be a limited guy today, too.

Q: What does it mean that (running back) Saquon (Barkley) is able to get back on the field and what do you kind of expect from him at this point, given the injury?

A: Going to put him out here, go through some individual stuff, let him run around and see how he does. But again, making progress. I think this is a good evaluation today in pads to see where he’s at.

Q: Is it D.J.’s shoulder or elbow?

A: Elbow.

Q: Elbow?

A: Yep.

Q: Does it feel like it’s been this long since you’ve played between these two games, like it seems like on the outside?

A: Yeah, when you play on a Thursday, there’s always a few more days but looking forward to getting back out here.

Q: The way that the season has gone, you haven’t had a normal week, Sunday to Sunday. You’ve had Thursday, Sunday, Monday. It’s not an excuse, but is it more challenging to keep all the ducks in order?

A: No. You get the schedule early, so you do your best to plan. You make adjustments throughout it and whatever they are, that’s when they are, and we do our best to get ready to play.

Q: You’ve gone against the (Seahawks Head Coach) Pete Carroll’s defenses before. What’s the challenge they present? They always seem to start off slow and then they get it going.

A: I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Carroll. He’s been a head coach at three different spots in this league. I think he only has four losing seasons in almost 20 years. Six and 10, I believe in ’94 with the Jets, didn’t have a losing season at the Patriots and just a few with the Seahawks. Then obviously what he did at USC and how his players play. I think he’s been at Seattle for quite some time, 13 years I believe. Has a great culture, players play hard, they understand the system, a lot of continuity there. Some of the coordinators, he’s had different ones like (Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Dan) Quinn and those guys. But tremendous leader, does a great job in his organization. His defenses play fast, they’re disruptive. He's won a lot of football games, done this a long time, so tremendous amount of respect for him and how he runs his football team.

Q: In that same regard, how much respect do you have for what (Seahawks quarterback) Geno (Smith) did last year? Nobody saw that coming.

A: Yeah, he’s done a great job this year, too. He does a great job understanding Coach Waldron’s (Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron) offense. Has good skill players around him, gets them the ball, makes good decisions with the ball and he’s only got one turnover this year. They don’t have any fumbles, one of three teams not to have any fumbles. Has good leadership about him, you can tell. He’s done a heck of a job.

Q: (Seahawks running back) Kenneth Walker (III), can you talk about the challenge he presents?

A: He's a heck of a running back. Obviously, at Michigan State there, transferring there, but as productive as—many backs don't have the production that he had and what he did for that program. He's a tough runner. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, but he can run with power. He can cut back. He has really good vision. He's an outstanding football player. He's a great back. He's one of those backs, they give him the ball, he's always making some type of yards, which is important for a running back to do when you hand them the ball. He’s done a really good job.

Q: On defense, there’s a report that they’re getting (Seahawks safety) Jamal Adams back. How does his presence change what they do on defense?

A: Well, obviously, another very good player that went to a good college, was good at the Jets. Downhill player, can play in the box, makes a lot of tackles, very physical. Where they play, whether it's (Seahawks cornerback Quandre) Diggs, (Seahawks safety Julian) Love or him, and he's back, and they have three guys out there, and they decide to do something with him versus the other guys, that'll be something that we'll have to see as the game goes on. But tough, smart, headsy player. Can make a lot of tackles, can be very disruptive, particularly if they bring him up, whether it's off the press off the slot, whether he plays in the back end. Another good player.

Q: With the idea of starting fast or starting slow, the players have really lamented slow starts really going back to last year. Is there anything tangible that you guys can plan for or coach up to change that?

A: Yeah, it's something you talk about, whether it's during the season or the offseason, it is certainly a point of emphasis. We’ve got to do a good job of putting them in good positions, and we’ve got to go out there and execute. Whether that's third downs early on, or negative plays on both sides, we have to do a good job of really controlling the game on early downs so we get some advantage on whether we skip third downs or have shorter third downs.

Q: Everybody from you to (General Manager) Joe Schoen to, I think even (President) John Mara said in the offseason, rushing defense was a big point of emphasis to correct. You guys have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards. How much does that need to change right now?

A: Yeah, we’ve got to obviously put a point of emphasis on that, too. But that's a collective—that's a team thing, too. You’ve got to be able to start fast and try to control the game as well so that you don't get so far behind and one team can run it on you, or you go away from the run game. That's a collective thing that we all can do better.

Q: What does Julian Love bring to a defense and how much—I don’t want to say miss him, but was it tough to see him go?

A: Yes, certainly. I think anytime you have players that you have a lot of respect for, those decisions have to come up. It's between the club and the player and you’ve got to make decisions that work best for, I’d say, both parties. Tremendous player, tremendous person. Wish him well; just not this week.