Monday Transcript: Offensive Lineman Ben Bredeson

Offensive Lineman Ben Bredeson

Q. Obviously, everybody's focused on the offensive line performance and how difficult is it for you guys is it when the group changes every week?

A: Obviously, that adds a different element. Gelling is definitely something that's key with an offensive line, but this is why during training camp we had rotation and different combinations. It's something that we need to improve, and we obviously have different guys in there at different spots and we need to work on getting that gelling going as fast as possible.

Q. How do you help a guy like (offensive lineman) Josh (Ezeudu) whose been pretty emotional about his performance the last couple of weeks?

A: We have Josh's back. Always making sure he's okay. He's one of our guys, and we'll always take care of him.

Q. What is the difficulty of trusting the process that's (Head Coach Brian) Daboll and his staff have going on when things are going this bad? What's the challenge in that locker room with the player of staying the course?

A: It's going to reveal a lot about the team. We have a team that's tight and these are the times you need to stay together and come together more than ever. And like coach has said and the process that we've had since this staff has gotten here, staying the course with continuous improvement, and correcting the issues from the week prior.

Q. What is it about the way you guys have been going about things that makes you believe that good things will begin to happen for you guys?

A: Just faith in each other. Believing in the people that we have in this building, the team that we have – coaches, staff, players, and we're working every single day to continuously improve and go out there and win games.

Q. From a big picture team standpoint, what do you think is the biggest difference right now between this season, where everything seems to be going wrong and last season?

A: There's issues that we need to correct on the field. We need to play complementary football and continue to correct mistakes from the week before, and just go and focus on improving those for the following week.

Q. You we're in Baltimore for I think a season, maybe a little bit longer. The old cliché is offensive lineman kind of fly under the radar, and in your three years, you've learned that's not the case here in New York. Do you think it's harder to play offensive line? It's more scrutinized here because of the franchise's high days and what is now – you guys have to shoulder kind of public wise what is now a decade long search for the right offensive line.

A: I think playing offensive line is a difficult position, but at the same time that's our job. I don't think that we can let the difference in a media market impact the effectiveness of our job.

Q. Just wondering when you got pulled out of the game for a little bit. Was that a concussion evaluation?

A: No, I just – in all honesty, my helmet got popped off one play, and I had blood come out of my nose, and the ref informed me that I had to leave the field a little bit and take of that so took care of it and came back

Q. When a teammate like Josh Ezeudu shoulders so much of, in his mind, the responsibility even though it's obviously a team game. How do you work with a teammate to pick them up in those kinds of moments?

A: That's the brotherhood aspect of being on a team and especially in an offensive line room. We love Josh, we believe in Josh, and we'll always have Josh's back. There are times now when he can lean on us, and we'll stand there with him and have his back through it all. We're always checking in with one another, and Josh is going to be alright.

Q: I'm curious, how would you describe the offensive line at the moment, like what's the state of the offensive line, mentality wise, confidence wise?

A: I think there are issues that we need to correct on the field, and we are working through correcting those issues, and we believe in one another and it's a tight knit group. It's one that is driven to do the right things, and play for one another and have results, so I have faith in the room I have faith in all the guys, that we are coming together. Just like I said before, working to improve off the issues, and correct them and build a stronger unit moving forward.

Q: Obviously, (tackle) Andrew Thomas, we know what he is, right? He's an All-Pro caliber left tackle. How important is it for you guys to get him back and for that to be sooner rather than later for the totality of who you are as a line.

A: It's no secret that Andrew is an exceptional player. I think everybody recognizes that. He's the leader in our room; he's the one that everyone looks to, and we want Drew to get healthy and get back as fast and safe as possible. He's a big impact on the field anytime he's out there.

Q: Obviously, with all the things an offensive lineman has to do and has to accomplish out there, when you turn around and see the quarterback on his back, it's got to be a very difficult feeling. What is that feeling like when you turn around and (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) is back there like that?

A: Obviously, that is the last thing that we want. Our job is to protect Daniel and open lanes in the run game and that's something that we are working to correct moving on in the week. But, to answer your question, no, that's obviously not the feeling that we want as offensive line, and we are working to correct that.

Q: How does he deal with it? Obviously, physically we see how he deals with it. Quarterbacks behind the scenes can get in a guy's face, not get in a guy's face, try to motivate him, things like that. 16 sacks the last two games, how does he deal with that, with you guys, in the locker room, on the field, things like that?

A: Daniel is a professional, and we are a motivated group as well and we are out here trying to solve a problem as fast as possible and correct the issues that have occurred on the field. Obviously, we don't want those sack numbers to be anywhere near that high, preferably zero. Just us coming together and working to eliminate those problems.

Q: How important is it to get him back on the field? Obviously, he came off the field with a neck issue, sounds like there is some optimism. How important is to get your starting quarterback back out there?

A: I mean, obviously it's huge. Like I hit on that question with AT, Daniel is the leader of the offense, Daniel is who we all turn to. We obviously want him out there for every single snap, and Daniel is a highly motivated, high-energy player who everyone here respects and loves, and he's a key part of our offense.