Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen
September 12, 2024
Q: What did you think of your overall defensive performance?
SHANE BOWEN: There's a lot to improve on. Wish we wouldn’t have gave up a few of those big plays in the passing game. Wish we would've been better there at the end of the game in the four- minute. Letting them run the ball was disappointing to me. Thought we battled. We started good. Really didn't make enough plays. They made them and we didn't, at critical times. We’ve got to continue to get out here and improve our technique and fundamentals and when plays are there, we’ve got to make them.
Q: What went into the decision to move (cornerback) Cor’Dale (Flott) into the slot?
SHANE BOWEN: I think we were just battling stuff throughout camp there towards the end. Just with the pieces and the comfort level of really where we were at with some of the other pieces. The familiarity for him playing in there, he's done it. So, really just navigating through some of the moving parts, dealing with some injuries there those last few weeks leading up to the game and where we felt most comfortable going into the game.
Q: Were you impressed with (cornerback) Dru Phillips?
SHANE BOWEN: I was. He did a good job when he was in there. Obviously his very first NFL play, forced fumble. Can't go much better than that. He'll continue to get a lot of work for us and hopefully he continues to improve and gets in there and finds comfort and creates a role for himself and continue to add value for us.
Q: With (cornerback) Nick (McCloud) banged up, how do you look at your second outside corner spot?
SHANE BOWEN: We'll see. We got (cornerback) Trey Hawkins (III). He's been here. He's been working with us. He kind of played that role last year a little bit. Obviously adding (cornerback) Adoree’ (Jackson) is not quite as dramatic. So, we got some guys.
Q: Obviously defense is an all 11 (players) thing. I understand that. Do you believe that your two edge rushers, (outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeaux) and (outside linebacker Brian) Burns, can take over a game?
SHANE BOWEN: I do. I do. I absolutely do. I got all the confidence in the world in them. I got confidence, obviously, having (defensive lineman) Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) in there as well. You mix in the rookie (defensive lineman Elijah Chatman), (outside linebacker) Azeez (Ojulari) at times, how it works out. I feel very confident in our ability to affect the quarterback with four guys.
Q: How much pressure is on that group? Do you think they need to do that in order for this group to get where you're going?
SHANE BOWEN: I tell them that every day. Where the resources are delegated, you got to be good. Your best players got to be good. It's the nature of the league. Your best players got to play their best every single Sunday if you want to play good. Offense, defense, special teams, whatever it might be. With that, they do. They have to go out there and perform. They're working hard every single day to improve, to get on the same page and make sure they're coordinated. This week's a little bit of a different animal with the quarterback. Again, there's expectations that come with the nature of the league.
Q: You didn't seem to get a lot of pressure on (Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam) Darnold. What was the reason for that?
SHANE BOWEN: I think it was a combination of things. I think at times it was the chips, the ability to max protect and the flow of the game. There were some drop back situations. Other times it was more play action, keeping guys in. When we get those one-on-ones, we just got to win. We got to find ways to affect them, hopefully in the middle and on the edges. I tell all these guys, all 11 guys, we have to make the plays when they're there for us. We got to win our one-on-ones. We got to find ways to win our one-on-ones.
Q: You’re talking about (outside linebacker) Brian (Burns) and (outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeaux) being able to take over games. How do you think they did in the opener?
SHANE BOWEN: I think there were good plays and there were some that they need to improve on. There were plays where they factored (in), there were plays where they were around the quarterback and they were close to the quarterback. I thought Burnsy (Brian Burns) could have had a strip sack on one where he spun inside. KT (Kayvon Thibodeaux) was wrapping around, matched the hand on the DPI (defensive pass interference) they called on (cornerback) Adoree’ (Jackson). KT (Kayvon Thibodeaux) got another hit wrapping around. Just consistency across the board I think has to improve. But there were good and bad with really everybody.
Q: With Kayvon (Thibodeaux) in particular though, he was credited with just one quarterback hit. How can you sustain that throughout games if that's going to be his contribution?
SHANE BOWEN: I would say it's game one. It's game one. I don't think that's the level of contribution that he expects from himself or any of us. It is what it is. But again, when the plays are there, we got to be able to make them. When they're not there, we can't force our hand and do stuff that's reckless with the defense just the same. He's got to play within the system, which he's done a good job of. Again, just like I tell all these guys, all 11 guys, when the plays are there for you to make, you got to make them. That's the expectation. When you get one-on-ones, coverage, rushing, whatever that might be, find ways to win. You're not going to win all of them. They (the other team) get paid too. Find ways to win. Really, at other times, we got to be able to impact outside of the scheme a little bit, outside of those situations.
Q: What have you seen from (Washington Commanders quarterback) Jayden Daniels?
SHANE BOWEN: Explosive. He eats up grass. If he gets loose and he gets vertical, he's eating up grass in a hurry. Led them in rushing. I think he had 88 yards rushing. I think he was decisive with getting the ball out. He went 17 of 24. Passive rating was above 90. Had a really good first game, in my opinion, for a rookie to go out there and do what he did. Talented. We're going to have to be ready for everything from being able to match and cover to also being able to keep him corralled and not let him get loose on us.
Q: You used (outside linebacker Brian) Burns in an off-ball linebacker on a handful of snaps. What went into that and what you saw from using him in that role?
SHANE BOWEN: Just changing the picture. Trying to create some favorable matchups at times. Things we felt like we could get him one-on-one with some guys inside, potentially. Teams are trying to chip him and get four hands on him on the snap. Just another way to try to free him up, give some different looks. Again, doesn't really change a whole lot for us in the unit because there's all the same things we can do back end-wise in that regard. Really just trying to give another look.
Q: (Safety/inside linebacker) Isaiah Simmons was frustrated he did not play on defense. Why wasn't he in the game plan in week one?
SHANE BOWEN: I expect Isaiah (Simmons) to play this week. I'm glad he's frustrated. They should be frustrated. They should be disappointed. I hope they use it as fuel to come out here and improve and get better. And he has. He's approaching it the right way. I've been proud of him with how he's responded. We're going to get him in there. He's going to have his opportunities. When they come, he's got to make the most of it.
Q: Are you going to have to make staff adjustments with (Outside Linebackers Coach) Charlie (Bullen) with the broken leg?
SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, it's unique. He had surgery this morning. He's texting already. There'll be some things. I think we'll probably move somebody down from the box to help with that group throughout the game with rotation, with everything else that comes into play. Obviously, I'll be involved a little bit more over there. It's a tough deal. I hate it for Charlie (Bullen), but I know he's fighting like hell to get back out here.
Q: When (defensive lineman) Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) is dominating the way he did from the jump, after the fact, is there a regret that, ‘We need to play off of that? We need to take advantage of that?’ It seemed like they couldn't block him. I would imagine that's going to be just about every team.
SHANE BOWEN: I hope that's the case every week. Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) is going to be a handful for a lot of guys in this league, whether it's one or two guys. He has a knack for winning versus two, which is extremely rare. If they're putting four hands on him and he's still winning, that means we've got a lot of one-on-ones on the other side. We've got to be able to win those. Hopefully, at times, that will result in maybe them having to get four hands off of him, to free him up. It goes hand-in-hand. It goes both ways. Finding ways to create for him, always, and knowing if we don't, he can still factor, is exceptional for a coordinator.
