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BB: Everybody got the announcement
about Josh [Miller]. Obviously it's disappointing for him and for all of us.
He is very professional and worked hard and really is a very team-oriented
guy. That being said, Kenny [Walter] has a good amount of experience. A big
part of the decision with Kenny is as much about the holding as it is the
punting. It's a job that both those guys have done for us in the past and
handled those sets of duties and that is important. I have a lot of
confidence in Kenny. He has a lot of experience. He has been in big games.
So I hate to make that type of a move at this point in the year, but,
unfortunately, that is kind of what it came to with Josh. He just wasn't
able to perform effectively. So that is it. [We're] finishing up some
situational stuff on the Bears. As I said early in the week, I'll
reemphasize it here at the end: they're really good at a lot of things.
They're an impressive team to watch. They do a good job in all three areas
of the game on a consistent basis. They'll be a big challenge for us on
Sunday. But I think everyone is looking forward to playing one of the top
teams in the league. And they're playing well, so we'll see what we can do.
Q: Has Josh [Miller's] injury been
hampering him for a while?
BB: I think it really started bothering him last week. Nothing that he
hasn't been able to deal with effectively, but last week I think it started
to really flare up.
Q: A shoulder for a punter, does that effect technique?
BB: Yes. You have to be able to reach out and catch the ball. You have to
be able to extend it. You have to be able to perform that, that is part of
the skill, getting the ball in the right place, and adjusting to snaps and
reaching and all that.
Q: Ken [Walter], how is he driving the ball? He is been a hang-time guy.
Do you feel like he is driving it better now?
BB: He has been here one day. I think Kenny has his punting style. He is
a good hang time punter that can get some distance on the ball. I thought he
kicked pretty well out there on Wednesday. It was a kind of windy day.
Conditions weren't great, but I thought he hit the ball pretty well. We'll
take a better look at it today. We'll work on it with him.
Q: What makes a good holder?
BB: A good holder is a player that, first of all, has good hands, and second of all, can get the ball right on the spot on a consistent basis. If
that ball is off the spot – forward, backward,
sideways – then that affects the kick and that
increases the margin of error. Ideally, you'd just like to place the ball on
[one of] those little holders there where you place the ball and the kicker walks
off his steps. It's like teeing it up on the driving range. But the snap and
the hold and getting the ball right on that spot, it's never exactly on it;
there's always a little variation, but you want it there as closely as
possible. And when the holder looks up to get the snap and then takes the
snap then reaches down and re-spots it and puts the proper lean on it and all that,
sometimes the snap…there's a little variation in that. So to get the ball right there
for the kicker, that's a big part of the operation. And when it's not there,
then the kicker, who's already kind of left off his right foot right, or is leaving off his right foot right as the ball
is being spotted, then whatever variation there is in the hold, he has to try
to make
that adjustment between the time his right foot leaves the ground and his left
foot hits it so he can have a consistent plant and kick. It's definitely a
skill. And really the only way to watch a holder is to have a good
close-up film, where you have your cameraman at an angle where the holder is
really the whole guy in the picture, because that is the margin of error on the hold
and the lean of the ball and so forth. That is how you try to coach it and
shoot it. It's sort of hard. You can see it with the naked eye, but it's a
lot better when you get good, close-up, slow-motion film.
Q: You had [Bears kicker] Robbie Gould in camp last year. When you look
at the success he has had this year, does it surprise you at all?
BB: No. He has been great for them. It's hard to know exactly how good he
was going to be, but he did a good job when he was here. We were impressed
with his leg strength, his accuracy and consistency. We went with Adam [Vinatieri], obviously; he is a pretty good kicker. But Robbie is good. He
is good. It doesn't surprise me that he is kicking in the league. I don't
know if any kicker you think is going to make every single kick. He has. But
his consistency is good. He gets good height. He is accurate. He has a
strong leg. He has a good demeanor. He is a good solid kid. He is very
focused and alert and a consistent guy that has confidence in a good way. He
is a good kicker.
Q: How important was it having Josh Miller work with Stephen Gostkowski?
BB: I think Josh is a good influence on the whole team. He is very
professional, works hard. He has had two real good years in the offseason
program. It's not just showing up to kick on Sunday, but doing all the
things along the way to be prepared either in the offseason program or in
his weekly preparation. Working with a young kicker like Steve, he has been
great. He has been a good addition to the team. I'm glad we have him. It's a
tough break for him, obviously. I'm sorry to see this type of thing happen
to a guy that works that hard and has been that consistent for us. But, at
the same time, that is something we have to deal with and I'm glad that Kenny [Walter] was available and ready to be able to step in and basically
do the same things that Josh has done, just like Josh has stepped in and
done the same things that Kenny did a couple of years ago when he came in
here.
Q: Were you charting Ken for a while?
BB: No. He has kind of popped up lately, to be honest with you. We
weren't really even thinking about another punter. You always have to have
one, and we have Danny [Baugher] on the practice squad and he has done a
good job for us. But, like I said, the holding thing, that is part of the
equation here. You know, an experienced [holder].
Q: Is the holding why you went with Ken instead of elevating Danny from
the practice squad?
BB: Yes. That certainly plays a part in it, absolutely. Kenny has held…
he is as good a holder as we've had here since we've been here. He is very
good at it. He is a good hang-time punter, gets the ball off quick.
Q: What were your initial reactions to practicing on the new FieldTurf surface?
BB: It was fine. It was fine. I think it was a good replication of the
conditions we'll probably see this time of year. There was some wind. It was
[finished]. We didn't really have any problems with it. It was lined and all
that, so we had a good chance to kick off of it and do our special teams
things off of it, and let the players go out there and run around on it a
little bit. Again, it's similar to the surface we have up in the bubble, so
it's not like we had to order a couple gross of shoes; we're kind of
familiar with it. But, still, every [surface] is a little bit different, so
it was good to be out there. We'll be out there on it again today.
Q: Were there any issues with the rushed installation?
BB: No. We talked to the players about it, just to see if there was
anything that needed to be fine-tuned or whatever. It seemed fine. I think
it is perfectly playable. We had a good practice on it, doing all the things
we normally do – running game, passing game,
special teams. We kind of did every phase of the game on there and didn't
see any problems.
Q: Is it one less thing to think about now without worrying about the
footing?
BB: I think there is no question that the footing will be a lot better
than it was out there. We couldn't get through practice without falling down
multiple times, let alone game speed. That really wasn't a factor out there.
But I don't think you go into a game thinking about slipping. You think
about playing in the conditions that you play in, which is playing with your
feet under you and playing off of your outside foot and playing in good
fundamental football position so you don't end up slipping. There is maybe a
little bit less of that [now], but [those are] always good fundamentals to
practice regardless of what kind of field you're on. I just think you
emphasize them a little bit more when you do that. I think will affect
things like plus-50 punting. I think we played those a little bit more… you
know, we were handling more balls inside the ten [yard line] more than we
would, as would our opponents, just because you don't feel like [the punts]
are going to roll into the end zone from the eight or nine-yard-line, which
they didn't. That might go back a little bit, because the ball might roll a
little bit further. You might need to adjust that by a couple of yards.
Little things like that.
Q: Were you at all amused by the perception that you liked the field in
that condition?
BB: I don't know anything about all that. I just try to coach the team on
whatever conditions we have to play on. I don't know about what everybody
else thinks I think or want. I don't know. You would have to talk to them
about that.
Q: This is your fifth game against the Tampa-2 defense. Is there a reason
why this is such a popular defense to run? Is this an attractive scheme to
put in?
BB: Any time you take assistant coaches from that system and make them
head coaches, that is probably the scheme they are going to bring with them,
whether that is Herm [Edwards] leaving, or Lovie [Smith]. Then there are
other branches off of that. It has been successful in this league. There are
different degrees, but you take Rod [Marinelli] and put him up in Detroit,
coming out of that system, you know that is what he is going to run. I think
part of it is assistant coaches becoming head coaches or assistant coaches
becoming coordinators somewhere else and taking that scheme with them, like
Lovie did when he went to St. Louis, as an example. I think that hiring
coaches from a certain system then spreads that system.
Q: How much does the Tampa-2 vary between teams that use it?
BB: It varies. Yes, it varies. It's kind of like the West Coast offense.
You see the different cousins of that. Some are closer in some respects than
others. You certainly modify it with personnel. I think the fundamentals of
[the Tampa-2] are basically consistent. They're the same. Sometimes the
percentage of when a certain defense is called versus another one, that can
vary from team to team based on their personnel and maybe also based on what
they've faced. But the core fundamentals and the installation of it and the
overall playbook, there is probably quite a bit of carryover there. But then
individually what each of these teams does with their specific players and
how to use [Brian] Urlacher versus [London] Fletcher versus all the other
players. Those things change a little bit and it probably changes the
percentage that you use it. Teams that have good corners are playing a
little more Cover-1, a little more man-to-man and a little less [Cover-2],
some of the teams that are trying to protect their corners play more [Cover-2] and maybe a little more blitz zone. I guess that is the best way I can
answer it. But I think that is the same way the West Coast offense [works].
You see the west coast offense and the basic plays, but if a team has a
receiver they really want to get the ball to, you see a little more of those
things, versus a tight end, where you see more plays that maybe have a
little better chance to go to him.
Q: Is part of the allure of that system that NFL teams don't have to
project college players as much because they played a more similar system to
what they're doing?
BB: Definitely. I think there are some definite advantages to that system
in terms of how you build your team and scouting, to a degree. In some
positions, I think it helps. I'm not sure how many college teams play a lot
of two-deep zone. Not a whole lot. It's hard to play a lot of that when you're
trying to defend the option and running quarterbacks and ride-and-decide
offense. It's hard to do that. But I think there are other elements, the one
gap defensive linemen, the undersized defensive ends that play in that
system in college, I think there is definitely some carryover there.
Absolutely.
Q: How close is Patrick Pass to making it back, and are positions on the
roster where you have players banged up affecting your decision to bring him
back?
BB: I think you have to take everything into consideration on the roster.
I do. I'm not saying that is the only reason, or that highlights it, but
every roster decision you make to some degree influences some other
decision; which ones are more important, which ones override the other one –
I'm not saying which way that those would go – but I do think that you have to take those into consideration as well as
sometimes things on the practice squad as well. But Patrick is doing okay.
He started practicing a couple of weeks ago, and he, like anybody who
practices more, is getting better, is doing things better, looks quicker, is
getting some contact, starting to get banged around a little bit out there.
We've been in pads a few times the last couple of weeks. I think those
opportunities to go out there and at least compete in a padded practice – as opposed to a Friday practice, where we just
go out there and kind of run around – I think
those things kind of help a player to get prepared and get ready to play.
We'll see how it goes.
Q: Do you think he'll play this year?
BB: Maybe. I'm not sure.
Q: Can you talk about what Logan Mankins and Steve Neal do well? Do you
see them as similar players?
BB: I do think there are some similarities. I think both players are
tough. They're both athletic. They both probably could play tackle. I think Steve could play tackle. With his experience and all, he has never been a
tackle, but I would imagine if he had been a college football player he
probably would have been a tackle in college, just like Fresno State played Mankins at tackle. In college, I can't imagine colleges having a lot of
players that would be better than them at that position. So, that being
said, I think they have some tackle qualities that they can bring inside to
guard, in terms of playing in space and pass protection and things like
that. I think they both run pretty well for big guys. So when you pull them
outside and they have to run and get out in space – screens and that type of
thing…we run a lot of plays in our offense where the guards pull to lead the
runner through the hole. So having guys that can do that, you don't have to
make [all the plays] run one way because one guard can pull and the other
guy really can't. It's not one of those deals. I do think that there is some
symmetry there. I think that certainly helps us offensively. I think that
helps our play calling, because any time you're imbalanced like that, then
you want to do one thing for one guy, but if you do it the opposite way,
you're sort of flipping roles. But we've all been in that situation before,
and I've see other teams that are in that position, too, where you kind of
pull one way so your puller can pull, and the guy who doesn't pull can be
more of a double team guy; and run screens one way so your athletic guy can
get out and be in the screen and your stouter, more physical guy who doesn't
run as well doesn't get out in as many screens. You kind of have to modify
your play calling a little bit. But I don't think that is the case with
those two guys.
Q: Do you have any memories of Bo Schembechler and did you guys ever cross paths?
BB: Yes, we did. We sure did. I know a number of people who have worked
for him, some very good friends of mine who worked at [the University of] Michigan. I was at
Michigan a number of times scouting players and met with their coaches out
there a couple of times, where you talk about similar schemes and that type
of thing. And I'd extend that to Lloyd [Carr], too. Really, I think [Bo was] one of those kind of guys who loved his players; his players loved him.
He loved his coaches; his coaches loved him. I never really heard anything
but a lot of mutual respect and admiration for Bo, and from Bo to the people
who were with him, and from the people who were with him back toward Bo. Even
after they left or moved on or whatever, he was a very – which he was to a lot of us even who didn't work for him, that
weren't with him – he had a huge heart. Very
generous guy, in a lot of ways – with his time,
and with a lot of loyalty to his team and his people. And they gave it back
to him.
Q: Your record after Thanksgiving in the last couple of years is the best
in the NFL. Is there something specifically that you emphasize?
BB: I don't know. [Chuckling] We'll see how it is this year after Thanksgiving – I mean, that's the only thing that really matters. I think that one of the ways we try
to approach our season is just improving every week. I think if you
can continue to improve, then hopefully you'll play better as you move on. That's definitely a big theme for us, not just this week or last week but
every week. After the first game of the season you improve to the second
week, and the second week to the third week, and keep working on the things
that we need to get better at and really not be satisfied with any result,
even if it's a positive one, that there are still things you need to work
on. And certainly when you have trouble and don't perform well then there are
things that – it's obvious to everybody – need to be improved, so we try to emphasize
those. I guess that's what I would say is the common theme in our season
and the way we try to coach and play the games, it would be to continually
try to improve on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis. It doesn't always
work out that way, but that's the intent, that's the emphasis.
Q: With the recent success you've had against the NFC, in particular Minnesota and Green Bay earlier this
year, is
there anything you emphasized to the team this week, or try to carryover
from those games?
BB: No. Each game is its own game. They all are.
Q: Are there any similarities between the Bears and Green Bay and Minnesota, their NFC North rivals?
BB: Oh, I think there are always some similarities, some carryover from one
team to another in terms of scheme. But the Bears have different players
than any other team; any other team has different players from them. I think
you have to look at the individual matchups and the way that particular team
plays and how your team plays, then try to figure out what gives you the best
chance to be successful against them. So I don't really think what happened against
some other team or game or whatever, I don't really think it has any bearing at all
on this game – good, bad or indifferent. I think this game is a game that is
going to be based on what happened in the seven days from [last] Sunday to this Sunday in
terms of preparation and game-planning and, most importantly, execution and
performance on Sunday. That's what this game is going to come down to. I
don't think what happened two weeks ago or a month ago or a year ago, I
don't think any of that really has anything to do with it.
Q: Did you have much contact with [Bears General Manager] Jerry Angelo when you were both with the Giants?
BB: Yes. Jerry and I had a lot of contact at the Giants, and even since
then when he was at Tampa and Chicago. I have gotten to know Lovie [Smith]
pretty well through Jerry. It's a lot easier with somebody like that, who's
not in your division, who you don't compete with on a regular basis. We've
done a number of transactions with them. They've had some of our players.
We've had some of theirs. I think that, again, I have an awful lot of
respect for what they've done there, the way they built that team. They've
built a great football team. A lot of credit should be, and does get put, at
the top with Jerry and Lovie and what they've done. I noticed for a while
there was some criticism and all that on the Bears about how they were going
a couple of years ago, and I haven't seen much of that lately. I think Jerry
is very good. He is an excellent personnel man. He is a good scout, knows
players… more than just knows players, he knows people and how to put a team
together. And I think Lovie has a great sense, as well, for managing a team
and getting the players to execute and play well and run a team that thinks
like a team, not just a bunch of individuals running around out there. I
have respect for what they do and I admire watching them. They're tough,
they're physical, they play hard, they don't make a lot of mistakes, they're
sound. Like I said, they do a lot of things well and their record reflects
that. They're not perfect, but they do a lot of things well and there's no
question they're one of the best teams in the league and one of the best
teams we've faced all year. |
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