Fisher, Fassel, Davis … 10/22… transcripts

Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – October 22, 2014

(On if he will continue to use trick plays for the rest of the season or if it was a one time thing)
“We’ve been doing it pretty much since we got here. So, it would make sense that we would continue with it if we were given the right opportunity.”

(On what is the Arrowhead Stadium atmosphere is like in terms of the crowd)
“As y’all know they have this personal thing with the 12th man in Seattle, so they try to compete. That gives us some kind of indication of how difficult it is to play there because of the noise.”

(On how much practice they will put into dealing with noise this week)
“We typically don’t put noise in practice. We work it in camp. We work a silent count. I think if you make a big deal over it, it becomes an even bigger deal. We respect it by all means and we’ll address it. We have to be smart. They take advantage of it. Their defense is an outstanding defense, especially with the two rushers. Both (LB Justin) Houston and (LB Tamba) Hali, they just, they can rush. When you add that speed element there and you can’t hear, you’re going on silent (count), then it puts a lot of pressure on your tackles.”

(On how confident he is in QB Austin Davis’s ability to handle the environment)
“He’ll handle that. We’re not concerned about that. As good as you can. It’s one of those deals where it’s hard to be perfect in that environment. But, he’ll make good decisions and we have to help him with different things here and there. I’m not concerned about his inexperience as it relates to crowd noise.”

(On if he is excited about the Governor’s Cup)
“It’s in the building and it happens to be my favorite trophy in the building. I’m not real fond of the Super Bowl trophy in the building. Yeah, so we’re going to do everything we can to keep it.”

(On if he had a choice to look at the Lombardi Trophy or the Governor’s Cup which would he choose)
“Both of these trophies have been awarded on past performance, so I would take the Governor’s.”

(On if he likes the idea of playing a team in the same state)
“I think there’s a significant difference. What we’re doing is we’re playing a playoff team from last year that played very, very, well in the AFC West. I think they’re a much better team than their record right now. They are loaded with talent. (Chiefs Head Coach) Andy’s (Reid) doing a great job there. The quarterback’s playing very well and it becomes our biggest challenge thus far because it’s our next game. We’ll talk about whoever gets the trophy and what that means when the game’s over.”

(On if having to play dramatically different quarterbacks in Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and Alex Smith and what are their differences)
“When you say different quarterbacks, yes. Russell got hot, we all saw what he can do. Alex is playing very, very well. Alex has deceptive speed. He can pull the ball down, run for big plays, is making really good decisions. They’ve done some amazing things with him as far as timing’s concerned. That ball’s coming out and it’s accurate and they put a lot of stress on your defense by the way they disperse the receivers. Then of course they have a diverse running game and they’re liable to come up with anything at any time. Obviously, we have concerns about their passing game. But, the run game to me is really going to challenge our defense.”

(On if RB Tre Mason is the number one running back on the team)
“No. We’ve got five on the roster and we have three that are playing and they’re rotating. We’ll just see how it goes.”

(On how RB Zac Stacy is coming around)
“Yeah, he practiced today. He’s fine. I think he’s healthy.”

(On Brett Farve’s comment on Davis being the next Tom Brady or Kurt Warner and what he thinks about it)
“That’s certainly a compliment coming from Brett, considering what Brett accomplished. So I’m sure Austin would appreciate that. I think we all tend to forget Brett’s accomplishments and were reminded last weekend when (Broncos Q Peyton (Manning) broke his record. That’s 508 touchdown passes, that’s pretty impressive. That’s quite a compliment.”

(On Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles’ technique and what makes him special)
“He can get to full speed in about a step-and-a-half. It takes him literally two steps and he’s full speed, he’s by you. He’s got the quickness to get through the hole. He’ll break things out the backside, he’s just really difficult to defend. They know that and they’re taking advantage of him. So we’re going to have to be at our best on defense.”

(On what he sees from the Chiefs on pass defense)

“Great edge pressure. They’re well coached, not sophisticated and they just execute. They challenge you, the ball’s got to come out. They sit, they do a lot of things. (Chiefs Defensive Coordinator Bob) Coach Sutton’s been a creative defensive coach for a lot of years. He’s worked in a lot of interesting systems and now he’s got his mark on this defense.”

Rams Special Teams Coordinator John Fassel – October 22, 2014

(On if he ever thought he’d have a day where a 75 yard kickoff return was almost afterthought)
“It was a good day. It really wasn’t a complicated game plan. We got the right kick on a couple things. Coach (Head Coach Jeff Fisher) made a great call at the end and we got the look and the guys executed, so it wasn’t anything that was extravagant. Really the guys did a great job of executing things that we practiced for quite a while.”

(On what the play calls say about the trust between coaches and the players)
“No worries need to be said. The guys especially, on the last fake punt when coach dialed it up, the confidence that they have from a coach making a call in that situation, knowing that they trust them to get it done. It’s a game-winning play really and they felt good about being trusted to accomplish that. It was pretty fun.”

(On how he draws the line between plays that may be too ‘over-the-top’ to attempt vs. those that are legitimately achievable)
“Everything with that, there’s a chance that it could happen or it could not. But, we study punt charts and tendencies on other teams in all phases. Of course it takes a little bit of a perfect storm, the ball at the right spot on the field and the right kick and everybody executing exactly what they’re supposed to do. It takes a lot for something like that to happen and all the stars aligned on that. It was fun to see it work.”

(On how amazed he was that the trick punt return worked after reviewing it on tape)
“It kind of happened. If I could have drawn up a perfect, yeah, you know how this is going to go down, I mean it all happened. You couldn’t really see it on film because our filmers were filming (WR) Tavon (Austin). So by the time they zoomed back to ‘Sted’(WR Stedman Bailey) he was already at about the 50(-yard line). So, I don’t really know exactly how it happened over there on the right side of the field. ”

(On if the film guys had any idea about the play)
“No. Until obviously, you know what the heck’s going on, and then the ball started going the other way, then it happened.”

(On if he was nervous having a player catch a punt that had never caught one before in a game)
“No. He’s got great ball skills and he practiced it.”

(On if there is truth to the rumors that players were yelling, ‘right, right, right’ to distract Seattle away from Bailey)
“I’m not sure.”

(On if that’s a once-in-a-season type of play and if they’ve lost the element of surprise)
“I don’t know.”

(On if he has more trick plays where that came from)
“Maybe, I don’t know. A lot of stuff happens by game. So, possibly.”

(On how the trick plays speaks to the athleticism of the players that executed them)
“Yeah, I mean a lot, because there’s not only the pressure in the situation, but what they were asked to do-like on Sted’s catch and (R Benny’s (Cunningham) catch-aren’t easy plays. I think the right guys were at the right spots and they made the right play. Again, credit to the guys, it was execution. It wasn’t an elaborate schematics, even the punt return wasn’t, it just kind of worked out.”

(On how it feels to have the top kickoff returner in the league)
“I didn’t know that until (Senior Director, Communications) Artis (Twyman) just told me. It’s good. I think credit goes to Benny, but the guys have been working real hard on blocking. Again, nothing real elaborate going on, just hard work in practice and it’s good to finally pop one and see if we can do it again.”

(On Cunningham not looking like a typical punt kickoff and whey he decided to make him a returner)
“That’s part of it. He’s got good ball skills. You trust his decision making and he’s a tough tackle breaker. With that, there’s chance for some success.”

(On if the successful trick plays gives them a leg up against opponents)
“That could be a part of it. If we’re studying another team that has some unique things on tape then it kind of raises red flags and gets the antennas up a little bit, so that could be part of it moving forward.”

Rams QB Austin Davis – October 22, 2014

(On what the atmosphere at Kansas City will be like on Sunday)
“I’ve never been there before but I’ve heard from various sources that it’s a great atmosphere, it’s very loud, it’s fun to play there. We’ll treat it the same as we always do on the road. We’ll use our silent cadence and plan on it not being a problem.”

(On if the environment at Kansas City is different from anywhere he’s played in either the college or the NFL)
“I think you get used to crowd noises. You kind of get used to using your cadence and doing some different things to handle it. Hopefully, it won’t be an issue.”

(On what was the loudest crowd he faced while playing college football)
“Probably South Carolina. We opened there on a Thursday night. They had a packed house and it was rocking. So, I’ve been it in before.”

(On if he finds that the game has been getting easier from him week to week)
“Yeah, I think the focus is just to prepare the same way and play the same way. I wouldn’t say it gets easier. I would say every game’s a little different. I feel like that’s what I’ve learned is you’ve got to approach every game as it’s own game. It’s newer and defenses do different things and you’ve got different game plans. It’s more of a focus on what you’re trying to get done and what the game plan is.”

(On his decision to check the ball down against Seattle compared to previous games)
“Well, no I thought we did job across the board of just guys getting open and taking completions. So, yeah if there’s nothing down the field checking it down’s fine. You get five yards to stay ahead of the sticks. That’s going to be every week. That’s part of playing quarterback is knowing when to take shots and knowing when to just keep the ball moving forward. So, that’s something that I’ll continue to try to learn from and progress.”

(On if receivers are coached to stay alive when he moves to extend plays)
“We actually practice, we call it the scramble drill. We’ll pick certain plays during the week and instead of throwing it on time and in rhythm, I’ll move and those guys can get open. You see a lot of big plays in the NFL when quarterbacks scramble around. It’s hard for defenders to cover because they don’t know where everyone is going and sometimes we don’t even know. Guys have done a good job of just getting open. Sometimes it looks good and sometimes it looks really bad. That’s part of the scramble drill.”

(On former NFL QB Brett Favre’s comments about him and his future in the league)
“I don’t really think about that. I don’t want to be the next anybody just want to be the first Austin Davis. Just keep doing what we’re doing and try to go on a win streak here. It felt good to get one this past week. I think like it was much needed for our football team. We’re just going to try and keep it going.”

(On if he’s communicated with Favre, a fellow Southern Mississippi alum)
“Yeah, he sent some text messages and just some encouragement. He knows it can be tough when you’re not getting wins. We’ve kind of stayed the course, keep working. He has encouraged me a little bit.”

(On if he has ever met Favre)
“Yeah, I had some time in Hattiesburg, (Mississippi) just preparing for the draft and those types of things. I got a chance to throw with him and meet him. Couldn’t quite throw it like he could. I don’t know if any of his pointers helped me.”

(On if they put the radar gun on him when he was throwing with Favre)
“No, they didn’t want to embarrass me (laughs).”

(On if he has thought about how far he has come since re-signing with the Rams almost a year ago)
“No, there’s too much work in front of us to think about the past. Focused on Kansas City, got to go on the road. It’s going to be, as you said, a loud environment and we’re excited to go play.”

(On if he gains any motivation to play against teams that didn’t give him the opportunity the Rams did)
“Not really. You don’t play the game because people tell you that you can’t. You hear it all the time: a guy’s playing with a ‘chip on his shoulder’ as a walk-on, or undrafted, or all of that. I just play the game because I enjoy playing, I love to play. When I get the opportunity to play, I want to make the most of it and I want to come through for my teammates. I want to have fun doing it. I don’t really make a whole lot out of that.”

(On what was going through his head when he got a second chance with the Rams)
“The same thing, I just remember it’s an opportunity. A lot of guys never get a ‘second chance’ in this league. It can be tough. I looked at it as kind of a second chance to get back in the door and keep working.”

(On if he’ll ever get his locker moved towards the rest of the quarterbacks)
“(Laughs) I don’t know. I like where I’m at. I’m around the O-line which is good. I butter them up a bit. I get to talk to some linebackers over there so I get a little bit of everything.”

(On what went through his head when he made the scramble pass to TE Jared Cook on the final drive of the game)
“We’re in a situation where it’s kind of a tough situation because you want to keep the clock running but we need some first downs. We called a naked bootleg to kind of get me out on the edge to try and steal a first down. They covered it really well on the outside so I didn’t want to throw an incomplete pass to stop the clock. So, I was just going to run and try to get down. We were going to be in third and long regardless. I ended up making the guy miss. I’ve heard a lot of jokes about how slow the spin move was but I guess it was affective. Then Jared did a nice job of just staying on the move. It just kind of flashed in front of me, it was really just a reaction play. If the ball falls incomplete it’s a terrible play but because he caught it, it was a good play. It’s just one of those.”

(On if he ever questioned his decision as he was making it)
“No, it was just like I said, if it falls incomplete it’s a bad play. Because he caught it was almost an even better play. If he had gotten the first the ballgame would’ve been over. Sometimes you just react.”

(On P Johnny Hekker’s completion on the fake punt)
“Johnny’s done a great job when he’s called upon to throw the football. I don’t know what his percentage is but it’s really, really good.”

(On if Hekker is pushing him for playing time at quarterback)
“Yeah, I think so. He’s climbing the depth chart. (jokes)”

(On if he ever played any basketball because on the completion to Cook was a nice chest pass)
“Yeah I did play a little bit growing up. Like I said, it was just one of those plays. I’m glad we completed it.”

(On how much has changed since he rejoined the team a year ago)
“Well, I think you just kind of look around the NFL at guys who have had opportunities. These are the types of things that happen every year. That’s why you’ve got to be prepared no matter where you’re at on the depth chart. No matter what your situation is you just work and be a good teammate and see what works out.”

(On what challenges the Kansas City defense presents)
“Really solid group. I think the big thing we’re going back to the 3-4 scheme defensively. They’ve done a nice job in the passing game. There will probably be some more opportunities to throw the ball down the field. So, it’s another game in the NFL. Another good defense. I feel like I say it every week I sound like a broken record. A really good group and we’ve got to do some different things to move the ball.”

(On if he enjoys the challenge of facing a new team every week)
“Yeah, it’s fun to see how we attack different teams. It’s real fun to see how we attack some of the same coaches from week to week. You can’t run all the same plays. So, we’ll kind of mixed things up. It’s been fun to experience that. Then it’s also fun to go to some of these stadiums, I’ve never been. It’s all a new experience.”

On if Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer lets him help with the game plans)
“I think the biggest thing that coach Schottenheimer will allow me to do is just if there’s a play I don’t like or I’m really not seeing it for some reason, he’ll take it out for me. I think that’s really been awesome for him to have that kind of confidence in me just to say, ‘Hey if you don’t see it, we don’t have to run it.’ It may be a good play but for whatever reason if we don’t like it we’ll take it out. They handle that, they’re really good at it. I just run what’s called.”