Vikings Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner
Q: With Adrian Peterson do you think we was tentative or hitting the holes too quickly?
A: The biggest thing for me is we got back early Tuesday morning, we've spent time as a staff looking hard at our Monday night game and then we, obviously, had a short time to prepare for Detroit, so our focus has been on Detroit. There's some things that we want to do better. There's a lot of things we want to do better in a lot of different areas. I didn't think Adrian was too quick in the holes.
Q: Did Adrian Peterson seem more uncomfortable running out of shotgun?
A: Again, I'm not going to talk about last week, we're trying to get ready and we're going to put a game plan together that gives Adrian [Peterson] the best chance to be successful. We're trying to put a game plan together every week to give all of our guys a chance to contribute and we really want to be a balanced team and be able to do the things that the defense makes available.
Q: Teddy Bridgewater has been known for his poise, do you see him bouncing back this week?
A: We talked about that this summer, that's the nature of this league and it's not going to go the way you want every week. Teddy [Bridgewater] missed some throws early that he normally makes. We had a lot of unforced errors where we created problems for ourselves. We're looking forward to Detroit, we've got to eliminate the unforced errors, we've got to keep people from coming free at the quarterback, it's hard to play when you have people running free at you and I think that will help Teddy a great deal.
Q: Is there anything you can do in practice to help speed up Teddy Bridgewater's progression?
A: One of Teddy's strengths is getting rid of the ball quickly. There were times where he held the ball because there was no one open, there was times where he had to run and people talk about when you're scrambling how long it took you to throw the ball. Obviously, that adds to the situation, but I don't see an issue in terms of the process when we started in late July and now, there's some times I would've liked him to hold the ball a little longer and let the play develop, there's some times he needs to get rid of the ball quicker, there's no question. We're going to say that probably after Week 10.
Q: How much will you alter the offense if any to get Adrian Peterson more touches this week?
A: We're looking at the things we have to do and the things we do best to give us a chance to beat Detroit. Games come up different, we all know that Adrian [Peterson] is a big part of what we do and we want him to be able to have an impact on the game.
Q: Coach Zimmer touched on how there were more calls for Adrian Peterson to get more touches last week but the defense wasn't allowing it and there were built in checks to pass plays.
A: You guys talked about that Tuesday, so yeah. We're not going to dwell on that, you guys already talked to Coach Zimmer, he addressed that.
Q: How much do you want run the ball regardless of the defensive scheme?
A: Like I say, we're going to do everything we can to let our best players make plays. We're going to do everything to have balance in what we do. Obviously, we want Adrian to be a big part of that.
Q: Are you fine with the offensive line?
A: As an entire offense, I said this three weeks ago, I'm probably going to say it for the next I hope only six or seven weeks, because we're going to continue to get better as the season goes on. We have a lot of work to do as an offensive group. It starts with, to me, as I said a minute ago, eliminating unforced errors. We had too many errors where we have done it right in the past, where we had a little bit of confusion or a little uncertainty. We had four of five times where we had guys coming free at the quarterback and we have to eliminate those.
Q: Do you give Teddy Bridgewater free reign to change the plays at the line of scrimmage?
A: We have a system where we can give him free reign, we have a system where we can control it, we have a system where plays are locked in. We have a complete system. Again, we have these conversations and it's not probably in the best interest for me to tell you specifically which plays we were checking in and out of and which plays we weren't.
Q: When Teddy Bridgewater does have free reign, do you have complete confidence in his judgement?
A: We wouldn't be in that situation if we didn't.
*Vikings Defensive Coordinator George Edwards *
Coming off last week, we have a short wee,k everything got turned over real quick. We've been working diligently on Detroit, getting ready for this week with the match-ups and the problems that they create. That's what we've been focusing on.
Q: How much did San Francisco's tempo effect the defense?
A: Again, we watched it on tape, we turned it over pretty quick, learned from it, we graded it and we've moved on to Detroit. As far as getting prepared for this week and the problems that we've got with them offensively, that's where our focus has been this week and getting better at the fundamentals and techniques that we need to work on going into this game.
Q: How hard is it to make those corrections on a short week?
A: It's tough, so that's why we've had to move all of our concentration and focus on to what we've got to get done this week. The things we've got to get cleaned up and the things that we need to work on, technically, fundamentally, schematically to get those things honed in for this week's game.
Q: You're confident given the timeframe that you will have those corrections done?
A: Yeah, no doubt about it. It happens all of the time, we play games on Thursday night, we've got Monday night games, we've got Sunday night games, so yes. We just have to turn our focus and concentration on to the matter at hand, and that's what we've done.
Q: Are you happy to have this Monday night game out of the way?
A: Again, it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, we're going out to play our game, play what we've got to get done and then we've got to focus on the next week to get ready for the next game. Timewise and all of those things you've got to kind of kick it out the window. You know what it is, we prepared for it in the offseason going into it. It is what it is.
Q: What did you take from what you saw in the first half against San Francisco?
A: Again, we just cleaned up the techniques and fundamentals of the things that we know that we need to get working on. Again, our focus and concentration went right into Detroit, as far as what we've got to do for this week. With it being a late game, coming back in here on Tuesday, getting up the next morning, coming back in here, working. That's all we've got right now is to focus and concentrate on Detroit.
Q: Do you rely on a lot of veteran players to rally the troops after a loss like that especially with a short week?
A: Yeah, like coach had talked about to you yesterday, it was one of those things, we went out, we didn't play very good and now all we're doing right now is trying to correct ourselves to make sure that we're prepared for this week. We have to focus and concentrate on what we've got to do with the matter at hand without looking back to anything else. We look at the tape, we learn from it, but our concentration and focus right now is solely on trying to get ready for Detroit on this short week.* *
Q: Have you found the younger guys are rallying on this short week?
A: I think what you indicated earlier, the veteran guys are leaders. We came in here, we went to grinding on Detroit, what they're doing offensively, their tendencies, their personnel match-ups. You've got to keep putting your focus and concentration on that to know what to anticipate as we're going through the practices this week and guys are concentrating and focusing on what we're trying to get done for the game plan this week.
Q: Everson Griffen was emotional yesterday in saying he took the loss personally, do you like to see that out of a defensive leader?
A: I think everybody takes it personal when you put the time in to go prepare for a game, but you also realize that's one game. That's 1-of-16 games. You've got to concentrate and focus on what we're getting better at today. That's the only way we're going to get better, so we're trying get better today in our preparation for Detroit.
Q: Is the short week a blessing in disguise after Monday night?
A: Like I said, it's just one game of the 16 that we're guaranteed to have the opportunity to play. You put the focus on what's happening that day and the next day you come back, you're focusing on what you've got to get better at that day. That's sort of the way we have to go. Some things you can't control, that past, it's over with. You've got to focus and concentrate on getting better each and every day at what it is we're trying to get accomplished.
Q: Are you going to try to get Trae Waynes more involved on defense?
A: You'll have to see as the game goes, I can't tell you right now, I'm not going to give away what we're doing match-up-wise or any of those kind of things schematically. He's a guy that we're pushing to keep getting better. He got better as we've been working through things. He's getting better at practice, we just keep working the same way we've been working. We've got competition at a lot of different positions and different skillsets at each position, we're just taking those guys and we're still competing and we're working every day to get better at the match-ups and the things we run into during the season.
Q: Have you seen improvements on some of Trae Waynes' skillsets since he has been here?
A: We've seen him improve to from game-to-game through the preseason, we've seen him improve through practice, so from that aspect of it, that's what we concentrate and focus on. What we're asking him to do technique, fundamental-wise. What we're asking him to do with eyes, that's what we concentrate and focus on. Schematically, we know what we expect of him and what we're asking him to do.
Q: Has focusing on playing outside helped Trae Waynes?
A: Anytime you're concentrating on less things that you have to do, I think that does help with your development. Who's to say we're still not working him at different positions doing those kind of things? Right now, we're looking at his skillset, trying to get him to hone in on what it is we're asking him to do and he's working diligently to get it done.
Vikings Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer
Obviously a tough loss the other night, but the one thing that we take from those type of games is that to look at the things we did well, build on those, correct the things we didn't do well, because obviously we didn't enough to win. Now we're on to the Detroit Lions and preparing for them. We're going to go be ready for Sunday afternoon.
Q: What did you think of Seattle starting overtime with an onside kick, does that eliminate their guaranteed possession?
A: Yes. If Seattle had gained possession there and they went down to kick the field goal, the game would be over, that is if Seattle recovered it and kicked a field goal, the game would be over because that gave St. Louis an opportunity for a possession.
Q: On the blocked field goal, what developed there?
A: Marcus [Sherels] coming off the edge is obviously a big time threat for that wing and that's where he went, he went to block Marcus and then Andrew [Sendejo] came through the gap clean and Chad Greenway did a great job on that play.
Q: How do guys build on the emotions of the momentum swing of a blocked field goal?
A: The game of football is a game of emotions. Especially the first night, everybody is hyped up and excited about Monday Night Football and the first ball game. Again, I thought there was some things I thought we did really well on special teams and there's other things that we didn't do well. I'll be quite honest, that game was put to bed Monday and now we're ready to roll, to continue the preparation for the Detroit Lions.
Q: Do you see something wrong with Blair Walsh's technique?
A: I think it was just a confidence thing, he's just got to go out there and swing his leg through and get his confidence back. We sent him down to TCF [Bank Stadium] yesterday and they filmed it, he had a great workout down there. He will be fine.
Q: Do you think it's just a matter of Blair Walsh getting one good game on and building on it?
A: Absolutely. Like any other position, like any other player, the more confident you are with the ability that player has, the more confident you are, the better you're going to be.
Q: Are the kickers confident in kicking at TCF Bank Stadium now?
A: Yeah. I think the kickers are confident kicking anywhere. There's things that we do a little bit differently when it's windy. There's things we do a little bit differently when we are in a dome. I think how we prepare throughout the week gives them the confidence that they need for a Monday night or a Sunday afternoon or whatever the case may be. I think if they start the game well and they can continue to build on that success, that really helps us and that's kind of been our focus this week.
Q: Are you still continuing to chart the winds at TCF Bank Stadium?
A: We chart kicks all of the time. We take a look at that stuff, that's kind of the scientific part of it. I think that the bottom line of it is if you approach kicking into the wind with the approach that we have, you will be successful. If you approach kicking with the wind or punting with the wind like how we prepare for that type of stuff, then we should be very successful, we've just got to be more consistent at it.
Q: Does charting out everything play a role into Blair Walsh possibly overthinking things?
A: No, we try to keep it simple. That's the type of thing, we don't look at every minute detail of every stat that we look at. Are there tendencies and how can we correct the tendencies that aren't going in our favor? The things that we're doing well, we're just going to continue to build on those, but we try not to overthink that stuff.
Q: Is it hard for Blair Walsh to just take it one game at a time?
A: No, I don't think so. I think in the NFL you've got to take it one kick at a time. One kickoff at a time, one PAT at a time, one field goal at a time. You've got to approach every one of them that they're a single entity and go from there because you can't think of a whole game or a whole season or a whole month. You've got to take one kick at a time, especially when you're outside.
Q: How is Cordarrelle Patterson handling his reduced role on offense?
A: We don't talk about that. When I talk to Cordarrelle [Patterson] I talk strictly special teams and kickoff return and how he can help us win in that phase?
Q: Does Cordarrelle Patterson have a good attitude in the special teams aspect of the game?
A: It's outstanding, outstanding. He's continually getting better, he always wants to learn. He comes in my office, we talk about our game plan and what we need to do to be successful.
Q: Is it hard for the fan base to get a picture of how hard Cordarrelle Patterson works?
A: I don't know. Yeah, he's got a great attitude, he's got a great smile. If I had his smile, I'd be smiling all of the time, too. He's got a good outlook on life and I think people are attracted to that and people like to see that, but he does work very, very hard and I think the more successful he is, the happier he's going to be. Because of his work ethic and the things that he does for us on special teams it will help us as a team be more successful and in the long run make him happier and all of us happier for that matter.
Q: Do you feel the players are understanding the blocking schemes better this season than they did a season ago?
A: They understood it last year, we just didn't have as many opportunities because people wouldn't kick to us. They kicked to us the other night and we only had the one opportunity and we had it blocked up well except for one guy and we just got to get that corrected, but understanding the schemes, our schemes aren't that difficult. They understood them last year and they'll understand them this year.
Q: How much does only scoring three points in a week emphasize the importance of special teams?
A: I think Coach Zimmer does a great job of emphasizing special teams no matter what the score, 31-28 or 3-0, to me it's a huge field position swing and to our football team they all understand the term complementary football, where special teams complements the offense and defense and the offense and defense compliments each other and special teams. The more we can do for our football team to put ourselves in position to be successful on offense and defense field position-wise, the better off we're going to be. It's always an emphasis no matter what the score is.
