Donger
11-29-2005, 06:04 PM
“Good morning. I’d just like to put the final touches on Sunday. It was by far our best overall game of the year. It’s a good time to becoming what you would like to be because of our schedule will demand it. If you have any kind of team good teams like New England normally bring the best out of you, as will Denver and the rest of our schedule.
“When you score six out of the first seven times you touch the football on offense you’ve done an outstanding job. That’s a great tribute to our players and coaching staff. When you hold New England to 104 yards and three points in the first half you’re doing a real good job and that’s a great tribute to our defensive players and defensive coaching staff. Our special teams did a very good job in producing four field goals. We had a 39 yard kickoff return that put us in good field position. Our coverages did a much better job allowing an average of 21 yards per kickoff return and only nine yards in punt returns. So, we put a good football game together.
“It’ll take the same kind of effort this week if not better. To add credibility to that kind of game for our football team it’ll take that kind of performance against the Denver Broncos because, right now, I think that everyone thinks they’re equal to or the number two team in the National Football League as they line up to play this Sunday.
“We did not play them very well the first time around on Monday night in September. We either did not play well or Denver didn’t allow us to play well. It probably leans more to Denver not allowing us to play very well because we had played pretty well in the first two games of the season.
“I know this: 25 out of the last 31 games have come down to the team scoring last winning. Hopefully, we can play well enough to keep that game that competitive here. We’ve been able to do that since eight out of the last nine games played between these two teams have been won by the home team. We were the team that got beat here in ‘02, 37-34, in overtime after getting a punt blocked. So, the games have been very competitive and I’d like to believe it’ll be the same kind of football game this year.
“As critical as we try to evaluate Denver, there are no obvious weaknesses. Many times you can say, well, there are some injuries over here and they don’t play as well in that area. You can take this away with your defense because they don’t handle this well, or you can use this coverage, or this punt return team isn’t that good, or so on. But you just don’t find any weaknesses.
“They’re the number two running team in football and the number one team in football in defending the run which is a pretty good indication of team strength. We are number four in running offense and number five in defending the run. So, we’re not quite to their level and have to take our game to match that. Maybe more important for us is to do a better job in the passing game than we did the last time against them. We did not pass protect their schemes very well and we weren’t 100% healthy at that time. We’re healthier today and we hope that will make a difference, but they provided us with some real problems like they have everybody else.
“The other thing that’s glaring about Denver is they’ve only turned the ball over 11 times – the fewest in the National Football League. Tremendous job. When you stop and think they’ve only thrown four interceptions and lost the ball seven times in fumbles and have taken it away 14 times with pass interceptions and 11 times in fumble recoveries that puts them at plus 14 (takeaway-giveaway).
“Last year at this time they had thrown 11 interceptions, this year only four. Big improvement. They had lost six fumbles and consequently they were minus three at this time last year. Now they’re second at plus 14.
“Since I’ve been here they’ve been 10-6, playoff team, 10-6, playoff team, a 9-7 team and an 8-8 team. So, they’ve always been a good football team and probably always will be with Mike Shanahan there.
“I believe that, like everybody else’s that’s played them, they’re a much better team right now than they’ve been in any of those four years that I’ve coached against them. Most of the improvement has been produced by the much improved defensive football team starting with the three new starters on the defensive line, plus the quality of the backups, plus Ian Gold being back, and a draft choice playing corner is doing well. But the defensive line has made a big difference.
“Plus, I think they’ve also allowed their fine defensive coordinator to be more flexible and do more things within their scheme, to get good rush with just their down four and also incorporate a big package of blitzes that drive offensive coaches in their preparation.
“Offensively, they appear to have refined what they had been doing. They’re up in scoring. Plumber hasn’t thrown as many TD passes this year but they’re making up the difference in rushing touchdowns. They’re way up in rushing touchdowns. This time last year they only had five. They have 16, which shows maybe a little change in profile in how they approach the Red Zone. Their running attack has become more efficient down there.
“They force teams to play at a very high level and they will force us to do the same thing. For us to do that, I think we’re going to have to be at our very best. I expect us to be at our very best; I expected us to be at our very best last Sunday. Whether our best will be good enough, I don’t know. Whether we can play better than our best of last week, only time will tell. But I know this: you’re going to have to eliminate as many details that nag on you and eat at you as you play a very competitive football team.
“Right now our opponents are the least penalized teams in football and compared to Denver by a huge margin. Denver’s opponents are the second most penalized opponents. That makes us very aware that we have to be even more poised and disciplined in how we play offense, defense and special teams. It puts more pressure on us.
“We’ve played seven common opponents and have won five. They’ve won six. Of course, we played each other and they whipped our butts.
“Now, we’ve got ‘em at the right place. There’s no question that Arrowhead is a positive influence on a Kansas City Chiefs football team. Long before I ever got here, they established records in this stadium as of December 1st that are very tough to match. It’s a very positive influence on how your football team plays and a negative influence on how an opponent plays. We hope that we can match those kinds of standards when we play Sunday.”
Q: Do you have a sense or a feel that after last week’s game that it’s finally coming together like you thought?
VERMEIL: “I would say yes because all the indicators were good. The quarterback performed like Trent Green of old: a 127 quarterback efficiency rating which is his seventh best efficiency rating since he’s been a Chief. When you start out the game six-for-six and you complete as many balls downfield as he did that means the offensive line pass-protected well. When the defense takes the ball away four times from either the number one or number two quarterback in the NFL you’re doing some things right. When you force them out of a running game altogether into a catch-up mode you’d like to think you’re doing some things pretty well, better than you have done them.
“If you’re ever going to come together and be a good football team this is the time to do it, especially with our schedule. I’ve always believed that a good schedule brings the best out of a good football team. How long we can keep playing at that level and stay healthy only time will tell. But each Sunday we will be in that situation starting with Denver here.”
Q: You completed a couple of key passes downfield this past week. Was that because Willie Roaf was back?
VERMEIL: “You just picture yourself in Al Saunders’ spot. You’re concerned about this and that. All of a sudden it dampens your enthusiasm to try certain things that require more time. When Al feels comfortable and confident with what is going on up in front he’s much more in an attack mode and less conservative and relies less on small yardage gains. You try for more chunks. But I think that’s true not just of us and Al Saunders and our offense and our team. It’s true of all NFL football teams.
“This team that we’re playing doesn’t allow you a lot of time. They really don’t. So big plays are going to have to come from individuals that take short plays and make ‘em into big plays – a la Philadelphia when they made a big run coming back in our ballgame when they were down by a huge margin. One of the biggest plays in the game was a hitch pass. Caught it on the line of scrimmage and took it for a touchdown. We’re going to have to make a play or two like that or make it in the kicking game, a la Dante Hall here.”
Q: So you did alter you game plan when Willie Roaf was out?
VERMEIL: “We stayed with our offense but we emphasized different things a little bit more. It was most glaring in Buffalo, but after that we came out and said forget it.”
Q: Are you concerned about the field? It looked torn up the other day.
VERMEIL: “It’s not real good, not very good. But that’s our field right now. Both teams are playing on the same field. We had a lot of slipping and chunks coming up. But both teams are playing on the same field. At this time of year in this climate, if it’s not field turf most turfs have problems.”
Q: Are you concerned about the safety factor for your players?
VERMEIL: “Well, we’re always concerned about safety.”
Q: More so than usual with that surface?
VERMEIL: “I don’t think I am at this time of year.”
Q: If you were on the road with a field like that would you be incensed when you saw Larry Johnson fall like he did the other day?
VERMEIL: “The environment controls a lot here. I’m sure it’s been pretty much like that this time of year.”
CARL PETERSON: “We re-sodded it three weeks ago.”
VERMEIL: “We put new sod in the middle but you can only do what you can do.”
Q: Doesn’t seem to matter who Denver uses as a featured back. They run the ball well. What makes it go and have you ever seen another team be so successful like they are?
VERMEIL: “Denver’s the most consistent doing it in the modern era. First off, they are a downhill running team. Downhill meaning the angle never gets outside, only once in a while. They’re a zone come-off-the-ball-blocking-scheme-team. They all come off together and have two-on-one for a while, shove the other guy out, and then the other guy goes after the linebacker. Then they do a great job of cut blocking on the backside. So they stretch you to the sideline with the offensive line and then they cut back up inside those lanes. If you don’t maintain your discipline, or if you get cut down on the ground, or the linebacker overruns or your safety doesn’t fill there are running lanes open.
“They got one big run on us last time but it wasn’t as bad as it normally was. We had a defensive tackle slant left and one slant right. It was a mistake and they didn’t have to block them.
“To beat Denver you have to stop the run. That’s not unique with Kansas City playing them. They’re going to run the ball. It’s an Alex Gibbs offensive line approach that he has taken to the Atlanta Falcons. He was here one time and he took it to Denver and implanted it there. They do a good job of keeping it going.
“The running backs who are there are going to make yards. If you could shut ‘em down you could create some problems.
“Then you’ve got Rod Smith who has more pass yardage against the Kansas City Chiefs than any team he has ever played against. His big records are against the Chiefs, of course he’s played against them more than any team he’s played.”
Q: On the subject of Rod Smith: does he have Hall of Fame credentials?
VERMEIL: “I would imagine, but not many guys from Denver are going into the Hall of Fame. His credentials would put him there, but that doesn’t always get it done either.”
Q: What makes him so tough to cover yet so overlooked?
VERMEIL: “Well, the first thing they think about is the running game. The Denver offense thinks first about running the football. Of course, when Elway was there they thought about the quarterback. Nobody’s a good football team without skilled receivers and he’s one. He’s been able to maintain a level of performance with great athletic skill for a long period of time. Evidently, he’s a very dedicated, dedicated athlete, a Jerry Rice-type guy who has to work out and take his craft very seriously.”
Q: Is Willie Roaf 100% right now?
VERMEIL: “Yes.”
Q: What about Patrick Surtain?
VERMEIL: “I think Patrick Surtain was about 94% last week and will be 100% this week. Willie Roaf, so help me God, played the (New England) game as well as he’s played any game since he’s been here. He was outstanding, in my opinion. Now, there were some things he didn’t do perfect if you grade him this way or that way. But I’ll tell you, if you line up in front of him you’d better strap it up. He came off the ball and on another very, very fine all-pro defensive lineman. There were some wars going on there. You could make a highlight tape out of it because there were two great football players battling. In (New England’s) style of defense it gave two players an opportunity to match up more because they played tighter techniques and defensive ends aren’t way out in space. They were right in close. Roaf played very well.”
Q: Will it be good to watch this week’s matchup with Trevor Pryce?
VERMEIL: “They play a totally different scheme. They stunt, slant, loop — any kind of defensive trend where they can get movement. It’s very complex and is difficult to figure out. They have all eight guys up on the line of scrimmage kind of like Tom Landry liked to do. You look up and there’s no secondary and then they bale out. They disguise a lot of things very well and have a very sophisticated scheme. We’re going to have to be poised because they knocked Trent (Green) down too many times last time we played them.”
Q: What do you credit that with, I mean, Willie having his best game last week after some time off due to an injury?
VERMEIL: “He wants to win; he wants to play; it’s important to him. He had a great training camp in only working one practice a day and then it’s been a disappointment since the few snaps in the Jets game when he pulled his hamstring. Then he comes back and the first game was against the Redskins and he got the offensive game ball. He played well and then he goes down again and is disappointed.
“But I think it’s pride. He’s a Hall of Fame offensive lineman. He’s the most explosive big man I’ve ever been on the field with. There aren’t many like him. I don’t know why they don’t make more of them. I’ve been around a lot of big guys but none quite as explosive. There’s a hall of famer named Brown that was as explosive, but not as big. Orlando Pace is every bit as athletic and maybe more, but not quite as explosive.”
Q: Is he the best tackle you’ve ever been around?
VERMEIL: “I would have to put him in that category at this stage.”
Q: What about the play of Welbourn on the other side?
VERMEIL: “Really improved. He’s made great strides each week which is a credit to him. He tried to help us last year playing on a bad knee. Each week is a new test and each match-up is a little bit different. But he played well in the ballgame the other day, he really did.”
Q: Why him at right and not Jordan Black who’s played there before?
VERMEIL: “Experience and he’s played there all that time and the fact that we have had Jordan Black at left and right, left and right (tackle). Then (when you do that) it takes him a while to re-settle some place else. We don’t have a lot of time to get somebody to re-settle right now. Jordan Black is more athletic and never been operated on as many times, and he can run and will be a good starting tackle, but to bounce him around….we just don’t feel we can take a couple of games to get him ready again.”
Q: How’s your Red Zone offense?
VERMEIL: “The Red Zone offense is not up to the standards that we have set for ourselves and there are a lot of different reasons for it. We have not run as well down there and there aren’t as many people in football who run any better in the Red Zone than Priest Holmes and we weren’t even running as well with him down there, but we didn’t have our offensive line intact.
“Larry can score touchdowns but we haven’t been as efficient down there and have to assume some of that responsibility. We’re doing a lot of the same things and maybe that’s a problem.”
Q: How is Larry different than Priest in the Red Zone?
VERMEIL: “Priest is a little bit more of a layer runner. He can run in between layers of defense. He gets past the first layer, then the next layer, and then the next. He’s the best I’ve ever been around at doing that. Maybe he’s one of the best in the game at doing that kind of running. Other coaches will tell you that. He always has great poise, great patience and balance.
“Larry is more of a slasher. He’s going to punish you, bang into you, ricochet and will make a guy miss, but he may not make that next level miss. Downfield he might, but those layers between the defensive line and linebackers and that short area pursuit coming over. There’s some advantages.
“Very few running backs – and they’re both great players – are exactly the same. We don’t alternate or eliminate or add plays because of the two.”
Q: What’s the status of Ryan Sims?
VERMEIL: “There’s a chance. What we’re going to do is put him in pads against some rookies after practice and let him bang around. It wouldn’t be fair to put him in the ball game and say we’ll find out if it’s ok on Sunday. We’ll let him do some one-on-one in pads and let him do some drive blocking, pass rushing techniques, to help condition him to see if he’s ready. If he’s ready for Sunday then we’ll try to have him active.
“He’s certainly paid his dues. He’s kept his weight down to actually a few pounds less than he was when he got hurt. So, he’s really been disciplined and it means a lot to him.”
Q: As an old special teams coach, how do the big misses by field goal kickers around the league this past weekend keep a coach from going crazy?
VERMEIL: “It’s a short trip for me. I’ve never had real good luck with kickers. Wilkins from the 49ers to the Rams I had great luck with even though he had injury problems our Super Bowl year. I feel really fortunate to develop a Tynes, but I think our personnel department has taught me patience in regard to dealing with him. He has been here three times and been gone twice. It’s a credit to him to go to the Canadian Football League and set some records and they kick more field goals there. He came back with a little more poise and a little more accuracy and consistency. Will he miss a field goal coming up? Yeah, I just hope it’s not Sunday.”
Q: Is there a look in the eyes of these guys in the fourth quarter as opposed to the first quarter?
VERMEIL: “I used to think there was. Now, I don’t look in their eyes. I can tell you some stories. Carl (Peterson) and I were (in Philadelphia) one day in a critical game against the Redskins. We were moving the ball right down the field and all we have to do is kick this chip shot. I called my kicker over and asked him what hash mark would you like the ball on. He looked me right in the eye and said, ‘how about a fake?’”
“When you score six out of the first seven times you touch the football on offense you’ve done an outstanding job. That’s a great tribute to our players and coaching staff. When you hold New England to 104 yards and three points in the first half you’re doing a real good job and that’s a great tribute to our defensive players and defensive coaching staff. Our special teams did a very good job in producing four field goals. We had a 39 yard kickoff return that put us in good field position. Our coverages did a much better job allowing an average of 21 yards per kickoff return and only nine yards in punt returns. So, we put a good football game together.
“It’ll take the same kind of effort this week if not better. To add credibility to that kind of game for our football team it’ll take that kind of performance against the Denver Broncos because, right now, I think that everyone thinks they’re equal to or the number two team in the National Football League as they line up to play this Sunday.
“We did not play them very well the first time around on Monday night in September. We either did not play well or Denver didn’t allow us to play well. It probably leans more to Denver not allowing us to play very well because we had played pretty well in the first two games of the season.
“I know this: 25 out of the last 31 games have come down to the team scoring last winning. Hopefully, we can play well enough to keep that game that competitive here. We’ve been able to do that since eight out of the last nine games played between these two teams have been won by the home team. We were the team that got beat here in ‘02, 37-34, in overtime after getting a punt blocked. So, the games have been very competitive and I’d like to believe it’ll be the same kind of football game this year.
“As critical as we try to evaluate Denver, there are no obvious weaknesses. Many times you can say, well, there are some injuries over here and they don’t play as well in that area. You can take this away with your defense because they don’t handle this well, or you can use this coverage, or this punt return team isn’t that good, or so on. But you just don’t find any weaknesses.
“They’re the number two running team in football and the number one team in football in defending the run which is a pretty good indication of team strength. We are number four in running offense and number five in defending the run. So, we’re not quite to their level and have to take our game to match that. Maybe more important for us is to do a better job in the passing game than we did the last time against them. We did not pass protect their schemes very well and we weren’t 100% healthy at that time. We’re healthier today and we hope that will make a difference, but they provided us with some real problems like they have everybody else.
“The other thing that’s glaring about Denver is they’ve only turned the ball over 11 times – the fewest in the National Football League. Tremendous job. When you stop and think they’ve only thrown four interceptions and lost the ball seven times in fumbles and have taken it away 14 times with pass interceptions and 11 times in fumble recoveries that puts them at plus 14 (takeaway-giveaway).
“Last year at this time they had thrown 11 interceptions, this year only four. Big improvement. They had lost six fumbles and consequently they were minus three at this time last year. Now they’re second at plus 14.
“Since I’ve been here they’ve been 10-6, playoff team, 10-6, playoff team, a 9-7 team and an 8-8 team. So, they’ve always been a good football team and probably always will be with Mike Shanahan there.
“I believe that, like everybody else’s that’s played them, they’re a much better team right now than they’ve been in any of those four years that I’ve coached against them. Most of the improvement has been produced by the much improved defensive football team starting with the three new starters on the defensive line, plus the quality of the backups, plus Ian Gold being back, and a draft choice playing corner is doing well. But the defensive line has made a big difference.
“Plus, I think they’ve also allowed their fine defensive coordinator to be more flexible and do more things within their scheme, to get good rush with just their down four and also incorporate a big package of blitzes that drive offensive coaches in their preparation.
“Offensively, they appear to have refined what they had been doing. They’re up in scoring. Plumber hasn’t thrown as many TD passes this year but they’re making up the difference in rushing touchdowns. They’re way up in rushing touchdowns. This time last year they only had five. They have 16, which shows maybe a little change in profile in how they approach the Red Zone. Their running attack has become more efficient down there.
“They force teams to play at a very high level and they will force us to do the same thing. For us to do that, I think we’re going to have to be at our very best. I expect us to be at our very best; I expected us to be at our very best last Sunday. Whether our best will be good enough, I don’t know. Whether we can play better than our best of last week, only time will tell. But I know this: you’re going to have to eliminate as many details that nag on you and eat at you as you play a very competitive football team.
“Right now our opponents are the least penalized teams in football and compared to Denver by a huge margin. Denver’s opponents are the second most penalized opponents. That makes us very aware that we have to be even more poised and disciplined in how we play offense, defense and special teams. It puts more pressure on us.
“We’ve played seven common opponents and have won five. They’ve won six. Of course, we played each other and they whipped our butts.
“Now, we’ve got ‘em at the right place. There’s no question that Arrowhead is a positive influence on a Kansas City Chiefs football team. Long before I ever got here, they established records in this stadium as of December 1st that are very tough to match. It’s a very positive influence on how your football team plays and a negative influence on how an opponent plays. We hope that we can match those kinds of standards when we play Sunday.”
Q: Do you have a sense or a feel that after last week’s game that it’s finally coming together like you thought?
VERMEIL: “I would say yes because all the indicators were good. The quarterback performed like Trent Green of old: a 127 quarterback efficiency rating which is his seventh best efficiency rating since he’s been a Chief. When you start out the game six-for-six and you complete as many balls downfield as he did that means the offensive line pass-protected well. When the defense takes the ball away four times from either the number one or number two quarterback in the NFL you’re doing some things right. When you force them out of a running game altogether into a catch-up mode you’d like to think you’re doing some things pretty well, better than you have done them.
“If you’re ever going to come together and be a good football team this is the time to do it, especially with our schedule. I’ve always believed that a good schedule brings the best out of a good football team. How long we can keep playing at that level and stay healthy only time will tell. But each Sunday we will be in that situation starting with Denver here.”
Q: You completed a couple of key passes downfield this past week. Was that because Willie Roaf was back?
VERMEIL: “You just picture yourself in Al Saunders’ spot. You’re concerned about this and that. All of a sudden it dampens your enthusiasm to try certain things that require more time. When Al feels comfortable and confident with what is going on up in front he’s much more in an attack mode and less conservative and relies less on small yardage gains. You try for more chunks. But I think that’s true not just of us and Al Saunders and our offense and our team. It’s true of all NFL football teams.
“This team that we’re playing doesn’t allow you a lot of time. They really don’t. So big plays are going to have to come from individuals that take short plays and make ‘em into big plays – a la Philadelphia when they made a big run coming back in our ballgame when they were down by a huge margin. One of the biggest plays in the game was a hitch pass. Caught it on the line of scrimmage and took it for a touchdown. We’re going to have to make a play or two like that or make it in the kicking game, a la Dante Hall here.”
Q: So you did alter you game plan when Willie Roaf was out?
VERMEIL: “We stayed with our offense but we emphasized different things a little bit more. It was most glaring in Buffalo, but after that we came out and said forget it.”
Q: Are you concerned about the field? It looked torn up the other day.
VERMEIL: “It’s not real good, not very good. But that’s our field right now. Both teams are playing on the same field. We had a lot of slipping and chunks coming up. But both teams are playing on the same field. At this time of year in this climate, if it’s not field turf most turfs have problems.”
Q: Are you concerned about the safety factor for your players?
VERMEIL: “Well, we’re always concerned about safety.”
Q: More so than usual with that surface?
VERMEIL: “I don’t think I am at this time of year.”
Q: If you were on the road with a field like that would you be incensed when you saw Larry Johnson fall like he did the other day?
VERMEIL: “The environment controls a lot here. I’m sure it’s been pretty much like that this time of year.”
CARL PETERSON: “We re-sodded it three weeks ago.”
VERMEIL: “We put new sod in the middle but you can only do what you can do.”
Q: Doesn’t seem to matter who Denver uses as a featured back. They run the ball well. What makes it go and have you ever seen another team be so successful like they are?
VERMEIL: “Denver’s the most consistent doing it in the modern era. First off, they are a downhill running team. Downhill meaning the angle never gets outside, only once in a while. They’re a zone come-off-the-ball-blocking-scheme-team. They all come off together and have two-on-one for a while, shove the other guy out, and then the other guy goes after the linebacker. Then they do a great job of cut blocking on the backside. So they stretch you to the sideline with the offensive line and then they cut back up inside those lanes. If you don’t maintain your discipline, or if you get cut down on the ground, or the linebacker overruns or your safety doesn’t fill there are running lanes open.
“They got one big run on us last time but it wasn’t as bad as it normally was. We had a defensive tackle slant left and one slant right. It was a mistake and they didn’t have to block them.
“To beat Denver you have to stop the run. That’s not unique with Kansas City playing them. They’re going to run the ball. It’s an Alex Gibbs offensive line approach that he has taken to the Atlanta Falcons. He was here one time and he took it to Denver and implanted it there. They do a good job of keeping it going.
“The running backs who are there are going to make yards. If you could shut ‘em down you could create some problems.
“Then you’ve got Rod Smith who has more pass yardage against the Kansas City Chiefs than any team he has ever played against. His big records are against the Chiefs, of course he’s played against them more than any team he’s played.”
Q: On the subject of Rod Smith: does he have Hall of Fame credentials?
VERMEIL: “I would imagine, but not many guys from Denver are going into the Hall of Fame. His credentials would put him there, but that doesn’t always get it done either.”
Q: What makes him so tough to cover yet so overlooked?
VERMEIL: “Well, the first thing they think about is the running game. The Denver offense thinks first about running the football. Of course, when Elway was there they thought about the quarterback. Nobody’s a good football team without skilled receivers and he’s one. He’s been able to maintain a level of performance with great athletic skill for a long period of time. Evidently, he’s a very dedicated, dedicated athlete, a Jerry Rice-type guy who has to work out and take his craft very seriously.”
Q: Is Willie Roaf 100% right now?
VERMEIL: “Yes.”
Q: What about Patrick Surtain?
VERMEIL: “I think Patrick Surtain was about 94% last week and will be 100% this week. Willie Roaf, so help me God, played the (New England) game as well as he’s played any game since he’s been here. He was outstanding, in my opinion. Now, there were some things he didn’t do perfect if you grade him this way or that way. But I’ll tell you, if you line up in front of him you’d better strap it up. He came off the ball and on another very, very fine all-pro defensive lineman. There were some wars going on there. You could make a highlight tape out of it because there were two great football players battling. In (New England’s) style of defense it gave two players an opportunity to match up more because they played tighter techniques and defensive ends aren’t way out in space. They were right in close. Roaf played very well.”
Q: Will it be good to watch this week’s matchup with Trevor Pryce?
VERMEIL: “They play a totally different scheme. They stunt, slant, loop — any kind of defensive trend where they can get movement. It’s very complex and is difficult to figure out. They have all eight guys up on the line of scrimmage kind of like Tom Landry liked to do. You look up and there’s no secondary and then they bale out. They disguise a lot of things very well and have a very sophisticated scheme. We’re going to have to be poised because they knocked Trent (Green) down too many times last time we played them.”
Q: What do you credit that with, I mean, Willie having his best game last week after some time off due to an injury?
VERMEIL: “He wants to win; he wants to play; it’s important to him. He had a great training camp in only working one practice a day and then it’s been a disappointment since the few snaps in the Jets game when he pulled his hamstring. Then he comes back and the first game was against the Redskins and he got the offensive game ball. He played well and then he goes down again and is disappointed.
“But I think it’s pride. He’s a Hall of Fame offensive lineman. He’s the most explosive big man I’ve ever been on the field with. There aren’t many like him. I don’t know why they don’t make more of them. I’ve been around a lot of big guys but none quite as explosive. There’s a hall of famer named Brown that was as explosive, but not as big. Orlando Pace is every bit as athletic and maybe more, but not quite as explosive.”
Q: Is he the best tackle you’ve ever been around?
VERMEIL: “I would have to put him in that category at this stage.”
Q: What about the play of Welbourn on the other side?
VERMEIL: “Really improved. He’s made great strides each week which is a credit to him. He tried to help us last year playing on a bad knee. Each week is a new test and each match-up is a little bit different. But he played well in the ballgame the other day, he really did.”
Q: Why him at right and not Jordan Black who’s played there before?
VERMEIL: “Experience and he’s played there all that time and the fact that we have had Jordan Black at left and right, left and right (tackle). Then (when you do that) it takes him a while to re-settle some place else. We don’t have a lot of time to get somebody to re-settle right now. Jordan Black is more athletic and never been operated on as many times, and he can run and will be a good starting tackle, but to bounce him around….we just don’t feel we can take a couple of games to get him ready again.”
Q: How’s your Red Zone offense?
VERMEIL: “The Red Zone offense is not up to the standards that we have set for ourselves and there are a lot of different reasons for it. We have not run as well down there and there aren’t as many people in football who run any better in the Red Zone than Priest Holmes and we weren’t even running as well with him down there, but we didn’t have our offensive line intact.
“Larry can score touchdowns but we haven’t been as efficient down there and have to assume some of that responsibility. We’re doing a lot of the same things and maybe that’s a problem.”
Q: How is Larry different than Priest in the Red Zone?
VERMEIL: “Priest is a little bit more of a layer runner. He can run in between layers of defense. He gets past the first layer, then the next layer, and then the next. He’s the best I’ve ever been around at doing that. Maybe he’s one of the best in the game at doing that kind of running. Other coaches will tell you that. He always has great poise, great patience and balance.
“Larry is more of a slasher. He’s going to punish you, bang into you, ricochet and will make a guy miss, but he may not make that next level miss. Downfield he might, but those layers between the defensive line and linebackers and that short area pursuit coming over. There’s some advantages.
“Very few running backs – and they’re both great players – are exactly the same. We don’t alternate or eliminate or add plays because of the two.”
Q: What’s the status of Ryan Sims?
VERMEIL: “There’s a chance. What we’re going to do is put him in pads against some rookies after practice and let him bang around. It wouldn’t be fair to put him in the ball game and say we’ll find out if it’s ok on Sunday. We’ll let him do some one-on-one in pads and let him do some drive blocking, pass rushing techniques, to help condition him to see if he’s ready. If he’s ready for Sunday then we’ll try to have him active.
“He’s certainly paid his dues. He’s kept his weight down to actually a few pounds less than he was when he got hurt. So, he’s really been disciplined and it means a lot to him.”
Q: As an old special teams coach, how do the big misses by field goal kickers around the league this past weekend keep a coach from going crazy?
VERMEIL: “It’s a short trip for me. I’ve never had real good luck with kickers. Wilkins from the 49ers to the Rams I had great luck with even though he had injury problems our Super Bowl year. I feel really fortunate to develop a Tynes, but I think our personnel department has taught me patience in regard to dealing with him. He has been here three times and been gone twice. It’s a credit to him to go to the Canadian Football League and set some records and they kick more field goals there. He came back with a little more poise and a little more accuracy and consistency. Will he miss a field goal coming up? Yeah, I just hope it’s not Sunday.”
Q: Is there a look in the eyes of these guys in the fourth quarter as opposed to the first quarter?
VERMEIL: “I used to think there was. Now, I don’t look in their eyes. I can tell you some stories. Carl (Peterson) and I were (in Philadelphia) one day in a critical game against the Redskins. We were moving the ball right down the field and all we have to do is kick this chip shot. I called my kicker over and asked him what hash mark would you like the ball on. He looked me right in the eye and said, ‘how about a fake?’”