Aden Durde Discusses Red Zone Defense And Looks Ahead To Week 9

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

We're so used to seeing Leo out there, to not have him out there at the end of the game. What does that change in terms of play calling and what you're able to do?

Aden Durde (0:08)

It doesn't necessarily change anything. Like, I thought J-Reed played a great game, I thought Byron played a great game. It's just sometimes you just have to be a bit more cognizant of the reps. And as the game gets into situations where you might not be able to change the reps, it just puts a little bit more load on the players, but nothing really cool was.

SPEAKER_3 (0:28)

How are you feeling like things are going for Rylie Mills so far this season?

Aden Durde (0:31)

I think they're good.

I thought we played well in this game. I thought we played really well in the last Arizona game, actually, and we were just watching some tape today. I just think the limited amount of reps right now, and making use of them, at times the flow of the game necessarily means different groups are in, and he didn't get in the game as much, but the plays he's making, he's making use of them.

SPEAKER_4 (0:54)

How do you explain just kind of the anomaly of the red zone numbers when, I mean, every other number is like top of the league, and then red zone you're kind of at the bottom?

Aden Durde (1:02)

The simple fact is we're not good enough in it, and we have to correct it. Like, our mindset is they don't run it in, and right now they're running it in, and we have to put ourselves in a better position, alignment, assignment, simple technique and fundamentals, and we have to have that awareness when we're in there.

SPEAKER_3 (1:19)

Dante Fowler has only been getting a kind of handful of snaps. Obviously Uchenna wasn't playing last game. What would he need to do to get more reps?

Aden Durde (1:27)

I see Dante as not a pass down player, but his superpower is rushing to pass that, and at times there's less of those situations in certain games, and it just, it hasn't rolled that way at those times.

SPEAKER_5 (1:40)

Stopping and running, you're doing it in the rest of the field. What's different in the red zone?

Aden Durde (1:45)

At times, you know, as the field condenses, I feel like the gap assignments have to go through the roof, you know, and at times, like, there's a difference between you saying stop in the run and, okay, you stop it for a one-yard gain out in the field, that's stopping the run. In the red zone, you stop it, there are no losses. Like, you stop it there and then, and they're catching an edge, getting out or someone's in the wrong gap. And we just, it's just little alignment things, we'll fix up and get rolling.

SPEAKER_1 (2:19)

D-Law took a lot of responsibility for that today. He said he's just not doing a good enough job with his gap in that situation.

Do you agree with him? Do you appreciate kind of the leadership that he shows or is he oversimplified?

Aden Durde (2:34)

I think this defense and Mike's team is built on accountability and understanding of what your role is. Sometimes your role is like not outside of your ability because I think I believe D-Law is one of those defensive ends that can do anything in the NFL. He can play every down, any situation. He can play from a three technique to a nine technique. He's not not doing his job. He plays as hard as he can. And at times when you're down there, some of D-Law's gifts are that he feels the game. And he's made I've been with him for since I started in this league. And I've seen him make multiple plays down there, multiple that change games. I can just remember him right now.

He got caught out of his gap one time and you just have to fix it. That's that's gun shooters get shot sometimes. And that's that's the life you live. But I wouldn't want anyone else down there.

SPEAKER_6 (3:22)

It looked like on one of those plays he slid. It's like, is that a case of him saying something and trying to take a shot?

SPEAKER_4 (3:28)

No.

SPEAKER_6 (3:29)

OK.

SPEAKER_3 (3:30)

Seems like Nehemiah Pritchett, you know, every time he's on there is making plays. Is he pushing for more reps?

Aden Durde (3:36)

I think Nehemiah is doing a great job. I was talking to Mike about it the other day. I think, like, all he does is just take advantage of opportunities on special teams and on defense. And I think all he can do is keep pushing and pushing, and everyone sees it.