Head Coach Mike Macdonald Recaps Week 2 Win at Steelers

SPEAKER_1 (0:03)

Hello, everybody.

Mike Macdonald (0:04)

All right.

SPEAKER_1 (0:05)

Zoom. Brian Niemhouser.

Brian Niemhouser (0:10)

Coach, your team has the fewest penalty yards in the NFL through two weeks, pending Monday Night Football. What goes into limiting penalty yards?

Mike Macdonald (0:22)

As I'm listening to your question, I'm thinking about how many penalty yards we had last year, and me saying it was an overrated thing to a certain extent. I still feel the same way. Now, like I said, we have a spectrum on how we treat penalties here. There's cost of doing business penalties, where we're living on the edge and some things happen, and then there's some selfish penalties that we want to avoid as much as possible. So fortunately, I think we're limiting the selfish ones right now, which is what we need to continue. So what goes into it? I'm not really sure. I mean, you've got to understand the rules. You've got to coach it. You've got to coach those situations that you're going to end up in. There's discipline involved. I think there's a connection that's required for us to play together.

I don't know. Hopefully, that's a good enough answer. I don't know. I wish I had the secret answer to that one.

Brian Niemhouser (1:21)

One more quick one. So it seems like the point of the tush push play, at least for some teams, is that people can't stop it. You guys are two for two when you've used AJ Barner in that. Curious, what was the thought process behind not just using that whenever you get into short yardage situations?

Mike Macdonald (1:40)

Well, can you get over a yard in that situation? That was part of the conversation. Not saying that we wouldn't do it for a yard or more, but right now, that was part of the reason we didn't do it.

Brian Niemhouser (1:56)

Thanks.

SPEAKER_1 (1:57)

Jen?

Jen (2:00)

Coach, you scored a touchdown on the opening drive for the first time, I think, in your tenure. How does that set into motion everything else that happened? Just getting the early lead?

SPEAKER_1 (2:08)

Felt great.

Mike Macdonald (2:08)

Felt awesome. Loved playing with the lead.

Jen (2:13)

Does it do what he did?

SPEAKER_1 (2:14)

Oh, sorry.

Mike Macdonald (2:14)

No. Yeah, look, as a football team, once we get those in those situations, we have to maintain that momentum.

And take advantage of havin an advantage, havin a lead. We got to extend leads better. So that's part of our emphasis as a football team and where we can grow.

Jen (2:37)

Does that change anything about play callings that's available to you after that?

Mike Macdonald (2:44)

Not necessarily at that point in the game, I don't think. Definitely later in games, it comes more into play, but I wouldn't say it happens that early in games.

SPEAKER_1 (2:55)

Bob?

Bob (2:57)

Yeah, Mike, we went back and looked at the film. What stood out to you most about how you guys got the running game going in the second half?

Mike Macdonald (3:04)

We're just steadfast. I went to some bigger personnel groups, I think that was helpful. Some of the schemes that we're trying to get done, I just think that we stuck to it and there was a commitment to it. And the guys kept executing, kept running the ball hard, kept trying to finish blocks, and we were able to pop some runs.

Bob (3:24)

And on Renegade, obviously, your players seemed to really get excited when that came on. You guys played that a few times in practice last week, is that right, during practices?

Mike Macdonald (3:32)

Yeah, I mean, look, our guys haven't been to Pittsburgh, you know? So I think it's important to, especially having the experience that we've had, like going there in the past, trying to paint them a picture of what it's like. And how they operate, and understand, and having them understand what type of environment they're getting into. And visualization is really, I believe it's really powerful. So try to use that to your advantage. But yeah, yeah, I mean, we did that, but I wouldn't make it more than it is. It's really just trying to get them ready to go play a game.

SPEAKER_1 (4:10)

John Boyle.

John Boyle (4:12)

Yeah, Mike, on defense, I think they only scored six points on drives that didn't start near territory. The turnovers, just what stood out when you look at how you guys play defense in that game?

Mike Macdonald (4:25)

Our guys are playing really hard. I think our details and execution improved from week one to week two, which is a positive trend, something that we could keep going. And I think the message to our guys is, look, it's on tape. The standard of how we want to be is how we want to be.