Head Coach Mike Vrabel 10/27: "I don't have expectations. We have things we want to improve on"

Mike Vrabel (0:00)

Hi, guys. How are you?

SPEAKER_2 (0:02)

Good, how are you?

SPEAKER_3 (0:03)

Great.

SPEAKER_4 (0:06)

Eight weeks in, Mike, has anything about this team or where you're at exceeded your expectations?

Mike Vrabel (0:17)

I don't think that that's fair to necessarily say exceeded any expectations.

Try not to, I don't have expectations, right? We just have things that we want to try to focus on and improve on. You know, I don't think that they, I think that they believe in themselves and that they believe that they're going to make some plays and that they're, you know, not really panicking and signs of complementary football and signs of preparation. And then some things that we have to continue to correct. And I think that that's, that's really good when you can find ways to to win and end the game with the football in your hand and kneeling on it. Those are things that I think good teams find a way to do. We just have to play a little better and keep improving and, you know, through this stretch here in the middle, middle of the season where guys are banged up and there's, you know, weeks kind of start to, you know, the days, they kind of really just start to be similar. And I like the consistency of it. I just don't want guys to get, you know, flat or, you know, some of these veteran guys that we got to be conscious of getting their bodies back in this time of year.

SPEAKER_5 (1:44)

Mike, I felt like you guys were able to get Trevion going a little bit yesterday. I just wanted to ask you some of those pitch plays, like those misdirection pitch plays. What makes those hard to defend, do you think? And does it put doubt in the minds of defensive players if you're able to hit on one of those early in the game?

Mike Vrabel (2:02)

Well, a lot of that is predicated on the defense that they're playing. And, you know, sometimes zone or corners that may roll up or, you know, pressure to a certain side or, you know, whatever it may be. So, I felt like that was something that we could do this week. And, it was good to hit a couple of those. You know, guys did a nice job of getting out in front of them. And, you know, we're able to hit some explosive gains that way. So, it'll be kind of all separate, you know, each and every week based on what we need or what we feel like we can do.

SPEAKER_6 (2:37)

What do you think Trevion did well yesterday?

Mike Vrabel (2:40)

Well, I mean, I thought he, you know, ran well out of space. I thought he made a good cut on one of those perimeter plays and continued to work and got a couple of returns. And I feel like we could be better there. But, you know, being able to have his speed on the edge. And again, we're going to try to use all the all the skill players that we have, just like yesterday. Max, the leading receiver by the numbers. So kind of each week, I think everybody's ready to go and tries to take advantage of their opportunity and no different than the running backs.

SPEAKER_3 (3:19)

You feel like looking at what we played yesterday and the three battles with the future Hall of Famer, what's your message to them?

Mike Vrabel (3:25)

I mean, I think that, you know, again, it's always a challenge when you play Miles Garrett. And, you know, it's hard to recreate that speed and that type of, you know, what are we going to do on the show team? Like, who do we have? Like, if we did, they wouldn't be on the show team. So, there were some, you know, good plays, good blocks, patience, closing the space, and did a good job in a run game. And then, you know, some plays that, again, he would like to have back. And I think that's what happens. But I think Will is going to keep practicing and improving and continuing to help us.

SPEAKER_6 (4:03)

Mike, is it on some of those chips for when Garrett came off of them?

SPEAKER_2 (4:09)

Just for lack of better, is there more, too much of a runway?

Mike Vrabel (4:12)

Yeah, we just need to close the space a little bit, close the space and know that, hey, everybody else is on their own. We have to commit to players to miles as opposed to maybe hanging in there a little bit.

So, I think we will all learn from that and be able to improve and understand, you know, he's seen those all the time. So, he knows, you know, when he's coming off that chip, that we have to probably close the distance and know that he's ready to make another move or another couple moves.