Postgame Presser: Coach Brian Daboll talks after Week 2

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Brian Daboll (1:03)

All right. Competitive game. Disappointed in the outcome. Proud of the way the guys competed. I thought our quarterback played well. Just to play here or there that we came up short on.

And that's the outcome of the game. You know, but I thought there was improvements made, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Red zone, third down, effective running game, efficient passing game. You know, we went for it there at the end of the game. Thought our chances were good throwing it to Malik with Daniel, the way we were playing. Better than making whatever 40 yard or 39 yard field goal. So, that's what I decided to do.

SPEAKER_4 (1:45)

Brian, can you describe your reasoning for only having one kicker active today?

Brian Daboll (1:49)

Yeah, because we thought Graham would be okay. He got hurt chasing down a hamstring. He didn't hurt his groin, he hurt his hamstring.

SPEAKER_5 (1:56)

But Brian, are you saying that you can't hurt your hamstring running with favoring your groin?

Brian Daboll (2:02)

I'm not a doctor.

Jordan (2:06)

Isn't that part of the deal that you have to, you know that it is a risk? You had the same thing last year with him. Like, he came in with an injury, you're taking a risk that it could get re-injured. Why not have it?

Brian Daboll (2:17)

I mean, anybody can get injured, Jordan. So, again, he was chasing a kickoff return. He pulled his hamstring. I'm not making excuses.

Pat (2:29)

Whose decision was it not to activate another kickoff?

Brian Daboll (2:33)

Yeah, we thought he was, we thought he was good. He thought he was good. Yeah, all the decisions that are made are mine.

SPEAKER_8 (2:41)

In the past, you have trusted Jamie Gillen to kick an extra point or a field goal. Why not today?

Brian Daboll (2:50)

He missed the first one. We thought our chances were better. Going forward or going for two, as the game went on and how we were playing offensively, I felt good about our plays. We had one to slay, had an opportunity there at two-point, had another one to Tracy. They ended up covering it. We scrambled and then went for on fourth and three. It was fourth and three right at the end of neighbors. A little under go where we just didn't finish it off.

SPEAKER_9 (3:14)

Brian, just on the kickoff, on the first kickoff, was the design there to kick the ball to the two or did you want him to kick it through and you just didn't get it far?

Brian Daboll (3:24)

Yeah, I'm not going to get into strategy. But again, I feel bad for Graham. I feel bad for us. But no excuses, we had our opportunities.

Dan (3:33)

You said you thought Graham was fine. I mean, one of the options was clearly uncomfortable. He didn't do his full routine. Why even maybe not have Jamie handle kickoff so you don't put yourself maybe in that position?

Brian Daboll (3:42)

Yeah, again, we talked about a lot of things, Dan. We thought he'd be good to go. We talked to him, talked to the trainers. And again, I can't tell you he's going to get hurt chasing down a 100-yard kickoff return that was called back. But, again.

SPEAKER_4 (3:59)

But isn't a player at a higher increase, isn't a player at a higher risk of injury when he's dealing with soft tissue injury?

Brian Daboll (4:06)

Yeah, I'd say I'm not a doctor.

Pat (4:08)

What I was trying to ask was, are you and Joe both involved in the decision not to activate your kicker or not? Or is it just yours?