 Is there any motivation going to play Houston after the game you had against them a couple of weeks, or is it just simply go out there and just focusing on this game in particular just to have a good game for yourself? Yeah, not really trying to get caught up in the last game. Didn't play well enough. Just really the main focus is playing better than the previous game and playing a lot better really. So they did a great job last game. They just watch a lot of film, see a lot of things you can correct and learn from and then go out there and try to be effective and efficient on Sunday. You guys maybe picked up some momentum on Sunday with the way you were able to break off some good runs and some holes were there? Yeah, I thought the old line did a great job of opening up holes, moving guys off the balls, tight ends, receivers. It takes all 11, I feel like they all did a great job on Sunday. Do you say anything to a guy like Ruptured Chirojuku or any of these guys that are playing for the first time about what to expect? I mean, they do scout team for us. We're on the practice squad so I think they know what this league is like and how they need to prepare and go play. All I can do is encourage them and play with confidence and I feel like they've been doing that and giving it their all. Derek, what do they do so effectively the first time to bottle you guys up before on the screen? How can you counteract that down two weeks later? Yeah, I just think that they have their scheme, which is not too much on their players. They have guys that are fast, that are penetrators, smart and instinctive and they play very well together. I think they've got a good thing going over there on that side of the ball. But as far as I am, there's just penetrations, like I said, to the last game seeing the things that we need to do better, some things that we need to correct individually and collectively and work on it out here until Sunday and then execute it when we get out there in Houston on Sunday. Is it something when it was so not the way you wanted it to go a couple weeks ago? Is it something where you view the film and see it's one guy here, one guy there and we can get through or do you have to do things very different this week? I think it's all of it. But first and foremost, I'm looking at myself and be very critical of myself like I always am. I need to be better in that game to give ourselves a chance and that's been my heavy emphasis is just focus on playing better, being detailed, watching film, when we're out here practicing, just focusing up on the things that I need to do better than I did last game. He just cruising by like he at the beach or something. But yeah, just focus on being better. That's just going to be better overall, really. Derek, as you get later in the season, what are some of the things that you do just to keep yourself fresh and just ready to go and handle the volume that you got to handle together? Yeah, I think it's really just taking care of my body, doing my same regimen as far as recovery. Last year was my first time changing up my diet and I think it's benefited me well and just keep doing those things until the last game and continue in the off season as well. What changes did you make to the diet? Yeah, I don't do any gluten, I don't do any fried foods, I don't eat any dairy, no artificial sugars, all I really drink is water. But I got to discover these ollie pops man, the pre-broadded drinks, I've been kind of hooked on them, I got to get off of them, but really just water and just stay away from gluten, fried foods, dairy and just try to be as healthy as possible to help it benefit me. Where do you feel maybe that has helped you? Do you feel a change in how you feel from day to day? Yeah, definitely. I mean, I ain't getting no younger so hopefully the food will help you feel a little bit younger but it's helped me tremendously with my energy, getting hit so much, you get so much information during the season and the quick turn arounds and things like that so putting the right things in your body to decrease the inflammation in your body is very important so that's why I try to focus on it. Derek, I don't know if this helps at all, but this season, even home games have been pretty well temperature-wise, it hasn't been too cold and then the games that you've had that have been away at the end of the season have been kind of in hot weather places. I mean, does that help with not having those cold temperatures at this time of year that you're usually out there with your body? Yeah, I mean, I guess the weather is on our side this year. I don't want to jinx us because we still got one home game left but yeah, it's been great weather this year, good weather conditions. The result hasn't been what we want it to be but I know God will be looking out this year for us to weather for sure. When it's cold, is there a sense like a physical back like yourself? You know those guys don't want to hit you when it's cold out so like, do you kind of relish an opportunity to play when you know guys are a little uncomfortable on defense? I'm a Florida boy so I prefer warm weather but in football the weather condition is going to be what it's going to be and when you're out there, you don't really feel the cold because your drum is going, you're trying to focus on what you got to do and when you get to that bench, you definitely feel it but you know, weather conditions, you still got to be effective whatever it is. I know some guys like it, some guys don't but to me it's football so you got to brace whatever comes with it. What do you think the reception is going to be like for Hop this week going back to Houston? I hope they got something good from him, man. I don't know. I don't remember the last time he played there or how long it's been but hopefully they give him a great warm welcome so he was a great player for them. Appreciate it. I guess with Will, what's kind of been the plan as you're still maybe waiting to see whether he's going to be available and trying to get quarterback straight up play? Yeah, yeah, no different than kind of what we've been in the past is, you know, seeing where he's at. Again, everyone in that room is preparing as if they're the starter and making sure that if and when their numbers call they'll be ready to go to help us win. You feel like you looked pretty good yesterday? I mean, it was pretty limited but yeah, I thought, you know, for where he's at I thought it looked good. What can you say about the importance of every game even late in the season like this for the growth of a young quarterback and his need to be out there as often as possible? Yeah, I mean, you know, with some of the conversations that we've just had, you know, throughout these sessions it's a lot of times you're only learning things through experience. So, you know, any ability he gets to be able to go out there and help us win, you know, is going to be good. It's going to continue to help him learn and grow and develop into the type of player that he wants to be. Yeah. How'd you like how the line did this past week? Yeah, I mean, they fought, they did a good job, excuse me, a good job in the run game. We were much more efficient, able to create more consistent lanes and holes for our backs. And then, you know, continuing to fight and pass protection. Got to continue to do a better job of, you know, keeping our quarterback clean. And again, as always, it's everybody. It's, you know, the guys outside. It's the quarterback. It's the running back. It's the play caller. It's all of us being able to go and make sure that happens. So, going to continue to work on that today and make strides. What about you, Jim, in particular, as to how he has developed here, kind of working his way up since you've been here? Yeah. I mean, he's big. He's a large human being. And the energy that he plays with is not only noticeable but contagious. Watching him run to the football, protect the guys with the ball. It was good to see. It was fun to see. Just because there was just such an energy that he played with. And he did a good job, you know? I thought they had a good front. Now, obviously there's going to be some plays that everybody wants back, but for the most part, rugby did a good job for us. When you look at a guy like Hopkins, he's, what, 61 yards from 1K? Does that play into your play calling, especially with it being there in Houston and everything surrounding that? Like the opportunity to get 1K there? Yeah. I mean, anytime we can get in the ball, I think it's going to be beneficial for us. So I wouldn't say that that's any type of extra motivation or going to alter or change our game plan or the way that we're calling it to try and do that. But obviously those milestones and those goals are important for our guys. And when our individuals are out there having success, a lot of times that means that we're having success as a team. You know, he'll get whatever he's going to need to get and that's all, it's going to come naturally. It's going to come naturally with a player like Hop. You don't have to try to generate touches or generate targets. He's such a talented player where a lot of times it's going to come organically for us. What's the common, steady influence that's he been for you as a play caller? Knowing that he's going to do what he does. Yeah, yeah. I've told him a couple of times where, you know, as far as guys on the football field, there's not very many people that I trust more than him. Just in terms of his ability to show up every week, you know, he's out there every single game. He's fighting, you know, he's a fighter. He's a warrior when he plays and he's productive. So, yeah, steady in, I mean, however, however we want to phrase it, it's good to have a hop in our building. How do you think he's going to be received returning this week? Uh, better than me probably. Your receivers have the second highest yards per catch receivers in the league. The other teams that are up there, San Francisco's number one, Miami's tied for number two are regarded as offensive juggernauts. Why do you think for you guys it hasn't translated that way? Yeah, I think it, you know, unfortunately it seems to be a theme here is just the ability to consistently do that. I think there's been stretches where we've been, we've demonstrated the ability to be explosive and be productive. And then there's times where we haven't for whatever reason, whether it's, you know, a drop, whether it's protection, whether it's a quarterback decision, whatever it may be. And so, you know, as we continue to grow and improve, you know, that's going to be the biggest thing that we're striving for is just overall consistency. Yeah, we definitely can't do the same thing we did. But no, there's probably going to be a, you know, we've got to do things differently and we have to do things better. Really is what it's going to come down to. Our ability to go out there and execute at a higher level is going to lead to us having a more efficient and effective performance. That's good. Thank you guys. Yeah, I mean, I think schematically, I don't know if they changed the whole lot. Just understanding everything that CJ can do. Been a really good player this year for them, and a lot of really good throws for him. I think the thing that stands out, the play extension, keeping his eyes down the field, hit a ton of plays. We got hit a one, obviously, the first game, late in the game. So that's going to be a big thing for us. A little bit of difference, obviously, just understanding the quarterback and who he is. But schematically, I don't know how much difference it's going to be. Defensive line guys. Danico's listed as a defensive line. I know he's with the linebacker. What else is somebody that you might not have heard of before the season started? What do you think of what you've gotten out of them so far? Yeah, I think they're doing a really good job. I think they all have come in here and understand kind of their role, what the expectation is of them. They're taking advantage of their opportunity. That's all we can ask of them. Come in here, ready to work, learn, improve, and then come Sunday, make sure you're taking advantage of your opportunity. Because for a lot of these guys, man, it's something they haven't had, right? They're coming from practice squad, coming from not being on a team potentially. They're getting a new lease of life right now in the national football league, and hopefully they continue to take advantage of their opportunity. Otis Reese, how do you think he played for him? Mike was kind of complimenting his aggressiveness and his tackle, how would you say he did? Yeah, I thought he did a good job. I was pleased with him. I thought he was flying around. He has a great chase play where he's coming from back on our sideline for a two, three-yard gain. Just continuing to play with that urgency. I think continuing the communication aspect of everything that goes into playing linebacker. But overall, for the most part, I thought he did a really good job. Boom! You're good. Practice squad, I know you're trying to get some of those guys up to speed. What's that process like and trying to get them with the plane as quick as possible? You just meet with them, walk through with them, and then practice and just see where they're at at the end of the week to see if they could help us. Some of you think some of those guys potentially could help you? I think they could. I mean, a lot of them have played in the league. Most of them, I think all of them have played in the league. So, Tate Crowder is with us when I was at the Giants as a rookie in the next couple of years. So there's a little bit of familiarity there with him. Nick, folks, I mean, obviously he's been doing this a while, but to be able to continue and have that consistency at his age, is it just kind of like a metronome for him almost at this point? Yeah, I mean, I think all the specialists, they want to get to where it's just a repeated process each and every time, and he's done that through a lot of years of hard work. So that's kind of where he's at. When you're at that age, though, does it make it a little tougher? He's really smart with his body. He knows his body well. He trains it well. You know, from the time he started to where we're at now, he doesn't overkick. There's a certain number that he has in his head and he goes and he hits that number and keeps his leg fresh. It's been something that he's been doing for the last, I'm sure, five, six years. We want to take a look at him. He's a guy that in college, he had to kick fuel goals, kick off and punt. He initially was just punting and kicking off. So we wanted to take a look at him and I thought he did a good job with the hang distance and location. Just trying to get a bigger guy and trying to use the roster the best you can. You know, you only have so many spots on game day. So you try and fit and equal out the play time as much as you can. No, we do not want him to go back and catch the ball. He crossed off his bucket list and he's done. Mike has been complimenting Colton and it gives us how much he's improved and helped on teams over the course of the year. Have you seen and I guess improvement from him yourself? Yeah, yeah. I mean, a big strong kid when he came in, didn't play a whole bunch of teams, but he did play a little bit at Martin on the punt team. And he's just gotten better. He works, you know, Levine has worked really hard with him, all those young perimeter guys to keep developing them and getting them to a point where they can produce. Levine, been his first year here in your mind as far as being the team. He's great. I've had X players be assistants before and Larry Izzo, who we faced last week with Seattle, he was my assistant in New York for four years. So they got a unique set of eyes. They relate very well to the players, but they've also the positions that they've played. They've seen the drills, they've seen the schemes, they really understand it from a coaching aspect of it. So the transition is usually pretty easy. It's just the hours that usually a little bit difficult, but every guy I've worked with have been outstanding with it.