 So Ryan, first things first, how are you feeling after a couple days of treatment? Better than I was after the game. So, you know, headed in the right direction. Got a little ways to go, but been better, been worse, and headed in the right direction. What's the process in, you know, kind of doing the icing? And what's that been like the last couple days? It's a process for sure. You know, just doing everything I can in the training room here at home. All types of treatments. So, yeah, just trying to stay on top of it as much as I can and give my body the best chance to heal. Regular ankle spray? An ankle spray? That's an ankle spray, and I'll leave it at that. Will it be more of a pain tolerance thing than a structural thing when it comes down to it? I don't know. We'll see. You seem to think after the game. You guys see where this is going, right? So, I mean, you can keep trying, or we can go on to Houston, whatever you guys want to do. Do what? Did you dance at your daughter's wedding? She's four, so we're good. You got to think after the game, Ryan, that it was going to be a challenge. This week, you seemed to kind of have an idea, even at that point. Is it about kind of what you expected? What do you mean, ankle? Yeah, in terms of, like, after the game, you sort of felt that way. Is it about where you kind of... I don't know what I expected. You know, I didn't plan to feel too good after the game, and I didn't feel too good, and we're heading in the right direction. What's the challenge? Mike said you'd be limited today. What's the challenge for you if you are, in fact, limited throughout the week and be able to play Sunday and play well? Just staying on top of things mentally. I'm just making sure I'm taking all the reps I can mentally. Obviously, I'm not physically getting as many reps as I usually do. So, making sure mentally I'm going through everything, communicating with the guys. You know, we just had a walk-through out there just trying to communicate with the guys and make sure we're all on the same page as we, you know, install this game plan and start getting ready to go. With your health situation, with your health... I'm thinking about, you know, helping Malik get ready while you're trying to see if you heal and everything. You know what I mean? Like, as you go through the week, you're taking mental reps for a game plan, but are you also in the mindset of trying to help him get ready in case? Yeah, I'm trying to help in every way possible, whether it's Malik or the tight ends or O-line, whoever the case may be. I'm just communicating, make sure, like I said, we're all on the same page and on top of this game plan as we move into the game. With being limited in your ability to take the physical reps, how do you go about getting up to speed with a brand-new guy who just walked in the door today? Yeah, yeah, we'll see how things go as the week goes on. You know, so it's a walk-through practice today, so, you know, wouldn't be any full-speed reps there as well. But, you know, as the week goes on, we'll see, you know, how I progress and how things move along. I'm just curious, what's the fascination level at home with kids when you walk in with a big boot on your foot after the game of study and what limit what you're able to do at home? Yeah, definitely. Definitely not moving around the house the way. I usually spend a lot more time rehabbing, icing, and all those types of things, and they have all the questions, you know, what's going on, you know, what is this, what is this, why are you wearing that? My daughter's asking me, you know, am I going to wear the boot during the football game? So, you know, I got all types of questions. You're more forthright with anything you already talked about. A little safer space there. As you watch the text and secondary, it seems like things are starting to come together for you. What do you see from that, especially the young corner and Stingley? Yeah, he's playing well. He's playing well. Got his hands on a few balls. He has good instincts, good range, good speed, good man coverage skills. Obviously, they play a lot of zone too, and he has a good feel for, you know, where his zone's at. So, definitely a quality corner, and he's playing well early on in his career. With Conley having spent some time in the division in the last couple of years, you've gotten a couple looks at him in person, on tape, different things like that. What are some things that stick out to you that you think he can really bring to the offense? Yeah, he's made plays. You know, that's one thing I can't remember specifically what plays that I remember him making, but I just remember him standing out in his name and making plays. So, as he, you know, comes in and gets accustomed to what we're trying to do here and what we're trying to accomplish, see how he fits in our system in the best position possible and start trying to give him the ball. How statistical success, meaning I think a couple years ago, you guys had like the second best offense in the NFL. Now you're the second worst statistically offensive and I feel how important is that to you when you see that? Wins matter at the end of the day. Obviously you want to be good, right? You want to do everything at the top level, but at the end of the day, our job is to go win and put our self in position to win and play how our team wants to play. So that's what it all comes down to. Would it be at your right ankle and your plant foot is it a big concern to be able to put enough weight on it so that you can make your throws properly? Well, that's definitely part of throwing, but we'll see here as the week goes on how that turns out. You talk a lot about Ben Jones' toughness since you've been here. When you see games like Sunday where he's kind of pulled himself off the grass and barely making the huddle, what was his expression like and would you ever look at him and say, what are you doing out here? That's just about a weekly occurrence of Ben. It seems like more weeks than not, he's peeling himself off the turf and getting back in the huddle, struggling through something. He's obviously one of the toughest guys in the game and battles to be out there each and every week, so I love going to battle with Ben. As you guys continue to win these close games, like for you personally, what do you feel you contribute to this team being able to win those close games so consistently? Our job is to go win and answer the bell. We talked about this morning. It may not always be the prettiest thing, but we're a group of fighters and a group that's going to answer the bell. We may get knocked down, we may have to re-collect and re-group, but get a chance to go back out there and opportunity to make it a two-score game or put the game away in the four-minute drive. We took advantage of those opportunities, so that's one thing that I have a lot of confidence in and our group has a lot of confidence in is we're going to find a way to win games. What are you guys doing missing without Phillips here for the next couple of weeks? Tough to see Kyle go down late last week. He was a great player and was just starting to get healthy again from his last injury. We'll miss him, but hopefully he's back soon. Which emphasis do you guys put on your wide receivers for Run Block in here and how much does that help with the kind of offense that you guys run? Well, it's huge. I think you know probably better than anybody. That's one thing we're going to ask our guys to do is go block. We believe in running the football and it takes, we say, all 11 to do that. We ask our receivers to get in there, dig out safety. Sometimes linebackers, depending on the look, could be a mismatch physically, but our guys go in there, they battle, they throw their hat in there and fight their tail off. So they're doing everything we ask. Do you guys get better at that in particular, the longer that they're here? Do you see that being a priority? Yeah, we were just pointing out on tape this morning some looks that we had from the game where guys are transitioning into blockers better, getting into their blocks, finishing downfield, things that we preached day in and day out and starting to pick up some momentum there. Talked about Ben's toughness. How do you mentally prepare when you're playing with an injury? Like I said, stay on top of the game plan, make sure that you're ready to go and then once it comes down to physically doing it, it's just a matter of making sure you can do everything you need to do in the game and just pushing through. Last year's game there was just so crazy. You guys had to go down and score late. They had nothing to play for. What do you remember about that game? Is that what you expect when you go play Houston, no matter what their record is or what they're going through? Yeah, no doubt. I was just talking to Tim this morning about it. It seems like every time we go down there, no matter what's going on in their building and their organization, they're going to play us tough. That's been the case for the last several years now. So I have a lot of respect for the way they come out and battle and play. We had to make some plays down the stretch. Like you mentioned last year, their offense was getting hot and we had to make some plays down the stretch there to win the game. So we definitely know we're walking into a game where they're going to be ready to go. What do you recall Ryan about the strides that Malik made in the preseason? It's been a while now. He's had a lot of growth since his time here. Going back to the spring up until this point, he's trying to do everything we ask of him on top of everything in the meetings and obviously he's a talented player athletically. So definitely has made a lot of strides since he's been here. Derrick's had some really big games against them. You guys obviously took advantage of some things. Is the defense different with Levy there that maybe it'll be harder to sort of replicate that this time? He was there last year, you know, but Derrick wasn't out there. So maybe a little bit different in how he wants to play us. But we'll see. You know, they have a front that moves around a lot, active backers. Their secondary is athletic and playing really well in my opinion. Desmond is doing a really good job on the inside there. He was here with us a few years ago playing nickel for him. Like we mentioned, the corners already. So definitely a defense I have a lot of respect for and we'll see how the game goes. How much confidence did you guys have running the ball against them by the end of 2020 when he, you know, three straight 200-yard games against them and whatnot? Did you feel like everything was going to work at the end of 2020? I honestly, I don't even remember. I was so long ago and it really doesn't matter at this point. How is Derrick running now? I mean, he's, you know, three straight 100-yard games. Had his best game Sunday with 30 carries. Does he seem to be getting into a rhythm? Yeah, it looks like it to me. You know, he's running hard. He's running physical. And I think, you know, these latest games, you can kind of see him getting that attitude back and, you know, punishing people, and through arm tackles, breaking tackles, getting to that second level. So, yeah, it's good to see, you know, Derrick being Derrick. Hi. Hi, Teresa. Mike, the challenge with going to Houston, no matter what the record is with that team, those games are always tight, seem to come down to the last play of the game sometimes. Yeah, we've been through this a lot. You know, the records in this league don't mean anything. You know, they've outscored opponents 99 to 79 through three quarters. You know, so they've been in a lot of football games. They just, you know, for, you know, a couple reasons that they've, you know, given up some points there in the fourth quarter, but they've outscored their opponents 99 to 79, and they've played well. You know, they're just really getting kind of going on who they want to be offensively. It looks like, you know, a lot of respect for Pierce and Cooks. And, you know, the old line seems to start to really playing well. Pierce, a guy that maybe he didn't see as much at Florida and has really, you know, come out of his shell there in Houston, just what do you see out of him as a back? Strong runner, you know, explosive cutter, puts his foot in the ground, has got great vision. You know, they give it to him in a different, you know, a few different schemes, whether it's the zone scheme and he stretches and cuts or, you know, he sets his blocks up extremely well. You know, so if there's space in there, he usually finds it, runs hard through the second level, whether that's through behind his pads or spins. So great challenge. They're throwing him the football. They've got it to him in some screens in the passing game. So, you know, he's playing well. What would you say to your receiving core this year and what does Chris kindly bring to the group? Well, some size and some experience. You know, just still kind of always, always search in and as guys, you know, go down or become unavailable, you know, we're just continuing to look and see what's going on. And, you know, I think that group's continued to get better. A lot of examples of these guys, you know, being in the right spots and, you know, whether it's, you know, woods, you know, snapping it down in between two defenders the other day on a third down, you know, Cody versus Gilmore, you know, on the backside their ability to block. You know, we had, you know, Ryan pulled the ball the other day and woods, you know, immediately transitioned into what he was, from what he was doing to, to protecting the quarterback. So, you know, there's a lot of things that go unnoticed that I think are continuing to improve. How are we going to bring guys in whether it's a big ticket free agent, undrafted guy, whatever. Is there a certain trait that you look for that you feel contributes to those tight games that you guys seem to win a lot? Well, I mean, we'd like to have some guys with resolve and some grit, some mental and physical toughness, you know, that they care about the team and they, you know, are doing, you know, will be willing to do whatever they can do to help the team. How do you go about finding out whether or not they have, if it's a new guy, like a guy you're drafting? And there's a lot of different things we try to do, you know, sometimes we do a good job at it and it works out and sometimes we don't. So I don't know if there's a perfect science to it. How's Ryan and how much do you think he'll be able to do for that? I think he's getting better. You know, I don't think he'll take, you know, the full reps that he would normally take, he'll probably end up being limited as the injury report comes out. You expect to put in a package, at least for Malik this week, regardless of ride status for Sunday? Well, I mean, I think those things, you know, Malik's expected as is everybody to prepare as the starter. You know, we've got a multitude of plays that we can run, the ones that we have in that we feel like can help us win against Houston and then, you know, there's other plays that we could go to if, you know, another quarterback had to be in there. I don't know what Ryan's situation will be throughout the week, but what's the key for a quarterback to be successful on a Sunday in a week where he potentially could be limited throughout practices? Well, I think it would be the same for any position. I think, you know, trying to take advantage of the meeting time and the preparation, you know, watching practice or, you know, communicating and seeing, you know, I mean, each position has its own details, its own set of details that, you know, probably would be much different than, you know, defensive linemen. You know, offensive linemen would have communication calls and certainly the quarterback is at the forefront of that to making sure that, you know, everybody's in the right place. So, you know, whatever the plan is this week to prepare, I know that Ryan will do everything that he can. Is there a scenario where Woodside might have to be considered to practice squad elevation for Sunday? There's a lot of scenarios. You know what I mean, we got 53 on the active roster, 17 on the practice squad. You know, you can call those guys up until Saturday. So, you know, we can make a lot of scenarios. You've said in the past that when looking at injuries compared to around the league, you didn't think you guys were particularly out of whack. You've got 13 on IR now, Houston's got six, Colts have six, Jags have three, Chiefs have four, Packers have four. Do you still feel the same way? I mean, is that flukey coincidence or is that something you dig into and try to get that bottom on? I'm just trying to find ways to prepare a team for the Texans. You know, the guys that'll be out there for practice today, that's really my biggest goal right now. What have you guys done particularly well running the ball against Houston that Derek has had the big days he's had against them? I mean, just really trying to get on guys, cover them up and, you know, we've had, you know, that's not going to help us run the ball this week. We've got to make sure that we're handling, you know, Lopez, Collins inside, fast linebackers, multiple schemes. You know, they've pressured us. They've brought backers up on the line of scrimmage and so that's our focus is on how we can continue to do it, not what we did in the past. When you guys add a receiver, whether it's Conley or anyone else, how important is it that you see them being able to run block or at least have that potential anyway? I mean, it would certainly help. I mean, unless you're really, really good at catching passes and running by people, I just, I mean, it's a compliment. You know, I mean, I think that that's part of football, you know, that there's, I mean, you watch Brandon Cooks go in there and block, you know. So Brandon Cooks isn't the biggest receiver, but he's willing to try to help them, you know, run the football and try to go in there and block and door sets the same way. I mean, Collins is probably the best blocking wide receiver in the league. I mean, they run behind him like a tight end for a lot of success. You know, I think that the biggest thing just receivers is there's so much, you know, language from place to place. Trips is trips, but nobody wants to call it trips. Only the dumb defensive coaches. Everybody else has a different name for it. So it's learning where to line up, learning what to do. I'm sure the players are all saying they just called something different. What's Mule's gotten better at since you saw him during his late season trial last year? Well, I mean, I think that he looks in more control. I think that he's trying to get the ball out of his hands quicker, especially on some of those possession downs. You know, he's mobile. I think he's throwing the ball pretty much to all parts of the field. You know, watched, you know, great throw against the Raiders down in the red zone, you know, where he was able to score on third and seven. So that was an outward breaking route, long throw. He moves the ball down the field well. You were 30 seconds by a mile at third down just a couple of years ago, your first defensive lead now. I know some of the people have changed, but that's a massive change. What do you credit for being able to turn things around? I mean, everything we have success with the credit goes to the players. They're the ones out executing that specific situation. But, you know, rankings don't mean anything different than, you know, saying we were number one in the red zone. We went 0 for two last week. So, yeah, I'm pleased to where our third down defense is, but, you know, we'll have to go down. We'll have to prepare for a whole new, you know, different scheme and motions and bunches and shifts and, you know, whatever the plan is that they have, we'll have to be ready for it. You made a point in talking about how good Houston's been in the first three quarters. What have you seen on film in the fourth quarter that's kind of caused the lapses for them? Well, they gave up some plays and some turnovers. I mean, they had to pick six the other day. You know, I mean, that's, that thing got out, you know, I mean, away from them, you know, where they were leading, going into the fourth quarter. And, you know, Indy, you know, the 17 points, they were up 20 to three against Indy to start the fourth quarter. And, you know, just they weren't able to close it out. I'm like five quarters with them. So, you know, there's, there's a lot of things that come up. Take anything from Malik's performance in Buffalo. Or is that just too small sample and too late in the game to really make much? I wouldn't be too excited about anybody's performance if I can remember back to Buffalo. So your moment with Ben on Monday, there was more going on there in that week than football. Is that correct? I mean, it's just this, this is an emotional game. These guys put a lot into it. Everybody's, you know, committed. And I just, again, I can't say this enough. I'm committed to these guys that care about the team, that put the team first. I think it means something. I know that it means something. You know, and they're all, they're all out there. Everybody that's out there is far less than 100%. You've heard me say this. If we waited until everybody was 100%, you know, we wouldn't be able to field a roster. You know, I think that we're kind of appreciating sticking together and feeding off each other. And the defense doesn't complain if they have to go out there on a short field and sudden change or, you know, our offense responds. Talk to, you know, the way the special teams got, you know, guys covering kicks. And we've got starters and veterans up on the sidelines, you know, encouraging those guys. So all that stuff means something. I believe it. And when they do it, you know, I'm excited for them. I'm happy for them. You know, it's, it's, you know, a lot goes into everything. It's, it's an emotional game. And I appreciate what they do. Did he maybe have some personal stuff going on too? Or am I hearing incorrectly? I mean, we all, we all have, you know, I mean, I'm not going to speak on Ben's personal situations. We all have personal things that happen that we all deal with, whether that's the head coach, the assistant coach, the trainer, the players. You know, so we're always trying to make sure that we're taking care of each and every one of them. And then I appreciate the trust that they put into us or give us, you know, with all aspects of their life. Since you've been here more times than not when you're bringing in guys to add depth and they have to come up and make a player, make a difference in a game. Is it your just being in the league for so long and knowing those players to spot to bring aboard? Because it usually hits and they usually are within the culture. Well, I mean, I think, yeah, I mean, I think that John and I talk and his staff, you know, we don't have as coaches right now. I mean, we may have, you know, a random sprinkling of, Hey, I was with this guy, he's available, you know, but we kind of talk about, Hey, where, what are we going to need? And they identify and target guys and, you know, some guys we bring in from other people's practice squad or, you know, there's a workout or we'll have workouts and we'll base it off of that. You mentioned turnovers. I know you talked a lot last year about the defense getting more takeaways. You had three last week, obviously the goal line interception, the game before that. How pleased have you been with your defense's ability so far to take the ball away? Well, I think it's the awareness is the most important thing. You know, first third down last week, the Nico starts to run around Nelson, which he's going to be too late to beat him. The ball is going to be out. He comes back and matches the hand on Andrew's interception. You know, Bud doesn't leave his feet, waits to the front hand comes off, matches. You know, if the quarterback pulls the ball, Bud's going to, you know, be able to sack him. So all these things that we continue to coach. It's great to see that it carry over onto the field and then the players recognize it and hopefully it just continues to snowball. You know, Roger stab in and not swatting all these things that we try to preach.