Take a look at top quotes from Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley on Monday afternoon.
Head Coach Brandon Staley
On an injury update regarding OLB Joey Bosa:
"[OLB] Joey Bosa has a foot sprain and he is likely — not officially, but likely — to go to IR. We're going to make the final determination, but that is the direction that it's headed."
On OLB Justin Hollins:
"We drafted him when I was in Denver with the Broncos. He played a lot as a rookie. Then, the following year, when I became the defensive coordinator for the Rams, we were able to get him after the initial 53 cut. He was a starter for us, played a ton of football for us that year on that number one defense. Then, he was a big factor on the Super Bowl team the following year. He played for [current Packers Defensive Coordinator] Joe Barry, who is a really good friend of mine with the Packers, last year and this year. We were able to get him off of New York's [Giants] practice squad. He played solid yesterday. He's versatile. He knows our system well. He gave us a really solid performance yesterday."
On if Bosa is 'expected to play again at some point this season':
"To be determined."
On 'potential changes' involving the pass defense:
"I don't think that, structurally, there needs to be a change. We're working through adjustments with personnel."
On potential adjustments made to defensive personnel:
"Just getting the right combination of players out there that will execute consistently."
On 'losing close games' and if that has an impact on 'performance and execution of the players' as the season progresses:
"I don't think that that's a factor. I can't speak for all of the players, I can just speak for the that way we prepare and what our practice field looks like. You've seen us play at a high level in spurts and stretches, but we haven't had that complete performance consistently enough. When every game that we've lost is so tight, you're going to go back to a few plays, in all three phases of your team, and you're going to magnify all of those little mistakes. When you lose really, really close games, you're going to magnify all of those mistakes. What we're trying to do is just make sure that we can focus on improving and making sure that we put the focus on us, take the opponent out of it. If we can continue to put in the right work on the practice field, then, eventually, good things are going to happen, because we've shown that we can play high level football on all three phases. That's why people should be encouraged. Then, where we've fallen short, we have to continue to look for these small adjustments. They're not big things, they're not like just one thing or a big thing, it's a bunch of little things that, hopefully, will add up to us finishing out some of these games."
On 'if the playoffs are still attainable':
"Of course, yes. It's wide open."
On the splint that QB Justin Herbert wore on his finger yesterday:
"Just looking for some extra protection, that's all. On one of those scrambles, I think that he just felt like some extra protection would be more comfortable for him."
On his message to WR Quentin Johnston:
"What I told you guys after the game is what I told him, that he is going to have plenty more of these opportunities to knock them down, and when you're a young player, there are going to be some things that happen to you that you're going to learn a lot from. The only way that he is going to improve is by being in that situation. You're going through some tough moments as a young player is so valuable for you, no matter what position you play. The more opportunities that he gets, the more comfortable he's going to be in those moments. He just has to continue to prepare and improve. He has got the ability. As I mentioned yesterday, he has made a lot of plays throughout training camp, he's made plays throughout the season. That consistency is going to come from more and more experience. That's the only way that we know how to improve, is through the experience of practice and getting out there in the games. He didn't lose us that football game, we lost that game as a team. We're going to keep coming back to him, that's a fact. Like he did yesterday, he took full ownership for his performance, which is all you can do. He's a great kid and he just needs to keep working hard."
On Johnston's progress:
"We're comfortable with the guy that we're coaching. He has improved a lot as a player, which is what we're after. There's no set of numbers or production that would determine whether or not we feel like he is where he needs to b. No player is where they need to be. Everybody is a work in progress, that's a fact. He's at the beginning of learning how to be an NFL receiver. You've seen it throughout the course of all, I think, top picks at that position, there's just different developmental tracks — sometimes it happens right away, sometimes a little bit later. You're drafting these guys for four or five years, and hopefully longer than that. You have to stay patient with players. As long as they continue to put the right work in, that's where the focus needs to be. That's what we're focused on. Like I said, the more he plays, the more he's going to improve."
On the loss to Green Bay:
"I'm only going to speak from what I saw. The disappointment in all of the losses is the same. With this group, there's a lot of pride and we expect to win every one that we play. When you lose some close ones like we have, especially like two in a row, there's going to be that impact. Similar to after we lost to Kansas City. We lost two really tough ones in a row. I think our guys, any frustration you may have seen is because I think our guys really believe in each other. They believe in what they're seeing throughout the week. They know throughout the game that you see a team that is really capable. I think it's just frustrating when you don't get that bottom line, but what this team has done consistently is come back the next week and prepare, hang tough and be ready for the next one. That's what I expect this week."
On if there's 'added pressure' at this point in the season:
"I feel the same every time I've ever coached a game in the NFL. I feel that this is the biggest game of my life, which is how I've approached every game I've competed in my whole life. That's the approach that I've brought my whole life. That's the approach I've brought here. I expect for us to come and compete at a high level this week."
On LB Tanner Muse:
"Tanner Muse is heading in a similar direction to Joey Bosa."
On if Muse will 'likely head to IR':
"Yes."
On the 'nature' of Muse's injury:
"Knee sprain."
On other injuries from the game:
"We're working through some, but nothing of that nature as of this moment."
On S Derwin James Jr., seeing more time at STAR against Green Bay:
"I think that's fair to say that we like that direction. I thought that he played an outstanding game yesterday."
On why James played more STAR:
"A combination of just — we felt like this really gets Derwin in a position to impact the game more, make our front stronger, especially in three-receiver groupings. The strength, right now, of our team is our front seven. Make our front even stronger and then get Derwin in a position that can unlock a little bit even more flexibility within some of those five DB groupings. I liked what I saw yesterday with him in that role."
On other potential changes in the secondary:
"We're just working through that. I think the nature is just trying to find the right combination of guys that's going to allow us to play more consistently. We want it to be competitive. That's just where we're at right now with that personnel.
"I think it's fair to say that there's going to be a lot of competition in the secondary."
On touchdown run by Packers WR Jayden Reed:
"We were in man-to-man. We needed to have better second-level fallback with the interior three, two linebackers and the safety. We did not get good run support from the weakside corner at all. That allowed the run to continue up the sideline. [CB] Asante [Samuel Jr.] was tracking his man, but then you had the tight end that kind of had position on him because we didn't work back with it with the second level. That's what happened on the play."
On competition in the secondary:
"It's the entire secondary. Just trying to find the right combination of guys back there. We're working through that. It'll be competitive on the practice field this week."
On S JT Woods:
"I think he's a ways away."
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