WEEK 2 — PODIUM AVAILABILITY
Monday, September 9, 2019 | Hoag Performance Center | Costa Mesa, Calif.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS HEAD COACH ANTHONY LYNN
Opening statement:
"I'll tell you, after watching the tape, we were fortunate. We overcame some things. They won the turnover battle, plus-two. Normally, when you lose that turnover battle your chances to win are very slim, but I thought the guys overcame that. They played hard and it took every man in that locker room to get it done yesterday. It was a hot game. I think conditioning played a factor on both sides of that ball, but I thought our guys showed enough will and enough toughness to win the game like they did. We have to improve in our run defense. I was unhappy with that 33 rushes for 203 yards. That's one area that we've gotten better over the last couple years, but we took a step back yesterday. We have some new guys in the lineup, so I know as those guys get more reps, especially game reps, that's going to improve, that's going to get a lot better. I have complete confidence in [Defensive Coordinator] Gus Bradley and the defensive staff in getting that done."
On improving the run defense:
"Some of it was execution. I think sometimes when you're not playing fast, playing a little timid, then you can get pushed around a lot easier."
On the missed tackles:
"You're going to see some of that early, I believe. When guys are playing in a real game, the speed is different than in a preseason game and practice. That doesn't concern me at all. Any time a team runs the football on you that many times for that many yards, it's a physical thing and that's what we have to get better at."
On WR T.Y. Hilton's touchdown:
"T.Y. is a heck of a football player. He's made a lot of people miss so it's things like that we'll be better at as time goes on."
On LB Denzel Perryman:
"Denzel has to get himself healthy. He was coming back from the ankle injury and before that it was the knee. So, as soon as Denzel's ready, you'll see him."
On the offensive line:
"You take away four or five plays and I thought the offensive line played outstanding especially with [T] Trent Scott filling in for [T] Russell Okung at the left tackle. [T] Sam Tevi had an outstanding game. [G/T Michael] Schofield [III] — [C Mike] Pouncey is the leader of that group — [G Dan] Feeney played outstanding. Overall, I was pleased with the offensive line."
On T Trent Scott:
"That says a lot about a man's character to overcome adversity and to fight back and finish the game the way he did. He played a physical football game yesterday."
On G Forrest Lamp not playing many snaps:
"It's just kind of the way the game was going but you will see Forrest playing. Yesterday, we had a package for him but he didn't get in as many series as we thought he might, but that could be different this week."
On seeing other games and their outcomes:
"Late last night I was watching ESPN and saw some scores. Some people scored a lot of points, I know that. I saw the Baltimore score. I thought the Cardinals game was exciting and saw some highlights from that, but I haven't watched any of those games so I can't comment on those. I just saw the scores like a spectator."
On short-yardage situations:
"It's something we've been emphasizing all camp and, yes, we tried to emphasize it in preseason games but yesterday we were 100 percent, two-for-two. Flipside of that, defensively, I want to improve a little bit there. [We gave up 100 percent of our third-and-ones yesterday]. That's something that both sides are going to try to improve. Just get better at it and be consistent at it."
On FB Derek Watt on third-and-one:
"It's not just Derek Watt. It's just a simple dive play, but I like what the offensive line did up front. I like the movement we had up front. When the offensive line can get a yard, the back can get a yard."
On tendencies and tools in running plays like that with Watt:
"Absolutely. We have more tools. When teams adjust that then there's other things that we can do."
On using Watt in other offensive opportunities:
"Derek has shown a lot of versatility. He can catch the ball, he can create matchups that way versus linebackers and we'll use him that way."
On WR Mike Williams:
"He's getting looked at today and hopefully it's not too serious. Mike's a heck of a football player. We're going to need him. Hopefully, he'll be back soon."
On CB Michael Davis:
"I know Michael Davis had the hamstring so he's going to miss a little bit of time."
On potentially adding another cornerback due to injuries:
"We're looking at that right now. Absolutely."
On if S Nasir Adderley could play cornerback:
"You know, he probably could in a pinch but we're just looking at all of our options right now."
On what he learned about his team during Week 1:
"This team is resilient. This team is tough. We had a lead, we gave it up, we came back and we won the game. The turnover ratio, we lost that. We made some mistakes and we overcame that. I think that says a lot. I'd rather be here today talking about corrections and things we could do better after a win than after a loss."
On kicking depth:
"No. I think with [P] Ty [Long], he's done this before, he's been the only kicker on a team for a couple of years, so he's used to this. I thought he did a heck of a job yesterday. That whole operation between him, [QB] Tyrod [Taylor] and the snapper [LS Cole Mazza] — three new guys — I thought the operation was outstanding."
On the coaching of special teams:
"[Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach] George [Stewart] has contingency plans. All the coordinators, they have contingency plans. This guy goes down, this guy steps up and Tyrod [Taylor] has been getting those snaps over on the side, probably never thinking he's going to actually do it, and he had to go help us win a game with it. I think you can give [George Stewart] a lot of credit for that."
On LB Drue Tranquill:
"That's why he was up. It's so important that he was up because he's done an outstanding job on our special teams. [LB] Chris Peace did a nice job on our special teams as well."
On players stepping up in the absence of others:
"That's the mentality of this football team is the next man up. Whether guys are out for business reasons, injury or whatever, it's next man up. These guys they don't flinch."
On K Michael Badgley:
"He's getting better, but we'll see."
On Badgley potentially playing in Week 2:
"I think so, but we'll see."
