WEEK 3 — PODIUM AVAILABILITY
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 | Hoag Performance Center | Costa Mesa, Calif.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS HEAD COACH ANTHONY LYNN
Opening statement:
"We've got a good football team coming in here on Sunday — the defending AFC South Champions. They have playmakers on both sides of the ball. It's a well-coached team. I'm looking forward to seeing how we bounce back this week against a team of this caliber. That quarterback is insane. There's nothing that he can't do. It's going to be a tough challenge this weekend, but we're looking forward to it."
On Texans QB Deshaun Watson:
"He has the ability to escape, extend plays. He can beat you with his legs. He can beat you with his arm. He's an outstanding young quarterback."
On TE Lance Kendricks:
"We brought in a veteran tight end. We signed Lance Kendricks. He's been around eight or nine years. He has blocked on the line of scrimmage. He's a decent receiver. He just brings depth to our offense right now."
On the early test in the season:
"Every week is a real test as we found out last week. You have to handle your business. We knew, looking at the schedule when the season started, that this team coming in here was going to be a heck of a challenge and they were going to bring a heck of a team in here. Regardless of who we put on the field, we expect to execute — the standard and expectation does not change. It's just next man up. We'll deal with the injuries as they come."
On signing Kendricks:
"I don't know [the process of signing him]. Lance came through. We worked him out and he looked good, so we signed him."
On Houston's defense:
"Not really [any changes since trading DE Jadeveon Clowney]. [Texans OLB Whitney] Mercilus has stepped in and is doing an outstanding job. He's becoming a more proven pass rusher in this league. I think he's leading their team in sacks right now. Obviously, [Texans DE] J.J. [Watt], everyone knows where he is so he's getting a lot of attention. [Mercilus] is wrecking the game a little bit. You definitely have to watch him."
On Houston's rushing attack:
"[Texans RB] Lamar [Miller] is a heck of a back, but the running game is actually better right now. [Texans RB] Carlos Hyde, that kid looks terrific. He's averaging over five yards-per-carry, I believe. Their rushing attack right now looks good with [Texans RB] Duke Johnson in the backfield. It looks really good."
On Texans RB Duke Johnson:
"[His ability to catch the ball out of the backfield] can be a challenge. I like the matchups that we have at our linebacker position. We have guys that can run. Duke is a pretty good third down back."
On CB Casey Hayward Jr.:
"We'll figure it out. Casey will definitely be on [Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins] sometimes, but I can't say that he's going to be on him the whole game. It's not one of those deals where we play man coverage and just lock a guy down. We'll see."
On facing his son, Texans Assistant Secondary Coach D'Anton Lynn:
"It'll be sweet, but bragging rights are definitely on the line.
"We don't talk [during the week], but I'll see him after the game."
On the team's response after Sunday:
"I think that we'll respond in a positive way. We always have. I know the character and heart of this football team. I'm looking forward to it. When you lose one like you lost last week, you can't wait to get back on the field. I think everybody in that locker room feels that way. We'll see."
On K Michael Badgley:
"He's going to get some work this week."
On QB Philip Rivers' durability:
"That's been one of Philip's biggest skill sets is his availability. Hopefully, we can continue that. It's good to have a quarterback that's durable and doesn't miss time. It's definitely huge.
"I hope [these questions don't jinx it]. I didn't even want to answer it, to be honest with you."
On P Ty Long as a kicker:
"We will go with Ty [if Badgley can't go on Sunday]. We have a lot of confidence in Ty. Two weeks ago, the best kicker in NFL history missed a few field goals. Last week, [Lions K Matt Prater] — he's top five in NFL history and he missed a couple of field goals. It happens. Ty is very confident. We're confident in Ty. If we have to kick him again, we'll do it."
On LB Denzel Perryman:
"He's getting better. The injury [last season] slowed him down. He wasn't himself early, but he's getting better. I look to see him get a little more involved this week.
"Like I said, I'd like to see him in the rotation a little bit more this week."
On S Nasir Adderley:
"It's possible [that he plays more on defense], it depends on how the rotation works out throughout the game. It's very possible."
On replacing S Adrian Phillips:
"We have a young man coming back, [S] Roderic Teamer. He's back. He's going to get a lot of reps this week."
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS QUARTERBACK PHILIP RIVERS
On wanting to get back on the field after Sunday's loss:
"Obviously, you hope that you're going to win them all. That didn't happen. It's only been a couple of times that anybody has done it [for a full season]. Odds are that we were going to face a Monday where we weren't very happy. Shoot, losing is never fun, especially in a game where you felt like you made so many mistakes — had so many opportunities to win the game and you didn't. That one is gone. You have to move on to a new week. We have a tough opponent coming in here. They lost a tough one in the opener and then won a close one down to the last play last week. It's a playoff team from last year. It will be a good challenge for us."
On Houston's defensive front:
"It's a good front. I feel like last week, too, their strength was their front — against Detroit. It's somewhat similar in some ways in their front structure — though not necessarily exactly. You mention [Texans DE] J.J. Watt. Shoot, they have others, too, that are solid. It's a good front, a good defense. We'll have our work cut out for us."
On the team's response after Sunday:
"Shoot, I'd expect us to be fired up and ready to bounce back. I think that we've shown the ability to do that over the years when we've lost some tough ones. Usually, you never take any satisfaction in losing, obviously, but most of our losses are going to be tough ones — at least I hope. There haven't been many that get out of hand. When you end up not winning, they usually are like that in the sense that the score is usually close. You have to find a way to bounce back and go."
On injuries to starting quarterbacks in the NFL:
"It was crazy. Obviously, there were a couple of guys with injuries and you mentioned the situation in New York [with the Giants]. It was crazy that it [all] happened the same weekend. Obviously, you hope both of those guys — [Saints QB] Drew [Brees] and [Steelers QB] Ben [Roethlisberger] — heal up quickly. Drew, obviously, has a chance to get back out there for the second half of the season. Ben is out for the year. I don't think you ever take it for granted, no question. I think even more so now. If you needed to be, you just realize that it doesn't last forever. I think, not that I needed a reminder, that I realized how fleeting it is and how any given play, you can be out. Certainly, seeing that this weekend would remind you in a hurry."
On the situation that caused Saints QB Drew Brees' injury:
"I broke a bone in my index finger in the spring of my freshman year in college. I had to have a pin and everything put in there. It happened in kind of a similar way. It wasn't on a hand, it was on a helmet, but shoot, I was 18. It's been a long time. Definitely, even since then I think it's happened to about every guy. You either hit a helmet or hit something and hold on for a second, and want to make sure everything is good. I'm sure Drew was thinking the same thing. It's crazy the way that it ended up. I guess it could be worse. It seems that he's going to be able to get back out there."
On FB Derek Watt:
"I think the best way to describe him is that he's just a football player. He can catch it well, he blocks, he's smart. He just kind of can do a little bit of everything. I think, obviously, the full back position when you look at certain games — he probably had more snaps in the Indianapolis game and was one of the highest snaps counts of his career here. You just never know how games are going to go. You're not in 21 personnel as much as you were 10 years ago, but I think his ability special teams-wise — I know he's a solid special teamer. He can do a lot of things for us. He catches it well. You saw [that] last week. I know that he'll be fired up. That's pretty cool, he played against the other brother [Steelers LB T.J. Watt] last year, but having [his] brother [Texans DE J.J. Watt] out there across from you is pretty special."
On Texans QB Deshaun Watson:
"I think he's a heck of a player. Obviously, he can certainly run around and make plays with his legs, but shoot — he's a good passer. He stands in that pocket, holds onto it as long as he can and delivers. He's tough. He has taken a lot of hits, but stands in there and throws it. It's so early in his career, but he's off to a heck of a start."
On his durability:
"Obviously, I've been blessed to be healthy enough to be out there every week. I think that's the first part of it. I'm so thankful for that. There's probably a little element of toughness in there somewhere. I've had great protection and guys fighting to keep me healthy, as well. There are a lot of things that factor in. Certainly, that's one thing that — sometimes you can't help it. Thankfully, I've been able to be healthy enough and that's always been important to me, to be ready to go every week."
On his run to move the sticks on third down:
"I don't really feel vulnerable when I run in the injury standpoint. I do feel uncomfortable because I know they're coming in a hurry. I wish that I would have thrown it to [WR] Travis [Benjamin] on that one, actually. Instead of 12 [yards], he may have gotten 40. I think there are times — again, it doesn't happen very often — but you have to try to be as aware as you can. It usually is my last option, but there are certain times with as many guys we have crossing and doing things that, if it does open up, to be able to go get a couple yards here and there."
On his thought process during the run:
"In that case, it was third-and-10 or whatever, I wanted to make sure I got the first down first. I think that one would have been a little different, especially with the situation of the game. I probably wouldn't have slid until the last second had I not had the first down wrapped up. I just made sure that I didn't slide too soon in that instance."
On scrambling more than in previous years:
"I don't know if more so. Again, I'd much rather throw it and let one of our guys that can do it a heck of a lot better run with it. I do think every now and then — you have to remind yourself, I guess. I have to remind myself because there are times when maybe there's a throwaway here or a throwaway there where maybe you could have gotten four [yards]. Certainly, you take into account the down-and-distance, the situation of the game and all of those things. You can't really think of all of that there in the half-second or whatever you have, but I think all of those things do factor into that decision making."
On his speed:
"I think, naturally, you move a little faster if something's chasing you. I knew they were close. Like I said, I'm already uncomfortable out there in space. They feel a heck of a lot closer even than they are. Sometimes, I think I'm already in my mind thinking that they're already there."
On his first down celebration:
"I was just having a conversation with one of their guys, just having a little fun in the injury or [television] timeout."
On Next Gen Stats:
"I don't pay a ton of attention to them. Obviously, you see them. I know our guys get a kick out of it when they see who ran the fastest on the day and things like that, but I haven't paid a ton of attention to them."
On TE Lance Kendricks:
"We'll see. Obviously, that is something we'll have to see how it goes early and kind of shape over the weeks. I don't think that it just happens today in practice, but you kind of start that process and see what ways we can incorporate him."
