Thursday, August 16, 2018 | Jack Hammett Sports Complex | Costa Mesa, Calif.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS HEAD COACH ANTHONY LYNN
On RB Justin Jackson:
"He's been hurt. He's kind of working his way back in this week, but he's still on a limited rep count right now. Hopefully he can play this week, but we're still not sure yet."
On what he's looking for from the young players against Seattle:
"Just for those guys to keep growing — to keep developing and learning our system, to go out, execute and have some fun. I thought the second defense did [that] last week. I'm looking for more production from the second offensive line this week. That's about it."
On if they're some starters that will sit out:
"We have some guys that are banged up. [DE] Joey [Bosa] is one of those guys. He hasn't practiced all week, so we won't let him go this week."
On if G Forrest Lamp will play:
"Forrest will maybe get in. He's doing some individual [drills] now. Maybe next week. Not sure yet."
On his perspective of playing guys during the preseason:
"I think it's a lot more conservative now. Especially after the salary cap kicked in and parity came into the National Football League, you don't have the dynasties you used to have — you don't have the depth. I think some guys are more conservative, yes."
On how much QB Philip Rivers will play against Seattle:
"We're going to talk tonight about it as a staff. He's going to play this week. Just not sure how much yet."
On what he hopes to see from Rivers:
"Just what I always see — lead the offense down the field and score like he did on every first drive last year. That's what I'd like to see."
On if CB Trevor Williams will be back next week:
"Hopefully. He started running a little bit yesterday. We'll see where he is."
On WR Mike Williams:
"Mike is doing a heck of a job taking advantage of those reps. [CB Craig] Mager is as well.
On making the preseason shorter:
"If you shorten it, you don't get to evaluate certain players. You have Hall of Famers right now that would have never been in this league if you shortened the preseason, so this argument goes both ways."
On what he's looking forward to being back at StubHub Center:
"Just being home. I like the way we finished in the StubHub Center last year and winning the last five games. It's started to feel like a home-field advantage for us. Just looking to go back home and play ball."
On Seattle LB Shaquem Griffin:
"We don't really study teams in the preseason like we do in the regular season. Just from watching him in college, he's a heck of a football player, so I'm sure he's doing well for Seattle. I look forward to seeing him play this weekend. I think what he's doing is amazing."
On how the guys feel at this point in camp:
"They feel really tired. I told them yesterday, 'Right now if you're not careful, this is where some guys get better and some guys get worse. You have to keep the focus and eliminate the distractions.' I told them you have to put your goals in front of you, put them on your TV, put them on your laptop, iPhone — whatever. Do whatever you have to do to keep pushing. This is when we have to get better."
On if LB Kyzir White will play against Seattle:
"Not sure. We'll see where he's at. We'll see where he's at right before the game."
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS QUARTERBACK PHILIP RIVERS
On playing this weekend:
"I'm really excited to get back out there and get in there and get the game juices flowing a little bit. It will be good to be out there and again. Like I've always said, I don't want to make too much of however it goes — either way, good or bad — but it'll be good to be out there together and get in a little bit of a game flow again."
On playing in the preseason:
"I'd like to play. I think it'd be hard not to take any snaps. Although, when you look at next week, when you get to practicing against the [New Orleans] Saints, those are like stealing game reps, even though you're not live — as far as contact. You're getting to experience going against another defense and it turns into pretty much a game setting, but I like to get a little bit in there. It just makes you feel a little more comfortable."
On working with C Mike Pouncey:
"It's been great. I think the in-game stuff is important. We do it out here, the communicating — but in the game, there's just a little more noise, a little more intensity, so that will be good as well. I have no concerns about that. He's been great — both with all the protection stuff, Mike [linebacker] points, and just the way he commands the huddle and runs the thing at the center position. Obviously, you knew of him as a being a Pro Bowl player, but he's certainly lived up to all the expectations we had."
On being on the sideline during games:
"It's so funny because when I'm able to remove the emotions from it, I go, 'Yeah, it doesn't really make sense to play in this game. We'll shoot for next week.' But when you get out there and warm up, you're going, 'Golly.' It makes you want to get out there, but [watching the preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals from the sideline] was good. I always enjoy watching the young guys and trying to help when you can, but pulling for them because I remember like yesterday my first NFL game, playing, and how you felt, so it was fun to see these young guys fly around and get an opportunity."
On watching games:
"I definitely watch. I don't do as extensive of it as you do in the regular season, but yeah. I think enough to where you feel good about going out there. Watching a little bit of the third down cut-up. If you get a couple third downs, being comfortable with what you have in the red zone. It's different this year even more so, because we play Arizona in the regular season, we play Seattle in the regular season, we play San [Francisco] — although that's week four of the preseason — we play them in the regular season. You see things you want to run and you go, 'Alright don't run it. Let's save it.' I'm sure it's the same for them on defense. It will certainly be [like that] for both sides. It's just about executing and being efficient. No pre-snap penalties, none of that stuff, but there's an element of preparing, I think more so for me. I like to do it not so much as it is preparing to go win the game, but more so to get me into that in-season mode of preparing — watching the pressures, watching the third downs, going through and studying the gameplay sheet. Just so you get back in that mode so you don't just try to turn it on in Week 1."
On if the Seattle defense has changed with the changes to the coaching staff:
"It does. It seems a little bit different. It seems that they sprinkled in a [few] things from what [Seahawks Defensive Coordinator] Ken Norton [Jr.] did in his time in Oakland. Obviously, [Seahawks Head Coach] Pete Carroll has a long history of defenses and different things. This scheme [Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley's] shows up quite a bit as well. They're a little more multiple, it seems like to me, than they've been the past few years."
On the backup quarterbacks:
"It's been good. Shoot, our quarterback group gets along great, but they're competing like crazy. It's been good. It's interesting for me in my position because I'm pulling for both of them. I don't know if that can be possible, but you're pulling for both of them to succeed, play well and let it play out the way it will. Both of those guys are working hard — all of us are. Shoot, it's not just them competing. I'm competing with them as well — we're all competing. That's just our nature in that room. It's been a good group."
On QB Cardale Jones' development:
"I just think it's more time in this offense, in this scheme. Each rep, each play, each time you call a play in the huddle and each meeting you sit in, you have to improve. Now, he has a year under his belt with this scheme. I think last year was probably really good for him. Although he didn't dress in those games, he was part of the whole week of the process, seeing how the things work on game day. Obviously, [former QB] Kellen [Clemens] was here and was a heck of a veteran that he could learn from. Now [QB] Geno [Smith], who has been in different places, learned from guys and played in a lot of games. I think Cardale is a guy — and you know him — shoot, he's as easy a guy in the world to get along with. He wants to get better every day."
On Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey's comments:
"Shoot, I guess I've made it if he says I'm pretty good. I didn't know he was doing his 'ESPN Top 30.' Shoot, [Mike] Sando is in trouble."
On being one of the few players complimented by Ramsey:
"I didn't hear about that. Shoot, when you have the kind of year he had and you're a corner, it's a little bit of that 'never lose' mentality. There's no reason to hold back. Whether he gets beat for a touchdown or not, I'm not predicting those things — and then they don't even think about it. Sometimes, those kinds of corners are the most dangerous, right? They play and they've never had a bad day. Those are the ones that are dangerous to go against."
On who has stood out in camp:
"Gosh, I think [C/G Scott] Ques [Quessenberry] and the offensive line have done some good things. We drafted him from UCLA. The receivers, it's been interesting to see those guys. You see [WR Artavis] Scott — [WR] Geremy [Davis] probably wouldn't really appreciate me throwing him in the young guy category, but you just saw the game he had last week and the game Scott had. I thought [TE] Sean Culkin made some plays last week. He's really improved. He has gotten an opportunity to get a ton of reps with [TE] Hunter [Henry] going down. He's making the most of his opportunity. Those are the guys that stand out offensively."
On TE Sean Culkin:
"I think [he has] more confidence, more reps [and] just more understanding [of the offense]. Playing tight end and also playing receiver — because of how much we move guys around — it's tough because you're the F, Y, what's your motion? At this time, do this. There's a lot, they even play fullback some plays — block power then run down the seam. There's a lot we ask of those guys, so I think it takes them a little time. Sean loves to play, loves football, He's been working at it and he cares about it. There's something about that — I don't care what level you're in — there's still a big value in people loving ball, and how much it means to them. Those guys usually over time end up being the guys you want to stick around."
On former TE Antonio Gates:
"I've got no new updates for you on those conversations. If I was into social media, I could've screenshot a couple and put them out there, but no I've got nothing new. I don't know if they're still talking or not, obviously again, if he's here one of these days in the next three weeks it would be great. I don't think it needs to be real soon. If there's one guy that would know what to do, it would be him"
On Seahawks LB Shaquem Griffin:
"He flies around and is always around the ball. I don't know if he'll be in there when we're in there,, but it's impressive. His story is awesome and seeing him out there flying around."
On how much he'd like to play in the preseason game on Saturday:
"Four quarters. I've tried to get better. I used to struggle in these preseason games because you know you're not going to be in there long, so you go, 'Oh this is play 12. This is the second drive, we're probably coming out.' You need to make a big play, then you throw an interception. It ruins the night and your standing over there the rest of the time going, 'What in the world did I throw that ball for?' So, I've tried to get better at pretending I'll be in there for the whole game and if we're two-for-four with 10 yards and there's a few drives where we don't do anything, then its ok. There's no reason to overreact because we would have three-and-a-half quarters left to play. So, I think I've done a better job of putting myself there mentally."
