Take a look at top quotes from Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley on Monday afternoon.
Head Coach Brandon Staley
On injury updates regarding CB J.C. Jackson and WR Mike Williams:
"J.C. Jackson has a rupture to his patella tendon. He will miss the rest of the season. Mike Williams has an ankle sprain. It will be a matter of weeks, not days. We'll keep you up-to-date on that, but try to take advantage of these next two weeks. Then, see where he is at."
On the wide receiver group:
"That group has been banged up. It hasn't played together very much, that's for sure. We'll try to get [WR] Keenan [Allen] back fully healthy, try to get [WR] Josh [Palmer] back. Then, with Mike [Williams], hopefully, that recovery happens sooner rather than later. I don't think that we've been able to truly evaluate this group because it hasn't played together very much. We have to make improvements, for sure, on our whole offensive football team. I really want to see that group out there together playing because that hasn't been able to happen yet so far this season."
On Allen's 'usage' yesterday:
"We just wanted to see how he felt. He practiced throughout the week, like I told you guys. He warmed up well. Then, as the game progressed, throughout that second quarter, he just didn't feel like he could really burst the way that he wanted to, and didn't want to risk anything happening to it. No setback to it yesterday, but just didn't to push it, in a way, in that second half. That's what happened yesterday."
On 'regression' offensively due to a 'multitude' of factors:
"You mentioned a lot of things that are contributing factors to our offensive output. I certainly think that the continuity, or lack thereof, has been a huge factor in what's happened. I think that's just normal. As I told you guys after the game, we make no excuse. I think that you go into every week and try to play the game to the best of your ability with that group that is out there and attack the matchup the best way that you know how. I think the facts are that, no matter who is out there, we haven't run the ball well enough at all this season. We haven't been consistent in that way. We've been poor in third- and fourth-down-and-short. We've faced a lot of those and our success rate is poor, given the advantage that you have in those situations. We haven't had nearly the explosions that it takes, in order to be a consistent-scoring football team. It's been a lot of things. As you guys know, I think that it's been a fight through seven games, and there has been a lot that has transpired, but I think that over the next two weeks, it's just us coming together and making sure that in the second half of the season, we go into that week and really try to maximize this group. You can't compare one year to the next. I think that it's dangerous to say, 'Oh, well, you've regressed,' yeah, we regressed compared to what happened last season, but it's about this season for us. Are we doing everything that we can to maximize this group? That's where our focus is going forward. I really believe a lot in our coaches and our players and I'm very confident that we'll figure it out."
On how this season compares to last season for Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi:
"Well, I think that it's been a much different season for him than last season. We're 4-3 and I think that that record puts us in a position to accomplish a lot in the second half of the season. I think that when you've had as many significant adjustments to make, that's the sign of a good coach. Any time that you lose an All-Pro left tackle, an All-Pro receiver, you've had three or four receivers out at a time, a tight end that's a weapon — there have been a lot of moving parts. I think that he's done a good job of keeping us together. I think his experience is something that we lean on because he's had to go through it as an NFL coach. I think he has put us in a position to be 4-3. He has to make improvements, just like the rest of us do, but I know how hard he works, I know the level of preparation and level of detail [that he has]. I'm just glad that he's our offensive coordinator."
On if Williams' injury is a high ankle sprain:
"It's a high ankle sprain, yes. That's correct."
On if he has a 'general timeframe' for Williams' recovery:
"I don't think so on that. I'm going to reserve judgment on that. I don't think that I've been with Mike [Williams]with this type of injury, so I don't want to speculate, but like I said, weeks, not days."
On the defense's performance in 'third-and-long-plus':
"There have been some penalties that have been killers. Yesterday, on third-and-13, the holding on [CB] Bryce [Callahan]. Then, we give up a fade in the red zone on third-and-14. You can't let that type of thing happen when you know where the guy is going to be. It's just understanding the situation and understanding the opponent and playing with good fundamentals because when you have the advantage in those situations, you have to make sure that you keep it. That early one, that early penalty, those are ones that are really tough. We had one the week before against Denver, a PI [pass interference] on third-and-13. You just have to play with good technique, understand the situation and understand who you're playing against. Like I said, I have to do a better job coaching."
On if Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III's 74-yard touchdown was similar to Texans RB Damien Pierce's rushing touchdown in Week 4 and what can be done over the bye week to 'adjust on that':
"Our guys just have to perform their run responsibilities. We have to hold the force on the edge; that's for starts, up front, holding the force. On a perimeter run, that's the first thing that you have to do, establish the force, in perimeter run support. Then, your second level has to overlap. On that play, we lost the force. Then, we had a corner that kind of traded one-for-one on a tight end. Then, [DL] Austin [Johnson] and K9 [LB Kenneth Murray Jr.] are running inside out, and they can't get there because the ball hit too fast. Then, we didn't get any overlap from the second level because they're too tight because we're behind. Guys are just trying to do too much, and that's what happens when you get put in those spots, when you're behind and you're trying to come back. Everyone just has to play their part in the play. If people do that, if they just play their part in the play, and not try to make plays outside of their job description, then you're going to play consistently well. On the long runs this season, there have been those types of issues in the play."
On TE Gerald Everett supporting the passing game with the injuries at wide receiver:
"Gerald [Everett] is making plays for us. You saw the big third down that he had the other day. He can separate. He can make yards after contact. He can create with the ball in his hands. We have to continue to make sure that he touches the ball. I'm glad that we have him. We have to continue to expand and evolve his role as we move forward, especially if some guys are going to be out."
On when Jackson's injury occurred:
"If you watch the TV copy, it's when he was going up for the ball. He had his head around and he was about to go jump to knock it down or pick it off. Then, something happened."
On the fourth-and-one play-call on the offense's opening possession and 'why he didn't call a quarterback sneak' for QB Justin Herbert:
"It's more predicated on the look. Didn't like the look with everyone in tight. Thought that we could have more of an off-tackle play there. They made a good play."
On an update regarding OLB Joey Bosa's recovery process:
"Joey [Bosa] is making progress. I don't have a timetable for his return, other than he is making good progress. He's here in California. We're looking forward to him coming back as soon as possible."
On if he would 'consider relinquishing defensive play-calling duties' to Defensive Coordinator Renaldo Hill:
"No. I'm comfortable with how we organize things right now. I think that everyone just has to — within their role — continue to do it better. Very confident in our setup and in our coaching staff, our players. What we have to be able to do is get some rest, and then come back and do our jobs better. That's where our focus will be."
On the consideration of potentially 'going outside of the organization' to add a wide receiver or cornerback:
"I think, in the next couple of days, we'll be able to assess our team a lot better. Coming fresh off of yesterday, we're just focused on what happened yesterday. We'll take the next couple of days and be able to get with [General Manager] Tom [Telesco], [Owner and Chairman of the Board] Dean [Spanos] and [President of Football Operations] John [Spanos] and make those types of discussions happen. We'll see. We are always going to look for avenues to enhance our team and make it better. If those avenues are possible, then we'll definitely explore them."
On DL Sebastian Joseph-Day's postgame comments regarding 'connectedness':
"I think any time you lose like that, there are going to be those natural reactions of competitors. I can tell you that the way we do things around here, we meet a ton together, connecting on whichever side of the ball — whether it's the back seven to the front seven, the front seven to the back seven, O-line to the skill-position players. That's the way that we do things here. I think what Sebastian [Joseph-Day] is getting at is that everybody has to have the intensity to do their job at a high level, and do their job at a high level consistently, making sure that you're bringing that same intensity, regardless of the circumstance — whether it's a practice a meeting, a lift, in the training room. It's a lot of little things that add up to your performance at the game. We haven't played clean football yet, as a football team. We haven't done that yet, and there are a lot of reasons for that, but you have to start with yourself first and make sure that you're doing everything you can, within your job description. That's what is going to lead to all of the good stuff. We're 4-3 at the bye, but we've had a lot of things happen through seven games. I think that there is just that natural emotion that comes with all of that. We won three-straight games, and then you come back at home and you don't play well, and you head into the bye week knowing that, that you didn't play well. I can understand Sebastian's frustration. He's a captain for a reason."
On QB Justin Herbert's performance as of late:
"I think Justin [Herbert] is giving us a chance, in every single game, to win. He's as good as any player that is playing in the game right now. He's improving and I know that it's probably one of the first times where there has been a lot that's happened around him, including within himself in terms of dealing with an injury for the first time. I think he's experiencing a lot of tough stuff that happens in the NFL and I think that he's who he always is. He's poised, he's steady. There is no one that cares more than he does. I know that he is going to take advantage of this week, get rested and re-energized and come back ready to practice on Monday."
On the identity of the team:
"We're a work-in-progress. I think that we haven't played our best football, for sure. I think you have seen glimpses of it, but we have to bring this group together in the second half of the season. I think everything is in front of us, but I think for us, it's just going to be taking it a day at a time. That's what we need to do moving forward is taking it one day at a time and I think that is going to serve us well for the Atlanta game, which is where our focus is. I think we've had to fight really hard to be 4-3. I'm proud of the way that our guys have competed. It hasn't been pretty at all, but I think that we're in a position now where we know where we need to go and, I think, more importantly, how we need to get there."
On his top priority for the bye week:
"My big priority is to have a great practice on Monday. How do we come in here and really establish a plan for our guys to improve from Monday to the game on Sunday against Atlanta? Whichever group is healthy, whichever group is going to be playing in that game, to make sure that from Monday to Sunday, that group improves so that they can take the field on Sunday in Atlanta and play with a real purpose. We're going to take a hard look at everything that we do, everyone that is doing it, but really trying to take the practice field on Monday, ready to head somewhere."
On how much time he will take off during the bye week:
"I think a big part of the bye week, people talk about self-scout, but every week you are in a self-scout mode because you have to know who you are going into these games and how other people are assessing you. It's not like you just wait until the bye week to self-scout everything. I think what we can do now that we have time this week is just make sure that going into the next week that we have a good look of who we are going to have up for the Atlanta game and starting to work on those type of game plans. All of the areas that you guys have mentioned where maybe we haven't performed as well, take a good look at some contingencies and get those ready for Monday. We need to get some rest because a lot has happened in seven games. Sometimes, time is good to get away, re-energize and be able to take the practice field on Monday, the meetings, all of that, with a lot of intensity."
On his 'mindset' as 'the significant injuries to starters increase':
"Our mindset is that we have to trust in the people here that are coming in for those guys when things like that happen, that there is no type of flinch within our organization. That we have the depth that we have, the type of people we have, the process that we're committed to in order to make it happen regardless of the circumstance. That you're not going to fall victim to that type of mindset of, 'Well, a bunch of guys are hurt. So, hey, this or that is not happening.' We have to keep it moving. It's the NFL. You have to have that type of resilience and you have to be able to figure it out. I think, hopefully, our guys are seeing that it may not be pretty when you're figuring it out. Like, we're 3-0 and hey, we might not be winning like how others want us to win or how we even want to win. But you know what? We were able to find a way to get it done. That has to be our mindset is how do you get it done? How do you get these wins in the NFL when they are tough? That's going to be our mindset moving forward. I think, through seven games, we've learned a lot, but as hard as we've had to fight through seven games, we're going to have to fight a hell of a lot harder in these last 10 to 13 games."
On Jackson's surgery has been scheduled yet:
"We'll let you know when that surgery is scheduled, if and when it is scheduled."
On if WR Joshua Palmer and TE Donald Parham Jr. remain in the league's concussion protocol:
"We'll let you know Monday on their progress."
On 'finding the synergy in the run game':
"I think we have some inventory now with the group that has been blocking over the last three games, since the Houston game — I would say, Houston, Cleveland, those games. I think we have some good inventory with the group that has been playing out there — the tight end group that has been playing out there, the receiver groups. I think it is different than the group that we took the field within the first couple of games. I think [RB] Austin [Ekeler] is thinking what we're all thinking, that you want to create that identity based on who you have. That's what I was talking about on Monday, what's so important is whatever that group is that's going into Atlanta or in this stretch, this next foreseeable stretch anyways, we want to be able to feature what they do well and be able to attack. I think that's where our minds are going to be in the next several days and then, obviously, next week getting into the plan."
On if the team is 'missing' former Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach and current Dolphins Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith:
"No. You guys know I love Frank [Smith] and I'm really happy for him, but [Offensive Line Coach] Brendan Nugent is one of the top coaches that's coaching the O-line. When he was in New Orleans, the results spoke for themselves in his seven years there. Him and [Assistant Offensive Line Coach] Shaun Sarrett do a fantastic job. I have full confidence in them and they are outstanding teachers, outstanding scheme coaches. I think that the best is to come for our group."
On if the play clock expired prior to the Seahawks' fourth-quarter, 50-yard field goal:
"From up top, they said that they had gotten it off before [expiring]. I didn't get an explanation, though."
On OLB Chris Rumph II's injury status:
"He has an MCL sprain. It's a matter of weeks, not days, but not a significant one. Nothing surgical."
On the 'long-term projection' of Jackson's injury status and recovery timeline:
"He won't be back this season. We'll let you know, in terms of his return to play. It's too early to tell, but we do not think that he will be back this season."
