Top Quotes | Chargers Get Back to Work in Week 5

Oct 05, 2022 at 04:18 PM

Cory Kennedy

Seasonal Content Assistant

Take a look at top quotes from Head Coach Brandon Staley, running back Austin Ekeler, defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day, tackle Trey Pipkins III and tight end Donald Parham, Jr. before Wednesday's practice:

Head Coach Brandon Staley

On his 'favorite thing' about WR Mike Williams:

"[He is] one of my favorites, for sure. I think Mike [Williams] has the ability to make really tough plays in many ways. When you may think that he's covered or there's traffic, I think Mike really isn't covered. I think that's a rare quality in a receiver. He can give you that friendly target deep, intermediate and short, where you feel like you don't have to be perfect with the ball. As a quarterback, that's a great feeling, knowing that you don't have to be perfect, you don't have to be precise, every single time. He gives you a target where he can go help you and make a play. I think that's a big trait of his. We have got the most unselfish superstar wide receiver tandem in the NFL. What he's willing to do for us, I just love the way that he plays. I love the way he practices. He's just willing to do all the little things, him and [WR] Keenan [Allen]. I think they're a rare tandem that way. I don't know if I've ever been around a tandem, or seen a tandem, just as unselfish and team-oriented as they are, who are as productive as they are. What you see from Mike, and I think that we said it last year throughout the year, and then after the season, is that I still feel like he is improving. I feel like he's improving as an NFL player. I know the chemistry with him and Justin [Herbert] is improving. You know how we play when he gets the ball. We're a better team when Mike gets the ball. That's the facts. We're just going to keep working at it with him, but we're lucky to have them, for sure."

On Browns RB Nick Chubb:

"He plays with outstanding pace. He can really see the game and really pace the blocking scheme. I think he sets up his blocks really well. He's just a very tough tackle because of how he is built. He has a really strong lower body. He can shrink his surface, where he becomes even thicker and smaller. Then. he has really good speed. He was a track guy in high school. He's a lot faster back than you would think, too, because he's such a big back. He's outstanding at breaking away from people. You see a lot of the long runs on the movie. A very complete running back."

On TE Donald Parham, Jr.:

"He's made a lot of big plays for us. For those of you that were here last year, you know his run-after-catch, whether it was keeper screens. The vertical element, whether it is outside as a receiver or at the tight end position in the seams, he can do a lot with the ball in his hands. Last year, what we discovered, kind of by accident, is that he's a pretty darn good blocker, too, for being a former basketball player and at his height. He did a really good job for us blocking, as well. We're excited to get him back. He has worked really hard to get back."

On growing up in Perry, Ohio — a suburb of Cleveland — and if he ever 'dreamed of coaching' at FirstEnergy Stadium:

"That was always my dream. I went to games at the old stadium. I have not seen a [Browns] game live at the new stadium. I know that it's right on the lake and that it is a great venue, for sure. With their franchise, in the last couple of years, they've really improved. Those fans are going to come alive when they have a team to root for. Right now, they have a team that is a quality team. They're improving. They're one of the top teams in the AFC. It's going to be an intense environment, for sure."

Running Back Austin Ekeler

On how good it was to 'see the run game respond' against the Texans

"For myself personally, just having a 2-yard average, getting hit in the backfield and not really getting anything going was pretty discouraging, but we come back and continue to keep working. It's not necessarily where we need to be, but we're in a direction where ok, I did get some runs back, starting to get a feel for it. It's a thing where every week we have to come back and practice because it's a whole new scenario. I was able to put a couple in the endzone through the run game for one game, but can I do it again? Right, that's what I want to see, I want to see a week-to-week improvement of us getting better in the run game. We still only had like 80 yards on the ground which isn't great right, but it's an upward trajectory to where we're trying to go and as Coach Staley's been saying we're a team, we're a work in progress."

On preparing to face the Browns DL Myles Garrett and the rest of the Browns defensive line:

"I like how [Chargers Offensive Coordinator] Joe Lombardi describes these pass rushers as werewolves [laughter]. They got a couple werewolves on their side you know, [DE Jadeveon] Clowney and [DE] Myles Garrett. We'll have to have a plan for them when they're on the field absolutely because they are game wreckers, so when we have them on the field we will be very aware and treat them with the respect that they've earned."

On if he can pinpoint anything that helped unlock the run game last week:

"I wouldn't say it was fully unlocked. I mean [Running backs coach Derrick Foster] he brought out these pictures today and it was two chicken bones. One had some meat still left on it and one was cleaner than the other one and he was like, 'This is how I feel like our run game is. We got some meat on the bones still.' I thought that was pretty cool. But that's the situation we're in now, it's 'Ok, how can we make these runs better,' right? It comes down to us meshing with the O-line and being in the right place at the right time and making the right cut."

Defensive Tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day

On what the Chargers defense has to do to slow the Browns offense down:

"Play good football, honestly. To be honest, stop the run, try to stop the run. You know a guy like Chubb he's really talented you know so just try to slow him down. Honestly, it's probably impossible to slow a guy like that down. He's very good, he does a really good job at running his feet, very hard to tackle, he breaks a lot of tackles. A lot of tackles watching film of him, really talented, really talented player."

On what challenges the Browns offensive scheme and running back duo presents

"I just think it challenges us in a way that we just have to be really technique sound. You have to make sure you that we follow our keys and you can't really tee off on anything you know, you just have to play football and that what makes it challenging. Maybe some teams they give you some hints on how they do things, but they do such a good a good job at keeping it balanced and have such good players on both sides of the ball and their o-line is elite. They do a really good job so you can't really tee off on anything you just got to play true football with them."

Right Tackle Trey Pipkins III

On Jamaree Salyer's first start at left tackle last week:
"That was awesome to see. I mean, we all knew that he could do stuff like that so it was fun to see him go out there and show the world what he can do."
On the Browns pass rusher duo:
"I mean, those guys are incredible football players. We gotta, game plan wise, do smart things within our game plan to help us succeed in those aspects. Everytime you get a chance to go up against guys like that, it's a chance to prove what you can do. It's exciting, we're excited about it, ready to show what we can do."

On preparing for Garrett given he can beat you in different ways:
"You just do a ton of film study, as much film study as you can do and then focus on fundamentals, focus on yourself, focus on what makes you good and what makes you successful and continue to do those things."