Q: Last year the secondary gave up a ton of big plays. Was it the inexperience at cornerback, a bad marriage at safety, or the lack of pass rushing pressure?
A: “It was a little bit of everything. Sometimes guys just flat out got beat. Sometimes it was plays where they didn’t communicate. Sometimes it was catch and run. Sometimes it was over the top. As far as seeing everything, you can’t see all of that, all of those issues in one year. We did. We’ve got to play smarter, and play with a little bit more experience. It was a culmination of things, and that can’t happen regardless of whether the unit is young or old. This is still football. The golden rule is to keep the guy in front of you, and they’ve got to understand that.”
Q: When you say play smarter, what specifically are you referring to?
A: “There is a time when they have to challenge everybody, and then there’s a time when you have to play against the clock, and where the ball is on the field. That’s the big thing coming into this year. Learning how to play smarter. Learning how to play situations better.”
Q: What type of growth do you hope to see from Vontae Davis and Sean Smith based on the fact they started most of their rookie season?
A: “With a year under their belt, mentally and physically they are a lot better this year than they were last year. They are in better shape, and in better condition to endure the long haul of a 16 game season. Mentally they’ve seen a lot, and have learned quite a bit. So, from the mental part of the game they are a lot more comfortable. That will help them to stop relying so much on their physical ability, and that’s a good thing.”
