Dennis Allen Final Press Conference - Week 6
Dennis Allen speaks with the media for the final time this week ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Texans.
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00:00 Look, I think we had good week of practice again this week.
00:02 We're going over to Houston and facing a good football team.
00:09 I think this is a highly competitive team.
00:14 I think they played really hard.
00:16 I think they played a physical brand of football in all three phases.
00:20 I think they're well coached.
00:22 And I know we got our work cut out for us going into their place of playing them.
00:27 But we're looking forward to the opportunity.
00:31 >> What kind of challenges does their offensive scheme present?
00:34 I'm assuming they do a lot of this stuff in San Francisco.
00:36 >> Yeah, yeah, look, I think they do a good job.
00:39 They're kind of primarily a kind of a wide zone team and
00:45 yet they have plenty of gap scheme runs too, it makes it challenging.
00:51 They have some pre-snap shifts and motions,
00:55 they have a lineup of some unique formations, which can be challenging a little bit.
01:01 At times they'll put a receiver back there in the backfield,
01:05 run them on routes out of the backfield, hand them the ball out of the backfield.
01:08 So there's a lot of different stuff that we gotta prepare for.
01:11 >> How do you go about managing these guys looks?
01:14 >> In terms of- >> As what you were just talking about,
01:16 that their offense.
01:17 >> Yeah, look, I mean, it's really about
01:24 making sure that number one, I do a good job of getting a call in to the players.
01:30 Number two, we get it communicated.
01:32 And then we get our eyes on their huddle and see them coming out and
01:37 be able to get lined up and execute.
01:38 That's kind of in the simplest form for what we have to do.
01:43 >> On the other end of that, getting Marcus back,
01:45 does that allow you to be a little bit more creative with some of your coverages,
01:48 just in terms of having those Tyron and Marcus working together?
01:51 >> Yeah, well, look, I mean, we don't put a lot of new things in every single week.
01:58 I mean, we have a poor set of beliefs and things that we believe in that
02:03 have been good for us.
02:04 We make a few adjustments here and there.
02:06 And I don't think we've been limited in terms of what we can do defensively.
02:13 And yet, we're excited about having him back out there.
02:17 >> Yeah, how have you seen Brian Brizzi come along since the start of the season?
02:21 >> Yeah, look, I think he's done a good job for us.
02:24 I think there's still a lot of things that we can work on.
02:29 I think I said, it was last week or two weeks ago,
02:33 there's still some pad level things that we gotta do from a fundamental standpoint.
02:37 I think we can still improve in the run game.
02:41 It certainly gives us a pass rush in the presence inside.
02:44 >> For a guy who's 6'5", you don't see necessarily a lot of guys his height
02:48 playing that thing in the interior, is pad level just kinda gonna be more difficult?
02:53 >> It'll get better than other people.
02:55 >> It'll get better.
02:57 >> What has worked the best in your run defenses here?
03:01 Is that right?
03:01 I mean, I guess you put a lot of emphasis on improving that.
03:05 I feel like that's what's working well.
03:08 >> Yeah, look, I think a couple things.
03:11 Number one is we played with a few leads,
03:16 which makes it more challenging for teams to wanna stick to the run game.
03:20 And yet I think we've done a better job of kind of attacking blocks and
03:30 doing a better job of getting off of blocks.
03:33 And I think we've been a much better tackling team this year.
03:36 And so I think that has a lot to do with it.
03:40 But yeah, certainly it was an emphasis.
03:45 Our players understand that the best defenses usually
03:50 do a pretty good job of stopping the run and
03:56 forcing them into more passing situations.
03:59 And I think that's why you've seen the takeaway total be a little bit higher,
04:02 because we've gotten them in those type of situations a little bit more.
04:07 >> What do you attribute the better tackling to?
04:09 >> Yeah, it's really kind of hard to say.
04:16 I think probably some of it has to do with not having as much space in the defense.
04:24 Obviously, it's harder to make tackles in space than it is in a confined area.
04:29 So minimizing the amount of times you're having to do that out in space.
04:35 And yet I think this week, space tackling is gonna be a big part of what we have to
04:38 do, I mean, I think that's part of what this offense challenges you to do,
04:43 is they try to get the ball out of the quarterback's hand quickly and
04:46 hit guys on the move and get a lot of run after catch.
04:48 So it'll be a big part of this game.
04:50 >> One of those guys, Nico Collins, can you just talk about what you've seen?
04:54 >> Yeah, big physical receiver that does a good job with the ball in his hands.
04:59 He runs a lot of,
05:05 kind of short to intermediate routes, a lot of things catching the ball over
05:09 the middle in contested environments.
05:10 And yet does a good job of, once he gets the ball in his hands,
05:15 of making people miss.
05:16 And he runs violent when he has the ball in his hands.
05:20 So I've been impressed with what I've seen out of him.
05:23 >> And so you went to see Andrus out there today,
05:25 something happened yesterday, today?
05:27 >> Yeah, kind of strained his groin a little bit.
05:30 We kept him out of practice today.
05:32 See where he's at tomorrow.
05:33 >> Not like you to have the biggest rushing totals, but CJ's job,
05:39 Damian Pierce, how do you approach that possible run for a comp when they present?
05:45 >> Yeah, look, we'll see what they're trying to do in the game.
05:50 And they haven't really run the quarterback that much,
05:57 and yet he has the ability to do that.
05:59 So that'll be part of their plan, we'll have to adjust.
06:02 But I think they've got, I think their runners run hard.
06:08 I think their runners run violent.
06:09 And so getting 11 hats on the ball will be big.
06:13 >> It seemed like last week in particular there was a lot of success with
06:18 the NASCAR package.
06:19 You're getting into those situations, and you're getting home with Tano and
06:21 Bryant in particular.
06:22 What have you seen from that pairing in particular?
06:26 >> Yeah, look, I thought Tano did a nice job for us this past week rushing inside.
06:30 He's kind of a slipper rusher in there, he's got some length.
06:35 And so having that type of length in the quarterback's face,
06:39 I think, can be an advantage for us.
06:42 >> Does it take kind of a unique type of rusher to be able to shift inside and
06:46 have success like that?
06:47 >> Yeah, look, I mean, I think we've had some success with guys in the past.
06:54 I've had some inside, outside flex, different position players,
06:58 guys that can play safety corner, nickel, a lot of different places.
07:04 And so I think you just gotta pick and
07:07 choose when those opportunities are for us to move them inside.
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