Head Coach Brian Daboll

Q: Can you clarify quickly if (running back) Tyrone Tracy is in the concussion protocol?

BRIAN DABOLL: He is.

Q: One other thing, can you also clarify with (cornerback Deonte Banks) Tae last night, was that effort related or was it performance related? Was it technique related? Because when you look at it, you don't see any obvious plays that he, that he quote unquote took off.

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I would just say we made that decision and went in a different direction after the first 27 plays, and I have full confidence in Tae that he'll be ready to go this week and we'll do everything we can to help him be ready to go.

Q: He'll start?

BRIAN DABOLL: He will start.

Q: I'm wondering what you saw from (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) last night overall and why do you think late in games you're not able to make the plays when you need them to in regard to the passing game? I'm specifically talking about the last couple drives.

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, on the last play, the ball got away from him a little bit on the interception. The series before that, we got the strip sack. I think that he did some good things throughout the game, made some good decisions, made some good checks. I thought he pushed the ball down the field and gave our guys some opportunities to make, which that was a great throw to (wide receiver Darius Slayton) Slay, a couple good throws to (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) and he's been working hard on that, and I think that showed. And he did a good job of operating the plays and the checks and things that we had in that environment. So, I thought he did some good things and then ultimately, like you said at the end there, it's all of us. We just didn't get it done.

Q: And just to clarify, he's still your quarterback going forward again?

BRIAN DABOLL: He is.

Q: In regard to the illegal formations and shifts, what did you see when you went back and looked at those?

BRIAN DABOLL: We got to do a good job of getting set and we had a fair amount of shifts and motions and we got to do a good job of everybody getting set, offensive line, receivers, so we can all do a better job of that. Timely play calls, all those type of things, we're all involved in it. That was something at Cleveland, we didn't have any. In Seattle, we didn't have any in that environment. So, we worked hard at it this week. We had a ton of noise, we had extra speakers, we had all those types of things and then, ultimately no excuses, didn't get the job done.

Q: They explained on the broadcast that Malik, the one that cost you the touchdown, he didn't stop completely. Is that kind of what you saw?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, there was a couple things on that particular play where we just, we got to do a better job and that starts with me.

Q: Just back to Deonte for a minute, your staff and players have expressed concerns with him now, several occasions this year. Did you see any indications of any of this sort of thing last year? Do you think it's more isolated to these couple of things that have happened this year?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I'd say I'm focused on moving forward here with Tae and I think he'll approach this week with the right mindset and we'll do everything we can do to help him.

Q: I assume this goes without saying because of the importance of that position, but how important is it to you just in football terms to have him play well and be a key guy for you moving forward?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I think he will be, and I think that he'll come in with the right mindset, the right attitude and everybody will help him do the best job he can do, and I know he certainly will give everything he has.

Q: (Defensive lineman) Dexter (Lawrence II) with us after the game was quite frustrated. He said he was extremely frustrated. Daniel obviously was very frustrated. The guys who've been the longest have seemed very frustrated. Do you worry and how do you maybe combat the cumulative effects of losing on some of these guys to where either they expect it or they don't know how to deal with it or they just get incredibly frustrated by it?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, losing is frustrating. So, what we can do is control the things that we can control. You put everything you have into this each week. So, when you're having all those meetings and you're going through all those practices and you're giving everything you have on the field, everybody, and you don't get the results, certainly that is. So, particularly right after a game, that was a close game. That was a competitive game and nobody's happy with our record. I've said that before. So, we have to come in with the right mindset like we do each week and do everything we can do to put the best product on a field we can on Sunday and that's always the challenging part, but you're never happy after a loss. That's why you do this, to win.

Q: With all these games with you calling the plays… There's 15 points, 18 points, 18 points, the points. You keep saying we need to score more. Do you ever allow any of that to get inside you, as far as like, 'This is an 18-point team.' We can't… You know what I'm saying? Do you ever allow any bit of doubt to creep into your mind about that?

BRIAN DABOLL: No. I think all you can do is prepare as hard as you can prepare, all of us. Then go out there with confidence to go out there and execute the plays, to call the plays and to be on time with them. That's why you prepare for it. So, again, you do everything you can do each and every week to prepare the right way, to practice the right way. We want different results. We've got to continue to work to try to get those.

Q: It seemed in 2022 you guys, every week, found ways to win. Is that something that is gone in the last two years? How do you find ways to win?

BRIAN DABOLL: Well, I think we've got to do everything better. Let's coach better, play better, make timely plays. It's all-encompassing. We haven't done that yet. So, we're doing everything we can to do to try to do that and we'll continue to do that.

Q: At any point in the game, did you go up to the referee and say, 'How is that not running into the punter?'

BRIAN DABOLL: I have a lot of conversations with officials. I'll keep those private. But whatever they call is what they call. We've got to be ready to play in the next play.

Q: When you do so many things well that you did do last night, and the losing keeps happening, what's the trick on your part and your staff's part to keep these guys engaged? I know they're professionals and all that stuff. You're maybe one loss away from or whatever the number is away from missing the playoffs…

BRIAN DABOLL: I understand the question. Everybody is professional. We all want to be as good as we can be. We've got to go back and look at what we did well, which was there's certainly plenty of things, and then what we didn't do well and fix those things. Two of the big things we really focused on last week were the turnovers and third down. They've (the Pittsburgh Steelers) been consistent with that. When they win the third down battle and turnover battle, they've been undefeated. Again, everybody's professionals. You come to work every day with the right mindset, week of practice, week of work, and then go out there and perform as best as you can.

Q: What were you most pleased with about last night, player-wise, whatever it may be?

BRIAN DABOLL: I thought we played physical all the way across the board. It was a high amount of effort. Ultimately, a few plays got away from us there. Obviously, the punt return is a tough one to overcome. But we missed some opportunities that we have to make. That's, ultimately, the bottom line.

Q: Obviously, you and (Senior Vice President and General Manager) Joe (Schoen) are in lockstep on a lot of things. So I'll ask you, since we don't get him for two weeks, what is your thought process, between the two of you, on the trade deadline? Do you expect to move guys, and if so, how do you handle the locker room and the message that sends to the locker room when you trade players off?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'd say that's a better question for him. I know you're not talking to him for a few weeks. We're kind of locked in on week-to-week opponents and that's where my focus is.

Q: I just meant from the standpoint of… I'm sure he runs it by you if he's going to do it. I'm sure you have an opinion on, 'I want to keep this team together or not.'

BRIAN DABOLL: Any of those conversations we have will be private. Then, once you guys talk to Joe (Schoen), you can talk to Joe (Schoen).

Q: I wasn't there, full disclosure, but just hearing it on the broadcast or whatnot and reading reports about it, frustration's one thing. But, when you have guys fighting on the sideline or whatever, that sounds a little different. What is your concern level for the teammates in the locker room bickering with each other, blaming each other?

BRIAN DABOLL: I don't have concern with that. I think we have guys like (defensive lineman) Dex(ter Lawrence), who's a good leader. I want leaders to be able to do that. Again, that's part of leadership at times. So, we have a close-knit group. It's a competitive game. Things like that are going to happen at times. But our guys are pretty close.

Q: I know we asked you about the two-point conversion last night, but then going into the locker room and talking to the players… The timing of the aspect, is it all synced up together? Daniel (Jones), is he supposed to look at the play right away and then snap the ball quickly? Is he supposed to wait for a guy to set? How does that play out, as you've practiced it, and did it go the way… Well, obviously it didn't go…

BRIAN DABOLL: No, it didn't. We've been practicing it for a while and obviously you couldn't tell after what happened on it. Again, what I told you last night is really what happened. Motor (running back Devin Singletary) was a little bit wide. He was looking at the official. Daniel (Jones) saw a look. You never know how teams are going to line up to a unique formation like that. There was only two guys out there and we wanted to get the ball to (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers). There was a few things going on in the play, but Daniel (Jones) saw the right thing and he did the right thing.

Q: In that situation, is Daniel (Jones)' responsibility basically to see how the defense is playing the formation and then immediately snap the ball so they can't react to it? Where was the issue? Where was the timing issue? Was it on the quarterback snapping the ball too soon?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, Daniel (Jones) did the right thing. He saw what he needed to see. It's a little bit of a surprise play, if you will, surprise formation. He saw the look. Again, you can never tell how teams are going to line up. We've practiced that play probably more than any play and unfortunately it didn't work. But Daniel (Jones) did the right thing.