Joel Bitonio Says The O-Line Has To Stay Ready For Anything
Joel Bitonio Media Availability November 9, 2023
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00:00 >> Joe, what have your thoughts been on the way you guys have been able
00:06 to sustain the running game without Nick,
00:09 and kind of had to go to a back by committee approach?
00:13 >> Yeah, obviously, Nick's a huge component of our run game,
00:19 and he makes up for a lot of things that's not perfectly blocked sometimes.
00:25 But I think Ford, Ream, Pierre have done a good job in finding kind of their niche,
00:32 coming in and running.
00:34 Last week, we weren't quite as successful as we wanted to.
00:35 We knew our defense was gonna play well, so
00:37 we wanted to kind of ball control a little bit.
00:39 We didn't run as efficiently as we wanted to last week.
00:42 But I think guys are starting to understand where we wanna hit the ball,
00:45 where we wanna find the rush lanes, and we're trying to keep those guys fresh.
00:49 So if they're all around anywhere from like eight to 15 carries,
00:53 I think that'll be good for them to- >> Hopefully,
00:55 all three of them kind of bring a different skill set.
00:57 I mean, you got Kareem inside, and I feel like Jerome can take it where he needs to.
01:02 >> Yeah, yeah, it's good.
01:05 Like I said, with Nick, you kind of have all of it in one.
01:08 But Ream, I think, understands his role.
01:10 And then Ford and Pierre can take it the distance if they need to on those outside
01:14 runs and things like that.
01:16 So it's very complimentary, and we're still trying to get the feel.
01:19 But I think we've been slowly progressing.
01:22 >> You played left guard on Sunday?
01:24 >> We'll see.
01:26 No, we're working through that right now.
01:29 Obviously, Jed, a steady left tackle for us, and losing a guy like that.
01:34 Luckily, it's not as bad as could be, but we're kind of figuring that out this week.
01:39 We have a few new bodies in here, so we're getting to know each other a little bit and
01:43 get a little bit extra work in.
01:45 >> You feel comfortable?
01:45 You played last, what was it, like 20?
01:48 >> 2021, yep.
01:49 >> You had to play, what, one or two games?
01:50 >> Two games, two games of left tackle.
01:52 I remember them, no.
01:52 >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, that was a few years ago, but
01:58 I know Bill's working to try and get our five best guys out there.
02:01 And we'll kind of see how that plays out.
02:03 >> I mean, it's a bad timing, that kind of uncertainty against this defense,
02:08 isn't it?
02:08 >> Yeah, they're good for, I mean, they're one of the best defenses in the league.
02:12 They've been playing lights out lately.
02:14 You just look at the last few games, and they've been very dominant.
02:17 The first time we played them, they did a good job with us.
02:20 And they're very confidential, they run a lot of games, picks,
02:24 their backers are very good on the blitz.
02:26 So it's a tough challenge, especially out Baltimore.
02:30 So we're trying to put in that extra work so we're ready to go come Sunday.
02:34 >> Joe, you had said five best guys.
02:37 I think that's an interesting thought because you kind of hear two different
02:40 schools, can you put your five best line men and then figure it out?
02:43 Or do you try to find the five best guys at each position?
02:47 When you've got so much uncertainty,
02:49 how flexible do you have to be in a situation like that?
02:54 >> Yeah, O-line's one of those positions where as the year goes on,
02:58 you're hopeful that everybody stays healthy, but it's a tough position.
03:01 So I think Coach Caledon has had a lot of experience with mixing and
03:05 matching guys and keeping us ready for really no matter what.
03:09 COVID kind of helped with that too, because you have those random sicknesses.
03:12 But it's one of those things where you just stay ready.
03:16 For me, for Wyatt, for Poe, you're trying to understand the whole playbook.
03:22 So if you do have to move out to tackle or do something differently,
03:26 you kind of have an understanding of what's going on out there and
03:29 you can perform as well as you can.
03:31 >> You've gone through seasons where all five guys have made it through the whole
03:34 season, but most of them are playing every snap.
03:36 So just how unsettling is it to be the midway point and
03:41 really not know who your two tackles are gonna be?
03:43 >> Yeah, I mean, obviously, you were hoping at this point it was Jack and
03:48 Jed out there and then DeJuan, he's trying to fight and get back.
03:54 So it's one of those things where we're battling and we know it's football.
03:58 Obviously, you'd rather have your first five out there for the continuity sakes.
04:01 But we're gonna work this week and we're gonna try and do our best.
04:06 >> When you saw Jack and Jed and DeJuan kind of mistime Sunday,
04:10 are you thinking if something happens, I might have to go to tackle?
04:13 >> Yeah, it's always a contingency plan.
04:14 I think, I don't know how many it would be, but the third or
04:19 fourth tackle on game days is usually me.
04:21 So I'm always ready if I have to go out there in a pinch on game day.
04:25 >> It felt like Jed was playing maybe his best ball of his career in the last month
04:28 or so, is that fair?
04:29 Is that what you saw?
04:30 >> Yeah, I think the last couple weeks he has really stepped up.
04:33 I mean, he was good in pass pro, he was running the ball.
04:37 I mean, there's a few times where he was knocking guys down, finishing,
04:40 helping other people out, really good energy.
04:41 So it was definitely unfortunate timing for him, and that's football for you.
04:48 It sucks, the injuries suck, but I think he was understanding what he had to do and
04:53 really is playing some of his better football.
04:56 >> What do you think happened there, Joel?
04:58 I mean, he, to be honest, the other guys are playing much better.
05:01 What do you think, what was the difference?
05:04 >> For Jed?
05:04 >> Yeah.
05:06 I think for him it was just, it's really, each person's different, but
05:11 he was getting in, I think, a comfort, he was understanding.
05:14 I mean, if you just look at his technique,
05:16 I think it was slowly improving throughout the whole process.
05:19 And there was plays where he just had a, to me,
05:22 he just had a good energy about himself.
05:24 I don't know where that comes from, but he was playing with a good energy.
05:27 There was a few times where he was uncovered, and
05:29 he was knocking my guy off and doing all those things.
05:32 So it was good.
05:33 I think it's just development, and it takes time to play a line in this league,
05:36 and he was just taking those little steps.
05:39 >> Amari described this offense as resilient.
05:41 How have you seen the guys respond with injuries and so much uncertainty?
05:46 >> Yeah, very resilient.
05:47 Any time you lose your quarterback, you lose Nick, you lose Jack, Jed now.
05:53 Guys have to step up and coach, part of our mantra as a team is being resilient.
05:59 So we've really focused on that.
06:01 No matter who's out there, we gotta put our best foot forward and
06:05 really try and be resilient for it.
06:08 But I think the group has done a good job.
06:09 Our quarterbacks have come in on short weeks.
06:12 Sometimes guys have been picked up off the street and had to learn a new scheme.
06:16 So we're really trying to fight through that.
06:18 And hopefully, as the season progresses,
06:20 we can get some guys back and try and be at our best.
06:24 >> What's 90, is it 92, right, for Baltimore?
06:27 >> Yeah. >> I don't wanna put your name, but
06:29 what's he doing so well to put up those numbers?
06:32 >> Yeah, he's explosive.
06:34 He's a powerful guy.
06:35 He's, I'm not gonna say undersized, cuz he's like 6'2", 300 pounds.
06:38 But he's not a huge guy, you know what I mean?
06:40 But he's very explosive off the ball.
06:42 And they have a, I mean, he's winning one-on-one matchups too.
06:45 But they have a great pick game, and they do some things with their linebackers
06:49 where he's coming free a lot.
06:50 But he's relentless in the way he's played.
06:52 And he's really, I think over his four years there, he's progressed.
06:55 They've done a good job of kind of developing those guys.
06:56 But he's playing good.
06:57 He plays hard.
06:58 And he's been capitalizing, you can get pressure and stuff, but
07:02 he's been capitalizing on those sacks.
07:03 And obviously, he's leading the league in, I think, D tackles and sacks.
07:07 >> Tell us about what you've gotten to know about him and his game.
07:11 >> Yeah, he's athletic.
07:13 He moves really well.
07:14 I think he played tight end maybe in a past life.
07:17 And he came from San Francisco.
07:20 He had kind of that Shanahan system, which I played in as a rookie.
07:23 So I kind of talked to him about that a little bit.
07:25 He was there with Trent and he's still developing.
07:29 But you can see all the traits are there, like the athleticism, the smarts.
07:32 And he's been fun to work with.
07:34 He runs around pretty good out there.
07:36 So it's good to see him out on the field.
07:38 >> You guys talked about him already before, but just as steady as it seems.
07:43 It feels like no matter what, he's catching these balls.
07:45 He's just kind of the same guy.
07:47 >> Yeah, him and Nick both, when they're out there, you look in their eyes.
07:53 We'd be up 20, we can be down 20.
07:56 And they're just the same guy no matter what at practice, at games.
07:59 They're so focused on the next play and just doing the thing.
08:02 And I think anytime we have a big third down or something,
08:04 you're looking like, all right, is Amar gonna make this play for us?
08:06 And he just comes up with it.
08:08 Even when he looks like he's banged up or something,
08:10 he's back out there two plays later and just does the same thing over time.
08:14 But I think he's been such a steady presence for
08:16 the receiver room and for the offense all year.
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