Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams's weekly press conference ahead of the season finale with the Denver Broncos.
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00:00 >> Seeing from Nate since he became the starter, as far as his growth goes?
00:02 >> I mean, there's been some things that I've seen consistent that were good,
00:08 and then there's some things that weren't as great.
00:10 And then I've seen him transform and turn in his strengths.
00:13 So he's done, obviously, a really good job of commanding the offense and
00:18 staying poised.
00:19 At no point have I really seen him too rattled.
00:22 The game can be difficult, and it's not like it's easy all the time for him.
00:26 But definitely seeing his composure and his poise is one of the things that I've
00:30 seen evolve.
00:31 He was a little bit, not frantic, but you could see he was a rookie,
00:36 a little bit in the huddle before.
00:37 And then that quickly changed as he got a little bit more confident and
00:41 a little bit more experienced out there.
00:44 And did a good job of just staying positive and
00:47 keeping everybody's head up throughout the entirety of the game.
00:51 >> You've had a voice in this organization since you came here.
00:55 What type of input do you expect to have in terms of what they do with the coaching
00:59 staff after this season?
01:01 >> We'll have conversations, obviously, the same as what we did before.
01:07 And we'll continue to try to figure out what's best for the team.
01:10 And I don't have any expectation, but we'll see what happens.
01:14 >> I think last week you said that AP made a lasting impression on you,
01:19 starting back before he was even the coach when he spoke to the team.
01:22 Aiden just said something really similar,
01:24 that he made an impact on him when he spoke to the rookies.
01:27 I know there's a lot that goes into coaching, but
01:30 what makes him so good at connecting in that way, in the speeches, and
01:34 saying the right things to make an impact?
01:36 >> Well, just that experience, like I said before, a bunch of times having played,
01:41 understanding where we come from to be able to give a good assessment of the game,
01:47 as far as our effort, whatever it is.
01:49 Sometimes it's hard to really know if you don't, I can't go and see,
01:53 I can't tell you how hard a dog is going, because I don't know what it feels like
01:58 to be a dog, and well, my version of being a dog, but not an actual dog.
02:04 So it's hard to say that dog is not going hard enough.
02:07 You don't know if that dog's tired or whatever the case is.
02:09 So having played, you understand that part of it.
02:12 And he just has a realistic approach and
02:15 mindset of how the game is supposed to be played and what he expects from his players.
02:19 And it's easy to get behind that.
02:21 >> Talking with every guy in the locker room, they love Stewart and Dorsey.
02:26 So how important is it just from, regardless of who gets the job,
02:29 having the sound and the gas and just that energy shift that's what they're here for?
02:32 >> Yeah, I mean, it's obviously who I wanted, that's my vote.
02:36 And I've been vocal about that.
02:37 And that's basically how the whole locker room feels, and with good reason.
02:42 I mean, he's come in and done a great job.
02:44 And he's continued to win us over.
02:47 It's not just the comfortable thing.
02:49 I think having AP here will be good for this organization.
02:54 He kind of embodies what it means to be a Raider.
02:57 That mentality, that swag, and all the things that he endorses is the things
03:01 that I'm doing.
03:02 So it's easy for a guy like me, especially having dealt with him a little bit this
03:06 year now, and gotten to know him and see his evolution in front of the team.
03:10 All those things, all the different fields, being a head coach.
03:13 So definitely, definitely rooted for him.
03:16 >> But do you think, given that his defensive background, he's a defensive guy,
03:21 that if he did get the opportunity to coach again for the team next year,
03:25 he'd know a lot on the offensive side?
03:27 Do you feel like he could be one of the voices that helps him in that regard?
03:31 >> Yeah, I mean, that's kind of what it's been.
03:33 That's been part of my role since I've been here,
03:35 even with Josh and Dave here running the thing.
03:38 It's been a part of my responsibility to teach guys and
03:42 help with the scheme, whether it's trying to figure out ways to give me the ball or
03:48 other people, whatever the case may be.
03:49 So I would expect that that would stay consistent.
03:53 And that's something that I enjoy having that type of impact or
03:59 helping the team as much as I can.
04:00 >> Devante, those of us that know you, know you're a man of character, integrity,
04:04 you're not a BSer, you're genuine.
04:06 That's AP.
04:08 For how much does that relate to players?
04:11 And is that why you think he's got such command of that locker room, sir?
04:14 >> Yeah, I mean, I think everybody who's a straight shooter doesn't really,
04:20 you don't like a BSer.
04:22 You don't want anybody's gonna get in there and blow smoke or whatever it is.
04:25 You keep calling it how it is and you either like it or love that.
04:30 And or like, excuse me, love it or hate it.
04:34 And for me, I want the people that loves it to tell me exactly what you think,
04:37 exactly what you feel.
04:39 Keep it real about the situation that we're in and all that.
04:42 And that's, like you said, that's who we are.
04:44 So it makes it easy to endorse that type of coaching,
04:49 that type of mindset when we all kinda carry that same type of mentality.
04:56 >> Not necessarily in any, but just in all of the teams,
04:58 what's the biggest thing that you've noticed from point to point?
05:03 >> I would just say the tenacity, the attention.
05:07 Obviously, for the most part, guys wanna go out and do the right thing, but
05:10 just a little bit more attention this year.
05:11 A little bit more gritty up front, a little nastier.
05:15 Took care of a lot of the issues that people were expecting to be a problem for
05:19 us.
05:20 They went out and handled it and made sure that they weren't, or
05:23 if they were before, the second time around,
05:25 they were basically eliminated from the game.
05:27 So having those type of, knowing that you gotta take a gap away on defense or
05:32 whatever it is, and that's another piece.
05:34 Just our defense being as consistent as what they were this year.
05:38 That's one of the best defenses that I've gotten to play with.
05:41 So it's exciting when you hear that type of opinion.
05:44 And hopefully that won't be the case moving forward.
05:48 But still excited to know that they get to be going home and home court.
05:53 >> In terms of this Sunday's game, since you haven't played the Broncos since week
05:56 one, do you look at more recent tape on games that they played, or
06:00 do you look more at week one?
06:01 >> A little bit of everything.
06:04 I mean, we have a long way to go, a lot of tape to watch.
06:06 So I watch all the games, not every single game, but
06:10 I watch, I pick a certain amount that I want to.
06:12 And sometimes it just goes off of who's on offense at certain moments.
06:16 But definitely a peek back at the week one,
06:18 a lot of things have changed with the personnel.
06:20 Guys are playing and not playing, so you gotta look at some recent stuff too.
06:25 >> Devonta, in your opinion, where has AP grown the most as a head coach?
06:28 >> It's just a lot of different nuances that
06:33 you have to learn and get used to being a head coach.
06:37 Just the way you have to lead a meeting, just the flow of being a head coach.
06:42 A lot of things, it's hard to even pinpoint exactly what to call it, but
06:45 just the way he's commanded the team and conducted himself in front of the team.
06:50 As far as after wins, losses, it's not really a roller coaster.
06:54 It's more off of the attention.
06:55 Are we flying around?
06:58 Are we assignment sound?
07:00 All those type of things versus just coming down and riding a roller coaster of
07:04 wins and losses, which is something that he could easily stress over,
07:08 knowing that it's important from the win to keep a job.
07:11 But he makes sure that he's got a certain level of
07:15 security out there that you can feel.
07:18 And it's exciting to watch,
07:22 because obviously you see the things that he's done with his team.
07:24 And it's exciting for me to know what's to come.
07:28 >> And any thoughts on four consecutive seasons over 1,000 yards?
07:35 >> I mean, you never know how to respond in a time like this.
07:41 We were in a better position as a team, it'd be more enjoyable.
07:45 But obviously it's exciting to be able to, it's a good notch to be able to hit.
07:49 But 1,000 yards is not really my mark for
07:54 what I consider necessarily a good season.
07:56 Obviously it's good because everybody else is minding me so much.
07:59 But I also had two seasons of 997 and
08:02 they acted like I didn't have 1,000 yards that year.
08:04 So it's like, it is what it is.
08:07 >> What is the mark?
08:08 >> I don't know what the mark is, honestly, but not 1,000, not with 17 games.
08:12 But it is what it is, and it's good to,
08:14 I'm happy to have been healthy enough to play 17 games, going on 17 and
08:20 letting the good Lord take care of everything else.
08:22 >> Obviously every season has a different story, but
08:25 just to have kind of a similar record to last season, does it feel different?
08:29 There was a sense of growth, kind of like a copy and paste.
08:31 >> There was growth, it was definitely a different feel than it was last year.
08:35 Even earlier in the year, a lot of things changed.
08:38 Bunch of quarterbacks and we had some big changes.
08:41 A lot of things that we, I'm proud of what this team was able to fight through.
08:45 It seems like the Raiders are always fighting through some sort of something,
08:50 whether it's a player and something's going on or coaching change or whatever.
08:54 But I'm proud of the way that these guys were able to rally, stay together,
08:58 continue to play hard, get some meaningful wins down the stretch.
09:01 And it's not where we wanna end up, but you can't cry over spilt milk.
09:05 You just gotta go clean it up and figure it out after that.
09:08 [BLANK_AUDIO]