Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen addresses the media following Wednesday's practice, as his team gets ready to face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. (Courtesy of the Buffalo Bills)
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00:00Getting the receiver group settled, injuries kind of crumbled up.
00:05What are the challenges now, not knowing if you're gonna have a key on that?
00:09We don't know about Amari yet either.
00:11Yeah, I mean, throughout the course of the season, that's gonna happen.
00:13That's the name of the game.
00:15It's not if you get hurt, it's when you get hurt, right?
00:18So just dealing with whether we have new guys or
00:22we got to get them moving around a little bit today, that was good to see.
00:26So jury's still out and again, we rock with who we got.
00:30We do a good job in our offensive unit meetings and getting guys ready to go.
00:34So whatever the case is, we'll be prepared.
00:37So you were, I think you were probably 11 years old when Flacco was drafted.
00:45That's pretty crazy, isn't it?
00:47Yeah, no, he's an absolute baller.
00:50He throws one of the prettiest balls you'll ever see.
00:54I got the chance to spend a little bit of time with him in Tahoe at the golf
00:57tournament this last year, and he's an awesome guy too.
01:00So he's been around some of my friends, whether it was in New York with Sam or
01:05Mike, so I've heard a lot of good stories, a lot of good things about him, and
01:08I got to see it firsthand in Tahoe.
01:10So I got a lot of respect for him and his game.
01:12So Super Bowl winning quarterback, he's one of the ones.
01:19He's a fantastic player, but an even better person.
01:22I realize Navarri's been out, but just working with him in meetings,
01:26just how do you feel he's picked up the scheme in general,
01:29being an experienced guy that he is?
01:31Yeah, I mean, since day one when he stepped in the building, he was ready to go.
01:34And he's only, again, continued to learn the playbook and
01:38learn his role in this offense.
01:39And whether we get him back this week or the next or whenever that case is,
01:43I know he's gonna be ready to go.
01:44And it'll be kind of plug and play and feel pretty seamless out there.
01:48Couple familiar faces back, Jordan, Quinton.
01:52From your experience with them, what do they bring to the defense?
01:55What do they bring to the locker room?
01:56Well, big bodies, number one, the familiarity with what we got going on here
02:01in Buffalo and type of men that we have in this locker room.
02:05And they've been playing really good football.
02:07I think Q had 10 plus sacks last year, if I recall correctly.
02:12And I know Phil hasn't been playing much this year with an injury,
02:17but glad to have those two back.
02:19They've been, again, good locker room guys for us.
02:21And they'll make an immediate impact on the field.
02:24What do you see in this Colts defense?
02:26What are some of the issues you're gonna be dealing with?
02:28Yeah, I mean, I think they move around well.
02:30They're linebackers.
02:32They flow very, very fast.
02:34It's the hard group to run on.
02:36And they play a lot of bend, don't break defense,
02:38where they're gonna force you to take some things that are underneath.
02:42I think their pass rush unit's pretty dang good.
02:45And as we get more into the third down in the red zone today and
02:50tomorrow, we'll get a better sense of it.
02:51But you look at every game that they've played, they've been in every single one.
02:57And I think that's large in part due to their defense, creating some takeaways,
03:03and forcing field goals and
03:06not touchdowns down there in the red zone, so it's a really good unit.
03:10You saw that all day last week against Manhattan.
03:12Everything was, they wanted to just keep you in front.
03:15So you're seeing that with the Colts too when you watch them on film.
03:18It's gonna be similar, you think?
03:19Yeah, I think so.
03:22And again, every team's got different wrinkles when they play us.
03:24And we'll have to be prepared and ready to adjust in game.
03:28But typically, from what they've shown this year, pretty heavy in zone defense.
03:34Don't bring a whole lot of pressures on first and second down.
03:37But when they get you in third down, they're a good unit.
03:41So we gotta be prepared for their best punch.
03:43All right, to put you off, talk to Joe this week a little bit about how he's
03:47wanting to call plays that guys wanna see out there and that kind of thing.
03:50And from the Friday meetings and all that, what has been the impact from your
03:53perspective of running plays that guys maybe wanna see and that sort of thing?
03:58Yeah, I think a lot of it's ownership, guys taking accountability of,
04:01if I told Joe that I want this play and he calls it, I gotta go and
04:04make it work, because we're putting ourselves on the line there,
04:09in terms of him trusting us.
04:10And as long as we keep executing some of the plays that we like,
04:15he's gonna keep calling them.
04:16So again, the more you do, Joe always talks about
04:21the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more.
04:24So that's all it really is,
04:25is just making sure that we're holding ourselves accountable.
04:28And if he's gonna go out there and be a friendly play caller like that,
04:33that we gotta make it work and make him look good at the same time.
04:36Obviously, he wants to call plays that you're comfortable with, especially.
04:39But do you have any examples of maybe something you were really passionate,
04:43that he called that maybe he wasn't sure, or there was conversation about?
04:46Yeah, I mean, I think it comes down to even going back to a couple weeks ago in
04:51Seattle, third down, third and short, there was a timeout, go over to the sideline.
04:56I told him a play that I wanted, and he called it, and it worked out.
04:59And it's fulfilling for me that it works, but for him too,
05:03I trust this guy and what he's seeing.
05:06And to have a healthy relationship like that with your OC and
05:10he trusts you like that, it's a dang good feeling.
05:12When you go into an offseason, what is your kind of process for
05:16how to go about year over year improvement?
05:20And has it evolved at all over your career?
05:22Yeah, I think each and every year,
05:24it's just again finding something that I wanna improve on.
05:27There's always something.
05:28I think this last year especially was the mental part of the game and
05:31understanding the offense.
05:32And just making sure that I'm making good decisions with the football,
05:37trying to limit turnovers.
05:38And I'm not going out there and not trying to throw interceptions.
05:41I think I'm just going out there trying to make the right decision.
05:43And then trusting my arm, trusting my feet, and trusting the guys around me.
05:48And being okay with whatever outcome comes with it.
05:51You mentioned the command you've got now with the team and
05:53the offense, as something that stuck out to him for you this year.
05:58Is that a natural outgrowth you think of?
06:00You just getting a year older, being around?
06:02Where does it come from, the team getting a little younger and a little?
06:05Yeah, I think it's a natural progression throughout the years that I've been
06:08in the league.
06:08And I wouldn't say that I had this type of command in my first couple years.
06:13And every year that I've, again, grown and seen more football and
06:16been in different situations.
06:18And been with different teammates and
06:20learning how to handle different personalities, that all plays into it.
06:25And again, that offseason is a good time to sit back and reflect and
06:29bank those mental notes.
06:30And really figure out how to be the best leader and
06:33the best teammate that I can be.
06:34So how do you do that?
06:36How do you hone a mental approach when you're not playing football?
06:39Is it just watching film?
06:40Was it talking to coaches?
06:42What's- Yeah, I mean, talking with coaches, obviously watching film.
06:46But again, talking with teammates and staying in touch and
06:48making sure that we're on the same page.
06:51And trying to get, again, as many mental reps as possible.
06:55Whether we're on a football field or
06:57we're just hanging out, if we're on the golf course.
06:59Again, talking, getting to know somebody deeper.
07:02Cuz I do believe that pays dividends on the football field.
07:05What's it like when the switch goes on for
07:09the offense that's happened after that turnover in the third quarter on Sunday?
07:14There's been several games where you guys have just went touchdown, touchdown,
07:17touchdown.
07:18What's that like and why is it?
07:22Well, I think it's a good feeling when the switch is on.
07:25And hopefully we can get that switch turned on when the game starts.
07:29But I think it's a culmination of a few things.
07:33Whether it's early on, just again, being mentally prepared, ready to go.
07:38But also wearing on teams.
07:41Committing to the run game and getting the screen game involved and
07:46taking our shots.
07:46But when they're not there, checking it down and
07:48making sure that we're holding on to the ball and
07:50ending every possession and a kick.
07:51Albeit a pun, a field goal, or a touchdown, or a point after touchdown.
07:58Just again, I think the more plays that you can run,
08:01the more opportunities that you have.
08:02And again, our O-line's done such a good job of creating lanes in the run game.
08:08Our running backs are running it hard.
08:11And that puts the defense in a tough situation throughout an entire game.
08:14Josh, you talked with Elena that there are times this year where you've said on
08:18third down, I wanna run this play.
08:20Is that something new this year?
08:22Or is it your confidence level with the offense and
08:25where you are in your career that you've started to say, hey, I want this?
08:30Is that something new?
08:31Did you do that your rookie year?
08:32Or is this just something that-
08:33Yeah, I don't think I did it my rookie year, but it's not entirely new.
08:38But again, for really a first year play caller, if you will, with Joe and me.
08:45I know we had half a year last year, and this is the first full year.
08:49But for him to have that trust in me so early,
08:50that's obviously something that we've talked about.
08:53And we trust each other and feel good about.
08:56And our relationship's only growing.
08:58So I appreciate and respect him for that and
09:01trusting me in those types of situations.
09:03But ultimately, again, whatever he calls, I'm gonna go up there and
09:06try to execute to the best of my ability.
09:09Any major moves, trades in terms of yesterday?
09:12What do you think that says about his belief in this roster?
09:15Yeah, I know he trusts the guy in this room, trusts the guys in this room.
09:19And we've got a lot of love and a lot of faith in each other in this building.
09:23And ultimately, that's the only thing that matters.
09:26You mentioned Joe's a first time play caller with this organization.
09:32Coach Curry comes in.
09:33What does he bring to the table as quarterbacks?
09:35RC's been awesome.
09:37He brings familiarity with Joe.
09:39Obviously, they were in New Orleans together for quite some time.
09:43He's been around really good offenses.
09:45He's been around Drew Brees.
09:46He's one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
09:48A lot of good tidbits of information.
09:52His ability to not just to speak to the quarterbacks, but
09:55when we meet as wide receiver group, he's played the position.
09:59He's done that.
09:59He understands sometimes the way communication needs to be had
10:06about certain routes or concepts with certain guys.
10:09And he's been a tremendous help for me.
10:12I owe a lot of success to him this year because he's been fantastic.
10:16And really, everybody in that room has been so great.
10:17Over the years, you've talked about taking guys off the field and
10:22getting them to the courts.
10:23Where did you learn that?
10:25Because we've never really asked you, where did you see that?
10:27How did you learn that that was an important thing?
10:30I mean, I think it's just kind of how I grew up.
10:32I actually grew up in the middle of nowhere, really just had my family.
10:37Mom was a stay-at-home mom and took care of us, and Dad was working a lot.
10:40But when we got into high school, whether we were hanging out with friends or
10:46teammates, my parents did such a good job of having everyone at our place.
10:51And maybe I just, it's a learned trait of seeing that.
10:55It was just spending time with other people and just getting to know each other.
10:59Again, not a whole lot to do out on the farm, except to play cards,
11:03play outside, play some video games with each other.
11:05So I think that's kind of where it stems from.
11:08Can you mention what it does for, when Joe Brady calls a play that you like and
11:12what it does for you personally?
11:13What happens when he calls a play that one of your teammates like?
11:16What's it like to see them get something they've worked hard at kind of
11:18affirmed by him?
11:20They know it, they understand, they appreciate it, especially early on in
11:23the game when we're sitting in that meeting like,
11:27what play do you want to get going early, Khalil?
11:29What would get you going?
11:30And he gives a play and Joe's like, all right, that's play number three, right?
11:34So early on, it's a good feeling as a receiver or a tight end or
11:40a running back or even an O-line to know that what I'm saying is being heard by
11:44the guy that's calling the plays when we're on the field.
11:46One more question about Joe.
11:47Do different offensive coordinators have different ways of sort of approaching
11:51adjustments at halftime?
11:52How does Joe approach that specifically and
11:54maybe how has that allowed you guys to be so successful in the second half?
11:59Yeah, he's been as consistent as possible in terms of when we're in there,
12:02it's hey, we're not gonna blink.
12:04We're gonna keep calling what we're calling.
12:05Let's keep wearing on guys and just hit our opportunities and play better.
12:11It's what it comes down to is going out there and
12:12executing the play that he calls.