Dennis Allen discusses injuries and Tampa Bay Buccaneers matchup.
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00:00 >> Is there any chance he would activate after this?
00:06 >> Yeah, so I don't know the rule activating this week.
00:11 I don't think he's gonna be ready this week.
00:15 But he had a good week of practice.
00:18 He's certainly getting much closer.
00:21 >> How have you seen just Lenny Young kind of step in and play,
00:24 just in the role he's been?
00:26 >> Yeah, look, I think he stepped in and done a nice job.
00:31 I think there's certainly some things that he can continue to improve on.
00:35 I think from where he was early part of the year to where he is now,
00:39 I think he's improved a lot.
00:41 And he's gonna have to step up and play well in this game.
00:44 >> How do you guys kind of view Ryan's situation,
00:47 the uncertainty around Ryan's situation?
00:50 >> Yeah, look, I mean, I think we just gotta see how it goes.
00:54 There's a lot of communication going on with him and
00:58 the doctors in terms of what the right thing to do is.
01:03 And so I think we're not at the point where we've made any final decisions on that.
01:08 I think we're still gathering information, evaluating what our options are,
01:12 and then we'll see where that's at.
01:13 >> And then just as a team or staff or whatever, just what is the challenge when
01:17 you're down on both tackles you envisioned going into the start of the season and
01:21 having different guys?
01:22 >> Look, I mean, I think that's been a little bit of the challenge for
01:26 us offensive line wise, kind of throughout the season,
01:29 is being able to have the same five guys out there on a consistent basis.
01:33 I think the offensive line is one of those positions where there's so
01:37 much continuity that goes along with that position, so
01:39 much communication that goes along with that position.
01:42 That it makes it more challenging, but
01:45 we're not the only team in our league that has to face those types of things.
01:50 It's just another one of those challenges that we have to manage.
01:55 And the five guys that go out there and play,
01:58 they gotta go out there and play at a high level.
02:00 And if we're gonna have an opportunity to win,
02:03 our offensive line's gonna have to play well.
02:04 >> Does that affect the backs at all, just kind of when there is a different guy,
02:07 like I don't know if there's like a level of chemistry or just kind of knowing.
02:10 >> Yeah, well, I think all that is orchestrated together.
02:15 And so I think the more continuity you have, the better it's gonna be.
02:19 But yet that's not the world we live in.
02:22 We don't live in a perfect world where it's always exactly how we want it to be.
02:26 And we gotta be able to adjust and still perform at a high level.
02:30 >> Dennis, looking at Antoine Winfield's numbers,
02:34 you're kind of crazy this year, a lot of force fumbles, a lot of sags,
02:38 a lot of tackle, what kind of jumps out about him when you're watching him on tape?
02:42 >> Look, a lot.
02:44 He's a really good tackler.
02:48 He's smart, he's instinctive, really good around the ball.
02:52 He's a good pressure player, they blitz him a lot.
02:55 He's just a hell of a football player and makes a lot of plays.
03:01 And so he's one of those guys that we have to identify.
03:04 I think he's one of the better players on their defense.
03:06 And so you gotta know where he's at and be able to account for him.
03:10 >> You have to be more kind than usual, just not false security when somebody's
03:13 just so- >> Yeah, absolutely.
03:15 I mean, I think these guys, traditionally, Todd Bowles' defenses have done a good
03:20 job of taking the ball away, they attack the football, they try to,
03:23 they're punching at the ball every opportunity they have.
03:26 So we're gonna have to do a great job with ball security in this game.
03:31 Everybody that's got the ball in their hands, really at the end of the day,
03:34 has the livelihoods of all of us in their hands.
03:38 And they gotta make sure they're protecting the ball as such.
03:42 >> Why do you think you guys are just so good at affecting punts and
03:45 getting guys in situations to do that?
03:47 >> Well, look, I mean, I think Riz does a good job with special teams,
03:51 him and Phil both.
03:52 They work hard at it.
03:55 They really work at designing ways to get guys free to get to the punter.
04:05 And then I think our guys have executed the plan.
04:11 And we got a lot of guys on special teams I think have played well in that phase
04:16 of the game, in all phases, both in the coverage units and in the return units.
04:22 >> And just how do you see my wife there respond to this last week?
04:25 >> Yeah, look, he's responded well.
04:27 Everything doesn't go exactly how you want it to go all the time.
04:32 And sometimes you have some rough patches and
04:35 sometimes you have some adversity that you have to face.
04:37 There's nobody that's ever gone through life in general has ever gone
04:42 through life without any adversity, and it's really about how you respond to it.
04:47 And so he's had a good week of practice.
04:49 And I'm excited about going out and watching him play.
04:53 And I think he'll play well.
04:54 >> Jim, he's a younger player.
04:56 Do you have to approach that any differently?
04:57 Or just how has the communication been between you and him,
05:00 getting him back up to speed?
05:01 >> Yeah, look, I think the communication's been good.
05:07 Look, he's playing a position that he really hadn't played a lot
05:12 up until this season.
05:13 And there's a lot that goes on at that position.
05:19 But he's responded to every challenge that he's been faced with.
05:24 And this is just another one he's faced with, and he'll respond well.
05:27 >> What is the Alvin today?
05:29 >> Alvin and Lou Hedley both were out with an illness today.
05:34 >> First time you guys faced them, Derek Carr was still kind of affected by
05:38 the shoulder injury, just now that he's talking.
05:41 How big of a difference did that make?
05:43 >> Well, hopefully it's gonna be a big difference.
05:44 But it's not a one man game.
05:52 Obviously we need Derek to play well, but we need everybody around him to play well.
05:56 And so it's gonna be a total team effort.
06:01 >> Is there any expectation that Kendrick will be back?
06:05 >> Well, he's available now, whether he's up for the game or not.
06:10 We'll wait and make that determination on game day.
06:12 >> And the whole team knows the situation,
06:16 the coaching staff knows the whole situation, which is that these last two games.
06:18 How have you felt the team has responded leading up to this week in terms of
06:24 knowing what is on the line there?
06:25 >> I think all of us understand what's on the line here.
06:29 And so I thought we had a good week of prep, and
06:33 now we just gotta go out and do it on Sunday.
06:34 [BLANK_AUDIO]
06:38 All right guys, thanks.