Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury addressed the media before practice on Oct. 10. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
On what stood out from QB Jayden Daniels after watching the tape:
"Yeah, that's a good defense. We weren't really in rhythm early, but I like the way he battled. He hit the big play to [WR] Terry [McLaurin], which is an unbelievable throw, a great play by those two guys, and then we turn it over going in. But I just like the way he battled. He stayed with it, kept his poise and made some really good decisions in the second half. His operation of the two-minute has really been exceptional in those scenarios. So that's encouraging if we can keep building off that."
On if the Baltimore Ravens can be a measuring stick for Daniels:
"I mean every, I've said it from day one, every day is another chance for us to see where he is at. That's the approach we've taken and that's the work he's putting in every day. He gets here at the same time and grinds at it every day. And we've just talked about making those incremental improvements every day and building from that. So, they have a great defense. It'll be an awesome atmosphere and I know our guys are excited."
On conversations with Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken before coming back to the NFL:
"Yeah, I've known him a long time. He took over at Oklahoma State when [Former Oklahoma State Offensive Coordinator] Dana Gerson left there, so I followed him and just the way he's been able to adapt to his personnel and maximize his personnel. He's been successful everywhere he has been. And I was just picking his brain. He's made that transition a couple times from college and back, and just this time around what they had such success last year running that style with [Baltimore Ravens QB] Lamar [Jackson] of offense, what he liked, what he didn't like, what he would've done differently bringing it in. So, we just had a good conversation. I appreciate him and what he's done there and everywhere else. And just watching it this year with how he's brought [Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick] Henry in and adapted to that and adjusted the scheme to really maximize who they are this year, it's incredible. I mean, he's one of the best offensive minds in football and so it'll be a huge challenge for us."
On if that gave him a different view to adapting to the personnel he has:
"I think I was just trying to see if I did get back in, I was still at USC this time, but if I did get back in, things that I would like to do or change or things he thought that worked this time around when he did it. So, it was just a good candid conversation. A couple guys that have kind of gone back and forth and where we thought really the state of the game is and what you can kind of get away with and what you can't get away with."
On if he would feel comfortable with Daniels dropping back more:
"Yeah, I mean, you know my background [laugh], so we can drop back as much as we want and have fun doing it, but that's not what's best for us right now and who we are. So, yeah, I mean he did it in college. He was in a shootout every week last year. But we're trying to be efficient and maximize who we are and the guys have done a good job executing plays, but if we had to do that, yeah, it'd be fun to watch."
On why the left tackle rotation is working:
"Both are playing at a high level. I've been really impressed with both their attitudes and how they've handled that. It's not always easy rotating. You want to be out there and you want to get in your rhythm, but both guys have really embraced it and made each other better. And with [OT] Brandon [Coleman] missing some significant time in the preseason, I think it allowed him to grow and will continue to allow him to grow. But I think more than anything, just both guys playing at a high level has allowed us to continue that."
On what RB Jeremy McNichols brings to the offense:
"He's a guy that I think all of us we trust in any scenario, any pass game, third and long, blitz pickup, short yardage, goal line, he's going to find a way to get it done. He just does it right and he does it right on special teams and it's every day. It's how he approaches the game. And, you can tell when he scores and has big plays, how guys appreciate him, celebrate him and that's a credit to his work ethic and mental toughness and just kind of how he approaches the game of football."
On the chemistry between the offensive linemen and on their performance in the run game:
"Yeah, I think just like I said before, just the way they kind of can figure things out on the run together, the communication they have and their ability to, even if we just walk something through and maybe don't get a live rep at it, they're able to go into the game and if there's an adjustment to be made, they can make it in real time and hit it and, and nail it. And that's been really impressive. So, I know it wasn't a really hyped group coming into the season, but the way they've just worked and continue to work and continue to kind of support each other has been really cool to see."
On Baltimore Ravens' Senior Advisor Dean Pees impact this weekend:
"I'm not sure. I know he is a great football coach. I knew him back in the [New England] Patriot days. A long time, he's been doing it a long time and I have a great deal of respect for him. So, anytime you get a guy like that to come help, it's definitely going to be a plus and an advantage for them."
On the importance of C Tyler Biadasz's role this week:
"Yeah, I think we can, you're going to have your challenges, but on the road in that environment with the noise and with the tough scheme that they have, it's definitely going to be amplified with that. Ge and Jayden have really got a good relationship going and have built from week one, and I think that'll continue, but this is definitely a huge challenge with what they do schematically and then the noise factor."
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On WR Luke McCaffrey and WR Dyami Brown's performance in the last few weeks:*
"Yeah, they just keep getting better and better. I've been with Luke, he hasn't played wide receiver that long, so each day he works his tail off. We track him with GPS and their output and effort and he's always redlining how much he's going at practice to the point where you gotta kind of slow him down. And then Dyami's a guy coming in, I remember from North Carolina, really explosive player and then hadn't done much, but just has been straight business since we got here and has worked and worked and worked. And even bringing [WR] Noah [Brown] in who took some reps, he didn't blink, continue to work, continue to get better. So, to see him have those moments has been awesome and we're going to need all of them. They're a bunch of guys who haven't had a lot of opportunities, some of these guys, and they're making the most of them. So that's been fun."
On the success on fourth down conversions and on the confidence to go for it on 4th & 3 in the second quarter last week:
"That's where the confidence lies. I think that he [Daniels] can do that, I mean we had a free rusher, a free runner and he just makes the miss. He's a tremendous player, makes a miss and goes for 40. So, you have a guy who can hurt you with your arm, with your legs, even if it's not the perfect call or the perfect look. I think we all have a lot of confidence in putting the ball in his hands and we got some playmakers that can get open."
On takeaways from both teams having played the Cincinnati Bengals:
"Yeah, not a ton. I think I watched Cincinnati's offense and [Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe] Burrow was awesome. He's getting the ball out quick, on time, handled the pressures. They got two really good receivers, so we're different schematically than them and so was definitely impressed by how they handled a lot of the stuff Baltimore did. But don't think you can really compare those two scenarios that we have coming up."
On if opposing defenses are starting to respect the offense's ability on the ground:
"Yeah, I'm not sure. That's never really been what we've been trying to be about. It's more just maximize that week, what we can do offensively to score the most points. So, if we got to run it every play, we will. If we got to throw it, we'll throw it. But our guys have done a nice job. It helps when Jayden's adding those type of yards of his own. But that Baltimore rushing attack is vaunted right now when I watch their offense every week and what they're doing. So, we'd have a long way to go to kind of reach that level."
On RB Brian Robinson Jr.:
Yeah, definitely. He's going to be vital to us moving forward and we want to be smart. If he's not feeling one hundred percent or we think we can rest him in a way, then we're going to do that. And luckily that game was in hand by early in the second half and we were able to do that. But he's a guy who, another guy on those fourth downs, he's a guy you feel good about handing it to. He is going to find a way to get that tough yard. And we got to make sure we have him for the long haul."
