Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury addressed the media before practice on Dec. 26. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
On getting the run game going against Atlanta:
"Yeah, you got to practice it better. I think that's our biggest deal. This time of year, you don't get a ton of practice reps. Got to keep guys healthy and there's a lot of injuries. And so, when we do practice, it's gotta be intentional, gotta nail it. And I think that's an area we can definitely improve this week. So, they played at a much higher level recently and there's no doubt they're doing a great job against the run, but this week's about us and getting better in that department."
On if the team can win consistently without running the ball well:
"If number five is healthy? Yes. I mean, in this league you're going to have to run at some point. Particularly going through the NFC, you look at some of the teams, some plays you may have to play, but yeah."
On QB Jayden Daniels' consistency and on the key to it continuing:
"I think he just, his belief in himself and his ability just in those moments to just really lock in and focus. And he's as good as I've ever been around as far as just playing the next play. He doesn't let much phase him. He knows the work he's put in during the week and he focuses on that and so it's like the result is what it is, and he can process it and move forward. And for a young guy to be able to handle that with all he has going on has been really impressive."
On Assistant Quarterbacks Coach David Blough and on what he brings to the quarterback room:
"Yeah, he's been phenomenal. He's one of the smartest quarterbacks I've ever been around. I just had him a little bit in Arizona, and he picked up the offense in like five days and we had him starting a couple days later and executed at a really high level. And I was – just his kind of steady habits, how he interacted with other players, how he communicated with the coaches. I always thought this guy would be a phenomenal coach and his experience with the young quarterbacks being so young and so recently a part of the game. I think it carries a lot of weight with those guys. He can share his experiences, a guy who maximized everything he was to get where he is at, and it hits home. And so, he's been a great voice in that room. And then for me, some of the blind spots I have or [Quarterbacks Coach] Tavita [Pritchard] has, having just come out of that role as a backup or having started games, it just carries a lot of weight when he speaks."
On Daniels' relationship with LB Bobby Wagner and on how its grown throughout the year:
"Yeah they do a lot of trash talking but I think Jayden, he has great self-awareness, great situational awareness, he knows that's what greatness looks like. The level he's done it at for so many years, how he carries himself, how he studies, how he plays the game. And that's, I know a goal of Jayden's is to be known as a guy who does it the right way on and off the field. And there's no better role model to have in your locker room than Bobby."
On the parts of the run game that can be cleaned up:
"Yeah, I think just a little bit too much paralysis by over analysis. If you're going to make a mistake, we got to make it full speed. The picture's going to change, defenses are going to do different things, show different fronts but I feel like there's some hesitation. We've got a bunch of smart guys up there that have done a great job sorting things out, but I feel like we're not just firing and we're kind of waiting at this point and it's like, 'Hey, we're going to cut it loose, play downhill.' We make a mistake, we'll go full speed and let the backs play off of it."
On how TE Ben Sinnott has developed:
"Yeah, he's a very skilled football player, there's no doubt. I think the blocking aspect is something that we're continuing to work on with him. It's a different speed, different level of play, but he's made big strides in that area and we'll continue to bring him along. He is behind one of the greatest pass catching tight ends in the history of the league and so that keeps a few reps off his plate, but we're very pleased with his progress so far."
On what made him comfortable giving Daniels control of the offense:
"Yeah, just early on. I mean, when he said something and he had information, it was spot on. He nailed it and he saw coverages and he saw releases and he saw, 'Hey, we got this guy because of this.' And so, it didn't take many plays into like rookie minicamp – it was like, alright, this guy, he's going to be up here as far as recognizing what he's seeing and being able to communicate like that. And that's huge for coaches to be able to coach off that and be able to help through that because there are guys who come up with reasons why this wasn't open, I thought this, and he just will say it as it is. He's the first one to say, my bad if he screws something up too. So, that gains a lot of trust with the coaching staff."
On improving what you're doing versus adding in new wrinkles this late in the season:
"Yeah, I think with him right now, it's just making sure we don't get bored with doing the proper footwork and the correct read and taking the right check down. Which I thought he did a tremendous job avoiding sacks, getting the ball out of his hand, throwing it away last week. Like don't get bored with making the routine play. I mean, he can do the superman stuff when it's called for and he does, but I think that's the biggest deal. Stay within yourself, stay within the system, and when it's time to make those plays, you're going to make those plays. So, he did a really nice job last week and we just got to stay right there with it."
*On Daniels' demeanor after his second interception against Philadelphia and on what was said in that moment: *"Yeah, he doesn't change at all on that stuff. You could just tell from the look in his eye, if we get the ball back, we're going to go win it. And that was like his feel. That's one of the most brazen throws he's probably made, if you will. And I think he was just trying to make a play. But yeah, he reset and there was no like, 'Oh, we lost the game,' or, 'That's on me.' He was like, 'Alright, if we get the ball back, I'm going to go win it.' And that's what the sideline felt and his teammates felt and his coaches felt."
On his coaching point on Daniels' second interception:
"Yeah, if you're going to do that, you gotta complete it [laughs]. That's really it. It's like you can't high-five him for all the ones that work and then crush him for the one that doesn't. I understood it was third-and-long, critical situation, trying to make a play, that that was a bit ambitious of a throw. But yeah, it's like, 'Hey, if you're going to throw that one, got to make it work dog.' And then you move forward."
On if anything with Daniels has surprised him:
"I would say just he's as good a player as he is, he's an even better person towards his teammates, his coaches. Like watching this Christmas stuff, he's a phenomenal human being above all else. And I didn't know him on that level. I knew the tape, I was like, 'This is good as I've seen progressing through and making plays with his feet.' But he is a tremendous person."
*
On the game-winning touchdown play and on if the read is always to throw to WR Jamison Crowder:*
"It was not, it was not. That was a Dave Blough play that he brought with him, and Jamison really sets it high and [TE] Zach [Ertz] comes underneath and Zach's the main target. But Friday practice we repped that and he hit Jamison, a one handed diving catch. And I was like, never seen that before and then we hit in the game. So, it was like some universe shit. And then the second play, this is a true story, the second play, we ended practice with a safe two-point conversion. And at the time I'm like, 'Who does a safe two-point conversion?' Let's just throw it, whatever but it's a run play. You're up one, hopefully they don't pick it off and run it back. And so that situation came up exactly like it did on Friday. So, shoutout DQ and then [Senior Vice President of Football Initiatives] Dave Gardi, our situational guy manifested it, I'm telling you. Yeah, it's not that extreme, but yeah, something like that."
