Raiders DT Butler from Browns Week locker room

Below is the transcript of everything coach Antonio Smith said in his final press conference of the week on Friday:

Q: What did you learn about your team this week from watching them react last Sunday?

Coach Pierce: “Character. This is what we talked about this week. True character emerges through adversity, through trials and we are humbled. I think we all understand that you always do your best, not that we haven’t, but that will always be at the forefront. And when something lacks detail or is missing something, they are exposed. I think that was obviously a good wake-up call. I don’t want to have a wake-up call, but I did, and that’s how you react. So character is a big word for us this week.”

Q: At all times in your life, you have been recognized as a leader. It’s about your leadership skills here, not to say they’re tested or anything like that, but leadership is a big part of it. How do you plan to respond and help this team navigate this situation?

Coach Pierce: “Yeah. I mean, I think we all go through this. This is the first time I’ve experienced this situation as a head coach, right? A bit disappointing. But like everything else, we’re talking about the 24-hour rule for players, there has to be a 24-hour rule for coaches, and then there’s a new opponent, right? There’s a new target this week, and it’s the Cleveland Browns at home, another great opportunity for us. And when I say words to players and I talk about characters for example, I also talk to myself. And then, how to deal with adversity? How to handle these situations that you haven’t seen clearly? So you go back, you really think, you understand, you move forward and you move forward. And every week is not the same week. There are always different things and different obstacles that you have to overcome. So that’s really a big part of it. Like you said, my leadership is getting these guys going, getting them ready to play and making sure we produce a good product on the field. »

Q: What do you expect from Maxx Crosby to play on Sunday? Coach Pierce: “He’ll be out.” Q: Davante Adams?

Coach Pierce: “Out. »

Q: Michael Mayer?

Coach Pierce: “Out. »

Q: Back to that. That’s no disrespect to Cleveland, but is this game more about the Raiders than the Browns? Co

ach Pierce: “To be honest every game. I said it last week against Carolina. I didn’t mean that in a disrespectful way. It’s always about us, isn’t it? We are always worried about ourselves. We don’t care who isn’t playing for the other team, or what problems they’re going through. We have ours, as I just announced earlier. It’s about getting better and getting the best 11 and preparing the best team to execute situational football, end of half, end of game and play a complete game with effort and passion which we have demonstrated. “.

Q: You just mentioned that two of your best players won’t be in this game and Michael Mayer at tight end. Possibility for certain young players, other players, to gain strength.

Coach Pierce: “And we’re excited. I mean, great opportunity, Harrison Bryant, (John Samel) Shenker, Brock Bowers, feel good about those three. And then talk about Davante (Adams), but you have Jakobi. Meyers, who we feel really good about and obviously, and on most teams, he’ll be there number one, and it’s a great opportunity for him to show that as well. need to be Davante Adams, I don’t need one I don’t need another Davante, there’s only one, isn’t there? the best version of Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, DJ Turner and the rest of these receivers.

Q: Do you have any thoughts on Davante Adams as far as what happened with the hamstring, how long it might last?

Coach Pierce: “No, I don’t know. I just know he’s out this week. But he’s kind of like Maxx (Crosby), you’ve got to give those guys week to week, really day to day day. You never know how they I will respond. They have been doing this for a long time in their career, but I just know that for this week, he will be absent.

Q: Did this happen yesterday at practice?

Coach Pierce: “Yes.”

Q: You had a couple other guys, Divine Deablo and Thayer Munford, are they out?

Coach Pierce: “They’ll be out.”

Q: What differences have you noticed between motivating a group of guys as a player versus as a head coach?

Coach Pierce: “Everybody’s different. I mean, I don’t talk to quarterbacks like I talk to linebackers, right? But the message to the team is the message of the team and what’s our thought process again, the mindset this week was We really want to enjoy it, I know they were disappointed, as were we, but we expect them to be loud. and Raider Nation to introduce themselves But as a player you probably find yourself more in-your-face, like here, eye-to-eye, and as a team you have to see the big picture, and you can’t. not. And I don’t really think about doing that. I’m more direct and more direct. They understand that, and then we move on. It’s absolutely nothing personal, right? call: “AP, you’re not the same today. So, that’s a good thing, I think, just the lines of communication, having them open throughout the week, especially in times like this.” -here, where we are harassed by strangers, who try to turn us against each other, and that’s it. It’s not going to happen.”

Q: There’s a cliché: stay prepared so you don’t have to prepare. But what is it that allows some of these guys who have started coming in the last few days, who maybe didn’t expect to start at first, who may have to step up now?

Coach Pierce: “I think, obviously, the Davante (Adams) one that just happened, it’s more recent, but you have a lot of reps in practice where you give a player one or two reps where Davante maybe doesn’t compete this series or on this particular play So I think that’s an example I think Edgar Bennett and a lot of our coaches are doing a good job of keeping players on side. them, especially in training camp, but. With these mental reps, we do a lot of developmental things throughout practice to give guys opportunities. Our scout team is not a “look” team. “, we are really competing and we are trying to reflect as best we can what the defense wants from our offense we have to give, but staying within the framework of our technique and our program. So, there is a lot. teaching that takes place throughout the day. A lot of our morning portions are having our development group involved, or the guys are not active, or working out. team, opportunities to meet the coaches and get more training, right? So, we are doing a good job in this area. So we’ll see what happens next Sunday. But we’re really feeling it, giving these guys the last 12 hours and now today and tomorrow to get ready for the game. »

Q: You talked about Tyree Wilson earlier this week, but other Edge Rushers, like Janarius Robinson and Charles Snowden, what are the things you really need to see from them this week that you really want to be in the movie?

Coach Pierce: “Just be them. Again, I’ll say it: ‘Don’t be Maxx Crosby, but don’t worry about being Maxx Crosby. Don’t put on a cape, don’t try to be 98, be number nine (Tyree Wilson), be 44 (K’Lavon Chaisson), be 49 (Charles Snowden), be 97 (Janarius Robinson) and just give us your best Don’t try to be that. type, to be. the hero of the game. Just be a team player. Be a D-end If you have to set the edge, set the edge, just do your job. that if we do it enough at all levels, we will get the results we want.”

Q: In the case of Michael Mayer, this was mentioned as a personal reason, could you enlighten us on this, are these family reasons?

Coach Pierce: “It’s just personal, I just have to keep it there.”

Q: More of a community question, you mentioned the crowd a little while ago in one of your answers, but you’re going to have the Little League World Series team there this Sunday, and of course Adam Johnson is on of your team here with the Raiders. Why is it so important to you to just have that community connection when gaming? Coach Pierce: “I mean, it’s cool. I mean, because of that community bond that you talk about the kids, the young men who went to the World Series, they’re like us. They look up to the Raiders, n ‘Right? They were shouting Raiders in their little chants and on social media. So we also brought them to one of our practices. Our guys are excited, listen, when they were playing, we were all connected. …There were all the televisions watching these young men play and represent the state of Nevada. So, I think it’s huge, and again, our fan base is obviously nationally, but you have to take care of your home port, and your home port is Nevada and Las Vegas.”

Q: DJ Turner is a guy you’ve loved since he returned to training camp. So obviously you don’t want to lose Davante Adams, but how big is the opportunity for him to move into the top three?

Coach Pierce: “It’s huge. Just think about when Davante (Adams) was out for personal reasons in training camp and in that first game, who showed up? DJ Turner. So we We’re really excited for him. He’s been a really solid, solid special teams player for us. He’s always been ready when called upon, right. But obviously he’s got some bigger ones. heads in front of him and now there is an opportunity for him, and I expect him to make the most of it. He has always been a professional when his name and number are called. He is usually ready and prepared.

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