Head Coach Hue Jackson:
On the playtime for each group on Saturday at Tampa Bay:
"I know I want the first groups to play a little longer. This is our dress rehearsal game, so we definitely need to – definitely play probably through the first half and then we will evaluate at halftime and see where everybody is and kind of go from there."
On if the starters will play into the second half at Tampa Bay:
"I think it is the number of plays we have played in the game and how we are playing per say and those things more so than having to come back out after half. I think a lot of our guys have done that. I think that part I don't really fall into."
On if QB DeShone Kizer will play longer than other starters since it is his first NFL start:
"Probably not. He is going to play with his unit. If things are going well, we will take him out. If not, then we will let him play a little bit longer. That is probably the fun part for me about it. I get to make the call on that after halftime. If we need to play more, we will, and if we don't, we won't."
On offenses running from shotgun last year and if he wants Kizer to be around a certain mark this year:
"We don't really go into it with a set number. We look at the things we need to do to win games, and sometimes certain things we do are very comfortable for a quarterback in the shotgun. Some things are better under center. I think we have been more in the gun than probably anything lately, but we have a variety of different things we do. We will kind of explore as we move forward on what is the best fit for him and kind of play off that."
On if NFL teams are running a high number of plays from shotgun because that is what QBs are accustomed to coming from college:
"Absolutely. Yeah, our job is to make sure these guys are successful. You want them to be the best they can be. If that is where their comfort level is, that is kind of where you tend to lean towards your offense. We will do what we think is best for the 11 guys, but obviously, with the quarterback in mind and kind of go from there."
On how the shotgun affects the running game:
"Oh, it could. It is not as effective. There is not a lot of different variety when you are in the shotgun, but it is a good running game, too, especially if you can throw the ball off a play-action on it. There is a lot of ways to scheme and do things differently, but it is not as effective as if you have a lead back and somebody behind you and running downhill."
On what happened on Kizer's sacks against the NY Giants, as well as a few penalties on drives:
"Didn't play as well there. Not him, just the unit in general. The first play we completed to (WR) Corey (Coleman) for 20 yards and come back with a different action, but kind of the same way and (Giants DL) JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul) blows up field and makes a play. The second sack, I really don't recall that one, but there was some plays that he made. I thought he handled himself extremely well. I think our unit has to continue to play better around him."
On DB Ibraheim Campbell returning to practice today and if he will play Saturday at Tampa Bay:
"We will see. It is good to see him running around on the field. It is the first time he has been out there in a while so we will do everything we can to see where he is physically before we stick him out there.
On if there is any level of concern that the starting OL will not play together until Week 1 versus Pittsburgh:
"Oh, absolutely there is. There is no question about that. We have hopefully some practice days coming up before then. We probably won't have played in a game together yet, but hopefully, we can practice together and have a semblance of what that is going to be like before we do get to Pittsburgh."
On if everyone on the starting OL except OL Joel Bitonio will play at Tampa Bay:
"Yes, I do."
On if TE David Njoku and RB Isaiah Crowell will play at Tampa Bay:
"Yes."
On if Kizer has been any different since being named starter for the third preseason game:
"I see an uptick in making sure that the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted. He had a really good practice today. Yesterday, I think he was different. I think he was on a new form and walking in the huddle for the first time as being the leader of the group. I am sure that is overwhelming for anybody, but today, he acted like the DeShone I know and took the bull by the horns and had a heck of a practice."
On quarterbacks coach David Lee's comments about Kizer's football IQ, and if that is part of the reason Kizer has been named the starting QB:
"When we drafted this young man, we spent a lot of time with him. He has talent, ability and the football IQ. He has been here with us for quite a while so we have seen him grow through this process with him. He has done a good job that way. He works at it. It is important to him. We are teaching him how we want our quarterback to perform, prepare and all of those different things. That is a challenge for anybody because we do ask a lot. I'm sure other teams do, too, across the National Football League. As a quarterback, you kind of live along a lonely road a little bit. You come here early. You stay late. You get rid of distractions and turn the phones off. You have to kind of shut everybody out because you have to find your process that works for you. We are in the process of finding what is best for him. How is he going to get all of this information, get it in and then be able to give it back to his teammates? He is going through it, but he has done a great job. He doesn't run from it. He kind of runs to it. He understands, and he knows what that is going to take if he really wants this job. This is not for everybody. I think we all know that. There are a lot of people who can't do it at a high level consistently, but if you are, there is a lot that goes into it. I think he's finding that out, and I think he is up to the challenge of doing it."
On Kizer's decision making regarding leaving the pocket to scramble:
"I thought he has done a good job. The one thing that I have been really impressed with him is his movement in the pocket. I think he has a feel and a moxie in the pocket of when to move and when to get away from things. Every now and then, I don't want him to realize how big he is. Just because you are 6'4, 232 doesn't mean you can go take people on like you are a running back. We need to get on the ground because he has to understand this is a 16-game proposition. We need you up and playing. We don't need our quarterback standing next to me. I think he gets it. Like I said, there was one run where he just wanted to run into somebody and we got that out of him real quick. We don't need to do that so we will go from there."
On positions and rotations still to be determined heading into Saturday's game:
"I think just the pecking order at receiver. Looking at our secondary, who is going to be the backups to the guys who are starters? I think the rotation of the defensive line, how that happens and how that works. We have a new body in here that we need to see in (DL) Brandon Thompson. That is kind of I think what it is, and then how is the tight end situation going to unfold? It was good to see (TE) David (Njoku) play last week, but that was new for David. That was his first time so he needs to take a jump this week as we play down in Tampa."
On if the kicking competition is still in consideration:
"I think there is no question the kicking situation is in there too. There are some battles that are going on, and we are going to have to make some tough decisions going forward, but that is a good problem to have."
On DB Jabrill Peppers' performance when playing as a deep cover safety:
"I think he has done a good job. I give a lot of credit to (defensive coordinator) Coach (Gregg) Williams and his staff. They have done a good job of getting him the information and creating an environment for him that he can become better because he has gotten better. I think he likes it and he wants to. I laugh at all of the reports that said maybe he can't play in the middle of the field. Here is a guy who returns punts and he has to judge a ball all the time. That is what he does. This guy knows how to track a ball. He knows how to find where the ball is. We never bought into any of that. I think it is only said because he played around the ball so much, but he has the skill to play back there, and he has demonstrated that."
On clarifying if determining the pecking order for WRs starts with WRs Kenny Britt and Corey Coleman or the receivers behind them:
"I'm really talking about after those guys. Who is going to be third, fourth, fifth and sixth? What is that and what is that going to look like, how do we see those guys and what can they bring to our football team?"
On if QB Brock Osweiler will play in the fourth preseason game:
"I don't know that. Let's get through this one and then we will talk about that."
On OL Shon Coleman's performance at RT:
"He has battled. There are some things that I have talked to Shon about that I want him to improve. He is working at it every day. I love his temperament. He is a young player. He has to continue to grow and get better, but the thing I like about him is he comes in every day and he is working at it. He is one of our tough guys. We like him. He battled JPP (Giants DL Jason Pierre-Paul). JPP is a good player, one of the best in the league, and he held his own a little bit. There were some things that he could get better at, but I think he is growing and getting better."
On how he wants Kizer to handle running read options:
"Get on the ground! Just because we call them doesn't mean you have to run. You can still hand it off, and if they are coming at you, duck (laughter). No, some of that is in his background. He has done some of that. It gives us different options on offense, but we are not a read-zone team. We are a team that has the ability to run read-zone. We are going to protect our quarterback. I don't want our quarterback taking unnecessary hits. This guy is a very talented passer as well. That is what his strength is going to be, but he does have the ability with his legs to make plays."
