Q&A with Washington head coach Jay Gruden
FLOWERY BRANCH – Washington coach Jay Gruden, who's hitched his wagon to quarterback Kirk Cousins instead of Robert Griffin III, spoke to the Atlanta media on Wednesday.
Here’s what he had to say:
Q: How has Kirk Cousins developed over four games this season?
A: I think it's been pretty solid from training camp on, the preseason games and to get us to 2-2 and have a key come-from-behind victory, a big game-winning drive like he had last week, I think shows his development. I think he's completing close to 70 percent of his balls. He's only taken like five sacks, really four. I think he's coming along at a pretty good clip.
Q: How’s your team health-wise? Is DeSean Jackson close to returning?
A: He was limited today. He's coming off the hamstring. We are just going to have gauge where he's at tomorrow and see if can do a little bit more. He didn't do a lot today. He just tried to get out there and run some individual (drills) and he got in a couple of the team periods. We'll see how he feels tomorrow. With hamstrings, when you work them, the big thing is how you recover the next day and if you can build off of it or not. We'll have to wait and see. But positive progress I guess.
Q: How would you grade the first quarter of the season for your team?
A: There are some things we'd like to have done better. Obviously, we have to eliminate the turnovers and try to get some more turnovers. The penalties have become an issue. But for the most part, to be 2-2 and tied for first place in the division, I think it's a good start for us. You are always striving to be better. But there are somethings we can build off of in a positive way and that's what we are trying to do. Obviously, we'd like to get healthier, but we are playing with guys who are active and we feel good about. We have to just keep moving forward.
Q: What your assessment of the Falcons offensive line?
A: They are doing a lot of things well. They are blocking in the running game which is keeping them out of third-and-long. Kyle does a good job of mixing it up where they are not in a lot of third and (longs). …They do a nice job with the play-action and the quick-game. They get the ball out of Matt's hands and the line is doing an excellent job in the run game. I think they have a lot to be excited about down there. They are playing well.
Q: Does it help that you all know what (Falcons offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan) is going to do from his days in Washington?
A: Not really, unless he's going to tell what he's going to do before hand. They have a lot of good things that they can do out of each formation. They line up in different personnel groups. They can run the ball at you and do a lot of different things with their play-action. Then, of course, they have one of the top receivers in the NFL in Julio (Jones). Roddy is no slouch. We know (Leonard) Hankerson very well. He's a good player. They have a lot of weapons and a lot of different ways that they can hurt you. He does a good job of mixing it up.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
