Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Martz on the Mike: Weds, 11/17

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Martz on the Mike: Weds, 11/17

    Head Coach Mike Martz
    Wednesday, November 17, 2004

    (Opening statement)
    “The Bills, obviously at home, have played very well. Defensively, they are one of the top teams in the league. The defensive line, particularly the two tackles, are very physical guys that are very disruptive. Of course we know what London (Fletcher) is. With his range he is very active and very involved in both the passing game and run game. Offensively, both backs I think are outstanding. (Willis) McGahee has really taken off and done a great job. Any game on the road like this is very difficult in the NFL as you know. As our players learned down in Miami, you have to bring your best every week. I think this is a better football team then Miami obviously, and we know that we are in for a dog fight when we get up there. We will prepare as such.”

    (On the players reacting to the tougher practices)
    “I don’t know if it was any tougher, we tackled. We went back to basics. I think we’re all upset with ourselves as well as the players in terms of the attitude. Sometimes you let things slip and as I said last week, sometimes what you see is what you coach. So we had to go back to basics, and we will again do that today. We’ve got to block and tackle better we just do, that’s the basis of this game. If you don’t enjoy those things you’re not going to play well. They enjoy it, they had a good time out there on Wednesday. Practice was a lot of fun, they got into it pretty good, and I’m sure they will do it again today. We got better. We’re not where we need to be but we’re making progress and that’s all you can ask. We have a lot of young players on defense who have to learn how to stay at a high level and get off of that roller coaster, and this is probably the best way that you can avoid that.”

    (On keeping up his attitude with his team)
    “I’ve been with some of these guys for a long time, and I think they understand my frustrations too. Not just with them, but with myself and not realizing what was going on sometimes. I think it really comes down to, more than anything else, is everybody being on the same page to make it right. They know that we are always going to try and do the right thing by them. None of this was ever intended to or meant as any type of punishment. If you get mad at football teams and start taking it out on them, then you’re going to lose your team. You need to get out of coaching and get an attitude readjustment. It was never about that, It’s about going back to basics, getting your feet on the ground, getting physical again, and enjoying that part of the game.”

    (On missing LB London Fletcher)
    ‘There’s no question that we miss London. He was such a good leader on this team and so productive. You go back and look at the years that he was here, he is hard to replace. Guys that didn’t practice at a certain level, he was right there in their face. He demanded it out of everybody that everybody practice like he does. There’s no question that that you lose somebody like London, it’s going to affect you. It breaks my heart that he’s not here. I know how important he was to this organization and all the things he did for us. It just didn’t work out, in some things your hands are strung financially. That’s a different arena then what I am in, but I know that we did as much as we could.”

    (On the Bills defense)
    “I like the corners. I really do like (Terrence) McGee, number 24. I really like him a lot, I think he’s a pretty terrific athlete. He reminds me of Dre’ Bly in a lot of respects. He has that kind of athleticism, quickness and confidence. It’s a very good defense, it really is.”

    (On QB Marc Bulger’s performance as opposed to last year)
    “Like I’ve said many times, having camp and off season with the first group of receivers has had an impact. I also think that each week he gets a little bit better at different things. Whether it’s managing the game, a decision to throw it away instead of taking a sack, or tucking it and running with it, or a check down. I think it really has slowed down for him a great deal. He looks so confident and poised when he comes off the field, even when things aren’t going quite right he knows exactly what to do and his demeanor never changes. He’s constantly getting better every week. We thought that he might struggle early, and he did, but he’s doing pretty good right now.”

    (On G Tom Nütten playing again)
    “Well the timing for this is outstanding, in terms of Tommy. Tommy, before this, I’m not sure if he would have been ready physically with his strength and his weight. At this point he’s ready to play. The toe that had been injured is not an issue anymore. I think his strength is back and his size. I was talking to him today in the weight room, and I told him it’s good to see 61 back in the huddle.”

    (On his thoughts on New England QB Drew Bledsoe)
    “I’ve never analyzed Drew because we never play them. I’ve just never been exposed to him much, I just don’t get a chance to see much of him. I wouldn’t feel comfortable (analyzing him) without knowledge of him, it’s just not my place to do that. I’ve always thought that he was a terrific player. He’s always made plays over the year, and he’s very capable, that’s for sure.”

    (On WR Torry Holt’s injury)
    “He’s fine. They did a neuro-psyche test on him and everything came out fine. (After the collision) it looked like there was little birds around his head. They felt like we would have him back. I was just really concerned. Anytime you have a head or neck injury it scares you to death. I was just very relieved it wasn’t anything serious.”

    (On the run defense against seattle)
    “The one where the ball gets stripped out, we have a defensive player clean to the ball carrier. He was out of position and he shouldn’t be. He was a young player. Those are the things that you have to fix and move on. That’s what you do out here today. The one good thing about this, it’s like I told our guys, you never fault a team, you always have a chance, when you play with passion throughout the game and it never waivers, which they did. When you do that, then Aeneas (Williams), on a bad play, finishes and strips the ball and we get the ball back. So if you continue to play with that kind of energy and enthusiasm, you’ll make good things happen like that. In the interim, the mental errors have got to come up to the same level as the intensity and the attitude that you have. We have some fixing to do in some certain areas, and some guys have still got to learn their responsibilities in terms of that defense better. We’re headed in the right direction. We have a ways to go, but we’re making progress.”

    (On S Aeneas Williams’ shoulder injury)
    “He had a stinger in the preseason against Chicago. I didn’t realize it was an issue until last week at practice I talked to him. What we try to do is really limit (his play). We’ll see how he is this week. Like Marshall (Faulk) we’ve kind of paced him based on how he feels and what he thinks, and not try to project on him how many snaps he needs to play.”

    (On DT Jimmy Kennedy)
    “Jimmy got his feet wet last week for the first time. He has a terrific practice last week. As always when you get into the game for the first time, things go a little faster. He was a little stunned there for awhile but he’ll be fine. He’s going to be a real good player he just needs to play. We have to get him in there and play him, it’s the only way he’s going to get better.”

    (On Bills special teams and special teams coach Bobby April)
    “He’s done a good job with the three returns. They’ve got some guys, with the three touchdown returns, that we have to hem up. Very talented group.”

    (On if kickoff coverages are different)
    “There are a lot of differences, but there’s a vast difference in who’s running down those kicks. Who’s available and what not. We’ve changed personnel on our kickoff team. We’re going to take a different approach with that.”

    (On if he was surprised about his name being mentioned for the Miami head coaching position)
    “Shocked. Not surprised, shocked. Very flattered. That’s a terrific organization, probably one of the best in the NFL, in the history of the league. They have a great winning tradition. What they’ve accomplished there over the years is magnificent. That being said, I think that is just speculation by somebody. There is no substance to it. I couldn’t have a better job than what I have right here. I love it here, this is our home, I have no desire to coach any place else. When I took this job to be the head coach here, there was potentially other opportunities, and I had no interest and I still don’t.”

  • #2
    Re: Martz on the Mike: Weds, 11/17

    (On missing LB London Fletcher)
    ‘There’s no question that we miss London. He was such a good leader on this team and so productive. You go back and look at the years that he was here, he is hard to replace. Guys that didn’t practice at a certain level, he was right there in their face. He demanded it out of everybody that everybody practice like he does. There’s no question that that you lose somebody like London, it’s going to affect you. It breaks my heart that he’s not here. I know how important he was to this organization and all the things he did for us. It just didn’t work out, in some things your hands are strung financially. That’s a different arena then what I am in, but I know that we did as much as we could.”
    :disappoin

    :upset:

    Comment

    Related Topics

    Collapse

    • woodyramfan1
      martz
      by woodyramfan1
      I would like comments on whether Mad Mike should be fired or not.:clanram:
      -10-02-2005, 06:55 PM
    • Nick
      Martz bashers now have proof: He doesn't know the score
      by Nick
      Martz bashers now have proof: He doesn't know the score
      BY JEFF GORDON
      Post-Dispatch Online Sports Columnist
      09/03/2004

      I believe we all like a little self-deprecating humor in our coaches. In a field of know-it-alls and Inventors of the Sport, the ability to mock oneself is an endearing quality.

      We can only take so much of the Bill Walshs and Marty Schottenheimers of the world.

      However, I'd like to use this corner of cyberspace to give Rams coach Mike Martz a little advice.

      Never, never, NEVER come clean during a post-game news conference. Never admit to a lapse in your cognitive powers.

      Never admit you didn't know what the score was in the last minute of a game.


      You know how some citizens of Rams Nation are. They doubt Martz as a head coach and disparage his game management skills. They bristle every time he burns his timeouts, as he did in the second half of the Raiders game.

      They hang on his every word, waiting for him to make an incriminating statement or use an improper tone of voice. There are folks who walk around town muttering one of Martz's favorite lines, "Shoot, we'll fix that," under their breaths.

      As veteran talk show host Howard Balzer noted on 1380 ESPN Friday morning, Martz should NOT have made a confession after Thursday night's 28-24 loss at Oakland.

      He admitted ordering Jeff Smoker to throw a sideline pass with nine seconds left, even though the Rams needed to get in the end zone.

      "I can't believe I was yelling for a field goal," Martz told reporters. "That was the dumbest thing I've ever done as a football coach."

      Oh, boy. You don't want to get Rams fans going down that road.

      That was tantamount to throwing out a three-hour radio call-in topic. That was like throwing fresh hamburger into the shark tank. Fans will be eager to respond to that assertion.

      "Smoker was yelling at me, 'Hey coach, we're down by four!'" Martz continued. "Can you imagine Jeff Smoker telling me what the score was?"

      Everybody at once: YES!


      Now I'm a pretty big Mike Martz fan. He inherited outstanding talent from Dick Vermeil, but he also had to rebuild an atrocious defense.

      He has accomplished plenty on his own, including winning an NFC Championship and reaching postseason play three times.

      The NFL is a tough place to coach, as Steve Spurrier would tell you. Rams fans tend not to give Mad Mike all the credit he deserves.

      But Martz DOES do some goofy things. He seems to become immersed in his scripted play chart, to the point of becoming impervious to all the drama swirling around him.

      When asked to comment on such-and-such an incident on the sidelines, Martz often has no idea what reporters...
      -09-03-2004, 04:19 PM
    • Nick
      Martz on Tuesday: 'We know what the issues are'
      by Nick
      Martz on Tuesday: 'We know what the issues are'
      Compiled by Jeff Gordon
      STLtoday.com Sports
      Tuesday, Nov. 30 2004

      The Rams defense lost its fight Monday night in Green Bay. Coach Mike Martz
      drew that obvious conclusion after reviewing the debris from that 45-17 loss at
      Lambeau Field.

      “I was very pleased with the first few series, anyway,” Martz said at his
      Tuesday news conference. “As the second half moved on, I was disappointed
      defensively just in some of the errors and mistakes that began to occur, guys
      out of position. At one point, we had 10 people on the field. Those things are
      unacceptable. We began to lose our focus somewhat on defense.

      “It’s kind of a personal thing with some of these guys. We can’t lose the
      resolve when things go bad. In the past, we’ve always been able to rebound. . .
      . As it snowballed, they had a hard time with that.

      “Some of the veterans, they get frustrated, they try to do a little bit more
      than what they need to. They’ve got this gap and you try to do it all. You
      think the ball is going there and you run over there and you’re not where the
      ball is coming out.

      “We’ve got to get this team playing better. It’s a step-by-step process. We’ve
      got some veterans not playing as good as they should, or as well as they have
      in the past, and some young guys learning how to play. That’s not a good
      combination.”

      * * *

      More from Martz's press conference:


      On the team’s porous rushing defense:

      “As the game wore on, our run fits and fills were not what they should be. It’s
      not a question of what defense you run or being complicated or anything like
      that. It’s just having the discipline and resolve to fill where you’re supposed
      to and you've got to make a play, make a tackle.

      “When Aeneas (Williams) went out at free safety, there was significant
      confusion out there, some of the calls and what not. We had a hard time on
      their field. That may have contributed to some of the problems.

      “We just have to be more physical and more disciplined in how we play. We know
      what the issues are. It’s easy to look at the tape and find out ‘here’s what
      you didn’t do right.’ You have to be tough enough as players and be accountable
      enough to make those corrections and understand the discipline of playing the
      defense. It’s that simple."


      On the ill-fated fake field goal attempt:

      “The decision was my decision, kind of at the last second, really. I just felt
      like at that point we needed to try to make something happen. We talked about
      it during the week and we felt like we had a pretty good opportunity to make
      that...
      -11-30-2004, 11:50 PM
    • jmk321
      Rich Eisen on Mike Martz
      by jmk321
      Martz seems to be appreciated for his analyst work at the NFL Network. A recent tweet from Rich Eisen's twitter account said:

      "Doing the show with Rod Woodson and Mike Martz. Every time Martz opens his mouth, I feel like I've learned five new things about football."

      Just throwing that out there in case anyone finds that interesting.
      -10-08-2009, 09:40 PM
    • HornsCellPhone
      What is the overall consensus on Mike Martz?
      by HornsCellPhone
      Do you Rams fans still think of him as a good HC or has he lost it?

      I ask because I've got a funny feeling Martz will be the Saints next HC and I'd like to know what you guys think of him.

      Was Martz fired because it was just a needed change for both parties?
      -01-15-2006, 11:33 AM
    Working...
    X
    😀
    🥰
    🤢
    😎
    😡
    👍
    👎