Head Coach Jack Del Rio
Here's the transcript from Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio's press conference.
Opening Statement:"OK, short week. Productive week. I think we made the best use of it. Divisional game, very important. A team that's playing very well and represents a big challenge. Looking forward to being home in front of our fans and playing really good football on Thursday Night."
**Q: Is NaVorro Bowman up to speed to play tomorrow?
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Coach Del Rio:"Probably."
Q: How has he looked?
Coach Del Rio:"He's looked good. He's a veteran. He understands ball. We've not tried to install the entire playbook, but specific game plans and things. He's had a good week. Even though it's a short week, we feel good and he'll play."
Q: At that position, it'd be useful to know the whole playbook, but he's such an instinctual player.
Coach Del Rio:"Well, you don't use the whole playbook in each game."
Q: How much is instincts carrying him?
Coach Del Rio:"Yeah, instincts and he is very instinctive. He's a veteran guy that's been there before. He understands what it looks like to lineup against a good football team and help us win."
Q: You guys did something similar with Perry Riley Jr. last year, right?
Coach Del Rio:"We did."
Q: But it wasn't on a short week.
Coach Del Rio:"It wasn't a short week, but similar, yeah."
Q: Did you see what you wanted to see from him?
Coach Del Rio:"Yeah, the work ethic, all of that. I think the other part that really is pretty cool is the kind of tutoring of the younger players at that position. They're just soaking it up. When do you lift? How often do you lift? When do you meet? When do you cover this? It's good stuff to have for a really young group."
Q: Do you think Cory James could really benefit from this?
Coach Del Rio:"We'll see where it goes. I'm just encouraged by the way things have started."
**Q: How big of a challenge is it to the line to go without Marshall Newhouse?
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Coach Del Rio:"Well, he's started. He's playing well. We're next man up. Outfit Vadal Alexander, he'll be the guy that will start there. We believe in Vadal. He's part of the battle there. He started last year a couple of games for us. We'll be ready to roll."
Q: What was that meeting on the field for? Is that your leadership meeting?
Coach Del Rio:"Yeah."
Q: What was the meeting about?
Coach Del Rio:"Leadership."
Q: Do you see anything on film from the Chiefs on what they might do differently against division opponents?
Coach Del Rio:"They've executed well. Really. Not to over simplify it, but they have played well and they've earned it. We have a good division. Every team in our division is very capable and for them to run off, I think, 12 straight, that's pretty darn good."
Q: How much does Kareem Hunt add a new dimension to game planning?
Coach Del Rio:"Yeah, he does. He burst upon the scene there in the opener and hasn't looked back. He's definitely a good player. They do a good job of getting him the ball."
Q: How do you emphasize turnovers?
Coach Del Rio:"We drill them all the time. We emphasize it and drill it. They'll come. We're going to get it. Look, my whole deal is you keep a positive attitude. You continue to work on the things you believe in. you stress some of the fundamentals. You recognize just how close it is, what a fine line it is in this league. You fight to get on the right side of that line. That's where we are. We believe. We have a lot of strong men in this locker room. We're going to keep battling and look to be better as we go through this year. We need a big win and then we need to start stacking them."
