Defensive Coordinator Ken Norton, Jr.
The Oakland Raiders were back on the field Thursday, and defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr., is determined to get the defense on track. After a rough first two weeks of the regular season, the defense is honed in on fixing the mistakes. The team will be tasked with taking on a tough run-heavy Tennessee Titans offense this Sunday, and are preparing for the challenge.
Here are the quick hits from Norton's time with the media:
Norton opened up about the defensive struggles and how the team is working hard to improve.
"It's hard to tell. I mean, there's a lot of things that we're looking at. At the same time, we've had some adverse situations. We all had high expectations at the same time. We're a work in progress. Continue to improve, continue working hard, paying attention to the details and I'm accountable for it. We have to work harder, work better and we expect to come out of this."
He elaborated on how the players' eyes are in the wrong places.
"Well, we have to practice better. I think it's important for us to really pay close attention to the details, make sure that in practice, because in practice is the only place that makes us better, gets us ready for the games and our meetings have to be tighter, our practice has to be tighter. Again, we have to certainly take care of the details and we feel like we've tightened up things at the vest here."
The second-year defensive coordinator expressed the team's desire to get the problems fixed.
"You can tell the guys really care. No one wants to play as bad as we've played, no one plans for that. We've dug ourselves a hole and we have to fight our way out of it. That's what good defenses do. That's what good people do, they fight out of it and that's what we plan to do."
Norton talked about getting rookie safety Karl Joseph incorporated into the defensive scheme.
"Well, you know, we have high expectations for Karl [Joseph]. He's a guy that, again, practice is that place where you get better. You really have to be competitive in practice. And, as he practices this week, we'll see exactly. We don't know exactly how much he's going to play, but you're going to see him play."
In conclusion, he shared his thoughts about how Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota presents issues.
"He's mobile, he's smart, gets rid of the ball really quick. He's growing up. You can see he's learning how to use all of his weapons around him, really opening up the offense for him. He's a guy that you really have to keep in the pocket."
