Here's everything Houston Texans special teams coordinator Frakn Ross said Thursday ahead of Week 2's matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, including his thoughts on the Bengals' wide receiver room, preparing for the kick and more.
Opening statement
Frank Ross: “If there's a larger discrepancy in, maybe one of you could research, in experience between me and [Bengals Special Teams Coordinator] Darrin Simmons, I'd like to know what that split is because he's been a special teams coach for the Bengals for 24 seasons. I have not seen it all but that guy has definitely seen it all and their tape shows it. We have to make sure we match their level of discipline. What Cincinnati is very good at is, they spread the field tremendously with their coverage
units. They eliminate really good players by doing that. They play really sound football. It's impressive because that's been on repeat. Otherwise, you're not around for 24 years. That's what's so impressive about Coach Simmons, a lot of respect for them. Then from a specialist standpoint, they have a really good kicker [K Evan McPherson]. The punter, Ryan] Rehkow, has set the franchise record for longest punts and gross average. This guy has a hammer. For us, we have to make sure, can we find a way to affect that and get some yards, starting our field position in a better spot than a week ago. We have to find a way to get a win. I'm excited for the opportunity to get this Sunday kickoff going.”
Q: On the special teams performance in Week 1 and WR Jaylin Noel as a returner
Ross: “First, I'll start with what I liked. Just like anything else, you need to finish strong. Look at how we played when it mattered the most in the kind of final moments in that fourth quarter of the game. We were at our best. That's how you finish. I was super proud of that. It's Week 1, like anything, you have to get the feel. You have to get that out a little bit. Not an excuse, but we need to play better and start fast this week. That goes without saying. To your point, Jaylin Noel, I love this kid. No one's going to convince me otherwise. Make some better decisions. He knows that. He's a very smart football player. I love his intelligence. Love the playmaker in him. Trust him with everything, with the Texans to go and handle the football. Then of course, you don't necessarily expect the ball to bounce and roll 24 yards after a mishit punt. But we always say, ‘Do everything you can to field that out of the air.’ Just improve that decision-making and try and eliminate something going from bad to worse as best we can. Those outcomes sometimes happen. You have to shake those off and get back to the next play.”
Q: On what can be done to better defend returns
Ross: “When you talk to any of our guys, I'm sure you've asked and they say, kickoff and coverage, that's special teams, that's effort. I don't question our effort. We have to get better block destruction quicker and stay clean, meaning uncovered. We had a great end of half kickoff, burned time, then they only have one play on offense and then bang, the half's over. We get a blatant hold call, but the ball gets out. We're not allowed to get held. Our rule is, you better break his arms off because you're not allowed to get held. So as an example, they're holding leverage on the ball and making sure we tackle the runner. Playing with cleaner blocks, instant block shed, block defeat and destruction will be better for us this week.”
Q: On how to judge when to call for a fair catch or to return a punt
Ross: “[Jaylin Noel] is an aggressive returner. He wants, as soon as he caught that ball and waved it off, he knew that he wanted that one back. When you have that, first off, it's an instinctual runner, that feeling of knowing when you're getting compression down. He just had a little bit of a want and a redo. We don't get those redo’s. It's our chance this Sunday to take any field punt we get when we're in a return call and get that thing started. He'll be just fine, I promise you that.”
Q: On whether he has shown the clip of Commanders S Tyler Owens’ effort on special teams to the team
Ross: “I have not gone to that. We'll get to the NFL clips usually. I do my around the league on Saturdays and show that, but impressive. I love that effort and I love that it's getting covered by the NFL from special teams because that kid is an animal. Let’s find the Texans that do that this Sunday.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans STC Frank Ross said ahead of Week 2's matchup vs. Bengals
