Jauron: Hagg's Increased Role and Haden's Coverage on Green

When I read through Dick Jauron's press conference, I continue to enjoy the explanations he gives for more specific situations. I supposed that is a disadvantage to having a head coach who doubles as an offensive coordinator -- you sort of lose the opportunity to ask the "offensive coordinator" about duties that are very specific to his line of work.

Anyway, Jauron was at it again on Thursday, this time answering quite a few questions about defensive backs Eric Hagg and Joe Haden and the role they played in this past Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. [Read full press conference transcript here]

(On Eric Hagg plying a lot last week and where he stands going forward)- "I’m happy with how he’s coming along. He suffered that setback early and it really did set him back. Now he’s getting a chance to not only get lots of reps in practice, but he’s getting lots of reps on gameday, which will really help us over time I believe. He’ll get better every week. He’s very conscientious and he’s a capable guy, he’s very into it. It’s important to him. He’s got good coverage skills particularly on people that generally give your safeties a problem, bigger receivers, bigger tight ends. Obviously, they can give him problems too because he’s not as big as most of those tight ends are."

(On if Hagg was in good position on Jermaine Gresham’s touchdown or if it was a matter of the opponent taking advantage of a rookie not looking for the ball)- "It was a couple things, if he had to do it over again he’d rather have slightly outside shade as opposed to slightly inside shade. He lost vision early. He’d like to stay on top a little more than he did. He was in pretty good position at the ball and then you’ve got a bigger receiver with better vision to the ball at the end of it. He was still on top, which is where you want to be. You don’t want to get pinned behind that big body. The quarterback made a good throw and the bigger receiver got it. The red zone is part of the field where the jump ball does come into effect. Every place else I’ve always thought it was reach, but not necessarily your ability to jump. Down in the red zone, your ability to jump comes into play. If your 6-6 and you’ve got a four or five inch advantage, it’s a problem."

(On if Hagg showed resiliency by bouncing back and breaking up a pass on third down later in that game and if that was an example of him keeping his wits)- "I think you could say all of those things. It’s not a surprise when a guy makes a play. It was great experience for him to be out there. It was obviously great for us at that time that he made that play. Eric plays that position well. He played it well in college at really the highest level of college football that you can play. We drafted him for those reasons. We hadn’t seen him a lot as a safety in true safety situations. We had seen him a lot in those kinds of situations, underneath covering tight end type people, even some wide receivers. Again, his work ethic, his attitude and then his physical skills I believe over time are going to get better and better and help us."

(On if he was unhappy with the defense on the play to A.J. Green and if there was anything they could have done because of the way they through it and went up for it)- "You’ve got a chance at the ball. It was an interesting play at the top of it, our post safety had another receiver just on top of that so it was hard for Mike (Adams) to get through that one to the receiver. Joe (Haden) had slipped under him and sometimes that’s good and sometimes it’s not. It wasn’t good there. He needed to be on the up-field shoulder and he would’ve had a chance. The receiver is taller than Joe. Joe’s has got unusual ability to stretch and leap so it would’ve been interesting but it was one of those deals that it worked out the way it did unfortunately."

(On if Rubin was close to disrupting Dalton on that play)- "Oh yeah, Rubin was right there."

(On if it was just a split second difference)- "Yeah, that’s what makes the game so good so interesting. It’s always a few things here, a little thing there, another step, six inches of reach, anything like that."

(On if the best defense would have been hitting Dalton)- "Any of the above except what happened, I guess."

(On how much time Schaefering has spent inside versus outside this season)- "Recently, I’d say probably about 50-50. Earlier was mostly inside, but he plays both and he does a nice job."

(On his assessment of Colt McCoy)- "That’s not my area. I like Colt a lot, but I don’t study him. I very seldom watch him, very seldom, if ever."

(On if he observes McCoy’s nuances from practicing against him)- "I don’t, I have nuances I’ve got to look at on the other side so I don’t. I really like the young man, I can say that."

(On who the right defensive end will be this week)- "There are a number of guys obviously that will play there off the depth chart, so it will be Schaef (Brian Schaefering) and Auston (English). Auston’s getting healthier every week. Schaef will play some out there. Jayme (Mitchell) should be healthier than he’s been. We’ve got a number of options to rotate there."