Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron met with the media on Thursday to talk about the San Francisco 49ers and last week's big reception by Seahawks receiver Sidney Rice (which was basically Seattle's only big play of the game). [Read full press conference transcript here].
(On the Sidney Rice’s long catch catch)- "It probably started off with being a bad call. It wasn’t a call I had made any other time in the game. We didn’t play it particularly well either and kind of anywhere. It was just one of those deals. Every play in the game is the critical play. I think T.J. would’ve gotten him, I’m glad he stepped out of bounds when he did. I think T.J. would’ve gotten him. Then it was a great job by the guys keeping them out of the end zone."
(On how Kaluka Maiava played)- "Kaluka was terrific. You people know him. He’s not fazed by a whole lot. He’s very, very tough. I’m really glad we’ve got him."
(On if Maiava will get more playing time)- "We wouldn’t be afraid to do it, but generally speaking we wouldn’t do it. I really don’t have an answer for why or why not, but it’s just never been generally done. You almost always rotate your big guys, very seldom do you rotate those guys or the secondary."
(On why Alex Smith’s numbers are better this year than in the past and why)- "Again, their confidence level is so high now, you can see him playing with great confidence. The ball is coming out fast. They vary it, they do a very nice job. They will stretch the field. They will go down the field with the ball. They will also get it out of his hands quickly. They’re very talented in their skilled people. They’re tight ends, everybody talks about. They’re wide receivers are very talented guys. As an offensive roster they are just fill it with number ones all over the place. I think all those things all contribute. Other than that it’s another year. He’s got another year behind him and it’s clearly not a very easy position to play in this business. He’s really doing a fine job."
(On why it’s hard to defend Frank Gore)- "He has a very low center of gravity. He keeps his pads down, not a lot of surface to hit. He doesn’t give you a lot of hittable surface, shoulder pads, knees. He’s got great balance, very tough. He really fits in their scheme. He’s just a terrific inside runner, always has been. He is hard to knock off his feet."
(On Kendall Hunter’s traits)- "He looks like he’s got real good speed off the edge. He’s somewhat like Frank Gore inside. He’s got good balance, good pad level. Frank Gore’s pad level is very unique I think. You have to go a long way to find a runner that really has that kind of leverage, keeps that kind of leverage on hitters, just hard to get to his body and get a solid hit on him. They’re a real good combination, a real good one-two combination."
(On if there are secrets for trying to tackle Frank Gore)- "There are no secrets. You’ve got to get a lot of people to the ball and they’ve got to really want to tackle. You’ve got to want to tackle this guy and get a number of people around the ball. Clearly on the field every Sunday there are people that are a lot bigger than him. That’s an advantage if you can get you big people to him you’ve got a chance to get him off his feet. Really, he’s one of the premier runners in the league."