Saint: My first question is how are you healthwise today, and what do you do to get your body ready in a short week?
Tyvon Branch: Healthwise I would say I am just sore. Nothing different.
Saint: Second, I was wondering what you were all saying to each other before that last drive? You were all bouncing around and chatting it up.
Tyvon Branch: We were just trying to stay pumped up. With the crowd being loud, and the game on the line everyone is pumping with adrenaline ready to hit someone.
Saint: Last question, why was Seymour moved inside on the last drive and then back outside? Was Warren hurt?
Tyvon Branch: We were trying to give them different looks. In this league it is crucial to be unpredictable.
ButtMunch: 1) Tyvon, can we look forward to the incredible Raiders playing every game of the season.?
Tyvon Branch: Absolutely. We will come into each game prepared and ready to play.
ButtMunch: ) When will DHB make some catches and show us what he is capable of.? Maybe run a reverse with DHB?
Tyvon Branch: DHB is working into the offense. I never get to sit in on thier meetings, but from what I see on the field look for big things.
ButtMunch:) 3) Are you guys ready for the Chiefs? Can we look forward to a win and maybe some hard hits and an interception by you.? =)
Tyvon Branch: We will prepare for the chiefs this week and be ready for some big time plays. As far as interception…I will do my best to be in the right spot.
Raybin:
Awesome tackle on Manumaleuna last night. I noticed the team as a whole was tackling a lot better and there were few of those awful missed tackles we’ve come to dread. Was that one of the things you worked on during the first few days of training camp when Cable and the staff worked on fundamentals?
What’s different about Marshall’s system as opposed to Ryan’s? It seemed much more effective.
It looks as though Richard Seymour is fitting into our gameplan instantly. Is he being absorbed into the locker room atmosphere just as quickly?
Tyvon Branch:
Sometimes it is not about the system, it is about how we execute it. We have a new found passion and desire to succeed.
Anytime the youth of this team can be around some of our veterans is great for us. Both Ellis and Seymour make an instant impact on the field and in the locker room.
ButtMunch:
curious… though there was improvement in the off season idk if i saw that kind of improvement, especially with the run defense… What made the defense make the plays and really execute them so well.? what was the major contribution to the defensive mentality that made them play so well.?
thank you.!
btw i agree with Raybin.. tackle on Manumaleuna was one of my favorite moments in the game… amazing tackle… loved it.! keep up the amazing work.!
Tyvon Branch:
All off season we have worked hard. We do not want that to go to waste. We are young and passionate football players. We want to win.
Thanks he is a big guy and I am sure that tackle added to my soreness.
Oaktizzle:
My Question (VERY IMPORTANT): Do we run a 2 minute defense drill in practice? This is where we need the most work!!! This is where we lost a lot of games last year IN THE EXACT SAME FASHION (it so painful to watch and getting old)
Why is our 2 minute defensive scheme get so passive, did the D coord and the LBs not know that the ball was going to Sproles? I think all of America knew where the ball was going, yet our LBs dropped into a deeper zone giving up everything underneath. Does the MLB have liberty to call an audible if he knows deep down that we need to be more aggressive?
It seemed the DLine was a little fatigued during the last 2 min drive. Will Marshall call some blitzes to help them out or are we just gonna hang the entire game on their shoulders?
Tyvon Branch:
We do run the two minute drill frequently. After this week, we will watch some film and correct some things.
We do have some zone blitz packages that would take some pressure off the d-line and add a twist to the coverage. Our main goal was to keep them from making the big play. We know we can’t let Sproles do that, and we need to communicate better.
As far as audibles go, we have a basic outline of what our job is each play. After that it is up to us to read the offense and adapt.
Kaizer:
Now then, my question is, how does it feel to cover a truly amazing tight end in Antonio Gates? What runs through your mind when you’re staring him down before the ball is snapped? Guess I’m asking, what is it like to be in your shoes when you’re getting ready to cover Gates? Does going up against a top-tier tight end like Zach Miller in practice help you cover guys like Antonio Gates?
Tyvon Branch:
First off, he is a great player. Lining up and know that I have to guard him is a challenge. No matter how good a player is that you are responsible for that main goal is to make plays. Reading what he does is no different in practice when Zach is running routes. As a defensive player it is our job to read and react, and as an offensive player they are reading us the whole time. It just comes down to being in the right spot when the ball is coming your way.