Here is everything Houston Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross said ahead of their Week 7 game against the New York Giants, including how the special teams coverage has played, his confidence on kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn on the game-winning field goal against the Jacksonville Jaguars and on Jaylin Noel’s growth.
Frank Ross opening statement: “Home sweet home, good to be stateside. I know I'm not the biggest fan of big trips like that. I love home. We get to go against the New York Giants. From your lens, you see a special teams coach who becomes a head coach in John Harbaugh and you just see it all over the tape. The roster, the way that it's built, if you're not playing on special teams, you're probably not on the Giants roster. They're built with some really, really good players. Zaire Barnes, they grabbed a former Raven, Malik Harrison, former Steeler. You see the rookie from Ohio State, [Arvell] Reese playing on the punt team, a dynamite linebacker and Micah McFadden, two really fast gunners and [Elijah] Campbell and Nic Jones, who's a Ball State kid. Then you add in bringing over his top punter and investing in the specialist. They’re a really good unit and excited to be home.”
Q: On the challenge of having players who have not played special teams before
Ross: “Let's go score touchdowns and kick PATs with all those weapons as a receiver. ‘What can you do?’ In some capacity, I'm going to have to ask somebody to do a little bit more. We saw an uptick in Xavier Hutchinson's special teams reps a week ago. Then we're seeing more contribution from our tight end room than we've ever had on special teams, safety room, so on and so forth. For me, the roster construction is built a little bit differently this year and that's okay. Whatever the recipe is to win the frigging football game you know, I'm on board for that. I do not care. I just want to win the football game. If they're asking me to play with offensive linemen on kickoff coverage, let's go clog up some lanes.”
Q: On the special teams coverage
Ross: “I love the way we're playing physical. It hasn't been a perfect, everybody in here is watching the games. It has not been a perfect ride along the way, but damn, I am proud of each week something happens and the next week it's a corrected thing. ‘Where can we improve?’ We go to work on those fundamentals you're referencing. Essentially use and block destruction, that's what we were working this week. Just getting sealed out. We have to play aggressive. We have to play with our hair on fire, but you have to have technique. Getting our hands involved. Then I’m proud that we're never folding. I've said this to you guys a little bit before, not cliche on it, but our best reps have been in those fourth quarters when the money's on the line. Even though you got beat earlier on a kick return, next one we come back and we're still swinging. That to me is the mentality that it takes for a long 17-game season. Starting to get some guys back, getting some linebackers back in the fold here and fired up for next opportunity we get a chance to go cover in a well and a soundly coached kick return unit with Charlie Jones and [Tyrone] Tracy [Jr.] back deep. We have to go and cover this thing up. I'm fired up to give our defense some field position.”
Q: On his reaction to seeing special teams guys contribute on offense or defense
Ross: “I just told him the only thing he does is drop interceptions. Come on ‘Tre’ you got to pull that one in. I just feel joy. It is football. These guys have all been superstars at whatever level. You come to the NFL and you're earning your stripes. Tremon, Jake Hansen, M.J. Stewart- those guys have played, closing in on a decade of football in the NFL, most of it on special teams. Your number gets called, Jake Hansen; he's played dynamite linebacker for us. To me, that's the compliment that is the ultimate team sport.”
Q: On whether he had any doubt in K Ka’imi Fairbarin making the game-winning field goal in Week 6 vs. Jacksonville
Ross: “Zero. Zero. I'm very confident in him. I said this in Training Camp, Houston should be proud to watch Ka’imi Fairbairn kick this year for us because he's earned it. I'm not teaching him how to kick. He's doing it on his own. He is working. It's hard, it's a hard job. It's a tough assignment. His level headedness, the work that he's put in is ideally showing up on Sunday when his opportunity comes. It's the same kick. He'll tell you that it's the same kick in the first quarter as it is with time expiring.”
Q: On his emotions when the game-winning field goal in Week 6 vs. Jacksonville went in
Ross: “Let's go get the next win and beat the Giants.”
Q: On WR Jaylin Noel’s growth
Ross: “Awesome. It's always been in there. I've told you guys this. I've told the team this in front of him. He is different. He is special. Strain your freaking tails off because he can make things happen. Now you're starting to see, you guys know this with watching NFL players, professional athletes across the board, confidence can do wonders for you. Sometimes even a little bit of fake confidence gets whoever that person is to their next level. Then you start making those plays. I was surprised he made that go ball after running that kick return back to the 30-some-yard line. Then he goes out and the next play, he's going deep. He's a weapon. I'm very fired up for him. I'm very proud of him and want to see his confidence continue to shine.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans STC Frank Ross said ahead of Week 7 game vs Giants