What's going on with your running game? Was it seven yards today?
COACH KELLY: Yeah, very disappointing. Couldn't get anything started. I don't think the running backs even really had time to assess if there was a hole. Too much penetration up front. Too many guys in the backfield.
Is it more what they were doing defensively?
COACH KELLY: No, they did the same thing they normally do. We just didn't block them. It wasn't a very difficult scheme; they ran four down linemen, three linebackers. They didn't have extra guys in the box. We just could not block the defensive line tonight.
How do you figure, 70 rushing yards over the first two games, is there any thought to going from the shotgun to under center to ‑‑
COACH KELLY: Yea, I don't think it mattered. We were under center today. I don't think that was any ‑‑ we had penetration. We were under center. We had penetration. We ran the shotgun. I don't think how we are handing the ball off is the problem right now. We have to get it straightened out. We have to get it straightened out up front.
Do you have the right guys in there?
COACH KELLY: We'll see. We'll see. We've got to assess everything.
Are you pretty surprised with how the team has come out in these first two games?
COACH KELLY: Yeah, I think everybody is.
Do you think you're getting the effort from the guys who are out --
COACH KELLY: Yeah, I think we're getting the effort. I just don't ‑‑ I thought our defense played outstanding today. I don't think the offense did anything, especially in the run game, where we could complement what our defense was doing. I thought our defense played really well tonight, and I think our offense did not play well at all.
On the missed snap, what happened on that play?
COACH KELLY: It was just snapped before we even had a cadence. I know we had not even started, we were not even set. So we didn't even start our cadence and the ball got snapped. So I don't know, I have to talk to [C] Jason [Kelce] in terms of exactly what happened, but we didn't have a cadence when the ball was snapped.
When you say you're going to evaluate everything, does that include the quarterback?
COACH KELLY: That includes everybody; coaches, everybody.
Do you think it's connected to separation problems with the receivers and the running backs?
COACH KELLY: No. I mean, penetration with a three technique doesn't have anything to do with a receiver going down the field. It has got to do with not blocking the three technique.
How would you evaluate QB Sam Bradford's performance today? He threw a pick in the end zone.
COACH KELLY: Yeah, I'm sure he probably wants that one back. I don't think he had a lot of time on some of those. I think there was a combination of a lot of things. We had a couple drops on key third-downs that could have extended drives and kind of got us into a rhythm. Until we really take a look at the whole tape, I can't give you a full evaluation.
Do you know what happened on the blocked punt?
COACH KELLY: Yeah, they had a double lead inside, and I think our center got picked. Something we had been prepared for, but we didn't block it up right.
Do you think it will take some time before Bradford's used to this offense, used to these players, or should it be better now?
COACH KELLY: I think everybody on offense has got to get it figured out.
Do you have an update on LB Kiko Alonso?
COACH KELLY: No, I don't have any updates on anybody. I know Kiko was out. I just know they were out for the game. Kiko was out for the game and [LB] Mychal Kendricks was out for the game. I haven't gotten any updates and probably won't have anything on that until tomorrow.
Any thoughts on taking Bradford out today at any point?
COACH KELLY: No. We didn't have any discussions about that.
Why was RB DeMarco Murray so upset coming off the field after the interception?
COACH KELLY: I don't know. I didn't talk to DeMarco on that particular play.
Did you talk to him in the locker after the game?
COACH KELLY: I talked to the whole team in the locker room. I didn't talk to anybody specifically.
What did you tell the team?
COACH KELLY: We've got to get it figured out. Our defense ‑‑ we let a really good defensive effort go for naught because we didn't do what we needed to do offensively and that we need to stick together as a group and get this thing figured out.
Did you plan on changing anything within the run game after last week's failure to get anything going on the ground?
COACH KELLY: We ran some different schemes, but we didn't have any ‑‑ nothing worked today.
At the three‑yard line, what was the thinking behind the two passing plays there?
COACH KELLY: We were not moving their defensive line, so we probably had to throw it in.
Where are you on the state of the team? 0‑2 and such a big game; the offense didn't show up.
COACH KELLY: Yeah, we better show up this week because it's not going to get any easier for you. We've got to come back, get ready to go to work on Tuesday and get ready to go play the Jets.
There were some dropped passes from the receivers. What do you account that to?
COACH KELLY: You've got to look at the individual particular play. But there were a couple key drops that didn't help on a day when we are not running the ball very well.
You've got to be a lot cleaner in the pass game and we weren't. So couldn't give you the specifics on each individual drop.
Do you attribute most of DeMarco's struggles to the offensive line?
COACH KELLY: I don't think any of our running backs had a chance to get anything started.
You've got two new starters at guard, a new running back, a rookie starting at wide receiver and a new quarterback. Should the offense be better by now? Did you overestimate how long it would take for everything to gel?
COACH KELLY: I don't think we overestimated or underestimated. We have to be ready when the season started. We haven't played – the second half of the Falcons game, we played well. The first half of the Falcons game, we didn't play well, and tonight we didn't play well at all.
Were you satisfied with Bradford's progressions? It seemed like a lot of check downs. Guessing until you see the reads, you can't tell what he saw?
COACH KELLY: Yeah, until I see exactly on the film who was open or who was not open.
Do you want to see more shots down the field than you saw?
COACH KELLY: We tried to take a couple shots down the field, but we also have to protect him so he can throw the ball down the field.
Why does the offensive line appear to be the biggest problem?
COACH KELLY: I don't have that exact answer right now. I wish I did. We'll get to it, though.
Did you get rid of too many playmakers in the offseason?
COACH KELLY: I don't think so.
How much of Sam's struggles do you attribute to him and how much to the offensive line?
COACH KELLY: I think it's a combination. So I can't give a number on what's what.
Is it talent, is it execution or is it coaching?
COACH KELLY: Execution. It's execution and it's coaching. We're not doing a good enough job. We're not putting those guys in position to make plays.
In what ways are you looking at that? The play calling? Do you have any self‑analysis?
COACH KELLY: Yeah, we self‑scout ourselves all the time. We'll continue to do that. But running the ball the way we're running the ball right now, we're not going to win any football games. We've got to get back and get that figured out.
What did you think of LB Jordan Hicks stepping in at linebacker?
COACH KELLY: I thought Jordan did a nice job; especially in that situation, when two guys go down. He's primarily a special teams player for us, but when you only dress four guys on game day, you have to be ready to go. Then obviously losing Kiko and then Mychal, besides that one pass play to [Cowboys RB Joseph] Randle, I thought he did a nice job.
In the past, when you've faced this kind of problem where it's execution and coaching, what have you relied on to try to get out of it?
COACH KELLY: We were here two years ago, to be honest with you. We lost 17‑3 to the Cowboys and then we lost 15‑7 to the Giants and then we went 7‑1 down the stretch. I just think we kind of get back to basics. It's still a fundamental football game and we'll evaluate everything, but we evaluated everything then.
Fortunately for us, we straightened everything out. But again, if we can't run the football, we're not going to win many football games.
In the games you just referenced, you said that was a quarterback issue because you were down to your third-string quarterback. This is your starting quarterback and starting offense and you're still having these problems.
COACH KELLY: Yeah, we still have to make an evaluation of everything. I mean, I don't think Sam has anything to do with blocking a three-technique that's in the backfield.
Based on that, is it more concerning now because these are your starters?
COACH KELLY: It's more concerning now because it's now. It's not more concerning than ‑‑ two years ago doesn't really matter. We've been there and we understand that, but we still have to get it straightened out. Just because we went through it before, doesn't mean we are going to get it straightened out. We have to get it straightened out, and we have a big game coming up playing the Jets this week.
