Horse Tracks: ‘Right pieces, right team,’ says Surtain

It was inevitable someone would ask the “Super Bowl or bust?” question.

Pat Surtain II didn’t take the bait. After all, it’s August.

But he didn’t shy away from it, either.

Because it’s August with some high expectations.

“Our expectations are pretty high, but we are just going to take it week-by-week,” he said, as well-coached in PR as in coverage. “Obviously, that’s the main goal, but it starts right here in training camp and it starts early on in the season. Our main focus is to start out fast and start out hot early. That way we can prepare ourselves to get to that stage.”

And the All-Pro corner believes the set-up is perfect for that.

“We have all of the right pieces and the right team … the right guys with the right mentality to start things off the right way. This team is great all across the board.”

“We have all of the right pieces and the right team … the right guys with the right mentality to start things off the right way. This team is great all across the board.”

“We have all of the right pieces and the right team,” Surtain said. “We have the right guys with the right mentality to start things off the right way. This team is great all across the board.”

And a big part of that is the guy calling the defense. Having Vance Joseph back another year is not an insignificant piece of the Super Bowl puzzle.

“It does a lot,” Surtain said. “Having ‘VJ’ on our side, a guy that’s been in this league for a long time and knows the ins and outs of this game. When you talk to him, everything about him speaks volumes, but he’s an even better person. Having a guy like that on the defensive side of the ball just translates to success.”

Losing players like John Franklin Myers and PJ Locke means there is a void to fill, but Surtain is confident the coaches and veterans can bring the young guys along to do just that.

“That’s part of the business, as they say,” Surtain noted about losing Myers and Locke. “Obviously when great players leave, you have to count on other guys to step up.”

Between Sai’vion Jones and Eyioma Uwazurike working to replace Myers’ spot, or JL Skinner and Devon Key filling in for Locke, Surtain is not worried about that happening. There are always young guys stepping up.

Ja’Quan McMillian, for example, is primed to be an impact player, says Surtain.

“His mindset is off the charts. The way that he carries himself on and off the field and his work ethic… There are only a few that quite work like him,” he said. “Being undrafted and coming in, nobody knew about him. Now, he’s a hot commodity. It goes to show the work that he’s put in and how much he values and hones in on his craft. I’m excited for ‘J-Mac.’ He’s a big-time player.”

One major emphasis of improvement over last year’s success will be takeaways — something the defense struggled to get last season.

“That’s true,” Surtain acknowledged. “We can do that when the ball is in the air, capitalize on more opportunities of taking the ball away. Obviously, those game-changing plays are very vital in NFL games. Taking the ball away and just doing that would definitely help us a lot, too.”

But right now, in training camp, it’s mostly about trusting the process, and the wins will come, Surtain says.

“I feel like every year, everyone has new goals. …I mentioned before starting out fast early on and not allowing anything to go by. I feel like that is our next step and just staying committed to the process,” Surtain added. “Trusting what ‘VJ’ has for us, and trusting us and our defense as a unit. We have the right pieces at the right places. It just feels right right now.”

Even for the six-year veteran, training camp brings a new buzz for the upcoming season, and the buzz this year is good.

“I mean, honestly man, it doesn’t even feel like Year 6. It feels like when I was a rookie just starting to come in, starting to come [out of] my shell, but yes, time is flying” he added. “Just seeing how far this team has come has been quite surreal honestly, to say the least. So yes, I’m excited to enter Year 6 and to get it going again.”

“It’s going to be a fun camp,” Surtain added.