Water Break with Irv Smith, Jr.

[Viktor]

Q: Have you tried any of the winter activities? Snowshoes? Ice fishing?


A: "I want to try ice fishing because I like to fish. In Louisiana, we catch a lot of fish, so I definitely do want to try ice fishing."


Q: Do you have a teammate in mind to be your guide?


A: "I know Riley [Reiff] is a big outdoorsman, so I'll ask Riley for sure and some of the offensive linemen."


Q: Is there a tight end that's played in this system or a similar one that you most try to replicate?


A: "I've watched a lot of Owen Daniels. [Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak] coached him. We're pretty similar in size and different things like that, so I definitely have a lot of regards for him and how good of a player he was. Delanie Walker is kind of similar to my size. At the end of the day, I'm not Gronk-sized (Rob Gronkowski), but I really like the way they play, just leaving it all out there on the field, so I'd say Owen and Delanie, and Shannon Sharpe for sure, too. He was a lot of fun to watch. Those are definitely guys that played the game the right way."


Q: What's your key to blocking bigger guys?


A: "Honestly, it's a mindset. Obviously you practice your technique, work a lot of technique and hand placement, getting your body in the right direction, and pad placement. It's very-fine details for sure, but at the end of the day, you can use all of the details, and if you're not a dog out there and not confident in your abilities … then you don't have anything, so I would definitely say it's a mix between technique and just having to let that dog out."


Q: When you get a pre-snap look that's favorable, like it appeared on the second touchdown against the Lions, how do you keep your poker face?


A: "Well, shoot, I mean that's kind of all week in practice, you kind of know the couple of plays, that if they get called, you've got a good chance of getting the ball and getting in the end zone, especially kind of with Coach Kub' … it's definitely going to be a touchdown. You hear the play called in the huddle and you just feel that energy. At that point, you've just got to go out there and do your job and execute, and the fun is going to happen."