Members of the Texans spoke the media Wednesday about their upcoming game against the Miami Dolphins.
Texans owner Bob McNair
(on what he feels like after losing the game on Sunday) "Well, I feel like everybody else that's 0- 4 does—miserable. I hate it, and I don't know anybody that likes it, but that's history. What's important now is for us to go out and win this game and start a winning streak. I think we're capable of doing that. I think the game we played this past Sunday is the best game we've played in the history of this franchise. We had a couple of mistakes at the end of the game that cost us, and we've got to correct that. But in terms of the way our team played, one of the things we've said that was a challenge is: How do we go out and play against somebody like Indianapolis and handle them? And we handled them. I think our players saw that. I think they have confidence going forward and know what we can do. Now, we just have to go out and finish."
(on if he can envision any scenario this season where he would fire head coach Gary Kubiak and start over) "I'm focusing on where we are right now (Miami Dolphins week) and what we're doing. I'd say our coaching staff is doing a fine job. The players were prepared. They executed well. They played hard. What could anybody else do?"
(on if he is concerned about the naming rights to the stadium and where the economy is right now) "Yes, I'm concerned about it because I've got good friends there at Reliant, and they're a great partner. I'd like to see them continue as a partner, but they're looking at other strategic options. They're going to do what's in their best interest, and we'll work with them as they go forward."
(on what he thinks the chances of losing Reliant as a partner are) "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Right now, I want to see a good result for Reliant. We're going to work with them in whatever structure they come out with going forward. They've been a great partner."
(on if Reliant has asked him to renegotiate the partnership) "That's just pure speculation. Anything could happen. The main thing is that they're a great company, and they've been a great partner of ours. We're going to support them in every way."
(on if it is reassuring that Reliant said they have adequate liquidity and that it is business as usual) "That is important to them because they're in the trading business and they need to have liquidity in order to affect trades. So, it's good that they were able to do that, but I'm not sitting inside their board room and I don't know everything that is going on there. All I can do is hope that everything works out that's beneficial to them and their shareholders and our relationship."
(on what the significance of the naming rights of Reliant means to him, the rodeo, and the county) "It's important to all of us, but it's also very valuable. They recognize that. We've reviewed it with them through the years. They recognize the value of it. I think it's been reported that one of the real values in Reliant is the fact that their name brand is so strong, and I think a large measure of that is due to the naming rights that they've had here and the high profile and visibility that that brought to them."
(on what it would do if the team didn't have the naming rights) "Well, it would reduce our income and we would have to adjust accordingly. We would have to cut expenses, but we'll deal with that based upon what happens."
(on if Reliant has been in talks with him) "They've talked to us. They talked us to before they made their announcements. They've been very conscious of their relationship with us, and we appreciate that very much."
(on how he felt Sunday night after the loss) "I felt horrible. Probably like our fans, except I don't think they could feel as low as I felt. I told somebody I felt like a snake in a wagon track. That's how low I was, but you don't accomplish things going around feeling low. I asked somebody the other day, 'Tell me who you think the greatest pessimist in the world is?' They thought and they thought and they couldn't think of a single person. I don't know of a single person that's ever accomplished anything that's a pessimist. It's the optimists that do things and do them well. We go forward. We try to be constructive and supportive. I think the main thing is that we have to play with confidence. You play with confidence when you are well prepared and you have confidence in what you're doing. Our coaches do have them well prepared and they're playing hard. As long as we do that, we're going to win a lot of games this season. I am not down in terms of our ability to win. We have not executed adequately in these first four games. We've got twelve more games to go, and if we keep playing the way we did Sunday, we're going to win most of those games. I don't know of a team on the schedule the rest of the year, if we play 60 minutes the way we played 56 minutes Sunday, I don't know of a team on our schedule that will beat us."
(on the importance of game against Miami) "Every one is important. Every one is a must win. So, yes we've got to win this game and I think we will."
(on if he has a plan B just in case the worst happens with Reliant and the naming rights situation) "No. No, I'm not worried about that right now. I'm worried about winning this game Sunday."
(on if he is shocked with this start since many people expected playoffs with this team) "I'm disappointed. But shocked, I don't know. I think I've seen enough that nothing shocks me anymore - look at the stock market and what's happening in the world all around us. No, I'm not shocked by it. I'm disappointed, and I certainly didn't think it would start this way. Our players didn't, our coaches didn't, but it's a long season. We've got 12 more games to play. We plan to go out and play them one at a time. We plan to start by winning this one on Sunday."
(on how his team is able to stay sane with the 0-4 start while many other 0-4 teams are firing their coaches) "We're playing well. We're playing well. The last two games we've played very well. I suspect any team that's playing well players are going to feel good and they're going to feel good about their coaches. That's the way I feel. I was sincere when I made the comment that if we get 60 minutes, and we will. If we play 60 minutes the way we played 56 this last week, I don't know of any team on our schedule that will beat us. I don't know who it is. So that being the case, why should we do anything but go out and work harder? Keep doing what we've been doing, do it a little bit better and concentrate to finish and make sure that we don't let it slip away at the end."
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on bringing back QB Alex Brink) "I just really get a little nervous after what we went through this weekend. And one of the things in this league, if you have somebody available and you knew you had a problem, you could do something late to take care of it. But with our situation, we could have very well been playing with one guy Sunday. So we brought him back. He knows what we're doing. We put him on the practice squad, and we'll see what kind of progress he makes."
(on how everything went during practice today) "Good. We had a good practice. We've got a lot of things to work on. Defensively, you've got a lot of things to cover, very confusing. Offensively, we're going back to a 3-4 football team, so there's a lot of things for us to have to focus on."
(on what kind of issues the Miami offense is causing) "They're causing a lot of problems. It's basically you're preparing for two offensive football teams. You've got to be really sharp and diagnose and identify formations and those types of things. Normally, you've got one guy leading the defensive group, but you've got to have 11 guys watching how they break the huddle, who comes out and what's going on. So confusion is an issue."
(on if he is surprised that the Wildcat formation works as well as it does) "Well, I'll tell you what: that guy that is back there running it (RB Ronnie Brown), I'm not surprised it works because he's a heck of a football player. He looks like he's totally healthy and he's had some nicks through the past couple of years, but man, he looks really good. (RB) Ricky (Williams) looks really good. It's a scary thing what it did to New England, San Diego, and now it's our turn. So we've got our hands full."
{QUOTE}(on knowing what to look for) "Well, I'm sure we're going to see something that we haven't seen to in the last couple of weeks. It looks like they're growing with it. There's something new every week. So we're going to have to really do a good job adjusting with it."
(on if he's surprised it works in the NFL) "No. They're just running a run-game scheme. It's not like they're doing something totally different as far the plays. It's just personnel-wise, and getting another player out of the box is unconventional for what is normally seen in this league."
(on where Miami has improved defensively after struggling the first two weeks) "Well, I think one of the big reasons is their offense is on the field so much, so that helps the defense a lot. It's like us helping our defense last week. But they've had some change in personnel. Their scheme has really settled down to me and is very sound in what they're doing. They don't give up big plays."
(on RB Ahman Green saying this team is at the point where they are angry and want to win) "Well, I hope so. It's been very, very frustrating. The key is taking your frustrations to the field and getting rid of them there. That's what I see them doing. They're working. I've told you guys that. They work extremely well and are hungry for a win. They're human just like everyone else."
(on the Wildcat offense and teams usually picking up things fairly quickly in terms of stopping it) "Well, I think what's going on there is not only that they're doing something different but they're running their other offense pretty darn well, too. It's not like all of a sudden they went to this one offense and that's all their doing. They're running that (Wildcat package) a percentage of the time. They're spreading the field a percentage of the time. They're running base stuff. So, all of a sudden, your preparation is doubled. This quarterback (QB Chad Pennington) is playing extremely well. I've always thought a lot of him. He's healthy. He's playing very well."
(on the Miami defense and what they're doing) "They're difficult. For us, it's a lot like playing Dallas as far as what we saw in the preseason. They're a very physical, 3-4 football team that gives you problems on the edges. So it's given us problems before and it's something that we've got to really do a good job of preparing for."
(on if any of our players complained about the field after the game like the Colts player did) "I didn't hear that. I've heard none of our guys complain. I thought it was pretty good, but I'm not out there. So I haven't heard anything."
(on the health situation of the team) "(FS Dominique) Barber looks like he's very iffy going into this week. Of course, (TE Mark) Bruener is still an issue. There's still an issue. (S) Will Demps did practice today. So, other than Barber, obviously, we were back to full strength."
(on not being able to find out exactly what's wrong with LB Xavier Adibi) "He just hasn't been feeling well. He got sick on us and couldn't hold anything down. He spent some time in the hospital and has been through some headaches. He's kind of up and down throughout each day. He did do some things today, not much. We're monitoring it. It's an issue right now. We're running a lot of tests on the kid trying to figure it out."
(on LB Xavier Adibi saying the sickness is holding him back) "Well, it's obvious. He's lost weight. He's behind everybody because he's missed a lot of time and he's not feeling well. So it's our job to figure out why."
(on what it means to him that Texans owner Bob McNair stands behind him and the other coaches) "I think the world of Bob. I've thought the world of Bob since the first day I met him, and that's going to be that way for a long, long time. This is football. We're all disappointed right now. We need a win and we're going to work hard to get one."
FS Will Demps
(on the key to the Dolphins turn-around) "I think understanding where they need to go. The offense has been hot the past couple of weeks. They started off a couple weeks just really slow and didn't know what their system was and understand it because Chad came in late. They're doing well. They figured out a new formation with the wildcat offense and we have our hands full with that. So we have to go in there, especially from a tough loss, and move forward. It's a new week and it's a chance for us to kind of rebound."
(on how you stop the wildcat offense) "There are a lot of good things we can do. For example, there are other teams, New England and San Diego, they kind of showed us some good things for us to kind of attack it. I'm not going to give out the total keys of how to stop it, but we have a good plan going into it."
(on if he is surprised the wildcat offense has worked so well) "Well, I guess because no one else runs it. It's a copy-cat league. You might see other teams might start running it, but they are doing it well because they have two running backs that are real smart and can run the ball real hard and they understand how to run that offense."
(on how difficult last weeks game is to put behind you) "It's a tough loss. Anytime you lose, especially a game like we did, and I know it's cliché to say, 'Hey we'll move on. It's a new week.' But definitely, it's a tough loss. It took an extra day to kind of rebound from it, but we have a lot of tough guys here. The coaching staff, Kubiak, kind of got us in said, 'You know what, it hurts. But you know what, its part of the game.' We're 0-4 and that's the reality of it, but it's a new week. The thing about this one is it's a new game for us and we can kind of rebound here at home."
(on his status for this week) "I'm going to practice today and kind of get going and see how everything's going from that. So, I'm going to take it day-to-day."
(on if you have to be aware of the wrinkles from their wildcat offense) "Definitely. I think with that kind of offense, you can kind of get better with new wrinkles every week because I don't think every week they show everything of their offense. Maybe they are going to show us something new this week, like you said, with (QB) Chad Pennington on the outside as a receiver and maybe throw a flea flicker pass that way. So you always have your hands full and prepare yourself for every play that they can come at you with."
(on stopping the Dolphins TE Anthony Fasano) "Definitely just put pressure and understand what formations that they are going to dictate and put him out around the ball. And (QB) Chad (Pennington) is a smart quarterback. He's been around the league for a long time, and Bill Parcells wanted a guy like that to run his offense and understand his tight ends. When he was up in New York, it was always a big key for him, especially with the nice running back they had to complement that. You definitely have to understand where the tight end is, and definitely because they are getting in rhythm with the receivers now with (WR Ted) Ginn (Jr.) trying to understand the offense. So we have our hands full and we know that, and I think we can get better today with understanding their offense."
(on a big part of the Dolphins offense is playing mistake-free football) "I think that's what the coaching staff preached to them during training camp and understand that's the type of offense they want. In order for them to be successful, you can't have turnovers, especially on offense. You have to have a rhythm and establish what you want to do, run the ball. I think they've done well with that and thrown a wrinkle with the wildcat offense. So I think they have two good keys going for them, an especially good coaching staff and an especially good GM."
LB Zac Diles
(on how does he get back on track after that loss) "I've just got to come back this week and get better and improve, go out there and play hard and tough against Miami. We've got to put that last week behind us and go forward this week against Miami. We've got a good challenge coming up again this week. It's time to come and step forward this week."
(on what he thought about the Miami offense when he watched the video) "It can get a little confusing here and there, but you've just got to see the formation when they come out in it and be able to adjust to it. So, that's what we have to do when we see that formation, but it's a tricky one."
(on his biggest concern) "Just to stop the run, (RB) Ronnie Brown. They have a pass off of it too. So, when you think they're going to just run, run, run and then you hit the run hard, they hit you with a pass. They keep you on your toes."
(on if he expected the team to rally around QB Sage Rosenfels like it did) "We have total confidence in (QB) Sage (Rosenfels). Whoever our starter is we have confidence in both guys. It's just really to go out there and continue to play. We played well. We've just got to finish the game. So, that's what we've got to do coming into this week. But, we have confidence in Sage or (QB) Matt (Schaub). So, it's a thing with both we're good."
(on how much progress he's made from last year to this year) "I think I made a big jump. Last year, I really didn't get significant playing time, just basically special teams but whatever I can do to help the team, that's the biggest thing. So, this year being able to be a starter, week by week it's getting easier and easier going out there. So, we've just got to keep it going, keep flowing, and stay consistent. Start getting these W's."
(on if his success is partially about being comfortable in the starting role) "Exactly. First game, you're out there your whole first start and you're still kind of jittery and you're still kind of slow on your reads. It's new to you. As week and week goes on, you start seeing what the offense is trying to do to you in different formations. That aspect of the game slows down a lot."
(on how much it has helped him having LB DeMeco Ryans on the team) "It's extreme help. We're close on and off the field. Me and (LB) (De)Meco (Ryans) are at the point now we can just look at each other right now and just know like (points as if pointing out a player to cover or pointing out a formation). We're at that point now we're comfortable out there with each other. He's a great player. I just couldn't be happier."
(on the mental aspect of trying to bounce back after a loss) "It was tough. It was a tough loss. Like I said, we've got to put it behind us. You can't dwell on it. That's the biggest thing. If you dwell on it then you're not going to get better. You're not going to improve. So, like I said, you've got to come back this week and get better and finish. That's the biggest thing. We've just got to finish. We had a great chance, a great opportunity to win last week. It didn't happen in our favor. So, we've just got to go out this week and get it done."
(on if he hopes that last week was rock bottom) "You would hope so. You never know. This is a crazy league. Everybody's good in this league. You've got to bring it week in and week out. You never know what could happen like I said on Sunday. You never know what can happen in this league. Maybe one game that's going to go our way. We've got to just keep pushing and keep playing."
(on not pointing fingers and rallying around each other) "You have to. In times like this if you start pointing fingers, it's only going to keep getting worse and worse and worse. We're trying to go up not down. So, you've just got to stay positive in here, keep a positive vibe and just know you've got to keep coming in here week in and week out and work. It's not going to change over night. Like I said, you're not going to go out there this weekend and get four wins. You've just got to take it week to week and you'll be good then."
RB Ahman Green
(on the exchange between RB Steve Slaton and himself) "I like it. I'm used to it. I did it in Green Bay when I first got there with (RB) Dorsey Levens, so I'm kind of accustomed to it so it doesn't bother me. I like it because it keeps the defense very honest, and it makes them have to adjust to a different runner every third or fourth play."
(on if it is hard for him to get in a rhythm with the exchange between he and RB Steve Slaton) "No. Actually, for myself coming off of an injury and kind of getting back into it, I get into a rhythm a little bit better doing it that way."
(on if he has been able to watch yet what the Miami defense is doing and how they are stopping the run) "Just a little bit so far. What they're doing is playing hard football. They're being very aggressive. I know a couple of the players. Defensive line wise, I played with and against (DE) Vonnie Holliday recently, so I know how he plays. He plays tough. He plays smart, along with the linebackers. It's going to be a hard game for the running game, for myself and (RB) Steve (Slaton)."
(on how to get over a loss like last weekend and if the team can move on) "Yeah, the team can move on. The way I look at it is I've been through a situation kind of like that. I actually lost a game for my team playing in Green Bay in '03 against Kansas City. I fumbled the ball and then it went into overtime. Kansas City scored on the next play. So, I know what that feeling is, and what you've got to do basically is just look at the next week and forget about it, really, and move on."
(on if he has watched film on Miami shutting down RB LaDainian Tomlinson last week) "I've seen a little of that, too. I will watch more. Like I said, what I've seen so far, they're just playing technique and whatever they've been coached and playing physical. So we've got to be ready for that."
(on having said that it drove him crazy to not be playing and what it meant to get back on the field) "Well, it hasn't driven me crazy, but to do what I was able to do on Sunday, I knew that it was going to be a big deal for our team because it helps our offense get going. With a different running style like mine and (RB) Steve's (Slaton), it puts a defense kind of off kilt a little bit."
(on the burst he had and doing it in a game instead of practice) "It just felt good. That burst came basically through the rest I had and the treatment that I've been getting to get better back out there. From the practices last week and the week before, I've been kind of building up to that, and hopefully every week and every day I'll just get a little better."
(on how he's felt since the game) "I'm fine. Normal aches and pains from playing a game, a football game. That's about it."
(on if he expects more reps this coming week) "I honestly don't know. I expect to contribute and help this team out any positive way I can."
(on if he minds the role change with RB Steve Slaton having the start and if it was easy to adjust to) "Yeah, I've been dealing with that. A lot of people realize I've been dealing with that since high school because I've been sharing the backfield ever since high school. So, it doesn't bother me. It actually excites me because it keeps the defense honest and you've got two different runners interchanging throughout the game. So somebody is always fresh every third or fourth play, which is a good thing when you're playing against an aggressive defense."
(on if he can tell a difference when he's fresh and the defense is looking for RB Steve Slaton instead of him) "Oh, yeah, you can see that really easily. They know that. Miami definitely is going to look at the film and see that, so we've got to be ready just as well on the flip side and work on everything that we need to work on to get ready for them."
(on how he would describe how far RB Steve Slaton has come) "Great – his productivity, his knowledge of the offense. Like I told him when he first got here, the easiest thing you've got to adjust to is the run game. That's going to be the easiest part. The part he's still working on is picking up blitzes, reading the defense and knowing when they're going to blitz and stuff like that and knowing when they're going to blitz on the run play, what you've got to do for that. So that's the only part he's still getting better at, but the run game, he's picked it up just like I thought."
(on the fine line is between winning and losing) "It's all about attitude, and we're getting that attitude game by game. Looking from the outside-in and looking at our record, you probably wouldn't say that, but being in the locker room and practicing with these guys here, it's all about building that confidence and getting that attitude no matter what is going on around you in a game or in a given week, in a given day, practice, as long as you have a positive attitude and an attitude that you know you're going to win."
(on if the attitude in the Texans' locker room is like that of some of the good teams that he was on in Green Bay) "Yeah, it's building. It's something that doesn't come overnight, but it comes basically through preparation and discipline."
(on not being hurt and completing a full game) "I don't take anything for granted. I was just happy I played and was able to be productive. That was the number one thing. Now, I'm going into my fourth week of practicing full go, so that's going to be good and then I could definitely help this team out further down the line."
(on how much it helped not to rush him back) "It helped out a ton. It was less added pressure there when I could just kind of take my time and physically get better with my body and mentally also to know that they had my back and they knew that it was going to be a process of taking it one day at a time. So that felt good."
(on if past success against Miami gets into his head) "It's there because I know what I did, but like you said, they've got a different attitude down there in Miami. They started off the season 0-2 but now went 2-2 in the past couple of weeks. Coming off a bye, they did well against San Diego. So, that's going to be something that I've got to look at and our offense and our defense have got to look because they are playing really good football right now."
(on Miami's offense looking good with a two-back system and if he thinks the Texans could have something similar to that with he and RB Steve Slaton) "That's what we're looking forward to. Right now, it worked out the first game. Like I said, we've got to just take it one day at a time and want to keep that going. That would be nice."
(on how QB Sage Rosenfels has practiced this week) "He's fine today. He went back to his limited reps, basically. He took some good shots in the game, but he practiced."
(on if QB Sage Rosenfels had to play if he would feel comfortable with him in) "Oh, yeah. I've got a lot confidence in him. No doubt."
C Chris Myers
(on having QB Matt Schaub back and how this team is going to react) "You just move forward. It's happened here last year and guys just come in and step in. Whoever's behind center is going to be behind center conducting the whole offense. You don't think about it when it comes down to game time. You're going out there and doing your responsibilities and playing with whoever is leading the ship. So, whoever that may be, then we're going to go with it."
(on head coach Gary Kubiak saying the guys up front did a good job all game long) "That's what we want to preach every single game. Obviously the first couple of games of the season we gave up a big number of sacks and didn't rush the ball very well. We've worked on that the last couple of weeks. Hopefully we can continue to do that throughout the season."
(on if it helps knowing that only two plays hurt them and the rest of the game went well) "It helps, but playing well and playing hard and working as a unit only goes so far. When you don't win, yeah you played well, but it's just like we need a W. A win fixes a lot of things: mentally, emotionally, and then the record obviously. We need a W and whatever it's going to take to get that we're going to do."
(on Miami's defense) "They've been totally different the last two weeks than they were the first two weeks of the season. They've switched on that switch. (LB Joey) Porter's in there. They've got some guys that are no name guys and some guys that are big time name guys, but they're all playing as a unit. Their last two weeks they've been playing some hard nose football. So, we've got to bring our A-game this week."
(on if he thinks things were running a little more smoothly with QB Sage Rosenfels in as QB) "No difference other than looking someone else in the facemask in the huddle. They're both out there whether it be (QB) Matt (Schaub) or (QB) Sage (Rosenfels). We're going to go with what they choose."
CB Dunta Robinson
(on how hard it is to be on the sideline and watch the game last week) "It was tough, but it just lets us know that we have to finish games. It's not over until the final horn sounds. We didn't play 60 minutes. We played about 56 minutes. We have to play an entire game. I think for some of the young guys and for a lot of the new guys on this team, it was a good thing to learn."
(on if the offense put the defense in a bad situation) "I don't think it put us in a bad situation. Yeah, it gave us a short end of the field, but if you want to be a great defense then you have to thrive in those situations. Sometimes we have to cover or the offense and sometimes they have to cover for us. In that particular situation, we didn't get the job done."
(on if he thinks that was rock bottom for the team) "No, because we played so well. It kind of reminds me of the Tennessee game from a year ago. Where we made the great comeback, and it was me that gave up the two deep passes at the end of the game. So it kind of puts you in the mind frame from that. I think we learned from that and we played a lot better last season, so lets see if we can do the same this year."
(on if he talked to QB Sage Rosenfels) "(QB) Sage (Rosenfels) has been around this league for awhile. He knows every once in a while, only the lucky ones have days like that. But Sage is a warrior. Without him, we wouldn't have been in the position to even have the game won. We didn't blame Sage for anything. It was just one of those things where it didn't go as well as he planned at the end. Sometimes that's the way things go in this league."
QB Matt Schaub
(on RB Ahman Green saying the team is fed up and wants to pop someone in the mouth) "I love it. I think should be our mentality this week. Exactly like (RB) Ahman (Green) said, we want to taste victory. We want to go after somebody and just jump on somebody from the start of the game on through the finish. We've been really close the past two weeks and we fell short. We just have to focus on the future and not dwell on the past."
(on if that was one of the most bizarre Sunday s he's been a part of) "It was an unusually circumstance that I have never seen before and probably will never see again. That was a special circumstance that took place on Sunday."
(on wanting QB Sage Rosenfels to play succeed) "Yeah, I want him to play well and he did that. He played the game that you need to play to beat a team like the Indianapolis Colts up until the last three, four minutes. I definitely feel for him because I've been there, but he played well."
(on the Dolphins defense) "Well, they are playing incredibly well together. They present a lot of different looks to you. They just seem to play really good football as a group. There are a few really tough players, guys that you know, big names. Other than that, they are a group of guys that play well together in their scheme. They're tough up front; they're big and physical. They're playing the 3-4 style. They are playing really well when you look at their tapes the past two weeks."
(on the Dolphins turnaround in such a short amount of time) "Well, I'd say it goes out to their leadership and their coaching staff, that they've been able to turn things around. They first two weeks they started out and they struggled a little bit but the past two weeks they just seem to have found an identity and they are really playing well as a team."
(on needing a win) "Oh, it's huge. We need to come out here this Sunday and right from the first whistle, the first play, to just jump on them and play really good football at the start of the game and get a lead and maintain it. Just play solid football and execute at a high level."
(on why they struggle against 3-4 defenses) "I think everybody struggles with it a little bit, other than the teams that actually face it every day, you know, their own teams. But it's just something different, and in a short amount of time it's very difficult to prepare for. But I think we've benefitted from it because we've seen a few times already this season, going back to Dallas in the preseason with Pittsburgh and then getting ready for the Baltimore game. So I feel like we're better prepared than most teams might be at this point."
(on the 3-4 defense makes it harder to know where the blitz is coming from) "Depending on the team you're playing, that can definitely be a tough assignment to recognize where they are coming from. But certain teams, it's not as hard to recognize."
(on if he is excited about the running game) "I've been real excited about our running game this year. We've really made a lot of improvements and having (RB) Ahman (Green) back in there and (RB) Steve (Slaton) running well, it gives us a good one-two combo."
(on if he is back in rhythm after not playing last week) "I was practicing all last week. I was ready up until the game time when coach said I wasn't going. So, I was ready to play all last week so it's not like I haven't been out there practicing and in rhythm with my guys. I'll be ready to go. It won't be a big deal."
RB Steve Slaton
(on you bounce back from last week) "I think it's just a great lesson for later on down the road for things that can happen and bad things that can happen can happen. So now you have to pay more attention to detail so they don't happen."
(on how he feels about his performance in the game) "I feel pretty good. I mean, it's kind of still bad because we still lost, so it's really not a big bright spot. We can still do better and pick it up and win some more games."
(on if he thinks he'll be able to run against Miami's defense) "I definitely think so. We have a great o-line and great receivers blocking downfield. So, hopefully we can create some run lanes."
(on what he sees in Miami's defense that is making them so successful) "They're just hungry. Whatever they are doing right now is working. They are tackling extremely well, and that's the biggest thing. The first guy has to make that first contact and brings you down."
(on if he and Ahman Green can be a successful tandem) "Yeah, I think we had good success last week running with a two-back rotation. I think it definitely helps tire the defense down and keeps your legs a little bit fresher."
(on if he saw the defense playing differently having to deal with he and Ahman Green) "Definitely. They tire down because they aren't keying on one person. They are getting tired more than you are because you're on the sideline getting that rest."
(on if it is weird having Ahman Green as his backup after watching him growing up) "I try not to think about it. It's a crazy game and I try to take as much information as I can from him because he's been in this league for a long time. He's teaching me a lot of things."
(on if Ahman Green helped him out while he wasn't playing) "Yes, helping me out with things, asking me what I saw on the field. He'd tell me what he saw and what he thought I could do for the next time."
DE Anthony Weaver
(on if he has ever been through anything like how they lost on Sunday) "No, hopefully that's a one in a lifetime thing, a once in a career thing. But, that being said, the result's the same. It's another loss. We've got to put it behind us and get back to work. I think that's the best medicine, just get back to work."
(on what he thinks of the wildcat formation) "It puts a wrinkle in it. It gives defenses something else to prepare for, and if anything, it's going to take time in the meeting room when you could be focusing on other formations that they have that they might be using just as much as that wildcat. So, it's effective for them and they're going to keep using it, but we'll be prepared for it."
(on if the defense has to put in special things to prepare for that) "I don't know that you so much have to put in special things as you much as you just have to recognize it. That's the thing. They kind of come off the sideline and you don't know what formation they have out there and what personnel and then before you know it that wildcat formation is on you and you're not really set in your defense. As long as you can recognize it early enough, I think we'll be alright."
(on 2-2 teams not really ever getting much attention but it's the way the Dolphins have gotten their two wins) "Yeah they're both against teams that were in the AFC championships last year. So, that's impressive. We know we're playing a great team. I think they're in the top ten in both offense and defense. So, it's going to be a challenge for us and we shouldn't take them lightly."
(on RB Ronnie Brown) "(RB) Ronnie Brown, he's a stud. He's a guy that when he gets his hands on the ball, he can break it for a big play at any point. You know that you can't sleep on (RB) Ricky (Williams) either back there. While he's gone through some things in his past, you can tell he's back to old form too. So, we've got to prepare for two top flight backs."
(on how close he is to being back to old form) "I'm good. I'm ready to go. It's just a matter of getting out there on the field and showing them what I can do. But, with the opportunities that I'm given, I'm just going to continue to try to go out there and try to make plays. All I can do is play as hard as I can everyday. I think I do that."
(on hearing his name being called more and more the last couple of weeks) "That's good. That's good. I'm running around. I feel a lot better than I did at any point last year. So, hopefully I can just continue to get better and help this team win."
(on how a team gets angry) "How does a team get angry? We're 0 and 4. (laughs). You tend to get pretty pissed off. This team's angry because our expectations are so high and they still are. Regardless of where we sit at this point, our expectations are still there and guys still know the ability and the talent that we have on this team. We don't plan on going out here and trying to waste a season."
OT Eric Winston
(on other players saying that this team is angry and wants to win) "I would say those are pretty accurate assessments. We're all really upset with what is going on. There's not a guy in here that's not a little upset with the way things have gone for us especially the last two weeks. We know we're a better team than where we are. We know we are a better team than we were last year, but now we've got to get out and prove it. We've got to prove it to the rest of the NFL, and it starts this week."
(on can a rock bottom moment bring a team together) "Absolutely. It's 60 guys on everybody else. You don't have a lot of supporters. You don't have a lot of backers. We've got to go out there and play well. We've got to play well for our fans. They were great against the Colts. I don't know if I can remember a louder time in Reliant stadium that has been there. They're going do their part and we've just got to go do our part and just finish games these games off because we're playing well enough to win."
(on if the bad taste is gone or if it's still there from the loss) "I hope not. I hope it's still there. I want it to stay there. Even when we do start winning, I want it to stay there. I think you've got to get to that point where you hate losing so much that you're willing to do whatever it takes not to do it. So, we're getting to that point. We should be at that point already if we're not there. I know we're fed up with it in the offensive line room. I think the whole team is. We're ready to go. I think a lot of these guys in this locker room wish we were playing today."
(on how you avoid carrying a loss over and him mentioning that back at Miami he carried on a loss one time) "Letting it go and just moving getting on with it. That was kind of a different situation. We were one in the nation at that point or two in the nation. We thought at that point that we were out of the national championship game. Here it's a long season. We've got twelve more. We can rip off a lot of games in a row. We've just got to take it one week at a time and we've got to finish one game at a time and not worry about big picture just worry about what task is ahead."
(on how long it took to let the loss go) "It took a while. Those losses never leave you. It depends on how you let it drive you. If you let it drag you down then you're going to continue losing. If you gets you to get going, work a little harder, do the things that is necessary to win then it can boost you."
(on the Miami defense) "They're playing well right now. They're playing together. (LB) Joey Porter is obviously a player that has been around a while. (DE Vonnie) Holliday's been around a for a long time, but there's not just a superstar now that (LB) Zack Thomas is off of there. They seem like they haven't lost a beat. They're playing really well together. They're playing really hard. They want to be more physical than you do. So, we've got our hands full. We've got go out there and go after them."
(on if he can see the Bill Parcels influence on them by watching them) "Absolutely. The 3-4 scheme, what they're wanting to do with the ends, the kind of guise they have. That's all the same. They've got a lot of guys from the Cowboys already on there. You can definitely tell he's rearing a lot of power there."
