Texans coach Gary Kubiak said that fullback Vonta Leach has played as well as any fullback he has watched on film this season.
After practice on Wednesday, Texans coach Gary Kubiak spoke with the media about the promotion of long snapper Clark Harris to the active roster, the health of quarterback Matt Schaub and the unheralded play of fullback Vonta Leach.
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on how he feels with TE/LS Clark Harris as the long snapper) "We've been preparing for that. Of course, we've had him here previously and then brought him back. He's been preparing as if he was going to be the snapper every week. That's how we've been working with him, so way ahead of the game from that standpoint. Naturally, he's a young player and this is a tough environment for him to go do his job, but he's way ahead of the game. It's not like we're starting fresh today."
(on how QB Matt Schaub looked today) "He looked good. I'll go back and watch the film. He did everything. We're pretty much not in a full-speed mode today. We'll pick it up tomorrow. I would say he was in a full-speed mode. He's very excited about playing. Everything looked OK."
(on other injuries and DE Anthony Weaver) "Anthony did not practice today. Two safeties did not practice, (S) Nick (Ferguson) and (S) Eugene (Wilson). I would expect them to all be ready, Anthony probably being the biggest question mark. But he told me today that he feels like he'll be there, so we'll see."
(on if QB Matt Schaub looks healthy enough to start) "Yeah, I don't see anything unless there's some setbacks. We'll study the film like we have as coaches and have (head athletic trainer) Kevin (Bastin) look at it after each practice. But we saw enough last week to think that he could have played, so that tells you where we thought he was, and I don't see anything different today. So we're proceeding that way."
(on if the team might be limited in some areas if QB Matt Schaub starts) "No, I wouldn't put him out there if I thought, 'Hey, you can't call this. You can't call that.' If he's ready to play, he's ready to play, and all indications are, as of today, he's going to be fine."
(on if he can put a finger on why the defense has been able to get so many turnovers the last couple of weeks) "I think it's football. Sometimes, things come in bunches. It's like sacks or quarterbacks throwing touchdown passes. You just keep battling. I think we are being a little more aggressive, but we're all rallying to the ball. Had a few breaks. You need some breaks in this business. We haven't had many, so maybe we'll catch up in the second half."
(on Green Bay's defense giving up touchdowns in the red zone) "Well, first off, I think they're a very good defense. They're a very balanced team. I think they're ranked 11th defense, 12th offense; very balanced football team when you look at the rankings in the league. Very fast – probably the fastest defense we'll play this year. You're going to have to beat man coverage. (They're) excellent outside. So we've got our work cut out for us. They're like any other team: When they're at home, they get better."
(on how you prepare for the cold) "You can't prepare for that. That's just part of it. It will be cold. I've been there a few times. You just deal with it. It's a mindset. We could have went out there today. What was it out there today, about 75 (degrees)? We came in the bubble where it was 72 (laughs)."
(on how important is it to win on the road and in harsh conditions to establish yourself as a playoff team) "It's obviously very important because you know that's the road eventually if you want to be a champion in this league. You have to do that, and nobody has proven that more than the Giants here in the last couple of years. So being consistent, we'll have to go down there, we'll have to win a turnover battle, we'll have to run the ball. We're going to have to be very sound at what we're doing and handle pressure with noise and a great place to play. So those are the things you've got to be able to do if you want to be successful in this league."
(on if QB Matt Schaub's return is sparking anything with the offense) "I know everybody is excited for him that he's getting back because he's missed a lot of time in the year. When he's been healthy, he's played very well, and this month is very important to him and our football team. So from that standpoint, I know everybody is upbeat about him coming back."
(on if it is important to QB Matt Schaub's future how well hey plays over the next month) "Well, I think any time you play, it's important to your future. But he's a young quarterback with not a lot of starts under his belt. He has done some very good things but has gone through the injury bug, and you can learn to play through that just like you can getting better as a player. It's something that he's got to do and prove to everybody he can do and play good football along the way."
(on how RB Steve Slaton is today) "He's fine. He did everything he could do today. I think he's freshened up in the last few weeks and getting out of those games clean. He should be fresher this week than last."
(on if former Texans assistant head coach Mike Sherman was the one in charge of getting FB Vonta Leach) "Yeah, that was Mike. Mike knew him from his time in Green Bay and stood up for him when we were looking for a fullback, and he came in and played for us a little bit at the end of that year. He's been a big part of this team and slowly becoming kind of a leader on this team. He has a lot of fun out here playing the game and (has been) very successful at this point. I think he's had an excellent year."
(on RB Steve Slaton getting AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors) "That's special. We teased him today and told him he was getting a car, but I don't know if he believed us. He's a young kid who, you know, he's been starting out for 12 weeks, and that's really something in this league the way he's held up and kept his load. He's a joy to be around. I know the team's really rooting for him. He's on his way to a great year. Hopefully, he finishes that way."
(on if it is safe to say that RB Steve Slaton would not have had this kind of year without FB Vonta Leach) "When you look around the league, fullback is kind of an unheralded position. There's a lot of teams that don't even use them in this league nowadays. If you look at Vonta compared to some of the fullbacks in this league, I would say he's probably played about as well as anybody. We'll see what his peers think come a couple of weeks from now, but he's been a big part of what we're doing. He's also done a great job of helping Steve in the games. He's a very positive kid, smart kid, and I think that's helped him."
(on if he thinks FB Vonta Leach is deserving of going to the Pro Bowl) "Well, you never know those things. You'll see, but I know watching a lot of film this year and watching fullbacks in two-back offenses, I think Vonta has played about as well as anybody."
TE Owen Daniels
(on playing in Wisconsin in the cold weather in college) "We never played December up there. The latest game was around Thanksgiving or the week before. It would get cold, but I don't think anything that we're going to deal with this weekend."
(on if he walked to class in the cold at Wisconsin) "Oh, absolutely. You know what? I didn't walk to class. I rode my scooter no matter what. Doesn't matter how cold it was, I was on my Moped all bundled up, whether it was 80 degrees or zero."
(on if dealing with the cold weather is more mind over matter) "I think so. Yeah, once you get warmed up, as long as you keep your hands and feet warm, that's the biggest thing. That's what I'm worried about. I think that's what most people are worried about."
(on finishing the season strong) "Yeah, it's huge. You look at the last five games, we want to come out of that with a winning record at the very least. I think we have a chance to do that. We've got two wins in a row. We've had a streaky season and hopefully, we can keep it on this winning streak we've got going. So if we don't make the playoffs, it's big for the team to finish the season in a positive way, for sure."
TE/LS Clark Harris
(on being involved in key situations as a long snapper) "Like I told her, I've been doing it for years. I've been doing it since high school. I'm just going to go out there and do what I've been doing. I'm not going to think too much about it. The snapping position is a big mental position. You've just got to know that you can do it and go out there and do what you've been coached and do what you've been programmed to do."
(on what his emotions will be when he walks out with the uniform on and playing the Packers) "I can't tell you now. Right now, I'm cool, collected and calm. But I don't know what to tell you when I step out on that field."
(on how much P Matt Turk has helped him) "He's helped out a lot. There's several differences between college and now, but I've talked to him and we've sat down and talked and got a feel for each other so far. We're going to keep working throughout the week to get the timing and everything down perfect, so come Sunday, it's just like practice."
WR Andre Johnson
(on playing in the cold weather) "It's going to be an experience. I'm pretty sure it's going to be something I've never experienced before, probably, playing the game of football. It's going to be a big challenge. They have a great defense. It's going to be a big challenge, especially for our passing game. I know those guys play a lot of man coverage. They have some great cornerbacks. It's going to be cold. We know what to expect, but we have to be ready."
(on his thoughts about having QB Matt Schaub coming back) "It's great to have him back. He's very anxious, you could tell. We practiced half-speed today, and he was throwing the ball like we were going full-speed. So he's really excited to be out there. He's having a lot of fun. That's good to see him back and out there having fun."
(on what difference QB Matt Schaub can bring to the team) "He's our starting quarterback. Like I said before, we have two good quarterbacks. We all feel comfortable with both of them. But Matt's back now, and it was great to have him back out there. So, hopefully, we can keep playing the way we were playing and we can go out and hopefully get a win this Sunday."
(on how much he is concerned about the weather affecting the passing game) "They have to play in it, too. It's not just going to be one team out there playing. They get to practice in it every day, so maybe they are a little more used to it than we are, but you still have to play a game. So, there's no excuse about that."
(on being from Florida and if he just hates the cold) "(Laughs) You know what, I've surprised myself a few times. The past few cold games we did have, I was able to go out and play with no sleeves on. I don't know about this week, though. I'll have to go out there for warmups and see how I feel and I'll make my decision from there."
(on if he had a lot of people calling him after the Monday night game) "Yeah, I did. I cut my phones off during the game, and once you cut them back on, it's just like they wouldn't stop vibrating. I think it was just exciting for everybody, all my teammates, their families, your friends, getting your first chance to play on primetime, Monday night. Everyone was excited about it. Just the atmosphere in the stadium was great. It's something here that I never really experienced before. I didn't get to experience the first game here against Dallas. I heard that was a pretty great atmosphere. Since I've been here, I think it's probably the best atmosphere we've had here in the stadium."
(on how important it is to finish the season well) "I think it's very important. We've never finished above .500. Guys want to win here, and as you can see like when we go out and play, we could easily pack it in and say, 'Hey, our season's over. We don't have anything to play for.' These four games, they mean a lot to us. We have to go out there and play, so why not go out and try to win them?"
(on how he is going to keep his hands warm and if he will wear gloves) "You just pretty much wear the same thing. You just put on a hand warmer. That's the most important thing, I think, just keeping your hands warm, because if your hands get cold, the ball kind of feels like a brick when it hits your hands. Sometimes, it hurts your hands, actually, when it hits them, from your hands being cold. But I'll definitely have on a hand warmer. I'm pretty sure all of the other receivers will have a hand warmer on. You just try to keep your hands as warm as you can so when the ball touches them, it doesn't feel as heavy."
(on if it is just a mental thing with the weather) "I think just by us knowing the situation what the weather is going to be like, you kind of have your mind set for it. So when you get there, it won't (be a) surprise. I think it is something mentally. You just have to set your mind like, 'Hey, it's going to be cold. There's no telling how cold it's going to be.' So get your mind set, and you just got to go out and play football."
WR Jacoby Jones
(on the cold weather in Green Bay) "It's a mental thing. You've got to try to block it out and suck it up and think like it's warm, I guess."
(on it being important to keep the hands warm) "Yeah, you've got the heat warmers on the sideline and you've got the big ol' heater going, so there'll be a way to keep us warm."
(on if he will stand by the heater to keep his hands warm before returning kickoffs) "I've got the warmers, the little pouch that you wear to keep my hands warm for when they kick the ball. So that'll work, too."
(on what is the coldest game he has ever played in) "Cleveland. That's the coldest game I've ever played in, in my life."
FB Vonta Leach
(on QB Matt Schaub calling him "The Hammer") "I just go out there and block, do what I have to do to get this run game and our offense going."
(on staying under the radar) "Well, I do. That's the job of the fullback. You don't get a lot of praise. You're never going to be in the stat sheet unless they throw you a ball short and you get a touchdown or something, so that's it."
(on if it is hard to not get credit) "No, I mean, I know that's my job and that's what they pay me for, so that's what I go out and I do."
(on sort of going home this weekend in Green Bay) "Yeah, I kind of got started in Green Bay. I was there with a great coach, coach Edgar Bennett. He's the one that got me started. And then (former Packers head coach) coach (Mike) Sherman, he's the one that gave me my shot when I was in Green Bay."
(on what he has told his teammates about playing in Green Bay) "Well, it's a special place. The fans are great there. It's a football town. You're going to drive through lot of small houses and stuff. It's not a big city place. It's a great place to play at for people that have never played there."
(on some of the tricks to playing in cold weather that he learned while playing in Green Bay) "Well, make sure you put Vaseline and stuff on your face. Also, you know, wear some foot warmers. Wear two pairs of socks and wear foot warmers up under one of your socks. Make sure you keep your hands and stuff good. Just different stuff like that."
(on if it is special to go back up to Green Bay) "When they cut me, the next week I went right back up there with the Saints. I didn't get a chance to play, but I went back up there. So it's real special going back up there, and now I get a chance to play against the guys."
(on how he gets his excitement on the field since he's not running with the ball) "Well, that's my job. When you come back on the sideline and the guys say, 'Well, I saw you make that great block,' and when (Steve) Slaton gets some yards and stuff, that's where I get my excitement from."
(on how much pride he takes in RB Steve Slaton's success on Monday night) "Well, you know, Slaton did a lot of that by himself. I just did my job, and Slaton did the running."
(on how long his teammates have called him "The Hammer") "For a while now. It's just getting out now, but they've called me "The Hammer" for a while."
(on his white t-shirt that has "Vote for Me" written on it in permanent pen) "Oh, yeah. I made my shirt. You know, everybody has shirts for the Pro Bowl and stuff, and I decided to make my own today: "Vote for Me, Pro Bowl '09." You know, the fullbacks don't get a lot of props, but I made my own shirt."
(on if his homemade Pro Bowl shirt is working yet) "I just made it probably 15 or 20 minutes ago. I was lifting weights. Hopefully, it will be working."
(on what inspired him to make his own shirt) "I've just seen a lot of shirts going around and I didn't see any with Leach's name on it, so I just put my name on a shirt. That's it."
(on how difficult it is for a fullback to get noticed) "It is difficult. You have to have a good running back. You obviously have to have a good running back. You have to have a good offense. Then, I think the fullback will get a lot of notice."
(on what it was like living in Green Bay) "It was great. As far as football-wise, it was great. Outside of football, there was not a whole lot going on. But the guys gelled together, and we found stuff to do outside of football. But it's a great city, great place. Die-hard Packer fans. Everything is Packers - everything about Green Bay. So it's great."
CB Dunta Robinson
(on how the cold will affect the game in Green Bay) "I mean, it's going to be cold. I hope it's not as cold as it was in 2004 when we went to Chicago. I mean, that was miserable. I haven't played at Lambeau, so I really don't know what the field is going to be like. I don't really know the conditions. But all I know is it's going to be cold, and that's the part I dread the most."
(on the key to playing well on defense) "Pressure up front. Pressure up front and just being aggressive. Those are the things we've done the past two weeks, and it's kind of what we have to do this week. We have to be able to go get the quarterback."
(on what concerns him about the Packers' offense) "Their receivers. They're explosive. They make big plays, and we have our hands full this week. But it's going to be a lot of fun, and these are the challenges we look forward to. You know, we're preparing well and we're going to be ready to play on Sunday."
(on what he's seen from QB Aaron Rodgers) "I mean, he's shown that he can stay alive and that he can throw the ball a long ways. You see him in a lot of situations where a lot of other quarterbacks will be sacked and he ends up coming out of it, and his receivers always run downfield. He plays a lot like Brett Favre. He'll just throw the ball up and trust his receivers to go up and make plays. We just have to make sure that doesn't happen."
(on if he means QB Aaron Rogers' escapability, referencing the previous comment) "Yeah, it's escapability. He can come out of situations and avoid sacks, and his receivers always keep playing and he always throws the ball downfield and they always make big plays."
(on if that stretches a defense out) "Oh, yeah. We'll be stretched out a lot, mainly because they play a lot of four-wide. So we'll be spread all over the football field. They feel like they have a good vertical passing game and they feel like their receivers have field, so we'll need our track shoes this weekend."
(on the Packers losing four of their last five) "You really can't look at that because like I said, in the NFL, on any given Sunday, anything can happen. Plus, they've lost a couple of games, so they're trying to get back. They might be a little bit hungry to try to get that win. So we won't go down there and take anything for granted. Just because they've lost a couple of games, we know that we have our hands full still because when this team is on, nobody is better; especially on the offensive side of the ball. So we're going to prepare the way we normally do and go down and prepare as if they were 13-0."
(on the importance of finishing the season strong) "Right. I mean, we have a good chance to turn this thing around, and coming off two-straight wins, we feel pretty good. But with that being said, we still have to play football and nothing is given, nothing is automatic. We're just going to go down there and give it all we've got, and hopefully, we can get our third straight win and hopefully we can finish this thing 9-7."
(on how important it is to have QB Matt Schaub back) "It's very important. I mean, our team is basically intact on both sides of the ball with all the starters with Schaub coming back on Sunday. We've missed him, and he's going to spread the ball around, do what he does best. Just to have him back, I think, is an added key and it gives us a big momentum boost."
QB Matt Schaub
(on starting this week after missing four weeks) "It feels great. It's good to be back out with the guys and practicing starting last week and going into this week. It's great to be back out there and working with the guys, so (I'm) just excited to be back at it."
(on where he is physically and if there are any limitations) "It's going good, just jumping right back in things. No limitations other than just wearing the big old brace on there, but I feel great and am able to move around. So everything feels good."
(on getting back into the lineup in cold Green Bay) "I love it. Why not? Growing up in the Northeast, it's been a while since I've been in the cold, but we played a few games in college and back in my days in Atlanta. So it is what it is. It's for both teams, and we both have to play in it, so we just have to go out there and just concentrate on our job."
(on keeping his hands warm) "I'm not worried about that."
(on how difficult is it to come back and get ready for a game with not playing for four weeks) "There's not much different. It's just back out there with the guys as opposed to sitting in the training room doing my rehab. That's the only difference, but no, there's nothing different. It's just going back out there and getting back after it. I might spend a little bit more time, a little extra time, throwing with the guys after practice or just doing a few things, but it hasn't been that long ago. It's been a few weeks, but when you do things year-round, they become second nature to you."
(on how frustrating is it to watch from the sidelines) "It's definitely frustrating. Any time anybody is injured and not out there, it's tough to go through. But it's part of the game, and you just have to deal with it and move on."
(on what stands out to him with the Packers' defense) "They're very fast. They're an athletic group that they do what they do and they're not going to deviate from it. So we just have to have a lot of wins across the board to beat the guy across from us, but they're very fast and athletic and they make a lot of plays, as you've seen."
(on how special is it going out there with a defense that has been playing well and stopping people) "Without a doubt, they've been playing great football the past few weeks. If they can just continue to do that, which we know they can, and if offensively, we go out there and continue to play well and take care of the ball and score points, we'll be in good shape. But we just have to focus on the same things that we've done the past two weeks to win and continue to do them this week."
(on if it is nice to come back to a two-game winning streak) "Any time you can win back-to-back games and get a little streak going, it's always good. We saw that in October. So if we can just continue to do those things and use what we did the past two weeks as fire for this week - but it's a new week, and we just have to refocus on what it takes this week to win and forget about the past, good or bad."
(on if he feels like he has something to prove) "Any time we're out there, we feel we have something to prove. Whether you're coming off of an injury or not, I just want to go out there and play good football and continue to play well."
(on the way RB Steve Slaton has blossomed) "He's played tremendously well. He's no longer a rookie, in our minds. He's played enough ball that he's a veteran now. He's just really come into his own in understanding how to be a running back at this level. He's being very patient. He's letting things develop and he's making plays when they're there."
(on how it helps the offense to have a weapon like RB Steve Slaton) "It's a huge asset for us to know that if you give him a crease, he's going to hit that thing 100 miles an hour and he's going to be gone because he's got that speed and escapability. It's great for a quarterback to know you can not force it downfield and check it down to him, he can make one guy miss and who knows what could happen, as we saw in that screen pass the other night. So he's definitely a valuable guy to our offense."
(on if he sees more defenses putting another guy up in the box with RB Steve Slaton's development) "I don't know if they are going to change their complete scheme for him, but you just have to be aware and be able to contain and not over run things where he can cut back, because he's got some quickness to him. So I think you just have to play him honest, and we have enough weapons (that) if you try to take him away, other guys can beat you, as with (WR) Andre Johnson. You try to take him away, and other guys can beat you. So it's just another weapon."
(on if it takes more pressure off of him when the team can run) "Without a doubt. When we can run the football the way we did the other night, especially when the team and everybody in the stadium knows we're going to run it, we were able to put the game away by giving it to him (RB Steve Slaton) and him breaking off a few longs runs. That's a huge asset to us."
(on if it is key to establish the run in Green Bay) "Regardless of the conditions or who we're playing, we've got to establish the run. Especially on the road, if you can continue to be balanced and be able to keep them off-balance and use our play-action, that's just when we're at our best. So if we can continue to have him (RB Steve Slaton) play well and the offensive line play well, we'll be in good shape."
(on what role FB Vonta Leach is playing for this team) "He's our hammer. He goes out there and he neutralizes the line of scrimmage. (If) guys are in there, he's going to open up the hole. He goes in there and sticks his head in there and knocks himself around for the good of the team. He's one of the most unsung heroes in this locker room. He goes unnoticed and under-the-radar every week, but he's one of the guys that's really making this thing go."
(on how anxious he is to be back playing) "Very anxious. I'm excited to be back. It was great to be in uniform the other night and be activated, but it's just great to be back out there with the guys practicing and ready to go this week."
(on if it was important to him to get back this season) "Without a doubt. I never listened or heard any of those things about being out for the year. That was all other people talking about that. I knew that I could come back and I just said, 'I'm going to try to make it back for the last month.' And I've been able to do that, so now it's just time to go play."
RB Steve Slaton
(on if he ever thought he'd be in this position) "I mean, you dream about it, being a rookie, but the opportunity of it happening is slim. All the hard work I've put in and the way the team has been playing, it's them first."
(on if he has played in cold weather before) "Back in college, I played in pretty cold. But they say Green Bay is a different type of cold, so I'm just going to hopefully stay on the field and keep warm."
(on what prompted him to tell Coach Kubiak that he wanted the ball at halftime last week) "Just wanted to let him know that he could count on me and that I felt good. I thought I could carry the load."
(on if he saw something specific in the game or if he just felt he could carry the load in general) "Just how we were running in the first half, and I felt that we didn't run as much, I just wanted to get back on track in the second half."
(on what he has seen defensively from the Packers) "They are a hard-nosed team. Any time they get to play at home, it's definitely in their favor. So we're just going to have to up there and just keep grinding."
(on how key FB Vonta Leach is to his success) "Very key. Without him, I wouldn't be able to do a lot of things, just as well as with the O-line and receivers. Vonta is definitely a big reason why I'm having a big year."
(on how much FB Vonta Leach helps him on the field) "We talk a lot when we're out there, just about our protections - who he has, who I have, just so we know so we don't miss a blitz."
(on how he can carry the momentum from Monday night into this weekend) "Just keep trying to run hard. The more plays I make, the more it opens it up for the team. The more plays the team makes, the more it opens it up for me."
(on his confidence level translating to the games) "Yeah, I think so. You get a little more adjusted as the season is coming down. It's definitely getting easier as the weeks go by."
WR Kevin Walter
(on the chance to win three in a row) "We want to win. (Head) Coach (Gary Kubaik) said last week, 'All we're playing for is a win.' And we're doing the same thing. We're going to have a great week of practice. We had a good practice today and we have to keep the ball rolling, get another 'W.'"
(on if he likes the cold weather) "I'm from the North, so I love the cold weather. I'd rather it be 18 degrees than 90 degrees, to tell you the truth. You can breathe easier out there. You can fly around and you don't get tired. So I'm looking forward to it."
(on if he has any tips for the cold weather for guys like WR Andre Johnson) "Yeah, just don't wear sleeves and go out there and fly around. That's all I say. He's not used to that cold, but all those guys will be ready. It's going to be a lot of fun."
(on why WR Andre Johnson shouldn't wear sleeves) "Don't wear sleeves. You're not used to wearing sleeves. If you go out there and you wear long sleeves, the ball slides around and stuff like that. There's no reason why you need to wear sleeves. Just go out there and play like you've been all year."
(on how important it is for QB Matt Schaub to be back) "Oh, it's great. Matt's our leader. He's our quarterback. He's looking good. He looked good last week. He's looking good this week. He doesn't even look like he got hurt. So he's going to go back there and lead our offense, lead our team, and we're excited for him to be back."
(on the importance of finishing the season strong) "Yeah, there's no reason why we can't go out there and win every single game we play. We've been playing good football these past two weeks, and it's been showing. We've been playing as a whole, as a group – offense, defense, special teams. As we play together, we win. We don't turn the ball over and we get turnovers. That's how we've been winning. But we're going to go out there and play one game at a time and keep the streak going."
(on the Packers' secondary) "Probably one of the best secondaries we're going to go up against all year. They play a lot of man coverage, which is great for receivers. We love to go against man coverage. (Packers CB) Charles Woodson is back there playing safety. He's got good ball skills. It's a challenge for us, but we're up for it. It's going to be a lot of fun. We just have to go out there and fly around and run routes and score points."
T Eric Winston
(on any tricks for dealing with the cold weather) "I don't know. I've just kind of picked them up through other guys and the few cold games I've played in, a couple in high school and a couple in college. You just kind of find out what works for you and you try to roll with it."
(on if there are any things he likes about playing in cold weather) "No, none. There's nothing fun about playing in the cold weather. Fifties is nice. Forties is OK. Down there after that, it's awful."
(on what are some of the tricks to the cold) "Find the nearest heated bench and stay on it as long as possible. I think that's probably the best trick to find is to just get on that heated bench and do what you need to do. Wear a thicker kind of T-shirt, I'd say, underneath your jersey, try to keep your hands warm, try to keep your feet warm if it's raining or snowing or something like that. Those are just little small things. Other than that, you've just got to deal with it. It's just like the fans. You've got to keep them out of your mind and just play football and just do what you're supposed to do."
(on what he's seen after watching film on Green Bay's defense) "A bunch of hard workers. I think they're playing well. I think they've been giving up some points, but I don't necessarily think it's their fault a few times. It seems like in the Carolina game they were always backed up and starting on a short field. That's always tough for a defense. One big play and all of a sudden, you're in scoring range. They've just been even a little unlucky. In New Orleans, (QB) Drew Brees scrambled out a few times and hit a couple of big plays. It's not like any teams have been steadily moving the ball on them. We've got to do a better job on third downs and maintaining drives. We haven't been doing that very well the last two weeks."
(on RB Steve Slaton saying that his success comes from the offensive line and how much pride does the offense take in that) "We take a ton of pride. I was really happy to see that he was over 100 (yards) and closing in on 1,000. He's doing great. He really is. He's done everything I think the coaches have asked of him. He's been a great guy to block for. He's a tough guy. He loves to get the rock all of the time, and he's been carrying it well."
(on if the weather may make this game one of those where you have to run all the time) "Yeah, I think so. It just depends how bad it gets. If it starts getting to where you can't see 20 yards down the field, then obviously, you've got to do something. We're going to have to deal with whatever comes. If it's clear, then that's fine. If it's cold and wet, then we'll deal with that, too. It's not like any of these guys haven't played in cold weather. We're not all from Houston. So we're going to be alright. We're not going to worry about that stuff."
(on if QB Matt Schaub has picked up where he left off) "I think so. His reps have been good in practice. I think he's thrown the ball with good velocity. He's running around well. On the boots, he looks like the same old Matt — slow (laughs). So there's nothing that's going to change about Matt. But no, he's fine. He really looks good. Other than that brace he's wearing now, he really does, he looks the same running, the same speed. Like I said, he's throwing the ball well. He's moving around, same command in the huddle. He'll be fine."
