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Interim Head Coach Wade Phillips** WR DeAndre Hopkins
Interim Head Coach Wade Phillips
(opening statement) "Like we normally do, we start with injuries. Unfortunately, we have done that quite a bit. Dennis Johnson still didn't practice today. I think he's very questionable for the ball game. Joe Mays was limited today, but he's having a little swelling in that knee that he was out one game with. We're hoping he'll be ready. He's kind of a game-time decision. Of course, Case Keenum was limited today also. He was a little sore and he's going to be a game-time decision. So that's our injury situation. We did get some good news. Actually, it's bad news for Peyton Manning because the League did come back and say that the ball was juggled by (Eric) Decker and shouldn't have been a touchdown. I guess they're going to have to take that Hall of Fame ball that they sent to the Hall of Fame back. I feel bad for Peyton celebrating breaking the record and it really didn't happen (joking). I guess they still count it, don't they? Anyway, the League came and said that it was not a touchdown. Unfortunately, they ruled it a touchdown on the field and then they reviewed and said it was a touchdown. But now the League came back and said it wasn't, which we said all along."
(on if he's waiting on who will start at quarterback this week) "We're going to wait and see how Case (Keenum) is. Like I said, it's a gem-time decision on whether he can play or not, and not necessarily start. It could be a situation where he wouldn't be able to start, but he'd be the backup guy. So we'll have to wait and see."
(on if QB Case Keenum could start this week, but he might not) "Yeah and he might not play. He might not be active."
(on if this has been a difficult three weeks for him and if it's tough to change the culture in that short of a time) "Yeah, it's tough in that way. But you have to what you can do. I think it would be certainly great if we can win this game. I think our attitude is still good enough. I think we're still playing hard. I think the players will play hard for themselves. But I think they'll play hard for me, too. Jeff Fisher was what 1-5 here when they made him the coach. There's precedent for an interim coach being the head coach the next year. I think Marv Levy did it. There's quite a few guys, Don Coryell, Marv Levy did it at Buffalo. It just depends on what they decide."
(on if he's talked with Owner Bob McNair about the head coaching job or if he'll do that after the season) "Well, they're really not discussing that. I don't think they've discussed anything as to who they've talked to and who they've haven't. So I'll leave it there."
(on if he hasn't scheduled an official interview yet) "As far as I know, the team is not putting out who they've talked to. I'll just leave it at that."
(on how big of a game this week is) "It's a big game. We need to change what's happened. You can't change the whole season, but you can sure change game. And that would be important to our team."
(on the challenges QB Ryan Fitzpatrick presents that QB Jake Locker didn't) "Well, I don't know that Locker didn't, but he's the same type of quarterback in that he's got a good arm, he's quick, he can run with the ball, those kind of things. They give you the same challenges and they've got a strong running game to go with it."
(on if he's gotten to know RBs Coach Chick Harris at all) "Oh, yeah. Yeah, if you're around forever, you end up knowing a lot of people. Yeah, Chick's been an outstanding coach and they've kept him here for a long time for the right reason because he's a really good coach."
(on how thin the running back position is right now) "I wish I was that thin myself. But going down to the fifth guy who wasn't playing football all year, I can't think of a team, this is my 38th year, I can't think of a team that's had to do that.
(on if he's confident RBs Coach Chick Harris will have RB Jonathan Grimes ready to start this week) "Yeah, he'll have him ready. He had Dennis Johnson last week who hadn't played. He'll have him ready to go."
(on if QB Case Keenum is still not definitely starting even if he's healthy) "I don't know if I said that or not, but what I tried to say was, is if he's 100 percent, that's one thing. If he's not, then we've got to decide whether he's able to play or able to backup. That's our situation."
(on if QB Matt Schaub will start if QB Case Keenum doesn't) "Yes."
WR DeAndre Hopkins
(on what it's been like working with WR Andre Johnson) "I couldn't even put it into really a couple of sentences how much I've learned from this guy. He's talked to me a lot on and off the field. Basically, he teaches by example. He's not going to sit there and give you a paragraph on what you should do. He's a great leader."
(on how much of what he's done this year can help springboard him for next year) "I think what I've learned this year can help me a lot. Just basically working hard in the offseason to propel myself to be a great wide receiver. I think that will help out a lot."
(on what the moment was like for him when he scored the game-winning touchdown against Tennessee in the first matchup and how much he wants to duplicate) "I just want to get a win. I don't really care what my stats are. What I did against them was 14-15 weeks ago. So I just want to go out and get a win. That's the only thing that matters right now."
