Head Coach Gary Kubiak
Offensive Coordinator Rick Dennison
LT Duane Brown
ILB Brian Cushing
WR Andre Johnson
C Chris Myers
OLB Brooks Reed
QB Matt Schaub
DE J.J. Watt
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Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on the team's health) "As far as guys that didn't practice today, (WR) Lestar Jean is still out, but making a lot of progress. (RB Ben) Tate did not practice today with his toe and obviously (SS Quintin) Demps coming off the surgery, so those are the three that weren't out (practicing) but other than that we're back to work today."
(on SS Quintin Demps' status on Sunday) "(SS Quintin) Demps is definitely out. (WR) Lestar (Jean), he looked pretty good running with the trainers but I think he's an end-of-the-week decision. Our expectations were that he would miss a couple of games, but he's come along pretty darn quick. (RB Ben) Tate we're kind of shooting toward the end of the week, see what happens."
(on if the team prepares for two Jets quarterbacks) "Yeah, we have to. This is very difficult to prepare for. You could face, obviously, the form of offense that they have run some with Tim (Tebow) and some of things Tim's done in the past. You got to go way back and look at all that. Obviously, Mark (Sanchez), he's played extremely well against us. It's double-duty from that standpoint. It's probably the most difficult team we've had to prepare for, really across the board. They do a lot defensively. Rex (Ryan) has got a ton of stuff and make you work on. Special teams-wise, they do a lot of formations. They're doing a lot of things with Tim (Tebow), so a lot of issues for us to get ready to play from a rep standpoint."
(on if he views the Jets as a down team) "I've never thought of anything that way. I tell you all the time, we get beat by anybody but we can beat anybody if we play good. We know what type of team we're facing. We've had our troubles with them in the past. They're an extremely talented football team coming off a tough game last week. That's part of this business. You've got to build to bounce back when things aren't good and keeping perspective when they are good. We know what we're facing. We stay focused on us and we know how we have to play to go win on the road so that's what we're trying to stay focused on."
(on preparing for QB Tim Tebow and the wildcat offense) "We had a couple of guys that can do it. (QB) Case (Keenum) actually gives our guys a very good look. He's done that. Heck we put (WR) Trindon (Holliday) back there sometimes from a speed standpoint to move around but Tim (Tebow) is a big, powerful guy. It's somewhere you got to build to do them both so we've kind of extended our walk through type stuff and just trying to plant some more reps in practice without necessarily over working our guys this week, but it's tough to prepare for."
(on the play of ILB Brian Cushing and the defense) "(DE) J.J. (Watt) has gotten a lot of attention, deservedly so, named AFC Defensive Player of the Month today, but so many guys are playing well. (ILB Brian Cushing) Cush, I don't know how many tackles Cush has but he's got to be way up there in the league. He's played extremely well. He's a guy that makes us go from a sideline-to-sideline standpoint, the plays that he makes. He's our nickel guy. He's got a communication system in his helmet this year so that's a big step for him forward. Cush is a tremendous effort player sideline-to-sideline and this month has been no different. He's played very well."
(on if Monday Night Football still means a lot) "I think it does. Obviously there are a lot of other games now. There are Thursdays so you'll see one tonight. Sunday, there is all kind of games on from Thursday through Monday night, but it's special. It's different. The guys, they can tell. The routine changes. Everything about what we're doing this week, like today is our Wednesday so we're trying to get back in our routine. You go play on the road on the East Coast, we're going to get home at about five in the morning. It's going to be a difficult week and then we got to turn right around and play I think the following Sunday night so there are a lot of challenges for us. If you're going to be good you got to be able to do it in all scenarios. We got a Thursday game coming later in the season so we'll get our chance to play them all, play every place, and play in all different situations. Hopefully the maturity of our team keeps showing up."
(on if he's ever practiced under the lights) "I have done some of that in the past. I haven't done that here. I just believe in keeping our clocks ticking at the same time. For the most part, we're a noon football team when we play. I don't like getting people out of their routines. These guys are creatures of habit in how they go about things and how they do things. That's why I started our week today. So I try to stick to that, plus I know I can give them a good break from this Saturday afternoon until Monday night. You get a nice big break. It's been a good week to hopefully freshen us a little bit because we've had a straight month there."
(on RB Ben Tate's status ) "I think so. I think if we asked Ben (Tate) to do something today he would've done it. I would say the same thing tomorrow but we are going to hold him. We are going to get (RB) Justin (Forsett) ready to go. Then I think what we do Saturday is we let (RB) Ben (Tate) go and if he looks fine, then we're back to our normal deal. I think the key is that Justin gets the reps because Ben is ready to play. He knows what he's doing. That's kind of the way we practiced today. We'll see where Ben is at on Saturday."
(on playing the Jets) "First off, they're a dang good football team. They're in first place in their division. They had a rough week last week. Everybody in this business goes through something like that. I expect them to bounce back and play very well. That's what I'm telling our team that they're going to bounce back and play well. The key is how are we going to play? Are we going to play the way we're playing and do the things it takes the win, protecting the ball and those types of things? That's why we really, really stay focused on ourselves all the time because it's really not about who we're playing or where we're playing. It's about how we play and our guys have bought into that and hopefully we continue that trend."
(on if he uses Monday Night Football and primetime as a motivator for the team) "I could use it, but our guys are smart. They know. They know when they're playing. I got a bunch of guys on my team from the Jersey area so I know important it is them going home. We play a lot of football so you're trying to pull from something week in and week out, but really I don't think I need that one. I think they know what's fixing to happen and who they're fixing to play. They handle that stuff pretty good."
(on C Ben Jones) "It's been good. He's still playing like a first-year player which I would expect, he and (RT Derek) Newton. What I mean by that is they're making some mistakes but they're also showing some great progress. Last week was the most he had played so naturally to me with the most he had played probably came a few more mistakes but I would expect that. We like his effort. We like his smarts inside. Depending on how (RG Antoine) Caldwell comes along this week, he could play a lot more, but I think the guy's got a chance to be a fine player and it's got to happen quick. I kind of tell (C) Ben (Jones) and I tell Newton and I tell those guys, (WR DeVier) Posey, I'm not going to let you be a rookie. If I let you be a rookie then it's not good for our team. We need these guys to grow up real quick."
(on RG Antoine Caldwell's health) "Yeah he did practice today. He's got a pretty good ankle, but he's a tough guy. We pushed him through it. He practiced today, but we're also kind of keeping an eye on him, seeing exactly where he's going to be come Monday night."
(on if RG Antoine Caldwell isn't available then having G Brandon Brooks play) "He's made progress. He's made a lot of progress. He's a better player now than he was when we left camp. He's lighter. He's worked really hard at his trade. We're probably not going to know until he gets thrown in the spot, that type of thing. Is that this week? I don't know. He's disappointed he's not part of what's going on right now. He hasn't been suiting, and that's a good thing. That means he's working hard to get ready to play."
Offensive Coordinator Rick Dennison
(on if he's seen DE Muhammad Wilkerson's progress on film from a year ago) "I think they all play very well. I think the guy has progressed. He's a big man. He does some good things. They have a great front. They've been playing some tough ball games. People have been making great plays to beat them. That's how they've been beat—somebody makes a great play. We're going to have to play great, too."
(on the Jets defense) "They're a big stout group, with good linebackers, a good inside. They've obviously got good cover guys. It's a very good defense."
(on how the absence of CB Darrelle Revis will affect what the Texans do) "Not very much. They've got other corners that cover pretty doggone well, too. I think they'll do what any good defense does. They stay with their structure. They're not going to change just because one guy is out. They still have got 10 other guys and they've got a guy that they drafted pretty high a couple years ago to do what 24 (Revis) did. We're expecting the same thing. We're expecting a stout defense that can cover you and pressure you. They give you a lot of different looks."
(on WR Andre Johnson closing on 10,000 receiving yards and what he means to this team) "Obviously, you've got a big-play guy. It's 10,000 yards, but there are not a lot of 2- and 3- yard catches there. There are a lot of deep catches. He's an explosive guy. He's meant a lot to the team for a long time. That's the big thing about it, you know that (WR) Andre (Johnson) is always there and if you need a play, he'll make it. Coming down the stretch, we're not afraid to give him the ball one-on-one, just throw it up to him because he'll come down with it. We trust him and every day he comes to work. It's not like he's always playing on Sundays. He's playing every day of the week and he never says a thing."
(on WR Andre Johnson not ever saying too much) "Every day, ever since I've been here, it's hard to get him to say anything, let alone complain. He never complains. He always works. It's tough to pull him out of practice because he works very hard at it."
(on TE Owen Daniels) "(TE) Owen (Daniels) has a gift in getting open. Anytime they work outside or they try to use a lot of people to take care of our outside, then he's left alone one-on-one with a backer or safety and we feel pretty good about those matchups. Owen keeps getting better and better. His yards after catch are tremendous the last couple of games. He's made some great plays after he's gotten the ball, which is not to say that he's never done that before, but it's been remarkable. I think Owen is leading the team in receptions. He's just a big spark for us. He helps us out every time we need a catch, just like I said with (WR) Andre (Johnson)."
(on how TE Owen Daniels gets as open as he does) "I have no idea. If I knew that, I could bottle it and sell it for a lot of people. He's got a great twitch and he's got that body quickness to get open. He can shake a guy."
(on RB Justin Forsett) "The times that we've gotten him to carry the ball at the end of the game, he did great. He had a great preseason and he showed his toughness running down on special teams and doing anything we ask. He's been on task with knowing the game plan week-in and week-out, because he gets plenty of reps out there. We think we've got a great guy and obviously it means the world to him that we play well. He's a team player, so we feel good about Justin and the way he's put in all the work."
(on FB James Casey being targeted more this season) "I think that's just a part of what he does. Again, it's similar to O.D. (TE Owen Daniels), when they start moving to take care of the outside or dropping coverage or playing cover two, there are a lot fewer people inside so James has his chances and he continues to make plays. We give (QB) Matt (Schaub) a progression and he does a great job with it. The guy that's open generally gets the ball."
(on what has impressed him most about QB Matt Schaub through four games) "I think it's his efficiency. He's always understood the game plan. He always knows what we want to do and understands the scheme. He's just being very efficient with everything that he's trying to do. The misses that he's had, he's had to throw a couple away, we just gave him bad plays and he's getting rid of it. He's getting rid of it on a timely manner and being efficient with the game and managing the game too. It's not just routes that we hand off to (QB) Matt (Schaub) now. We give him a lot of things to do now with the run game. He has to fix a lot of calls that we ask him to do, to put us in the right run."
(on how the run game will be affected if RB Ben Tate is unable to go Monday) "The next guy moves up. You just keep rolling in and obviously we can't have (RB) Arian (Foster) take every rep, so (RB) Justin (Forsett) will get some chances. We've got some time for (RB) Ben (Tate). The longer week will help us. We'll see how it goes at the end of the week and nobody is in a jerk-mode reaction or nothing. We feel good about what Justin can do too."
(on if he's worried about the workload of RB Arian Foster so far this year) "No. (RB) Arian (Foster) is a big, stout guy and I know he wants the ball as much as he can. I think he can handle it. We'll just keep working with him. Day by day, game by game, I think it will always work its way out."
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LT Duane Brown
(on playing in Monday Night Football ) "The players playing in an NFL game, it's something that lives within you that gets you ready to go. But to know that you're playing Monday night, you're the only game on TV, the whole nation is going to be watching, just that added incentive, it motivates you to want to put your best foot forward, to want to bring your 'A' game and put on a good show."
(on playing the Jets after their loss last week) "That doesn't mean anything. We know what kind of team they have, offensively. We know that they have a great defense, flies around, plays well as a unit. They got playmakers on offense and their special teams is one of the best in the league. We're not going based off what they've done in previous games. We're going off of what we're expecting to get, which is their best effort."
(on the Monday Night stage) "It means a lot to us. It's great that the nation is starting to recognize what kind of talent we have and giving us more primetime games. We're taking it as a regular business week, just preparing the same but at the same time, we each know that it means a lot. It's a big stage. You've got to be ready to perform."
(on not getting caught up on being in the national spotlight) "We don't think about it too much. We have high expectations. We went to the playoffs last year. We know what it's like to be on a big stage and know how many people are watching, but this being our first prime time game of the year, it kind of gets your juices flowing a little bit more."
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ILB Brian Cushing
(on playing on Monday Night Football) "It's a chance to show we're for real. The chance to play on Monday night is always a special opportunity. To be 4-0, I think a lot of America's been watching to see if we're legit or not but we feel that we'll prove it."
(on playing in his home state of New Jersey) "It's going to be awesome. It's going to be a fun opportunity to go home and play in front of the fans and everything. It's going to be a special opportunity; one of those things I don't want to just let slip by."
(on if he anticipates the Jets doing some things different this week) "I definitely think (Tim) Tebow will play a bit more, especially with their top receiver going down, I think they'll try to run the ball a little bit more as well. We just have to be ready for everything. That's kind of the mindset we're going into this game with."
(on if it really complicates things having to prepare for Jets QB Tim Tebow) "No but he's a very capable football player. Obviously he's a weapon. He can be used at a lot of different positions. We just have to be aware who's in the football game."
WR Andre Johnson
(on playing on Monday Night Football) "It's primetime. Everybody will be watching. It'll be the only game on TV so everybody will be watching."
(on if it's just another game ) "You just know that it's Monday night. Every game you play is a big game because you want to win it, but you just know that it's a prime time game. This is a game that everybody will be watching."
(on not facing Jets CB Darrelle Revis) "You like to play against the best. It's an unfortunate situation, the injury that happened to him. You never like to see people go through stuff like that. But we all know what kind of player he is and what he means to that team. When schedules come out, you definitely look forward to the challenges like that to go up against players that are at the top of their positions. I know it would've been a great challenge for me, but it's just unfortunate that he had that injury."
(on Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan's praise of the Texans) "Everybody has the right to their own opinion. To me, it means something but it really doesn't because we've only played four games. There's still a lot of football left and you just have a goal and the goal is not doing four or five games. The goal, every team has that ultimate goal of winning it all. The way we've played over the past few weeks, it just shows how far we've come as a football team. As a team we still feel like we have a lot of improving to do."
(on if he feels normal out there on Sundays) "Nobody is 100 percent. That just comes with the game. At times I do, at times I don't. That's just something you have to learn how to deal with."
(on his health ) "I don't know. I guess because of the injuries I've been through sometimes your mind plays with you a little bit. You just try to block that stuff out. When I'm out there playing, I don't think about it. At times, you may do something and you may not feel like yourself. You may make a sudden move or something like that. Other than that, that's pretty much about it."
(on staying healthy ) "I'm spending more time in the training room than I ever did. At the same time, I'm not getting any younger. I remember when I used to be able to go out there and just take off running. I can't do that anymore, got to warm up."
(on approaching 10,000 career yards) "It means a lot. I wouldn't say there is many people that have ever done it considering how many wide receivers that have played the game. I'll be happy about it, but I'd like to get the win."
(on possibly being the sixth-fastest NFL player to reach the 10,000-yard mark ) "That's pretty big. Like I said before, I never really kept up with stats and stuff like that. It's a big accomplishment. I always tell people I can remember when I was a rookie like yesterday. Now, I'm in my 10th season and about to get 10,000 yards. You're not coming into the league saying I want to go out and receive 10,000 yards and score all these touchdowns; you just want to go out and play. I've been able to do something very productive since I've been here playing. That means a lot."
(on TE Owen Daniels) "(TE) Owen's (Daniels) been battling through some injuries the past few years, but before he got injured, Owen was a Pro Bowl tight end. Now he's healthy and you can tell he's feeling fine. You can see it in the way he's playing. The way he plays doesn't surprise me because like I said before he was injured, he was a Pro Bowl tight end. Right now, he's on that pace again. He's doing a heck of a job."
(on if he thought about stats like 10,000 yards as a rookie) "No. I used to tell people, they used to ask me, when you come in they always asked you how long are you going to play? I used to tell them I'm playing 10 years and then I quit. I'm far from that. I had somebody ask me at the beginning of this season, 'So is this your last year because you always said you're going to play 10 and stop?' But I'm far from that. When you come in, you don't think about that. You've accomplished your goal, your childhood dream of playing in the NFL. You never know how it's going to go. You have some guys that come in and things may not work out for them and they go to three or four different teams and things like that. Everybody's career is different. I've been fortunate to be with a team, one organization for 10 seasons, been able to do some productive things."
(on building something special in Houston ) "I always said I wanted to be a part of something special. I always said I wanted to help this organization get to its first playoffs, hopefully win its first Super Bowl. I've accomplished one of them. We got to the playoffs last season and now the other goal is trying to win the Super Bowl."
(on coming to Houston after his success at the University of Miami) "It was totally different, only losing two games in three seasons and then coming here. Losing was almost to the point where it became like a habit. You definitely appreciate the tough years, me especially because I've been here the longest and I've been through pretty much all of it. You definitely approach those tough years because it makes you appreciate what you have now."
(on WR Jerry Rice) "You have to respect that. He is the best to ever do it. I don't think his numbers will ever be touched. He put in so much work. You look at what he's done, the guy played 20 years. That's crazy. I had a chance to meet him earlier in my career. We were practicing against him. I think he was with Denver at the time. I just asked him, I was like, 'What keeps you going? Why you keep coming back? You've done everything. You've won Super Bowls.' He was just like, he loved the game so much that he didn't mind a coach telling him what he did wrong. That was just something that stuck in my head. Just because you're successful at what you do or they consider you one of the top guys that do your position in the league, you can't get complacent. You can't get mad if a coach is trying to tell you you're doing something wrong and things like that. Having that little talk with him, that was something that just always stuck with me throughout my career."
(on his work ethic) "I've always worked hard at what I do. You know you didn't get anything accomplished unless you worked at it. That's just what I continue to try to do now is just work my butt off so that I'm ready to go on Sunday."
(on if he thinks about the Hall of Fame) "No. That's out of my control. I can't control, all I can do is go out and play. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. Would you like for it to happen? Yeah, pretty sure every player wants to be in the Hall of Fame. That doesn't happen for everybody. There is only a select few. I'm just going to play the way I know how to play. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it just doesn't."
(on Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan) "He's a funny guy. I've never really had a chance to sit down and talk with him. I remember when the Pro Bowl was in Miami. Me, Chad (Johnson), there was a couple other guys. We were all standing in the lobby and he was walking through and all of us were just like 'Hey coach, what's up?' He just bust out and was like, 'Hey, if I could I'd trade for all of your asses.' All of us just busted out laughing or whatever. A coach like that, you like because he keeps things loose and he keeps things fun. That's him. I like him."
(on if trash talking on the field translates to success) "Certain coaches like certain things. I think it just all depends on your coach's style. They're a physical defense and that's the way they play. Some guys talk, some guys don't. I wouldn't say everybody on their defense talk's trash. That's just the way some guys play. They have to talk when they play, and you do whatever you have to do to keep you going and keep you motivated when you're out there playing."
(on if he thinks Head Coach Rex Ryan may lose the locker room ) "Me personally, I think he'll have them ready to go. I don't think he'll lose his locker room. I think that he'll have them pumped and ready to go."
(on QB Matt Schaub this season) "I think the biggest thing is just not really taking anything for, I wouldn't say that he took anything for granted before, but I just think he's just taking advantage of every opportunity that we get. That was a frustrating time where the team is accomplishing something and you have to sit and watch. That's not a good feeling. It was just unfortunate that we both had to sit and watch but I got the chance to enjoy a little bit of it. During that time, it was real tough on him. I think that's something that he doesn't want to ever experience or ever feel again. This offseason me and him spent a lot of time together and we talked about a lot of things. We talked about our injuries, talked about just being back and how we're excited for training camp and excited to get the opportunity to just be back on the field. That's just something I don't want to experience it again. That was just a tough time."
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(on the Jets' defense without CB Darrelle Revis ) "I still they think they have a very talented group. I think (Antonio) Cromartie is a great player. I think he doesn't get a lot of attention because he plays with (Darrelle) Revis. A lot of times (Darrelle) Revis is the guy that they always talk about. I think their defense as a whole is a group and very physical group. Like I said before, they'll be ready to play especially after you go through something like that, a loss like that. You have to come back and respond so they'll be pumped. They'll be ready to play."
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C Chris Myers
(on handling the team's recent success) "Going back to last year, for the past year and a half or so, our motto has been '1-0.' That sounds cliché and we say it all the time but it's worked for us. Celebrating the 24-hour rule after a game is what you're able to do as a professional. But then you have to come in and be that same person the next week. If you get too high, then you may slip up. If you get too low, you're not going to pay attention to the details you need to. So if you can stay even-keel and treat every single work week like it's the same, you should be alright."
(on if the game being on Monday night pumps him up more) "It may be about 50 degrees out; that's the only thing I'm paying attention to. I enjoy a cool game. Once the first play happens, it's football. You're not paying attention to what stadium you're in. You're not paying attention to how many people are watching. You're just worried about blocking the guy in front of you. You've got enough worries with the offensive and defensive scheme that they're going to throw at us. Monday Night Football is always great to play in but ball is ball."
OLB Brooks Reed
(on the possibility of seeing Jets QB Tim Tebow in a Wildcat offense this week) "We'll probably see a little bit of both but they'll have some tricks up their sleeves. Just like every team, they'll have plays that we haven't seen yet and that's what they're supposed to do; scheme us. We've just got to be able to adjust."
(on how much the defense feeds off ILB Brian Cushing's intensity) "He's the force in the middle and we kind of gravitate toward his intensity. He's the one that gets everyone going on the sideline and when we're out there on the field. I think every team needs a guy like that."
QB Matt Schaub
(on facing the Jets) "They're a very good football team on both sides of the football and a tough place to play. We're going to have to have a good week of practice and go up there and play good road football, play clean and give ourselves a chance to win."
(on the Jets' talent) "They're a good football team offensively and defensively but specifically as far as I'm concerned their defense is very good, the players that they have, the scheme that they run. It's a very good football team and we're going to have to be at our best to go up there and get a victory."
(on playing in Monday Night Football ) "Ultimately it just counts as one game. They all count the same, but to play on Monday Night Football, be the only show on and everyone watching you across the league, it has a little bit more meaning from that standpoint. Ultimately, it comes down to the fundamentals and the details to win a football game."
(on now being a favored team in big games ) "All that other stuff is in the past. We're all about our football team now. We have a lot of confidence. We have a good group of guys in our locker room. If we go out and play how we're capable of and play our standard and play clean football on the road, we'll like where we're at."
(on not having moral victories) "That's all that matters in this league."
(on the Jets' defense) "The show a lot of multiple looks, multiple fronts, bring a lot of different pressures. A lot of it is staying on your side of the ball, understanding where you're answers are, and seeing the post-snap, pre-snap, post-snap looks and understanding some of the things that they do. They can bring a lot of multiple things. As long as we keep our situations manageable, especially on third down, we'll be in good shape."
(on his first reaction to having a Lisfranc injury last year) "My first reaction, just having known a couple of my teammates in the past that have had it, I know how severe it is especially how much impact we have on our feet and different lateral movements and things. Just the rehab time that goes with it, especially with the surgical procedure you have to go through so I just know it's a long road back, but one that you got to work and deal with."
(on having WR Andre Johnson approach 10,000 career yards) "He's the ultimate worker. I think a lot of people don't really realize how hard he does work and how much football means to him and being on this team. Just going out and doing whatever it takes to win, he's always been that way. I think people see the physical skills that he brings to the position but don't understand how much this team and what we're doing means to him. I think that's a great milestone that he's coming towards, but I think more than that, what's more important to him is winning the football game."
(on if he's ever been around someone who leads quietly like WR Andre Johnson) "I don't think I have. I think he's the first one and only that I've seen do it the way he does. I think he has the utmost respect from everyone in this building because of how he's gone about his career and his business."
(on how TE Owen Daniels gets open ) "Just the way he plays, he's a guy that is really precise in his route running. He's always a mismatch for other teams, hard for them to put linebackers or safeties on them because of what he can do in the pass game. The scheme helps, get him open and the attention that our receivers and our backs, you know how many weapons we have, it's hard for teams to really concentrate two guys on any one guy because you'll leave other guys one on one."
(on how the Jets defense changes without CB Darrelle Revis) "I don't know about easier. He's a great player. He's one of the best in the business of what he does, but their scheme is really tough to beat just with the multiple looks and multiple fronts and coverages that they play. We're going to have to attack their scheme as a whole."
(on the Jets' defense ) "From what I see, they play hard. They're a hard football team. They're stout, physical. It's an NFL defense."
(on if they may attack vertically downfield more against the Jets) "It's going to be whatever they dictate to us. Coverages tell us a lot of times where to throw based on what plays we have versus their defenses. It's going to tell us where to go with the football so it's hard for me to say you know we're going to go down the field more often and early. It's just based on what they're showing us."
(on playing on the road) "I like going on the road. To go get on the plane and it's just you and your teammates and your coaches against their team and their entire stadium, that's the fun part about this business, is to go on the road and play against a good team and a tough environment. There is nothing better to go on the road and win in this league because of that."
(on the challenges of playing on a Monday night ) "All it is, is extra rest in the hotel, more time to just lay around and wait for the game to start."
(on if it's hard dealing with the extra time before the game) "It can be a tough thing. It's something that training camp and preseason gets used for because all the night games that you play so you try to find your routine from that standpoint. The big thing is just not to lay around too much. You got to get up and move around and get blood flowing a little bit so you're just not laying around all day."
(on playing at night) "No it's just keep your routine. Once you get between the lines, football is football."
(on RB Justin Forsett ) "We got a lot of confidence in Justin (Forsett). He's not new to this game. He's played four or five, six years. I don't know what it is and played at a high level. You can tell the way he prepares and the way he practices, he's ready to go whenever his number is called. He's an exciting guy that can really pick and choose his holes. He runs hard so we like what he can do."
(on the offensive line) "Those guys work hard. I think some of the young guys that we have playing on the right side, I think (C) Chris (Myers) and (LG) Wade (Smith) and (LT) Duane (Brown) have really helped bring them along and understand their calls and the looks and (Offensive Line Coach) John Benton does a great job with those guys, getting them prepared to play. They're very intelligent guys that work extremely hard and when you have that as a base line, foundation, you're in business. Those guys are just the more reps they get, the more time they get, the more comfortable they feel and the more they can understand things as they're developing in the game."
DE J.J. Watt
(on winning AFC Defensive Player of the Month) "It's an honor, but it's October. It's a new month, new opportunity. There are much bigger goals out there than player of the month."
(on facing the Jets) "They're a very good football team. Obviously they had a rough week last week, but they have a good squad. I think I say the same thing every week but it's true. We need to stop the run first and force them to pass and then attack the passer and hopefully make them make some mistakes."
(on this defenses' success ) "I think the thing I like about our defense and what I love about playing for (Defensive Coordinator) Wade (Phillips) is that if do our job and we play our assignments and we execute, it doesn't matter what we face. That's what makes our defense successfully is that everybody knows what they're supposed to do and we execute so we have success."
(on the Jets' offense) "Obviously you put (Tim) Tebow in the game and you do a little bit more with the run and they run some wildcat plays. Like I said, if we run, tackle, we'll be fine."
(on ILB Brian Cushing) "He's being (ILB) Brian Cushing. He's flying all over the field. He's so reactive. He's a football player in every sense of the word. It's always nice to have a guy like that playing behind you. He can make so many plays from sideline to sideline. It's good to have."
(on playing in Monday Night Football ) "It's nice, but now everybody is going to get a chance to see us. What I've done before and what we've done as a team before, it needs to be stepped up even another notch because people are going to judge you by what they see. This is really the nation's first chance to see what we're about. I'm excited about that, and I'm excited to show everybody what I've been working on, what our team's been working on. It's a chance for the Houston Texans to step up on a national stage."
(on ILB Brian Cushing's energy) "Of course, the middle linebacker is our defensive captain. He's our leader. He's crazy and so of course we feed off of that."
(on being focused as a team) "No, we're a good football team. If we do our job, we play the way we're supposed to play, the way we know how to play, we attack this week just like we have every other week with intensity with focus with drive, the players we have in this locker room, the chemistry we have, the focus we have, we'll be just fine. We're very driven. We're very motivated and we have the right mentality. Everyone in our locker room has their head on straight and that makes us great."
(on not letting his awards get into his head) "I haven't gotten the ones I want yet. I have bigger goals. Every accolade, every award I get is just a checklist. It's just another check off the list, but there are much bigger goals out there. These ones are nice, and I very much appreciated them, but they're not the ones I want really."
(on Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan's praises toward him) "He's a good defensive coach so it means a lot coming from him, but it's week four. I have a lot more fun. I hope they don't make me stop having fun now because I have a lot more fun planned. I'm working hard to have a lot more success. Seven and a half sacks is nice but it's not where I want to end up."
(on Jets QB Mark Sanchez) "I think he's a good quarterback. Obviously, he gets a lot of scrutiny being in New York, being in that spotlight all the time, but he's a good quarterback. Obviously, he lost Santonio Holmes, his receiver. He's been without Dustin Keller so he's been in a tough situation, but he's a good quarterback. We're going to prepare for him the way we prepare for every quarterback, but we also know that with any quarterback, if we put pressure on him and we attack him we can make them make some decisions they don't want to make. So that's what we're focused on doing."
