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Head Coach Bill O'Brien**
(opening statement) "Alright guys, I would say Kareem Jackson will be out for the game, Brain Hoyer will be out for the game. I would say that Akeem Dent and Chris Polk would be questionable at this point for the game. With that, open it up to questions."
(on QB Brian Hoyer not being able to play Sunday because he's still going through concussion protocol) "That's right, that's exactly right."
(on if it was good to at least see QB Brian Hoyer get out there) "Yeah, no question, in the meetings today and out there at practice, so it was good to see that."
(on if he expects QB Brian Hoyer to be back for the next game) "Yes."
(on if RB Jonathan Grimes will see an increased role this week) "Grimesy, yeah, he has played well and I can see him playing quite a bit on Sunday."
(on if the Jets front is different with Jets Head Coach Todd Bowles this year) "As opposed to (former Jets Head Coach) Rex (Ryan)? Yeah, I mean it's different, yeah, it's definitely different. I think that there are things that are similar, but they're obviously – Coach Bowles has put some different things in than what Coach Ryan did. So it's just totally – yeah, it's definitely different."
(on what sets DL Muhammad Wilkerson apart) "Well he's got really good length and athletic ability. He's got great instincts, so he's able to – obviously he studies film so he really has a good idea of what's coming at him. He understands how to take on blocks, he understands when they play is at him, when the play is away from him, he's able to bat balls, he's got really good pass rush moves, gets on the edge real well, he's a big challenge."
(on CB Charles James' resiliency) "Yeah, this is a kid that shows up every day with a great enthusiasm. I mean every day he walks into the building, he's ready to go. Even today, usually on Thursdays or Fridays I ask a bunch of questions and he was, the questions that he was asked, he was right on it before I was even done asking the question. He just has great enthusiasm and he loves the game, loves the game and tries to take advantage of every one of his opportunities. He plays through pain, he plays when he's banged up, and it's good that we were able to bring him back."
(on them releasing CB Charles James for a reason and bringing him back for a reason) "Like I said to you guys a couple weeks ago, what's done is done, but I think bringing him back was definitely a good decision, no doubt about it."
(on if CB Charles James is a better football player now than when they released him) "You know, I don't know. I don't know. I think that's an interesting question. I would say that when we, like I said, when we released him, he was playing pretty well, we just made a decision there and made a decision what we thought was best for the team, but he was playing pretty well. Now that he's been back, he's added a lot to special teams. He played well on defense against Cincinnati, so I don't know. I don't know whether it's good, bad, whatever. I just know that it's good to have him back."
(on if ILB Benardrick McKinney has a chance to start building on his success from the last game) "The key for him is do it again. That's the key, be able to be the consistent player that we know he can be. He's a very instinctive player and as a rookie inside linebacker, that's not an easy transition from college and he's made that transition and he's had a couple injuries he's had to deal with, but the key now is to sustain the level of play and keep trying to get better."
(on QB Brandon Weeden through his first few days with the Texans) "I like Brandon. Smart guy, jumps in there takes some reps, took a couple reps today, and I like him in the meeting room, attentive, working hard to try to learn it here in the last couple of days. That's not an easy thing, but he's definitely a professional."
(on if QB Brian Hoyer was in the facility every day this week or at home) "Yeah, he's been in every day, but I've just had him go home at times. The last couple days though he's been here the whole day I believe, I don't know. I haven't really kept track of it, but I know he's been in the building every day. Not sure of his whereabouts all the time though."
(on OLB Whitney Mercilus having a good year and how they plan to add OLB Jadeveon Clowney back in without messing with the chemistry on the defensive line) "Look I don't think – we don't look too much into that, I think we play the guys that are practicing the best and what you said about Whitney is right. He's practiced well which then goes hand in hand in my opinion with playing well. He's played very, very well. JD will get his snaps too on Sunday but I don't think one thing has to do with the other. I think all those guys are going in there and trying to be disruptive and do their jobs and that's the key."
WR DeAndre Hopkins
(on getting a practice under his belt this week before playing on Sunday) "It's always good. It's always good to go out there and get some time and downs, especially with a guy that I haven't thrown much with, so today was very important for me."
(on how the chemistry is coming along between him and QB T.J. Yates) "As much as it can come along in how much time he has been here."
(on the Jets defense and the challenges of facing them) "They are a great defense. They are ranked high in every stat, so we have to go out and stick to what we do best, which is playing good football."
(on doing extra work with QB T.J. Yates) "Yeah, just to work on timing. I really couldn't run too much, but today we did some things extra to work on stuff."
(on if he feels good for Sunday) "Yeah, I feel great."
QB T.J. Yates
(on him knowing that he will start this week) "It's kind of been the situation all week, we didn't know for sure about Brian (Hoyer), to see if he could get back quickly. Unfortunately, he can't, but I have been preparing the whole week like this is going to be the situation, so not much change in my mind."
(on how does getting to play some last week help out for this game) "Yeah, it helps. It was the first time in a long time that I have had meaningful snaps in the game, other than just some mop up time. It definitely helps get some of the first-time jitters out of there."
(on the Jets defense) "They have a lot of volume, a lot of fronts, a lot of coverages. They have a great defensive front. They present a lot of problems for an offense going into a week of preparation. It's been a lot of studying a lot of film, but we are just trying to keep it simple and go out there and play."
(on Jets DL Muhammad Wilkerson) "He's big. He's long, powerful. He has a high motor. He has a lot of things like J.J. (Watt), a lot of the same attributes. He is definitely a guy that we have to know where he is, at all times, and we have to keep an eye on him."
(on working on timing with WR DeAndre Hopkins) "Hop I have had the most experience, just being with him before, but definitely getting out there with Nate (Washington), Cecil (Shorts), Hopkins, just getting the routes that we have never thrown before together and just getting timing and try to get into rhythm."
