**
Head Coach Bill O'Brien** T Derek Newton
Head Coach Bill O'Brien
(on the week of practice) "It's been a good week. These guys practiced hard. They practiced efficiently. We were in the bubble because of the weather and these guys went in there and practiced hard. I really enjoy, I think all of us on our coaching staff, we enjoy coaching these guys because their attentive in meetings and they put the time in on the practice field. They all stay after practice to work on little things. Hopefully, we'll keep getting better and better."
(on having DeAndre Hopkins back at practice) "He's a guy that really has had a good offseason for us, had a really good training camp. Just a young receiver with I think a heck of the future, and he's a guy that will get better and better because of his work ethic."
(on if guys in the locker room are getting sick) "No, I don't think so. I really don't. No. Those are things we harp on all the time about proper hygiene for all of us, but no, I don't think there is anything going on in the locker room."
(on what he thinks of DeVier Posey) "I think he's a hard worker. I think he's a guy that has to be more consistent. He and I have talked about that. He's got a lot of talent. He's a tall guy. He's a great guy. Really good teammate. He works hard. I just think just like with a lot of younger players, it's really about consistency. Kind of understanding what the route is, how to run the route verses all of the different looks you're going to see and then catching the ball. I'd say that the receivers, their two main jobs are to get open and catch the ball and then block every now and then. We just all have to be more consistent at that."
(on his decision to take the team to New York a day earlier) "We felt like a long travel to New York; it was good to probably get up there, get focused. In doing something similar in Denver in the preseason, we had a good experience in Denver when we went up there a little earlier. We were in the hotel. Everybody is in the hotel focused on the game, able to get some rest, get off their feet. We felt like it was a good idea."
(on if the team will go up early to Cleveland for example) "I don't think so. I think it was just the Giants."
(on the role of the slot receiver in the offense and how Damaris Johnson has progressed) "He's improved over the last two weeks a lot. He's a very serious guy. He's very serious about assignments and studying and trying to get better. He stays after practice. Just really works like a professional. I've see improvement, and hopefully we'll see that come to fruition on a game field on Sunday."
(on what's impressive about Xavier Su'a-Filo) "A young player who has a really good future. When you come into this league as a rookie offensive lineman and you're basically thrown right in there early on, it's hard because you're going against grown me and you're going against guys that have tremendous technique in certain areas. You're going against guys that have been playing a long time. The improvement that he makes from just experience, just going in there against the preseason teams that he played against and then in practice every day, going against J.J. Watt and (Jerrell) Powe and (Jared) Crick and guys like that. The thing about all those experiences is you get better and you can see improvement in him. The thing that really stands out to me about is what type of guy he is. He's a great guy, very smart and he has really good versatility. He can play center, he can play guard, he can play tackle; he's probably right now more comfortable on the left side. Sometimes we play him on the right side because we're solidified on the left side and on the right side, but that's where we play him a lot. Again, it comes down to consistency and trying to get better and better every day."
(on if he would feel comfortable playing Xavier Su'a-Filo against New York) "I would. I think that he's gotten better and better. I'm sure that he would have some plays in that game that would be tough on him. No question, going against those guys on the inside, especially a guard. (Johnathan) Hankins and guys like that, those guys are really good players. But I've seen him get better and I've seen him get better in practice. He'll be active and we would have no problem putting him the in game if we had to."
(on if Arian Foster is having any lingering issues) "Not that I know of. Everybody seems; everybody I would say is under the category, including myself, as day-to-day. You go up the stairs to the air plane, you never know if you hit your shine, hit your head on the overhang when you're getting on the plane. Anything can happen."
T Derek Newton
(on the positive compliments coming of the locker room) "It's great, but I just have to keep working, being coachable, coming in and putting in the extra work, watching extra film and taking it to the practice field."
(on how far he's come) "Just growing up as a player, you know, taking the time to learn from the vets. Taking it all in and trying to use it on myself. I'm still learning from these guys and it's been great so far."
(on what he brings to the table) "I'm just trying to work. Just learning the coaches, letting them coach me, take it all in, be coachable and go out on Sundays and give it all for my team."
(on his teammates giving him compliments) "It's great. I know all those guys who are giving me compliments; I can do the same for them. We all count on one another and that's what makes us a good team."
(on if talked to the veterans about eventually getting over the learning curve) "Yeah. My rookie year, my second year and even last year I had questions for all the veterans. They all told me it's part of the game. It's just taking it one day at a time."
(on when he ) "I think it just takes time. The more you do it; film, practice and playing in Sundays, it all comes together and it seems more easier. You've just got to keep putting in the work."
