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Head Coach Chan Gailey**
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
On the records of teams across the AFC:
Looks like the NFL has achieved what they set out to do. You hope that there is parity and people have to fight their way to the top. That is what you try to do and it looks like it has worked out.
On being on top of the AFC East being a form of motivation:
I think it is too early in the year to get bent out of shape about it. You cannot fall too far behind, as we all know. At the same time, when you are sitting there even it does help. You know that you are in charge of your own destiny. When you can be in charge of your own destiny that is all you can ask for in this business.
On why the team has struggled against the run:
I think we have had two games that it was bad. I think New England and San Francisco we did not play the run well. Last week we had the quarterback rush for 66 (yards) and a fake punt for 25 (yards) so I think those are statistic (anomalies). We held the rest of those guys to under 120 yards. The tailback position got 90. I do not think it is as big of an issue—it was for two weeks—do not get me wrong it was. But I think we got a little of it back. Before that it was not that bad of an issue.
On if the status of OG Kraig Urbik and DT Spencer Johnson is any clearer:
No. They are going to be out there and do something today but we still have to see how they do and how they recover for tomorrow. All of that. It is not any clearer, but at least they will be out there doing something today.
On how T Cordy Glenn is coming along:
OK. We will not have him this week, but we think we have a real good chance for Houston.
On how he will rotate CB Ron Brooks into practice:
He will do most of the scout team stuff right now, just to get him back into playing shape. It is just like Shawne (Merriman). Shawne will take a lot of the scout team stuff, just to get him back in playing shape. He is probably a lot further along than obviously Ron would be because he is a veteran player. We have to work those two guys back into playing shape.
On if a player who spends his week on the scout team could end up being active on Sunday:
(Merriman) will take reps. Do not get me wrong. He will take reps with the regular defense. It is not like he is just going to be (on the scout team).
On if he anticipates DE Shawne Merriman being active on Sunday:
Probably, but do not make me 100-percent on that.
On if Merriman's experience gives him an edge:
Oh yeah. As long as he is in playing shape and everything goes well this week and he gets back into the flow of things, he is probably going to be right there on Sunday afternoon giving us some help.
On Titans RB Chris Johnson:
He scares you. Every time he touches the ball he scares you. You can still see that electric speed and electric quickness that he has. Yes he has not had as many yards and the statistics are down, but I am telling you defensive coaches hold their breath every time he touches it.
On the downfield passing game:
First of all, we have been more in ball control type throwing, picking and choosing times to maybe throw it down the field. We have not set it up, so some of that is design. We are running the ball better this year. We are running it for more yards and running it better so we have not had to rely on the pass as much. I think as we get balance back into our offense, we are going to take some shots. We have to. We have to keep the defense honest, but we have to hit the shots when we take them, too. Right now we have not hit as many as we did last year and that is hurting us. All of that goes together, you have to take the shots and you have to hit them. When you hit the shots, it gives you confidence to throw some more. We will work back into that as time goes on, but as of late we have been more ball control, hit the guys and let them run for it rather than throwing the ball down the field.
On defense's coming up and daring the Bills to beat them deep:
That may be the case. As time goes on we have to prove that we can throw it deep and make plays deep. If we do not they will continue to do that. I see that they will squat at times on us. We see that and we know we have to take advantage of it when they do that. We have not done it yet.
On QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's accuracy:
It is not a lot different than it was last year. I do not see it being a lot different. We hit some passes early. We hit when people were playing us a bit different last year than they are playing us this year. So it is a totally different animal this year than it was last year in some respects, but I do not see (Fitzpatrick) being a lot different than he was last year. We just have not thrown the ball down the field and taken as many chances this year. We are not having to.
On having a rotation at the second cornerback spot:
Right now Terrence (McGee) is not going to practice today but he will be out there tomorrow. Terrence is the guy. He and Aaron (Williams) have kind of shared that duty out there and as time goes on we will just see how that unfolds. If it does not work, we will just see who is next up. It could be Leo (Leodis McKelvin), it could be Justin (Rogers, I do not know who it could be.
On why CB Aaron Williams has struggled:
It is just like anything else. It is just like any other position on the field, once you do a couple things then you gain confidence in it. He just needs to keep playing and keep getting confidence in himself. He has ability. We all have seen that and I think he is going to be just fine. That is not one of the biggest problems that we have. If it becomes a bigger problem then we have to make an adjustment.
On where the Titans have improved in the last couple of games:
They are not giving up the deep ball. They gave up one against Pittsburgh and then they kind of shut that down. They are playing good run defense. The quarterback is managing the game extremely well. (Matt Hasselbeck's) first game two weeks ago when they went to Minnesota, they played so poorly. Then last week they played a lot better. It was his second game. He needs time with that crew. You could tell that he was rusty and that they were not on the same page in that first game.
On the difference in the Titans' play-calling when QB Jake Locker is in compared to current QB Matt Hasselbeck:
Sure, they do not have as many boots, nakeds and roll-outs. Things like that. That is Locker's deal. Hasselbeck stays in the pocket. That is what he does.
On if there is anything different about the team this week coming off of a win:
I have not sensed anything different and to be honest with you I do not want to. I still want them to be hungry. I still want them to be mad. We need to have the mindset that we have to go out and have something to prove every week. Just because you won one ball game and got back to .500 that is nothing. We are nowhere right now. We have a lot of work ahead of us.
On if QB Tarvaris Jackson can get reps during the bye week:
(Laughs) Yeah, in our one practice that we get. Because of the new CBA they get four days off, so we get one practice next week. It is hard during the season to get somebody acclimated to the whole thing.
On being amazed they are tied for first after three bad losses:
Yeah, and to be honest with you, it was all the second half of those three losses, too. We have had three bad halves of football; bad, bad halves of football. You cannot do that and not be a very good team. I think if we can eliminate our bad times we will be alright, but right now we have to get the mindset that we cannot have those let downs, like we had in those three games.
