**
HC Chan Gailey**
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Q: What are the challenges of replacing the right side of the offensive line against a team that does pretty well with their pass rush?
A: Yeah, I think they are fourth or fifth in sacks or something. They do a great job of rushing the passer and (Chris) Long will be a challenge over there for Sam (Young). That will be a real challenge for him. To be honest with you, they rotate through a lot of guys that can play. This might be overall as athletic of defensive front and powerful combined with quickness a defensive front as we have played all season. You look at all the guys they rotate through there. They are playing extremely well right now and it will be a challenge for him and David (Snow).
Q: Is it OL Kraig Urbik at center and OL David Snow at right guard?
A: We are going to work them both and I am not sure which way that will go to be honest with you. We are going to have to wait and see which way is the best way to go by the end of the week.
Q: Is there kind of a drop dead point in your mind for that decision?
A: Yes, but I am not telling you.
Q: As far as guys that are going to practice today…CB Leodis McKelvin?
A: He is going to get out there and try to do something, but we are not going to overextend him. So he is not going to take all of his reps. He will try to get out, stretch it out and do some things. He is not going to have a full practice.
Q: CB Aaron Williams?
A: He is going to try to do some things, he is going to be out there for the majority of practice and we will see how far he can go.
Q: WR Stevie Johnson?
A: No. He will not practice today.
*Q: WR Donald Jones? *
A: Yes. He will be on the field.
Q: OT Chris Hairston, where do you see him?
A: He is not going to make it this week and we will have to see where this thing leads with him. They are still doing tests. They did tests again yesterday. It is not looking good for now and to be honest with you, we are hoping to get him back maybe for the last two.
Q: You are just holding Johnson out to let him rest? You expect him to play?
A: We think he will be there, but he has that hamstring that he sustained in the game and he did not finish the game so we will see. We will rest him today to see if he can get well enough to go and do some things tomorrow. Do a little bit more Friday and be ready to go Sunday. We will see.
Q: How much do you want to win out to give a validation to the thoughts about this team going into the season?
A: Well you want to win out just because you are a competitor and you want to win. If you start talking about winning out…we have to win one more. We have to win two in a row before we can ever win three, four or five. So yeah it would be great. That is our plan, our goal and what we want to do, but we have to try to win this one. Take it one game at a time. I hate using that cliché, but it is what it is.
Q: Why have the young guys on defense like CB Stephon Gilmore, LB Nigel Bradham and even CB Leodis McKelvin played so much better the last few weeks?
A: Experience. We threw them in there and they had to play. They continue to get better and that is a credit to them to get better. A lot of people play but do not get better. They have played and become better football players. The experience has helped them grow and they have used that experience. The three guys that you mentioned have really upped their game the last few weeks. Now do they have ups and downs? Yeah, they do. They will be able to better handle those as time goes on the more they play. There is no substitute for experience in this league.
Q: LB Arthur Moats has been getting reps at defensive end lately. Why was that change made and how do you think he has done?
A: Well first of all, we have been a little thin at defense end so to give those guys a blow. To be honest with you, the first time he went in there two weeks ago he pushed the tackle right back into the quarterback. We remember what he did do when he was playing defensive end. It makes you remember those things. He has been at linebacker so long. He has been a good change of pace to give us a little rest and put a little pressure on the quarterback.
Q: Jacksonville was pretty set on chipping both of your defensive ends. Do you expect that to continue?
A: Yes. I think people will do that. They will continue to do that and that means they get less guys out quicker, which is good. Hopefully it allows you to be able to play back there and get more guys underneath the football. Make smaller windows to throw the ball when they do not get them out as fast.
Q: Has DE Mario Williams' recent success gotten to a point where you see other guys getting opportunities as a result?
A: Well they do single inside a lot more now because of that fact. If they chip outside, they still have three on two inside so really only one guy is the guy who becomes the beneficiary. It is one guy and it is not Kyle (Williams) all the time, it is not Alex (Carrington) all the time and it is not Marcell (Dareus) all the time. It is all of them that benefit from that. You do not know when it is going to happen so you have to be ready every snap when you get the single.
Q: You feel a direct correlation of the improved run defense leading to those kinds of opportunities?
A: Sure. Anytime you can create second-and-longs, third-and-longs and you keep them on the field without letting them get big chunks—all of a sudden their chances of making a mistake go up.
Q: Will it still be tough for DE Mark Anderson this week?
A: It will still be tough for him this week, but things are looking a lot better than they were this time last week.
Q: What are your thoughts on St. Louis' run defense who was pretty impressive last week?
A: They do a great job, like I said, with their front four. They are extremely active with the linebackers. They have a couple of secondary guys that can support the run extremely well. That safety (Quentin) Mikell is really a good player. I think a lot of times when you have played a team twice and you know who they are, it helps you. It will be a little bit different because we have not seen the things that they do. Hopefully that creates a little bit of an advantage for us and we will be able to create a few more creases.
Q: What have you seen from QB Sam Bradford?
A: He has improved this year. They started off really rough and as time has gone on I see him getting better, better and better. More comfortable with the offense and better with the reads. They take six or seven shots down the field every game and hit a few more it seems like each game. I think he is becoming a better quarterback and I do not know how he will play when he comes in here, but he has definitely gotten better.
Q: The defense has stressed the ability to fill gaps and that it has gotten better as the season has gone on. What have you seen?
A: I think I have said it in here a lot of times that the consistency of people being where they are supposed to be has increased dramatically. It is a trust factor amongst our defensive players that if I will take my gap and that other guy will take his gap, we will stop the run. I think the other thing that gets overlooked sometimes is I think our safeties are doing a really good job of supporting the run as well. We have had all three of them come up and make big plays in games to help stop running plays. So that is just another trust factor. Everybody else I playing their gap and that is their gap. They are making the play. All of that ties together to create a good run defense. We will need it this week. We will that run defense this week.
Q: How important is that going to be against RB Steven Jackson?
A: You cannot let him get started. You let him get motoring and get passed the line of scrimmage you are in for a long day. He is a big, powerful, fast man. You have to bottle him up and try to keep him within a couple yards of the line of scrimmage. You let him break too many and you will be in trouble for the whole day if you do that.
Q: Russell Salvatore a local restaurant owner stepped up today and said that he would purchase the remaining tickets so that the game would be on TV. That has to be a nice gesture.
A: Yeah. It is great. You always are glad when people do things that help other people. That does not happen much in this world anymore.
Q: What went into the decision to place DE Chris Kelsay on the injured reserve?
A: He felt great when he came back to practice and then it was just one little shot that got him again. I think we really have questions about how long this thing takes to heal. We gave him two or three last time, he felt great and yet it was one little lick. Now all of a sudden is it four, five or six? How long do you have to wait? I think it was one of those we cannot just wait on it to see because it is one of those unknowns really. You do not know how bad it is until it gets hit again.
Q: Is it just a ligament in there?
A: It is just a ligament.
Q: Is rest the key?
A: Yeah, that is the only way. Rest and then strengthen it back once it gets healed.
Q: Are you practicing outside today?
A: No.
Q: Sometime later in the week?
A: Tomorrow.
Q: What are the advantages when you do?
A: I think our guys get accustomed to what it is like to be in the stadium under similar weather conditions. It is never going to be the same because it is not normally the same two days in a row in Buffalo. So you get similar weather conditions, you get to experience it and then it is not a big deal. It is not a shock to them when they walk out there on Sunday. You are trying to create practice experiences as close to game experiences as you possibly can. One way that you can do it is with weather.
Q: Is CB Ron Brooks more comfortable inside, outside or does it not matter?
A: I think from a physical standpoint either spot is good. I think from a mental standpoint today he is more comfortable outside. He would probably have to answer that but I know we feel a little bit more comfortable with him outside just because of all the things that go on mentally inside. He has not had the reps. He missed the first eight weeks. He just has not had the reps in there. I think we feel more comfortable with him outside right now. Talent wise, he could easily play inside.
Q: S Da'Norris Searcy continues to get more reps each week. That must be a reflection on how happy you are with his play.
A: He has played well. He has earned the right to play and I think it helps both of them not to have to play the whole ball game. The good thing is they are both fresher for special teams, which we need both of those guys on special teams.
