Bills Quarterback J.P. Losman
9/5/07
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On the excitement of Opening Day
There is definitely excitement. It is more exciting than ever to tell you the truth. I feel like you have to learn how to calm yourself down. I have now been around for a couple of years and I know what to expect. With that said we know we have a lot to show. We think we're going to show that this upcoming season and right now we're just waiting to show everybody how much better we've gotten. We think we have gotten better - from everybody (to the) coaches and players, and right now we just want to put that performance on the field.
On playing behind the new offensive line
I'm definitely excited. With the leadership of Melvin Fowler getting guys up to the line of scrimmage faster. What else is helping us out is the coaches on the sidelines are allowing us to get the plays faster so I'm able to say something to the linemen if I need to. They are able to talk amongst themselves at the line of scrimmage. We're having more time to get things done. If Derrick (Dockery) needs to get things to Jason (Peters) and now Brad's (Butler) going to have to relay things to Melvin (Fowler) as well as Langston (Walker). Those guys right now are working hard together and it's going to be fun and exciting. I'm definitely happy to play behind those guys.
On how dynamic this offense can be and what fans can expect to see
I think people know what we're good at and we're good at deep balls. We're good at making large chunks of yardage at one time. So with that said, we're going to take our shots. They're going to have to cover and prove that they can cover those things but if they are backing off of us or things like that we are not only going to check it down but also hit some underneath routes, some crossing routes and going over the middle. We don't know exactly how they're going to play us. They might feel that their corners are extra good and want to come up and press us. That's fine because it just gives us more opportunities to make some big plays. Also, they may feel they want to in-and-out it, the play cover match three, over two, something like that. Something similar to what New England tries to do. We feel that we have a good scheme with that going on right now. So it's time to get it done and we'll see soon.
On it being reasonable to finish in the top 15 in passing
I hope so. Our goal is much bigger than top 15. We're not going to stop or be satisfied if we are just top 15 and that is just the way it is.
On how the impact of Champ Bailey will effect the game plan
Not much. If they want to play one-on-one match up with (Lee Evans) we are going to take our chances. It's our best receiver versus their best corner. We feel Lee is one of the top receivers in the league. He probably should have got more recognition last year which he didn't. Then you have Champ Bailey who has been getting the recognition for a couple of years. It is going to be fun to see those guys go at it if they want to give us one-on-one match-ups. If they want to put the safety over there helping out we have other options. It's the same old story. It's time now for everyone to see how much better we've gotten. When we have a good chance to take our chances as far as the deep ball goes and being smart enough to know when it's not there. I think we have gotten better at that.
On what the next step is for Losman to become a better quarterback
I guess it is a simple process to how guys have made it this far. It's a matter of "he made it this far because of how hard he works" is what they should say. And they always forget and leave it out. It's kind of like, you reach a certain level and then where do you go from there. He got there because he worked hard. And now he is getting there and he learns how to work harder, learns how to work smarter in order to get to a certain level. I'm talking about all players. Lee (Evans) feels like he has reached a level, but he also feels that there is more that he can do and is working on. It is just the same old things that I need to keep working on and make the bad things happen less and the good things happen more. It starts with the footwork, the balance, knowing where to go, it's all those types of things. Most of it is just a comfort level. It's not second guessing the throw. I've seen this before so I know the ball is supposed to go here. Instead of hitting him in the back where he gets tackled I hit him in stride because I'm that much more confident in the throw and we get so much more yards after the catch. Those are the little things that separate a 3,000-yard passer from a 4,000-yard passer. It's those extra yards that I can help get with the confidence in the throw.
On the statement that Champ Bailey is good but so is Lee Evans and if we can get the ball to him we will
That's how we feel. We are very, very confident - like I said from the beginning. We also know that there is a lot of work that has to get done, but we like where we are at, we like our chance, we like the schemes, we love our players, our offensive line, our tight ends, our receivers, our running backs and our quarterback situation. Right now everything is set and it's going to be fun to see how we go and see how much we get accomplished. Not just for everybody but for us too. We want to see how good we have gotten. I've put all this hard work in and it's not really for everyone else, it's for me. Lee works hard for himself. And then obviously, second tier comes his family, the people he represents and then it's the fans. Everyone gets to prosper from that. I want to see how much better I have gotten from last year. It's a challenge but we are definitely looking forward to it and definitely confident in what we are about to see.
On the ability of the team to prove the prognosticators wrong
We have to believe against whatever they are saying or we are just going to be back where we were last year. It is unacceptable and we're not going to accept it. Right now the good thing about this team is we have lots of leaders. I don't need to tell these guys to work hard. I don't need to tell them this, that and the other all the time. We got guys on defense yelling at each other and I'm talking about everybody. They're all flying around to the ball. We have a lot of guys playing a leadership role and that is what you want to see.
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On the dimension that Marshawn Lynch adds to the offense
If guys want to drop back and just kind of play one-on-one with the back with a linebacker or anybody they are going to have a tough time. We are going to move him around and try to find that one-on-one match-up and if they give it to us we're going to take it because he is that good. That is what he does best. In the run game, the way he hits holes and the way he gets up in there, trying to utilize that as much as we can. When teams start catching on to that and start in-and-outing him, guys creeping up a little bit and paying him more attention. It's the same old game that we have been playing, it's over the top. We are getting better and we know when to take our chances and we know when not to. We know when to check the ball down and we know when not to.
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On being able to open up the offense and not throw more interceptions
I still feel last year was too much. I have high goals. As far as interceptions go, they need to be lower than last year. Everything else will take care of itself. But the one thing that I can control is the interceptions, for the most part. Cutting back on those alone will definitely help us out. There is a lot more involved with that. I will be taking more chances and I will be more confident in certain areas when it gets a little sticky, in the red zone, when to put it high and when to put it low. Those are the things we have been working on.
On having more latitude in the offense with Steve Fairchild having more confidence in him
We'll find out. I have to prove it to (Steve Fairchild) every week. I have to prove it to him in practice. If something doesn't look good in practice we are not going to run it in the game and I have learned that. If there is a play that I like I hope that it works in practice because he's not going to call it in a game if it doesn't. Those are things I am trying to show him. The plays that I like I want to be successful with those plays in practice so when it comes to a game he doesn't second guess it. I whisper something in his ear like let's do this and he has confidence in it. I've definitely learned that over the past year.
