Head Coach Chan Gailey
Monday, August 27, 2012
On acquiring QB Tarvaris Jackson:
We brought him in to compete for the backup job. That is why we brought him in here. Anytime you do not have consistency, whether it is guard, defensive end, linebacker or whatever it is, if we do not find consistency then we are looking to create competition. That is where we are right now. We had not found the consistency that we want so we are going to see how fast he can learn. We are going to try to play him Thursday night a few snaps. Let him get in the huddle, get a feel for things and see how we do it. I'd like for him to play if he can get enough in his system from now till then which I think he can just meeting with him for the short time I met with him.
On if QB Vince Young had the offense down:
He had it down. I think he had it down with his thought processes but you have to be consistent with all of that, too. That is where we just did not see the consistency and obviously Tyler (Thigpen) had not jumped up there yet either consistently. So we are going to try to see if we can find somebody that will give us consistency.
On if the team may have to carry four quarterbacks into the regular season:
You never know. We are going to do what is best for the team, I know that. It is not going to be an easy call whatever direction we have to go.
On what is a realistic learning curve for Jackson:
I do not know. I have spent a little bit of time with him and he seemed to grasp… you only have so many plays in football; it is just what you call them. We just have to get him up to speed with how we call the plays. Once he gets the terminology down, he will be comfortable with what we are doing. We just have to get the terminology in his head.
On if the West Coast offense Jackson is accustomed to will translate to the Bills' offensive system:
I do not know. I have never been in the West Coast (offense), so I do not know.
On if he will be comfortable with the team carrying four quarterbacks:
I am comfortable doing what is best for the team and I do not know what that is today, so let us make that decision later on.
On if QB/WR Brad Smith is still going to be the team's third QB:
Oh yeah. Yeah, that has not changed. That part has not changed at all.
On how a player absorbs a playbook when he first joins a team:
It was me and (QB coach David Lee). I spent an hour, maybe a little over an hour with him as soon as he got through all of the stuff he had to get done today—the physical and all of that. I spent an hour, maybe a little over an hour with him just going through the basic terminology of our system and he seemed to understand where we are going with it. We had him stand back there and do the scripts, read the plays and try to get him to understand that. I think he is a quick learner but we will see.
On if it will be a setback if Jackson does not win the No. 2 QB spot:
If you do not keep trying to get competition, that is when you create a setback on your football team. If you keep trying, you are not setting yourself back, you are continuing working towards the process that you have to get to (in order) to be successful. We are always looking to try to upgrade the team and create competition. Buddy (Nix) and I both believe strongly in that and this is the move we felt we had to make to get that accomplished at this point. It is not ideal time-wise and I understand that, but you do what you have to do. It is not an easy call.
On how much of a competition it can really be with the roster cut-down day upcoming on Friday:
I think you are going to have to make a decision if you do not keep all three of them. You have to make a decision and I have never been in this situation so I cannot tell you how I am going to do it. We will just evaluate it and do the best we can. And it will not be easy.
On why DT Kyle Williams and LB Bryan Scott did not practice fully:
(Williams) took a lick on his wrist or something. Bryan (Scott), I forgot what it was. He took a lick the other night. He was just sitting out today and I think he will be back tomorrow.
On DE Mark Anderson's status:
Mark (Anderson) is going to sit this week. We made the decision. He and Erik (Pears) are both going to sit this week.
QB Tarvaris Jackson
Monday, August 27, 2012
On if he has jet lag from flying cross-country to Buffalo:
It has not really hit me yet. I'm just kind of excited right now to be here, trying to get in and learn as much as possible. I am pretty sure that when I lay down I will probably be out.
On when he heard that he was going to be traded:
Yesterday my agent gave me a call…actually it was Saturday night. He was like '(the trade) is a possibility and we will let you know tomorrow.' So I went in like a regular day; going through meetings, lifting and stuff. While I was in a meeting my agent gave me a call and said 'just go home and wait for me to give you a call. You have been traded.' So then I was and I went down.
On what time he got on his flight to Buffalo:
11:30 PM (in Seattle). That was my first red-eye (flight). I am not really looking forward to those anymore but it was cool. I was excited about getting here so whatever it took.
On adjusting to his new role:
I hope so. Right now, I am trying to just learn as much as possible, trying to get familiar with everybody and show my teammates that I am here to work. That is pretty much it and I am not looking too far ahead of it right now. I am trying to get ready just in case I play Thursday night and trying to learn as much as possible.
On when he will feel comfortable with the gameplan:
I do not know. I am just trying to cram as much as possible right now. I feel like I am a pretty quick learner, so it is different terminology but mostly the same concepts. I just really have to erase all of that stuff I had in my head the last six years and just try to learn this new system. It seems pretty fun, just watching (Ryan Fitzpatrick) the last couple of years. The way he has been playing and the way the offense has been doing this looks like a pretty good offense.
On if there are any parallels from the West Coast offense to the offense in Buffalo:
Oh yeah, definitely. I was taught when I was younger that the best thing for a young quarterback is to spread things out so that they can actually see who is coming. By the offense being so spread out you are able to identify blitzes a little bit easier. But by being spread out you are going to get a lot more blitzes. That is something that I am going to have to work on—as far as learning the system, knowing where my hot reads are and being able to get the ball out as quick as possible.
On how he views joining the Bills:
My agent called and he told me. I actually talked to the GM from Seattle. He said Buffalo had given him a call. So there was some interest there and as a quarterback, and as a player, you just want to feel like you are wanted. And that is all I really want so I am here to do whatever they tell me to do. Just be the best that I can be.
On if he was satisfied with his season in 2011:
Definitely, I was very disappointed. I had gotten hurt there. All of a sudden I am looking like it was my new start. Coach (Pete) Carroll seemed to be on board so I was like 'OK, it is time to go then.' We started slow and we were a young offense last year. The defense kind of held us down a little bit until we got ourselves down on offense and got the running game going. Then it took off from there. Obviously I wanted to play better. I did not want to get hurt. Being that I tore my (pectoral muscle) I was limited in practice. Probably only practiced once a week maybe, with limited throws. It could have been better but I felt good with the way that we finished the season kind of strong.
On playing with a torn pectoral muscle:
It was my throwing arm. I really do not know exactly how I was able to play. They pretty much told me that I was done. It was like 'you cannot really hurt it worse.' So I said 'well let's give it a shot and see what happens.' I gave it a shot and it turned out well.
WR Stevie Johnson
Monday, August 27, 2012
On how much a new quarterback (Tarvaris Jackson) impacts the receivers:
I do not think it affects us at all. He (Tarvaris Jackson) did not get any reps today. It was his first day but for the most part quarterbacks are quarterbacks and receivers are receivers. (Tarvaris Jackson and I) will be able to build a relationship in about a week. We will have each other down as far as chemistry goes and everything will be smooth. As of now, it is just him getting into the playbook and learning as quickly as possible.
On if QB Tarvaris Jackson could play against the Jets effectively:
I believe he will have the basics down, but I cannot say he will have everything. I guess that just depends on how much he will pick up on the offense. He has been in the league for a while. I think he will be able to pick up the majority of the offense and be able to play well.
On what he knew about Jackson before he came to Buffalo: I know he torched us when we played Minnesota a couple of years ago. I know he has the talent to make plays and win games. At the time, he was backing up Brett Favre, so I know he can do that. He has, if I am going to talk about a college career, he had a great college career… I know he is an athlete, I know he is a good guy. We will see what he can provide when necessary
