Head Coach Chan Gailey
Monday, September 3, 2012
On CB Terrence McGee and OT Erik Pears' progression:
They both practiced and looked like they did well. We will have to see post-practice. Mark Anderson was back and he did well. We had most of our guys back. Brad (Smith) was really the only one who missed practice.
On how much of a concern QB Brad Smith's groin is for Sunday:
I think he has a chance. I do not think it is one of those situations where we have ruled him out by any means. We will get him back to practice by the end of the week.
On how much the team is relying on McGee staying healthy with CB Ron Brooks injured:
You would like to go in with 10 corners but you are lucky if you get as many as we have. We are fortunate we have six that we believed in and now we are down to five. We have to keep hoping Terrence (McGee) progresses the way he has progressed this far. There have been a couple of minor setbacks but, really, no major setbacks. If we can just keep working I think it will be good for the entire season.
On rookie LB Nigel Bradham playing strong side linebacker:
He is such an impressive athlete. He has not played over there at all. We threw him over there for a couple of snaps during OTAs and training camp, but we stuck him over there to see how he can do. He is such a physical presence and has such great speed that he matches up well over there. And Arthur (Moats) has done a good job as well over there. If we can keep getting Nigel (Bradham) some reps and he can learn what to do, that'd give us two good, solid young players.
On rookie CB Stephon Gilmore and his consistency:
He has played well. He did not play as well in the first three preseason games as he did in the last one. I thought he really played a lot more aggressively in the last one and it was good to see because that is what you see on the practice field. I want him to carry what he is doing on the practice field into the games.
On Gilmore having some ups-and-downs:
I am not concerned about it because it is going to happen. It happens to every one (of the rookies). What he has to do, and we have talked about it, is be mentally tough. It is going to happen. Just keep playing aggressive and be on your game. He knows what his game is.
On what McGee has shown and what he means to the cornerback unit:
If you look out on the practice field most every day he is doing something extra to get himself ready to play. It means a lot to him. He is a pro's pro. It is great to have a presence like that. We are fortunate to have him and George Wilson, (Jairus) Byrd and a lot of guys in that secondary that are good veteran (players). Even though Jairus has only been here three years, he feels like a veteran back there. It is good to have all those guys back there to help keep all those guys going.
On how the team is adjusting to the first game week:
I thought we looked fast on the practice field today. I fully anticipated that though. We will have a day off tomorrow and I think we will work fast again on Wednesday. You just have to keep working towards game day. That is what you do—you set your practices up, gear it towards game day.
On how Pears is coming along:
He got some reps today. I will have to go watch the film to see how he is doing and then we will have to check to see how he came out after practice. It looked good in practice, the little I saw. Hopefully when we get pads on Wednesday we will see a little bit more and get a better feel for it.
On how much of the preseason practice is valuable come Week One:
What you do when you get to game planning, and it is totally different because we have different scenarios with our defense just learning the defense. (For) a lot of these offensive players this is their third year going into it. We are working with two different things here. Our offense is on the same page and looks sharp. The defense takes a lot more of what they did in preseason to this practice field and to this game, whereas offensively we will pick and choose what we will use in this ball game.
On the combination of TE Scott Chandler and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick:
You all deal with combinations much more than I do. It is whoever is open, let's throw it to him and let him catch it. Some weeks it may be one guy, some weeks it may be another guy. Some weeks it may be two guys and next week we run it 35 times. I am not into combinations—I am into winning. I do not worry about that kind of stuff. To your point, the comfort level between those two is a lot higher than it was at any point last year.
On how TE coach Pete Metzelaars has improved Chandler:
Pete (Metzelaars) has done a good job but (Bob Bicknell) did a good job (last year). I feel like, we have a good situation. The great thing is that Scott Chandler understands football. He understands the game. You get a huge jump when you have a player who understands the game.
On if C Eric Wood can handle 50 to 60 plays a game:
I think so. I do not know. I think if we had a 15 play, a turnover and a 15 play drive after that, that might tax him a little bit. I just have to make sure (Ryan Fitzpatrick) scores in less than 15 plays and we will be alright.
On if WR Brad Smith will play Sunday:
We hope to get him back into practice later in the week. There is a chance (he will play Sunday). I do not have to put a percentage on it until Wednesday so I am not.
On Bradham taking first-team reps:
There is a chance he will play. I do not like to use the term taking over. We are going to see who plays the best and deal with that as the season goes on. Right now Arthur (Moats) knows what to do and Nigel (Bradham) is learning what to do.
On if Bradham can push LB Arthur Moats:
Oh yeah he can. He is. Today he is pushing.
On DT Alex Carrington's progression as a defensive tackle:
He has done a good job. Like you said, we moved him around a lot in the last couple of years. He is finally, I think, fitting in very well and learning how to play defensive tackle and how to be a more consistent football player.
DT Kyle Williams
Monday, September 3, 2012
On what he thinks of DE Mario Williams now that he has spent some time playing with him:
I think he is what you expect him to be. He is a big, physical guy that can make plays in the pass game and the run game. I think we all help each other out quite a bit.
On how much better DE Mario Williams has made the defensive line:
I do not want to make too much about one guy making the whole thing better because it all goes hand-in-hand. If he is beating a guy and nobody else is doing anything, maybe you do not notice it. So it all works hand-in-hand. I think for our d-line to be good, everybody has to be playing well. Getting pressure, making plays in the run game and that way we all can benefit from it.
On if the preseason game against the Steelers is a glimpse of what the Bills can be up front:
Maybe so. I think that was a good test for us. Pittsburgh traditionally is a big, physical football team that likes to run the ball. When we got our opportunities, stopped the run and put them in passing positions we were able to make some plays and disrupt (Ben) Roethlisberger. I think that is definitely what we are looking for. Now we are going into the regular season. The game speeds up a little bit more and it is a little bit more physical. We are playing a team (NY Jets) that has been to the AFC championship game. Most of those guys are still there. Say what you want about the preseason, but this a completely different deal. We know that they are going to run the football, protect (Mark) Sanchez and take their shots when they have opportunities. We have to be ready for that.
CB Stephon Gilmore
Monday, September 3, 2012
On if it feels like a game week, even with this being his first time going through it:
Yeah, the (atmosphere) is very different. A lot more guys are very serious and it just feels like a game week. We just have to come out here, practice hard every day, take it one day at a time and we will be good.
On what he is thinking leading up to the Jets:
Just to practice hard and going against whoever I am going against in practice. Taking it one day at a time. Just trying to go out there and do what I always do, go out there and compete hard.
On what he thinks of the Jets:
They are more of a play-action pass type team. They run the ball a lot, try to get you to bite up on the run and try to get you deep. I think if we keep everything in front of us and play with confidence we will be good.
On what he learned during the preseason:
I learned a lot during the preseason. It was one thing going against the guys every day in practice and then going out and going against guys you really do not know (well). You have to get that feel. I think preseason helped me out a lot. I am just looking forward to the game this weekend.
DE Mark Anderson
Monday, September 3, 2012
On how he is feeling:
I am feeling good. I had a chance to rehab the groin. Everything is feeling back to normal. It is just a matter of getting back out there, getting reps and getting back used to playing fast.
On feeling confident he will be out there against the Jets:
Yes. I am feeling real good right now. I am ready to get at it.
On if he has been through an injured groin before:
I had a little history with the groin. This is the first time that it has been real sore. I got a chance to rest it. Did some groin rehab--the trainers got me going real good. I am ready to go now.
On if he missed anything while he was hurt:
I have not missed anything, just the games. I still have been preparing mentally like I am playing. When it comes to actually playing, the only thing I have missed is playing in the games.
CB Terrence McGee
Monday, September 3, 2012
On how he feels:
I feel alright.
On if he feels good enough to play against the Jets:
Yeah, I feel good enough to play and practice so I will be out there.
On what kind of setback he had last week:
I am not too sure. Maybe during one of the tackles, I landed on my knee or something like that. After one of the tackles I started to feel a little bit sore and it carried on to the next day. But it feels alright now.
On what it has been like to have his health fluctuate so much:
(Uncertainty) has always been there. It is just one of those things that you just have to work through. I am still working through it. It is going to be one of those things that it is a long process. I have to change certain things like my warm-up, stretching habits and things like that. It is just something that I have to work through until it gets 100-percent.
On what percent he is health-wise:
I really cannot put a number on it but I am good enough to play.
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WR Stevie Johnson
Monday, September 3, 2012
On his impression of CB Stephon Gilmore:
I think Stephon (Gilmore) has what it takes to be an elite cornerback in this league. He just has to get comfortable and remain confident in his skill set. I feel like he has the speed, he has the height and he has the ball skills necessary to play the ball in the air. I think he will be alright, just has to believe in himself and stay confident.
On looking forward to playing against CB Darrelle Revis:
Most definitely. It is great competition and I am looking forward to that.
On how he has found success against Revis in the past:
I do not do anything different than I do any other week with any other cornerback. Just play my game. Coach Gailey gives me the freedom to play my game to the fullest. That is pretty much it. I do not do anything different or special. It is just the same thing I do every week.
On squaring off against a division rival in Week One:
It is a division opponent so I guess that gives the extra urge to come out on top. If it was non-division it would still be big because it is kick-off but this is our division opponent. We will see them later on, who knows, we may see them for a spot in the playoffs. This is big for both of us.
On if a win against the Jets will set the tone for the season:
Most definitely. And like I said, this game is pretty big because it is a division opponent and it is Week One, kick-off to the NFL regular season.
RB Fred Jackson
Monday, September 3, 2012
On if it feels like a game week:
Without a doubt. We are excited about it. This is our chance to go out and prove what we felt this whole off-season. We have a chance to go out and make some plays.
On if it is a good thing to start out in the division:
To get to where we want to be we have to win games in the division. We get a good test right out of the gate. We go out, go down to New York and try to get a win there.
On translating preseason success to the regular season:
We try to keep building on what we were able to do on the field in the preseason. To see what we were able to do at the end is just motivating. Hopefully we can continue to go out and produce like that.
On if he is even more motivated for the season since he is coming back from injury:
Without a doubt I am highly motivated to be back. Not finishing the way I wanted to last year, I had to watch the team struggle towards the end of the season. That is not something I wanted to be a part of. I want to be back, making plays and hopefully get this ship turned around.
C Eric Wood
Monday, September 3, 2012
On if it feels like a game week:
Oh yeah. We have been looking forward to this for a while. This is a big game for us, a divisional opponent. We are geared up now.
On how he is feeling coming into the game after returning from a season-ending injury in 2011:
I feel good. I think we probably approached it the right way—being patient all through camp. My reps increased each week and I feel like I am ready to go.
On if he can play 50 or 60 plays:
Yeah, that should be fine. I have taken up to that many plays in practice already. Not necessarily in a game-like setting, so it will be a challenge but I think I will be alright.
On it being a good first test for the offensive line: This is going to be a good measuring stick for us. They kind of had our number in that first game last year and then I did not play in the second one. I know I am looking forward to this. They have a talented front. Their inside d-tackles are really good and they bring pressure from so many different angles. On third down it will be a challenge.
