Q: What
do you see in the Redskins?
A: “They are an extremely talented team. I see a team that has the capability
of making a lot of big plays. It starts with the young man in the backfield
[Clinton Portis] that I had the opportunity to coach. You know what he is
capable of and you have the other backs with Duckett
and Betts. They have the ability to run the ball extremely well. Then they have
big-play receivers outside, with Santana, Lloyd, who was a tremendous pickup
for them, and Randle El. When those guys touch the ball they have the ability
to make big plays. It is a concern for our defensive football team because we
have been giving up some big plays. We have our work cut out for us from that
stand point.”
Q: What
do you think of Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell?
A: “I think he is an excellent quarterback. He understands the game, reads
defenses extremely well and doesn’t hurt his football team when something is
not there. I respect his game. I have seen him many times throughout my time in
Denver. I had him come in there and beat us one time in the playoffs when we
were a 13-3 team. I think he is a heck of a player. There are many of them on
this football team that we have to contend with.”
Q: What
are your thoughts on David Carr?
A: “To be a successful quarterback in this league it is about being consistent
in what you are doing and what you are doing for your team. Our young man here
has a great deal of ability. He has been through some tough times. He is in
year five now and I think his best football is ahead of him as a pro. Right now
he is staring at some good numbers that look real good on paper. Bottom line is
that his team and our team is 0-2. We have to figure out a way to create that.
My challenge to him is to step above and beyond the call of duty for this
football team. It is not just a matter of doing your job. He is going to have
to become a great player for this franchise to start to make strides. That is
what I am calling on him to do. I want to put some pressure on him to do that. I
think he has gotten better but he still has a long way to go.
''Another
thing that impressed me about him when I came here was the fact that after
everything he has been through he has stood in here week in and week out and
played. He has always been there on game day. Actually he was a little hobbled
last week with his ankle and made it the whole way against Indy. He is a tough
and talented kid. We have to build a football team around him that helps him
get better, play better and find some success. We have a tremendous challenge
but he is a big piece of the challenge and he needs to understand that.”
Q: Have
you seen changes in Clinton Portis since you coached him?
A: “I see the same guy. He has tremendous speed if he gets in the back end. He
can make a big play. The thing that always impressed me about him as a player
is that he is a tough player. If he is in there on protection he will chip an
end or help his tackle. He plays the game physical. He plays it both run and
pass. He wants the football and all great players want that ball. I know he is
anxious to get going again after missing last week.
“He is a
guy that is a down in and down out player. In Denver he never came off the
field for us on third down. He played the whole game for us. He is tough too. I
am sure he will be back 100 percent and ready to roll this week.”
Q: The
Redskins don't have a lot of sacks. Are you surprised by that?
A: “It is one thing to have sacks and another to have a ton of hurries. That is
what you are after in this league. A lot of times it is not about the number of
sacks that you have. It is about how many times you made that guy get rid of
the ball quick. We played Peyton Manning last week and you are not going to
sack him, he is going to get rid of the football. You hope to come out of the
game with 10 or 12 pressures where he has to do something that he doesn’t want
to do. With this football team with their packages and various blitzes that
Gregg (Williams, Assistant Head Coach – Defense) will bring at you, they will
find a way for you to get rid of that ball real quick.”
Q: How
do you think Mario Williams has been playing compared to Reggie Bush and Vince Young?
A: “That is always going to be brought up. They don’t let you get them all. You
have to choose one. I feel very good about this young man. I think he is going
to be a great player that we will be able to build our defense around. If you
can’t play defense in this league week in and week out, you are going to
struggle. We have got to build a defensive football team here. I feel good
about him.”