Featuring assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan
On Cowboys RB Tashard Choice:
“I think he’s a combination platter. He can run it inside, [is] a good receiver. Felix Jones has the great speed and all that, so it’s too bad he’s not playing, and then [there’s Marion] Barber. So it’s a combination of those guys. He’s a pretty good back, though.”
On whether it’s any extra challenge with the game being the last one at Texas Stadium:
“It’s probably kind of a circus atmosphere there. They’re bringing everybody back and all that. But we have to focus on the 11 guys that are out there that we’re going to be trying to defend. Maybe before the game, I think they’ll realize that there’s something to this one, a little bit. But our focus is we have to win this game to go to the playoffs, so it doesn’t matter if Too Tall Jones is out there.”
On if this is the tallest, most physical group of wide receivers they have faced:
“They’re huge. There’s no question about that. But we’re going to match up with them and see what happens. T.O. [Terrell Owens] and all that kind of stuff, if you press them, then you’re a little concerned with how far they knock our guys off the line of scrimmage. But we’ll be OK, though.”
On the importance of getting pressure on QB Tony Romo:
“Well, that might be one of our strategies. (Laughter) I think you have to upset his rhythm and his tempo. He’s a good quarterback. If he knows you’re pressuring, then he knows to get rid of the ball quick and all that kind of stuff. If he thinks you’re in coverage, he has time, he can pick you apart. So it’s pick and choose, the chess match, a little, mix coverages up as well as our pressures.”
On what he is most concerned about with Romo and what you can attack with Romo:
“I think you’ve got to attack the position. He’s kind of a Brett Favre-type guy. He can throw it left-handed, underhanded, whatever. So if you’ve got a way to prepare for that… I’m not sure we’re ready for it, but we’ll see. But you have to attack the position, and the fact that he’s the centerpiece there, you’ve got to go after him.”
On how he would rate the Cowboys’ offensive line in terms of being physical:
“Probably like 360, maybe, because I think that’s what they average, or something like that. So that’s what I’d give them for their rating. But they’re huge. That’s the first thing you notice. But they’re talented guys. They can move, as well as just being massive guys. Usually, you get guys who can’t move a lick. Well, these guys do move. Leonard Davis, Flozell Adams and the guys, it’s a solid group. We’ll see them in Hawaii, most of them. It’s unfortunate Romo never made it because now nobody will see Jessica Simpson, so that’s too bad.” (Laughter)
On if he was disappointed that NT Haloti Ngata didn’t make the Pro Bowl:
“Yeah, but every year there are guys that happens to. The fact he’s the first alternate, I think people realize what kind of player he is. You’ve got to remember, some guys that are voting on this don’t get to go up against him. I’m pretty sure when you looked at all the votes that Haloti received, it’s guys that he’s played against. I think those are the guys who will vote him into the Pro Bowl. Next year, if we play a different [division], I’m sure those guys will vote him, as well.”
On how much it will add to the secondary if CB Fabian Washington is able to play:
“Oh gosh, I hope he does. You don’t have to worry about someone running past him. That’s the thing about Fabian. He’s done a great job. Like I said, if he could catch, he’d really be something. (Laughter) But he is, he’s probably got as good of cover skills as there is in the league. We knew we were getting a heck of a player, but he’s tightened his game up even more. So hopefully he’ll be ready to go. I know he’s doing everything he can to get ready to play.”
On how Washington looked out there today:
“You know, he’s just standing out there, and it’s more of a walk through-type pace of things, so he looked thin.” (Laughter)
On whether his father, Buddy Ryan, told him much about the history between the Eagles and Cowboys:
“No, he never had to tell me because I lived it. I saw it all. I went to school in Oklahoma, Southwest, so I knew all about those. I would go to the games and all that kind of stuff. So, the Pork Chop Bowl and the so-called Bounty Bowl or something that was out there, the Snowball Bowl I think they had in Philly… I know all about Dallas. When we were in Arizona, we couldn’t beat them. So when Dad was in Philly, I think he had some pretty good success. He’ll be at the game this week, the kryptonite to offset all those Cowboys that are coming out there. (Laughter) He’ll be there in spirit, but he’s not going to be there. But these games, that stadium, the star and America’s team and all that kind of stuff, it’ll be neat going back there if we win.”
Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron
On if Cowboys LB DeMarcus Ware is one of the best pass rushers they’ll face:
“He’s good. I don’t know how you really compare him, because with Indianapolis and all the other teams that we’ve played there are a lot of good ones. And they do… And he’s not the only guy. They’ve got [Greg] Ellis on the other side. Their pass rush is a collective effort, there’s no doubt about it. He’s having a great year, and was obviously recognized for the Pro Bowl, so we’ll have our hands full.”
On how the players have held up without a bye week:
“That’s a good question. You’d probably have to ask them. It’s a non-issue. I hadn’t even thought of it until you mentioned it. Pro guys are pretty resilient, and they understand the flex scheduling and Mondays and Sunday nights and Saturday night and Thursday nights. And we just get in that mindset of, ‘Let us know when we’re going to play and we’ll be there.’ Our guys are remarkable. I think it comes from our veteran players and the leadership we have here.”
On why QB Joe Flacco hasn’t played his best football the last couple of weeks:
“I think the last half a dozen weeks we’ve played some good defenses. Defense can be a factor in that. But, like any other position, we always go back to fundamentals, techniques. He’s had an outstanding week of practice. I don’t necessarily have that answer, but usually anything is a collective effort. We haven’t put our best foot forward these last two weeks, but I think we’ve had a heck of a week at practice, so I think it’s more fundamentals, techniques.”
On how Steelers LB James Harrison wasn’t much of a factor last week and if Ravens TE Todd Heap contributed to that with his blocking:
“That’s just part of it. That was part of the game plan. We wanted to have an aggressive game plan, sometimes that’s looked at different ways, but you have to go after a guy like that aggressively, put one or two guys on him. And again, I think whether it be Adam Terry, Todd Heap or our tackles, there are a lot of good things that are going on, really, you don’t notice. A lot of things are happening away from the ball that are giving us a chance to be successful, and that’s a big part of it. But again, this week is the next challenge, [DeMarcus] Ware and the guys up front. So, we’ll need the same effort this week.”
On his familiarity with Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips:
“Wade and I are similar in the fact that really, our plans that we put together are really personnel-driven more than scheme-driven. There are probably some things that he would know about me, and that we would know about him, but then at the same time, you look at the personnel, he utilizes personnel like we would think we’re trying to do. So I think it’s more personnel driven than scheme, but there’s probably some familiarity there.”
On how Cowboys CB Adam Jones’ return affects their secondary:
“It’s a good question. I don’t know if that’s going to help or if it’s going to hurt. He’s been in and out of the lineup. So obviously, he’s a playmaker. We’ll see. We’ll see if there is a return there. Obviously, in warm-ups we’ll have to check that out.”
On why Flacco plays so well on the road:
“Another good question. I think it’s collective. It’s a collective effort. I think other guys have played well on the road as well. We would like to think that’s going to happen again. So, to know why, I don’t know. But we’re going to need him to play well this week no matter how he’s played in the past.”
On if he talks with the players about playoff scenarios:
“Really, it’s so obvious. Bottom line, when you know you control your own destiny, nothing else needs to be talked about. Go play, go play. Do the best you can do, and find a way to win the football game. It’s not real fancy to talk about, but it’s real simple at this point.”
On him not commenting that that was a good question:
“It’s a good… I’m glad you’re asking… That is a question. Some places, nobody’s asking that question.”
Special Teams Coordinator Jerry Rosburg
On CB Adam Jones in the return game and who he compares to:
“Well, he’s a different style of returner. He’s a very athletic returner. He changes directions quickly, and he has a lot of movement. He’s very daring, so it does change the style of your coverage when you’re dealing with a different guy. The other guys they have returning are also very good returners in their own right, but they’re bigger, stronger, straight-line fast guys. Adam, you have to make sure you have a bunch of guys around him to try and tackle him.”
On if he feels last week was the best all-around special teams game:
“We made some progress. I think a lot of it speaks to the fact that our guys have been practicing well during the year. I think we’ve seen a steady improvement in the way that we’ve practiced the techniques that we’re doing, and I think it showed up Sunday, where in some other games we saw progress in the fundamentals, but we didn’t see the product increasing in value. But I think this last week we saw some of the value come through from our practice sessions we’ve had. We need to continue to do that. It’s something we have needed to do a long time, and now we’re hopefully seeing the results of that.”
On whether the hole in the roof at Texas Stadium creates an irregular wind pattern:
“I’ve only been there once, and my notes from that are that there wasn’t any wind that day. I don’t know if it’s because there wasn’t any wind in the stadium or there wasn’t any wind outside, but it didn’t affect the game that I played down there. Matt Stover has some familiarity with the stadium, having played in there. On video, you don’t see a whole lot of wind. I think the biggest factor on a normal day game, you’d see the contrast with the shade and the sun, but we don’t have to worry about that.”
On if we should expect to see S Jim Leonhard returning punts the rest of the year and see return duties split between him and WR/RS Yamon Figurs:
“Well, we’ve done that, to some extent, most of the season. This last game, you probably saw a little more of Jim Leonhard. Part of it was because of the game plan we had, but we anticipate them sharing the duties much like they have during the season, yes. To answer your question in a word, yes.”
On what enables someone like Stover to last as long as he has:
“Well, first of all, Matt is a very skilled kicker. He has a lot of talent, and he is very skilled. He knows exactly how he wants to kick the ball, and he has refined his technique to the point where it’s a very exact thing for Matt. The other part of it, I think, is just his mental preparation. He’s a very strong kicker, mentally. He understands the game. He understands his role in the game. He understands how to get himself ready. Lastly, I think it really speaks to his conditioning. He’s taken care of himself so well over the years that if you didn’t know he was 40 years old, you’d walk up to him and think he was still a younger player, let’s say that. I have to be careful when I say things about age with Matt.” (Laughter)
On whether he could envision Stover playing until he is 47, like Morten Andersen:
“I had the great pleasure of coaching Morten last year, and there are so many similarities in the way they approach the game. The strength of their mind and the way they love football and they love the competition, I think that probably more than anything else will carry them through.”
On his thoughts on P Sam Koch not making the Pro Bowl despite having a great year:
“Sam has had a great year, and it’s one of those situations. Sam took it for what it was. He knows he played well, and he’s happy he got votes. I don’t think it really affected him a great deal. I know his teammates value him, and he values his teammates. I don’t really think there was any regret or any disappointment. He’s happy to be a part of the conversation. He’s a young player, and he vows to continue to get better. There’ll be other opportunities for him.”
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