Dolphins up next for hapless Bills
By: John Kucko
Updated: December 19, 2012
The Bills returned to work Wednesday with the Dolphins up next Sunday in Miami. Below are comments beginning with head coach Chan Gailey:
Q: How do you get your arms around what has been
going on with special teams? You are near the top in returns, but near the
bottom in coverage.
A: It has been a combination of a lot of things. I think
we have done a great job with our return game--kickoff return and punt return.
Leodis (McKelvin) was really on fire there for a while. It has been a shame he
has been hurt lately. It is different when your top guy is not in there. It is
different. The coverage teams, sometimes it is a combination of the kick and
sometimes it is a combination of coverage. I do not have the exact answer. You
just have to try to get that to all come together at one time so that you have
quality coverage teams as well.
Q: Is the personnel for the return and coverage units
that much different?
A: We have some of the same guys, but not all the same
guys. Probably some of the difference is we have more offensive guys on coverage
teams than most teams I have been around. Our defensive players have been
playing more snaps on defense, been involved defensively and had not been on
coverage teams.
Q: How much do the kickers play into it? You made a
change at both kickoff specialist and
punter.
A: It makes a difference, it does. We have changed both
of those positions during the course of the season and it makes a difference. I
think we have had some very good days. It is kind of like the rest of the team.
We have had some very good days and some very bad
days.
Q: How important are these last two games to sorting
out the second cornerback spot?
A: You would like for somebody to step up and see some
direction for the future there. You really want somebody to just play well for
these two ball games so it gives us an opportunity to win the
game.
Q: What is the deal with WR Donald
Jones?
A: He has an illness and if he wants to talk to you
about it, I will let him talk to you about it because I do not talk about things
that are not football-related. This one is not
football-related.
Q: WR Stevie Johnson got emotional talking about
playing to help you retain your job these last two games. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
said you connect with players on an emotional level. Why do you think that
is?
A: I do not know. I try to tell them the truth. That is
all I try to do. I try to tell them the truth every day. That may resonate with
some of them and it may not. I try to help them and let them be as successful as
they can possibly be.
Q: How does it make you
feel?
A: I am humbled, but at the same time we are in a
production business and I know that, too.
Q: What has Johnson proven to you over the last three
years?
A: I think that he is an example of persistence. I think
he is an example of not ever doubting yourself. It would have been easy for him
to not go into the tank and not believe in himself anymore. When he got the
opportunity, we gave him a chance and he proved he could be a special football
player. I am proud of him for taking advantage of the opportunity he was given
and never taking the opportunity to get down on himself or to question his
abilities.
Q: How do you rank the catch Johnson made versus
Seattle?
A: It is up there at the top. I had Calvin Johnson (at
Georgia Tech), too and he made some unbelievable catches. But it ranks right up
there with the best catches that I have seen.
Q: Johnson did not give up in that game
either.
A: No. I have never seen that one time in the entire
time I have been around him, ever. He has played through some tough times.
Q: DE Shawn Merriman, are you getting what you need
out of him?
A: I think we make too much out of numbers sometimes.
Statistics are for people to make evaluations that sometimes are true and
sometimes are not completely valid. I think they would all like to be better at
what they do. We need everybody to be more consistent at what they do. I think
that he is getting back into it. The guy had not played for two or three years.
Everybody thinks you have been in five, six or eight games and things ought to
go back to normal it does not just go back to normal. It takes a while.
Hopefully it clicks one more time with him.
Q: The defense is on pace to give up the most points
and yards in franchise history. Is that a statistic that is
true?
A: The yards are more true than the points are because
of field position, kick returns and everything factors into that. Turnovers-they
end up at the 10 yard line they are scoring on. The points are not as indicative
as yards would be in my opinion. I think that we had made some strides up until
last week. I think that we had really made some strides. Now it will test our
metal a little bit to see how we come back from playing like that as a defense.
To see how mad that made them and if we can go down and play well this
week.
Q: How good is the Dolphins'
defense?
A: They are good. They are big and strong up front. They
are eighth in the league against the run. That is a valid statistic. You can see
it. They are strong up front. I think Reshad Jones is one of the best safeties
we have played against this year. He is playing extremely well, has a nose for
the ball and tackles extremely well. They are doing a lot of things right
defensively right now.
Q: Has QB Ryan Tannehill progressed since the last
time you saw him?
A: He is playing better. The biggest difference you see
with him at this point is for about a three game stretch he turned it over
several times. I think they have had two turnovers since they played us. I think
that has been the number one area for them. They have eliminated the turnovers
and with their defense playing extremely well, they have been right there in
every game.
Q: Does the recent history and expectations of this
franchise create an environment that is difficult to win
in?
A: I think you create your culture within your
organization. I think if you get enough people that believe in winning that you
can win. I think if you let outside influences sway you one way or the other in
the long run that is going to hurt you, not help you. I think that all of that,
everything that has to be done to turn it around, has to come from within and
within us. Getting everything headed in the right direction and make the plays
to win games. Win a couple big games. It is a momentum situation and when you
win a couple of those you get the opportunity to win
more.
Q: CEO Russ Brandon said on the radio this morning
the talent level for this team is better than it was three years ago. If so, is
that an indictment on the job you and your staff has
done?
A: Well I do believe the talent level is better. We do
not have the wins to show for it, so that is not good because as I said the
other day the buck stops with me. I understand that. We are in a production
business. We have not produced. I think we can get there, but we have not done
it so far. I do not have a lot to jump up and shout about or champion at this
point. Just a belief.
Q: Everybody mentions a handful of plays could have
changed the trajectory of the season. Do you remember any plays in particular
that stand out?
A: Yeah, but I am not going to talk about them. There
always are ones that stick in your crawl, but it is just crying over spilt milk
if you start talking about them.
Q: Will CB Leodis McKelvin practice this
week?
A: No, I do not think he is going to make it
today.
Q: You think he might this week
though?
A: Maybe. Outside
chance.
Q: What would a couple of division wins to end the
season do to help everything out?
A: Wins help everything. I do not care where you are or
what you are doing. Wins help everything. It gives you a positive outlook. It
gives you an opportunity to build on something. It is a lot easier to build on
wins than it is to try to pick up after
losses.
Q: What does it mean to have C Eric Wood so
determined to play in his condition?
A: It does not surprise me. He is a competitor, a great
competitor. Not just a competitor, a great competitor. He is a fighter and it
does not shock me at all that he wants to get back and try to help us finish
this thing strong.
Q: A lot of people would ask why bother with the
playoffs not a possibility. Why do you have him come
back?
A: Because we want to try to win football games and you
want your best football players if they are healthy to win games. If he is not
healthy enough to do it, he will not play. If he is healthy enough, we all know
the quality of player that he is. You want him on the
field.
Q: How important is OG Kraig Urbik and knowing he is
going to be here long-term?
A: Yeah, it is great for Kraig (Urbik) and great for the
organization. He has done a lot of things here for us and that is a positive
step to try to keep as many of your players, quality players, together as you
can.
Q: Do you know how the number two cornerback is going
to shake out for Sunday?
A: Do not know that right
now.
Q: How much could you get behind a 3-3 record going
into the offseason?
A: To me, that is a positive. I do not know when we have
been there but to me that is a positive. Winning the last two, and you have to
win one before you can win two...we keep talking about winning the last two, you
have to win one before you have a chance at winning the last two. I look at it
as a positive to be able to finish the division .500, but you want to win these
last two--I do not care who you play.
Q: Do you think you could use a few more players with
Wood's intensity on this team?
A: You always use players with great passion and great
intensity. I think we have quite a few of those. It is not like we are devoid
of that. I do not believe we are.
Q: Wood called the Toronto series a joke. Is he
right?
A: We have had a lot of guys say things during the
course of the year in the heat of the battle or the passion of the moment they
say something. I am not sure. In my opinion, I understand the situation. I
understand the importance of that series for the organization and two years ago
it was great up there. This year it was not as great. So when you win and you
play good, all those are great.
Q: Just to clarify, when you say the situation you
are talking about the series and not Woods'
comments?
A: Yeah, the series. Yeah.
QB Ryan
Fitzpatrick
Wednesday, December 19,
2012
Q: What does it say about WR Stevie Johnson for him
to be able to go after 1,000 for the third straight
year?
A: I think that is always a goal coming into the season
and I think that he is a guy that I have obviously relied on a lot the past few
years. The constant double teams and attention that he gets from other teams, he
has been very productive this year. He is the kind of guy that last year and
this year a little bit there was some nagging stuff, but you know every Sunday
he is going to be out there. He is going to give it his all and he is going to
make plays. He is a very passionate guy and he has really kind of come full
circle in that in terms of his leadership and the way that he goes about his
business and prepares for games. He understands it. He is the leader of that
room and the guys are looking up to him. I think he has done a great job in that
role this year.
Q: Has Johnson proven himself in some way considering
he was a seventh-round draft pick?
A: I think he is constantly out there trying to prove
himself. And when you are a guy that came into the league unheralded without
much expectation but all of a sudden there is expectation thrown on him every
year to continue to produce--it has been a nice thing to see. His role changed a
little bit as we have gone into this season, a little more inside receiver at
times. How he has taken to that and how he has really honed in his route running
ability and those types of things to get on the same page as me with some of
those inside routes as well as the outside routes, I think it says a lot about
him.
Q: Why do so many of the big plays, like Stevie's
catch against Seattle, not lead to
anything?
A: I do not know if you took stats on that or know
exactly, that one in particular was a big part of the game where he makes that
play and we do have momentum on our side. I think that one ended in a turnover.
I believe it ended in a turnover, but we have to be able to when somebody makes
a play like that...Scott (Chandler) made a great play earlier in the game that I
think we were able to capitalize on. But when guys step up and make plays like
that you have got to be able to feed off it. Just finish a drive, make sure it
leads to points or make sure momentum stays in your favor. That one was
unfortunate because it was such a great catch and a great individual effort by
him to not be able to get more out of it.
Q: Does it matter to win these last two games in
terms of gaining some traction in the
division?
A: Yeah, I think it does. To be honest though, I think
these last two games are more about us than who we are playing. Just kind of
finding our identity again and making sure that we are out there just kind of
pushing through. This season has been very disappointing, but we have to make
sure we go out there, play for each other and play for ourselves. I think it is
going to be more about us and trying to end on a good note than who we are
playing or the two divisional opponents that we are
playing.
Q: Do you think last time their success stopping you
in the red zone was a lack of execution or good defense that you need to adjust
to?
A: They did a good job. They have done a good job
against us recently in terms of the third-down stuff and really just they are a
very talented defense. I think their scheme is a very good scheme. They have
given us problems especially when you look at the third-down stuff and what goes
along with the third downs in the red zone and whatnot. That is the kind of
stuff they have been getting us at. That is a focus for us-being able to go out
there, execute and convert on third-down. Hopefully the points come with
that.
Q: Do you feel that a lot of guys might be playing
for their jobs in these last two games?
A: Yeah. The reality of the situation is these last two
games really matter. Obviously they matter, it is a professional game. You go
out there and you play, but in terms of how we present ourselves and how we come
out and play. I think to end the season with two wins, I think that does matter.
That is an important way for us to sit here and look about it. It just gives us
that much more of an emphasis to make sure we are studying throughout the week,
make sure we come out with energy and play. These last two games are very
important for us.
Q: Are you guys playing for HC Chan Gailey's job as
well?
A: I think you do not go out there in between huddles or
in between the plays and think 'OK I have to do this,' or 'I have to make a play
for my job or someone else's job.' But I think it is important to realize the
gravity of the situation right now and the difference between two losses and two
wins to end the season I think would be a lot. It is important to keep that in
the back of your mind. Important to remind yourself what you are playing for and
why you are going out there. It is not something during a game that you can be
concerned about I guess.
Q: Stevie was getting emotional talking about Chan.
Does Gailey connect with this group on that emotional
level?
A: Yeah, I think so and I think it is with particular
guys, too. I have said this a few times but with Stevie, with me, with Scott
Chandler, with Fred Jackson and with some of the linemen just looking at the
offense, he has given so many guys a chance. To have the season kind of turn out
the way it has so far, I think a lot of us feel like we have let him down a
little bit in terms of the opportunity and the chance that he has given us.
Stevie is an emotional guy and I think that is an emotional topic when you think
about not being able to produce the way you wanted to and not being able to
represent your coach when he has given you all the faith in the world. That goes
for me and that goes for a lot of these guys, so I think it is something that we
as players feel. I think it is a natural way if you feel like you have let
somebody down. We have to go out there, play, understand what we are playing for
and who we are playing for.
Q: Was all the deep shots last week a way to stop the
other team from keying on the screen game?
A: There is a lot of different ways teams have been
dialed in. Sometimes d-tackles or d-ends not really rushing as much in order to
spy the back. Maybe a linebacker assigned to a guy to spy the back. Teams have
done a better job of late. The thing is, and the one who have been successful,
sometimes they do a good job but you just get it in C.J. (Spiller)'s hands, let
him make a few guys miss, set up his blocks and go. That is one of those things.
I think teams have done a good job. You just have to continue to find ways to
get him the ball and maybe it is not through the screen game. Maybe it is
getting him out of the backfield and having him run routes or just continue to
hand the ball off to him. That is just what part of what we are trying to do.
Get him those touches and if is not in the screen game, which has not been real
successful of late, maybe there are some other ways we do
it.
Q: Does a losing culture really play into the result
of seasons sometimes?
A: I think maybe a little bit. But when you are having
losing seasons, things are not going well and you are seeing a lot of turnover
whether it is with players or with coaches. Then all of a sudden a lot of new
guys are in. A lot of new guys come from different NFL teams and cultures, so
maybe some of it sticks with it but in the NFL in this day and age, a lot of it
is when you have constant turnover there are new guys that step in and step up.
You kind of create your own identity every year I guess is what I am trying to
say. Looking at a team like New England, they have had a lot of the same guys.
They have obviously had the guy in Tom Brady. Has been there and has really
helped to nurture and create that culture. But with a lot of losing teams you
are trying to reestablish yourself and create a new identity every
year.
Q: C Eric Wood called the Toronto series a joke. Your
thoughts?
A: Eric (Wood) is a guy that is going to speak his mind.
That is what he thinks about it. I gave my thoughts last week on it and I
usually try to just stay out of the controversial issues like that a lot of the
time.
Q: At what point is loyalty just not enough?
Opportunity to play...you say Coach Gailey has given you a chance to step up, but
doesn't that really happen for every team with
injuries?
A: Yeah, I was turned over the reins when Trent
(Edwards) in my first year here was a starter for a few games and he put me in.
Not only that year, but the last few years. Stevie Johnson was a guy that nobody
really wanted on the field or did not know if he could play or not and he
instead of bringing three, four or five different receivers in that had a big
name like a (Terrell Owens) or whatever it was, he felt like Stevie had the
talent and the ability if given the opportunity. He gave Stevie an opportunity.
Roscoe Parish was kind of the same way. David Nelson, Donald Jones--two guys that
were undrafted free agents that were thrown out there. Maybe it was not popular
to the public because they were not high draft picks, they did not have a name
and nobody knew who they were, but he knew how they fit in his offense. They
have been able to be successful. A lot of it has been the faith that he has
given them. Scott Chandler got cut by however many different teams. Chan saw
something in him when we brought him in and allowed Scott to get out there on
the field and prove that Chan was right with what he saw in him and his
assessment. So there have been a lot of different guys. It is not just about
other guys getting injured and stepping up. It is about Chan in the offseason
identifying who he thinks will be successful, allowing them a chance not only
through the offseason, but when we get to the games to go out there and prove
it. He has done that time and time again with a lot of our guys.
WR Stevie
Johnson
Wednesday December 19,
2012
Q: What about that catch? I mean ESPN has it ranked
the number one play on Monday.
A: I mean it's just a guy trying to make a play and we
ended up making it. It didn't really lead too much so. It is just a play. That's
it.
Q: Have you got the chance to see it? Maybe it
impressed yourself in some ways.
A: I didn't see it on TV. I saw it on the Internet
though. It's a pretty cool catch. I try to talk down on it but at the end of the
day it was a neat catch. But it still didn't lead to
anything.
Q; How would you assess your season? Take away 5-9.
Just to get to 891 yards with no David Nelson and a lot of guys trying to play
opposite.
A: It's work. It is continuous work. That's what I take
out of this season. You always have to work no matter what it is. With not
making the playoffs, but getting to a 1,000 (receiving yards) it still shows how
much you have to work. Things might not go as planned, but you never know what
you are working for at the end of the day. Come to find out I'm working to get a
third straight 1,000 yard season but you know that is all minor. We have to go
out here, win and beat the Dolphins. Hopefully go out and beat the Jets so we
can have another run at this next year.
Q: One-thousand is the number you had in
mind?
A: I mean it is for any receiver. It is what we have in
mind. That's not what it started off with throughout the season. It was
basically playoffs, get to the playoffs this is the year. Now that is not
happening. I don't want to lie and say you know I can't lie good you all would
know if I'm lying. I can't say that I'm not thinking about getting a
1,000.
Q: You guys have had big plays this year and a lot of
them haven't lead to anything. Why haven't big plays lead to anything this year
in many cases?
A: Just the way the game unfolds. Sometimes we make the
most out of it and sometimes we don't. And that is why coach said that we need
to work on being more consistent.
Q: When a frustrated fan base is calling for change
for better or for worse, can you do anything as far as a player to change that
opinion you think?
A: Yea, do what you have been doing which is working and
hope for the best. Hopefully we win because if we win things can change for the
best on our part. We don't have to hear what the fan base is saying and at the
end of the day we have to win.
Q: Does it enter your mind at all that you are
playing for your coach's job at all?
A: Yea definitely. I don't want to see him go. I don't
want to get too emotional and all that stuff but he gave me the opportunity to
play here. I want to do what I can or do my part to ensure that he will be here.
Hopefully I will go out there and do the most I can and we a win these next few
weeks.
Q: You say you don't want to get emotional. Were you
able to get emotional here?
A: No, I just didn't want to start ranting on about what
he did for me and everything like that. I think it is very evident what Coach
Gailey has done for me. I guess these next two week are going to be the ones
that are going to make or break all of us.
Q: It's obvious how much you care about him just to
talk about the possibility of something that might happen kind of gets you
going.
A: Yea, most definitely because like I said, the
opportunity and this whole job, this game is about opportunity. I didn't have
that coming in my first two or three years until Coach Gailey came in and pretty
much gave me the opportunity to play. Now I'm here getting interviewed by you
all.
C Eric Wood
Wednesday December 19,
2012
Q: Why risk further injury or won't you do that? Is
it going to be at a point where it is at a hundred percent before you are going
to go out there?
A: I'm not going to risk further injury, but most people
at this point in the season are not a hundred percent. It may bother me a little
bit, but there is risk in injury any time you step out on the football field and
I don't think I am putting myself in a greater risk by coming back this week if
it feels good. I want to show this organization that even if I do get dinged up
I'm going to fight to come back no matter what. So that is kind of my goal
coming back this week.
Q: Consider the training staff kind of puts guys
coming back from injury through the paces on Tuesday. Did that happen yesterday?
And how did everything feel for you?
A: Yeah, we have been doing it the last few days just
because I didn't want my first day yesterday kind of feeling it out. I didn't
want that to be the first time I did anything. We have been kind of working it
the last few days and it felt good. And it keeps feeling better and better so
hopefully by Sunday it will feel real good.
Q: Considering how your seasons have ended the last
couple of years, is it important to you to be out there for the last
game?
A: Yeah, when I got the MRI back and it wasn't that bad
all things considering the way it looked on film my goal was to come back and
play. I didn't want to go on IR again. I told Buddy (Nix) that immediately, 'I
don't want to go on IR and I don't want this season to end like that.' And at
the time we had a chance to make the playoffs. At that point I thought being
here, this is my fourth year, and if we make the playoffs there was no way I
wanted to be sitting on IR. I'm going to try and make it back this week. I know
we are out of it, but there still is a lot to play
for.
Q: Is it Thursday because Chan had said on Monday
probably not today to practice, but
Thursday?
A: I'm going to do some stuff and hopefully tomorrow I
will get a full work load.
Q: After letting the Toronto comments sit for a day,
what are your thoughts on that situation right now and how they were
received?
A: I didn't realize me and Andy's (Levitre) little radio
show had so much clout to it (jokingly). That is my initial reaction to it. I
understand the benefits of the Toronto game. I understand we have a small market
and we have a huge market just north of the boarder. I love the city of Toronto
for eating and for pleasure, but the game just has a different feel and it's not
a whole lot of fun to play in at this point. Now will that change in the future
if we resign with them? Possibly. It kind of rubbed me wrong last year when we
jumped offside on a 3rd-and-one when they're doing
the wave. This year from what I heard, I didn't get to travel, everybody was
complaining that there were more Seattle fans than there were Bills fans. I
don't think that many people from Seattle made the trip, but I think the
non-Bills that go to the game are just cheering for plays as opposed to cheering
for a team and that kills you. I realize we are out of the playoff hunt. In
years to come hopefully we will have some crucial games that we will need to win
up there and hopefully we can bring more of a home field
advantage.
DT Kyle
Williams
Wednesday December 19,
2012
Q: Is it just a case of guys playing for their
responsibilities?
Readers Feel...
hello
