On if Phillip Adams is cleared to play: "Yes, he's been cleared and our medical personnel, they've done everything that we need to do to make sure that he's fine. Obviously, we're going to still continue to monitor him as he goes throughout the week, but he's been cleared medically to play."
On if there is anything new regarding playing time for certain players this week: "No, I think it's going to be pretty similar to what we did last week. Still getting an opportunity to look at a few guys."
On facing QB Cam Newton: "He creates a lot of other issues that you have to worry about. You have to worry about him in the passing game just scrambling around and keeping the play alive. Obviously, they use him in a lot of different ways in the running game also. He presents some unique challenges. He's obviously a tremendous talent. He was a Heisman Trophy winner. They drafted him with the first pick in the draft, so he presents some real challenges. But they have a lot of other players too that are tough. Their running backs do a nice job. The tight ends are a nice receiving threat, speed threat down the field, and then they have some explosive weapons on the outside too. This is a challenging offense that we're facing."
On if Newton's rushing yards are from designed plays or scramble plays: "I think it's a little bit of both. Obviously, he had a 70-something-yard run the other week that was a designed quarterback read for him that he took off and ran. I think a lot of it is designed runs, but also he's getting a lot off of scrambles too."
On preparing for a team the Raiders don't face often: "It's an added dimension and added challenge because this team hasn't played Carolina. The biggest issue is understanding the personnel and really what guys can do and really that'll be the biggest thing we have to look at throughout the week."
On the importance of having the offensive line personnel consistent: "I think it's a big deal. Obviously having the continuity of your offensive line that's where it all starts. You've got to be able to block in the running game and you have to be able to protect in pass protection. Those are the guys that are doing it for you so to have those guys, the same five guys, working together for multiple weeks in a row, they get a feel for where everybody is at and they get a better understanding of just exactly how each other is going to work together. I think that's a big deal and it's been nice to have at least the guys that we anticipated being the starting five at the beginning of the year, it's nice to have them working back together."
On game balls from Kansas City game: "The defense got one and [Mike] Goodson got one on offense and Seabass [Sebastian Janikowski] got one on special teams."
On if Terrelle Pryor helps prepare the defense for Cam Newton: "Yeah, he's got some of those same skill sets as Cam Newton, so we've used him in that role this week in practice."
On if Tyvon Branch's injury is the same one he's been dealing with: "It's an ankle. He's got a neck and an ankle, but the neck is really not an issue. It's more the ankle."
On if Branch's practice schedule will be the same as last week: "Exactly like last week. We're hoping he'll be able to get out later in the week and get a little bit of practice in. Still will be a game-time decision I would imagine."
On Panthers LB Luke Kuechly: "He's all over the place. He made every play in college and he's making a ton of them here in the National Football League. I think he's a really good football player. He's instinctive; he's fast; he's athletic. He plays extremely hard."
On importance of a middle linebacker that can command the defense: "I think that's big. You have your quarterback on offense and you need a quarterback on defense because there's a lot of communication that goes on defensively. Most places that you're at, the middle linebacker is kind of the guy that does that for you."
On if Goodson is amped up for the game: "I'm sure he's excited about going back and playing against Carolina. I'm excited for him. At the end of the day, he's really got to treat this like any other game. He's got to prepare himself to go out there and have success. If he prepares the right way, he'll have a chance on Sunday to have success."
On Goodson's season: "A little up and down, but I like some of the things he's done. He's added an element of explosiveness. He's done a nice job in the screen game. He's had a couple games this year where he's really ran the ball pretty good. I've been pleased with him in conjunction with Darren [McFadden] and Marcel [Reece] and some of the other guys we've used."
On Goodson and the zone-blocking scheme: "I think him and Darren are a nice complement to each other."
On Richard Seymour: "He didn't practice today so we'll see where he's at later in the week."
On if there is anything new with Seymour: "No."
On if he expects Janikowski to make every field goal: "Yes, I do. I think he does too. I don't really care where he kicks it from. When you have a great player, that's what you expect and that's what he expects. I think it's more important that that's what he expects. So it's a comforting feeling for me knowing that when we get across the 50, I feel confident being able to put him in the game and feel like we can make the kick and get three points."
On Janikowski's miss at 51 yards: "Well, I mean, it happens. The kicks that he's missed this year, he's missed one from 51 and he missed two from 60-plus. It happens. You just have to go out there and try to rebound. The great thing was he missed one at 51 and he comes right back from 57 at the end of the first half and knocks it right down the middle. It's like anybody else that plays a position – if you have a negative play, you have to be able to put it behind you and go to the next one. The great ones are able to respond and he responded."
On the current quarterback on defense: "Obviously Omar [Gaither] has kind of taken that role a little bit with Rolando [McClain] not playing. Obviously I think Matt Giordano does a nice job back there for us and so does Tyvon Branch. But I don't know that we have that guy that just steps up and says that, 'I'm the guy and I'm going to make all the adjustments for you.' We're still looking for that."
On if Philip Wheeler still wears the headset: "Yeah, and he does a nice job in the nickel situations, obviously, yeah. But I think we're still kind of looking for that guy that just handles it all for us."
On if Wheeler is still wearing the green dot: "No, Phil is still wearing the green dot."
On punt returner: "We're going to look at them this week and see how they do. Denarius [Moore] is back out there catching balls just like he's done all year long. Obviously with Phillip Adams back, he's definitely a possibility. Matt Giordano has been a guy that we've used back there as far as practice is concerned and he does a nice job of catching them, so we'll evaluate them as the week goes on and we'll see where we're at and what we want to do on game day."
