Coach Cable: Okay injury update, Chaz Schilens did not participate with a knee; Michael Bush did not participate with a thumb. That will be a game-time decision; everything looks like he'll work tomorrow. Travis Goethel did not participate with a back, Desmond Bryant was limited with the elbow and Walter McFadden did not participate with the hamstring.
Q: What was the emphasis today?
A: We put the plan in and everything prior to yesterday so everything has been reviewed, third down, short yardage, goal line, red zone, just all the different scenarios we would practice in a normal week.
Q: Do you ever feel like you have enough time to prepare, even though you've had all off-season?
A: You always feel like that a little bit for the first one. You always feel like that because you'll have some new things, you'll have to adjust to some things, both sides will have to. As will they. You always have some of those thoughts or worries for the first game.
Q: Is it possible to put in too much, or are you of the mind, the more you put in the more they'll absorb?
A: No, I think we've done all that already in terms of camp and how we installed it and everything. Everything is predicated on how we win the football game, what gives us the best opportunity to do that. We've exposed them to quite a bit really if you think about since the start of mini camp and OTAs, so I don't know we can put too much in terms of the game plan.
Q: With your offensive line, a lot of the same pieces as last year, why are you better this year?
A: I think a couple of reasons. I think number one we are more settled inside. Two, I think we've upgraded ourselves in terms of pass protection at right tackle. I think we are on the cusp of having Mario back, in my opinion, where he can be a very good player. I think there are some things he has to do, to stay in his lane if you will that helps him be at his best, and he's finding that again.
Q: With all of your defensive versatility you have, is there so much versatility there that if you don't watch it you can lose sight of what your core values are?
A: I think so but I think we know what our core values are, we know who we are. I think we are just fortunate to have some of those extra pieces that can do some other things if needed. I don't know if you'll see very much of those things happen unless they are needed but its nice as a coach to have that feeling that we'll be okay if something happens and we have to put someone at corner, or someone has to stand up and play backer or someone needs to get down and rush the passer, its nice to know we have the people to do that.
Q: How important is it to this team to get out of the gate fast this season?
A: I've mentioned it before; I think September is always crucial in the NFL. If you can have a heck of a September then you really set yourself up to build your confidence and get yourself into a flow if you will. I think it's vital, I think it's vital for every team in the NFL not just this team. That's our goal, to get started fast and have a great September.
Q: Is there a risk of over emphasizing the first game, sometimes the first game can set the tone for the rest of the season?
A: Probably, we haven't done that for that reason. We have 16 opportunities to get to where we need to get and none of them are more important than the other 15. Tennessee is first and we're going to go out there and do everything we can to win the football game, but after that's done, how we handle that, let's say we go out there and win the game, and we come back, we still have a big task next week with the next opponent. We've really worked hard to not make anyone or anybody that much more important than the other, there are some rivalry games I think that have some more interest to them obviously within the division, but for us to stay the mindset that we're on right now and to go where we want to go we have to treat everyone of them like a big deal.
Q: Along those same lines with fast starts, how important is it going to be to get off to a fast, good start Sunday, against Tennessee?
A: I think every team wants to do that, especially the first week. You'd like to come out and set a mentality and a tempo of the game right away. But most games in this league, with the good teams, playing, the playoff type teams, are decided in the fourth quarter. So yeah we'd like to start fast, we'd love to score early, we'd love to get them three and out a few times early, all that, I'd be great. Ultimately the game will probably get decided sometime in the second half, in particular, the fourth quarter.
Q: How much do you think the offense got a measure of confidence opening consecutive games with a touchdown (during the preseason)?
A: I think it's huge. I think what it does is it erases the doubts for some of them, but I thin it makes you realize what you're capable of. I think when you're hungry for confidence and you're looking to find your groove and your rhythm offensively, things like that bode well for you. I think they really help you that way because there will be some times we'll be able to do that during the season and there will be some games we won't be able to do that, for whatever reason. So the fact that we've done it and were able to do it a couple times, and then back to back games like that I think it does help our confidence there's no question.
