Q: How big is it getting Kevin [Boss] back this week?
Coach Jackson: It's big. I'd love to have every last one of our players back. Obviously, we've got some guys that are still out, but that's part of the deal. I'm never going to make it an issue about who's healthy, who's not healthy because this is the National Football League. You know it's the best of the best, the guys that show up got to play, got to perform, and they will.
Q: But from the simple terms of getting this piece of the puzzle back that you guys acquired in the offseason. Just for you in play-calling and things like that…
Coach Jackson: Very happy. But again, he's a player who has played in a lot of big games, has competed, he's done a good job, and we're looking forward to watching him play.
Q: How comfortable are you with Denarius [Moore] returning punts?
Coach Jackson: I'm very comfortable. The guy's a football player. If that is what we decide to do, he'll go back there and do a great job.
Q: How comfortable would you be with Taiwan Jones returning kickoffs?
Coach Jackson: If that is what we decide to do, he'll go back there and do a great job.
Q: You talked about Denarius getting more snaps, getting more snaps on the offense. Do you have to balance that if he is going to return more kicks or is he a guy that you can go full load with both?
Coach Jackson: If that's what we're doing; I believe the young man is young, talented. Obviously, you want to watch anybody's reps that's playing a lot of plays. But if he's back there, he'll be back there healthy, fresh, and ready to go. So, I'm looking forward to watching whoever we stick back there because you guys already determined who I'm sticking back there, huh?
Q: Is DHB [Darrius Heyward-Bey] ready to start again? Is he healthy enough to get back into the lineup?
Coach Jackson: I think he is healthy. Yeah, he's healthy and again, I think it depends on our formation and what personnel group we start with.
Q: So you think he's healthy enough to play significant minutes?
Coach Jackson: I think so. I think he's ready to go. I think he's back into the mix and we'll see how we start this game.
Q: In the Jets, you've got a team that has been in the last two AFC Championship games coming into your place. How important is it to get off to a fast start against them and impose your will on them?
Coach Jackson: No question. We want to go play Raiders football. That's our stadium, our fans, our city, and we need to protect it. They are coming in here to beat us and there is no question about it. They're a good football team, we think we're a great football team, it's going to be two great football teams playing this Sunday, but it's time for the Raiders to rise up and play. The time is now.
Q: Is it about as challenging as it gets for [Samson] Satele with all the looks that they do, in terms of line calls?
Coach Jackson: No question; just for our offense in general. That's the nature of the beast playing the Jets. That's their scheme, they are very good at it, but again, they can only put 11 out there. They have to play with 11 and we have to play with 11, so let's go play.
Q: If Jones and Moore do return kicks this weekend, the fact that they are rookies; has that been a thought at all in your process? Has that been something that has stopped you a second?
Coach Jackson: Well, you know again, anytime you start a season, you want to make sure that you get everybody comfortable and ready to play. We've been on the road for two weeks; we've been in Denver, we've been in Buffalo, and now we're at home and a little home cooking. Again, not that I'm tipping my hand by no stretch of imagination have I made that decision exactly what we are doing, but if we do decide to play those guys, why not better to do it here at home in front of our fans, our comfortable surrounding, our stadium, our locker room, everything else. It'd be a great start if that's what I decide to do.
Q: [Joe] Barksdale played in some power formations when Stephon Heyer was out last week. How did he do?
Coach Jackson: He did a good job. I keep telling you guys that our young, our young draftees, are doing a real good job and contributing to this football team. I thought last week was a good opportunity for him. Game two, he came out, and did some nice things. We'll continue to keep him in there and let him do some things.
Q: Is it disconcerting to you that Sebastian [Janikowski] appeared on the injury report for this week or is he ready to go?
Coach Jackson: No, he's ready; I think he's fine. You have to put everybody on there regardless of what they have. They should have put me on that medical report; I got a whole bunch of injuries going on right now. But, he's fine. I think he's ready to go.
Q: So Shane's [Lechler] the backup kicker and the #3 quarterback?
Coach Jackson: Shane is everything, no doubt. He can do it all; this is Shane Lechler.
Q: Who holds for him?
Coach Jackson: [Kyle] Boller. See I got that one [Laughs].
Q: So you have made that decision?
Coach Jackson: Oh, absolutely [laughs].
Q: Campbell is playing well, Jason, and this is the home opener. Is this the first time really it's been kind of his team going into a home game and really his showcase almost; the fact that it is his team?
Coach Jackson: I think the last five games of last year, it was Jason's team and there's no question it is his team now. He needs to get his teammates to follow him and I think that's the knack of a quarterback, as I told you. It's not the yards you throw for or the touchdown passes, it's winning. That's how you get measured in this league. It's his time and he needs to go lead his team to victory this week.
Q: Is he any different than the guy before those final five games or is he the same guy you saw then?
Coach Jackson: I think he's the same guy as a person, I think he's a different quarterback for the Raiders; there's no question. As we've said before, just him knowing his surroundings, his environment, his teammates, the offense, the people he deals with on a daily basis. I think there's a lot of comfort in those things now, it's not different. I think he's really just taken the bull by the horns and said, 'Look, it's my opportunity, this is my football team, and I want to lead it' and that's what he's doing.
