Q: Who's your back up quarterback?
Coach Jackson: Wouldn't you like to know? Again, all those things will be answered here shortly in the next couple of hours. Like I said, I'd like to talk about all of that stuff tomorrow if we could.
Q: What's the status on [Mike] Mitchell's injury?
Coach Jackson: I think he's still working through it. Obviously, we're not totally ready yet and I think it's still a work in progress. We're trying to get him back as fast as we can. He's working as hard as he can to get back and hopefully we'll get him back soon.
Q: What did you learn about your team in these four preseason games?
Coach Jackson: I learned so many different things. I learned our players will go out and compete. I learned our guys are coachable. I learned our guys will work at it. I learned that we need to learn to finish everything that we do. Again, what you said, what did you learn in those four preseason games, it was a learning experience for all and I think we're ready to hit the ground running here in the regular season.
Q: How confident are you that when you get to the regular season opener that things are going to work out?
Coach Jackson: I feel very confident. Again, my vision and what I see is different than what everybody else sees and I understand that; I sit in a whole different chair. I know a lot of people wish I was on the floor crying and upset and upside down, but I'm not. As I've said before, I know what's in our locker room, I know how hard this team works and I truly believe the hard work is going to start paying off here very soon.
Q: This is your first go around in going through a roster pare down as head coach with Al Davis What can you tell us about the process has been like?
Coach Jackson: It's been total communication. It's been great. Obviously, there are decisions that have to be made based on what the organization thinks is best and I support that to the fullest. We get it done and we move forward.
Q: Now that you've been coach for a couple of months and when you came aboard obviously you called him Coach Davis all along. Has there been anything at all that's been a surprise to you as far as the relationship with him?
Coach Jackson: No. It's the total opposite of what everybody thinks it is. You know that he is someone that I can communicate with and bounce things off of and talk to and talk through things with. And as I said before, this is his team, I respect that, but boy do we really have some great conversations about where we need to go and what we need to do to get better.
Q: Any thoughts at all on why the last few coaches haven't had that same kind of communication or at least have not seemed to?
Coach Jackson: As I've said before, I can't speak to what everybody else has been through. I can only comment on what I deal with every day on an every day basis. I feel very comfortable with where him and I are and where we're headed.
Q: As far as the delay in getting the waiver cuts out there, is that attributed to maybe you guys making some phone calls inquiring about bringing some other players in?
Coach Jackson: As you know, this is a process. As I've told you, we just want to continue to uncover every opportunity that we can to get this team better. Obviously, there's nothing that's totally in ink just yet. The league didn't say it all has to be there right this second. We know there are deadlines that we need to adhere by, but we're always trying to make this team better.
Q: When at least a 53-man roster is announced in a couple of hours, would it surprise you if when Denver game rolls around that it was the same 53?
Coach Jackson: No, it wouldn't surprise me. It wouldn't surprise me one bit. But again, you never know. We'll continue to go through our process to make sure we get this team as good as we can get it before we play Denver.
Q: The offensive line, the guys that were in for the whole first half last night, those going to be the guys that go against the Broncos in the opener?
Coach Jackson: It could be. Could be. I'm still moving people here and there, but I think we're close to being set. Again, those are things that tomorrow I think you'll have a very clear idea of exactly where we're headed.
Q: Jacoby Ford said after the game…somebody asked him what he thought of the preseason proved and he said he thought it showed who could play and who couldn't play. Am curious if you consider some of the poor second halves, whether you think there was a big divide between your front line players and your reserve players.
Coach Jackson: Obviously the starters are the starters and the reserves are the reserves and there is a difference between the two and that's why this process and the second half of games has been about evaluating and giving those young men a chance to show what they have because obviously they didn't get an OTA or mini camps to get an opportunity to do that. I can see some players saying that, but again, we're all Raiders playing out there at that particular point in time. As we move forward, we're looking to do great things.
Q: How would you assess the job Jerome Boyd and Sterling Moore did this preseason?
Coach Jackson: I think those guys worked extremely hard, gave it everything they had and represented themselves well.
Q: How did Stevie Brown and Jeremy Ware acquit themselves this preseason?
Coach Jackson: I think again, you're talking about two young men that have been here, came back ready to compete and give it everything they've got, and I think those young men went out there every day and competed. Obviously Jeremy had a little ding here and there, but I think the guys, as far as training camp is concerned, came to work every day and went to the games and played as well as they could play.
Q: Are you still confident that both [Richard] Seymour and [Chris] Johnson will be ready for Denver?
Coach Jackson: Yes I am, extremely.
