Head Coach Hue Jackson
Q: How did [Denarius] Moore respond?
Coach Jackson: He's good. He was good. I thought another good day for him, so I feel very comfortable with where he is and I think he'll have an opportunity to play this week. So again, we'll go back tomorrow, see exactly where he is, make sure we didn't have any setbacks and move forward from there.
Q: What about punts? Is he working on punts too or is that too much to ask?
Coach Jackson: I don't think it's too much to ask for. Just see where we are tomorrow. We have a little bit more emphasis on special teams, so we'll see where he is tomorrow in that regard.
Q: What are the characteristics of a Gunther Cunningham defense?
Coach Jackson: Get after you, hit the quarterback, go up the field. The only way to the quarterback – tackle anything that has the ball. I mean they play hard and they play fast; I have great respect for what they do, but we've seen a lot of defenses like that here lately, so we need to go play football.
Q: How concerning is [Michael] Huff's injury right now? Is he anticipated to practice tomorrow?
Coach Jackson: You know again, it's day-to-day and I'll see where he is tomorrow. Again they guys that are out there, I'm going to coach them, and push them, and drive them and we'll get him out there if we can. If we can't, then on we go. We can't worry about it anymore. We're getting down here to the stretch and the guys that are out here practicing are going to give us the best chance to win and those are the guys we've got to put out there.
Q: Seems if the Lions on the defensive line, they use a lot of guys. Do they use as many guys as anybody you'll go up against this year? Kind of like you guys, you'll use eight in a game…
Coach Jackson: They have a good rotation and they're very strong, very athletic and I haven't seen any other team that we've faced that has that kind of talent throughout their front four. When they bring one guy in, they put in another guy. There's not much drop-off. Those guys – they play hard, they play fast, they have a good front, so again, it's a challenge but it's a challenge we're looking forward to.
Q: When a team comes that hard and there sometimes are cracks, they've given up five yards a carry. Is there some yards to be made against a defense that comes that hard?
Coach Jackson: There are some opportunities. I mean obviously, there are some opportunities, but also, they make plays too. So, it's a hit and miss. They make some, you make some; you've just got to make more than they make in those situations. Like I said, they're a good team; we think we're a good team so it's going to be fun.
Q: How good is [Ndamukong] Suh?
Coach Jackson: He's good. He's really good, he's really good. Great respect for the player, he knows how to play the game and he's very strong, very athletic, makes some incredible plays. So again, it's going to be a challenge for our line but this is the line that we put together and I feel very comfortable that these guys will come and play.
Q: Have you ruled out [Darren] McFadden and [Jacoby] Ford for this week?
Coach Jackson: No, I haven't. Not yet because again, there's still one more day so until somebody tells me otherwise, I'm going to stay to the protocol and see where we are. But I mean, I think you guys know it'll be tough, but still, I'm not going to rule them out right this second.
Q: Jacoby, what's his day like today? He had been running the past couple of times. What's his deal?
Coach Jackson: I'm on the practice field so I don't get to see exactly but I know that he's getting the treatment that he needs. I know normally, he's out here running. I didn't look to see if he was today or not, or if he came out earlier before we even started. But, I know he's doing everything he can to get himself prepared. He goes to the meetings, he's in our offensive meetings, he does everything all the other players do other than practice at this time. But, doing everything he can to make sure that he gets healed up so that he can be back out there with his teammates.
Q: Rolando [McClain] talked the other day that the run defense – just a little problem here or there. The run defense, it's just little things here or there that are causing the problems. How can it be so hard to fix that?
Coach Jackson: Personally, I don't think it's hard. As the head coach, I don't think it's hard. I'm sure as you and other people think it's real hard. I think what we've got to do is play consistently, and put our eyes in the right place, and communicate and finish plays. It seems hard; it shouldn't be and it is, but at the end of the day, that's what it comes down to. Like I said, there's been spurts of us playing really good against the run, us playing really good defense here. We just haven't been consistent enough over a period of time and that's what we need to do.
Q: So you're saying put your eyes in the right place. Guys are looking in the wrong place?
Coach Jackson: Yeah, I think sometimes guys start compensating for other people. If a guy – all of a sudden, you here a call and maybe there was a call that was made because it was a shift or a motion, then all of a sudden a guy thinks it's over here when really it's over there. I think sometimes those things happen, but that's part of it. I think our guys are doing a really good job of communicating now and obviously, I think there's a sense of urgency in that area. I think our guys understand that sometimes if things don't come out just the way you think they may, you've got to be able to make that adjustment as a football player and make sure you take the next step. Again, I know I'm not going to make any excuses for what's gone on up to this point, I mean, it is what it is. We have not played as well as we'd like, but we have a big game this week and we're looking forward to it. I think these guys are going to step up and play like they can.
Q: How do you channel the urgency versus guys saying, 'oh boy, we can't make a mistake or else we lose this game?'
Coach Jackson: No, we're not looking at it like that. We're not even worried about that. We're not even going to have that conversation, I mean, there's no thought of that. Our thought is we're going to go out there and play as well as can and we'll let everything else fall where it may. I mean at the end of the day, everything is going to take care of itself other than our effort, how hard we play, our focus, our attention to detail and how we go about our business. Everything else will take care of itself.
Q: How much of a boost is it going to be for you to play before the home crowd?
Coach Jackson: Oh my gosh, that's going to be a huge boost. We've been on the road with angry people screaming at us, yelling at us for the last couple of weeks and giving it to us, and we've had to take it. Now we're at home and our crowd will be there for us, and they'll be there yelling, screaming for us and we've got to give them something to yell and scream for.
Q: Sounds like it'll be the seventh sellout in a row, which is the most since the team's come back to Oakland. Never been more than six in a year. How big a deal is that?
Coach Jackson: Wow. That'd be great. That's a huge deal. That's a huge deal for these guys, I mean, we love to see our fans there screaming for us. They bring a certain energy to the 'O' for us, but at the same time, we have to do our part too. I mean they'll be there in force screaming for us and what we need to do is give them something to scream about. We're looking forward to it.
Q: Hue, the last five games, Richard Seymour has one tackle, one sack. Is there anything he's been doing, is it the knee, the injuries?
Coach Jackson: No, I'm not going to say it's anything other than – Richard's fine. He'll be fine. Me and Richard had a great conversation. I feel very comfortable with him and where he is. He knows what he needs to do. Richard's a pro and I know when you say that, the thought is he needs to step his game up. I think Richard would be the first to tell you he knows what he needs to do, and how he needs to do it and I do too. We'll get it done and it's crunch time now. It's time to play. Not that it wasn't before, but we know what it is now so let's go.
Q: It was fine before the talk or after the talk?
Coach Jackson: I didn't say. You said that.
Q: I'm asking…
Coach Jackson: No, I didn't. I'm not saying it was fine before or after. What I'm saying is we had a good conversation because there's been so much written here lately about what he hasn't done, and what is this and what is that. What I'm saying to you is that this man understands much is given, much is expected. You've got to step up in play. Not just him, our whole defense does, our whole offense does, our whole special teams does, our whole coaching staff does so it's not just one guy. We all need to play well and I think we all understand that.
Q: When's CJ [Chris Johnson] getting back? Do you know?
Coach Jackson: CJ was honestly supposed to be back later on today. I think there's a couple of other things that's come up, so we'll see exactly where he is and he'll get back here as fast as he can.
Q: Do you think he'll play this week?
Coach Jackson: It'd be tough, it'd be tough. It'd be tough in this situation. He hasn't practiced much; it'd be hard to put him out there. I think you guys know how I am – I like to put guys out there that have practiced unless I know definitely what's going on from whether it's medical, whether it's emotion or whatever all that is. So, we'll see where he is and go from there.
Q: Have you guys hit your allotment of padded practices for the year?
Coach Jackson: Oh yeah, we have.
Q: Was that awhile ago?
Coach Jackson: Yeah, I think it was last week. Yeah, I think it was last week so there's no more of those. That's just the way the league is and I respect that. We're not going to break any rules, we're going to do it right, but boy, I'd sure like to have more. That's for sure.
Q: Has that whole CBA – has there been a big effect on the way that you've coached the team this year?
Coach Jackson: Yeah, I mean you have to adjust to it because there are times you do need pads to sharpen certain things and to sharpen certain fundamentals that you've had to say, 'okay, can't do it this way.' But that's okay, but the emphasis is still the safety of the players to make sure that they don't get worn down or grounded down as I think a lot of people feel like they've been in the past. It's still football. At the end of the day, you're going to play the game in pads, I think you need to practice in pads, and hopefully as we move forward somebody will look at some at this just for an adjustment standpoint just so there are no potential injuries as you move forward as it gets later in the season.
Q: How would you assess Lamarr Houston's season so far?
Coach Jackson: I think he's done some really good things. I think he plays really consistent, he plays really hard. Obviously, you want to see more flash plays because he has that kind of ability but I think he's been very consistent and solid for our football team, and I'm looking for him to really come on here these last three weeks and play really well.
