Here's the transcript from Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio's press conference Wednesday afternoon.
Opening Statement:"Alright, ready to go. Got a good Ravens team coming in here. I think they're a team that's well coached. We've played them the last two years. They're good in all three phases. We've had close games, each of the previous two years. Expecting a heck of a battle this week."
Q: How much does EJ Manuel's familiarity with Rodney Hudson and Todd Downing help this process?
Coach Del Rio:"Well I think the fact that we've had him here, he's been in camp, he's been getting reps, he played a little bit in the game the other day. Todd worked with him previously when he got his starts in Buffalo. So, I think those are all factors that help. It's a tough Ravens defense that we're going against, so we have to be ready to go.
Q: What have you seen from Derek Carr and what do you except to see from him over the next few days?
Coach Del Rio:"Yeah, I think he's a professional. We expect him to be professional. Prepare himself, but also be a positive influence in the room and sharing ideas and knowledge and all of that. He'll do that."
Q: Giving Manuel's veteran status, how much better equipped is this team with this status than it was last year?
Coach Del Rio:"Well, I mean last year in the playoff game we had a rookie making his first start. So obviously, a lot better situation. We have a guy who's taken snaps in the league, started games and will have time to prepare. So I think it's a lot different scenario. Bottom line is as a football team, we have to find a way. They have a bunch of guys on IR, too. We all deal with different things in this league, week to week. It's a week to week league. For us, it's about putting together a great week, a great week of preparation and going out and competing on Sunday."
Q: How much will the offensive struggles get better with getting at least four yards on first down consistently?
Coach Del Rio:"Yeah, a lot of those things. It's what we need. Just play good and we will."
Q: Are you optimistic that Derek Carr will be back this week?
Coach Del Rio:"Yes."
