QB Kyle Boller addresses the media after the victory over the Browns. Photo by Tony Gonzales
Head Coach Hue Jackson
ON THE GAME
We found a way to grind another one out and get it done. I keep telling everybody, this team is becoming something and we don't blink when things happen. Obviously, we lost our quarterback early and very unfortunate, but that's part of the game, part of the business. I think we all understand that, but today was about a lot of good things. This team is 4-2 and that's what we expected to be after the day was done. We honored one of the greatest Raiders ever in Coach Davis and like I said, I know he's looking down saying, 'Just win, Baby." And that's what we did. That's what we do here, win. We don't care, I told everyone last week, I don't care what it looks like. I don't care if it's pretty or it's ugly or whatever. Nobody at the end of the year if we keep stacking these wins up is going to say, 'well this was an ugly win or this was a pretty win.' All they're going to say is, 'this is your record.' That's what goes on this team's ledger when it's all said and done. So again, I'm proud of the football team. We still have some things to continue to clean up, but our players are working, fighting, they bought into working hard. They bought into the details and we have to keep growing and we will.
ON FOCUSING ON AL DAVIS WITH TEAM
I told you guys all week, trust me, we talked about Coach. We'll always talk about Coach. Coach is a part of this; he built this team. And he's the one who gave me this opportunity to lead this team. Everything we do is in his image; trust me when I tell you. We're not going to move away from that. He's still the leader of this organization. With that being said, we all understand what he would have told each and every one of us and I keep telling you that, win, winning, play winning football, find a way to win football games. A year ago, we didn't find a way to win these kind of games. Two years ago we didn't find a way to win these kind of games. The team is now believing in each other and fighting like he always thought it could. And they're winning football games. After six games, we're 4-2. And trust me when I tell you, it's because of Coach and what he's instilled in me about this football team. Everything he's ever told me has been true to form; every last bit of it from the players to you, how you guys will be, exactly to how to keep this organization afloat to all the support I have from his son to Amy to Marc Badain to everybody. To Jeanette Thompson, everybody. Everybody has been awesome. It is not about me, it's about us doing what we all know that he always thought we could do and that's what this organization and team is becoming.
ON RUN DEFENSE
Hit him in the mouth. I keep telling you guys that we're going to get better at defending the run. I said that a long time ago. I told you, I'm the head coach here and we're going to quit getting this ball run down our throats. We're getting better at it. We're still not where I want us to be, but we're getting better at it. I think our defensive staff is doing a tremendous job. Chuck is got those guys playing and we're getting better and like I said kudos to our defensive staff. They're doing a good job. We just need to keep building on what we're doing.
ON AARON CURRY
I'm going to watch the tape, but I thought the guy was out there flying around and trying to make plays. As I told you when I traded for him, I traded for him for a reason, so I was going to stick him in here. How about the play Quentin Groves made on special teams down there on the 16? I mean, that's what a team is. I put a guy ahead of another guy, the other guy went and did his other job and made plays. That's what this thing is all about. We're becoming a really good football team and that's what I'm most excited about.
ON FORD'S KICKOFF RETURN FOR TD
Are you talking about Jacoby? Look, you guys know how I feel about that young man. He can break them whenever he wants to. He's something. He asked me after when they said he was in, he said, 'Is that you wanted?' I said, 'yes, absolutely.' Absolutely that's what I wanted. He's special that way and I think he's finally healthy. I think that's the most important thing. I think he's been working out the kinks himself and he's finally healthy and playing full speed. He gives us a tremendous boost in the kickoff return game and obviously, those guys up front did a good job blocking for him.
ON DEMARCUS VAN DYKE
He's done a good job. He's a rookie. Again, one of those young rookie good players on our football team that's getting better. And the more you play, the better you're going to get. If guys continue to work hard in the environment we create, we practice hard, we get after it, guys will get better. He's talented; we drafted him for a reason. But I think he's doing a good job, but he has to continue to get better. We're going to play some real good receivers down the stretch here as we keep going. We're six games into this thing and we have a big game next week against Kansas City and we have to go to work.
QB Kyle Boller
ON THE GAME
As a backup, you have to be ready to go in there. I felt like I was a little bit quick in the beginning, but as the game went on, I settled down a little bit and was able to find some receivers and be productive. That's part of being a backup quarterback, you just never know. I feel bad for Jason, I'm not sure exactly what happened yet but that's my job. I want some throws back but that's football. We got the W and that's the ultimate goal.
ON WHETHER HE WAS NERVOUS
No, not really. I've never really been a nervous guy. It's more of just going in there and slowing my feet down. I guess my feet can get a little quick sometimes. So I just really tried to slow those down and let the game come to me versus feeling like I needed to do everything.
ON ADJUSTMENTS
When I went in it was kind of the two-minute drill in the second half so obviously that's going to be different; we were in two minute offense. But when we came into halftime, we just had our normal halftime adjustments and just went out there and played the second half like we normally would.
ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WINNING THE DAY OF AL DAVIS'S MEMORIAL
Coach Davis, if it wasn't for him we wouldn't be here. To be able to get this win for the organization, for him, we're 4-2 and that's where we want to be.
ON HIS COMFORT LEVEL IN THE GAME
I felt very comfortable. I thought I it was a little bit quick in the beginning, I wish I could slow my feet down a little bit but that's part of it. I felt like in the second half I got more comfortable each play and even on the last couple drives it felt good.
RB Darren McFadden
ON THE GAME
I feel like we had a great game today. Everyone played great at all phases; offense, defense and special teams. There were still some mistakes we need to clean up but for the most part a very good game.
TE Kevin Boss
ON THE GAME
It was a good win for our team. We talked all week about being able to stack some wins up back to back. We were able to do that today and hopefully we can keep it rolling.
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey
ON THE GAME
It was a great team win. We pulled it off at the end. Play 60 minutes, that's what that means.
P Shane Lechler
ON HIS REACTION TO THE CALL FOR A FAKE FIELD GOAL
No I wasn't surprised. They gave us the look we wanted and it was there. You guys saw it, it was wide open and we knew if they gave us the look that we wanted it would be.
ON HIS CONFIDENCE LEVEL WHEN HE GOT THE CALL FOR THE FAKE
As soon as I saw them line up I knew we had it. [Kevin] Boss gets off the ball every play of the game and he got off wide open and the hardest part was that he was so open just to throw it right to him. It was fun, I enjoyed that one.
ON BEING CAREFUL NOT TO GIVE AWAY THE FAKE
Yeah, I felt like I almost gave the one away last week. They gave us the look and I knew the guy we were going to make look bad and I had to keep from staring at him.
ON HIS THOUGHTS WHEN HE SAW BOSS WIDE OPEN
Just don't screw it up, to be honest with you.
WR Jacoby Ford
ON THE GAME
I thought it was a great game, it was a great win. We definitely didn't want it to come down to the end like that. We will definitely take the win any way you can and I'm happy our defense was able to finish it.
DT Richard Seymour
ON THE GAME
Our goal was to come in and get a win, and we did that. Obviously, we wish we could have made some more plays at the end of the game to not have it as close as it was, but the ultimate goal was to get a win and we got that. We can build upon this and get better going into next week against Kansas City. So we'll enjoy it and move forward.
LB Kamerion Wimbley
ON THE GAME
I thought it was a hard fought game by both teams. We came up with the win, that was important for us, especially after last week; I think a lot of people doubted that we'd be able to come back and play up to the way that we know we can, and I think we proved them wrong.
ON TEAM DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE
I think we did really well. There were a lot of expectations for their back Peyton Hillis; he's a phenomenal back. For us to be able to hold him under 100 yards, which was our goal, was phenomenal. I think that was also a key part of us winning, was to not let him get going.
LB Aaron Curry
ON BEING A RAIDER
I'm a Raider, I'm committed to being a Raider; I don't know anything else other than Raider football and just winning.
ON POSTGAME FEELING
It's been a while. It's been a while since I've had this type of feeling, this comfortable happiness. Winning the game helps but even still, just going out there and playing on defense and getting exactly what I saw on film just felt great. I'm just feeling good about this team; I can feel it in the spirit, I can feel the energy, from the team, from my teammates, just feeling great.
S Michael Huff
ON THE GAME
I think it was a great team victory. Offensively we kind of struggled a little bit, but this is a team sport and they came out and made plays in the second half and we made enough plays to win. So at the end of the day we got the W and that's all that matters.
