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Head Coach Mike Martz
Saturday, August 14, 2004
(Opening statement)
“All in all I was very pleased, with particularly the first half with both groups. We were a little taped together there in the offensive line. I thought Adam Timmerman was outstanding. Scott Tercero has really come to the forefront, he has really done well in the past few weeks. I hate to admit this, but I didn’t know he played this well, but he did, he played exceptionally well. You would have to give him terrific marks on anybody’s evaluation. I’m very pleased with him particularly. Offensively, Steven (Jackson) is learning the offense, he’s getting better. He still doesn’t have the leg strength back yet that he will have eventually. He’s still learning our offense, but he did a terrific job in pass blocking, which for a rookie, is a big challenge. He did a great job in recognizing blitzes and getting over. Fortunately, they did blitz us, and that’s good for us, because with him back there, he has to get tested before the season starts. We made some mental mistakes in there on a couple of sacks, and two of the sacks were due to mental errors. We’ll clear those things up, that’s easy to fix. I thought (Shaun) McDonald was terrific, in every phase, from a blocker to a receiver, and punt returner on special teams, he was quite remarkable. Defensively, I was pleased with the effort. We overran some things, which resulted into some big plays, which is good because you can fix that. I thought that DeJuan Groce was outstanding, he had a terrific game. Robert Thomas, I thought, was just absolutely exceptional, just outstanding in the time that he was in there. I thought that Bryce (Fisher) was exceptional, for a guy that had that ankle he came back, if you watch his effort for the time that he was in there, he was really outstanding. Of course Tyoka (Jackson) and Leonard Little did a good job. A rookie that stood out, that makes you take notice, is Brian Howard, he was good. Those were the guys that I thought were up and above everyone else. Not that anyone else played poorly, but those guys certainly deserve special mention. Brandon (Manumaleuna) was really significantly good, I think on that fourth and one we probably should of challenged it.”
(On G Adam Timmerman’s shoulder injury)
“Well he had some treatment on it, and the way they treated it made it a little bit sore, which is the normal treatment. Once he had that soreness out, he was ready to go. Adam, you can put in any competitive situation and he’s just got two speeds- stop and go. He’s what your looking for as a leader, and an example in every form.”
(On G Scott Tercero being so successful in camp)
“I think that there’s a toughness in Scott that I didn’t realize was there, because he’s such a quiet young man. There’s a resolve, if you will, you don’t know about these guys until you put them in pressure situations like we had them in. He really responded very well, he took their best pass rusher on a couple occasions. He didn’t panic, played under control, and technically was very sound. He’s very athletic, that’s why we moved him outside on the edge, he does a great job with that. I’m very pleased with Scott so far.”
(On Chris Chandler’s performance)
“He was outstanding, probably really should have been nine for nine. He had complete control of everything. Very poised, as you would expect, a guy with his experience and success, and not just a veteran, a guy with a great deal of success is a veteran, that’s the difference. He has bought into what we do whole-heartedly. He’s allowed himself to reinvent himself in this system, which is very hard for a veteran to do, who’s had success doing it in another way. For him to buy into everything, and try and do it just the way we want him to do, is truly remarkable. It’s hard to find a quarterback who’s played in the league for at least ten years that will come in and buy into what you do completely, and not have his own take on things.”
(On LB Robert Thomas’s performance)
“I think that the leadership on the field, the calls, and just taking charge of the entire defense to begin with, before the ball is even snapped. Everything was impeccable, there wasn’t any wasted motion. He tried to do everything exactly the way Joe’s (Vitt) coached him to do it. Once the ball is committed he’s there, great coverage. I think his was probably the best performance of the entire team.”
(On RB Arlen Harris and LB Pisa Tinosiamoa)
“Arlen is fine. He’s just had a little bit of a stinger. He’ll practice tomorrow. Pisa could’ve played. He has a minor ankle sprain. We should have them for practice.”
(On C Dave Wohlabaugh and T Kyle Turley)
“There just isn’t any update on either Kyle or David. Kyle is going to take some time. That whole thing is going to take some time. We have four weeks yet before we know anything about Kyle. The doctors have said that four weeks from now they would have an idea of how he will feel and what direction we’re going to go. And David is going to take some time. That’s a three month deal. I thought we would have him for camp, that’s what I understood from his doctor in Ohio. Then I really thought we would have him by now. Obviously we are disappointed. And he’s very disappointed. He wants to play. This isn’t something that anyone is happy about. He has what they call an impingement. They fixed that and they though that would take care of the problem, but it didn’t.”
(On the offensive line replacements)
“That happened last year to us, just at other positions. That’s why other guys are there. If you didn’t feel good about those other guys, like a Scotty Tercero or a Grant Williams, then they shouldn’t be there. And fortunately both those guys have risen to the occasion.”
(On the illegal contact call on CB Dwight Anderson)
“He (Anderson) grabbed his jersey. You can definitely see he grabbed his jersey. You can see him reach his hands to the jersey. It was the right call. It was a holding. It was a defensive holding call and it was the right call. Unfortunately, it was the right call. It’s third and 27, you just don’t do that. Those are the kinds of things that when these guys get their opportunities, they get exposed a little bit.”
(On losing to a team that committed 19 penalties)
“Like I said before the game, we want to win that game. There is no question about it. You could play marbles here and my blood is going to get going. I just like to compete. I also know that it’s my responsibility as head coach to make sure we have an opportunity to evaluate these guys, like Anderson, in these types of situations. (S Jason) Shivers, (DE Anthony) Hargrove, we need to know about these guys. You just try to keep things simple and just kind of let them play and see what they can do. Our whole deal is about us. I could care less about the Bears. How many penalties they had, what they did, blitzes, I could care less about that stuff. I’m just concerned about our guys, evaluating where they are, and what we need to do to get better. And we need to start to draw an idea about these young players and we will have to make some cut-downs here pretty soon.”
(On using generic defense/offense)
“We were very generic. Larry (Marmie) and I talked about that. Offensively we were very simple too. We had some offensive linemen who hadn’t played, so you want to make sure that before we start moving into that next level they can function on this level. We want to see Steven (Jackson) run with the football and have to block a blitz in protection.”
(On if Steven Jackson did much blocking in college)
“He was tuned in and that’s what’s impressive about him. I was very impressed with that. That’s very important. I’m pleased with him in his progress. I really am. He still has a long way to go. He’s very talented. He’s a little bit of a misguided missile right now. The hardest thing about a running back is, he’s still not familiar with the angles we are trying to block and the anticipation, and setting guys up. He doesn’t know this running game like he will. There’s a lot to be said for that. It’s just like a quarterback coming in and not knowing where the receivers are. You can kind of guess, but it effects you a little bit. His leg, where he had his scope, is not quite as strong as it used to be. You can see that. He favors it a little bit.”
(On WR Shaun McDonald getting his attention)
“No question he (got my attention). I think that Kevin (Curtis) has a real bad case of shin splints. He really is hobbled up pretty good, so we need to back off of him a little bit. Dane (Looker) is going to have to pick up the load a little bit. We will try to let Kevin recover a little. I’m very pleased with those two (McDonald and Curtis), Dane as well. And Mike Furrey. All six of the receivers (I’m happy with).”
(On the Looker fumble)
“It doesn’t matter. We fumbled the ball. It’s a situation where Dane just needs to get down, spot the ball, and lets go. He should’ve avoided that and he knows that.”
(On losing the game)
“I just don’t like to lose. I knew what was going on out there and it’s hard to bite the bullet. I felt like we were in control. They had a couple of big runs where we just overran things, otherwise I think we shut them down pretty good. In fact, I know we did. I feel good about all those things. That first group on offense is ready to roll. I was pleased with Marc (Bulger). I just want to see those other guys who you want to see have a chance to make the team do well, and when they don’t you get frustrated. I want to see some of these guys step to the forefront, like Arlen Harris did last year.”
(On having 11 days before the next game)
“This gives us a terrific chance now where we can give the (first team) a little more reps, and getting into things that you will be doing during the season, which we have stayed away from. As weeks go by, these young players are going to have less of a chance to make this team. This was the biggest opportunity they will have with the playing time and
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