Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010
Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, quoted in The Dallas Morning News on the development of rookie WR Dez Bryant: "He's transitioned awfully well. To be able to come in and perform as well as he has over the course of the first three weeks has been very impressive." Garrett continued, saying there are things Bryant is still working on: "He has to refine his route running and his understanding of the offense, those kinds of things. But he's someone who is not bothered by game situations. He embraces them. He loves to play. He has great enthusiasm and he can make plays. We've tried to do that and he's really stepped up and responded."
Titans QB Vince Young, growing frustrated over having to answer questions about his preparation, as quoted in The Tennessean: "Every time it is always something about Vince. It's Vince, Vince, Vince, Vince, Vince. But it's all good. I don't feed into it. I don't even read the stuff. Half the time I don't know what is going on.'' Added Young: "I feel like I was prepared [in the Week Two loss to the Steelers]. I just had some turnovers. Everybody throws interceptions, and just because it's me, I guess I wasn't prepared, so that's what they are saying."
Seahawks LB Lofa Tatupu, quoted in The Olympian sharing what he sees in rookie QB Sam Bradford: "He doesn't look like a rookie to me. I've seen him get laid out and come back the next play, sit in the pocket and throw it on a rope. It doesn't look like you are shaking this guy." Added Tatupu: "They're giving him quite a bit of freedom. They're giving him some checks. If you get off the slot receiver, he's going to check out of the run play and whip it to him. That's impressive to give that kind of freedom to a rook."
Eagles QB Michael Vick, discussing how he wants to focus on the future instead of the past, as quoted on NYDailyNews.com: "I always reflect on how far I've come. I just keep my eyes on the prize and just now look to where I am going and where I'm trying to get to. That's the most important thing. The past is the past and you just got to look forward to the future and make things right."
Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010
Buccaneers RB LeGarrette Blount, quoted on HeraldTribune.com on his expanding role with his new team: "I'm hoping so [to become the No. 2 option behind Cadillac Williams]. I just want to definitely climb my way up the ladder and just try to be a complement to 'Cadillac.' " Added Blount: "I run the ball downhill and hopefully I'll break a tackle or two and break a long one every now and then. But I know my role is ground and pound the football and wear defenses down. I'm just trying to make sure people know what kind of player I am, what caliber of player I am and bring a lot more to the table than what people expected."
Bears QB Jay Cutler, critiquing his performance in Monday night's sloppy victory over the Packers, as quoted in the Daily Herald: "I didn't play very well. I thought we were out of sync. I missed some throws that I should have made. We needed to make some plays, and we didn't make them. Offensively, we've got to get a lot better. I need to get a lot better." Added Cutler: "We didn't play our best game and we won. That's got to be a good sign."
Patriots defensive line coach Pepper Johnson, quoted on Boston.com recalling his first encounter with Bill Parcells: "Coach Parcells had me on Day 1. All the draft picks, he got us into one room and he told us, 'You're all a bunch of crap.' He said, 'We won a lot of ballgames around here and none of you guys are really needed around here. You just join in wherever you can find a spot.' And that was the end of the meeting and he got up and walked away. He was a hard and tough cookie to deal with Day 1 and he kept that going until my last year. Year 13 he was still hard on me. I thought I was going to get a break, but he was the same person.''
Rams LB James Laurinaitis, explaining how his team battled adversity to earn their first victory of the season over the Redskins on Sunday, as quoted in Tulsa World: "You hate to be a 'bend but don't break' kind of team, but when big plays happen like that all you can do is say to yourself 'Let's go to the next play.' We say that a lot in the huddle, that the next play is the most important." Laurinaitis continued: "It feels good. Finally you know that feeling of what it means to pull a close one out. I think it's important."
Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010
Bears WR Devin Hester, quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times after returning his first punt for a touchdown in over two years in Monday night's 20-17 win over the Packers: "He kind of outkicked his coverage, and it gave me some time. That was the return we wanted. I've been just pressing and pressing, and maybe second guessing myself." Added Hester: "My first few years it looked far too easy. Once or twice, every three weeks (I broke a long return). It's been a long time but I'm happy with what happened today. I feel confident in my teammates and I let them know that."