Wade Phillips press conference 10/23/08

Summary of Wade Phillips' press conference today.

Pat Watkins practiced, he might play this week, I feel good about it, he had full participation in practice. The other guys didn't practice are the same, they won't play. We had a good practice, they put the nose to the grindstone, and they're working hard. This is a big game for us, they all know it.

Keith Davis will start at SS. Watkins coming back will help us, with Roy Williams out it gives us depth.

Kevin Burnett practiced, he looks healthy, he'll play on the sub-packages.

Mike Jenkins practiced well, he had a good week, he and Orlando Scandrick both. Mainly just the nickel package for Scandrick but he is ready. We think Jenkins is more ready to play on the outside at corner. The nickel position is a learning position, putting Scandrick at two positions would be difficult for him. Jenkins is going to be a really good player, he's not there yet, but he does a lot of things well, we just need to keep his techniques solid.

We want Roy Williams more involved in the passing game, and he'll block, too. We're trying to get him more integrated. He's learned a lot of the offense, certain packages he's more comfortable with. I would think that after the bye week he'll be fully in, but certain things he can do now.

Brad Johnson looked good, threw some nice passes today. He's a pro and works hard. He knows what the defense is doing. Practice helps the timing, the passing game is timing and tempo, the more you have with the same QB and receivers the better. (Has Bollinger been taking snaps?) We work the first QB more, we worked Romo almost every snap when was practicing. You can't get the timing and tempo down with the backup taking only a few snaps, you got to go with the guy who will play.

(What did you see in the run defense against the Rams that you can fix?) Against our run defense the Rams ran an unbalanced line and had a long TD run, we made a mistake there. They've got a good back. The mistakes we made in that game we can correct. Tampa is a good run team, too. They average 130 yards a game so that will be a challenge.

(Why has the offensive line played worse lately?) I think it's just the team overall. That tempers everything. In the Arizona game they had more trouble pass protection than any other game. I don't think that will be the case this week. (Is Kyle Kosier being out part of the problem?) Kyle is like any other injured player, we just have to go with the guys we got. Cory Procter has done all right for us, he's not a weak link.

(Is this a must-win game?) We play all games as a must-win. This is the game we expect to win, try to win, we don't look past that.

(Is it important to get ahead early in this game?) We've played all kinds of games. Confidence-wise we want to be ahead. I don't think if they get behind they think they won't win, we've come back before. But to get ahead early would be nice.

(Will Courtney Brown or Pat Watkins play the sub-packages?) We're not telling. Brown has been the sub-package guy, how much we use Pat I don't know but I think he'll play.

Jeff Garcia and that West Coast offense for his career, he's familiar with it. He can do it in Philly and Tampa and San Fran. Plus he can move around, if the quick pass game is not there he can scramble around and make plays.

(Why has the secondary not got their hands on the ball as much, is it the coverage?) We haven't had as many INT's as we'd like, I think we just need to keep working and they will come.