Usually I just let Wade Phillips' press conferences speak for themselves. But today's PC was kind of funny, long and an example of 20 different ways to say the same thing. The press was relentless in trying to get Wade to say something negative about the game or the team and Wade wasn't having any of it. So instead of re-capping every question with the same answers, I'm just going to highlight some things.
These are summaries of Wade's words.
Tank Johnson forcing the fumble was a big play. Amazed at how Tony Romo can have not one of his best games but hits the TD to Terrell Owens then makes an 80-yard drive to close out the game. Would have liked the team to close out the game earlier but it didn't work out that way. We had a bunch of special teams plays and most of them were good, but three were really bad and that makes it look like we had a bad day. They ran a different blocking scheme on kick returns than we saw on film. Our punts and punt coverage were really good. And on our punt returns we had good blocking but we let a couple of balls hit the ground. Sometime soon Pac is going to make a ply for us in the return game.
We went for it on fourth-down because that was in the decision-making area as far as FG's and we thought we had a play that could make it. Sam Hurd made a great block and Marc Colombo got into the outside guy and let Felix Jones make the play. If they were in a defense where we thought it wouldn't work we would have called a timeout and kicked the FG. We had thought that out before the game and Jason Garrett was ready with the play-call.
I liked the mental toughness to finish the game. Last week we didn't get it done this week we did. It doesn't matter who the opponent is, it's about us and our mental toughness. I'm not harder on the team than they are on themselves. It's important to them and if it's not important to certain players we'll get on them.
The fumble before the half gave them life, we were up 17-3 and we need to hold on to the ball there because we get it back after halftime. That was big for the Bengals.
I talk to them all the time about urgency and not to listen what other people say about the teams we're playing. We have leaders on this team, some vocal and some not, who came through in this game.
I am going to defend the players when they are attacked by the media, I don't feel we need to discuss all the mistakes in the media. I don't use the press to motivate players. I talk to them about the things they need to work on behind close doors and not to the press. If you tell the press things it all comes out that this isn't good enough or this player is doing well enough and that's stuff I don't want. They know what I want from them.
We talk about not turning over the ball all the time and try to correct it.
Each game is different. Sometimes you win by passing, sometimes by running. We just try to be consistent in all those areas and get better at them and feel we have the confidence to do either.
We got some pressure in the pass rush but Palmer was getting rid of the ball quickly. They only had one pass over 20-yards and that's what we like to have. Only got 5 yards per attempt, they threw shorter passes. At the end when he had to hold the ball they got to him.
Don't know anything about Terrell crying on the sidelines, don't even know if it happened. I talked to Terrell today and he seemed normal to me. I care about all my players and if there was a problem I would help them. You guys reported it but I don't know anything about it. He had a big play and gave tremendous effort all game. They doubled him a lot like most teams do. But that helps us in the running game when they concentrate on pass defense and doubling him. Sometimes he's the primary on a play but when everybody is going over to his side the QB can't stay with the read that long and has to go somewhere else.
We'll have to wait and see on Terence Newman. They are running a test today, it may be something other than his groin.
Orlando Scandrick had a pretty good game in coverage.
(When asked about Jerry Jones being on the sideline): I like the owner, he's a great owner and GM. (laughter) I don't think it hurts if he's there. If I though it hurt I would say something. He's being positive, he's encouraging people to help the team win.
Kyle Kosier will not be back this week. Roy Williams may practice some but he won't play this week.