Head Coach Brad ChildressOK, injury-wise, Brooks (Bollinger) continues to improve here. He's working on his range on motion. After he gets through all treatments today, I'll have a way that we end up listing him. But he's continuing to improve. He's still extremely sore and not where he needs to be yet. Chester Taylor is improving. He spent some time in the pool to try to move around, get himself feeling comfortable. Anyone that has had a rib injury knows how those things feel, let alone moving and getting poked on it. He's treating. He's working at it, and he's improving as well. Matt (Birk) saw a doctor. He appears to be OK. He'll have some additional testing next week, but he played on through that. Chris Kluwe has improved today.In addition, a practice squad move we've made, we brought Drew Henson back. He knows something about our system, spent time with us, knows how we do business. So he'll be here to be able to take some of those reps and preparing our defense.And then from my standpoint, four games to go, but all we can worry about is the Detroit Lions. Detroit gave New England a run for their money largely because New England did not do a great job of taking care of the football and that will always turn games to close games. It's a divisional game, NFC game, big game for us obviously as we move forward to this fourth quarter of the season.Q: Where do you stand on the quarterback situation?A: Later in the week is when I'm going to make the decision. You know guys, I'm probably not going to share that with you just because I'm not competitively going to do that. Both of those guys have got to take reps and they will take reps.Q: Have you made a personal decision on who will start?A: Yeah, I have.Q: Is it hard to consider Bollinger with his injury?A: Not as he stands right now. I mean he's still trying to get his arm above his shoulder.Q: Have you shared this information with the quarterback you have chosen?A: Yes, I have.Q: Have all quarterbacks had equal reps this week? Is it 50-50 at this point?A: No, it's not quite 50-50. I mean if one guy is repped to play, another guy doesn't need to take it again if that guy needs to see it. It may be 50-50, sometimes it can be, depending on how many plays are in a period, 60-40, "hey you've got to see this one", you know. They are both standing there taking mental reps and both looking at them.Q: Does this have an impact on your receivers?A: I don't think so. I think it more has to do with cadence and snap count and things that are just as important as center/quarterback exchanges and things like that. Different people put their hands in there differently.Q: Why won't you share QB info? Are you trying to hide information from the other team?A: I mean they have to prepare differently for different guys. Different guys play the game different ways.Q: Is it realistic that Tarvaris Jackson is ready and he has done everything that he needs to do in order to start?A: Well, I think there are a couple things. The guys were repping plays basically that are training camp plays. Is there anything new? There are some new things, but conceptually the concepts are very similar to what he has seen. When he repped against our defense, typically those are on cards but they are given a name. A lot of people run similar concepts so if you are able to paint a picture with our words, "this is a two jet flanker drive". OK, read it like that. And he is able to get reps against really elevated speed against our defense.Q: So he has gained some experience just from the scout team?A: That's something over the course of time that you always look at. Whether you are looking at an A.J. Feeley or a Drew Henson, those are things that you evaluate as the guy is competing and throwing because it's not something that you do easily. They want to give a good accounting of themselves. They don't want to scuff the football around.Q: How are Marcus Johnson and Artis Hicks progressing?A: We'll have to see about that. I'm not going to share that with you. You'll probably have to look at that at game time. Artis is going to try to go today and see what he can do, particularly in some of that contact work because that's what the game is. Then Marcus is going to try to go as well.Q: How has Brad Johnson handled things since the game?A: Brad is a pro. You guys know that that deal with him. In 15 years he has seen a number of different things go on. He doesn't always like things that go on. He doesn't like the way that he played, but I know that he is a competitor. I know his heart is in the right spot. Whatever his role is, I know that he's going to compete his tail off.Q: Does it help in situations like this that you had some experience in Philadelphia shuffling quarterbacks?A: It depends on if you made the change already, what kind of menus you give. I know we gave A.J. Feeley a different menu than we gave Donovan (McNabb). You have to do that sometimes. But by the same token, you are attacking that defense. You know what your guys can do, what they're capable of, and then you're still attacking the Detroit Lions' defense. You're not just putting up plays just to put them up.Q: Will you try to attack them differently with Shaun Rogers out of the lineup?A: The thing that Rod (Marinelli) has done a great job of because of his background as a defensive line coach is he has done a great job with all of those guys that have come in there. They have also lost (Shaun) Cody, but they've taken Cory Redding and moved him in as a three-technique. He's playing at a high level. You wouldn't expect him, being an edge guy, move into the meathouse in there and do such a great job, but he's done a great job inside. I think it's a compliment to Rod. They've simplified things a little bit, which allows them to play with great speed. They are trusting their reads and they're flying to the football.Q: In some of Tarvaris Jackson's comments this weekend he sounded like he wasn't sure if he was ready to start. Does that concern you?A: I think Tarvaris has been to handling school and I don't think he's going to say anything that is going to be offensive to anybody.Q: Is this a difficult call to make and do you find yourself going back and forth?A: You do. You make a list of factors plus and factors minus and then you go with your gut instinct of what you think is best. If I took a poll now, I'd still be vacillating and bumping back and forth.Q: Will this starter start the duration of the season?A: I wish I had a crystal ball.Q: But do you make a decision for the next four weeks?A: The unforeseen is the unforeseen. I wish I was a, what is it, a clairvoyant. I'm not. It's this week against the Detroit Lions.Q: Your wide receivers have shown a penchant for dropping the ball. Is that as big of a concern for you as the quarterback position?A: I think it's always a concern. I reference things like turnovers, drops, and it's drops on offense or defense. A drop here or a drop there can influence the outcome of a game. Whether it's a third-down drop or a drop in the end zone or first down, it prevents you from moving ahead. I've said it before; receivers by definition should receive.Q: Do you have any consideration to an in-game rotation at quarterback or do you not consider that?A: I've considered it. I've done that before, but that's probably not where I am at right at this point.Q: What do you expect out of the quarterback position?A: There are a couple of things; people need to play better around the quarterback. That's always the guy that gets the glare. Did Brad play a great game? He didn't play a great game. What I expect to get better is I expect to get the decision-making better. The decision-making goes a long way, whether it's a route progression, a read. He is a guy that touches the ball. He has to use discretion. Sometimes things break down. Sometimes you have to live to play another down, just all of those things. Decision-making in our system, decision-making with what he is going to do with the football because in the end, it's his choice.
They are still in the wild card picture. Sure they are a crappy team, but they are still trying to make it to the post season.
