POSTGAME QUOTES
AUGUST 9, 2007
BENGALS COACH MARVIN LEWIS
Opening statement:
"You want to come out on top in these games. We got a lot of good things done tonight, some things we need to do better. But I think we did a lot of good things. We want to finish the game out when we have an opportunity and there were plenty of opportunities just to finish the game out and get off the field and kind of preserve the win.
Any time you come out here, you want to win the football game. I think we had our veteran players do some good things. I was a little disappointed in the pre-snap penalties. Offensively, we've got to do a better job of that. That's the thing that you want to eliminate because that'll beat you faster than anything else. I think we needed to take care of the football well, just keep doing that. I thought early in the game our special teams did a fine job of execution; we kind of got wore down a little bit. Some of these guys got to play a lot of snaps. They found out what NFL football is about. Hopefully we'll have some bodies back next week; it'll help us a little bit with some of the depth in the games."
On injuries:
"(Jonathan) Fanene is fine; Kenny (Irons) has a knee injury and they'll MRI it – but I think it's a knee injury."
On the rookies:
"I was pleased with what the rookie players were able to get done tonight, I really was. But we've got a long ways to go, and I think this is one step in the process. But, as I say, we got in some good situations, even at the end of the game there with 2:20 left on the clock, whether or not they're going to onside kick or not. We have fewer timeouts left because we have to waste some timeouts early in the game for stuff that you shouldn't have to use a timeout for.
So, by that point, it makes a big difference in the football game at the end there of what our strategy is. Then we have a chance with the kick and we don't (use) a couple of opportunities. So they have a ball and you still have a chance to stop them. Then, we're able to get down the field – and really did a nice job going down the field – Jeff Rowe did, and it was good. We've got to make the kick. So those are things, again, that we expect to do all the time."
On the red zone:
"We had two chances, as I said, we need to do better in the red zone. We had a couple chances in the first half to get touchdowns and ended up getting field goals."
On if the preseason is more relaxed:
"Well, I think some of the guys are (relaxed). Unfortunately, that's the way preseason works. You have some guys who aren't playing in the game in that point. But the guys playing in the game certainly weren't relaxed. So I don't (think) that's even fair for you to say. You still want to win football games, as I started out saying, and we had opportunities even after – you've got to make the tackles. We had a couple of guys miss tackles on that play where they got a significant chunk of yards that got them that touchdown in that situation."
CARSON PALMER
On the offense:
"Yeah, you expect to score touchdowns every time. We didn't get in the end zone, and we'll look at the film and see why we didn't, figure it out, and iron it out before we go back to Paul Brown Stadium and play against the Saints."
On WR Chris Henry:
"Well, I think it's a good thing that he gets to play – that he's not suspended from these preseason games. If anything, it just makes him realize how special this is and how much fun this is. He realizes he has a long way to go and he doesn't make any excuses, he doesn't feel sorry for himself. He made some wrong decisions, now he's paying for it and he's going to know what it feels like to pay for him missing those first eight games and those two Monday night games. Anytime you can have a guy like him on the field – and you can see what he can do – he makes the game look easy. It is easy for him because he is that talented. So we'll be excited to get him back."
On not winning:
"Marvin (Lewis) said it best: you want to win whenever you can, preseason or not, whether it counts or not, whether it's practice or not, you want to win. The good thing is that this isn't on our record, it's behind us. It's really just a learning tool. You learn who your players are, you learn the mistakes you make, and the good things you made may happen in the game. That's what we use this for."
CHAD JOHNSON
On his health after the first preseason game:
"I'm fine, fine. I enjoy the stuff. I got a little ringer early in the game. I don't believe it was really the hit, just the way I was flattened down and hit my head; other than that I feel real good."
On what they hope to prove this season:
"We need to be consistent; we're not going to be stupid. We need to be consistent week in and week out. We need to establish the running game or the passing game and vice or versa. We'll establish the passing game to help set up the running game. Last year we were too inconsistent. One week we'd be up then we'd be down. We need to find that fine line and stay on it all the way through."
On bringing "sexy" back to the game:
"Yeah, it's my motto for this year. I'm bringing my sexy back for this year. It's that Ocho Cinco and it's going to be a beautiful season; trust me, it's going to be a good year."
MATT TOEAINA
On the interception he ran back for a touchdown:
"You have to get in a good habit of running to the ball during practice and that's what happened. When it came to game time I found myself in the right place at the right time. Running down, it seemed like forever. It felt like I was running a mile. I thought 'I'll never get in there.' Eventually I did; I was pretty excited about that."
On how it felt to get oxygen after the play:
"That was pretty tiring. It's the beginning of the season and I'll definitely get into better shape as we go along. If I'm given the opportunity next time I'll keep a consistent pace throughout the whole run."
On Head Coach Marvin Lewis talking about finishing plays:
"Turnovers are always good and you definitely want to make big plays especially down in the red zone so those are the most critical times for the defense to really step up. We did, but we just have to do a better job of finishing overall throughout the whole game."
LEON HALL
On Calvin Johnson's catch he was defending:
"You've just got to try to make a play on that; try to go underneath or something like that. He is a big guy and got up for it. He made a good play and you have to give him credit."
On his impression of his first NFL action:
"It's a lot of fun. I got a chance to play inside the nickel a little bit and outside at the corner. I was able to do a lot of different things out there so it was a lot of fun."
On the positives he can take from this game:
"First of all is the experience and getting out there at real game speed. Really, that is the main thing: getting out there and getting some reps and get a game under my belt."
LIONS COACH ROD MARINELLI
Opening statement:
"We've just got a couple of injuries: Kalimba Edwards, we've got to just see. I don't think it's serious, but they'll check it out in the morning. He banged (his shoulder) up a little bit. (Aveion) Cason has a slight concussion, and so I think he'll be okay. I think he's going to be fine... I think it (Edward's shoulder) is going to be okay, but we've got to check it out in the morning, MRI and all of those things.
On the game:
"About the game, the thing that we've all seen is a team that will fight. You can't get a stats sheet on the effort part, all those things. Other things you've got to clean up, obviously, certain things you've got to clean up. Everybody in the league in the first preseason game, you've got something to clean up. What I was impressed with from a starter to the last guy on this team, they competed, it was important to win, everybody fought. I take my hat off to our special teams; they did a tremendous job this early in the year to block a punt and that onside kick was excellent. Stan (Kwan) did a heck of a job on that recovery. We didn't have many penalties in the kicking game. That was impressive work. I thought all three quarterbacks did a good job tonight. We wanted to come out with our first offense, especially, and see if we can start a run game, and it sputtered, up and down.
We had a couple of nice ones, and then went backwards a couple of times. That's something we want to get done. I talked about with the team, a lot about playing above-the-line football. There's a line, and above the line, that is winning football. What I put in there, is penalties, the turnover-takeovers. We had some tough turnovers tonight. We had a chance to go in and score, and you can't turn the ball over there when you go in the end zone. That would've been a big play for us.
We've got to secure the ball, obviously, and do some things taking care of the ball better. On defense, the one thing I thought that really showed up well, is that we got stuck in the redzone a few times tonight, and they responded: held them in the redzone and forced field goals. That's good. We played a lot of our base stuff tonight. We'll add a little bit each week with our pressure package. But, again, the thing that this team is going to be all about is effort and attitude, character and fight. We'll keep working to clean the other stuff up. Because (with) their attitude, they'll do that. We had a lot of good stats and all those things tonight, but the stat I like is the toughness, and it means something."
On the team's philosophy:
"I've talked to you guys about the one snap at a time. If you learn to really... you live your life that way, first of all. People can't even live their life, something puts them in the tank, you see them in the tank for a month. But if you go out and play one snap at a time and you have a bad play, if you can let it go and now keep playing the game. Don't look at the scoreboard, just keep playing, and good things are going to happen for us."
On the quarterbacks:
"I think all three guys keep continually strengthening. Every guy out here that does well and competes is strengthened. J.T. (O'Sullivan) did some nice things, all of them (did). But the key is in two days (when) we watch the tape and (then) I can give you correct information."
On getting the victory: "It means a lot. I was trying to say that to you guys. Somebody asked me a question: 'Is it important to win?' Yeah, because that's what you teach every day. You go into a drill, you want to win the drill. You want to win a wind sprint; you want to win everything you do with the team. That energy – and everybody has a chance to see those guys compete at the end of the game. That's important to me."
On Special Teams Coach Stan Kwan:
"He had really great training with Chuck (Priefer); he really has a great background. But he's got his own way. The thing I've been impressed with him (is): he's his own man. He's not trying to do things like Chuck might do them. He's his own man, doing it his own way. The systems are close and all those things but how he does things (is different). I was very pleased; he's been working hard with that area. These preseason games are probably the hardest on a special teams coach because of all the substitutions late in the game; the injuries, that's hard work getting guys on the field correctly."
J.T. O'SULLIVAN
On how he feels about his performance:
"I'm pretty excited that we got the win at the end of the game. I think it really shows where we're at as a team to be able to come from behind and give us a chance to win at the end of the game. Everybody is feeling pretty good right now. As far as individual performance, it's just a matter of getting more and more comfortable in a new system and going from there."
On his comfort level with this offense:
"It's tough. I definitely can improve a lot. That's probably the best answer I can give you. It's coming, but it's just a matter of getting time in the (play)book and getting more and more comfortable with the verbiage to give me more advantage on the line of scrimmage and just being comfortable knowing exactly where the ball needs to go. I'm not there (yet) and there is a lot of room to go."
On how much better he can be than his 225-yard performance:
"That's a tribute to the entire offensive side of the ball. (The receivers) were running good routes, I was getting a lot of protection and (the receivers) were making plays down the field. That's where we are at as a unit right there. I think individually, there's a long way for me to go for me to feel totally comfortable."
On the play of WR Shaun McDonald and WR Calvin Johnson:
"Both of those guys made plays down the field, and that's what they're good at. That's what they do, and that's what they get paid to do so it's exciting. Those guys need more and more opportunities to make plays down the field."
DAN ORLOVSKY
On the excitement of the game:
"I think the fans were great tonight and just to walk out there and see basically a packed house was reassuring for us to know that they are supporting us and we wanted to put a good product out there. For them to stay at the end of the game and see the guys on the team fight their tales off and have a lot of fun doing it and pull out a win. I think coach has stressed how much winning is no matter if it's a one-on-one drill in practice or a preseason game. We want to win every single one of them. I think that is the culture that's starting to change around here is not excepting a loss because it's the preseason and doesn't matter. No, it matters. We are competing against a team with a different colored jersey on. I think it was important for us to get the win."
On the touchdown pass to Ron Bellamy::
"I think it is just the hand of God coming down and making that play. It was just scrambling, scrambling, scrambling, and it was third down and I wasn't going to try and scramble so I tried to just throw it in a spot where only (Bellamy) makes a miracle catch and if not we kick a field goal. I think the O-line did a phenomenal job of protecting that long and Ron (Bellamy) just came out of nowhere and made a play. That is probably the hand of God dropping down."
On how he feels about the battle with QB J.T. O'Sullivan for backup QB::
"The best thing is that J.T. (O'Sullivan) and I are competing. It's tough as a competitor to see your competition go out there and play well. I think that is something that I have been really trying to grow with and Jon (Kitna) is helping me. J.T. is a good quarterback. J.T. is going to make plays and he's going to be good. The better he is, the better he makes me and the better he makes this team. It's really just putting myself aside and seeing what's better for this organization and this team. It was tough getting in there because you go and you warm up and then you kind of just sit.
"But that's the role of any backup in this league; you have to be on-call. I was just trying to stay focused and after that first series I told those guys to keep fighting. We are not going to get 16 points back in one play. Let's just go, keep fighting, keep fighting. It was really fun just to watch those five guys up front come together because for some of those guys it was their first time against NFL competition. Those guys at first were quiet, and then we started getting some plays and those guys were like 'OK keep fighting.' They kept talking to each other and talking to me. It was just really enjoyable to be a part of."
CALVIN JOHNSON
On what he thought of his first NFL action:
"I had a blast our there. It was everything that we did in practice; it was like another practice. I feel like if we keep working hard in practice, it will come easily in the game."
On his two catches late in the first half:
"We were just in our two minute (drill) right there. We were running down the field as fast as we could just to try and get a score before halftime. I had two crossing routes, and I went up and snapped them down."
On his conditioning holding up throughout the game:
"I feel good. I got my wind, and I still have three more games just to make sure I get in great game shape. With the 20-something (snaps) I took, I feel good."
On if he expected to play as much as he did:
"I expected to play. I thought I was going to play more than I did. Either way I got some good plays in."
SHAUN McDONALD
On his deep touchdown catch:
"It was a 78 combination and they were all watching (Calvin Johnson), and I was wide open down the middle. Yeah, the ball felt like it was up there for a good minute or two, so there was a lot of thinking going on. I just had confidence and made the catch and trotted to the end zone."
On QB Jon Kitna and company:
"He's a great quarterback and I think he proved it today. J.T. (O'Sullivan) stepped in there and did a good job, then Dan (Orlovsky) stepped in and finished it off. It just feels good to get that victory."
On their determination to win tonight:
"It shows that we got a lot of heart. We were down and all the crowd left, but we stuck in there and made the plays when we had to."
On their game plan and strategy:
"Yeah, our defense came up and made some plays. With Mike Martz' offensive scheme, we're going to make some plays and put some points on the board. So it's going to come eventually."
ROY WILLIAMS
On tonight's victory against Cincinnati:
"It feels good that we're finally on the winning side of this thing; usually it's the opposite way. Our defense went out there and played well, the offense came on late and hopefully we can (start) putting a lot more points on the board."
On the crowd reaction:
"We still need the fans to be a lot louder than what they are, especially when the defense is on the field. That will all come once we start winning."
On WR Calvin Johnson:
"That's what he's paid to do; he's paid to make plays and that's what he did tonight."
On RB Tatum Bell:
"He's the X-Factor in this offense. Once he goes, the offense goes."
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