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Yeah. It's kind of fun. I'm not really used to it, but I like it when it gets cold. It gets cold at times, but as long as we have heaters out there, you can be warm while you're standing around waiting.
Q: Do you see any similarities between what Pittsburgh's defense did, and St. Louis' defense?CP:
Not really. They have some exotic things like Pittsburgh, but different. They have different personnel, and a different mindset defensively. They do have a great third-down package, and do some things which you really have to be zeroed in, and all on the same page, to pick up different guys coming from different spots. Very aggressive all over. First, second, and third down. You see a lot of different pressures. For us, it's a little new. You don't really see teams that really come after you like this one does. We've see a lot of teams sit back and play us. It will be a different look for us, and a good challenge.
Q: Do you think they'll play those young corners, and man coverage, against you guys?CP:
You don't know. You have to prepare for it. You have to be ready to see some zones, and see some doubles on T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) and Chad (Johnson), and possibly Chris Henry. We obviously don't play very often, and haven't played in a while. You have to be prepared and ready to play.
Q: Do you see similarities between your team, and the Rams?CP:
Yes. They started off slow, like we did. I think at one point, they were 0-8. They have rattled off a couple of wins here. Almost four in a row, with kind of a nail-biter recently. They've gotten hot. They have played a lot better defensively, and probably offensively, too. It's a team that has strung together some of their best games of the year, and we have to find a way to cool them off, and get a win.
Q: Do you feel like you tried to do too much last week at Pittsburgh?CP:
No. I don't think I've been trying to do too much. I think I was in some situations where I missed some balls, and wasn't as accurate as I needed to be, and didn't take advantage of opportunities to score points. That's the most frustrating thing. Our defense played great and got us great field position, and we won the field position battle with those guys, but didn't win the game.
Q: Did they come at you like they had in the past?CP:
They change it up over the years. You play them twice a year, and sometimes they will bring a lot of pressure, sometimes they will sit back. Sometimes they get out to an early lead on us, and sit back and play a lot of cover two and make you run the ball. When you play them as often as we do, they change it up. They did some things that they've done before, and, they had some new looks. They had a different mentality as the game went along.
Q: How does this loss affect you, and how do you rebound for the game against the Rams?CP:
I'll be ready to play. I'm excited to play. Any time you lose, it affects you. Obviously, it's a much different feeling when you lose. You hate losing to those guys, it's a big division rival for us. The only way to bounce back is trying to win. The only way to get over the feeling of the week before is with a win. We'll work as hard as we can, and get ready for the team we have coming in. I need to move on, and we need to move on as a team, and get ready for St. Louis.
Q: Do you pride yourself in your ability to bounce back after a tough loss?CP:
Definitely. Playing this position, you have to. You have to forget about the previous week. You have to find a way to get better during the week and learn as much as you can, know as much as you can about your opponent, and that's what I'm doing this week.
Q: How do you keep your teammates up, in the locker room?CP:
I think we have a prideful team. I don't think there's anyone on our team that would say 'Forget it, the season is over.' I'm not sure if that is the case in other organizations, but not here. We know we have four games left, and we expect to win every time we step on the field. I don't feel that we have any guys that quit, or give up, or will quit and give up. If we do have guys who look like they're going to give up and quit on us, then something needs to be said. As far as where we are right now, I don't think that's the case. We have guys that want to play and are excited to play, week in week out, no matter what our record is, or who our opponent is. We'll approach that situation if it occurs, but I don't see it happening.
Q: T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) said earlier that the Pittsburgh game is the worst one he's had. When you see things like that occur, how does it affect you?CP:
I never really saw anything going on until he was pulled out of the game. I think there were only a couple of snaps after that play. T.J.'s a mature player and a veteran. Personally, I love his fire, intensity, and passion for the game. Sometimes it gets the best of him, like it did. The best-case scenario is that they realize it, and obviously he does. He knows what happened, and obviously regrets it. He's going to try to do what he can to not let it happen again. Of course you don't want that to happen. I'm just glad T.J. recognizes it. He realizes that he was wrong, and made a mistake, and will try not to do that next time. T.J. is so passionate, and so prideful about this game. He thinks that he can never be covered. That's the best-case scenario for the attitude of a receiver. If you have receivers with that attitude, you have a chance.
Q: Two great duos with Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, and Chad and T.J. Do you think T.J. and Chad are the best duo?CP:
Right now, Isaac Bruce is in his 15th year, and Torry Holt is up there too. They're two of the better receivers in this league. They're two guys who have done a lot of things. They've won a Super Bowl. They've both been to the Pro Bowl. But they're definitely on the tail-end of their careers. I think Chad and T.J. are in their prime right now, as far as physically and mentally.
Q: What are your impressions of Ryan Fitzpatrick? CP:
He can be a great player. He just hasn't had enough opportunities. He played a little as a rookie. Physically, he can throw every ball. He can beat people with his legs. And, he's very smart. He came in and figured out the offense, and was able to speak it fast. It's been great for me to have on the sidelines, and bounce things off of him, and ask what he thinks in certain coverages, and what we can get in certain coverages. . He's all about team and winning. He's been great ever since he's been here.
Q: You have started off hot on your first drive in many games. Can you explain why it changes after that?CP:
I don't know why it is. We just come out and execute early, and we've done a good job doing that. Teams have done a good job adjusting, and doing things different. We have to figure out how to do that. We have to figure out how to maintain that through the entire game. It's something we're working on, and will continue to work on.
