QB CARSON PALMER
(on the team's playoff push)
That's really not part of our thinking. We're thinking solely on this upcoming game. There are so many different scenarios and so many things that could happen that none of it matters unless we win the next game on our schedule. We have three left. For us, the biggest game on the schedule is Tennessee. We understand that, and we understand that we can't control what's going on outside of us. We can only control the games on our schedule, and the Titans happen to be the next one. **
(on his current situation with the Cardinals)
I love it. I'm starting to get more and more comfortable. You can learn a lot on the field and you can learn a lot in meetings and all that, but having a chance to go out on the field and play in real live games…when you have a chance to sit back and watch them with your coach the day after the game or the second day after the game, that's where you really learn. That's where you really get your comfort level to where it needs to be, seeing yourself make mistakes and do certain things right and learn from those. We have another chance to improve as a unit offensively, and we're excited about this game. **
(on flipping a switch these past few games)
The last couple months I've really started to feel confident in what I'm doing, what guys are doing around me, and really started to feel comfortable. **
(on who stands out on the Titans' defense)
A lot of guys. Jurrell Casey is a phenomenal player. Of course, he's from USC, and that doesn't hurt him. He's made a bunch of plays, very, very good inside. I'm very familiar with Kamerion Wimbley after spending time with him in Oakland. I know he can rush the passer. Akeem Ayers is a very, very good player. He's very good at everything. They put him in situations to rush the passer, they put him in situations where he's covering, playing zone. He's a very, very active guy. Overall, it's a difficult team to play against because they're so multiple. They do so many different things. They pose a lot of different communication issues, and playing in Tennessee is going to make that more difficult. They do three-down fronts, they do four-down, they do dime, they do nickel. They have different pressures and different packages. It's a game where we really got to be on our toes because they do so many different things, so many different things at the line of scrimmage that make you change points, change communication. It's something we really got to be prepared for.
(on Ryan Fitzpatrick)
Rhino, the Amish Rifle. I have a ton of respect for Ryan (Fitzpatrick). He's played in a number of different places, he has been in a lot of crazy situations, a lot of sticky situations. He's the type of guy you want on your side. I love playing with him, love watching him play. Hopefully I don't have to watch him play too well this week because we need a big performance by our defense, and we need to play better than we did last week on offense. **
(on the challenges of facing a skidding team)
When you've lost a couple games, you really get the feeling where you have nothing to lose (and think), 'Let's try this, let's try that, let's try something new.' That's something we got to be prepared for. Really, it's a good football team. It's a good roster. They've got good players on it, and defensively they've hung in there and played extremely well. We got our plate full, and we know that. That's the first thing coach said about don't be fooled, don't look at records. **
(on having Larry Fitzgerald as a weapon)
It's great. Obviously, playing with a guy like Larry (Fitzgerald) his numbers speak for themselves and what he has done speaks for itself. I was fortunate enough to play with Chad (Johnson), and I've been fortunate to play with a lot of good receivers. You either need one really, really good one or lots of good ones, four or five good ones that can win one-on-one matchups. When you don't really have a number one guy, you need a really good number three and a solid number four. I've been fortunate to have guys like Larry and Chad, and it definitely makes my job easier.
(on covering Larry Fitzgerald)
There are a lot of doubling situations and a lot of games where guys are really focused on him, defenses are focused on him. You've always got to be ready for anything. In this league, guys are too smart, defensive coverages, there are so many, and coordinators are so crafty and always come up with something you haven't seen or something you struggled with early on in the years. It's not predictable enough where you could say, 'I know this is what we're getting,' but you can expect Larry (Fitzgerald) to get doubled. **
(on the team's struggles on the road)
We just really haven't played well enough. Point blank, there's not one recurring theme. It's not this, it's not that. We got to play better. We got to come out fast, we got to explode early, we got to stop them early, and we got to finish the game strong.
(on Michael Floyd's development)
Mike's (Michael Floyd) been great. I had a good feeling this was what was going to happen just watching him work all offseason. He had a good training camp. He works hard, he understands the game, and he's very mature for a year two guy. He's faster than he looks, stronger than he looks, and he's just been a great player for us. **
(on whether Michael Floyd's development makes it tougher to double team Larry Fitzgerald)
It does. You got two guys that you really got to worry about. You got a lot of balls going to those two guys. When you get the run game working too, it makes it extremely difficult to handle both those guys. That's the one thing we got to do; we got to come in with the mindset that we need to be physical up front and run the ball downhill.
