TITANS HEAD COACH KEN WHISENHUNT PRESS CONFERENCE
(on this week's adjusted schedule)
We've done it. We had a different week last week. We've had different weeks on the Monday night game. They adjust to it fine. Used to it, I guess, to some degree.
(on if he expects to face an angry Colts team this Sunday)
You'd have to ask them that. I know that they'll be ready to play. We're certainly prepared and excited about getting an opportunity to go against a playoff team.
(on how much they will see of the Colts starters)*
I really hadn't put a lot of thought into it. I think you prepare like they're going to play the whole game, and that's what you expect, and that's the way you play.
(on the team's spirit in the last week)
The one thing these guys have been consistent this year is practice. They've worked hard. We haven't gotten the results on the field on Sundays, but they've worked hard out here. It's no different today. I think they obviously want to finish the right way, and they're working hard to do that.
(on if the team is fully engaged in meetings despite the record)
I haven't seen anything change. You've got guys coming in here early, staying late, talking about the plan. Nothing's changed that way, and I respect that.
(on if it's common to worry about players losing focus at the end of a losing season)
To be honest, I haven't been in a lot of seasons like this. What we're trying to build here is consistency, and it's got to start somewhere. From the standpoint of how they prepare and how they work in the classroom and on the field, that's a good place. It's a good start. Hopefully that will lay the foundation for success in the future.
(on evaluating players who have been with the Titans based on this season as opposed to previous seasons)
I think you judge based on how you play every year, no matter where you are or what team you're on. One year, just because you do something one year doesn't mean you're going to do it the next year. While we were aware of the players on this football team, it changes every year. I think they're evaluated based on how you play. That's what this game's about.
(on evaluating players based on work ethic)
I think that's an important piece of the evaluation part of it. You can have guys that prepare great, but if they can't play, then they're not going to help you. It certainly is important to have some guys that are good football players that work hard, that do it the right way. An example is Michael Griffin, just from the standpoint of his shoulder coming out, being banged up, coming back and playing and working hard. That's the type of guys that you're looking for.
(on if playing well this Sunday can have a positive impact on next season)
It certainly can't hurt, that's for sure. This is a good football team that we're playing. They're going to the playoffs. We haven't had a win in a while. We'll certainly look to it as something that would be good if we could get it done.
(on if he is disappointed that the team does not have a 1,000-yard rusher)
Sure, you'd love to have a 1,000-yard rusher, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee that you're going to have success or mean that you have failure. I've been on teams that went to the Super Bowl without a 1,000-yard rusher. Some of it's an injury thing. Some of it's just where your team is. We do want to run the ball better, no question about that. That, I would say, I would agree with.
(on what the team needs to have success in the run game)
I think it depends on the games. There's not one stat that makes or breaks a run game. I think that you want to be able to run the ball effectively, but if you're scoring points early in a game and you get up on teams and you're able to pound them and run the ball well, you're a good running football team. Sometimes, when you're really moving the ball well, like we've done at times this year, we've been able to run it from our sub-personnel, and that's been effective, but overall to me it's just got to be a consistency in being able to run it.
(on what is preventing them from having a successful run game)
It all plays into it. A lot of times your scheme, how you attack opponents, are important. A lot of times backs, you see guys make guys miss all the time and get extra yards. I think it all ties in together.
(on their three longest runs this season coming from receivers and quarterbacks)
Would we have like to have had some longer runs by a running back? Sure, you would, but we haven't.
(on evaluating the Colts' tape from this past week's game)
Let's just say let's play our game, and hopefully we'll have success against them.
(on the Pro Bowl teams being announced tonight)
I think it's always hard when you have a record like we have to get guys on that team. Sometimes it's really a popularity contest. We've had some guys that have played well for us. Delanie Walker's certainly one of those guys. A lot of times it just doesn't work that way, so I certainly understand that.
(on understanding fans wanting to get the first overall draft pick)
From a fan's perspective, I understand that, but you want to win. That's what you're geared in to do. That's why we're in this business. We're trying to do that. I don't worry as much about that until the season's over, but I certainly respect their feelings on that.
(on getting a high draft pick)
I would fairly say it's safe to say we're going to get a good pick based off of where we are, no matter what.
