**
HEAD COACH KEN WHISENHUNT**
(On practice)
It was a good day today.**A little different than yesterday, so it was good. It was good to see them respond that way.
(On emotional intensity in practice)
I think we've gotten a lot of good work done. You're going to have days like this. It's an emotional game. We had a good battle going in the red zone. That's an important area. After yesterday, when the offense was shut out, it was nice to see them respond today the way they did.
(On having a physical practice)
It was a good practice. Yesterday and today were both tough practices. There were a lot of plays, a lot of different situations, and that's what you've got to do. You get in the mindset that you've got to fight through it. It's going to be tough, but you've got to work through it. Yesterday we didn't have our best practice, offensively. I think some of that may have been the defense had a good day, but today I thought both sides of the ball, it was a good practice. It speaks a lot about what we're trying to get done. We're not there, but if we can work like this, at least we have a chance.
(On competition among players building)
It gets much more competitive than it was today. I think we've had flashes of that the whole camp. To me, what you want is for that to be what we have all the time, so hopefully that's what it will be. I don't know yet.
(On how much the starters will play in Friday's game against New Orleans)
Last week, we kind of threw that out of whack a little bit. I think we've got to talk about it when we get a little later in the week and see where we are, from a health perspective, and what we're trying to get accomplished just because of the way the game went last week.
(On using the game plan from last week)
We'll stay with what we had planned all along. Hopefully, we'll have enough situations that come up what we'll be able to get out of it what we'd like to.
(On the plan for returners against Green Bay)
I think that we've got to give Marc (Mariani) a shot a some point, just because last week was so difficult, but we do have to work the other guys in, too. At some point we want to get Leon (Washington) and Dexter (McCluster) some work, as well. Nate (Kaczor) and I will sit down and talk about it as we get closer to the game.
(On the benefits of closed practices)
It reminds me to thank the fans for coming out. It's really been nice having the fans out here for the open practices, and I'm sorry that we didn't have more than what we had this year. Maybe we'll be able to work on that a little bit next year, but we appreciate their support in coming out here. Our fans are important to us, and I think next week we go into an in-season week schedule, and I think it's really important for that to make it as much like an in-season week, because we've never done that. We've never done a game week together. That's the reason for it this year.
(On having enough time for a normal week)
As long as we had three days, we could simulate a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday practice and just, from the standpoint of the meetings and the schedule and how we're going to do things, we're going to find a way to make it work, no matter what. That's the big part of the reason for that.
(On the Titans' role in "Hard Knocks")
Do I watch "Hard Knocks"? Yeah, I do. Do I know what today is or that "Hard Knocks" is even on today? No. I didn't, so am I interested? Of course I am. There was a lot going on down there, but also on another level, I don't really care. I'm more concerned about having a good day at practice tomorrow. Sure, human curiosity, human nature, it's an interesting show.
(On if the Titans were the "Hard Knocks" team)
Until I get asked that question, I can't really answer that. I'm hopeful that we'll be in the playoffs and eliminated from that consideration for that. Hopefully we won't come to that.
(On watching "Hard Knocks")
They show it a lot. They have this thing called DVR, too. Every once in a while I'll DVR it. Sometimes later in the week, when you get a little bit of time, I'll watch it. I'll watch parts of it. It's hard to dedicate the whole time to it, but I do enjoy it.
(On the offensive line practicing together)
Until somebody else beats them out, I think that's an important thing. It establishes an esprit décor and pride in your unit, and that's important.
(On the offensive line forming a unit)
I think you see flashes of it. This will be a good test this week, and I see them working together. I like what I hear in the huddle when I'm in there with them, so I hope it continues.
