BILLS HEAD COACH CHAN GAILEY
On the match-up of the Bills and Titans:
It is a big game for both teams. Both (teams) are coming in off of big wins so it is important for both of us.
On how DE Mario Williams has fit in:
He is one of those guys that when we decided what we were going to do defensively, he was the first guy we went after because we knew what a presence he was coming off the edge both on run and pass. So the fit in part was easy because that is what we were going after. He is a great guy and he is good in the locker room. He is good in all aspects for us.
On if it has taken Williams time to adjust back to a 4-3 system:
I think he is fine. I think he likes playing with his hand on the ground, likes being able to mix it up in there and be physical. That is his game, being strong and physical. Trying to be a dominant force off the edge and he has done that for us run and pass.
On if Williams' left wrist is doing better and having to deal with it has helped him perfect other aspects of his game:
I think it is doing better. It was never really an issue because he never missed a day in practice, a rep in practice or a game. It was sore, but it does limit you any time you have a guy with sore elbows, sore knees or sore fingers—it limits you some. Anytime somebody feels better, they play better. I think he is feeling better.
On what LB Colin McCarthy means to the Titans:
You can see the attitude he brings to the defense. He is hustling all the time and he tries to hit everything that is moving or touching the ball. He is really a go-getter type of player. Really a head hunter out and plays that Mike backer for them extremely well.
On if it is unusual to see a young player like McCarthy become a central player on a defense:
It is not when you are a good player. If you are not a good player, it is kind of hard for you to be a central player. But if you are a good player, like he is, no, it is not that hard.
On the Bills' biggest problems with the run defense so far:
People have been getting to the edge on us. And when we get to the edge, we miss tackles. Most of the time when people do not play the run well it is because of missed tackles and the two games that people have run the most on us we have missed more tackles than the rest of the games combined. That has been our biggest issue, missing tackles when they get out on the edge.
On Titans RB Chris Johnson:
He scares you to death because you know what he is capable of. He still has electric speed, electric quickness and he scares you all the time. That is one of the main focuses for us this week, trying to stop the run.
On what has caused problems between the tackles in stopping the run:
We have not had as many problems inside as we have had stopping it outside.
On having RB C.J. Spiller and RB Fred Jackson:
Right now we are just alternating them. We lost them both during the course of the season this year so they are both just rounding back into shape. We alternate them because we know what each does and we try to measure things around them as far as how we call plays when each one of them is in there. We try to use them to the best of their ability and then let them go play. I think as time goes on and they stay healthy we will have the opportunity to maybe get them in there at the same time a little bit more.
On if he is OK with a 50-50 running back split:
It is always ideal if you have one guy and everybody else has a role, but very seldom do you have two guys like we have. I really do not think I have ever been in this situation in my whole career. It has always been there is one guy and a back-up. I have never had a situation where I have had two great backs like this and you do not get those very often. If we can stay 50-50 and if a guy gets a hot hand maybe he gets it a little bit more, that is just how we will go about it for the time being.
On how Spiller can break so many tackles:
He is stronger than people give him credit for. He is a lot stronger. He understands where we want him to go more now a lot better. He has more patience in the hole and then we he sees the crease he bursts through it. He has a lot better feel for the game right now and I think he is stronger than people give him credit for.
On if QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is getting rid of the ball more quickly this year:
No. Our whole offense is based around getting the ball out and not sitting there holding the football.
On bringing DE Shawne Merriman back and if he will play Sunday:
I do not know about him playing on Sunday. If things go well in practice, if he looks like he is in shape and is rounded back into form enough, yeah we would like to play him if we can. There are no guarantees on that. We had been keeping an eye on him and keeping in touch with him. It is just one of those things where we had an injury to Mark Anderson, needed another pass rusher and he was still available. And we knew what he could bring to our football team. We were fortunate to get it to be able to work out.
On WR Kendall Wright:
All the things that everybody thought when he came out seem to be coming true. The only thing he really has not done to this point is run by people like he did in college, but he is catching the ball and making people miss. He has done a great job on all of the little screen stuff that they throw to him. He really is a very good player. He is another one of those that, like Colin (McCarthy), is an excitable guy. He gets excited about playing and making plays.
On the Titans getting WR Kenny Britt back healthy:
Oh yeah. Sure it does (make the Titans better). That is three, I want to say quality receivers but that is probably underrating them. That is three very good receivers, where all of a sudden now they can stretch the field and you have a great runner back there. It makes all the difference in the world.
On why QB Vince Young was cut:
It just did not work out. It was not a good fit for us. He worked hard and he did everything he could just right. It just did not work. He did not quite get everything we were trying to do and we were asking him to do some things that probably did not fit him. We were kind of at one stage and he is at another stage. It just did not fit. He worked hard and he had all the tools. That is for sure.
On if FS Jairus Byrd is reading the quarterback better:
Yeah he is. He has a great feel for the game overall. He has made a bunch of tackles this year as well. He just has a great feel for the game. We changed defenses this year so he has had to adjust a little bit. I think he is finally getting a great comfort level in this defense and what we are asking him to do. He does. He has great vision on the quarterback.
On Byrd's adjustments in switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense:
Right now he has a little bit more freedom back there than he has had in the previous situation. He is able to roam around a little bit more. He can poach routes a little bit more. We like where he is right now.
On how DT Marcell Dareus has been playing:
He has played extremely well. He had a great rookie year, started out fast. Kind of had a slump there for a couple weeks and then came back strong last week. I think he will continue to build as time goes on. He is a hard man to handle inside, especially for a man that big.
On what sticks out about the Titans' defense:
The first thing that sticks out at me is how hard they play. They play so hard every snap. They are relentless to the football and they have been good at that. I think people have been complaining about pass coverage, but to me they let a couple of deep balls get out of there and that messes up all of the statistics. I think they are playing better defensively than the statistics show. That is for sure.
