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CLEVELAND BROWNS QB COLT McCOY
(on how challenging the Titans defense is to prepare for right now)
Yeah they are very good, they are very good. You see some of the numbers that some of the quarterbacks put up against them and then you turn on the tape and watch the first three games and they play really well together. They have some great players in the secondary, and they are really good at stopping the run. We certainly understand the challenge that we have in front of us and it doesn't take long once you turn on the tape to really kind of get your mind going and start preparing because they are really good.
(on if there are any players that stand out on the Titans defense)
You have to be aware of all of them. I obviously played with Michael Griffin in college so I know him really well and I know he is a very good player. The corners are really good, I think the other safety (Jordan) Babineaux is playing really well and that's just the secondary. Then you look up front at the linebackers and I think (Barrett) Ruud does a great job of kind of getting everybody lined up. They are playing really well right now and we have a big challenge in front of us.
(on the growing pains of being a young quarterback in the NFL and what he has done well)
I certainly think I'm still going through them. With no offseason and a completely new offense, I'm certainly still going through that but I think for me at this point I think it's kind of just understanding your receivers and your teammates because you have only played three games with them and you didn't really have much time in the offseason and we are in a new system. So for me, I think that's been the biggest challenge so far is just figuring out how each guy plays and figuring out what they do best and them getting on the same page with me. I think we have done a pretty good job, we just have to continue to work and continue to grow and ultimately get better. We have a big challenge this week, like I said those guys play hard, they play fast, they don't miss tackles, they stop the run, and you hardly ever see a deep ball in the game. We had a good practice today but we understand that we are going to have to do that in order to win.
(on starting at QB as a rookie and if he would have benefited by being able to put off that first start)
I have told a lot of people, I have a healthy respect for the things that went on last year. Obviously, we had injuries in front of me and I got to play and we won some games and then didn't finish the way we wanted to. You learn a lot, I think the experience is invaluable, being in situations in games, but I think the most important thing for me is to start over. It's my first time in this offense, first time really with all the guys in this locker room. I learned some things last year, but we are in a totally new system, totally new things going on here, so I really don't think about it that much. Other than things that you go through just preparation-wise, there are certain situations in the game that you can't really simulate in practice. Those would be the things that I think could help.
(on if there is anything that he or Michael Griffin could use that they know about the other as former teammates)
I don't think so at all. I was a freshman when he was a senior, so I don't think there will be anything there. I do remember that he was a good leader, he was a physical safety, and when you watch tape of him now he is very dependable, he is reliable, he has played a lot of games, and he is smart. He is definitely a guy you have to look out for.
(on if he wishes that Jerry Gray has stayed at Texas)
I actually got to meet Coach (Jerry) Gray when he was at Texas for the short couple weeks or however long it was. That was the first time I had met him but I know that he is doing a great job. I have talked to Earl Thomas in Seattle and he obviously loves Coach Gray, so I know he is a great coach.
(on how getting back some of the injured guys last week will help the offense)
Yeah, I think so, and that's hard when those guys don't practice. We are young and it's hard for us to just play in a game and have that rhythm like other veteran quarterbacks and receivers do. That's obviously something that you have to overcome and I think when we are all healthy and all on the same page we have a chance to be pretty good. We just have to keep working and keep developing that rhythm and timing and keep getting better.
(on Peyton Hillis's energy level at practice and if the strep throat spread through the locker room. )
No, there has been no after-effect of that, and he practiced today and did a good job.
(on what stands out about the Titans secondary)
They are really sound, it's not a whole lot of man-to-man, they play zone. They are always in the right spots. I think (Cortland) Finnegan does a great job especially when they move him into the nickel, he blitzes, he drops out, in my mind he is a lot like (Troy) Polamalu in the way that he blitzes. They use him a lot in their pressure packages. But to me they are just really sound, they don't make mistakes, they know where they are supposed to be and that allows them to play fast and not have too many mental errors. I watch one game and I get that sense, and then you watch the second and third game and it clarifies that this is a good team, they are really physical, they stop the run and they are great in the pass game. I know I have a lot of work to do and we as a team have got to really be sharp this week.
(on how much he stays in touch with Vince Young)
It was great, I still stay in touch with Vince (Young). I wish nothing but the best for him. He did a lot for me when I was in school and stayed in touch ever since.
(on Montario Hardesty stepping in last week)
I though Montario did a good job stepping in and getting most of the carries. He hadn't really got that much at practice because we have Peyton (Hillis), but when his name was called I thought he did a tremendous job.
(on if they have talked to Ben Watson about staying away from everybody in the end zone after a score)
I think we talked about that a little bit, we did. I didn't honestly see it and I didn't really know what the flag was for and I haven't gone back to look at it, but I'm sure it was talked about.
