QB PHILIP RIVERS
(on how much Alterraun Verner jumps out at him on tape)
He's a young player that is playing with a lot of confidence that is playing really well. Obviously there is a defensive scheme that they've ran there at Tennessee for a long time and he seems to have fit in and gotten comfortable in it real quick.
(on why the Chargers have had so much recent success against the Titans)
If you look throughout the games, it's been a back-and-forth deal. At their place back in '07 we struggled most of the game and were able to score late and ended up winning in overtime. The playoff game here was a real struggle offensively. We were able to score a few in the second half to win, and then last year was the best we've played. We were able to get a few turnovers and we didn't turn the football over. I look at them all separately, there are a lot of the same guys from last year's team on our team and on their team, but yet they've been playing at a high level this season and we haven't. We've struggled and made some key mistakes to keep us from winning, and they've been doing just that to other teams. Just causing other teams to make the key mistakes, so we're going to need our best shot to go out and win.
(on if he feels like this is a make or break game for their season)
We know how important it is, we're just trying to win one football game. The nine that we have ahead, we can't control right now, but the only game that we can have any control in is against the Titans and we're just trying to win one game.
(on how the recent losses of big name players has impacted the Chargers)
Every year there is turnover. Every year there are injuries. Every year there are different setbacks that you have to deal with, and every team in the league has to deal with them. Some deal with them better than others, but coming into this season after the training camp we had—we had a great training camp. I felt like we'd get off to a great start. In a lot of ways, in many of these games, we've done a lot of good things, but from an offensive standpoint we've turned the football over and when you do that it's hard to win.
(on why they've been so good statistically on both offense and defense this year without it translating into wins)
Speaking from an offensive standpoint, we've turned the football over. I think it's as simple as that. We've turned it over inside the red zone numerous times, we've turned it over in the middle of drives when we had things going, we just haven't protected the ball. In the bulk of these games we've executed at a high level, but the lack of ball security has hindered us.
(on how big of an asset backup quarterback Billy Volek is to the team with his experience in the Chargers system and the league in general)
Billy's been great. He's been a great addition to our team and obviously he's been here a handful of years now and is very comfortable in the system and what we do. Certainly, I appreciate having him throughout the week and on game day to help out in any way he can, and obviously our guys have great confidence in him if he were to have to go in there.
(on how much more difficult it is for a quarterback to face a team like Tennessee that is able to get so much pressure with their front four and not having to blitz)
I'll tell you this is a high-energy, get-after-it group; not only in the front four but all 11 guys, they really fly to the ball and play at a high level. Certainly they have been able to create some pass rush and create some issues and whenever you can do that with your four guys up front it certainly allows you to hold up better on the backend because you have more guys in coverage. Obviously they've mixed it up, they've blitzed more than maybe in the past and we'll be ready for anything.
(on what he took from playing for Titans assistant special teams coach Marty Galbraith at North Carolina State when Galbraith was the offensive coordinator and Rivers was the quarterback)
I was fortunate at NC State; I had a lot of different coaches and three different coordinators, but was able to keep intact the same system so I was fortunate from that standpoint. Every coordinator brought a different thing, different element and Coach Galbraith was great. He was the coordinator my sophomore and junior year and he was fun to play for—he had a calm demeanor, but demanded a lot. Certainly they were two good years.
(on if having recent success over a team can help a team's confidence going into a game)
I really don't think the past games weigh into this game. Certainly, it's good to watch those games and be able to see us against them because like I said there are a lot of the same players on both of these teams, but at the same time they're a 5-2 football team right now and we're 2-5. It's about how you're playing right now and hopefully we're going to come play better this Sunday than we did last week and the past handful of weeks for that matter, and go out and try and win the game.
(on why they've had so many turnovers this season and how it's impacted their season)
We just have to take care of it, and it's impacted our season and put us at 2-5.
(on what he sees from Titans linebacker Stephen Tulloch)
Tulloch was a teammate of mine at NC State, and one thing I've always known about him and it's very evident is he likes to play the game. He's a smart player and he's always where he's supposed to be. Obviously, he's got great ability as well but he's always where he's supposed to be and it's very evident that he enjoys playing. I think at that position and having to quarterback that defense, he does it well.
