TENNESSEE TITANS QUOTES
HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER
(opening statements)
Today was a case where we made too many mistakes and they made too many plays for us to win the ballgame. We had some opportunities in the first half that we couldn't capitalize on, the two turnovers and some field position things.
Any time you allow Brett Farve to stay under center for 40 minutes it's going to be a long day defensively and that is basically the bottom line as far as this game is concerned.
The drops were contributing factors early in the game. We make some catches. We make some plays maybe the game goes a different direction. This club is going to follow the same approach as we've done all year to this point. We are going to take them one week at a time, one game at a time. Unfortunately it is not a week this week, it is a few days.
So, the challenge for our team is to put this behind us the best we can, quickly as possible. I just told the club, put it in perspective, we know what happened, it was our doing. Congratulations to them. Tomorrow is Thursday and we got to come back ready to work.
(on the number of dropped passes)
It hasn't happened to us this year but we took our turn. There's no question regarding the second half. It's just one of those things. When you play a team like this you can't afford those kinds of mistakes. But those aren't the reasons we lost. There are a lot of reasons we lost this ball game. We felt like if we played good, didn't beat ourselves, we'd have a chance to play with them. They're very well coached, they're talented, they have a nice little win streak going. Congratulations to them on the win.
(on the two penalties against Chris Carr)
You know, the game didn't come down to those two penalties. There are a lot of different mistakes – I'll look at the tape. Jeff [Lamberth] is one of the better side judges, or back judges I think in this game, so he must have seen something we didn't see.
(on the sub-par tackling)
Again, there are a lot of reasons. We didn't tackle, we have some gap fits, we didn't play, I think, the type of game we could have played on defense, offense and special teams. We were punting the ball and [the ball was] bouncing going into the end zone. It was just one of those days. We didn't play particularly well. You don't play like we played and win a ball game. We move on, we'll improve, we'll continue to improve. It was a great run and we gotta win our next game.
(on the challenge of putting this loss behind and preparing for Thursday)
That's what we just talked to the team about. That's the challenge itself. Coming back tomorrow and as I said, tomorrow isn't a normal game week because of Thursday. We have to put it behind us. Coaches are going back to the office, we'll put a plan together and we'll introduce it tomorrow.
(on injuries)
I don't have anything to report today.
QB KERRY COLLINS
(on the slow start offensively)
Obviously, I think getting off to a slow start hurt us today for whatever reason. We're all to blame, myself included. Against a good football team, it's difficult to come back when in the first half, we really didn't do anything. Offensively, we needed to get off to a better start obviously.
(on if the Jets' 3-4 defense confused the offense)
I think it didn't really confuse us. I felt like we had a good game plan coming in. They didn't do anything to confuse us or anything different. We just didn't play very well.
(on if the Jets were the better team today)
They won today. They were the better team today. That's a hard pill to swallow for everybody in this locker room. We're frustrated and we're disappointed. But we don't have much time to feel sorry for ourselves. We've got to be able to move on. We've got a short week this week and the biggest challenge that we faced all year. Up until this point, we've obviously had a lot of success. This is our first taste of adversity and we are going to need to handle this like professionals and move on.
(on the inability to capitalize on the Jets' turnovers)
That was disappointing. A lot of times this year, we have been able to capitalize on opportunities that our defense had given us. We didn't do that today. I thought that was a big factor in the game. That's on us. The offense is going to take responsibility for this one. The defense certainly gave us a chance and we didn't do it.
(on if the loss to the Jets is a wakeup call)
I don't think you can call it a wakeup call. We expect to win every Sunday. I don't feel like we felt that we could just step out on the field and beat the New York Jets. We had to play well. For us to say that there was anything more than we just got beat today, then we are just kidding ourselves.
(on the play of the offense in the first half)
Obviously, the three and outs were frustrating. We didn't put drives together in the first half. We didn't sustain drives that kept them off the field. They've got a good offense. Brett [Favre], the receivers and the skill guys that they have are good. We had to do our part today and control the ball. We didn't do that.
(on how the team will respond after a loss)
I think this team will respond positively. I think it is up to the leaders on this team, myself included. We need to keep the right approach and the right attitude. Even though we are all disappointed by the day, we need to put this all behind us. I think that needs to come from veteran leadership.
(on the quick turnaround for Thursday's game at Detroit)
We absolutely have no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We hopefully can make a positive out of this, somehow and someway. And we are going to need to do it pretty quick. We get [back] to playing in four days and I think everybody is going to come back hungry this week.
DE KYLE VANDEN BOSCH
(on the status of his previously injured groin)
It felt good. I had no problems, mentally I had some questions, but it held up and it felt good.
(on whether he thinks the groin injury is behind him)
I hope so. The only way to test it was to get out there in the game and go full speed. I was able to do that today and it feels good. I'm hoping that the injury is behind me and I can move forward.
(On the time possession difference)
I don't know if it was the biggest time possession difference since I've been here but that was definitely one of the problems today. We had to get off the field today. We were just giving up too many yards on first down and we couldn't get off the field on third down. That's something we've done a good job of this year- controlling the ball and getting off the field and that's something that we need to get back to next week.
(on not getting pressure on Favre because he released the ball so quickly)
We pride ourselves on being a good pass rush team and getting pressure on the quarterback. When he picks it up and throws it quickly it takes us out of our game a bit. But I don't know, we really didn't have an answer for it today. Favre had a really good game. Give him credit. We knew what to expect from him. He's a great player and he beat us today.
*(on the first drive being indicative of the rest of the game) *
Well it's not a good way to start the game. We've started slowly the past few weeks and today it caught up to us. We need to start fast. It's important for this defense, we're a big play defense, we kind of ride our early momentum, we need to get some three and outs early, and we didn't do that today.
(on whether this is a good re-focusing point)
Losses are never good. Nobody really expected to go undefeated, but we don't like to lose and it is hard to look at the bright side of a loss. The good thing about this week is that we have to refocus; we have to move on quickly because we have a game on Thursday. So we can learn from our mistakes this week but we can put it behind us quickly. **
DT TONY BROWN
(on Jets quarterback Brett Favre and Jets' offensive performance against Titans defense)
No one ever doubted him. He's still Brett Favre, and by him being back there, they had a great chance of winning. He controlled the clock, and controlled the offense. They had a great game plan. Not only was the offense a good offense, Brett Favre did a great job controlling the offense and keeping us off balance. It showed today and the result is we lost.
They made the plays when they needed to. They knew that we were an attack defense, so they were attacking us while we were attacking. Hats off to them. They did a great job … We knew what we were going into. It was all about us as a defense stopping them. People talk about our offense, this and that, but at the same time, we are a defense and we are supposed to stop them and we didn't. They have great athletes. They've done a great job all year. We knew they were a good team. They came in and did what they had to do.
(on the loss)
We weren't worried about being undefeated. We tried to win as many games as we could while it was going. We had something good going and we still do, so today was just a good test for us. We're going to test our courage and how we're going to bounce back.
(on the Titans playing Thursday, with a short week)
It is another opportunity for us to put this game behind us. We are going to watch this film, get back to the basics, and try to get it done this week.
LB KEITH BULLUCK
(on the team's first loss)
We definitely wanted to keep it going. Hats off to the Jets. They came out and played a great game. We did a lot of things that didn't help us, but the great thing about it is we get to come back out on Thursday, and we can get it right back going again. We are still in the driver's seat and everybody else is playing catch-up.
(on the New York offense)
It was very effective, with the short passes, getting the ball out of Brett's hands real quick, not allowing our pass rush to get up the field. They had a great game plan. We didn't play good first-down defense. They were able to get second-and-shorts, and I felt as if our defense was on the field for a long time. They had a good rhythm going from the start of the game. We didn't play our best football today, but the great thing is there are five more games left.
(on the loss)
We got embarrassed at home. We got handled at home, but Thursday there is no doubt about it. It is time for us to turn the heat up. A lot of these teams are in playoff mode, and we were sitting there at 10-0, or whatever we were, but now it is time for us to really put our game face on, and get back to the ball that we were playing the first five, six and seven games of the season.
DE JEVON KEARSE
(on Titans loss)
Overall, it was a learning experience. It put a bad taste in our mouth. It's not a good feeling to lose, but to also lose at home with what we started the first of the season. But on top of that, it's good that it's a short week, so we can go and get it out of our system in four more days. Now that we've got it (the loss) out of the way, now it is just time to, as Coach Fisher said, 'Turn on the short-term memory,' forget about this one, and get ready to start another tradition.
(on Jets quarterback Brett Favre)
He still has it. He is still doing it out there, if you give him opportunities. I heard he was on the field almost 40 minutes and that's too long. He's going to make something happen sooner or later.
NEW YORK JETS QUOTES
HEAD COACH ERIC MANGINI
(opening statement)
I'm very proud of the group today. I felt that coming down here, playing in this environment is extremely challenging. We have been down here the last three years, this is our third trip here. It's loud and has always been a tough place to play and us being able to do the things we talked about prior to the game, which was control the time of possession, which I thought we did a great job of that. We had it close to 40 minutes. Overall I thought it was very much a complimentary game, which was onething we had been stressing week in and week out and keep trying to build on, where the offense complements the defense, the defense complements the special teams. Also our ability to run the football today, I thought was a real positive against a real stout team against the run.
(on the physically tough football the offense and defense are playing)
It is something that we have been trying to do for quite sometime. I think it is an emphasis to go in and get tough yards offensively and to be able to stop the run defensively and when you can do that you can open up a lot of doors in other areas.
(on beating the defending AFC champions and 10-0 team in 10 days)
I think that we're understanding things we have to do week in and week out. The consistency that we need in our preparation. To me, this all starts on Wednesday, the way that we come in, the way that we focus on the game plan, the next opponent, the way that we practice. Those are the things that have been the most important to us. And when we do that and do that each and every day and everybody continues to improve as the season goes on, I think this is the result.
(on performance of the offensive line)
They did an outstanding job. To be able to move the ball like we were able to on the ground and also complement that with the passing game, some of it was short. Some where a little bit deeper, but you've got two guys that are really unique pass rushers in [Kyle]Vanden Bosch and [Albert]Haynesworth. Dealing with those two guys and then dealing with the speed they have defensively and I think their safeties play really well against the run. I can't give those guys enough credit.
(on being 8-3 during Thanksgiving week)
I think it is a really good position and we talk about it again here on Wednesday is that fact that each game allows the next game to be that much more important. We will go back as a coaching staff and look at the game with as critical of an eye as we have looked at every other game and try to figure out what we need to focus on and what we need to improve and have that same honesty as you would have after a lose. You cannot lose track of those things whether you win by a bunch or lose. Whatever it is you have got to have consistency.
(on the importance of Favre's first six completions)
They [Tennessee] have been difficult to move the ball on, especially the first drive of the game. That's an area that we significantly improved over the last five weeks. We have been able to score points and touchdowns in our first drive. The thing I stressed before the game is execute the game plan. The things that we talked about, do those things. Everybody is going to play, everybody's going to have a role. When you get in make those plays meaningful. I think seven different receivers caught balls. That is the key.
QB BRETT FAVRE
(on first touchdown drive)
Playing this team, I can see why they were where they were. We had to pick our spots. We didn't think we'd dominate them in the run game. We didn't think we'd dominate them in the pass game. I tried to get it to our playmakers underneath and let them make plays. The first play of the game kind of set the tone. We practiced the play maybe twice. It was a one-man route to L.C. (Laveranues Coles) on the slant. Jerricho (Cotchery) doesn't even have a route on the play. The protection was such that I was going to take three steps and throw it. Well, I end up taking three and five more. Jerricho ends up coming out of it and catching the ball and getting the first down. That set the tone. It was a busted play slash great play. There were numerous plays like that throughout the whole game. That first drive was really a tone-setter. Not that we couldn't have gone on to win the ballgame had we not gone down and scored, but it sure sent a message that we were capable of scoring against this defense.
(on Jets' quick passing game against Titans defense)
It takes away a lot from their defense. Any defense that gets to you as quickly as they do, the last thing you want to do is hold the ball. I get sacked early and the ball gets knocked out. That's what they do. I knew it going in that if you had to take seven steps, you better take seven and throw it. They're going to get to you. And this was without Vanden Bosch. I'm sure he's going to say he wasn't 100 percent, and he probably wasn't. They're pretty darn good. The short passing game, if you're good at it, obviously takes away a little bit of their pass rush. You're kidding yourself if you think you're going to go in there and block those guys all day. Our guys did a heck of a job today.
(on statement made with win)
It says we're 8-3. That's way better than probably a lot of people gave us a chance to be. What that means for the future remains to be seen but it definitely puts us in a good position at this point. I'm not going sit here and say that we've established ourselves as the best team in football. All it says is that I think we beat the best team in football today, definitely if you go by record and the way that they've played. As I said after the game last week, it's one big win piggybacked with another big win away. It's hard to win, period, in this league and hard to win on the road. It's hard to win at a place that's 10-0, it's hard to win at Foxboro. We found a way to do it.
(on comparisons between this Jets team and his Super Bowl teams with Green Bay)
That was obviously a lot different. I've only been here a few months. What has happened here in the past may be a lack of belief or faith or trust within the team. I don't know if we were the best team in '96, '97, '98 in terms of talent, but we had the best chemistry by far, especially the year we won the Super Bowl. It's all about chemistry. Talent sure helps but talent alone won't get it done. I start sensing a belief that 'all right, okay, we can get it done.' Once again, we have a long ways to go but that's where it starts. When we stepped on the field in '95, '96, '97, we were 14 points ahead before the first kickoff and I mean that from a mental standpoint. No one wanted to play us. That is what got us to the Super Bowl. Once you kind of get that edge, you're on your way. I start sensing that guys are believing what we're trying to do here. We're pretty talented, we've got some pretty good players, but it's about putting it together and I see that more and more.
(on difference between a QB managing a game and winning a game)
I always felt like the quarterback's job is to win games. You can win games, you can lose games based on the way you play or your decisions. I've had my share of both. I'm going to go down swinging. I try to do that as smart as possible. It's not always as smart as I think I am. I don't know if I like the term 'managing a game.' I think that's a polite way of saying 'don't lose it for us.' All I want to do is win. I like to think that I've won my share of games and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
(on Jets' physical domination in game)
I'm impressed by a lot of things we did today. Until we prove ourselves week in and week out, it's too premature to jump the gun. It's a 10-0 football team and last week in Foxboro was a great win for us. We have to continue to do that. We have to string them together. We have to continue to make plays.
WR LAVERANUES COLES
(on his touchdown)
It is a four down situation. I knew it was going to be double coverage on me. They had been trying to bracket me on that side. I basically just knew I was going to have to get across the safety's face. I knew if I could win behind him, that Brett would give me a chance in the back of the end zone. It is kind of one of those things where me and Brett were on the same page and when he came back to me and saw me, he rifled it in there.
(on passing the ball often)
That was part of our game plan against them in the beginning. We wanted to come out and pass the ball short because we knew what type of pass rush they had. Their D-line is excellent. They never had to rush more than four guys to get pressure when we watched them on film. We wanted to get them going early and get the ball out of Brett's hands so he wouldn't have to take any licks. From there, try to build our ground game and make them have to sit back in cover two.
(on the secondary being depleted for the Titans)
After looking at them on film, their corners weren't too bad. They all played very well. When you have a rush like they have, anybody can step back there and be as good as their guys are. Their front four make a statement every time they step on the field. You basically have to do your game plan around those guys. Today, that is what we did. We focused on running the ball and trying to get them tired with a lot of short quick stuff, keeping the ball moving and giving our defense a chance to rest.
G ALAN FANECA
(on beating the Titans)
I think we had a good game plan with the coaches. I think they did a great job of mixing the pass and the run and the types of passes and runs we were getting to and it really put us in good situations.
(on Brett Favre making good decisions)
You look at their front four and how much they just rely on them to get pressure and him being decisive back there was definitely a huge part of the game.
(on the Jets offensive line playing well)
It is huge. That is a fun day for us to go out there and be able to accomplish that. That is an offensive lineman's dream. That is a fun day for us to go out there and do that.
(on why the offensive line played so well)
We were on the same page all week. I think we went out there and executed the game plan that we put forth and we were able to adjust a little bit and go out there and play aggressive football.
DT KRIS JENKINS
(on key to stopping Titans running game)
We knew that Chris [Johnson] and LenDale [White] were their one-two punch and we had to make sure that we contained them. We had to play solid team defense and that was our goal. I guess we did okay today.
(on statement made with victory)
I really don't know if it was a statement made. We take it a game at a time. We knew we wanted to go out and win but it wasn't anything that we were trying to be specific about. We want to be taken seriously. We feel like we're a good team and that we can compete. That's all we're looking for. Every game to us is a big game.
(on motivation taken in being first team to beat Tennessee)
I think we took some motivation in it. That's something that you want do. We felt like we came in as the underdog. When you're the underdog, you feel like you have a little bit of an edge. You want to be able to prove something.
RB LEON WASHINGTON
(on his long touchdown run)
The offensive line once again this week did a really good job of controlling up front. It was pretty hard early on. We kind of wore them down. I think [Damien] Woody and Brandon Moore did a really good job sealing the back side off and I hit the hole one-on-one with the safety and that's what I'm paid to do, to make big plays like that. I did the easy part. The hole was wide open and I tried to run as fast as I could.
(on Brett Favre's influence on team)
Favre works really hard. He works hard to build camaraderie with each player. A lot of times, he talks to me individually about things he wants to see get done during the game. I think building that camaraderie and working hard in practice has really paid off for us in the last couple of games. Having him, it makes everyone else step their games up. Having him in that huddle definitely builds our confidence.
S KERRY RHODES
(on confidence building with the win streak)
We have been confident already. We had to show the world to come here and beat a team that has been playing well in Tennessee. They are playing well. They were 10-0. Just to come here and be able to get a win against these guys is big for us confidence-wise. We are a very confident team anyway, but coming in here and doing this and getting it done, that can only help us.
(on stopping the Titans running game)
We are good at stopping the run and they are good at running the ball. We knew it was going to come down to who could do that and win that battle. Whoever won that battle had a better chance to win this game. We came out and got it done.
LB BRYAN THOMAS
(on this being a big win for the Jets)
A win is a win. We will take it against and 0-and whatever team or, like today, a 10-0 team. It doesn't matter who it is. A victory is a victory.
(on if this game is making a statement to the NFL)
It is making a statement. Now people are going to start looking at us and say they are a team you have to reckon with. Not saying that any other game was any different. But now people are looking at us okay, those guys are doing the things in practice that it is going to take to win the game and we are carrying it over to the field and now you see the results of it.
(on stopping the Titans)
The keys to their team, is that we knew we had to stop [Chris] Johnson and LenDale [White]. They are two very good running backs out there. To be successful in this game we knew we had to stop those two guys. You have one in Johnson that is fast outside that is going to bounce out and you have Lendale White who is a downhill runner. We knew the keys to victory were stopping those two guys.
