Tennessee Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher, 9.27
Opening Statement…
The irony about today is that our message all week was to protect the football. Particularly because they had forced two fumbles and recovered one. It felt like that was going to be an emphasis of theirs with the emphasis of ours. I guess I have to take responsibility for this one. When you turn the ball over twice on special teams, it's hard to win ballgames, especially against a team like this. I have confidence in Ryan (Mouton). Ryan's going to be a good player for us, but it's my responsibility to get somebody in there that can make those plays. In this game, we had chances. We kind of got shocked early and found our way back and then turned the ball over to them. That's the difference. They are a good football team. Mark (Sanchez) is a good quarterback. He'll be a real good quarterback and we have some work to do. Injury-wise, Vincent Fuller broke his arm, Cortland Finnegan has a hamstring and we have a couple other things they're looking at.
On Finnegan being a possible alternative to Mouton on punts…
No. They're playing corner, and returning, and covering kicks. Those guys got a lot of work in today and they're going to be better off for it.
On whether he felt the game changed being down 14-0…
It wasn't a problem on the sideline. We felt like once we got the ball and got a couple first downs we'd get some rhythm and we did. So, it was fine, nobody panicked. We got a lead. It was not a concern of mine.
On dropped balls…
In close games like that, you have to make those catches. You have to make those tough catches against a defense like this. We had three or four opportunitities. If Kenny (Britt) can hang on there at the end, it's fourth and one and might be a different situation.
On whether he was disappointed at the way the offense handled the blitz in the fourth quarter…
No, because we knew that was coming, and when they're sending more people than you have to protect then you have to do things. We'll look at it and say, you know what, we had some opportunities and didn't take advantage of them. You have to throw to catch up to this defense. It's a must situation, a must-score.
On Mouton's fumble…
He just didn't track the ball. He's going to be a good corner for us and a good special teams player. Eventually, he'll become a good returner. He just needs to settle down a little bit.
On whether rain was a factor…
Not a factor.
On whether he is concerned with a 0-3 start…
No panic stage. Nothing. We're going to keep working. When you look back at the three games we had a chance in all of them, but we didn't win so we're going to keep learning. Our goal right now is to just win a ballgame.
On whether he felt like the team underestimated what they had to replace in the return game…
No, because we felt like we had some options. We had some things take place in training camp that worked against some decisions that we wanted to make, but we felt like we had some options.
On pass protection for Kerry Collins…
I thought Kerry made plays. Kerry was under pressure and he put the ball in places at the end where we needed to make some plays. We just couldn't come up with two or three catches.
On Vince Young as the No. 3 starter…
Vince was number three because he missed two days worth of practice.
On Coach Ryan's comment that the Titans are a good team…
Well, I appreciate that. He's got a good team as well. We just need to win a game.
Tennessee Titans QB Kerry Collins, 9.27
On starting the season 0-3…
We're in a tough spot, we put ourselves in it. It's a long season, a lot can happen. We need to keep believing in what we're doing and get this thing turned around and get headed in the right direction. It's frustrating, but by no means do we start pointing fingers and start pushing panic buttons. We have to stay together and keep believing in what we're doing and we'll get it turned around.
On trying to navigate against the Jets blitzes…
It's a tough blitz. I could have done more things with the protection to help it. That's on me. That's their M.O. (mission objective). They're going to bring heat. They're going to bring a lot of guys. They overload you on a particular side. Like I said, there are things I could have done differently. I didn't communicate well enough.
On if the early 14-0 deficit added any additional pressure…
Not really. We kept playing. We felt we had a good gameplan coming in this week. Our guys battled back. To put ourselves in an early hole right off the bat wasn't exactly the way we envisioned it. Our guys battled back. In the second half, (we were able to) put a good drive together right after halftime. We were able to take the lead, but things happen in football games and we didn't overcome the mistakes we made.
On the miscommunications with the rest of the offense…
I just didn't communicate (well) sometimes. I don't want to make excuses. There are times when I maybe should have (done something), but I didn't. Like I said, I'm not making excuses. I could have done some things to help them out a little bit.
On the offense falling apart towards the end of the game…
We were in a tough spot at the end. It was third-and-23 right after a sack. They're (the Jets) going to bring more (rushers) than blockers that you have. There were times where I could have handled it better, whether it be getting it to a guy in a quicker route or, like I said, helping with the protection. Maybe if we got them all blocked, that would have bought me some more time.
On if he saw anything from the Jets defense he didn't expect going into the game…
No.
On the turning point in the game…
The momentum changed when we scored a touchdown coming out of halftime. It was unfortunate that there was a turnover (committed) by us. Our job is to overcome those things. We didn't do that, and as much as anybody (else), the blame falls on me.
On if he feels he left a lot of plays out on the field…
You always leave some plays out there. In a game like this, where you're tired and you're on the road against a good defense, it will become more magnified. We made a lot of plays (as well). (Nobody has) scored a touchdown yet against these guys this year, and I thought we put together some nice drives. We had a good one at the end of the first half to get a field goal. There were some good things we did, but when we needed to, we didn't make plays.
On if something needs to be said in the locker room after an 0-3 start…
I think it's up to the veteran guys to keep this thing together (and) keep believing in what we're doing. That's the only thing we can do. It's certainly frustrating, I think everybody's frustrated, but we have to come back to work. We can't be fazed by it. We have to come back and try to get a win next week. That's the situation we're in and we have to deal with that and move on.
On whether this is a "dangerous time" for the Titans…
It can be, (but) I don't think we will let that happen. I'm going to do everything in my power to keep this team together.
On what he can improve on against the pass rush…
We can get protection, slip that way a little bit more, and get some more help over there. We might not be able to block them all, with the numbers that they have coming, but I can help it by getting the protection change and getting people going the right way.
(The Jets) were playing man-to-man. There were a couple times where I could have gotten it to a quick receiver. I was trying to avoid the rush and didn't do it. That's on me.
On if he feels his receivers let him down with drops and general frustration…
I think everyone can look at this game and say there are things we could have done better. We didn't play the game we needed to play, especially in the game. Everybody has a hand in a loss. There's blame to go around for everybody, and I put a lot of that blame on myself.
On one problem arising after another problem had been fixed…
I think we need to play a more complete game. It seems like we're not overcoming early (deficits), and that responsibility falls on me. I haven't been able to do it.
Tennessee Titans C Kevin Mawae, 9.27
On the loss…
What can I really say about it, we have to make plays.
On picking up the blitz…
Their blitz package didn't bring anything surprising to us. They didn't do anything out of the ordinary that they have not been shown on the film. We picked them up about as well as we did when Rex Ryan was with the Ravens the last few times we played against those guys. Late in the game we got ourselves in a few long yardage situations which makes it difficult to hold them off long enough to convert a third and 23. We can sit here and talk about the good things we did and the bad things we did, but ultimately we lost the game and we need to find a way to get ourselves back on a winning streak.
On going down 14-0 early…
Well, we gifted them 14 points. You have to give them credit. We had the lead at one point, but when you give them 14 points off of turnovers it's a difficult hole to get out of.
On not panicking…
I think the veterans on this team need to show the younger guys how to dig ourselves out of a hole like this. We've done it before and we can do it again.
Tennessee Titans, LB Keith Bulluck 9.27
On if turnovers stopped their momentum…
We did feel like we had momentum, but at the same time, if we have a turnover it is up to us to stop the offense.
On if they gave their best effort…
I don't know. I can only speak for myself. I'm sure if we won the game we would say we gave it our best shot.
On if they can make the playoffs at 0-3…
You know what I'm going to say. Of course we can make the playoffs. We made the playoffs one year at 1-4. One season we were 0-5 and just missed the playoffs.
On if the team is too relaxed…
I only speak for myself. I don't look around and think my teammates are relaxed. I look around and see guys that are ready to play. I have the same hunger to play that I had when I came into this league in 2000.
On what he would say if he was told they would start the season 0-3…
"Child please!!" (Laughs) I wouldn't believe it, but we are 0-3.
On if he thinks people will write them off…
Let them write us off, that is fine. We don't need to spend our time worrying about the stories in the newspapers. We need to worry about ourselves. At a time like this, the team needs to get tighter.
Tennessee Titans DT Tony Brown, 9.27
On overcoming turnovers on offense…
Even though we committed turnovers we feel it is up to us as a defense to stop them. Every time we step on the field whether it's the one yard line or the 50 we feel like we should stop them. Sometimes we did some times we didn't.
On being calm despite being 0-3…
Yes, we are going to be calm. We are grown men. Everybody just has to stay focused. We are going to get it corrected.
On Rex Ryan expecting the Titans to make the playoffs…
Whether he's saying that because he believes it's true or not it doesn't even matter. We just have to correct things on our own.
