Arizona Cardinals -2- Miercoles 28/1/09

Super Bowl XLIII – Wednesday, January 28, 2009

QUOTES FROM ARIZONA CARDINALS PRESS CONFERENCE


TE LEONARD POPE

(on the Steelers’ defense being ranked No. 1 in the league) “I’m a game-time dude, but at the same time you have to look at it. They’re ranked No. 1, and they’re not ranked No. 1 for nothing. You’ve got to realize what makes them ranked No. 1. For one, they fly around to the ball. They stop the run and bring blitzes about every other play. They’ve got a great defensive line, linebackers and also the secondary. The guys just make plays all over the field.”


(on if there is one Steelers defensive player in particular that he has to look out for) “The Steelers defense is just a whole great defense. They’ve got a lot of people, a lot of playmakers over there. (James) Harrison, (Troy) Polamalu, (LaMarr) Woodley, all those type of guys, they’re big playmakers. The defensive line are run-stop kind of guys, so it’s just a great defense that the Steelers have.”


(on his role as a blocker) “As you can see, we have established a great running game through the postseason. The tight ends as a group, we took it on our toll to prepare ourselves each and every week to try to do the best that we can on the edge and hold up our end so we’d be able to run the ball.”


(on when the offense decided to give more attention to the run game) “I would say, leading up to the chances that we actually had to clinch our divisional title. Once we stopped looking at one-dimensional, and tried to be two-dimensional in running and passing, we had success with it. When you have success, you tend to want to keep having success. Therefore, we stuck with our game plan, and whichever way that was, we kept chunking away at it. It helped us out, and it landed us in the postseason. In the Atlanta game we ran the ball well. In the Carolina game we ran the ball really well. And then after beating the Eagles, here we are – we’re in the Super Bowl. I would say we did a pretty good job.”


(on if the games played between clinching the division and starting the playoffs allowed them to experiment with the running game) “It opened a lot of eyes with the players and the coaches. It was like, ‘Man, we’ve got a little light.’ That tunnel started getting a little bit more light in it. We saw what we could do, so we stuck with it, and like I said, kept chunking away at it, and here we are.”


(on what being at the Super Bowl means to him) “It means a great deal to me. A lot of people go five or 10 years in the league without being in the Super Bowl, and here I am in my third year playing a big role as the tight end. We’ve been able to establish the run these last couple of weeks, especially in the playoffs, and obviously it has been a tremendous help to our offense. Hopefully we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing and hope for the best.”



DE BRYAN ROBINSON

(on what the Cardinals defense is focused on going into the Super Bowl to be successful) “I would say stopping the running game. I think that is our focus every week. They have ran the ball very well in the playoffs, but we have stepped up our run defense too. Going back to the Seattle game we have played good run defense. Something has to give.”


(on what has helped turnaround the Cardinal run defense) “I don’t think there is any magic in what has happened. I think everyone has taken it upon themselves to be accountable. Everyone has a role in this defense. You can’t do someone else’s role. Just do your own role. Stay in your gap. Move your feet. Use your hands. It is something that the defensive linemen and linebackers have really worked on. If it does get to the outside, then our corner backs have to come up and make the play. That’s what it has been about. We haven’t gotten bigger, faster or stronger. We have just decided to dedicate ourselves more to what we were doing earlier in the year. We stopped the number one, number two and number three rushing attacks this year. Even though we don’t get the credit we deserve, we knew we were a pretty good run defense. We knew that if it came down to stopping the run we had the players to do it.”


(on if playing the Steelers last year lends an advantage) “I wasn’t here last year, but I was in Cincinnati and we played them twice. I know them very well. They are going to be consistent in what they do. They are going to run the football. That’s what the Pittsburgh Steelers do. It is going to be about who can stay focused throughout the game. I think that will be the key. The Steelers are one of those teams that can do that, so it will be a challenge for us to stay focused the whole game. If we can do that, we will be fine.”


(on what he expects Sunday to be like with all the festivities) “Our offensive line coach, Russ Grimm, has talked about it with us. He told us about the delays and the timeouts that come with playing in this game. It’s a media spectacle. There are sponsorships and everything else that has to be incorporated into the game. We need to have a controlled aggression. The halftime is longer, it might be around 30 minutes. You have to pace yourself. You can’t overdue it too soon. This is going to be a long game, so you have to pace yourself.”


(on your experience against the Steelers and has he been able to pass any knowledge along to his teammates) “I told our guys, that just because the Steelers don’t have big-time names along the offensive line doesn’t mean they aren’t good. They play well together. They just have the approach that they are the Pittsburgh Steelers, and that they can beat anyone. That’s fine. That’s what the NFL is about. We feel like we can play with anybody. We truly believe that. Hopefully, once they look at the film they will see that about us.”


(on how rewarding it is for guys like him to finally make it to the Super Bowl) “It is certainly worth it. It has been 12 years for me and this is my first Super Bowl. It had been eight years for Adrian Wilson before making his first playoff run. I understand what the Cardinals have been through. I understand the heartache they have experienced. I have only had three winning seasons in my 12-year career. It’s tough. You just never want to be the reason why your team isn’t having success. I never want anyone to say that we aren’t going to the playoffs because of something I did, or didn’t do. I want to do my job. I want to do my part. It is up to the guys in the front office to put the pieces around guys like Adrian. I feel like they have done that this season. We have some guys that have been here their entire career mixed in with some newer guys. That is what makes us a team. You aren’t trying to gather talent. You are trying to build a team. We have one of the better locker rooms that I have ever been around.”



CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE

(on how he views both teams’ defenses) “I think it’s going to be a defensive game.”


(on how well the Cardinals are preparing for the Steelers’ offense) “I think we got a good group of practice squad guys, people that come in and work day in and day out, work real hard. I think they’re giving us a great look.”


(on how big of an advantage it is to have coaches on the Cardinals’ staff who have been with the Steelers) “I don’t know if it’s a jump, but I could say that they understand their team a little better.”


(on whether this week is a normal work week for him) “For me, it is definitely. Me being the young guy, I look at it like, whatever I did last week, I’m going to continue to do this week. I won’t change a step.”


(on whether he predicted that he would be in the Super Bowl so early in his career) “To be honest, I really didn’t. I thought I was going to be a guy that would just come in here and do special teams. I (was looking) to next year to really take off.”


(on what he thinks about the offensive side of his team) “I think it’s just an honor to be playing with those guys on that side of the ball. I see a tremendous group; (it’s) a group that, even when we’re down sometimes, they’ll be able to pick us up. It’s just a team. Everybody does it together.”


(on Coach Whisenhunt) “As far as coaches, that’s one of the smartest men there is. He’s the most relaxed, determined man I’ve ever seen in my life. Very humble, down to earth, and knows how to get the job done.”


(on what he thinks will be the most special moment of his first Super Bowl) “That first time I walk on that field, getting ready to prepare and taking it all in.”


(on covering Larry Fitzgerald in practice) “When I first got here, some of the things that he did, I really didn’t believe. That’s an unbelievable guy. The more I got to go against him, the better he’s made me become. And the more I can learn from him, it allows me to play him better, and get a different feel for a different kind of corner. He’s just a competitive type. Every time we’re on the field, we compete. Every time I line up against him and he’s on my side, he’s got that look in his eye, and I’ve got it in my eye.”


(on what he’s learned from covering Fitzgerald) “Him being physical, sometimes he just throws me off. I’ve learned to just sit off and just read and get a feel for him. He’s a long strider and I can kind of read his breaks a little bit. That’s what I do. I just try to break down his route while he’s running.”


(on how complicated the Cardinals’ defense is) “The one thing that we practice is disguise, guys being where they’re not supposed to be. We really work that to perfection. That’s one thing that they really hone in on us so the quarterback has a hard time reading defenses. That’s what we try to do every day.”


(on whether he views the Cardinals’ defense as a “player-friendly” scheme) “I’ve just been in one, so I can’t say. But I picked it up pretty easily.”



S ANTREL ROLLE

(on the kind of crowd he has coming out for the game) “Not a huge crowd, you know, the same people that have been supporting me out in Arizona are going to be the same ones supporting me here.”


(on whether it is fun to be back in his home state of Florida) “Oh, yeah. I mean, I love it. It’s good to be back in this weather, to get acclimated to the weather again and just to make the best of this. That’s pretty much it – we’re here to play ball.”


(on his perception of the Pittsburgh Steelers) “I’m looking for a battle. They are a great team, they have great team chemistry and most of all they are united. Those are the toughest opponents you have to worry about, someone that plays together for all four quarters – and that’s exactly what they do.”


(on his key to winning the game) “Just to go out and play our ball game. We need to stay disciplined in our approach, not try to get too overwhelmed and just stay level-headed. Stay level-headed and just play your assignment, everything else after that will just have to take care of itself.”


(on whether it’s tough to not be overwhelmed in this situation) “Well, I can’t speak for most guys, but for myself, not yet. I’m pretty sure once Sunday comes, the butterflies will start kicking in, the nervous system will start kicking in, but as of right now – so far so good – I’ve been okay.”


(on the Larry Fitzgerald flea-flicker touchdown in the NFC Championship and how a defensive back prepares for that ) “There’s really no way - honestly, I couldn’t tell you how to prevent something like that from happening. The only thing I can say is that the deep guy needs to stay deep. You need to stay deep and understand your approach, understand your assignment. Like you say, it’s trickery, it’s a misdirection play. It’s going to take you from your assignment, because that’s not what you’re looking for – you’re looking for other things and then they come with a flea-flicker. That’s why it was so crucial for us and that’s why it worked to perfection (with Fitzgerald) the way it did.”


(on why teams don’t use the flea-flicker more often) “You can’t use it all the time. Then teams will be looking for it. You need to pick and choose when you want to throw the trickery in and when you want to play just hard-nosed, assignment football. It has to be a key moment and it has to make a statement – as it did (with Larry Fitzgerald).”


(on whether it makes a statement when the defense stops that play) “Yeah, it does. If you stop that play, it’s definitely a plus. I’m pretty sure that nine times out of 10, it would just be luck or someone would just happen to be back there deep, but at the same time, it’s really hard to stop plays like that. You pretty much just have to stay with your guy.”


(on what happened in the defensive coverage during the NFC Championship flea-flicker to Fitzgerald) “Yeah, I mean there was somebody there (covering Fitzgerald), he just happened to fall down. I don’t think it would have mattered if he was up anyway, not against Larry, I don’t think it would have mattered. It was probably better for him that he fell down, that way he had an excuse. No, but Larry is Larry – we look for him to make that big play. That’s something that the coaches are very capable of doing and they’re very comfortable in that situation. Kurt (Warner) is also very comfortable as well.”


(on QB Kurt Warner being more comfortable with the ball in his hands) “Yeah, that’s what a player wants to do. Any ball player at a clutch moment in the game wants to have the ball in their hands – they want to make a plays. I wouldn’t say that I agree with (Kurt), because it was a play that worked, but at the same time the majority of the time I would prefer to have the ball in Kurt Warner’s hands, because that’s the guy that I trust and I know that he’s definitely going to do something with it.”


(on whether he is paying attention on the sidelines to see when the offense will call a trick play) “No, I cant really worry about what the offense is doing too much. I’m a defensive player, so I pretty much stay focused and go over my checks and adjustments and game-time adjustments with the defense.”



FB TERRELLE SMITH

(on his mother raising foster children and expressing love for other children who didn’t have a parental figure) “I never really understood why my mother did it when I was growing up. As I got older, I realized that there are a lot of people on this earth that are less fortunate. For my mom to have open arms and nurture children that weren’t even hers was a great experience. They were from all over the country. It was a tremendous experience. It was a different upbringing, but it was very good for me.”


(on how his mother got into raising foster children) “She was always at the church working and she just found herself becoming more and more involved.”


(on the number of children that were living with them at one time) “I think the most we had at one time was 22. That doesn’t include her six children.”


(on ever being selfish of mom’s time and affection growing up) “Not really. I used to when I was a baby, but that was just acting spoiled. She would buy me my own box of cereal so that no one else would eat mine. I had to learn how to share pretty quickly. It was very unique.”


(on keeping in touch with some of the children he grew up with) “Yes. I actually keep in touch with a few of them. Most of them are grown now and live back home. One of them, Ricky, lives in Detroit and we still keep in touch. Growing up the way I did gives you a soft heart and I think the world needs more people like that.”


(on his mother being diagnosed with breast cancer) “She was diagnosed in 2005. Our father passed away in 2004 from bone marrow cancer. She was feeling bad after he passed and we figured she was just grieving at first. But as time went on we realized it wasn’t that. My sister is a nurse practitioner so she had her go in and get looked at. She was misdiagnosed on two occasions. My sister kept researching online and was able to find some symptoms that matched. She took her to City Hope Hospital in northern California to be looked at. That’s where they found that she had a rare form of breast cancer. After they diagnosed her, they found that she had cancer in 95 percent of her body. She was in Stage 4 and there are only five stages of cancer. They gave her a short time to live and she managed to live four and a half years. It would be great if she could be here now and see all of this. I know she is looking down on me, but it would be great if she was here.”


(on feeling her presence around him at times) “I do. I still have voicemail messages that she left me on my phone. When I am having a rough day I listen to them. They get me through the day.”


(on his mother telling him that he would play in the Super Bowl) “It was back in April. Her exact words were, ‘Son everything is going to be alright. I know you are going through a tough time, but you will continue to be blessed if you keep working. Your father would want you to keep working. I had a dream last night, that you played in the biggest game in Arizona history and were a big part of it. You will go on to play in the Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl and you will dedicate that game to your father.’ And now we are here. It is pretty amazing. People have dreams that never come true, but right now is a dream come true. Being here is giving me a closeness with my mother’s spirit. I hear her telling me that I would be here every time I go out and play. I just wish she was here to experience it. This is the way it is now, and I just have to continue on and be a good person in society.”


(on his relationship with Pittsburgh Steelers T Marvel Smith) “He is the godfather to my children. I went to see him play in Super Bowl XL. He is on injured reserve right now, so we have had the chance to see each other the last couple of days. It has been pretty neat.”



HEAD COACH KEN WHISENHUNT

(on trick play preparation) “I think it’s more about when it’s called as opposed to what you’re actually doing. You obviously have to work on it in practice. There are a number of times that we’ve had trick plays that we’ve carried for a number of different weeks until the right time came up in a game. So I think really—it is a lot about the design of the play—but I think really, most of it is about when you call it, having a feel for where you are on the field, what you’re looking for. I think the thing that we do the best job of and that we have in the past is having the criteria for it, down-and-distance situations and waiting patiently for that time to come. I think that’s the most important thing.”


(on WR Larry Fitzgerald’s improvement this season) “I think Larry has improved every year, but (in) the last two years that we have been with him the most noticeable improvement has been his run after the catch, his route running, and even parts of his game like blocking downfield, which has made a dynamic impact on our offense. I think Larry has always had that ability to catch the football, but as a player that wants to be great, he’s worked hard at the little things, as we say, to improve his game. I believe that’s why he’s had such a successful year this year and such a fantastic post season.”


(on what DT Darnell Docket brings to the team technically and emotionally) “Technically, he’s a very good football player, from the standpoint of how he plays with his own independent technique and what he does defensively as far as causing disruptions on the offense. He’s a strong, physical player that has an explosive first step. Emotionally, what he brings is a guy that is very intense and very competitive that wants to win. I think what Darnell has done a very good job of this year is being able to reign some of that emotion in at the appropriate time. What he has done in the past is gotten out of control at times and that led to some penalties that were hurtful to us. This year he has really cut that down and I think that’s part of becoming a team, for him as well as for our football team.”


(on his initial expectations when he came to the Cardinals and the biggest change that has led the team to where it is now) “The biggest challenge that we faced was that the first thing we wanted to do was try to establish a team concept and that’s something that I believe takes time. I think we really saw it come together. We’ve seen it at times during our two years, but to have it on a consistent basis, that’s something that you can’t rush. That’s the message that we have preached to the team and that our leaders have helped buy into and I think you really saw the fruition for us after the New England game. It was good, we won the division, but after we had gone two games in a row and we hadn’t played well and we knew we had a playoff game coming, that’s when the team really focused together and the team really grew stronger. That, to me, was really the most important thing about playing with confidence and having success with guys trusting each other, not trying to do too much, believing in the system and playing like a team.”


(on assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm’s Hall of Fame candidacy and mindset this weekend) “Russ is always very level emotionally. You don’t really know what’s going to affect him one day to the next and I think that’s why he’s been an outstanding football coach. I know on a personal note, having been with Russ a number of years, what this (being voted into the Hall of Fame) would mean to him this weekend as far as the Hall of Fame goes. I think he’s a player that is very deserving of it, one of the best players ever at his position to play in the league. I’m very hopeful that he’ll get in. As far as this game, I don’t think this game is as much about our opponent as it is the game itself. Russ has been to the Super Bowl a number of times; he’s won the game a number of times both as a player and as a coach. I think he definitely recognizes the scale of this game and what it means for an organization, what it would mean for our football team, and I know that just like all of our coaches, he’ll be very excited.”


(on why QB Kurt Warner’s popularity transcends football) “I think that there is a quality of unselfishness about Kurt that everybody sees and idealizes and wants to be like that. To have a player that’s been as successful as he has, that’s reached the pinnacle of his profession, but still takes the time to treat everyone the same, would give the shirt off his back to someone to help them out, that’s a quality that we all want to have. That’s a quality that everyone gravitates to and I think when you couple that with a person that plays this game—one that has such a great fan support at a high level—it makes for a person that a lot of people admire and respect.”


(on whether he targeted coaches that would instill toughness in the players) “When we went through the process of hiring the staff—it’s always a challenge from the standpoint that there are a number of coaches that you want to get on your staff that are not always available. So I think that you go through a number of situations where you target guys and you may or may not get them. We were very fortunate that we were able to get some outstanding football coaches, all the ones that I have experience with. And I don’t think that you necessarily try to target coaches for their toughness or what they do. I think you look at a coach for what he brings to the table from the standpoint of your experience with him or what you have gotten in recommendations for him. But I can tell you a couple of guys that really brought toughness to our coaching staff. Number one obviously is (assistant head coach/offensive line coach) Russ Grimm and his mentality. Another one is (running backs coach) Maurice Carthon and what he brings to the table as far a very tough, physical ex-player that has a great understanding of the game and he’s done a great job with our running backs. I think that just like with your football players, your coaching staff has to be a mix of different personalities, but you have to work together as a group, much like your football team. I applaud our group of coaches for having done that.”


(on the loss to New England) “Well, I think it’s easy to look back on it now and say it was a turning point. I think that obviously I was very upset about the way we were playing and also I was concerned about a playoff game being two weeks away and the style of football we were playing. I believe that refocusing on what we thought was important for our team and putting the pads back on was the process of doing that. I think our players essentially bought into that. There was a sense of urgency that we recaptured that week. It hadn’t really shown itself in the practice weeks before that. Our players had worked hard, they had prepared, but we didn’t show up on game day. We weren’t playing very well against our opponents, so I think that the sense of urgency that we created in that practice (helped). And obviously the rain and the cold helped from a standpoint of our team understanding that it didn’t matter what else was out there, we had to stay focused on what we were trying to get done. (That) really gave us some confidence, especially the way we played that very next game against Seattle.”


(on what P Ben Graham has brought to the team) “We made a change with a few weeks left in the season at that position because we felt that in the playoffs it was going to be important, field position especially. And if you look back at one game in particular—the Atlanta Falcons game, our first playoff game—he had four punts inside the 20, three actually inside the 10, which directly led to points for our team. When you talk about that and the field position battle, especially against good football teams that you’re going to face in the playoffs, that particular aspect of your game is very important. He’s brought a stabilizing influence to that, as well as an ability to pin the punts deep, which is something that is really advantageous.”


(on getting back to practice and focusing after Media Day) “The biggest thing this week is getting back to a normal week. You’re always going to have distractions, but everything that we do in a normal week of preparation is what you really have to focus on this week, from the meetings times to your practice times to your practice schedule. Obviously there are a couple things that are a little bit different—for instance, having to meet with the media before you practice—but I think it’s all about the ability of our team to really focus on the fact that there is a football game on Sunday. It’s not a media event and it’s not a family event. (It’s) being able to keep that business-like approach on field that we’ve been able to do the last three weeks.”


(on if he expects the Steelers to do anything unusual to defend WR Larry Fitzgerald) “Well, I imagine that the Steelers will have a plan for Larry Fitzgerald. Coach (Dick) LeBeau is an outstanding football coach, one of the best I’ve ever been around. He’ll have something for us, but we’re fortunate that we have Anquan Boldin who is healthy (and) who is an outstanding player. And we’ve got some young players in Jerheme Urban and Steve Breaston who have had very good years for us, so I think it’s going to be just like any football game. I’m sure that the teams that we’ve played in previous football games were focused on doing some things to us defensively and hopefully we’ll be able to execute and still have some success.”


(on helping rookie and Florida native CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie this week) “I hope that we have veteran leaders as well as teammates that are helping him get through this experience and stay focused on the way he’s been playing the latter half of the season. I think the biggest thing that we were able to do with Dominique was bring him along slowly. He wasn’t forced into a position where he had to start. He had to earn his right to play and that created a sense of urgency for him as far as how he had to finish in practice, how he had to prepare. He’s being held to that standard. I think that because of a leader like Adrian Wilson and what he’s done in helping with this young guy…our whole defensive secondary is a good group of guys that want success for each other, like Ralph Brown. I think that’s enabled us to get him in there, keep him calm and let him grow into that position, which he’s grown into a pretty good player as a young guy.”


(on Tampa Bay Rays Manager Joe Madden being a Cardinals fan and the parallels between the two teams) “We can draw parallels all the way up to the last game and hopefully it will go a little different for us. Yes, there is a relationship. Last year Mark Dalton had informed me of the fact that he (Madden) was a Cardinals fan, so we had contacted him and we sent him some Cardinals gear and we exchanged messages. Actually, I called him a few times before his games during his playoff run and wished him luck and he’s done the same for me. It’s been an exciting relationship for me from the standpoint of his team kind of coming out of nowhere and playing really well and getting to the big game and us doing a little bit of the same thing. It’s kind of unique from the standpoint of being able to establish a relationship with a guy that’s very good manager I have a lot of respect for what he’s done.”


(on how much longer QB Kurt Warner can play) “Well, with the way Kurt works—I think with the way he participated in our offseason program—you don’t know. I don’t think that you can put time on that. I think that’s something that Kurt would have a better answer for than I would, but a lot of people didn’t think Kurt could play at this level this year. He thought he could and more importantly to us, he proved that he could. I think that certainly we believe he could continue that level at least for a little while.”



SS ADRIAN WILSON

(on whether he often thinks about the late Pat Tillman) “I just think more about his legacy than anything. You never want, somebody like that, his legacy to die. You know, that’s something tragic that happened to him, but I said it yesterday, at the same time it really speaks volumes to the type of man he was. He felt like he didn’t do enough in his life to warrant the type of credit he’s been getting, so to make a life decision like that and to make a change like that, I think it really speaks volumes of his character.”


(on how long he knew Tillman before he left the NFL) “I knew him just that year - it was my rookie year. Subsequently that was Pat’s last year there. He turned down this contract in his last year, turned down a three or four year deal that he was going to get at the end of the year, and that’s when he decided that he was going into the Army.”


(on what he hopes people remember about him) “The type of character that he has. Not every man is going to make that decision; and I think it speaks volumes to the type of person that he was.”


(on his emotions coming off the NFC Championship game and going into the Super Bowl) “I mean it’s surreal. Just thinking about the opportunity to be the best in the league, that’s what everybody plays the game for - to be able to hold up that trophy.”


(on whether the Arizona defense deserves more credit for team success than they have been getting) “No, not really. The offense has been doing it all year – it hasn’t been just in the playoffs – they’ve been doing it all year. Defensively, we’re pretty happy that the offense is getting all of the attention, because we’re able to focus on what we have to do. Everybody knows that defenses win championships, but the offense does too.”


(on rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) “He’s had a tremendous season. He’s a very talented player and a very hard working player. He’s a guy that wants to get it. He wants to be considered one of the best guys in the league. He has all the abilities to do it, and he does a great job of really listening to his veteran teammates and being able to apply it to the practice field and take it over into the game. I think that’s very important for a young player to really take things like that into games.”


(on whether Rodgers-Cromartie willingly approaches veteran players for advice) “I mean, he does sometimes and sometimes he doesn’t. Whenever he’s feeling down or something like that, you know as a cornerback, you just need to let things go to the side and go to the next play.”


(on whether he is starting to feel ‘game week’ now that it is Wednesday) “I was feeling pretty good when we got here Monday. It’s a long week and I think everybody is really excited about this opportunity – we just want to make the best of it.”


(on whether he is getting tired of all the media and attention) “No, because I always try to talk more about my teammates than about myself. For me, if I get this kind of national stage I’m going to try to talk my teammates up and not talk about me.”


(on what poses the most difficult challenge from the Pittsburgh offense) “You know, those guys have been in that offense for such a long time now and a lot of people are talking about the game we played against them a couple years ago. That game is going to have no bearing on what we do come Sunday. It’s going to be a tough challenge for us, you know, they do a lot of things well and it’s going to take our best game to beat them.”


(on reaching past just making it to the Super Bowl and focusing on winning it) “I don’t think anybody in here wants to be second best. Nobody remembers a Super Bowl loser, so obviously we want to make sure that we do the necessary things to prepare and really take advantage of our practices and carry them over into the game. I think that’s the most important thing for us.”