Opening Statement Continued: I'm sure that Dr. Warren, who is not going to be able to
see Eli until the morning, is going to give him a full analysis and look at
all the information and see how the elbow is tomorrow before anything further
can be said. Our situation right now is that we're waiting until the complete
examination is concluded and that will have to wait until Dr. Warren is
available to see Eli tomorrow morning.
Question: What about Will Peterson?
Answer: Will Peterson has an MCL sprain and we
don't know the real seriousness of it. I'll know more when I have a chance to
speak with Ronnie Barnes as to how long and so on and so forth; that's what I
mean, I can't tell you.
Q: How did Eli hurt his arm? Was it on that Peppers
play?
A: Yes, it was on the Peppers play.
Q: What's your level of concern about Eli?
A: I'm very concerned. Any time you have a
quarterback who has soreness in an elbow, there is concern there about what is
the injury. It's not like he woke up the next morning and he's out there
throwing or you were getting all kinds of reports that there's nothing to it.
I don't know anything. We're not going to have any information until Dr.
Warren sees him.
Q: Did you talk to him today?
A: I have not talked to Eli. I've talked to Ronnie
Barnes.
Q: Wouldn't it be an indication that he was in fact
able to throw the ball quite a distance, so there must be some good news
coming?
A: Well, I hope so. That's what we're counting on.
I'm hoping and counting on it being some type of a bruise or some kind of a
sprain. To what degree, I don't know, but he did turn around and throw a
touchdown pass right after that. There was concern because of the way he felt
after the game.
Q: Do you wish he had said something a little sooner to
you about how he felt just so you could have been a lot more conscious?
A: Well, I didn't really know anything about it
until halftime. He did think that it felt okay to throw. That's what he
mentioned after the game, but I really didn't have any idea, even that there
was any concern, until halftime.
Q: What's your level of concern with the way he's been
protected so far this preseason. It seems like it was only a matter of time
before he got a hit like that and he was injured.
A: My level of concern is always for the protection
because we're trying to improve our situation over a year ago in terms of
number of sacks and being able to protect the quarterback, particularly under
pressure situations. That's been my concern. This situation right here is
one of those things that you wish would not occur. You try not to allow
anybody near the quarterback during practice because you don't want any
interruption with the arm action, the throwing arm action. This is one of
those things where the ball actually was picked clean off the back of the
throw before, it looked to me before, he started forward. But then he had the
full follow through with the pressure and the weight and there was some
contact there between the arm, Pepper's arm, and Eli's. As I say, it's one of
those things. These are the kind of things that happen along with the fingers
hitting the helmet and all that stuff.
Q: Could you see a scenario where you would have to
give him a week or two off?
A: I'm not going to project anything like that. I
have no idea. I am just hoping for the best and I'm going to wait for the
experts to tell me.
Q: As far as Will Peterson being out. Since you don't
the severity of it, do you think we are talking about days' Weeks?
A: I do not have anything really to say about that
until we see how well he does with his preliminary exercises and
strengthening. As of this afternoon, he is actually on the bike right now as
we speak.
Q: Does this amplify the importance of the backup
quarterback position?
A: It certainly does. This is something that we
never really wanted to discuss. We will see. You continue to want me to
speculate. I'm not speculating about anything. I'm waiting and hoping for the
best. Waiting for what the doctors have to say.
Q: The delay in seeing Dr. Warren, is that due to
scheduling and not a medical reason?
A: No, I don't think Dr. Warren is available.
Q: But Eli did have the MRI today as scheduled?
A: He did have the MRI.
Q: Does this situation put any more pressure on you to
bring in outside help for the backup quarterbacks?
A: I think we've always been in a position where
we're doing the best we can to scour any talent that is available and we
continue to do that. We're looking constantly for upgrades at all positions.
You can't deal with something that is not there. I don't think our position
has ever changed with regards to trying to find the best players.
Q: Would you like to get (Tim) Hasselbeck some snaps
with the first team to see what he can do with them?
A: I was impressed with how he performed last
night. Tim did a good job and that is a plus for us. Getting snaps with the
first team or whatever will have to wait and see on the outcome.
Q: Has Corey Webster or Curtis Deloatch moved into Will
Peterson's spot?
A: I have not made that decision just yet. We just
finished the tape. We just finished talking about the game. We will discuss
that later. At this point in time Curtis has been playing over there on the
right side and he did go in last night.
Q: What is the prevailing feeling after you looked at
the tape? Were you more pleased with the good things or more annoyed with the
bad things?
A: Ha ha, that is a good question. It depends on
whether I want to start out with the good things or start out with the bad
things. There is no question about some of the good things that occurred. I
thought there was some really outstanding special teams play and I told you
that last night. The turnovers were huge in the game. It ends up being one
of those deals where they get a lot of yards but fortunately we were able to
stop some of the drives with very timely turnovers. We were able to big
play. Our offensive team big played some scores. We also had a nice drive
with our second group with Tim Hasselbeck at quarterback. The plusses were
those. The minuses were, from a defensive standpoint, the inability to stop
them and to stop the run. We did defend some of the one on one passes very
well but they were able to move the ball with consistency until we were able
to overcome the drives with the turnovers. I was pleased to be able to kick
field goals with Jay Feely and see how that would go. I was pleased to see
our kickoff coverage team; last night Carolina's average starting point was
the 22 yard line which was outstanding. Our punt coverage was good; we did a
lot of good things that way as well. Our kickoff returns were solid so there
were a lot of good things.
Q: Specifically how did the Torbor/Emmons linebacking
lineup do in your opinion?
A: It is difficult. They made errors just as our
whole defense did. I would like to say that we have a solid basis to work
from there. I think that there are enough things to have to correct today.
There are some good things, certainly some good things, but there are some
overall things that have to be corrected and we will continue to work in that
regard. I think there is no doubt that the limited number of snaps that
Carlos had and the opportunity to play as the will backer; we have to get him
some more time and some more snaps back there. Reggie's position over there,
even though it did not show statistically that the move was responsible for
flat out stopping the run. I still feel like we are in the right direction.
Q: Do you think that William Joseph took a step back
last night or was it just because he was facing a tougher opponent?
A: I don't think he took a step back. I just don't
feel we got a whole lot done up front.
Q: Will he continue to work with the fist team?
A: Yes. There again you are asking me a question
before we have really spoken about personnel. He will continue to work, for
sure.
Q: Is there a strong interest in looking at Tim Couch
and seeing what he can do after coming back from his shoulder surgery?
A: Like I said, we are interested in anyone that we
feel is in a possible position to make us a better team. We continue to have
that philosophy so if that situation presents itself down the road I'm sure
there would be some interest.
Q: What was your reaction to the San Francisco player
that passed away?
A: Well, at first I was shocked, absolutely
shocked. The idea presented by Mike Nolan in terms of the most important
thing right now is not the Xs and Os or even the outcome of the game but the
concern for this young man and his family. It is a tragic, tragic, sad
situation and we just have to extend our thoughts and our prayers to the
family and just realize that this is a sad day.