Opening statement…

Vernon Gholston did not practice.  He tweaked a hamstring on Monday.  I know it was a walk-thru deal.  He did not practice.  Limited (were) Shaun Ellis with a knee, Brad Smith (quad), Damien Woody (low-back) (and) Wallace Wright (knee).  Guys that were full (were) Lito Sheppard with a quad, Donald Strickland, ankle. All those guys we used to have on there are no longer anywhere to be found, so that was good.  He (Vernon Gholston) tweaked it on Monday, but apparently it’s doing worse than I thought it would, so we’ll see if he can play or not, later as the week goes on.

This week we’re playing against a team that I know the head coach very well.  Jack Del Rio and myself were together in Baltimore for a lot of years.  I really respect Jack.  We’re very similar.  I think our teams are similar.  Both teams like to run the football.  Both teams are physical football teams.  Both teams are 4-4.  That’s obvious (laughter).  Jack and I are similar.  We believe the same way.  Jack was a great player and he’s good-looking.  Apparently, maybe we’re not that similar (laughter).  Anyway, he’s a heck of a guy, just a real passionate coach.  I know he’s going to have his team ready to go.  He knows (what he’s coming into).  This is going to be a fistfight.  He knows it and I know it, so it’s going to be fun.  It’s going to be physical.  I like the way he coaches football.  I admire the way he played football.  Again, we’re good buddies, but we’re going to try to kill each other.  That’s just the way it goes.

On if Lito Sheppard is closer to playing…

Yeah, I think so.  He wasn’t held out of anything.  He was a full participant today.

On if he will think of starting Sheppard this Sunday…

Well, yes.  If he’s ready to go, then obviously we brought him in here to (start), but we’ll see.  I’m not willing to name him a starter right now.  I want to make sure everything is fine, but he was practicing fully.

On achieving the team’s goals…

I think everything’s out there.  All our goals are out there that we want to accomplish.  Not too many goals, but it’s all attainable.  We’ve just got to play.  We’ve got to win, obviously this week.  I’ve talked about the schedule going forward.  It’s not an easy schedule starting with Jacksonville.  All these teams are pretty much in the playoff hunt.  We’re going to have to do a great job in preparation and play our game.  I think if we do that, we’ll be just fine.

On Mark Sanchez’s performance in the last two games…

(When) we win the turnover battle, we’ve won.  I think that’s going to be critical again.  After the five-interception game (versus Buffalo), he’s been outstanding.  Hopefully that was just a little bump in the road and we’re able to move on from it.  He’s doing a great job.  He realizes you’ve got to take care of the football in this league.  That old term ‘managing the game,’ obviously he’s done a super job of that the last couple of weeks and really almost the whole season.  With the exception of New Orleans and Buffalo, I thought he’s done an outstanding job that way.  I’m excited about him.  Today he’s out there and he’s one of the only guys without any sleeves on.  He realizes this is his weather.  It’s not that Southern Cal stuff.  This has got to be his kind of weather.  I want to make note to Jacksonville that it’s awful cold here (laughter).  Just make sure they’re all bundled up, ready to go.  Bring a couple of extra layers with them (smiling).

On Sanchez’s ability to adjust and absorb information…

He’s able to do that.  It’s something that you really don’t know.  He never experienced a whole lot of adversity at Southern Cal, obviously.  Maybe he lost one game when he was starting quarterback.  It’s not surprising because of the kind of makeup he has.  He’s a confident guy and he can’t wait to get back out there.  If something happens, he can’t wait to get back out there.  He thinks himself, his teammates, that he can get it done.  Like I had to tell him, ‘you don’t have to score every time you have the football.’  We’ve got to understand that.  You have the defensive side of the ball, as well, but he has that kind of confidence where he wants to get out there.

On if Sanchez still wanted to get back out there during the Buffalo game…

Oh, yes.  No question.  You know what?  He could have thrown five more picks and still had that same kind of mentality.  Let’s hope that doesn’t happen, but he believes in himself.  I know he believes in his teammates.  That’s a big part of playing the position.

On if Sanchez will be able to avoid the rookie wall…

We’ll see, but I think there is something to that.  It can’t be him.  He’s playing a position where that can’t happen, and he knows it, the responsibility he has.  He’s done everything right, well, with the exception of the hot dog (laughter).  He’s done almost everything right.

On how the players responded to the time off…

So far, so good.  We’ll be judged on how we play on Sunday.  Trust me, I know that we’ll be judged on if this was a good move or not based on the results Sunday, but rightfully so.  I’m confident that our guys are going to come out firing.  We’re going to be that old popping out of our skin.  I believe it.  It’s going to be a huge test for us, but I think our guys will be up to it.

On Sanchez not wearing sleeves today…

I definitely noticed it.  I had to put a different (layer of clothing) on.  I know we’re not the Titans, but I had to find something (laughter).  I’m not as tough as he is, but he is old.  He looks older to me today.  That’s what I noticed.

On it being Sanchez’s birthday…

See, I’m on top of it.  I can tell these things.  I’m special that way (laughter).

But, no, what is he, 23, 24? Don’t we wish we can all go back to being 23?  Golly, he’s a young dude.  What were we thinking about drafting him that high (laughter)?  No, it’s funny.  He’s got such a huge responsibility, you forget that this guy is 23 years old.  It’s pretty amazing.

On if this game is like a playoff game…

I think it has to be because you’re battling with this team.  Whoever wins it obviously has a leg up on that team.  If you end up tied, then it’s going to go to the head-to-head, how you do against a team.  There’s no getting around this.  You might as well admit it, that it is that kind of game.  We need to make sure that we come out on the winning side.  Our fans have got to be there for us, because that is our advantage.  Jacksonville is traveling to our place.  The weather will be in our favor a little bit because we’ll be used to it, where really they won’t be.  Our fans have got to be back (to) really helping us because this is a tough stretch and we’re going to need to get this victory.  I’m calling on the fans like I do.  I know our team will be ready.  It’s going to be a physical challenge.  You (have) an outstanding back in Maurice Jones-Drew.  We’re going to be ready.  He’s going to know, ‘Hey, look, we’re gunning for you, kid.’ There’s no question about it.  He knows we are.  It’s going to be a huge challenge from their end and from our end.

On Maurice Jones-Drew…

He’s tough.  He’s just a tough, competitive, and I say bowling ball.  He’ll probably call me something else.  Believe me, that’s a compliment.  He keeps those feet going.  He’s short.  He’s not small.  That’s a big man, a big, powerful man.  He’s low to the ground (and) has great balance.  When you think he’s down, he’s still up.  We’ve got to make sure we get him on the ground.  We’ve got to have more than one guy on him.  The other thing I like about him is he’s such a competitive guy.  He’s a competitive blocker.  We all saw that hit he put on Shawne Merriman.  That’s an old rule that we talk about, Jack and I would always talk about the fullback avoid, tailback cut.  Somebody told Shawne that, but guess what? The fullback fake cut hits you in the face.  That’s his game.  He’s a tough little dude.  He’s a short guy.  He’s going to get everything we got, so we’ll see.

On what the team needs to improve on…

I just think we have to be consistent and we have to finish.  If you really want to look at it, defense lost a game, special teams lost a game, offense lost a game.  I’m not saying that I’m not giving the opponent credit, because the opponent surely gets credit, they beat us.  I don’t mean that in a disrespectful way, even though I’m sure it will be quoted that way (laughter).

It’s hard enough to win in this league facing an opponent.  Let’s not give them something that we can get better and fix.  I think if we take those proper steps, get better on both sides of the ball and on special teams.  It’s not a huge step, it’s just be consistent.  (Take a) little step each week and improve in all those areas. I think we’re going to be right there in the end.

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