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Transcripts

Quotes (9/12): Coughlin, Amukamara, Weatherford

11 photos from Friday's practice

Coach Tom Coughlin

Q: How did Steve Weatherford look to you?
A: He seemed to do okay.

Q: Do you expect to have him there?
A: Expect to have him. He's got overnight, we'll see how that goes, but we expect to have him.

Q: What about Jon Beason?
A: He seemed to move around pretty well. We really…

**

Q: Did the soreness subside? **
A: Yes. He's not as sore today. Hopefully another day will be good.

Q: What is the number one thing that you're looking for in terms of improvement with the offensive line? Is it continuity and gelling or is it playing more physical?
A: Play better. Overall improvement, whether it be run, pass, whatever. Just play with more continuity, together. Hopefully the young guy's got a game under his belt, he'll play better. The whole team has to play more physical against a very good, physical team. Those would be my thoughts.

Q: Carson Palmer has been limited the past couple of days with a shoulder. When you hear that, I know you expect him to play, but do you also have to start preparing for the other guy, too?
A: Well, you're certainly aware of the other guy, but I fully expect for Carson to play.

Q: When you see a guy like Larry Donnell make a lot of progress in the opener, are you looking for him to then take another big step forward?
A: Yep, sure. Keep getting better, keep getting better.

Q: In terms of the offense, in general, is it a question of confidence, do you think? Getting off early maybe might help?
A: Well, it certainly would help to have some success. Let's face it, where does it come from? Confidence comes from working hard, preparing hard, having good work on the practice field connecting over to the game field, having success on the game field. It certainly would help.

Q: That transition is probably the hardest part right now?
A: We need to have some success, yeah.

Q: How does Larry Fitzgerald compare as a matchup compared to Calvin Johnson. Are they sort of similar in that regard?
A: They're both outstanding players. Both have been very successful in their years in the league, both are forces. Each has his individual talent and skill set and it's rare.

Q: Does the fact they're different builds, different kinds of skill sets, does that factor into how you decided to have one guy shadow him or not or is it…?
A: All of the above, all of the above. You have to make a lot of decisions with regard to something like that, not the least of which is the surrounding cast.

Q: With your receivers, did you think that there was enough separation that they were open and there were plays out there to be made?
A: Where are we? Are back to the last game again?

Q: I'm about to get to this game. Or do you need it to improve this week in terms of the separation?
A: Well, we've got to improve, yeah. We've got to improve… against outstanding coverage people. Yeah, absolutely.

CB Prince Amukamara

Q: How does Michael Floyd change dealing with them? Having him on the roster.
A: So you can't just put a hat or put a safety over, you have to play both guys modest and that is why every team in this league, you need at least two great corners. Each team has two great wide receivers and you can't just be strong on one side, you have to be strong on both sides.

**

Q: Do you expect Larry Fitzgerald's role to kind of expand? It didn't look like they were getting the ball to him that much. **
A: You can say the same thing about us. It didn't look like we got Victor Cruz the ball a couple of times. I guess it is just what the defense is doing to that receiver. They threw the ball to him a couple of times. It is just other guys were just open. We always expect the best player to always be the target.

Q: As a secondary unit, what did you guys take from the first game that you can improve on and have to improve on for week two?
A: Any time you give a receiver over 100 yards in the first quarter, or the first half, it is definitely a punch in the face. We definitely want to rise to the challenge this week. We learned from it and we didn't shy away from the film. It's hard to look at but we definitely looked at it and learned from it.

Q: What did you learn from it?
A: Not taking anything away from the line, they made a lot of plays, but a couple plays I felt like we kind of hurt ourselves, "shot ourselves in the foot," but we just have to be smarter.

Q: Coach Fewell was saying part of it was missed assignments, part of it was maybe you guys trying to do a little too much in the first game. Do you agree with that?
A: Yeah, I definitely saw it on film. Guys not saying in their gaps, because either the other guy wasn't coming down fast enough or the other guy hasn't been making that play. When all that happens, guys are just playing everywhere so guys just have to be disciplined and do your job.

Q: Tackling, do you guys have to tackle better?
A: I don't know if I heard there was a lot of missed tackles. I am unsure, but I know the first week there is always a lot of that going on, a lot of missed tackles. That can always be better.

P Steve Weatherford

Re: Friday's practice
A: I kicked 25 balls today, so that is a good barometer for where [my ankle] is. Especially considering it was three and a half days ago.

Q: If you look at the tape of the hit you sustained, you would think you would not be able to play this soon?
A: Yeah, I have the same attitude you do. I was very fortunate that it wasn't worse. It wasn't great, but I don't know if it was our incredible training staff or the work I put in this offseason up until the injury, if that helped. I feel very fortunate to get a chance to play and help my team this weekend.

Q: Is there going to be any limitations?
A: No, I do not think so. The only thing I think I might have trouble with is and I am not counting on this happening, but chasing somebody down. That may be an issue, but our coverage has been spectacular this year. Coach [Tom] Quinn has put a lot of time and effort into getting some synergy on the punt team and getting everybody on the same page. They have done a great job up to this point.

**

Q: Does whatever you did today become your litmus test for the game or will you get up tomorrow morning and see how it feels? **
A: I think so. I feel that I punted well enough to punt Sunday. I felt consistent. I felt stable. I felt strong. We are going to see how it feels tomorrow because you never know, knock on wood, you might wake up and [my ankle] could be swollen. I don't see that happening because it has been 90 minutes since I've kicked and I don't have any swelling. You would expect that some of that to come on now. I feel great.

Q: As long as you feel like this, you are ready to go?
A: Oh yes. Absolutely. We have 48 hours until kickoff and if we keep coming in the right direction, I could play. If I had to, I could play tomorrow. We have got two days, so that is good.

Q: Is Josh [Brown] very thankful that you are healthy?
A: I do not think Josh would be doing the punting anyways. I think [the team] has taken the precautionary step if I am not able to go and get another guy in here. I do not think that will be the case.

Q: Staying in the game Monday night was kind of getting a badge of courage…?
A: You look at it, and I do agree with you, but at the same time, I wasn't really trying to get a badge of courage. I knew me, at whatever percentage I was at, was going to be better than Josh Brown, who essentially has never have done it. I was just trying to go out there and give them the best I had at that point because I knew it was going to be better than what anybody else could give them.

Q: Do you look back on it…
A: Do I feel tough for doing it? Absolutely. It didn't feel good, man.

Q: If it were anybody else on this team, any other position, it would have been go to the locker room and ice down…
A: We do not have that option and that's why I think it is important to take care of your body and it is important to have a specialist who does take care of his body and is durable and who is accountable because stuff like this happens. I have never been hurt in my life, knock on wood, I played four sports in high school, two in college… I played safety for two years and this is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I am going to be playing five days later, so I consider myself incredibly blessed. I take good care of my body, but sometimes, it just doesn't matter. There is no backup for me and that is why there is some concern going into this game because God forbid something like that happens again and I don't know if the rest of those tendons are going to be able to hold up. We don't foresee that happening. We fixed the problem as far as protection is concerned and we are looking forward to going out there and getting a win.

Q: How will you reinforce [your ankle]? Are you wearing a sleeve?
A: At night I am wearing a recovery sleeve to aid in the recovery and inflammation. Right now when I go out there, I am taping it up because I do have some tendons that are completely torn so there is some concern there as far as stability. The tape job went great day and Ronnie Barnes and Byron Hansen in the training room in three and a half days worked a miracle.

Q: Did you change your technique at all?
A: No, I felt like I could accelerate through the ball. I am not going to win a 40-yard dash race right now, but I feel good.

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