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Started by saying it was a tough football game to swallow for sure but there was some positives. Sustained drives, run defense, run offense, and red zone defense. There are things to work on obviously and we're pretty close to getting them worked out. They aren't the only team that's been in this situation and turned things around and had a successful season. You find out who loves to play the game and who's willing to step up, he think he has those kind of guys and they will get better. Asked about lack of turnovers/big plays on defense
We're close to some of those, we have to narrow that gap. Same with the red zone offense. We're close on that. Turnovers are important and you need to put guys in a position to make them.
Reggie Brown said after the game that something drastic needed to happen. What do you think he was referring to and what needs to happen?
You need to get yourself right for Minnesota. Every does a better job, that includes coaches and players.
You have one pass play over 26 yards the past 3 games, what's happening? Why not get the ball down the field?
Teams have been obviously playing a lot of soft cover to that makes it a little harder to get the ball down the field. You have to work on those things and you can formation some people into positions where you can do some things.
Would you like McNabb to get rid of the ball quicker and not take a sack?
He sees things out there that could either open up for him or he could take off and go with it. We don't want him to get sacked and he doesn't want to get sacked, but he's made a lot of big plays over the years by holding onto the ball for that extra second and making the play down the field.
Were there plays left on the field because he didn't get rid of the ball quickly?
I don't know that, I'm not going to get into all that.
Offense hasn't been very productive on 3 and 5 or more this season. You've only converted 10 3rd and 5 or longers this season and none from 10 or longer. What's the problem there?
Well we can do a better job there. That's an area we're close on but as coaches we need to do a better job putting guys in the right position and when we put them there they need to make plays.
In terms of urgency can you draw any comparisons between now and the end of the Indy game last year?
No one is feeling good after either game. This team played hard, could have done some things better. Probably the same way it was after the Colts game. It's important to learn from your mistakes that's why the guys are here today.
Were you aware of that QB under center false start rule?
It's been an issue with the competition committee for the past few years so he was familiar with it. It's a tough one to swallow but that's the rule.
Westbrook & McNabb said they aren't sure why the offense is not clicking. How concerned are you about that?
There's always a chance you're trying a little too hard. You have to bank on the way we've done things in the past downs there we've been very good in the red zone. Sometimes these things go in cycles. Things can change around fast.
Why did you bring the guys in today?
I want them to look at the film and evaluate their mistakes and I want them to get it out of their mind fast. It's important we get it changed around quick.
Except for the Lions game, the offense has 3 TDs. How much better can you get?
We can get better everywhere. That's starting with me all the way down. Everybody can step up their game a notch. I'm not picking out the QB, that's not what this is about. We all have a little piece of this pie.
Does he anticipate LJ being healthy at all this year? Is it possible for him to be effective at all?
I think it is. I don't have any proof for ya, but I think he'll come back and finish up strong.
Are the struggles in the red zone more mental than anything at this point?
It's about making plays and having the right plays called. We finished up strong down there with a nice score, you wanna build on that.
Marty's playcalling?
Marty is doing a good job, we're moving the football. We just need to do a better job when we get inside that 20, but we're going to get that straight.
You said you have tough character players that could come back from this. But what happened at the end of the game there, is that something that happens to a tough character team?
That shouldn't happen. We do have better players and coaches than what we showed there. It's not a toughness issue, it's an execution issue.
How much is not having LJ contributing to the red zone problems?
I don't want to take anything away from LJ cause he's done a nice job down there, but that's not necessarily the problem down there.
Schoebel was open in the end zone on another occasion that Donovan overthrew. Why didn't you go back to that more?
That's a play we'd like to have back and completed. That happens and you keep firing down there... we finished up the right way and we'd like to build on that.