Head Coach Dick Jauron - 8/7

HEAD COACH DICK JAURON
PM Practice – August 7, 2008
Opening statement:
It was a better night tonight than it was Tuesday night, weather-wise. We got lucky that way and we had a pretty good practice.  I think they're excited, they're ready to play against somebody else, and we're looking forward to the game on Saturday in Washington.
On Josh Reed's absence:
Josh has got that low back issue, he got hit there, and we treated it. It was pretty sore, so we left him inside to let him lie down. Bud (Carpenter) feels ok about it, obviously he's not going to do anything this weekend, but he feels ok about it.
On Tim Massaquoi's absence:
I believe his is a groin, and he is doubtful for this week too.
On the quarterback rotation for the Washington game:
We've talked about it some, but you'll see it on Saturday night. It'll be the usual stuff. Trent's going to start the game, and J.P. (Losman) will get in there, and you'll see Gibran (Hamdan) and Matt (Baker). You'll see them all.
On if J.P.'s thumb injury will let him play on Saturday:
Yes, as of now it is, he practiced tonight. He's practiced through the whole thing, just taking some time off.
On if Trent will see 10-20 plays:
Yeah, you could say that.
On the fact that this is Washington's second preseason game:
Well, they're a week ahead of us. It's preseason, we're excited about it, and we're getting ready.
On if James Hardy will play this weekend:
He's going to go. Right now we certainly plan on it.
On who will be playing left tackle:
Langston (Walker) will.
On Brett Favre being traded into the division:
Well, I have a lot of thoughts about Brett, and a lot of great memories about Favre as probably everybody who's ever watched football has. I was fortunate enough to be with the Packers when he first arrived there. That being said, he's obviously a great player, a future Hall-of-Famer, and we have to play him twice a year. We'll get ready and play as hard as we can.
On how much he improves the Jets:
Well, any time you answer a question like that in any direct way, you're talking about other people that were there, and I don't feel any need to do that. He's a tremendous player, a tremendous football player, and we have a lot of respect for him.
On if he was rooting for Favre to go to Tampa Bay instead of the Jets:
You know, I know Jon (Gruden) pretty well, and reading the little I've read about it, it didn't sound like Jon was aware of them making any move in that direction but any player like that, I suspect you'd rather have him somewhere else than in your division. But on the other hand, it's a great challenge to play against the best. In our division, we certainly have one of the best that's played in the last ten years in (Tom) Brady, and they've got a tremendous record, and now Brett comes in, and you know the Dolphins are going to be better, and we think we're going to be better, so let's go.
On what he'll say to the rookies experiencing they're first NFL game on Saturday:
We talk to them specifically, and just try to get them geared up so that they know regardless of whatever level they played in college, that this is going to be faster, and this is going to be different for them, but they'll be all right. It may take them a snap or two to get a feel for it, but they'll get ready and we warn them that they have to start getting ready for the game. It's going to be too late if they wait until game time and then try to gear themselves up emotionally for it. I also told them that there's not a lot of exhibition games that, at least in my experience as a player, that I don't remember many exhibition games to be perfectly honest with you. But I do remember my first one. I do remember that and I remember one other, and that's about it, of the games I've played. So it'll be a memorable occasion for all of the guys playing they're first one.
On Angelo Crowell sitting out practice because of his knee:
He's not going to play this weekend, no. And Donte (Whitner) won't. They won't even make the trip, they'll stay back and get treatment. I seem to always be nervous about everything. So I worry about it, I worry about everything.
On the team's goals for Saturday's game:
We would like to play hard, we would like to play smart, obviously. It's really early, and you anticipate mistakes, and you hope they don't occur. You never like to see a sloppy football game, but it's the first one and guys will be nervous. So you'd like to play a clean game, clean in terms of the game itself, obviously, but in terms of penalties. We'd like to execute well, and execute fast.