Capers quotes

HEAD COACH DOM CAPERS

(opening statement)

This is a tough business when you are going through what we’re going through. I was proud of the way our team went out there coming off of two extremely difficult loses and fought. They fought their tails off. When it came down to the end, Tennessee made the field goal. We had two opportunities and we missed our two opportunities and that’s what the game came down to.

We felt coming into the game that we were going to have to run the football and I thought we ran the ball well. We knew we were going to have to stop their run game and I thought we did a good job stopping their run game. It was one of those games where it’s back and forth. They made an outstanding play on their punt return but I thought our team battled and fought all day and that’s the way these NFL games come down. As coaches and players we accept the responsibility for where we are. I tell you, I am proud of the way they fought coming off the last two weeks.

(on block and apparent shank punts)

Well I think both balls came off low. I don’t think it was much of a block as it was a low trajectory kick.

(on seeing that happen and how you felt)

Well we have had a number of things happen in the last three weeks. In 20 years, I have never been through three weeks like we have been through here. Again in this business, it always comes down to one, two, three plays. We have been in position to potentially win all three games and we haven’t done it. So that’s the bottom line. You got to find a way to make those plays to win. Anybody that questions how these guys are put together on this team, I think you have seen the last three weeks the way they pick themselves up from disappointment and come back, fought all the way to the end and given themselves a chance to win. That’s what I expect out of them from this point on.

(on the his feeling on the last field goal attempt)

I’ve had a lot of that emotion over the last few weeks. It’s disappointing. It challenges you. It tests you. It reveals what you are all about. I like the make up of these guys on this team. We got a lot of fighters now. They haven’t given in one inch. They got a lot of pride and they go out and play that way. When you put as much in this thing as we do, you put you soul and heart into it and you come up short, it’s always disappointing and it hurts. But what you can’t do is give into the pain and lose it.

(on how hard will it be to bounce back from the loss)

I don’t think it will be any harder than it has been these last three weeks. I think you have seen the way these guys have come back. I have every reason to believe that they will come back and do the exact same thing these next three weeks because of what they are made of.

WR ANDRE JOHNSON

(On the mood of the team after three tough losses)

I don’t know what it is. A lot of people say we’re snakebit, but I don’t believe in that stuff. The only thing I can say is that we’re going out and playing hard. The reason we didn’t come out on top is they made the best of their opportunities more than we did. They took advantage of them, we didn’t and we lost.

(On how they keep competing even at 1-12)

I think that most teams at this point would have thrown in the towel. One thing I like about the guys on this team is no matter what the record is or how things are going, we’re going to go out and keep playing no matter what. Every week, the guys on this team go out and give it their all out on the field.

We know our record, but we don’t let that bother us. We just go out and play because everybody wants to win. The record really doesn’t matter. It’s really all about trying to go out and win these last few games.

QB DAVID CARR

(On the game)

We didn’t think that there were any other ways to lose a game in the end until we lost it with no time on the clock. It is wild some of the things that have happened to us. We haven’t found a way to put teams away and it is the offense’s job to go out and score enough points to in the game.

(On the drive before the half)

The offensive line did a great job right there. They kept guys off of me and I was able to get it off quick. They changed up some stuff after we did that to them. That is what we are capable of. That is why I am so frustrated after games like this. We can do that every time we go out there. If we are all doing our job and we are all on the same page it doesn’t matter what defense we are playing against.

(On the last play)

I wasn’t mad at Kris. It is the situation. Why can’t we find a way to make one more play. That is offense, defense, and special teams, everybody myself included. We all have to find a way to make one more play. Then we wouldn’t be in that situation.

(On enduring through the losing)

It is tough, but we have some good guys that keep us focused and motivated. It is hard to go out there every week when things are happening like this. I think Dom does a good job of keeping an even keel. He doesn’t come in on Monday and scream and yell. He kind of just goes about his business. We should have found a way to win these last three games.

(On people suggesting they would lose on purpose)

It is unbelievable that someone would go out as a professional and even think about something happening like that. We wouldn’t have had the games come down to the last play of the game the last three weeks. Guys have not shut it down. They are out there battling. I am proud of every guy that comes into the huddle with me, because there is no quit in them. That is what I respect about them.

C STEVE MCKINNEY

(On the season)

You just kind of shake your head and ask who did we offend. The football gods must really hate us right now. I don’t know if it is karma or what. We are really trying hard. We are playing hard, practice hard, and doing the right things we are just not getting things done. It is frustrating and we don’t know what else to do. All that we can do is try to play better each week and for the most part it feels like that I what we have done.

(On the end of the game)

I am not surprised. The way things have been going for us that is about what I expected. It was pretty amazing to even have a chance to kick the field goal at the end. The way the season is going it was only fitting that we miss an opportunity. It was par for the course lately. We are playing good just not good enough.

(On Coach Capers)
Eventually it will turn around for us, if not this year then next year. I just feel bad for Coach Capers. I have a lot of respect for him. I think he is a great coach. It is hard for him to see his team 1-12 and we know that we are a better team than that and our record doesn’t reflect that. That is unfortunately for all of us, especially coach. I just think he takes a lot of the blame, which is unfortunate because I think he does a great job.

DE GARY WALKER

(On the play of the defense)

I think defensively we went out and did what we wanted to do. We shut them out for the game.

(On the frustration of losing even with the defense playing well)

We had our bad downs, and they had their bad downs, but for the most part our offense did a good job of moving the ball. Their special teams just made one more play. They made a good run and made a touchdown. It’s just one of those things where you keep your head up and prove to everybody that there ain’t no quit in this team. We’re just going to go to work and get ready for Arizona.

LB ANTWAN PEEK

(On the season)

It is hard to explain. I am so aggravated, so frustrated, so irritated. I am all of the above. I can’t do anything about it but keep playing hard and keep trying to help my team win ball games.

K KRIS BROWN

(On his missed field goal at the end of the game)

I just flat-out missed it. I’ll be the first person to stand up and take responsibility. When you get chances to go ahead and tie the game in the fourth quarter, you’ve got to take advantage of them. I just didn’t get it done today and it’s all on me.

(On the field goal that was blocked)

It was just too low. Both of those kicks are all on me. Those guys all season long have been doing a great job of protection and I just didn’t pull my end of the bargain today.

(On his emotions toward the end of the game)

I was warming up while they were kicking their field goal, thinking that if they make it, we’ve still got Jerome (Mathis) to return the ball thinking that he could spring a big return. So I was ready to go in the game and then I get in there and just didn’t get it done. Like I said, I’ll be the first person to stand up and say that I didn’t pull my weight today. These games come down to a handful of plays, and unfortunately two of the plays that could have made a difference, I was a part of and I just didn’t get it done.

(On if he felt he let the team down)

I take great pride in being able to come through for this team. I don’t know what to tell you guys – I’m not going to make any excuses. I’m going to stand up and tell you that I didn’t pull my weight today. Those two weren’t the only plays that we could have made to win the game – these games come down to more than one play, but those two were very big. We had a chance. We make the last one and go into overtime, you never know what happens.

OWNER BOB MCNAIR

(On the game)

If there were such thing as being fair in life you would say it is time that our guys had a victory. They played so hard and they deserve to win. It just seems like the ball bounces the other way. You just have to keep fighting and not quit. They played hard and I think they deserved to win. I am just sorry they didn’t.

(On the endings the last three weeks)

When you look at the endings of three games like this it is unbelievable. To the credit of our players they play hard. They play hard to the last play, they don’t give up, and they don’t let it get them down. It is very discouraging for them yet they play through it. I am proud of them. We will just keep playing hard and find a way to win.

(On what he would say to someone suggesting that they are trying to lose)

I would say come out on the field and stand up against our players and make that statement. They do that one time and get blown out of the stadium. The guys are playing so hard I would say it is ridiculous for them to suggest that. I wouldn’t suggest that to them. I value my health too much for that.

(On the missed field goal)

Kris has done so many heroic things for us and he is such a great player. I don’t know happened on that, but it was almost like fate had determined that there was no way we were going to win.

(On evaluating changes that need to be made)

I am going through that process. This is very important to our organization. I want to make sure it is very thoughtful and we look at all the information and whatever we do is a wise decision.

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