Highlights of the Jim Zorn show on ESPN 980 from your Tuesday transcriber (couple topics – Jason Campbell’s development, punt returns, what happens next year with Fred Davis and Chris Chooley, which could be tough for Zorn to answer):
On the most important thing that’s helped make them better in the last five weeks: Togetherness. If I think of one word, it’s being together, both staff and players and not worrying about all the speculation, not worrying about the record. We have to live with the record and we discuss it and it’s hard. But staying together and keeping the fight each week. That fight starts on Wednesday and when our players get to that first game-plan meeting. That’s when they have to start. They’re doing a great job that way. Our coaches have not lost faith in what we’re trying to accomplish. It’s just been a struggle because of the record.
On how from the outside looking in, it seems the players who are hungrier seem to be playing better as a unit, maybe having replaced guys who were content: I agree with you. I just don’t see a contentment in the guys that, from the outside, might appear that way. Take Chris Cooley for example. I never saw a contentment in him. He’s one of the key players on our team. I never felt his preparation fell off or his demeanor fell off when he’d get to the game. I look at Albert Haynesworth, when he’s out there motoring. The fight is alive in him. DeAngelo Hall, same deal. And then when the guys have a chance to play, those guys will take every opportunity to play hard as well. I don’t think our team reflects a contentment of laying back and letting someone else do it.
On the key moment in the development of Jason Campbell (the Kansas City game): I’ll start by talking about Chris Horton. Remember when we took Chris off the starting strong safety position and put Reed Doughty back in and then two or three weeks later, how come Horton is back in there? It’s sitting back, watching someone else play his position that gave him a little better… I don’t know if it relaxed him or urged him to do something different, maybe in his preparation. This is a privilege out there; it’s not an entitlement. That helped him. With Jason Campbell, there were things open in that Kansas City game and the way he was playing, he knew when he watched the video. He knew something was not right here. Taking him out and letting Todd play and then watching it on video and discussing it with him made a huge difference in the way he prepared the following week. Some of those circumstances do create a learning opportunity for those guys. It’s happened more than just with those two guys on the team…. They’re better prepared as we’ve gone along here.
On how much better Jason can play: I know he can definitely play better. He’s playing at a high level. As he goes along, it’s just that comfort of the offense and we’ll be able to do more things and take the offense deeper. Maybe they’re the same concepts. We did a couple things special this week with formations and personnel groups in our preparation to create a problem for the defense. We haven’t been able to do that because of guys getting to that comfort level. The more we do that for Jason it may look like he’s more mature and he probably is because he can do more with the concepts that we have. Does he throw the ball well? Yep. Is he starting to become more aggressive? Yep. Is he throwing on rhythm? Yep. All those things are starting to come. It’s just taking it deeper.
On Jason handling pressure better in the pocket: He just knows. Those are the things we’re preaching. You will get hit, don’t be surprised or shocked at it. The thing I stress to him is don’t try to avoid the inevitable. That’s one of the things he’ll do in the Kansas City game that was so uncharacteristic of the player he is. I see him as a tough player, but he’s trying to avoid all hits at all costs before they develop. You will be hit. You will be knocked down. So enjoy the physical part of the game. For a quarterback it’s an oxymoron, enjoy the punishment.
On if Fred Davis can become an elite tight end: I think athletically he has that talent. He’s really special. If you remember when he was drafted, ‘What, we’re picking a tight end?’ But really the speed and his production was going to be there because of his physical talent. When he came in it was hard to get him up to speed. He was frustrated because he wasn’t playing. He had Chris Cooley in front of him so he had to wait his turn. His effort in preparation was lax in my mind. Now he’s coming on and with Chris out of the way it’s allowed him to flourish and get all the responsibility and be the focal point of our tight ends coach. That’s what he’s concentrating on. That has dramatically helped him. What he’s done this season so far has really pushed his level of play up because of the reps he’s getting. Whether he’ll be a Tony Gonzalez… I guess it’s discussion fodder but he’s not there yet as far as his maturity in the league. He hasn’t done much yet, but he’s showing sparks of real talent.
On what happens when Cooley comes back next year: That’s what we’ve been trying to do from the start. Fred needs those reps. That’s what we’ve seen. He needs those reps to get better. Now that he has that experience, he’ll only get better next year because he’s tasted it. He’ll only get better because he has some inspiration to not allow this thing to ebb back down. We’ve been trying to get that all along, get both those guys involved in the game plan.
On if Ganther is a 16-game starter: I view him as a guy who comes in to help us out. I love his toughness. He made some huge plays for us because he broke tackles. That’s the sign of a solid running back. I’d love to see the explosive breakaway speed. When he got to the open, he got run down. Not that we’re concerned about that. To be an elite runner in this league that’s a different battle. I don’t think he is that. But man I’m excited that he has the value to us and this league. He’ll get better as he gets more involved in our protections.
On playing the role of spoiler: I’m not concentrating on that. I think the media will play that up but that’s the negative approach. Hey, let’s be a spoiler; we can’t be an effective team so let’s mess someone else up. I want our team to continue to improve. I want our team to be thought of as a good team, not just a team that’s playing well. ‘Aren’t we just really digging down. We have so much heart.’ Our team wants to be different than that. Who wants to be the spoiler? That doesn’t sound like an NFL approach to me.
On why Antwaan Randle El is still returning punts: I put him in on that last one. I told Danny Smith I want Antwaan in there because of the sure catch. There was no argument. The decision obviously failed at that point. We’re going to make some adjustments. That doesn’t mean Antwaan will be totally sitting on the bench the whole time. Devin will be more involved. Santana will be more involved. We’ll see what happens with DeAngelo and try to get him back there as well.
On if Justin Tryon would go back there: He hasn’t shown yet that I would trust him. He hasn’t worked at it from that standpoint of decision-making and sure-catching. As a coach you have to have a comfort level. That’s why I had Antwaan there. I had a comfort level and it proved to be a little backfire. But that doesn’t mean he won’t catch the next 10 in a row. It just means at that moment it was a bad idea.
