Transcripts of conference calls by Buffalo head coach Chan Gailey and defensive end Mario Williams with Jets reporters Wednesday afternoon...
BILLS HEAD COACH CHAN GAILEY
On how much he feels the defense has improved with the moves made in the offseason...
Well, I know we're improved. It's hard for me to put a percentage on it, but anytime you upgrade your personnel like I believe we have, then you feel like you should be better. Now, time will tell where we really are.
On how he feels preseason and training camp went...
It went OK. You never get everything accomplished you want to get accomplished. That's just the nature of a coach. You're always wanting to accomplish more, but I think we're close. We're not there yet, but we're close.
On his reaction to the attention the Jets' "secret" Wildcat has received and how it affects his team's preparation this week...
You have to pay attention to it. You know they've got it. They've got a good weapon in [Tim] Tebow, so you have to expect it, you have to work on it. You're guessing what they're going to do a little bit, but you have to spend time on it. I'm just glad we have the extra day or two to get ready for it. In a regular week it would've been very tough, but in a regular week you would've seen some things that they had so you'd know more what to work on as well.
On how much he has picked the brains of QB coach David Lee and WR Brad Smith...
We haven't talked to Brad as much as we have David about it. I think David and Tony [Sparano] worked together at Miami so I think he has a fairly good idea of what Tony wants to do, likes to do and believes in. There'll be some new wrinkles as well, so you're trying to cover all your bases. But you're trying to make sure you've got your base concepts down defensively because you're going to see something you haven't' seen.
On players commenting that the Wildcat is limited in plays and if he is confident they can handle what the Jets throw at the team on Sunday...
I think that we'll be sound. I don't know that, until you see something a couple of times. They may get a few yards but hopefully once you see it a few times your players will adjust and react accordingly. When you don't know what you're going to see, it creates a little bit of a problem, it does.
On how he thinks Tebow fits into the role that they have...
You don't know exactly what his role is going to be. He's certainly a very good athlete and has been very productive as a quarterback, so I think that really he can do a lot of things for you as football player. He's proven to be a great winner and leader so I think he gives them a lot of options. I don't know if they'll limit him or create a big package for him. We don't know which way it's going to go right now.
On Brad Smith's health...
Getting better. He's going to go on the practice field today and hopefully he'll be ready to do a little more tomorrow, a little bit more Friday. And hopefully we'll get him for Sunday.
On how QB Ryan Fitzpatrick looked in the preseason...
Progressively better. He got belter every time he went out on the field. I was encouraged about where he is and what his thought processes are. We were working on a lot of different things in the preseason so he got a chance to expand himself a little bit this preseason. We did a few different things, so it was good for him to be exposed to that. We may or may not use it during the season but we got him exposed to a lot of different things. I think he's going to have a good year.
On how Jets QB Mark Sanchez looked in preseason compared to his past play...
It's hard for me to evaluate that because I don't know in this offense exactly what they're asking him to do. Obviously he's running the ball and doing the play-action passes. He's done some really good things as I've seen him do in the past. But until you see him in this offense a few times, it's hard to really make an evaluation of that. It looks like he's done some good things so far.
On if it's odd he doesn't know what to expect from a starting QB in Sanchez...
I know what he's done in the past. I guess it's a better term, I don't know what this offense is going to be like exactly. We've seen some things in preseason but we all save things for the regular season, everybody does. So what it's going to look like actually after two or three weeks. it's more the offense than it is I should say him. I think I know what he will do and how he will play. He's played well against us in times past.
On what has stood out about DE Mario Williams that didn't know before...
His work ethic. He's got a great work ethic. When a guy like that comes to your team and shows that kind of work ethic, it's a boost for your whole team.
On if he thinks the defensive line can be among the NFL's best...
It could. But you've got to go prove it. You can't talk about it. It's not what you have on paper. It's how you play on Sundays. We could be there, yes. But you've got to go do it. You can't just talk about it and you can't just have name people. They've got to go get the job done.
BILLS DE MARIO WILLIAMS
On how he feels going into his first game as a Bill and if he feels he needs to justify his contract...
No, I do not care about that. I'm not worried about warranting something like that. I just want to go out and get back to where I need to be to help the team.
On if he is eager to play against the Jets' offensive line...
My thing is that I am really more excited about just getting back out there on the field. With everything that has happened with my situation, I just want to get back out there and play ball. That's what I'm looking forward to doing no matter who it is against. You should be chomping the bit against whoever you are facing.
On if he anticipates lining up more on the right or left side of the ball of his line...
It's something that we're going to decide as the week goes on. It'll be more of a gametime decision. I'm not going to sit here and say what we're going to do. Like I said, it will be a gametime decision.
On what he's seen out of Jets QB Mark Sanchez in the preseason...
Obviously, they've had some ups and downs, but from what I understand as far as the offense goes they are trying to put people in positions to make plays. But he has definitely been a vocal leader and he's trying to get the team in the right direction. Anytime you have a competitor you just have to be careful because at any given moment he can come out and play lights out. He can come out, be that guy that leads them to a touchdown and lead them down the field. You just have to go out there and be on top of your game to try to contain him.
On how much uncertainty the Jets' Wildcat presents the Bills...
It's tough because we really have not seen it up to this point with the preseason. Being that you're facing them the first game, you kind of do not know what to expect. They could do anything so it's one of those things that you have to just get your feet wet in the first area and multiple areas. Then you come out and try to adjust to it, see what's going on, what they're trying to do to attack you.
On what he is expecting from the Wildcat...
Anything. Like I said, anything. It's one of those things that in the preseason they're not going to show you everything. You don't know what to expect. They haven't played a real game with [Tim] Tebow and Sanchez in there yet. Until those bullets are fired, you don't know what to expect except you're probably going to get it. We have ideas but you don't know what to expect because you haven't seen it yet.
On if the Bills are devoting practice time to get ready for the Wildcat...
We're getting ready for everything. Like I said, we know we're going to see it. You cannot really overemphasize something because you could be overemphasizing the wrong thing. I'm sure they're going to have some tricks up their sleeve as far as changing this up, coming out like this or that. You just have to touch base on certain things you feel like they might do and then run with that. You cannot overemphasize something that you haven't seen them do officially on a Sunday night.
On if WR Brad Smith is an advantage in helping the Bills prepare for the Wildcat...
It's huge because he can run the ball and he can throw the ball. He can be put in at receiver, put him at tight end and put him at X. Put him at wherever. With all that being said, he definitely adds a dimension to our scheme and our thought process. Him being there, playing there before, it kind of helps us in preparation for that.
On if the Bills will be able to track QB Tim Tebow down if he is looking to throw...
That's the plan. We won't be on the field if we didn't.
On if he is rusty at all after not having played since being injured last October...
No, I just need to get after it. Get off the ball, get after it and make things happen.
On the perception around the league about the acquisition of Tebow...
From what I understand from watching ESPN and everything else, he's going to be a short-yardage guy, a red-zone guy, and mix it up, try to make mismatches as far as going against the defense, getting him on the edge and so forth. I'm also pretty sure they're going to let him throw the ball a little bit.
On if the Bills are ready to be a contender in the AFC East...
We have to go out, prepare and be on our Ps and Qs. I think the big thing for us is taking care of ourselves, not hurting ourselves. I think in the past the things that have given us the most trouble is miscommunication, just not executing our plan and being in a bad position from doing that. The big thing for us is to go out and take care of business. We definitely have a chance of doing what we need to do to get where ourselves and the city want to be.
On the philosophy for the Bills defensive line in attacking the quarterback...
We are trying to rush four straight and get it done. The biggest thing is we have some pretty good guys over here on this side of the ball that can get after the quarterback. We just want to go out and put pressure with four. That's the goal. I think that's what anybody's goal is, actually. If you can put pressure with four, you have a lot better chance at winning games.
