Transcripts of Brandon Marshall's and Todd Bowles' conference calls with Jets reporters on Wednesday afternoon:
DOLPHINS WR BRANDON MARSHALL
On playing the spoiler role against the Jets this weekend...
We started off the season 0-7. The chances of us making the playoffs after that was very slim. So this second half of the season has been a new season for us, so spoiler is not in our vocabulary. We just play ball. We're approaching this game as it's the next game and that's it.
On if there is a part of him that wouldn't mind knocking the Jets out of the playoffs...
You know what? It's football. I can't say it's not personal. It's definitely a rivalry. There's a lot of tension in between the lines. Like I said, we are just approaching it like it's the next one. It's our last one and we want to go into the offseason with a little momentum. We want to continue to play hard like we have this second half of the season.
On if teams have been throwing at Darrelle Revis more this season...
I have noticed that, I have noticed that teams are throwing his way a little more. Darrelle is one of the best corners in the league right now, but he is still human. I look at my matchup with Darrelle and it reminds me of a boxing match. It's 12 rounds, it's a fight. We're both physical players, we're both tough, smart players, and its fun. I love competing versus the best and look forward to the challenge again this week.
On if Revis got away with a pushoff before his 100-yard interception during the last meeting...
You know what? My technique could have been better, but at the same time I think they gave him the "Jordan Rule." Michael Jordan, you get a little close to Michael Jordan, they are going to call a foul. It works that way in football. Some guys you know they are scared to throw the flag on and he may be getting that rule.
On if a flag would have been thrown on that play against a "no-name" cornerback...
Yup, nine times out of 10 you will. I have a little following behind me, I am one of the faces of football, but it's not as big as Darrelle's, so when they have to pick, they pick Darrelle.
On his relationship with Revis...
We're cool, we're cool off the field. We're both from Pittsburgh and so there's a connection there. But on the field, we keep it clean but we go at each other, we compete. We don't cheap-shot, there are no cheap shots, there's no real trash talking, but we go at each other and there's no backing down. If he gets the chance to clean me he will, and I will do the same.
On what he has seen from the Jets defense since Jim Leonhard was injured...
Yeah, Jim, he is like a quarterback on the defense, so whenever you lose a guy like that, the communication may be affected. There may be some plays that are left out there. His range was amazing and more so his ability to communicate and get guys lined up, so I definitely think his presence is missed. But at the same time, it's the National Football League and you got guys like [Brodney] Pool and [Eric Smith] back there doing a good job of making plays and trying to fill in.
On safety Eric Smith...
He's got to get [Victor] Cruz on that play, man. He's got to make that play.
On when he watches that play, if he is hoping for something like that this weekend...
You know what? That would be nice, but my game isn't speed so I am not going to compare my speed to Cruz. So he would probably catch me in that same situation, I would probably have to stop or stiff-arm him or something.
On if he has to approach or attack Revis differently...
Being honest, there some guys you have to put in a couple of hours to prepare for and there are some guys like Darrelle where you have to put in a lot of time, a lot of overtime. It's to the point now where I still have my old notes on him so it makes it easier, but what I try to do throughout the season is watch a little bit of those guys, the Champ Baileys, the Darrelle Revises, the [Antonio] Cromarties, on a weekly basis so my time throughout the week isn't taken up by just studying those guys.
On what Jason Taylor means to him and how much he would like to send him into retirement on a winning note...
You know what? We would love for him to go out with a win, and I think his presence will be missed, not only in our locker room but in this organization. Those guys are once-in-a-lifetime guys. The character that he brings to this team, the leadership, I don't think it can be matched. You need guys like that. We're a young team and I am sad to see him go. I wish he could stick around until we pass it on to another guy that can fill that role, but he had a great career, a great career.
On if he has anything special this week similar to the first Jets-Dolphins game before which he said he would get kicked out of the game...
Yeah, I was thinking about getting kicked out again, but I am looking forward to next season and I don't want to start the home opener, at home suspended, so I am going to play clean this week and try to be ready for next year.
On how close he came to becoming a member of the Jets a few years ago...
There was some talk, and New York was a place that excited me. I think they made the best decision for their organization and I did what was best for me and it worked out the best. I'm happy with my role here with the Dolphins. I would love to have more wins, but it's a process that I'm embracing and hopefully the talent and the character that we are building here will turn into some wins and I'll have a prosperous career here.
DOLPHINS HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES
On what he has seen in Mark Sanchez and what he is hoping to exploit...
I don't think they're struggling. I just think they had an off game just like everyone else does in the league. They've got a big powerful line; they've got athletic receivers, a good running back. Sanchez, believe it or not, we think he's a very good quarterback. But just like our guy or anybody else, everybody has off days. I don't think you can call it struggling because every week is different.
On the turnaround in the second half of the season and why the team has played so much better...
It's been a turnaround because I think we won. I think we've always been playing hard. We should be winning some more but we lost some close games at the end and we blew a 17-point lead last week. There's some breaks in the game. You can't pinpoint it on one thing. We've got a good group of guys who are resilient and play hard and that's what we try to do. But we've got to win.
On if Reggie Bush has shown this year that he's an every-down back...
Yeah, Reggie's a competitor and if you've been around the guy long enough you know he comes out to play every week whether he carries the ball or catches the ball or tries to block. That's what Reggie seems to be. I think he's finally healthy and I attribute it to his good year.
On differences he noticed on tape of the Jets receivers this year compared to previous years...
Really, not much. They are just as talented as they were, with Plaxico [Burress] probably even more. [Jeremy Kerley] in the slot has been a good receiver also. They just haven't caught the breaks and we haven't caught them, either. I mean, they are very capable of making big plays and they have made them. You go back earlier in the year and you see these guys catch tons of balls. But we're just trying to focus on us and trying not to give up any.
On if he has any thoughts on Darrelle Revis' 100 yard touchdown vs. Brandon Marshall in the teams' first meeting...
I didn't see the whole play but the man picks off the ball and runs 100 yards. That's all that needs to be said [laughing].
On if he thinks Marshall has really embraced the role as a voice in the locker room...
It's not just Brandon. We have several guys that can do that. We have a bunch of leaders on this team. Brandon's voice is just one of many so we're really lucky that way.
On this reportedly being Jason Taylor's last game before retirement...
His career speaks for itself. He's a standup guy and he had a great career. Whether Jason decides to hang them up or not, I think he deserves to make that decision on his own. But his career, I mean, he sacks, he plays, he helps the younger guys. He's a great teammate; he's a great person. If that's the case, he'll be missed by all of us.
On if Taylor will "leave it all out there" especially against the Jets...
Jason leaves it all out there every week anyway, so it doesn't matter whether it's his last game or the Jets. That's how he plays his whole career and that's how he shows up to practice every day. You can't help but commend that.
