Transcript of WR Santonio Holmes' news conference following the Jets' Wednesday afternoon practice at the Atlantic Health Training Center:
On if he will play on Sunday…
I still don't know. Still haven't gotten any word from the doctors yet on whether I should be playing or not, so I'm just going to keep playing it by ear.
On if he is encouraged by this week in practice…
Honestly, I feel pretty good about the things I've tried to do thus far.
**
On if he would relish the opportunity to play against Darrelle Revis…**
It's my job, it's what we get paid to do, play football, and the season is around the corner and it would be really good to get out there and help the team compete as much as possible.
On if he has been able to do more in practice…
I'm still limited. What you guys see out there is what I am able to do.
On if he has been able run routes and cut like he is used to…
Not at this point.
On if he needs to be at the level he used to play at to play Sunday…
Like I said before, I have a long career and I don't want to go out there and do anything to jeopardize that up until this point. We have 16 games to play this season and hopefully I can play in all 16, but if not, we'll have to deal with what I can do.
On if the team expects him to play because of carrying a limited number of receivers…
I don't know how to answer that from a coach's perspective. I'm still limited throughout practice and the guys are still taking as many reps as they can throughout practice, so as far as what we have right now, it's what we are looking to go with.
On if he feels the team needs him…
I don't think that's a factor, coming into the game this year. We have guys there that we have chosen to be the top five or six guys on this team for this year and the coaches feel really confident in those guys and I think we are going to use them to the best of their abilities. Hopefully they can produce big yardage and big plays this season for us and continue to play relentless and with an edge because a lot of guys are looking at them because of their résumé, that it doesn't stack up to an All-Pro wide receiver, but you make it in this league by doing the little things the coaches like.
On when they will make a decision on his status for this game …
Sunday, probably Sunday.
On if it could come down to the doctors telling him it is his decision…
We haven't talked about that.
On being lined up against Revis if he plays…
He's been probably as limited as I have throughout practice, so up until this point I haven't heard anything about him as far as him playing. If that's the case it will be a great matchup.
On if the severity of his injury was underestimated…
I think with my injury being a Grade 4 and having to deal with surgery twice, it's a little bit different than a lot of guys that have probably have one surgery or many who didn't even have a surgery. It's learning to accept what your body can and cannot do at this point. And understand what you can't do is the only thing that you can work forward to, is hoping that part gets better.
On if this is his call because he knows his body…
I would like to help the team out as much as possible so if I'm ready to go, or I'm limited to play in this game, I'm going to give a 100 percent effort that I can give in the number of plays that I am allowed to play.
On what he is doing in practice…
What you guys have seen is walkthroughs, so it's not really been practice at all. That's what I've been limited to do, the majority of the walkthrough plays with no contact, no defense out there in front of me, so that's pretty much what I've been able to do right now.
On Geno Smith…
I think the coaches made a pretty good decision to start Geno and that's going to be our guy that we go with for right now. I look forward to seeing him get on the field and really turn this thing around for us and have a breakout season.
On if he has spoken to Mark Sanchez…
To be straightforward, no, I haven't.
On if people underestimate this team…
Right now in the power rankings, we're ranked 32 in the NFL and I think we probably couldn't be happier than being off the radar for everybody. We have a focus on the team and not what anyone else thinks this team should be. We have a focus and a goal in mind to have the best 53 guys on this roster and go on and win with these guys that we have.
On if he thinks Sanchez will start this season…
That's a coach's decision.
On his confidence level with Smith…
It doesn't matter. He's been chosen to be our starting quarterback and I think the coaches fell really confident in going with Geno as our starter right now.
On if he is making enough progress with his injury that it is a question of when he will play, not if…
For the most part, yes.
On if he was a candidate for short-term injured reserve… No, I was not.
