Bill Sheridan, 10.08.09

Q. Is losing Michael Boley disheartening?

A. It’s part of the business. If you are around it long enough, you know it is just part of it. It just happens. It is unfortunate. We were excited about him and he was playing well. But Chase (Blackburn) or Gerris (Wilkinson) will go in there and do a great job.

Q. Bryan Kehl had been playing so well on special teams, would he have been a factor?

A. Sure, absolutely. He just had the surgery. One thing that we do have is good depth at the linebacker position. Like I said, Chase or Gerris or Jonathan Goff, those guys are all capable replacements for any of the three linebacker positions.

Q. How concerned are you about the Raiders speed?

A. Very concerned. They have it all over the place. They have excellent skill and they try to use it and get down the field throwing the ball. Their running backs have excellent speed too. Anytime they break the line of scrimmage they have the chance to go the distance. They have great team speed. From my understanding they have excellent speed on defense as well. That is kind of how they put their team together.

Q. Another reason you would probably like to have Boley?

A. Yeah, absolutely. That is why we pursued him in free agency because he is an athletic guy who can really run.

Q. It seems like there is a chain reaction that could occur with Boley regarding the sub-packages?

A. Yes. We have used Michael Johnson in the past as a will, dime kind of reserve person who will be ready to do that. We have some of our defensive back guys back. Dockery is back and Aaron Rouse is ready to play.

Q. So Rouse could see more time on the field?

A. Yes, he could get on the field in some sub-packages.

Q. Are you concerned about a defensive letdown against a team that is offensively challenged?

A. Honestly, no. Our guys aren’t like that. You see enough plays where they can be very explosive. Our guys take a very professional approach towards the whole thing and I do not envision that. Our guys just don’t think like that. We have enough veterans in the room that have been around enough games to know that anything is capable and every team is capable every week. So we never, ever approach anything that way. That is a fair question, but no, our guys will be wired up, ready to go.

Q. You don’t look at it as this is the best defense in the league and their offense is ranked 32^nd?

A. We do not look at it like that way at all. We have so much room for improvement and our guys recognize that every week when we come in and watch the game film. We are so far from being where we are capable of being, our guys understand that. We don’t view it that way at all. They have tons of potential and they good skill, good running backs and a dynamic quarterback. We don’t look at it that way at all.