Defensive line coach Mike Waufle, 11.11.09

Q. The series down by the San Diego goal line where it was a three and out and Justin had a sack. Did that look like the defensive line you know?

A. Yeah, it is. Any time you make big plays like that back-to-back, you are going to affect the ball game. That was nice, because you got momentum going and those things are momentum changers. I always believed that if they let Osi (Umenyiora) get that touchdown down in Philly, I would have liked to see how that game would have changed. Because they would have gone right back out there again. You never know how those things can change a ball game. It is frustrating.

Q. Re: more on play from San Diego game

A. There is always, that is a series of big plays. You got (LaDainian) Tomlinson and (Darren) Sproles who are outstanding running backs and can explode at any given moment. The ability to stop the run and contain them and do some of the things that we did in that game is exciting.

Q. Osi said after the New Orleans game he was hesitant a little bit, but now it looks like he is really exploding?

A. The big thing is that when guys have a year out of from football like Osi did, it takes time to get all your recognition, all the different schemes. This year they came out with new stuff. Dallas came out with new blocking schemes that they had never shown before and why do you think they got the results they got? It’s what happens. It takes some time to adjust to it because it’s all new.

Q. Can you evaluate the play of Mathias Kiwanuka?

A. I think he has been playing very well. Number one, he is a starter in my mind. He has accepted his role, a lot of unselfishness. He has been performing really well. He has been studying, he has been productive and he does a lot of different things. He lines up in a lot of different places. He is in a Tuck role from a couple years ago.

Q. Has the fact that he has been able to concentrate on defensive line helped him?

A. Yeah, no question. He has played it for so many years, but it is the speed of the game that you have to get used to. The closer you get to that football, the faster it is. When you are down there inside it happens a lot quicker than he anticipated. When I did move him in there he had to get used to the speed.

Q. He was the starter last year. Now with Osi coming back he has taken somewhat of a demotion. How has he been able to adjust so well to that?

A. The big thing with him, what I tell him is, I am your position coach and I’m your leadership role, if I believe you’re a starter in my mind, you’re a starter and just feel that way. If you get that reassurance and don’t care what the outside world thinks. You are out there on the football field; sometimes he has more plays than Tuck and Osi when it all comes out in the wash. If he keeps his great attitude, he is going to be fine. He has accepted that, he is a great kid.

Q. What did you see this past weekend from Chris Canty?

A. I thought he did a lot better than I anticipated because he played two different positions. He had been trained all through training camp at defensive tackle and then we had him playing D end also. He did both in the game. I thought it was a good start. I wasn’t disappointed by any means.

Q. Can he be that guy who can draw the double-team to take some pressure off of Tuck and Osi?

A. Yeah, I think so, I really do. On the actual last pass rush of the game, Osi had an outstanding rush on the tackle but it was just that the ball got out. He created a double-team and a situation where Osi was one on one.