Q: Tom said yesterday that the turnovers have got to stop. How concerned have you been about the turnovers, particularly Eli's count?
A: It's something you talk about and there comes a point where you're emphasizing it so much that you're actually contributing to the cause and that's what we've got to be careful of, but certainly whether it's the fumbles the game before with the running backs or his picks this game - the problem is that you're moving the ball, doing a lot of good things but it kind of stops you from finishing a drive or takes away from what otherwise would have been an outstanding performance and that's the thing that's disappointing.
Q: Is it bad decisions or poor throws?
A: I think it's a matter of just maybe trying to get more out of play than is there and that usually is the cause, whether it's the runs with the running backs or the quarterback throwing the ball - they're trying to get more out of something that wasn't available to them. On both of them he got flushed out of the pocket, he's scrambling, it's a tight window - we probably would have been better served just throwing the ball away and punt the ball under those circumstances.
Q: One thing the Detroit defense has been doing well this year is forcing turnovers.
A: Right. No, I think they're a good defense. I think they've got a very, very good front, their corners are good players, they play hard - very aggressive - so I think that we certainly are going to have our hands full and anything that we give them will aid and abet their cause and hurt us, but it's not like it's something that isn't preached or discussed and it's not something that the guys are trying to do, it's just happening and again, I think it's a matter more than anything else, sometimes when you try to get more out of a play than is available, that's when you're opening yourself up to those kinds of developments.
Q: Can you talk about Hakeem Nicks' development from the end of minicamp until now?
A: He's getting good. He's getting to be a good player and I think that we always knew, again, that he had good hands, he was very good after the catch, it's just a matter of consistently getting open against the different things that happen in a game. Is he there yet? No. Is he getting better? No question. He wants to be a dominant player so he's very attentive when you're in the meetings, he's listening to the corrections that are being made, he's trying to implement those things. Usually if you've got some skill and you have that kind of desire, good things are going to happen to you and they're going to continue. The problem is as you go on, then you're confronted by additional challenges, whether it's the quality of the player, the quality of the opposition or schematically they start doing things to make what you've been successful in very difficult if not impossible to do. So that's why I say that you've got to continue to grow and develop so that you can become a complete receiver. I think he's trying hard. It's not going to happen overnight, but he's trying very hard. He's all ears and eyes in the meetings trying to get better. He tries to work on it on the practice field. So we see a guy that is little by little using the skills he has growing to a point where he is becoming more and more efficient as a player.
Q: What about the chemistry that's building with Eli on plays like the deep touchdown pass? Do you see that forming into something special?
A: Yeah, you're always hopeful that that's going to happen. I think chemistry is when a guy's open, you throw him the ball and I think more is made of that than it really is. The scheme gives you a chance. We happened to see that the safety was going to jump underneath so we kept the post on, which normally, versus a two deep is an interception, but this guy was particularly aggressive, wanted to get involved in that tight red zone area where he wanted to get involved and underneath crowds and of course it gave you a chance to throw a post over the top.
Q: What is Suh bringing to the Lions now as a rookie?
A: You see a guy that is a very powerful, very strong, very powerful guy, very explosive and that's not an everyday combination - usually you're either big and strong or you're very explosive and fast. He's kind of got both. He plays hard, he's looking to be disruptive and he does, so it's somebody that you've got to be aware of - it's not like we can just focus on the ends and not worry about the tackle, he's good enough and he's playing hard enough and he's making enough plays that he's somebody that we have to contend with.
Q: How many double teams is he seeing now?
A: I don't know if double... Are they just committing two guys to him more than anybody else? I don't know that that's happening yet, but as you know, if you're sliding, the center and guard are sliding and those three including the tackle are blocking the most dangerous tackle and only two guys are there, it'll turn into a double team. Was it designed to double team him? I don't know. I don't think that you can quickly slide away to go help the end. I think you've got to be cognizant of his ability level and I think he's just going to get better and better because he's got some natural strength and power and he plays very hard, so he can be disruptive. There's no question about it. We're certainly concerned with him.
Q: The other day Brandon Jacobs was saying that he understands his role a little bit more now. Is he running like a different back?
A: I think he's running well. When he's running the way he's running now, that's what you'd like to see - more decisive and I just think he got more opportunities. He actually had been doing a good job for us - those short yardage plays, he's been very effective. We get him back to the line of scrimmage and he's been able to power his way over some people and make the first down for us, keep us on the field, so I see a guy that's playing pretty good and hopefully it'll continue.
Q: Is he getting back to the powerful back that he used to be?
A: It isn't going from a scatback to a powerback. It's the same guy. I think what he's doing, he's being a little bit more trusting of his reads and of his decisions, and when he does that and he turns himself north-south with the correct read, he's a special guy. I think right now he's been making good decisions and that coupled with his determination and his size has made him effective for us.
Q: What did you see from Bear Pascoe is his first game at fullback?
A: Tremendous contribution for us because there's no fall off in terms of knowing... he's excellent with his assignments, he gives you a very versatile guy that can not only just line up in the traditional fullback position, but can line up in the two tights and motion or stay two tights, so the flexibility gives us the pass receiving ability we kind of expected, but what we did see was that when he was the normal fullback position, he was basically flawless in terms of his assignments and his execution, so that was great to see. He played very well for us.