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Tom Quinn, 11.08.12

Q: Thoughts on the Bengals kickoff coverage team:
A: It's a really good kickoff coverage team. They gave one up last week; they had a guy unblocked right there and he just didn't make the play. It's just not representative of what they are and how they cover kicks.

Q: How do you think your special teams looked last week?
A: Oh yeah, we're (ticked) about that. The defense bailed us out, take our hats off to them, but we have to do our job. We didn't do our job, we weren't physical enough, weren't fast enough down the field and we didn't get off any blocks.

Q: You've been generally pleased with your special teams this season?
A: We have, but we've been giving up one this game, two games later we give up one. We were more consistent last year. I think we have more tackles inside the 20 this year, but we don't want to be giving up one every couple games or the stuff that we had last week. We have to be more consistent.

Q: Is that the best tackle by a punter you've seen?
A: I guess, but I don't like it when punters make tackles. I do like him, he's a good athlete. He is one of the 11 guys we have covering. It was a good tackle.

Q: With only four active linebackers, and missing a few safeties, are those the athletes that would generally be on your squads?
A: The core of your special teams would come from that group, but we've played a lot of those guys that were on the field. We have to be able to make the plays. That's no excuse.

Q: Does Will Hill coming back help?
A: He was good when he was here. We'll see how he picks up after a four-game layoff. We like the things he did when he was playing.

Q: What qualities does Will show?
A: He's got speed, quickness and good power for the position. He's pretty dynamic that way. He'll separate from guys and make guys miss and elude them as they're trying to block him.

Q: For the kick return team, have the same holes not been there for David Wilson lately?
A: Sometimes the holes have been there and he hasn't seen them. Last week, we felt there were one or two opportunities that he missed and there's other times that we didn't block it as well. It's a work in progress. Just have to keep pounding away at it and finishing the blocks. It's not always going to (be) wide holes in this league. It's tough. When it is there, we have to take advantage of it and I felt we missed a couple of opportunities last week.

Q: How much are teams adjusting their kick coverage based on his previous success?
A: It's a product of, this is what it is on tape, and this is how teams are going to attack him. We counter that with, you're going to do this, and we're going to do that. Just try and take advantage of it.

Q: How would you assess the role that Rueben Randle has done as a punt returner?

A: He's okay. We haven't had a lot of return opportunities. We've had fair catches and balls that were pinned to the sideline, so we need to take more at bats at that position and become more aggressive. A lot of times, they're punting the ball inside the 10. He's made really good decisions so we've been really happy with the decisions. Over the course of time, we'll get those opportunities, you just don't know when and where you'll get them. When we do get them, we have to take advantage of them and become a more aggressive returner.

Q: Do you mean him being more aggressive?
A: Well, it all goes together. For him to be able to return we have to make sure everyone is blocked and he has a window, but I don't think we've had, by the nature of the game of field position, the type of return opportunities that you want. A lot of times we'll have a defensive-stay or a safe unit out there, that type of thing. You don't have as many opportunities when you're making the decision inside the 20.