On Wednesday Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy addressed the media. Here is the transcript courtesy of the Jets.
On how much more confident he is now compared to his first start…
“I think naturally as you play, you get a little more confident in what you’re doing and what your team is doing. I think your teammates start to get a little more confident in you and the coaches. That’s naturally the way it should be. You ought to get better every time you step on the field. Every time I’m out there I just try to be prepared and be able to do what’s best to help our team win.”
On being thrown into the fire with his first three starts coming against playoff caliber teams…
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every quarterback has to go through something like this. All of the quarterbacks I’ve played against so far are all Pro Bowl quarterback. They’ve all won Super Bowls. Now, going up against the Jets, they’ll be the toughest defense we’ve seen so far. Their scheme is incredible. Before you even turn the tape on, you can name half the guys on their defense. We understand how big a challenge this is for us. I completely understand that they’re probably going to come after us. They’re probably going to do a lot of stuff and mix it up. They have a lot of really good corners and safeties. It’s going to be a huge challenge. Just really working hard and just trying to make sure we’re prepared going into this game to be able to have a chance to be successful.”
On what is unique about the Jets defense…
“Not to take anything from the defenses I’ve played so far, but when you look at the Jets, their scheme is just really good. They know how to put pressure on quarterbacks and there really aren’t any quarterbacks that have played well against them so far. They hurry them. Their percentages are down. They’re third in the league in points allowed and they’re basically in the top 10 in every other defensive category. They’re just really good. We understand that and are just really trying to get our game plan down to a tee and be ready to go out there and try to execute.”
On if the experience of being a four-year starter in college has helped him as a rookie…
“I think it helped a lot being able to play for four years. The NFL is still football, but there are a lot of different things. It’s faster. Guys are bigger. There are more schemes. It’s more complex. The windows to fit balls in are tighter. It’s a new game. Knowing this week you have (Darrelle) Revis on one side and (Antonio) Cromartie on the other and safeties that disguise in the middle. They rush. They bring different things. They combo. There are just so many things that they can do defensively that can cause problems for us. We just have to really work hard and be prepared for it all.”
On if his teammates have more confidence in him after the two wins…
“There’s always room for improvement from me. There are so many things I can get better at. This will be my fourth game to start. I’ve got a long way to go before I can say that I’ve done anything in this league. That’s what I’m trying to do. I think my teammates see how hard I work, but at the same time, winning two games helps a lot. We went on a two game winning streak. We needed that bad. It’s kind of reenergized us. It’s fun to be in the locker room. It’s fun to go to work. We just have to continue to play at a high level like I have been.”
On if expected to play this season after training camp…
“I think Coach (Mike) Holmgren said from the very beginning that I wasn’t going to play. The reps were limited and preseason was basically my practice. Through all that, I just kept a level head and really dedicated myself to working whether I was getting reps or not. (I was) staying late, watching film and doing the little things extra that I could so I could keep up. Certain situations came up where guys got hurt and I had to go play. I think because I did all that, I was able to step in and at least give us a chance to win. By no means have I arrived. By no means have I done anything, like I said. I just have to continue to work and get better and improve each week.”
On if Coach Mangini has told him that he will be starting on Sunday…
“I’m just continuing to prepare like I would if I was the starter. Seneca (Wallace) was back today in practice and I think Jake (Delhomme) will be back here pretty soon. I’m continuing to work and I’m continuing to progress and I had a good practice today.”
On if he has talked to Coach Mangini about being the long-term starter…
“That’s Coach’s call and that’s Coach’s decision. Right now, I’m just really focused on our team and what I can do to help us win.”
On what has made Peyton Hillis so effective…
“I think as a whole offense, we’ve worked really hard and practiced hard and understood who we are offensively and what we’re trying to do. We’ve got a guy like Peyton Hillis back there who is just a machine and our offensive line is blocking really well. We’re being coached well and we’re prepared when we go into the game. That’s key for us. We just have to continue to do that. I know the Jets are very good against the run. They’re not giving up hardly any yardage. They throw a lot of fronts out there and a lot of things that are different than what we’ve seen so far. We’ll see if we’ll be able to handle that. I think that’ll be a huge part to the game, whether we can run the ball early.”
On having the freedom to pass if defenses are focused on stopping the running game…
“If you look at last week against the Patriots, I think play-action did work. They were putting a couple of extra guys in the box. They were playing some zone, but we ended up getting a lot of man too and were able to take advantage of it. That’s the game of football. If you start executing and your running game is working well, it opens up the passing game a little bit and you’re able to get into a rhythm. That’s what we’re trying to do every time we get out there. Find what works and let’s stick with it.”