On the 2006 Pro Bowl roster:
"Obviously, we were really disappointed. I don't really even quite understand all of the process and how it takes place, but we feel like we have players that deserve to be on there that aren't. I told the players, 'Hey, look--we feel like we have a number of players that should have made it but didn't.' We're happy for the guys that did. To have [OT, #60] Chris Samuels and [WR, #89] Santana [Moss] make it was great, but overall it's a disappointment for us. It's something that hopefully will be corrected in the future."
On whether Pro Bowl snubs will serve as an additional source of motivation for the Redskins' game against the Giants:
"I don't think so. Our players have worked extremely hard. We felt some had excellent years. We'll have to see in the future. We'll have to make it go our way."
On the reasons for the Redskins' 36-0 loss to the Giants in Week 8:
"As I look back at it, it was something where they completely dominated every phase of the game. I didn't know quite what to make of it at the time. We kind of knew going in. What concerns me was that it was a big game for us then. We really couldn't do anything about it. It's a big game now. The question is, 'Can we do something about it?' They were just a lot better than we were. You have to be honest about it. You study every phase of the film. Our guys know what's at stake. My concern is that you've had a really emotional game [against the Cowboys] and played a very good football game. Being that we're human beings, you have a natural tendency when everyone brags about you and writes good things to read about it and then back off a little bit. We couldn't play with them last time. We knew a lot was at stake last time. I'm hoping that it's going to be different this time, but they were so much better than we were that it's a concern."
On whether the Redskins' blowout loss to the Giants in Week 8 offsets the team's emotional win against the Cowboys last Sunday:
"For us, we've worked so hard to get in this position. But human nature being what it is, when you go 14 weeks--this is going to be the 15th week--and the players hear me talk [so often], after a while you glaze over and turn it off. It's going to be answered on Saturday. We have a short work week. I told the players today that tomorrow is our last, real meaningful work from a contact standpoint. We get one day after that, then we're going to play. It's going to be quick. [The game] means so much to us and the organization. We've worked so hard to get here. We're going to do everything we can to try to get that across [to the players], but it's going to be a tough assignment for us."
On Redskins DT, #96 Cornelius Griffin and DL, #95 Joe Salave'a missing portions of the Week 8 match-up against the Giants:
"They're certainly two of the guys that we count on. I was trying to think about the guys that did play in that game that can't play in this game. At this point in the year, we have to stay totally focused on New York and do everything we can tomorrow to try and get ourselves ready, [then] [the game] is going to be here. I'm counting on our fans to help us. Hopefully, playing at home makes a difference for us. I know it did last week. Having that kind of a crowd and excitement meant a lot."
On Giants RE, #72 Osi Umenyiora emerging to complement LE, #92 Michael Strahan:
"It's always tough when you're [facing] two tough defensive ends. They have about 24 sacks between the two of them. It's one thing to be focused on one side--you can maybe help on one side--but you can't help on two sides. Basically, because of that, they can afford to play fairly conservatively in the secondary. They have great pressure up front. They don't have to add people to put pressure and get to the quarterback. If [the quarterback is] back there holding that ball, you're going to have problems because they're going to get there. They're very good. We have real respect for them. Last time, they put a lot of pressure on us."
On whether the Redskins have made a conscious effort in recent weeks to run the ball more often:
"What we're trying to do is be balanced. Having a lead helps because you run an extra 7-10 times at the end of the game. I'm thinking back to the Raiders game where we analyzed all of that and said that we really did get out of balance. We threw the ball more than we wanted. We tried to stay more in balance [afterward]. We would like to be at 50-50, take our shots downfield, and be able to run the football when we have to."
On the differences between the Redskins' three-game losing streak (Weeks 10-12) and three-game winning streak (Weeks 13-15):
"We couldn't afford another loss. We got to a point where our backs were against a wall. Everyone kind of played that week [against St. Louis] saying, 'Hey, this is it.' It was. We reached a point at the Rams game where, if we lose the Rams game, we're cooked. Then it went to the next week [at Arizona] and was the same thing. It went to last week and it was the same thing. It's the same thing this week. Our backs have been against the wall. Now is the time. You're either going play or we're going to stay at home. That's where we've been and we'll continue to be there the next two weeks, I would imagine. But you can't look at anything but this game because this game is really another one where you win it or you're done."
