On what NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Mike Sellers (#45, FB) means to the team:
"Mike has had a terrific year, just from the standpoint of what he means to the offense. He's very physical on offense when he plays. He's got a bunch of touchdown passes for us. I think he's a real good receiver, very athletic and big. It was great to see him get that award, because every single week, we give out the awards for special teams. There's five guys voted every week for awards, and he gets it every week. He's very physical, and he gets a lot of attention from the other teams because he's such a standout on special teams. It's good to see him get that reward for that and we sure appreciate his play this year. He's been a real leader; he loves football, he loves contact, before the games he's excited, he really loves playing football.
On having Gregg Williams on the coaching staff for at least one more season:
"That's a tribute to [Redskins owner] Dan [Snyder], because what we're going to try to do is keep the team together, player-wise, and we talked about that last offseason, and we had two disappointments there, but really, probably one of the best jobs in the offseason in keeping everybody together from a player standpoint. This year we want to be 100 percent there, and then of course keeping the coaching staff is something else, because we have real talented coaches. I think there's a number of coaches here that are capable of getting head coaching opportunities. Last year we had two different guys turn down head coaching opportunities in college at real high profile schools to stay here. This, again give [Redskins owner] Dan [Snyder] the credit, but it's also the fact that Gregg said he wants to stay here, wants to be a Redskin, and for us to be able to work that thing out, and for him to say voluntarily 'I'm going to stay this year' was the first step in us trying to keep everybody together.
On how the players acquired since last season have formed a solid nucleus:
"I think one of the things that I kept mentioning last year was that free agent group that we brought in the very first year--I think there was 11 total players--and I think we only missed on one of those. And that core group of those guys, the Cornelius Griffins, Marcus [Washington, #53 LB], Philip Daniels, that group; [VP, Football Operations] Vinny [Cerrato] and all those guys work so hard on free agency, I think that was a big deal for us. That group, when they came in here, they knew what it takes, they were veterans and playing in the league already. That's been a nucleus that we build on, and I think everybody works hard. We're trying to add the right players, but we've been very fortunate, we've been blessed that we could add some of the players we have. We had excellent trades in there, and some of those guys have panned out, and have been a very valuable part of our team. We feel good about our players from the standpoint of what kind of locker room we have and character issues, and I think we've got a very solid group. And that's how you win, you win with players. It's quality guys; this team could have said after three tough losses that it was over and they didn't. We've been pretty much life or death the rest of the way. We've been on life support but we're still breathing."
On dealing with strong character personalities:
"If you don't have character on your football team, if you don't have guys that have a funny bone, if you don't have guys that add something to the team, this is going to be a miserable 16 weeks. I enjoy that part of it, but I think where you draw the line is where it would hurt the football team or if it's something said about somebody else or somebody trying to draw attention to themselves. I think if you do this and you don't have fun, then you're not going to have much of a team."
On having the talent evaluating being on the same side with coaching:
"When we came in, [Redskins owner] Dan [Snyder] was very specific about it that he's the boss. We all know that. But what we do here is a team, with everybody together. When it comes to personnel department, you've got [VP, Football Operations] Vinny [Cerrato] heading that up, but when we meet, it's all the coaches in there. We all put numbers on our draft choices, we all put one Redskin grade on all free agents, and I think around here, it's certainly not me making decisions, it's all of us together. We really pride ourselves here on the way we go about the draft, the way we go about free agency, and the way we go about making decisions. [Redskins owner] Dan [Snyder]'s always there, always run things buy him and get his wisdom, so I think it's a total group here. Before, we had [former general manager] Charley [Casserly]. I think we had a great relationship. [Former general manager] Bobby [Beathard] was the same. I think today we do many of the similar type things, it's just that we all move together and we all put one grade on it, one stamp on it. Collective minds make good decisions and I think that's what we try to do."
On the wide receiver screen play, and how it has been successful this year with Santana Moss:
"That play, for some reason, this year we've had comments from people we've played, that said that was the play that really scared them. Really what happens is, if you catch that thing and there's one mistake made on a blitz, it's all over. People don't want to give up something that quick. It's a high percentage pass, so you're going to catch it, unless they grab you at the line of scrimmage. We've run that, that's the way we run it in the past. I think he's exceptional. The other thing that has happened is Chris Cooley [#47, HB]. He's exceptional running with it too. Probably the reason that's a good play for us is our tackles and guards run so well. We've got people who run on our offensive line. One of those things that when you have some success with it and believe in it and keep going back to it, and the first time you throw it, it goes all the way against Kansas City. From that point on, we've been in love with it, so now what we've got is people grabbing our receivers at the line of scrimmage. We've got to be creative how we throw it."
On comparing Clinton Portis (#26, RB) to John Riggins:
"He certainly does, ability wise. I've always admired, for the running backs, to get hit that much, when you're down that sideline, man, you're getting pounded. Every time you get that thing under your arm you've got 10 guys trying to whack you. That's been one of the most amazing things to me: that he's been so durable, missed one game last year but he's been very durable the whole time he's been up here. He is extremely physical, he doesn't avoid stuff. Honestly, if you ask him, he's going to pick an inside running play, he's not going to say 'Toss the ball to me or give it to me on the edge.' I think he has a very physical approach to the game and he loves football, and I think he feels this is where he belongs."
