(How was your R&R?)
Good, quick. Quick.
(Looked like Koren and Woodson weren't at practice today. Are they here?)
Yeah, they're here. Charles was down there for the jog-through, and then he went back for rehab in the pool. We're going to know more about him Wednesday and we're hoping for maybe Thursday. Koren was late at practice, he was involved in a legal discussion. He has the situation in Minnesota tomorrow, but Koren did practice, Charles did not.
(You knew Koren was going to be late?)
Correct, yes.
(Did you get a sense from everybody that the time off was well-spent and they're ready to attack the second half of the season?)
I think so. In hindsight, I could have probably given them a little more time off, just because of some of the travel difficulty we had, a number of individuals going out and coming back. But it's always good to get away. Practice reflected it today. It was sharp, particularly for a 'Wednesday' practice. It was definitely beneficial. I just think we need to be smart at the end of the week, because we're going to a different climate, and that's the way we'll proceed. It was a good practice today, for 'Wednesday.'
(Guys had trouble getting back last night?)
Just some of the travel going out. I was delayed Thursday, I didn't get out until Friday. Chicago was a mess I think Thursday night.
(Is Woodson's problem a knee or ribs?)
Both. He's sore. Ribs are sore, I think his ribs are going to be fine. Just getting the muscle back. We're shooting for possibly Wednesday. Just talking to him today, I'll know more about how his rehab went. He was in the pool today. I think he'll go Sunday.
(With the weather down there, do you have to watch yourself?)
Absolutely. The emphasis on hydration obviously started today and it will be really important in the middle of the week. We'll have the fruit table out in front of the meeting rooms, and we'll take steps. Obviously substitution will be key. You definitely need to be aware of it. After living in it for five years in New Orleans, it's a distinct home advantage when you go down there, for the home team. You need to be aware of it.
(Coming back from the bye, any sense this is a fresh start?)
I think anytime you have a chance to step away, you have a chance to clear your mind. I know I did. I worked yesterday but also had the games on, and you watch the other teams and you watch how games are won and lost at the end, it just reconfirms what we need to do as a football team. It's always about correcting the things that you have not done very well. For me, it's almost a time to refocus and get going, and I think everybody had a chance to do that.
(Did Green make it through the whole practice today?)
Yes he did. He looked good.
(How much good did the time off do for him?)
I think it benefited him, in the way we handled him last week too. Rehab Tuesday and Wednesday and practicing on Thursday, I think more mentally it let him feel like he knew he was back and he could push the hamstrings. I think it gave him a little more sense of relief mentally going into the bye week. He was able to get away and spend time with his daughters. He looked good today.
(Expect him to play Sunday?)
Yes I do.
(In building the running game, are there weekly breakdowns or goals that you set?)
When we break it down and talk about running the football, we talk about the run-blocking unit. One guy carries it, the other 10 are blocking, even the quarterback in the sense of his naked fake or wherever the action is to fit that particular run. We're looking for 4.5 is the goal or more (per carry). The most important statistic frankly in my opinion running the football is attempts. It's like anything, if you're going to bang away at something ... if I was going to be critical of my play-calling, it would be in the area of attempts, but that's a convenient criticism just going off the stat sheet. I think there's things that play into that. But when you're running the football, when you say, boy, you ran the hell out of the football today, you're 30, 35-plus times. To me, when we're running the ball that many times, that's when our run game total will go up.
(Is Koren going to be here all week?)
He's in Minnesota tomorrow.
(How did Will Blackmon look today?)
He looked good today. He returned punts, looked good doing that. He took all the reps, both opponent and he took his fair share of reps with the defense too.
(Will he be in the mix in punt returns if Charles can't go?)
Possibly. We need to get more information. He needs to get through a full week of practice. His is more medical with where he's at as far as his role.
(Is it possible he could play on Sunday?)
Yes, it's a possibility.
