Here's some insight from Redskins Park as the Skins prepare for their final game of season this Sunday against the New York Giants.
Executive Vice President/Head Coach Mike Shanahan
On Kareem Moore being put on Injured Reserve:
“He’ll have surgery next Monday [on his] right knee. He’s played hurt most of the season. It’s nice to see somebody fight and work as hard as Kareem has done. He’s a little bit too sore right now to play and he’ll have surgery on Monday.”
On if the surgery is a setback from his knee being scoped at the beginning of the season:
“It’s a setback enough to have surgery. That’s a pretty good setback.”
On if it will be arthroscopic or reconstructive surgery:
“I don’t know for sure right now. They’re going to go in there. I don’t know if it’s going to be exploratory or arthroscopic. Right now, he’s scheduled for Monday and it’s enough to have surgery.”
On only one Redskins being selected to the Pro Bowl:
“It’s always disappointing anytime you’ve got six wins. It’s always tough for some of the guys not to get the recognition that they probably deserve. It’s an incentive for us in the future to win a few more games.”
On if Santana Moss is better than he thought he’d be at age 31:
“Yeah, he really is. You just don’t know what type of competitive nature somebody has both in the running game and the passing game. He’s a guy that could have no catches and is very excited when you win or can have 100 yards and is very disappointed if you lose. He really brings a lot to the table. He has played hurt. He’s done a heck of a job for us this year.”
On who will take Moore’s spot on the 53-man roster:
“We had somebody in here today a defensive back from New Orleans, Reggie Jones.”
On if the Redskins are going to sign Reggie Jones:
“Yeah, he’s already signed and practiced today.”
On if getting everyone on the same page is harder than he thought it would be when he first got here:
“No, not really. What you get a chance to do throughout the year is evaluate people in game situations, practice situations. You get a chance to look at them through the highs and lows of the season. You kind of get a good feel going into next year’s draft and free agency—the guys that you expect to have on your team for next year and maybe some of the depth that is needed at a few positions.”
On if he feels that the Redskins had to take a step back in order to move forward:
“I think it’s a constant evaluation period, watching guys in practice and in games. It’s part of the process. Some guys really step up and other guys are looking good, but maybe through the middle of the season they may tail off. It’s a long process over 16 games, but it’s one that’s very necessary and one that’s done every year.”
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Quarterback Rex Grossman
On the past two games:
"I feel alright. I definitely feel like every game I'm a little bit better and a little bit more comfortable. I didn't play as well in Jacksonville as I did in Dallas, but I still feel like any time you get a chance to play, watch it on tape and you can learn from some of the things you can do better, that experience is going to allow me to hopefully play better against the Giants."
On his goal for Sunday's game:
"I just want to execute the offense at a high level and do exactly what they are asking me to do. Play with a lot of efficiency, be good in the pocket, protect the ball and obviously win that's the most important, but getting the rhythm and establish an identity for this offense."
On any areas of improvement from his first start to his second start:
"I felt pretty good in the first game as far as going through my reads and everything. In the second game, I think I tried to do a little too much at times. For the most part, experience definitely helps as far as your emotions, your reactions to certain situations. [I] don't have a ton of game time experience in this offense so being a road game with the team trying to make the playoffs, an intense atmosphere and running the offense at the same time, experience can only help."
On Santana Moss:
"I had a lot of respect before I came here for Santana, but now getting the chance to play with him, he's an amazing player, the way he can separate from defenders. He's got great hands. He runs great routes. He's everything I thought he was and more. He's a really, really good receiver."
On his chemistry with Moss:
"He makes it easy for a quarterback because he can separate and defenders kind of know that. They get back on their heels waiting for him to make his move. He just runs such good routes and with coach Shanahan putting him in good situations to get open it's a good combination."
On what changed after he threw the interception on Sunday:
"I think at some point in the game it kind of turned into a little bit of a defensive struggle. I played a little bit more cautious than I normally do which affected some plays that I normally make, trying to protect the lead, trying to make sure not to make the mistake. I need to just go play and execute the offense and not worry about the situation unless it’s a crucial situation, be smart. I started playing a little bit too cautious too early. I didn't feel like the pick affected me."
On if he can tell during the game if he is playing cautious:
"When you come back from that series and go to the sidelines, you look at the pictures and you think back about some of the reads you could have made and you realize that you need to just go play and not try to see somebody open before you throw it. You got to anticipate and just let it go. That's the stuff I'm going to learn from."
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Cornerback DeAngelo Hall
On how making the Pro Bowl as a Redskin is different than making it as a Falcon:
“Like I said when I first got here, I grew up wanting to be a part of this organization, wanting to be a part of this team. It means something to me. I’m not saying the other one’s didn’t because they did too but being a part of this team and going to the Pro Bowl representing this team is something special. It is something that ever since I got here, I’ve wanted to do.”
On if he thinks the team is pointed in the right direction under Head Coach Mike Shanahan and if it feels different than the last couple of years:
“It does, because we have that certainty of knowing who the coach is going to be. Knowing that we have a guy that knows how to lead us, knows what direction he wants to go in. If you have a leader who knows the direction he wants to go, it is easy to get the guys to follow.”
On the tangible things that prove they are going in the right direction:
“Just the mindset of this team. Being down at Dallas, not playing for nothing, I think in past years, definitely the time I have been here, I don’t think the team would’ve responded the same way. Going down to Jacksonville, we’re going to a place where we thought it’s going to be warm and having to deal with those conditions and still coming out there as banged up as we were and still getting the win. I don’t think, I could be wrong, but I don’t think we would have responded the way we have thus far. We have had a lot of distractions. What professional team doesn’t? We have made a lot of mistakes, but what organization hasn’t? We’ll keep fighting. We’ll keep going out there and working as hard as we can. We looked forward to having the rest of the guys in the front office bringing in the right people to win.”
On his reaction when he found out he made the Pro Bowl and if he expected it:
“I kind of expected it. It kind of got a little tight there towards the end. Asante [Samuel], thank goodness he kept missing games and kept the pick numbers down a little bit. Towards the middle of the season I felt like I had a chance. After the Chicago game I told myself you don’t tie NFL records to not make the Pro Bowl. I kind of had the feeling I was going but stranger things have happened in the past. Guys haven’t made it who probably should have made it.”
On what it means to be back at the Pro Bowl after going from Atlanta to Oakland to now Washington:
“It’s a little gratifying. It’s been a long road. I made a statement in years past saying, ‘it’s not about the Pro Bowls anymore. I couldn’t care less about that stuff,’ but that was before I got traded from Atlanta and then cut in Oakland and then came out here and dealing with controversy. Those statements were before all that. It’s special. This one is special to me. This one, I’m going to cherish. Someone told me, no free agent has made the Pro Bowl that Washington has brought in and paid a lot of money to. That’s definitely a little gratifying to know that I beat that scenario. It feels good.”
On if he would like to thank Bears quarterback Jay Cutler for throwing him four interceptions and helping him get into the Pro Bowl:
“He’s been playing lights out. I can’t even pick on the kid. They’re going to the playoffs. They’re playing great ball. Maybe he felt like from that one game we played when I was out in Oakland that he completed a couple balls, he felt like he could come at me whenever he felt like it. I will be seeing him in the future. I don’t know if we got them next year or not on the schedule but I will be seeing him in the future. He will be in this league for awhile and so will I.”
On how proud he was of the defense after the Jaguars game:
“I was very proud to see those guys go out and fight. All week in practice we were out there with all those corners playing safety and mixing and matching guys around. We were flying around. We were looking good. The selfish part of me wanted those other guys to play because we had been working together and jelling, so I wanted those guys we were practicing with through the week out there on the field for us. Oddly enough it worked out that. Reed [Doughty] couldn’t pass his concussion test and Kareem [Moore] couldn’t play, so we had all corners out there playing. It felt good to go out there and see those guys fight and pull a win out.”
On if it adds motivation that they can keep the Giants out of the playoffs:
“You don’t take motivation in ruining anybody’s season. I think you take pride in just winning a game especially the way they beat us up the last time. We are going to take pride in going out there and stopping their run game. If they want to throw it on the outsides I’m pretty sure we can hold up out there. We’re going to go out there and try and defend our home field. This is our playoff game. This is all we got. It’s the last one of the season. There is going to be guys crying this offseason that’s not going to have a job or guys that are going to be like man I can’t wait for it to start up again. I think you are going to see a lot of guys out there playing their hearts out for that last game.”
On why they are 2-5 at home:
“It’s just been the way the ball has bounced for us this season. There has been a couple games at home we probably should have won. You take the Houston game, you take, I guess, the Tampa Bay game, the Minnesota game. You take a lot of those and the ball just didn’t bounce our way. By saying that I mean, we didn’t make plays we probably should have made. That’s the reason we are 2-5.”
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The team signed Reggie Jones to their active roster along with cornerback Doug Dutch. Defensive lineman Vince Oghobaase was signed to the team's practice squad.
The team also placed safety Kareem Moore on the Reserve/Injured list. (Note: Moore hasn't been listed on the injury report list since December 23rd).
Executive Vice President/Head Coach Mike Shanahan
On Kareem Moore being put on Injured Reserve:
“He’ll have surgery next Monday [on his] right knee. He’s played hurt most of the season. It’s nice to see somebody fight and work as hard as Kareem has done. He’s a little bit too sore right now to play and he’ll have surgery on Monday.”
On if the surgery is a setback from his knee being scoped at the beginning of the season:
“It’s a setback enough to have surgery. That’s a pretty good setback.”
On if it will be arthroscopic or reconstructive surgery:
“I don’t know for sure right now. They’re going to go in there. I don’t know if it’s going to be exploratory or arthroscopic. Right now, he’s scheduled for Monday and it’s enough to have surgery.”
On only one Redskins being selected to the Pro Bowl:
“It’s always disappointing anytime you’ve got six wins. It’s always tough for some of the guys not to get the recognition that they probably deserve. It’s an incentive for us in the future to win a few more games.”
On if Santana Moss is better than he thought he’d be at age 31:
“Yeah, he really is. You just don’t know what type of competitive nature somebody has both in the running game and the passing game. He’s a guy that could have no catches and is very excited when you win or can have 100 yards and is very disappointed if you lose. He really brings a lot to the table. He has played hurt. He’s done a heck of a job for us this year.”
On who will take Moore’s spot on the 53-man roster:
“We had somebody in here today a defensive back from New Orleans, Reggie Jones.”
On if the Redskins are going to sign Reggie Jones:
“Yeah, he’s already signed and practiced today.”
On if getting everyone on the same page is harder than he thought it would be when he first got here:
“No, not really. What you get a chance to do throughout the year is evaluate people in game situations, practice situations. You get a chance to look at them through the highs and lows of the season. You kind of get a good feel going into next year’s draft and free agency—the guys that you expect to have on your team for next year and maybe some of the depth that is needed at a few positions.”
On if he feels that the Redskins had to take a step back in order to move forward:
“I think it’s a constant evaluation period, watching guys in practice and in games. It’s part of the process. Some guys really step up and other guys are looking good, but maybe through the middle of the season they may tail off. It’s a long process over 16 games, but it’s one that’s very necessary and one that’s done every year.”
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Quarterback Rex Grossman
On the past two games:
"I feel alright. I definitely feel like every game I'm a little bit better and a little bit more comfortable. I didn't play as well in Jacksonville as I did in Dallas, but I still feel like any time you get a chance to play, watch it on tape and you can learn from some of the things you can do better, that experience is going to allow me to hopefully play better against the Giants."
On his goal for Sunday's game:
"I just want to execute the offense at a high level and do exactly what they are asking me to do. Play with a lot of efficiency, be good in the pocket, protect the ball and obviously win that's the most important, but getting the rhythm and establish an identity for this offense."
On any areas of improvement from his first start to his second start:
"I felt pretty good in the first game as far as going through my reads and everything. In the second game, I think I tried to do a little too much at times. For the most part, experience definitely helps as far as your emotions, your reactions to certain situations. [I] don't have a ton of game time experience in this offense so being a road game with the team trying to make the playoffs, an intense atmosphere and running the offense at the same time, experience can only help."
On Santana Moss:
"I had a lot of respect before I came here for Santana, but now getting the chance to play with him, he's an amazing player, the way he can separate from defenders. He's got great hands. He runs great routes. He's everything I thought he was and more. He's a really, really good receiver."
On his chemistry with Moss:
"He makes it easy for a quarterback because he can separate and defenders kind of know that. They get back on their heels waiting for him to make his move. He just runs such good routes and with coach Shanahan putting him in good situations to get open it's a good combination."
On what changed after he threw the interception on Sunday:
"I think at some point in the game it kind of turned into a little bit of a defensive struggle. I played a little bit more cautious than I normally do which affected some plays that I normally make, trying to protect the lead, trying to make sure not to make the mistake. I need to just go play and execute the offense and not worry about the situation unless it’s a crucial situation, be smart. I started playing a little bit too cautious too early. I didn't feel like the pick affected me."
On if he can tell during the game if he is playing cautious:
"When you come back from that series and go to the sidelines, you look at the pictures and you think back about some of the reads you could have made and you realize that you need to just go play and not try to see somebody open before you throw it. You got to anticipate and just let it go. That's the stuff I'm going to learn from."
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Cornerback DeAngelo Hall
On how making the Pro Bowl as a Redskin is different than making it as a Falcon:
“Like I said when I first got here, I grew up wanting to be a part of this organization, wanting to be a part of this team. It means something to me. I’m not saying the other one’s didn’t because they did too but being a part of this team and going to the Pro Bowl representing this team is something special. It is something that ever since I got here, I’ve wanted to do.”
On if he thinks the team is pointed in the right direction under Head Coach Mike Shanahan and if it feels different than the last couple of years:
“It does, because we have that certainty of knowing who the coach is going to be. Knowing that we have a guy that knows how to lead us, knows what direction he wants to go in. If you have a leader who knows the direction he wants to go, it is easy to get the guys to follow.”
On the tangible things that prove they are going in the right direction:
“Just the mindset of this team. Being down at Dallas, not playing for nothing, I think in past years, definitely the time I have been here, I don’t think the team would’ve responded the same way. Going down to Jacksonville, we’re going to a place where we thought it’s going to be warm and having to deal with those conditions and still coming out there as banged up as we were and still getting the win. I don’t think, I could be wrong, but I don’t think we would have responded the way we have thus far. We have had a lot of distractions. What professional team doesn’t? We have made a lot of mistakes, but what organization hasn’t? We’ll keep fighting. We’ll keep going out there and working as hard as we can. We looked forward to having the rest of the guys in the front office bringing in the right people to win.”
On his reaction when he found out he made the Pro Bowl and if he expected it:
“I kind of expected it. It kind of got a little tight there towards the end. Asante [Samuel], thank goodness he kept missing games and kept the pick numbers down a little bit. Towards the middle of the season I felt like I had a chance. After the Chicago game I told myself you don’t tie NFL records to not make the Pro Bowl. I kind of had the feeling I was going but stranger things have happened in the past. Guys haven’t made it who probably should have made it.”
On what it means to be back at the Pro Bowl after going from Atlanta to Oakland to now Washington:
“It’s a little gratifying. It’s been a long road. I made a statement in years past saying, ‘it’s not about the Pro Bowls anymore. I couldn’t care less about that stuff,’ but that was before I got traded from Atlanta and then cut in Oakland and then came out here and dealing with controversy. Those statements were before all that. It’s special. This one is special to me. This one, I’m going to cherish. Someone told me, no free agent has made the Pro Bowl that Washington has brought in and paid a lot of money to. That’s definitely a little gratifying to know that I beat that scenario. It feels good.”
On if he would like to thank Bears quarterback Jay Cutler for throwing him four interceptions and helping him get into the Pro Bowl:
“He’s been playing lights out. I can’t even pick on the kid. They’re going to the playoffs. They’re playing great ball. Maybe he felt like from that one game we played when I was out in Oakland that he completed a couple balls, he felt like he could come at me whenever he felt like it. I will be seeing him in the future. I don’t know if we got them next year or not on the schedule but I will be seeing him in the future. He will be in this league for awhile and so will I.”
On how proud he was of the defense after the Jaguars game:
“I was very proud to see those guys go out and fight. All week in practice we were out there with all those corners playing safety and mixing and matching guys around. We were flying around. We were looking good. The selfish part of me wanted those other guys to play because we had been working together and jelling, so I wanted those guys we were practicing with through the week out there on the field for us. Oddly enough it worked out that. Reed [Doughty] couldn’t pass his concussion test and Kareem [Moore] couldn’t play, so we had all corners out there playing. It felt good to go out there and see those guys fight and pull a win out.”
On if it adds motivation that they can keep the Giants out of the playoffs:
“You don’t take motivation in ruining anybody’s season. I think you take pride in just winning a game especially the way they beat us up the last time. We are going to take pride in going out there and stopping their run game. If they want to throw it on the outsides I’m pretty sure we can hold up out there. We’re going to go out there and try and defend our home field. This is our playoff game. This is all we got. It’s the last one of the season. There is going to be guys crying this offseason that’s not going to have a job or guys that are going to be like man I can’t wait for it to start up again. I think you are going to see a lot of guys out there playing their hearts out for that last game.”
On why they are 2-5 at home:
“It’s just been the way the ball has bounced for us this season. There has been a couple games at home we probably should have won. You take the Houston game, you take, I guess, the Tampa Bay game, the Minnesota game. You take a lot of those and the ball just didn’t bounce our way. By saying that I mean, we didn’t make plays we probably should have made. That’s the reason we are 2-5.”
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The team signed Reggie Jones to their active roster along with cornerback Doug Dutch. Defensive lineman Vince Oghobaase was signed to the team's practice squad.
The team also placed safety Kareem Moore on the Reserve/Injured list. (Note: Moore hasn't been listed on the injury report list since December 23rd).
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