WR ANTONIO BRYANT
(On the way his role has grown in the offense)
“I think it is a matter of being patient. Sometimes you want to be more involved. But when you’re on a successful team like I am, I’m more happy with winning than anything. I know my opportunities will come. I’m happy with the situation that we’re in and I’m just trying to make it a better situation.”
(On developing chemistry with Jeff Garcia)
“Comfort level has definitely gone up. That’s something that you want. It’s just about everyone finding what is comfortable for them and being able to make plays.”
WR MICHAEL CLAYTON
(On Cadillac Williams' return to practice)
"As a good friend of his, we talk every day about the way to go about life, and just in case we talk about [the fact] that you can get hurt at any time. To sustain an injury like that and to go through it mentally, everybody felt for him. But he did what he was supposed to do. He worked hard and he did extra work and got back into it. Just to see a guy rewarded for hard work feels good, and the whole team feels it."
(On Antonio Bryant)
"He's a dynamic player. The guy can catch the ball and make plays after the catch. He has great energy. He's a good team guy. We've really grown close this year. I really appreciate guys like that that come out and work hard and really don't complain and make plays. We need a player like that on this team if we're looking to win some games and go deep in the playoffs. He's doing a great job."
(On how Bryant has been with the coaches)
"He's good, he's good. We call him a pit bull. But I tell you what, his attitude's been great. He's had a positive attitude and everything that he's basically spoken on is how you play football. We as competitors we have our own outlook on things when we're out there on the field, and it takes that. It takes everybody to have a little opinion sometimes to make a play and he definitely brings that to the table."
QB JEFF GARCIA
(On team being balanced offensively)
“As far as we’re concerned, the focus is always to try to be balanced. I don’t think we’re necessarily a team that can lean one way over the other, especially when you have running backs like we do and an offensive line like we have. You want to be able to find ways to run the football, and if we’ve had to pass or been forced to pass, then we’re capable of doing those things too.”
(On having a long career as an NFL quarterback)
“For me, it’s finding a way to be competitive, finding a way to have that competitive edge on a yearly basis. I know that there are always young guys coming in and trying to knock you out of the way, or at this point in my career, out the door. So for me, it’s about physically staying in good shape, good conditioning, and then mentally, finding ways to keep the game fun. It’s not always easy, because there is a huge strain on you mentally.”
(On avoiding turnovers)
“It’s important that as you get older you continue to get wiser, and you continue to hone your skills and your game in way that you play to your abilities. I may not be as fast as I was five years ago, and I may not be as strong or whatever it may be, but hopefully I’ve become smarter. And I’ve become more understanding of what defenses are trying to do and what we’re trying to do offensively, and in that sense be able to make good decisions on the football field.”
(On having RB Cadillac Williams back on the field)
“It’s just awesome to see Cadillac Williams, who’s a guy who has been through so much in his brief career as far as injury is concerned. He’s a great player with great abilities. He’s worked extremely hard to overcome the injury he sustained last year. I think it’s a great boost, a great lift for this team to see a guy like that come back, and it’s not necessarily even knowing as to what capacity he’ll have on the field with us. But him coming back and being out on the field, I think is a boost for the running back position just from an energy level. Those guys are doing a great job as it is, and (Running Backs Coach) Rich Bisaccia is doing a great job coaching them. But to get a guy who’s been their running mate for the last few years back on the field is a positive thing.”
WR IKE HILLIARD
(On his injury last Sunday against Seattle)
“I fell asleep for a minute. But I was okay. It was a good NFL hit. I took all the tests and everything came back fine, so I’m able to stand in front of you guys and talk a little bit.”
(On his playing status)
“That’s to be determined. They want all the symptoms to be gone. So we’ll go from there.”
DT CHRIS HOVAN
(On facing Cowboys QB Brad Johnson)
“Brad’s still out there, and he’s still playing great ball right now. The team is on his shoulders right now until Tony (Romo) gets back, and I’m sure the onus is going to be put on the offensive line and (Dallas RB) Marion Barber to run the ball, manage the ball, manage the game. And get it to (Dallas WR Terrell Owens) when they have a certain opportunity to. We’re going to have to be aware of everything that they’re trying to do to attack us, and just go out there and play Buc defense against these guys.”
(On how big a win in Dallas would be for the team)
“It’s huge to be a team that can win on the road. You take that advantage away from the home team. If you have a strong team that’s coming in that can enforce their will on you at their home place, then you’re a contender, then we’re starting to talk about down the line.”
(On the current play of the defense)
“I think we’re playing well right now. I think the sky is the limit for this defense. We have proven players, we have young guys who are trying to go out there and prove themselves. I think we have a great gel of youth and veteran leadership in this locker room. The key point is we have to show up every Sunday and play. We can’t just say, ‘We want to do this’ and ‘We want to do that.’ We have to go out there and put it on tape.”
G DAVIN JOSEPH
(On team being balanced)
“We’ve had some games in the past where the defense supported the offense, and we’ve had some games where the offense supported the defense. The feeling right now where we have a balance as far as where one unit is lagged and the other one can pick up the slack, then when we’re both on and we can really have a convincing win. We’re at a point right now where we’re really happy with the way that both sides are playing; we just have to keep it up.”
(On offensive production)
“We’ve been consistent. We’ve been balanced, so it’s going to definitely help in the long run, being able to run the ball in certain situations, being able to pass, being able to play defense, the four-minute offense, the two-minute drill, we can do everything right now. We’re feeling confident.”
LB CATO JUNE
(On playing Dallas)
“You always have to be ready when you have a high powered team like that. Just because they maybe didn’t play well for a couple of weeks doesn’t mean that they aren’t going to come out ready to play.”
(On Dallas’ offense)
“They do a very good job running the football as well as in the passing game, getting the ball down field, making big plays. A lot of guys can create the big plays for the offense so that will be a challenge for us to go out there and make sure that we are stopping them from being able to be two-dimensional and being able to control the football game.”
TE JERRAMY STEVENS
(On injuries at the wide receiver position being an opportunity for the tight ends)
“It’s an opportunity for a bunch of guys to step up. You know Brian Clark is going to have an opportunity. We don’t know exactly what it’s going to be on game day, but somebody is going to have a chance and it’s usually somebody different every week. Everybody’s just got to be ready to pick up a little bit more of the load and hopefully go on and execute our game plan.”
(On winning despite injuries)
“I think that’s the sign of a good team. I think we’re getting real close to where whoever is called upon is stepping up and making plays. When we’re running the ball, when we’re throwing the ball a lot, when we’re defense, when we’re special teams – we’re doing what it takes to win. That’s the sign of a good team, I think.”
RB CARNELL WILLIAMS
(On returning to practice)
"It's big. It's been a long time, so just getting an opportunity to go out there and see how things go, I'm just excited right now."
(On if he's ready to do everything a running back needs to do)
"Pretty much close, but like I was telling the trainers, I haven't been out there with different guys flying around and running at me. I'm still kind of excited to see how I react to that, making guys miss here and there. It's not just me working with bags and cutting and things like that. I'm looking forward to it."
(On what he can compare this first day back at practice to)
"You can't. It really feels like my first day, like I'm at a starting point again, which I'm very excited about and looking forward to. It's going to be interesting."
(On if he has to guard against rushing back too soon)
"No doubt. Like I said, this here is the beginning. The weeks will tell how I recover from practice and see how it goes. It's not like I'm going to practice today and they're just going to throw me in on Sunday and hand me the ball. This is something we're going to carefully look at, but at the same time it's an exciting time for me."
(On how it felt to be working on his rehab while the team practiced nearby without him)
"I tell a lot of people, you really just kind of feel useless. The team's here and I'm doing my thing over there, so in a way you really don't feel like a part of the team, but then again you are. It's not a good feeling to have."
(On if it feels good to have that be over and to be back with the team)
"I've been going to meetings but now I get to be on the practice field and watch guys fly around. That's the good part about it."