Rick Smith Interview
(on the role advanced scouting took in Denver game) "There's a couple facets to advanced scouting. Number one, we do have our pro scouts that go in advance and watch games and they study opponents and they study other teams in the league as a part of our evaluation process for our free agents. Part of that process is also gathering info and watching the teams so they'll bring back signals for personnel grouping, they'll bring back tempo for offense, any tidbits that can help our coaches. Our coaches are then, in turn, doing film evaluation, so all of it goes into a bunch of studying that these coaches do to prepare our football team and to get any type of edge that we can get. Certainly, our guys Larry Wright in the pro department as well as Kevin Murphy and Brian Gardner, those guys do a nice job with that."
(on QB Matt Schaub's precision) "I'll tell you what, Matt's got a really, really strong command of our offense. He understands what Gary (Kubiak) wants when Gary calls a play. He's got some input during the week in terms of plays that he likes. But he's been tremendous over these last few weeks. It's pretty apparent when you watch him that he knows where the ball's ought to go, and he's got good rhythm. Just very proud of him and the way that he stood up and led our football team in a very tough environment. For us to come out and perform the way we did on the road two weeks in a row has been fantastic."
(on WR Lestar Jean's meniscus issue presenting an opportunity for WR DeVier Posey) "That speaks again on the depth that we've talked about; when you got a guy like Lestar go out for a few weeks and you got a Posey that can come right in. I really like what I've seen from him over the last couple weeks in practice. He's done a nice job, and I think he's ready."
(on learning during the scouting process that WR DeVier Posey works extremely hard and stays late) "He continues to be one of the last guys on the practice field every day. He's working and I think part of that was the fact that he didn't play a lot last year and he's trying to catch up. I know that he knows it's important for him to be ready. I think that his opportunity is going to present itself pretty soon and, like I said, I'm pretty confident that he's going to help our football team win."
(on RB Arian Foster's journey over the last three years) "It's pretty special what he's doing and the type of player that he is and what he can continue to be. It reminds me of the same story we would tell in Denver, Terrell Davis, we took him in the sixth round and had him covering kicks. You knew he was tough when you saw him do that but then when you put the ball in his hands, all of the sudden he could be pretty special as well. Arian's done a nice job, he continues to improve and I think he's got a lot more yards to produce for us."
(on when the comparison between Terrell Davis and Arian Foster came into his mind) "I don't know if I compare them; I don't think that their running styles are similar, it's just that particular story is very similar. They're different running styles. I had a chance to see TD over the last weekend when we were in Denver. It's good to see him, he's doing well, and a fantastic, productive back in his own right. Arian's a little different and equally, obviously, as productive so far."
