QB David Carr
(on the importance of finishing 8-8)"I'd say that's important. Just the mindset of our football team right now is we get to play a division opponent that has playoff aspirations and hope to try to steal something that we can't get a hold of right now. I think as far as what each individual is playing for on this team, there's a lot of pride, there's a lot of things that go into finishing strong and finishing the season off the way it should be."
(on the rivalry with the Jaguars)"I know they don't like us and we don't particularly like them so yeah that's a rivalry game. I think it's always a very physical football game. There's always a few words and punches thrown that probably shouldn't be. It's a fun football game. I like playing these guys because they care about the game. They're very competitive. They want to win on every play and so do I and so do the guys on my team. That makes it fun."
(on gaining respect with a victory)"If we go down there and we beat these guys then we've swept two teams in our division this year. That's a big goal for us. It's a lot better than our record last year in our conference. If we go out there and play well and do what we're supposed to do it takes care of itself. There's a lot of focus. Jacksonville has my full undivided attention this week because we have to go out there and get after them."
(on having respect in this game)"I don't think we've gotten the respect that maybe they have. So we've got some things to prove and hopefully we can do it when we go down there … Respect from anybody. Last time we played we beat them. We're considerable underdogs I don't think you have to look too far in the locker room to find guys that are upset about that."
(on Donovin Darius' hit during the Packers game)"Obviously Donovin will probably tell you too the fine was probably justified. He probably deserved it. He's apologized himself. I don't know exactly what went into the play. I just saw the end result. It's a football game. Guys play hard and those things happen. Anytime you play Jacksonville you're going into a physical football game so you've got to expect those kind of things. It just so happened he was injured, hopefully he is alright and it all takes care of itself."
(on if the teams like each other)"They're not going to get a Christmas card from me. I probably won't get one from them. Other than that it's just a football game. I think what separates it is being in the same division. They've been an expansion team. We're trying to get out of that mold and we're very similar teams. Every position you look at we're very similar. We want to take something away from them. they always want to take something away from us so it's fun."
(on if the game has many dirty plays)"It's a pretty clean game. The things that happen during a football game when guys are fired up, I mean that stuff is going to happen. Guys are going to try to take you down anyway they can. If they happen to hit your knee, hit your ankle or something … obviously I was pretty upset the last time we played them. My ankle got busted up a little bit but I don't think it was done intentionally. It's just something that happens when you try to take guys down."
(on if he's surprised by Billy Volek's effort for the Titans)"I'm not surprised at all. I sat behind the guy for a year and a half. I think his last year he threw 30 something touchdowns and two or three interceptions. He's a good football player and he's got an opportunity now to show what he can do and I'm proud of him. I'm happy the Bulldogs are doing well."
(on why he was drafted so high and Volek went undrafted)"We didn't really throw the ball down the field a lot when he was in there. It was really a lot like I guess New York's style of offense. A lot of ball control, West Coast style. We might have thrown the ball down field once a game if we were lucky. He really didn't get a chance to show off what he can do. We changed a little bit when I got in, we changed the coordinator. We did some more things down the field. He never really got a fair assessment. He's very accurate and did a good job doing what he had to do."
(on what he wants for Christmas)"Two wins. I told my wife if we win two football games I'll be happy and won't need anything for Christmas."
(on Andre Johnson getting into the Pro Bowl)"He deserves it. He is as talented as any guy that plays receiver in the NFL. I was kind of nervous he wouldn't get in because we're not exactly winning our division or anything and we don't get much national media attention but obviously the players he plays against spoke out. I think he's the best receiver in the NFL. He deserves it."
DE Robaire Smith
(on if there is respect between the two teams)"It all depends on how you put it. I'm quite sure they respect what we do but at the same time they got to have the mentality to go out there and know they're going to win. We beat them once and we're still coming into the game the underdog. That lets us know we've still got a lot to prove around this league."
(on comparing Dunta Robinson to other rookies)"I can compare him to a lot of vets. He goes out there and makes more big plays just like anybody in the league. That's why I feel like he should be in the Pro Bowl."
(on Andre Johnson and the Pro Bowl)"That ain't even a question. Ya'll see the games week in and week out. Andre without a doubt, big plays every game. Unstoppable."
(on stopping the Jaguars offense)"You've got to stop Fred Taylor. You can't forget about Jimmy Smith though. You have to make them one dimensional one way or the other. If you stop Fred you have to make sure you have enough people on Jimmy. At the same time this is all about playing a hardnosed game because sooner or later if you stop both of them they'll wear down."
(on Byron Leftwich)"He acts like a young (Steve) McNair to me. He's been beat up a whole lot this year but at the same time he's been playing game in and game out. I think he's got what it takes."
CB Dunta Robinson
(on meeting his goals for this year)"I've met them and gone way beyond them. I never would have thought my season would have went this well, especially at the beginning of the year coming in as a new guy and trying to get used to the way things work around here and for things to turn out the way they have, it's a blessing."
(on if opponents talk about him on the field)"I don't hear it. I guess they try to keep that away from me and talk to some of the vets about it. They don't want a rookie to think that they think that he's that good so they keep that away from me."
(on confidence playing cornerback)"You just want to go out on the field and just think you're better than the guy you're facing. It's no disrespect to the other guys. If you don't believe in yourself how do you expect your teammates and your coaches to. I just go out there and play the way I'm capable of playing. I don't try to do too much. I just try to go out there and make plays and that's what I'm doing."
Head coach Dom Capers
(on Andre Johnson and the Pro Bowl)"He's the perfect team guy. Since day one he's come in and worked extremely hard. You never hear much out of Andre he just goes out and does it on the practice field. To me that's what this game is all about. You're evaluated on what you do. He came in and had a tremendous rookie year and has made tremendous steps this year. To me it just speaks volumes in terms of the respect that he's earned on the field."
(on Dunta Robinson not getting a Pro Bowl invitation)"I think it's extremely difficult and I think Dunta's done all the things that he can do and that's go out on the field and play and produce. I think with time things will happen for Dunta. What we've seen on the field this year, if he can just continue to make the strides that he has this year he's got a very bright future and can impact the game on defense the same way Andre can impact the game on offense."
(on this weekend's game)"We know they're playing for the playoffs. It's a division game. It's an opportunity for us to possibly go 4-2 in the division and that would be a tremendous stride in the right direction after winning one division game the first two years, with the possibility of winning four, the third year would be tremendous."
