Martz on the Mike: November 19
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
“We shortened practice a little bit and have gone into shells. This is the time of year that you can physically hit the wall so we tried to freshen things up a little bit. We generally do this and lighten practice up a little bit. The team is going good mentally. They are focused and getting ready to play the Cardinals. The Cardinals at home obviously have been very difficult. They have won three of the last four and the game that they did lose was on the last play, a blocked punt. We understand the situation that we are going into down in Arizona. We know how hard they are to beat at home; very similar to the Bears situation. It will be a very hard fought game; a very close game, one that we will have to prepare very well for.”
On letting up on practice: “Letting up on practice is probably not how I would describe it. What we try to do is take the contact out of it. The speed the quickness and the intensity we can do a little bit of. We try to cut down on the plays a little bit. We have taken Isaac and Torry on Wednesdays now and backed them off a little bit, Thursday a little bit more, and Friday will be a normal practice day. Those two guys have been running all year and we can do that because we have receivers helping now who can participate and fill in and do those things. They can learn a little bit more as well that way. This is what we will do for the rest of the year.”
On when you let up on practice: “We just have a sense of it. These guys have really taken more reps than what we will normally do during the season because we have had so many of the young guys injured. They had to take more reps so we have to let them catch up a little.”
On Leonard Little: “He has done some individual (drills). Now he has to get into that football part of it and get confidence in his strength. That is just the functional part of it. Strength-wise, he has come back very well.
On Tyoka Jackson and Bryce Fisher playing well: “Very much so. They both have seized the opportunity that has been given to them and have done very well. Brian Young is doing the same thing. It is the same thing with the young corners, Dane Looker, and we can go on and on and on. They have stepped in and done a real good job. I’m really happy with that part of this football team.”
On Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin: What is so impressive about him is what he is able to do after the catch. He just makes terrific plays. His runs after the catch and his yards after the catch, the breaking tackles, his toughness and competitiveness is what really comes across when you watch that tape.
On the Rams defense: “They have done a good of job as anybody taking the ball away this year. This is something that I know is coached, they believe in that. It is an attitude as well as the speed the players have over there. I think the young players in the secondary have done a great job in improving each game. They are learning and getting better. You make those things happen, knocking the ball out. Pursuit has a great deal to do with that. You knock the ball out and one of your guys is there to get the ball. It’s an attitude, I think it’s coached and it reflects the players that we have.”
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
“We shortened practice a little bit and have gone into shells. This is the time of year that you can physically hit the wall so we tried to freshen things up a little bit. We generally do this and lighten practice up a little bit. The team is going good mentally. They are focused and getting ready to play the Cardinals. The Cardinals at home obviously have been very difficult. They have won three of the last four and the game that they did lose was on the last play, a blocked punt. We understand the situation that we are going into down in Arizona. We know how hard they are to beat at home; very similar to the Bears situation. It will be a very hard fought game; a very close game, one that we will have to prepare very well for.”
On letting up on practice: “Letting up on practice is probably not how I would describe it. What we try to do is take the contact out of it. The speed the quickness and the intensity we can do a little bit of. We try to cut down on the plays a little bit. We have taken Isaac and Torry on Wednesdays now and backed them off a little bit, Thursday a little bit more, and Friday will be a normal practice day. Those two guys have been running all year and we can do that because we have receivers helping now who can participate and fill in and do those things. They can learn a little bit more as well that way. This is what we will do for the rest of the year.”
On when you let up on practice: “We just have a sense of it. These guys have really taken more reps than what we will normally do during the season because we have had so many of the young guys injured. They had to take more reps so we have to let them catch up a little.”
On Leonard Little: “He has done some individual (drills). Now he has to get into that football part of it and get confidence in his strength. That is just the functional part of it. Strength-wise, he has come back very well.
On Tyoka Jackson and Bryce Fisher playing well: “Very much so. They both have seized the opportunity that has been given to them and have done very well. Brian Young is doing the same thing. It is the same thing with the young corners, Dane Looker, and we can go on and on and on. They have stepped in and done a real good job. I’m really happy with that part of this football team.”
On Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin: What is so impressive about him is what he is able to do after the catch. He just makes terrific plays. His runs after the catch and his yards after the catch, the breaking tackles, his toughness and competitiveness is what really comes across when you watch that tape.
On the Rams defense: “They have done a good of job as anybody taking the ball away this year. This is something that I know is coached, they believe in that. It is an attitude as well as the speed the players have over there. I think the young players in the secondary have done a great job in improving each game. They are learning and getting better. You make those things happen, knocking the ball out. Pursuit has a great deal to do with that. You knock the ball out and one of your guys is there to get the ball. It’s an attitude, I think it’s coached and it reflects the players that we have.”
