DV Q&A : CHIEFS ARE WALKING WOUNDED
 

Q&A with COACH VERMEIL
Nov 03, 2005, 5:40:39 PM


Q: Trent Green was not here today. Was that expected?

D. VERMEIL: “Originally he thought he would be back (from father’s funeral) before we practiced but he didn’t make it. He called this morning and said he couldn’t be here. He’s getting back in town tonight.”

Q: Is he going to practice tomorrow? Is that good enough for you guys to go into a game?

VERMEIL: “He’ll practice tomorrow. I don’t know, I’ll have to talk to him about it when he gets in.”

Q: Is it possible that Todd Collins could start?

VERMEIL: “I’m not going to say.”

Q: Any word on Priest’s medical checkup?

VERMEIL: “He didn’t go in to see the doctor until 2 o’clock this afternoon (California) time. He’s due back tonight.”

Q: How did Warfield look today?

VERMEIL: “Warfield practiced real well; he moved very well on the practice field. I’m real pleased. He’s definitely a go.”

Q: Willie Roaf was downgraded to questionable today. What’s his status today?

VERMEIL: “Very questionable. Aggravation of the hamstring.”

Q: How did McCleon look?

VERMEIL: “Not ready. Not yet. He’s not ready today.”

Q: Surtain said he felt a little bit better today.

VERMEIL: “Yeah, but not ready to play today. He might be ready by Saturday or Sunday but not today.”

Q: Does this mean you’re in as bad a shape going into a game as you’ve been all year?

VERMEIL: “Could be, yeah.”

Q: With so many key players down all week how prepared do you feel?

VERMEIL: “Well, you’re never as secure. Each player who normally starts that’s not there you’re never as secure as you were. But I always have confidence in the people we put in and expect them to play well. It’s worked for me over my years in coaching and I don’t intend to change my way of thinking in regard to that. I’m not going to go sit and pout about it. I’d love to have everyone 100% healthy but the Raiders are coming in here with some guys that were starters who don’t start any more because of injuries too. That’s the National Football League. It’s a high-risk business and guys get hurt and banged up and, in some ways, we’ve been fortunate not to have any serious injuries other than Ryan Sims. You have to coach through it and play through it.”

Q: Could this game show you what your team is made of with all these guys out?

VERMEIL: “Well, they’re not all out yet. I’ll just wait and see but we’re preparing to play without certain people and it’ll be a plus if they can play.”

Q: You said practice yesterday was just OK. How was today’s?

VERMEIL: “OK. OK. Thursday is normally a full padded practice for us, a long full padded practice. I went in shells like I work on Wednesday because we have so many guys banged up. I just didn’t want to get anybody else banged up, not that we do get more guys banged up practicing with pads on than we do without. It’s just a little lower risk, so it’s not as good a football practice as a normal Thursday practice is when you’re in pads.”

Q: If Willie Roaf doesn’t go does Jordan Black move to left tackle?

VERMEIL: “He’s back over at left tackle. He took the reps at left tackle. John Welbourn is the right tackle.”

Q: Had Trent been here and attending meetings would he be more likely to play? Since he’s not here at all does that increase the likelihood he wouldn’t play?

VERMEIL: “Oh yeah. I just want to talk to him. We aren’t doing anything he hasn’t done before in the offense. Now, he might not have done it in the last two or three weeks but we have a huge volume of offense that’s been coached all through the OTAs and mini-camps and training camp that he’s been involved in. All the stuff we’ve done all week he’s been involved. I just want to see how he feels and go from there.”

Q: Will you be aware of Trent’s starting streak and what impact it might have on his decision?

VERMEIL: “I know Trent Green well enough to know that he only wants what’s best for this football team regardless of starting streaks or anything else. If he didn’t feel he could play well not having practiced or being through the emotional pressure that he’s been through or the anxiety, he would say. Last week I thought he played pretty well under a lot of stress and had the best game he’s had this year. He’s our leader and we expect a lot from him and he very seldom disappoints us. But I’d still like to before we make any decision I’d like him involved in it.”

Q: Will tomorrow’s practice be the same kind of practice that it always is?

VERMEIL: “Same Friday practice.

Q: How has Todd Collins looked working with the first team?

VERMEIL: “Todd had an excellent practice today. Todd’s a good football player. He has never really been given the opportunity I think to demonstrate what he can do. I’ve recommended him to other teams looking for a starting quarterback since I’ve been here. But nobody wants to believe you when you tell them. I have a lot of confidence in him and so does this football team.”

Green might not start, simply because he missed two practices?

If that actually happens, someone needs to get in a bell tower near a spot that DV and Al walk by frequently.

Well, that was a real enjoyable read. Good to see everybody's healthy.

no shit. this team seems a wee bit fragile this year - could be the average age of 47 years old.

I got the impression that DV wants him to play, but only if Trent says he's ready to go. He said he had to see how he feels and kinda referred to it as his decision... reading it I kinda thought Trent must've said something to give DV some doubt, or DV is just screwing with the reporters. I expect Trent will say he's ready to play. I hope anyway.

didn't they beat Oakland in Oakland without Roaf & Warfield

I can't even imagine Trent not starting... *shudder*

That has me wondering. Since Black is strugglin at Right Tackle that they are goin to go with John Welbourn at Right Tackle.

From the sounds of it, it is as much Trent's decision as the coaches'.

OK...this is utter BS.

Don't get me wrong, I'm entirely sympathetic for Trent's situation and my thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family, but this is *****ing ridiculous- you don't bench one of your top players 'cause he had to attend a funeral a few days before the game.

Do I need to remind our head coach it's RAIDERS WEEK! It's a divisional game. It's a home game. You have half of your *****ing team down due to injuries 'cause you were TOO *****ING SOFT ON THEM DURING THE PRESEASON! Is it any wonder why there's so many injuries and limp players walking around?

I've had enough of this BS, DV. Be a *****ing man and demand your players PLAY! Demand they work their azzes off in practice! Demand they shrug off their little aches and pains and play some goddamn football before it's all over- 'cause I will tell you this right now- the end of the season will be pretty damn near if you lose this game.

I doubt Norv is buying into it

we are an old old NFL team.

Collins is probably saying, "You want me to what? Play? On Sunday? Against an entirely different team?"

I actually just saw this on the news. I was pretty much dumbfounded by Vermiel saying it.

I think trent will start.... it is the willie/priest situation that is troublesome,