[Wile_E_Coyote]

Q. Did you envision this type of season at all?

DICK VERMEIL: “I think only a few times did we ever get beat by truly a better team. But we’re minus seven in turnovers, six times have we turned the ball over in the Red Zone going into score. When you do those things you normally don’t win. It’s disappointing and a problem we’ve got to solve.

“I thought we would be a better football team, but I didn’t think we’d win as many games because we had a much tougher schedule and, also, tougher locations at which to play at critical times. But I thought we’d still be a very good football team and I thought we’d be a playoff team. I still think this is a pretty good football team, but we’re not a playoff team for a number of reasons, number one, because we’re minus seven in turnovers and we’ve given up too many big plays on defense. When you do those things you don’t normally make the playoffs.

“It disappoints you. You beat three winning teams and lose to some losing teams. You play the San Diego Chargers here and you’ve got the lead in the fourth quarter and you don’t get it done. You have to respect those that get it done and keep evaluating yourself as a head football coach and what you’re doing and what you’re not getting done, so that you can provide the opportunity for your team to win. That’s where I am right now.”

Q: How much has the injury to Priest Holmes determined your record today?

VERMEIL: “We don’t use it as an excuse and we have some fine young players that play behind him. We don’t use it as an excuse for not playing well or not winning. You miss him, that’s all. We’ve got a lot of horsepower in our offense and have always been either the one, two or three ranked offense in the league for the last three years in scoring and everything. When you lose a little horsepower you’re not quite as good. You never know what play that a great back can make a difference in a specific drive. Maybe it’s a 10-yard run that is made that next week is only a four-yard run. You just don’t know. We miss him and, hopefully, he’ll be back soon.

Q: Evaluate the Raiders.

VERMEIL: “Better in the passing game, playing better on defense where they’re not giving up as many big plays. They look like they’re really starting to fit into the scheme. Sometimes it takes a while. You can’t duplicate game day on the practice field, so sometimes it takes a while. But they’re obviously playing better; I was impressed with how they played in tough conditions and in a tough place Sunday night.”

Q: Does playing the Raiders give you any extra motivation, especially with a team that needs a win as bad as yours does?

VERMEIL: “I think the Raiders are in the same boat that we are. They’re coming off a big win. We both have pretty much the same record. They’ve won one more game than we have. So, we both have pretty good motivation just to win a football game.”

Q: But because there has been in the past a Chiefs-Raiders rivalry, does that….

VERMEIL: “I think that exists. I think there is a Chiefs-Raiders rivalry like there are in the other divisions. I think the players as the week goes – especially the veterans – will move that tradition down to the 15 or 16 new kids we have on the roster. I think they know they’re playing the Raiders.”

Q: Has Gunther Cunningham let them know that?

VERMEIL: “He worked for the Raiders, but I don’t know what frame of mind that left him in. I haven’t heard him say a word about it. I know Al Saunders has coached against them for a number of years. To me, it only matters how you play on Sunday.”

Q: Is it good to play an opponent like that after four weeks when your hopes are pretty much dashed?

VERMEIL: “In terms of the rivalry, I think rivalries always help you a little bit. In terms of looking at the Raiders any different than we looked at the San Diego Chargers? No. We don’t look at teams – at least I don’t – and stack ‘em one way or the other, especially when you’re struggling like we are.”

Q: Do you think some rivalries have changed because of free agency and player movement?

VERMEIL: “I think it has changed some, yeah. A third of the roster changes every year. I think it’s harder to hold onto those old traditions, but this organization from ownership to management on down has always been a Raider rivalry organization and I’m sure it’s the same for the Raiders.”

Q: It looks like you may go into this game with two new safeties since your starters don’t look healthy. What do you do?

VERMEIL: “Dexter McCleon will be the third safety. He was prepared to do it as we got going last week. He worked there some today.”

Q: Are the Raiders a different team with Collins than they are with Gannon?

VERMEIL: “Collins is a downfield thrower and a good one. There isn’t a ball he can’t throw down field: the posts, the corners, the fades, the streaks. He has a very strong arm. In fact, I broadcast probably the finest college game he ever played. It was an unbelievable college football game and he brought ‘em back in the final drive of a fourth quarter against Illinois on a Saturday night. He played well last week.”

Q: Are they at all different with him because of his abilities?

VERMEIL: “I don’t know. The Raiders in the old days were always a vertical down-the- field passing team. They changed over a few years with Gannon and now with Norv Turner there he’s always placed a real strong emphasis on the running game, play-action and going down field. Probably they’ll be a blend fitting it in with Collins.”

Q: When you were with St. Louis and were looking at Trent Green did you talk to Norv about him?

VERMEIL: “Remember, they wanted to keep him (in Washington). There was hope that they could keep him there. But Norv has always been very positive about anybody I’ve ever asked him about if he felt he should be positive. Norv’s not a con man in any way. I remember asking him about Mike Martz and he didn’t want to lose him but he gave him a good recommendation. I vaguely remember talking to him about Trent but I think it was after everything. Norv’s not a BSer in any way, very matter of fact.”

Q: How’s Kris Wilson doing?

VERMEIL: “He’s a little hobbly today, not as good as he was last week prior to stinging the ankle.”

Q: Was he getting ready to play before that?

VERMEIL: “There would have been a possibility but with other injuries you just can’t afford to suit him up unless he can play linebacker, defensive line, or safety.”

Q: Do you envision he will get some opportunities?

VERMEIL: “There’s a possibility but it depends when other guys get back.”

Q: In terms of his long-term development, what do you want to do with him? How much would you have liked to have gotten him healthy this year?

VERMEIL: “I’ve seen enough of him to know he’s a good football player and going to be. Right now there are other crisis areas. It’s not that he’s not important but there are more important things to get done in the near future.”

Q: How about Samie Parker?

VERMEIL: “I’d like to see him play, but he’s been on the 53-man roster all along. He was active last week and he looks like he is ready to play. But right now on a 46-man roster, if we’ve got a healthy body who can help on special teams and at defensive positions then that player has to suit up.”

Q: Do you envision him dressing Sunday?

VERMEIL: “There’s a possibility because we’ve got so many guys who can’t play. You can suit up everybody. Do you want to play?

Q: How’s Steve Cheek?

VERMEIL: “He punted today and he was OK. I was concerned but he punted and punted well today. But his foot is bothering him.”

Q: Do you expect him to go on Sunday?

VERMEIL: “Right now I do, but I have some people on hold just in case.”

Q: Did Samie Parker pick up the offense as well as you would like? Is that what’s keeping off the field?

VERMEIL: “No, it’s just that I’d have to put Chris Horn down and Chris Horn can play all three wide receiver positions plus he’s really good on special teams plus he can returns punts and is on the kickoff return team. He got a nice block on the kickoff return for a touchdown.

Samie’s not that guy. That’s the negative of the 46-man rule. I felt very comfortable and told Charlie (Joiner) if we need him in any situation…..but he’s limited to one position.”

Q: Lawrence Tynes missed another PAT last week. What’s your assessment on how he’s played this year?

VERMEIL: “Well, I thought he has done a really good job overall. He’s had some bad kickoffs and some good ones. I told him this morning in the meeting if he gets another one like that I’m going over to Rockhurst High School and get their PAT kicker because high school guys don’t miss ‘em.

“There’s just no excuse in missing a PAT. I think sometime guys take it for granted that it’s going to go through and they’re not focused. He already had made a field goal. You’ve got to put it through.”

Q: No regrets on keeping him around?

VERMEIL: “I think he could be a good kicker and I think he’s done some good kicking. He’s our kickoff guy, so I would have had to cut somebody else on the roster. The punting situation didn’t work out with (Jason) Baker. He’s not punting in the league any more either. He’s kicking off somewhere – in Indianapolis. Morten (Andersen) isn’t kicking off in Minnesota either. Sometimes things don’t work out perfectly, but you should make your extra points. You miss one, OK. Miss two, no. Miss three, I’ll kill him.”

Q: The Raiders said they don’t expect Tyrone Wheatley to play. Is that a factor in your preparation?

VERMEIL: “They haven’t been running a ton anyway. Wheatley is a big strong physical guy and a good football player. None of us can afford to lose our running back. There have been a few teams and we’re fortunate to have Derrick Blaylock and now Larry (Johnson) going. But you take Wheatley out of your offense you take something out of it. They have other good runners but different style all together.”

Q: You’ve turned the ball over many times in the Red Zone this year. How do you correct that?

VERMEIL: “That’s the first time I’ve heard that statement. (laughs) We’ve had six of them. We go into playing the game smart and talking about it and selling more than probably anybody in football. We document it. A lot of players have information they could give you. But it doesn’t stop it from happening – like the two receivers getting the ball stripped, like Priest Holmes fumbling going in to score. Priest Holmes doesn’t fumble, but he did. Like Dante Hall fumbling going into score. I’ve never seen it before, but it happened. Trent Green getting the ball batted in the New Orleans game going in, Trent Green getting hit in the shoulder and throwing an interception in the goal line area. That’s all part of the game but our job is to prevent it from happening.


“It hasn’t happened to us before. It’s a new experience for me. Evidently we did something better three years in a row than we’re doing right now, cause we didn’t throw over down there. I think we darn near set a record for percentage of touchdowns going in two years in a row when we were down there. We’re coaching just as hard as ever have but it isn’t working as well.”