Q&A with TODD HALEY - 9/11
 

Q&A with TODD HALEY - 9/11
Sep 11, 2009, 2:02:21 PM

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TODD HALEY: “Afternoon everybody – a real Friday practice today. It was nice and hot out there but I think we got some good work today.

“On the quarterback as I’ve said the last couple of days, it’s going to continue to go right down to the wire with Matt. He participated today but again I think that’s going to be a decision that goes right down to the wire.”

Q: Will he be listed as questionable?

HALEY: “Yes.”

Q: If Matt can’t start you have not decided yet…?

HALEY: “Still not decided. All those (quarterbacks) got reps this week, really, because there are a lot of different scenarios that could go on.”

Q: Who are you more comfortable with as the second quarterback? One is more of a change-up guy, the other more traditional.

HALEY: “Comfortable with whoever can bring home the victory, that’s the guy I am most comfortable with.”

Q: Think this might be causing some problems for Baltimore trying to figure out who the QB is?

HALEY: “I don’t know. You’d have to ask them. But I think this first game is difficult regardless of the circumstances. You add different variables in – how much you pay attention to those is probably up to each team. It’s a hard week regardless and we’ve got enough to worry about on our end really without worrying about how they’re feeling.”

Q: How has Larry Johnson looked this week? The offensive line has been in flux and a running back can only be as good as his line sometimes.


HALEY: “I thought the line came together in the last game while they were in there together. I think the more time they’re together the better. I think that’s a group that’s worked real hard and I think that’s a group that’s going to pride itself on being a physical group when the game’s over. Larry matches that same mentality. He’s a physical back that needs carries. I think he’s a back that gets stronger as the game goes on. So, I think you have to use him appropriately.”

Q: Are you comfortable with your wide receiver core going into this game?

HALEY: “I think that’s another group that was shakier but, through hard work, they’ve kind of come together a bit and jelled. Guys are starting now to get it, which is what we want everybody to do: it’s to understand what we want. I think we’re starting to see that from that group also. Again, Sunday will be a great challenge for the entire team, special teams included because of all the work that we’ve put in will be put to the test against a very good team.”

Q: Are you surprised on the progress Matt has made over the past couple of weeks?

HALEY: “I think I spoke on this earlier. When you get a player who has a great desire to be in the lineup, it’s sometimes a case of mind over matter. When you get a player that has that mentality and who has a pretty high pain threshold, that’s usually a pretty good combination for a coach because then you’ve got a guy who you’re going to have a hard time keeping him out of the lineup. At least that’s been my experience with those types of guys. They find their way back faster than the average guy.”

Q: Couple of weeks ago you said you wanted to see more attitude from Tank Tyler. Have you seen that? He had nine tackles last week against the Rams.

HALEY: “Started to show progress. Again, this week will be the true test. This is the real game, regular season game one. We’ll have to see where Tank is at after this Baltimore game and we’ll know a lot more at that time. The St. Louis game was encouraging but again, that was 15 days or so ago. Sunday is what counts.”

Q: Other than quarterback are you pretty certain who your starting lineup will be for Sunday?

HALEY: “Getting close but I don’t want to talk about specifics without having our afternoon staff meeting.”

Lots of words that tell me absolutely nothing.

I think I know the response to any question asked of Haley...."We'll see on Sunday"

I absolutely love this though. He is like a chick you wanna fug playing coy. He knows what he is doing and it is a welcome change as far as I'm concerned. Keep me in the dark as long as we win. I'm officially on the TH band wagon.

I love how the media thinks the fact that Tank Tyler had nine tackles against the second and third-teams of the St. Louis Rams is such a positive sign.

Apparently Haley has a totally different calendar than most.

Huh? The Rams are Awesome! With a name like Tank he's got to be good. :shake:

Yeah, and Sunday is the first PreSeason game.

That only applies to jelly or jam.

The fact that he's a NT getting that many of tackles is phenomenal. That's probowl MLB type tackle numbers. 9 tackles in the NFL--starter, backup, dudes off the street. It's a big time number

He'll send a bad message if after three days of practice Cassel doesn't play.

The reporters have pointed out Cassel's struggles. If Cassel doesn't play, so be it. He'll be ready for week 2 if not week 1.

Not sure how this changes my point.

You simply don't send an entire team through what is likely their most difficult camp then sit your starting QB because he's having a little trouble with his knee. If he's 80% he needs to play.

He's been practicing all week.
If they didn't want him to play Week 1...
He shouldn't have been out there with the 1's on the practice field.

I'd be more impressed if he could hold the point of attack.

God, just end this farce already.

Yep. All those big runs by Tennessee last night were because Casey Hampton got bitch ****ed and couldn't hold any ground.

Who says that they don't want him to play? There's a difference between getting him work in hopes that he'll be able to play, and being certain that he'll be ready. Players practice and get downgraded to 'out' with some frequency.

Does anyone believe the Ravens really think he's going to go with Thigpen if Cassel is out?

You never know. Haley may try to induce vomiting in the stadium as an offensive distraction/weapon; something extreme to take the Raven's D's eyes off the ball momentarily.

Its definitely Cassel or Croyle...and Cassel would have to have a major setback to not at least give it a try on Sunday.
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We're not talking about Game 6 of a 3-year regime.
We're talking about the first game of a new administration with THE most important position on the field. He's trying to instill an attitude in this football team. To let Cassel practice all week after a camp that his players affectionately called "Hell" is a mistake. IF he's 75-80%... He must play.

going through the motions...that sucks

That makes no sense at all. Absolutely none.

A Quarterback would ordinarily play at 80%, no?
To sit your starting QB because he's dinged and you're facing a tough conference opponent on the road is silly. We might as well prepare for him to sit against 4 other teams this year (as I'm certain he won't be completely healthy throughout).

This, let's wait until Game 2 stuff is defeatist and serves no one.
It's also the wrong message to send to players you just beat the shit out of in camp.
And after 3 days of practice his teammates know whether or not he can go.
If he can... And they don't trot him out there... What does that say to those players?

Cassel uses his legs to scramble and avoid pressure. He's not Drew Bledsoe, or even Tom Brady in terms of limited running mobility. If he can't run, it changes his game. That makes him less effective as well as more of a target.

If the coach feels he's ready to play, won't hurt the team and won't put himself in too much danger due to injury, he'll play. If he doesn't believe that, you'll see him in week 2.

The posters wanting Cassel to be benched really says alot about the mentality of this board. It's a bunch of pussies that never have played football.

I tend to agree, but do we know that he can't run?

The reporters have noted Cassel as being gimpy. I probably should have used that term the first time instead of "struggles". There have been articles on it here in this forum.

Didn't Haley say the offense would be virtually unchanged?

I thought I read that he was improving as the week wore on AND that he was throwing well on the run and not favoring his knee? I could be wrong.

Is it just me or does Haley always sound like Palamalu in the Head and Shoulders commercial. Ask him a question and he answers completely off base.

Reporter:So how do you think the 1st team offense is doing?

Haley: I thought it was a great movie. Surprised by the ending though.

They did say that he looked as if he was improving. That doesn't mean that he's ready. I certainly hope he's ready, but I also hope that the coach is smart enough to keep him out if he's not.

You know Cassel will be begging to play, ready or not.

I'de bet my paycheck that Cassel starts this weekend and this is all a ploy by Haley to keep the Ravens guessing. Yeah, they're gameplanning against Cassel, but they're also wasting their time planning different scenario's just in case Matt doesn't start. If Cassel can plant his leg to throw the ball, he'll start barring further injury during practice.

If I were the Ravens coach, I'de practice with 8 men in the box to stop the running game, then send the house on 3rd and long opportinities. Our OL is the most glaring weakness going into the game and their LB core are licking their chops to pad their stats in week 1.

Just don't bet your casino cash, it's lookin pretty rough.

I understand the point, but a NT having nine tackles against a pee wee team is a good sign.

It is impossible to know how much of the time he was playing his assignments and how many times he freelanced. If he was playing his responsibilities and got that many tackles... yes... it is impressive... even against second and third team NFL players.

I think it's pretty irrelevant to be quite honest. It was the fourth preseason game. Casey Hampton had 22 tackles last year.

There is no way in hell I believe that. With two weeks before the regular season a team isn't going to scrap the entire offense they designed over the offseason.

The perception that he was improving is consistent with him participating in more drills as the went week on though. So I'd like to think there's something to that.

This was my week to be with the queenmum in MD. People around here think the Chiefs are crazy if Cassel starts Sun b/c the Raven D would kill him.

Well if you want to choose the quarterback best suited to run for his life it's probably Thigpen...

If Cassel is 100 % you play him, if not sit him. We play plenty defenses the 1st half of the season that are capable of killing him.

one thing 4-sure Chiefs play at Baltimore sunday ...

really, shit i almost forgot