VS.

POSTGAME QUOTES
DECEMBER 9, 2007

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Q: Opening statement:
"This was a win that had it's moments of brilliance at times, and the opposite at other times. Our football team kept playing and we did some things we sought out to do. We wanted to run the football productively and stop the run on the other side. I thought we took care of those things defensively except for the one long run by Steven Jackson, where we had him tackled at the line of scrimmage and he ran for another 50 yards. We didn't play as well on special teams as we had been playing, as far as returns (are concerned). I thought Shayne Graham and Kyle Larson both had great days. The guys hung in there and stayed after it."

Q: What has gotten into your defense the past four or five games?
"I kind of keep repeating myself. We have the same guys doing the same things, and we keep building on that. You guys used to laugh when I said it was 11 guys playing together. We have had the same 15 or 16 guys out there, and it has made of difference. Just do what you are supposed to do, every play. Tackle and don't allow the explosive plays."

Q: Thoughts on safety Dexter Jackson:
"Dexter had all he could handle in Steven Jackson on that specific tackle. He needed some help to get there. We had some other guys that should have been there."

Q: More on Jackson:
"He did a good job playing today. He stayed true to his responsibilities."

Q: How much did the conditions affect the game today?
"At times, it really affected our passing game. It seemed like every time we had the ball in the first half, it started raining. When they got the ball that one time, the sun started coming through. We have been used to dealing with it. We practice in it, so there is really no excuse."

:Q: Was there any effect to your team knowing that Brock Berlin had never started at QB?
"Again, I can't control what goes on in their locker room, so I don't worry about that. We have our issues and they have theirs."

Q: Thoughts on DeDe Dorsey:
"He had another productive day. Every chance he gets, he makes some productive runs. He has done a good job of finding his niches, and he has made the most of it."

Q: It looked like Rudi Johnson ran like he did before the injury:
"You had to feel sorry for him a little bit. We didn't get the guys up front blocked and he took some hits right when he received the ball. He had a couple of good, productive runs today. We ran some more 'Rudi' style runs which helped us out."

Q: What are 'Rudi' runs?
"They are runs that he is more comfortable with. They are things we have run in the past. We were able to have some production there."

Q: Thoughts on containing Steven Jackson:
"The guys did a good job of getting to the spots and making the tackles. We just have to keep building on that."

Q: Thoughts on the false-start penalties:
"Our center didn't have a very good game. Eric (Ghiaciuc) did a couple of things that we need to eliminate. We keep taking ourselves out of plays. We do a lot of things with the cadence and that is something that is always going to be an issue. We still have to fix that."

Q: Thoughts on kicker Shayne Graham and punter Kyle Larson:
"I thought both of those guys did great today. We only punted twice, and both of them were excellent. Shayne also had a very good day."

Q: Thoughts on the running back position:
"DeDe has his set of runs. Rudi has his, and Kenny Watson has his."

Q: Head coach Marvin Lewis said there were more runs in this week's game plan designed for HB Rudi Johnson. How was that helpful in weather conditions like this?
"It's huge. We felt like we could be a more physical team up front. We went out and did it, and we proved it when it was really sloppy and wet, and pouring down rain. They knew it was coming, and we were still finding ways to get yardage. I think we almost ended up with 200-yards (rushing). And they knew the run was coming, and we just kept plugging away."

Q: It's got to be gratifying to be able to run the clock out with the running game:
"It was great. They loaded up the box. They played man on Chad (Johnson) on the outside. We found a way to get on guys and get space for Rudi. He hits a seem, breaks an arm tackle, breaks another arm tackle and falls forward for about five, six yards."

Q: How tough were the conditions, especially in the first half?
"It was tough. We were expecting a light drizzle, which is better. But it was pouring early. It was pouring early when we were warming up on the field. I'm just thankful it let up there in the end and dried up enough for both teams to get chances to throw the ball."

Q: Is a win all that really matters?
"No question, in this league, as tough as it is just to win a single game. It wasn't pretty offensively for either team. But you just want to come out on top in these ugly games. At the end of the year, it's a win in the win column and nobody worries about how many yards we threw for or whatever case it is. It's just a win. It's good to get one, because we've been struggling to get them."

Q: Once again, the defense did a nice job:
"They played great. They've been playing great for the past three, four weeks. I'm just happy for those guys - proud of those guys. Offensively, we need to put together games like they're putting together. They're playing great on third down, and they're playing great in the red zone. We need to come together as an entire team and play great - offensively, defensively and special teams-wise."

Q: It looked like the interception returned for a touchdown was a miscommunication between you and T.J. Houshmandzadeh:
"No ... T.J. and I have a chance to look at it, but they did a good job on that play defensively, kind of bluffing one coverage and then flying out late with another one. They caught me with my eyes in the wrong spot. I didn't see the guy crashing from the outside - the corner come flying in. They just made a good play. I need to do a better job of seeing that and expecting that coverage earlier, readjusting my read and decision, and (instead) taking off and running in that situation."

Q: DeDe Dorsey really brings another element to the offense:
"DeDe's great. We need to find more and more ways to get him on the field. He's so explosive. He seems like he's tackled. We ran a little bubble screen and it looked like it was going to go for maybe two yards if he fell forward. He did a little stutter-step, used a stiff arm, and went flying down the sideline. He's just an explosive player. He catches the ball well. He has a chance to be a great back. He needs to work on his protection stuff and doing a great job in that. But he's such a threat, whether he's lining up at receiver, coming out of the backfield running a screen, getting a toss running around the corner, or just getting downhill on a run play."

Q: Uncharacteristically, you're taking some heat from the fans. Is that just part of the job?
"Yeah, at this position, and where we are as a team. I need to play great every week, and I haven't been great every week. As far as I'm concerned, I just want to give us a chance to win. Of course, I want to throw a bunch of touchdown passes and throw the ball all over the field, but at this point in the year, where we're at, we need wins."

Q: It looked like the Rams were sending everyone in on blitzes:
"They brought a ton of pressures. They did a good job with their blitz packages. They did a good job on third down. We missed a couple things here and there, but we came out on top."

Q: You were around the ball a lot today, creating real problems for the Rams:
"I want to tip my hat to St. Louis. They played hard until the end. We were on our game today. Coach (Chuck) Bresnahan and Marvin (Lewis) helped us prepare for this game. They told us all week to stay committed and be accountable. Today my number was called more often than usual, and I was able to make plays."

Q: The defense has played well in the last few games. What has been the difference? Is it that guys have been in the same spots for a while now?
"That's a big part of it. The other part is that guys continue to fight for each other. They've counted us out on the outside, but we still have each other and we have pride. We don't want to let each other down. When we play like this and practice hard, the sky is the limit for us."

Q: You guys are playing fast and confident. Is that because things have been simplified and guys know exactly where they're supposed to be and what they're supposed to do?
"Yes, to a certain degree. We're just trying not to be as fancy as we were trying to be. We want to go out and just play football. The last few weeks, the ball has been bouncing our way. Luck has something to do with it, but preparation in practice is the biggest part of it."

Q: They scored 10 points today but only three on the defense. You're going to win a lot of football games in the NFL when you keep the offense out of the end zone, aren't you?
"Yes. That's the biggest goal right now. People may make plays on us, but we want to keep them from scoring touchdowns."

Q: You had over 80 yards rushing on four opportunities. It seems like when they call your number, you step up:
"Every time they give me a chance, I'm going to make the best of it. I want to do whatever I can to score every time I get the ball."

Q: Are you looking to get the ball in space? The coaches seem to like to get the ball to you on the edge where there's more room:
"I'm looking to get the ball wherever I can get it. If they want to give me the ball in space, I'll take it."

Q: This offense has made some plays lately, but you guys still aren't playing at the level you were earlier in the season. What do you think it is?
"I couldn't tell you. We go out and work hard. We practice and practice, but things don't always go your way."

Q: Were you surprised to have as many opportunities as you had today?
"They always tell me just to be ready in case they call my number. When they call my number, I run in there."

Q: For a guy who didn't have a job to start the season, what does it say about DeDe Dorsey coming in and making the most of his chances?
"One the greatest things about DeDe is his attitude. He's a smaller back and probably gets knocked for that. But he can run through guys and run past them. I'm proud of everything he has done so far."

Q: Carson Palmer has gone two games without a touchdown pass. Is there something that's changed in the passing game?
"I don't think so. The last two games have involved rain, and our focus has been running the football successfully and holding onto the ball in the passing game."

Q: Talk about the attitude in the locker room as this team continues to fight for wins:
"All the guys in here our going to fight to win because it's what we're here for. I think every guy in here is devoted to doing that."

Q: Do you feel like you're getting back to where you need to be from a health standpoint?
"I'm getting better each week. I'm still not 100 percent, but all I can do is keep pushing forward."

Q: You got off to a slow start, but ended up with 92 yards on the day:
"We just have to keep sticking with it. We need to believe in the guys up front, and make sure we trust them. When it was crunch time, we got the job done."

Q: When the opponent gets tired in the fourth quarter and Rudi is Rudi, you put teams away, and you did it today:
"That's what I do. I close it. I've been doing it my entire career. I give credit to my offensive line and Jeremi Johnson for getting it done and finishing the game."

Q: Marvin Lewis said they put more 'Rudi' runs into the game plan this week. What does that mean?
"That's a lot of power stuff downhill - smashmouth, in-your-face football. That's what we did, and we had success today when it counted."

Q: DeDe Dorsey was able to do some damage on the outside while you did your work inside. Was that a big part of the game plan today?
"We just put DeDe in there to make plays, and he hasn't let us down yet. As long as he does that, he'll boost our offense because he's giving it everything he's got."

Q: It wasn't always pretty, but you got the job done today to get win No. 5:
"It was good to win. Anytime you win in the NFL, it's a good thing. I thought the defense played great, the offensive line played great, and we as receivers played OK. I dropped the ball once and fumbled. The defense and the offensive line won this game for us."

Q: What kind of lift did DeDe Dorsey give you?
"He's done that every time he's had the ball this year, and today was no different. He gave us a lift because he got a big chunk of yards."

Q: It seems like you guys often stall after getting off to a good start. Why is that?
"I don't know if the other team is making great adjustments, or if we relax. That's why our season hasn't gone the way we have liked. We won today though, and we'll go out to San Francisco and try to get another one."

Q: Opening statement:
"Nothing too serious on the injury front. I think Victor Adeyanju has a hip pointer, but I don't know how serious it is. ... We did have an accident at halftime - Willy Robinson, our secondary coach, tore his quad muscle on the entrance going in and out of the locker room. He was able to get back up in the booth. I haven't seen him yet, so I'm assuming that he is going to be OK. I guess that kind of goes along with the season. If something like that is going to happen, it's probably going to happen this year. Hopefully we'll get it over with."

Q: How much was the weather a factor?
"It rained really hard in the first half, but in the second half, it really wasn't that big of a factor. But both teams are playing in it."

Q: Was it windy at all?
"Not as much windy as it was raining, and pretty cold. Again, we were both playing in it."

Q: How hard was it for quarterback Brock Berlin to start his first NFL game and lead this offense?
"It's a tough task. He didn't take too many reps until Friday. That's basically the first snap he has taken in an NFL game. He has never played in an NFL game, unless you count Europe. I was proud of him. I thought he gave a great effort."

Q: Was that first series a product of nerves or lack of experience?
"Well, he got hit on his first pass. It got completed, but it probably didn't look the best. He tripped on a guy on the second play. Third down (was incomplete). That just happens in a game. I thought he settled down pretty well after that."

Q: How would you assess Brock Berlin's play?
"It was a very gutty effort by him. He showed why he has been playing this game, and why we believe that he is a guy that can play in this league. I thought he gave us a great effort, and I thought he gave us a chance. He managed the game very well. He can sit back and learn from some things. But for the most part, he busted his butt out there."

Q: There weren't many down-the-field shots until late in the game. Was that the game plan?
"No. I think there were some called that we didn't get to."

Q: What happened to the run defense on that last drive?
"Until I watch the tape ... Obviously, we had the box loaded pretty good, so somebody probably wasn't where they were supposed to be on a couple of plays. The defense went out there and got that great turnover to start off the half. Then they were on the field for another - I think 12 - minutes. So, they were on the field quite a bit in the third quarter. They kicked that field goal with about four minutes left on the clock."

Q: Yesterday, you mentioned that Marc Bulger was out indefinitely:
"That's indefinite. I make no predictions. I'm going to think positive and hope for the best. We are going to prepare, and make arrangements, in case he can't be made available. It's not something that you can put a date on. We are hopeful, but, again, I have no idea until we get through a complete week of practice."

Q: Is it up to how he feels?
"Yeah. If he doesn't feel right, it's certainly not something that we are going to be able to plan on. It's a combination of him, the doctors and the trainers. Ultimately, my feeling is made by whether he is cleared or not. That's pretty much cut and dry. If he's not cleared, then somebody else is going to be in the lineup."

Q: Your overall thoughts on your first NFL start?
"First of all, I just want to thank the Lord for this opportunity to play today – a great opportunity. It started off real slow today. The conditions, too, were tough at first, but then I got in a rhythm and started moving the ball better and doing some things. I will have to go back and look at the film and see how it looked."

Q: You go and complete your first pass, but maybe not quite like you thought you would:
"I don't know who it was. He hit my arm as I was following through. I thought the ball was going straight up to the linebacker. I didn't realize that it got all the way up out there to the sideline. I was lying down. Yeah, it was good to get that first completion."

Q: How were the nerves?
"Actually, any time you play anything, you have some nerves. But I got the first couple plays out of the way, and (then) it was just football. I just went out there and played."

Q: How hard was it on you to not really know until Friday that you were playing? You hadn't played since '05:
"I try to prepare each and every day. It's tough when you haven't worked with the (starting) unit like you want to. You have to make adjustments. As the game went on, I think I started getting a better feel for the guys and started making some plays."

Q: Is regular-season action in the NFL what you thought it would be?
"It really was. It was fast. My favorite thing in the world is to throw the football. It was like a big-time college football game - except you have 11 All-Americans out there on each side of the ball. I had a blast."

Q: How would you rate your performance?
"I felt really good as the game progressed. I don't think I was nervous at all. After the first couple plays, I was good to go. I felt really comfortable out there. I really took pride in preparing myself and was thankful for this opportunity. I knew where I was going with the football. We just came up short."

Q: How will you describe your first NFL completion when you're 60 years old?
"I'm sure it will be different."

Q: How was Brock Berlin out there?
"Calm, cool and collected. He was in charge of the huddle and did what he was supposed to do."

Q: Did Berlin have any sign of nerves?
"No."

Q: Did you have to counsel him at all during the game?
"No, not really. He was a little fired up in the beginning, but that's expected. He played really well."

Q: What was the game plan coming into Cincinnati?
"Basically, to go out there and stop the run and get them into passing downs. Our defense played well."

Q: How difficult was it to have two QBs out and a first-time starter?
"No matter who the quarterback was, we still had to go out there and play defense. It doesn't matter who the quarterback is. We still have to go out there and get our job done."

Q: Your thoughts on today's game:
"We have to make some more plays."

Q: You have to feel pretty good about the defensive effort:
"We did some good things. We held them to 19 points, and we did get an interception for a touchdown. It's OK ... it's OK. They ran for 195 yards - that's too much. We had a chance to get the ball back at the end of the game and we didn't do that. There are other things we'll have to see on tape. The defense's job is to make sure they don't score as many points as we do, and we didn't do that today."

Q: Why do you think they had so much success on the ground today?
"We missed some tackles. Other than that, Rudi (Johnson) runs the ball hard. You have to give him credit. He has been running the ball hard for a while. You have to give him his credit."

Q: It seemed like you had about 87 tackles today
"Eighty-seven - that's a whole bunch. I made some plays, but I should have made a couple more."