The reality is we're one game out of first place.

I was glad we got back on the field because in those situations, you want an opportunity to make a play.

Because we have been so humbled, because we have heard so many bad things about ourselves, you know our heads won't ever get big again.

Right now, nobody thinks we have character, so who cares? It's my responsibility and other guys' responsibility on the team to help guys understand where we're at right now. You're not in a division with an undefeated team. You're in a division where the leader is 2-3.

We're a better defense than we were at the beginning of the year, and that's because we've got so many young players learning a new system ( Ted Cottrell 's) and so many young players playing at this level for the first time. I don't know what everybody else would call it. I'd call it progress.

No question. We're certainly appreciative. We're glad to have him. I think his presence has done a lot for our team. I think what he adds is a confidence. He's very confident in his ability, and any time your chief and your general is confident, the troops will follow.

You've got to tweak your game to the rule changes. Now it's a flag if you turn into a guy while trying to make a play. It didn't used to be that way. I got flagged one time for turning my head. 'You didn't turn it away,' the official said. Now why would I want to turn away from a ball that was coming my way?

I don't ever see that on film. I see the same guy. His last couple games -- that kind of speaks for itself. And you can't forget last year. He had 4,000 yards and two 1,000-yard receivers.

We are all bitterly disappointed.