Nothing really different from what Jim Zorn said in his Monday press conference, though he offered a little meatier response on ESPN 980 in some areas. It does not sound as if Clinton Portis will play Sunday, though that was also the belief Monday. He also repeated that Chris Cooley will go to the doctor again Monday to get an update. If the progress has not been good, Cooley could be placed on injured reserve.
Anyway, here are the highlights:
On how much better he feels about his offensive line situation after Sunday: “I feel a little better.”
On Clinton Portis’ status for Dallas and the future and the starting role: “I feel like Ladell ran very, very well. I’m excited for what we have in Ladell and Rock and even Quinton Ganther. When Clinton comes back he will step in as the starting running back. There are several factors here. This is what we’ve been doing the first part of the season where Clinton has been our first and second-down back and Ladell is our third-down back. I have to be careful with Clinton with this concussion. I don’t want to rush into this thing. I know he’s feeling better and better. I wouldn’t wholesale make a change because Clinton is our starting running back. He’s been that and will be that. Could I get [Betts] in there more on second down instead of third down? Absolutely. [Could I] put him in for a series to spell Clinton? I could do that.”
On any frustration with Portis and his standing in the organization, etc, and how it might influence decisions regarding him: “The things I’m frustrated with is Clinton being injured a bunch and [missing] practice. That’s the thing that’s frustrating for all of us. Yet during the game he got his concussion he did practice. But it was one of the first weeks he had done that. It does make a difference to me. Athletes feel they can get put in a closet and come out on Sunday and, ‘I’ll play.’ I won’t say Clinton feels that way. He has played well at times when he hasn’t practiced much. He has. But I don’t know how many athletes can really do that. It doesn’t work for cohesiveness in a unit in my mind. We have to continue along and see how we progress with Clinton.”
On if the chances of him playing Sunday aren’t good: “I don’t know that. That remains to be seen, between our doctors and trainers and Clinton. It won’t have so much to do with me because I want to see him out there. It would be prudent for us, based on some of the negative things around a concussion that can happen, it would be prudent to err on the cautious. I’d love to have Clinton down the stretch here. We have some division games coming up, not just this one so we want to make sure we do right by him and for our team. That’s why I would doubt I’d put him out there right now.”
On how it’s going with the playcalling and his comfort level: “Well, we’re moving the ball. We’ve got our game plan in, the way we’re doing it is working and so we’ll continue to do it that way.”
On if he feels more comfortable now with Sherman Lewis calling plays: “I think he feels more comfortable in the preparation. He feels more comfortable because he knows the terminology and the way we’re doing things. Sherman Smith is also calling the run game. But yet Sherman Lewis is making the decision when to run. It’s working. Chris Meidt is up there helping with coverages and suggestions. I’ve chimed in in these critical situations where I say here’s what I want. For however it’s been going, it’s working. I like to think I can call plays… yet when I say that I cringe because Sherman is helping it go. He’s making it go. We are doing a good job. We are moving the ball. We are getting first downs.”
On Carlos Rogers’ benching and not being happy: “It’s hard. I would suspect that any guy that got taken out of a game, he’s going to have a hard time with it. He has a lot of pride in the things he does. That’s why he’s in there. He does take pride in doing good and doing the right thing. It’s a blip in his career. He’ll be back. The thing I’ll visit with him about is to wait until you get your shot again, wait till you get that next chance. I had the same conversation with Chris Horton when he got replaced and he was working his way back into that role. It can happen for Carlos. Is he less of an athlete? No. He’s a good athlete. Will this help him? I hope it does, much like a quarterback when they sit back. They get to see it differently.”
On if that means Rogers won’t start Sunday: “I’m saying that’s what happened in that game. I haven’t talked to him about it or even [with the coaches] extensively to see what that mix might be.”
