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News | Washington Commanders - Commanders.com

Short Week a Challenge For Gibbs, Redskins

On practice:

"It was a little bit harder with the walk-through and the stuff that we did today. On our injury situation I would say James Thrash (WR, #83) has some problems there. He is much better today. Randy (Thomas, OG, #77) took a lot of work. Sellers (Mike, FB, #45) was out going through everything, so we will just have to see as the week goes along. It is going to be a short week, but we will see on the rest of our injuries."

On if this could be a legitimate time for Randy Thomas (OG, #77) to come back:

"I think it could be. We have a good talk this morning. He told me he feels good about it. We let him come back on his own pace. He is getting much closer to wanting to go."

On Shawn Springs (CB, #24):

"Shawn stayed inside. They are going to get another look by the doctor, but we think it is just a sore back. I think he is making preparations like he is going to be ready to go."

On what having the short week to prepare means to this team:

"It is extremely hard for the coaches. Players and coaches are used to a steady schedule and getting certain things done. The coaches busted it for two days. We didn't get much sleep. For the players, we talked over everything this morning. They understand the schedule. When I talked to them about it, they are a real, real smart group, conscientious. We had a good talk this morning about some of the things we are going to do scheduling wise and I think they felt good about the approach we are taking."

On the emotional state of the team:

"Yesterday, I thought it was absolutely great, the service and everybody that spoke. I thought it was a real testimony to Sean. I really took great heart in some of the things that were said from his pastor and people like that that were real close to him and from family and friends. I don't think it could have gone any better. Everybody went down there, appreciated it. I think the family appreciated Dan (Snyder, Redskins Owner) taking everybody and the fact that the whole Redskin family was there. It was a big deal. We also had a lot of players from past years down there. It was hard to believe that it could have gone any better. It was a real testimony to his life. Everybody there really appreciated it. As far as the team goes, they all handled that real well. We got back here and I let them sleep in some today. We came in later today and we will come in later tomorrow, try and get some extra rest."

On his decision to call back-to-back timeouts versus the Bills:

"I always look at that as, just like the players, you hold them accountable. You hold yourself accountable too. I said to them what I needed to say. I felt strongly about that right after the game and I still do. What is important for me to do is address that and if I mess up then I need to say it. I'm continually going to them and saying, ?Hold yourself accountable.' The last time I went through something like this was in the second Superbowl. I made a decision with 18 seconds to go in the first half. A lot of people felt like I probably could have cost us that one. I lived through that. Hopefully I will be able to live through this one."

On how the team has handled this season:

"Our players, I feel so good about them. They are a smart, conscientious group. We have talked about this whole year the way they have fought in every single game. We have had one disappointment really where we weren't hard after it. We played extremely hard. That was a big disappointment for us. Other than that our guys have gone to some of the toughest places in the League to play. They stood up and fought and they have gone through a lot, including a bunch of guys missing. I had guys coming to me this morning telling me, ?I'm playing,' making statements like that. That says a lot about their character. We have a lot of guys that really care about what is going on here. They encourage me. Sometimes when you get down as a coach you need somebody to pick you up and they do. I take great confidence and hope in the way we have addressed things this year. We have gone through some extremely tough times together. The last week has really been tough for everybody. Everybody has handled it about as well as you can handle it. It was uncharted ground for me."

On if what has happened the past week has affected how much longer he wants to coach:

"No, I haven't even thought about that. What I'm focused on is everything here, my job and responsibility here, the coaching staff, our players, our fans, Dan (Snyder, Redskins Owner), everybody. We have had four real bitter, tough losses at the end of games. It is hard to go through that. What we are all focused on is someway for us to find a way to make a play and find a way to win a game. In my case, make a good decision. We need to find a way to win a game, all of us together."

On Jason Campbell's (QB, #17) performance:

"We have five wins. He has captained those. A couple of them were overtime type deals. At times he has certainly done that. It is all of us as a team. If you think back to the game this week, we talked it over with the players and everybody else, what could have happened. It is really, all the way across the board, things that could have happened to give us a win. It has been that way. When you lose close games like that you reflect back on that and say, ?What could we have done.' For me, what could I have done to help the team? For each group, special teams, offense obviously and our defense, we all had a hand in it. That is normally what happens in football. I think that is why it is fascinating for all of us because it takes so many people coming together to find a way at the end to win a game."

On if he has talked to the team about firearms:

"Here is what happens in the NFL, that is addressed non-stop from the time we come to camp we have meetings on that. All the security guys come in. All our security people here that deal with the team and they have lengthy discussions. We had a lengthy presentation this year, a second one, by the League on guns and gangs and all the things that relate to all of that. It is covered probably as well as you can cover it. There are real points made about a lot of those things, particularly firearms. I don't think you could talk much more about it. It has been covered every way that you can."

On if he thinks about devoting more practice time to in-game situations:

"If you watch our practices, at the end we always have the clock going. On Fridays in particular we try to make game situations. We have a period in practice, particularly early in camp and all the way through camp where we take different part of special situations. We have the clock running out there for substitutions and timing and all of that. Then we have two minute drives also. We try and devote a lot of practice time to special situations. Some of those things is probably living through them in a real game situation."

On how critical Thursday's game is:

"We all realize how important it is. Both of these teams are in a similar situation. Both of them have a lot of things in common about them. It will be extremely hard fought. We have a lot of respect for them. You can see where they were last year. Our guys know. Our deal is on a short work week and all the things that we have to do. It's just trying to find the best way we can to rally and play a great football game. That is what it will take. It will take a great effort."

On how they will deal with Devin Hester (PR/KR, #23):

"There is nobody in the League that has figured it out. He has played something like 28 games and has 12 touchdowns. Everybody has tried a little bit of different game plan at different times. You have seen a little bit of everything. I have never seen this before in the NFL, kicking off out of bounds. Just saying, hey we are kicking off out of bounds. We are going to give them the ball at the 40. That was the Giants approach the other night. What an unusual guy. I don't think anybody has the game plan yet, it's obvious. We will do the best we can to strategize and try and figure out the best way to handle him. He's definitely an exceptional player. I would just say so far it is one of the most unusual things I have seen in the NFL, his presence and the way people try to handle him."

On if he has ever tried to kick away from someone:

"We have done that. I always think back to Wayne Sevier when he was coaching here on special teams. We were playing the Bears and he said, 'Hey we are going to kick right to Willie Gault. We are going to go down and show them. That is the best guy they have and we are going to show them.' He ran it back 103 yards. I walked down I said, 'Okay, that is the end of that. We aren't going to show them anymore. Find a different way. Kick it to somebody else.' This is unusual. I don't know of anybody that has been this good doing what he does. Danny (Smith, Special Teams Coach) will rack our brains there to try and come up with the best game plan. You better be careful. This will be a big decision on how we are going to handle this."

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