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Opening Statement: **"You know, we're kind of at that point in training camp I didn't think we had a great practice today. You walk off the field and it looked like the defense got the better of the offense today. So we've got a lot of improvement that we've got to make and really a short time to get there. The guys are continuing to work, but we've got to be able to execute better than we did today. With that, I'll open it up to questions."
Q: Was it a good day for the defense though?
Coach Allen:"Yeah, I thought the defense played well today. I mean, I've got to go in and kind of look at the tape. They obviously executed better today and sometimes you get that in training camp and sometimes one side of the ball gets a little bit the better of the other side. But offensively, we've got to execute better than we did today."
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](http://www.pntra.com/t/R0BKRkpMSEBKTERGSEBISEtERw)Q: You frequently sent extra guys today. Was that part of a key blitz package drill?
Coach Allen:"Yeah, one of the periods that we had today was strictly a dog-blitz period and throughout the team periods we sprinkled in some things. Again, a lot of situational-type stuff, some red zone stuff, two-minute stuff. But the defense was better today."
Q: You're at the point where I'm sure you're ready to play a game.
Coach Allen:"Yeah, absolutely. We've got one more training camp practice tomorrow and then we're strictly getting ready for the Minnesota game. I think the guys are starting to get excited about going and playing football for real. You kind of get to this point in camp when you've seen the same guys over and over, and you're ready to see somebody else lined up across from you. We're excited about opening up against Minnesota and anxious to get going."
Q: Normally veteran players don't play a lot in the preseason, but when you've got so many new guys on this team, are they going to play a lot in this first game?
Coach Allen:"Yeah, most of the guys that are healthy are going to play in the game. So we'll sit down and talk a little bit more as a staff tonight and tomorrow and really determine how much everybody's going to play. But I would expect most of the guys that are healthy to be out there some."
Q: What are you looking for, as a coach, in this first preseason game?
Coach Allen:"Well, I'm looking for guys that come out and make plays. That's when it really counts, is when the lights are on and you're playing a real football game. I want to see guys go out and execute and I want to see guys play fast and play hard. I think we'll see that on Friday night."
Q: Some time ago, Mark Davis said, "No more excuses." Do you buy into that?
Coach Allen:"Well, we're here to win and that's what our job is and every one of these players understands it, every one of these coaches understands it, the whole organization understands it. What's been done here in the past is unacceptable and we need to begin to win some football games. We're all in on that philosophy and that's kind of our attitude."
Q: Did you work out Maurice Jones-Drew before you signed him?
Coach Allen:"No, we did not put him through a workout."
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](http://www.pntra.com/t/R0BKSkdFREBKTERGSEBISEtERw)Q: Then you must have heard some reports that he was in great shape. Greg Olson said he's a different guy than he was when he was in Jacksonville.
Coach Allen:"Well, we brought him in and visited with him and you could tell just in talking with him that he was very motivated and driven. He's a guy that's been a really good player in this league for a while now and went through some injury issues the last couple of years there in Jacksonville, but we felt like he still had a lot of gas left in the tank. You guys have been out here, seen him running around, and he looks pretty good out there."
Q: Does LaMarr Woodley look comfortable at defensive end?
Coach Allen:"I think as training camp has gone on he's gotten more comfortable in that position. The things that we're asking him to do are not a whole lot different from what he's been asked to do in Pittsburgh. The biggest difference is he's going to have his hand in the ground and coming out of a different stance. I think people try to make a lot out of something that's really not there. I think he's made a lot of improvements, specifically once we got into training camp with pads on and started getting a little bit closer to real football."
Q: How is tight end Jake Murphy doing?
Coach Allen: "Early on in camp, he had the concussion and missed a few days, but I think you can see some of the things that he's able to do. I think he's got a pretty good feel for what we're asking him to do in the passing game. Obviously these preseason games, as with a lot of these guys, it's going to be critical for him to go out and perform well in these preseason games. I like some of the things that I've seen, I'm anxious to see him and a lot of these other young guys get out and play real football."
Q: Are you going to ease Sio Moore back in or is he right back to where he was?
Coach Allen:"I think we'll evaluate that over the next couple days. But, he went in and played today and executed. I didn't see a lot of limitations there but I think we've got to be smart with what we ask him to do."
Q: Are you probably going to go with Miles Burris to start the game?
Coach Allen:"We'll look at it. We've still got a couple of days where we can make that decision. A lot of it is going to depend on what Sio's health is. Both of those players need the reps, they need to play, so hopefully Sio is OK to play and we can get him some reps in the game."
Q: What is David Ausberry's status?
Coach Allen:"He's got a knee. It looks like we're probably going to have to do a procedure on that knee, so he may be out for a little while."
Q: Does Matt Schaub want to play a lot in the first game?
Coach Allen:"Yeah, I think all these guys, they want to play. We'll kind of play that by ear. We'll see how things go. He'll play in the game. How many snaps he takes, we'll kind of determine that as we get into the game and see how things are going."
Q: I know usually with a starter you wouldn't do that, but because it's a new system for him he probably would like to …
Coach Allen:"Well, different coaches have different philosophies. I think, as with a lot of these guys, being a new group together, I think it's important that they get out and play the game together."
Q: Do you know when David Ausberry will have that procedure?
Coach Allen:"He's going to have the procedure tomorrow."
Q: Pat Sims played more snaps last year than any other time in his career. How did he hold up down the stretch and how important was it getting him back this year?
Coach Allen:"Well, I think it was important to be able to get Pat Sims back. I thought at times he played really well last year and there were some games that he was dominant in the games. I've seen a different demeanor out of Pat Sims this year, maybe a little bit different focus. He's come in and really competed hard and he's playing well for us right now, so we're excited about Pat Sims." Q: Ausberry's condition, is it something that you think you will get him back before the season starts?
Coach Allen:"Yeah, we should be able to get him back at some point and time. I don't know how long that is going to be. We'll have to evaluate that as we go along."
