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REDSKINS QB ALEX SMITH
On RB Adrian Peterson's performance:
"I thought he did a really nice job -- tall order. The guy just got here, got up to speed fast and all of a sudden he's getting a bunch of touches in a football game, so I thought he did a great job. Like I said, getting up to speed mentally, knowing what we're doing – and then I thought going out there and just playing – still looks pretty strong and explosive. I thought it was good to get in a rhythm to see what he can still do."
On the importance of getting Peterson reps tonight:
"Yeah the one highlight for us probably in the first half was us being able to run the football a little bit. It was nice to get into a rhythm. I thought the guys up front – get those five guys back [offensive line] together for the first time – I thought they played great and really set the tone for us, getting us going. So yeah, it was good to see."
On how he would describe his performance:
"Not where it needed to be. I would love to have come back and any time you rip off a seven-yard run on the first play, you're rolling and then all of a sudden you take a sack, put us at third-and-long and start the game with two three-and-outs. It's tough to get into a rhythm when you do that. We were able to get a little bit going there those last couple drives. Got some good situational work, got a bunch of third downs that we'll be able to learn from. Two fourth downs, we were able to convert on one. So there'll be some stuff for us to look at and I think get better at. You expect to go out and execute. I get that we're not full-strength, we're not showing everything, but at the same time, you want to go out there and play your best. So, we'll learn from it and get better."
On timing of game action after taking only a few series:
"You're able, at least in practice scenarios. Some of the guys that aren't playing in games can be out there because we aren't tackling to the ground and the risk of injury is obviously less. I've been able to take advantage of those reps when you get them with the guys at practice. I feel like last week, to get a full week of practice against the Jets, was great work for us in a real environment like that. I mean, it's our job just too kind of take advantage of the reps when you get them, whether they [are] on the side, in practice, out here in the limited reps in preseason games. Make the most of them and get yourself up to speed, that's kind of on all of us, but I do feel like we've got the majority of our work in practice."
On preseason game performance compared to the first regular season game:
"A lot there. It'd be tough for me to talk about anything that's gone on in years past. Obviously, I wasn't here so it'd purely be speculative. I think you've got to take every single year different. Rosters change, scenarios change, circumstances all change. You try to balance it out the best you can. Like I said, I feel like we've gotten great work all offseason, all camp. As good as it would feel to sit up here and play amazing and win a game, the goal is to find out about our 53 guys that are going to make the team and obviously be ready to roll come September 9th. That's the goal and I think keeping that in mind, I do feel like we're headed down that path. The proof will be in the pudding for us. We've got to be ready to roll come September 9th. For me, I feel like that's been the focus since we've started way back in April. That's all we've been talking about since the schedule came out."
On his comfort with the wide receivers:
"I feel like it's something that never ends, the work with wide outs, the perimeter and the entire route. Whether it be tight ends, running backs, quarterbacks, it's something that never ends. You're constantly working. You're constantly trying to get better. There's no place you get to where you're like all of a sudden, ‘Hey we're good now, we don't need to work anymore.' That's just not the way it is. We have a group that works really hard. We've put in a lot of work together and that's what it takes, it takes reps, it takes timing. Like I said, it just never ends, you continuously strive and can work at it. We've got a group that does that. They put in the work, they put in the time the attention to detail and like I said it doesn't stop. Next week it won't stop and in season you just continuously work on it and try to fine tune.â€
On playing without WR Jamison Crowder, TE Jordan Reed and RB Chris Thompson:
"Any offense is going to be better with all the weapons out there, of course. Hopefully we'll have them all out and ready to roll, I'm hopeful for that. At the same time, whether that's the case or not, we're going to kick off and we're going to play. We have to be ready to roll. At the same time, we have a lot of depth on the team. If that's the case out there, then great, if not, then we still have to go. We still have to find a way to put points on the board and win a ball game. I guess that's my mindset to answer your question."
On if he wanted to go back in the game in the fourth quarter:
"I wasn't a part of any of those conversations. For me, obviously, just staying ready and then was told that my night was done and Colt [McCoy] was going in. So yeah, I wasn't a part of those [conversations]."
On his reaction to RB Adrian Peterson joining the Redskins:
"I knew we were bringing a bunch of guys in to work out, I knew Adrian was one of them. We're pretty banged up at the running back position right now, so again, I'm excited for him. I've known Adrian going all the way back to the Heisman ceremony we [attended] together back in college. I was excited to see what he still had. I was so excited to see it tonight a little bit – to see what was left in the tank. He's a guy that takes really good care of himself, works really hard, keeping himself in shape. He's still pretty explosive so it was nice to see here."
REDSKINS RB ADRIAN PETERSON
On facing the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1:
"It'll be pretty exciting, you know, I finished out the season there last year, but now that I've got like two and a half weeks to sharpen up, and to polish up a little more, it'll be fun."
On the reception the Washington Redskins fans gave him in his first home game:
"Oh, I definitely felt the love. I heard a little chant of ‘AP' on that fourth-and-one, and I was like, ‘I got to get this first down.' But yeah, it felt good."
On transitioning to a new team in the middle of the preseason:
"You know, it was like a roller coaster. It was up and down, you know I had my down times, but I just kept pressing and I knew it was all about, ‘What have you done for me lately?' I mean, that's the type of league we play in, so I just appreciate the grind and the process. I've seen so many guys go through it, so I just appreciate, keep pressing forward and the opportunity presented itself."
On how his body felt tonight:
"My body feels good right now. I will see how it feels in the morning. But I feel like it responded well. It felt good, didn't get tired, so cardio is where it needs to be and right now I'm looking at it as knocking a little rust off."
On if he felt like he needed the extra workload:
"Yeah I did. I was coming home, working out, training, spending time with my kids, and missing all OTAs and training camp. It was very critical especially coming into this third preseason game. You get out there to get a feel not only just for me but to get something on film so we can go back. I was communicating with the offensive line, ‘Hey we got to do a dash on this play and a different speed.' So I think we may have learned a lot from this."
On adjusting to the offense:
"I feel like I've been doing a good job. The terminology is kind of similar to what I've experienced in the past, but I still have a lot to learn. I still have two and a half weeks and I'm just going to keep my nose in the books."
On missing training camp and whether he relies on muscle memory for game situations:
"Yeah, and then you get your reps in practice that was really good as well to go out there and shock the body, because it is different from cutting in front of 300 pound guys and trying to sprint in front of them, so when I got out there, it was all about being patient and not trying to rush, just hit it when I had the opportunity."
On if it is strange playing a preseason game:
"No not at all. So many years I begged to play in preseason and I have been shut down so they didn't have to beg me at all to play this week."
On if he feels that he has made an impression so far:
"Not really, but me just taking advantage of the opportunity and coming in and then setting an example for the young guys and making the guys on the defensive side and offensive line better with how I approach practice -- that's been my mentality going on 12 years now so for me it is normal."
On if he was trying to prove anything to himself tonight:
"To kind of gauge and see where I was because I missed OTAs and training camp. [It was] my first time experiencing that. Half of the year I had my ACL, but I was still working out and I was able to run around first team a little bit with no contact, so just kind of getting out there on the field [to] see how my legs felt and to see the field with the offensive line."
On future games:
"We'll see, I'll talk to Coach [Jay Gruden] and we will go from there. I have two and a half weeks ahead of me before the season opener and based off how I felt today, I am very excited."
On developing a relationship with running backs:
"It was easy to sense that this was a tight, tight group. I just see that just by sitting back and watching how they converse with each other. But they've been very helpful as well, will kind of point out and teach me little things. Kind of help me along the process. So I feel like for us and the group, there's a lot you can expect from us this year. And you know me just being around for going on 12 years, there's things that I see and I know that I try to teach those young guys. So we're helping each other."
On playing with T Trent Williams:
"It felt good. It's something me and him have talked about for a minute now. Just to have an opportunity to be behind him and the rest of the crew. It's a blessing for me because the past couple of years, it's been kind of rough as far as offensive line goes for me. Particularly, New Orleans had a really decent offensive line. We already know how that ended but you know, it's cool, I've really enjoyed it so far."
On 15-yard carry on a 4th down conversion:
"I remember in the huddle, when Alex [Smith] called the play. I was like, ‘Dang you know. Normally I like the lead play just to kind of cram it in there to get the first down.' But then, I was like, ‘You know what? I'm sure they're going to stack players to the inside, A gaps and B gaps, trying to take it away. So when he called the play, I just kind of got it into my mind that I was to be patient and watch and see how the play developed. I actually had a two-way go. I could have took it into the C-gap and I almost did. The outside was wide open so I just kind of turned on the speed a little bit. Got around and tried to make a big play out of it. I got to the sideline and Trent embraced me. And I was like, ‘Man, I should have crossed field.' And he was like, ‘No, you did good. You did good.' But I'm always thinking that way. I'm going to the sideline, I'm asking the guys ‘Hey, what do you guys think I could have did better,' this, that and the other. And I do the same thing for those guys, you know, make sure you come ask me. I'm also going to those guys and telling them what I think they could have done better as well."
On if he believes mentoring young running backs is part of his role:
"Yes. Definitely. This week, its kind of been, you know, having [Robert] Kelley, and [Kapri] Bibbs, those guys kind of talking and I kind of catch them looking at me sometimes you know. And it's like, hearing some of the stories about who these guys were in high school and in college and how they watch film and highlights of me. That's why I play the game today, to inspire the young kids. They know me by my game but the adversity and the things we go through, just being strong. To be here and actually have those guys around, those guys that looked up to me, and be able to mentor those guys is a blessing. Everything comes around full circle."
REDSKINS WR PAUL RICHARDSON JR.
On getting in sync with the offense:
"I think it's going well right now. Everybody just feeling each other out, seeing how we can basically work together through the preseason and seeing how the season's going to go. It's going to be a little different when 80 [Jamison Crowder] gets back, so I think it was a good start."
On personal preparation for the regular season:
"Man, we just got to keep steady, and we got to know what we're doing. Like Coach [Jay Gruden] said, we got to go out, guys that have got to make plays, got to go out and be playmakers. Guys who've got to block, have to go out and block. Guys who've got to out and tackle, those guys got to tackle. If we go work on our craft this week, we'll approach Baltimore [Ravens] with the right mindset and attitude."
REDSKINS OL BRANDON SCHERFF
On the offensive line meshing with RB Adrian Peterson:
"He hits the hole hard and its nice having him back there. We've just got to focus on doing our job, and we trust him to make the right cut, and he showed that."
On the offensive line's preparation for the Baltimore Ravens and the regular season:
"Just continue to work on the details and improvements, watch some film, see what we did wrong, and work on the connections."
REDSKINS DL DARON PAYNE
On what he felt was different this week:
"I don't think anything was different. I think just the way we prepared, and just go out there next week with a better mentality and just get after it."
On the defensive unit:
"There's definitely some stuff we can improve on and just go and use this film and try to just work at it and get better."
On what the can improve following the game:
"Yeah it's definitely a wake-up for us, knowing we can play harder and just clean up [fundamentals] a whole bunch."
On how he has improved from last week:
"I just try to get in the playbook and just know the calls and perfect it that way."
REDSKINS LB RYAN KERRIGAN
On evaluating the game:
"We've got to take a look at the film and see where the errors are, but off the top of my head, some missed tackles, just not doing a good job on first and second down, made it easy for them on third down because they were in third-and-manageable in most situations. We've got to do better early in sequences."
On the defense tonight and preparing for Week 1:
"I guess time will tell. Hopefully not a lot after the way we played tonight. We've got a long time until the first game against the Cardinals so we've got a lot of opportunities to get better, a lot of practice time, which hopefully we utilize really well and have good effort, because we can't do what we did today again.â€
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