January 12, 2004

Carolina Panther Quarterback Jake Delhomme

What is it about John Fox that makes you want to play for him: He is the same guy and I think I have said that a bunch. He wants us to be the same player or person week in and week out. He hasn't changed since week one. He is tough on us, yet he knows when to back off on us. I think the best way to sum it up is he is still the same guy. It makes it easy to work for somebody like that. You know this is what is expected of you, so that makes it nice.

What is it like to have Rodney Pete on the sidelines: He is like another coach out there, not only do I have Mike McCoy on the sidelines, but also Rodney. You can bang ideas off of Rodney's head, he has been around, and he has seen a lot. He is a calming influence out there. He can say things to you maybe a little different than a coach could, because he is a player. It is easy having him out there I like it.

How are you guy different on offense with DeShaun than Steve: I don't know how much different we are. It is the same plays, whereas Steven might hit it up there a little more. DeShaun might make that extra bounce and go when he hits that corner, it is like he just got shot out of a rocket. Certainly a couple of plays the other day when he cut back against the grain, he saw the crease took it and then made another cut and Archuletta slipped. Just things like that, he hits another gear. Whereas Steven probably has more experience and more patience at times, but we don't change the play calling when either or is in the game.

Is there a certain comfort level when Stephen is in the game: Well certainly, we would like to have him, but we are 2-0 when Stephen hasn't played. That is against Tampa and Detroit. Certainly we would like to have him, but both games that he has gotten hurt in DeShaun has stepped in and done a good job and that is against Indy and last week, we won those. You know we want Stephen back there but if not DeShaun will do a good job.

The first match-up with Philadelphia: It was a big game because we had just come off of a lost to Dallas and it was an NFC game and they were rolling at the time. They are still rolling right now. Certainly the stakes are a little bit bigger here, but I am speaking actually of their defense. They are aggressive, they come after you and I think that was the first game the Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent came back against us. Now Vincent didn't play yesterday or the last couple of weeks, he might be back this week. They did lose a linebacker, they are a good defense. I watched the film today, they still blitz, they still come after you. They cause problems and we did some good things, but we shut down in the red zone. That was the biggest thing. We didn't score touchdowns when we needed to.

Is that the toughest kind of team to prepare for that blitz so often: There are different looks that you have to always be prepared for instead of knowing what you are going to get. When you know what a team plays, ok that is what you have to be prepared for, but against them, they will give you different looks, they will come up with different blitz packages. It's the playoffs, so there is no hiding or holding anything back, anything goes now. So you need to try to be on top of your game and when they do blitz, try to make a play.

Comparison to McNabb and the Chunky Soup commercial: No I don't even think that way at all. He certainly earned the right. He is playing pretty darn well right now and watching that game yesterday some of the plays he made were just ridiculous. He willed that team to victory in my mind yesterday. He has earned it but I just don't see in my mind doing those things. I am not saying I wouldn't, but I don't ever think about that.

If you had any proposals: There have been some things that people will contact my agent. That is why they do their job and they know I am on a certain track during the season. If it is something during my time frame, I might consider listening, but if it is something just to make a buck but I have to go out of my way, I am not doing it.

Is all this attention catching up to you: You know I don't think so, I haven't felt it being any different than it has been during the season. I do interviews on Wednesday and Thursday, then do a production meeting on Saturday and we play on Sunday. Maybe I am hard on Bruce, Ted and Charlie. I might say I am not doing this or that, but if I am here and able to do it, I will do it. The reason they (media) are here is because we are winning football games, so you win by studying film, preparing to play and I am not going to deviate from that.

Did you learn anything about yourself from that game Saturday: Honestly, no. I felt good going in: it is going to be loud, try to stay under control, try not to force things, let the offense work. I felt good about our run game going in, I thought we could run the ball against them and then attack with the passing game. Certainly when you go into overtime, you can't get worked up. Be the same guy and try to make plays when they are there. I am not looking at it as they are only four teams left. In my book things haven't changed since the first week, so I am still thinking there is a full slate of games this weekend. The stakes are a little bit bigger, but you gotta just be the same guy.

How are you able to do that after a mistake: You have just got to, you are going to make another one. You don't want to as a quarterback, you throw a pick. I hate it, but somewhere down the line, you are going to throw another one. It happens, so I don't worry about it. Come on defense, stop them. Don't let that cost us anything. I don't want to play scared, yet I don't want to gamble too much, just try to be the same guy