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News | Washington Commanders - Commanders.com

Jim Zorn Monday Press Conference

On player injuries:
"We're still a week away from knowing where Chris Cooley is going to be with his ankle. He has been progressing along and obeying our doctors and trainers about staying off his foot. Albert Haynesworth sprained his ankle in the game. We're just going to wait and see when we get back Wednesday to see what he can do. We're likely to know more towards the end of the week of whether he'll be able to go or not. Mike Williams is coming along with his sprained ankle and he's going to be doing more this week. He'll still be questionable for the game, but at least we're moving him, and we'll see what happens. We're progressing along with Clinton Portis, but we don't have any information yet because we're still going to wait to see where he's at. We know he's improving. With a concussion, we just have to wait properly and cautiously about making sure that when he comes back he feels good. Ladell Betts did great on his ankle because that was a speculation all week from my standpoint. He didn't practice a lot last week and he proved that he was okay. He did a great job. Stephon Heyer came through. His knee was a little sore. I don't know how he is going to feel for Wednesday's practice, but right now he's just going to rest it so he can get back at it."

On Ladell Betts' performance:
"He helped us a week ago giving us some explosiveness, some suddenness, when he had to come in for Clinton [Portis]. So, yes he does. I think Clinton [Portis] has been an excellent runner over the years and I don't see any reason he won't be, or can't get through that line of scrimmage, when he's ready to."

On the plan for the running game this week:
"Here is what I won't do. I won't wait until Saturday to decide. If (Clinton Portis) doesn't practice all week long it will be because of his concussion and I will not play him in the game. I don't think it will be prudent to say that he is going to be ready on Sunday if he can't run hard and work through the practice week."

On Levi Jones:"I thought Levi [Jones] was very aggressive. The thing I was very worried about during the week was his pass protection, and he did a great job. We got time and he stood his ground. In the run game he was pretty aggressive. He's a pretty physical kid."

On Chad Rinehart:
"[Chad] Rinehart did well. I haven't really studied him in detail in some of the things he did. I was pleased with the unit. Our running backs again, found some things, got up field and really fought for yardage. It really helped us win. That section of the game helped us win."

On what yesterday's win does for the team:
"I think the idea that we know we can win – we beat a team that was 6-2, we beat a good defensive team statistically – it gives us confidence. I think what we saw in the game, is that we didn't turn the ball over. That has been an issue for us, and that helped us in the game. We had to use all three phases (offense, defense, special teams). We needed that fake field goal to help us win as well. I'm not to saying that every week we are going to have some trick play to help us win, but all three phases helped us win that football game. That's what we are going to need all year."

On having so few penalties in the game against the Broncos:
"We try to hammer that every week, and we try to show how a simple penalty two weeks ago (against the Atlanta Falcons) could help sustain a drive for a football team, and then we come out on the short end of things. We try to stay after that."

On if the tight ends and wide receivers were blocking better in Sunday's game versus the Broncos:
"One of the things that I was very impressed with – I said it last night, and when you watch the video – we had some very good blocks down the field with our wide receivers. They helped because they were physical on defenders. I thought Fred [Davis] did a pretty good job at the point of attack, and Mike Sellers was blocking the edge. For the most part, it was a full-on team effort for our run game yesterday.

On his impressions of quarterback Jason Campbell's performance versus the Broncos:
"I thought Jason did well, he missed some things, and I always want perfection. Santana Moss was open for a nice touchdown on a deep throw that he just overthrew. That's going to happen, but for us it's a premium because we haven't had that kind of success extending the ball. I just wanted that, I wanted that for him, but I really also wanted that for us, and he didn't hit it. On a bad throw, it's not enough for me to pull a guy out. His quarterback rating was solid and he was very good on the line of scrimmage. He tried to get the ball to the right guys as he was reading and throwing the ball down the field. We just missed a couple of things that were there."

On if Jason Campbell missed a touchdown opportunity when tight end Todd Yoder was open down the middle of the field:
"Yes, but he was really reading what we asked him to read. You'd like to see it when they blow a coverage that you get the ball to the guy that was really a decoy, and we didn't do it – we didn't see it. He was reading properly on that play and there were a couple of other things that happened that allowed that play to not be very successful."

On the impact of defensive end Andre Carter and rookie linebacker/defensive end Brian Orakpo on the pass rush and defense:
"I made this comment before, and it's hard to listen to, but last year I felt like we had some quarterbacks feel very comfortable in the pocket, and this year we are making quarterbacks uncomfortable in the pocket. Now, you can see when a team has extended time [in the pocket] what they can do, even on that one overthrown deep pass, there was some extended time there that allowed him to see that throw. Now it was overthrow and we weren't hurt by it, but we could've been severely hurt by it. The pressure we're getting on the quarterback is creating the sense for the quarterback, 'I've got to get rid of the ball sooner.' We've created some inaccurate throws. We've seen this with ourselves, so we know what it does. I'm really proud of what our defense is doing this year, and I'm proud of those guys that are getting the sacks - there are some unsung heroes in that. I think the guys are working hard to get their sacks, but the team is working well. Downfield a cornerback has to cover a receiver for a quarterback to have to hold it, and then we've got to finish the play and we're doing that."

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