Compiled by Matthew Lee and Bryan Tucker
Washingtonpost.com Correspondents
Web Posted: Sunday, September 27, 1998; 1:27 a.m. EDT

Head Coach Norv Turner
Opening Comments: The Broncos are a fine football team, they have an outstanding runner, they have an outstanding offensive line and they are a good defensive football team. Unfortunately, they are not the issue here. We knew we had to play our best to have a chance to be in the game and a chance to win. We're obviously the issue here and it does not matter right now who we are playing. We can say it is the Broncos, we can say it is the 49ers, but it is us.

We continue to make the kind of errors we're making right now we will continue to make the same results. We can not have the holding penalties, we can not have the fumbled snap at center and busted coverages. I really believe there are some guys on this football team – and there are a lot that have been around her for a while – they really know how to compete and fight their asses off and they continue to do that. I look out there and I know who they are. There are some guys that I am not sure and we continue to find out about them.

We've brought in some guys to contribute and some young guys on special teams and we are not getting it done. Right now, you can say anything you want in terms of who we are playing but it's us and we have to solve the problem.

Q: How do you explain the third quarter every week turning the game upside down?
A: Our locker room was excited, our guys I thought were jacked up. We kicked off and did a poor job of covering the kick. They put a drive together, they are a good offensive football team. We're three and out and they get the football back.

Q: Are you saying that some of your guys are not giving 100 percent?
A: No, I'm saying that there are some young guys on special team areas are put into position of becoming football players here to have a chance of getting it done and I don't know if we are getting it done and that is something that we are going to have to look at. I'm saying that there are some guys, the Darryl Greens and Marvcus Pattons, I know them. I've know how tough they can be and we are going to find out about some other guys.

Q: How was Trent Green?
A: We have a chance for two big plays and we end up throwing interceptions because we can not pass protect or do not pass protect. I thought he did some good things and I thought he did some bad things.

Q: Are you going to stick with Trent Green next Sunday?
A: Yeah.

Q: How do you feel the defensive line is playing?
A: Well, we all see that we are not able to pressure the quarterback. We play along pretty good, we can not get pressure on the quarterback so we are struggling on third down and we are giving too many teams chances to run the ball. We knew that Denver was probably the best running team in football and if you give them that many chances they are going to run the ball over you.

Q: Talk about making the field goal and then missing the field goal after the penalty?
A: It is very frustrating. We lined up for field goals the same exact way for the last four weeks and they have not been throwing that field goal when we have missed them. Normally, over that situation over the last three weeks we would have gotten a warning about how we were lined up and you can not do anything about it. That was a tough one to take. Q: Why do you think Cris Dishman is continuing to struggle?
A: We ask a lot of Cris. We get into some pressure loads to try to get some things done. We single him up a lot. There's some good receivers and some good throwers and they made a nice play.

Q: The presence of Dan Wilkinson and Dana Stubblefield has not opened it up for Ken Harvey on the outside, why is that?
A: Ken was going against a very good football player today and he has not been able to get the kind of rush he has in the past.

Q: Do you even know where to start to turn it around?
A: It comes down to every individual playing better and eliminating the holding penalties, the holding penalties slow down drives. Obviously, we could sit here and name the other problems that we've had.

Q: Can we expect to see Skip Hicks soon?
A: I think that is something we will look at. Terry Allen is running great but Skip might be a change-up guy.

Q: Norv, what is your state of mind right now?
A: Obviously, the No. 1 thing is that I've been in this situation at different times and there's one way to get out of it and that is to get better and get every guy around you to believe it and make sure they work at it and get better. This comes down to a personal deal now, this is about what people are made of. There are some guys as you go on and they feel that is not that important but for some guys this is the most important thing in their professional lives. We are going to keep working at it and we are going to get better. I really resist saying this because it is what I've said the last two weeks. There are some good things being done, there are some physical things being done and there are some guys competing but right now we can not do it for an extended period of time. We can not finish a drive and we can not finish a play when we need to.

Trent Green
Opening Comments: Once again it gets old and it gets old me coming up here and saying it, it was another game of missed opportunities. We faced a team that has a powerful offense as they do we know they are going to score points. We liked to say that your defense is going to shut them down but it is does not matter who is in there playing quarterback. Bubby Brister played a great game and obviously he had some connection with Shannon Sharpe and Ed McCaffrey out there and had some nice plays.

Q: What's the mindset of the team after being 0-4?
A: Obviously, everyone is frustrated. I think not only from the coaching staff and personnel, but the players are the most frustrated. You spent all offseason and you spent all training camp working your tail off, trying to get this thing done and then come out here and start 0-4 is frustrating for everybody.

There were high expectations for this team and there were high expectations from the people surrounding the team. Expectorations of the team were even higher from within the team. We have a lot of expectations and high expectations and we will continue to have those expectations but obviously starting 0-4 does not help matters any. The only thing we can look at is look at Dallas and we have to get prepared for Dallas and get ready for the next game.

Everyone can say you have those four games behind you and you have this part or that part of the schedule coming up and at this point in time being 0-4 or 4-0 does not matter starting next week. We will do whatever we can to get a win next week and try to get some positive things going and get some momentum going and that's the important thing to do this week.

Q: What do you have to do Trent to improve on your game?
A: Obviously, the interceptions are the big thing for me. Nobody is throwing those balls but me and when I'm getting hit or whether I'm not getting hit the bottom line is that I'm the one throwing. I just got to pick certain situations, sometimes taking a sack is sometimes the positive play.

Obviously, a pick the other way for a touchdown would have been a great play if it was third and 20 or whatever the situation would have been. Sometimes you got to know when to take the sack and there were a couple of opportunities out there today where I was getting pressure and I just threw the ball over the guy's head. What I am going to look at myself is getting the reads quicker and that is happened so far to this point. I feel real comfortable in the pocket, I feel real comfortable with the game plan and I feel like I am making big decisions and making good reads.

Q: That first interception was the play of the game it could have made the score 21-14?
A: We could have "what-ifed" the whole first half and "what-ifed" the second half. We were in field goal range and I was not going to take a sack. The way I was looking at it was I was not going to take a sack. I knew I had Leslie Shepherd on a safety and Leslie was not on a corner, so when I came to the line I knew I had a good matchup up there. Unfortunately, we did not get it done across the board and did not have everyone on the same page.

When you have pressure in your face, you only have a split-second to decide and going up to the line I knew my situation there and the matchup I had and the matchup I wanted. But we got to have everyone execute together and obviously it is interception and it is my fault. I'm not going to take a sack when we have possible points and the field position because that is too much of a negative. Obviously, I could have thrown it away or thrown it behind him and you're right that was a big play.

Q: Do you feel you teammates are confident in your ability?
A: I like to think I have not given them any reason not to be confident in what I'm doing. By no means, the negatives over the last couple of weeks have affected my approach or affected my approach when I go out on the field. All the different circumstances that happen through a game there is still no point in the San Francisco or Denver game that I am going to give up at any point during the game. I do not think I have given anyone any reason to lose confidence in me.

Terry Allen
Q: What's the deal with turnovers it seems every time you get something going you turn it right back?
A: That's what is killing us the turnovers. If we cut all that out, we are a much better ball club. Q: How do you cut that out? A: We have to play smarter and do the things right and quit being so careless.

Cary Blanchard
Q: Since Washington is cutting kickers right and left did you feel under more pressure?
A: This will be my sixth year in the league so I've been through most of it. I've been around so I'm coming in and I've had to do this on two other teams also so it has not affected me. I'm just trying to go out there and trying to make everything.

Q: After you made the first kick you got a mock standing ovation what was that like?
A: It was fine. The second one when I came out there it just so happened it was a high snap and it kind of threw us off a little bit. When Matt [Turk] brought it down, the laces were right at me and I was already there so I kicked it and tried to adjust and ended up pulling it by a hair. I felt good but I was not even concerned with my field-goal kicking, I knew I would make them all. It's just my kickoffs, I wanted to get stronger on my kickoffs and shoot I proved that today. I had not kicked off in four years and this is my first time and I had a touchback in my first game so I am pleased.

Q: Can you describe the missed field goal?
A: High snap came down and almost was already there. I tried to adjust and just didn't adjust enough and I pulled it a little. Other than that, everything was pretty smooth.

Q: Do you feel cheated that you made one and then had it called back?
A: Hey, you know, you want it but I don't know that I feel cheated. I should be able to go back and hit the next one also. I feel good. I just want to get this game under my belt. My snap and hold went well it's just that the timing is a little off.

Q: So why haven't you kicked off in four years?
A: I was with the Colts and Chris Gardocki for four years and he kicked off. I was with the Jets for two years and Louis Aguiar kicked off and it just came up this year. Q: Did you feel the pressure on the longer kickoffs because the Redskins have had such a problem this season with short kickoffs? A: I felt a little pressure on the kickoffs because like I said I have not kicked off in a longtime and coming into this game I really needed to show what I can do on my kickoffs. I did well, I did real well and I am happy with them.

Q: What are your thoughts on the situation here in the last couple of weeks?
A: I haven't been here I haven't seen what's been going on. There's some stuff that goes on out there. They make some good plays and then something happens. They're a good football team. Don't count them out. They look really good it's just that we've got some things wrong here, some things wrong there.

Kelvin Kinney
Q: Is this a case of playing poorly or being a poor team?
A: We're just playing bad. But this is the most talented team I've ever been on. We've got great [defensive] tackles, two good ends, a great secondary. I don't know where the problem is. I don't even think about what the problem is. That's the coach's job. My job is to play. I don't know what's going on. Maybe we come out and we come out slow. The coaches can't come out and play for you.

Darrell Green
Q: Is this team giving a complete effort?
A: We have to express that passion for the game and express that out on the field. We have to continue to move forward. That will be my focus this week as an individual and as a team.

I can say quite clearly that I would be more apt to say that everyone is giving their all. Sometimes people are not giving their all and sometimes you can point it out and show them. But I don't thing there's any premeditated "I'm just going to dog it" going on. I personally wouldn't go that far to say it because my brain just doesn't imagine that. Somebody from the outside would probably say it but I would dare not say it.

Q: What is the atmosphere in the locker room?
A:I would describe it as a frustration because I think everyone wants to win but the point that Norv made today is the main issue: look as far as your nose - just look at yourselves. If you lose, you're going to be frustrated.

Stephen Alexander
Q: Describe what went wrong in this loss?
A: They play every play like it is their last and they play extremely hard. I think experience is the key. I'm just trying to go and learn as we go along. I wouldn't want to become vocal and I want to see how these guys react. We've got a lot of great names on this team so hopefully we can get it turned around.

I think we're continuing to get better every week. Trent was kind of thrown into the fire in the first game and I think he came in a played exceptionally well. It takes awhile to get on the same page with the quarterback, running backs and receivers.

It's frustrating. You're 0-4 but there's been a lot of guys who have been successful with a lot of great teams and they know how to bounce back. The season is definitely not over. We can bounce back. We have to start making plays and keep our heads in it and good things can happen for us.

Q: What was the game plan coming into this game?
A: We wanted to run the ball and to stay on the field and try to keep their team off the field. Offensively, I think we really moved the ball at times. Special teams, again, we have to get a little better field position.

Leslie Shepherd
Q: What is going wrong on this team?
A: Everyone has to take it upon themselves to say 'I'm not going to be the reason why we lost." If everybody does that then we'll be alright.

Q: What do you say to the fans who are obviously frustrated?
A: When you're losing, things happen. They scream 'Norv's got to go,' they scream 'you make too much money.' Those are things you have to deal with, you just have to bounce back through adversity. It's all part of the game. When you're winning, they congratulate you. When you're losing, everybody is embarrassed. If you're a Redskins fan and you're walking home or on the subway and you have your Redskins gear on and somebody else has their Broncos game on, it affects everyone. Until we win you can't complain about what the fans have to say, can't complain about what the media says and what they write about you until you win.

Q: How do you stop the mental breakdowns and errors?
A: We have to be professional. We get paid to do a job and you have to do your job. Nobody can play mistake-free football but you can't do the same thing day in and day out. We get a chance to get a first down and they call it back with a penalty, then we miss a field goal after holding or somebody being in the neutral zone. It's just stuff we can't do. Denver, everybody knows they're a great football team. Great balance defensively and offensively. They drove down and scored every time. Until we can do that consistently, series in and series out, we're going to be in trouble.

Q: Is this loss rock bottom rock bottom for this team?
A: This is rock bottom. We're 0-4. It's rock bottom. And we're all at fault. People say "don't worry, don't panic." Panic. Worry. Because this is rock bottom.

Cris Dishman
Q: Do you feel you're missing something you've had in the past?
A: Well, no, I'm right there on every pass it's just at the end, I'm losing it towards the end. I'm covering them on the line, I'm bumping them like I did last year and it's always at the half second at the end that I'm not moving my body over. I've got to continue to work. That's all I can do.

Q: Is your situation representative of what the team is going through right now?
A: I don't know. If I had the answer I'm sure we'd be 4-0. We just got to bring it up as a team. I've got to take care of my responsibilities. I can't allow touchdown passes when I'm supposed to be the starting corner. I can't allow that to happen. I've allowed four touchdown passes already. I've prided myself on not letting receivers catch touchdowns on me. I think I allowed three or four all last year and now I think it's four already. When it goes bad, it goes bad. I just have to continue working. I'm sure it's going to turn around for me, hopefully sooner than later. We've got a tough task coming in next week [with Dallas] and I'm sure he's licking his chops. If I were playing myself, I know that I'd be licking my chops. But there's nothing you can write or say. There's nothing the fans can say to make me feel bad. I'm feeling bad on my own. I've never experienced it like this before, in my 11 years of playing professional football.

Stanley Richard
Q: Was there any emotional charge from knowing that John Elway wasn't playing?
A: No, not really. When you take what Bubby did, you can't ask for Elway to come in and do much better than what he did. Terrell Davis makes that offense work in so many ways. You always have to try and stop him and make sure doesn't turn loose. For the most part, we did well. For the third quarter, he broke loose and took all the air out of our team. We're not at the point where we can move through things like that.

Q: Talk about the schedule.
A: We talked about it over the offseason, looking at our schedule. The first four, the first five or six, if we could just get on top of those and just make something positive happen, then we're going to be okay. Right now you see that we've dug a hole for ourselves. It's going to very hard to come out of it because right now we're losing a lot of support from a lot of people and that makes a difference.

Ken Harvey
Q: How deep a hole is too deep for the Redskins to recover from?
A: I don't how deep it can get before you can dig out. Right now, it is the getting that way but it is up to us to turn it around.

Q: What do you say to the fans that expect you to win and booed constantly today?
A: You want to get upset and you want to get pissed off because you want to say that they are not out there playing. Let them play and get hit a few times and let them try. In the same sense, they are paying money and they want us to win and they want us to play hard. They've been supporting us the last four or five years and it is time for us to turn it around and I understand them being upset. There are ways to go about doing it but I understand that. After every game, you can't say wait till next game you got to start winning and that happens.

Q: What happens with the collapse in the third quarter?
A: If I knew that, it would all be different. For whatever reason, after halftime we come out and we make some little mistakes that changes the whole tempo of the game. For whatever reason, I just do not know, I wish I could pinpoint it.