Quotes From Sunday's Redskins Game
 

Compiled by Gene Wang
Washingtonpost.com Correspondent
Web Posted: Sunday, Dec. 2, 2001; 10:54 p.m. EST

Coach Marty Schottenheimer
Q: What are your general thoughts about the game?
A: Our inability to defend the run was the thing that ultimately put us in the position that we found ourselves in at the end. You have to credit these players. They continued to fight through two onside kicks; that is the quality that will allow us to make progress and win. It’s disappointing.

Q: Can you talk about your decision not to try a field goal?
A: It was a little over 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. My feeling was that it was just outside the limit, and the wind was in our face. I felt that we would play well defensively. I felt confident to get the ball down in there and get a stop so we would get the opportunity to get the ball back with good field position. Obviously, when it works, it is the right choice, and when it doesn’t, it is the wrong choice.

Q: What are you thoughts about losing to Dallas for a ninth straight time?
A: After winning five in a row, losing to anybody hurts. It doesn’t matter who it is. In this game, in this league, it is all about making plays. It is about makings plays in a timely fashion.

Q: What about the team’s playoff chances now?
A: We have an opportunity to play and to win. As long as we are in that situation, I think we have a legitimate opportunity. We have made it harder obviously.

Q: Did you feel you had momentum after tying the game?
A: It was a big momentum changer. You figure you are back in this thing. The next thing you know, we found ourselves in a big play like that. To our guys’ credit, they hung in there, they had to kick a field goal. They made plays; that is what happens in this game. Somebody is going to have an opportunity to make plays. The team that wins generally is the team that makes the most plays.

Champ Bailey
Q: Can you talk about the touchdown pass to Raghib Ismail?
A: I think I just slacked back at the end. He’s fast, and I jammed him real good at the line. I just let him get away from me. I was expecting something short, but I know I can’t do that. I have to be disciplined and play good techniques. We have been playing good against the run the past couple weeks, but now we have to go back to basics and see what we did wrong.

Q: How did you feel Quincy Carter played?
A: I know him very well, and he’s going to have some tough breaks. He always has his head up, always confident, a very confident guy, and he is going to make some plays.

Q: What are your thoughts on the playoffs?
A: We are a playoff team. We have the talent to be in there, and we have the coaches to be in there. We just have to go out and beat Arizona, but that will take care of itself.

Stephen Alexander
Q: Can you talk about how you injured your leg?
A: I fell on it. I was blocking somebody. I went to push somebody over the pile, and I just felt a pop. I got on my toe and pushed off and felt it pop. I initially thought that I just re-injured it. It was the same thing that I did the first time around, but X-rays showed that it is probably a crack in my fibula. I think I was well enough to play today, but I don’t think there was anyway I could go out and play a whole game.

Tony Banks
Q: How is your ankle feeling?
A: I’ll be all right. Guys get injured every snap. It’s just a matter of having to play through it.

Q: What are your thoughts about the loss?
A: I haven’t been here for the consecutive loss streak. I just know about this time and the last time. We just didn’t play well enough to beat this team. We are a physical team, and we pride ourselves on being able to run the football, and that was a good defensive scheme we played against today. They have been playing well pretty much the whole season, so we had our work cut out for us, but I think we all felt that we are a better team than them, but when you’re not having any success on first downs, you’re putting yourself in third and not necessarily manageable situations.

Chris Samuels
Q: Can you talk about the losing streak against Dallas?
A: I can’t explain it right now. They simply have our number right now, but the only thing as far as the Cowboys go is look forward to next year and playing them then. But we have got to take it into this next game against Arizona. It is very disappointing. I hate the Cowboys. I never liked them, and nine straight is miserable.

Q: Did you feel you lost some momentum?
A: This team has a lot of character. We came back. We lost five straight, and then we managed to win five in a row, and we are definitely going to go out there looking forward to winning this next game.