<span> <span style="">Q: Do you think things are starting to look better for your team?</span>
A: "We're starting to build around a young quarterback, starting to get a lot of new fresh faces in here and building it back up again and I think and believe it's headed in the right direction. I think the quarterback's going to be special player, but he's a young, inexperienced player that's really earning his licks right now."
Q: What do you say to people that say this is a meaningless game for you guys?
A: "It's very meaningful. The most important part and this has been my answer as I've had this question asked for the last couple of weeks…This last stretch that started last week and this week coming up and obviously the last game for a guy like Josh Freeman is to end on a high note and to build on it in the offseason, for him to work with his younger guys to work some things out, to keep working with his wide receivers, running backs, tight ends and really get a good feel for it, having something to build upon this offseason and when he has to come back and start training."
Q: Having been here is it tough to see how the Saints are doing, knowing you were once a part of it?
A: "It's not tough at all. I'm really, really excited and happy for these guys. Obviously excluding our games, I was hoping they were going to win it all the way out and run the table. Unfortunately they got the loss, but the bigger goal is obviously the Super Bowl. I'm these guys' biggest fans, because I have such admiration and respect for a lot of these guys that are still with the team when I was there. I have nothing but high hopes for these guys to get it done."
Q: As you look at tape of Will Smith, what type of season do you think he's having and what type of player do you think he is?
A: "It seems like he's showing more leadership from that perspective from when I was there. He's definitely a dominant player that can do it on the run and pass and there's not a lot of defensive ends out there that can do both and that's the thing that I think makes him pretty special."
Q: Did he get your Pro Bowl vote?
A:" Yes, he did. He got my Pro Bowl vote and a couple of other guys on the team got my Pro Bowl vote. I hope those guys really do (make it)."
Q: Can you tell us who else you voted for?
A: I voted for (Jonathan) Vilma and (Darren) Sharper.
Q: You guys had a pretty good run game in Seattle. Is that your key to making Josh Freeman more comfortable?
A: "I think the biggest thing is we're able to stay on schedule and keep running the ball. There have been so many games this year where we haven't been able to stay with the running game as much as we really wanted to. With that being the case, we haven't been able to get our running backs into the flow of the game. We've been behind. With a young quarterback it's tough. It's tough for him to be able to compete at the highest level when it's really a loaded game. That being said, this past week, we were able to get the running game going, stay on schedule and build off the play action game and moving forward."
