<span style="">Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Wade Phillips
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Q: You come into this game already in must win mode to get into the playoffs at this point. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
A: I think it's good. It tells everybody how important every ballgame is. You don't get many situations where you're like the Saints and have a lot of things wrapped up already. I think it keeps your team focused on what you're doing.
Q: Does the discussion of your club's recent history in December weigh on you or your team?
A: You can pull all kinds of stats. Actually the 12th game of the year we had won so many times, so we lost this one in December, gee. We don't worry about that. We worry about this ballgame. That's all we're thinking about. We're in position to make a playoff run and that's what we're trying to do.
Q: Are there any elements that were missing from this team in seasons past that you think are possibly part of this club?
A: Two years ago we were 13-3. We didn't play our starters in the last game of the year, so we were 2-2 in December. It really hasn't affected his team that much. Last year we didn't have our running backs at this time and one of our offensive linemen. We had a lot of injuries last year at this time that we don't have now. That's better
Q: Can you look at the versatility of the Saints offense and how many different things you have to account for? What's your general approach to that?
A: They have a lot of outstanding players, but the quarterback's the key to all of it. He gets it to them. Drew Brees is one of my favorites, not to play against, but just to watch him play, see how he plays and see how he gets the ball to whoever's open. He's just a fantastic player and a good guy. I'm glad for him. I'm not glad to play him at this time, but I'm sure glad for him, because he deserves every bit of it.
Q: Does it make it harder on a defense when going up against the Saints because you try to defend one thing and they come out with something else?
A: You can't take him (Brees) away from one thing. He disperses the ball to so many different people and they have a lot of playmakers. He's the catalyst for all of it. They're hard to stop.
Q: You have a history with the organization. Can you remove yourself as head coach and feel good about this organization and what it's going through right now?
A: Yes, I feel great for the Saints. Mr. Benson, I think a lot of. My family does and we appreciate everything when we were there. I still talk to a lot of the players. Jim Wilks came to one of our games. Rickey Jackson I talked to a lot and we still have friends in New Orleans, so it's still important to me and my family to see the Saints do that well certainly. A couple of years ago when they were doing well, I was happy for them and I'm happy for them now even though we're competing against them.
Q: Being a head coach in this league, you know the spotlight is always on you for what you've done lately. A couple weeks ago, I know that Jerry Jones talked about the need to win in December. Do you feel any more heat or do you feel any more pressure that this is a must situation for you right now as a head coach?
A: Right now we'd be in the playoffs, so we're in playoff contention right now. That's the most important thing. It's not about me. It's about this football team. We've won a lot of games here already. We hope to win some more. We have 30 wins already in three years and we'd like to win some more and get in the playoffs. That's our goal.
Q: Would you have liked to have heard more words of support from Jerry?
A: I don't know exactly what you're talking about. It's not something I know anything about.
Q: From a head coaching standpoint would you have liked an owner to have supported you more?
A: I have support from Jerry Jones and he does a great job as a general manager and owner and I couldn't be more pleased with him.
Q: How's your quarterback handling this year's playoff run and coming off two tough losses?
A: I think he's playing well though. The last two games he's played well. It's a good thing for our team. If he plays well, that helps us.
Q: Has he emerged into a guy that the team really rallies around?
A: Yes, the same thing. He's won a lot of games here. He was out three games last year, we lost two of them. One more win last year and we're in the playoffs. He's a catalyst for our team too.
