Thursday, September 9, 1999

Q- With all of the injuries on Defense, do you feel like the Offense is in the spotlight right now?

KC- Definitely, with all of the injuries on defense. Doing the things we need to do, taking care of the ball and putting points on the board becomes that much more of a premium. We realize that and understand it. We need to practice accordingly and hope that we do that on Sunday.

 
Q- Re: Challenge’s this week

KC- We are on the road, probably against the best defense we have played all year. They are real tough against the run, so it is going to be a real challenge for us. It is a big challenge. We have got to come out and play our best game offensively running the ball and throwing the ball. We need to make up our minds that we are going to do it, do it on the road, and under those conditions. We are going to have to play a little ball control. I think it is going to be a big challenge for us.

 
Q- When you get an award for offensive player of the week, does it mean anything to you, at this point, or was this one a little special?

KC- All of those things are nice, and I am not saying they’re not, but for me that's over Monday. I am certainly very thankful for it. Quite honestly Amani was probably a little more deserving. Monday I was in here watching game film on Buffalo. I am very thankful for it, but you are only as good as you played last week, so I am trying to think like that for this.

 
Q- Was this a barometer that things are getting better?

KC- Yeah, definitely. It is better than some of the other things that I have gone through. There is no doubt about it. Do I feel like I am playing as well as I have in a long time? Yeah, I do. Having said that, we have a tough challenge ahead of us this weekend. Hopefully we can continue doing the things that we are doing.

 
Q- How about playing in Buffalo? It is cold, the crowd is closer and it is a tough place to play.

KC- Yeah, it is, and who knows what the weather is going to be like. They have got a lot of great fans their, its loud, and we are banged up, so it’s stacked against us. We can’t worry about those kinds of things. We have to go up there and kind of circle the wagon and realize that we are going to have to play our best football game. If we do that, it is going to give us the best chance to win.

 
Q- How confident are you that it is not just a one-time thing?

KC- I think our confidence is real high. Who knows what is going to happen Sunday? We feel like we are playing real well. We feel like we are a confident football team and a confident offense. That is going to give us the best chance to do the kind of things we can do. As long as we maintain that attitude, we will be all right. Hope fully the days of all of the turnovers and not being able to move the ball is over for us. We will see what happens, but I know that our confidence is high right now.

 
Q- How much more confident are you guys this week, considering how Joe (Montgomery) ran last week?

KC- It is definitely encouraging for all of us. We have been playing a mixed bag back their as far as the guys we have been using on a regular basis. To see him do what he did and his ability is certainly encouraging. We need to expect that every week and have that every week, because that is going to give us the best shot. As long as we continue to work hard at it and do the things we can do, hopefully we can have that.

 
Q- How long did you actually get to enjoy what you did last Sunday, yourself in particular?

KC- I enjoyed it about an hour. After we came in on Monday, I was right back in watching film on the Bills. That is just the way it is. I enjoyed it Sunday night, thought about it Monday morning, and watched the films and enjoyed that. There is no time to sit back a rest on the last game you played. We have got a tough challenge this week and we have to put last week behind us and move on.

 
Q- Re: Repeating last week’s offensive performance

KC- To think that you are going to throw for 340 yards every week, I think is unrealistic. The good thing about last week was; we didn’t turn the ball over, we ran the ball better, and we were much more efficient as an offense. All of those things are positives. If you think that you are going to throw for 340 yards is just not possible. But the 17 of 29, the zero interceptions, the one fumble, the 100 yard rusher and those kind of things; those are the things that I think that we are most pleased about. Hopefully we can continue that. It is great to do it for one game, but let’s see if we can do it on a consistent basis.

 
Q- Re: Connections with Amani and Ike last week

KC- It is the play calling, it is knowing where guys are, it’s knowing what kind of receivers they are and what situations they work best in, what their strengths are and calling the plays accordingly. I just feel like I have so much of a better feel of what we are doing offensively. Along with that comes; what kind of receiver Amani is going on deep routes and that Ike likes to work in the middle and that is where his strength is. All of those things are working themselves out and I expect them to only get better.

 
Q- How fired up do you get as a quarterback to see a guy like Toomer run the deep route down the sideline?

KC- I have said all along that I think these guys have tremendous ability. As we play together, I think we will really have a lot of fun. Hopefully they will see that I can get them the ball and I know that they are going to get open and make some great plays. I look at it as something I am really looking forward to doing and playing with these guys for a long time and really becoming a good tandem of quarterback and wide out.

 
Q- Did you notice the offense carrying itself with a little more confidence after having that kind of day?

KC- I think so. Especially running the ball and also the way we threw the ball. I think it is going to help everyone’s confidence. I know it has helped mine. There was indecision going into these games. I hadn’t well, for whatever reason whether it be turnovers or different things. Last week was the first week it all came together. It’s nice to have a game like that. Hopefully it is kind of a breakthrough game for all of us.

 
Q- Does it help for a quarterback to have a quarterback coach calling the plays?

KC- I don’t really know if it helps so much whether it is the quarterback’s coach or the head coach, but it is someone you feel like you have a good repertoire with and I feel like I have with both Jim and Sean. Someone that you feel has confidence in you, and I feel that with both of them, too. I think that both of them are great play callers and I am happy with both of them.