Transcripts of Ricky Williams' and Tony Sparano's conference calls with Jets reporters on Wednesday afternoon:
DOLPHINS RB RICKY WILLIAMS
On if the game against the Jets is a must-win...
Definitely. I think the joke around here is that Coach says our backs are against the wall, but we are inside the wall. It is definitely a must-win if we want a shot at the playoffs.
On why the Wildcat hasn't been as successful this season...
I think we haven't run it enough. I don't think we have called it enough in games and worked on it in practice enough to make it a big part of our offense. Last year we didn't have a big-play receiver and we had a young quarterback so we leaned on it more. We have Brandon [Marshall] for big plays in the passing game and we have a lot of confidence in Chad Henne to make plays down the field.
On if the Wildcat is being run in a different style than last season...
We needed it. It was a way to get Ronnie [Brown] and myself on the field and generate some offense and I think again, the maturity of Chad Henne and the addition of Brandon Marshall it was a necessity for us this year.
On if he was surprised by the Jets' loss to the Patriots and how is he expecting them to come out Sunday...
Well, I mean you can look at it a million different ways but either way we have to prepare to play the best Jets team that they have and they always play us really tough. So we have to get ready regardless of what happened this past week.
On if he was surprised at how badly the Jets were blown out...
Well, you know it's really any given Sunday, so you never know. A couple of bad plays are snowball factors. I really don't look at the score of games. The bottom line is it's a W or it's an L.
On what he knows about Jason Taylor now and his performance with the Jets thus far...
You know, I haven't had a chance to really follow. I mean, I looked at the stat report today and I saw he leads the team in sacks and I know that playing the position here when he was with us he's a hell of football player. I mean, he can rush the passer, he makes a lot of plays in the run game and he's tough to block.
On any of Taylor's intangibles that the guys miss in the locker room...
Well, sure, when you have one of the greatest players in franchise history and he's not on your team anymore, yeah, you'll miss a lot.
On if the team will work out at the Giants' practice facility on Friday...
Yeah, that's what Coach said.
On if he knows the reason behind that...
No, you've got to ask Coach. I have no idea.
On the Jets fans being fired up after hearing that news and thinking the Giants are trying to hurt them...
[Laughing] Jets fans.
On what he saw from the Jets' defense in the loss to the Patriots...
I got to watch the game, I haven't had a chance to watch that film yet, no.
On his feelings about Henne after last week's three-interception game...
Well, I don't think you can judge it by just one game. You have to judge it by the season. He's young and I think in this game it's always a process of building and learning and I've learned most from my worst games and my worst experiences in life. In knowing Chad, I expect him to do the same.
On the running game struggling...
Well, again, I just don't think that we've done it enough. I mean, I think last year we ran it for 100 yards several times because we were running the ball. And I think our struggle has just been whether we're getting down in games or our coach likes the passing game.
On if he sees himself with Miami next year...
I have no idea. I mean, I'll be a free agent after this year. After this year it's kind of wait-and-see. You know, if someone wants me and they can convince me to do this one more year, I definitely would be open to the opportunity, but if not, I'm happy with what I've been able to accomplish in my career.
DOLPHINS HEAD COACH TONY SPARANO
On the team coming to practice at the Giants' facility on Friday...
One of the things is that we've gone out early on some away games a couple of times, one being two weeks ago to California and then we've gone out early I think one other time and I just think it's a great way to get my team together and to have my team focus, to have them all together on the road. So we're going to get out there and get out there early and have ourselves prepared.
On if they're going to practice in the Giants' indoor facility...
We are going to practice in their indoor facility. It was an opportunity for us. We had reached out to the Giants and we have a good relationship with the people there in the Giants organization and they were very nice and gracious to be able to allow us to get in there. But we reached out to them.
On when they plan on getting in the facility to practice...
It'll be sometime in the afternoon.
On what he drew from the Jets' Monday night game vs. the Patriots...
Well, I mean, I just obviously think one of the issues when I watched the ballgame was field position and the turnovers, those kinds of things. We just lost a very close football game where we turned the ball over three times. So obviously I watched the ballgame and we've seen the tape but I'm a little bit more concerned about what we've done and need to do better from our end.
On the Dolphins running game and not having many 100 yard rushers and receivers...
I would say to you that we've tried to split the load up probably a lot different than the Jets have done with their two backs. Ronnie [Brown] and Ricky [Williams] both play kind of equal, somewhere in that range. You know Ronnie probably has more snaps than Ricky at the end of this, not by much, but we try to get both guys involved as much as we possibly can.
In the last couple of games we've rushed the ball for a bunch of yards and we're able to run it a little bit more right now. We've had two ballgames there in the middle of that, the Chicago game being one, where we didn't get a lot of offensive snaps and got behind in the game, and then there was one other ballgame there where we were behind playing catchup. So in those games, you're not going to run the football. You've got to throw the ball to get back in the game. But as of late we've gotten our run game back on track.
On coming to the New York area early and if he gave any consideration to taking the team outside to get use to the change in climate...
Yeah, that is something that we talked about. And I just think getting down there and in that environment is always good. So from our end, I mean, we've obviously played in cold, cold weather before but it's 65 degrees here today. We do better as a football team on the road and we have played really well on the road when we're all together and we get out there and get focused and spend some time. So this isn't the first time I've done this. This is the third time I've done this.
On if he had taken the team to high school fields on past road trips...
We've gone to high school fields a couple of times, yes. So that's kind of what we've done.
On if he's not going to take them outdoors when they get up to the New York area...
I think I've already answered this, but we reached out to the Giants first and we have a very good relationship with the people there with the Giants and just worked out that they'd be done and we'd be able to get in there by the time we would've gotten down in there. So that worked out well. Maybe we'll see what happens with our Saturday walkthrough.
On clarifying if the Dolphins will work in the indoor facility...
We'll be working out indoors on Friday.
On possibly working outdoors on Saturday...
Possibly, yes. Not sure.
On if a team is allowed to go to the stadium the day before a game for walkthroughs...
Sure, yeah. I think if they are allowed, yes, if that's something that they choose to do. I think a couple of weeks back we had somebody do it versus us that had to travel in here.
On if Chad Henne is still considered the future of the team...
Is he considered the future of the team? He's one of my young quarterbacks on the team. I've addressed that question this week here with our media and just said that Chad Henne right now is going to be the quarterback this week against the Jets. At the end of the season we're going to sit down and we're going to reevaluate everything but we like this young guy's future. He's getting better for us.
On what he's seen from Jason Taylor so far this year...
Looks like he's contributed very much in a lot of ballgames. Jason always has been a guy that can close out games. Looks to me like he's pretty healthy and playing well.
On if the team is missing any of Taylor's intangibles in the locker room...
Jason has great leadership but we have great leaders here right now. I'm excited about my leaders. I have four captains here that are outstanding and a bunch of other veteran players like Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown and Anthony Fasano. We have solid leadership here but Jason Taylor was certainly a very good leader.
On what Taylor has brought to the Jets defense...
I'm sure he's brought wisdom and I'm sure he's brought leadership, intangibles and all those things to that defense. I mean, they have some good veteran players there, too, but I'm sure that he's brought both of those things. It's always good to have somebody on your team that can show you how it's done and this guy's sacked the quarterback a lot of times in the National Football League. That's good for the young players to see.
On the status of Brandon Marshall...
Well, he practiced today so that was a good thing. We're a little bit of a ways away from Sunday so we'll see where we go from there but he did practice today.
On how Marshall looked at practice...
He looked good.
