Transcript of quarterback Tim Tebow's news conference in front of his locker after the Jets' Wednesday afternoon practice at the Atlantic Health Training Center:
On if it is hard to play at Seattle…
Definitely, I haven't been, but I heard a lot about it. I heard it's one of the loudest places in the league. They have great fans, so good for them. That will be exciting and hopefully it will give us a little more juice as well.
On Seattle's defense…
Very good defense, one of the best we'll play against this year. They make a lot of plays. They create havoc all over the field, different positions, and you have to execute well and hold onto the ball. I think that will be big for us this week.
On Leon Washington…
Leon is a great guy and obviously known well around here, a really good player. Obviously, it will be important to contain him and keep him from making any big plays that can really change the momentum of the game.
On the blocked punt against Miami…
We reviewed it. We just have to work, get better and just improve.
On trying to prevent the blocked punt against Miami…
You try to step up there quick, collapse it down, try to take two and make it easier for everybody to pass it off.
On getting opportunities to make plays…
I think you're always just waiting for that opportunity to really help this team, just always being ready, having a positive attitude and just knowing that it could just be around the corner when you get the opportunity to do something big to spark us or do something to make a difference. You always have to have that attitude and stay positive.
On his competitiveness…
Definitely, I'm competitive, so I'm always ready and excited to want to do something and help. Same approach with my attitude. I just want to get better every single day in practice and be ready when my number is called.
On if he tells his teammates that they can make the playoffs like he did with Denver last season…
Absolutely, we were 1-4 and had to turn it around. We have a very good team here, very good players in this locker room. For us, it's all about coming together. I really feel that we're on the verge of doing that.
On being ready to play…
I just want to be ready and able for whatever they ask me to do. When I get opportunities, try to make the most of them, create a spark, create enthusiasm and just do something positive.
On if he is frustrated with his playing time…
No.
On the first half of the season…
Anytime you lose as a competitor, it's always frustrating and disappointing. You want to do something to help make a difference. I think you're always trying to be ready and willing to create a spark. It's always difficult to lose. No matter what your role is or where you are, that's always something that's frustrating and disappointing. I think the biggest thing for us is not looking back. It's constantly moving forward one day at a time. It sounds cliché, but when you're here, that's all you can do. You have to take it one day at a time, improve and get better. You never know when it's going to turn around.
On getting opportunities to help the team improve…
You wish you can make a difference and help us out of that for sure. When you're winning, it's the easiest to hear it, all the time, no matter what you're doing.
On his packages in games…
We always have packages in the game. Then it's just about when's the right time to call them. I think it's just being ready. We have packages ready and it's just about when we're going to call them and if we can execute them.
On when he got power back after Hurricane Sandy…
I got power back yesterday.
On if he plans on helping victims of Hurricane Sandy…
Yes, we're trying to talk to the executive director of my foundation and trying to figure out some cool stuff we can do.
On if he will tell the media what his foundation will do…
Of course I will.
On Pete Carroll…
I really like Coach Carroll. He's an awesome guy. He's exciting to be around. He's fun to be around. He still gives me a hard time because when he came with Coach Sarkisian and [Coach] Lane Kiffin to my house in Florida, he turned down the half-mile dirt road, and at the front of it, there's a Gator mailbox. He turned and he told his assistant coach, "They have a Gator mailbox. What the heck am I doing here?" [laughter] I don't know if that's the language he used, but we had a great time, a great visit. I spent a lot of time with him, then took an official visit to USC and loved it. It was great. I would have loved playing for him, Coach Kiffin and Coach Sarkisian, but it just wasn't the right fit for me at the time. Plus you have to be a little closer to home.
On if he wanted to move out to California…
No. Too far.
On playing positions on offense other than quarterback…
It's different, but it's not too hard. I don't even really do it too much in practice. Maybe I'll get a few reps in practice for the game plan, but it's really just something that you kind of athletically just try to go do. It's not like they're going to ask me to run any precise routes.
On if lining up at a receiver position helps open up the field for Dustin Keller and the other players…
Sometimes I'll be in for Dustin as well, in a certain play, but you also don't have as many reps with me at that. Most of the time, it would probably be a little later in the progression or something that's not all the way down the field. Sometimes it's more of a check down.
On if his multiple roles help him at quarterback…
Sometimes with alignment maybe and where it's at, inside edge, outside edge, tackling. When you're at the quarterback position it makes it easier to go kind of anywhere because you're supposed to know every position.
On if Mark Sanchez going 4-for-4 with him on the field against Miami was a coincidence…
It was hopefully easier coverage. They don't know based on the play we're in and the huddle, if we go to the line they don't know who is going to be at quarterback. I think we might get some easier coverages based on that.
On if that's a minor coincidence…
Who knows? Maybe.
On if there is more yelling by the defense when he is on the field…
It depends on the formations and if I'm at quarterback or not, then there will be a certain check they'll be yelling for stuff.
On if Coach Ryan discussed with him evaluating his role last week…
No, not really anything directly from him or anything like that. We still have our packages with different runs based on the game plans. I think for that, it's are we going to call them, what's the right time or anything like that.
On if he heard Coach Ryan's comments about evaluating his role last week…
I thought the power was out [laughing].
On if it is hard to find a rhythm with limited snaps…
Yeah, I think when you're getting the ball a lot during the game you can get the rhythm of the game and I think that makes it easier. You get a feel and a rhythm. I think spot play is fun because you're in different roles, but at the same time it's hard to get a feel. Sometimes even if it's just a few plays on a drive it gets easier. Sometimes that's the harder part of spot-playing, but it is fun. I just love playing period.
On Coach Ryan being named the most overrated coach in the league…
I mean it's something we have in common [laughing]. He's a great coach and I don't know that many people are going to try and argue that. Back-to-back AFC championship [appearances]. Not a lot of people have done that.
On why he thinks people are not fans of Coach Ryan…
You're in New York, he's a public figure, he's loud, he's polarizing. People are going to be on one side or another. They're not going to have a mixed opinion on him. I think he stands up for what he believes in, like most people should. Good for him for doing that. He stands up there and says what he believes and sometimes they like it and sometimes they don't. At least he has the courage to do that. For me, it's something that I have a lot of respect for. Whether you agree or not, you have to say he has a lot of courage for doing it. That's something I respect him for and I had respected him before I was even here.
On if he thought the packages installed in training camp would be used more…
I didn't know what to expect, to be honest with you. It was hard to try and picture what was going to happen and how we were going to mesh. It was tough to try and know exactly what to expect.
On if his packages have been effective…
I feel like at times we've done some good things. It definitely hasn't been as effective as I would have liked sometimes. I feel like we've had some good plays every now and then. We still have half the season to go, so we just have to try and get better
