Highlights

Q: 51 is the record for dropped passes.

TODD HALEY: “Yeah, I got it. Generally doesn’t lead to winning records. Three times the team that has led in drops has had a winning record.”

“Today we started our preparation for the Cincinnati Bengals. I would like to note Brad Cottam and give you an update [on his injury]. Everything went very well today and he’s already on the road to recovery. Otherwise, no practice [for] Morgan, no practice [for] Rogers, limited [for] Waters, limited [for] Magee, limited Glenn Dorsey. Also Brandon Flowers limited.

“Cincinnati has played at a high level this year. They’re a big challenge for us. Defensively, they’re a very fast defense that makes a lot of plays, sideline to sideline. They’re very good against the run and they’ll be a great challenge for us in that we’ve been running the football in a positive manner here the last eight games or so. It’ll be a great challenge for us to see where our running game is at versus a very good defense in all areas, and really good against the run giving up only 86 yards a game.

“Offensively, they cause you a bunch of different problems starting with the two running backs in Cedric Benson who has had a rebirth of sorts and is showing what people thought of him when he came to the NFL originally. He breaks a lot of tackles; he’s got 27 plus runs over 10 yards. Larry Johnson, when he got his opportunity to play when Benson was injured, had over 100 yards. The quarterback looks like he’s back to Pro Bowl level. And at receiver between Chad and Laveranues [Coles], a guy I coached back in New York [Jets] and Caldwell, they have some serious weapons to stretch the field and the tight end is getting a lot of balls thrown his way.

“As I said on Monday, we’ve got to bounce back defensively. I expect us to. Our guys have been working hard. Didn’t show up in the Cleveland game and we got into some technique situations where we didn’t quite play the way we have to play in order to win. Today we started that process.

“They have a solid special teams unit all the way around and that’s an area where we have to bounce back to at least where we were as a cover team which has been one of the positives.”

Q: Did Cottam have surgery?

HALEY: “Yeah, today he had surgery. I’m not an expert obviously, but everything I heard is it went very well. He was uncomfortable for a couple of days and I went in there and saw him and now he’ll be in a much better off situation. A baseline xray had shown there was a problem [after the game]. Outwardly everything was fine. It was only through an xray that a problem was detected.

“We were all pretty excited about Brad like a bunch of these guys like Jamaal [Charles] or Matt [Cassel] who have fought through some adversity, and things haven’t gone the way they or we would have planned. He was a guy I was excited about. He was trying to make a play when he got hurt. That’s what he’s disappointed about because he really felt he was coming into his own.”

Q: If Alex Magee and Glenn Dorsey can’t play this week, what do you do?

HALEY: “We have a couple of plans in place and I’m hoping that both (players) come along as the week goes along. But without giving up competitive advantage we do have a couple of plans in place and I’d hate to give that away if we end up having to do it. The whole group is looking for an opportunity to bounce back and I know Glenn is disappointed he wasn’t out there last week and is doing everything he can to get in there and help contribute and get this run stopped.“

Q: Did something specific happen to Mark Bradley for you to waive him? Or was it just a case of numbers?
 
HALEY: “I wouldn’t say anything specific. We’ve got to get this right and that position…we’re on pace for 47 drops by the league count right now. I have us at more than that. That’s why I had our guys do a little study on our own to see exactly where we were after I said it at the press conference. Then at looking at those results, generally if you’re close to the top of the league in drops on the negative side it’s not an indication of a winning team.
 
“When you drop balls like we did on Sunday, and throughout the year at times, they cost us victories and an opportunity to feel a little better about ourselves - for the quarterback to feel a little better about what he’s doing, for the offense to feel better about what we’re doing. If you drop a ball on first down it’s second-and-10. You drop a ball on second-and-10 now you’re in third-and-10. That’s one of the reasons why we have more third-and-longs than anybody else in the league. It’s directly related to dropped balls and it’s why we’re 31st in third down conversions even though we’ve made progress there. We’re at least at an average position on third down now and you can win if you’re average on third down.”

Q: Was Bradley the biggest culprit in dropped passes?

HALEY: “Any time you have to release a player it’s not a fun thing. I think all these guys have bought in and given everything they have and worked hard and played hard [but] sometimes in a situation it’s just not getting it done. But in talking to Scott [Pioli] we both said we’ve got to get this right. We’re trying to find the nucleus of guys we’re going to go forward with. Some of them are here and some of them aren’t here right now. We’ve got to formulate an idea of who those guys are sooner rather than later. We give guys opportunity to show that they can be a part of it. Sometimes they flourish and sometimes they don’t.

“In Mark’s case, I think he can be a good player in the league but that slot receiver position is a very difficult position to play. The first and second receiver know they’re probably going to get 15 to 20 balls thrown to them in a game. There is not nearly as much play-to-play pressure that, ‘I’ve got to catch this ball or I’m costing the team.’ You can drop a ball as a first or second receiver and probably move on and know there will be maybe 20 more throws your way and can kind of makeup. When you’re the third or fourth receiver and you come in the game and sometimes the first ball you see is third down. It’s not an easy situation and it’s not for everyone. There are certain guys that have a mentality that they can do it and others it’s not a great spot for them. It’s an effort to try and find this mix.”

Q: Had he shown you some spark in the return game would he still be around?

HALEY: “I feel like we’ve given opportunity to show and that’s all I’m trying to do as the head coach, make sure I give enough opportunity to show that they want to and can be successful players and part of a winning team.”

Q: There’s a fan after the game that says you flipped him off walking into the tunnel. Did that happen?

HALEY: “Even though I don’t listen to any of this, I was let know that was said. No, that’s not how I behave. I have five children that I have to be a role model for and it’s not something I would do. That particular area [of the stadium] I can say is sometimes a rough area. This is the first team I’ve been a part of where the tunnel is actually at your bench. It can be a rough area and I understand that.

“I spent 20 minutes before pre-game over there signing autographs, after pre-game [too].. I understand people being upset and mad. I didn’t think last week it was quite as rough as some other times. It’s an area you want to get through fast like the other day. But again, it’s not something I do, want to do or be thought of as doing.”

Q: Was there any interaction with fans as you were walking off the field this week?

HALEY: “Not that I recall. Like I said, it’s been a lot rougher than that. I thought in that game although there was a lot of disappointment there were positives on offense specifically moving the football and coming back from 10 point deficits twice.

Q: Is it possible you waved off someone? I had a cop who stopped me once and asked me why I flipped him off when all I did was I waved at him. Is that something the person may have seen?

HALEY: “That I can’t answer. I high-five people and there were people there who were pretty positive. Like I said, after the game I was probably one of the last ones out of the stadium and there are people who stand by our fence by the parking lot. It’s not very many and I can’t wait to see it when we’re winning games and people are really excited, but I leave my family in the car and go out to the fence. I’m very appreciative of the people who are willing to hang tough through these tough times – really appreciative of it. That’s why pre-game I always go by the steps and sign and am appreciative of the people who come out and root very hard for us.”

Q: When you hear about this from somebody reporting who never shows up at these press conferences and he calls you a [a derogatory name] how do you respond?

HALEY: “He did that?

Q: When they report that stuff about you and then don’t show up at press conferences and you never get to respond to it, it’s got to make you mad right?

HALEY: “My job is a very big job to try to turn this team around. I’ve said it and I’m very grateful and thankful for my job and for the opportunity that the Hunts and Scott [Pioli] have given me. But that’s what I care about.”

Q: It doesn’t mean you’re a robot.

HALEY: “No, I’m not trying to be a robot either, but I’m telling you to get the job done you can’t be distracted. You can’t. If I get distracted by everything that’s said or went on, I have strict rules even at the house. If I get distracted or caught up in worrying then I’ll be affected in some way.

“I’ve been a part of what has to be done. I’m in a learning process for myself. This is my first time being the head coach but I’d like to feel like I’ve been around the right people and have the right mentality and thought process to get it done. Now, is it going to be easy? No. Is it easy right now? No. These are rough waters and you have to have the mindset to stay the course and that’s what these players have to have. They cannot get distracted. If you get distracted it’s a cycle that goes on and on.

“Hopefully, success comes sooner rather than later for everybody involved but most importantly for this ownership and for the fans that pay money and come out there. I’m very appreciative of these people. I was blown away [after last Sunday’s game]. We just got beat in a very disappointing manner and there were 30 people standing by that fence and it’s two hours after the game. That’s what I grew up a part of in Pittsburgh. You gotta stay the course and fight through these rough times. There is a promised land.”