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On whether QB Alex Smith will be active for Sunday's game:**"No, I think Alex is going to be out."
On whether QB David Carr is going to be the #2 quarterback on Sunday which means you won't have a #3 quarterback:"Yes. No."
On what G Chilo Rachal's situation is and whether you expect him to be available for Sunday's game:"Personal issues, personal reasons. Absolutely."
On how QB Troy Smith has progressed with a full week of practice under his belt:"He's done a pretty decent job. He's gotten a little bit better each day. So yeah, he's done a decent job."
On whether you see some similarities when you look at the Rams team as a whole:"Yes and no. I think to a degree both teams, we want to run the ball, and when we're passing the ball we want to make sure that we stay out of harm's way. We want to try and play smart, so yes I think there are some similarities. It's just a different system in place."
On how optimistic the team is right now heading into the second half of the season:"Very."
On whether the Rams have proved that you can turn things around in a hurry, even in a season:"Absolutely."
On how you define success or failure in the second half of the season:"I think it will define itself. I think as you guys look at the first half of the season and get ready to go into the second half of the season, for me, I'm just taking, as you talk about success and failure, I'm just taking it one game at a time. We'll see after each game how we define it but we're just taking it one game at a time."
On how S Dashon Goldson has handled the increase in calls:"I think he's done fine. I think he's had to work through little knicks and things like that early on, but I think he's done a good job of continuing to get a full grasp of what we're doing and understanding overall defensive scheme. As well as having a younger guy back there and helping him understand what we're trying to do, but I think he's done a good job."
On whether you think the increase in calls and him learning and understanding his role has caused his numbers to go down:"I really think it's sort of the same thought process as with [LB] Joe Staley. You know when you are designing your offensive game plan there are certain players that you have to account for. Dashon is one of those guys. I think he continues to get better, I think his awareness, his knowledge of the game, he has physicality about him, he's a play maker and I think teams are smart. I think teams are smarter than that, 'they should go to him'. I think if you have a good corner, they're going to go to the other corner, they have a good linebacker, they're going to go to the other linebacker. I think it's the same with the safeties. I think as [S] Taylor [Mays] and [S] Reggie [Smith] continue to get better back there, then I think it's harder for offenses to target one guy or another or go away from a guy because we'll be solid across the board."
On whether you are concerned about CB Nate Clements and him changing directions on a sore ankle:"Not concerned a bit."
On how much of a role do you think QB Sam Bradford has played in the Rams turn around:"Well, you know I think he certainly has made some good decisions with the football. I think his ability to get out of trouble at times, get out of bounds and get the ball away, and buy him a little time, that makes all the difference in the world. I think it's working for them."
