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Jason Witten: 'It's time for us to win and I think we understand that'
10:34 PM CDT on Sunday, August 22, 2010
SportsDayDFW.com
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten was interviewed on KESN-FM radio on Thursday before the game against San Diego to discuss his role in the offense and all the injuries to the team. Here are some highlights:
Should the Cowboys start Tony Romo behind an injury-depleted offensive line in a preseason game?
Man, you’ve put me on the spot. I do think he still needs to go; he still needs to play with our guys and really see where we’re at with some of those guys. It’s going to be a great opportunity for them. How long he goes, I don’t know about that. I definitely think you got to limit, a little bit, but the rest of us are there, I think he needs to be out there in the mix of it and get some work done.
But there’s no question we got to find ways to secure the protection and keeping the tight end in is part of that. Obviously, the injuries are terrible, you know, any time you get key guys like [Marc] Colombo and [Kyle] Kosier but it’s good to see what you got in [Robert] Brewster and see where you’re at with some of these other guys and find out where you’re at with these guys and see if they can play at that level.
With all the weapons the Cowboys have at wide receiver and running back, are the expert correct in predicting a reduced role for the tight end position this year?
I mean, I don’t know. Obviously, I don’t try to buy into that. I mean, you work your tail off everyday and you feel like you got a good system going and you’re a big part of making those plays but there are a lot of different weapons in there that go into the mix. You start thinking about Dez [Bryant] and Miles [Austin] and then Roy [Williams] and Patrick [Crayton] and the backs and so there are a lot of guys. So for me, it’s just, obviously I have a good relationship with Tony. You build on that. You have success and you keep trying to add to it. I don’t look at it thinking anything is…I’m going to play worse because of that, you know, having those weapons but definitely got to fight through it.
Last year, the Cowboys were able to stay relatively injury-free during training camp. How have the injuries this year changed the dynamic of camp this year?
Yea, I mean, I think you find out about your team when adversity hits, you know? And obviously this is small and minor, somewhat, with Colombo should be back, Dez and then the worst one there with Kyle but you got to be able to fight through those things. And obviously you got to have a little bit of luck in those situations but for us, I just think you got opportunities; the guys have to step up. The good teams, that what it seems like they do and we talk about that in the meetings with Wade [Phillips] and Jason [Garrett] talks some of the stories in the Super Bowl when a guy goes down, you just fill in. Obviously, you can’t replace some of those guys but you just try your best to fill those voids and move forward. So you just cross your fingers and hope that you can get through the rest of camp without anybody getting hurt and you still got to get your work in but it definitely hurts you a little bit.
How big of an impact will the injury to John Phillips have on the team?
John was playing great and I think the thing about him is he can do so much for you. He can play tight end, you can split him out, he can play full back. He comes to work everyday and doesn’t complain, knows his role and it hurts.
I think his ability to do a lot of different things hurts you just because of the flexibility of the offense. I mean, I still that two-tight end package is going to be a huge part of our offense and what we try to do. We just got to continue to grow and we all have to fill in those voids, you know, playing full back and splitting out wide. All those different things that you try to add in that he did.
Does it ever annoy you that Martellus Bennett has so much talent but just seems to waste it away?
I think the injury set him back a little bit this training camp but like you said, he’s got a lot of talent, is a big, physical guy and I think he learned a lot from last year. The experiences you have and especially at this position and at this level, you really can’t get too high or too low. The consistency that you bring week in and week out, we talk about all the time, not being flash players. Think of the great ones and the consistency they have throughout a game, a week, a season and their careers…that’s really what separates them. So, he’s finding that and where that is and obviously, with Phillips going down, that role increases more and you just got keep working at it and I think he’s figuring all that out too along the way. Hopefully he can be a big part of this offense, too.
On becoming the tight end that younger players, like Eagles tight end Brent Celek, model themselves after:
It’s a tremendous compliment, I mean, because I do think Celek is a really good player and I think he really came into his own last year and I think he’ll have even better year this year. But, I don’t know, I don’t really think of it that way. I mean, I always try to play my butt off week in and week out and I have a high standard and expectations for what I want to do and I don’t want to accept mediocrity. I think this team is too talented and all that talk, it’s time for us to show it. I think we understand that and we need to. For me, that’s the biggest part of it. Forget all the other stuff, I want to help this team win and do all I can and I guess all that consistency stuff and doing whatever that role is, that’s great, but it’s time for us to win and I think we understand that.
Last year, the Cowboys were inefficient in the red zone and everyone called for you to get the ball more. Will fans see that happen this year?
Well, that’s what I’m striving for, I’m wanting that to happen. I think the red zone is an area…the field shrinks down there, you know…quick, ‘bang bang’ throws, body them up and obviously running the ball, that’s a big part of your production where you have to have success so that’s something I’m eager to get to and have more success with. You know, to be the top two or three in offense and 14th or 15th in scoring is just not enough. We can’t settle for anything less than that.
To listen to the interview, click here.
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10:34 PM CDT on Sunday, August 22, 2010
SportsDayDFW.com
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten was interviewed on KESN-FM radio on Thursday before the game against San Diego to discuss his role in the offense and all the injuries to the team. Here are some highlights:
Should the Cowboys start Tony Romo behind an injury-depleted offensive line in a preseason game?
Man, you’ve put me on the spot. I do think he still needs to go; he still needs to play with our guys and really see where we’re at with some of those guys. It’s going to be a great opportunity for them. How long he goes, I don’t know about that. I definitely think you got to limit, a little bit, but the rest of us are there, I think he needs to be out there in the mix of it and get some work done.
But there’s no question we got to find ways to secure the protection and keeping the tight end in is part of that. Obviously, the injuries are terrible, you know, any time you get key guys like [Marc] Colombo and [Kyle] Kosier but it’s good to see what you got in [Robert] Brewster and see where you’re at with some of these other guys and find out where you’re at with these guys and see if they can play at that level.
With all the weapons the Cowboys have at wide receiver and running back, are the expert correct in predicting a reduced role for the tight end position this year?
I mean, I don’t know. Obviously, I don’t try to buy into that. I mean, you work your tail off everyday and you feel like you got a good system going and you’re a big part of making those plays but there are a lot of different weapons in there that go into the mix. You start thinking about Dez [Bryant] and Miles [Austin] and then Roy [Williams] and Patrick [Crayton] and the backs and so there are a lot of guys. So for me, it’s just, obviously I have a good relationship with Tony. You build on that. You have success and you keep trying to add to it. I don’t look at it thinking anything is…I’m going to play worse because of that, you know, having those weapons but definitely got to fight through it.
Last year, the Cowboys were able to stay relatively injury-free during training camp. How have the injuries this year changed the dynamic of camp this year?
Yea, I mean, I think you find out about your team when adversity hits, you know? And obviously this is small and minor, somewhat, with Colombo should be back, Dez and then the worst one there with Kyle but you got to be able to fight through those things. And obviously you got to have a little bit of luck in those situations but for us, I just think you got opportunities; the guys have to step up. The good teams, that what it seems like they do and we talk about that in the meetings with Wade [Phillips] and Jason [Garrett] talks some of the stories in the Super Bowl when a guy goes down, you just fill in. Obviously, you can’t replace some of those guys but you just try your best to fill those voids and move forward. So you just cross your fingers and hope that you can get through the rest of camp without anybody getting hurt and you still got to get your work in but it definitely hurts you a little bit.
How big of an impact will the injury to John Phillips have on the team?
John was playing great and I think the thing about him is he can do so much for you. He can play tight end, you can split him out, he can play full back. He comes to work everyday and doesn’t complain, knows his role and it hurts.
I think his ability to do a lot of different things hurts you just because of the flexibility of the offense. I mean, I still that two-tight end package is going to be a huge part of our offense and what we try to do. We just got to continue to grow and we all have to fill in those voids, you know, playing full back and splitting out wide. All those different things that you try to add in that he did.
Does it ever annoy you that Martellus Bennett has so much talent but just seems to waste it away?
I think the injury set him back a little bit this training camp but like you said, he’s got a lot of talent, is a big, physical guy and I think he learned a lot from last year. The experiences you have and especially at this position and at this level, you really can’t get too high or too low. The consistency that you bring week in and week out, we talk about all the time, not being flash players. Think of the great ones and the consistency they have throughout a game, a week, a season and their careers…that’s really what separates them. So, he’s finding that and where that is and obviously, with Phillips going down, that role increases more and you just got keep working at it and I think he’s figuring all that out too along the way. Hopefully he can be a big part of this offense, too.
On becoming the tight end that younger players, like Eagles tight end Brent Celek, model themselves after:
It’s a tremendous compliment, I mean, because I do think Celek is a really good player and I think he really came into his own last year and I think he’ll have even better year this year. But, I don’t know, I don’t really think of it that way. I mean, I always try to play my butt off week in and week out and I have a high standard and expectations for what I want to do and I don’t want to accept mediocrity. I think this team is too talented and all that talk, it’s time for us to show it. I think we understand that and we need to. For me, that’s the biggest part of it. Forget all the other stuff, I want to help this team win and do all I can and I guess all that consistency stuff and doing whatever that role is, that’s great, but it’s time for us to win and I think we understand that.
Last year, the Cowboys were inefficient in the red zone and everyone called for you to get the ball more. Will fans see that happen this year?
Well, that’s what I’m striving for, I’m wanting that to happen. I think the red zone is an area…the field shrinks down there, you know…quick, ‘bang bang’ throws, body them up and obviously running the ball, that’s a big part of your production where you have to have success so that’s something I’m eager to get to and have more success with. You know, to be the top two or three in offense and 14th or 15th in scoring is just not enough. We can’t settle for anything less than that.
To listen to the interview, click here.
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