1. Here’s the story of the day: Trent Williams/Fred Davis apologizing to the team for their actions. Here’s the thing about this: players know they weren’t the only one’s doing this. But those who are annoyed are so because there are ways to pass the test. In other words, they weren’t smart. Also, because both were already in the counseling program and still testing positive there’s the concern that this is habitual.
You won’t hear guys ripping them for smoking marijuana as much as for not being smarter about when.
2. Safety LaRon Landry (groin), punter Sav Rocca (ankle), nose tackle Chris Baker (quadriceps) and nose tackle Chris Neild (personal) did not practice Wednesday.
Receiver Terrence Austin (hamstring), defensive end Stephen Bowen (knee), right tackle Jammal Brown (hip), linebacker London Fletcher (ankle), safety DeJon Gomes (knee), corner DeAngelo Hall (back) and guard Maurice Hurt (knee) were limited.
But fullback Darrel Young (concussion) practiced for the first time since getting hurt vs. Seattle on Nov. 27.
3. Fullback Mike Sellers had a quick answer when asked if he could see himself returning in the same role in 2012: “Next question,” he said.
Sellers might get more action at tight end with Davis out. It would make sense; Sellers has played there at various points in his career. They also lack a legitimate starter at this point.
4. Yes, Mike Shanahan was ticked at both players and that came through in his 20-minute press session Wednesday.
“Am I disappointed? Big time,” he said.
Shanahan has dealt with these sort of suspensions in the past.
“You sit down and talk to a player and you say, ‘Hey, what direction are you going to go with your life?’ “ he said. “If it’s not football, it’s making a commitment to somebody. Once you make a commitment to somebody, it doesn’t take long to figure out if your word means anything. People do make mistakes. I’ve seen guys come back after this fine for the rest of their career. They don’t even stumble. I’ve had other guys that are out of the league within two or three months. You just don’t know what type of problem they have.”
I still expect them to try and re-sign Davis. But Shanahan said any contract Davis receives naturally will reflect the possibility that he could be lost for a year with one more positive drug test.
5. Corner DeAngelo Hall on the Davis/Williams apology: “Just to hear from those guys [and have them] address the team obviously is a good sign. They want to be here. They want us to kind of understand, but at the same time, it’s difficult. It’s difficult not having those guys out there for the wrong reason.
“It’s not like something happened … with an injury or something, something that you couldn’t control. This was something that they could control. Like I said, it’s tough.”
6. One of the coaches Mike Shanahan visited during his hiatus: New England’s Bill Belichick, whom he has known since they were assistants for various teams in the 1980s. Shanahan spent a day at the Patriots practice.
“He knows offense, defense, special teams. He lives it. He breathes it. It’s what makes him tick,” Shanahan said. “I think anybody who is as passionate about something as he is and is as intelligent, they’re going to be good. He enjoys what he is doing.”
“I always try to steal things from people who are doing good. With four wins, I’m not in a position to talk a whole lot about what we’ve done in the past.”
Belichick said, “He’s one of the people that I respect the most in the NFL. Well, I’ve probably learned a lot more from him than he’s learned from me, I’ll tell you.”
7. Belichick’s knowledge is incredible, which makes him interesting to listen to in a conference call. He can be dour, but when you ask him about strategies or even players, he can be outstanding. And he shows his depth of knowledge.
Here’s what he had to say on Ryan Kerrigan:
“Kerrigan’s strong, he’s physical, he’s very instinctive, he’s got a good feel for what’s happening on plays – like the play he made against the Giants – the slip screen where he beat the cut block, tipped it up in the air and returned it for a touchdown. Screen passes. Things like that, he doesn’t get fooled a lot. He’s a tough player, he’s a smart guy and he’s very instinctive. It seems like he has a real good feel what plays are trying to be run against him and you don’t see him get beat by the same thing twice. Even if they get something on him, they come back and run it the next time and he’s ready for it. He plays it better. He’s been very impressive.”
8. Tom Brady on Jabar Gaffney, a former teammate in New England: “Jab could do everything well. I think that’s his versatility, he’s got good size, he’s got long arms, he’s got good speed, he’s got good quickness, he plays every position, he’s smart. He’s just one of those guys that, from the day we got him here, he was just so reliable and dependable because he knew what to do and he did it well. You gain a lot of trust from the quarterback when all those things matchup. I was bummed when he went to Denver and I was bummed when he went to Washington and here we are playing them.”
