Owens Ready To End Long Layoff

DallasCowboys.com Report
September 5, 2006 5:32 PM

IRVING, Texas - Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens has not only returned to practice after missing extensive time during training camp with a left hamstring injury, but he played in the final preseason game.
The big question now is if he is ready to play for Sunday's season-opener at Jacksonville.
But it's not a tough question for T.O., who said this week he will be "full go" for Sunday. In fact, Owens had plenty to say earlier this week in the locker room, discussing his comfort level with the offense, touchdown celebrations and his desire to prove critics wrong.
Here is the full transcript of Owens' lengthy interview with the media on Monday at Valley Ranch:
Are you excited about the season coming up?
Owens: This is my 11th year going into the football season. I'm no different from anybody else around the league. Game week is always exciting, obviously the season opener. We're going on the road. We know what we have to do to get a win, especially traveling to their place. It'll be a good start for us.
Would you say you're 100 percent right now?
Owens: I'm getting there. I feel great. I'm still getting treatment, still getting worked on. I'm ready to go.
What is your comfort level with the offense?
Owens:It's getting there. Every day is a building process for me. I'm looking forward to getting out on the field. As far as me knowing the plays, that's not a problem. There are a few things I have to hone in on to be fully, 100 percent comfortable with the offense. Other than that, once I get out there, I'm going to play. Just let Drew go through his reads and let this offense go.
Are you comfortable with Bledsoe?
Owens: We're getting there. Obviously we stayed after practice (Monday) to get a couple of routes in. He knows I'm important to him and he's important to me, so we're going to try to do everything after practices daily to get a feel for one another.
Do you think you will start the game?
Owens: I'm pretty sure I will. We're going to take it day-by-day. Wednesday will be our first real practice going into the game. I'm looking forward to it. But that's not even a big issue now, who starts and who doesn't. I feel like once I get on the field, I feel like they'll put me in situations to make some plays.
Will you have extra motivation going into this season?
Owens: I'll be ready. Just to hear a lot of the criticisms from a lot of the commentators around the nation, I've got a lot of those things in the back of my head. People that know me, they know that I'm going to come out, I'm going to be fired up and I'm going to be ready to play. I'm ready to go, to put it in a nutshell.
Do you have something to prove?
Owens: In a sense, yeah. But at the same time, I'm not going to go out and make it a point. I feel like my play will do it for me.
Have any touchdown celebrations in mind?
Owens: Nah, I don't know yet. I don't know. It's still early in the week.
Have you talked to Chad Johnson this week?
Owens: I'm sure we'll talk at some point during the course of the week. We always text back and forth with one another. I know he's in Cincinnati kind of brainstorming, trying to come up with things.
What is your take on some of the criticism you've received?
Owens: I listen to it, I read it, I hear it. Other than that, I'm pretty immune to it at this point. Everybody is going to speculate, everybody has their opinion about me. 'What's going on with me? What's going on with me and Bill and things of that nature.' But I think we have a handle on it. We're the only ones that know what's going on, on the inside. Right now, we're going to be playing Xs and Os. I think we have a good team here. Our first test will be going down to Jacksonville.
Is everything good in the locker room?
Owens: Yeah, we're fine. I think if you go around and asked the locker room as a whole, I don't feel like we've had any problems. Same when I was in Philly. I don't think we had any problems there. I know not everybody is going to mesh. But when we get on the field, we're one unit.
What has been your impression of rookie Sam Hurd?
Owens: Just a guy that's hungry. I probably noticed that in the first week of me being here. He came over and said he wanted to do some of the things I've been doing in the off-season. He's kind of followed my career a little bit and he wanted to be like me. He wanted to eat what I ate, lift when I lift, things of that nature. After practice, he wanted to know some of the things I did and hone some of his weaknesses.
Have you been a big brother like that before?
Owens: I've done it all my career. Some guys are a little more reluctant, hesitant, and shy about extending themselves. But I tell the guys, if you ever need anything, I'm here if you need me.
What criticisms have bothered you the most?
Owens: Some of the things are just untrue. When they report to the audience as if things are factual and I don't think that's true. A lot of the fans out there really pay attention to it.
What's untrue?
Owens: Nothing in particular.
Do you think people are rooting against you?
Owens: I'm pretty sure they are.
Does that motivate you?
Owens: Not any extra motivation. I think it'll kind of silence the critics once I step on the field and start making plays. It's not anybody in particular I think I'm going to hush. Overall, I think my play will do the talking for me."
Is this offense catered for you?
Owens: I wouldn't say so. But I think they're going to utilize my skills. "With this offense, we have a number of guys who can get down the field and make plays. Obviously you got Witten that can really work the middle and things of that nature. Terry and I can work the outside. Obviously Patrick Crayton has played here before. We're going to be all over the board.
Do you even remember your last game?
Owens: Yeah, it was Denver. I went 91 yards.
How do you think the layoff has been for you?
Owens: I'm fresher. I will try to say that. Although I had the hamstring injury and that kind of set me back a little bit. But I feel like I'm really almost 100 percent from that. Training camp is obviously when you want to get a lot of chemistry in with your teammates and a lot of conditioning. But I'm a person, it doesn't take much for me to get back in shape. Just with the practice today, I did some extra things after practice to get my endurance.
Did you miss the game more than you thought?
Owens: I'm getting ready. I'm anticipating the crowd, anticipating the heat down there. The last time I played in Jacksonville was the Super Bowl, so I'm looking forward to getting back out on that field and making some plays.
Do you have some Super Bowl memories?
Owens: I think it was a combination of everything. First and foremost, it was just a blessing from God just to come back from an injury like that and get back on the field. Really it just showed people if you have faith in God anything can happen. That was an experience. A lot of people don't get to the Super Bowl very often so that is a moment I will savor.
Did you know you were going to make the Super Bowl?
Owens: I had known all along, even before I went down to Jacksonville. A lot of people really doubted me up until game day. But I was really steadfast and stronghold in my faith. I said I was going to play and I did.
Are you surprised you were knocked for the comeback?
Owens: Sometimes, but I never know what to expect. But just by me being me, it is what it is.
Are you totally comfortable in the offense yet?
Owens: I'm not as comfortable. There are times when I feel like I have a little butterflies, just from a little bit of anxiety. I'm really ready to get back on the field and just get back to what I'm used to doing and that's making plays. I'm kind of chomping at the bit just a little bit.
Is the Dallas offense harder to pick up than Philly was?
Owens: It's been an adjustment, especially going from West Coast to this system. There's a lot more of memorization. In the West Coast, there are a lot of things that are tagged and kind of simple. But here it's a little more tedious. Just terminology, overall.
Do you know what you're doing or relying on coaches and Drew?
Owens: I'm getting a combination from both. Obviously, Drew, we wanted to work after practice, try to get a feel for one another on certain routes that I run. Todd (Haley) will come to me and ask me what routes am I comfortable with. With the offense we have in this week, I am very comfortable. It's some of the things I did in the West Coast offense. They're moving me (around). I'm inside, I'm outside, I'm a little bit of everywhere.
How has the hamstring responded after the game and returning to practice?
Owens: It's doing great, at the moment. We're being very, very smart about it. Trying not to have any relapses. Right now, this morning, I had a little more reps than I had last week, broke a little bit of a sweat. It's going to be day to day, but at the same time I'll be full go on Sunday.
What does Parcells think of all of this?
Owens: I think he knows I'm ready. The game on Thursday, that was obviously a big step for me to get out there. Not only for just myself, but for a number of other guys within the offense, just to see me out on the field. Drew came and told me, `It's good to see you out here.' In that respect, I wanted to get out on the field, get some type of timing, some type of rhythm, although we didn't really get to play a whole lot.
Were your teammates excited to see you?
Owens: Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I mean, even before I came out there, I think a lot of guys were kind of motivated. I think a lot of them really didn't expect me to play. But as the week went along, as I rehabbed and my leg got better, I said I would get out on the field.
Does this week feel different?
Owens: After Thursday, it'll be pretty much downhill. I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to an exciting season. I'm looking for those running backs to make plays, for everybody to make plays.
What were your thoughts about Thursday's game?
Owens: It was good just to get out on the field and run some routes. Obviously, I haven't been in the flow of an offense . . . the last game I played was Denver. So it felt good to just to get out and break a sweat for a change.
Who is coming to game?
Owens: I think my mom and them may come, but I told them I'd rather them watch it from the TV because the seats are not that great. I feel like I'll look like the same size whether they're in the stadium or at home. They'll definitely be in the house when we play the first home game.