Raiders defensive end Justin Tuck media talked with local media Monday about the 30-14 loss to Houston and where the club is headed:



Q: Watching the film, seem better, worse, your impression after seeing it?

Tuck: We didn’t play good, together, collectively. I didn’t play good. I think the one word that comes to mind is inconsistent. We haven’t played consistent. There are some plays in this game where we were close and especially in the run defense, where they were able to hit some big plays. The funny thing is if you take three or four plays out of that game, I think they average less than three yards a carry. But it’s those inconsistencies that cost us and they were able to hit some big plays there. So yeah, we’ve got to find a way to be more consistent.

Q: What’s more disappointing, losing the first two games or losing them the way you lost them?

Tuck: I think overall, losing them. I lost some games that I felt like I didn’t deserve to lose. I won some games I didn’t deserve to win. But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters are wins and losses, so I’d probably say more just the losses. The things that we haven’t done well are fixable. It’s easy for me, you guys aren’t going to understand what I’m about to say, but getting an opportunity watching these guys, and being with them in practice, we’re not that far off. I know with the way we played yesterday it looks like we’re a long way off. There are so many little things that happened in that game that could have changed the course of the game completely. Four or five plays. And that’s the frustrating part about it. And it all comes back to like I said earlier, being consistent.

Q: How do you get those plays ironed out?

Tuck: It starts at practice. We have to come in here on Wednesday with a different mindset. We have to come in here ready to work because we have a tough one going out to New England. They had a dominant win on Sunday and they are a very good team, especially at home. We have to work and make no mistakes about it and go out there and play better on Sunday. Play with a lot of energy and a lot of passion. I think a lot of times when you have energy and passion in games, it covers up some mistakes. We just have to find a way and it starts with our leaders in practice. It starts with going back to the little things. A lot of times you overlook the little things and those are the things that come back to bite you in games, shedding blocks, using your hands up front, making the right checks to get everybody in the right position. In this game you can have 10 guys in the right position and that one guy it always seems like the ball always finds that one guy. That one guy that might not have got the check or didn’t get in the right gap. That’s what we have to do.

Q: Is this a must win game?

Tuck: I don’t know if it’s a must-win game but it’s a very important one. I’ve been on a team that was 0-2 and went on to win the Super Bowl. I’ve never been on a team that was 0-3 and did anything. It’s early in the season. I don’t think there’s panic but we have to get some things right.

Q: Considering all the changes, was it ambitious to think the defense could come together this early?

Tuck: It seems that way. Maybe that’s something that we heard and took it lightly. This defense has to find a way to gel. We’re better than what we’ve showcased the first two games. It’s the smallest of things. Sometimes you wish there were bigger things.

Q: Give us an example of a small thing that’s hurting you guys?

Tuck: “Just a guy misreading a block and ending up in the B gap when he was supposed to be in the A. A check that wasn’t given, not necessarily a check that wasn’t given, but just a scheme that we didn’t necessarily understand in practice and it comes to bite you in the game. Little things, especially against a patient runner like Arian, man. He can scan the whole field and some plays that are designed to hit all the way outside left, he cuts back to that one gap that a guy might have got scooped out of all the way back right. So, that’s what I mean by the little things.”

Q: As a leader, what are you going to do differently?

Tuck: “I got to get my game right. Like I said, I didn’t play well on Sunday myself. That’s what I’m going to do. That’s where my leadership will start, making sure that I do everything in my power to go out there and help my team win. That starts on the field. That starts at holding myself accountable. Being enthused and energetic on the football field. That’s things that rub off and guys see that. I had somebody tell me, this is my 10th year, ‘How have you done it for 10 years?’ It’s about enjoying what you’re doing and showcasing it. Even on the days that you feel like crap, going out there with a smile on your face and letting the people know that you got to work. That’s the type of thing that guys notice and that’s the type of thing that guys follow. So, that’s something I’m definitely going to work to be more adamant about. Fly around practice. I got to take scout team reps this week. I just want to get back to the winning. Sometimes, that is at any cost necessary. Those are the type of things that I’ll try to do better at in practice this week.”

Q: The Watt touchdown an example of one guy being off?

Tuck: “It was. It was just a false read, honestly. A guy didn’t know that he was eligible with the 99 numbers, so he didn’t cover (Watt).”