I'm a guy who's good in space. You want to utilize me catching the ball and things like that, but I happen to be behind the best running back in the NFL as far as all-purpose so I can't say that I'm surprised that my role isn't bigger. I would be stupid to think that I would come in here and take carries from him. I know what my role is and the fact of the matter is I just try to go out every day and try to get better so when situations happen like Pittsburgh where West wasn't able to go I can come in and still be effective enough for us to win.
This is a hard offense to learn. When we're in the meeting room and doing stuff on the board, it's easy. But when you're in a game and you have 70,000 people screaming and you have Donovan and Jamaal are making different adjustments at the line, you have to be able to adjust right then. That's something that can only come with experience. The more I get out there the better I will get at it.
There are some things that you can't learn unless you get experience. My job is to take every opportunity at practice and take every opportunity I can in a game to get better so I can try to make that transition as fast as possible.
The good thing about the NFL is that there aren't a ton of offenses that you have to learn. I really think that this is the toughest offense there is to learn and that's coming from most of the people that have played in it. I think from a running back standpoint that you have more responsibility than you would normally have as far as pass protection and route running in this offense. You have to know every adjustment, whether it comes from the center, from the quarterback and even from the receivers' standpoint because anything can change at any given time. That's the thing that makes it so hard but it's also one of the things that make it so effective - that the defense can't really get a gauge on what you're trying to do.
I never really leave a game or leave a practice feeling like "OK, I'm set in this area of my game and I can focus on something else." That's a question I've never been able to give a specific answer on what I need to work on because I never feel like I have it made in any part of my game. I just take it one play at a time and try to do my best on that particular play. I think the more I get the offense down, the better my game will be all-around.
There's only so much you can show at practice. It's one of those things where nobody can say that they figured out how good they are or exactly what they have to offer at practice. You grow by having to go out there and do it in the games. But, like I said, it's a special situation. Not everybody is behind a guy like Brian or a guy like Correll. But I'm not too worried about that. All I can do is focus on going out there and getting better every day. Again, you want a chance to play but not at the expense of somebody getting hurt, so you just hope that they put together some packages where everybody can co-exist and it works out.
I don't think that Andy doesn't trust me. I just think it's a unique situation. I'm behind a special bunch of guys. Correll's been doing this for a long time and West has been the best in terms of statistics and everything else the past two years. There is no better all-around running back in the NFL. That's just my opinion and I know it's a lot of other people's too. The situation is unique and I know I'm wanted here. They know I want to be here and I just have to go out there and continue to try to get better every day with the opportunities that I'm given.
In the first game, the Redskins struggled obviously. But the Giants started 0-2 last year and won the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh barely got in the playoffs the year they won it and ran the table. It just goes to show that it's a long season.
I think every game is a must-win, but this one is in particular because we just lost a game and it was an NFC game and any time you lose a game you want to hurry up and get that taste out of your mouth. It's a home game and everybody knows you have to win your home games, especially in the NFL.
