On whether it is frustrating to hear all of the talk or does he insulate himself from it: "On Monday night I was working on base and getting prepared for the base run game and base passing game for the Redskins. Tuesday I started working on the nickel. Yesterday we presented the base. Today we presented the nickel. Tonight we work on the red zone. Tomorrow we'll get ready to call the game. There's a schedule. I'm just focusing on beating the Redskins, getting the guys ready, so we can get started on what we need to do."
On the adjustment to being talked about in the media: "You know how you said that I'm here at four, working 19, 20 hours? Well, you're working 19, 20 hours, you're not watching TV. I have a TV where I watch the tape. I'll go home tonight to see my kids, then I'll go to sleep because I have to get back early in the morning, but I haven't really been paying attention to the TV or radio. I've got an iPod, you know, I've got some music there I listen to, that my boy likes. I'm focused on one thing, that I have a responsibility to [Head] Coach [Andy] Reid, to [Eagles Owner] Mr. [Jeffrey] Lurie, and to the city of Philadelphia."
On the solution to the Eagles red zone problems: "The thing is giving up big plays. I have to correct that, you know. Coverages, different coverages, pressure, and then making sure that the guys understand the route concepts that are being presented to them so they can see how we're going to fit that up, because you see that it's really we're just giving up big plays in the red zone."
On whether he was aware of the ESPN report claiming that the Eagles offered analyst Eric Mangini a defensive consulting job: "Yesterday, we had a good practice and made sure that we got our run fits. The Redskins do a great job running the football. If we can stop the run, you know, we'll have a good chance to win the football game."
On whether that means he knew about it or not: "Coach Reid and I talk; he would come and talk to me. Like I said, I have one responsibility. It's like everywhere else if you take care of your job, you get taken care of."
On whether Reid has talked to him about bringing anyone in: "Coach Reid has not talked to me about anything [like that]."
On whether his transition to defensive coordinator was made more challenging than he anticipated by the lack of offseason and whether he ever wishes he was the offensive line coach again: "This is a great opportunity. It's still a great opportunity, that we are all in our professions, that we all want. I think that's why the city, I know they were surprised, but they embraced that. You know, here's somebody that works hard, here's somebody that's getting an opportunity. That's why we're going to turn it around, so those people can have hope, just like you guys have hope that one day you'll get an opportunity because you worked your butt off to be able to get an opportunity to lead."
On whether he feels that not being able to pick his scheme and assistants made everything more difficult: "I think what, and I hope that this is what they understand about Juan Castillo, anybody, is that I'm a teacher. You know, I coached at a Division II school and had four offensive linemen play in the NFL. When you're a teacher, you teach, so that you can teach whatever scheme it is, whatever position it is, you know how to teach it, you know how to break it down, you know how to teach the concepts and get it across."
On whether he was previously familiar with the wide nine scheme: "Well you know what, there are only a couple teams that run a wide nine as a base. I think Detroit is the other team. Tennessee used to do it, where [Defensive Line Coach] Jim [Washburn] was, you know, they don't do it anymore. People do use the nine technique on different downs and situations."
On whether he is disappointed in where the defense is right now after five weeks: "Yes. I'm disappointed that we're 1-4."
On what he is specifically disappointed in: "The thing is, is that as a defense, you're supposed to win the game. Period. It doesn't matter what the offense does, it doesn't matter what they do. Defense wins championships. That's what I'm disappointed about right now. We're going to turn it around. The second half of the Buffalo game was a good start for us. We played good in that fourth quarter when we needed to stop those guys initially, until that penalty, we stopped them. So that was a start. You saw that momentum, you saw that feeling that the guys had, and we went out there and our offense scored. We went out there, stopped them, then our offense scored again. Then we went out there and stopped them again. So those are things that you build on. And again, you have to understand, when you have a plan it's all about fundamentals. You say, well, 'you keep saying that,' well, that's how you get better every week. I mean, you guys have had people that you've taught and you've said 'okay, here's what we believe in, you do them, you keep doing them, and every week you get better,' and when you look at the tape, you see sometimes it's just the little things, that you see them getting better, but you know that all of the sudden, man, it's going to happen, and that's what you believe in. That's what the players understand, you know, have a plan. You say, we'll 'right now, 1-4,' but you know what, we have a plan, and in ten weeks you'll be saying 'man, Juan kept saying he had a plan,' you know."
On why the team sticks with the wide nine scheme: "It's a good opportunity to pressure the quarterback. We have to make some adjustments, that we'll make some adjustments to help. There's some things that you'll see this week. I can't get into the particulars, but you'll see some adjustments that will help us."
On whether he feels like he is running out of time because in ten weeks the team could be out of the playoff race: "Really, I'm worried about this afternoon we have nickel package. [The Redskins] do a good job on third down creating mismatches, and then we have short yardage and goal line. So really, I'm going to take care of today, and then I'm going to take care of tomorrow night, you know that's the way we learn, then I'm going to take care of tomorrow, and then day by day, and come Sunday, you know, we're preparing to win, and that's the first step. Then that week you go back and evaluate everything and then you start with the next team, and then you just take it one step at a time."
On why S Jaiquawn Jarrett can't get on the field: "Well, Jaiquawn is working this week with the first group. He's working with the first group, [S] Kurt [Coleman] is working with the first group too, and that's what we're hoping, that's what we're building."
On whether he sees any big lineup changes coming this week: "No, no. I mean, we've already made a little movement at the safety position, we have a couple guys that are practicing for that, and that's what we're going to go into."
On whether he thinks it will "click" for the cornerbacks at some point: "Yeah. The thing is [CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie]'s got to get used to playing that position, but he's been working on it, you know. You've got to try to get those three guys on the field. DRC, you know, he likes that position. A lot of times he's man to man in there, and he likes to be in man to man, so that's the thing and he'll get better every week with it."
