Tatum Bell Quotations

Mike is still the starter, so obviously he's doing something that I am not,

On film, they've been showing us that they've been dominating everybody, that running backs haven't really been able to run on them, ... We feel like we can run on anybody, especially with our (offensive) line.

Right from the beginning of training camp and all throughout the off-season Mike was going with the No. 1s from the get-go,

My teammates and coaches have been on me the last couple games about breaking a run without taking it the whole way, and I told them next time I have a chance, I've got to go all out,

I felt like I had a decent training camp and preseason and all that stuff, but I think they lost confidence in me the first game. Hopefully I can bring that confidence back.

I felt good going out and playing good against the old 26,

I feel like it's still out there for me to go and get. I have to play my game and not try to do too much.

From my end, I think I've just got to work on being more consistent in practice, ... I've been catching the ball better, I've been making the right reads and cuts in practice and picking up the blitz. I just need to work on doing it more consistently every day.

He loosens them up, and I come in and break one,

I actually like playing on the road better than home,

I was just being patient, waiting for my time. I told my teammates the last couple games I have been breaking some runs, but not going the distance and taking it the whole way and next time I get a chance I am going to go all out.

I think you can always find a running back, but to find a shutdown corner like Champ, they just don't come around that much. He's hurt a little bit, but he'll come back when we need him. He's a great cornerback, so I think we got the better of the trade.

Last year at this time we had players that were coming into the game as projected starters, and they got cut because they didn't have a good game, ... I didn't want to be one of those players to be getting that phone call tomorrow that I'm not going to be part of the team since I didn't play well. I just tried to leave everything on the line and just play.

We just didn't match their intensity through all four quarters.

We just didn't match their intensity, four quarters, you know. Sometimes we played decent, scoring, making plays, but then we wouldn't execute like we should. There was a lot of frustration, you could feel it. The offense, the coaching staff. We just weren't executing.

We've been working on it all off- season. I've just got to find a way to get in there like the coaches always say. . . . Can't make no excuses.

It's more difficult. Somebody's coming every play and you don't know where they're coming from. It's tricky.

It's very realistic. It's going to be a hard game. They've got the best run defense, but we run the ball pretty good. . . . I feel like if I get a couple big ones, get going a little bit. Just get going early, that's the big thing.

I want to prove to the coaches and to my teammates that I can carry 25 times and still come out of the game OK . . . I think I can be that kind of back. I just have to show them what I can do when I get the chance.

I want to prove to the coaches and my teammates I can carry 25 times and still come out of a game healthy.

It's realistic. It's going to be a hard game and they got the best run defense in the league, but we run the ball real good. I don't think we'll miss a beat with Mike being out.

I'm not rusty and I'll be ready to go when they call on me. I have to work my way to being a starter and I feel like I'm right around the corner.

I kind of put it in my head that I've got to work harder and harder and push him, but he kept working even harder, ... Obviously, he was doing something I wasn't doing. Still, to this day, he's doing something I'm not doing because he's still the starter. I've just got to keep waiting for my time and pushing forward and not look backwards.

I'm happy the way it's going, ... I come in kind of fresh, give Mike a blow and we go like that.

I'll suck it up and go ahead and play. I don't know about starting, but I'll play special teams if I have to.

I just have to keep working. I don't want to just be a 'one-game wonder.' I want to be the starter.

I just have to be patient and wait my turn . . . . The coaches know what I can do.

I just cut back, used my vision and it was a footrace from there,

But he's been working even harder. And obviously, he was doing something that I wasn't doing. And still to (Sunday) he's doing something I'm not doing because he's still the starter. So I've just got to keep waiting my time. When I get the chance to start, I've just got to keep on pushing forward and not looking backwards.

The home fans are hollering and you go out there and shut them up. That's the best feeling.