Interview with Eric Winston

SS: Noon start. How does your typical game day go? Any teammates with strange game day rituals?
EW: I get up pretty early (for a Sunday at least). About 7 or so. I go downstairs and eat breakfast. I usually eat pretty good before a game no matter what time it starts. I have yogurt, a blueberry muffin, some spaghetti, and a steak filet. From the hotel, I go home for 45 minutes or so. I like to see my family before I go up to the stadium and change into whatever I am going to wear. I like to get to the stadium around 8:45. I read the program and play a game of suduko. I get dressed soon after and go out on the field to do a short warm up on my own. Come back in to the locker room, get my shoulder pads on and finish my taping. Team warm ups start after and then we win the game.
I haven't noticed any really strange game day rituals from my teammates. [Guard] Mike Brisiel gets to the game extremely early but that is not strange because he gets to everything extremely early. Some guys sing, some guys disappear until right before its time to go out on the field. Everyone does their own thing and that's okay. Whatever gets you ready to play is fine with me.

SS: What was the most difficult transition from the college to the pro game?
EW: Figuring out that the defensive guys are a lot smarter. In college, DE's will give you the same move every time. They don't have counters, and if you can mix it up a little bit, DE's never adjust. In the Pros, DE's understand how your weight shifted on on foot or the other determines how you are going to set; if you are in an up or a down stance effects how he is going to come off the ball and what he thinks the play might be. The list goes on. The athletic difference isn't as big as it is from high school to college but the intelligence level is drastic.

SS: You mentioned in your blog the competitiveness of this offseason's workouts and how they compare to what you did at Miami. Could you explain this a little more?
EW: Ray [Wright] has kept the core stuff in place. I was a big fan of [former Head Strength and Conditioning coach] Dan Riley and will always be. When I got here, I wasn't strong enough to play RT, and through working with him he got me to that point in a short time.

At Miami we were always competitive with everything we did. Always racing, always trying to lift more than the other person. This offseason Ray has spiced up the runs. We are doing a lot of group races where the group that finishes last has to an extra rep. It has created guys that are always trying to beat each other, but it has also taken away the boredom that I associate with the running, especially the same runs over and over again.

SS: Last year, you mentioned how much you liked learning from Alex Gibbs. What are the biggest differences between what you did before and after Gibbs joined the team?
EW: I don't know if there is a big difference. I think it is more in how we do it. He has taken the zone running scheme and instead of teaching the theory, he teaches it in a practical way, i.e. if you are trying to reach the guy, and he is running outside then turn him out and let the runner come underneath. Now that is an ultra simplistic view of what I am talking about, and the coaches that were here before taught that as well, but my point is that there is a difference between theory and actually making it work.

Coach Gibbs made it work and that stats show it. (Having Steve Slaton doesn't hurt either...lol) Above the theory part, the biggest difference he has made is in our attitude and mine as well. You can't pinpoint exactly what he does to get us there, but it was steadily building throughout the year and by the end, we felt like we could physically out play anyone.... yes, there was even talk about wishing to play the Steelers again.

SS: How much improvement do you see the offense having by working together another year in the system?
EW: It's hard to tell. In our first year, we were third in total yards. Obviously, we weren't that high in other critical categories such as points and turnovers. If we are 5th this year in yards but only turn the ball over half as much and are in the top 5 in red zone efficiency then I feel like we have improved. I would like to see those two areas greatly improved. As much as any stat, those determine outcomes of games.

SS: What is the biggest misconception that fans have about the NFL?
EW: Where do I start? There are the common ones like we are a bunch of meatheads. We love smashing our faces into things even when we are off the field. We enjoy fist fights. The list goes on and on.

The one I guess that bothers me the most is that this is an easy way to make a living. I completely understand the argument that we play a game and get paid better than 99% of Americans do. The thing that I don't like about it is the feeling that in someway this isn't tough. That sacrifices we make are not that great. Imagine going to work everyday knowing that you could sustain a major injury. Or that someone that you have hardly seen can tap you on the shoulder, and tell you that your boss wants to see you because he just found someone that is younger, cheaper, and doesn't possess your ability level to take your job.

It is a nerve racking job that you never feel comfortable in because your bosses sole job is to find your replacement everyday. Of course, my job is to show him that nobody can do it as good as me.

SS: Is there anything that you hear about the Texans, the coaches or players that you don't get why people say that?
EW: All the time, and frankly sometimes it comes from your blog. Don't feel bad though, because you are among a few people that are wrong the least. lol...

I can't think of anything specifically but sometimes I feel there is an overall sentiment that we aren't doing everything we possibly can to win. I can honestly say that if there is one thing that Rick Smith and Coach Kubiak have done is to fill the building with people that are doing everything they can do to win. I'm not saying I agree with everything we do from training, to off season additions, to coaching decisions, but the one thing I know is that they are busting their butt to what they think is right. You can't say that about every organization.

SS: Is there any question I haven't ask you that you think fans would want to know?
EW: I'm sure there are but lets let the fans ask them. You can rate the top five and I will answer them. Thanks and visit the website EricWinston73.com

(blogs.chron.com)