Q. Terrence, having been in the system now for a while, what's your comfort level like with Lovie's defense?
TERRENCE BROOKS: It's really good. He tries to simplify it for us as much as he can just so we can play fast and just have great communication, so the chemistry has gotten a lot better with a lot of guys who have been here last year, and bringing in the new guys, as well, it's been awesome. I feel very comfortable. I'm able to play fast, make a lot of plays, so it's been good.
Q. What are the things that you've noticed that you've picked up this training camp?
TERRENCE BROOKS: Just getting a feel for what Lovie wants, what he's looking for in his safeties pretty much all across the board. We pretty much got a good gist of just what he's looking for, how he expects us to play, so for the most part, for me, it's just slowed down a lot more. I'm able to play a lot faster and just make a lot of plays, like I said.
Q. Going into last season there was a lot of talk about Jonathan Owens and his progression. Where have you seen him improve?
TERRENCE BROOKS: Yeah, for the most part I've been focusing on myself a lot more, but as for JO, he's working hard each and every day. He comes to work just like all of us, and we hold a high standard in that safety room, so he's making strides, as well, as we all are.
Q. Is Lovie at all different this year compared to last year?
TERRENCE BROOKS: No, same guy. He's a player's coach. He expects a lot out of us, and we all gravitate to him. He really hones in on just working hard and just being accountable and just making sure that we're carrying ourselves the right way on and off the field. He hasn't changed a bit, and that's what we like about him.
Q. Is there a goal for the team as a defense, like turnovers, because it seems like there's collectively an aggressiveness?
TERRENCE BROOKS: Oh, for sure. Every time we step on the field, we're trying to get that ball out. For the most part, that's what we harp on each and every day. It's just turnovers, turnovers, turnovers, and we've all bought into it, and it's been going really good.
Q. Are there times you've gotten to have one-on-one with Lovie and kind of get a sense of his depth of knowledge and how he's been able to share that with you?
TERRENCE BROOKS: I mean, we all get a little chitchat here and there with him, but for the most part, we all know what he expects out of us, so we just carry ourselves with that each and every day.
Q. I know it's only been training camp, but can you talk about the impact Steven Nelson has had on this secondary corps so far?
TERRENCE BROOKS: Man, he's a ball hog. He comes to work each and every day, and a lot of the young guys, they gravitate towards him, as well. He's definitely a leader on this team, it's great. It helps our defense a lot more. We're able to do some more things with him. But I can't say enough about things about the guy.
Q. Last two days of camp you all went back and forth with the offensive side of the ball, a lot of trash talking. Was that just you all ready to get camp finished with and play an actual game?
TERRENCE BROOKS: Oh, yeah, definitely. We've been going against each other for a while now, and it's just going to be good to go out there and have another opponent. But for the most part that is our conversation each and every day, and it gets pretty chippy, though, but we like it. That's how it's supposed to be. Really kind of shows what type of guys we have on the team. We like to get after it and get to work, so it's been good.
Q. We've been able to see some of the plays Stingley has been able to make. How can you describe what a cornerback of that caliber can help you as a safety, a defense, how does that help you?
TERRENCE BROOKS: It kind of takes away a piece of the field. You can trust that guy to go and lock down whatever attacks he's giving that week. He's still young. He still has a lot to learn, as well. But with the veterans that we have, with Steven, all those guys are bringing him along well. He's learning a lot, and each and every day he's getting better.
Q. Lovie spoke today about how much he puts on the linebackers and the safeties in this defense, and he really went on about the mental side of it. How much is it on the mental side?
TERRENCE BROOKS: I mean, like I said, he tries to simplify for us. There's not much we've got to go out there, but have good eyes and read our keys and just do what he tells you. He puts us in the right position to make plays, and the rest is really up to you. You've got to be disciplined yourself. You've got to have the right mindset. You've got to study. You've got to carry yourself like a pro. All he can do is put us in the right position and give us the play, and we've got to go do the rest.
Q. When you all go back and look at the film from last year, how much emphasis is it on stop the big plays?
TERRENCE BROOKS: I feel like that's always going to be like a standard. You never want to give up big plays in this league. It definitely doesn't put you in a good position, as for our offense, as well. All we can do is improve. We can look at our mistakes and we go back and correct them and try to do better the next time, but for the most part, last year is last year. We've got a whole new team, new coach, we've got some new players, as well. It's a whole different mindset. You can feel that energy out there at practice. We've just got to start with game 1, and that's the one we have next.
Q. You talked about how Lovie is trying to simplify everything. With him still being the defensive coordinator along with the head coach, how does that make it easier for you?
TERRENCE BROOKS: I know speaking for me it's good just to have a familiar face. It's not like a brand new coach coming in you've got to learn a lot of different things. As for being on defense with him last year, you get a gist of what he wants and what he needs, and I honestly love it just because he took that same mentality from defense that we're familiar with and he's brought it to the whole team. Like I said, everybody is gravitating to him. He's a player's coach. He puts us in the right position to make plays and be successful, and the rest is up to us.
Q. Are you where you wanted to be one month away from kickoff?
TERRENCE BROOKS: You never made it. I don't feel like -- we're ready for this preseason game. That's what we are focusing on right now. The Colts will come when the Colts come, and we'll focus on that when that time comes, but for right now you've got to handle business with what's next, and the next thing is just the next day of preparation and also getting ready for the Saints. That's where our focus is right now. We're not going to get too far ahead.
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