Nov. 20--Josh McCown's return to Chicago on Sunday as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback triggers all sorts of happy memories from a year ago. His 13-to-1 touchdown-to-interceptions ratio. His three wins in five starts in place of the injured Jay Cutler. And, most importantly, the infectious positive attitude he exuded around those inside and outside of the organization.
During a teleconference with Chicago media Wednesday morning, McCown emphasized his focus on getting the 2-8 Bucs a much-needed win this week, regardless of the opponent. But in typical McCown fashion, he reflected on his stint with the Bears, his opportunity to be a starter this season and a number of other topics. Here are the highlights:
On whether his return to Soldier Field on Sunday will be emotional, given his relationships with people in the Bears' organization:
"Maybe to a degree. But more than anything, for us, and I know for them, as well, the state of our team, we need to win games. We both need a win. As much as it's a neat time to go back and all those things, and it'll be fun to see the guys and all that, at the end of the day our focus is on going up there and getting a win because we need it for our team. When you're 2-8, you need wins, and so that's my focus.
I'll probably better be able to answer that after the game because you never know once you're in that situation, once I'm in the stadium. But I'm looking forward to it. It's fun, I have so much love for a lot of those guys up there, and anytime you get to do that, when you're growing up and you get to go compete in the neighborhood against guys that you know, or growing up playing against your brothers, it just makes it more fun because you know how they're going to prepare and you know they're going to give you their best, so I'm looking forward to that part.
On why he and Jay Cutler were able to achieve synergy in the quarterbacks room last season:
"I think it started with (head coach) Marc (Trestman) and (quarterbacks coach) Matt (Cavanaugh) in the room and just us understanding the importance of that position and what we wanted to get out of it. I think the place I was in my life and where he is, I think it worked. So I was excited about helping him kind of take that next step, help him continue to play good football. I was ready to do that. He was ready for that to happen in his career and excited about that. I just think it was a perfect mix of guys who had opportunity to do things that they were passionate about, with Matt and Marc passionate about playing that position at a high level and being efficient; me passionate about helping a young player, any young player play better, and Jay wanting to play better. So all of us together, it was a good room."
On why he respects Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith:
"It's easy to, especially when you have something that you believe in--a type of defense for Lovie or just a type of system, any overall approach to how you're going to build your program--it's easy sometimes when things don't go right to not stay the course and go try to do this and try to do that. So I respect the heck of anybody that can, in the midst of adversity and different things, stay true to who they are and stick to the details of what they believe in. I got to see that that in my time in Chicago with Lovie, and we've seen it here early on.
"This thing has not started out the way we wanted it to, but he's been consistent with us with just who he is as a coach and as a leader and as a man. For me, as many people like that that you can be around in your life, you should do that, and if you get the opportunity to work for him, it's a good thing. I think that's what drew me to want to come here."
On whether he struggled with the difference between wanting to do well and pressing to do well earlier this season:
"Absolutely. You go through some of the things that happened, and you're wanting to make everything right, and wanting to have a standard where I want to play at, and just feeling like I didn't play at that standard. I pressed a little bit. I ... felt like I had to make everything perfect in light of the circumstances with the coordinator and all of that, I think I just pressed a little bit, tried to make everybody right and didn't just operate within it. It led to the mistakes that I shouldn't make and didn't make last year, and so it was frustrating for me.
"I felt like two weeks ago when I came back against Atlanta, I played that game how I wanted to play it. It felt like how I felt last year. I just felt more at ease, more at peace, and was just really settled in. A lot of that is the growing confidence I have for Marcus (Arroyo) as a play-caller and all those things. I feel like I'm at a better place now than I was at the start of the season."
