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REDSKINS QB KIRK COUSINS
On how the Redskins overcame adversity today:
"Coach Gruden challenged us last night to be resilient and as we know all these games come down it seems to the last couple of minutes and you’re going to have setbacks along the way and we certainly had our fair share. But we kept challenging each other to respond and be resilient and I think it’s a combination of things. I know that that final drive I wasn’t capable of doing that when I came into the league as a rookie. It takes time, it takes failures, it takes learning from experiences and a combination of, I guess it would be three-plus seasons worth of work got me to a point where I was able to make the necessary plays on that drive. So, you know, it’s a process and I’m just going to keep working and keep learning from these experiences and keep getting better."
On if he had any words in the huddle before that last drive:
“We try to focus on the process not the results, so it’s very important for us to take it one play at a time, stay in the moment, stay present. Don’t try to think about going 90 yards, don’t try to think about how we’ve got to get a touchdown. Just take it one play at a time. 'What have we got on first down?’ Then from there, progress. So, stay in the moment and I think that’s what helps us to handle a task.”
On the contributions from RB Alfred Morris and WR Pierre Garçon on that drive:
“It took a lot of pressure of the passing game when we were able to have a run-pass mix to start the drive with more of a run emphasis. I felt like we got out of being backed up by running the football and that was a huge benefit. I think the very first play of the drive was a big gain on the right side. So, to have those run-pass, have that balance, goes a long ways and it makes a big difference.”
On how important Garçon was during the game:
“Yeah, Pierre has always been very consistent. He runs precise routes. He runs through the football. He’s fearless, he makes the tough catch. He’s a true professional and he showed that today throughout the game but certainly on those catches at the end. He’s the kind of guy you want to be in the huddle and out on the field and in those moments with.”
On tight-window throws:
“I think in the NFL you’re going to have tight windows. When teams play man coverage, that’s the way it is. So you will get those kind of coverages throughout the game. That’s why it requires so much precision from myself, from the receivers, the depth of the route, the way they’re cutting out of the route. We have to be on the same page and that’s why you can’t just show up and play. It takes time; you have to build an understanding of where he is going to be. If I throw in anticipation, where is he going and what depth is he taking the route to. All those things take time to develop between a quarterback and receiver. Today we were certainly on the same page enough to be able to get the win.”
On having several inexperienced receivers play:
"I thought everyone did a really good job. It really felt like a total team win, much like our other victory this year. It feels like it takes offense, defense and special teams. Whoever is on the field, it takes all 11. We got a lot of contributions from a lot of different players today and it’s going to take that down the stretch here. You’re going to have injuries. You’re going to need depth and it was encouraging to see how many guys were stepping up today."
On recognizing the defense:
"It’s a big part of it all recognition of what they’re bringing and how they’re covering us. It’s not an ability thing. I could throw the ball the same when I came in as a rookie. It’s the knowledge. It’s the understanding. It’s the mental side of the game. It’s the chemistry with your teammates. It’s the experience in the offense. Those are the intangibles that take time to develop. Today we were able to put a lot of things together to come out with a win."
On how much better this team can get:
"’How much better can this team get?’ Well, if we keep working and stay together we have high expectations. It’s a process. We’ll just keep going one day at a time, one week at a time, one game at a time and focus on the next challenge and we’ll see where we are come the end."
On what it means to be 2-2 as opposed to 1-3:
"It certainly gives us a great position now in the division and going forward feeling like we have everything we want there in front of us. Quarter of the way through the season 2-2, so the first quarter is over, moving into the second quarter. We’ll just keep working, keep battling and try to win football games anyway we can."
On the touchdown pass to Garçon:
"The Eagles brought an all-out blitz, played cover-zero. You have to have a tight throw in a tight window and a precise route and the ball’s got to come out because somebody is unblocked who’s blitzing. It requires a great catch in traffic in a tight spot. That’s why execution is so important because it’s not easy. When you’re in the red zone, it’s very tight windows. They know that and we know that. That’s why it was such a big- time catch and finish by Pierre.”
On being in his second year in Gruden’s system:
"I think the system has allowed quarterbacks to be successful, but I know from where I sit, it’s taken time. It’s taken time for me to learn, for me to fail, for me to make a mistake in practice or in a game and say 'OK, if I choose to do that, this is the result.’ Last week, I felt like I missed a touchdown pass because I didn’t adjust the protection. This week, I did adjust the protection and we got the touchdown. There are things like that, that happen that again aren’t ability. It’s experience. It’s going out there and learning from failure. The key is to not let these mistakes repeat themselves too much. Today it was encouraging and I felt like we took a step forward by making that play at the end."
On if that process is why he didn’t have a turnover today:
"I don’t know. Turnovers are going to happen. I mean, you’re going to throw the football. Plays today I could have thrown in a tight window and the ball could have bounced up and gotten picked. I’m not going to, again, worry about results. I’m going to be process-focused. Is my read right? Are my feet right? Am I throwing the ball with accuracy? Am I making good decisions? If I’m doing that and the ball gets picked, the ball gets picked. As far as what I can control, am I doing those things? There are probably some passes today that I’ll look back and say, 'Boy, I got away with one there and didn’t get picked.’ If we get worried about results and, 'Oh, I didn’t throw any interceptions and now I’m good,’ I’m going to get exposed pretty quickly. I focus on the process and where I can be better each and every game. If I do that I think I’ll be all right.”
REDSKINS WR PIERRE GARÇON
On his game-winning touchdown catch:
“Our coach called a great play. We practiced it a lot in practice. Our [Wide] Receivers Coach Ike [Hilliard] always tells us to make those tough catches. I’m glad it all came through at the end of the game when we needed it most.”
On QB Kirk Cousins:
“You know, Kirk is definitely growing. As you get comfortable, you grow naturally. He’s seeing the same coverage we saw. That’s why we had a lot of completions on that last drive — the most important drive of the game. Kirk is definitely growing as a quarterback and as a player.”
On the importance of this win:
“It’s definitely a big motivation to keep going, keep pushing to next week. We’re happy. We came through at the end and come from behind and make the plays that we need to go 2-2 is definitely a better look to be 2-2 instead of 1-3, especially in the division, too.”
On if he hurt his knee on the late hit out of bounds:
“No. It wasn’t on the late hit out of bounds. It’s just something, that’s football, that’s just been going on for a while. It just decided to get worse, you know, after I went deep. It’s just part of the game.”
On if he chose to reenter the game:
“Yeah. I definitely want to go out there and give it everything I’ve got. Try to make sure that I try to leave it all on the field. I’m glad it didn’t give out on me right before the end of the game.”
On the development of the young wide receivers like Jamison Crowder and Rashad Ross:
“Oh, yeah, definitely happy to see those guys make plays. Definitely give them some confidence up there out there on the field and definitely happy to see that they’re helping our team grow and being a weapon on our team.”
On if he sees defenders before catches:
“Sometimes you see them, sometimes you don’t. One of them I had to double catch. I’m glad I caught it and stuck with it but some of them you see them, some of them you don’t, you just have to — once you catch the ball, you just have to squeeze on it and just keep trying to fall forward.”
On how much the final 90-yard drive was good play calls as opposed to good audibles:
“It’s a little bit of both. You know, we have a good system. We practice two-minute drives. We practice definitely trying to get the ball into the end zone at the end of the week. We’re happy that not one person is targeted on those drives, it’s everybody that gets involved so the defense can’t key into one person. But we’re definitely happy that everybody got involved and definitely moved the ball downfield and finally finished drives to score a touchdown.”
On if the last drive was a lot of audibles:
“It all depends. Sometimes, we check it and sometimes we don’t. It all depends on what the defense shows. That last drive was not an audible. It was just a play that [Offensive Coordinator] Sean McVay called. You know, we say he knew that coverage was going to come, and he said, 'It delivered.’”
On if he told Cousins specifically to give him the ball:
“No, definitely don’t tell him give me the ball. Just telling him, you know, we’re good, we’re fine. I didn’t tell him that. We were just listening to the play and where to line up and see the coverage and trying to be successful on the play.”
On how bad he wanted the ball:
“I’m just happy I got it. You always want to catch the game-winning touchdown. You’ve got to do your part on the team. It’s about the team not about who catches it. I’m just happy we all got in the end zone. Shoot, at the end of the game, we all started celebrating in the end zone.”
On the frustration of not finishing early drives:
“It’s always frustrating not finishing a drive. You know, we’ve had that problem for a long time here and we’re happy it finally came through when we needed it the most but we’re always still working on finishing drives going into the red zone – touchdowns instead of field goals. We definitely need to continue to work on that and definitely want to get better at that for sure.”
On what it means for the young wide receivers to step up and get the chance to play:
“Yes, it’s definitely nice to see the young guys get a lot of playing, good experience for them right now because we’re definitely going to need them later on in this long year so it definitely is good to see them get some catches, get some touches and get some actual game experience so it’s not a surprise when we need them in the most crucial points.”
On the game-winning touchdown:
“On that last play, it was just a route. I didn’t see exactly where I was at, just knew who was in front of me and I had to beat him. I looked back and I saw the ball coming, reached out for it, caught it and then, I felt hits from all over. I didn’t know how many hits, but I looked down and I was glad I was on the other side of the white line instead of, you know, a yard short. And, shoot, after that, I still didn’t know I scored. It was just, everybody was excited, everybody was hitting me on my head, then, I was like, 'Forget it,’ let’s just start jumping and celebrating with the rest of the offensive line.”
REDSKINS LB TRENT MURPHY
On his sack:
"We knew they were going to be passing the ball. So, that's like a D-lineman's dream… You pin your ears back and just go."
On the mindset of the defense in the fourth quarter:
"The mindset is to stay together and keep chopping wood, really. We knew there was still time left… still plenty of time. We keep getting stops, stay together, offense is going to take care of business and we'll be where we want to be."
On the final defensive play and the fumble recovery:
"Fortunately the coaches had the foresight to prepare for that all week in practice. You know, last play of the game, they don't have enough arm to throw a Hail Mary. They got to do some Hook and Ladder. Saw the wall being built up to my side. I knew the ball was coming back, so, just stayed home."
On their first division win:
"That's huge. That gets us right where we want to be in the division. We’ve just got to focus on the next game – next game and then we'll be where we want to be at the end of the season."
REDSKINS S DASHON GOLDSON
On their first divisional win:
"It means a good deal. We always want to win divisional games. They came in our house, and it was a good win for us at home on top of that.”
On the secondary playing well when it mattered most:
"We can face adversity. That’s a good football team. They capitalized on something they saw. We had some guys that were toughing it out today. Cully [CB Chris Culliver] toughed it out for us today. We didn’t think we were going to have him this game, but he came in and did what he had to do.”
On how the front seven playing well helps the secondary:
"That’s big. We like it. Our front seven does an awesome job against the run and the pass. Today they showed up a lot on both sides, the pass and the run. That just shows what we can do. When we play good football in the secondary and the front line, we can come out with Ws like we did today.”
On what they can take away from the past four weeks that they can use against Atlanta:
"A lot. Our defense is playing good football. We’re flying around. Our offense did a good job of moving the ball today. They kept us off the field for the most part today. As long as we’re playing good football, we can compete with anybody.”
REDSKINS RB ALFRED MORRIS
On the mindset in the final drive:
“We stayed together. We fought back as a team. We were down, but not out. Defense did a great job getting us the ball back. After we got the ball we were able to get some runs, get some passes and we were able to work our way down the field.”
On maintaining confidence even through adversity:
“Sticking together definitely helps with confidence, knowing that we got each other’s back. We went out there, didn’t do so good, the defense was like, 'Hey, we got it.’ They got us the ball back… Then like I said, we were able to drive it downfield. Just sticking together you are able to cover up a lot of errors while sticking together and not falling apart. So, I think we did a great job of that. We played like the Redskins today. Last week, we didn’t play like ourselves, but this week we did. That’s the team that we are that you saw out there today. We’ve just got to continue to find a way to show up every week, stick together and play hard.”
On being a rhythm runner:
“It’s in my DNA. I’ve been doing that for forever. I can’t explain it, it just happens. You know it’s the more I do the better I get. Like you said, it was very tough out there today. The Eagles’ defense did a great job. They always do when scheming against us and trying to stop the run and make us one dimensional, putting it in the air. But we nickeled and dimed a little bit here and there. We kept chipping away and then I was finally able to find some creases and get a couple decent runs which was when they really mattered, in the last drive.”
REDSKINS LB PRESTON SMITH
On his sack:
"It was a great rush by the inside guys. They forced the quarterback. It was great coverage by the DBs the guys to keep them from having an open target. We pushed the quarterback out of the pocket then I came back around and got the sack. It was a great feeling. Everybody was firing on all cylinders on the defense.”
On the additional sacks by his teammates:
“It’s great to see everybody eating up front. Our defensive line, everybody is getting sacks. It’s a great feeling. We just unloaded on sacks today – it felt like everybody was getting one.”
On the win:
“It feels great. It’s great to know that we’re working our way back up the division. We started off a little rocky in the division against the Giants. We’re starting to step up and turn everything around.”
REDSKINS WR JAMISON CROWDER
On his expanded role:
“I feel great, man. I knew it was going to be a big game for me. It’s a big moment for me, getting all this playing time and experience. I just did what I could throughout the week to be as prepared as possible. I just wanted to go out there and play and just do my thing.”
On being able to finish catches in traffic:
“I mean, just focus, man. Just focus looking the ball in and catching and tucking the ball as much as possible. You know and try not to take too many hits.”
On if he wants to sustain this production for the rest of the season:
“Yes, most definitely. I’m just going to continue to learn, get that experience and make sure I prepare throughout the week. I have the utmost confidence in my game, so I just want to take it day-by-day and make sure I’m ready for each Sunday.”
REDSKINS RB CHRIS THOMPSON
On his breakout game against the Eagles’ run defense:
“All week they [the coaches] were telling me they were going to give me chances. You know and with the opportunities I got, I wanted to make the best of them. They showed us some gaps on a few runs here and I was able to make some big plays early on and give us the lead. Coming into the second half I wanted to continue to do so and just maximize my opportunity.”
On receiving opportunities this week:
“I love it. The more reps and the more work I get on the field, I stay warmed up and feel comfortable. Now I’m on all the special teams. They’re keeping me on the field and putting me in positions to be successful. I almost had two punt blocks so far, but I’m just a little bit short. But, as long as we just keep going and the coaches keep giving me opportunities I’m going to do everything I can to win.”
REDSKINS G SPENCER LONG
On replacing G Shawn Lauvao in the starting lineup:
“I think I played all right, but I’ve got a lot of stuff to work on and things I can think of in this game that I can do better. I’ve got to be better for our offensive line and be consistent.”
On challenges the Eagles’ defensive line presented:
“We knew they were going to bring it every play. They’re a tough physical bunch, but we just kept grinding.”
On what part of his mentality has changed going from a backup to a starter:
“Nothing. Like I said before, being a backup, you’ve got to prep like you’re going to play.’ That way when it does happens, you’re ready to go.”
REDSKINS DE CHRIS BAKER
On his performance:
"We won the game, so that’s great. It’s always amazing to go out there and perform well and get sacks. That’s what [defensive] linemen work for – tackles for loss and sacks. I was able to get two sacks today; it was my first time ever getting two sacks in a game. So it felt great."
On his sack dance:
"I hit the Milly Rock. I had to hit them with the Milly Rock. [singing] 'I Milly Rock on any block.’ It’s called the Milly Rock."
On the Redskins’ run defense:
"That’s our pride and joy as a defensive line, knowing that nobody can run the ball on us. We take a lot of pride in that each week, and we’ve been out there stopping the run each and every week. We’re just trying to deter people from even thinking about trying to run the ball on us. If they want to try it, they will fail."
On what he’s looking for heading into Atlanta next week:
"We just want to win the game. That’s all. We’ll win the game and go from there. Atlanta is rolling right now, so we’re going to face a tough team that’s on a four-game winning streak. We have to go out there and play winning football for four quarters and keep responding. They’re going to make some big plays, but we have to be able to line back up on the next play and make a bigger play for our defense or offense."
On how the Redskins overcame adversity today:
"Coach Gruden challenged us last night to be resilient and as we know all these games come down it seems to the last couple of minutes and you’re going to have setbacks along the way and we certainly had our fair share. But we kept challenging each other to respond and be resilient and I think it’s a combination of things. I know that that final drive I wasn’t capable of doing that when I came into the league as a rookie. It takes time, it takes failures, it takes learning from experiences and a combination of, I guess it would be three-plus seasons worth of work got me to a point where I was able to make the necessary plays on that drive. So, you know, it’s a process and I’m just going to keep working and keep learning from these experiences and keep getting better."
On if he had any words in the huddle before that last drive:
“We try to focus on the process not the results, so it’s very important for us to take it one play at a time, stay in the moment, stay present. Don’t try to think about going 90 yards, don’t try to think about how we’ve got to get a touchdown. Just take it one play at a time. 'What have we got on first down?’ Then from there, progress. So, stay in the moment and I think that’s what helps us to handle a task.”
On the contributions from RB Alfred Morris and WR Pierre Garçon on that drive:
“It took a lot of pressure of the passing game when we were able to have a run-pass mix to start the drive with more of a run emphasis. I felt like we got out of being backed up by running the football and that was a huge benefit. I think the very first play of the drive was a big gain on the right side. So, to have those run-pass, have that balance, goes a long ways and it makes a big difference.”
On how important Garçon was during the game:
“Yeah, Pierre has always been very consistent. He runs precise routes. He runs through the football. He’s fearless, he makes the tough catch. He’s a true professional and he showed that today throughout the game but certainly on those catches at the end. He’s the kind of guy you want to be in the huddle and out on the field and in those moments with.”
On tight-window throws:
“I think in the NFL you’re going to have tight windows. When teams play man coverage, that’s the way it is. So you will get those kind of coverages throughout the game. That’s why it requires so much precision from myself, from the receivers, the depth of the route, the way they’re cutting out of the route. We have to be on the same page and that’s why you can’t just show up and play. It takes time; you have to build an understanding of where he is going to be. If I throw in anticipation, where is he going and what depth is he taking the route to. All those things take time to develop between a quarterback and receiver. Today we were certainly on the same page enough to be able to get the win.”
On having several inexperienced receivers play:
"I thought everyone did a really good job. It really felt like a total team win, much like our other victory this year. It feels like it takes offense, defense and special teams. Whoever is on the field, it takes all 11. We got a lot of contributions from a lot of different players today and it’s going to take that down the stretch here. You’re going to have injuries. You’re going to need depth and it was encouraging to see how many guys were stepping up today."
On recognizing the defense:
"It’s a big part of it all recognition of what they’re bringing and how they’re covering us. It’s not an ability thing. I could throw the ball the same when I came in as a rookie. It’s the knowledge. It’s the understanding. It’s the mental side of the game. It’s the chemistry with your teammates. It’s the experience in the offense. Those are the intangibles that take time to develop. Today we were able to put a lot of things together to come out with a win."
On how much better this team can get:
"’How much better can this team get?’ Well, if we keep working and stay together we have high expectations. It’s a process. We’ll just keep going one day at a time, one week at a time, one game at a time and focus on the next challenge and we’ll see where we are come the end."
On what it means to be 2-2 as opposed to 1-3:
"It certainly gives us a great position now in the division and going forward feeling like we have everything we want there in front of us. Quarter of the way through the season 2-2, so the first quarter is over, moving into the second quarter. We’ll just keep working, keep battling and try to win football games anyway we can."
On the touchdown pass to Garçon:
"The Eagles brought an all-out blitz, played cover-zero. You have to have a tight throw in a tight window and a precise route and the ball’s got to come out because somebody is unblocked who’s blitzing. It requires a great catch in traffic in a tight spot. That’s why execution is so important because it’s not easy. When you’re in the red zone, it’s very tight windows. They know that and we know that. That’s why it was such a big- time catch and finish by Pierre.”
On being in his second year in Gruden’s system:
"I think the system has allowed quarterbacks to be successful, but I know from where I sit, it’s taken time. It’s taken time for me to learn, for me to fail, for me to make a mistake in practice or in a game and say 'OK, if I choose to do that, this is the result.’ Last week, I felt like I missed a touchdown pass because I didn’t adjust the protection. This week, I did adjust the protection and we got the touchdown. There are things like that, that happen that again aren’t ability. It’s experience. It’s going out there and learning from failure. The key is to not let these mistakes repeat themselves too much. Today it was encouraging and I felt like we took a step forward by making that play at the end."
On if that process is why he didn’t have a turnover today:
"I don’t know. Turnovers are going to happen. I mean, you’re going to throw the football. Plays today I could have thrown in a tight window and the ball could have bounced up and gotten picked. I’m not going to, again, worry about results. I’m going to be process-focused. Is my read right? Are my feet right? Am I throwing the ball with accuracy? Am I making good decisions? If I’m doing that and the ball gets picked, the ball gets picked. As far as what I can control, am I doing those things? There are probably some passes today that I’ll look back and say, 'Boy, I got away with one there and didn’t get picked.’ If we get worried about results and, 'Oh, I didn’t throw any interceptions and now I’m good,’ I’m going to get exposed pretty quickly. I focus on the process and where I can be better each and every game. If I do that I think I’ll be all right.”
REDSKINS WR PIERRE GARÇON
On his game-winning touchdown catch:
“Our coach called a great play. We practiced it a lot in practice. Our [Wide] Receivers Coach Ike [Hilliard] always tells us to make those tough catches. I’m glad it all came through at the end of the game when we needed it most.”
On QB Kirk Cousins:
“You know, Kirk is definitely growing. As you get comfortable, you grow naturally. He’s seeing the same coverage we saw. That’s why we had a lot of completions on that last drive — the most important drive of the game. Kirk is definitely growing as a quarterback and as a player.”
On the importance of this win:
“It’s definitely a big motivation to keep going, keep pushing to next week. We’re happy. We came through at the end and come from behind and make the plays that we need to go 2-2 is definitely a better look to be 2-2 instead of 1-3, especially in the division, too.”
On if he hurt his knee on the late hit out of bounds:
“No. It wasn’t on the late hit out of bounds. It’s just something, that’s football, that’s just been going on for a while. It just decided to get worse, you know, after I went deep. It’s just part of the game.”
On if he chose to reenter the game:
“Yeah. I definitely want to go out there and give it everything I’ve got. Try to make sure that I try to leave it all on the field. I’m glad it didn’t give out on me right before the end of the game.”
On the development of the young wide receivers like Jamison Crowder and Rashad Ross:
“Oh, yeah, definitely happy to see those guys make plays. Definitely give them some confidence up there out there on the field and definitely happy to see that they’re helping our team grow and being a weapon on our team.”
On if he sees defenders before catches:
“Sometimes you see them, sometimes you don’t. One of them I had to double catch. I’m glad I caught it and stuck with it but some of them you see them, some of them you don’t, you just have to — once you catch the ball, you just have to squeeze on it and just keep trying to fall forward.”
On how much the final 90-yard drive was good play calls as opposed to good audibles:
“It’s a little bit of both. You know, we have a good system. We practice two-minute drives. We practice definitely trying to get the ball into the end zone at the end of the week. We’re happy that not one person is targeted on those drives, it’s everybody that gets involved so the defense can’t key into one person. But we’re definitely happy that everybody got involved and definitely moved the ball downfield and finally finished drives to score a touchdown.”
On if the last drive was a lot of audibles:
“It all depends. Sometimes, we check it and sometimes we don’t. It all depends on what the defense shows. That last drive was not an audible. It was just a play that [Offensive Coordinator] Sean McVay called. You know, we say he knew that coverage was going to come, and he said, 'It delivered.’”
On if he told Cousins specifically to give him the ball:
“No, definitely don’t tell him give me the ball. Just telling him, you know, we’re good, we’re fine. I didn’t tell him that. We were just listening to the play and where to line up and see the coverage and trying to be successful on the play.”
On how bad he wanted the ball:
“I’m just happy I got it. You always want to catch the game-winning touchdown. You’ve got to do your part on the team. It’s about the team not about who catches it. I’m just happy we all got in the end zone. Shoot, at the end of the game, we all started celebrating in the end zone.”
On the frustration of not finishing early drives:
“It’s always frustrating not finishing a drive. You know, we’ve had that problem for a long time here and we’re happy it finally came through when we needed it the most but we’re always still working on finishing drives going into the red zone – touchdowns instead of field goals. We definitely need to continue to work on that and definitely want to get better at that for sure.”
On what it means for the young wide receivers to step up and get the chance to play:
“Yes, it’s definitely nice to see the young guys get a lot of playing, good experience for them right now because we’re definitely going to need them later on in this long year so it definitely is good to see them get some catches, get some touches and get some actual game experience so it’s not a surprise when we need them in the most crucial points.”
On the game-winning touchdown:
“On that last play, it was just a route. I didn’t see exactly where I was at, just knew who was in front of me and I had to beat him. I looked back and I saw the ball coming, reached out for it, caught it and then, I felt hits from all over. I didn’t know how many hits, but I looked down and I was glad I was on the other side of the white line instead of, you know, a yard short. And, shoot, after that, I still didn’t know I scored. It was just, everybody was excited, everybody was hitting me on my head, then, I was like, 'Forget it,’ let’s just start jumping and celebrating with the rest of the offensive line.”
REDSKINS LB TRENT MURPHY
On his sack:
"We knew they were going to be passing the ball. So, that's like a D-lineman's dream… You pin your ears back and just go."
On the mindset of the defense in the fourth quarter:
"The mindset is to stay together and keep chopping wood, really. We knew there was still time left… still plenty of time. We keep getting stops, stay together, offense is going to take care of business and we'll be where we want to be."
On the final defensive play and the fumble recovery:
"Fortunately the coaches had the foresight to prepare for that all week in practice. You know, last play of the game, they don't have enough arm to throw a Hail Mary. They got to do some Hook and Ladder. Saw the wall being built up to my side. I knew the ball was coming back, so, just stayed home."
On their first division win:
"That's huge. That gets us right where we want to be in the division. We’ve just got to focus on the next game – next game and then we'll be where we want to be at the end of the season."
REDSKINS S DASHON GOLDSON
On their first divisional win:
"It means a good deal. We always want to win divisional games. They came in our house, and it was a good win for us at home on top of that.”
On the secondary playing well when it mattered most:
"We can face adversity. That’s a good football team. They capitalized on something they saw. We had some guys that were toughing it out today. Cully [CB Chris Culliver] toughed it out for us today. We didn’t think we were going to have him this game, but he came in and did what he had to do.”
On how the front seven playing well helps the secondary:
"That’s big. We like it. Our front seven does an awesome job against the run and the pass. Today they showed up a lot on both sides, the pass and the run. That just shows what we can do. When we play good football in the secondary and the front line, we can come out with Ws like we did today.”
On what they can take away from the past four weeks that they can use against Atlanta:
"A lot. Our defense is playing good football. We’re flying around. Our offense did a good job of moving the ball today. They kept us off the field for the most part today. As long as we’re playing good football, we can compete with anybody.”
REDSKINS RB ALFRED MORRIS
On the mindset in the final drive:
“We stayed together. We fought back as a team. We were down, but not out. Defense did a great job getting us the ball back. After we got the ball we were able to get some runs, get some passes and we were able to work our way down the field.”
On maintaining confidence even through adversity:
“Sticking together definitely helps with confidence, knowing that we got each other’s back. We went out there, didn’t do so good, the defense was like, 'Hey, we got it.’ They got us the ball back… Then like I said, we were able to drive it downfield. Just sticking together you are able to cover up a lot of errors while sticking together and not falling apart. So, I think we did a great job of that. We played like the Redskins today. Last week, we didn’t play like ourselves, but this week we did. That’s the team that we are that you saw out there today. We’ve just got to continue to find a way to show up every week, stick together and play hard.”
On being a rhythm runner:
“It’s in my DNA. I’ve been doing that for forever. I can’t explain it, it just happens. You know it’s the more I do the better I get. Like you said, it was very tough out there today. The Eagles’ defense did a great job. They always do when scheming against us and trying to stop the run and make us one dimensional, putting it in the air. But we nickeled and dimed a little bit here and there. We kept chipping away and then I was finally able to find some creases and get a couple decent runs which was when they really mattered, in the last drive.”
REDSKINS LB PRESTON SMITH
On his sack:
"It was a great rush by the inside guys. They forced the quarterback. It was great coverage by the DBs the guys to keep them from having an open target. We pushed the quarterback out of the pocket then I came back around and got the sack. It was a great feeling. Everybody was firing on all cylinders on the defense.”
On the additional sacks by his teammates:
“It’s great to see everybody eating up front. Our defensive line, everybody is getting sacks. It’s a great feeling. We just unloaded on sacks today – it felt like everybody was getting one.”
On the win:
“It feels great. It’s great to know that we’re working our way back up the division. We started off a little rocky in the division against the Giants. We’re starting to step up and turn everything around.”
REDSKINS WR JAMISON CROWDER
On his expanded role:
“I feel great, man. I knew it was going to be a big game for me. It’s a big moment for me, getting all this playing time and experience. I just did what I could throughout the week to be as prepared as possible. I just wanted to go out there and play and just do my thing.”
On being able to finish catches in traffic:
“I mean, just focus, man. Just focus looking the ball in and catching and tucking the ball as much as possible. You know and try not to take too many hits.”
On if he wants to sustain this production for the rest of the season:
“Yes, most definitely. I’m just going to continue to learn, get that experience and make sure I prepare throughout the week. I have the utmost confidence in my game, so I just want to take it day-by-day and make sure I’m ready for each Sunday.”
REDSKINS RB CHRIS THOMPSON
On his breakout game against the Eagles’ run defense:
“All week they [the coaches] were telling me they were going to give me chances. You know and with the opportunities I got, I wanted to make the best of them. They showed us some gaps on a few runs here and I was able to make some big plays early on and give us the lead. Coming into the second half I wanted to continue to do so and just maximize my opportunity.”
On receiving opportunities this week:
“I love it. The more reps and the more work I get on the field, I stay warmed up and feel comfortable. Now I’m on all the special teams. They’re keeping me on the field and putting me in positions to be successful. I almost had two punt blocks so far, but I’m just a little bit short. But, as long as we just keep going and the coaches keep giving me opportunities I’m going to do everything I can to win.”
REDSKINS G SPENCER LONG
On replacing G Shawn Lauvao in the starting lineup:
“I think I played all right, but I’ve got a lot of stuff to work on and things I can think of in this game that I can do better. I’ve got to be better for our offensive line and be consistent.”
On challenges the Eagles’ defensive line presented:
“We knew they were going to bring it every play. They’re a tough physical bunch, but we just kept grinding.”
On what part of his mentality has changed going from a backup to a starter:
“Nothing. Like I said before, being a backup, you’ve got to prep like you’re going to play.’ That way when it does happens, you’re ready to go.”
REDSKINS DE CHRIS BAKER
On his performance:
"We won the game, so that’s great. It’s always amazing to go out there and perform well and get sacks. That’s what [defensive] linemen work for – tackles for loss and sacks. I was able to get two sacks today; it was my first time ever getting two sacks in a game. So it felt great."
On his sack dance:
"I hit the Milly Rock. I had to hit them with the Milly Rock. [singing] 'I Milly Rock on any block.’ It’s called the Milly Rock."
On the Redskins’ run defense:
"That’s our pride and joy as a defensive line, knowing that nobody can run the ball on us. We take a lot of pride in that each week, and we’ve been out there stopping the run each and every week. We’re just trying to deter people from even thinking about trying to run the ball on us. If they want to try it, they will fail."
On what he’s looking for heading into Atlanta next week:
"We just want to win the game. That’s all. We’ll win the game and go from there. Atlanta is rolling right now, so we’re going to face a tough team that’s on a four-game winning streak. We have to go out there and play winning football for four quarters and keep responding. They’re going to make some big plays, but we have to be able to line back up on the next play and make a bigger play for our defense or offense."