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October 14, 2012
FedExField
Executive Vice President/Head Coach Mike Shanahan
On quarterback Robert Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown run:
“Anytime you get man coverage and you have a six-man rush and they’re covering the receivers and the quarterback can break through that line like he did… He saw a hole and he took off and the rest is history. Great job by him looking at the front and seeing that rushing lane and taking advantage of it.”
On if Griffin III played any differently after suffering a concussion last week:
“You can’t do that as a quarterback. You have to go play. I think common sense prevailed. I think he’ll learn every game maybe when to slide, when to throw the ball away, when to go out of bounds a little bit earlier. I thought I saw that today in a number of situations. As time goes on, he’ll keep on getting better and better at keeping people away from him.”
On how much emphasis was placed on breaking the team’s home losing streak:
“I’ve never even talked about that. You focus on getting the job done, having good practices, doing the little things the right way and trying finish a game. That’s what we’ve been focusing on. We don’t talk about those types of things. We talk about the things we do poorly and what separates the good teams from the average teams and the way we can improve in that area.”
On the defense:
“They did a great job, again. I thought the way they played early was very impressive – keeping them out of the end zone. The first couple drives we couldn’t get anything going and they did a great job – great game plan coming in with a couple corner blitzes, kind of getting us off guard a little bit. I was proud of our guys. We kept our composure, we came back and executed and did some adjustments that you have to make during that game. I was pleased with the players and the coaches throughout the game. You have to go through some adversity at times, and you have to keep your composure there. I thought we did that because they had a chance, instead of nine points, it could have been 21 points and all of sudden it’s pretty hard to catch up, especially against a defense like that.”
On the defense scoring four touchdowns in six games:
“That’s what you want. That’s what you have to have. On your football team, you have to make plays. [I’m] not only impressed with making plays, but scoring touchdowns – not only four TDs, but getting us the ball on the six-yard line is like TD in itself.”
On linebacker Lorenzo Alexander:
“He’s one heck of a football player. He got a game ball. We gave him a game ball for rushing like he did in the limited plays that he did play, obviously the interception [fumble recovery], but he’s a guy that gives everything and we’re going to have to play him some more obviously.”
On if Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown was supposed to be a passing play:
“That was third down and he was looking to the left and we had both outside receivers on out routes, about 10-12 yards. When he looked over there at Josh [Morgan], he saw a lane open up. He’s very smart and very aware that was a six-man rush. If they don’t get to Robert right away, he’s into the secondary and for sure he’s got a first down. Not too many quarterbacks can outrun those defensive backs. That was a heck of a play. You don’t see that very often.”
On linebacker Keenan Robinson, cornerback David Jones and safety Jordan Pugh:
“Anytime you get a few safeties that go down, people are going to get opportunities – just like our defensive line. [Chris] Neild goes down, [Adam] Carriker goes down and guys get opportunities – as well as [Brian] Orakpo. Guys stepped up today like we’ve talked about Lorenzo making some big plays. That’s what you have to have – guys taking advantage of an opportunity. There are a lot of young guys without a lot of playing experience that did a good job today.”
On kicker Kai Forbath:
“I’m a nice guy aren’t I [laughter]? Breaking in a kicker and his first kick is a 50-yarder. I started thinking about that and I said, 'That’s not going to very popular if he misses.’ Anyway, I was really pleased with the way he handled himself throughout the game. To handle the situation like that [in] your first kick in the NFL and kicking a 50-yard field goal and he nails it says a lot about him. Hopefully, he can keep it going.”
On his level of concern that Griffin III would get hurt again:
“There is a little concern for anybody that has a concussion. Jordan Pugh is going through the same test that Robert went through last week – [wide receiver] Aldrick Robinson [in Week 4]. We’re going to make sure everybody is OK. We’re not going to play somebody if they’ve got a head injury, if they have a concussion. The great part about it is Robert felt good throughout the week. After he had the concussion, he had no side effects. So now you have to let the person play the game. Sometimes a designed run helps the quarterback. If we would have gotten a dropback pass against that defense today and didn’t have some designed runs, there would have been a number of sacks. That’s one heck of a defensive front and a defense that puts a lot of pressure on you. Robert, by doing what he does – keeping a defense off-balance – really gives him the chances in my opinion to stay healthier.”
On tackle Trent Williams:
“[I’m] very impressed. He’s played a couple great defensive ends back-to-back weeks and even on his one sack late in the game, it wasn’t him that we were blocking down on that side. Trent has really come into his own – very talented, just keeps on getting better and better, very good leader as well.”
Quarterback Robert Griffin III
On his 76-yard touchdown run:
“We kind of felt like they were going to pressure us in that situation. Kyle [Shanahan] called a good play. I saw the blitz and I was thinking I’m either going to throw hot, or if they miss this blitz and don’t hit it the right way, I’m going to run for the first [down]. I saw that they missed it; took off running and got to the sideline. thought about running out of bounds, because everyone has been telling me that lately. You know in certain situations… I felt like I had the guy outflanked, and I just took off running. The rest is history. I got to enjoy the moment a little bit. It was pretty fun to hear the crowd and see my teammates on the sideline celebrating as I got the touchdown.”
On if he said anything to the defense on the sideline:
“I was talking to London Fletcher just a few minutes ago and told him I was going to mention him, so 'Thank you.’ They kept us in the game. Our offense can be so potent at times, we want to make it all the time, and we have so many weapons that if we hold teams to just field goals, it’s huge because we can come back. We had two or three bad drives there in the first half, and we went into halftime winning the game. They did a great job, and I told them I would give the defense a special shout out, so there it is.”
On if he feels his overall approach to the game was any different:
“It’s like I’ve told people, you stay aggressive, but you just try to be smart. I felt like I got out of bounds a couple of times when I should have. I threw the ball away one time and got a penalty because a guy hit me. You try to play smart but stay aggressive. One time I ran up the middle and the safety was coming down and I slid for seven yards, so you have to live with that and not worry about the eight or nine yards you could have gotten, taking the hit. I told the team I wasn’t going to leave them hanging, so I tried to make sure I did that today.”
On if anything changed on the third drive when the team ran the triple option:
“It was just trusting what Coach called and just being ready. We got in a bad situation on the first drive, third- and-17, it’s hard to get out of that. On the second drive, we moved it a little bit and we could kind of feel like we were getting in the rhythm. So by the third drive, we knew we had something going, we pulled out the [Brandon] Banks package of plays, it’s not that he affects every play, but having him out there on the field definitely makes the defense aware of him. So we can do a lot of things when we spread teams out like that. We got in the rhythm and I felt that, aside from the interception, I played one of my best games – just doing what I was asked to do, being fundamentally sound and just helping the team win.”
On his feelings about breaking the eight-game home losing streak and the recent losses by Washington, D.C. area teams:
“We know that to lose eight straight at home is unacceptable, for any kind of sport. We made that a point of emphasis this week, to make sure we came out and protected our home turf. Even though I wasn’t here for that time, I’m still a part of this organization and I take on all those burdens with the other guys. We make that a point, and hopefully we can start a home game- winning streak or a winning streak period. And with the Nationals losing down the stretch, of course that’s tough. I saw my Twitter feed, with a lot of people saying they hoped we would win to get people over that, since there will be a lot more attention on us, now that the Nats’ season is over. You take all of those things into account and I think the fans and people around this area will appreciate us coming away with a victory.”
On how he felt about the difference in preparation coming into the game and after the game:
“I felt good. I didn’t get hit too much, but it’s football, so your body is going to break down throughout the course of the game. That’s why you try to build it up during the week. They did a good job of making sure I was OK, constantly being on me to be honest with them, so that I wouldn’t go out there and be in harm’s way. I told them that I would be honest with them. I had no symptoms and I had remembered everything since 15 minutes after they took me out of the game [last week] and it stayed that way. I thought they did a good job taking care of me. They did the right thing by not letting me go back in the game. And then to come out and play the way we did, as a team, coming off of that, shows a lot of pride and passion for all the guys to go out and put it on the line every week.”
On if he did a good job selling the roughing the passer call:
“I mean, he hit me good. It wasn’t like a basketball flop, but I definitely sold it pretty well. The ball was clearly gone, guys. It was a great job of me and the ref being on the same page [laughter].”
On the importance of converting on third down:
“You try to get that monkey off your back. Me and Santana [Moss] had been working on stuff all week and he smiled and said we hit that just like Coach wanted us to hit it. So whenever we can make a third down here and there, when everyone has been talking about the struggles on third down, it makes everybody feel better to get some relief, a lot of relief off your shoulders. It was good. And then on the third down, at the end of the game, to have that happen the way it happened and to win the game that way, it’s special. That’s all you can say about that. We definitely did a better job converting on third down in this game than we have previously.”
On watching the replay of his touchdown run:
“A couple of guys, Rex [Grossman] in particular, came to me and said, 'Hey, you can stop smiling by Wednesday,’ because I was all smiles. It was a special feeling and I’ll definitely watch that. You know I got to prove to those guys that I still have that track speed that they’ve been talking about, or saying that I don’t have. I was able to break a long one. It always feels good when you can do that. Anytime the [defensive back] catches an interception and runs it back, a receiver gets a long catch, or the quarterback throws a long touchdown pass or runs a long one… It’s something special that I can do personally and it was fun to be able to show everybody that and to help us win the game doing it.”
On enjoying the moment during the touchdown run:
“It was all a blur. Coach Sean [McVay], the tight end’s coach, said he felt me run by him because of the gust of wind. What can I say? No, but I could see guys telling me I got the first, so they were saying stay inbounds and slide. I was kind of running like I think I can get a little more. Then it all went from stop and stay inbounds to go – go for the touchdown. It was interesting to see the different reactions. Larry [Hess], our trainer, was running down the sidelines, he was running the same 40 I was running. A lot of guys had some made up thoughts in their head, but it was cool.”
On the celebrating with fans after the touchdown and bouncing back from last week:
“The jump was fun; I actually tried to leave and they held me down. Fans, gotta love them. I just sat there and enjoyed the moment for a little bit. I didn’t want us to get a penalty so I was trying to get down. At the end of the day I think the refs and everyone understood how big of a moment that was. They didn’t throw any flags or anything like that. But to come back after last week, getting knocked out of the game and personally, myself, feeling like I let a lot of people down… The players were telling me that I didn’t let them down. The coaches were saying the same thing, but as a competitor, as a player and as their teammate, I felt like I did. So to come back and play the way that we did as a group and then to have the outcome that we had, for me to be such a big part of it, was huge for me to show them that I’m going to come out, I’m going to play smart, I’m going to help us win and then I will always be there for you in the end.”
On reporters saying he should have taken the week off:
“I didn’t read into any of it. You know of course that stuff is going to get back to you. For me it was just a matter of I was going to be honest. If I had gone the whole week and showed up on game day and did not feel right, I wouldn’t have played because it wouldn’t have been right for me. It wouldn’t have been right for the team. If anything would have happened today there would have been a lot of consequences and repercussions for that. I just wanted to make sure I was fine, that I wouldn’t put myself in harm’s way, or this organization. I felt fine, I felt normal, I still feel normal. It will be a good night. For me, that means going to sleep and watching a movie, probably.”
Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander
On the play of the defense and quarterback Robert Griffin III:
“It was a great job of us playing hard for four quarters, finally… Today we were able to finish out, come up with some big plays, scoring on defense, giving the offense a short field. Robert [Griffin III] did a great job coming back after being hurt last week, staying to the real game, making some good passes, making some good plays with his legs.”
On his performance:
“It was great. I understand what my role on the team is to be a special teams demon and a captain, and fill in on defense when need be and take advantage of my opportunities. I know I can play in this league. Losing the weight has made me a different player, quicker, more dynamic, and I think that Coach was able to utilize my history as far as playing [defensive] tackle in some of our game today. It was a great feeling to go out there and finally contribute on defense and win.”
On if he was aware he was going to be playing a lot on defense today:
“Yes, we had a package going in early. It was between me and Keenan [Robinson], just how the game felt. After going in and making a couple plays, they kind of stuck with me and was able to take advantage of some things. The defensive line did some great things opening up things for me, and I was able to get a couple of sacks.”
On his fumble recovery:
“Some of that is being at the right place at the right time. It was more Perry [Riley] doing a great job rushing. It was a blitz, both guys coming off the edge. Perry did a good job pushing the back into the quarterback, stripping [the ball]. Hopefully, I can turn it in to see if it is an interception, hope his arm is going forward. I was in the right place. I was able to catch it, wish I could have scored, but I had [Matt] Kalil all over my back.”
On receiving a game ball:
“It is great. It shows that I am valued around here. I have been here for six years now. I am up this year, and it is just going out there and playing hard. It shows that people want to keep me around. I am a Redskin through and through. I don’t do it for the glory; I go out there representing my team, playing hard. I am just a blue-collar, hard-nosed guy, and things happen to good people who play hard.”
On snapping the team’s eight-game home losing streak:
“We definitely have to defend our home field if we ever want to become a good team in this league. All the great teams that go to the playoffs go 8-0, 7-1 at home. We have never been able to do that since I’ve been here. After showing up for over a year for our home fans, that’s very disappointing so that was definitely something we were thinking about because we have the best fans here. I understand when we start winning people will fill the stands and have it packed all the time.”
On Robert Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown run:
“It was amazing to see him drop back. He saw the hole open, and he took off; then I was looking down field to see the edge. He has world class speed. No one was going to catch him once he got to that edge and took off. It was a pretty great play. That is one of the great things of having somebody that has that type of dynamic and athleticism. He can always create a big play, give a hard position for the defense, and always keep him in the game and make big plays when you need him.”
On Griffin III:
“He’s a go getter; he’s a playmaker. Obviously, he’s our stud. Anytime you have him in the backfield, you think you have a chance to win the game. Just his approach to the game, his humbleness, his fire, his want to, you see it all leading up into the week. Just talking to the guy, you know he’s a winner, and you know he’s going to go out there and make big plays for you at any time.”
On Kai Forbath’s field goal:
“It was great. If our offense puts us in a position where we get field goals, we have to put points on the board, and I thought we did a great job of doing that. It is great to be able to put points on the board, and not have to start at maybe the 35-yard line.”
Kicker Kai Forbath
On his first NFL game:
“It felt great. I had a good warm-up. I felt ready for today and [I’m] just happy that we got off to a good start.”
On his confidence level before kicking his first field goal:
“I never go out there and think I’m going to miss. If you do, you’re going to miss, so I went out there and did like we did in warm-ups. And that’s what happened.”
On if he had to adjust because his first attempt was from 50 yards:
“That’s what I actually tried not to do. I don’t try to kick it harder than I normally do. I just try to stay smooth and make good contact.”
On if he heard the crowd’s reaction after the kick:
“No, I didn’t [hear it]. I was busy trying to give high fives to my linemen for blocking.”
Free Safety Madieu Williams
On the play of the defensive backs:
“That’s what we’ve found out from being defensive backs – you’re going to get criticized. That’s part of the nature of the beast, especially when things aren’t going well. We have a strong group of character guys. We hung together, we played together, and when things come together like that for us on Sunday, as a unit we celebrate together.”
On the team’s red zone defense:
“I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of holding guys to field goals in the red zone. We’ve been playing pretty good in the red zone over the course of the year. It’s just one of those things where we don’t want them to get down there obviously, but when they do get there we’re limiting the damage to three points so it gives us a chance to win the game at the end.”
On if his interception return for a touchdown was sweet because it was against his former team:
“Not necessarily. I was telling Rex [Grossman] that it was business as usual for me. It was nothing personal. I was there for three years and I enjoyed my stay. I just wanted to come out and play well for the guys in this locker room and play well enough to give us a chance to win.”
On snapping the team’s eight-game losing streak at home:
“We’ve been close over the past couple of weeks. To finally get a win today was something that we’ve had our eyes set on to come out and play well. Not only to play well but to come out and get a win. The guys did a great job of not losing focus throughout the course of the game. We showed a lot of resilience and it just goes to show the type of character we have in this locker room.”
On Robert Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown run:
“I knew no one was going to catch him. We’ve seen it in practice and I think that the rest of the league is seeing it today. The guy possesses a lot of ability and he can throw. Today shows that he can run too.”
Tight End Fred Davis
On Robert Griffin III apologizing to the team for not running out of bounds last game:
“It shows that he expects so much out of himself. He doesn’t look at himself as a rookie. He has the starting job and he is trying to do the best to help us win. Getting out of bounds is something that will help us win unless it’s like right now when we needed him. He did what he needed to do and made a play.”
On playing with Griffin III:
“Real fun, you never know what’s going to happen. You can be down in the worst position and still come out on top.”
On his thoughts when Griffin III scored the 76-yard rushing touchdown:
“Yeah, I was like, 'Oh he’s gone’. He took off. I saw him take that third gear and he was gone.”
Wide Receiver Santana Moss
On snapping the team’s eight-game home losing streak:
“That’s what we needed. Obviously we heard about the losing streak and it wasn’t something that we were really focusing on. We were just focusing on trying to finish the game and win the game. I’m just proud to get that win. Every time we’re out there on the field we’re trying to play and our main goal is come out there with a 'W.’ We didn’t understand why it was so tough to do it at home but we’re glad it’s behind us and all we can do is move on now.”
On next week’s battle for first place in the NFC East with the Giants:
“It’s bigger than that to us. They’re a division rival and we just want to go out there and do the best we can against them. We know that they’re the Super Bowl champs and all that other stuff comes with it, but it’s New York. They’re in the NFC East and we’ve got to take care of business.”
On Robert Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown run:
“When we were in the huddle we all said that somebody’s got to make a play. That’s why he’s here. That’s why they’re ranting and raving about him. Honestly, we’ve all seen what he’s got. He’s young right now. Some of the things he’s doing we’re all wowed about because it’s so early and he’s so young, but he’s a football player. Just know that when he’s on the field, he’s going to make plays.”
Tight End Niles Paul
On his big hit in punt coverage:
“I just knew that was my opportunity to get down there. They kicked to my side and I knew we had to make a big play. I didn’t see him fair catch it so I just took my shot.”
On if he watched the replay afterwards:
“Yeah, I was looking around to make sure I didn’t get the flag because his helmet came off. I didn’t feel like it was a helmet-to-helmet shot, I just threw my shoulder at him. When I didn’t see any flags, I knew it was OK.”
On how it felt to make a big play on special teams:
“It felt good. We had quite a few big plays on special teams. After the adversity we were first facing on punting, to be able to keep doing what we’ve been doing the past couple weeks feels good.”
Fullback Darrel Young
On how he feels about this year’s team compared to past years:
“I think we are growing under the Shanahan regime. You can look at what we have done the past two years and we haven’t done positive things; whether it be third down, [or] whether it is finishing games. But we are doing a better job of all of that and winning some of those close games.”
On breaking the home losing streak:
“It’s a terrible feeling to keep losing. It felt good to win at home but it felt even better just have a win. Regardless of whether it’s on the road or at home, you have to win in the National Football League. You’re supposed to win at home because you have the 12th man on your side, but sometimes you’re not fortunate enough to win those games. But today was one of those games that we had to close and we did what it took in the end.”
On if the team needs “utility players” to make more big plays instead of relying on superstars:
“Yeah, well, if you look at Coach Shanahan’s history, he’s done a great job of drafting guys low, bringing in free agents and just bringing in guys that make plays. I’m not saying I’m a playmaker but if you look at a guy like Lorenzo Alexander, all he needs is opportunity. He’s proved that. He’s played just about every position in the NFL and he’s still on the team. That just goes to show we have ball players on this team. Look at Alfred Morris, he was playing fullback in OTA’s but now he’s the star running back and probably third-leading rusher in the NFL. I don’t know [where he’s ranked] after the games today. He’s a great player, man, and like I said, Coach Shanahan just does a great job at finding talent.”
Linebacker London Fletcher
On the key to the early stops in the red zone:
“Just playing good red zone defense. We talked about making it so they can’t kick field goals. [Running back Adrian] Peterson had a big run on their first drive but we were able to hold them to a field goal. Especially in our first three possessions, that was huge because if you think about it, we ended up going into halftime I think up 10-9 or whatever the score was. Those were big stops and we got them.”
On the momentum change in the second quarter:
“The game was such a blur. I can’t even remember what happened in the second quarter. But I think we tackled better, were able to get them in some third down situations. I think at one point they were 0-for-5 after that initial third-down conversion where they quick-snapped on us. We were trying to come up with a blitz and they snapped the ball quickly. We weren’t able to get on them. In our pressure there, we knew what their game plan was as far as going quick snap on third down so we had to switch up the people over there. [Linebacker] Lorenzo [Alexander] was able to come over there and they fumbled... I don’t know what they ended up crediting, but I think [linebacker Ryan] Kerrigan had some good pressure on the end. We’ve just got to make sure what we’re doing.”
On Alexander’s speed:
“He made some great plays for us. He’s a very explosive player, losing that weight, getting down to whatever he is right now in the 240s, and he’s still a strong player with pass rush ability… He’s able to get penetration, chase [quarterback Christian] Ponder down. He’s a one-man gang. I call him 'Jeezy O.M.G.’”
On generating pressure:
“Thinking back to last week’s game, we went to more three-man rush. We wanted to play more coverage, draw eight back in coverage when we were facing Atlanta because they had so many weapons in the passing game. When you think about it, they had Roddy White, Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez. Those guys are going to be a handful to deal with in the passing game so we decided to rush just three-man coverage, three-man and draw eight in coverage. But this week, we decided we weren’t going to do that, go with some more four-man pressures, maybe five-man pressure, things like that, six [or] seven-man. We came with some six-man pressures, things like that, to try to mix it up as far as what we were doing. We weren’t going to sit back on coverage this week.”
On quarterback Robert Griffin III’s run:
“It was the game because if you think about it at that point in time, I think we were up five points, third down, still three minutes left on the clock, or three-plus minutes, and a lot of time left to have timeouts. I had a great view of everything watching the play develop. When I saw the lane part and he was able to get past that first initial tackle and then a sideline guy tried to get him, and then from there, it was just like, 'Wow.’ I’m watching him run down the sidelines. It’s really just like he was in a 400-meter run, just as relaxed as you can be. You saw his long stride, really just like, 'Wow.’”
On if he thought Griffin III would run out of bounds or slide:
“No. The thing about that with him, with a guy that has the ability to make plays, you have to just allow him to trust his instincts on when he can make a play, when he can make a gap and things like that. Right there he knew he had an angle on the guy and it was just an opportunity to make a play. It was a huge play. It was the difference in the ball game.”
On if Griffin III’s energy is contagious:
“One of the great things about youth is that you don’t know. He doesn’t realize how hard it is to win in this league. He’s just been phenomenal in what he’s done. Nothing’s been too big for him. Really, he’s just going out there really having fun. I wish I could have as much fun as he does playing the game because he’s really just going out there carefree, just making plays like he’s just out of high school and it’s how college might be. It’s great to watch.”
On the defense from a statistical viewpoint:
“I’ve been put into a situation like this. I’ve been on top-ranked defenses a couple times when I finished down with Buffalo, a No. 2 ranked defense twice and made the playoffs. Since I’ve been here, we had a couple top 10. I think two or three defenses that were ranked top 10. I think only one time we made the playoffs. Our highest rated defense was No. 4, but never made the playoffs. So I think statistics you can look a lot into but at the end of the day, what really matters is winning and losing. You find ways to win. We gave up a lot of yardage today but if you really look at that game, there wasn’t a situation where we didn’t put in [our all]. We played some great defense today. Last drive we kind of got to soft-type defenses, giving up some short catches, things like that to eat at the clock, things like that. They end up with more yards but our interest in it this week was stopping runs and I thought we did that. We played some good red zone defense and we got takeaways.”
On losing key players early in the season:
“In the NFL, injuries are going to happen. You have to be ready, whoever the next guy is. You’re one play away, two plays away. Know where you are in the depth chart. I think one of the great things is the management, front office, they’ve done a great job of adding depth to our roster. In the past, I don’t think we were good at withstanding those injuries, losing [Brian] Orakpo and [Adam] Carriker, and some of the other guys we lose. Especially thinking about Pierre [Garçon] not playing today, we’ve added depth to the wide receiver position. I think that’s great seeing the young talent we have on this football team. The guys are stepping in, playing the roles when given the opportunity.”
On safety Madieu Williams’ interception return for touchdown:
“I’ve got a couple touchdowns in my career. I don’t know if he’s as good as I am, but anytime you get into the end zone, that’s great. What happened, we were showing a pressure, dropped back into a zone defense. We did a great job of taking away Ponder’s different reads. The last time, I think the pass rusher was able to get to him which forced him to step up and throw the ball off target. Madieu was standing there. He caught the ball and we had some great blocking and he got into the end zone.”
On winning at home:
“I think it’s huge. Our fans deserve it. We’ve played some good defense and good games, but we haven’t played for 60 minutes. We’ve given up some wins in the fourth quarter of games, especially late. Today we finished the game… It’s huge. It’s good to finally win at home. What we want to create is an environment when teams come in here and they know it’s going to be a long day. I still would like the crowd to be louder. I think teams can get comfortable with the crowd. I would like our stadium to be even more hyped up. When you come in here, let’s be loud. Let’s get some false starts on the opponent’s offense. From that standpoint, I would like our fans to be louder, especially on third down situations. When we go on the road, that’s what happens. Be louder, fans, and we’ll play better. I want them as loud as they were when Robert scored that touchdown. That’s how I want our fans to be.”
On if the team has the right mixture of youth and experience to get through the next few games:
“Yes, I think so. Coach [Mike] Shanahan is always talking about character. That’s one of the big things he really emphasizes, just getting the right character guys in here. Sometime that word can be really talked about but no one really understands what he means by it. It’s just about having guys who do things the right way, who are professional, who are not concerned about a lot of other things like who should get credit, things like that. Again, I think it’s a great mix of young talent. I’m one of the old guys. I guess probably the oldest on the team. Being around these young guys, they keep me enthused, keep me excited about the game. Right now, I’m just trying to impart as much to them if I can. If I look at a guy like Perry [Riley], I’m trying to give him as much information as possible so eventually he’ll be able to make that next step as a player, like the other guys. I think we do have a great balance.”
FedExField
Executive Vice President/Head Coach Mike Shanahan
On quarterback Robert Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown run:
“Anytime you get man coverage and you have a six-man rush and they’re covering the receivers and the quarterback can break through that line like he did… He saw a hole and he took off and the rest is history. Great job by him looking at the front and seeing that rushing lane and taking advantage of it.”
On if Griffin III played any differently after suffering a concussion last week:
“You can’t do that as a quarterback. You have to go play. I think common sense prevailed. I think he’ll learn every game maybe when to slide, when to throw the ball away, when to go out of bounds a little bit earlier. I thought I saw that today in a number of situations. As time goes on, he’ll keep on getting better and better at keeping people away from him.”
On how much emphasis was placed on breaking the team’s home losing streak:
“I’ve never even talked about that. You focus on getting the job done, having good practices, doing the little things the right way and trying finish a game. That’s what we’ve been focusing on. We don’t talk about those types of things. We talk about the things we do poorly and what separates the good teams from the average teams and the way we can improve in that area.”
On the defense:
“They did a great job, again. I thought the way they played early was very impressive – keeping them out of the end zone. The first couple drives we couldn’t get anything going and they did a great job – great game plan coming in with a couple corner blitzes, kind of getting us off guard a little bit. I was proud of our guys. We kept our composure, we came back and executed and did some adjustments that you have to make during that game. I was pleased with the players and the coaches throughout the game. You have to go through some adversity at times, and you have to keep your composure there. I thought we did that because they had a chance, instead of nine points, it could have been 21 points and all of sudden it’s pretty hard to catch up, especially against a defense like that.”
On the defense scoring four touchdowns in six games:
“That’s what you want. That’s what you have to have. On your football team, you have to make plays. [I’m] not only impressed with making plays, but scoring touchdowns – not only four TDs, but getting us the ball on the six-yard line is like TD in itself.”
On linebacker Lorenzo Alexander:
“He’s one heck of a football player. He got a game ball. We gave him a game ball for rushing like he did in the limited plays that he did play, obviously the interception [fumble recovery], but he’s a guy that gives everything and we’re going to have to play him some more obviously.”
On if Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown was supposed to be a passing play:
“That was third down and he was looking to the left and we had both outside receivers on out routes, about 10-12 yards. When he looked over there at Josh [Morgan], he saw a lane open up. He’s very smart and very aware that was a six-man rush. If they don’t get to Robert right away, he’s into the secondary and for sure he’s got a first down. Not too many quarterbacks can outrun those defensive backs. That was a heck of a play. You don’t see that very often.”
On linebacker Keenan Robinson, cornerback David Jones and safety Jordan Pugh:
“Anytime you get a few safeties that go down, people are going to get opportunities – just like our defensive line. [Chris] Neild goes down, [Adam] Carriker goes down and guys get opportunities – as well as [Brian] Orakpo. Guys stepped up today like we’ve talked about Lorenzo making some big plays. That’s what you have to have – guys taking advantage of an opportunity. There are a lot of young guys without a lot of playing experience that did a good job today.”
On kicker Kai Forbath:
“I’m a nice guy aren’t I [laughter]? Breaking in a kicker and his first kick is a 50-yarder. I started thinking about that and I said, 'That’s not going to very popular if he misses.’ Anyway, I was really pleased with the way he handled himself throughout the game. To handle the situation like that [in] your first kick in the NFL and kicking a 50-yard field goal and he nails it says a lot about him. Hopefully, he can keep it going.”
On his level of concern that Griffin III would get hurt again:
“There is a little concern for anybody that has a concussion. Jordan Pugh is going through the same test that Robert went through last week – [wide receiver] Aldrick Robinson [in Week 4]. We’re going to make sure everybody is OK. We’re not going to play somebody if they’ve got a head injury, if they have a concussion. The great part about it is Robert felt good throughout the week. After he had the concussion, he had no side effects. So now you have to let the person play the game. Sometimes a designed run helps the quarterback. If we would have gotten a dropback pass against that defense today and didn’t have some designed runs, there would have been a number of sacks. That’s one heck of a defensive front and a defense that puts a lot of pressure on you. Robert, by doing what he does – keeping a defense off-balance – really gives him the chances in my opinion to stay healthier.”
On tackle Trent Williams:
“[I’m] very impressed. He’s played a couple great defensive ends back-to-back weeks and even on his one sack late in the game, it wasn’t him that we were blocking down on that side. Trent has really come into his own – very talented, just keeps on getting better and better, very good leader as well.”
Quarterback Robert Griffin III
On his 76-yard touchdown run:
“We kind of felt like they were going to pressure us in that situation. Kyle [Shanahan] called a good play. I saw the blitz and I was thinking I’m either going to throw hot, or if they miss this blitz and don’t hit it the right way, I’m going to run for the first [down]. I saw that they missed it; took off running and got to the sideline. thought about running out of bounds, because everyone has been telling me that lately. You know in certain situations… I felt like I had the guy outflanked, and I just took off running. The rest is history. I got to enjoy the moment a little bit. It was pretty fun to hear the crowd and see my teammates on the sideline celebrating as I got the touchdown.”
On if he said anything to the defense on the sideline:
“I was talking to London Fletcher just a few minutes ago and told him I was going to mention him, so 'Thank you.’ They kept us in the game. Our offense can be so potent at times, we want to make it all the time, and we have so many weapons that if we hold teams to just field goals, it’s huge because we can come back. We had two or three bad drives there in the first half, and we went into halftime winning the game. They did a great job, and I told them I would give the defense a special shout out, so there it is.”
On if he feels his overall approach to the game was any different:
“It’s like I’ve told people, you stay aggressive, but you just try to be smart. I felt like I got out of bounds a couple of times when I should have. I threw the ball away one time and got a penalty because a guy hit me. You try to play smart but stay aggressive. One time I ran up the middle and the safety was coming down and I slid for seven yards, so you have to live with that and not worry about the eight or nine yards you could have gotten, taking the hit. I told the team I wasn’t going to leave them hanging, so I tried to make sure I did that today.”
On if anything changed on the third drive when the team ran the triple option:
“It was just trusting what Coach called and just being ready. We got in a bad situation on the first drive, third- and-17, it’s hard to get out of that. On the second drive, we moved it a little bit and we could kind of feel like we were getting in the rhythm. So by the third drive, we knew we had something going, we pulled out the [Brandon] Banks package of plays, it’s not that he affects every play, but having him out there on the field definitely makes the defense aware of him. So we can do a lot of things when we spread teams out like that. We got in the rhythm and I felt that, aside from the interception, I played one of my best games – just doing what I was asked to do, being fundamentally sound and just helping the team win.”
On his feelings about breaking the eight-game home losing streak and the recent losses by Washington, D.C. area teams:
“We know that to lose eight straight at home is unacceptable, for any kind of sport. We made that a point of emphasis this week, to make sure we came out and protected our home turf. Even though I wasn’t here for that time, I’m still a part of this organization and I take on all those burdens with the other guys. We make that a point, and hopefully we can start a home game- winning streak or a winning streak period. And with the Nationals losing down the stretch, of course that’s tough. I saw my Twitter feed, with a lot of people saying they hoped we would win to get people over that, since there will be a lot more attention on us, now that the Nats’ season is over. You take all of those things into account and I think the fans and people around this area will appreciate us coming away with a victory.”
On how he felt about the difference in preparation coming into the game and after the game:
“I felt good. I didn’t get hit too much, but it’s football, so your body is going to break down throughout the course of the game. That’s why you try to build it up during the week. They did a good job of making sure I was OK, constantly being on me to be honest with them, so that I wouldn’t go out there and be in harm’s way. I told them that I would be honest with them. I had no symptoms and I had remembered everything since 15 minutes after they took me out of the game [last week] and it stayed that way. I thought they did a good job taking care of me. They did the right thing by not letting me go back in the game. And then to come out and play the way we did, as a team, coming off of that, shows a lot of pride and passion for all the guys to go out and put it on the line every week.”
On if he did a good job selling the roughing the passer call:
“I mean, he hit me good. It wasn’t like a basketball flop, but I definitely sold it pretty well. The ball was clearly gone, guys. It was a great job of me and the ref being on the same page [laughter].”
On the importance of converting on third down:
“You try to get that monkey off your back. Me and Santana [Moss] had been working on stuff all week and he smiled and said we hit that just like Coach wanted us to hit it. So whenever we can make a third down here and there, when everyone has been talking about the struggles on third down, it makes everybody feel better to get some relief, a lot of relief off your shoulders. It was good. And then on the third down, at the end of the game, to have that happen the way it happened and to win the game that way, it’s special. That’s all you can say about that. We definitely did a better job converting on third down in this game than we have previously.”
On watching the replay of his touchdown run:
“A couple of guys, Rex [Grossman] in particular, came to me and said, 'Hey, you can stop smiling by Wednesday,’ because I was all smiles. It was a special feeling and I’ll definitely watch that. You know I got to prove to those guys that I still have that track speed that they’ve been talking about, or saying that I don’t have. I was able to break a long one. It always feels good when you can do that. Anytime the [defensive back] catches an interception and runs it back, a receiver gets a long catch, or the quarterback throws a long touchdown pass or runs a long one… It’s something special that I can do personally and it was fun to be able to show everybody that and to help us win the game doing it.”
On enjoying the moment during the touchdown run:
“It was all a blur. Coach Sean [McVay], the tight end’s coach, said he felt me run by him because of the gust of wind. What can I say? No, but I could see guys telling me I got the first, so they were saying stay inbounds and slide. I was kind of running like I think I can get a little more. Then it all went from stop and stay inbounds to go – go for the touchdown. It was interesting to see the different reactions. Larry [Hess], our trainer, was running down the sidelines, he was running the same 40 I was running. A lot of guys had some made up thoughts in their head, but it was cool.”
On the celebrating with fans after the touchdown and bouncing back from last week:
“The jump was fun; I actually tried to leave and they held me down. Fans, gotta love them. I just sat there and enjoyed the moment for a little bit. I didn’t want us to get a penalty so I was trying to get down. At the end of the day I think the refs and everyone understood how big of a moment that was. They didn’t throw any flags or anything like that. But to come back after last week, getting knocked out of the game and personally, myself, feeling like I let a lot of people down… The players were telling me that I didn’t let them down. The coaches were saying the same thing, but as a competitor, as a player and as their teammate, I felt like I did. So to come back and play the way that we did as a group and then to have the outcome that we had, for me to be such a big part of it, was huge for me to show them that I’m going to come out, I’m going to play smart, I’m going to help us win and then I will always be there for you in the end.”
On reporters saying he should have taken the week off:
“I didn’t read into any of it. You know of course that stuff is going to get back to you. For me it was just a matter of I was going to be honest. If I had gone the whole week and showed up on game day and did not feel right, I wouldn’t have played because it wouldn’t have been right for me. It wouldn’t have been right for the team. If anything would have happened today there would have been a lot of consequences and repercussions for that. I just wanted to make sure I was fine, that I wouldn’t put myself in harm’s way, or this organization. I felt fine, I felt normal, I still feel normal. It will be a good night. For me, that means going to sleep and watching a movie, probably.”
Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander
On the play of the defense and quarterback Robert Griffin III:
“It was a great job of us playing hard for four quarters, finally… Today we were able to finish out, come up with some big plays, scoring on defense, giving the offense a short field. Robert [Griffin III] did a great job coming back after being hurt last week, staying to the real game, making some good passes, making some good plays with his legs.”
On his performance:
“It was great. I understand what my role on the team is to be a special teams demon and a captain, and fill in on defense when need be and take advantage of my opportunities. I know I can play in this league. Losing the weight has made me a different player, quicker, more dynamic, and I think that Coach was able to utilize my history as far as playing [defensive] tackle in some of our game today. It was a great feeling to go out there and finally contribute on defense and win.”
On if he was aware he was going to be playing a lot on defense today:
“Yes, we had a package going in early. It was between me and Keenan [Robinson], just how the game felt. After going in and making a couple plays, they kind of stuck with me and was able to take advantage of some things. The defensive line did some great things opening up things for me, and I was able to get a couple of sacks.”
On his fumble recovery:
“Some of that is being at the right place at the right time. It was more Perry [Riley] doing a great job rushing. It was a blitz, both guys coming off the edge. Perry did a good job pushing the back into the quarterback, stripping [the ball]. Hopefully, I can turn it in to see if it is an interception, hope his arm is going forward. I was in the right place. I was able to catch it, wish I could have scored, but I had [Matt] Kalil all over my back.”
On receiving a game ball:
“It is great. It shows that I am valued around here. I have been here for six years now. I am up this year, and it is just going out there and playing hard. It shows that people want to keep me around. I am a Redskin through and through. I don’t do it for the glory; I go out there representing my team, playing hard. I am just a blue-collar, hard-nosed guy, and things happen to good people who play hard.”
On snapping the team’s eight-game home losing streak:
“We definitely have to defend our home field if we ever want to become a good team in this league. All the great teams that go to the playoffs go 8-0, 7-1 at home. We have never been able to do that since I’ve been here. After showing up for over a year for our home fans, that’s very disappointing so that was definitely something we were thinking about because we have the best fans here. I understand when we start winning people will fill the stands and have it packed all the time.”
On Robert Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown run:
“It was amazing to see him drop back. He saw the hole open, and he took off; then I was looking down field to see the edge. He has world class speed. No one was going to catch him once he got to that edge and took off. It was a pretty great play. That is one of the great things of having somebody that has that type of dynamic and athleticism. He can always create a big play, give a hard position for the defense, and always keep him in the game and make big plays when you need him.”
On Griffin III:
“He’s a go getter; he’s a playmaker. Obviously, he’s our stud. Anytime you have him in the backfield, you think you have a chance to win the game. Just his approach to the game, his humbleness, his fire, his want to, you see it all leading up into the week. Just talking to the guy, you know he’s a winner, and you know he’s going to go out there and make big plays for you at any time.”
On Kai Forbath’s field goal:
“It was great. If our offense puts us in a position where we get field goals, we have to put points on the board, and I thought we did a great job of doing that. It is great to be able to put points on the board, and not have to start at maybe the 35-yard line.”
Kicker Kai Forbath
On his first NFL game:
“It felt great. I had a good warm-up. I felt ready for today and [I’m] just happy that we got off to a good start.”
On his confidence level before kicking his first field goal:
“I never go out there and think I’m going to miss. If you do, you’re going to miss, so I went out there and did like we did in warm-ups. And that’s what happened.”
On if he had to adjust because his first attempt was from 50 yards:
“That’s what I actually tried not to do. I don’t try to kick it harder than I normally do. I just try to stay smooth and make good contact.”
On if he heard the crowd’s reaction after the kick:
“No, I didn’t [hear it]. I was busy trying to give high fives to my linemen for blocking.”
Free Safety Madieu Williams
On the play of the defensive backs:
“That’s what we’ve found out from being defensive backs – you’re going to get criticized. That’s part of the nature of the beast, especially when things aren’t going well. We have a strong group of character guys. We hung together, we played together, and when things come together like that for us on Sunday, as a unit we celebrate together.”
On the team’s red zone defense:
“I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of holding guys to field goals in the red zone. We’ve been playing pretty good in the red zone over the course of the year. It’s just one of those things where we don’t want them to get down there obviously, but when they do get there we’re limiting the damage to three points so it gives us a chance to win the game at the end.”
On if his interception return for a touchdown was sweet because it was against his former team:
“Not necessarily. I was telling Rex [Grossman] that it was business as usual for me. It was nothing personal. I was there for three years and I enjoyed my stay. I just wanted to come out and play well for the guys in this locker room and play well enough to give us a chance to win.”
On snapping the team’s eight-game losing streak at home:
“We’ve been close over the past couple of weeks. To finally get a win today was something that we’ve had our eyes set on to come out and play well. Not only to play well but to come out and get a win. The guys did a great job of not losing focus throughout the course of the game. We showed a lot of resilience and it just goes to show the type of character we have in this locker room.”
On Robert Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown run:
“I knew no one was going to catch him. We’ve seen it in practice and I think that the rest of the league is seeing it today. The guy possesses a lot of ability and he can throw. Today shows that he can run too.”
Tight End Fred Davis
On Robert Griffin III apologizing to the team for not running out of bounds last game:
“It shows that he expects so much out of himself. He doesn’t look at himself as a rookie. He has the starting job and he is trying to do the best to help us win. Getting out of bounds is something that will help us win unless it’s like right now when we needed him. He did what he needed to do and made a play.”
On playing with Griffin III:
“Real fun, you never know what’s going to happen. You can be down in the worst position and still come out on top.”
On his thoughts when Griffin III scored the 76-yard rushing touchdown:
“Yeah, I was like, 'Oh he’s gone’. He took off. I saw him take that third gear and he was gone.”
Wide Receiver Santana Moss
On snapping the team’s eight-game home losing streak:
“That’s what we needed. Obviously we heard about the losing streak and it wasn’t something that we were really focusing on. We were just focusing on trying to finish the game and win the game. I’m just proud to get that win. Every time we’re out there on the field we’re trying to play and our main goal is come out there with a 'W.’ We didn’t understand why it was so tough to do it at home but we’re glad it’s behind us and all we can do is move on now.”
On next week’s battle for first place in the NFC East with the Giants:
“It’s bigger than that to us. They’re a division rival and we just want to go out there and do the best we can against them. We know that they’re the Super Bowl champs and all that other stuff comes with it, but it’s New York. They’re in the NFC East and we’ve got to take care of business.”
On Robert Griffin III’s 76-yard touchdown run:
“When we were in the huddle we all said that somebody’s got to make a play. That’s why he’s here. That’s why they’re ranting and raving about him. Honestly, we’ve all seen what he’s got. He’s young right now. Some of the things he’s doing we’re all wowed about because it’s so early and he’s so young, but he’s a football player. Just know that when he’s on the field, he’s going to make plays.”
Tight End Niles Paul
On his big hit in punt coverage:
“I just knew that was my opportunity to get down there. They kicked to my side and I knew we had to make a big play. I didn’t see him fair catch it so I just took my shot.”
On if he watched the replay afterwards:
“Yeah, I was looking around to make sure I didn’t get the flag because his helmet came off. I didn’t feel like it was a helmet-to-helmet shot, I just threw my shoulder at him. When I didn’t see any flags, I knew it was OK.”
On how it felt to make a big play on special teams:
“It felt good. We had quite a few big plays on special teams. After the adversity we were first facing on punting, to be able to keep doing what we’ve been doing the past couple weeks feels good.”
Fullback Darrel Young
On how he feels about this year’s team compared to past years:
“I think we are growing under the Shanahan regime. You can look at what we have done the past two years and we haven’t done positive things; whether it be third down, [or] whether it is finishing games. But we are doing a better job of all of that and winning some of those close games.”
On breaking the home losing streak:
“It’s a terrible feeling to keep losing. It felt good to win at home but it felt even better just have a win. Regardless of whether it’s on the road or at home, you have to win in the National Football League. You’re supposed to win at home because you have the 12th man on your side, but sometimes you’re not fortunate enough to win those games. But today was one of those games that we had to close and we did what it took in the end.”
On if the team needs “utility players” to make more big plays instead of relying on superstars:
“Yeah, well, if you look at Coach Shanahan’s history, he’s done a great job of drafting guys low, bringing in free agents and just bringing in guys that make plays. I’m not saying I’m a playmaker but if you look at a guy like Lorenzo Alexander, all he needs is opportunity. He’s proved that. He’s played just about every position in the NFL and he’s still on the team. That just goes to show we have ball players on this team. Look at Alfred Morris, he was playing fullback in OTA’s but now he’s the star running back and probably third-leading rusher in the NFL. I don’t know [where he’s ranked] after the games today. He’s a great player, man, and like I said, Coach Shanahan just does a great job at finding talent.”
Linebacker London Fletcher
On the key to the early stops in the red zone:
“Just playing good red zone defense. We talked about making it so they can’t kick field goals. [Running back Adrian] Peterson had a big run on their first drive but we were able to hold them to a field goal. Especially in our first three possessions, that was huge because if you think about it, we ended up going into halftime I think up 10-9 or whatever the score was. Those were big stops and we got them.”
On the momentum change in the second quarter:
“The game was such a blur. I can’t even remember what happened in the second quarter. But I think we tackled better, were able to get them in some third down situations. I think at one point they were 0-for-5 after that initial third-down conversion where they quick-snapped on us. We were trying to come up with a blitz and they snapped the ball quickly. We weren’t able to get on them. In our pressure there, we knew what their game plan was as far as going quick snap on third down so we had to switch up the people over there. [Linebacker] Lorenzo [Alexander] was able to come over there and they fumbled... I don’t know what they ended up crediting, but I think [linebacker Ryan] Kerrigan had some good pressure on the end. We’ve just got to make sure what we’re doing.”
On Alexander’s speed:
“He made some great plays for us. He’s a very explosive player, losing that weight, getting down to whatever he is right now in the 240s, and he’s still a strong player with pass rush ability… He’s able to get penetration, chase [quarterback Christian] Ponder down. He’s a one-man gang. I call him 'Jeezy O.M.G.’”
On generating pressure:
“Thinking back to last week’s game, we went to more three-man rush. We wanted to play more coverage, draw eight back in coverage when we were facing Atlanta because they had so many weapons in the passing game. When you think about it, they had Roddy White, Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez. Those guys are going to be a handful to deal with in the passing game so we decided to rush just three-man coverage, three-man and draw eight in coverage. But this week, we decided we weren’t going to do that, go with some more four-man pressures, maybe five-man pressure, things like that, six [or] seven-man. We came with some six-man pressures, things like that, to try to mix it up as far as what we were doing. We weren’t going to sit back on coverage this week.”
On quarterback Robert Griffin III’s run:
“It was the game because if you think about it at that point in time, I think we were up five points, third down, still three minutes left on the clock, or three-plus minutes, and a lot of time left to have timeouts. I had a great view of everything watching the play develop. When I saw the lane part and he was able to get past that first initial tackle and then a sideline guy tried to get him, and then from there, it was just like, 'Wow.’ I’m watching him run down the sidelines. It’s really just like he was in a 400-meter run, just as relaxed as you can be. You saw his long stride, really just like, 'Wow.’”
On if he thought Griffin III would run out of bounds or slide:
“No. The thing about that with him, with a guy that has the ability to make plays, you have to just allow him to trust his instincts on when he can make a play, when he can make a gap and things like that. Right there he knew he had an angle on the guy and it was just an opportunity to make a play. It was a huge play. It was the difference in the ball game.”
On if Griffin III’s energy is contagious:
“One of the great things about youth is that you don’t know. He doesn’t realize how hard it is to win in this league. He’s just been phenomenal in what he’s done. Nothing’s been too big for him. Really, he’s just going out there really having fun. I wish I could have as much fun as he does playing the game because he’s really just going out there carefree, just making plays like he’s just out of high school and it’s how college might be. It’s great to watch.”
On the defense from a statistical viewpoint:
“I’ve been put into a situation like this. I’ve been on top-ranked defenses a couple times when I finished down with Buffalo, a No. 2 ranked defense twice and made the playoffs. Since I’ve been here, we had a couple top 10. I think two or three defenses that were ranked top 10. I think only one time we made the playoffs. Our highest rated defense was No. 4, but never made the playoffs. So I think statistics you can look a lot into but at the end of the day, what really matters is winning and losing. You find ways to win. We gave up a lot of yardage today but if you really look at that game, there wasn’t a situation where we didn’t put in [our all]. We played some great defense today. Last drive we kind of got to soft-type defenses, giving up some short catches, things like that to eat at the clock, things like that. They end up with more yards but our interest in it this week was stopping runs and I thought we did that. We played some good red zone defense and we got takeaways.”
On losing key players early in the season:
“In the NFL, injuries are going to happen. You have to be ready, whoever the next guy is. You’re one play away, two plays away. Know where you are in the depth chart. I think one of the great things is the management, front office, they’ve done a great job of adding depth to our roster. In the past, I don’t think we were good at withstanding those injuries, losing [Brian] Orakpo and [Adam] Carriker, and some of the other guys we lose. Especially thinking about Pierre [Garçon] not playing today, we’ve added depth to the wide receiver position. I think that’s great seeing the young talent we have on this football team. The guys are stepping in, playing the roles when given the opportunity.”
On safety Madieu Williams’ interception return for touchdown:
“I’ve got a couple touchdowns in my career. I don’t know if he’s as good as I am, but anytime you get into the end zone, that’s great. What happened, we were showing a pressure, dropped back into a zone defense. We did a great job of taking away Ponder’s different reads. The last time, I think the pass rusher was able to get to him which forced him to step up and throw the ball off target. Madieu was standing there. He caught the ball and we had some great blocking and he got into the end zone.”
On winning at home:
“I think it’s huge. Our fans deserve it. We’ve played some good defense and good games, but we haven’t played for 60 minutes. We’ve given up some wins in the fourth quarter of games, especially late. Today we finished the game… It’s huge. It’s good to finally win at home. What we want to create is an environment when teams come in here and they know it’s going to be a long day. I still would like the crowd to be louder. I think teams can get comfortable with the crowd. I would like our stadium to be even more hyped up. When you come in here, let’s be loud. Let’s get some false starts on the opponent’s offense. From that standpoint, I would like our fans to be louder, especially on third down situations. When we go on the road, that’s what happens. Be louder, fans, and we’ll play better. I want them as loud as they were when Robert scored that touchdown. That’s how I want our fans to be.”
On if the team has the right mixture of youth and experience to get through the next few games:
“Yes, I think so. Coach [Mike] Shanahan is always talking about character. That’s one of the big things he really emphasizes, just getting the right character guys in here. Sometime that word can be really talked about but no one really understands what he means by it. It’s just about having guys who do things the right way, who are professional, who are not concerned about a lot of other things like who should get credit, things like that. Again, I think it’s a great mix of young talent. I’m one of the old guys. I guess probably the oldest on the team. Being around these young guys, they keep me enthused, keep me excited about the game. Right now, I’m just trying to impart as much to them if I can. If I look at a guy like Perry [Riley], I’m trying to give him as much information as possible so eventually he’ll be able to make that next step as a player, like the other guys. I think we do have a great balance.”