All that's important, it really is, but again I think the most important thing is we're in the playoffs. We've got a [bye] week and we're most certainly going to look forward to that. Our bigger objective is to win in the playoffs. If it means because of some certain situations that we sacrifice those things, well then so be it. |
Anytime you don't play well, you wonder if something is wrong. But at the same time, you also have to say, 'We've played well eight weeks in a row.' Every now and then, you're going to have a letdown. You just can't let it become a big thing. We tried to make sure guys understood those things do happen and that we needed them back, needed a great effort, and that's exactly what they gave. |
As we said all the way through training camp: We felt we were a good team. We felt we were on the rise. ... We talked about where we felt we could be as a defense ? being in the top 10, being in the top five, being No. 1, finishing No. 1. The ultimate prize has always been the playoffs and getting to the Super Bowl. |
Basically, you doubled him with a corner and safety and played your other nine against their other 10. |
Brandon came in and did an excellent job for us. Anytime you can have a rookie come in and make that contribution, you're very pleased with the effort. Leon Joe was exceptional. He made some mistakes, but he made up for it because he played hard and he played fast. |
Chris is playing very well. It was good to have him back there. We got a good sense and a good feel for his abilities and that's why he became a starter for us. Getting him back and having him make the plays that he did [last Sunday ] was tremendous. He is an impact player. |
Following in a long line of teammates who have made an instant impact upon their arrival as a rookie, Chris surpassed everyone's expectations but his own. |
From what I've gathered, linebacker is the deepest position. There are going to be a couple of diamonds you can find in the third, fourth and fifth rounds. |
Guys are going to miss tackles and maybe it isn't just one individual as much as just the complete effort. You've got to make sure you've got all 11 guys running to the football, so if somebody does miss a tackle the guy doesn't gain the extra yards afterwards. |
Guys weren't in their gaps because they were trying to do more than they needed to or they flat-out got cut off, and that can't happen. It doesn't matter who the running back is, it doesn't matter who the offensive line is, you just can't give up the yardage in key situations. |
He had time to throw. Some of their play-action bought them good time. We were geared up to stop the run, which we did do a pretty fair job of. |
He's a young man who will come in and spot our other two guys in pass-rush situations. He is athletic and comes off the end very hard, has speed and quickness, was productive, played in a big-time program, so he is used to this kind of football. We think he is going to fit us very well and give us flexibility. |
He's not the most spectacular player on the field. He's just very dependable. He knows the game so well. He does everything he's supposed to do and a few things you don't count on him to do. |
He's very savvy. He knows how to play the game. |
I don't know if that's the result or the reasoning, but I do know that when you've got your veteran players out there there's a little more sense of comfort in terms of just knowing that they're capable of doing some good things for you. |