What happened offensively last time when you got the ball?
We had a tough time protecting the passer today. We just didn't do well enough in that phase to give us a chance in overtime.
How do you think your defense played today?
I thought we had a lot of good stretches in the game. I thought the two big passes were a big story in the game. And then those two third down penalties I thought were a big story in the game. But I thought we did a good job on the back. I thought we pressured the quarterback and I thought we were connected in pass coverage outside of those two big passes.
Why do you feel like your guys are continuing to give up explosive plays in the passing game?
Yeah, our guys just have to respect the deep part of the field. We're moving the hard downs around, but our guys got a winning pass coverage and they got to respect the deep part of the field and they got to know who on the other team can get there.
That's a message you've been giving to this team since the day you arrived. Why is that message not getting through?
Well, it's going to it's going to get there. It's there every single day. And our secondary, we got full belief in and those guys, everybody that plays for us in the back seven. It's early in the season and we're going to keep getting better.
Was the unnecessary roughness just a play that should not have been made?
It's just a bang-bang play. It's a slant, he's coming, he read it beautifully. Those bang-bang plays where he's making a break and then the receiver lowers, you got a low target. Those are, those are tough players on these players in the NFL. No harm for Derwin (James) on that.
Were the two roughing the passer penalties, one on Bash (Sebastian Joseph-Day) and on one Kenneth (Murray Jr) just bad decisions?
Yeah, they were costly plays for us. Bash (Sebastian Joeseph-Day), in that sequence we had gave up two third-down penalties on that drive, which turned into points. If those don't happen, then we're off the field and we feel a lot different about our day.
Two for 14 on third down offensively. Do you attribute that to what you're saying earlier about pass protection or are there more issues there?
Yeah, it really started with their front. Their front is really good, tough to block and we just didn't do a good enough job for that.
How did you feel about the way Joey (Bosa) played?
Two sacks, I thought he played aggressively. I'm glad he was out there. It says a lot about him, that he wanted to be out there, and we definitely have to build that off that. I thought we rushed the passer well today and I thought he was a big reason why.
Do attribute the struggles running the ball to Tennessee?
Yeah, they've got a very good front, a good front seven. We tried to stay patient with the run, but we just weren't able to get any of the splitters today.
You're aware of the percentages when you start 0-2 or at least lose back-to-back games. What's your message to the team as far as what's left ahead of you?
Yeah, we have 15 games ahead of us. We lost two really tough games right there at the end, an overtime game and one that may as well have been an overtime game. So, we're doing a lot of good things out there. The mistakes that we made out there, we can correct all of them. We've got a really good group in all three phases, and we just have to connect and really put together a complete performance.
How did you get this team to believe in what you're trying to do?
We've got guys who are finishers. We've got a quarterback who's as good as anybody in the NFL. A guy who's brought us back time and time again since I've been here and throughout his entire football playing career. I think defensively we've got a lot of closers. We just got to do it together as a team and we've had the tough side of it here. But this group is capable of that. It's a group that is connected and we're going to find our way and this group is going to show what it's made of.
Do you think the Jacksonville loss carried over?
I'm not worried about the Jacksonville loss. The Jacksonville loss hasn't carried onto the season whatsoever. If you've seen our training camp, or you've seen the way we've played in the first two games, it hasn't had an impact on our team whatsoever. Our team is connected. Our team has played our hearts out two games and we've lost two tough games. That has nothing to do with the Jacksonville game. And if you ask anyone in our locker room, it has nothing to do with the Jacksonville game and that's just the truth. It's a convenient storyline for you and for everybody else, but it's not the truth. We've lost two tough games, but the guys in that locker room, the men in that locker room, they are finishers, and they have what it takes, and we're excited to prove ourselves.
What is the mood of the locker room right now?
We just lost a game in overtime, so how do you think the mood is? How do you think the mood is? How do you think it is? It's tough. It's tough. It's a tough, tough group and there's a lot of pride in that room. We put a lot into this, and we got a good football team. And so, we've lost two tough games. We got to bounce back, learn from our mistakes and be ready for Minnesota.
