HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK
(on explanation of today's performance)
They're, obviously, it's clear they're better than us in every category that you can bring up. Other than once we got out of that first quarter when we blew opportunities, the defense made a couple of stops and the first few times we got the ball, which is exactly what we hoped for, we got good field position and we couldn't make a play on offense. And from then on to me after that, we just weren't very competitive after that. And they started making plays and we didn't and then it just got ugly.
And so, we talked to them at halftime and we hoped to come out at halftime and get more competitive and get more in the game and we didn't. The offense went out two three and outs, and a quick three and out. The defense let them go 90 yards.
We got a lot to fix. Obviously, we are not happy at all with what product we put on the field today. It's on all of us-coaches, players. That's not us. That can't be us and we got to improve.
(on if he plans to re-evaluate the running back position)
I think when you lose like that you should re-evaluate everything. You can't let it shake to where that you change everything that you are doing because of one game because you have to believe in what you do. But you have to have guys take ownership of what they do and you can't go out there and act like you don't know what you are doing at times or not making plays and let them take you out of your assignments. So running game, yeah that's a big concern. Stopping the run was a big concern today. Stopping them down in the red zone was big problem today.
I mean every area, they consistently beat us in every phase of the game today. And so, yes we talked about this. You can't win football games when you run for 30 or 40 yards a game. So I mean we know that. We are not happy about that. We are not happy about anything you saw today. I wish I could stand here and say there is something magical that we can do to fix it. Hard work is the only way to fix it. And it's up to the players to fix it.
(on if players were flat or not ready to play today)
No, to me I have always said that is a statement I hope I never have to make. For players not to be ready, that is strictly on us as coaches that they weren't ready to play. They were ready to play. The Texans did on offense and defense what we thought they would do on those phases of the game. They were just better than us in a big way today.
And so why we played the way we played similar to what we talked about in Pittsburgh. What happened in the first half of that game that got us out of the game. We had better figure it out. You can't play like this and beat anybody. But again, you can't get over the top and panicking over one loss. I know it is back-to-back now with a bye week in between, but we come in tomorrow and do our thing. It's hard to judge everything, but this is probably a game that is not as hard because we didn't play well in any phase or really like I said once you got past that first quarter there weren't a lot of good things we did as a football team. We as a staff, myself, it starts with me, the staff, we have to make sure we are more competitive than we looked in the second half.
(on running game struggles in five of six games)
Like I said, the run game is definitely there. There are only so many things you can do to change it. Believe me, we have been trying things to change it as far plays you are running. I mean I can show you the same plays and show you him (Chris Johnson) having a 2,000 yard season, running for 200 yards (in a game) with similar football plays, with similar things.
It's just a matter of we are not playing very well, we are not running the ball very well. It's not just Chris I am even saying. I wish I could say that we figured out why it is not working today. We are just not playing well. That's why it is not working. That is as simple as it can be. We are not playing well up front, the fullback, maybe the whole group of offense we are not blocking plays very well and that's why the running game is not doing very well.
(on Texans time of possession causing frustration not getting his offense back on the field)
We were frustrated the whole day. That was a part of it. Because when we had a small glimmer, we got that one touchdown. The defense didn't make a stop (then), we had the turnover on offense. So, we just didn't play well.
In the beginning like I said, the defense did what we hoped. We got off the field the first couple of times like we exactly hoped to do. We kicked off, we stopped them. We got the ball back twice I think in good field position and did nothing with it. And that to me for some reason when you do that, like we did at Pittsburgh last week, we somehow, the game went sideways both weeks. I don't know why that is. That shouldn't happen. I know I could say it is, well, we are a young team and we haven't been together long. All those things are facts, but there is no excuse for playing as poorly as we did today.
(on defense's miscues)
All the above, we missed tackles, we missed assignments, we cut guys. When you play this team and everyone knows it, when you a play a team when they start running the ball well, they make big plays off the boot action that ties into your run game.
Well, when they start having success running it that creates a problem with guys coming off receivers, eligible receivers, tight ends you saw them make some big plays on us. The running back made a big play on the throwback. The tight end made a big play on us in that first half that got to their two scores. They made some big plays and when we did, we had a penalty on the big play we make. We had a drop on a big shot we had. So, we had three opportunities in the first half and we didn't make any of those plays.
They made all of theirs. That's where the difference is in a good team and a team that is struggling. And so now we are in the struggling category because when we had an opportunity in that first quarter, early in the second quarter, we didn't make any of them. When they had a chance to make their big plays, they made them. And all of sudden you're down 20 to nothing. From there, we just didn't recover in the second half.
QB MATT HASSELBECK
(on the offensive rhythm)
I think misfiring is a good way to say it. We had some plays called back because of penalties and we had opportunities, but we just misfired and we didn't convert on third down. I really thought that was a big deal today. Third down was pretty atrocious for us and the score got out of hand at one point and then our game plan really didn't fit the score being down by, whatever it was, 24 or 20. So that made it tough to scratch that and we went into a two-minute deal. It's perplexing. It doesn't make any sense right now because I thought we were prepared, I thought we were ready to go and we just didn't play well.
(on the running game)
My back's to it, carrying out my fake, so I really don't know. I thought we had a really good Wednesday and a really good Thursday in terms of running the ball. We worked on first and second down runs on Wednesday and kind of reviewed that and hit some three-wide runs on Thursday and I would say I thought we had a good day with that. That was our plan to come in and run the ball. That was definitely a part of our plan. One play in particular we were trying to run 10 times, if possible, but it's just tough. I think when you come in at halftime and you've got nine runs for 16 yards, it doesn't give the play-caller a lot of confidence and also you're down by so much. So, I don't have a great solution for being down by 20 and trying to establish the run. We've got to do better in the first quarter and the second quarter, so we don't put ourselves in that situation.
(on the absence of WR Kenny Britt)
Well, we got into a kind of a tough situation when Damian (Williams) got hurt. I'm not sure how bad he was or whatever, so once that happened…we just, we have to do better, we got to be cleaner. When we practice, the ball should not hit the ground ever. It bothers me when we have incompletions in practice, so I just think, just looking at myself and what we can do better, we can practice better. We can be better at practice. When we're better at practice then we should be expected to play better, but if we don't have success in practice then I don't know why you would expect to have success on Sunday.
(on the identity of this team)
Well for years and years, the identity has been the running game out here. So, I think we've been so hoping that that would be it, but we just…every year is different and every team is different and so we started out we did things that our defense was playing great and we were great on third down offensively. If that can be your identity, that works, that's a recipe for success, that's a recipe to win the division, but that wasn't us today either. So, I don't know, we're working on that, we're trying to find ways to succeed and to win, and it would be nice if there were certain things that we could just count on. Hey, we can just count on being one of the best teams in the league on third down or we could just count on a passing game or something we could just count on. Today we just weren't ourselves in any area and we got shocked. We got shocked.
(on RB Javon Ringer's play warranting more runs)
Well I think the two-minute was a nice thing that we did, just getting that up-tempo, just spreading people out and putting the pressure on them, not letting them put the pressure on us. It's unfortunate that the reason we were in two-minute was because we were down by so much, but I think just being offensive on offense and just…I don't know. It's hard to sit up here and give you guys answers when I haven't seen the film because I know that when you watch the film we are going to see glaring errors, glaring mistakes, we're going to see exactly what happened, we're going to know how to fix it and hopefully we are able to fix it.
(on Texans' defensive plan being different due to struggles in the run game)
I didn't see anything today that they played us any different than what we had seen and prepared on film. They pretty much played like we though t they were going to play. The only time they changed at all was when they had an injury to their starting safety (Danieal) Manning and they played a softer cover two or two shell coverage for the rest of the day, but also they were up by so much. So, there was really no evidence of that.
RB CHRIS JOHNSON
(on the problems in the run game)
Basically, you have to look at, if you're watching the game and you really can't tell what's going on with the run game, then obviously you really don't know football. You just see what is going on.
(on the Texans dominating the time of possession and limiting offensive plays)
Coming in we knew that was a great offense. Basically, when they are out there and they are making plays, and we get the ball back, we have to sustain drives and make plays because any time you have your defense out there for those long drives and things like that, then they are going to continue to make plays. They made plays on offense and we're not making plays. They kept getting back out on the field and getting into a rhythm. It's hard to stop them when they get like that.
(on being confident that he is not the issue with the run game)
I won't say that I'm the issue. I'm very confident that I've been doing the things that I've been having to do. It's a situation where I continue to say that I can't do anything but keep running hard and working hard and doing what I can do for this team.
(on only getting 10 carries)
We only had seven points. We can't go out there and run the ball like that. It's just the opportunities that I do have to run the ball, I have to take advantage of and we have to execute those plays.
(on being able to rebound after this loss)
I think we are close. Every team comes in and stomps their foot and has games like this. It's just a situation where we can't let this situation keep lingering and keep causing us to lose more games. It's just a point where everybody has to look at themselves in the mirror and say they are not going to let the next man beat them. They have to overcome things and play at their top level.
(on the frustration of seeing Arian Foster have a successful day)
Of course, when you are on the sideline and you see the other team and the other guy that you know and that you compete with and that you are cool with and you see him busting runs and having the type of game that he had today and you not having it yourself, of course it gets frustrating. But, there are going to be times in his career where he is going to have bad games and I'm going to have good games. So, it's just a situation where we're going to have to keep working.
(on trying to continue to get back to mid-season form after missing camp)
I feel like I've been back. I feel like my conditioning and me missing camp, I can't say that that's the problem with the running game.
DE DAVE BALL
(on the loss)
It's very frustrating. It seems like no matter what we did we couldn't get things rolling and we couldn't get a stitch of momentum out there. I don't know. Whenever you get hounded on, it's not a good feeling. The frustration just built throughout the game, whenever we couldn't get a stop on any down. No one thing, but a lot of things.
(on getting to play Houston again, later in the season)
That's a long time in the future. We just have to get better tomorrow and I mean we're doing it in practice. Just have to carry it over mentally and technique-wise into the games.
S MICHAEL GRIFFIN
(on what caused the lopsided loss today)
I don't know what it is. As a defense we didn't step our game up. From there, all I can say is we got embarrassed. Embarrassed in our own back yard. That's the toughest part about this. Being embarrassed. We have a real bad taste in our mouth right now. We need to get this taste out of our mouths. No team is going to look at us as a team that won three games straight. We're a team right now, that is 0-2 against good teams.
(on what Titans can do to get better)
We want to win and we've got to turn this thing around. If we're going to win, we've got to turn this thing around. We can't win ball games the way we played today. It's self-explanatory after we watch the film. We need to stop the run, stop the pass and we can't give up 500 yards total offense. We can't give up a hundred yards to two different backs. It's embarrassing. If we walk around Nashville, we can't hold our heads up high right now, with that performance. You can't hold your head up. You can't walk out with a smile on your face.
RB JAVON RINGER
(on the loss)
This is a team. We lost as a team. I don't want to attack anybody, or blame anyone. It starts individually with all of us doing our jobs and coming together as a team. We didn't get that today. We did have a good week of practice. I thought we had a good game plan. Everything was going good leading up to today. I don't know. It just didn't work out, so clearly, something has to change. Nobody likes to lose like this. Nobody does. My personal opinion, I felt like we had a good game plan going in, from an offensive standpoint. And at practice watching our defense, I felt like they were looking good, flying to the ball and they had a good game plan. Everything was good. We just had to execute. Today wasn't our best day. We had some sparks, but it just didn't stay that way. We didn't turn that spark into a big flame. So now we just have to make sure we come tomorrow and see the mistakes that we made and come out next week, definitely with more enthusiasm and make more plays.
FB AHMARD HALL
(on the play of the Texans today against the Titans)
They definitely improved their team since the past. They've got one of the best running backs in the league, and they have one of the best offenses in the league, period, with Matt Schaub and their receivers. Their scheme allows them to do so much. Regardless of who is in there, Tate or Foster, they are running the ball.* *And as a defense, they showed up. Their secondary played hard and they always have a strong front seven, so we knew this was going to be a hard game coming in.
(on the loss to the Texans)
When you lose games like this, historically, and definitely something ought to change. I don't know what those are going to be but when something is broke you have to fix it. It was a failure of execution (that caused the loss today). It had nothing to do with the game plan. Our coaches put together a good game plan every week and we have to get out on the field and execute the plays. The coaches are not out there. It's all on the players. The coaches put together a game plan with what they see fit and what works against a particular team in previous weeks, and we just didn't get it done. We went out there and it was flat embarrassing.
(on what he feels happened to the Titans offense today)
When you get behind as an offense, you get taken out of your identity. We want to get out there and we want to run the ball and run play action off of that. Matt brought a great passing game to Tennessee. Basically what we want to come out and do, they take us out of it, when we get behind. We were down at halftime, we had to come back out and throw the ball every play, and that's not what we want to do. When you start having to do those things, not in your game plans, you are susceptible to turnovers and it can go all downhill from there. You saw that happen today, with us.
TEXANS HEAD COACH GARY KUBIAK**
* (on Danieal Manning's injury)*
We are evaluating it right now. It sounded like I just left camp. We are going to have to make some decisions in the next day or so. There is a chance though that he could still be back. I really don't know how to go into the injury with you. I don't have enough knowledge. I just know that there is still a chance that he could be back this year. It will be assessed over the course of the next 24 hours. It's his upper leg.
(on the most lopsided win in team's history)
We just played good. The game was battle. We talked about it last night. It was kind of back and forth early in the game. They had a field position advantage on us. One, I wanted to stay committed to the run today and we did. We kept plugging and we made some big, big plays in the play action game and then defensively we continued to play well. I think the difference was we were consistent as a team and running the ball was probably the biggest key.
(on coming into Tennessee and getting a win)
It's hard going on the road and that was a pretty big game and when you get a chance to win like that, to grasp it and play the way we played in the second half, it made me feel good. You lose another player along the way. We have been battling, lost a couple of tough games but we haven't let it get us down. I thought the coaches did a great job staying positive when you can start to get negative because you lose a couple of games because we have been playing very hard and today we had something to show for it.
(on the roll outs working)
It's always a part of what we do. They get better when we run the ball well. We boot pretty good if we're running the ball good. Today, we were running it good so made a couple of big plays with O. D. (Owen Daniels) in there. He made some tremendous plays. Actually Matt (Schaub) made a tremendous play also. Those things go hand and hand for us. If we do get going on the line of scrimmage, then we are able to do our boot and stuff. Today was one of those days. **
* (on the Arian Foster play working well)*
We just noticed we had run a couple of boot earlier in the game and they kind of left the back alone after we booted so we came back and made an adjustment on the sideline and called a throwback if you have the time to do it and Matt (Schaub) had some guys breathing down his neck and made a great play.
(on the start of the second half)
It was important because I think they got a first down and we stood up and stopped them. We went right down the field, stayed aggressive and really ran the ball well on that drive. Matt (Schaub)made a nice throw to O. D. (Owen Daniels) down there inside the 10 that set up the touchdown. We knew we had played a good first half and we had been talking and talking about putting four full quarters together and we were able to get that done today.
* (on first play of the 3rd quarter)*
We talked about it at halftime and I really liked the play. We got the ball on the eight-yard line and we talked a little bit and they said don't do it, but I said bull corn we are going to stay aggressive, we're going to get after it. That's what we talked about at halftime and our guys executed and we went on and the 92-yard drive to start the third quarter. That was very important **
* (on the plan against Chris Johnson )*
We have been playing the run pretty good all year. With him it is about containment, not getting the big plays on the flip pitches and those types of things. We tackled well today and when you are doing that they went to their throw game. They have been throwing the ball a great deal as a team and when we got them in that position we made some plays on them. We were on top of what we were doing today.
(on performance in the third quarter today )
Time of possession's been a problem for us in the third quarter so what that means is your defense has been on the field too much and your offense isn't out there enough bottom line but we have been in some pretty good positions in some games. Last week, I thought we actually played a pretty good third quarter until we gave up the big play right at the end and we're in a 13-14 ball game. I know ya'll ask all the time and I tell you , it's always something in the league. The thing you have got to do is stay focused on everything because the minute you have a problem in an area, whether it's redzone or third quarter, you put all your attention there then something is going to happen in another area. So just stay focused, you keep working every week, you keep your chin up and today we got some rewards out of that. **
* (on the performance of the Texans' offensive line)*
I don't think Matt (Schaub) went down today and we had two 100-yard rushers. We have got a good group. We struggled the last two weeks running the ball against the Raiders and Baltimore, who is very good against the run but I also think it was about commitment too. I thought Rico (Rick Dennison) did a great job of keeping us committed to the run game. I should say keeping me committed along the way too. It paid off from that standpoint.
TEXANS QB MATT SCHAUB
(on getting a big win in the AFC South)
It was a good win for us coming off a couple tough weeks. We were on the road against a very good divisional opponent. We executed really well today. Our guys up front played an outstanding game and our defense really did a great job getting some turnovers for us and getting off the field and giving us some field position.
(on being in first place)
It is big for us. To be 2-0 in the division at this point coming up on the half-way point, we have nine more games left, so there is nothing handed out just yet. We have got to get ready to play a Jacksonville team at our place, but it is a big step for this team.
(on the bootleg pass)
It is always a part of our arsenal. It is something we always do. Our guys are good at it because we've been effective in our run game. They have got to respect it. Our route combinations are what the coaches do drawing things up, really getting guys open for us. Then it opens up the run game and it opens more things down the field.
(on the bootleg play for Arian Foster)
We saw some things where we could sneak him out the back side. Teams usually don't account for the running backs when you have the boot play, so we were able to sneak Arian down the far sideline and then it was all him after the catch.
(on other options on the bootleg play)
Usually we have a tight end working across the field and then a receiver on the front side and we have routes working towards the direction I am going.
(on using tight end Owen Daniels)
We found some ways to get him in space and get him some mismatches. They were doing a good job at certain points of doubling him. Teams are obviously aware of where he is at this point with Andre (Johnson) not being in there. He is a go-to guy for us. There were some occasions where we got one-on-one coverage and we were able to take advantage of them.
(on the running game's big day)
It was special. It was something to watch to see those holes opening up and see what they were able to do in the open field. Guys were working. Our offensive line and tight ends on the line of scrimmage did an excellent job of getting to the second level and then our receivers, blocking. They always do a tremendous job with their effort down field to create those cut-back lanes and get those positive yards after you get to the second level as a running back.
(on not getting much pressure in the pocket)
It was a clean game from being in a pocket standpoint. The offensive line did a great job against their fronts and what they were doing. To be able to run the ball as effectively as we did, that definitely helps out from a quarterback standpoint. When we did throw it, we had guys getting open. I wasn't forced to hold the ball or try to find guys on third and fourth reads.
(on Foster catching the ball)
He is very good. He is always a guy we try to get in space. We saw that on the long touchdown down the sideline. Once he gets the ball in his hands, it is hard to bring him down. If you are in open space and it is one-on-one, he is going to win that battle nine of our 10 times. We like to get him the ball in open space.
(on the Texans being streaky)
Right now we just keep our head down, our blinders on and we just look to Jacksonville. We look to the next game, our next opponent. You can't look at the big picture. You can't listen. Good or bad, positive or negative, you can't listen to the outside hype and all this talk. You have got to come in to work and figure out how you are going to get your job done on Sunday.
(on being aggressive in the start of the second half)
On our first possession going down and establishing ourselves in the second half, that was big for us. There have been times in the past where you get out there and you go three and out or you get a first down and you have to punt. We were determined to take it down and get some points. To get a touchdown out of it really gave us a boost for the second half, the defensive and the offense, and some momentum shifted because they were coming out of the gates trying to find a way to get back in the game and we were able to go down and score. That is deflating.
TEXANS LB DeMECO RYANS
**(on today's game plan against the Titans)
We had a good outing today. Defensively we played solid. Offensively we moved the ball at will, and that's what our team is capable of doing. Now we just have to build off of this and go do this week in and week out.
(on how they were able to contain Chris Johnson)
It started up front with our guys up front setting the edge and not letting him get outside and out run us on the edge so it started with those guys. Connor (Barwin) and Brooks (Reed) did a good job bottling him up inside where guys were able to make plays on him.
(on how it feels to come into LP Field and get it done in a convincing fashion)
It's a great feeling for us. We're in first place, so it's a great feeling for us. We're all excited about this and we have a lot of ball left and we're just looking forward to building off of this.
TEXANS RB BEN TATE
**(on how it feels to be a part of the most lopsided win in Texans' history)
Wow, I didn't know that—it feels good. We worked hard all week and we said we were going to go out there and take it, and that's what we did.
(on what is different today that enabled them to play a full four quarters and not just two or three quarters)
I wouldn't say it was a difference, we just executed when we had to—we stayed in it. We knew it was a big game for us, it was for the division lead. It was a big game for us and we knew we had to go out there and get the 'W'.
(on being part of such a productive two-back backfield)
It feels great. Arian (Foster) did a good job today, the offensive line did a good job, so we were just running hard and trying to get it done.
**(on if he and Arian Foster push each other to get better)
Oh yeah, when I go out there and see him get a touchdown or break a run I start going nuts on the sideline because I want to do the same thing. When I get my chance I'm definitely trying to out do him.
**(on if he thinks he'll ever out do Arian Foster)
Yeah. Yeah man, I'm a competitor—if I was in a backfield with Barry Sanders I'm going to try and out do him.
TEXANS RB ARIAN FOSTER
(on if he has ever been as open as he was on his touchdown reception)
Yeah, but the ball doesn't usually come your way sometimes, when you're open like that. It was a good play call, we caught them in a good play and once I had the ball in my hands I just tried to make a play, make a guy miss—that's what we get paid to do and I did it.
(on if having a game where the running game is such a successful and focal part of the offense is the best way to help QB Matt Schaub recover from being injured)
Anytime that you can run the ball, especially in our offense, it opens up the passing game because a lot of what we do is predicated off of play-action—anytime that you can run the ball effectively it takes pressure off your quarterback. It lets him sit back in the pocket a little more and get a little more comfortable.
**(on if today is what the Texans should strive for in every game)
We do, but you don't ever want to cling onto one game or one week. The NFL is kind of like a soap opera, every week has big storylines and everybody tries to hang on to something that happened last week, but you have to go out and prove it every single day in practice and every single Sunday.
**(on if he is in regular-season mode now after missing training camp due to a hamstring injury)
Yeah, I was kind of joking with some of the guys in the locker room because I didn't go through training camp so I still don't feel like I'm in football shape. I mean I'm in good shape, but it's tough when you don't go through training camp—you don't get those reps, you don't get those days where you're out there sweating and woozy from fatigue. I think that's what you need as a football player and I'm just starting to get back to my football shape.
* (on Chris Johnson's struggles)*
Actually I do watch their offense. I'm a fan of the game and he's one of the better running backs in our league. He's going through a lot of what I went through except that I did have some football before, it's tough, and he's getting a lot of criticism right now. When you don't go through training camp you can run all day, but football shape is football shape and it takes a while. It wouldn't surprise me if he bounces back the rest of the season.
(on if six games into the season the excuse of not being in football shape after missing training camp and the preseason is over)
Yeah, but this is the NFL. I mean he had a 100-yard game the other week and everybody said he was back. He didn't do as well this week, and as I said the NFL is a soap opera, so now he's faltering again. This is the National Football League, when you're as talented as he is you have a target on your chest. Defenses game plan for you and it makes it tough. These are some of the best athletes in our country, so it's going to be tough treading out there—that's just the game that we play, but he's one of the better backs in our league.
**(on becoming the 32nd player in NFL history to have 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game)
I didn't know that, but it's an honor. It wasn't just me, it was a collective effort; our line did a great job, Matt (Schaub) was putting the ball on point. It's what you sign up for, when you get the ball in your hands you try to take advantage of the situation and make plays.
(on if today was a statement game)
You can't get caught up in all of that. We're not out trying to make statements; we're trying to win ball games and that's the main thing. We're going to go back to work this week and whatever happens happens, but I won't get caught up in this being a statement game, that's not what we're focused on.
**(on coming back from a hamstring injury)
The thing about a hamstring is you can't fight through it, you just have to let it heal. If you try to fight through it, it will come back and bite you. It's tough, hamstring injuries are tough, because as a football player you're taught to push through injuries, you're taught to play through pain, but that's a pain you can't play through because the more you push the worse it's going to get health wise. You just have to let it heal.
(on any sentimentality being back in Tennessee)
Absolutely, absolutely—every time the plane lands and you get that Tennessee smell, and if you went to (The University of) Tennessee like I did, you understand what I'm talking about, it's just very nostalgic the feeling of coming back here. It always feels like a second home. I gave four years to Tennessee and it was a fun experience. I became a man here, and it's a good feeling.
DE J.J. WATT
(on the feeling of the win)
It feels great. That was our goal coming into this week. We knew we had a chance to take first place and we came in here and did. The offense played great, defense played great, and special teams played great so it was just a great team performance and we need to keep it going forward.
(on containing Chris Johnson)
That was the goal. Obviously he is a great running back. He has the potential to do a lot of things. We just had to harness that potential and make sure he didn't use it. We had success doing that today and hopefully we can do it again in the future.
(on up and down wins)
I think today we showed how good we can be. Obviously when we put all three phases together we can be a very, very dominate football team. We just need to make sure we come with that every single week.
(on finishing the victory)
Obviously we want to finish our games. That is something that great teams do and we are trying to become a great team here. We have all the pieces and if we continue to finish games like we did today we will have success.
WR KEVIN WALTER
* (on the importance of the win)*
That is what we need to do. We needed to come in to this place and get a victory no matter if it was by 20 points, 30 points or one point. We did a good job of that. We have been harping all week that it was going to be tough to come in here to play. The difference between today and the last two weeks is that we executed, we ran the ball, we were physical today and got the job done.
(on more satisfaction beating a division opponent)
It is a division game so it definitely is more satisfying. A division, you win one it is like winning two games the way I look at it. It was huge. We are in first place in our division now and we have to go from here.
TE JOEL DRESSEN
(on what they did differently to play a complete game)
All week long we really emphasized finishing. We were finishing in practice. Go longer than the man you are blocking, go harder than the man that you are going against. We really emphasized that. I don't want to say we got away from it the last couple of weeks, but obviously the last couple of weeks were a huge disappointment. We saw some of the little details missing from our play and we kind of put that together today.
(on the satisfaction of beating a division opponent)
Anytime you win, on the road, against a division opponent, by what was it five touchdowns? It is a great feeling. We are going to enjoy it tomorrow and then just like we had to get over the disappointment we need to get over the win and go back to work on Wednesday.
