What are your initial thoughts about getting the win?
It's awesome. Great feeling getting the win coming off that against a divisional opponent. Ready to go home for Christmas.
What does a win mean personally for you and the team here today?
It's great. I mean, these guys have been fighting so hard week in, week out, all season. We just haven't gotten the results we wanted, but we feel like really these past couple of weeks and the tail end of the season we've put a lot of good efforts up, put a lot of good stuff on tape. Just have to find a way to finish games, and today that's what we did. Really all three phases, offense, defense, special teams making plays in and out of the game to make sure we came out with the win.
What was kind of the plan coming into today?
Yeah, just from film studying the past couple of weeks against those defenses that struggle with a lot of 11 personnel groupings. People were making plays and I felt like once we got our calls out there, we matched up well against them. We just needed to execute and find a way to get in the end zone.
Can you take me through the touchdown play with Brandin Cooks?
First look, second man. He gets one on one in the boundary. Whoever he's with, we ended up zoning out his side. The play was pretty much designed to sell like their running across the back of the end zone. I needed to just buy a little bit of time to scramble so they could adjust back to the other side and find a way to get open. I gave him a chance and he ended up making a great play getting his feet back down in the end zone and getting us the touchdown there.
To go for it this time in this game, what was the conversation there?
That was big, Lovie (Smith) going for it on fourth down, especially when we can stay on the field. Ices their defense, ices their offense. Making sure we're staying out there controlling the football, controlling the game. Confident in us, his players, to go out there and convert those fourth downs. Unfortunately we didn't get it, but in moments like that we want to stay on the field so we can keep the ball in our hands.
When the game got delayed, how did you manage your time?
Just kind of pushed back the pregame routine an hour. Stayed in the locker room, try to stay warm. It was pretty chilly this morning.
How did you handle the weather this morning?
Oh, nothing crazy. Pretty much the same. Just wore an overcoat over the suit today to try to stay warm. But I wasn't too cold. I know there was a couple games across the country that were a little colder than we had here to deal with. Stay warm and we were good to go.
Is this the coldest game you've ever played in?
Yes.
Did the weather affect you a lot?
I didn't think the cold weather really affected us too much. Field was a little slick, icy at times, but other than that, I don't think the cold weather affected too much. We were staying warm, I think once the wind picked up a little bit we noticed that. But other than that, we were good.
What's been your journey so far and what does today show about that?
I think what I was saying earlier just goes to show how much fight this team has. The record is what it is at this point, but we're coming and fighting for everything we can do, week in and week out to try to go out there and scratch our way to get some wins. We've been close the past couple weeks, got it today. I'm really excited for these next two games to close out the season. Our guys are ready, and we're excited to get back in front of our fans against Jacksonville.
What was the reactions to the final touchdown, anything on the sideline or takeaways from that?
Even keeled. Nothing crazy. There was still time in the game at that point. I had to wait to celebrate the clock said zero.
