QUARTERBACK JOE BURROW
You know obviously you're happy with the win, but can you just explain kind of the roller coaster of the game that was for you guys as a team?
Too many self-inflicted wounds, I had too many turnovers, we had too many penalties, but you know defense stepped up. Had some big turnovers for us and we got a good win.
Have you ever been a part of a game like that, I think there were 26 penalties, 10 turnovers between the two teams?
Eh it's tough to say if I ever have, I'm not sure. It was obviously a sloppy one.
The first touchdown, to Chase Brown, I think you had that thing for 10 seconds, what's going through your mind there as things are breaking down?
Just try to make a play, make guys miss. Chase (Brown) does a great job in those situations with getting open, understanding when's the right time to start moving and so that was a great play by him.
How long had you been talking to Sam (Hubbard) about the possibility of throwing him a touchdown pass? How'd that bubble up for you this week?
Yeah, we had been putting him in down there all year to hopefully get a good look for it. It was a great play by him.
You said you guys have been practicing it during the week, he was working on it, obviously it was a harder catch than it probably was in practice, how would you rate his receiving skills there?
Yeah, that was great, that was great. I'm sure he could have been a tight end if that's what he decided to do.
You didn't hesitate, looked like you were going-
Yeah, it was going to Sam (Hubbard).
Just that's what- you just wanted him to get it or you just-
Well, that was the play, we had other options, but you're calling it because you want Sam (Hubbard) to get a touchdown.
When you guys were at Ohio State, he was playing tight end, you were playing quarterback, how good a tight end was he?
Nah, I don't—that was before I got there. That was his true freshman year. I came in the year after, so I never saw him play that.
You tracked the ball down for him, were you watching for that once he spiked it your first thought was, 'I got to go get that ball?'
Yeah, I was trying to find it
I mean that's a big play, that's third-and-two, you're down 14-7, I mean that's arguably the game's turning point.
Yeah, that was a big play in the game. I had faith in Sam to go make that play, he's got good hands. And it's a play we've talked about. So, I think that was a four-down situation that's why we ended up going with that one. Felt good.
With Cody (Ford) down, how good of a job did Devin (Cochran) do and the rest of the offensive line given the situation?
Yeah, I thought Dev really stepped up big. You know he had a couple in the first two drives, and then after that he really settled in. I thought he played great.
On third down, in the first half you were seven-for-eight and two of your touchdown passes were on third downs, was it something that you guys felt comfortable that they were doing or was it just really good execution?
We just executed well in that half. I don't know how many times we had the ball in the second half. Two or three, but first half third-down execution was really good.
Speaking of Sam (Hubbard) obviously we don't know what the extent of his knee injury is, but can you just talk a little bit about what he's meant to you in your football career? I mean obviously everybody know you guys are really good friends off the field, but going back to your Ohio State days how influential has he been on you?
Yeah, I mean I stayed in Sam's dorm on one of my first visits to Ohio State. He's been part of my life for a long time. He's been a great friend and really a guy that you can look up to when you're young because he does things the right way, works really hard, he's about the right things and when you get into the league helps you with your process, all the off the field stuff that I do, a lot of it I got from Sam (Hubbard). And he's just a pros pro, has been for a long time, works really hard at it, plays great when he's in there. Just can't say enough good things about him.
Touchdown to Tee (Higgins), you didn't see it until you were flat on your back, I think Dev(in Cochran) said he kind of got caught on a stunt or something like that, but were you hung with it. Can you go through that play?
Yeah, we had a post outside and the field safety stepped down, so I knew I had a good look for Tee. The corner's playing outside leverage, and I knew if I just could hang in there for an extra second, I was gonna have Tee down the field. I threw it inside a little bit to keep him away from the corner and then he made a great play and showed his toughness with the safety coming over. Great play by him.
How was the view from down there?
I was just hoping it got there; I was just hoping it got there.
The broadcast camera caught you looked pretty irate talking to Zac (Taylor) after the last touchdown. What was the issue there?
I was just frustrated in the day that we had on offense. It was too sloppy, we had too many penalties, too many procedural penalties, I had too many turnovers. It was just a frustrating day on offense.
But it's a win and you guys have been able to string together a couple wins now and keep those hopes, faint as they are, alive to win in December, that still matters right?
Absolutely, we're not out of it yet. We got to play better than we did today going forward, but we need a lot of help from across the League. Teams beating teams that need to lose for us to get in, but as long as we keep controlling what we can control and keep winning, give ourselves a chance.
Joe, is that a meaningful carrot to dangle in front of yourselves, the fact that playoffs are still a remote possibility? I know you said earlier this week you weren't thinking about it.
Yeah, I mean it's always in the back of your mind until you're out of it. But we know the chances are very slim. What I'm focused on right now, is playing as good as we can play, myself playing up to my standard. That's why I was so frustrated, because I didn't feel like we did that today.
It was a little chaotic in the fourth quarter, but Chase Brown seemed to kind of settle things down for you. What he's done in the last month, I think four straight with 100-plus from scrimmage, I mean what has he meant to you?
He's been unbelievable, he really has. It's exciting to see him come along like that. He's going to play here for a long time, he's going to be a great player for us for a long time. That last drive the O-line came off on the ball, we ran it really well on that drive. He ran it really hard, that was a great way to finish it off.
You spent a decent amount of your time pregame talking with Brian (Challahan), good to see him?
Yeah, it was great to see him. He's meant a lot to me in my career. Great to see him get that opportunity. I know he's going to continue to put himself and them in a great position to go and win. When he gets that thing going, I have a lot of confidence in him.
A road win in the NFL is nothing to take for granted, back-to-back road wins I mean something to hang your hat on, you get two at home in a row now, can build on it a little bit?
Yeah, some nice wins back-to-back. We haven't felt that feeling a lot this year. So try not to take it for granted and enjoy them.
How's your knee feel?
Felt great!
