Really fun win. Really proud of our guys. As enjoyable of a win as I think we've had this year from the standpoint of the first half going the way it did, not meeting the standard, having to navigate some stuff in there. And then the second half, the way our guys responded, and it took all three phases. Complementary football at its finest. All three phases contributed really well in that second half. Had some big-time plays by some big-time players.
Were there some adjustments you made at halftime to come out be dominant?
Our guys just played well. I don't think halftime you have some big Knute Rockne speech or some new offense or defense. Guys started playing really, really well and I thought handled the second half at a really high level.
What do you think of Shough?
Tyler, just an awesome, awesome game. The composure, navigating stuff early. Big play after big play. He's obviously having a special season. I know he doesn't start the season as the starter, but just the way he's handled himself through this whole journey, I think really, really special. I think, obviously, the on the field speaks for itself.
What do moments like that, where basically you guys get into shootout, what do you learn about him in that situation?
Yeah. I think it's just resiliency, his ability to handle each and every play. That's a really good quarterback on the other side. Cam (Ward) is going to be a really good player in this league. I think what everyone just watched was two quarterbacks that will probably be big-time quarterbacks in our league for a long time. We're fortunate to have Tyler (Shough). Cam is going to do a great job here in Tennessee as they build this thing. I thought it was a fun game.
What got you guys -- the first half, Cam Ward was kind of was in and out (of the pocket) every play, what changed?
Again, I think just execution, rush plan, playing together, back end playing really clean. He's a really good player so he's going to make some plays. You saw those show up in the game, his extended plays. It's a really special attribute of his. He makes big-time plays because of it, so you've got to keep going. You've got to keep going. He's going to make plays. You have to keep on going.
Seems like there was some heavy personnel to slow down the run. Was that complicating the pass rush when he was able to extend?
They ran the football really well the last two weeks. They've got two really, really good running backs. Those two are really, really good players. It certainly was something he had to start with. We had to start with the run game, do our best controlling that.
Would you like to make a case for Tyler winning Rookie of the Year?
I think Tyler's just had an exceptional year. His composure, his growth. Really, really special season. For him to navigate this and the momentum, I think, we're carrying as we've gone through this journey together is really, really special. I think we've got an awesome team around him, building it the right way. Tyler is doing special stuff.
We've asked a few times about him being an elevator of everybody around him, did you really see that on a day like today?
I thought he made some big-time plays. So start credit with him. I thought other guys stepped up, (Audric) Estime with 98 yards of total offense, making some plays in the run game, a pass game play. Kevin Austin getting a touchdown pass. He had some stuff with the penalty and stuff he had to fight through. I thought it was awesome on offense. On defense, we have some guys. Chase (Young) and Cam (Jordan) just kept rushing. Demario's (Davis) got six tackles. He's at 137 (tackles on the season)now, career high, year 14. I know he wasn't in the Pro Bowl, but he's a Pro Bowl linebacker each and every year. He's just a really special player. So, we had a bunch of guys make plays.
Was he (Demario Davis) doing something at the end of the game?
Yeah, he had something come up and so those other guys rolled the rest of the way.
Is that a challenge since he's the MIKE?
Yeah, the communication had to adjust there. We did bang a timeout to settle everything down, make sure everyone was good to go after one play, once we made the transition.
Was it just because it was so late in the game he didn't go in the injury tent?
Yeah.
Do you know what he's dealing with?
Just a calf thing that came up.
And what did you think of Estime? What got him going?
Just the physicality of the run game. He's just a physical, physical runner. The play that he scores and has a big run, by no means is that the design or the intent of the play. We have issues we've got to clean up. His physicality showed up. It was really special.
With Kevin Austin, what did you see from him?
Kevin (Austin Jr.), I thought, made some plays. Obviously, big-time catch in the red zone really against not ideal leverage across his face on the DB and wind on the out breaker. He made some plays. Dante (Pettis) made some plays. Unfortunate fumble on the big-time play by him. Obviously, guys will have to step up, and they have.
You use the word resilience a lot. Was it just kind of an example of things didn't go well through a lot of the game?
Yeah, that's the beauty of this game. I feel as happy about this one as all of them just because of the standpoint of not the standard met in the first half. Chase (Young) makes a big-time play to score. Other than that, we're not playing to our standard. Everyone kept going, kept going. Then felt like we were making plays as the game progressed.
Did Chase's play spark something in your guys, to have that play in that moment?
Those are big spark plays. Special teams and defensive plays like that, when you score in those phases, it's big time. It gives you a chance. It felt like it at least kept the game tangible and within reach there just with that play.
Charlie? What did you think of his game?
I thought Charlie (Smyth) did really a good job. There was wind with this game, some different elements he had to navigate. Two really big kicks, long kicks. He had good stuff in there.
Did flipping to the other side of the field help him?
I don't think so, but there was obviously some wind he had to navigate.
Chris with over 100 catches. What does it say about him that he keeps seeming to get better?
Just keeps taking advantage of opportunities and has done a nice job. Big-time touchdown. We needed that to come out the second half. He made a really big-time play there to have 8 catches, 119 yards, a touchdown. He's got 100 catches now this year. He's made some big-time plays.
I know he was dealing with a back injury, was that ever really in question?
Obviously, we're toward the tail of the season, and these guys are battling. That's what I appreciate and respect so much. All these guys are sore. They're tired. They've gone through a lot physically. These weeks, they have to put a lot of time into their bodies just to get them ready on Sundays. Certainly, Chris (Olave) is going through that. A lot of our guys are going through that. For them to be ready to roll, credit to them.
You mentioned Cam Ward. What goes through your mind when you see the opposing quarterback spinning out like that or holding the ball for five seconds and still able to make plays?
There are special quarterbacks in this league that are going to make plays. He's going to be one of them in this league. Obviously, everyone saw what he did at Miami and throughout his college career. He's a really, really good player. He was the first pick in the draft for a reason. He'll do a lot of positive things for the organization, building it up.
Grateful for the replay assist on that fourth-and-10?
Yeah, replay assist. Obviously, we'd have challenged it if we had to based off the evidence that we had, but it obviously worked in our favor.
Juwan (Johnson), caught 20 of 21 targets. Have you seen him improve from a security perspective?
I think he's doing an excellent job being friendly to the quarterback, finding voids in the middle of the field. A couple designed, a couple off-schedule plays today that he was able to make some plays. He's made some extended plays after that. The catch and run, the ball security, he's doing it the right way.
You're technically eliminated from the NFC South, but you would only be a game back (with a win next week). From what you were at the end of the season to be right where you are, what have you made of your guys' progress
Yeah. I think it comes down to people. We have a really special group. They do it the right way. They're so connected. These guys are battling such at a high level and competing for each other, and I think it's really special.
