TITANS at RAVENS
Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020
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(on if this type of win can shift momentum for the rest of the season)
"We talked about it all week, [the AFC] is packed in there, and we are going to have to start doing things that will break us away from the pack. Today was a great step, it was a great team win. I am proud to be these guys' coach, and thankful as we approach Thanksgiving. Thankful to be their football coach."
(on his view of the game winning touchdown run)
"I think that is a great analogy. You could just kind of tell, as that game went into the fourth quarter, I think we were wearing on them offensively. It was tough sledding there early. Give them a lot of credit; that is a really good football team, great players, well coached. You could just tell, going down there in the fourth quarter, the way we scored, and getting the ball in overtime after we forced the three and out – a lot of credit to our guys. You could just tell [the Ravens] body language on the sideline and also on the field, I felt like we were going to be able to break through. I didn't know it was going to look like that. Bottled up on the front side and everybody stayed on their guy and finished, and [Derrick Henry] was able to cut back."
(on the emotion of the game)
"It is a violent game. It is a physical game. It is an emotional game. I hope we play with emotion and I hope we do things that help our team, and not do things that hurt our team."
(on the importance of the Titans' defensive red zone performance)
"Huge. I mean, huge. We just kept chipping away at it. Got off to a great start and give them a lot of credit. That is a tough offense to gameplan for, to prepare for. I thought we executed the keys. We could always be better on third down, but when you can make them kick field goals in the red zone, you have a chance. Certainly, coming up with the big stops when we did was key."
(on his emotion during WR A.J. Brown's touchdown)
"You know, just the play strength that he has. Just the ability to catch the ball, and he is tough to tackle. I know there is a lot that he wants to work on and continue to improve, and he puts a lot of expectations on himself, but I thought that him and Corey [Davis] played physical against some really good corners. That is an excellent defense. I thought the effort from everybody was outstanding. Certainly, of AJ [Brown] on that play. He was down, it went from, 'Are we going to kick a field goal?' To, 'OK, maybe we are close enough to go for it.' To, 'What's going to be our goal line play to going for two?' That was a lot of emotions going through my mind as he was running."
(on the resilience of the Titans despite injuries)
"I think guys are ready for their opportunity. They are excited to play. I think Aaron Brewer was excited to play. I think Amani Hooker and Josh Kalu [were excited], and nobody is more into it than David Quessenberry. I know Will Compton was excited to play, and made some plays, and made some tackles. It is really difficult to go all week with a group of guys that are practicing a gameplan, especially with one that is as specific as it was this week. Having guys go down, and having guys step up to be able to execute that without having to change everything, just a lot of credit to our players – those of them that stepped in and executed. Logan Woodside helped us win the game. Nick [Westbrook-Ikhine], you know, there with the fake punt. We need to clean up some things obviously, but we are going to enjoy this for the next few minutes."
(on the postgame interaction)
"I went to celebrate with Derrick [Henry] and congratulate him, and then I ran back and shook [John Harbaugh's] hand. I asked what the issue was before the game and he said there wasn't an issue. So, I wanted to celebrate with my football team." (Reporter: "Did he decline to shake hands?") "No. Absolutely not. No. I have a lot of respect for John [Harbaugh] and we shook hands. But again, I wanted to sprint down there to be excited with the team, and then I sprinted back to midfield."
(on how the Titans can develop consistency)
"Practice. Continue to study, focus. We will just have to get ready for another opponent that we didn't play very well against just a few days ago. That is the key each and every week. Win or lose, try to find ways to improve and move onto the next opponent. That is going to be a critical division game here on the road again, after Thanksgiving, and all of those other things that could somehow be a distraction."
(on QB Ryan Tannehill's toughness)
"Can't say enough about it. It wasn't perfect, know there were some throws he would like to have back, some blocks that the linemen would like to have back. We want to keep him clean, but he stands in there and delivers the football, doesn't flinch, and I love that he is our quarterback and I get to go to work with him every day."
(on the Titans complimentary performance on both sides of the ball in overtime)
"I mean that is how you draw it up. You want [Kevin Byard] to probably win the toss, go down there and score a touchdown, but that didn't happen. We went out, played defense. I thought we had a good call in there, good execution – great execution. Then to be able to go down and score, that is a great example. We need to continue to show the players that. If we do that enough, force them to punt backed up, we are going to win a lot of football games. We have to take care of the football, but I think that we were OK except for the one when Ryan [Tannehill] didn't see the guy."
(on the decision to start C Aaron Brewer and his performance)
"You know, I can tell you without watching the film that he competed his tail off. He competed because I know that, that is why he was in there. I thought he earned the right to be out there. We wanted to take a look at him. Jamil [Douglas] is a guy that we have a lot of confidence in. We just didn't know where Ben [Jones] was going to be in his efforts. There are so many guys that are battling through, that I would hate to start sitting here and naming them by name. There are a lot of guys who are playing far less than 100%. I am so proud to coach them and watch them compete. But [Aaron] Brewer, I thought he earned the right. He loves football, he competes. He is tough, and I knew he was going to fight in there for me."
(on his decision to go for a field goal down 21-13 in the fourth quarter)
"I don't know, if you didn't like the decision, just write you didn't like the decision. It worked out, it's a good call. If it didn't work out, it's a bad call. To be honest, I hate to say that. With it being eight [points] and knowing we may be able to get it to off schedule with not having to score and have a two-point conversion. The fourth-and-2 probably played a little something into it, but just felt like the way that our defense had been playing, and the fact that we could get it down there to where we could score and have the lead, kind of play out like it did, was really the reason. You know and I know that all of those decisions always come down to execution. The decision to fake the punt was only a good decision because Logan [Woodside] and the punt team and Nick [Westbrook-Ikhine] made it a good decision, and that is how this thing goes."
(on if today's game re-established the Titans' grit)
"I think so. I hope so. I know the players believe that and can see that transpire out there, where it's not pretty and where a lot of times guys can start complaining about the defense and offense. Like, 'Hey, we need to get more points, or have longer drives.' Never once did that happen. We stuck in there and guys fought. The defense came through, and when the offense had to, they were able to finish the game off strong in the fourth quarter and overtime."
