Opening Statement:
"Injury updates: Anthony Gould has got a knee, and that's all I got right now. Overall, obviously, huge to get a win at home – especially a division opponent – was big. I thought our guys did a great job defensively, holding them to 14 (points) and then offensively, scoring 38 points there. I thought JT (Jonathan Taylor) had a hell of a game, obviously the big runs there. Daniel (Jones) played awesome again. O-line protected well. The pass rush was getting there. I thought it was just a great team win."
How do you put into words what Jonathan Taylor is doing?
"It's impressive. It's hard to put into words, to be honest, because when you see the way he's running, the way the guys are blocking for him, I mean, it's special. It really is. And like I said, he's running hard. He's running physical. Even when things aren't clean in there, he's finding ways to get three, four (yards) and then the 80-yard touchdown run – he hit that thing down the sidelines, and to stay in bounds, it was as impressive as it gets."
*The way Jonathan Taylor sets up blocks in the middle of a play, is that something that only a few guys have? *"Yeah, I mean, it's rare, right? That's some of those things – it's the patience. I think it's kind of in your DNA a little bit, when he was a young player. Then as you get going, and you start to see it more and more and more, and you get comfortable with your o-line, and how they're setting up blocks and the communication and how it's coming together. It's good. It's real good."
You're busy on the sidelines, but did you hear the MVP chants for Jonathan Taylor?
"I did. Validated. Validated."
*Does it surprise you when Jonathan Taylor does this? Or do you see it so often that it's just like another…? *"I mean, I've seen it since I've been here, but just it's on another level this year, for sure. Just the way he's rolling and the o-line setting up the blocks and the tight ends and the receivers blockin on the perimeter for him. It's awesome."
What have you learned about Jonathan Taylor being around him every day versus having respect for him as an opponent?
"Yeah, I think he puts in the work. I think he's a guy that guys are always pulling for, always positive energy, positive juice, in that locker room and on the practice field. So, it's great."
How does what Daniel Jones can do for you guys as a quarterback help open things up for Jonathan Taylor?
"It opens up a whole bunch. I mean, we're able to have two, three calls in the huddle that he can get us to. And that's the preparation. Obviously, we put a lot on his plate. He made a ton of plays today checking at the line of scrimmage. And we have plays called that we talk throughout the week that already been like, 'Hey, if you get this and get a great look, get to this.' And he did it spectacular today."
*Can you describe Michael Pittman Jr.'s one-handed catch in the end zone and how well he played today? *"It was ridiculous, is what it was. Obviously, I think it was PI (pass interference) as well, too, and he made the play. It'll be great to go back and watch the tape. I'm sure you guys saw the TV copy already. We were looking for a specific look. They didn't play that specific look, but it was trust in Daniel (Jones) and trust in Pittman (Michael Pittman Jr.), just giving him a chance there to go make a play, and just a spectacular catch."
When it comes to that trust in Daniel Jones, on that third-and-long where he got that shot to Alec Pierce, what does it take for a quarterback to get that when you have the lead?
"Yeah, I think because he knows if it ain't there, he can check it down. And we can live for another down. And that's the preparation, that's the experience that he has. And obviously they gave us a one-on-one shot there, and went up, and Alec (Pierce) made a hell of a play."
Daniel Jones has had zero turnovers in six out of the eight games. How big a piece of the overall puzzle is that?
"It's huge. I mean, you take care of the football, and you get takeaways on defense, you're going to win a lot of football games. He's doing a great job doing that for us."
What does it say about the health of this offense that you haven't had a 100-yard receiver in a game yet this year?
"We were five yards away today. We were talking about on the sideline a little bit. It was like, 'Hey, you want that 100 yards?' And I was like, 'I don't want to put you back out there.' He (Michael Pittman Jr.) was great. He was great. He's like, 'I'm good.' And that was the selflessness, too, of him saying, 'I'm good. I'm good, coach, don't worry about it.' And so, I thought that was great."
I'm sure you're living in the moment right now week-to-week, but have you taken any time to appreciate the historic pace that this offense is on?
"I mean, you're kind of just taking it day by day, and you really don't have time to think about it. I mean, I think again, it's a credit to our guys, the way they're preparing each and every week. It's a credit to our coaching staff. Like I said, I just think Jim Bob (Cooter) does a phenomenal job with the offense week in and week out, getting those guys ready to go. It's top notch. And the detail that goes into it, from a preparation standpoint, that he does with those guys to get them ready to go, and then those guys going out and executing the plan has been phenomenal."
What are the emotions like when you're on such a heater like this to start the season?
"I think you just stay even keeled, to be honest. I think we understand we got a huge one coming up against Pittsburgh. It's going to be a hostile environment next Sunday. So, we've got to come in, go to work tomorrow. Get ready to roll for these guys. Put this game to bed and move on to Pittsburgh."
With so many games on the road coming up against big teams in the AFC, how important was it to get off to this 7-1 start?
"Yeah, you always want to start fast in this league. That's like every team. All 32 teams are trying to start fast and go win as many as you can. September, November – great. But I think the season starts in November, December. And so that's where it really starts to pick up. You've got to play at your very best starting in these next two months."
With the addition of Daniel Jones aside, what do you feel is the biggest year-to-year difference in this offense and the consistency and the way you guys have been rolling?
"Well, I think things take time. It's Year Three in the system for a lot of these guys, and they're starting to gel. And a lot of them been here playing together, a communication piece of it. And then obviously, adding Daniel (Jones) to the fold, and his experience and his knowledge of the game. Getting a tight end like Tyler Warren in the first round to help that part of the game. It's been great."
*With Jonathan Taylor's long run down your sideline, were you able to see if he stepped out of bounds? *"Oh yeah, I was standing right there. And they're like – my guys upstairs, he's like, 'He might…' I said, 'I'm standing right there. It's good, it's good.' So, but yeah, it was a great run. Great run. Great block. It was awesome."
