Logan, what do you feel the key to containing Derrick Henry outside of the big run was today? You guys were able to keep the NFL's best running back in check all game.
I think it starts up front. Our D-linemen did a heck of a job on him and really allowed linebackers and the back-end guys to kind of run free and make tackles. When they had opportunities to make plays, they made them. We just tried to limit those explosive plays in the run game and obviously they got some of the pass game, so we'll learn from some of those. But for the most part, I think we did what we planned on doing.
How big is that? Not letting Derrick Henry get a full head of speed because once he gets going, he's really hard to stop?
Yeah, once he gets north and south, he's one of, if not the best, back in the league when he gets north and south. So, you've got to try to limit the push up front so that he has to go more side to side. We had some things in our gameplan that we thought would help.
What happened on that big run, from your perspective? On the screen for the touchdown.
We just had one guy short and there was just way too much open space for him. Hats off to Cam (Taylor-Britt) for hustling down and making that play. We need to hustle even more to get there so that when that happens again, we're in position to recover that fumble, not them. We'll take a look at it and learn from it.
Obviously, last year he's coming off of an injury and this year he's healthy. Is that one of those plays where on film you know how fast and physical Henry is, but then, you're on the grass, then you see him break off one like that, you're like, 'He's almost even faster than I thought'?
I wasn't even really thinking about that, it was more of like we felt like we gave them that run instead of them getting it on us. We just felt like we need to be better on that play. Obviously, they got the touchdown which we never want. But, we ended up getting the win at the end of the game, and that's the biggest thing.
What was the message like about maybe the physicality that either was required or was needed to be required to win this game throughout the week?
I mean, we know that they're a run-first team. They've got one of the best backs in the league, if not the best back in the league. It starts up front with our D-line. They did a heck of a job all week in practice and then today, that just allows us linebackers to do what we do. Same with the back-end guys. Obviously, there's still some plays that we let explosives up, and we'll look at it and learn from it and move on.
