How do you feel you progressed today as a passer or play overall because you ran too?
I mean the only thing that matters the win or loss, so that sums it up. But it's just really the biggest thing with us offensively we got to be better in the middle of the games. Continue to have penalties from us as a group. So that's the biggest thing that we got to harp on, we got to focus on.
What was going right when you guys were productive and scoring and what went wrong to keep you from being able to be consistent on offense?
I think what was going right was just everybody playing on time. Myself getting the ball out, receivers winning in man coverage and zone, knowing where to sit. O-line did a fantastic job, just in the run game and in pass protection. I just think what went wrong was just the penalties. Self-inflicted wounds and that's unfortunately what just continues to happen.
How much did Chim's (Dike) 90-yard punt return provide a spark for you guys in the second half?
It helped us a lot. That's a that's All-Pro right there, Chim (Dike). So, it's special to have him as a teammate, but just know him off the field, the way he takes care of himself, his everyday routine, what he does to be a pro. So, everything that's going right for Chim, he deserves it. And I'm glad he's able to get two touchdowns today.
Last week you made it seem like your running lanes and stuff were created largely from the way the Texans rushed. I don't imagine you got exactly the same looks today and stuff, but you still found room to run. It seems like a trend now. What helped you find that stuff again today?
Just feeling the pocket. Getting better at it and just knowing where I need to set up every play. And then also being able to play on time and have a clock in my head to get the ball to my playmakers or whether I need to scramble around. But I just got to continue to do what I need to do to help the offense be successful.
Peter (Skoronski) said that your touchdown run was actually designed to be a flip to somebody and then you just took it upon yourself to see the opening and go. Is that right?
Yep.
Can you take us through it?
I really had my mind made up on what I wanted to do. That's really give the ball to Chig (Okonkwo), but the end crashed out—crashed down. And really, I just had to make a play to make up for what I did wrong and we ended up scoring.
When you talk about that clock in your head getting stronger and getting better in the pocket, how do you think you've been able to do that? Why do you think you've been able to do that? What do you owe the success in the pocket and timing to?
Just really all the work we do in the facility. Coach Bo (Hardegree), Payton (McCollum) over there helped me out, Nick (Holz). So, all the guys, we all do a part in trying to do as best for myself to help put the team in a good situation. And I'll just say just continue watching the pocket on film, working with my quarterback coach just on days I can and just trying to be better every day I can.
When you talk about the timing and trying to have the clock and all of that stuff, how long this season have you started to focus on that in your running ability?
I focus on it every game. I think the biggest part about watching the rush, how—whether it's a D-tackle or defensive end rush is how much width they can get. But also, not putting my tackles in a bad situation to where they give up an easy sack that'll end up being on me. So, I just think you just got to—it just takes countless hours of watching just how you think it ends up in the game, but also watching about how it could end up. So, you just got to watch different situations.
The play where you rolled to the sideline and threw it back to your left to find Xavier (Restrepo), is that something you guys have done many times in the past and what was it like having him back out there with you?
Yeah, we've done that before. We work it and it was great to have him on the field with me. Someone who I have a good bond with on and off the field. And he made a couple of plays for us. I know some plays that he wished he wants back. But every time he steps on the field he always comes with the same mindset as he does practice. And I think that's—having him on the field is going to help our receiving core. And then along with the other guys who play well today.
He (Xavier Restrepo) mentioned the work you guys do after practice. He says sometimes you'll have him run it over and over and over again. What are some of the things where you tell him that it is a reason why you got to have that repetition? Whereas there's times where he feels that it's right but you don't.
Because from a quarterback sense, whether a receiver's tired or not, I'm a quarterback who I want at full speed. That's how I just go about my business. Especially at the end of practice, I just think the more you can do outside of just mandatory practice stuff, that's the things that's going to end up helping you each and every week.
You've been pushing for maybe some more fourth down attempts. What did you think of the number that you guys went for today and how you converted? I think it was five for seven.
It's just the situation that we put ourselves in. We had to go for those fourth downs just because we were trailing. But I mean I'm a competitor. If we're backed up fourth down, fourth-and-inches, I want to go for it. I want to always have the ball in my hands and offensive line's hands up front. And they going to continue to lead the way. So, just us being successful on fourth down today is just something that we got to continue to trend upwards in.
Cam (Ward), the number of rookies that are contributing on this team is kind of—the role keeps going up for both you and other guys. Even in spite of the record, how much hope does that give for where this is all headed?
Well that gives a lot of hope. Because we know the problems, and we're fixing the problems, but at the end of the day a lot of stuff is only one person can control. Whether that's myself in my position or a defensive guy at their position, every person has that right to control it and that's the biggest thing is trying to flip the switch now. Trying to get a couple wins to get us a little jump start. But I just think the rookies, the draft class we made was a pretty good draft class and we've got to continue try to get better.
Was that a no-look pass you hit to Gunnar (Helm) when you were going left back to right?
Yep. And Gunnar (Helm), he did a good job not running, just sitting in the zone. But, I'm glad he caught it.
How much trust do you have to have for a no-look pass? How much confidence do you have to have to try that in the NFL and have it pay off?
I mean, you just got to prepare the right way every week to attempt stuff like that. Watch a certain amount of film. Even before the game you got to watch film just to—you know that you know it, and when it happens in the game, you can kind of control stuff. And Gunnar (Helm), he's one of those guys who's real savvy in space. He knows where to get to, he knows what I'm thinking all the time, and he made a great catch.
Obviously, some positive moments in this game that you mentioned, you didn't win. What's the balance or the lines where you want to take some pride in improvements and good things happening but acknowledging that it's just not good enough?
The only thing I would say is just it's a loss. And we have to continue to try and win games but dig ourself out of the hole that we're in. But at the end of the day, we get better every week, and we got to emphasize getting better now. Getting better faster. And that starts tomorrow, so we just got to continue to get back to work and try to win next week.
The offense was on the field for almost a quarter longer than Seattle. So, in talking about those types of improvement, what does that say about how you guys are figuring out how to sustain drives and stay out there?
I just think it means we didn't do enough. We didn't score enough points to win the game. And having the ball for a long period of time really means nothing if you don't score points. So, we just got to finish drives with kicks, finish drives with six points, put Joey Slye out there a couple more times and find ways to help the defense out and win some games.
Chim's (Dike) the only guy outside of you who has more than two touchdowns this year for the offense, what is the fix to that to get more guys to kind of involve in that scoring?
I think the fix would be just everyone taking accountability. Everyone in the facility, myself. And we know we got a lot of things that we got to fix, but I just think the more we continue to play team football like we have been and continue to push each other every day and make plays in practice so it shows up in the game, I think by next week we'll be able to score a couple more points.
