QUARTERBACK SAM DARNOLD
It's good to get a win, obviously. I thought as an offense we were able to move the ball up and down the field. We just got to finish when we get in the red zone. I think that's the story today. And then some things operationally we can clean up, some penalties. But overall, again like I said, I felt like besides maybe the second drive in the second half where we went three-and-out, I felt like we were moving the ball at a high clip today. But we just got to continue to finish our drives and finish in the red zone.
With Jaxon (Smith-Njigba), I mean we're asking you a question about him every week and his single season franchise record only eleven games in. What do you have to say about the way he played today?
Yeah, it's unbelievable, man. Just the way that he's been able to play this year, every single game. It's tough to be that consistent. But I think it starts with his attitude and his prep that he puts in throughout the week. So no surprise whatsoever. But yeah, he's a really good player. And again, I think the guys that we have to complement a guy like Jax, starting with the running backs, the tight ends and the other receivers. There's other guys on the field that the defense has to pay attention to, and I think that can only help him out.
What does it mean that he is able to shield defenders, just his body control?
Yeah, yeah, his body control is second to none. He can really go up no matter if the ball is overthrown, I feel like he has the talent and the speed to speed up and catch it. Or if it's underthrown he has the ability to, like you mentioned, put the defender in a tough position and kind of box him out, and get the ball and not only catch the ball but also try to score with it as well.
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On that first touchdown, it looked like they had a couple guys that might have picked each other off there on cover. What did you see there that immediately had you like 'I'm going to go right there in that corner route to JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba).'*
Yeah, I think just understanding the coverage, him potentially being one-on-one. It wasn't my first read but I just felt like that's kind of where the defense took me.
What are you seeing from what is going on in the red zone?
I think in the red zone we just got to keep the ball moving forward. Like I said, I think penalties don't help with that. I had a delay of game, which I'd like to have that one back, for sure. But yeah, we just got to keep the ball moving forward. If we go backwards that's always a bad thing in the red zone.
From having an efficient clean day versus last week, did the process that you had this week maybe support what you did today?
No, I think my process has always been there. I think it was just a better outcome this week. And yeah, I think that's about it.
