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Head Coach Jeff Fisher
(On the team’s performance)
“They’re a very, very good football team and we knew that. I’m proud of our guys. They felt like we had a chance if we played well. We explained to them how we had to play and what we had to do. They bounced back. We obviously talked about the loss of (QB) Sam (Bradford) on Monday. They bounced back and had a great week of preparation. We got down to the last play of the game and didn’t make it happen. So I feel bad for them, but they will bounce back because I’m often asked will they bounce back and they do every week. If we tell them we need to bounce back, they will. We’ve got a short week and we’ve got another big challenge on our hands.”
(On if there was confusion getting RB Zac Stacy on the last drive of the game)
“He sprained his ankle the series before. The communication between the training staff and everything was really good. (Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer) ‘Schotty’ was calling plays because he had actually sprained it in that drive. We felt that (RB) Daryl (Richardson) would be our best chance.”
(On if Stacy sprained his ankle early in the game)
“No.”
(On if it happened later in the game)
“Yes.”
(On if he considered any other plays on the last play of the game)
“We had a timeout. We felt like we wanted to give (QB Kellen Clemens) ‘Kell’ an option based on what they were doing, OK. They were pressuring. They were doing this, doing that. We wanted to give Kell options to get the ball out quick. He made the right read and we didn’t make the catch.”
(On if he said anything to the defense after Seahawks WR Golden Taint’s touchdown)
“(CB Janoris Jenkins) ‘Jenks’ just fell down. No. I mean it’s a great throw. He’s a good receiver and Jenks fell down. We were right on. We watched him taunt, so we figured we’ll have good field position. Then we didn’t really get good field position, but we put a drive together. So, we were just on to the next thing. The corners were one-on-one all day. That’s how you have to play them. That’s how they played us. But, I thought our corners played pretty today well considering what we asked them to do.”
(On QB Kellen Clemens’ play tonight)
“I thought he managed the game pretty well. I’m not going to fault him for those interceptions. (WR Austin Pettis) ‘AP’ fell down and it looked like (TE Jared Cook) ‘Cookie’ got confused and stopped because the ball was supposed to go in that area and it did. So it wasn’t easy for him. That’s the second-rated defense in the National Football League, but he took us to the last play of the game. I’m proud of his effort.”
(On how the team found success in the run game considering Seattle’s defense)
“We practiced. We game planned. I thought the staff did a great job game planning. You’ve got to give all your credit to the offensive line and tight ends.”
(On if his rationale for letting the clock run down was to not leave Seattle with any time after a Rams score)
“Yes. It was fourth down, right? So why not run it down to four seconds and take one shot at it? I’m not going to leave time on the clock. If it’s a defensive penalty the game extends, so I wasn’t worried about that.”
(On how he felt after the loss)
“As I’ve said, I’m proud of the way they played. I’m not accepting the loss. They bounced back and they played hard. I think people could say, in our room, because no one else thought anything, but in our room, we deserve a chance to win. We had a chance to win and didn’t.”
(On the crowd)
“The crowd was awesome. They were great. I thought they came out and they supported us. They were loud, created problems for them early. They got to see a great football game.”
(On if he was surprised with the number of carries that Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch had)
“That was their choice. We got off the field on third down and so as a result they didn’t have a lot of opportunities, a lot of plays. But that was their choice not to give it. There’s nothing wrong with their running game by the way, OK. They can run the football.”
Rams RB Zac Stacy
(On what this game says about the team)
“It says we’ve got a lot of heart and we improved tremendously tonight. Obviously, we played a great team tonight and we made plays all around –special teams, offense, defense. The defense played a heck of a game tonight. Just came up short, so we’ve just got to put this behind us. We’ve got a lot of football left, so we’ve just got to keep improving.”
(On his 100+ yard rushing tonight against a tough defense)
“It’s good from a milestone, from that standpoint, from a career standpoint or whatnot. But, at the same time the only stat I worry about is the W’s and losses. Took an L today so it doesn’t feel as good, but it just goes back to what I was saying about the improvement. The offensive line did a great job tonight. We played against a great front seven, and they would open up holes all night. So, we’ve just got to go out and execute a little bit better.”
(On Seattle anticipating the run on the last play of the game)
“Really, Coach ‘Schotty’, (Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer) he always puts us in the right position regardless of what the play call is. It’s our job to execute it, so it’s just one of those things where we’ve just got to make a play and we came up short. So, we’ve just got to get back to the drawing board, get things corrected, play mistake-free football and we’ll be fine.”
(On if he was trying to get into the game on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line)
“Absolutely. I’m just trying to make a play.”
(On if he was supposed to be in for that play)
“Regardless of who’s in, we all prepare the same way. We all have the same mentality in terms of running with physicality, running between the tackles and making plays. So, regardless of who was in, (RB) Daryl (Richardson) did a great job tonight. Like I said, regardless of who was in, he was going to make a play but when you’re given your opportunities, you’ve just got to make the most of them.”
(On establishing a rhythm after receiving over 20 carries)
“Obviously, you get in a rhythm. It all starts up front though. Like I said, we played against one of the top ranked defenses in the league, so for us to be able to have success on the ground against those guys, it gives us a lot of confidence. And we’re going to continue to improve.”
Rams QB Kellen Clemens
(On what happened on the last play of the game)“It was a good call by Schotty (Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer). He called a play that gave me a lot of options. They sold out from a defensive standpoint, they brought everybody and so the best option we had was (WR Brian Quick) Quicky. (CB Brandon) Browner made a good play, seemed like a pretty physical play. Loved to have put the ball in a little bit different spot, but didn’t have a lot of time to assess it because they brought one more than we could block.”
(On how they feel after a game like this)
“I think as a team the word might be encouraged. The defense played lights out, offensive line ran the ball well with (RB) Zac Stacy. (RB) Daryl Richardson came in, played well and that certainly includes the tight ends and the wide receivers blocking downfield. When (QB) Sam (Bradford) went down, (Head) Coach (Jeff Fisher) asked everybody, players and coaches included, to elevate their game a little bit and I think everybody did that. We’re encouraged, but we’ve got to make a couple more plays”
(On red zone issues)
“It’s frustrating. That’s the difference in the game. They scored two touchdowns, we got three field goals. We’ll have to be better. I thought we had a good plan going into the game. I just think we need to execute a little better when we’re down there.”
(On why they were able to run the ball so well and have 200-yards rushing)
“Wow that’s amazing. Against that defense, that is such a credit to what the other 10 guys on the football field did, the other ten guys on offense. I’m not sure. I think schematically we’ve got a run... between Coach (Paul) Boudreau, Coach (Rob) Boras, Coach (Ray) Sherman and then Coach Schotty. I think schematically they did a great job just putting us in good positions, giving us good angles from the offensive line standpoint. Credit Zac, he did a great job, he made yards after contact. He’s a great asset for us, we’re lucky to have him.”
(On the interception that was intended for TE Jared Cook)
“Yeah I think it was Jared. That’s a throw that I wish I had back. That was a bad decision on my part. Whether he slipped or not, I didn’t see it real clear, I shouldn’t have thrown the football. So that one’s on me, whether he slipped or not.”
(On the second interception)
“I had a window I thought to (WR) Austin (Pettis). I’ll be curious to look at that one on tape. I’m not sure. I threw the ball on the first hitch, which is the timing that the play is designed for. I’m not sure if he slipped a little bit coming out of his break or not. We’ll take a look at the film. It’s going to be a quick turnaround, we’ve got a pretty good Titans team coming to town in six days. So we’ll take a look at the tape tomorrow morning and then we’ve got to get ready to move on.”
(On the final drive)
“We needed 97 yards and got 96. I’m so fortunate because it’s a really veteran group of offensive lineman. We’d been running the ball all day. I think we had a little over five minutes maybe, so we knew that was the drive to do it. But there was such a great sense of resolve in the huddle as soon as I walked in there. Everybody knew, nobody really had to say anything, everybody just knew, ‘Hey this is it, this is go time, let’s go make the plays.’ We gave ourselves the chance to win at the end, unfortunately didn’t make the plays.”
(On what he thought of his performance)
“I think in this business unfortunately your grade scale is pass or fail. Incidentally so were most of my classes in college. Unfortunately I think this one’s a fail. It’s a business of wins and losses, so we’ve got to get better.
(On if he thought about running the ball in at the end of the game)
“It happens quick. I think that’s the one that (OL) Jake (Long) unfortunately got flagged for being downfield when I threw it away. I don’t know if I would have had the chance to make it. It’s always a little nervous when you break contain against that football team. As we saw I think in the third quarter, (S) Earl Thomas can come out of nowhere. It kind of crossed my mind, I thought I had a chance for (Jared) Cook early in the play when I first broke contain, but just wasn’t in position to make an accurate throw from a footwork standpoint. Being down there I just decided to throw it away to try to save a down.”
(On if he knew where he was after the hit from Browner)
“Yeah I mean he’s so fast and he closed…he wasn’t there and then he was there. It was a great play on his part. He hit me in the chest and knocked the wind out of me, but I was fine once I could breathe again.”
Rams T Roger Saffold
(On RB Zac Stacey)
“The rookie Zac, I think he’s continuing to put the team on his shoulders, and he’s going to keep on running and keep on running hard. Being able to open up some holes for him and get him the secondary where he can really push people is big, and I would almost want to know how many yards does he get after contact because it’s ridiculous.”
(On coming together this week after losing QB Sam Bradford in last week’s game)
“That’s the type of team this team is. They’re always willing to come back and go to work, and nothing changed last week. Sam has been helping us the entire time, so it’s almost like he’s never gone. It’s just someone else that you’re protecting back there. The way we were able to move the ball, those types of things, just even the time of possession that we had the ball, those are things that are just crucial, and those are what’s going to help us in the future. But I think if we can keep this physicality, this is a really, really good defense, and we’ve got to remember that. We’re not the type of team that takes more victories. We’re going to keep on pushing.”
(On what happened in the last drive)
Basically that’s why everything is so crucial. It’s almost like high school. It’s that last play, four seconds left on the clock and you’re getting ready to throw the ball. It’s the will to win. I think that everybody definitely gave 100 percent effort. I think that everyone did what they were supposed to do. It just didn’t turn out the way that we wanted it.”
(On Clemens’ performance tonight)
“I told you. Kellen does a good job. He keeps on working. He learns from his mistakes, he doesn’t make the same mistakes again. You’re going to see somebody who’s going to play even better next week, and I keep telling people that I have so much faith in him because he is a pro. He is a pro, and that is the type of people that you need to lead the team, and he constantly keeps on working. He’s trying to get people better, and he appreciates the line of protection and everything that’s going on even though we make some mistakes ourselves. You’ve just got that type of guy who shows you he’s just another leader.”
(On not being able to finish off great plays this season)
“Yeah, it’s frustrating and that’s something that we continue to work on, but when you run the ball nine times, and you get to the end zone, they can kind of sniff out what’s going on so it’s definitely not easy for Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to be able to do that and he constantly works and takes a critical eye of himself. I don’t think there was anything wrong with the decision he made.”
Rams DE Robert Quinn
(On if he was pleased with the defense's play despite the loss)
"Yeah. We played one of our best defensive games this year. You look back and you're like, ‘Ah, I wish I could have made this play or that play.’ But, that's a great football team, as we all know, and we went toe to toe with them. We came up a play short, but like I said, I think playing on this Monday night really opened a lot of people's eyes to what the Rams have got. We just keep building from here, make a few more plays on both sides of the ball, and we're definitely going to really get this season turned around."
(On if he thought the defense had to pick up the slack with QB Sam Bradford being out)
"We try to pick it up each and every week. We just happened to play one of our best defensive games this week. Everybody believed in (QB) Kellen (Clemens). We love Sam, but it's just part of the sport. Guys get hurt, next guy steps in, got to play his tail off. The whole team was behind Kellen. He made some huge plays, but we just came up a few plays short tonight and lost to a pretty good team. But like I said, we've got a lot to build on. We can definitely take a lot of positives out of this game. We've eight more games left, and like I said, we can definitely turn this season around and make a run at it."
(On if he was looking forward to playing on Monday Night Football)
"You don't get too many Monday nights at home or at all. I think everybody stepped up to the plate. Of course, we would have liked the W, but we fell short. We'll look at it, build on it, get better. We've got young talented guys. I don't think anyone got discouraged because of this game because we fell short. Everyone's looking forward to going in on Wednesday and looking at the film, seeing what we did good and what are some things that we can correct. We can finish the season strong."
Rams DE Chris Long
(On the loss despite the strong defensive performance)
"I think of defense, at least, for the first time this year we really looked like us. Coaches made some great adjustments in the run game scheme-wise and guys answered the bell in the run game and we're proud of that. Played hard, both sides of the ball played hard. Ran the football well, stopped the run, but just a little bit short."
(On making QB Russell Wilson miserable)
"Well, we've got a really good group. It just starts with No. 94 (DE Robert Quinn) right there. He was on fire in that first half. He's probably the most dominant football player I've played with, been on the field with. So, it's a lot of fun lining up with him every day and our whole d-line because there's a lot of credit there. But like I said, just a little bit short. We've got something to build off of. We would have really liked to have that win."
(On what playing that well against Seattle says about the Rams)
"We knew coming in we could play those guys tough. I think it said a lot more about us just that guys didn't flinch. We had a big injury last week. We haven't been playing to our standard and kind of just said this would be a good week to hunker down and play more like us. We played more like us, but we've got to pull that win out. That one hurts. It hurts as much as getting blown out, losing a close one like that. We'll build off that. I'm proud of the way the guys fought and we're a good football team in here."
(On chasing a mobile quarterback for the second week in a row)
"Yeah. He was bothering me early. They hit me on a couple boots and I had to make my adjustments, but he's a heck of a player and he keeps you really honest there rushing the edge. He'll hurt you sometimes, but we did a nice job of swarming to him. The whole d-line played well. If we can just set that as a benchmark of how we want to stop the run and get after it in the passing game, we can build off of that, but at the end of the day you don't come home with a win it's really...it hurts. But, really proud of these guys. Everybody in here shouldn't be hanging their head. I know it's going to be hard not to, but guys played hard. Nobody was afraid of this team and I think they know we're a good football team."
Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll
(On the game)
“We are very fortunate to get out of here. I think everyone that watched that one knows that we are very fortunate. The Rams played a great football game and did a lot of good stuff. They ran the ball down our throat, the time of possession, they just did a fine job under the circumstances with a new quarterback and all, they did a great job.”
“We just couldn’t get going at all on offense. Fortunately our defense hung together in the end and gave us a chance to win the game. I think if there was a positive on offense, it was that we didn’t turn the ball over for the first time this season in a game. Had we done it one time, we would have loss. It was absolutely part of holding this thing together when it was as tough of a night as it was. There were a million problems in protection again. They rushed like crazy and we did a ton of stuff to try and offset it, but nothing really helped us. It was a very difficult night to watch the Seahawks, but we are proud to get out of here with the win. This is what we came here to do. This ends the first half of the season for us and we almost got them all. Seven and one is as good as we could have done under the circumstances so that is a good finish for the first half for us. Now that we are at the turn of the season we get to go home this week and we will play at home a little more than we will play on the road for the finish of the year, and hopefully that will be a real positive for us. We have a lot of work to do in a short week coming up, and we just have to right some things and work like crazy to get it done. So everyone will be dedicated to doing that.”
(More on Rams offense)
“That is as challenging a situation that a defense can get in. They just kept hanging on. We gave them an extra play down there and kept stopping them and stopping them. (DT) Clinton McDonald did a great job of calling the defenses down there at inside the 5-yard line. With a couple of those sequences down there he did a great job for us and gave us a chance to make the plays that we made. The guys came through. A very difficult night, but a very happy win, but we have to go back to work.”
(On the last two plays of the game)
“They could do anything they wanted to do on that drive, it seemed. We were a little bit behind the 8-ball on it. We thought they were going to run the football. On the last play of the game they could have done anything, we called something very aggressive to get the heat on the quarterback and it was a one-on-one deal for the guys across the board. It was a great job.”
(On if the win covers up concerns about pass protection)
“I don’t think so. We have a long haul here, we are just at the half way point of the season. These are the guys we are going with and we have to fix it. We are trying. We knew that these guys would be a difficult match up for us, so we tried to help them, but it just didn’t work out as well as we liked. This was a very tough night on the quarterback. I thought under the circumstances (QB) Russell Wilson did an excellent job once again. He was pounded all night long. To make the plays he made and to keep the football and not give it up, you could see he was more aware of when he was getting hit and did a better job of wrapping the ball up and making sure he got to the ground. That is an improvement for us, not a great positive, but an improvement.”
(On the touchdown celebration by WR Golden Taint)
“That has nothing to do with our football. That is not the way we want to play, that is not the way we want to present who we are and all of that. He at times has demonstrated like a young man, he is more mature now and he said something about it. He is a playful, wonderful spirited guy who had too much fun at the wrong time. That was not the right thing to do. He knew it, he apologized to everyone and admitted that he screwed it up. It still happened. It kind of washes away a fantastic football play, by the quarterback and by him catching and running all that way. It fired me up because the kick off team went out and recovered the kick off and you know it is coming off. We don’t get many kickoff opportunities in this league anymore and that was one of the big crucial one and the guys totally rallied for it and kept them around the 20-yard line, which was an enormous play for us.”
Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson
(On the game)
“I’ve played in some close games before, obviously. To win that game in that fashion against a very good defense in the Rams … I mean when you think about what they were doing with (DE Robert) Quinn and (DE Chris) Long, I think we just found a way. (WR) Golden Taint came up with some big catches when we needed to. The ball was on the 2 yard line and he catches that touchdown, and he came up with the long distance one where he raced to the end zone, that’s a big touchdown and we needed those plays. Then you think about the defense. The defense just stepped up. It’s always going to be a team effort. I think to be a great team you have to stay in the moment. You have to stay in the situation and keep believing. The whole time the defense was out there on the last possession I completely believed they were going to stop them. I had no doubt in my mind.”
(On his touchdown pass to Golden Taint)
“On the long pass to Golden I rolled out to my right and was reading through my progressions. He was my last guy in my progressions. He just kept running deep and it was one on one. I gave him a chance and he went up and caught the football. He waved at the guy, which he didn’t necessarily need to do, but he was so in the moment. He made an unbelievable catch, you’ve got to give him credit for attacking the football. That’s what we need. I truly believe the Rams defense is one of the best defenses we face because of the front seven, how active they are, how quickly they can get to the quarterback, how they stop the running game, and we just found a way. Despite the situation … special teams came up big, defense came up really big for us. Not turning the ball over in those situations was huge for us.”
(On setbacks on the offense)
“The thing about the first three drives, we started off, got a couple good plays then had to bring it back with different penalties. We can’t have those penalties, especially when you’re playing on the road. So whatever it takes, and we were moving the ball and had to come back. We got a nice run, I threw a nice ball to (TE) Luke Wilson who made a nice catch on that and got a first down, then we had to come all the way back again. Then we had a sack … you just can’t do that against a very good football team. We’ll fix it. The great thing is we found a way to win. At the end of the day when you look at the record books, nobody really remembers the score. You’ve just got to find a way to come up with the Ws, and that was a huge one for us on the road. Once again, what, have we played on the road four or five times already? That’s a tough schedule and we found a way.”
(On fixing issues on the offensive line)
“I definitely believe we’re going to fix it. There’s no doubt in my mind we’re going to fix it. You’ve got to remember in terms of offensive line, we’ve got (RT) Michael Bowie, who’s a rookie going up against one of the best defensive ends in the game. Chris Long is very active, and then Paul McQuistan, who plays guard for us, was playing left tackle and just trying to step up and slow those guys down. Those two rushers are as good as it gets for the most part. You have to give that defense a lot of credit. They’re a very good defense, but at the same time you just move on. One game at a time you stay in the moment. You stay in that moment, stay in that game, stay in that situation, keep believing, keep playing. At the end of the day we just want to find a way to win no matter what the circumstances are.”
(On his ball security)
“It was definitely something I was conscious of. I think it was something I could’ve gotten better at in the first few games, just making sure I get down. Those guys obviously were bringing the pressure all night so the quarterback coach and I were talking about all week, ‘If it’s not there, sometimes you just have to surrender.’ That was a term we talked about, going down and just protecting the football. At the same
(On the team’s performance)
“They’re a very, very good football team and we knew that. I’m proud of our guys. They felt like we had a chance if we played well. We explained to them how we had to play and what we had to do. They bounced back. We obviously talked about the loss of (QB) Sam (Bradford) on Monday. They bounced back and had a great week of preparation. We got down to the last play of the game and didn’t make it happen. So I feel bad for them, but they will bounce back because I’m often asked will they bounce back and they do every week. If we tell them we need to bounce back, they will. We’ve got a short week and we’ve got another big challenge on our hands.”
(On if there was confusion getting RB Zac Stacy on the last drive of the game)
“He sprained his ankle the series before. The communication between the training staff and everything was really good. (Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer) ‘Schotty’ was calling plays because he had actually sprained it in that drive. We felt that (RB) Daryl (Richardson) would be our best chance.”
(On if Stacy sprained his ankle early in the game)
“No.”
(On if it happened later in the game)
“Yes.”
(On if he considered any other plays on the last play of the game)
“We had a timeout. We felt like we wanted to give (QB Kellen Clemens) ‘Kell’ an option based on what they were doing, OK. They were pressuring. They were doing this, doing that. We wanted to give Kell options to get the ball out quick. He made the right read and we didn’t make the catch.”
(On if he said anything to the defense after Seahawks WR Golden Taint’s touchdown)
“(CB Janoris Jenkins) ‘Jenks’ just fell down. No. I mean it’s a great throw. He’s a good receiver and Jenks fell down. We were right on. We watched him taunt, so we figured we’ll have good field position. Then we didn’t really get good field position, but we put a drive together. So, we were just on to the next thing. The corners were one-on-one all day. That’s how you have to play them. That’s how they played us. But, I thought our corners played pretty today well considering what we asked them to do.”
(On QB Kellen Clemens’ play tonight)
“I thought he managed the game pretty well. I’m not going to fault him for those interceptions. (WR Austin Pettis) ‘AP’ fell down and it looked like (TE Jared Cook) ‘Cookie’ got confused and stopped because the ball was supposed to go in that area and it did. So it wasn’t easy for him. That’s the second-rated defense in the National Football League, but he took us to the last play of the game. I’m proud of his effort.”
(On how the team found success in the run game considering Seattle’s defense)
“We practiced. We game planned. I thought the staff did a great job game planning. You’ve got to give all your credit to the offensive line and tight ends.”
(On if his rationale for letting the clock run down was to not leave Seattle with any time after a Rams score)
“Yes. It was fourth down, right? So why not run it down to four seconds and take one shot at it? I’m not going to leave time on the clock. If it’s a defensive penalty the game extends, so I wasn’t worried about that.”
(On how he felt after the loss)
“As I’ve said, I’m proud of the way they played. I’m not accepting the loss. They bounced back and they played hard. I think people could say, in our room, because no one else thought anything, but in our room, we deserve a chance to win. We had a chance to win and didn’t.”
(On the crowd)
“The crowd was awesome. They were great. I thought they came out and they supported us. They were loud, created problems for them early. They got to see a great football game.”
(On if he was surprised with the number of carries that Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch had)
“That was their choice. We got off the field on third down and so as a result they didn’t have a lot of opportunities, a lot of plays. But that was their choice not to give it. There’s nothing wrong with their running game by the way, OK. They can run the football.”
Rams RB Zac Stacy
(On what this game says about the team)
“It says we’ve got a lot of heart and we improved tremendously tonight. Obviously, we played a great team tonight and we made plays all around –special teams, offense, defense. The defense played a heck of a game tonight. Just came up short, so we’ve just got to put this behind us. We’ve got a lot of football left, so we’ve just got to keep improving.”
(On his 100+ yard rushing tonight against a tough defense)
“It’s good from a milestone, from that standpoint, from a career standpoint or whatnot. But, at the same time the only stat I worry about is the W’s and losses. Took an L today so it doesn’t feel as good, but it just goes back to what I was saying about the improvement. The offensive line did a great job tonight. We played against a great front seven, and they would open up holes all night. So, we’ve just got to go out and execute a little bit better.”
(On Seattle anticipating the run on the last play of the game)
“Really, Coach ‘Schotty’, (Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer) he always puts us in the right position regardless of what the play call is. It’s our job to execute it, so it’s just one of those things where we’ve just got to make a play and we came up short. So, we’ve just got to get back to the drawing board, get things corrected, play mistake-free football and we’ll be fine.”
(On if he was trying to get into the game on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line)
“Absolutely. I’m just trying to make a play.”
(On if he was supposed to be in for that play)
“Regardless of who’s in, we all prepare the same way. We all have the same mentality in terms of running with physicality, running between the tackles and making plays. So, regardless of who was in, (RB) Daryl (Richardson) did a great job tonight. Like I said, regardless of who was in, he was going to make a play but when you’re given your opportunities, you’ve just got to make the most of them.”
(On establishing a rhythm after receiving over 20 carries)
“Obviously, you get in a rhythm. It all starts up front though. Like I said, we played against one of the top ranked defenses in the league, so for us to be able to have success on the ground against those guys, it gives us a lot of confidence. And we’re going to continue to improve.”
Rams QB Kellen Clemens
(On what happened on the last play of the game)“It was a good call by Schotty (Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer). He called a play that gave me a lot of options. They sold out from a defensive standpoint, they brought everybody and so the best option we had was (WR Brian Quick) Quicky. (CB Brandon) Browner made a good play, seemed like a pretty physical play. Loved to have put the ball in a little bit different spot, but didn’t have a lot of time to assess it because they brought one more than we could block.”
(On how they feel after a game like this)
“I think as a team the word might be encouraged. The defense played lights out, offensive line ran the ball well with (RB) Zac Stacy. (RB) Daryl Richardson came in, played well and that certainly includes the tight ends and the wide receivers blocking downfield. When (QB) Sam (Bradford) went down, (Head) Coach (Jeff Fisher) asked everybody, players and coaches included, to elevate their game a little bit and I think everybody did that. We’re encouraged, but we’ve got to make a couple more plays”
(On red zone issues)
“It’s frustrating. That’s the difference in the game. They scored two touchdowns, we got three field goals. We’ll have to be better. I thought we had a good plan going into the game. I just think we need to execute a little better when we’re down there.”
(On why they were able to run the ball so well and have 200-yards rushing)
“Wow that’s amazing. Against that defense, that is such a credit to what the other 10 guys on the football field did, the other ten guys on offense. I’m not sure. I think schematically we’ve got a run... between Coach (Paul) Boudreau, Coach (Rob) Boras, Coach (Ray) Sherman and then Coach Schotty. I think schematically they did a great job just putting us in good positions, giving us good angles from the offensive line standpoint. Credit Zac, he did a great job, he made yards after contact. He’s a great asset for us, we’re lucky to have him.”
(On the interception that was intended for TE Jared Cook)
“Yeah I think it was Jared. That’s a throw that I wish I had back. That was a bad decision on my part. Whether he slipped or not, I didn’t see it real clear, I shouldn’t have thrown the football. So that one’s on me, whether he slipped or not.”
(On the second interception)
“I had a window I thought to (WR) Austin (Pettis). I’ll be curious to look at that one on tape. I’m not sure. I threw the ball on the first hitch, which is the timing that the play is designed for. I’m not sure if he slipped a little bit coming out of his break or not. We’ll take a look at the film. It’s going to be a quick turnaround, we’ve got a pretty good Titans team coming to town in six days. So we’ll take a look at the tape tomorrow morning and then we’ve got to get ready to move on.”
(On the final drive)
“We needed 97 yards and got 96. I’m so fortunate because it’s a really veteran group of offensive lineman. We’d been running the ball all day. I think we had a little over five minutes maybe, so we knew that was the drive to do it. But there was such a great sense of resolve in the huddle as soon as I walked in there. Everybody knew, nobody really had to say anything, everybody just knew, ‘Hey this is it, this is go time, let’s go make the plays.’ We gave ourselves the chance to win at the end, unfortunately didn’t make the plays.”
(On what he thought of his performance)
“I think in this business unfortunately your grade scale is pass or fail. Incidentally so were most of my classes in college. Unfortunately I think this one’s a fail. It’s a business of wins and losses, so we’ve got to get better.
(On if he thought about running the ball in at the end of the game)
“It happens quick. I think that’s the one that (OL) Jake (Long) unfortunately got flagged for being downfield when I threw it away. I don’t know if I would have had the chance to make it. It’s always a little nervous when you break contain against that football team. As we saw I think in the third quarter, (S) Earl Thomas can come out of nowhere. It kind of crossed my mind, I thought I had a chance for (Jared) Cook early in the play when I first broke contain, but just wasn’t in position to make an accurate throw from a footwork standpoint. Being down there I just decided to throw it away to try to save a down.”
(On if he knew where he was after the hit from Browner)
“Yeah I mean he’s so fast and he closed…he wasn’t there and then he was there. It was a great play on his part. He hit me in the chest and knocked the wind out of me, but I was fine once I could breathe again.”
Rams T Roger Saffold
(On RB Zac Stacey)
“The rookie Zac, I think he’s continuing to put the team on his shoulders, and he’s going to keep on running and keep on running hard. Being able to open up some holes for him and get him the secondary where he can really push people is big, and I would almost want to know how many yards does he get after contact because it’s ridiculous.”
(On coming together this week after losing QB Sam Bradford in last week’s game)
“That’s the type of team this team is. They’re always willing to come back and go to work, and nothing changed last week. Sam has been helping us the entire time, so it’s almost like he’s never gone. It’s just someone else that you’re protecting back there. The way we were able to move the ball, those types of things, just even the time of possession that we had the ball, those are things that are just crucial, and those are what’s going to help us in the future. But I think if we can keep this physicality, this is a really, really good defense, and we’ve got to remember that. We’re not the type of team that takes more victories. We’re going to keep on pushing.”
(On what happened in the last drive)
Basically that’s why everything is so crucial. It’s almost like high school. It’s that last play, four seconds left on the clock and you’re getting ready to throw the ball. It’s the will to win. I think that everybody definitely gave 100 percent effort. I think that everyone did what they were supposed to do. It just didn’t turn out the way that we wanted it.”
(On Clemens’ performance tonight)
“I told you. Kellen does a good job. He keeps on working. He learns from his mistakes, he doesn’t make the same mistakes again. You’re going to see somebody who’s going to play even better next week, and I keep telling people that I have so much faith in him because he is a pro. He is a pro, and that is the type of people that you need to lead the team, and he constantly keeps on working. He’s trying to get people better, and he appreciates the line of protection and everything that’s going on even though we make some mistakes ourselves. You’ve just got that type of guy who shows you he’s just another leader.”
(On not being able to finish off great plays this season)
“Yeah, it’s frustrating and that’s something that we continue to work on, but when you run the ball nine times, and you get to the end zone, they can kind of sniff out what’s going on so it’s definitely not easy for Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to be able to do that and he constantly works and takes a critical eye of himself. I don’t think there was anything wrong with the decision he made.”
Rams DE Robert Quinn
(On if he was pleased with the defense's play despite the loss)
"Yeah. We played one of our best defensive games this year. You look back and you're like, ‘Ah, I wish I could have made this play or that play.’ But, that's a great football team, as we all know, and we went toe to toe with them. We came up a play short, but like I said, I think playing on this Monday night really opened a lot of people's eyes to what the Rams have got. We just keep building from here, make a few more plays on both sides of the ball, and we're definitely going to really get this season turned around."
(On if he thought the defense had to pick up the slack with QB Sam Bradford being out)
"We try to pick it up each and every week. We just happened to play one of our best defensive games this week. Everybody believed in (QB) Kellen (Clemens). We love Sam, but it's just part of the sport. Guys get hurt, next guy steps in, got to play his tail off. The whole team was behind Kellen. He made some huge plays, but we just came up a few plays short tonight and lost to a pretty good team. But like I said, we've got a lot to build on. We can definitely take a lot of positives out of this game. We've eight more games left, and like I said, we can definitely turn this season around and make a run at it."
(On if he was looking forward to playing on Monday Night Football)
"You don't get too many Monday nights at home or at all. I think everybody stepped up to the plate. Of course, we would have liked the W, but we fell short. We'll look at it, build on it, get better. We've got young talented guys. I don't think anyone got discouraged because of this game because we fell short. Everyone's looking forward to going in on Wednesday and looking at the film, seeing what we did good and what are some things that we can correct. We can finish the season strong."
Rams DE Chris Long
(On the loss despite the strong defensive performance)
"I think of defense, at least, for the first time this year we really looked like us. Coaches made some great adjustments in the run game scheme-wise and guys answered the bell in the run game and we're proud of that. Played hard, both sides of the ball played hard. Ran the football well, stopped the run, but just a little bit short."
(On making QB Russell Wilson miserable)
"Well, we've got a really good group. It just starts with No. 94 (DE Robert Quinn) right there. He was on fire in that first half. He's probably the most dominant football player I've played with, been on the field with. So, it's a lot of fun lining up with him every day and our whole d-line because there's a lot of credit there. But like I said, just a little bit short. We've got something to build off of. We would have really liked to have that win."
(On what playing that well against Seattle says about the Rams)
"We knew coming in we could play those guys tough. I think it said a lot more about us just that guys didn't flinch. We had a big injury last week. We haven't been playing to our standard and kind of just said this would be a good week to hunker down and play more like us. We played more like us, but we've got to pull that win out. That one hurts. It hurts as much as getting blown out, losing a close one like that. We'll build off that. I'm proud of the way the guys fought and we're a good football team in here."
(On chasing a mobile quarterback for the second week in a row)
"Yeah. He was bothering me early. They hit me on a couple boots and I had to make my adjustments, but he's a heck of a player and he keeps you really honest there rushing the edge. He'll hurt you sometimes, but we did a nice job of swarming to him. The whole d-line played well. If we can just set that as a benchmark of how we want to stop the run and get after it in the passing game, we can build off of that, but at the end of the day you don't come home with a win it's really...it hurts. But, really proud of these guys. Everybody in here shouldn't be hanging their head. I know it's going to be hard not to, but guys played hard. Nobody was afraid of this team and I think they know we're a good football team."
Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll
(On the game)
“We are very fortunate to get out of here. I think everyone that watched that one knows that we are very fortunate. The Rams played a great football game and did a lot of good stuff. They ran the ball down our throat, the time of possession, they just did a fine job under the circumstances with a new quarterback and all, they did a great job.”
“We just couldn’t get going at all on offense. Fortunately our defense hung together in the end and gave us a chance to win the game. I think if there was a positive on offense, it was that we didn’t turn the ball over for the first time this season in a game. Had we done it one time, we would have loss. It was absolutely part of holding this thing together when it was as tough of a night as it was. There were a million problems in protection again. They rushed like crazy and we did a ton of stuff to try and offset it, but nothing really helped us. It was a very difficult night to watch the Seahawks, but we are proud to get out of here with the win. This is what we came here to do. This ends the first half of the season for us and we almost got them all. Seven and one is as good as we could have done under the circumstances so that is a good finish for the first half for us. Now that we are at the turn of the season we get to go home this week and we will play at home a little more than we will play on the road for the finish of the year, and hopefully that will be a real positive for us. We have a lot of work to do in a short week coming up, and we just have to right some things and work like crazy to get it done. So everyone will be dedicated to doing that.”
(More on Rams offense)
“That is as challenging a situation that a defense can get in. They just kept hanging on. We gave them an extra play down there and kept stopping them and stopping them. (DT) Clinton McDonald did a great job of calling the defenses down there at inside the 5-yard line. With a couple of those sequences down there he did a great job for us and gave us a chance to make the plays that we made. The guys came through. A very difficult night, but a very happy win, but we have to go back to work.”
(On the last two plays of the game)
“They could do anything they wanted to do on that drive, it seemed. We were a little bit behind the 8-ball on it. We thought they were going to run the football. On the last play of the game they could have done anything, we called something very aggressive to get the heat on the quarterback and it was a one-on-one deal for the guys across the board. It was a great job.”
(On if the win covers up concerns about pass protection)
“I don’t think so. We have a long haul here, we are just at the half way point of the season. These are the guys we are going with and we have to fix it. We are trying. We knew that these guys would be a difficult match up for us, so we tried to help them, but it just didn’t work out as well as we liked. This was a very tough night on the quarterback. I thought under the circumstances (QB) Russell Wilson did an excellent job once again. He was pounded all night long. To make the plays he made and to keep the football and not give it up, you could see he was more aware of when he was getting hit and did a better job of wrapping the ball up and making sure he got to the ground. That is an improvement for us, not a great positive, but an improvement.”
(On the touchdown celebration by WR Golden Taint)
“That has nothing to do with our football. That is not the way we want to play, that is not the way we want to present who we are and all of that. He at times has demonstrated like a young man, he is more mature now and he said something about it. He is a playful, wonderful spirited guy who had too much fun at the wrong time. That was not the right thing to do. He knew it, he apologized to everyone and admitted that he screwed it up. It still happened. It kind of washes away a fantastic football play, by the quarterback and by him catching and running all that way. It fired me up because the kick off team went out and recovered the kick off and you know it is coming off. We don’t get many kickoff opportunities in this league anymore and that was one of the big crucial one and the guys totally rallied for it and kept them around the 20-yard line, which was an enormous play for us.”
Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson
(On the game)
“I’ve played in some close games before, obviously. To win that game in that fashion against a very good defense in the Rams … I mean when you think about what they were doing with (DE Robert) Quinn and (DE Chris) Long, I think we just found a way. (WR) Golden Taint came up with some big catches when we needed to. The ball was on the 2 yard line and he catches that touchdown, and he came up with the long distance one where he raced to the end zone, that’s a big touchdown and we needed those plays. Then you think about the defense. The defense just stepped up. It’s always going to be a team effort. I think to be a great team you have to stay in the moment. You have to stay in the situation and keep believing. The whole time the defense was out there on the last possession I completely believed they were going to stop them. I had no doubt in my mind.”
(On his touchdown pass to Golden Taint)
“On the long pass to Golden I rolled out to my right and was reading through my progressions. He was my last guy in my progressions. He just kept running deep and it was one on one. I gave him a chance and he went up and caught the football. He waved at the guy, which he didn’t necessarily need to do, but he was so in the moment. He made an unbelievable catch, you’ve got to give him credit for attacking the football. That’s what we need. I truly believe the Rams defense is one of the best defenses we face because of the front seven, how active they are, how quickly they can get to the quarterback, how they stop the running game, and we just found a way. Despite the situation … special teams came up big, defense came up really big for us. Not turning the ball over in those situations was huge for us.”
(On setbacks on the offense)
“The thing about the first three drives, we started off, got a couple good plays then had to bring it back with different penalties. We can’t have those penalties, especially when you’re playing on the road. So whatever it takes, and we were moving the ball and had to come back. We got a nice run, I threw a nice ball to (TE) Luke Wilson who made a nice catch on that and got a first down, then we had to come all the way back again. Then we had a sack … you just can’t do that against a very good football team. We’ll fix it. The great thing is we found a way to win. At the end of the day when you look at the record books, nobody really remembers the score. You’ve just got to find a way to come up with the Ws, and that was a huge one for us on the road. Once again, what, have we played on the road four or five times already? That’s a tough schedule and we found a way.”
(On fixing issues on the offensive line)
“I definitely believe we’re going to fix it. There’s no doubt in my mind we’re going to fix it. You’ve got to remember in terms of offensive line, we’ve got (RT) Michael Bowie, who’s a rookie going up against one of the best defensive ends in the game. Chris Long is very active, and then Paul McQuistan, who plays guard for us, was playing left tackle and just trying to step up and slow those guys down. Those two rushers are as good as it gets for the most part. You have to give that defense a lot of credit. They’re a very good defense, but at the same time you just move on. One game at a time you stay in the moment. You stay in that moment, stay in that game, stay in that situation, keep believing, keep playing. At the end of the day we just want to find a way to win no matter what the circumstances are.”
(On his ball security)
“It was definitely something I was conscious of. I think it was something I could’ve gotten better at in the first few games, just making sure I get down. Those guys obviously were bringing the pressure all night so the quarterback coach and I were talking about all week, ‘If it’s not there, sometimes you just have to surrender.’ That was a term we talked about, going down and just protecting the football. At the same