- Joined
- Jun 20, 2010
- Messages
- 35,576
- Name
- The Dude
Los Angeles Rams vs. Carolina Panthers Postgame Quotes – 11/6/16
Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher
(Opening remarks)
“Well, obviously it didn’t turn out the way we hoped it would turn out. As I just finished with the team, painting a realistic picture over the last two weeks, our defense has given up a touchdown to (Giants QB) Eli Manning and (Panthers QB) Cam Newton, and that’s it. That’s a winning effort. The problem is, we’ve only scored two touchdowns in the last two weeks and therein lies our problem. We have to continue to keep the defense playing at this rate, this effort, and with the production. We have to find a way to get some turnovers on defense, however, and we have to figure out a way to score some points. I’m very disappointed, but we’ll bounce back. Four consecutive in the loss column is not good, and the only way you can win four in the win column is you go out and win the next one, so that’s where we’re at. I think the team understands that. They understand where we’re at. We’re not getting the turnovers. Turnovers hurt us in London, and the one turnover today hurt us, but there were some outstanding efforts out there today and that was a good football team.”
(On QB Case Keenum’s current performance and whether or not it is elevating the team’s performance)
“We’re going to lick our wounds here, and it’s still fresh. I’m going to look at the tape. I would submit that (QB Case Keenum) Case was not the reason we lost this game today. We just didn’t make plays in all three phases. We’ll circle the wagons with the coaches and look at the tape, but I’m pleased with the way Case has fought. As I say consistently, repeatedly, week after week, I’m pleased with (QB Jared Goff) Jared’s progress.”
(On the success of the Rams’ run defense)
“You look at the tape going into this game, and this football team can run it. I thought (LB Alec Ogletree) Alec did a great job putting the defense in position to stunt, to stop, and audible from a defensive standpoint and stop the run. I thought we tackled well. We didn’t give up a lot of plays. Obviously, we have some frustration on the defensive side when you lose back to back. You hold your opponent to 17, but one was returned for a touchdown in London, and then 13 today. As we told our team, the defense has to keep doing what they’re doing and offense has to step it up. We have to score some points. We have to figure out a way to get back to where we were in Detroit when we scored 28.”
(On whether he will reevaluate his QB decision this week after being definitive in London that QB Case Keenum is the best choice)
“Yeah, because we had four interceptions by our quarterback, two of which were his responsibility and two of which were not, so I don’t think (QB Case Keenum) Case’s play today was indicative of raising the question.”
(On the potentially game-changing dropped ball by TE Lance Kendricks)
“Tough catch, ball surprised him. (TE Lance Kendricks) Lance had nine catches, tough catches, and we’re going to bring up the drop. That’s tough on Lance, but the ball was thrown in a good position. Windows are short. This is a good defense.”
(On RB Todd Gurley)
“We’re picking it up trying to spread the ball around. They’re taking the run away with respect to the fronts and the stunting, so we pick it up and throw it. It’s not a (RB Todd Gurley) Todd thing, it’s not a personal thing from Todd. You can see how explosive he is when we get the ball in his hands.”
(On reason for Gurley sitting out for final drive)
“(RB Benny Cunningham) Benny is our two-minute back.”
(On the development of WR Brian Quick)
“(WR Brian Quick) Brian started slow after we drafted him, and then two years ago got off to a really good start and suffered a near career-ending shoulder injury, then came back. I thought he started a little bit slow this week, but he’s getting open and making the plays. How much did you want that ball to be complete to him when we got behind it? That would’ve been a game-changing play, the way the game ended up, and (QB Case Keenum) Case just overthrew it a little bit.”
(On the fans booing the offense and chanting for QB Jared Goff)
“The fans expect production and execution and points. I totally get that. I’ve been through that before. I totally understand their position on that. I honestly didn’t hear them root for (QB Jared Goff) Jared.”
(On the decision to go for the field goal on the very first drive)
“I felt like we were going to need points, and (K Greg Zuerlein) Greg felt really comfortable there, he just miss-hit it. Unfortunately for Greg, he missed two today and they were both 55-yarders.”
Rams QB Case Keenum
(On the performance of himself and the team in today’s game)
“Not good enough. It wasn’t good enough. Again, a turnover cost us and not good enough on third down. There were couple plays there that I want back, but it wasn’t good enough. I have to go look at it on film, but it was not good enough.”
(On the touchdown in the fourth quarter and the possible momentum at the end of the game)
“Yeah, it was too little, too late. I think we got going with some on the ball stuff. We were able to complete some passes and get some guys open down field— even short passes to get some guys running and kind of getting on the ball, two-minute type style offense, and got a score, but it wasn’t enough.”
(On his reaction to the fans booing the offense)
“It’s frustrating. I’m frustrated. I’m glad they care, I do. I’m really glad the fans care. I care, too. I put a lot into this. I put a lot of hours, I put a lot of work into it and it’s something I’ve worked for my whole life. I’m glad they care because I care as well and when we aren’t scoring points and we aren’t moving the football, it’s frustrating. I can tell they’re frustrated, we’re frustrated, too, but we are doing our best and we are going to go back and look at it and see what we need to fix and come in Monday ready to go.”
(On if the interception fueled the rest of his game)
“Yeah, I played a bit angry today, at certain points, not because of any one thing, but it’s kind of how I’ve played my whole life— with a little chip on my shoulder. But, it was a bad decision, it was a poor decision. My feet, I didn’t get my feet set underneath me and (LB Thomas) Davis is a heck of a player, but I just need to check that down, (RB) Todd (Gurley) was wide open in the flat. That was a crucial mistake. I really want that one back, because we were moving on offense. I think we had a holding penalty, got second-and-long, but (WR) Tavon (Austin) made a good move and got open down field and we were able to hit him and we were kind of were rolling a bit, we had a good run. We just have to be smart with the football. That was my goal for this week coming in was being smart with the football and that wound up costing us big.”
(On the ‘We want (QB Jared) Goff’ chant from the fans)
“Yeah, they have a right to feel however they want to feel. I’m always the type of person that, I’m glad that the fans are there and the stadium is full. So, like I said earlier, in one ear and out the other, but we are frustrated, too, that we aren’t scoring points. We have to score more points, so I understand.”
(On the last drive and his switch to a left-handed throw)
“Yeah, I’ve never done that before. I don’t know what happened. (RB) Benny (Cunningham) ran a good route because they kind of gave us a different blitz than we expected, and I think I kind of clutched and then kind of had somebody on me, so I choked it left-handed. He did a great job of making an adjustment, but yeah, that was an interesting play.”
(On TE Lance Kendrick’s drop)
“Yeah, I’ve got complete faith in all my guys, including Lance. We all want plays back and you say that, and it’s frustrating that you sound like a broken record on certain things, but we have to score touchdowns. The two plays before, there were some guys that I missed. That’s not on one person or one guy, we have to score a touchdown in that situation.”
(On the small margin for error and the type of preparation and pressure it creates)
“Yeah, that’s why we do what we do. That’s why this game is not for everybody. That’s why this is the NFL and that’s why these games are put on TV and they are super slow motion and you see these catches these guys make. It’s just a game of inches and we know that and we know coming in, that we’ve got belief in ourselves and trust our preparation and technique, but when it comes down to it, instincts take over and you try to give guys a chance to make plays.”
(On what positives he can use from this game moving forward)
“You know, I don’t know. I have to go look at the film. I said it before, I’m pretty frustrated right now. It’s upsetting that we have been within a score multiple times and not coming away with a victory. I’m never going let it get me down. I’ve got tough skin and I’m going to keep fighting, keep battling—that’s what I do. I know we’ve got a good football team in that locker room. I know we’ve got a good offense. We may not have put it on the field today, for all four quarters, but we can move the ball, we can score points and we have to do it more consistently, we have to do it at the right time, we have to help our defense out. Our defense played so well today. They play well the last couple of weeks and we’ve got to score more points and that’s a whole offense deal—that’s all of us combined. Look for us to be better next week.
(On his confidence in remaining the starting quarterback for the Rams)
“That’s not something I think about. I get ready to play and that’s what I do. I’m getting ready to play the (New York) Jets. We have the 24-hour rule, for me, I have a shower rule. I take a shower, good or bad, I rinse all the crap off and I’m looking forward to next week.”
(On the defensive pressure from the Carolina Panthers)
“They brought pressure at different times. I thought we handled it pretty well at times. There were a couple of times where I didn’t move well enough in the pocket and it wasn’t even pressure, I didn’t have the pocket presence and didn’t have a clear view on a few third-downs to pull the trigger. So, something I need to look back and work on my mechanics and moving in the pocket. We just have to be better.”
(On the development of his shower rule)
“I don’t know, I’ve had it for a while. It’s kind of a metaphor to just to clean everything off, just let it all down the drain. {It doesn’t give you a lot of time after a game} Nope. Good quarterbacks have amnesia.”
Rams DE Robert Quinn
(On what the team is not getting done in order to get over the close losses)
“Well I play defense, so we’re not making enough plays to get the offense an opportunity or score on defense. I’ll speak for myself – we’re not doing enough, to me. I think we’re doing great, but, of course, we’d like to raise our bar. We’re not playing great enough to win. I think guys, we’re frustrated, but we’re not out of it. We have, what, nine games left – it’s crunch time – so hopefully guys are aware of our situation.”
(On how they were able to sack Panthers QB Cam Newton five times today)
“(Defensive Coordinator) Gregg (Williams), he called a great game, giving us opportunities to run. For the most part, the secondary had their guys locked down, giving us time. Once you’ve got the opportunity, you try to get him down, and our guys did a great job. Of course, we’d like to get the ball out and score on defense, but we rattled him in the pocket to give ourselves a chance. We just have to keep building from there.”
(On if operating with a narrow margin of error gets harder as the season goes on)
“Yes and no. when you start playing in close games like that all the time, you get a feel for them. Now, the thing is, we have to start winning them – that’s the big difference. At the end of the game, it could have turned so much faster – just whatever, one play here or there that we need to make to get that momentum going, we just haven’t done that. To lose close games like that, it’s tough and we just have to figure out (how) to make one or two plays so we can start being on the other side and getting Ws.”
Rams LB Alec Ogletree
(On if he feels like there is a lot of room for improvement on the defense)
“I don’t think there’s many major things. All the little things that you need to do to win the game, you have to prepare to do that each and every week. You can’t be lackadaisical in your technique or your mental awareness. Like I said, we hate you lose, but we’re not far off. We just have to find a way to win games.”
(On what it’s like operating with a thin margin for error week after week)
“No games are easy. I feel like, I’ve said all the time, our team is built to win close games. You can see, every game that we’ve kind of lost, we’ve been there close at the end. We just haven’t found a way to finish those games, but we’re built to play close games and we’re going to have to find a way to win those close games.”
Rams RB Todd Gurley
(On how he feels the team can pull itself out of the losing streak)
“Just have to come ready to work next week. Obviously, we have got to score points to win the game. It’s not the end of the world, you just have to win games.”
(On getting the ball on back-to-back plays)
“I don’t control the play calling – (offensive coordinator) Coach (Rob) Boras does a great job. It’s a team game, you can’t get the ball every time.”
(On if he wants the ball in his hands more)
“Like I said, obviously everybody wants the ball in their hands. But it’s a team game, I trust in my guys as much as they trust in me.”
(On what he would change about the recent games ending with such a close score)
“We just have got to score more points, no ifs, ands or buts about it, we have to get in the end zone, we have to execute.”
Rams G Rodger Saffold
(On the mental state of the team)
“Crushed. We’re just absolutely crushed. Enough is enough. We know we need to put more work in on offense and have to score touchdowns. I don’t blame anyone group. I don’t blame coaching. I don’t blame anything, but just collectively, we need figure it out. Our defense is out here putting up games. We need to be able to capitalize. Enough is enough. Enough with just sitting around and saying, ‘Let’s stick together.’ It’s time to just go power it in.”
(On if the ‘We Want Goff’ chant affected him mentally)
“That doesn’t matter to me. It’s the coaches’ decision. It’s not my decision who is going to be back there. My job is to protect whoever is out there, and to make sure we run the ball. We need to find a way to get that together or else it’s going to be a long season.”
(On if he hears the crowd booing the offense)
“Yeah, but once again, that doesn’t bother me at all. It could’ve been looking like ghost and saying ‘boo’ and I wouldn’t care. The true thing is, that we need to continue to work. All I know how to do is work. I’ll be in here tomorrow, 9:30 a.m. putting up weight, and trying to put my team in the best position to win.”
(On if it’s harder to swallow the loss because the team wants to make an impression on the fans of Los Angeles)
“Absolutely, but at the end of the day, we have to focus on what we have to focus on. If we put something out there that they can cheer for, good. But, all the booing and all the distractions that are going on, we have to ignore it because we have to continue to work.”
(On his biggest frustration of to what’s not happening out on the field)
“We’re not playing as one. Eleven have to play as one in order to make plays and to get big plays down the field, and be able to score touchdowns. It’s always one thing here, there, and that has to stop. We have to continue to play cohesive and we have to improve. Like I said, it’s just not one group. It’s not the quarterback, it’s not the [offensive] line, it’s not the wide receivers – it’s everybody collectively.”
Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera
(On getting the win no matter what it took)
“This is a very tough team. We played a very physical team. You’ve got to give them credit. These guys played hard and it was about as physical of a game that I’ve been involved with. They played very tough up front. It was one of those games that the team that controlled the line of scrimmage was going to come out on top, and fortunately enough, for us, we were able to control it.”
(On his staff’s use of rotations throughout the game)
“That’s what we’ve done for the most part. We do a ton of rotation. We liked what we did. We thought the guys up front gave us the perfect push and surge we needed. Again, give them credit, though because they drove down to score late in the game and were able to keep our pressure off of the quarterback at that point.”
(On if his game plan was to take away the running game and let Rams QB Case Keenum throw)
“Most certainly. That’s one of the things we wanted to do. We wanted to take the running game away. (RB) Todd Gurley is a tremendous football player and we just didn’t want to give him a chance to get started. They did some good things. Again, you’ve got to give them credit. They played hard. It was a very, very physical game today.”
(On the Rams’ defensive line’s performance)
“They’re a physical bunch. They’re explosive off the ball. They can get into the creases and they penetrate. If you’re not opening creases immediately, they’re going to make the ball bounce, which is what they were able to do and they forced us to try to bounce the ball outside. We did a couple of things later in the game, especially in the third quarter that opened some things up for (Panther RB) Jonathan (Stewart), but again they played very well up front.”
(On the impact of not having Panthers C Ryan Kalil in the game)
“I don’t think it impacted us. I thought (Panthers C) Gino (Gradkowski) did a good job. There were a couple of things that obviously Ryan would have handled a little bit better, but we had an opportunity, we did some good things, and they were good enough to give ourselves a chance to win.”
(On if he is in a position to turn this season around after this win)
“Sure. Why not? We won today. We’ve got another game coming up. If we can win that, who knows what happens afterwards? Again, I feel pretty confident about who we are as a football team, but the truth of the matter is, we play them one at a time. We’ll take them one at a time. Hopefully next week we’ll get an opportunity and hopefully we can win the football game.”
(On the satisfaction of coming out on top in a physical game like this, after previously losing to Minnesota and Denver in similar games)
“It is very satisfying, especially in a game like this, to come out on top. We played a couple of real physical games - Denver being one of them, Minnesota being the other - and to come out on top in a game like this is huge. It speaks very well to our ability to be a tough football team, a physical football team, and hopefully it will pay dividends as we move forward.”
(On whether or not Panthers QB Cam Newton was off today even before the pressure started getting to him)
“He missed a couple of throws, yes, and I think there were some opportunities. We dropped a couple, as well. They were able to stymie the running game, so that’s a big part of it, too. It takes away the effectiveness of the play-action fake. It was a combination – he missed a couple throws, we dropped a couple, and you’ve got to give them credit because they did some good things.”
(On what he told Panthers Offensive Coordinator Mike Shula to do about the run game)
“I told Mike ‘Call your game. Don’t get out of your rhythm.’ We had a couple of drives in the third quarter, where we probably didn’t give ourselves a chance to kick some field goals, and obviously that’s what broke the difference for us.”
(On whether or not it is frustrating that his offense has not established a balance in the play-action pass)
“No. It’s not, because again, we won the game. At the end of the day, the frustration will come when we get a chance to sit down and watch the tape and see what happened, more so than anything else, and see as to why certain things happened. Again, I don’t want to take anything away from the Rams. This is a tough, physical football team and to me, that’s my kind of football. I really like the style that they’re playing and I give them credit. We had some opportunities that we missed. I’m anxious to watch it on tape and see exactly what happened, whether it’s something going on with the receivers, the tight ends, the offensive line, (or) the running backs. On the defensive side, we gave up a couple of plays that we probably shouldn’t. We had two fourth downs where we had chances to get stops and we didn’t do that. So, I’m interested in looking at the tape more so than anything else. But, it is kind of frustrating and I think more disappointing, as to not doing the things that we needed to do when we had opportunities.”
(On the officiating of Newton in the pocket)
“I’m going to watch the tape. Again, as I go through the game, I’m trying to watch for what’s happening. I’m for the most part satisfied. We’ll see what it looks like on tape, but I thought the officiating did a good job.”
(On how his offense handled DT Dominique Easley effectively)
“About as good as anybody can Dominique’s an explosive football player. He’s got some good guys around him, too. I thought the way they pressured the pocket was outstanding. They hit the quarterback a couple of times with their DBs and their linebackers, too. It’s a good combination, what they’re doing, and like I said, I think this football team is heading in the right direction. They’re going through some tough circumstances, here – having to play here and not necessarily having a home and all that kind of stuff, and for them to play as physical and tough as they are, I think that this team is building in the right direction.”
(On the field conditions after the USC game the previous afternoon)
“Oh, yeah. I thought the field was outstanding. I don’t think there was anything wrong with the field. I thought that the grounds crew did a nice job. It was the same turf that both teams played on.”
(On whether or not his secondary is better with Panthers CB James Bradberry in the game)
“I think that the secondary is better just because they’re coming together. They’re maturing as a group, and I think that James is a big part of what we’re trying to build as we go forward.”
(On Panthers LB Thomas Davis’ athleticism shown with his interception)
“As (Panthers LB) Luke (Kuechly) would like to say, he’s ‘O.L.D.’ Old.”
(On injuries during the game)
“So far, so good. We’ll see. The only one that, right now, I’m aware of is (Panthers S) Colin Jones. He’s in the protocol, so we’ll see what happens.”
(On what he saw on the onside kick)
“I thought we were in good position. They tried to sneak one on us – one up the middle, and ‘Teddy’ (Panthers WR Ted Ginn Jr.) handled it perfectly. Again, it’s one of those scary things. You never know what’s going to happen with the ball bouncing the way it does.”
(On if he believes that the Rams’ kicking team was trying to get the ball to bounce off of one of the players on the front line of his return team on the onside kick)
“Yes. I think that’s probably what that was, but again, I don’t want to speak to what their strategy was. I don’t know what they were trying to do.”
Panthers QB Cam Newton
(On the physicality and toughness of the game)
“Well, for us, the most important thing is to stop plays and get the football. That’s what we did. We’re not going to talk logistics or the stats or statistics – we just have to find ways. It’s not pretty, and in most cases throughout the year, all games are not going to be pretty, but I am just happy and proud. Everybody just kept pushing through, and just did their job.”
(On if he feels that their season can still be turned around)
“It’s turned around before our eyes. We aren’t going to think about what the final record can be. We’re just trying to take it one game at a time.”
(On if someone describes the game as being an “ugly game”)
“I’ve never heard of a pretty loss.”
(On how not having C Ryan Kalil impacted the running game)
“You just have to find ways. They’re very stingy up front, a very stout defense, and we knew that coming in. We can’t put ourselves in third and long, we have to have more production on first and second down. That what we trust in our running game to do something, me included. We just have to go back and watch the film, and make the proper adjustments.”
(On only if there was anything that the defensive line did to get more sacks today)
“It was a pretty good team. I don’t think they get enough credit for how great those guys are. But still, when we face a good team like that, we have to be able to be more efficient on the offensive side of the football.”
(On if he felt like he received better treatment from the officials this week compared to last week)
“I’m not worried about that. Just trying to find ways to win the football.”
(On the touchdown pass from TE Greg Olsen)
“It was just Greg being very decisive in his route-running. When he got a head-start release, it was pretty much good riddance after that. They did a pretty much good job at trying to contain Greg all game, and we just have to make the defense ply. When guys are flying wide open, you have to make sure to hit the guys and keep the ball moving forward.”
(On how difficult the defensive front made it on his team in terms of running the ball and getting into a rhythm)
“Well when you don’t get the production in one game, it puts a strain on your offense as a whole, but we just have to move forward and find ways – if we face a team like this in the future, we have to have more answers.”
(On if today was more of a clean game than last week’s game)
“I’m just happy we won the football game.”
(On if he had more fun playing tonight)
“It’s always fun to win.”
Panthers LB Luke Kuechly
(On how it feels to get another win)
“You got to understand that you have to take it one week at a time. These two wins were good, but moving forward they don’t mean anything. You got to come out each week with the mindset that you have to practice hard and give yourself a chance to win on Sunday.”
(On Thomas Davis’ interception)
“I was right there and (Panthers LB) Thomas (Davis) jumped up there and made a great play. I think he beat me this week, so he’s going to give me some grief on that. He’s got two (interceptions) already this year, so I’ve got some catching up to do.”
(On getting tough wins)
“It’s good for your team. You got to come out. There’s always a different kind of game in every week. That’s what makes the NFL great. Guys came out, played hard. I thought we played well in all three phases. It’s a really good defense they have. Our guys on offense fought. (Panthers QB) Cam (Newton) did a good job scoring when we needed to. (Panthers K) Graham (Gano) hit a big field goal, and you got to win like that sometimes. Not every game is going to be a blowout, and it feels good for us to go out there and get a win like that.”
(On the defense to stopping the Rams offense)
“Our guys up front have done an excellent job these last few weeks, and a lot of credit goes to those guys. A lot of the credit goes to the coaches for putting us in positions to be successful. Everybody tackles. I think (Panthers CB) James (Bradberry) had a really big tackle early on in the game and that’s good for those guys to step up and make those tackles. I thought James and (Panthers CB) Daryl (Worley) played very well today, and it’s fun to see those guys really growing.”
(On if this is a turning point for their season)
“We’ve got quite a few games left. You got to understand that it’s one game at a time. You can’t look too far ahead because every team you play is a good team. We’ve got to focus in and understand that nothing is given; you’ve got to work towards everything.”
(On what the defense strives for every game)
“We try to play as well as we can on defense and give our offense short fields, turnovers, and other possessions. We take a lot of pride on what we do on defense. Obviously, there are a lot of things we can tighten up and do better, but you know, we’re getting there.”
Panthers TE Greg Olsen
(On the feeling of today’s win)
“It was. Obviously, we’re in a position right now where every win is pretty big for us. We put ourselves in a little bit of a hole and the only way to really get ourselves out is to just climb out one at a time. We come out here [to the] West Coast against a team that we knew was pretty dynamic on defense, to come away with a win was big for us.”
(On if he felt he needed a bounce back game this week)
“No. I don’t get too wrapped up in stats and catches. Sometimes the games go particular ways that are out of your control. You just try to keep rolling and when the ball is thrown my way, catch it.”
(On QB Cam Newton’s performance doing enough offensively today despite the sacks)
“That was probably the story. That’s probably the best way to put it – we did enough. Obviously we’ve got to do a little bit better job of keeping him clean in the pocket, but that’s probably the best front we’ll play all year. So they’re obviously a pretty unique challenge with what they can do up front and they had all their guys back off the bye healthy and we were prepared for a battle and that’s what we got.”
(On the momentum of consecutive wins)
“You know you hope so. Obviously, we’ll take a two-win win streak here but we know three wins isn’t going to do too much. So we’ve got a lot of football left here. We’ve got the back half of the season coming, so just got to keep chipping them one at a time.”
Panthers LB Thomas Davis
(On the importance of shutting down the run game)
“It’s very important when you’re playing any team to make them one-dimensional, trying to take away their running game. When you do that, it allows the D-linemen to get after the quarterback. Our D-line the last two weeks have been phenomenal. They’ve done a really great job. I think that works hand-in-hand with the guys in the secondary. Connecting the receivers and giving them time to get there. Like I’ve talked about all season long, when we do that, it’s tough to beat this football team.”
(On if they can still save their season after winning consecutive games)
“We definitely feel like, as a football team, we still control our own destiny. You know, it’s a really good feeling. You don’t want to be at the mercy of anyone else. As long as we continue to string wins together and come away with the victory, that’s all that matters. At the end of the day, we still control what happens to this football team.”
(On if the team is starting to see momentum build)
“We’re just taking this thing one week at a time. We can’t get caught up and worried about momentum and worrying about streaks moving forward. We just got to take it one week at a time. It’s the mindset, and we aren’t going to let anyone get caught up looking ahead. It’s all about playing in this game and that’s the focus right now.”
(On the interception and what he saw)
“I saw something that our coaches showed us all week long. You drop back, you get setup, and you get your eyes back to the quarterback and he threw it in my direction. In my eyes, I’m like ‘hey, come down with this football by any means necessary.’”
(On winning a road game this far from home)
“It definitely feels better when you win the football game traveling this far, but at the end of the day, we focused in, we locked in as a football team, and we knew that it was a tough task. We knew what we had to do and we came here and got it done.”
Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin
(On the Rams’ defense)
“Yeah, I mean they’re flying all over the field. They disguise very well. You know, like I said, we just got out and execute and catch, throw and catch.”
(On the good feeling of the first road win and then consecutive victories)
“I mean definitely, definitely. That’s what we really try to focus on. After the bye week, we kind of wanted to start the whole season over, so we’re 2-0 right now. And that’s how we want to finish out the second half of the season.”
Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher
(Opening remarks)
“Well, obviously it didn’t turn out the way we hoped it would turn out. As I just finished with the team, painting a realistic picture over the last two weeks, our defense has given up a touchdown to (Giants QB) Eli Manning and (Panthers QB) Cam Newton, and that’s it. That’s a winning effort. The problem is, we’ve only scored two touchdowns in the last two weeks and therein lies our problem. We have to continue to keep the defense playing at this rate, this effort, and with the production. We have to find a way to get some turnovers on defense, however, and we have to figure out a way to score some points. I’m very disappointed, but we’ll bounce back. Four consecutive in the loss column is not good, and the only way you can win four in the win column is you go out and win the next one, so that’s where we’re at. I think the team understands that. They understand where we’re at. We’re not getting the turnovers. Turnovers hurt us in London, and the one turnover today hurt us, but there were some outstanding efforts out there today and that was a good football team.”
(On QB Case Keenum’s current performance and whether or not it is elevating the team’s performance)
“We’re going to lick our wounds here, and it’s still fresh. I’m going to look at the tape. I would submit that (QB Case Keenum) Case was not the reason we lost this game today. We just didn’t make plays in all three phases. We’ll circle the wagons with the coaches and look at the tape, but I’m pleased with the way Case has fought. As I say consistently, repeatedly, week after week, I’m pleased with (QB Jared Goff) Jared’s progress.”
(On the success of the Rams’ run defense)
“You look at the tape going into this game, and this football team can run it. I thought (LB Alec Ogletree) Alec did a great job putting the defense in position to stunt, to stop, and audible from a defensive standpoint and stop the run. I thought we tackled well. We didn’t give up a lot of plays. Obviously, we have some frustration on the defensive side when you lose back to back. You hold your opponent to 17, but one was returned for a touchdown in London, and then 13 today. As we told our team, the defense has to keep doing what they’re doing and offense has to step it up. We have to score some points. We have to figure out a way to get back to where we were in Detroit when we scored 28.”
(On whether he will reevaluate his QB decision this week after being definitive in London that QB Case Keenum is the best choice)
“Yeah, because we had four interceptions by our quarterback, two of which were his responsibility and two of which were not, so I don’t think (QB Case Keenum) Case’s play today was indicative of raising the question.”
(On the potentially game-changing dropped ball by TE Lance Kendricks)
“Tough catch, ball surprised him. (TE Lance Kendricks) Lance had nine catches, tough catches, and we’re going to bring up the drop. That’s tough on Lance, but the ball was thrown in a good position. Windows are short. This is a good defense.”
(On RB Todd Gurley)
“We’re picking it up trying to spread the ball around. They’re taking the run away with respect to the fronts and the stunting, so we pick it up and throw it. It’s not a (RB Todd Gurley) Todd thing, it’s not a personal thing from Todd. You can see how explosive he is when we get the ball in his hands.”
(On reason for Gurley sitting out for final drive)
“(RB Benny Cunningham) Benny is our two-minute back.”
(On the development of WR Brian Quick)
“(WR Brian Quick) Brian started slow after we drafted him, and then two years ago got off to a really good start and suffered a near career-ending shoulder injury, then came back. I thought he started a little bit slow this week, but he’s getting open and making the plays. How much did you want that ball to be complete to him when we got behind it? That would’ve been a game-changing play, the way the game ended up, and (QB Case Keenum) Case just overthrew it a little bit.”
(On the fans booing the offense and chanting for QB Jared Goff)
“The fans expect production and execution and points. I totally get that. I’ve been through that before. I totally understand their position on that. I honestly didn’t hear them root for (QB Jared Goff) Jared.”
(On the decision to go for the field goal on the very first drive)
“I felt like we were going to need points, and (K Greg Zuerlein) Greg felt really comfortable there, he just miss-hit it. Unfortunately for Greg, he missed two today and they were both 55-yarders.”
Rams QB Case Keenum
(On the performance of himself and the team in today’s game)
“Not good enough. It wasn’t good enough. Again, a turnover cost us and not good enough on third down. There were couple plays there that I want back, but it wasn’t good enough. I have to go look at it on film, but it was not good enough.”
(On the touchdown in the fourth quarter and the possible momentum at the end of the game)
“Yeah, it was too little, too late. I think we got going with some on the ball stuff. We were able to complete some passes and get some guys open down field— even short passes to get some guys running and kind of getting on the ball, two-minute type style offense, and got a score, but it wasn’t enough.”
(On his reaction to the fans booing the offense)
“It’s frustrating. I’m frustrated. I’m glad they care, I do. I’m really glad the fans care. I care, too. I put a lot into this. I put a lot of hours, I put a lot of work into it and it’s something I’ve worked for my whole life. I’m glad they care because I care as well and when we aren’t scoring points and we aren’t moving the football, it’s frustrating. I can tell they’re frustrated, we’re frustrated, too, but we are doing our best and we are going to go back and look at it and see what we need to fix and come in Monday ready to go.”
(On if the interception fueled the rest of his game)
“Yeah, I played a bit angry today, at certain points, not because of any one thing, but it’s kind of how I’ve played my whole life— with a little chip on my shoulder. But, it was a bad decision, it was a poor decision. My feet, I didn’t get my feet set underneath me and (LB Thomas) Davis is a heck of a player, but I just need to check that down, (RB) Todd (Gurley) was wide open in the flat. That was a crucial mistake. I really want that one back, because we were moving on offense. I think we had a holding penalty, got second-and-long, but (WR) Tavon (Austin) made a good move and got open down field and we were able to hit him and we were kind of were rolling a bit, we had a good run. We just have to be smart with the football. That was my goal for this week coming in was being smart with the football and that wound up costing us big.”
(On the ‘We want (QB Jared) Goff’ chant from the fans)
“Yeah, they have a right to feel however they want to feel. I’m always the type of person that, I’m glad that the fans are there and the stadium is full. So, like I said earlier, in one ear and out the other, but we are frustrated, too, that we aren’t scoring points. We have to score more points, so I understand.”
(On the last drive and his switch to a left-handed throw)
“Yeah, I’ve never done that before. I don’t know what happened. (RB) Benny (Cunningham) ran a good route because they kind of gave us a different blitz than we expected, and I think I kind of clutched and then kind of had somebody on me, so I choked it left-handed. He did a great job of making an adjustment, but yeah, that was an interesting play.”
(On TE Lance Kendrick’s drop)
“Yeah, I’ve got complete faith in all my guys, including Lance. We all want plays back and you say that, and it’s frustrating that you sound like a broken record on certain things, but we have to score touchdowns. The two plays before, there were some guys that I missed. That’s not on one person or one guy, we have to score a touchdown in that situation.”
(On the small margin for error and the type of preparation and pressure it creates)
“Yeah, that’s why we do what we do. That’s why this game is not for everybody. That’s why this is the NFL and that’s why these games are put on TV and they are super slow motion and you see these catches these guys make. It’s just a game of inches and we know that and we know coming in, that we’ve got belief in ourselves and trust our preparation and technique, but when it comes down to it, instincts take over and you try to give guys a chance to make plays.”
(On what positives he can use from this game moving forward)
“You know, I don’t know. I have to go look at the film. I said it before, I’m pretty frustrated right now. It’s upsetting that we have been within a score multiple times and not coming away with a victory. I’m never going let it get me down. I’ve got tough skin and I’m going to keep fighting, keep battling—that’s what I do. I know we’ve got a good football team in that locker room. I know we’ve got a good offense. We may not have put it on the field today, for all four quarters, but we can move the ball, we can score points and we have to do it more consistently, we have to do it at the right time, we have to help our defense out. Our defense played so well today. They play well the last couple of weeks and we’ve got to score more points and that’s a whole offense deal—that’s all of us combined. Look for us to be better next week.
(On his confidence in remaining the starting quarterback for the Rams)
“That’s not something I think about. I get ready to play and that’s what I do. I’m getting ready to play the (New York) Jets. We have the 24-hour rule, for me, I have a shower rule. I take a shower, good or bad, I rinse all the crap off and I’m looking forward to next week.”
(On the defensive pressure from the Carolina Panthers)
“They brought pressure at different times. I thought we handled it pretty well at times. There were a couple of times where I didn’t move well enough in the pocket and it wasn’t even pressure, I didn’t have the pocket presence and didn’t have a clear view on a few third-downs to pull the trigger. So, something I need to look back and work on my mechanics and moving in the pocket. We just have to be better.”
(On the development of his shower rule)
“I don’t know, I’ve had it for a while. It’s kind of a metaphor to just to clean everything off, just let it all down the drain. {It doesn’t give you a lot of time after a game} Nope. Good quarterbacks have amnesia.”
Rams DE Robert Quinn
(On what the team is not getting done in order to get over the close losses)
“Well I play defense, so we’re not making enough plays to get the offense an opportunity or score on defense. I’ll speak for myself – we’re not doing enough, to me. I think we’re doing great, but, of course, we’d like to raise our bar. We’re not playing great enough to win. I think guys, we’re frustrated, but we’re not out of it. We have, what, nine games left – it’s crunch time – so hopefully guys are aware of our situation.”
(On how they were able to sack Panthers QB Cam Newton five times today)
“(Defensive Coordinator) Gregg (Williams), he called a great game, giving us opportunities to run. For the most part, the secondary had their guys locked down, giving us time. Once you’ve got the opportunity, you try to get him down, and our guys did a great job. Of course, we’d like to get the ball out and score on defense, but we rattled him in the pocket to give ourselves a chance. We just have to keep building from there.”
(On if operating with a narrow margin of error gets harder as the season goes on)
“Yes and no. when you start playing in close games like that all the time, you get a feel for them. Now, the thing is, we have to start winning them – that’s the big difference. At the end of the game, it could have turned so much faster – just whatever, one play here or there that we need to make to get that momentum going, we just haven’t done that. To lose close games like that, it’s tough and we just have to figure out (how) to make one or two plays so we can start being on the other side and getting Ws.”
Rams LB Alec Ogletree
(On if he feels like there is a lot of room for improvement on the defense)
“I don’t think there’s many major things. All the little things that you need to do to win the game, you have to prepare to do that each and every week. You can’t be lackadaisical in your technique or your mental awareness. Like I said, we hate you lose, but we’re not far off. We just have to find a way to win games.”
(On what it’s like operating with a thin margin for error week after week)
“No games are easy. I feel like, I’ve said all the time, our team is built to win close games. You can see, every game that we’ve kind of lost, we’ve been there close at the end. We just haven’t found a way to finish those games, but we’re built to play close games and we’re going to have to find a way to win those close games.”
Rams RB Todd Gurley
(On how he feels the team can pull itself out of the losing streak)
“Just have to come ready to work next week. Obviously, we have got to score points to win the game. It’s not the end of the world, you just have to win games.”
(On getting the ball on back-to-back plays)
“I don’t control the play calling – (offensive coordinator) Coach (Rob) Boras does a great job. It’s a team game, you can’t get the ball every time.”
(On if he wants the ball in his hands more)
“Like I said, obviously everybody wants the ball in their hands. But it’s a team game, I trust in my guys as much as they trust in me.”
(On what he would change about the recent games ending with such a close score)
“We just have got to score more points, no ifs, ands or buts about it, we have to get in the end zone, we have to execute.”
Rams G Rodger Saffold
(On the mental state of the team)
“Crushed. We’re just absolutely crushed. Enough is enough. We know we need to put more work in on offense and have to score touchdowns. I don’t blame anyone group. I don’t blame coaching. I don’t blame anything, but just collectively, we need figure it out. Our defense is out here putting up games. We need to be able to capitalize. Enough is enough. Enough with just sitting around and saying, ‘Let’s stick together.’ It’s time to just go power it in.”
(On if the ‘We Want Goff’ chant affected him mentally)
“That doesn’t matter to me. It’s the coaches’ decision. It’s not my decision who is going to be back there. My job is to protect whoever is out there, and to make sure we run the ball. We need to find a way to get that together or else it’s going to be a long season.”
(On if he hears the crowd booing the offense)
“Yeah, but once again, that doesn’t bother me at all. It could’ve been looking like ghost and saying ‘boo’ and I wouldn’t care. The true thing is, that we need to continue to work. All I know how to do is work. I’ll be in here tomorrow, 9:30 a.m. putting up weight, and trying to put my team in the best position to win.”
(On if it’s harder to swallow the loss because the team wants to make an impression on the fans of Los Angeles)
“Absolutely, but at the end of the day, we have to focus on what we have to focus on. If we put something out there that they can cheer for, good. But, all the booing and all the distractions that are going on, we have to ignore it because we have to continue to work.”
(On his biggest frustration of to what’s not happening out on the field)
“We’re not playing as one. Eleven have to play as one in order to make plays and to get big plays down the field, and be able to score touchdowns. It’s always one thing here, there, and that has to stop. We have to continue to play cohesive and we have to improve. Like I said, it’s just not one group. It’s not the quarterback, it’s not the [offensive] line, it’s not the wide receivers – it’s everybody collectively.”
Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera
(On getting the win no matter what it took)
“This is a very tough team. We played a very physical team. You’ve got to give them credit. These guys played hard and it was about as physical of a game that I’ve been involved with. They played very tough up front. It was one of those games that the team that controlled the line of scrimmage was going to come out on top, and fortunately enough, for us, we were able to control it.”
(On his staff’s use of rotations throughout the game)
“That’s what we’ve done for the most part. We do a ton of rotation. We liked what we did. We thought the guys up front gave us the perfect push and surge we needed. Again, give them credit, though because they drove down to score late in the game and were able to keep our pressure off of the quarterback at that point.”
(On if his game plan was to take away the running game and let Rams QB Case Keenum throw)
“Most certainly. That’s one of the things we wanted to do. We wanted to take the running game away. (RB) Todd Gurley is a tremendous football player and we just didn’t want to give him a chance to get started. They did some good things. Again, you’ve got to give them credit. They played hard. It was a very, very physical game today.”
(On the Rams’ defensive line’s performance)
“They’re a physical bunch. They’re explosive off the ball. They can get into the creases and they penetrate. If you’re not opening creases immediately, they’re going to make the ball bounce, which is what they were able to do and they forced us to try to bounce the ball outside. We did a couple of things later in the game, especially in the third quarter that opened some things up for (Panther RB) Jonathan (Stewart), but again they played very well up front.”
(On the impact of not having Panthers C Ryan Kalil in the game)
“I don’t think it impacted us. I thought (Panthers C) Gino (Gradkowski) did a good job. There were a couple of things that obviously Ryan would have handled a little bit better, but we had an opportunity, we did some good things, and they were good enough to give ourselves a chance to win.”
(On if he is in a position to turn this season around after this win)
“Sure. Why not? We won today. We’ve got another game coming up. If we can win that, who knows what happens afterwards? Again, I feel pretty confident about who we are as a football team, but the truth of the matter is, we play them one at a time. We’ll take them one at a time. Hopefully next week we’ll get an opportunity and hopefully we can win the football game.”
(On the satisfaction of coming out on top in a physical game like this, after previously losing to Minnesota and Denver in similar games)
“It is very satisfying, especially in a game like this, to come out on top. We played a couple of real physical games - Denver being one of them, Minnesota being the other - and to come out on top in a game like this is huge. It speaks very well to our ability to be a tough football team, a physical football team, and hopefully it will pay dividends as we move forward.”
(On whether or not Panthers QB Cam Newton was off today even before the pressure started getting to him)
“He missed a couple of throws, yes, and I think there were some opportunities. We dropped a couple, as well. They were able to stymie the running game, so that’s a big part of it, too. It takes away the effectiveness of the play-action fake. It was a combination – he missed a couple throws, we dropped a couple, and you’ve got to give them credit because they did some good things.”
(On what he told Panthers Offensive Coordinator Mike Shula to do about the run game)
“I told Mike ‘Call your game. Don’t get out of your rhythm.’ We had a couple of drives in the third quarter, where we probably didn’t give ourselves a chance to kick some field goals, and obviously that’s what broke the difference for us.”
(On whether or not it is frustrating that his offense has not established a balance in the play-action pass)
“No. It’s not, because again, we won the game. At the end of the day, the frustration will come when we get a chance to sit down and watch the tape and see what happened, more so than anything else, and see as to why certain things happened. Again, I don’t want to take anything away from the Rams. This is a tough, physical football team and to me, that’s my kind of football. I really like the style that they’re playing and I give them credit. We had some opportunities that we missed. I’m anxious to watch it on tape and see exactly what happened, whether it’s something going on with the receivers, the tight ends, the offensive line, (or) the running backs. On the defensive side, we gave up a couple of plays that we probably shouldn’t. We had two fourth downs where we had chances to get stops and we didn’t do that. So, I’m interested in looking at the tape more so than anything else. But, it is kind of frustrating and I think more disappointing, as to not doing the things that we needed to do when we had opportunities.”
(On the officiating of Newton in the pocket)
“I’m going to watch the tape. Again, as I go through the game, I’m trying to watch for what’s happening. I’m for the most part satisfied. We’ll see what it looks like on tape, but I thought the officiating did a good job.”
(On how his offense handled DT Dominique Easley effectively)
“About as good as anybody can Dominique’s an explosive football player. He’s got some good guys around him, too. I thought the way they pressured the pocket was outstanding. They hit the quarterback a couple of times with their DBs and their linebackers, too. It’s a good combination, what they’re doing, and like I said, I think this football team is heading in the right direction. They’re going through some tough circumstances, here – having to play here and not necessarily having a home and all that kind of stuff, and for them to play as physical and tough as they are, I think that this team is building in the right direction.”
(On the field conditions after the USC game the previous afternoon)
“Oh, yeah. I thought the field was outstanding. I don’t think there was anything wrong with the field. I thought that the grounds crew did a nice job. It was the same turf that both teams played on.”
(On whether or not his secondary is better with Panthers CB James Bradberry in the game)
“I think that the secondary is better just because they’re coming together. They’re maturing as a group, and I think that James is a big part of what we’re trying to build as we go forward.”
(On Panthers LB Thomas Davis’ athleticism shown with his interception)
“As (Panthers LB) Luke (Kuechly) would like to say, he’s ‘O.L.D.’ Old.”
(On injuries during the game)
“So far, so good. We’ll see. The only one that, right now, I’m aware of is (Panthers S) Colin Jones. He’s in the protocol, so we’ll see what happens.”
(On what he saw on the onside kick)
“I thought we were in good position. They tried to sneak one on us – one up the middle, and ‘Teddy’ (Panthers WR Ted Ginn Jr.) handled it perfectly. Again, it’s one of those scary things. You never know what’s going to happen with the ball bouncing the way it does.”
(On if he believes that the Rams’ kicking team was trying to get the ball to bounce off of one of the players on the front line of his return team on the onside kick)
“Yes. I think that’s probably what that was, but again, I don’t want to speak to what their strategy was. I don’t know what they were trying to do.”
Panthers QB Cam Newton
(On the physicality and toughness of the game)
“Well, for us, the most important thing is to stop plays and get the football. That’s what we did. We’re not going to talk logistics or the stats or statistics – we just have to find ways. It’s not pretty, and in most cases throughout the year, all games are not going to be pretty, but I am just happy and proud. Everybody just kept pushing through, and just did their job.”
(On if he feels that their season can still be turned around)
“It’s turned around before our eyes. We aren’t going to think about what the final record can be. We’re just trying to take it one game at a time.”
(On if someone describes the game as being an “ugly game”)
“I’ve never heard of a pretty loss.”
(On how not having C Ryan Kalil impacted the running game)
“You just have to find ways. They’re very stingy up front, a very stout defense, and we knew that coming in. We can’t put ourselves in third and long, we have to have more production on first and second down. That what we trust in our running game to do something, me included. We just have to go back and watch the film, and make the proper adjustments.”
(On only if there was anything that the defensive line did to get more sacks today)
“It was a pretty good team. I don’t think they get enough credit for how great those guys are. But still, when we face a good team like that, we have to be able to be more efficient on the offensive side of the football.”
(On if he felt like he received better treatment from the officials this week compared to last week)
“I’m not worried about that. Just trying to find ways to win the football.”
(On the touchdown pass from TE Greg Olsen)
“It was just Greg being very decisive in his route-running. When he got a head-start release, it was pretty much good riddance after that. They did a pretty much good job at trying to contain Greg all game, and we just have to make the defense ply. When guys are flying wide open, you have to make sure to hit the guys and keep the ball moving forward.”
(On how difficult the defensive front made it on his team in terms of running the ball and getting into a rhythm)
“Well when you don’t get the production in one game, it puts a strain on your offense as a whole, but we just have to move forward and find ways – if we face a team like this in the future, we have to have more answers.”
(On if today was more of a clean game than last week’s game)
“I’m just happy we won the football game.”
(On if he had more fun playing tonight)
“It’s always fun to win.”
Panthers LB Luke Kuechly
(On how it feels to get another win)
“You got to understand that you have to take it one week at a time. These two wins were good, but moving forward they don’t mean anything. You got to come out each week with the mindset that you have to practice hard and give yourself a chance to win on Sunday.”
(On Thomas Davis’ interception)
“I was right there and (Panthers LB) Thomas (Davis) jumped up there and made a great play. I think he beat me this week, so he’s going to give me some grief on that. He’s got two (interceptions) already this year, so I’ve got some catching up to do.”
(On getting tough wins)
“It’s good for your team. You got to come out. There’s always a different kind of game in every week. That’s what makes the NFL great. Guys came out, played hard. I thought we played well in all three phases. It’s a really good defense they have. Our guys on offense fought. (Panthers QB) Cam (Newton) did a good job scoring when we needed to. (Panthers K) Graham (Gano) hit a big field goal, and you got to win like that sometimes. Not every game is going to be a blowout, and it feels good for us to go out there and get a win like that.”
(On the defense to stopping the Rams offense)
“Our guys up front have done an excellent job these last few weeks, and a lot of credit goes to those guys. A lot of the credit goes to the coaches for putting us in positions to be successful. Everybody tackles. I think (Panthers CB) James (Bradberry) had a really big tackle early on in the game and that’s good for those guys to step up and make those tackles. I thought James and (Panthers CB) Daryl (Worley) played very well today, and it’s fun to see those guys really growing.”
(On if this is a turning point for their season)
“We’ve got quite a few games left. You got to understand that it’s one game at a time. You can’t look too far ahead because every team you play is a good team. We’ve got to focus in and understand that nothing is given; you’ve got to work towards everything.”
(On what the defense strives for every game)
“We try to play as well as we can on defense and give our offense short fields, turnovers, and other possessions. We take a lot of pride on what we do on defense. Obviously, there are a lot of things we can tighten up and do better, but you know, we’re getting there.”
Panthers TE Greg Olsen
(On the feeling of today’s win)
“It was. Obviously, we’re in a position right now where every win is pretty big for us. We put ourselves in a little bit of a hole and the only way to really get ourselves out is to just climb out one at a time. We come out here [to the] West Coast against a team that we knew was pretty dynamic on defense, to come away with a win was big for us.”
(On if he felt he needed a bounce back game this week)
“No. I don’t get too wrapped up in stats and catches. Sometimes the games go particular ways that are out of your control. You just try to keep rolling and when the ball is thrown my way, catch it.”
(On QB Cam Newton’s performance doing enough offensively today despite the sacks)
“That was probably the story. That’s probably the best way to put it – we did enough. Obviously we’ve got to do a little bit better job of keeping him clean in the pocket, but that’s probably the best front we’ll play all year. So they’re obviously a pretty unique challenge with what they can do up front and they had all their guys back off the bye healthy and we were prepared for a battle and that’s what we got.”
(On the momentum of consecutive wins)
“You know you hope so. Obviously, we’ll take a two-win win streak here but we know three wins isn’t going to do too much. So we’ve got a lot of football left here. We’ve got the back half of the season coming, so just got to keep chipping them one at a time.”
Panthers LB Thomas Davis
(On the importance of shutting down the run game)
“It’s very important when you’re playing any team to make them one-dimensional, trying to take away their running game. When you do that, it allows the D-linemen to get after the quarterback. Our D-line the last two weeks have been phenomenal. They’ve done a really great job. I think that works hand-in-hand with the guys in the secondary. Connecting the receivers and giving them time to get there. Like I’ve talked about all season long, when we do that, it’s tough to beat this football team.”
(On if they can still save their season after winning consecutive games)
“We definitely feel like, as a football team, we still control our own destiny. You know, it’s a really good feeling. You don’t want to be at the mercy of anyone else. As long as we continue to string wins together and come away with the victory, that’s all that matters. At the end of the day, we still control what happens to this football team.”
(On if the team is starting to see momentum build)
“We’re just taking this thing one week at a time. We can’t get caught up and worried about momentum and worrying about streaks moving forward. We just got to take it one week at a time. It’s the mindset, and we aren’t going to let anyone get caught up looking ahead. It’s all about playing in this game and that’s the focus right now.”
(On the interception and what he saw)
“I saw something that our coaches showed us all week long. You drop back, you get setup, and you get your eyes back to the quarterback and he threw it in my direction. In my eyes, I’m like ‘hey, come down with this football by any means necessary.’”
(On winning a road game this far from home)
“It definitely feels better when you win the football game traveling this far, but at the end of the day, we focused in, we locked in as a football team, and we knew that it was a tough task. We knew what we had to do and we came here and got it done.”
Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin
(On the Rams’ defense)
“Yeah, I mean they’re flying all over the field. They disguise very well. You know, like I said, we just got out and execute and catch, throw and catch.”
(On the good feeling of the first road win and then consecutive victories)
“I mean definitely, definitely. That’s what we really try to focus on. After the bye week, we kind of wanted to start the whole season over, so we’re 2-0 right now. And that’s how we want to finish out the second half of the season.”
