Opening statement:
"In the third quarter and the fourth quarter, I think we had like three [turnovers] in a row, and to me, I think that when the game was turned and went the other way. I think our guys continued to fight. We got down 14, and I think nobody from the sideline blinked. We were able to catch them and obviously they went back and scored a field goal. We tied them right before the half and again after halftime. We have got to solve that riddle after halftime. As I talked to our team, I think that's the key to our season. We can't turn the ball over. If we are going to turn it over, we have got a chance to win. That's the key to all these games. That's just the way pro football is so I have got to do a better job. I take responsibility for it all. Our players have got to get better. They know that. And our coaching has to get better. At the same time, I think the guys are trying as hard as they can. It's good to see Cody Parkey go and do a good job and bounce back from last week. So that was improvement. Again, I give kudos to Coach [Chris] Tabor for that. I thank him for being here for the week. I think the rest of his teammates and everybody was good. At the same time, we've got a group of fighters and I'm not concerned about what's going to happen in the locker room, other than that we are going to go back to work this week. We are going to go fight again. I just want to make sure the things that I know that it takes to win. We've just got to build better, and that starts with me and getting the rest of the guys to see that and understand that and do it, and they will. We have such good veteran leadership in our locker room and I think that our guys will rally again. It's my job to lead him and keep him going and keep them fighting and they will keep fighting. I think the win is around the corner. I really do. We have been in the last three ballgames for sure with a chance. Like I said, that starts with me."
On if RB Duke Johnson Jr. said he recovered his fumble and if he was going to challenge it:
"Yeah, he did. And the lady told me, she goes 'They reviewed it,' and, yeah, I was going to… obviously she can't challenge. The review is upstairs. She goes, 'No.' She goes, 'They had already looked upstairs and confirmed it was a fumble and their ball.' I mean, it was a huge play in the game, but, hey, they called it and we can't let the ball die. You know, we just can't turn it over so, at some point you know we put the officials even in that spot, we should be holding onto the ball."* *
On Malcolm Johnson fumbling on his first carry:
"That has nothing to do with it. Malcolm practices at that position carrying the ball. Malcolm's a pro football player that gets paid on our football team and he can carry the ball. He's got to do a better job and again, as we know, [RB Isaiah] Crowell had made a big play right before then, Duke was out, and I didn't want to put a first-time player in that position when we have a guy that's a veteran player so I put Duke, I mean Malcolm, in there. I trust him to get it done and we didn't get it done. So, again, I'm not going to question that decision, that's just a part of football. Got to hold on to the ball."
On Johnson's injury:
"Uh, I think* *they were checking him upstairs making sure there wasn't a concussion. You know, so, we had our issues that way. They got us in and out, in and out, and the guys kept coming back and forth."
On the officials sending CB Jamar Taylor to the sideline and confusion on defense:
"Yeah, I just think sometimes, again, we don't know when they are doing that and we've got to do a better job of seeing that and, again, that's nobody else's fault but mine. I've got to make sure I see that. I've got make sure I'm in tune with that, so we can fix that."
On if the officials are supposed to let them know that:
"Yeah, they will, you know, and I didn't know. So obviously I've got to make sure that I am available to make sure that they can get to me so I can get that information."
On C Austin Reiter:
"Right now he's being checked. I think we'll find out more and know about it tomorrow but, it doesn't look good at this point, but we'll see where we are tomorrow."
On if Reiter played well:
"Yeah, I thought he did. Again, we will continue to coach guys, and I appreciate [Executive Vice President, Football Operations] Sashi [Brown] and [Vice President, Player Personnel] Andrew [Berry] for finding us guys like that to put on our football team. We want to just keep coaching and keep getting them better. That's what we've got to do."
On if the offensive line changes were because of a discipline issue for RG Alvin Bailey:
"Now that that game is over, yes it was, but we move on from here. Again, we are going to do things right. I'm trying to lay a right foundation for our organization and I'm not going to put up with foolishness with any of our players. We are going to do things right and that's what's important. And so we have a way about how we want to do things, [Executive Vice President, Football Operations] Sashi [Brown] and myself, [Owners] Jimmy and Dee [Haslam], and that's what we are going to do. When people step out of line, there's consequences."
On if he considered using WR Terrelle Pryor Sr. more in the Wildcat:
"I didn't think that was needed. It had nothing to do with his first opportunity, just when I watched the defense out there and I thought there was other avenues to exploit what we needed to do and again, we had our chances. I mean, it had nothing to do with us being in Wildcat or not or him at quarterback or anything like that, it really had to do with us holding on to the ball. We've got to take care of the football."
On Pryor only getting three second-half targets and if that was just the way the game went:
"Yeah, I think it was that. We've got to make sure to give him his chances too. You know, he does…he's a dynamic playmaker so we'll go back and see where we fell in that situation myself, and see if we can get better there too."
On if there was frustration after the Johnson fumble:
"Oh, there's frustration, but then again when the official tells you it's already been reviewed, you know, it's their ball. There's nothing I can do. I can yell, scream, do whatever, it's not going to change the call."
On if there was a change in the defense:
"No, I think we… I don't know if it's anxiety when we start playing and things don't go as well and then we settle down and start doing what we need to do and start doing what we need to do playing football. Again, I know what's in there, what's in our guys. We just have got to do it from start to finish, you know, and finish it that way. But again, I'm not disappointed in our effort, I'm disappointed in our outcome. Disappointed for our players and how hard they fight and they deserve to win. So, we've got to take care of the ball and in order to do that and next week it will be something else, that's just the way this goes. I think we all know that. So, we've just got to fight every situation."
On RB Isaiah Crowell:
"I have said it along time ago I think he's one of the better backs in this league. He's playing good. I still think there's more in there and, he's got a chance to be a phenomenal player and, again, he's got to keep working at it, and got to find a way to not get tired – standing next to me, 'Get my oxygen tank,' on the field because he's playing good, boy. He really is. I'm very proud of him for taking the next step, the next jump in his ability to get better and he's done that."
On QB Cody Kessler:
"I think he did some good things. I know that one throw he'd like to have back. We had a chance to stick it in there to Terrelle and the ball was a little behind. But that's going to happen. Again, I can't put him in tough spots. I think he's playing good. He really is. This guy is in his second game in the National Football League and under fire and he's backed up and making plays and getting knocked around and getting back up and having fun with his guys. And so I think he's doing some good things and we've just got to continue to get better – not just him, but everywhere. We've got to get better across our football team.* *
On if he spoke to QB Robert Griffin III before the game about if he was frustrated about not beign able to play today:
"No, we didn't have those conversations. The only conversation we had was just him supporting his teammates and being ready to play. When he's ready to go, he'll be ready to go."
