OWNER BOB MCNAIR
HEAD COACH BILL O'BRIEN
T DUANE BROWN
QB RYAN FITZPATRICK
RB ARIAN FOSTER
WR RYAN GRIFFIN
WR DEANDRE HOPKINS
WR ANDRE JOHNSON
CB JOHNATHAN JOSEPH
FS KENDRICK LEWIS
FS DANIEAL MANNING
OLB WHITNEY MERCILUS
NT RYAN PICKETT
OLB BROOKS REED
CB JUMAL ROLLE
SS D.J. SWEARINGER
DE J.J. WATT
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OWNER BOB MCNAIR(Transcribed by Charles Hampton)
(on if he is getting his money worth out of DE J.J. Watt) "Well l I tell you what, he's just unbelievable. He continues to amaze all of us with what he does."
(on WR DeAndre Hopkins) "DeAndre is phenomenal. He's got as good a pair of hands as anybody in the league. If you get the ball close to him, then he's going to catch it. He's playing great and I can't say that I'm surprised because we see that in practice. That's the kind of player he is. It was really an outstanding effort."
(on his team being 6-6 after 12 games) "Well, we're still in the hunt. We just have to keep winning
each game and see what happens. As long as we keep putting out the kind of effort we did today, we have a good shot at it. It's exciting."
(on what he was thinking as DE J.J. Watt lined up at fullback and then tight end) "I was thinking, 'Here goes a touchdown for J.J.,' and it was. He made a great play."
(on the crowd chanting MVP for DE J.J. Watt) "I think the crowd loves him and I think he's deserving of that kind of consideration. I think that would be wonderful, but we just need to keep playing hard and keep making plays like that. It really picks the team up."
HEAD COACH BILL O'BRIEN(Transcribed by Charles Hampton and Nida Chaudhry)
(on how he feels after the win) "It was good. It was a good win. I thought that all three phases contributed to the win and we played good complementary football. We did a lot of good things in the game so I was very, very happy for the guys in that locker room. The guys in that locker room work extremely hard. I felt great for them and I felt really good for the coaching staff."
(on the gameplan they put together for the Titans) "We just felt like overall, it was more about what Tennessee was doing that gave us an opportunity to do that. In practice, I thought we all saw, on the offensive side of the ball, that Fitz (Ryan Fitzpatrick) probably had his best week of practice. He really practiced well. He was really connecting with the receivers and the tight ends. He just did a good job, obviously with the running backs. He had a good week. He put a lot of time in it; he does every week. He puts a lot of time into it and he had a good day. I was really happy for him."
(on the resiliency of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick after being benched two weeks ago) "You can't say enough about him as a person. He's a great guy—a really good down to earth, good teammate, really bright.
He understands the game. He understands that that position demands a lot. Like I said when we made Mallett the starter, it wasn't all Fitzy's fault. It was just, hey look, we felt like we were making a decision that was best for the team at the time. Like I said this week, maybe it helped Fitz to take a step back. You never want to see anybody get hurt like Mallett did, but maybe it helped Fitz to see how the offense was operated and he went in there and did a good job. Now the trick is can we do it again? That's the trick. Can we do it again?"
(on WR DeAndre Hopkins' big day) "Since the day I arrived here, he is one of the most improved players on our team. He works extremely hard every day. From OTAs to training camp to where we are now, you can't say enough about that guy. He's been out there every day. He's a great example to younger players even though he himself is a younger player. He's really put a lot of time into learn the offense, to hone his skills and I was really happy for him to be able to go out there and have a day like that because he's really earned that type of day."
(on how important WR DeAndre Hopkins is to the team the rest of the season) "Very important. He is one of the top receivers in the league. He is a really good player. He's a dynamic player. He gets better and better every time we go out there. He wants the ball. Our receiving core, Andre Johnson came up big with a couple of big catches, a big touchdown catch there. It was a great play. It's good that in early December, late November, that we're playing that way. Now the trick is, like I said, to try and do it again."
(on the crowd chanting MVP for DE J.J. Watt) "I don't have anything to say about that. I don't think J.J. does either. I believe that we're all about the team. I think the best thing about J.J. is he's a great teammate. He just wants to win. We don't get into that. I don't even know how they vote for that to be honest with you. I'll tell you what, he's a dynamic player. He does a lot for us obviously on the field, but he does a lot for us off the field. In the locker room, in the community, obviously he's everything that you want in a great player. It's just fun to watch him play."
(on the toughness of the Texans after bouncing back from a tough Bengals loss) "These guys know that there is a lot of football to be played. Nothing has been determined yet. These veteran players that have played in this league know that over the last four or five weeks, anything can happen in this league. It has happened time and time again. That's what is great about the NFL. There is a lot of parity in the NFL. We need to make sure that we understand, hey look, great win today, but we have to come back to work on Wednesday and really put a lot of time into Jacksonville because they're a tough football team. I don't care what their record is. We have a lot of work to do on them to get ready for them."
(on CB Daryl Morris, CB A.J. Bouye, and CB Jumal Rolle and the job they've done) "Those guys have all stepped up at different points. It's been a very competitive position. I give those guys a lot of credit. They've done a really good job at practice of understanding that that's a competition. At the end of the week we always decide, OK this guy will start the game, but these other guys are going to play too. Rolle has come up with some big interceptions for us in wins. D-Mo (Morris) has come up and played really good on obviously defense, but also on special teams. Bouye has been there all year. He's had a good year. He's had some big interceptions for us, so I give those guys a lot of credit for the competition that's at that position and hopefully they can keep it going."
(on CB Jonathan Joseph's injury) "You know, again, I haven't even gotten the report on that yet. It didn't seem like it was serious, but again, I haven't spoken to the trainer or doctor yet."
(on DE JJ Watt's fingertip catch and making the call) "This guy, he's got great length, great hands, great hand-eye coordination, so no. Whenever we make a call, we never doubt any call that we make. I mean, it may not obviously look like that, but 'Oh my God. We made that call.' It might look like that in my facial expression. We try not to doubt many calls."
(on confidence with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing long, perfect passes early in the game) "I think that's a good question. (quarterback's coach) George (Godsey) and I talked about that this morning. This guy had a really good practice this week and that's what gave us confidence. Not that in the past he hadn't had good practice weeks, but this week it seemed like everything kind of came together for him for this particular game. Like I said earlier, the trick is let's do it again, but he had a really good week of practice where he was throwing the ball accurately. I meet with these guys on Saturday mornings, the quarterback's, when we have quarterback tape, and his were all pluses. Everything down the line, every play that he had on there was a really good example of how to play quarterback, so we felt like he would play good today,"
(on having RB Arian Foster back) "I think having Arian in there is important for our football team this
year. He's a good running back, he's a three down back, he does a lot of things obviously running the ball, but he's, like you said, blitz pickup, third down, catching the ball in the backfield. I mean, he's done a lot for our football team this year, so it's good to have him in there."
(on OG Xavier Su'a-Filo's progression through the season) "Xavier's worked very hard to improve. He's a great kid. He stays out there after practice. I don't think it's always come easy to him. I think in the beginning, I put this on me, I moved them around too much. We had him at tackle, guard, center, and I think, we've got him solidified there as a left guard. We think he can do other things, but by putting him right there in that position he's improved and hopefully when I watch the film, we'll see that on tape, but we want to get him in there some today."
(on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick being more versatile today) "I just felt good about his week and how he prepared during the week. You know, he's prepared well all year, but he went out there in practice and we felt like he had a really good week of practice. Based on what Tennessee was going to do to us, we didn't exactly know what they were going to do to us, so when we came out in the beginning of the game, we felt like there were plays that he could make in the passing game, and then he did a good job of getting us into the right runs quite a bit. He had a good day. I was happy for him."
TACKLE DUANE BROWN(Transcribed by Nida Chaudhry)
(on today's performance) "We went out there, we executed. We went after them first, got after then early, and that was kind of our game plan. The running game was going well, you know, we converted third downs and fourth down. The defense, they did what they've been doing all year. It just all came together. We kept it up. We gave up some touchdowns, we gave up some three and out's there in the end, but for the most part we played dominant game and we put it together like we should've been doing all year."
(on being on the field for QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's franchise touchdown record) "It means everything. a guy who comes and works hard. Looking at everything he's been through this year, for him to come out and have the kind of game he had, it's very impressive. It's motivating for us around him. We've extremely happy for him. He came out and it looked like he had a lot of fun out there, you know, against a good defense. He gave us a lot of different looks; it was a great day for him. I'm happy for him."
(on rallying around QB Ryan Fitzpatrick for motivation) "We love Fitz (Ryan Fitzpatrick), you know. I guess everything he's gone through, we've been right there with him. When this week came, you know, he was interested back into that starting role. We had no doubt in our mind that he was going to come out and perform. I didn't know he was going to come out and have a six-touchdown day, you know, and I wasn't surprised. He prepared so well this week, we prepared well as an o-line and tried to do everything we can to give him time to operate back there and these are the results and we just have to keep doing this week in and week out."
(on points early in the game) "We had it in our minds, we wanted to start fast. We haven't really come out and started fast the way we did in any game this year. We got the running game going, play action, everything going fast. We converted a third down, a huge third down, a fourth down to stay on the field and we knew if we could get going fast we would be in good shape. We knew the defense would play well and continue to get the ball and we just want to keep putting up points."
(on DE J.J. Watt in the backfield) "It's crazy, man. When he came out there, everybody in the stadium knew he was getting the ball at that point, but it didn't matter. Fitz made a heck of a throw. There was good coverage and a heck of a play after that strip and fumble recovery, you can't say enough about him."
(on Bill O'Brien's play calling late in the game) "It's aggressive. That's just the kind of mentality that we want to have as a team to stay aggressive. Never let up, a lot of things can happen in this league with all the games. They didn't give up, so we couldn't ease up at all. I like the play calling to be aggressive and continue to keep the pressure on."
(on coming into the game with intensity) "We still look at the big picture. We know we have a lot to play for besides being competitive and professional. We still know that we can control our destiny if we accomplish what we need to accomplish and see what happens. We came here throughout the week preparing, you know, just that way. We wanted to come in with a lot of intensity, we wanted to get a win at home, and we haven't gotten a win in a long time. We knew it was going to be a tough game. These guys, they always play us tough, no matter what your record is, so we wanted to come out with a lot of intensity, a lot of speed and just execute properly, you know, the way we can. It happened, it happened early and we kept it going."
(on Bill O'Brien's message in the locker room) "We're very, very happy with this win. We're very satisfied with the way we prepared and came out and competed as a team, but we have to do it every week. We have huge goals as a team, as an organization, so we know in order to get those goals accomplished; we have to play like this week in and week out. We know we're going against a tough defense next week and we have to prepare the same way and go out and try to get the same thing accomplished.
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QUARTERBACK RYAN FITZPATRICK(Transcribed by Laci Theriot)
(on if shaving his beard helped his game performance) "You think that's what it was? Maybe. I think so."
(on his performance today being of the greatest games of his career) "It's up there. It is the most touchdowns I've thrown and all that. Coming against a team that I played on last year that released me, I mean there are a lot of different factors into it, but yeah, just to get us back to .500, and hopefully, try to get us some momentum here. That was a big one for us today."
(on WR DeAndre Hopkins' performance today and if they had a plan to throw deep) "Every game we go into whether we are going to get to looks or not or we are going to try and get the ball down the field, and he had a couple, really nice, the one at the end of the half was just a great play by him. You know, we felt good in practice, not necessarily just because who we were going against, but because of us, because we practiced well on Wednesday and Thursday, and came out with energy. It was good to see that it carried over into the game."
(on how confident he felt going into the game after being benched for two weeks) "I felt really confident. I threw the ball well all week. It was one of those things where I got sat down a few weeks ago, I didn't know if I would have the chance to go out there again and play and be the starter. It was an unfortunate situation for Ryan Mallett to get hurt, but it was eye opening for me just to be able to not take it for granted and embrace it."
(on the throws and reads during today's game) "There were some good plays that were made. Some of the catches that were made out there and stuff, but again, it was everybody working together, guys stepping up and making plays. It was a lot of fun to be out there on the field today."
(on getting sacked in the past and the difference of the game today than those previous games where he held onto the ball for too long) "I think you treat every week differently, but one of the games I was sacked a lot was one of the first Tennessee games, versus a similar opponent, and yeah, some of it was me holding onto the ball for too long. Just going back, the self-evaluation the last few weeks of kind of looking at the way I was playing and things I could do differently, I think that helped out a little bit for me today."
(on what he saw in the self-evaluation) "I think I left some plays out there. I don't know if it was aggressiveness, but I wasn't really playing my style and my type of play, so I just wanted to go out there within the gameplan, go out there and enjoy it and spread the ball around a little bit."
(on if he is more comfortable with the offense) "I think that you know, being able to look at it at a different perspective, take a step back, and see it from a different view, I do think it helped a little bit. I think that and me going back and evaluating myself, I think those were two factors that helped me out today."
(on his confidence level in WR DeAndre Hopkins) "He makes plays. He is a pretty special player. We've got two great ones on the outside, so they've got to figure out today what the match up was. DeAndre got probably some more looks today, but we've got two great ones on the outside and we've got a great guy to hand the ball off to. Today was just a good way kind of utilizing our different weapons and taking what they gave us."
(on how he feels about his personal career high and lows) "Like what I said after I got benched, and even going into this week, to be a successful quarterback in this league, it's all about self-confidence. Never losing that belief in yourself and that's something that I will never lose. You know, it is something that I have dealt with in my life- people doubting me and all those different things. It was a
great team win today, you know. We are going to move on and go to the next one because that's what the NFL is. Those six touchdowns that we had today are not going to count next week. We will have tonight to celebrate and we will spend it with family and everything, but we will move on tomorrow."
(on the kids he brought with him to the press conference) "That's my son, Brady. This is my son Tate, say hi Tatey- and that's their friend Dylan. Say hi, Dylan. OK, let's see Brady, I am going to put you on the spot here buddy, okay. Brian (talking to a reporter in the audience), do you have a calculator on your phone? (Reporter says, yes) Brian, I want you to give Brady two numbers from 90 to 99 in there and he is going to multiply them together for you. Two 90 numbers. (Reporter chooses 93 and 97. Brady says 9,021) 9,021- Brian, can you look at your calculator, please? Does that say, 9021? Boom! Thank you."
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RUNNINGBACK ARIAN FOSTER(Transcribed by Edgar Veliz)
(on if this was the most decisive victory he has seen from the team) "Yeah, it is up there."
(on the play of Ryan Fitzpatrick) "I was happy for him."
(on the play of DeAndre Hopkins) "Same, I was happy for him. All the work they put in during the offseason shows up. It is awesome."
(on if J.J. Watt's performance surprised him) "No."
(on if Fitzpatrick benefited from time on the sidelines) "Sometime it is what you need. A little rest, a little recuperation, time to get your mind right. I'm not saying he needed it. I'm saying sometimes it helps. I don't know if that was the reason but he came back ballin'."
(on the significance of the victory by such a margin) "A win is a win. It doesn't matter how many points you score but it felt good to get on a roll like that. Hopefully we can keep going."
(on if the rhythm of the offense was what the team needed) "Yeah."
(on why the rhythm was consistent for this game) "A lot of variables, a lot of variables."
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TIGHT END RYAN GRIFFIN(Transcribed by Edgar Veliz)
(on DE J.J. Watt playing on offense in the fourth quarter) "He is out there and they just made the read. If they cover him, I would have got the ball. He is making plays out there and it is really unbelievable. It is a testament to his athleticism and the great player that he is."
(on the DE J.J. Watt touchdown reception) "It was an unbelievable catch. I didn't see it from my angle but that snag, that wasn't right on his chest, he had to lay out and extend for it. It was a hell of a catch. We all know he can do it. He does it every week in practice. We will do the red zone or seven on seven and he will make plays like that. We all know he can do it."
(on his touchdown catch) "I love that, too. It is great to get the first one of the season and one for the tight ends as well. It felt good but it was an overall great offensive win."
(on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's career game) "You really have to feel good for him, too. When he comes back, stays in the game plan, he doesn't get down on himself. He knows what he can do and the whole offense knows what he can do. He really came out and proved it today."
(on if DE J.J. Watt prepares with the tight ends) "No, he is not in the meeting room. He is not a tight end, at all."
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WIDE RECEIVER DEANDRE HOPKINS(Transcribed by Charles Hampton)
(on his performance today) "I thank my offensive line and Fitz (Ryan Fitzpatrick) for putting the ball where it needed to be, my offensive line for their blocking. We came out here with a great gameplan against these guys and did everything we wanted to do."
(on the play of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick today) "yeah, Fitz played a great game, from calling the audibles at the line, from making plays with his feet. That's what he's good at. He doesn't have the strongest arm, but Fitz is a tough guy. He's going to go out there and give you his all. In the offseason, me and Fitz had a great connection coming into the season and we knew if we could get on track, then things were going to be good and we picked up on that today."
(on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick having a lot of perfectly placed passes and if he saw the same in practice) "I did. We had a couple of plays that were off-beat, where it wasn't there, but we're comfortable with practice. With Fitz, he's going to give me a chance to make the plays and you have to make the plays."
(on what it means to have the performance he did today) "It feels great. To be in my second year and come out and have a game like this, it speaks a lot about my offensive line and quarterback for trusting me and the offensive line for blocking to give Fitz the time to make the play. On the stat record, it says DeAndre Hopkins for 238, but really it should say the offensive line and Fitzpatrick."
(on if he was happy to see WR DeAndre Hopkins) "He's a hall of fame receiver. I wouldn't necessarily say happy because he makes plays like that all the time in practice. That's just another catch for him."
(on his thoughts on what DE J.J. Watt is doing this season) "He's the MVP, man, hands down. That's the only way to put that."
(on the argument why DE J.J. Watt should be MVP over Aaron Rodgers or other quarterbacks in the league) "Because Aaron Rodgers doesn't sack quarterbacks and catch touchdowns and throw touchdowns. He's multi-talented. When was the last time you've seen a defensive end have as many touchdowns or make the kinds of catches he's made?"
(on what they say with Tennessee where they knew they could get the ball down the field) "We knew they were going to be man-to-man and pressuring us more than they did last game. We took advantage of it. The man-to-man chances that we had, Fitz (Ryan Fitzpatrick) made the audibles to get the ball in the hands of playmakers to make plays."
(on how he is different as a player this year compared to his rookie season) "My knowledge of knowing defensive coverages before the play is snapped or before the play starts. Just being able to scan the defense and knowing what coverage they're in, you kind of know where to sit down in zones and just be able to read man or zone. That's a big thing with this offense; you have to have a knowledge of the game."
(on how much he has developed from watching WR Andre Johnson) "I develop from sitting there talking to him every day. Coming in last year, he told me that this isn't college. You have to take care of your body and do the things off the field to be able to come out and have a productive day of practice. I kind of took that for granted last year a little bit, but this year I'm doing kind of his routine. I want to follow Andre. What he's doing is working so why not?"
(on what changed to where he didn't take anything for granted anymore) "2-14."
WIDE RECEIVER ANDRE JOHNSON(Transcribed by Omar Majzoub)
(on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's performance) "It was great, great outing by him. He did a great job the way he commanded the offense. It was awesome. An awesome thing to watch."
(on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick being renamed the starter) "The guy still prepared as if he was going to play every week. You just have to be ready when your opportunity comes. We had (Ryan) Mallett for a few weeks and he got injured, so his (Fitzpatrick) opportunity came back and he took full advantage of it. Like I said, he did a great job today."
(on the Texans rallying behind QB Ryan Fitzpatrick) "We support every player that plays, so it doesn't matter who is out there. We are going to rally behind them. I don't think you only rally behind certain guys. He is the quarterback. He is the leader of our team, so we are going to be behind whoever is back there."
(on the Texans scoring a touchdown right after fumbling) "It's just something you don't like to have happen. It was a big mistake on my part. Those guys get paid, too. He made a great play. Like I said, it's just something you don't like to have happen. It's a part of the game, but you move on from it and just keep playing. When it happened, nobody got down. We knew we had to get the ball back and go right back down and score. We did that. We just never let them back in the game. We always kept the momentum on our side. That was a positive."
(on WR DeAndre Hopkins) "I'm just happy to see the kid grow as a player. Comparing this year to last year, it's amazing. It's fun to watch. I'm glad I can be here and just see it. I'm very happy for him. Just to see him grow and I know he is going to continue to get better and better. I wish I could have had him earlier in my career. It's fun just to see him out there with his confidence and the way he has grown. It's awesome to see."
(on the maturation of WR DeAndre Hopkins) "I think a lot of times, when guys come into the league, a lot of times they don't realize how much of a job it is. I don't think fans or people in general really realize that. They only see what goes on Sunday and they think these guys play a game and that's it. They don't realize what you go through earlier during the week, so I can definitely see a difference in him from this year to last year. His work ethic, the way he asks questions and stuff like that. Like I said, it's fun to watch and fun to see him grow as a player. I'm glad I'm here to witness it and I know he is going to continue to get better and better."
(on the Texans success passing the ball) "We just made plays. That's pretty much it. I don't think it was anything special. We just went out and made a play."
(on DE J.J. Watt) "It's great. There are not a lot of times you get to see a defensive end come on offense and catch touchdowns. I think it really gets the fans into it. The fans love him, so he keeps everybody pumped up. Like I said, that's why they pay him the big bucks. What he does on the field is amazing. He is another guy I'm glad I get to witness it in person. I'm glad he is my teammate."
(on the Texans needing to string wins together) "We know where we are as a team. We know the situation we are in. We know we are still in it. We just need to take it one game at a time and one play at a time. Just keep pushing forward and not let anything negative get in our way. Just kind of like the same way we played today. If anything bad happened, we didn't worry about it. We moved on to the next play and just kept on pushing."
(on his touchdown reception) "I've never really been known for touchdowns anyway, so I don't really. When it happens, it happens. Throughout my career, I have never been a big touchdown guy so it doesn't really matter. I'm just happy that it happened."
(on his lack of touchdowns) "I think over the years, as it has happened, it just becomes habit I guess. It doesn't happen much, so I don't really get discouraged about it. When they come, they come. I don't really beat myself up or complain or whatever. I just play the game."
(on moving forward with Texans QB Ryan Fitzpatrick) "It's big. If you look at the way we practiced this week, he came in and he just picked up where he left off. Guys were confident in him. It wasn't like "oh, here we go again" or anything like that. We were very confident in him. We knew he could come in and play well for us. He went out and did that today. Hopefully, like (Ryan) Pickett said, we can string some wins together and get this thing going."
(on if QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was better this week than earlier in the season) "I think if you go out and throw six touchdowns, how could you not be better? I don't know. Six touchdowns is a lot. Guys throw one and two, so six is big. I'm very happy for him and I'm pretty sure we will keep it going."
CORNERBACK JOHNATHAN JOSEPH(Transcribed by John Byczek)
(on playing with the lead) "It's a big difference, playing with the lead, because you make the team kind of one handed. You kind of take away the option of running the ball on first and second down because they have to play catch up. So, today I think we did a great job of keeping the pressure on them for the full four quarters."
(on his ankle) "I'm fine. It just got really sore, so I had it checked out. I could've gone back in the game but I think the game was out of hand and they just kept me out."
(on seeing DE J.J. Watt make another touchdown catch) "I would say unbelievable, but I witnessed today it's true. I wanted him to get it on the scoop up from the fumble but it was a great call by the coaching staff, you know, putting him in a position to succeed. Obviously, he's going to make the tough catch time after time so, it's a great compliment to him and the coaching staff."
(on which Achilles tendon he injured) "Left. Probably going to get an MRI to just check and make sure that it's fine, but I felt fine. I could've gone back in the game."
(on being 6-6) "We'd love to be 12-0 but it didn't work that way so we just have to play right now, one game at a time. Let the other chips fall where they may fall, but now we just have to handle our business."
(on the well rounded performance from whole team) "I just think all together. These games are crucial. It's a division game and the only chance we have of getting into the playoffs and postseason is to win our games. I think we had confidence all week through practice and once the game started we made some plays and then we just kind of fed off of it and momentum continued to build and we were just on fire today."
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FREE SAFETY KENDRICK LEWIS(Transcribed by Edgar Veliz)
(on the play of the secondary despite missing starters) "It is about lining up week in and week out and going out there to play. I know those guys (A.J. Bouye, Jumal Rolle) have the talent and ability to do what they are doing, like what they did today. I believe in those guys, so it is not shocking to see those guys make the plays and do the things that they did today."
(on the development of Tennessee Titans Quarterback Zack Mettenberger) "He got better, but he is still a young quarterback. Our job as a secondary and as a defense is to change the coverage. He is a guy that is young and he hasn't seen it all so we just tried to give him different looks to make him think and process the coverage and the defense that we were lining up in. I feel like we did a good job with that. He got better."
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FREE SAFETY DANIEAL MANNING(Transcribed by Carla Hartman)
(on being 6-6, 12 games in) "It feels good, again, 6-6. I think it was a great showing on all phases of football today, my special team unit, defense, and offense. We put some things together and worked on some plays at practice and coverages in the game that we felt like we needed to work on and it would help us. Then we got here and we did it. That's what we wanted to do; we just wanted to run our plays on defense. I think we did a great job, forced some turnovers. We could see the ball coming out of the quarterback's hand. The d-line did a great job putting pressure on the quarterback and we were able to make plays.
(on the defensive line making the difference) "The d-line at times and the linebackers making plays in the running game. Which took the run right out of the game which we were able to make plays in the secondary. You could sit back there and RAC (Romeo Crennel) draw those plays up. We knew exactly what was going on and they gave us certain formations with the calls we were getting. We were there to jump routs, so that's pretty much what we were doing."
(on NT Ryan Pickett saying they needed to string wins together) "We've been saying that all year. The inconsistent play, one day we are looking like champs and then the next day we are looking like chumps. It just goes like that. That's one thing about this team. We never stop fighting. Guys want to win. Guys are not going out there just to play and make a name for them, we actually want to win. I feel no selfishness on this team. Everyone just wants to go out there and win and we got it today. One time I was selfish, all those picks the corners were getting and none of the safeties got picks."
(on the inconsistency of wins based on his previous champs and chump comment) "What I mean by that is we are just inconsistent. We just look different. One day we are this way and one day we are the next. Right now we are on top. We are doing good and feeling good about ourselves. We're still alive. We have to enjoy this win. But again, we come back to the drawing board and we have to see what we didn't do well on. There were some plays we didn't do so well on that we should be able to capitalize on."
(on the fans chanting MVP to DE J.J. Watt) "Deserved. Well Deserved. I always call him ball playing Jesse. That's what I call him in here. He just does everything and he does it with so much passion. Again, that's one of those guys, it's not about him, it's about the team. He tells us all the time he is one of the biggest leaders on the team. He comes to work every day. He never missed a day and practice for him, you can see the desire. He wants to get back into the playoffs again. Have a winning tradition again."
(on DE J.J. Watt's, catch) "I didn't see. I don't want to lie on my boy and make some stuff up. I didn't see it. They told me on the sideline he caught it. I thought the ball was thrown and it hit the grown and someone was lateral but he made a great pick."
(on if he thinks DE J.J. Watt will be MVP) "What do you think? (What did you say you call him, ball playing Jesse?) Yes, Jesse. He does the country singing."
(on DE J.J. Watt's, impact to the team) "You asked me this earlier in the year, I always said, it's not surprising at this point. It's almost like we are expecting something like that to happen from J.J., you never know when it's coming but it seems like it's always coming. It's coming in a bunch. Every other week, J.J. is doing something that is big for our team."
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OUTSIDE LINEBACKER WHITNEY MERCILUS(Transcribed by Edgar Veliz)
(on his play and the victory) "It feels good to get a victory, get the (record) to 6-6 and continue on this roll and go hunt for this playoff run."
(on how he evaluates the team's execution today) "It is just playing complimentary ball. Playing great on special teams, playing defense and offense. That is all it is. When we do that good things happen."
(on if the defense was motivated by the play of the offense) "It is a game of emotions. It is great to see guys play well. You want to go and do well also."
(on the defense creating turnovers) "It is great to have all of the guys make plays. When we are out there rushing, forcing the quarterback to throw it pretty quick, guys in the secondary will get picks all day. It is vice versa. We have to continue playing like that."
(on playoff aspirations) "We are taking it a week at a time. That's it. We will focus on the next team and try to get a win that week."
NOSE TACKLE RYAN PICKETT(Transcribed by John Byczek)
(on if anyone competes with DE J.J. Watt) "No. Not at d-line. Not at defensive lineman. He's unbelievable. He's having another unbelievable year. But no, I've never seen a defensive lineman change the game the way he does. Never. Not a lineman on any side of the football. He's unbelievable. We just sit back and watch and we're amazed like y'all. I love watching it, but never seen anything like it."
(on what this win means for the team) "It's good. It gets us back on track but we have to string some wins together. It's not good getting one and losing one. We got to get on the road here and see what we can do to finish out this year strong."
(on being happy for QB Ryan Fitzpatrick) "Absolutely. He's an easy guy to pull for. Everybody on the team loved to see him come back the way he did and in the manner he did today. It was great. It was great for the team. It was great for him."
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER BROOKS REED(Transcribed by John Byczek)
(on his thoughts on the game) "We made a lot of plays all over the board. That's kind of what we wanted to do and that's what we set out to do. A lot of guys made plays – secondary, up front. We knew we were challenged as a defense to come up with a game like that. I think we could still even play better."
(on his sack) "It was almost like a guess whether it was run or pass. They tried to make it look like a run but one of their backup tackles was in and kind of gave it away that it was going to be a pass when they designed it to look like a run. That was one way."
(on all facets of team playing well) "Most of it was just a lot of good energy at practice. That's what you kind of need this far into the season. We try to make practice interesting and upbeat and just really pay attention to detail. I think we accomplished that for the most part. There are always things we can improve every week but just getting better at technique is something we focused on."
(on the offense getting on them early) "It's huge. It's huge. I'm sure it's huge for Ryan (Fitzpatrick) and the offense to establish the run and get in the end zone the first drive. It was great to see and Ryan deserves a game like that."
(on if this was the best game they've played) "Yeah, we did play very good on both sides and we were all kind of just waiting for a game like that and hopefully we're going to hit our stride and hopefully it'll give us some momentum into next game."
CORNERBACK JUMAL ROLLE(Transcribed by Omar Majzoub)
(on his increased role with the Texans) "Everybody's job is definitely important. The coaches prepared me. The older guys who are out, like Kareem (Jackson) and Jo (Johnathan Joseph), those guys keep me focused and dialed in about what's coming up and what to look for. Sunday's they have me ready to play."
(on his interception) "We practiced it every day this week. We knew it was coming. It was short down and distance. We knew they were going to try to get a pick play on us. I was able to make the play."
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SAFETY D.J. SWEARINGER(Transcribed by John Byczek)
(on his thoughts of the game) "The offense put up 45 points and the defense wanted to shut the Titans down and we did. It was just a great win for us."
(on DeAndre Hopkins performance) "That's my boy, man, and he did his thing today. He's growing up. All the second year players are growing up on this team and he did a great job and he's going to continue to do well."
(on if there is anything J.J. Watt can't do) "I don't know, bro. That pass, that was another incredible pass he caught. He stretched out for it, diving for that one. The play before, strip-sack, getting up and returning that. J.J. is the heart and soul of our team and he's playing great and it's good for us."
(on how the offense helped the defense today) "It makes it easier when you play complimentary football like we did today. Offense, defense and special teams. It just helps us as a whole team. With that formula that we had out there today, that's how Coach O'Brien wants it and we need to keep that formula in practice and keep that formula in every game from here on out."
(on not taking the foot off the peddle) "Yeah, and that's the mentality that we have to have. Once we get up, we have to keep the pedal down, we have to keep pushing, keep grinding until the 0:00."
(on J.J. Watt's performance) "Incredible, bro. He's incredible. He does it week in and week out. You see it day in and day out in practice, you see it in the training room, you see it in the weight room – doing all the extra things and it pays off for him."
(on if Watt deserves the MVP award) "No question. No question."
(on the crowd chanting MVP for Watt) "He's the man. Like I said, like I've always said, he's the man. He deserves to win MVP. You won't find another defensive lineman with five touchdowns."
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DEFENSIVE END J.J. WATT(Transcribed by Hannah Pietsch)
(on how it felt to hear the fans chant "MVP" for him) "It's what you dream about. Moments like today, games like today, where everybody's flying around, making plays, having fun. I came in this morning, and sometimes you have one of those moments where you just kind of look around for a second, you remember that you do play in the National Football League that you worked so hard to get here for your whole life and how many people wished they could be in your shoes. I'm very fortunate to be where I'm at."
(on tipping his cap to the fans at the end of the game) "Yeah, it's a blast. It's fun to win in this building. It's fun to win for these fans. I love this city, and it's fun to feel that love back."
(on his offensive touchdown today) "It was an unreal throw by Fitz. He put it in a spot where nobody but me could get it and it was a perfect throw. He really couldn't have put it in a better spot. It was just a matter of going out there and grabbing it. All of the credit goes to him on that."
(if his fingertip catch for an offensive touchdown was better than his previous touchdowns) "I don't know. It's tough to say which one was better. I was catching this one with a taped up finger, so it might have been a little bit tougher, but they were both great throws by the quarterback, and they deserve the credit. I just caught it."
(on how he felt about seeing Titans QB Zach Mettenberger was injured) "You never ever want to see a guy hurt, and you never ever want a guy to leave the game because of injuries. Obviously, me being the guy that hit him, I just wanted to make sure that he was alright. After the game, he said hopefully he'll be ok, so I hope that's the case."
(on his perception of the play that Mettenberger was injured on) "He was throwing the ball, and I hit him. I've done it many, many times before, and I'll do it many, many times again."
(on if he checked on Mettenberger after the play on which Mettenberger was injured) "Yeah, that's why I took a knee immediately to sit right by him and see how he was doing and I saw him after the game. If you're trying to insinuate that it was dirty, I think you're completely wrong. That's just what it sounds like with the questions you guys are asking."
(on if the thought he would score after he picked up a fumbled ball) "I hope so. I was trying to. Didn't quite make it this time. I guess you can't make it every time."
(on how he tried to weave in and out after recovering the fumbled ball) "Yeah, obviously I was trying to get there and I didn't. I'm not a running back; I don't know the best path to get there. I was trying to do my best, and I had some guys blocking for me, so I appreciate that, but I just didn't get there. Then the offense made a great play to get it down to the goal line, and I ended up making it anyway, so it was pretty cool. I've always said, you know, I'm so fortunate that the team and coaching staff and players put enough confidence in me to put me on the goal line, so I'm very fortunate they put me in that situation."
(on how he feels about Fitzpatrick after today's game) "Yeah, he had a great day. I mean tying a franchise record is extremely impressive. That just goes to show you – in the National Football League, you never know what is going to happen. He could easily have put his head down when he lost the job and pouted or done whatever, but he kept working. He kept coming and doing his job helping Ryan (Mallett) get ready. And he gets his opportunity again now, goes out there and throws six touchdowns and we win a big game. That's the type of guy he is. He's a team-first guy, he's going to go out there and do whatever he can and you're very, very happy for him on a day like today."
(on what his teammates are saying about him) "I guess that's the ultimate compliment. When you can do something like that, and it kind of becomes routine. I guess that's what I've been trying to do my whole life is make great things become routine. I mean we had so many guys make great plays today. With the touchdown and the sacks, I'm going to get some of the stories, but we had so many guys who did so many things. J Jo (CB Jonathan Joseph) started it all off with that pick in the beginning of the game and then you've got Hop (WR DeAndre Hopkins), you got Rolle (CB Jumal Rolle), you've got Bouye (CB A.J. Bouye), and you've got Fitz. I mean all over the board, guys are playing great football today. It's so much fun playing a game like that."
(on how he felt about Texans owner Bob McNair saying he deserved the MVP award) "I appreciate it. The thing that I've always said about these awards and the thing that I'll continue to say is that people can vote how they want. They get to have their own opinions. I can't control anybody's opinion. I can't control any voter's mind. All I can do is go out there and play as hard as I can play, make as many plays as I can make, and try to help my team win football games and if people feel like I should be in consideration for an award, then feel free to vote for me. I know I can't control what you think and no matter what I say, it doesn't matter. All I can do is play as I hard as I can and prepare as hard as I can to help my team try to win and we'll see what happens."
(on if scoring touchdowns was still exciting or have become old hat for him since he has scored so many this season) "Never. Never ever, ever, ever becomes old hat. It is a blast. I mean just to hear the stadium, to see my teammates. Like I said after my first one, there's no greater feeling than scoring a touchdown and seeing your teammates come running over to congratulate you. I mean those guys got the ball down there. It's the best feeling in the entire world. I love it. I mean days like today are what I live for, literally. This is my life, and I love it so much and I'm so fortunate to be able to do it."
(on if he could have imagined at the beginning of the season that he would score three offensive touchdowns) "No. I don't think I could have imagined at the beginning of the year I'd score one touchdown anywhere. Five right now is very cool. It's an honor. Like I said, the offensive ones – I'm grateful that my teammates have that confidence in me and the coaching staff. And the defensive ones are awesome. I'm just having fun. I really love playing this game. I love every single day. I love preparing. I love playing. I love gameday. I love the fans. I love my teammates. I couldn't ask for a better profession."
(on if he had words with the Titans during a timeout) "Yes, there were. I told the guys today in my pregame speech, when you step between the white lines, there's no more Mr. Nice Guy. Off the field, I consider myself a pretty nice guy trying to do lots of different things, but when you step between the lines for those three or four hours every Sunday, it's time to go. There's no more Mr. Nice Guy. That's the way it goes. Yeah, there were some words. That's the way it goes. If you don't like it, maybe you should pick a different job."
POSTGAME QUOTES FROM TENNESSEE TITANS
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HEAD COACH KEN WHISENHUNT
S MICHAEL GRIFFIN
G ANDY LEVITRE
QB JAKE LOCKER
CB JASON MCCOURTY
QB ZACH METTENBERGER
OLB DERRICK MORGAN
TE DELANIE WALKER
WR KENDALL WRIGHT
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HEAD COACH KEN WHISENHUNT(Transcribed by Stephanie Weaver)
(on injuries during the game) "Zach (Mettenberger) has got a shoulder (injury). He's being evaluated. Justin (Hunter) was hit in the stomach. He's being evaluated as well. They took him to the hospital just to check him out. Chance (Warmack) had an ankle."
(on WR Justin Hunter's injury happening early and if there was discomfort throughout the game) "Yeah, it got worse. He came back in and played. We thought he was OK. He came in, and we checked him out. It got worse in the second half. That's why we got him checked out."
(on if WR Justin Hunter pulled up on the play he got injured on) "I couldn't see it. I was looking to the other side. I never saw a look on the screen. You can't tell from the stills. That was a misread to be honest with you because the safety was on the hash. Those are some of the things we've just got to get past."
(on what was going on with WR Justin Hunter to be taken to the hospital) "His stomach. He wasn't feeling good. That's the procedures that the doctors are following."
(on if he is concerned about it being something internal) "I don't know. Like I said, I believe there's a procedure that they're following based on that. We'll have more information later."
(on if this is the low point of the season so far) "It's not the high point. I think that's safe to say."
(on issues with the offensive line) "You know, obviously we didn't make plays. I think that was in the first half. I mean, I can think of three drops that could have converted drives or kept things going offensively. We missed opportunities to get off the field against them on that first drive. So yeah, I would have to say that we didn't start out very well the first half. We obviously didn't handle the situation very well. We came out in the second half and at least started with a good drive, and then turned the ball over. Then our defense responded with a touchdown and cut it to ten. You know, it was not a great performance by us."
(on what the Texans did in their passing game to allow QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to have such a good day) "I don't think we got much pressure on him. He had a lot of time to throw. When you can do that, you can sit back there and make some throws. That's the product of a lot of things."
(on what happened with T Michael Oher) "Well, Michael didn't practice all week. He told us before the game. Yesterday we talked about it before we left. We said, 'We've got to know are you going to be able to go.' He felt better. He did something Saturday in our practice before we left. Everything was going fine until before the game. He said he felt something pop. So he was out which is not anything like what we had anticipated happening. So that left us with only six guys which obviously makes it difficult."
(on his decision where to play T Byron Stingily and T Will Svitek) "Well that was something you guys saw at practice. We flipped them on Wednesday and then flipped them the way they were in the game on Thursday because both felt more comfortable playing those positions. Based on what we'd seen, as far as how they played it, you knew (DE) J.J. Watt went everywhere, but he lines up most of the time on the right side. So that was the thinking behind that. We certainly didn't want those guys going into the game feeling like they weren't playing their best positions."
(on if the penalty on the veteran starting lineman following G Chance Warmack's injury is indicative of the season the Titans are having) "Yeah, you know, to top that off even worse, is he's the guy that taps the center to snap the ball. So he's certainly aware of the count. That's a good illustration of failings that we've had this year."
(on QB Zach Mettenberger's condition) "He's being further evaluated. We'll get more progress on it as we go."
(on what QB Jack Locker saw on his first pass in the game) "I think he mistook it for man because he's supposed to work the other side versus zone. It's probably a little bit of rust."
(on WR Kendall Wright's taunting penalty) "I asked Kendall, and he said he didn't say anything - the guy grabbed him around the shoulder and the neck area. We talked about that last night because this crew had been one that had called some personal foul penalties. So we were aware of that and yet we still had a couple called on us today. Like I said, I immediately went to Kendall and asked him about that, and he told me that wasn't the case. Like I said, if we see the film, maybe that will show something different, but I don't know that it does."
(on if he had ever seen pass interference called on both teams) "I've never seen that."
(on if the drive that followed CB Jason McCourty's play was their chance to get back in the game) "I thought it was. At that point, we'd taken the opening drive and gone down and scored a touchdown. After McCourty got it, then we cut it to ten. Then they drove down after that, didn't they? If could have gotten out there with the ball down ten in the mode we were in where we were actually moving the football, you thought you had a chance to get back in it. That was the way it felt on the sideline."
(on if he has a message for Tommy Smith and the players moving forward) "Yeah, we talked about it in the locker room now, and we will continue to talk about what we need to do. We've got to get better. We've got to play better."
(on if LB Wesley Woodyard should have been able to make a play on J.J. Watt's touchdown catch) "It looked like it was close. He had him covered, he made a good catch."
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SAFETY MICHAEL GRIFFIN (Transcribed by Lance Jaramillo)
(on Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins) "You can't take away from a good receiver. He came out, did his thing and he has a bright future ahead of him. Last year he capitalized on us while we were here. We were winning in the fourth quarter and he managed to bring them back in the lead and caught the game winning touchdown. We knew what he was about and he just made the plays when the balls came to him."
(on Houston Texans QB Ryan Fitzpatrick) "He's a veteran quarterback. He lost his job, but he came back as a starter and you have to keep in mind that he won ball games for them, he won ball games for us and he won ball games for the Buffalo Bills, so people try to look at him and even quarterbacks like Colt McCoy as backups. These guys started in this league. He did what he needed to do today."
(on J.J. Watt's touchdown and overall play) "As a defensive player you hate that situation, but at the end of the day it's football and the Philadelphia Eagles continuously try to put points on the board and at the end of the day you just have to guard them. He motioned out, they did a different formation and we got beat to the flat, but at the end of the day do I think if that's another tight end or full back out in the flat, would we be saying something? No, but it's J.J. Watt, probably the MVP of the league right now."
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GUARD ANDY LEVITRE(Transcribed by ReShun Gilmore)
(on DE J.J. Watt and the Texans' defensive front) "It's always a challenge every week. It's just a matter of where and when are your battles. I don't think we won all of them today."
(on eliminating penalties) "Yeah, we've been talking about eliminating those all season and there are always things to improve on every week."
(on his false start) "That was a lack of concentration on my part. It's supposed to be a different cadence and we changed the call on the line. It slipped my mind and it's unacceptable for me to not be locked in. I have to have greater focus than that."
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QUARTERBACK JAKE LOCKER (Transcribed by Lance Jaramillo)
(on stepping in at quarterback after a few weeks off) "It's an opportunity to get on the field and you just have to make the most of them. Anytime you get the opportunity to go in, you've got to be ready for it. That's something that you work all week for, I had the opportunity and it didn't go the way I wanted it to."
(on how he'd evaluate his performance) "I'd like to have a few of them back, that's for sure."
CORNERBACK JASON MCCOURTY(Transcribed by ReShun Gilmore)
(on DeAndre Hopkins) "He made plays. The touchdown pass in the first half, we really had him covered pretty well. It's a fine line in this league with making a play and not making a play. He got his hand on the ball and he was able to pull that one in. When he scored on (DB George Wilson), he was right there. He really went out there and made plays for them. He stepped up big. We have to do a better job when it comes to making plays in general this entire game."
(on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's career day) "Without a doubt, that's the thing with him. You can't get him rolling, and that's what we allowed him to do. He was comfortable. He was able to make easy reads, make throws. He had the lead the whole game, so there was really no pressure on him. He's a gunslinger. When he can just sit back there and throw the ball, that's what he's good at. We didn't do a good enough job making him uncomfortable and hitting him and making enough plays."
(on the teams' recent play) "It's been embarrassing. To go out and lose this game the way we did to not only a division opponent but a rival game. We all know how big this game is between these two organizations and to go out there and let the team down and the fans. As a team, we have to play better. We have to do a better job on defense. We were horrible in the first half on third downs and those extremely long drives which kept us on the field. We have to sustain drives. When you put this type of effort and this type of production together on a Sunday, that's going to be the result."
QUARTERBACK ZACH METTENBERGER(Transcribed by Rachel Jacob and Crystin Pactor)
(on his shoulder) "Just a Grade One AC sprain right now. Getting an MRI tomorrow. But we will see. I'm a pretty tough guy; I think I will be able to come back next week."
(on if he thought the hit was late) "I am not a referee so I have no judgmental aspect of the play. He played through the whistle."
(on if Texans DE J.J. Watt said anything after the hit) "No. J.J. is a great guy. I don't think there was anything malicious about it. He just plays hard and injuries happen. For him to show that respect, it meant a lot."
(on if he felt like he was under pressure due to there being a lot of issues with the offensive line) "No. The one sack was totally my fault. Just kind of brain farted on the play. Had open guys, but held on to the ball and let them get a sack and that is 100% my fault. The guys who played, played really well early on and felt like the protection was good, did a good job of getting the ball out of my hands."
(on the early pick and what happened) "Yeah the safety, they rotated to single high. Usually when they do that they rotate more to the center of the field, and I just kind of saw them rotating and assumed that's what he did and didn't check him. If I did my job right there I'd have seen he'd hugged back on Justin's (Hunter) side and would have gone front side and hit (Chase) Coffman over the middle."
(on if he blames WR Justin Hunter for easing up on the ball) "No. Justin is a heck of a player, he is a tough kid and he obviously got laid out there and that's totally my fault. Put him in that situation."
(on if there was a chance to go back in after he was injured) "No not really. Quarterback and a shoulder is kind of a big deal. As minor as it seems right now, we will get it straightened out tomorrow and hopefully I can put myself in a situation to play next week."
(on why it's important for him to play moving forward) "You don't want a guy leading the team that's soft or not
physically and mentally tough. I know what I am. I think the guys on the team know that I'm a tough guy. For me
really, it's just getting out there and get as healthy as I can and put us in a situation to win football games. That's
all it is."
(on if he said anything to the o-line before the game once Oher was ruled out) "Next man up mentality. We did a
really good job when I was in there. I didn't see most of the second half and what went down. Those guys played
their balls off today, and really the one sack was on me."
(on how tough it is to come back from 14-0 on the road) "It's never easy going down 14-0. They came out with a
long drive, put it in the end zone. First pass play for us, throw it back to them in their territory. It's really not what
you want to do. It's not ideal. As I grow as a player, we have to put ourselves in better situations then what I did
today."
(on the difference in the first half and opening drive in the second half) "I don't know. I mean the routes were
different in the first half. I think the up-tempo took them by surprise a little bit. In the first half you know, if I make a
better read on the first play, if I don't take a sack with a guy open down the field, and we catch a couple of those
balls it's a totally different game."
(on containing J.J. Watt) "I mean obviously he is a heck of a player. He's putting a good case for himself to be MVP
this year. When you play a guy like that you've got to understand that he's going to make some plays, and just
kind of minimize and contain him so nothing is detrimental. We did an ok job of that in the first half, but I think in the second half he kind of let loose and made a couple plays."
(on if he got a chance to talk to Jake) "I talked to him after the game. I really didn't see much of the second half.
That's a tough situation for a guy to go in right there. Jake's a heck of a player and a heck of a leader. He did
what he could."
(on how tough it will be to regroup for the final four games) "It's not going to be tough for me. I know what type of
person I am. Our win/loss is not reflective of how mentally tough we are, how hard we work. We just make dumb
mistakes that keep putting us deeper and deeper in a hole. It's all about pride now, and there are a lot of prideful
guys in that locker room."
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OUTSIDE LINEBACKER DERRICK MORGAN(Transcribed by ReShun Gilmore)
(on the defensive effort and keeping motivated) "We gave up so many big plays on defense. We didn't do what we needed to do as a defensive unit and we weren't too hot today, but I felt like we can control what we can control and it sucks to say you have to keep on working at it every week. We can't pack it in. We can't give up on the season as far as playing for something. You have to find something to play for right now and as a grown man you have to play for pride among other things. We have the opportunity to finish out the season with four games and we have to keep working."
(on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick) "I mean hats off to him, he had a great day. Five touchdowns and we missed some tackles and we weren't getting him off the target as far as pressure. It was a mixture of him making plays and us not making plays."
(on getting off the field in third down situations) "We just have to make plays. When we are in a position to make plays, we have to make them and get off the field. We can't stay on the field and have fourteen, twelve play drives and keep playing defense, so we have to get off the field on third downs."
TIGHT END DELANIE WALKER(Transcribed by Ryan Cantrell)
(on todays' game) "I didn't play too well. I had one catch and a drop. All the things we talked about that we cannot have, it's like a domino effect. One person makes a mistake and then it carries over to everyone else and those are the things that we have to eliminate, including myself."
(on three new guys on the offensive line trying to gather chemistry together) "That's tough, you are going against guys like J.J. Watt and some pretty good rushers that they have here in Houston. That can be really tough for the new guys to go out there and to face some really good players like that. At the end of the day though we are all in the NFL and we all have to do our job."
WIDE RECEIVER KENDALL WRIGHT(Transcribed by Ryan Cantrell)
(on if DE J.J. Watt's hit on QB Zach Mettenberger was late or excessive or just part of the game) "It could have just been football, but considering I was the target that Met (Mettenberger) was throwing to on the screen, I definitely think it was a late hit. The ball was already gone. He was throwing it to me on the screen and the ball was already gone. I guess why hit him anyway? I talked to Met though in the game and he just told me he would be ready for next week. He is a tough kid and he has looked good for us. He continues to get better and he is listening. He takes control of the huddle when he is out there and we will definitely want him out there when he is healthy."
(on if QB Zach Mettenberger was upset about the hit) "The only thing he said to me was that he would be ready next week. That is the only thing he said. I didn't have to ask him any more questions. He said he would be ready next week and I'll be ready to roll with him."
(on the hit on Justin Hunter) "I wasn't over there to see the play. My main focus is to get my little brother (Hunter) healthy though. It was a real bad play and he wasn't able to finish the game, so my main thing now is Justin's health. I hope he is healthy and ready to go for next week."
(on this rivalry between Tennessee and Houston) "I am from Texas so this game always means a lot to me anyways no matter what happens. I think it is a good rivalry and I know that everyone in here wants to beat them (Houston)."
(on if the Texans were trying to embarrass them by sending out DE J.J. Watt on offense to score) "I don't know about that. They could have been trying to do that, but I can't really tell you what they were thinking. They could have just been out there calling their plays. I can't really speak to what is going on for the other side of the ball; it's not really my place."
(on the taunting penalty) "I am not sure what the ref heard there. The only thing I said was that he (Darryl Morris) was trying to break my neck. My helmet was stuck to my shoulder pads and if I would of fell wrong my neck would have probably snapped. That's the only thing I said, which was that, 'You were going to break my neck.' If anyone was watching the game, the same thing happened the next play when the dude (A.J. Bouye) slammed Nate-O (Washington) and no flag was called. I don't know what they get out of that."
(on if he hit CB Darryl Morris or touched him on the penalty) "No, I didn't hit him or touch him. I don't even know what he heard. It was face-to-face with me and whoever that guy was."
(on if this feels like the low moment in the season) "Kind of yes, but we are a positive group of guys and no matter what the record shows we come every day and work hard like we still have a chance of going to the playoffs. We continue to work hard and it's crazy that we haven't been able to find success like we have wanted to."
(on wanting to get off to a good start, but falling down 14 points) "It's tough, but it is football. We got it back to within 10 and we had our chances. We didn't make the plays we needed to make and penalties. Penalties killed us. I had one and we had quite a few other ones. We just need to win on third down and keep our offense on the field to keep the drive alive. That's really the main thing is to keep drives alive and make plays when the ball comes your way."
(on can he take any positives away from todays' game) "There are a lot of things you can take out of today's game as far as the playmaking goes. It is more of a matter of going out there and doing it instead of just talking about what we need to do. We just need to go out there and playing on Sunday and make the plays and have fun."
