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Everything the Bengals Said after Week 16 against the Browns

Quotes from:

ZAC TAYLOR

Head coach

This is your first season sweep over Cleveland since you've been here. How does it feel?

"You've got to win divisional games to be able to do things you want to do in this league. I didn't really look at it like that, just looked at it as this was an important win, a divisional win. It's a tough team. I don't care what their record says. They're well-coached, they've got great players, they don't give you anything easy. Our guys earned that victory today."

Vonn Bell made a big play punching the ball out at the goal line on Cleveland's first drive. Talk about the significance of that play ...

"Enormous. I mean, you just look at it. He's a pro, and I've said that up here every year that he's been here. He just does his job, continues to bring energy, continues to lift up the team and continues to wait for the moment that he's going to be in the game. He's got tremendous energy on the sideline, helping guys with his prep and his study. It's so very appropriate that in a moment — really, it could have turned the game around in a tough way for us early on and given them some life and momentum. He got the ball out and recovered it. Very appropriate that it was Vonn Bell."

What was the significance of that play?

"It's the game right there. I mean, not really, but there's a good chance that you're fighting uphill the rest of the way. It's a 14-point swing. Not only did it take the life out of them a little bit — getting that stop on the one-yard line, getting the ball and then taking it 99 yards on a great defense. It gave us a lot of confidence and set the tone."

Is Amarius Mims' ankle injury looking to be long-term?

"I don't know that. It was kind of hit-or-miss whether he could go back in there, so we'll see where he's at."

Once Amarius Mims went down, how did that change what you could do or what you wanted to call on offense?

"It's a great front, it's a great defense, so when you lose a starting lineman that affects you."

You've had nine takeaways the past two weeks on the defense. What are your thoughts on that?

"They come in bunches when you get that confidence. Tips and overthrows, we've got to get those. That's the thing that comes up all the time for us. How many times do you see the ball get tipped and we got them, or came close to getting them the last two weeks? We've got to keep playing that way. Really, three weeks as I think back to Dallas. The guys have done a great job, having confidence on that side of the ball and getting us extra possessions on offense."

What stood out about your secondary, especially in the second half?

"They're playing sticky coverage. There's nothing easy that's coming their way. There's been some contested throws that they made and caught — credit to them. It's a good team out there doing that stuff. There were a lot of guys that were in great spots competing and knocking balls down, and making it difficult for them. So, a lot of good pressure we were getting up front can affect them that way. I loved the coverage we were getting on the back end."

You have three straight wins for the first time this year. What's the significance of that?

"It's just what it's supposed to feel like for us. This is our expectation. We just put ourselves in a position to now play some real meaningful games. We didn't want to talk about what was coming up. We want to get through. I know how much I respect that team we played today and what they can do to you. You've got to play it that way, and I thought our guys did. I felt great about the prep all week, felt great about guys being locked in and focused during the game. We found a way to get the win and now we can turn our focus to a short week and the Denver Broncos."

What were the discussions before halftime when you decided to try for the 59-yard field goa versus the Hail Mary?

"I don't love the Hail Mary in the situation, to be honest with you. What's going through my mind is Myles Garrett blocking a kick at halftime of the Eagles game, and kind of turning the tide there. So that's what happened with some of these longer field goals. A little bit torn — it wasn't anything to do with Cade (York) or any of that. That was the direction we felt better kicking a longer distance, taking a shot at the end of the half. If someone blocks a kick in those longer situations, it can turn a game. It was fortunate our guys did a good job holding up the front, and Cade knocked it through."

How important were Chase Brown's rushing yards today on 18 carries?

"Especially early in the game, he put us in some really manageable situations. I was calling a lot of second-and-two and ones. Getting a fresh set of downs, which against them — you saw it in the second half, we were in way too much third-and-long. That's where they can pin their ears back and make it really difficult for you. I thought the first half, because of the run game and because of some of the things he's able to do, we were able to stay on schedule and get those 17 points up on the board."

Why do you think you guys have rebounded this way to put yourself in a position that you're now in?

"The guys have responded this way all season. We lost some heartbreakers to be quite frank, and games that just came down to the end. It doesn't mean that we've had a bad football team and we weren't in it. We've been in this, and now — I don't want to say getting our confidence back, because we've had confidence — but we're just making the plays necessary at the critical points of the game to take control of these games. That's really what's happened the last three weeks, and we've got to continue that."

TV replay appeared to show Amarius Mims and Frank Pollock in a heated discussion. Anything you're aware of there?

"That's football, man. It's not all easy. It's not at all. We've just got to work through that stuff. We're good."

As rough of a season as it has been, have the past three games shown the identity for what this team is about?

"I've had belief. You've heard me every week sit up here and talk about the belief I have in this team and what we're capable of. It's good. You've got a better feeling in your system when you win these last couple games. We've just got ourselves to a point where now these games really matter. You've got a chance to focus on this game and not worry about anything else going on around us. It's just focus on Denver, and we've got to put our best foot forward. We're counting on our crowd. I'm in disbelief that they just show up every game. I know what our home record is this year, but they show up, they support, they're loud, they give us that extra boost, and now more than ever —we know this is our last regular season game. We know this is it, and so we're counting on that crowd to show up next Saturday, be as loud as ever and make this a tough environment for a rookie quarterback and a team coming in here, and give our guys the confidence and energy we need to find us a win."

How encouraging was it to see the young defensive linemen contributing like they did?

"We'll take the help from everywhere, and we're getting it from everywhere. It's great to see. I saw Trey (Hendrickson) and (Joseph) Ossai in the backfield all day. Whether they were getting the sacks or not, they were certainly disruptive and forcing some tough plays. You see Kris (Jenkins Jr.) and McKinnley (Jackson) get his first career sack. Obviously, Kris got the two he's got. We're counting on everybody right now, and getting that from people."

Why do you think the defense been clicking better in recent weeks than earlier this year?

"Again, those guys have confidence and they're playing together. The communication has been really good, and not giving up a lot of air in there for easy completions and having to make them make those space plays. I'm really proud of how they've locked down and focused on the little details and played together, and it's been good to see."

Joe Burrow went past the 4,000-yard mark in passing yards on the season and Ja'Marr Chase broke his single-season receiving record. How incredible is it to watch those two guys?

"They are incredible, and again I say this repeatedly, you're trying to find ways to get the ball in Ja'Marr's hands. You just throw him a little bubble, and he makes guys miss and gets a facemask and the next thing you know, the ball is at the five-yard line. The touchdown, again, it's just a free play. We're working the cadence and got a free play and took a shot there. Those two have got great chemistry and they keep this thing going, put us in really good positions and make it easy for me."

How important has Joe Burrow's cadence been?

"It's the ultimate weapon. He really is the best in the business. For years I watched Aaron Rodgers do this to people over and over, and on third down get free plays. We got three or four of them last week and two today. The backed up one, on the one (yard line), was huge and the resulted in a touchdown. Again, it is a weapon. It's part of the reason why guys struggled last week. Sometimes with young players getting used to that weapon, it's just part of the process you go through. Everyone has done a great job understanding how critical it is. It makes everyone's job easier when we can use that, and he did a great job today."

JOE BURROW

Quarterback

First time sweeping Cleveland. I know it's just one win, but what is the significance of beating them twice in one year?

"Division wins are always big. This one just keeps us in the race. Big game next week. This puts us in position to make a jump next week, so it put us in a good spot."

You reached out to Vonn Bell back in March. Is it plays like his big one today — the game-changing plays — that can completely shift a division game?

"I've seen Vonn make that exact play countless times. Saved the game in New England, doing that same thing. That's the kind of guy that Vonn is. He's never going to quit. He's hit some adversity this year and battled through it, and makes game-changing plays for us. So he's everything you could ask for in a veteran guy, that young guys can look up to."

How important was that in that moment against that opponent? Not going down 7-0 and being able to flip it on them?

"It's huge. Especially with the way they like to play defense. Their rush is really good, and if you get behind on them, it can be a long day. And then we go down and score a TD. That was a big-time momentum swing."

With all the adversity that you've faced as a team this year, how does it feel for you to be sitting here knowing you guys are giving yourselves a chance to still make the postseason?

"It feels good to play in big games. That's why we do what we do. That's why we work so hard. Everything that I do in the offseason is to put myself in the best position to play great at the end of the year, in these games coming up. So, it's exciting to still be in it. Guys work really hard, coaches work really hard, so it's nice to rattle off a couple wins here."

The defense has taken a lot of heat this season, but in the second half, it seemed like they really stepped up. What does that do for you and the whole team's confidence going into this important stretch down the end?

"Number one, it's great to see them make plays. I thought the defensive line was so disruptive today. We had some young guys really step up and make big-time plays. McKinnley Jackson, first sack. Kris Jenkins, two sacks. Joseph Ossai, all over the place — I'm not sure (if he had a sack), I think he had one. And then Trey (Hendrickson), just all around the ball, so that was great to see. As quarterback, when you see that, you start to play the game a little differently. You're not going to quite extend as much. Maybe you take a sack, where in a different spot, you try to extend or try to get the ball to somebody. And you feel confident trying to protect the ball in those situations when your defense is playing like that."

When you look at how the season in terms of margin for error, what is the common denominator that you've noticed during the week that's led you guys to be able to win when you have, and what you need to have next week to beat the Broncos?

"We've had great energy in practice. Guys flying around, dancing, very vocal. Practice has been fun the last couple weeks, and I think it really starts with the defense. The DBs are always bringing great energy at practice. That's not really my personality. I'm more of a 'What do I need to do on this play?' (guy), trying to get motions and shifts, and trying to operate. When you're in practice and you feel your DBs and your defense flying around, being vocal, making plays — it makes practice fun."

Have you ever thrown a TD pass falling flat on your face?

"That one was crazy. That one was crazy. No, I have not. My brother sent me a picture of it after the game. Might have to post that one."

It looked like you were even amazed when you got up ...

"I was parallel. I don't know how I threw it, but that one was pretty cool."

Can you walk us through your thought process as that play was unfolding and how it all unraveled?

"They doubled Ja'Marr (Chase) on the front side of the play, so I got back side to Mike (Gesicki). He was on a little crosser route. Then, I just felt the lane (open) up, and I didn't pick my feet up good enough and got tripped up by somebody's feet, so I need to do a better job at just picking my feet up in pocket. I don't know how Tee (Higgins) got so open. I'll have to see it on tape, but he obviously ran a great route and saw him open enough to try that throw and was able to execute it."

At what point when you were falling down did you realize that Higgins was open?

"I saw him as I was starting to move up in the pocket. As I was falling down, I was like, 'Got to try to get it to him any way that I can.' I thought my knee might be down because I'd never been in that position throwing a football before, but I was able to keep it up."

You had 250 yards and three TDs in seven straight games, no one's ever done that. What does that make you think?

"I work really hard for this. I put a lot into going out and playing well on Sundays. When you get record and when you make big-time plays, I'm trying to get better at appreciating those and being excited about that. That hasn't really been who I am, but I think if I want to have the longevity that I want to, I need to appreciate and be excited about things like that, so that's exciting for me."

Also, the three or more TD passes in seven straight games ... Tom Brady has 10 in a row, and Peyton Manning has eight. You're one of three other guys that have seven. What does that kind of production mean to you?

"Putting us in a good position to win games. You want to put points up on the board, you want to score TDs, and the more that I can do that, the better off our team will be."

What do you mean by longevity?

"I want to play for a long time. This is a tough, physical game that can break you down. I just need to flip my mind set a little bit and enjoy the little things here and there — enjoy this a little more and have more fun."

That being said, you haven't really talked much about the playoffs throughout the course of the year. Now with three straight wins and two weeks left, are you allowing yourself to think that maybe there's a chance you sneak in?

"We just have to win this week and go from there. That's what we have to do from here on out. Try to let everything else play out, but we just need to go take care of business and take care of what we can control and see where we stand."

We haven't had a chance to talk to you since the offensive linemen told us your Christmas gift to them. Can you tell us a little bit how you came up with the idea to give them the Japanese swords?

"Well, they wanted guns. And I was like, 'I don't know about guns, guys.' And so, I was in the 'weapon' mindset and was like, 'What's a cool weapon?' Samurai swords, I think, are pretty dang cool. And Nicole, she works for me, she was able to go and find them for me. So, she did a great job finding the best ones out there, so I think guys were excited about it."

You broke records a little while ago. Ja'Marr Chase went up 1500 yards with that last TD. Did you guys know where he was at that yardage total on the season on the sideline before that last possession?

"We did not. He didn't even want to go out there for that play. He wanted to put somebody else in. I guess Troy (Walters) convinced him to go out there and hopefully get a TD, and we were able to convert on it. I was a little late (throwing) to him, but he did a great job of adjusting to the back shoulder throw and just continues to make plays."

It seems like you've been trying all year to get a free play like that. Your eyes must have lit up when you saw it. What do you do at that point? Is he running the same route?

"We just try to get down the field and give our guys a chance. We've been able to get a couple of those. I think we've had one the last four or five weeks that works out that way. I always try to find a flag, but I knew they jumped on that one. We've had a couple where we got the flag, but I wasn't able to find it, so it turns into an extended scramble drill. But we've been pretty efficient in noticing when they're subbing and also getting guys to jump offside. We've been pretty good at that."

Was there any conversation with the official when Myles Garrett put you down on the sideline?

"It's always hard for me to tell where I am in that spot. Personally, I didn't feel like it was late. I haven't seen the clip. I could be wrong, but I wasn't pressed about that one."

As far as cadence goes, how big was it on the one-yard line to get them to jump?

"That kind of started off the drive great. In that spot, you try to just sneak it and get out of there, but (we were) able to mix up the cadence on them and got them to jump, so it got us some space so we could call some plays."

It seems like you have a lot of confidence with Andrei Iosivas in the red zone, which dates back to last year. Why is that?

"He just continues to make plays in scramble-drill situations. Teams are going to continue to double team Ja'Marr (Chase), and now we have guys like Andrei and Mike (Gesicki) that just go and win for us. Those guys have been so valuable for us in those situations this year. And Andrei, from the day that he got here, worked really hard, but really where he excels is in scramble drill situations and breaking off his route and understanding where I'm at. That's a big part of his game."

What do you appreciate most about Ja'Marr Chase?

"Just how consistent he is. Week in and week out, day in and day out, never misses a practice. We get our reps in full speed to try to get better, and he's been that way since I've known him. That's why he's so great because of how he practices and how he works and his discipline. He's a great guy for young guys to come into this building and watch him go to work every single day and learn from him and take a lot from him."

It feels like this team has had its back against the wall all season. Three straight wins now. What does it say about the resilience of this group?

"We're fighting. We're battling. Expecting nothing less from us. There's been a lot of adversity this year and it's been tough. It's been real tough, but it's been nice to rattle off a couple wins here and get some positive momentum going and seeing some young guys make some big-time plays. We have to keep that going."

After Myles Garrett got his 100th sack, you called a timeout. It looked like you said something to him. What was it that you said to him?

"I didn't know he had his 100th sack. I just saw a blitz coming that I didn't feel great about, so I called a little timeout. Then, they called the same blitz I saw coming but from a different look, and I didn't see it coming that time, so that wasn't great."

You had two of your offensive linemen down and two other guys out there. How did they hold up out there?

"I thought they did an admirable job. Cody (Ford) is always consistent. Cody does a great job. He's blocking Myles Garrett all day. He got one sack, I'm not sure if he got more than that, but I thought Cody did an unbelievable job on him all day. You saw Devin (Cochran) come in last week and play really well for us, and now he has to go in at right tackle. He's always ready for his opportunity too. It has to be tough when you're just sitting on the sideline, cold, not expecting to go in. And then all of the sudden, you get thrown in there and now you have to go block an edge rusher that's been warm all day, frothing at the mouth trying to get a sack. I wouldn't want to be in that position, but I think they do a good job."

When you guys hit that valley a little bit on offense, there was a stretch there for a while, was that to be careful and not overdo it?

"They were doing a good job up front and getting home. They were sticking in coverage in those spots too. Our defense is playing so well, so you just try to take care of the ball in those situations to get it back to them and let our defense keep making plays."

JA'MARR CHASE

Wide Receiver

How does it feel to be sitting here, based on how the season has gone, knowing that you guys are still in the playoff hunt?

"I think we've been doing a good job of just taking it one game at a time and taking care of business that we need to first so we can talk about the next team."

Joe Burrow was saying you didn't even want to go out on the field for that last touchdown. How did that transpire?

"Well, the play before I was supposed to go in and just be a decoy on a 'Stork' route and then we came back the second play and were running a 'Whiskey'. There were two minutes left on the clock and I (told) Troy (Walters), 'I'm good, get Jermaine (Burton) in and let him get like a little (playing time).' I was looking out for Jermaine. He was like, 'The second play is 'Whiskey,' so you might want to take this play,' and I was like, 'Alright, fine.' So, I went out there and it was just nothing but God at that point that it got called."

What happened on Joe Burrow's touchdown throw to you?

"He just tried to look the safety off, he looked the safety off for a long time, and he just threw it in the air."

Did the defensive back stop going?

"I don't think so, I think he was just behind me."

What's 'Whiskey'?

"'Whiskey' is a play. It's no play, but it's a play."

How does it feel to you to break your own franchise record for receiving yards in a season?

"It feels good. It's something I wanted to do. Me being competitive, I want to compete with myself, so it was a good thing I did that. It was a goal for me."

After Joe Burrow's first touchdown last week you called him Houdini. What'd you think of his face-plant touchdown today?

"That was another Houdini play right there, I'm not going to lie. I just saw him falling forward, throwing the ball and I didn't even see who caught it until the celebration."

Why do you think this team hasn't folded? You were four games under .500 two weeks ago, now playing for essentially still your playoff hopes. Why do you think you all have been able to bounce back given where you were?

"Because we know what it takes. We know what we've been through to get here. We just have to stay as a unit with this team and everybody should be on the same page and communicating. Just executing when it's time to execute, and when you've got to be in position, you've got to be there. Everyone is doing a good job just taking it a week at a time and taking care of business."

What's it been like as an offense seeing the defense play as well as they have the last few weeks?

"It's been good seeing them do that, man. We expect them to do that and when we see them make turnovers and stuff like that, they give the offense some excitement to be a little more explosive."

I remember you telling us about some of the goals that you write down after the season. Was 1,500 yards one of those?

"Yes. Do you want the rest of them?"

Yes ...

"Well, no I'm not giving you the rest of them."

Checking it off now, how does the feel?

"It's a blessing man. Honestly, it's a blessing. To sit here and say that I didn't want to go in on that last play, and that one catch got me to 1,500. So, it's nothing but a blessing and I couldn't have been happier but thank God at that point."

Do you do anything with the sticky notes after you accomplish one of those things?

"This is really my first time completing it, for real. So, it's probably going to stay there until the offseason."

Pro Bowl was not a sticky note for you?

"That's expected for me now, but I've got All-Pro up there."

For the first time?

"No. Pro (Bowl) was never up there, it was always All-Pro."

So this is the first time you've ever accomplished anything that you've put on your sticky note?

"Pretty much, yeah."

Franchise record wasn't on there?

"For?"

Receiving yards?

"No."

When you were drafted you said you wanted to come in and break all the records that they have. What gave you that confidence from the second that you got here, that this was what you wanted to do?"

"That's just the person I am. I walk with that swag like that. I just want to compete and the guys around me know that I love to compete, and I worked hard to get this way. The guys around me are the ones making me this way too."

There was a stretch today when you didn't have a catch for a long time. What did they change up?

"They didn't really change anything. Grant (Delpit) just did a good job of moving up into the middle of the field and playing help to my side. That scared Joe (Burrow) a little bit so he, being precautious with the ball, just took the one-on-one receivers."

What was it like Grant Delpit do the 'Griddy' against you?

"I didn't see it. (Joe) Burrow came to me after the play and was asking me if I saw him 'Griddy,' but I didn't see it though."

You just talked about the expectations for yourself is the Pro Bowl. Would you say the expectations for this team should be playing meaningful games in December every year?

"Our expectations for this team is AFC Championship football at the end of the day. That's our goal every year. We don't really have that in our hands this year, but that's the standard we hold ourselves to in the Bengals' locker room."

Do you remember that zoom call after you were drafted and you said you would break every record? You mentioned Chad Johnson and A.J. Green. Do you remember?

"Yeah."

You didn't flinch at all ...

"No, I meant that."

You just didn't flinch at all ...

"I mean I just love football and have been waiting for this my whole life. I've been competing against the best my whole life. That's what it comes down to at the end of the day."

Does it feel good that the last couple of weeks you haven't had to rely completely on you and Joe Burrow to get the job done? You've had Chase Brown really starting to really emerge, and the defense is starting to create turnovers. You're playing more together as a complementary football team. Does it feel that way?

"Yeah, it feels that way. Especially the last three weeks. It's been an awesome ride these last three weeks, having fun with the guys and winning. As long as we find a way at the end and find a way to finish that's the biggest thing."

Do you wish the team had been able to play a little bit more like this throughout the season?

"Yeah. Everyone feels that way. Like I said, the standard is the AFC Championship. We want to be there, and that didn't happen this year, but that's our standard."

You said you've been waiting for this your whole life and this is your first time accomplishing one of your sticky-note goals. Do you take time to let it set in and appreciate that this is what you've been working toward?

"It hit me when I caught the touchdown. I didn't know exactly what was going on, but it hit me in that moment. That was a real God situation for me right there."

You said you are not going to tell us the whole list, but what is the most extreme thing on there, or the most ambitious?

"Well, I got all three for the Bengals. I got all three sticky notes for catches, touchdowns and yards up there, so."

Do you have more than that?

"Yeah. Well, I can't give you that."

Well, a bigger one?

"I can't give you a big one. I can just probably do like maybe touchdowns. Something I really want."

Now that you've accomplished most receiving yards in Bengals history — 1500 yards — do you move on to the most ever in a season in the entire NFL for next year?

"Yeah, I mean, when that happens, I'll get to that, but right now I have to stay in the moment and take it one game at a time. I'm just living in the moment man, enjoying this process."

Your yards after contact and catch — the physicality of it — does the opponent ever say, "Damn"? Do they react when you're busting them up?

"They usually just say, 'You're a strong son of a 'B.' I've heard that a couple times this year."

You said your team goal is an AFC Championship. If you guys are able to rattle off five straight to get into the playoffs, do you feel like you'll be the most dangerous team coming in?

"I feel like we're already the most dangerous team. People fear us, but it's going to come down to just making that one play on offense and defense, and just finishing at the end of the game. As long as we stay in it as a unit, we'll be all right."

When they say you're a strong son of a "B," do you say anything back?

"No, I just start laughing. Usually, I have my grills in my mouth so I just smile at them."

CHASE BROWN

Running back

What was the best aspect of the run game today?

"We were getting to the second level really quick and getting some movement, so that's all I can ask for out of the offensive line. I can do the rest from there. We had that going for us and some explosive plays."

How would you describe Joe Burrow's play right now as he is being mentioned among the all-time great quarterbacks?

"He's a really good quarterback. He deserves all that. He should be up there with those guys. When you hear, 'Joe Burrow and Tom Brady,' you're not surprised."

How important was the defense today?

"Huge. With how explosive our offense is, we just need opportunities and drives. When we get those drives started, we're a hard team to beat."

KRIS JENKINS & McKINNLEY JACKSON

Defensive Tackles

What happened on your sacks today?

Jenkins: "One of them was a boot(leg), and I made the extra effort to get to the play, and good things happened. The second one was a stab stutter move, B.J. [Hill] and Coach have been teaching me a lot about that."

Jackson: "What Coach told me, using my God-given talent, power, and keeping my eyes in the right spot, creating a sack, and getting a win for my team."

How important was the Browns' fumble on the first drive?

Jackson: "The defense has been doing our job. Vonn Bell got it out, he's a vet and has been here for a while, so he's made plays like that before. Nothing new to him."

What was it like to see the offense have a 99-yard touchdown drive after the fumble?

Jenkins: "It's great for us, because our goal as a defense is to give them more opportunities. Seeing them take care of business out there is good for us."

Jackson: "We have the best offense in the league, so anytime we get the ball to them, they're putting points on the board no matter the circumstances. I'm confident. I feel like a parent on Christmas, watching my kids opening presents when the offense comes on the field."

What are your initial thoughts about next week's game against the Broncos?

Jackson: "I'm undefeated against Bo Nix, so it's nothing new (to be playing against him). Just doing my job and playing ball. He's a good player and it's a hell of a team, but (we'll) just go and do our job. We're used to playing on Saturday, so there's nothing to it — just us doing our jobs."

Jenkins: "We got a great team. We just have to do what we do, play as a unit, and carry this over to next week."

GENO STONE

Safety

What happened on your interception?

"It was Cover 1, he was running a post, (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) was trying to scramble around, (David) Njoku was up field, and DJ (Ivey) made a great play."

What was your game plan against Dorian Thompson-Robinson?

"I thought we did a great job with rushing and coverage working together. We knew he would try to use his legs, and we did a good job at containing him. We had great coverage on the backend. Beside the first play of the game, I thought we did a really good job."

How big was Vonn Bell's forced fumble to snuff the Browns' opening drive?

"It was huge. We got all the momentum back with that."

What is your comfort level in this defense after your third straight game with an interception?

"I feel comfortable with you all right now, honestly. I feel great."

What are your thoughts about all of the big plays this defense is making to swing games in your favor?

"We're making them at the right time. It's great to play a meaningful game next week in December. That's all you can ask for, so at the end of the day, we have to do our job."

MIKE HILTON

Cornerback

What was the message on defense to start the game?

"Set the tone. Obviously we had a bad opening on that big run, but that was their main explosive. We were able to keep points off the board, and that set the tone for the game."

What was the key to the defense's success today?

"Just making plays when we had the opportunity. Vonn (Bell)'s forced fumble and recovery set the tone, and guys just made big plays after that. Them getting the 80-yard run was a bad situation, but we (tightened) up on the one-yard line and kept points off the board."

How important was that stop followed the offense scoring on a long touchdown drive?

"In these division games, you never know how they're going to go. Every turnover, every third-down conversion, anything that can separate you — that's how you win these types of games. For us to hold on the one-yard line and have the offense flip and go 99 yards, that's a big momentum shift. Then we were able to close it out."

Did Lou Anarumo call for you to blitz more often than usual today?

"He definitely did a little more than these last couple of games. When my number is called, I just try to go make plays. I like where we're headed. We just need to keep going."

CADE YORK

Kicker

How are you enjoying your time as a Bengal?

"It's been great. I love my time here. The guys are great. I love spending time with Evan (McPherson), Ryan (Rehkow) and Cal (Adomitis). Darrin (Simmons) obviously has a great history having been here for so long, and there's a reason for that. I love guys who know what they're talking about and he definitely knows what he's talking about. I'm just trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible and put a few balls through the uprights."

How does it feel to be in the Bengals' record books?

"I love that."

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