ZAC TAYLOR

Head coach

Q: What did you see as the key to hanging on there in a really gritty game?

A: It is a gritty game. That's a tough team. Coming on the road, it's a difficult environment, primetime. They make you earn everything. They do a great job with the efficiency on offense. Their defense is physical. We've played that coordinator (Shane Bowen) several times over the years. It's always a different challenge they've got to bring players. So, I'm just proud of our team. Our defense kept us in that thing the whole game, and then offensively able to finish it out. I thought our special teams were spectacular at the right times as well. So, just found a way to go on the road and get one for ourselves when we needed it.

Q: What did you make of the performances of (defensive tackle) B.J. Hill and (cornerback) DJ Turner (II) tonight?

A: They stood out. I think you can name a lot of people on that defense that really stepped up. Three turnovers on downs. The turnover. And just a lot of big plays. And they got some. That's just kind of how their offense operates. They've got a good, efficient operation. I think their quarterback (Daniel Jones) does a really good job. But our defense stepped up at the right times. And we held them to seven points.

Q: After the last couple of weeks, what did you see from the defense throughout the week leading up to this game?

A: What I see every single day of the week – just a resilient group that goes about it the right way, believes in each other, believes in what we're doing. And that's what I expect to see from those guys. And this was a great way – on Sunday Night Football, in front of the world – for them to show who they are because that's what we see every day, and that's the blueprint.

Q: That's the first time those four tackles (*B.J. Hill, Sheldon Rankins, Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson*)– the guys who've been projected, the defensive tackles – seem to mean something.

A: Yeah, and you just see everyone behind them step up as well. I thought they did a great job getting pressure on the quarterback. And so, I'm just really proud of the way the defense played. The players, the coaches, the way that they fought all week, and put on a performance like this was special.

Q: You always talk about corner(back)s needing short memories. How important was it to see DJ (Turner) respond to some mistake and make the biggest play of the game?

A: I felt like I saw him show up a lot – his contested balls. So, I'm really proud of the way DJ and all those guys work.

Q: What kept you from getting into an offensive rhythm that you really liked?

A: A lot of different things. A little bit of everything. You're right. We felt like we had a lot of second-and-10-plusses at strenuous times it felt like. They (the New York Giants) did a good job upfront. They bring pressure. They can win some one-on-ones. They've really invested in that front, and it shows. They did a good job on the back, just mixing it up. And the third quarter just felt like a strange quarter. We had two relatively efficient plays and then a fumble, so I don't think we got the ball back until four minutes left in the quarter. And so, just the second half just felt a little strange. But I thought we did a good job of responding the right way and getting on there and unfortunately kicking a field goal from the (yard line) and scoring a touchdown at the end.

Q: What did you see on the check from (quarterback) Joe (Burrow) on the touchdown – on the 47-yard touchdown – the one he checked at the line?

A: We called two plays, and then he took off and ran once he saw the coverage. So, great awareness by him to see how they were playing us, to see how doubled up they were. They were trying to take away two receivers over there. And just did a good job of putting the ball down, finding a running lane, and finishing those.

Q: Was that instinct, or was that the call?

A: That was instincts by him (Joe Burrow). It was (supposed to be) a pass play. And just can see that kind of thing on the side over there with the coverage, and he found a good rush lane. Rushers kind of took off, and he used his feet to do the rest.

Q: How much do you address finishing the right way? You get the touchdown to kind of put it away. You guys haven't been able to get (over the finish). Is there a difference there in something tonight?

A: It's a great point because our defense kept us in it. Our offense was a little sloppy at times tonight. But there in the fourth quarter when we needed it, everyone just stepped up. And everyone did their job. Everyone finished. I thought special teams put us in really good positions with some of those punts. And then defensively, obviously, getting the ball back. And then offensively, finishing with the touchdown. So, no better way to do it. Start building on that. So, hopefully, we can string some games together.

Q: Did you see how close the fumble was to being recovered? Or do you choose not to look at that replay?

A: At that point in the game, they told me the ball was ours. And that was the most important.

Q: Obviously, concerning. You don't say anything. The guys know not to fumble. But in that moment, what's your response to seeing that fumble in that moment from (running back) Chase (Brown)?

A: The number one thing we have to do in four-minute mode is ball security. Certainly, he doesn't want to do that. He's done a great job of that. And we'll correct it when we're done.

Q: You know how tough Joe (Burrow) is. But when you see Joe take a hit, go to the ground, then go to the (medical) tent, what is going through your head?

A: He took some hits in that game. And they did a nice job (at getting to the quarterback). Give them a lot of credit because it was difficult for us. We didn't get in a great rhythm. So again, they affected us back there. So, credit to them. You don't want to see him go down and go to the tent, because that was a good hit.

Q: Given that hit, on the next down, he makes that throw to (wide receiver Andrei) Iosi(vas). In the wake of getting grilled, it had to say something to him.

A: That's the payoff. There's sometimes where he makes plays and it doesn't go his way. And there's other times where he hit the big one to (wide receiver) Ja'Marr (Chase), our first drive of the third quarter, that essentially put us in scoring range and how it worked out at the end of the game. Hitting that one to Iosi was huge as well. So, it's not always going to be perfect. But more times than not, he steps up and makes these big plays with those big plays.

Q: When you're playing a front like that, how important is it for Joe (Burrow) to be able to extend the play for another half-second?

A: It is, and it's on me to do a good job of keeping them off-balanced. So, I don't feel like, as a play caller, I was having a good rhythm of keeping them off balance. And our guys did a good job there in the second half. I thought they were taking control.

Q: So much of what (defensive tackle) B.J. (Hill) does doesn't show up in the stats sheet. So, how excited were you to see B.J. have the kind of stats he did tonight?

A: Really excited. I know how important it is when a guy plays for a team, and they come back here. DJ stepped up. Some of the plays, he doesn't get the credit for the production because he creates production for other guys. And vice versa. It was good to see the hit he got on the quarterback. The ball popped up in the air, and (linebacker) Germaine (Pratt) was able to come down with it. So, again, happy to have all those guys back.

Q: (Punter Ryan) Rehkow has a nice game back today. How good do you feel for him?

A: He's done a great job. He punted really well for us. Done a good job flipping the field, and getting inside the 15, 10-yard line. And obviously, they did a great job with the operation too, the field goals.

Q: We saw (wide receiver) Jermaine Burton was inactive today. What led him to being there?

A: Nothing to read into that. That was just a week-to-week decision we made based on some other things that could potentially happen just with the game plan stuff. But he's done a great job. He keeps approaching it the right way. But we've got a lot of confidence growing with him. So, that's just a this week thing. We'll continue to make those decisions as we go along. There's nothing to read into.

Q: The run game didn't give you much until the end. You hung with it.

A: Yeah, the last (inaudible) call was a great adjustment by (offensive line coach) Frank (Pollack). It wasn't a play that we carried that week. We briefed it with the guys right before that drive that it may come up in the drive. So, it's a play that we've repped a hundred times during training camp, over the course of the season. So, that was a really good adjustment there by Frank, and the players handled it a great way.

Q: Is that something that wasn't in the plan this week?

A: Wasn't in the plan this week. We've run it a lot this season, so the players remember it. It was a good adjustment by Frank.

JOE BURROW

Quarterback

Q: How badly did you guys need a win tonight?

A: Yeah, we really needed it. I don't want to say we would have been out of it if we had lost, but we'd be scratching and clawing for the rest of the year. We still really are, but it was good to get a win. It was great to see our defense step up like that. They've been taking some heat the last couple weeks, but they played awesome today.

Q: Can we start with the hit that you took and then you going in the blue medical tent to get examined. Then you came back in. Did you when you got hit like that, did you think something was really wrong, or was it just more precautionary?

A: No, they just came and told me that they needed to evaluate me for a concussion. News to me, I felt fine. I got the wind knocked out of me a little bit.

Q: What did you see on the touchdown run?

A: They blocked it great. It's been one of our go-to runs all year. (Cincinnati Bengals running back) Chase (Brown) hit it quick like he always does, and he was able to break in so that was good to see.

Q: I was referring to yours.

A: Oh, mine? I forgot about that. I saw an opening, saw it was man coverage and was able to squeak through there and find the endzone.

Q: You spoke about just how big this offseason was for you physically. Do you feel like plays like that show what you were working for?

A: Yeah, I think so. I think I was able to stand against the plays (inaudible) needed it, because I wasn't playing up to my standard every other way, but we were able to find a way, find a way to win.

Q: (Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach) Zac (Taylor) said that you called two plays on your touchdown run. I guess there were two pass plays called, and you just said you just saw right away I guess, right? You just read the coverage and knew you could get there?

A: Yeah, that's something we do a lot on third down, really throughout the game. Just depending on the look, call one or two plays. That's coaching, that's not me.

Q: What wasn't up to your standards?

A: Missing throws I normally make. I felt like I let the pressure get to me a little bit. I was able to settle down there in the second half and kind of find a rhythm, but the first half I didn't feel like I was in rhythm at all. I was feeling like I was getting happy feet in the pocket. It just didn't feel like anything was going the right way. So, we'll watch the tape and see where I can improve and get better. I know I could have been and so that's disappointing, but it was nice to see our defense step up and get us this win.

Q: How challenging is that defensive front to deal with?

A: Yeah, they lead the league in sacks. They're the real deal and they didn't have one of their guys today. They've got good games. They've got good players. They make it tough on us and their secondary was sticking coverage all day, it's a good defense.

Q: You talked about closing games third-and-12, you find (Cincinnati Bengals wide reciever) Andrei Iosivas in a spot for not the dagger but pretty close to the dagger there.

A: Yeah, a great job by him. (Inaudible). It was a big play in the game. He was able to escape left and find it, so that was a big play.

Q: I know you first and foremost just care about winning, but can you put your finger on other than your performance why offensively, I mean the last couple of weeks you guys have been rolling on all cylinders, can you put your finger on what kind of slowed you guys up today?

A: You've got to give credit to them. That's a good defense. That's a good front. They pressured us all day. We just weren't able to – got behind the stick some early in the game, had some manageable third downs that we didn't convert on in the first half, and if you don't do that then you won't have opportunities to go make plays. Yeah, we weren't good enough on third down, I put us behind the sticks on some where I could have thrown the ball away or found a quicker completion. So, I'll watch the tape and see. Those are the initial thoughts but there will be more.

Q: How important is it, in a game like this, to be patient and not force things? Knowing that you're not in a rhythm, you just have to play the game out and not worry about putting up huge numbers?

A: Fortunately, we were able to lean on the defense today. It was great to see them step up like that. They needed that one, we needed that one. But going forward, I know I'm going to have to be better. I know we're going to have to be better on offense.

Q: Do you feel like in some ways this team is still looking, trying to find that killer instinct that this team has always had over the last couple of years?

A: We're 2-4, so we're finding that every week. We're trying to find ourselves. Trying to find wins. We found one today, that's great. But we know we have to be better going forward.

Q: Was it the longest touchdown run you've ever had?

A: I think I probably had a 70 or 80 yarder in elementary school.

Q: Do you remember what grade roughly?

A: We ran a lot of QB sneak. Back then, they couldn't stop that. I took it for like 70 or 80 sometimes. That was like 4th, 5th, 6th grade, somewhere around there.

Q: Did that remind you at all of the longest run you previously had was the one against Georgia? That one you did not score on.

A: Yeah, I got caught on that one. I don't remember who caught me. It was number three that caught me. That was good.

Q: When you saw the safety screaming over where you just held it, it felt like you were going to do whatever you're going to do to get that pylon. What was running through your mind when that safety's kind of closing in?

A: I knew he wasn't going to catch me. I was going to be able to get in there. That was a good play. One of my few good plays on the day.

Q: The throw to (wide receiver) Yoshi (Andrei Iosivas). That was pure scramble drill?

A: Yeah, that was a great job by him. His route on that was really just to clear it out for Ja'Marr (Chase) coming in underneath him. He got out of it quick and was able to find some open space. That was great by him.

Q: You've been pretty honest about your assessment of the team after each game. As the leader of the team, what's your message going to be knowing that, obviously, one, you want to celebrate the win, but there's a lot of things you said that you guys wanted to clean up? How do you avoid the letdown of being able to just start stacking wins?

A: It was great to see our defense step up today. That was exciting to see. We got healthier up front. You could see that really affected the pass rush. They were getting a lot of pressure on the day. Our defensive backs were sticking in coverage all day. Mike (Hilton) made some big plays, big tackles, blitzing and in coverage. So, that was great to get him back. We know what we're capable of on offense. We've proven it all year. This was not one of those nights. You're going to have some of those nights. It's tough to go out every single week and put up 30. There's a lot of good defenses, a lot of good coaches, and a lot of good players on the other side of the ball. That's what we expect out of ourselves, but it's probably not going to be like that every week and so, just like every week, we're going to watch the tape, come back and practice on Wednesday and get better.

Q: After a slow start to the year, was there something you said about getting this kind of win in a stand-alone Sunday night game like that in front of a lot of people who have criticizing you?

A: It was a big win for us. We needed it. It was great to have the defense step up in that spot and have that build some confidence. We can build on that.

JA'MARR CHASE

Wide Receiver

Q: How did it feel to get a much needed win?

A: It felt good just getting a win. It wasn't a pretty one, but it was good just to get one under the belt finally.

Q: At this point do you just kind of eat whatever y'all can get?

A: Yeah, I mean right now we're just trying to get the wins going, keep the momentum going and finally get the stack, get that lead going while we on the run. That's what we're really trying to get to.

Q: How do you feel right now?

A: How do I feel right now? I feel happy that we won. I wasn't satisfied the way we won but I'm happy that we won.

Q: What was unique about the way they were playing you in terms of coverage wise?

A: They put (New York Giants Corner Back Deonte) Banks on (Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver) Tee (Higgins) and then clouded me. So, it was a different type of cloud. I don't really know what kind of cloud it was. I was looking at it on the iPad a little bit, but it was cloud though.

TREY HENDRICKSON

Defensive End

Q: Seeing (defensive tackle) B.J. (Hill) come back against his old team, and being able to have the production he wants, which doesn't always happen for him, how do you feel for him?

A: I'm really happy for him, and obviously when you get traded in this league, it's something that it's out of his control, but we're glad to have him. He's been nothing but an impact player for us, and I look forward to having him as an impact player week in and week out.

Q: How much of the defensive team meeting you guys have with just the players this week impacts how well you guys run the field tonight?

A: It's one of those things we need(ed) a wake up call, but I think everybody knew at that point, Mike's been a leader in this defense over the last four years, so when he speaks, people listen. But credit to (defensive coordinator) Lou (Anarumo), credit to the execution of this defense, and playing like a family.

Q: I saw you guys had a few words as you walked off the field, getting a win in his hometown, was that big for him? Are you happy for him?

A: Yeah, I'm very happy for him. I mean obviously, that's what it's about. It's football, Sunday night in New York. That's big for him.

Q: How much does it mean for this team to finish a game like this on offense and defense and win like you guys did?

Q: Playing complementary football is important. It's important especially if you want to get them rolling and starting to stack wins. Continuing to chop wood, like I said, do the hard work, put in the effort, and continue to grind for those wins.

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