00:00Really pleased with the Bayer guys. Responded this week, played, just building off what we thought was a good game last week, particularly in the second half.
00:07Just challenged those guys to show up and keep that momentum going, and so they did, absolutely did.
00:12And I thought defensively, you know, really shutting down the run game, not giving them anything in the run game early on.
00:19Outside of that one touchdown early in the game, I thought that they played really good.
00:22You know, got a lot of pressure on Jacoby, four sacks, bunch of TFLs, really harassed him throughout the night.
00:28That was awesome to see. 3 of 13 on third down was critical for us.
00:32And then offensively, you know, just scoring points on six of those first seven drives there to really establish, you know, control of the game and be able to finish it the right way.
00:40So really pleased. I thought the kicking game was good, too. Great punt return.
00:43Good job with the punts down at the end of the game. Evan had a big one, I think 57 yards, you know, at a key point there to extend the lead to nine there in the second quarter.
00:51That was a key kick for us. So just overall pleased with the way that everybody approached the game.
00:56How long was the Tony Ford play better?
00:57One week, you know, we had with Noah going into the week, not knowing how we're going to have Noah.
01:03We had a lot of heavier 12 personnel groupings where he was going to be out there.
01:08And so just to keep the guys, you know, in the line room, keep that energy sky high.
01:12Not that I need to create anything to do that, but we practiced it.
01:16He caught it during the week and then felt like the right moment to get it called.
01:20Were you aware it was his birthday today?
01:22No, I'm not aware of people's birthdays in general.
01:24OK, just to be crystal clear. So always assume that I don't know that information till after the game.
01:30What did you make of the crowd reaction? I think they were unhappy that he was taken off the field.
01:33Did you catch one of that in real time or?
01:35No, you're in play call mode at that point. So you don't have great awareness of what's happening.
01:40Was there a thought of giving it to him?
01:41No, no chance.
01:42Is that the throw? Is that where it's designed to go?
01:48I mean, yes.
01:50Yes, that was the one play where we would like to get him the ball.
01:54The corner played pretty tight to start.
01:55And then I think Joe kind of gave some shoulders to loosen him up and then came back to him.
01:59So he usually goes out there a little quicker, but they were taking it away.
02:02So Joe softened him up a little bit.
02:05Made a good throw and catch.
02:07Was there any yards after catching the practice rep?
02:09Well, there was no contact really in practice.
02:12I was right there.
02:14I mean, I was there.
02:15I wanted him just to go down, get the four, go down, put us in the second six.
02:19And he just kept breaking tackles.
02:21That was pretty impressive.
02:23Zach, what are you?
02:24In non-coding four, Jamar Chase breaks his drought.
02:28Zach, how nice was it to see him get off to Schneid early in this game?
02:33Yeah, I mean, I really wasn't aware of it until T pointed out in the last game, you know, during the game.
02:38And so we're just going to go out there and call it the way we see it.
02:41You know, this play he scored on is just, you know, a play we've run 100 times.
02:45And he did a great job, you know, making people miss and getting in the end zone.
02:49And then the other one before the half was just, you know, really good play design there by Riscotti and pitch.
02:55And so that one worked out well.
02:57Zach, what does this do for Joe Burrow coming back from injury this season, playing in these games,
03:01even though you're out of the playoffs, to have this kind of good play, to see it look like this when he's healthy?
03:07Yeah, I mean, we've seen this from Joe.
03:10He's got a ton of confidence.
03:12He's playing with great rhythm, extending plays, hitting big plays down the field.
03:16Did a great job with the protection checks today because that can be really difficult and stressful against these guys.
03:22They do a good job of attacking your protections.
03:24And so Joe was on it.
03:25And so, again, just he's playing like I know Joe to play, and it's fun to watch.
03:33Chase Brown, another huge game.
03:36What has been so consistent over the last eight weeks?
03:40Yeah, well, he's very versatile with how you can utilize him.
03:43At the same time, I think our linemen, they're doing a great job in the run game, too.
03:48So giving him great opportunity in the run game to get those yards to be on line of scrimmage.
03:56And he's doing a great job making people miss in space and playing through contact at the second level.
04:01And had, you know, I don't know how many explosives today, but they were significant runs that put us in a really good position.
04:06Chase Brown had five touchdowns in the third quarter over the last two weeks,
04:11the third quarter three last week, too.
04:12Is there any rhyme or reason to that?
04:14No.
04:14No, I mean, it's certainly when we're at halftime, we've got to come out with a mentality.
04:20And the defense has really set the tone the last two weeks, and the offense has countered off of that.
04:24So I was really pleased to see us get, you know, the two quick stops from the defense
04:29and then counter with two touchdowns from the offense.
04:31Then you get a chance, you know, as the fourth quarter hits to get some other guys in there and keep playing football.
04:35But I was really proud of the way that the guys came out and attacked post-halftime
04:39and established the game for us and let us gain control.
04:42He's pretty loud in that.
04:43Miles Murphy making the plays that he's making.
04:46Yeah, he's ascended all season.
04:48He's put in great work.
04:49He has a lot of confidence right now.
04:51I think Jerry's doing a great job with them.
04:53He's taken all those things to heart and really just stepping up his game, and that's been fun to watch.
04:57Is that an example of how these final games can be for a guy like Miles?
05:01Sure.
05:02I mean, he's, you know, going to finish it up the right way next week
05:05and have a lot of confidence going into the offseason and seeing what it can look like.
05:08And I think our defense as a whole, that's just what's been really fun for me to see,
05:12and it should be for everybody.
05:13Just their confidence continues to increase, and they understand exactly what we're asking them to do,
05:18and they're starting to do it at a high level.
05:20And so we're just really proud of those guys sticking together, you know,
05:23through everything that's happened this season.
05:25Coaches, players, just keep pushing forward and persevering, and they're having a lot of fun right now.
05:30Loud in that locker room after the game, especially with those Cody chants that we're here.
05:34What was the message in there?
05:35And what was it like seeing him get –
05:36We have to finish this off the right way, you know,
05:39and it's all we can control right now is what we've got in front of us.
05:41It's one game left, three practices.
05:45Got to go finish this thing the right way, like these guys have been doing for us.
05:48And, you know, just, again, important to play well in front of our home fans, you know,
05:54and finish this out the right way.
05:56Zarius was out at one point, kind of came back in.
05:59How did that go in terms of did he say I want to get back in, though, or how did that end up?
06:03Yeah, he had a great mindset.
06:04You know, he had a shan that we needed to let rest for at least a series,
06:08and then he was able to go back out there.
06:10So I was proud of him.
06:11And then at the end of the game, you know, we wanted to get some other guys in.
06:13I think the pride had some catches later on in the game, but for the most part,
06:16you guys did a really good job containing him, obviously, you know,
06:18receptions leader in the league.
06:20What was the focus this week heading into this one?
06:22Well, I thought Al had a great plan.
06:24Al and his staff had a great plan to try to minimize all of that
06:27and not make anything easy for them offensively.
06:29And so I know his production, his catches, he got a bunch there at the end,
06:33and he's a heck of a player that I'm really impressed with.
06:37And I thought our defense did a really good job keying in
06:40and making things really difficult for Arizona.
06:41Zach, I think Shamar got to Jacoby and brought it down today.
06:46Kind of like Miles, do you feel like that's a player who's wrapping this up?
06:50Yeah.
06:50I mean, he hasn't got a chance to just be healthy for a long stretch.
06:54It's always a stop-start this year, no fault of his own with these injuries.
06:58And so to see him out there, and, again,
07:01he's accumulating a bunch of snaps over these last couple weeks
07:03and to get his first career sack and kind of get that off your back a little bit
07:07before you're going into the offseason.
07:09And so, again, he's got a lot of potential for us.
07:12Do you plan to have Joe play again next week?
07:14Yes.
07:15Do you think it meant for Shamar to get that first sack,
07:18considering, you know, like you said up and down,
07:19he's been out multiple times with injuries?
07:21What do you think it meant to him?
07:21I think it's meaningful, you know, for a guy who's been working through it.
07:25Injuries, rookie year, all the challenges that comes with it.
07:28Again, just check that box.
07:30That's done.
07:31Now let's go get a lot more.
07:32How gratifying is it for you personally to put together
07:36some high-scoring performances at the end of this season?
07:40The gratifying part for me is that this team has maintained their energy
07:44through some really difficult times and really stuck together
07:46when people question what they're going to see from us.
07:49There should be no question that, you know, this team is made of the right stuff.
07:53And I think that's just the part that I focus on,
07:55that we have a great group of coaches that have really stuck together
07:58and kept coaching.
08:00And these players have bought into it
08:01and provided tremendous energy for us.
08:05And the proof has been playing these last two weeks on the field.
08:07And that's all we can control right now
08:09is every game that's in front of us and how we're going to react to it.
08:11And so, again, we've got to do that for one more week.
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