What They're Saying: Lions Have Two More Banners to Hang
Here is a collection of postgame quotes from Detroit Lions players and coaches after a 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings:
On targeting Josh Reynolds at the end of the game to help him hit incentives: "I felt like we needed to do everything we could to get that player. That player does all the dirty work he does for us, all the stuff in the run game, all the blocking, all the unselfish play, then we're gonna do whatever it takes to get him something that he's got. That's the mindset, that's all."
His thoughts as the team enters the postseason: "Yeah, I think we're ready, man. I think Dan said it best there at the end. No one has been through the type of adversity that this group has over the last couple of years. And we're ready, yeah, we're ready. It just feels like we've been waiting for quite some time to get these opportunities. They're here now, Ford Field will be rocking, and it'll be fun."
His motivation for the game after being snubbed from the Pro Bowl: "I was ready, I was excited. I don't know, it is what it is. I don't know how many 1,500-yard receivers with 10 touchdowns didn't make the Pro Bowl. I guess I've got to look that up and see."
On whether Sunday's win gives the team momentum ahead of the playoffs:"Man we've had momentum all week. We've got two more banners to hang. You know what that means. We've got two more banners to hang. What's next."
What he means by hanging two more banners: "We've got a couple more banners to hang. Two more banners. And I'm not falling short, we're not falling short. I'll be damned if that happens. We've worked too hard, like coach Dan says, we're seasoned for this, perfectly scarred for this. I'm just appreciative to be a part of a great organization. Shout out Sheila, shout out Brad, A.G., Dan for just bringing me here. It's nothing more than just thanking God for this moment. It's a humbling moment, ball got taken away from me so I had to regroup. At the end of the day, to get a team win, it felt good for me."
On the team getting him the ball to help him earn an incentives bonus: "Everybody's got each other's back. And that's what I love about this team."
On the fans' support: "They deserve it all. They've been loyal for a long time waiting for this. To be able to deliver it, it's awesome."
On what the defense has done well: "I think we really fight against adversity well. I think the sky is the limit for us and we just have to keep on the upward trend that we're on."
On the billboards defending his role in the controversial two-point conversion against Dallas: "I saw all the billboards. I was like, man, Detroit has my back. I was like, I probably shouldn't post any of these or retweet or anything, but I saw all of them."
On his catch: "Yeah, it's a little Cover 2 concept that we've been working on all week. Chip flat, get out there. Caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage, so I'm sure I'll get dinged for that on the plus-minus sheet. But it was fun, just put the ball away and don't get KO'd."
His thoughts on fan reactions to him reporting as eligible: "Yeah. He'd go on the mic and JG (Jared Goff) would be calling the play and he'd just stop, look at me and then get back to it. So it was fun."
How it felt to return after four games on IR: "It meant a lot. At first, the way that my injury was hurting, I didn't know when I was gonna be back. But it felt really good to be back out there today, doing what I do, being with the guys, so it felt really good."
On what is motivating him ahead of the playoffs: "Just that alone. Just the postseason. Everyone knows what's at stake here, and we're right here. Why not play your absolute hardest? Why not be the most violent guy out there? I ain't gonna say a couple weeks away, but we're right here, you're in the postseason, you're in the dance, let's go ahead and do this. So I think, that alone, just knowing we're going to the postseason, is all the motivation we need and I need."
