What Chris Tabor Said Following the Win Over Atlanta
Opening Statement
"Injury-wise we came out pretty good, so we'll assess guys tomorrow. Really happy for the guys. Proud of them. You know, the defense getting two turnovers, I think we got six points off of that. Then the last drive, 17-play drive with a will to win and saying that we are going to win the game and setting it up right there at the end. Really just proud of all parties. I couldn't be more proud of the kids, the coaching staff. It was fun, and those were tough conditions. I think that the area that I was really pleased with is we didn't have any turnovers, and I thought just trying to play field position out there and then taking advantage of opportunities when you get them. In a better mood than where we were last week. Enjoy it tonight, and then get back to work tomorrow and go from there. With that, I'll answer any questions."
The decision kick the field goal over trying to get a touchdown
"They elected -- I think they still had one time-out left, but when they did not take the time-out, no reason to go down and try to score there. We've got a lot of confidence in our kicker. 2-yard line, 3-yard line, ball right in the middle, I like our chances, and that way you end the game."
If this was his kind of game being a special teams guy
"It was fun. We talked about it all week. We talked about it right in here starting on Wednesday of what the day was going to look like from everything: the weather, the wind, how we were going to have to play the game. At the end we just kept saying, we are going to win this game, and that's what they did. Any time you have a 17-play drive at the end of the game to get a walk-off field goal, I think that says something about your kids and your guys. I couldn't be more proud of them."
What this win means
"It says we just keep going. I know we're not where we want to be. I understand all that, but based off that tape, you can't question who they are, and I was really happy for them that they were able to break through. Sometimes you knock at the door all the time, and no one answers, and then sooner or later you have to kick it down, and we did it tonight."
Consistency of Derrick Brown and Nick Thurman
"Boy, those guys. We went with six defensive linemen up because it was going to be that type of day. We talked a lot about our defensive line and what I'm going to call our running group, our offensive line and our receivers getting in there blocking to say, hey, guys, let's be real estate agents after we get done with this game, which really means we're acquiring land during the game and trying to change field position. So really proud of our defensive line, no question."
Wide receivers stepping up
"The guys made plays. I'll be honest with you. Those weren't easy catches out there, and I was really proud of our guys, really concentrating and making those plays. The thing that I saw today that you can't argue with is that there were plays that needed to be made, and they made the plays. So, you can say, hey, did they take a step? Based off of that game, I'm going to say they are. So now next week that's the standard, and now can we move it forward and push it forward?"
Getting Ihmir Smith-Marsette more involved
"His number got called today. Did a really nice job. They did some of the jet-sweep stuff and kind of some of the inside handoff stuff. He just has a knack for kind of sliding through there. It gave us another little wrinkle in the run game, which we needed today."
How much ball security was a focus
"It was huge. When I watched that game yesterday, I was thinking the same thing. I thought going into the game -- obviously you preach 100% ball security, but if one popped out -- for example, on Smith-Marsette on the punt, we had a muff there. Was I shocked by that? I wasn't because of the conditions, and I think mentally you already know that, but the kids did a good job of bouncing back, and we protected the ball, and that was big. Then even with regards to, I think early on, I think we popped the time-out right there, what was it, the end of the first quarter. We had the wind at our back with an opportunity just to make sure that we had the wind so we could pin them down there and try to maintain the field position to make them go long drives."
Bryce Young hanging in after the rough season he's had so far
"He's a winner. Guys, think about that drive he put together. That all those kids put together in those conditions, and people might say, hey, with nothing to play for. There's a lot to play for because whatever is on tape, that is who you are. So, I was really proud of him. I thought he took another great step. I thought that he threw the ball well for what the conditions were. You know what I mean? I was really proud of him. The kid is a winner."
Kamu Grugier-Hill doing kickoffs
"We thought about that earlier in the week. That kind of goes a little bit about when you coach up north and then you are playing Cordarrelle Patterson back there. You are talking about field position. Eddy [Pineiro] obviously can kick off for us, but that wind out there, what we were trying to do is Kamu [Grugier-Hill]-- really teams don't account for the kicker and coverage. So now we're getting a better tackler out there, so that's why we did that when we were going that way.
"Those were going to be squibs anyway. Depending upon -- I think, what, did they get it to the 29 or 30? I'm okay with that on this type of day because it was about field position. The way our defense plays, I thought it was good."
Xavier Woods' interception
"It's a big-time play. I mean, X, obviously crafty veteran. I'm really happy for him. Actually, a little under the weather, fought through it. To be able to make that type of play right there, that's big-time. Kudos to our defense and the defensive staff. Outstanding job."
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