Texans 37, Jaguars 21
MARK INGRAM II: It's great. That's what you play the game for. That's what we prepared all off season for, all training camp. We believe in each other. We believe that we have everything we need to get wins and have success. To go out there and get Coach Culley his first win, I think that's something that we're all proud of, and we're happy for him. This is just the start. We've got a lot more to do, a lot of improving to do to get better and keep winning.
Q. What do you think the message is here, for all this negative noise around you, to block it out and come out first game and win decisively? What does that say about this team?
MARK INGRAM II: We don't care about them people. We don't care. If you doubt us or doubt someone, like we don't really care. We all believe in each other. We all have faith in each other. We all hold each other accountable, and we believe we have what we need in order to have success. We don't really care about nobody else that don't support us or nobody else that don't believe in us. It's irrelevant.
Q. Mark, you guys cycled through a lot of different options running back wise; how did you feel you did as a group?
MARK INGRAM II: Man, we just got a great room. We've got five guys who can do a lot of things, run the ball, catch the ball, pass protect. Very versatile room. Everyone has their skill set that makes them successful, that makes them good.
I think we just did a great job today of getting everybody involved, everybody contributing in our running back room to help us have some positive plays to help us win the game. We have a great room. We compete. We communicate, and we make each other better.
Q. Is this the peak for you guys?
MARK INGRAM II: You said is it the peak?
Q. Like the running game; is that something you can improve on?
MARK INGRAM II: Of course. I think we had a lot of good runs and then there's some runs that weren't as clean, and I think we can improve and learn from it and grow from it. It's always better to learn in a victory as opposed to a loss, but we did a lot of good things. The big boys up front, the tight ends, the receivers did a great job of creating some seams for us and just being physical and dominating the line of scrimmage. That's why we were able to have some success.
But obviously there were some plays that we wish we could have back and we wish we could switch and we'll study the film tomorrow, we'll learn from it, we'll grow from it and try to be better.
Q. Mark, Tyrod Taylor is somebody who's been through a lot in this league and really waited a couple years to even get a chance like this again. What did you see from him today in terms of leading this offense and being a leader on and off the field?
MARK INGRAM II: Just a smooth operator. He's a smooth operator. He's confident. He has the ability. Great leader in the huddle. Commands the huddle. Gets us out of bad plays into good plays. It's high tempo, guys in and out of the huddle. Play comes in the wrong way, he fixes it, adjusts it, gets us out there in the right alignment, communicating, great in the huddle, and he just did a great job today. I'm happy for him.
We came into the league together, and he's just overcome a lot of adversity. He's just a great player, man, and he proved that today, and he's going to improve. We're all going to improve, and we just try to all do our jobs to make his job as easy as possible.
Q. What did you think about how you guys would use a combination of all the backs?
MARK INGRAM II: I think they have a vision for all of us, they have a vision for our roles within the offense, and I think we all just went out there and executed our roles to the best of our ability. We all went out there and executed our plays that was when our name was called, when our number was called, I think we all executed at a high level and did what we needed to do to help the team have success and have a victory.
Obviously there will be some things that we're trying to improve on and we're trying to get better at, but I think it was a good start.
Q. How does it feel for you personally after how last year went and for you to come in and have such a strong start?
MARK INGRAM II: It doesn't surprise me. I feel like I'm capable. It's just a matter of having opportunities and just the situation. Sometimes you can't control the situation, but you can control how you respond. You can control how your attitude and how you prepare. I know I can still play. I feel like I'm in my prime still. I feel great.
I'm just glad to be on the team where I have some opportunities and glad to be able to make some plays to help us win today.
Q. Specifically this team, you've played on a couple different teams. What stands out to you about this group?
MARK INGRAM II: I love our guys because we had a lot of guys -- we have some young guys but we have a lot of veterans who have played a lot of football, a lot of different places. All of guys have a chip on their shoulder. Everyone wants to play hard, play well and win games. Nobody is out here thinking that we suck. We all believe in each other. We spend time together. We work hard together. We compete against each other and we all just want to win games. We don't care what everyone else thinks, we don't care what everyone else feels. We just know that we've got some guys in this locker room who all depend on each other, have chips on their shoulder and want to play great football. That's what I love about the team.
Q. What does it mean to you that they trusted you with all those today?
MARK INGRAM II: I just -- whenever my number is called, whatever my role is on the team, I try to execute it to the best of my ability, to be the best I can be. They called my number today that many times, who knows if it will be like that next week or the next week. But whenever they call my number, I'll be focused, I'll be prepared. I'm going to do everything I can to be an asset to the team, bring energy to the team, have positive plays, keep the chains moving, make plays to help us win the game.
I'm thankful that they called my number. I appreciated they called my number. But there's a lot of work to do. We've got to continue to improve, continue to get better.
Q. You mentioned that there's a lot of -- there's a plan for each of you guys, the running backs. Do you feel like you take on a personal identity and do you recognize that in each other?
MARK INGRAM II: We just try to thrive at our role. We try to thrive when our number is called. I believe I'm a back who can do everything, run the blind side, off side, come out the backfield, catch the ball, pass protect, so I always craft on that, I always sharpen my tools in that way, prepare myself to be a three-down back, every single week, every single game, and whatever our role is, whenever they call my number, I'm just aware of the playbook. I know my plays, I know my assignment, I know what I'm supposed to do, how I'm supposed to execute it, and I try to execute it to the best of my ability to help us have success. It's as simple as that.
Q. What did David say to you guys in the locker room after the game?
MARK INGRAM II: He said, obviously it's great to have a win. We did a lot of good things today, but there's a lot of things that we can improve on. We're going to enjoy this for 24 hours and then we're going to start working on our next opponent. We're all happy for him that we got his first win as a head coach. Nick's first win as a GM. We're happy for those guys. They assembled this group of guys, so we appreciate that. But there's a lot more work to do. It's only one game, 16 more to go. Got a lot of improving to do.
Q. How would you describe Tim Kelly and Danny Barrett and their roles?
MARK INGRAM II: Yeah, TK is a great OC, has a great vision for how he wants to call plays, switching up personnels, giving one look, running a different play. He just likes to switch it up, keep the defense on their toes, put guys in position to make plays.
And Coach DB is great. He's been great for our running back room. He believes in the running backs. He stands up for the running backs. You know, just a great coaching staff. Especially those two, to be here with those guys, I'm appreciative of them, and we've just got to keep getting better. Nobody is satisfied, nobody is content.
Q. Can you talk about take us through that touchdown, the handoff from you to Lindsay; can you take us through that play?
MARK INGRAM II: Yeah, just a little curve ball TK threw in, being creative, and trusting me to be able to make the right read, see the field in motion. Brit had a great snap, I was able to read and he crashed and just gave it to Phil. I think the guys on the perimeter did a great job of getting on their guys, and Phil obviously saw it, turned it up for the touchdown. I'm glad that my play at quarterback was successful and so hopefully that will be able to expand on that package.
Q. How would you describe Pharaoh Brown's importance to you in the running game?
MARK INGRAM II: Pharaoh is a dog, he's a beast, straight savage, an animal. I've been around a lot of great tight ends, and he can be one of the best. He's physical in the run game, takes pride in blocking, and he's going to get his guy. Even when he doesn't, he comes to the sideline, that was me, that was me. But then obviously he has the talent, the athleticism to go run routes downfield, catch the ball, break tackles. He's a versatile tight end, a complete tight end, and I think he's one of the best in the game. He's super underrated. He's physical in the run game, holds the edge in the run game, whoops people in the run game, but also can be versatile and athletic enough to run routes, get open off safeties or linebackers and catch the ball and get yards after the catch.
Q. What did you think of Pharaoh Brown's catch? Did you get a good look at it?
MARK INGRAM II: Yeah, I mean, he is kind of -- I don't know, but he got one hand on it and broke some tackles and made a big play for us to get down in the red zone. You know, when your number is called, you've got to be ready, and he was, and he capitalized on his opportunity, and it was big for our team.
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