Texans 37, Jaguars 21
TYROD TAYLOR: It was big to start the season off with a win with a division opponent. Proud of the guys the way they came out and worked. It wasn't a perfect game by any means, but the effort, the focus and the execution was there in all three phases. Something to build off of and we'll continue to keep working to get better.
Q. How much if a blessing is it to have so many running backs that do so many different things for you?
TYROD TAYLOR: It's very nice. We look in our backfield and it's loaded with guys who have made tons of plays throughout their years in the league. We're going to continue to keep leaning on those guys in the passing game and the running game to make plays for us, for us to be the team that we need to be moving forward.
Q. Tyrod, can you talk about the luxury of being able to spread the ball around so much in the offense?
TYROD TAYLOR: Yeah, I think that goes hand in hand with just the talent at each position. The running back position is loaded, the wide receiver position is loaded with talent, as well as experience, as well. Even the tight end group you seen those guys making plays today, too.
Yeah, it's a good thing to be able to have those weapons and to be able to spread it around. Coach TK done a great of calling the game today, and like I said, we could have been better in some aspects. We'll clean that up and continue to keep moving forward.
Q. A lot of the players and Culley were talking about how much believed in you the whole off-season, and obviously believed in you today, and you showed them on the field. What was today like for you especially considering the last couple years everything you went through, which you know better than all of us, but I would imagine today had to be pretty powerful, pretty meaningful, pretty personal.
TYROD TAYLOR: It was fun. It's never about me. It's about coming out and doing whatever it takes to help the team win. Ultimately we came away today with the win, and that's always fun.
Yeah, I was excited. It was good to have fans back in the stadium. Last year playing in LA we didn't have any fans in any of the home games. Just to have that atmosphere back was definitely fun, and looking forward to each and every week just being able to play with the great group of guys that we've got in the locker room and competing.
Q. (Indiscernible) how comfortable were you in this and what did you see?
TYROD TAYLOR: Very comfortable with it. Something we've worked on since the spring and for sure in training camp. Very comfortable with the offense. I think we'll just continue to keep growing in that area. Guys made plays with the balls in their hand, offensive line did a great job of pass pro and the run game, blocking as well, too.
Q. What do you think about Culley winning his first game after such a long wait to get to this point?
TYROD TAYLOR: I know it means a lot to Coach Culley and definitely hats off to him. He's done a great job of leading us from day one. His message has been strong, and as far as the players, they've done a -- we've done a great job of just responding. No one complained throughout training camp. We put our heads down, we worked, and we all got better and continued to keep building that chemistry, and we're going to continue to keep building chemistry and working and playing for one another as the season progresses.
Q. As players go in and out every play, is it your responsibility to keep that in your head? How do you --
TYROD TAYLOR: Yeah, I mean, for me, it's just about knowing which personnel is in the game, different personnel changes with different people lineup. Obviously you want to be able to take advantage of different match-ups and where guys are at on the field, so that's more so for me, but it's fresh legs coming in the game for the most part, so that's more tougher on the defense than it is for me.
Q. Everyone says that you're an amazing leader. How do you try to lead this team?
TYROD TAYLOR: By example first. I've kind of learned that over the years. Regardless if you're vocal or not, if you're not leading by example, then no one is going to respond. You have to demand a lot out of yourself, set the standard, and I think guys will fall in.
Q. Can you take us through the play in the third quarter, you were under duress, I don't know if you saw Pharaoh make that catch one-handed. Did you see the play? Take us through that play?
TYROD TAYLOR: Yeah, it was actually a three-play check for us, and they gave us the perfect look that we practiced during the week. Just tried to drift it, get as much time as possible, knew that we had a free guy off the end, and Pharaoh made a great catch. Would have loved to see him score on that play, but it was a great catch and set up the wildcat play for Phil to score the next play.
Q. What does it mean to you and your teammates to get a win, given all the negatively around this franchise so long, come out and get a decisive win despite all that stuff?
TYROD TAYLOR: It means everything to me, and I know it means a lot to the guys in the locker room. Since day one, Coach Culley has made it important that we not focus on just the outside perception of what the outsiders say, and I think that was something that the guys leaned on in the locker room, just playing for one another, not necessarily doing it for anything outside of what's in the locker room. Obviously we have families, but more so just playing for the guy next to you. We did that today, and we're going to need to keep doing that throughout the year.
Q. Mark and Brandin both described Pharaoh in separate situations as a "dog." Is that an accurate assessment? Is that how you would --
TYROD TAYLOR: Yeah, he's a big human being, first and foremost, and he's very physical. This is my second time playing with him. I was actually with him in Cleveland, and to see him progress as a player from those plays, that was 2018, to see him progress from those days, I'm definitely proud of his progress along the way, and we're going to continue to keep needing him to make big plays throughout the year.
Q. What kind of progress have you seen in him?
TYROD TAYLOR: Just his confidence. He's playing with more confidence, being physical, using his body in the running game as well as in the passing game.
Q. Some games are going to be closer than this one, but what about the offensive performance today do you think is sustainable or kind of part of needs to be a recipe to you guys' success?
TYROD TAYLOR: We're definitely going to have to run the ball for us to continue to be the team that we want to be. We were okay on 3rd downs, could be better, but yeah, running the ball is definitely something that we have to establish each and every week. It's just the physicality that imposes on the defense, and if you can set that tone early, the better off you are, you can open up the rest of your playbook.
Q. You mentioned the fans, playing in front of fans. Were you able to hear -- you guys were cheered off the field going into halftime, and it seemed like the fans really got into it as you guys were really piling on in the third quarter. Were you able to feed off of that?
TYROD TAYLOR: It's just noise. I just like the fact that they're there though. I can't tell you what they're saying, what they're chanting or anything. But it just felt good to have everybody there and not hear the other sideline like last year.
Q. What did you think about Brandin's performance today? You had those two really long passes that set up touchdowns. What was the key to that today?
TYROD TAYLOR: Just on the same page. We've done a great job of making plays first and foremost, the two catches, the two deep ones that he went up the court were contested catches and he done a great job of being strong through the catch. We're going to need him to continue to keep making those contested catches as the year progresses, and I definitely trust him match-up-wise. I think he just showed what type of receiver he can be. He's always done that, but I think today just going up and making those contested catches shows that he's just being versatile when it comes to playing the receiver position.
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