Houston Texans Media Conference

Sunday, December 5, 2021

Houston, Texas, USA

Darius Leonard

Visitors Postgame Press Conference


Colts 31, Texans 0

Q. How did that feel?

DARIUS LEONARD: Feels amazing, especially coming off the performance last week, not finishing the game. So coming out and just dominating for four quarters, shut-out since Dallas Cowboys in 2018, so it was good to try to come out and just dominate.

And going into bye week we had a dominant performance, so just going in with a lot of confidence, so then hopefully coming in the following week ready to rock and roll again.

Q. (No microphone.)

DARIUS LEONARD: Yeah, it was before we even went out there I was saying, If we don't shut these guys out we didn't do good enough.

The second quarter came, third quarter, fourth quarter, and every time I ran out there I just said, Let's keep it going. Don't back off. Keep pressure on them and protect the goose egg, because, I mean, defensively you wants to play ball to your best ability.

Good teams, they play down to the level of competition, but great teams dominate the whole game. We wanted to come out and just completely dominant and Kenny Moore came out and just played amazing. I don't think he's getting enough credit right now. He played balled out.

He the one setting the tempo and played one, and then came back series two with a punch-out that's big, the energy right there, and we switch and you just see the dominant finish.

Q. What will the bye week look like for you and when will you start to think about the Patriots?

DARIUS LEONARD: My bye week, probably recovery all week. Getting in tubs, getting my guy down here, just working on my ankle as much as possible, just trying to be fresh.

I probably won't start looking at the Patriots until probably next week. Got to be fresh and got to spend time with the kids, with the wife, just understanding now I'm trying to be a father.

Just go enjoy my time off and get my body right and come in here four the next four games ready to rock and roll.

Q. You, mentioned what TY said. Human nature is you have a tendency to look at when you're heavily favored. How did you handle that?

DARIUS LEONARD: So me and my moms say the same thing no matter what. I don't care who you're playing against, those guys get paid too, them guys got -- they're athletes as well. My mindset is the same thing going into last week.

We got to come out and play balls out; same thing for this week. I just feel like for me, I don't take anything for granted. Every time I step on the field I'm giving 110% no matter who I am playing against, so that's my mentality.

And then while I am out there I make sure the guys are seeing the same thing that I am seeing.

Q. (No microphone.)

DARIUS LEONARD: When I saw it, it was terrible. You know, just coming from my ankle standpoint, I just knew that I was going to need some time to rest. It's crazy that I been struggling with this ankle all year but this is my first year that actually I played all -- what week is it, 12? -- all 12, 13 games, and just making sure that I can play all season plus the playoffs, so just try to take care of my body as much as I can.

Now the bye week is here, four games left, so hopefully we can get fresh and come out and just hit the ground running on the 18th.

Q. (No microphone.)

DARIUS LEONARD: No, no, there ain't no good and bad. It's a good thing. There ain't no such thing as bad about it. I mean, you get the shut-out and now you get the rest. Get ready for the bye week, taking care of your body.

So I just pray that everybody goes home and just stays safe. This world we live in is pretty crazy, so just want to make sure everybody comes back in one piece, get they mind right, bodies right, and just make sure and understand that when we come back we have a goal that we're trying to reach.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
115369-1-1041 2021-12-05 23:25:00 GMT

ASAP sports

tech 129