Houston Texans Media Conference

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Houston, Texas, USA

Justin Reid

Postgame Press Conference


Texans - 41, Chargers - 29

Q. You guys had so many starters out defensively. What was your kind of lead up to this game with how everybody was leading the game and how everybody played in the absence of so many?

JUSTIN REID: Man, I think guys came through and played tremendously. We had a number of guys we signed this week that came and played on Sunday. I'm still trying to learn everybody's name. But that's just credit to the guys that came in really buying into the system.

I mean our offensive line, I don't know how many new guys we had there but to be able to run the ball the way we did and let Rex take off on them like he did was amazing. Davis Mills had a great game. And Brevin had a great game. Chris Moore an incredible catch.

And then the defense, too, really being stout and coming up and making plays when we really needed to. This is one of my favorite wins to be a part of, with how many guys stepped up.

We had every excuse in the book, with COVID, with the holidays, with where the season's going and all that and still coming and step up and make a big-time win like this. It was one of my favorite games.

Q. And you had that stop on the two-point conversion. Could you take us through that play and what you saw?

JUSTIN REID: I saw the motion come across. They ended up going into slot. And the receiver, he trailed off to the left. And the running back came, tried to follow his fullback, bounced outside. I was already outside leveraging. At that point he only needs a yard. So go and shoot your shot and make a play.

Q. Y'all are officially on a winning streak. What do you think about that?

JUSTIN REID: Like I said, man, it's a great feeling, two victory Mondays in a row. Wow. But it's good. It's good to see that the systems that our coaching staff has put into place and the game plan we put together, seeing guys really buy into it and seeing the success that we've had with it now that guys have really bought into the system that we're trying to create.

Q. What about the fact that nobody on the planet thought this could happen except for you guys in that locker room?

JUSTIN REID: I know. Trust me I'm going to go find a tweet later. I'm going to retweet it about doing people's predictions on what this game was going to look like. It's a credit to all the guys, guys' belief in ourselves.

We knew that nobody's opinion matters except for the guys in the locker room and what we go out there and do. The game isn't set before the game's played. They have to go play and win it. And the games went out and played a hell of a game. Played tough and played hard and we came out with a dub.

Q. With Jonathan Owens having the game that he's had as a guy who has been on the practice squad the last few years, getting opportunities these last few games, what was it like for you to watch him have the success between interception, the fumble recovery and just overall -- Tavierre as well, just the teammates --

JUSTIN REID: Let me start on JO. It was amazing seeing JO come out and play. This is the second game in a row that he's played a hell of a game. He's turning out to be a great player. I told him you keep being consistent like this you'll be one of the great safeties in the league. Reminds me of Ryan Clark.

Came in as an undrafted guy. Stated on one team, moved to another. Got his shot and took advantage of it. He's a great player, humble, hard worker, probably one of the hardest workers during practice, especially when he's on the scout team, running offensive and defensive reps.

It was beautiful seeing him get his opportunity, then make two big-time plays with two turnovers.

And TT, TT has been saying he's going to get a pick-6 every week this season. He finally came through and did it. I think that's our first defensive touchdown of the season, not including the safety. And Lovie has had a streak going for 13 years. We can't break Lovie's streak, we can't break the streak of not getting the touchdown. And it's amazing that TT got that and that our defense was able to produce like that.

Q. With the way the year's gone, how satisfying is this victory? You said it was one of the ones you'll savor the most even though it has been not a winning season. But what kind of went into that feeling?

JUSTIN REID: I think it's because of that. I think it's because of the trajectory that the season that has taken place so far. All the distractions that -- with COVID, with the holidays, with the season with guys we're signing off the street, coming in on Tuesday and then coming in and making big-time plays for us today on Sunday. Just seeing it all come together like that, you know what I mean, it's like an adrenaline rush that it happened like that.

So that feeling I got, coming away with a W and the team doing what we were able to accomplish today is what's going to make it one of my favorite games to be part of.

Q. When you kind of look at this game and you see some of the guys who really stepped up in a big-time role. What does that say about your consistency and what does it say about the locker room still believing in themselves late into the season?

JUSTIN REID: Well, part of that is credit to the guys themselves buying into the game plan. Credit to the coaches, too, for remaining consistent and not taking their foot off the pedal and still pushing forward that we're going out here to win this game. We're going to still call our plays and run our schemes. And it's going to be up to us to get it done and the guys really stepped up and took advantage of the opportunity and got it done.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
115642-1-1045 2021-12-26 22:24:00 GMT

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