Texans - 23, Raiders - 21
Q. That's arguably the best defense you've played all year, and Ashton went off and had a big game. Your offense was able to produce. Could you just talk about that side of the ball to be able to not only see him perform like that, but against this defense.
PETE CARROLL: I think we should underscore everything, this is the best defense in the NFL. They've done it week in and week out, been on a roll. We went into it knowing that, considering how we were going to find our ways. I thought that Greg and the fellas came up with a great opportunity for our guys to play free and play that kind of football where we could make big plays and we could make things happen and move the football.
The guys up front came through against a great front. Really proud of the offensive line. It was a beautiful day to watch Ashton. You can just see his talent is so obvious to me and to everybody that's watching him. He's just really hard to tackle. Guys just fall off of him. He just keeps striding on the pass, one, but in the run, two, same situation. He's done it a number of times. It was great to see him have that much space to do his thing. Give a lot of credit to the guys up front for getting that done.
The one just garbage play on the turnover, they felt it coming and they rolled into it. Geno tried to throw the ball in by hand. The corner that was sitting out there just couldn't get it done, and they get a frickin' touchdown out of the play. A huge play in the game obviously, but it didn't deter our guys.
This game for us was really clear this week and last night and in the locker room today was about how hard we would play and to demonstrate how much we love the game. I thought that's what it showed.
I was thrilled to be able to say that to them in the locker room. Why would a team that's struggling like we're struggling play like that? It's because of the character. It's because of the toughness. It's because of their love for the them and their willingness to just fight no matter what. And that's what happened today.
There was two penalties in the game. You guys saw them better than I did from the TV looks and all that, but those are plays that don't have to get called, but they did. I'm not grousing about that because I've been around long enough, and it happens. That's unfortunate that's how the game goes, but good for them and good for the Texans.
Q. Seeing Ashton, the way he played, how important was it to see him have success for him? Just to see it?
PETE CARROLL: We've been together long enough doing this, we are of the same opinion, of course it is. It is important for him to see it because he's been working his tail off. He knows who he is. It's frustrating when you can't show and feel like you really can express who you are and what you're capable of doing. I'm sure there's people question and doubting or whatever that happens at times can mount on a young guy, can mount on anybody.
For him to show like that, it's a beautiful expression of who he is and what he's all about. He's been hanging tough all year long, and he hasn't griped about anything or groused about anything. Any time you've ever asked me, I would always tell you that because that's who he is.
He was available for the moments. They opened up the line of scrimmage for him a number of times. He gets the big ball up the sidelines and finishes it. Not that Geno hit him, is he finished the play and made the touchdown on the long run. That's what this guy is capable of showing us week in and week out, so we've just got to keep working so we can make the space for him.
Q. Obviously, the goal is to win the game, but given all the positives that did happen, is there such a thing as a good loss, I guess?
PETE CARROLL: I've never said that, and I'm not going to say it on this one. I know what happened, and they know what what happened too. We were very clear with the intent of how we wanted to play this game and show whoever it happened to be -- it happens to be the Texans on this weekend -- who we were and what we're all about and how much we love the game and how hard we play for one another. I would have loved to be playing with them today.
Q. After what happened last week in Philadelphia, you kind of touched on it there, but how important was it for this team to bounce back?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, how important? I don't know, it was really important for us. It was really clear how we wanted to do it, and that's how we wanted to bounce. Big wins, big losses, they work you. I've said it a ton of times to you guys. They work you, and you have to come back from it. How do you turn it around and come back next week and show who you are?
I thought this was a great opportunity for us to do it. So I challenged the hell out of these guys to face that, and let's go show. I think that's exactly what we saw today, and unfortunately we didn't win.
Q. What about the Texans defense makes them the best in the league?
PETE CARROLL: Nobody asks me that. I'm glad you asked because I see something in what DeMeco has done with these guys in acquiring, recruiting, however it is, to get guys that can really play the game. This is a really loaded defense, not size-wise, speed-wise, they are in terms of their playmaking ability.
The linebackers, we didn't see their top guy today, but the linebackers and the safeties and the corners, they're not the biggest, they're not the fastest, they're just terrific football players. They found the scheme that comes from the San Francisco background, that recognize that calls for the ends to play like they play. They've just played right and recruited kind of and drafted to the strengths of the style they want to play with.
I think it's a really important thing to notice for D and how they've put it together and figured it out. To me, it's very impressive.
So we hold them in the highest regard. To play against them well was, I think, a great statement for us, but they're on track. Stroud played well enough to win the game, made enough plays today. To see Chubb get out there and run the ball a little bit, one of my favorites. It was a heck of a football game.
Q. Fourth and ones in the first half and fourth and three in the second. You guys have gone through that a lot this year, and you pumped it in those situations. That defense you're talking about, is that part of it?
PETE CARROLL: That's absolutely what it was. It's not like all the other changes that was going on, that's how you play when you have a great defense. You kick the ball inside the 15 yard line, and you go get the ball back. That's just a style I love to play with.
When you believe in your guys that much -- and I was trying to remind them, we're punting this ball because of you guys on defense, because I know you're going to keep them back there. We've had times to do that, and we have done that throughout the season.
That's my favorite way to express who we are as a team. When you play great defense and you can count on your guys to make plays, it doesn't matter, you give them the football and you're counting on going and getting it. And our guys came through today, and that's why we made those decisions.
Q. You mentioned your guys fighting, scratching, going at it, no giving up. You're the same guy today as you were in training camp, fired with the enthusiasm. You mentioned Monday about this appearing to be a rebuild. Do you want to see this rebuild through?
PETE CARROLL: I would love to. It's going to be challenging. It's a taxing challenge for us, but yeah, I really like this place, and I like this team. I love working with Johnny. It's just mapping it out and putting it together and making sure that we bring people in that can really help us and challenge and compete with the guys we have and let that whole process take shape.
It's just unfortunate there's not five or six or seven or eight wins in here that should have accompanied this season right now. It blows me away that this is the situation we're in because I have no space in my brain for this. Maybe it had to be this hard. I don't know, we'll see.
Q. We talked about Ashton. Brock had a nice touchdown too. As you talk about a rebuild, young players making plays --
PETE CARROLL: I don't want to get into this rebuild thing, please. You said it. I agreed with you. I shouldn't have. My bad.
Q. To see players making plays like that and the talent you do have on offense, how important is that going forward in the future to have those types of players?
PETE CARROLL: It's crucially important as long as it keeps us competing. That means it brings out the best in them, the young guys, and it brings out the best in the guys that don't let them emerge. That's the whole makeup of what they're about, and it brings out the best in all of us.
We're rebuilding with the same guys. We have the guys we have, and we have to continue to build and make this thing happen and come together. Games like this show you why we believe in that and gives them the understanding and the clarity and everybody that watches this. That's why I like this game.
Q. We've talked about a lot of young players today, but on Chubb's 30-yard run, he gets caught from behind by Maxx, a defensive lineman.
PETE CARROLL: Fantastic effort.
Q. Would you just talk about when your best player sets the standard of effort like that, please?
PETE CARROLL: There's no reason to not keep going about what Maxx is all about. He's come through so much. He's had such a journey to get to this point, but he really sees with great clarity his position in time, how he fits with this club and this organization, his effect on the people around him, and he lives up to the moment time after time. It was a fantastic play.
On that same tackle, Lonnie went for the punch out instead of making the tackle and they gained about 20 yards that gave him the chance to make that great play. I'm not sure, but didn't Maxx make a play in the backfield to have a shot at the guy? Think about that, he doesn't make the play in the backfield then runs him down 30 yards. Fantastic play.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports