Q. How much competitive fire do you still expect to see come out on Sunday?
ERNEST JONES IV: I mean, I expect to see everything. In our eyes we're still playing for a lot: ten wins, just the opportunity to start this year off the right way leading into next year.
So I feel like we going to come out and play as we should.
Q. What's it going to mean for you to go back there and play the Rams down there?
ERNEST JONES IV: To be honest with you, like that stuff is like far beyond me. Like wish it was for something, but like I said, I'm going to go out there, play this last game with this group of guys who welcomed me in so graciously.
I'm just thankful to have the opportunity to go out there and play again.
Q. You've said how much you like it here; your coaches said how much they love you here. Any indication to you that they want to keep you?
ERNEST JONES IV: Yeah, I think words, I know that is kind of the same, everything is going that way. Coaches like me; I love it here. I would love to be here.
As far as like extension or free agency, I'm just letting my agent handle it, letting the organization handle it, and hopefully we get something done so I can be around.
Q. How important is being consistent? Third year. How important is being consistent in your game and who you are as a leader?
ERNEST JONES IV: I think that's something I pride myself on. Each week I want to be the most consistent player on this defense. Each week you know what you're going to get out of me.
From a tackle perspective, I like to hit people, so flying around, running down people, tackling, it's something I just enjoy to do. I've been blessed to have three consecutive years of 100 plus tackles so for me hopefully I keep it going.
Consistency is something I pride myself on, making sure that whatever team I'm on, when I line up that you're going to get my best and the best out of me.
Q. DK said he could see the impact Bobby Wagner made on you and you talked about that.
ERNEST JONES IV: Yeah.
Q. What did you take from...
ERNEST JONES IV: Oh, for sure. I've always said my career has been crazy, but it's been a blessing in every way.
But Bobby, man, just the way he just -- and it wasn't really like things he was telling me. The way showed me and went about his business, I admired that. That's something that I want to be like of course.
He's one the greats in this game, so of course I wanted to model my way after him. But man, he was great. Leadership, everything, you name it. He was great.
Q. You played with Leo half a season now. What impresses you most about watching him work in front of you?
ERNEST JONES IV: Man, he's a dog, man. Like to be as big as he is and do the things that he does is insane to me. The way he can play the run, get off, rush the passer, hold up two, three blocks at a time, it makes my life so much easier playing behind him, Merv, J Reed, Hank.
Leo is a dog, man. He's been doing it for a while and finally people are starting to recognize and see how really good he is.
Q. That group has had a lot of success getting to the quarterback, but the Rams I think have kept their quarterback clean the last five games. What is it they're doing up front protection-wise or with that scheme?
ERNEST JONES IV: I think when you got a quarterback like Matthew, he's very decisive, gets the ball out quick, knows where he's going.
Can't really mask anything when playing him because he knows it all, so I think that's where it comes from. Just getting the ball out quick, being decisive in his decisions, and if he does have to hold onto the ball, he has a great way of escaping the pocket when he needs to.
I think that's been one big thing I've seen that kept Matthew clean that they've done as a group to keep him.
Q. (Regarding Garoppolo this week.)
ERNEST JONES IV: I mean, I'm sure the change -- I think what's going to change is who is protecting him. I mean, it's a matter of that, who is protecting, how well they do. That's going to determine a lot.
Q. These last few months for you personally, what's it been like settling into a new city for the second time in five months, whatever it's been?
ERNEST JONES IV: Honestly it's been, hate to use the word hell, but that's one way to describe it. Crazy. Been a whirlwind of emotions for me the past couple months having to move my family back and forth; just seeing my family have to stay in hotels for months at a time.
It's been rough for me. So I'm excited that this is the last one. I wish we were going further. I would say I need some decompression time if I'm being real with you.
Q. I know a lot of the reflecting will happen next week. Kind of going into next season with the improvements that this defense has made, what's kind of your biggest reasons for like optimism for this defensive group going forward?
ERNEST JONES IV: I think for me, this defensive group, man, just the way we come to work. Even today in the walk-through, how focused guys were. Even with it being our last week guys were focused, and I'm just very optimistic about if we take this year as a learning experience, you know, played well, didn't play well enough in certain spots, hopefully we're going to be a ten-win team, just short of the playoffs.
I think we use that coming to next year, coming to OTAs with a chip on our shoulder that we were one of those teams that we think and we know we should be in, but we didn't handle business well in those right moments.
Let's fix and correct those things and start working towards where we are a playoff team for sure and we don't have to fight for a playoff spot. I think that learning experience, going through this, I think that's going to help us out.
Q. Was it tough coming back to work at all on Monday knowing the stakes had changed?
ERNEST JONES IV: I wouldn't say it was tough, no. I mean, the situation is what it is. They won their game and they had games fall in their lap and go their way, so they won the division.
That will put us out. I think for us, everybody is taking that as a learning experience and we don't want to keep it in nobody else's hands again.
Q. Mike Macdonald mentioned that you guys can't let outside forces or circumstances dictate your mentality.
ERNEST JONES IV: Right.
Q. Why do you think that's important for setting a standard in a culture?
ERNEST JONES IV: The standard, if we sit here as a defense and say that's what we're trying to accomplish, it can't be situational. It's got to be every week. Although we are out of the playoffs, although this is our last game, let's leave our brand, our style of football on a high note. I think that's just where that comes from.
We got another game. Regardless what it's for or not for, we got to go out there and as men and play for that name on the back of your jersey, and also the Seattle Seahawks logo, too.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports