Patriots 28, Texans 16
Q. How did you continue to play with confidence as the turnovers started to pile up?
CS: First, before I do anything, I want to give God the glory, my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Without him, I'm nothing, and I just appreciate him giving me this opportunity, this platform to play this great game with this great organization. Just grateful for that.
I mean, I think I'm a pretty self-confident person. I think when they started to pile up, I tried my best just to stay locked in in the spirit and realizing I've just got to be there for my teammates, and they encouraged me a lot through it. I'm really appreciative of this team and them doing that because they didn't have to. But yeah, it was not easy. It's something that I'm going to learn from. I'm just grateful my teammates were picking me up.
Q. As you look back over the ups and downs, the highs and lows of the season, as you go forward into the off-season, how do you continue to improve?
CS: Yeah, I'll look back at the season and once again, I can't just be anything but grateful for the teammates I have, the coaches I have, the organization, the city of Houston, the fans. I look back and I just feel like I let people down, and I'm not happy with that.
It hurts, and I'm not naïve to it. I didn't play my best this year, but I'm going to respond. I'm going to keep my chest up, my chin up high, and I'm going to just keep battling forward. If God be for me, who can be against me. I'm just going to rely on that.
I think even today, just our team doing great, our defense getting stops, and just being careless with the football, I've got to get that fixed, and it's something that I know I can, so I'm going to get that done.
Q. You never wavered on the idea of (indiscernible). At any point did you find yourself knowing maybe this isn't my night; let's win this one, advance? Does that even enter your mind as a competitor?
CS: No, ma'am, I don't think that's smart on my part to get myself out of the game. I don't think my coach would ever do that, either. But if he did, I would understand. But I think my whole team trusts me. They believe in me. Just like how quick it can go back, they know how quick I can get hot. Today just wasn't my day, and I'm appreciative of my teammates having my back once again.
But yeah, that doesn't cross my mind. Regardless of what happens on the field, I'm going to continue.
Q. (Indiscernible).
CS: I think just trying to make plays, trying to push the football down the field and put our team in position to score. My intent is never to do that. Sometimes it just doesn't go your way, and that happened today. I take full responsibility. It's something I'm going to learn from. It's just ball security is everything, especially the way our defense has played all year, and it's something that I've done a pretty good job of up to this point.
I'm going to continue to get better in that area. I'm not happy with myself when it comes to that because I'm giving points and opportunities away from our team.
We have so many great players on our team, great offense, defense, special teams, and the way our defense played all year, I'm just very -- I'm not happy with that.
Q. (Indiscernible).
CS: Yeah, I remember not feeling the best, and for him to come up and say that means a lot. I remember coming up on my 30 visit when I was just about to get drafted, I was 20 years old, young, wet behind the ears, and he told me no matter if you come on this team, no matter what happens, I'm going to always have love for you and always going to be there for you. For him to say that in that moment really means a lot, and not only just him but a lot of my teammates did that and coaches and loved ones.
I'm just really appreciative of that. That support really helps me because I get the other side of it, as well, where I get -- and I'm well deserving of all of it. I don't shy away from it, good or bad. I'm going to keep my chest up and my chin high regardless.
Q. The season is over; how do you think this is going to (indiscernible)?
CS: I mean, we'll go back and look at the film, but I don't try to book it all together. Every year is different. I mean, this year, point blank, we just didn't put points on the scoreboard. Our defense got stops all year, got turnovers, put us in great position. I didn't put us in position to get us the wins by scoring points and seven, not three. That's kind of how I look at it, and that's what it is, so I take full responsibility.
I'm the leader of the offense, and a lot of the things are on me to get it done to get us seven, and we just didn't get that done this year, and I didn't get that done. I take full responsibility, but I think as I look back, maybe that's the thing we've got to get better offensively.
Q. I know you've heard this before, but you had such a dominant first year. Do you think it's unfair that people continue to (indiscernible)?
CS: No, I mean, everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I know that I'm still getting better, and I've still got a lot of things to figure out. Year three for me. It will be year four next year, and I'm still learning every day. Had a new system this year and new guys and it's something I'm still getting adjusted to. That's no excuses, just I've got to learn from that. I don't try to -- I try my best to forget successes and failures. Regardless of what it is in that specific season, I'm going to learn from this, and I'm going to move on, I'll be better, and I'm going to be back.
Q. The Patriots' defensive line was sort of controlling the game tonight, stopped the run well. How does it affect your game particularly having the turnovers and specifically the Patriots defense?
CS: Yeah, they did a good job of stunting, and we knew that. They had a really good D-line and they were good on the back end. You know, the pick six, he made a heck of a play. I tried to make a play and had a guy open, but he hit my arm and made a great play. I just in that moment, probably just take a sack and go on to the next play.
But it's something I can learn from, and it just sucks that it has to be in this game, in this environment, on this stage. But like I said, I'm not going to hold my head down. I just feel bad. I really feel like I let my teammates down. But I'm going to move forward.
Q. Will was saying in the locker room, obviously every team changes (indiscernible) what are your thoughts, obviously a lot of time to reflect just on the core of guys you have on this team?
CS: Yeah, I think it comes back to the foundation. I think the way the McNairs have built our organization with hiring DeMeco and Nick, I thought they did a great job. I think the future is bright for us, and I'm excited to be in it and to be on this team and in this city. I don't take that for granted.
But I think Will is right; we have a lot of ball left in our careers, God willing. We're going to learn from this and move on.
Q. It looked like your hand got a little banged up. How is your hand feeling? Did that happen?
CS: Yeah, I got hit, but that happens every game. It didn't really affect it. Probably just tried to shake it and get some blood flow back in it, but it didn't really affect it in many ways.
Q. A lot of your teammates and coaches obviously have your back. What does that mean to you?
CS: Yeah, it means a lot. It means the world to me because I know the work -- I see the work people put in every day. I see the grind that we've been put on, especially when we went 0-3, and for us to win nine or ten in a row, I seen everybody get in there early, put their best foot forward and don't blame, don't point fingers and just work. So I'm just really appreciative of that, and I don't take that lightly. I just want them to know that I love them, and I told them that, and I will always be there for them, and I know they're there for me.
This isn't the end; this is just something in my story and our story as the Texans, that God willing, it'll get better soon.
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FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports