New York Jets 22 - Minnesota Vikings 27
Q. Mike, you guys got in the red zone six times, obviously you only scored one touchdown. Does that feel like what changed the game here today?
A. Yeah, 100 percent. Credit to them. They know the areas they can attack, presented a different couple of looks that we weren't scouting for. But such is life, such is football. So you gotta figure out. My job as a quarterback is put our team in the best position, and that's scoring in the red zone. So starts with me. You gotta figure out how to put the ball in the end zone and if we can do that you can win games.
Q. What did you see on that last play?
A. The last play we were trying to get the ball eligible into the end zone. They essentially took Garrett away in the boundary. Harrison Smith was waiting on Elijah, and the safety just drove on Corey. We thought at the time he was our best option, felt the rush on me, so I didn't want to finish up with the ball in my hand. Just wanted to give our guy an opportunity and see what was going to happen.
Q. Mike, what about the throw to Braxton?
A. Right. It's actually a credit to Braxton. It's not the route the play called for. It was a break in and then back out, but he kind of saw the opening, and that's just how he plays football. He sees things differently than others, and I was on the same page with him. And we just couldn't connect.
Q. So was that like an option route?
A. No. He goes to the angle and then comes in, then breaks back out. And he just saw the linebacker playing so heavy outside on him and he just saw the space. And luckily he did because that was really the only option we had. They sat on our out route. They sat on Conklin in the corner, and that was the soft spot in the defense. Tons of credit to him for finding it. We just gotta -- I gotta figure out how to put that ball a tad more in front of him and let him securely make the catch instead of making a tough catch.
Q. Seemed like you guys got off to a slow start. What was going on then and then what was the difference in the second half?
A. We went into the game wanting to play efficient football and staying ahead of the chains. They were very good at third and long and not so much at third and shorts. We wanted to stay ahead of the chains, stay in third and manageable and play the game from there. And I think we got away from that with some penalties and mishaps and things of that nature and I think they did a good job of sitting inside of our breaking routes and things like that. And that's what happened on the pick. You know, they did a great job of driving on the slant. I tried to back hit to Corey, popped up, pick. Can't happen. And then we made some adjustments in the second half, hit some more out-breakers and I think kind of softened them up and we were able to kind of get to the flow of our offense. We just gotta start faster.
Q. Were you fairly certain you got in on the touchdown?
A. I thought I was, but I didn't know if it was going to be a case of they couldn't see the ball. I tried to reach -- you know, when it's fourth and goals, you gotta have it or you don't. Whoever it was was holding my arms and fought like hell and guys helped pushed me and kind of (inaudible).
Q. What did change after the half? It did seem like the offense started getting going after you guys got back out there.
A. I think it started in that two-minute drive before the half. We started to hit those out-breakers, and that kind of softened them up, and then we were able to hit in-breakers again, like the 50, 60-something-yard to Garrett in-breaker. I think that's a credit to Coach Lafleur and Miles and Rob and everybody seeing that they were sitting on our inside stuff. Take advantage of that and hit out-breakers, and then that kind of softens them up and gives our receivers two ways to go.
Q. What did you think of Garrett today?
A. I think Garrett's a fighter. I mean he might not have gotten the ball early. Never complained. Kept running routes. Even the long one. I mean, he initially the first window wasn't there and he just kept running and just entrusted me and I trusted him and threw it in that second window and made an unbelievable play to Garrett. Seems to do that a couple times a game now. But it's across the board in that room and in that offense. Like Coach Saleh just said, by no means are we trying to make this a moral victory. Moral victories don't count in the NFL, but really proud of how the guys stayed together. There was no moaning and complaining on the sideline. We stared adversity straight in the face and responded. We just gotta respond better.
Q. This is obviously a very loud building for an opponent. How much does the noise complicate what you were trying to do, particularly in the second half of the game?
A. Don't get me wrong, it's not easy, but I think if you prepare for it all week and use different types of (indiscernible) and things of that nature and play calling helps. You just go in and deal with it. I mean, this is my first time playing here. Very loud, but after the first couple snaps you just get used to it and you just deal with it.
Q. What happened to you when you got hurt late in the game and you were able to continue but you were down?
A. They just got me good in the ribs. Just kind of part of it. The big guys hit you, it tends to hurt sometimes.
Q. No moral victories, I understand. But is it easier when you can look at something like (inaudible). We scored one touchdown. Is it easier to kind of walk away from a loss and know that you fixed this one thing and things will be better?
A. I think for the most part when you lose a game you do have a sense of what the reason is. And today was just there. Like I said earlier, it starts with me. Gotta figure out a way to get in there. I don't know what it is. I'll watch the tape, get with our coaches and learn from it and correct it. Yeah, just not let the same mistakes happen twice and learn from this.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports