Giants 31, Vikings 24
A. Extremely disappointing to not win tonight. Didn't see the season ending the way it did, and it hurts. We didn't make enough plays to win. Every play matters so much, and there were many that we'd love to have back and didn't make.
Proud of the way everybody fought. Proud of the way our fans showed up, the energy they brought. It was a great atmosphere to play in, it was a playoff atmosphere, and always difficult because we have such a great group, and you know when the season ends that this group doesn't stay the same moving forward. That's hard to accept, especially with how many great players are in there.
Yeah, just came up short. I'll take any questions you have.
Q. Can you take us through the 4th and 8 call there at the end and then you threw the three-yard pass to Hockenson?
A. Yeah, just a shell read there, saw single high, tried to work Justin, didn't feel good about putting it up to Justin, and when I went to progress I just felt like I was about to get sacked and I felt like I've got to put the ball in play, and I can't go down with sack, so I thought I'd kick it out to T.J. I had thrown short of the sticks on a few occasions in the game and even going back a few weeks and just felt like just throwing it short of the sticks isn't the end of the world. It's just obviously tight coverage, so didn't have the chance to pull away. But I just felt like I was going to go down and take a sack if I didn't put it out.
Q. Did the safety shade toward Justin on that? Where did you see the safety on that?
A. Yeah, it went to single high, but he did most of the day. Most of the day they were moving over Justin, yep.
Q. You guys have been so good in one-score games coming back in fourth quarters. What do you think ultimately prevented you from being able to get over that hump today?
A. I mean, any number of things. It's hard to -- I go back and look at myself. The 3rd and 8 is the one that I want back. I feel like get man coverage, the ball needs to be a little more out front of K.J. It was right on him in the sense that the DB was able to break it up. I feel like the ball is out front, the DB can't do that in man coverage. That's really the play that I want back is the 3rd and 8.
Q. You've mentioned a few times the idea this group is not going to stay together. I was curious is that just your annual thought --
A. Yeah, every season.
Q. Do you think there's anything bigger than what is normal coming?
A. No, it's every season. Every season there's turnover. It's just players who are free agents like Alex Madison you've played a lot of football with, Garrett Bradbury played a lot of football with, it's tough to know that there's no guarantee that they're back with how great a players they are and what they've done, what I've been able to watch them do. It's difficult to know the possibility is there that you don't get to play with them moving forward.
Q. In this moment, as disappointed as you are, do you allow yourself a minute to reflect on what this team did this year, 13 wins and kind of a lot of successes that you guys had, or is that too difficult right now?
A. Yeah, not right now. Not right now. Just focused on the game. There will be time for that later.
Q. What do you do tonight? Do you just go over the plays in your mind?
A. Yeah. You don't sleep. Yeah, go over the plays in your mind over and over and over. Yep.
Q. Did you think this was going to be a shootout type of game that it materialized --
A. You never know. You never know. Every game is different. You just go play them one play at a time, and you never really know what the next play is going to bring.
Q. Despite it all, you guys were still in it with just under two to go. What was the thought process and what were you saying in the huddle, that we've been here before?
A. There was always belief. At halftime or even when we were down 17-7 and then clawed our way back, I think there was always belief, and I think that's why it hurts, because you expect to find a way, especially the way this team has gone all year. We expect to find a way.
Q. The 3rd down that Justin takes the pass and throws back to you there, did you guys get the look you were looking --
A. Yeah, I didn't get the look. I didn't get the look we wanted.
Q. Since I'm not sure when we'll next talk to you, just moving forward, do you want to sign another extension? Is this where you want to be long-term, Vikings?
A. I really have a hard time focusing on beyond right now. But it's an easy question to answer in the sense that I love being a Minnesota Viking. It's a privilege to play here, and it's a privilege to play with that group, these coaches, and so that's the way it'll always be for me.
But those are harder to get beyond just right now in the playoff game right now.
Q. A lot of guys were saying because of the bond, all the circumstances that you guys have been through, the crazy games, the last-minute wins, that it's maybe the tightest group they've ever been a part of. There's some emotion.
A. Yeah. It hurts. It hurts. I'm probably missing one, but this is probably the toughest loss I've had in my career. It hurts.
Q. Why is that?
A. I mean, all the obvious reasons. All the obvious reasons.
Q. When they're paying as much attention to Justin as they are and you guys saw so much of that towards the end of the season, what's the counter to that when Justin is going to get that much attention probably for the next stretch of his career?
A. Yeah, it's Adam, K.J. T.J., Dalvin, Alex, just getting those guys opportunities to impact the game. That's important.
Q. The way that T.J. did come through for you guys, is that something to build on?
A. Yes. He's a really good football player, in this offense, in this system, the why, the tight end will always -- especially someone of T.J.'s ability will always have a big role. We're grateful to have a guy who's that capable, and we're going to give him a lot of opportunities.
Q. You said it's the toughest loss of your career. Do you feel this maybe was your best chance to make a run? Is that part of it?
A. 13 wins is really -- haven't really sniffed that before, so just the fact that (indiscernible) group, the Garretts and the Alexes that are free agents that there's no guarantee they're going to be back, I think it's hard to walk off the field, and you want them all back, you just don't know, and I think that unknown is always tough.
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