Chargers 28, Vikings 24
Q. How important is it just to get that win?
A. It's huge. That's a really good football team, and for us to walk out of here with a win, it was great for our football team. It was a hard-fought win. Certainly not how we drew it up, but any time you can leave this place with a win, I think that's big for us.
Q. What can you say about Keenan?
A. Just as consistent as they come. He's so talented, so smart. He knows exactly how people are playing him. Understands leverage so well, and he is a quarterback's best friend. To be able to get the ball out to him quickly, for him to make plays, he makes my job so much easier?
Q. Was it something that you guys saw in the preparation, or was it something he was doing today that just kind of --
A. I think it's a little bit of both. I think we took at look at how they played defense and tried to maximize our matchups with him. We know how special Keenan is. Any time you get him one-on-one, you have to find ways to get him the ball.
They brought a lot of pressure, so we had to do our best to protect, block that up, and get the ball out as quick as we can.
Q. When Coach Staley decides to go for fourth there late, what was going through your mind? What did you think about that call?
A. It's a yard. You have to get a yard. That's on us as an offense to get that yard. It's one of the plays we practice all the time, and it's unfortunate that it didn't go our way, but I'm rocking with our defense, our offense as well. We believe in those guys to get that stop.
So although we didn't get it, we'll get it next time, and the defense came away with the big stop.
Q. What did you think of Keenan's touchdown pass?
A. It was perfect form, an incredible ball. So it was really cool for him to be able to throw that.
Q. Have you been angling to get that, trying to get that play called in a game?
A. Keenan, he has done a great job working into pat and go with him, so sometimes he'll throw the ball, and so we knew how special he was as a receiver and as a quarterback. So got him out there, and he made a about play.
Q. Were you surprised at all at some of the loose coverage on Keenan? It seemed like he was pretty open.
A. I actually thought they did a great job of playing man coverage and getting up on him. Keenan just did a great job of beating that coverage. That's why we think Keenan -- we think so highly of him is because he is able to beat me in coverage like that. Whether they're place outside of him, he is going to break in. He just has a great feel for the game.
Q. Coach Staley called some of those decision routes for Keenan. What's that cohesiveness like with you and him?
A. Yeah, so it's basically just he is going to break the way that the defense is playing him, so they're going to give him access one way or another, and he is going to find that, and he is going to break to where I think he is going to break.
We've been on the same page for some time now, and he has just done an incredible job of communicating with me exactly what he sees in the defense, so he has made my job super easy.
Q. On fourth down Brandon mentioned that the front they were showing kind of prevented you guys from going to sneak. Kind of walk through the play call there and what sort of happened there on the fourth and inches.
A. Just have to get a yard. That's on us as an offense to be able to get that yard, but I love the thinking behind it. We believe in our defense.
So next time I know that we'll get that as an offense, but the defense came away with a big stop.
Q. Did you feel like front-wise they sort of closed off the potential sneak in that situation?
A. Yeah, the play was I handed it off.
Q. Yeah, I asked Brandon if they considered, like if he and Kellen considered a sneak there. Brandon said, but the front was preventing you guys from running a sneak there.
A. Yeah. My job was just to hand the ball off, and we would try and get that one yard, so it was unfortunately it didn't go our way.
Q. Is this one of the wilder games you can remember down the stretch? The two ricochets pretty decisive, the touchdown and the interception.
A. Yeah, they don't get any easier. In the NFL it's tough, and you are playing a really good football team over there. Any time we can walk away with a win here, I think that's huge for our offense and defense.
They came away with some big stops on defense, so it was awesome to see. A lot of things to clean up, but looking forward to next week.
Q. Is this one of the loudest places you can get?
A. It's a very loud place. They do a good job of staying involved in the game. Definitely a fun experience to play in. Got a lot of respect for that time team.
Q. Have you been blitzed ever as much as you were blitzed today?
A. I'm not quite sure. I would have to take a look at that. I think they did bring a lot of pressure today, but I thought our offensive line, our coaching staff did a great job of creating a protection plan that we felt comfortable going into the game.
Q. For you navigating, how different is the approach from you when you realize you are being pressured that often?
A. Yeah, I think that kind of goes into the game plan of it. Just knowing where your quick outs are, where the protection issues are, and where the offensive line is sliding.
I thought the offensive line and the running backs did a great job picking up those extra blitzers. Guys on the outside were looking quick, so we had those hot answers. I thought they did a great job picking up those pressures, got the ball out quick, and didn't let it negatively affect us too much.
Q. Did you feel like today was for you one of the days where it seemed like almost just like everything was going your direction, except for that play that kind of tipped out of the defensive back's hands for a touchdown?
A. I think it's just preparation. I thought we had a great week of practice, and the better you get prepared, the better you're going to play.
I thought offensively and defensively we had our best week of practice, so any time you have a week like that, I think you're going to feel much better on game day.
Q. The second touchdown to Donald fired in there, is that as hard as you can throw a football? Is there more in the tank?
A. There's more in the tank for sure, but it was a hard pass. It was tight coverage, and the great thing about Parham is he is so tall and he has those long arms, and he was able to hold onto the ball. It definitely was a tough pass, and that's why I was so excited that he came away with it.
Q. I'm sure you saw the defender. Next what's going through your mind? Are you thinking to yourself, I've got to put up a decent amount on this one to fit it in there?
A. To be honest, I don't think you're thinking too much in that situation. You're going through your reads. The first, second, and third read weren't there, so you go back to DP, and you happen to find a big body. He is easy to find out there. Just put it up high and let him go up and get it. It was a heck of a play by him.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports