Minnesota - 27, New Orleans - 19
Hello. How are you all doing? Obviously, great team win. I, first of all, want to talk about the fans and the atmosphere. It's tremendous to be out here from the home side. I've seen this game from the visiting side. So, just to have the crowd behind us out there, it was electric. I had a lot of fun on this field.
And then, you know, the game, I thought it was great just seeing guys step up. Offense, defense, playing complementary football, as we did last week and just make plays all day. Offense, we got hot, especially early in the game. Different guys were able to make explosives, keep the chains moving, make big plays for me.
Which, obviously, helped simplify the game and slow it all down. And defense in the second half did a tremendous job of having our back and closing out the game in the fourth quarter. Great win. We'll continue pushing forward. As we always say, there's always room for improvement. But we'll definitely enjoy this for today and tomorrow and get back to work for next Sunday.
Q. Was the Skol chant better in-person?
A. Yeah, it definitely was better in-person. It definitely was better in-person. Chris, our QB coach came up during it all and just -- I was warming up, getting ready for the first drive. He said, Just take a second to take it all in. And so, yeah, it was a cool moment. It's definitely rocking in-person.
Q. Josh, what was the week like getting to spend more time with Kevin and the entire staff as you prepped for this game?
A. Obviously, you know, stepping on the field and having the reps where you're not -- the first time throwing to the receivers and working with the O-line mid game allowed it to be a lot more comfortable out on the field.
So just to have the week of preparation to get the offense under my belt and game plan under my belt was awesome. And so, there's room for improvement, man. But I think it's exciting to be able to do what we did out there and go back to look at the film and say we did leave some meat on the bone.
And so, we'll continue growing and improving. I'll continue to find ways to continue to grow in my role and be better, man. Because, you know, with the playmakers we have, the mindset that we have, with the guys stepping up making plays, you know, I think we definitely have a lot of potential moving forward.
Q. What did your week look like? How long were the hours and how much was just studying the playbook?
A. Yeah, you know, I'm not paid by the hour, so I have nowhere else to be. So I did spend a lot of time at the facility. I probably ate almost every meal, every day there. Which is fine, man. I'm blessed to be in the position I am. I'm grateful for this opportunity. So no stone will not be turned over whether, you know, it's growing in the offense, creating simulated reps in the facility or studying the defense we're going to play. They'll continue to adjust to try to slow us down.
So I'm a constant student of the game. And I thought just having the QB room around me was awesome like Sean, Nick, and Kirk in the building and Jared, they were in there hanging out with me putting in the hours.
You know, as I asked them questions about the offense, you know, stuff that was getting installed, just to clear my mind as I exercise some demons and asking, you know, questions about things just to make sure I was locked in for game day or as we studied the defense.
So it's great to have a tremendous support group around me with my teammates, as well. They were helping me prepare week in and week out. And, you know, it was a team effort. So shout-out to those guys and I'll be excited to get back to work with them this week.
Q. On the touchdown run, what point did that become a point where you thought you would be able to run it in for a score?
A. Yeah, I went through my entire progression. They did a tremendous job. They were in two high shell and did a good job covering guys up. The mike took my first progression, the will took my second, and the safeties kind of exited out the back-end line throws.
And so, when that happens, man, like, they're -- I thought, you know, the O-line, all day, allowed me the opportunity to go through my reads, stay in the pocket. And then when the opportunity presented itself, to be able to utilize my legs and make plays.
And so, I was able to go through my entire progression, work through it, see everything was covered. And, you know, from there, it's just go make a play. Big play in the game, it's third down, those are four-point swings. So first to get the first down and get in the end zone was tremendous for us as an offense and a team propelling us through the rest of the second quarter and ultimately winning the game with it.
Q. Josh, when you were meeting with the coaches and the direct snap comes up, what was your reaction to it? Do you remember telling them anything about it when it came up?
A. Shoot, I'm all for touchdown plays. I wasn't complaining too much. I thought it was cool to have Ty get his first touchdown with it. Obviously, it's like as a quarterback, the first thing you worry about is logistics. Okay, clock should be running down, can we snap the ball when I'm moving, I got to make sure I'm set. And then, obviously, protect yourself when you get out there.
But it's good, man. Any time you're able to keep the defense on their heels, switch it up, new wrinkle, it's tough to stop. We do a good job. Ty getting in the end zone for his first one, I know he had his second one taken off the board, which was a little bit questionable, but for him to get in the end zone for the first one was awesome, man.
So to finish drives in the end zone are difficult in this league. So every time we do it, man, we got to take advantage of those looks.
Q. At what point did you put last week aside? You know, that was not just a winning performance, but kind of historic in a lot of ways. Like, did you put it aside? Did you carry it with you during the week or how did you deal with the one measure working towards the end there?
A. Yeah, you always carry the moment, right? But my mindset is, you know, no matter how the game goes, you have Sunday, you have Monday till about 2:00 o'clock. That's usually when you stop watching film of the last game to move onto the next one. So that's around the time, like, mentally when I was onto the Saints.
I know, obviously, like, media and stuff had a field day with the stories, which is awesome, just commending us for what we did. Because it's not easy to do in the NFL. But, you know, mentally once 2:00 o'clock hits on Monday, man, I'm onto the next game.
There's so much information that you have to consume at the quarterback position week in and week out to prepare you for Sunday. So a lot of times -- not the momentum and the confidence that you have from a week, but, you know, the information or whatever happened last week, you have to put that aside, man, and get onto the next one.
Because as I said last week, You show up on Sunday, you don't play well, no one cares what you did last week in Atlanta, they care what you did this week in Minnesota. So I thought it was a tremendous job as a team, though, being able to carry that momentum and just that vibe. But also being able to be locked in on another really good opponent coming into Minnesota. We did a great job and we hope to do that again this upcoming week.
Q. Intelligence at the quarterback position with reading defenses, throwing to the right guy, do you use your intelligence when you scramble and run or just go?
A. No, you can't go rogue. You still got to be smart. There's some headhunters out there. You got to get down, protect yourself, and understand when I've gotten the most I can out of this run, I got to get down. Or, you know, I haven't, there's one guy to beat, the end zone's right there, I can go and try to make another guy miss and fight for those extra yards.
So you're always thinking -- it's a constant game of chess. And, obviously, things happen very quickly out there on the field. But you always have to -- whether you're in the pocket throwing the ball, picking apart defenses, running the ball using your legs, you always got to play in a game of chess and protect yourself and be smart.
Q. Josh, what did you see on the last touchdown pass to T.J. and how tricky is that route that he ran?
A. Yeah, we had two wide shell. I literally just asked on the sideline, Hey, if we get this look, what are we thinking, just to confirm that my eyes are going to be in the right place.
So we ended up getting the right look. T.J. did a good job of getting vertical and running to that open area. Because it's tough. The mike has to run back there, he's got the middle of the field, two safeties. They're usually in that defense to prevent you to take shots, especially down the seam. So for him to be open, get into that little seam, and for me to put the ball over, it was a huge play.
We got momentum with the first couple drives in the second quarter. And then we got the ball back, defense did a tremendous job of getting us a stop and getting us a two-minute drive. And then for us to go down and get a touchdown before the half was huge momentum for us as a team.
And so, to finish that drive the way we did, overcome the false start the play before and put the ball in the end zone was huge. He did a great job. Obviously, adding onto a historic day and a historic half, especially playing through injury. Man, that guy's a fighter. And definitely happen to have him on our side.
Q. You're the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. Have you pinched yourself yet?
A. I think I did, like, on Friday leaving the facility. I'm just -- I just moved out of the hotel. So we're making strides off the field. But I did pinch myself. It's been really cool just being able to take it all in.
The fans' support has been absolutely tremendous, you know, around the city. And so, yeah, you know, I'm taking it in stride. What I like to say is I'm exactly where my feet are. I'm not thinking too far ahead, thinking in the past, I'm thinking right here. I'm taking it in one practice at a time, one meeting at a time, one day at a time. Because this is a lot of fun. This is definitely a lot of fun and I'm enjoying every single second of it.
Q. What about Friday that made you pinch yourself? Was it because you moved out of the hotel?
A. A little bit. So I came back from the facility, like, late afternoon on Friday and just seeing all the legends in the hotel, man, and seeing all the guys that have come before us as players and just feeling their vibe and energy.
Like, I was on the elevator with a couple of them and they were, like, Oh, you're the quarterback. And they were so excited just to be here in Minnesota, be back around, you know, football and back around the facility. And just feeling that energy, man, and feeling that recognition from guys that, you know, have played a lot more snaps than I have, have had luxurious careers.
And just to see that excitement, it meant a lot to me. And so, yeah, in the moment it was a cool moment just to be able to take it all in and enjoy that quick fellowship with them just as football players. But also respect the position that I'm in.
Q. Any of them that you chatted with?
A. I didn't get any names. Because it was on the elevator. It's seven floors. It's pretty quick, in and out. But just the energy really meant a lot. There in the lobby and in passing, it was really cool to see.
Q. Do you know all your teammates names yet?
A. Yes. But I'm not getting a test from you guys. No, it's been good. It was cool spending time with the O-line men after practice on Thursday. They do a good job with their chemistry building.
So they were at my home in the hotel eating downstairs, so I got to stop by and crash their dinner. So, yeah, I'll continue turning over every stone to be around my teammates, continuing to get to know them, both football-wise but off the field. I'm enjoying and taking advantage of every opportunity and enjoying every second of it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports