Vikings - 29, Lions - 31
Q. Sounds like fun in there.
A. No, no fun in there. Yeah, they're having fun. We're all having fun.
Q. Talk about this groove that you've been in since
Week 4.
Q. See, the word perfect is hard. It's a perfect completion percentage, but there's still decisions that you can change. I felt like I thought I had a chance at it again. Like I felt like halfway through the third, I couldn't get one. Of course, right after that, the ball gets batted down. But beside the point.
We're getting guys open, protecting well, hitting them in stride. It's one play after another, focusing on one play at a time.
Q. Jared, it was something there to give the ball away and give up the lead. But just the defense getting the three and out there, what was said in the huddle there ready to begin that drive, the confidence level that you guys had to go down there and put Jake in field goal position?
A. To be honest, not much. We kind of ended up getting the ball right back where we would have been twice, really. We had the fumble, and then the defense gets the ball back on the punt. We had three chances from the 30.
Yeah, it hadn't taken much time off the clock by then. It was kind of the same situation, and not much was said. We knew the whole week was about composure, composure, composure. Dan kept preaching that for us. I thought the guys did a great job today keeping it.
Q. How much did that composure come into play, Jared, early in the game when you guys were down ten, a lot of self-inflicted penalties, things like that.
A. Yeah, early in that game they came after us. They really did. They did a good job. That's what they do. We knew that coming into games, they start off hot. They come out with their hair on fire. Kind of punched us in the teeth a little bit there early.
We had to respond. That's what we do. That's what we do. It's what we're built for is responding. Once we're able to put a few drives together and score a few touchdowns, we had them in a good place.
Q. Just one other thing. The passing, especially early in games, you've been pretty lights out. Is there something about your mindset early, play calling, anything that's really getting you guys off to these starts?
A. There's really not. I wish there was a better answer for you. There's really not. These guys were giving us a lot of check-down opportunities. They really were. The amount of depth they get, and they try to steal these end cuts, their safeties with their linebackers.
We got two running backs that you get them the ball in space, you won't find someone better than those two guys. I'm very cognizant of that. When these guys get depth, feed those guys underneath until they give me a chance throw it over their head. Just being disciplined. That's what it is, discipline.
Q. Jared, you've had several games like this, near-perfect. With Minnesota, with their blitzing and everything else, how unique was this or how much more difficult was it to be as accurate as you were?
A. It's hard. It's hard. I like to think I'm just pretty dang accurate outside of wherever I'm playing. But these guys are a good defense, man. They really are. Got a lot of respect for them and what they do on defense. I thought we had a great plan and executed it pretty well.
Q. At the end the game, what does it add to this team? The confidence to be able to do it, pull it out.
A. It was awesome. Good to see him do that. We had all the faith in the world in him, obviously. We got so dang close down there, he's pretty automatic. It's good to see a new guy like that be able to make his mark on a road division game. It's loud. It's hectic. He put it right down the middle and had some fun with it.
Q. Jahmyr was excellent today.
A. Yeah, he was.
Q. What did you think of his performance?
A. He really was. He really was. It's been David, David, David. It was just a matter of time for him to have his moment. Today was that. He was locked in. He really was. You could see it in his eyes. That one run he had was pretty special where he made the safety miss. That's what he can do. We're fortunate to have two guys like that. Today was his day. He certainly carried us in a lot of ways.
Q. Guys like Kalif and Tim too, coming up with big catches there.
A. Kalif had that drive. We hit him three times, I think, on that drive. He's just Steady Eddie. He really is. Tim's fit in like a glove with us. He really has given us that size that we hadn't had before. It's been a lot of fun working with those guys. Obviously, Tim's new. But Kalif, we know what he's been for a long time.
Q. With their pressure schemes, the job your offensive line did, especially after the first two series, speak on that. I don't know if you get much of a chance to watch what Penei is doing in real time, but some of the blocks he makes.
A. I don't. I see the film after. He's a special all-pro tackle for a reason. Those guys really settled in. It was really our whole offense. But you've got to give them a lot of credit for what they're doing up front. Identifying the running backs protecting all day. Giving me enough time to get the ball out. It's a full team effort. Those five guys up front, Kayode stepping in on late notice in the week for Kev and playing well, it's tough. Having all those five guys playing the way they did gives us a chance to win every week.
Q. Composure this week, was that part of -- you guys recognize if there can be a big showdown early in the season what this was. Was that part of it?
A. We think we know who they are from what they've shown on film, and they're a hectic defense. They're a hectic operation. I say composure. Mostly the offense. There's a lot of stuff going on. They do a lot of things. They blitz. They want to pressure. They want to apply the pressure. For us, it was go down 10-0 and we're kind of getting kicked in the mouth a bit. Stay calm, stay relaxed. We have the fumble they score on. Stay calm, stay relaxed. It really came in handy for us.
Thank you, guys.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports