Vikings 30, Seahawks 17
Q. (No microphone.)
A. Well, I think that we were moving the ball extremely well in the first half. I think our temp was great, in and out of the huddle. We really had two possessions really in the -- one in the third and one in the fourth, and then we had that two-minute one where I thought it hit Penny for a touchdown.
They made a good play with like four minutes, to go 3:50 or whatever to go. They had a chance there on fourth down.
So I think that we just have to stay the course. We're a good offense and we can do a lot of the great things. It's going to be challenging sometimes. It's not going to be -- you're not going to be able to score every single time necessarily, but I think that we had that -- the drive in the third quarter where they made one or two good plays on that, and then we got the ball middle of the fourth and just we could have been a little bit crisper here and there.
So I just think that we got to stay the course. We got a challenge ahead of us, and that's really where our head is at.
Q. You talked about it last week, about when the other team had a couple really long drives, how challenging it is to stay in a rhythm. Happened again today. When you're in that type of situation and you know the defense is really having trouble stopping the other team, does that put extra pressure on you and the offense with those limited opportunities?
A. I wouldn't say it puts extra pressure. I just think we have to be that much cleaner, we got to execute every drive. We believe that we can score on every possession, every drive. That's just our mentality.
So we got to make sure we do that. We got to find the little things that we can do within the drives, within the game. I think we had a lot of good plays today, we had a lot of great things we did.
Like I said, that one with -- we were down 13, 14, whatever to go at the end of the game there. We thought we had a touchdown potentially. They made a good play or whatever. I didn't get to see the replay. They didn't show it.
So we thought we still had a chance, and unfortunately didn't work out.
Q. (No microphone.)
A. It looked like a catch where I was at first, and then they were saying incomplete, but also looked like pass inter -- you know, I didn't know. You're trying to argue for something to go right right there. I knew they were talking, so I just wanted to hear what they were saying.
So that was good opportunity. Almost had it. That would've given us a chance to go win the game and try to find a way.
Q. How confident are you in how this team is going to respond to a little adversity?
A. I'm super confident. I think that we are confident that we can respond in the right way. I thought we responded in the right way even this game in the sense of coming off of last week's game. I thought our mentality was right coming into the game. The game was really there for the most part until late in the third quarter. Kind of got away from us there beginning of the fourth.
We felt really confident in what we were doing, how we were doing it. We were really well-prepared. Shane did a great job preparing us all week. We were on our stuff.
So as we go through the season there will be challenges. It's going to be a journey. We're not stopping here. I think our mentality has to be at the highest level always, and that's where we are at.
We know that and we're prepared to do what and we're prepared to go on this journey, and we know it's going to be tough. You take one game at a time, play one moment at a time. We can always be cleaner and we can always be better.
But I believe in this football team. I believe in what we can do and what we will do.
Q. What was it like playing out there?
A. It was definitely loud out there. They did a great job out there, the fans and everything. It's a beautiful stadium. It's loud. It was really not really a factor though, in the sense of what we were doing, how we were doing things.
We felt like we were communicating really well. We had some really good checks and things that we got to and I got us to that -- Chris Carson had a sweet run on that one and checked out of it. Guys were really sharp there.
I just think that as we play on the road there is always going to be -- we got some great road games to go to. I've always loved going to tough environments, and we'll be prepared and continue to be prepared.
Q. How big a relief was it to see Tyler was okay?
A. Yeah, how he went down, started grabbing his knee or whatever, I was worried, to be honest with you, just because he's worked so hard for it. Just glad that he's okay.
Yeah, that was a little a little bit of a shock for us all I think. He's okay. He's up, he's moving, he's smiling, so he'll be really to roll.
Q. (Regarding Jake Curhan.)
A. I thought Jake did a really good job stepping in there playing right tackle against some really, really good pass rushers. I mean, you think about Hunter over there, just the guys that they have. Griffin obviously is great player, too. But Hunter mostly on the right side there. I thought he did a really good job. He was poised. I thought Jake Curhan did a tremendous job stepping up and stepping in.
He's been really, really solid all training camp, to be honest with you, and all season. So to have a rookie right tackle that can step in and play the way he did with the confidence he did in a tough environment, loud, I thought he was poised.
So, as the games go on he'll continue to get better and better.
Q. When the possessions are as limited (indiscernible). Sounds kind of weird, but how important is the coin toss and the second sequence at the end of the first half, beginning of the second?
A. Yeah, you know, I think the coin toss is -- a lot of times we defer so we get the ball in the second half. You can look at it two different ways: We can lose it or win it. We got the ball the first drive and we just went up and down the field and scored right away. It was a beautiful drive. Everybody was getting the ball and DK did a really great job.
And so guys were making plays. We were really great on third down and this and that. And so we were up 7-nothing right away, which is a great feeling, and they did a good job responding too and the game was back and forth in that first half.
And you're exactly right, when they took -- I think they took nine minutes off the clock in the third quarter, very beginning of the third quarter. You know, that was definitely long.
And then really the possession before the half there was about 5:50, I think, 5:30. I'm always watching the clock, so it was about 5:30 before that half. They had that long drive to score another touchdown to make it 21-17.
You know, and then they had five and a half minutes there and then the nine minutes on the other end, so back to back. So I think that every possession for us we got to -- and that's just always. I mean, that's always been the history of football. Every possession, every play counts. Nothing really changes.
We just have to be sharp and fine tune some things. I think I have 100% confidence in what we can do. I thought Shane called a really good game, to be honest with you. We just didn't have enough opportunities there.
We were in a great vibe, great flow of all the things we wanted to do. Shane was great. Guys were on it. DK played a really great game. Tyler, him being healthy. I thought Freddie Swain made some really key plays. Gerald made some great catches. Chris Carson had a sweet run on that one to the left.
So there was a lot of good things there. I'm not discouraged by any means. I believe in what we can do and what we will do.
Q. (Regarding Chris Carson.)
A. Yeah, we had a pass -- we actually had a pass and just saw the front, the look and everything else. And I got to -- clock was ticking down so I had to go up and down the line really fast and get to it. We got to it, and great blocking by the guys on the middle left side there for us to scamper in and just Chris had a sweet run on that.
Yeah, so that's the one we checked and got to it off the look that they were given.
Q. (Regarding DK Metcalf.)
A. How he responded all week. Didn't start today. Really started this week. DK respond in a tremendous way. Attitude was right, mentality. He's a champion. Knows what to do. He's a pro.
You all have up and downs and tough moments, but he was really truly prepared. Had one of his best weeks of and practice and it showed in the game, and thought he played really well tonight.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports