Tennessee Titans 37 - Jacksonville Jaguars - 19
Q. Can you just kind of walk us through the goal line's play in your mind and how much you think of your penetration on that one kind of blew it up?
TEAIR TART: Walk you through the play? Shoot. I was just going out there just trying to help my team any way possible. My mindset was just go out there and make a play for the team.
Q. Your position to do some of the things you do, how selfless is that. You did have an impact on the game in that fourth down?
TEAIR TART: How important is it to me, just doing the little things for the team being so selfless. Like whatever helps. Whatever I need to do, whatever I can do to help the team win this. It's my motto, man.
Q. You're just playing but did you feel like that was a critical part of the game?
TEAIR TART: Oh yeah. It was a big momentum swing for the team, them going for it on fourth down and me coming out there and making a play it was a big momentum swing, so felt like it was a crucial moment in the game to help the team build momentum, bring some positive energy to our sideline.
Q. Did you hit knuckles with him on the sideline?
TEAIR TART: Yeah. I give him those little fists.
Q. What did he say about that?
TEAIR TART: His knuckle going to be a little sore for a while.
Q. The first time we talked to Vrabel about you, they always really make sure to praise your performance and how they noticed that you were going to be able to be a contributor for this defense. What does that mean to you?
TEAIR TART: It means the world, especially coming from a small school, being a free agent, not having a large amount of opportunities to play in this league. I had very few teams looking at me but coming from the coaching staff, took a chance on a young guy from Philly. I mean it's a blessing, man. Feel honored, especially the praise they give me, man, it just speaks volumes.
Q. That route, you talk about coming from Philly, Valley Forge, military. All of that. Undrafted free agent. What is it that keeps you plugging away?
TEAIR TART: What keeps me plugging? Just my family. Just wanting better for my future, you know, for my family. Coming from Juko it was a lot of adversity. I just had to stick to a positive mindset, be extremely resilient. So I'd say the thing that's kept me going the most is definitely my family and my brother.
Q. That struggle like that, does that make you more sweet?
TEAIR TART: Yes, for sure. Makes everything a lot more sweeter. Losing my brother, you know, going to school in New York, you know, going to school in Iowa. Valley Forge Military, Mississippi. You know, it's all experience that you come to learn from. You take a little something from each and every place you've been and you try to apply it to your life.
Q. As a defensive tackle, how good was it to get the party started with the big hit, getting the forced fumble and then they take it in for a touchdown?
TEAIR TART: It's very important. It's a huge momentum swing. Like I said earlier, it's an energy bringer. Brings a lot of momentum to our sideline. Everybody is up. Everybody is super energetic. You love seeing plays like that. It's an energy bringer for sure.
Elijah /ALD /EPB.
Q. You made a big play. Did you think they'd over turn it and when you found out it was going to stick, how much of a momentum boost was that for you guys?
TEAIR TART: I mean, I don't even really know what happened. Like I tackled him and then I got up, and the next thing you know he was in the end zone. It all happened in a flash. Once when it stood, I was just happy to help out the defense and help out the team and get the game started off on the right foot.
Q. To stay ready to you don't have to get ready mindset, how much did that acquire? You didn't get as many snaps before but you got a bunch today?
TEAIR TART: Yeah, 100 percent. That's something that I'm taking ownership of is just doing my job, owning my role right now. And then as it adjusts, like I gotta embrace it 100 percent. And there's going to be good plays that I make, there's going to be bad plays that I make but at the end of the day just on to the next play. I made the play, got to the sideline and flushed it real quick and on to the next.
Q. Vrabel was saying your physicality would be big today. How much pride do you take in being a physical safety?
TEAIR TART: I take a lot of pride in it. Like I'm not like -- I don't bang my head against the locker before the game. It just comes out whenever I play free, whenever I know what I'm doing, whatever I can digest the call and see the offense. After that I can just kind of cut it loose. That's when I make my best play. That's when I'm stick /KWR*ES in coverage and all that stuff ^ ‰.
Q. The defense as a whole, you get an um can of turnovers, you get a goal line 'is it not. Also gave up some yards against a run. When you look back at this one, how do you like how you guys did, good and bad?
A. Yeah. A lot of ups and downs. I think any win is a good win but there's definitely stuff to clean up in terms of communication, tackling. But we fought, we finished. That goal line stand like seeing Chris Jackson and everyone, Harold and all those guys, like make that play, I had faith in them. And obviously a huge part of the game.
Q. Elijah, has anything surprised you about the transition to the NFL so far?
TEAIR TART: I mean, I think -- I mean, growing up with my dad and all that stuff, like he gave me all the tips and reminders and stuff but at the end of the day this is my life's story that I'm living. And like there's going to be ups and downs, you know what I mean and in the moment of a down it's misery but eventually you wake up one day and you're back on the horse, you know what I mean? So I'm loving the journey so far, and I've learned so much from the good plays and bad plays, especially the bad ones. So I'm just looking for what I can do, how I can help the team next week.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports