Texans 23, Colts 19
SHANE STEICHEN: Obviously extremely disappointed the way things ended there. You know, proud of our guys, the way they fought. You know, the fans, they came out and they showed up for us and obviously wanting to get a win for our fans as well.
But just disappointed the way it ended. Again, extremely proud of the way our guys fought all year.
Q. In the first possession, was that a miscommunication between the special teams and offense to allow Matt to come out and allow the Texans to substitute?
SHANE STEICHEN: That was designed.
Q. Why did Taylor come out, he carried the ball seven times in a row. Was his ankle okay? What happened there?
SHANE STEICHEN: He was all right. The play we had up, we had to look for it. It was man-to-man coverage and it just didn't work out.
Q. But you did run it with Tyler. Why was that the choice?
SHANE STEICHEN: Obviously we called time out there. It was fourth-and-one. We saw the front they were in. We liked the look of that play in that situation.
Q. So he had practiced that play?
SHANE STEICHEN: Correct. Goodson in that situation, pass catcher for us in the backfield.
Q. Any thought of using J.T. as a decoy?
SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, obviously if it doesn't work, you're going to second guess it. I understand that. That's part of the business.
Q. Was it a catch he should have made or a throw that should have been better?
SHANE STEICHEN: I have to look at it; it was bang-bang. Of course, I was on the other sideline.
Q. When they came back in the game, what exactly happened?
SHANE STEICHEN: He had an ankle, foot, yeah. He came back.
Q. Taking the time out there, was there a thought to not taking the time out and essentially having three time outs?
SHANE STEICHEN: Really wanting to see a look to get a call we thought would work in a fourth down situation. That was basically it.
Q. What message do you give the guys after a game like that and a season like this?
SHANE STEICHEN: Obviously everyone is disappointed, extremely disappointed. But proud of the guys, the way they fought all year and battled. I was thinking about this, sometimes in life, you don't know why, but things happen.
Winning and losing is part of this game. You learn from it. You grow from it. You know, the guys that are coming back, just remember this feeling in the locker room, coaches and players include ed.
Q. What do you have to say about the way John Taylor carried you all throughout today?
SHANE STEICHEN: I didn't see the final stats, but shoot, he ran hard. Obviously he had the 50-yard touchdown there and that was huge. He ran hard. Offensive line did a heck of a job, 20 yards on the ground in this game. Credit to the guys up front. Just didn't get it done.
Q. Did you think he was coming back out? When he went in the locker room, do you think he was going to be able to play?
SHANE STEICHEN: I don't know. I just listen to the doctors and see what they say.
Q. What allowed you guys to have success --
SHANE STEICHEN: I think we popped a few runs. Obviously we were playing a field position battle there early. Backed up, trying to get it out of there, had some three-and-outs there. Working on converting third down. Then we pop that big run with J.T. to get it going and got some momentum. Had the two-point play to tie it up and that was it.
Q. On defense, they had two, I don't want to say uncontested but the one down the other end was uncontested, then the deep ball where there was no safety held. Were those bust from your perspective?
SHANE STEICHEN: Going back, obviously they hit the one, the shell defense -- inaudible.
Q. Where do you see the issues with Collins?
SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, we knew he was a good player going into the game. They were down a couple guys and Nico is a really good player. Shoot, really good players in this league are going to make plays. You just have to control the plays so they don't get out of hand. But I thought our defense fought like crazy, you know what I mean. It stops there. Obviously the big play on the first drive, and then we held them pretty good. Shoot, offensively, starts with myself; we've got to be better.
Q. What's the calculation on the fourth down play where you do have a play drawn up and it's there, but what's the calculation of putting the ball in the hands of the guy who has carried you all night, too. I'm sure that had to be tempting as well, right?
SHANE STEICHEN: A hundred percent. There's a lot of thoughts going through in that situation on the time out. Saw that look, that play was going to be great. Didn't happen for us.
Q. You do feel the fact this was there, just an execution thing, I guess?
SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, I understand that, and I take full responsibility. The plays don't work, it starts with myself. We hit them, they are great, right. We don't, obviously it's going to get questioned. I completely understand.
Q. Is that a play where you just tip your hat, makes the throw over the middle?
SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, that play he made was incredible. We had tight man coverage. Hats off to them on that play.
Q. You say you got the look that you wanted. Do you mean that you saw the personnel that he had on the field, and what you saw, the 11 they had, you said, we are calling this play to combat those guys?
SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, they were in a man-to-man defense. Felt good.
Q. Generally are you players over plays in those situations?
SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, I have full confidence in that play in that situation, and I went with my gut and I saw the look.
Q. What do you tell Tyler -- the game decided by one play, but that's the play?
SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, everyone is going to talk about that play, and I completely understand that. I have a ton of faith in everyone that's on this team that goes out there and fights. Whoever has an opportunity to make a play, we have full faith in those guys, and sometimes it doesn't work. That's part of the game. Learn from it. Obviously this one stings.
Q. What do you feel like you accomplished this season with the culture of this team and just in general, big picture?
SHANE STEICHEN: I don't know, really just -- I mean, I can only speak for myself. You can ask the players that. I just think the resilience that these guys had, sitting at 3-5, bouncing back and winning four in a row and putting ourselves in a position to get in the playoffs today was huge. I always say this: This league is all about the players. I credit a lot to those guys, the work they put in, the time they put in. Everything they do to get ready, their minds, their bodies, to get ready to go play a 17-week season is unbelievable what they do. So hats off to those guys in the locker room for fighting like crazy this year.
Q. What do you see out of some of those players what gutted it out today, and a lot of questionable players, they all found a way to step up?
SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, says a lot about the guys, toughness, you know what I mean, stepping in. Again the resilience for those guys, playing banged up. Credit to those guys. Wish we could have got it done today for everyone.
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