On if the team will make any projections of where it could end up at the end of the season:"Right now is not the time to make projections. Right now is the time to focus on our next game. We can't really look forward. We've got to make sure we live for right now and take it one game at a time. That's going to be it for the rest of the season. We don't have a lot of room for error right now."
On his assessment of the team and its record at the bye-week point:"You can always learn more from a loss sometimes than you can from a win. That's what we feel like. When you do lose, it just magnifies those things, not only for everybody else out there, but in your own head. We know we've got a lot to work on, but if we win the last game, we probably have those same things we need to work on. That's where we're at right now. We know we've got to get better. We know what it's going to take, and that we've got a lot of guys who are willing to put the work in and get it done."
On if a close loss is tougher than a loss by a large margin:"Any loss is tough. Obviously, in that game, we did so many good things toward the end of the ball game that it would have been good to come out of there with a win. But, that's behind us right now. We can't worry about that right now. All we can focus on is what we can do to get better. I think we came in this week with that mindset in our bye week, thinking, 'Let's review everything we've gone over. Everybody review what you did yourself. Analyze your own job, and what you're doing out on the field.' That's what we've got to do this week – really put the magnifying glass on ourselves."
On where he thinks this team is now and moving forward:"I think we're not where we want to be as a team. Considering we're 3-3, but also we're not 0-6, or 2-4 or worse than that. We would rather be 6-0 or 5-1 or whatever the case may be, but you know, we're sitting right where we're at. We're disappointed in some aspects, but then in some aspects, with the record we have, we understand why we have it. Three plays and we could potentially be 6-0. So, do we feel good about it? No. But we're going to move forward and continue to prepare and rest this week and come back and give it a go against Denver."
On whether the bye week is coming at a good time for this team: "Byes come at a good time any way. We could be 6-0, and the bye could come at a great time. It doesn't matter. The only time a bye doesn't sit well with a player either is at the end of the season or like the first couple of games. Then, you really hadn't gotten your aches or your bruises in and whatnot. But for us, it comes at a good time after six games. We're .500, and we've got a few players that obviously probably need the week off. And then considering what we did this past game, we go back and look at the film and see the things that we did right and things that we did wrong, and now it gives us a full week – or actually two weeks – to correct it and get ready for Denver."
On whether starting 2-3 last year and then finishing strong is put into perspective by this team knowing that it can be done:"I mean, yeah. I guess in order to understand your future, you've got to look back at your past. And we were kind of in the same situation last year, and then we were able to make a run toward the end. So, hopefully it bodes well for us again, where we're sitting 3-3 now, we come back out of the bye [and] we play some really tough teams. And the only thing we need to do is get one win first. Once we get one win and get this train to move, I think it's hard to stop us."
On whether there is anything the team can do to win those close games: "No, you've just got to make sure fundamentally you're doing what you need to do. And when an opportunity arises for you to make a play, you make it. Or close out a game, you close out a game. Or stop an opponent from scoring, you stop an opponent from scoring. There's nothing you can do scheme-wise to prepare yourself for that. You just need to go out there, and hopefully the ball bounces your way that particular play or that particular game."
On whether you mentally get away from everything football related for a few days during the bye week:"You have to. You can't consume yourself with football even on your bye week. You need to get away from it a little bit. Allow yourself to mentally relax and get back focused again. I don't know if that's the right thing to say, but it sounds good. *(laughter) *But you know, just allow yourself to relax and kind of get away from this and channel your energy toward something else. Then once you come back, you're rejuvenated –physically, mentally – and you're ready to play."
On if he expected to be leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage: "I actually just found out today that I'm leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage. It's just hard work. It definitely feels good to know that your hard work is paying off. The offensive line always does a great job. Once I get the ball in my hand, I just feel like I am being able to make plays. It feels good to know that you're doing that to help your team. Leading in yards from scrimmage, it would feel better if we won those games. But we'll definitely get back to work after this bye weekend and get our bodies right so we're ready to go against Denver."
On what it means to him that head coach John Harbaugh said he was more talented than they thought when they drafted him: "They get the best out of you here. I think it's just showing up. It's a true testament of hard work. I can go back to OTAs, mini-camp and even taking it in to training camp, of making plays. Now when I get out to the field, it's comfortable for me now. The game has slowed down for me enough where coach will let me do certain things that he knows I'm going to make a play. That's the thing that feels good, knowing that I'm in an offense where I'm comfortable and an offense where I can be successful."
On if putting his hand on the ground to prevent from being tackled has become his trademark move: "I think being as short as I am, you've got to keep your balance. When you see that end zone… It's hard to get in the end zone in this league. Fortunately, I've found it a few times this year when it counted. I wouldn't call it a move. I would just call it a knack for wanting to stay up and get more yards. But you've got to know when to do that and when not to do it. When you see that green grass ahead of you, something has to keep you up, whether it's the power in your legs or using a little bit of your hands to keep going."
On if he likes the fact that he is a little bit of both a running back and a wide receiver: "That's my ultimate goal to be on this team. I want to be known as not just a guy that can run the ball. I want to be known as an all-purpose back. That's where most of my yards will come from. My stats at the end of the game, I want to see how much total yards I have. I'm sure I'll be able to catch the ball, or run between the tackles – do different things when the ball is in my hands. At the end of the day, my position is a running back. When I get [the ball] in my hand, I'm a running back. When I caught the pass for 63 yards, it was a 10-yard throw turned into something else. You're a running back after that. That feels good to know that when the ball is in your hand, you're able to do something with it."
On what he plans on doing with the days off: "Me personally, I'm going to go back home to see my family and watch my high school play. I'm definitely going to visit some schools to give back to the community and where I'm from. Just really getting away from football for a little bit, enjoying yourself and getting the body right. Never forget where you came from. I'm going to do little things, a little cardio over the break, but nothing too stressful. I really want to take this time, learn from all the guys – some vets have told me what they've done – I've taken ideas from different guys on the team."
