LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Head Coach Anthony Lynn
(opening statement) "We came here to play a four-quarter football game, and we did. At times, it looked like we had gotten a nice little lead, but that team [Ravens] fought back. That team played hard, and this is a tough place to play. I feel like the first time we played them, we played their game. Today, I think we played our game. Our defense was outstanding. We held that team down to 100 yards rushing. No one has played that team the way our defense played today. I was really impressed with the way our defense stepped up. Especially with playing the little guys inside and not playing with our linebackers. So, my hat goes off to Gus Bradley and his staff. They did an outstanding job all week of getting that defense ready for this unconventional style of offense. Offensively, at times, we struggled to execute two plays in a row, but we did move the ball when we needed to move the ball. And Michael Badgley did a heck of a job of making his field goals. They made a big difference in this game. Overall, I was pleased with our efforts. It was definitely a complementary win."
(on why they decided to go with seven defensive backs) "Well, QB Lamar [Jackson] is fast. He's real fast. We thought putting the speed guys in there—we didn't know if that was going to work, but we wanted to take a look at it. We feel like, today, it worked fine. They could run it down or at least catch him. With the linebackers in there, the physical guys, the bigger guys, that didn't work out so well the first time."
(on whether he feels playing multiple defensive backs will work next week against Tom Brady) "That's a different offense. That's a different style. So, we'll look at New England and decide what personnel we'll use."
(on whether it looked like Lamar Jackson got frustrated) "Well, you know, if you're used to rushing the ball for 300 yards a game, and we hold you to under 90, yeah, I would get flustered."
(on how much confidence he has in K Michael Badgley) "I have a lot of confidence in that young man because he has a lot of confidence in himself."
(on whether he needed more from DE Melvin Ingram III with seven defensive backs) "I thought all those guys rushed the passer well, and they got to Lamar [Jackson], which is hard to do. When you get to him so many times, he escapes and makes a big play. We did a good job of staying in our rush lanes and containing them."
(on what recently playing the Ravens did for their game plan) "The more times you see that offense, the better you're going to be against it. I used to run that offense, and I remember we started off really fast, but, once people got enough tape on us, they could catch up. And I think that's what happened today, we saw it enough."
(on what was going through his mind during RB Melvin Gordon's goal-line replay) "The next play really. The next call if it was going to be fourth down, or if it was going to be a two-point play if they gave us the touchdown. But we were already moving on to the next play."
(on whether he feels confident enough that it wouldn't be ruled a fumble) "I was real confident it wouldn't be ruled a fumble. I thought it was going to be ruled a touchdown. I thought it would either be a touchdown or touchback, but I was confident it wasn't a fumble."
(on whether they prefer a road game being they are 9-0) "We love football. Our guys love football. We'll play anywhere. We'll play in the parking lot. They just love football."
(on the Chargers' offense moving the ball against the No.1 defense) "The offense moved the ball, but there were times we didn't move the ball consistently. So, we shot ourselves in the foot. Those are things that can be easily corrected. And I feel good about our offense and look forward to next week."
(on how important it was to play mistake-free football) "That's something our guys have been doing for the most part this season. They've been playing smart. I hate to see that one at the end. That would have put the game away, but those things happen. We overcame it, and that's all that matters."
(on whether LB Jatavis Brown's injury affected the defensive decision) "No, 'JB' is a speed linebacker, and we missed him a lot. He's going to be hard to replace, but, today, we just did it with Jahleel Addae. Next week, it will be something different."
(on whether he had to be convinced that was the way to go on defense) "We've gone small before. This wasn't the first time we've done that. And we've gone small and had success. I wanted to see it, but we were definitely ready to move on to the next personnel group if that didn't work. But it worked."
(on the play of S Rayshawn Jenkins) "I think he did fine. Moving Jahleel [Addae] down the box and then Rayshawn playing the middle of the field, I thought he ran around well. He made tackles in the open field and played well today. I can't say enough about what our defensive coaches did today. They did a heck of a job of getting this group ready. When you think about it, they're missing [actor] Denzel Washington, I mean Denzel Perryman – he wiish; Corey Liuget; Brandon Mebane; Kyzir White. They're missing a lot of starters on that side of the ball. And they are still getting guys to step up and make plays and win football games. It's just outstanding coaching."
(on how RB Melvin Gordon is) "He ended the game well. He left the game; I forget what quarter it was. But he came back, and he's fine. You know, this time of year, running backs like Melvin are going to get banged up a little bit. He's doing OK."
(on facing New England) "I'm looking forward to it. A lot of times you have to go through New England to accomplish your goals. We'll watch the tape on them, and we'll get ready for those guys next week. But, right now, we're going to enjoy this one."
QB Philip Rivers
(on how he feels about getting a road win in the playoffs) "This is a playoff win. This is how it is in the playoffs. All year long, we have won so many different ways. We've won ugly and we've won pretty. We've come from behind and we've won on last second field goals. It's just important to get a win."
(on all the field goals) "That is a great defense over there. There were several times that we had a short field and their defense was so tough, we had to get field goals. They are just so good on defense."
(on the Chargers' defense) "Our defense played great, especially in the first half. Coming into this game, we knew that the Ravens had been ahead 75 percent of the time since they changed their offense. We wanted to take a lead and see how they responded. Even when it was nine-to-nothing and 12-to-nothing, we were in good shape because we kept getting points."
(on the Chargers' offensive struggles) "I'll tell you what; there are a lot of bad offensive games by teams facing that defense. We were pleased with the way our offensive line played, protecting the quarterback."
(on the contribution of K Michael Badgley) "He was really great today. He made some tough kicks. We had so many guys contribute today. [LB] Uchenna Nwosu made a big play with that strip sack in the final minute. [TE] Antonio Gates stepped up with two, big third-down receptions."
(on his conversation with OLB Matt Judon) "There's nothing malicious out there. I just thought he had two borderline late hits. That's just part of the game. I don't like to see anyone hurt."
(on facing the New England Patriots) "We're going to get to play against a Bill Belichick-led defense. That will be tough. The Patriots are used to these games. It's not easy to make the playoff every year, but they make it look easy. On some level, I'm a fan of those guys. I have a lot of respect for New England. All we ask for is a chance. This is a cool team and it's fun to be a part of."
DE Isaac Rochell
(on the Chargers starting the game with seven defensive backs) "I'm not sure that was part of our strategies but we were forced to because of injuries. It was a matter of putting our seven best, healthy athletes out there. The coaches did a great job getting us prepared this week."
(on how beneficial it was to play the Ravens 15 days after playing them before) "It was extremely beneficial. They have a crazy offense. It's very confusing, and you never know what they're going to do. The coaches stressed that gap integrity was the most important thing for us."
(on K Michael Badgley) "I'm not surprised by his play at all. I've had confidence in him all season. I respect him, and I'm happy for him."
DE Melvin Ingram III
(on the difference between today and the Ravens' win 15 days ago) "We played assignment football. We were told to see what we're supposed to see. They do a lot to confuse us, but we stayed with it and it was a much better result for us."
(on the Ravens' fourth quarter rally) "They made some plays, but we were able to hang on."
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
K Michael Badgley
(on his game) "We found a way to win in the playoffs, and we're going to Foxborough. That's all that really matters. I'm excited to continue this playoff run."
(on the Chargers playing so well on the road) "We're a good team. We've got a lot of heart. We've got a lot of guys who work hard, and they put a lot into each week. And now, it's just one game at a time. We're 1-0 and onto Foxborough. We're excited."
RB Melvin Gordon III
(on his game) "It was alright. I missed a little bit of time because I had to go into the locker room. I got back out there, [but] we just couldn't convert in the red zone. It's unfortunate, but that's where we have to kick it in."
(on if the Ravens made any changes from the last game) "I'm not sure. I think our defense just came out to play, and they gave us a short field, and we were able to get points from it."
DE Joey Bosa
(on the game) "I'm just exhausted after that one. I'm not extremely happy about the way I finished the game. I kind of got a little complacent with the score. I need to rush a lot better. I need to put that on me. But I think as a defense, we did a pretty good job throughout the game."
(on the Chargers' success on the road) "It could be a confidence thing, where we know what we can do on the road. As a defense, we treat it the same way no matter where we are. We're going to be in chilly New England next week, so it's going to be a little different. Personally, I don't prepare any differently. It doesn't make a difference to me. Every game is do-or-die to me. It's important to turn it on now. We're in the playoffs."
(on being drafted by the Chargers and being in the playoffs) "It's huge. It was tough at the end, a lot of anxiety, and I didn't perform as well as I wanted to in the fourth quarter. So we'll learn from that, watch some film tomorrow and move on."
(on facing Ravens QB Lamar Jackson) "Facing him a few weeks ago, we already had an idea of what he can do. After watching a couple more weeks of film and watching our game against them, we had a better idea of what they were going to do, and you kind of saw that in the first half. They weren't able to do much, and it will be a different challenge next week with a true drop-back quarterback. He's ridiculously fast, so you feel like you've got him, and then he'll separate real quick. We did what we were supposed to do most of the game, and then he kind of got after us in the fourth quarter, but we were able to shut it down."
TE Antonio Gates
(on the playoff win) "It was great. One thing about the playoffs is that you have to do fundamental, detailed kind of things that we were able to do. But there at the end, you still have to believe. It's playoff football. A play here or a play there, things can change, but we were able to prevail."
(on if the playoffs were the reason he came back this year) "Absolutely. I felt like this team could be a playoff contender. I just can't say enough about this team in general. I've been around this program, this organization, for over a decade. All the hard work and repetition that I've put in finally came through to see us get a victory in the playoffs."
(on Chargers QB Philip Rivers) "He's the wheels on the tank. Where he goes, we go. That's one thing I think we understand. At the end of the day, playoff football is just like ordinary football. Whether it's offense, defense or special teams, it's just guys making plays collectively, and we were able to do that today."
(on playing the Patriots) "We know they're a good team, well-coached team, great franchise. We're definitely up for the challenge. We'll be well-prepared. It will be a great challenge for us, but I look forward to the challenge."
S Derwin James
(on what he felt during the Ravens' last drive) "I'm thinking, 'I've got to make a play to end this game.' We let up a little bit at the end, but I felt like we came to play ball today."
(on whether they ever felt they had taken the Ravens' will during the game) "We felt like, coming into the first half, we played dominant football up until the fourth quarter. I feel like we didn't finish the way we wanted to. Hats off to Baltimore, they didn't lay down. They fought to the end."
(on making any changes playing the Ravens a second time) "We didn't make many changes. We may have put a few more DBs on the field for them. They've got a lot of speed over there. Lamar [Jackson] is so elusive with the ball. Sideline to sideline, we wanted him to be able to run, and I felt like we did a great job today."
(on the Chargers' franchise finally winning a playoff game) "We've got mental toughness, and we're battle-tested. We've been on the road before, coming into a hostile environment. We knew with the game plan we had, we wanted to come away with a victory."
(on limiting Ravens QB Lamar Jackson) "He's still a great player. He fought to the end. We got to him a little early. We wanted some of that sweet potato pie he was talking about."
WR Keenan Allen
(on if this was the craziest game he had ever played in) "No question. It was a playoff game where you've got to play all four quarters. That's what they did, and we did, but we came out with the win."
(on knowing how to win on the road) "I don't think we stressed out at all today. I don't think we had our backs against the wall. We felt very comfortable for the majority of the game. I think we played very well."
(on advancing in the playoffs) "This was just the first game. We still have three weeks left. The Patriots are next."
(on fielding onside kicks) "We just made the plays. We talked about it all week. We already knew what they wanted to do. Their outside guy was going to look around, so we picked up everybody in the middle. I just had to come down with the ball. That's what I'm good at."
(on the franchise winning its first playoff game in five years) "It feels great. We're about to be back where we were when I was a rookie. It's amazing to get back to that place, especially with the guys we have, an unbelievable group of guys. Everybody came to play today."
(on not scoring enough touchdowns as an offense) "I think we're always frustrated as an offense, because we know how good we are. We know what we're capable of. Anytime we're not getting points on the board, we're frustrated. But, we never get down on ourselves. We know our defense has our back, as they did today. They played lights out all the way to the fourth quarter."
WR Mike Williams
(on winning) "It feels good. My first playoff game, it feels good to get a 'W.' We have to keep that momentum going to the next game. Practice hard next week. Our team hadn't been to the playoffs in awhile. We have a lot of veteran guys on this team who haven't been to the playoffs. Just to be a part of this is special."
(on facing the Ravens' defense) "We know they're a good defense. They were going to throw a lot of different things at us. We just had to move the ball. I feel like we moved the ball pretty well, we just didn't get any touchdowns. That's the main thing. We ended up with field goals, so we've got to watch film and figure out ways to get the ball in the end zone more."
(on knowing how to win games without scoring touchdowns) "We know what it takes. We've been in similar games like this this year when the defense stepped up and made plays for us when we weren't scoring, or we scored when the defense needed our help. We lean on each other and continue to fight."
LB Uchenna Nwosu
(on his sack and forced fumble on the last play) "I just saw Lamar [Jackson] holding the ball out. My eyes got big, like looking at candy when you're first born, and I just swiped for it."
(on what he did after forcing the fumble) "I was looking to scoop and score. There are not many opportunities you get when the ball is on the ground, so I wanted to scoop it and score. The bottom line was to get on top of the ball. I knew my teammates were coming behind me, and we were able to get on it."
CB Desmond King II
(on winning a playoff game) "It's the best feeling in the world. We're going to enjoy it for the next two days, then turn the page and move onto New England. We're not done here."
(on the defense giving up points late after controlling the game early) "That is some adversity. You're going to go through that in games, and this was a playoff game, a big game. You've got to expect the best from your opponent, so you've just got to be focused and play to the very end."
(on breaking a few big returns) "We've got to give credit to 'Coach Stew' [Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator George Stewart]. He put us in the right position, calling the right things for our returns and helping us out on the field."
(on his 72-yard kickoff return) "That was another draw play. We've been working on that all week. We knew what kind of coverage they were going to have because of playing them in the last game. They were over-pursuing it a lot, so we changed it up a little bit. It was there. Our play call was perfect."
(on facing Ravens QB Lamar Jackson a second time) "It was great. We played a great defense [and] put some pressure on him, so we had him in positions where he wasn't comfortable. He still made plays. He's a great quarterback. He was making plays for his team. We did what we had to do out there today."
