Head Coach John Harbaugh
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(opening statement) "OK, just two things, on certainly a more somber note: Ellison James' family was in a fire last night, that's one of our security guys, and there was a tragic loss of life, with his wife. His daughter is fighting for her life right now, so I'm asking everybody to pray for her. Pray that God will heal her up, and grab her up, and make her whole and make her well. We prayed for her as a team, most importantly. The second tough thing is Joe Flacco just had a season-ending knee injury. He tore at least his ACL, I think his MCL, as well, and he'll be out for the rest of the season. That was on the slant pass on the last series. Thirdly, just a heck of a performance by our guys. Obviously, our defense played phenomenally well. We had four take-aways, led by Courtney Upshaw with the sack/fumble, to finish the game. Courtney just walked in the room right here, and here's a guy that has been competing like crazy, been listening to all of your criticism from time to time – not everybody, just a couple – and doesn't let it get to him because he knows how hard he works. He knows what kind of player he is, and to see it pay off for him in a moment like this is just incredibly rewarding for him and for all of us, too – his coaches. Hats off to the offense, gutting it out and getting the job done in the fourth quarter. We're down 13-3, with five, five-and-a-half minutes left, and we find a way to win the football game. I think it speaks to the character of our guys and what kind of fight they have in them."
(on RB Justin Forsett's injury) "Thank you. Justin … It happened in the first half, and I kind of lost track of that, but as you know, Justin broke his arm – both bones in his forearm – so he'll be out for the season also."
(on whether losing key players to injury diminishes a win) "I don't think those two things run parallel. I don't think you tie those two things together. Obviously, it's tremendously disappointing for those guys. We'll be fine as a football team. We'll bounce back, that's what you do. Matt Schaub can play quarterback, and he's going to come in, [and] he's going to play very well. Everybody out there can talk about how he can't – those who want to consider themselves amateur evaluators – they can say what they want. It's OK, we'll rally behind Matt. We'll rally behind the rest of our running backs, because we're a football team. We are a team, and that's how we approach it."
(on if QB Joe Flacco played with pain at the end of the game) "That's a good point. He did. He finished the whole series with two completely torn ligaments and stayed on the field with the clock running, because he knew if he comes off, now we have clock issues. He stays out there, gets the run that pops it, puts us in better field goal range and then runs the clock down. He handled the clock beautifully, ran it down, got the clock-it there at the end to stop the clock with three seconds left. It gives us a chance to win the game. And, of course, 'Tuck' [Justin Tucker] made the field goal there at the end. I agree with you, I think it was a courageous performance by [Joe Flacco] at the end."
(on RB Javorius "Buck" Allen stepping up) "Buck Allen, he played like a pro. He played like a top-caliber NFL running back. You saw it out there. He made guys miss. He made plays in the passing game, plays in the run game. I thought our offensive line did a great job. That's a great defense we were playing – I think one of the top-rated run defenses and pass defenses in football. Maybe they're the No. 5- or 6-ranked defense in football. We just kept hammering, kept banging. We finally cracked a little bit at the end of the game."
(on DT Brandon Williams defending Rams RB Todd Gurley well) "You're right. I'll tell you, it really was a team defensive effort. The thing I'm more proud about more than anything – and Courtney [Upshaw] is a huge part of this, as well as others – is the way we got to the ball. You may get a couple yards there, but we had 10 guys rallying and putting helmets on the ball after the first guy was wrapping him up. I was really proud to see that, and Brandon Williams was a big part of that in the middle. He's a handful in there. You can say you can double team him. You can say you know where you think he is at all times, but getting the job done is a little bit different."
(on QB Joe Flacco's durability compared to other QBs in the NFL who are in and out of the starting lineup) "I think it's a very valid point. It's probably one that I'm not going to be able to answer for you, because I've never had that experience, and that has been a great blessing – to have Joe every single game, for eight-and-a-half years here. He's an iron man. I told the team he's an absolute iron man, warrior-type of a player out there, and now it's his turn. We have to step up and rally up for him, just like he has done so many times for so many guys."
(on bringing in a backup quarterback for Matt Schaub) "We're going to find one. We're going to have one. Right now, [Punter] Sam Koch is our No. 2 quarterback. We're not really comfortable with that situation right now." (laughter)
(on the multiple defensive turnovers in the game after struggling to create them in previous games) "It's really a great point. We've talked about the olives – maybe the olives finally popped out of the jar and came tumbling out a little bit. Our pass rush was really off the charts. Our pass rush was phenomenal. Credit to Courtney [Upshaw] and the rest of those guys up front. Elvis Dumervil – I felt like he got held every single play. I can't wait to see the tape. That's the way it has been all year. They just tackled the guy, basically. He's doing a great job rushing the passer, and the whole group is."
(on whether he was surprised about QB Joe Flacco's season-ending injury) "I don't know. I didn't expect that, obviously. How could you expect that kind of news?"
QB Joe Flacco
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(on his injury) "It's tough. I don't think it's totally set in yet, but it's the nature of the game, man. Stuff like this happens. You just have to stand tall and get through it."
(on staying in the game with the injury) "I wanted to win a game, and I didn't know what was wrong. I tried to hop up as quickly as I could, and I was heading toward the sideline. The fact that I was able to hop up and head toward the sideline, I said, 'Oh OK, let's hang out here and see what I can do.' I don't know if that was the best thing, but it's just a reaction."
(on when he knew he was hurt) "I've never done anything like that, so you don't really know. I've done my MCL a couple of times, and I knew it was a lot worse than that. I felt a lot of crunches and stuff like that. I felt a lot of stuff."
(on how lucky he is to have stayed healthy so long) "I've been really fortunate. I'm really proud of the fact that I was able to go that long. I wanted to go my whole career without missing anything. It's just the nature of the game. It happens. It gets guys. It's just the way it goes. I just have to go out there, rehab, get back and be stronger."
(on when he knew he tore his ACL) "I came back in and laid down for Dr. [Leigh Ann] Curl, and she could tell right away."
(on Justin Forsett's injury) "It's a shame, man. I think Justin did his when he hit the ground, at least that's what the referee thought. I kind of looked over his body and just saw his forearm and said, 'OK. I'm not looking at that anymore.' I didn't see much, but I knew it wasn't good. It's a shame, but we gutted it out and got a win."
(on the time table of his injury) "I have no idea, man. I really don't know, Stan [White]. From what I gather, you have to wait for the swelling to go down before you can get surgery and things like that. I have no idea."
(on if he could have played overtime) "I don't know. I would have liked to think so, but I'm not sure that would have been best for the team. Obviously when your adrenaline is going out there and all that, it's easy to go, but once you start to settle down, it swells up pretty quickly and gets pretty stiff."
(on his first thought when he found out about the injury) "Well, I kind of already knew. I don't know. I really haven't thought about it. It is what it is at this point."
(on how he was hurt) "I got hit right above the knee on my quad after I threw the slant on the last play of the last series. My foot just stayed in the ground and kind of got collapsed in and just everything went."
(on whether he thinks this will affect next year) "I have no idea at this point. We just have to see what we can do and get back as quick as possible, but I have no idea."
(on the totality of his injury) "I think it's ACL and MCL. We haven't had anything pictured. We haven't taken any pictures yet. You guys are asking me all these questions. You guys know more than I do. Everybody knows more than I do because you have seen it. Somebody out there definitely knows, but I don't."
(on how calm he is after the game) "I'm probably still in shock a little bit. You play football and you play as long as I have and you play as hard as we do out there, then stuff like this happens. You have to just stand tall and be tough about it. That's all you can do. I think that's the way I am about everything in my life, and I'm not going to be any different this time."
OLB Courtney Upshaw
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(on his feelings on getting a key sack at the end, his first of the season) "We won the game, so it feels good. It actually feels great to get the first one in that fashion, too. At the end of the day, we want to win the game. We had to make a play. Somebody had to make a play, and I'm just glad I made it."
(on if he was thinking about causing a fumble when he got around the edge on that rush) "When you play with guys like [OLB] Elvis [Dumervil] and [OLB Terrell Suggs], especially Elvis, they preach getting the ball out. There's so many ways to get a sack. A guy can be on there, you knock the ball out, you basically get the sack. We preach that. I know Elvis does a lot. Honestly, I just wanted the sack. I got up and saw Elvis fighting for the ball, I knew then we had the game won."
(on that being his first sack since 2013) "Oh, man, I don't even want to think about it like that. But at the end of the day, like I said, I made the play. I'm just happy I was part of making that play. We won the game. It's all about the win."
(on what he did on that play) "I beat him [T Greg Robinson] earlier in the game with the same rush [and] basically just stayed on his edge. A lot of people like to say that I'm a bull rusher. From watching film on him, we knew that if we stayed on his edge, because, he's a physical guy, we could get some wins. But like I said, I beat him earlier, and he kind of grabbed me. As I was rushing him then, I saw that he was setting me [up] the same way, so I just stayed on his edge, did a little dip in my shoulder and just beat him free."
(on if his pass rush is improving) "Honestly, we work at it every week. It's on me to go out there and make things happen. We can say it's getting better. We can say whatever we want to say. I just got the job done today. It counts today. It didn't count last week when he threw the ball or whatever. It counts today, so that's all that matters."
(on if he's been through a season with this many injuries) "Well, my rookie year [in 2012], you had Ray Lewis hurt. A lot of those guys, especially all the veteran guys [were hurt; we ended up getting through that season OK. But honestly, since I've been here, the thing's been, 'Next guy up.' It means more now. I think [G/C] Ryan Jensen came in today with [G/T Kelechi Osemele] being out. I think he held his own. Those guys practice just like everybody else. They're in the NFL. They've got to be prepared to go."
(on if he noticed that the stands weren't as full later on) "I didn't even know until you just said that. I really didn't pay attention to it. We were just thinking about winning the game. … with all the opportunities we had to win it. If we went back on the field, we needed to get the ball back to the offense."
(on defending Rams RB Todd Gurley) "I mean, watching film, him and [WR] Tavon [Austin], you know, that's their offense. We know we've got to slow them guys down. I felt we did a good job. He had a couple of runs where he bounced off a couple of tackles. We had a few missed tackles. Since we've been on this losing streak, or whatever you want to call it, we've been priding ourselves on getting to the ball. That's what we've got to do with a guy like Gurley."
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RB Buck Allen
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(on the emotions of watching RB Justin Forsett suffer his broken arm) "That's something I never want to see. He's a hard-working guy. It hurts to see somebody put in that much work and get hurt. You know, God's got a plan for him, and Justin helped me throughout this process, and [running backs] coach Thomas [Hammock] helped me throughout this process and prepared me for this moment. So, with Justin going down, try to…keep it going. Like I said, my prayers go out to him. I know Justin helped me throughout the rest of the season for watching film or telling me what he sees."
(on if he's ready to carry the load now) "Yes, sir, most definitely. If that's something I'll have to do, then I'll step up and do it."
(on if he kind of tried to carry the load in this game) "Most definitely. Like I said, I hate to see my guys go down. I knew I had to go out there and step up. They brought me here for a reason, to go out there and do my job, which I feel like I did, [and] I did a good job today. Like I said, I hate to see my guys go down. It's kind of touching to see a great guy like Justin go down. Like I said, God works in mysterious ways, and He always has got a plan."
(on the loss of QB Joe Flacco) "That's a big loss. [QB] Matt Schaub, you know, he's up, like I'm up. You never know when your turn is going to come. You never know what play the guy in front of you is going to go down. You must be prepared and be ready to take advantage of opportunities. When your number is called, take advantage of it. That's in the receiver spot, quarterback, running back, and you know, I think the rookies they brought in; they know what we have and know how to use us."
(on Flacco getting through the final drive despite the injury) "You know, he toughed it out. I didn't even know until we got in the locker room. I saw him limping, but I didn't think it was something serious. Joe's a great guy. He stuck in there and played throughout the whole game, which I tip my hat to him."
S Kendrick Lewis
(on the crazy endings this season) "Every time, it seems to come down to the end, and we figured out a way to win."
(on the Ravens' ability to create turnovers today) "We challenged each other throughout this whole week and actually over the last three weeks to get to the ball. When you get to the ball, good things happen. Today, we were flying around as a defense, making plays, and when the ball came out we were there to get it. Guys were getting to the ball, fighting and scratching. We were there to get it because we had 11 guys focused on the same thing."
(on stopping Todd Gurley) "We knew that he was a big part of their offense. We know they like to give [the ball] to him 20 or 30 times a game. So, we challenged ourselves. Our D-line did a great job of containing him and boxing him in."
(on the play of the secondary) "It's all about challenging ourselves. There have been a lot of close games this season and today, things seemed to fall into place a little. Secondary, D-line, and linebackers all were working as one today, and it felt good."
ILB C.J. Mosley
(on the crazy endings this season) "Yeah, it's been crazy all year. But you have to finish at the end. And today, we created a lot of turnovers on defense and that was big for us."
(on creating turnovers today) "All year, we've been talking about going after the ball. And for whatever reason, the ball hasn't been popping our way. Today, it did, and we capitalized. It's all about effort, guys doing their job and sticking together as one."
(on the defensive effort in general) "We don't believe we are 3-7, and we don't practice like we're 3-7. We practice how we want to play. Unfortunately, a lot of the games haven't gone our way at the end, but that's on us. It doesn't affect our ability to stay together, and when that happens, you see the result on the field."
DT Brandon Williams
(on stopping Todd Gurley) "I mean, it's my job. I take it personally every time I step on the field to stop the run. And so does the rest of the front seven. It was our mission to stop the run today. We respect [Todd Gurley] as a back, he has made some big plays for them, runs well behind his line. But, today, we were ready for him. Our defense did a great job."
(on whether stopping Todd Gurley was a number-one priority) "Definitely. We know that any time he touches the ball, he has the ability to make a big play. Today, it was all hands on deck. We had to run to the ball. That's the way we practiced, and that's what we needed to execute."
(on his reaction to hearing about [Joe] Flacco's and [Justin] Forsett's injuries) "It was devastating. They are two great leaders on offense. I'm definitely going to pray for them, but, at the same time, we've got capable guys behind them. Matt Schaub is a veteran in this league. He's got a cannon for his arm and still has a lot of life left, and he's going to execute the best he can. We support him 100 percent. And you've seen what Buck Allen can do all season and especially today."
(on forcing turnovers) "Finishing, executing, and playing to the echo of the whistle. Do your one-eleventh the best that you can, and make plays. That's what it's all about. It's been hard for us to get turnovers. So, every pass we break up, I tell the defensive backs 'Get every ball you can.' The D-line, we say 'Make every play you can, strip every ball you can.'"
(on whether this was his best game of the year) "I feel I'm just doing what coach [Dean] Pees tells me to do. I'm playing my technique, believing in the overall scheme, and going out on the field and doing exactly that. I try to make sure I do in practice what I do in the game. This week, we came out and we executed."
TE Crockett Gillmore
(on his first 100-yard game) "I think I had two drops, and that's what I'm worried about. But, I think the most important thing as a team is that we have to do whatever it takes to get back in this thing. And, today, we were able to do that."
(on Joe Flacco and Justin Forsett out for the year) "We have two great backups. You saw Buck Allen running all over the field today, and Matt Schaub is going to come in and do what he's been doing for a long time."
(on his chemistry with [Matt] Schaub) "Matt and I have some chemistry. We throw every day together. We're the first two out there and the last two out there. I'm very comfortable with Matt."
(on what Joe [Flacco] was like in the huddle after the injury) "He never really winces or makes a face, and he never really shows emotion. He kind of bent down and touched his knee. We made eye contact, and I knew something was wrong, really wrong. He's a tough guy, you know there's nothing, he's a stone-cold West Texas kind of guy, old-school cowboy. Nothing's going to faze him. But I knew that if he's showing a little something, that something was wrong. Unfortunately, I played with my brother, and he tore his ACL three times. And I just knew from Joe's expression that it was something bad. So, I got that kind of gut-wrenching feeling. It is what it is."
WR Kamar Aiken
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(on his touchdown catch) "I saw the one-on-one. I just knew I had to make the play. We needed a play at the time, and a field goal wasn't going to get the job done. I just said 'I just have to win this matchup.'"
(on the mindset of being the No. 1 receiver) "I have to continue to make those plays, make them on a consistent basis and just continue to come up for the team."
(on the team's faith in K Justin Tucker) "We're always going to trust in 'Tuck' [Justin Tucker]. We understand that he has a job to do. At the same time, he's going to be hard on himself. At the same time, we're going to ride or die with him. That's our guy, and he's always going to be our guy."
(on losing playmakers) "We've just got to take it up another notch, and that's just the story of our season this year. So, we're just going to take it up another notch and see what we're made of."
G/C John Urschel
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(on no bad shotgun snaps) "That is a good feeling."
(on losing playmakers QB Joe Flacco and RB Justin Forsett) "It's one of those things where [we play the] next man up. I don't know the details of Joe [Flacco] and our running back [Justin Forsett]. We will see."
(on injuries on the offensive line) "That just starts up front with Marshal Yanda, the leadership he has. And then, our offensive line coaches Juan Castillo [and] coach [Todd] Washington, they make sure they have everyone ready, even the young guys. So, [when] someone goes down…we miss Jeremy [Zuttah]. Jeremy was an amazing center, but next man up."
(on his first-career start at center) "I felt good starting out, and I got into a groove; and I kept that groove going the rest of the game. I have to watch the film, see details of how I played, but all in all – I think there were things I can learn from – but I think it was a good first showing. No bad gun snaps; this is key."
(on winning through adversity) "Ravens are resilient. Someone will go down, but like I said before, next man up. And we've got a lot more games to play. There's a lot of season left."
(on if he knew QB Joe Flacco was playing hurt) "I knew he had something going wrong with him, and he's just a tough guy. He's a great leader, and it's tough to see that happen. But at the same time, Matt Schaub, he's a good quarterback. He has the respect of, at least, all of the offensive linemen in the locker room, and we're just going to circle around him; and we're going to move forward for the rest of the season."
(on what was said in the huddle on the game-winning drive) "We just had to get it done. 'Do your job.' That's what Marshal [Yanda] always says."
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QB Matt Schaub
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(on if his mentality changes as the starter) "My mindset is not going to change. My mindset hasn't changed. If you have to change your mindset and the way you prepare, then you're not ready, you're not going to be able to go out and function and do your job. I've felt I've gone in and … Obviously, you know you're not going to get the physical reps with the offense, but you're going to get the mental reps. You're going to still get your work in on the scout team. So, that's what I've been doing. It's just exciting for this opportunity."
(on stepping in with QB Joe Flacco injured) "I hate the circumstances that they're falling under; I hate that for Joe [Flacco]. It's the nature of this game, yes, but at the same time, you hate to see that [happen] to a player that's done it for such a long time in this business. I'm excited for this opportunity, that's what I'm here for and that's what I came here to do. You're always one play away, and we're at that point."
(on the frequency of injuries) "I think anyone can say that [we have several injuries]. You never lean towards injuries. They happen, they're part of the game and you hate when they happen. They're never a good thing, but you can't always point to injuries. They just happen."
OLB Elvis Dumervil
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(on if losing RB Justin Forsett and QB Joe Flacco dampened the excitement of a win) "It's tough, because so many people play their part. These fans, a lot of teams, this city … a win is a win. You enjoy the win. It's hard in the league to get a win. So, we don't take that for granted. With that said, when you lose one of the leaders on your team – your quarterback – it's huge. Each individual, each group, each position, [has got to] pull their weight a little harder, for sure."
(on if QB Joe Flacco's durability was taken for granted) "Yes, it is. You don't see that often, and I just feel for him. He works hard at it. He's a great guy, great teammate, and to lose him is tough. It's huge. So, it still feels a little surreal. Justin Forsett as well, I don't know how long he's out for. [They are] just significant injuries, a really big blow."
(on the injury situation) "I guess when it rains it pours. We've been dealing with it all year, from [Terrell] Suggs to Steve [Smith Sr.]. It's tough, so we've just got to … Nobody feels sorry for us. We've got to make sure we come out and prepare hard. I thought we did some good things on defense. We're going out and playing with a lot of energy – guys flying around the ball. The fans were awesome. So we'll enjoy this win tonight, but come tomorrow, we've got to get prepared for a good Cleveland Browns team."
(on the defensive performance) "We kind of told ourselves we've got a tradition here that [was put] in place by the guys who came before us, and we respect that. So, we wanted to make sure we came out against a good offensive line, good running back, and just kind of showed what we can do. But now we've got to move on to Cleveland."
(on the sack by OLB Courtney Upshaw) "I was like a proud big brother. He has been working on it since camp, and I just kept telling him, 'Just keep working on your get-offs.' Behind the scenes, I know how hard he works at it, and to see him, everything going in place … His get-off was amazing. He should have had a sack-fumble last week. So, it's cool; it's good to see that he's becoming more of a complete player. He helps me, giving me techniques with the runs. And now, to see him start to flourish in the pass rush is awesome."
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CB/RS Lardarius Webb
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(on losing RB Justin Forsett and QB Joe Flacco) "That's big news. We didn't hear about it until we broke it down at the end, and it's still trying to sink in right now. One thing I know is we've got Matt Schaub, a hell of a quarterback. He's been on some winning teams. He has been doing an awesome job at practice, getting us ready. So, we know he is going to be big time, and we've got backups. 'Buck' [Javorius] Allen, he's been running the ball well. We're going to miss [Justin] Forsett. He's a threat; he's dangerous, but we've got guys that are going to come up. Terrance West just got here. He's carrying the ball well, so we've got some backups [like] Terrence Magee. We've got some guys that can carry the ball. 'Next man up.' That's how we do it around here."
(on the injury situation) "Guys [are] dropping, calls not going our way. [It has] been a long year, but with this squad, with the guys that I have around me, they just keep fighting. If a penalty comes, if a turnover comes, the defense just gets back on the field and keeps fighting. And that's just a thing I want to be a part of – guys that just never quit."
(on the win) "It seemed like it was a long time since we won a game, but we've got to get that back to normal. We've got to get back to a norm around here, coming off the field with a 'W.' That's what we're used to. That's what we do, and it feels awesome. The guys, the young guys, got that feeling, that [winning] feeling. So, I'm guessing we want that more and more."
(on losing the starting quarterback) "This is my first time in seven years that we lose a quarterback, but like I said, we brought in Matt Schaub. And he's been doing an awesome job being a leader [as] the second quarterback. Being a starting quarterback and having to take the second role on scout team, he's been doing an awesome job with that. So, if [there is] anybody we want to come back up Joe Flacco, it would be Matt, and we know he's going to handle the job."
(on the defensive performance) "I'm just taking my hat off to Courtney Upshaw, Brandon Williams, [Elvis] Dumervil, Carl Davis, Timmy Jernigan – how these guys played up front made our job so easy today. I take my hat off to them. Give them the game ball, because they played a hell of a game."
(on forcing turnovers) "It was awesome to see that ball out and actually recovering it. Like I said, that D-line was all over it. They were causing fumbles, they were running to the ball [and] making havoc plays, and that's winning football. That's what we've been trying all year. Still, [there is] a lot of room for improvement. Defense can be a lot better, but how we finish today, that's what we're looking for. We were able to get off the field when we needed to."
K Justin Tucker
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(on if it was nice to have a chance to win the game after missing a few kicks) "Absolutely. I don't think I've ever been this upset or mad after hitting a game winner, but this is kind of unchartered territory for me – and Morgan [Cox] and Sam [Koch] – all of us together. To be able to bounce back like that though, it's definitely satisfying. I think I saw [Baltimore Sun reporter] Jon Meoli tweet that my birthday weekend was saved, so that's definitely true. But it's nice to be able to bounce back, and I've got such good guys around me. Nobody even batted an eye when I missed, even the second kick. I came to the sideline and everybody was still the same positive Ravens that I know. So, to make a long comment less long, it was nice to be able to come through at the end there."
(on if the struggles he's had from beyond 50 yards is something he can pinpoint) "Our stadium is just a tough stadium to kick in. Today, I think the wind was anywhere from 12 to 20 miles per hour at any given time. That second 51-yarder, I felt like I hit that one right on the screws, and it started off straight as an arrow and it just leaked on me; to use a golf term there. That's the frustrating part. The first ball, it just wasn't a great ball. The second one, I thought I hit it well and it just moved with the wind. That's something that I really know better. I've been doing this long enough now to know at our stadium, I've just got to hit a – we like to call it a 'Dog Pound' ball, like we're kicking into the 'Dog Pound' in Cleveland. It's a slightly different ball that you've got to hit, you just get it up over the line and make sure it goes straight. That's basically what I've got to do moving forward, regardless of the distance of the kick. The fact that I've missed a couple in our own stadium for 50-plus [yards], it's just a number to me. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the next kick. I'm just trying to make the kick that is there at that present time."
(on how bittersweet this win is after losing QB Joe Flacco at the end of the game) "It seems like we've been battling similar circumstances week-in and week-out. When you lose a guy like Steve [Smith Sr.], then you lose a guy like Joe [Flacco] for the season, and Justin [Forsett] having an injury today, too. Obviously, your heart goes out to them. You wish them a speedy recovery, but that old adage really rings true in these times: When there's a next man up, he's just got to step up. He's got to step up to the plate. And we're going to let Matt Schaub drive us to hopefully a lot more wins here."
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CB Jimmy Smith
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(on turning to backup QB Matt Schaub) "I feel like Matt Schaub is our next option [and] our best option. I think he's going to go out and perform how we want him to. I have no doubt about it. I see him in practice every day, and I'm absolutely sure he can get the job done."
(on if he has improved in practice throughout the year) "Absolutely. You've got to realize sometimes in practice, they have to throw it sometimes to certain players, and he knows already he's throwing it [into coverage]. But I feel like in a game, when he's ready to go, he's the guy now. So, I think it's going to be a lot different than him playing on scout team. Some of those throws on the scout card are circled, like he has to throw it there. *(laughter) *We know it's coming. That's what scout team is all about, really."
(on finding a way to win at the end of this one) "Any win, period, is gratifying. But to win the games that we're struggling to win in this fashion, and getting the turnover late. It was huge for us and for our defense."
