Q:  How do you feel you played yesterday, especially the second half of that game?

A:  I feel like we as a team did really well.  That was something we were focused on the whole week – finishing the second half, mainly the fourth-quarter.  I feel like we really stood up.

Q:  What do you make of that last play?  Tuck was there and you were right there also.

A:  It was something we were working on all week in practice – the tight end blocking down in the wing positions.  When both of them block down my job was just to fill, with their fullback.  I just so happened to be in a good position and threw my body out and they fell short of the touchdown.

Q:  You are involved in a play for your first win; your team’s first win.  Is there a sense when you are lying on the ground there that you have just accomplished something?

A:  Yeah, as a team we got our first win.  It felt really good.  We held off a really good team that was 2-0.  And like I said, coach was stressing the fourth-quarter.  And to come up big in the fourth quarter on inches, fourth-and-inches, it felt really, really, really, really good.

Q:  The way Coach has been giving you more and more to do, do you feel as though you even raised the bar yourself now?

A:  I always say I have high expectations for myself.  So anytime coach gives me an opportunity to step out on the field and show my ability and show why they drafted me, I try to step up to the plate.

Q:  What was said to you at halftime; how much were you going to play at halftime?

A:  Nothing towards me, but as a team – as a defense – we gave up two big plays in the first half and Coach came in, drew on the board and showed us what we did.  And the second half speaks for itself.

Q:  Did yesterday’s win and your performance give you a feeling that you belong, that you fit in?

A:  I felt really well.  Coach gave me an opportunity to play a whole bunch, starting from the second quarter.  So I felt really comfortable in there with the ones.  I felt really good out there.

Q:  Does that surprise you?  You were moved to the starting lineup, basically, after a quarter or so.

A:  Yeah, it really surprised me.  I was focused on the nickel but Coach always told me, “You never know, you could be one play away from being a starter.”  And I took that to heart and got out there and got in with the ones and tried to help the team as much as I could.

Q:  Do you anticipate starting this Sunday?

A:  I don’t know.  That’s Coach’s decision.

Q:  As a defense, do you say, “Okay, we know what we are doing now?”

A:  I feel like we are on track.  We are doing more studying as a team outside of coaches bringing us in and watching film.  So I feel like that helped us tremendously this game.  I felt really comfortable out there, speaking for myself.  I got with AP (Antonio Pierce), Sam (Madison), of course, R.W. (McQuarters) and got with most of the vets and learned how to study film.  And I felt really comfortable out there at the corner and at the nickel position.

Q:  What did they tell you about studying film?

A:  With me being a nickel I know I have to know exactly what the slot guy is doing because that is what I will be on the most of the game.  So just learning how to study him and breaking down individual things instead of trying to watch the whole film – just breaking down what I need to do and then move on from there.

Q:  In the last few minutes are you guys thinking it is slipping away you?  What are you guys talking about?

A:  No, not at all.  I feel like we stood up as a D.  In Game One and Two when the offense turned the ball over we saw – as a defense – we went out there slow, I guess feeling sorry for ourselves.  But this game you can tell everybody ran out there happy to be on the field, even if it was a turnover close to our goal line --  their goal line. We were happy to be out there and get a stop and get the ball back to their offense.  So I feel like that was the biggest change.

Q:  What caused the change?

A:  I guess it is being happy.  After the practices we were happy --  having fun in practice; everybody smiling; having a good time out there.  And I feel like that was the biggest change.

Q:  Happy?

A:  We don’t want to give up.  There are a lot of people on the defense that came from a prideful school.  So the thought of losing hurts.  So we just got together as a defense and told ourselves we didn’t want to lose any more.

Q:  You said that you guys had studied a lot of extra film.  Did Spags also kind of meet you guys at all in the middle somewhere to help make you guys feel more comfortable as well?

A:  Oh yeah.  Coach Spags is a great coach – the whole defensive staff – they do a really good job in coaching us up and getting us prepared for the game.  So with his team and then AP and all of the vets getting together, I feel like that helped us a whole bunch with this game.

Q:  But were things more simplified in any way?

A:  No, it was the same package but we just executed it more…..?

Q:  Do you feel like a starter now?

A:  No, I feel like my job is still the same – the nickel position.  I don’t know what is going to happen.  That is all up to Coach.

Q:  At what point did you go into the starting lineup – the start of the third quarter?

A:  I think it was the second, if I’m not mistaken.