Head Coach John Harbaugh
JOHN HARBAUGH: Appreciate you all being here. Appreciate the opportunity to go out there and compete and I'm proud of our guys for the way they fight. Disappointed in a lot of things that weren't good and some things that were really good. So, we've got a lot to work on and move forward with.
Q: What did you see with your running game today?
JOHN HARBAUGH: It was not very good, not very good.
Q: How do you weigh the situation the way (QB) Jameis (Winston) and (QB) J.J. (McCarthy) played? In terms of your evaluation, how much does that matter?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Well, how they played is kind of the main thing.
Q: What did you see from (QB) J.J. (McCarthy) when you put him in there?
JOHN HARBAUGH: I thought he came in there and did a heck of a job given the circumstances, you know, and kind of desperation time. It's different than normal football, but made some plays and got us back, gives us a chance to win the game and we're throwing the ball in the endzone at the end so that was good. You've got to compliment him on that.
Q: Is he your starter going forward?
JOHN HARBAUGH: I can't answer that now. The game just ended ten minutes ago.
Q: Would you consider that an open conversation?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Like I said, I can't answer it now. It's not even up for discussion or conversation right now. We've got to go back and go to work. I have no problem with Jameis whatsoever. I love the way he competes, I love the way he fights, all those kind of things. He was up and down today for sure, but those things will all be decided not ten minutes after a game.
Q: You got it to 10. Did you consider going for the field goal a quicker there?
JOHN HARBAUGH: We went for the field goal as fast as we could, as fast as we could. As soon as we could with a reasonable chance to make it.
Q: Before the eight yard loss there, before the sack?
JOHN HARBAUGH: No, we had a chance there to hit a couple of shots and maybe score a touchdown. So at that point, we were trying to get it done by 2:13. That's the time management there. We weren't able to quite get it done by 2:13 with the clock and all that. We still had a good chance, we had an opportunity. But in the ideal world, you'll get it done by 2:13, that's what we're shooting for.
Q: What about the kickoff, should the kickoff…
JOHN HARBAUGH: You want to kick it out of the back of the end zone, that's the goal. That's what we were hoping to do.
Q: That was the call? Why not just send it out of bounds?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Because we could send it out of bounds, but it's five more yards. We thought he could get it out of the back of the end zone.
Q: What's the thinking with not taking a chance? I know you want it before the two-minute warning, but you're also giving up a chance to get a first down or potentially a touchdown. Before the two minute warning, you spiked the ball on third down. Why not run a play there to try to get a first down, try to get a touchdown?
JOHN HARBAUGH: It's really hard to get that play communicated and run quickly. I mean, if you can get a warp play, we call them, if you can get it up there and close to what it takes to clock it, it's good to do, but that's really hard to do. And get that operating, get everybody lined up and get the play run, especially when they're gassed and they're running around and get it organized. I mean, I would love to be able to do that. But to get that executed, it could have been chaos, it could have been disaster. We could have run a bunch of time off there, so we weren't ready to do that.
Q: Why prioritize getting the two-minute warning over then trying to score there? What's the thinking there? Two-minute warning- You could just let it go to two minutes and then you have third down, run a play to try to score a touchdown.
JOHN HARBAUGH: We're trying to get two scores and the two-minute warning is valuable if we can get it done. We want that two-minute warning to count for us. That's what we're trying to get done. That's the goal. So, I think that's good common sense clock management. We did the best we could with it.
Q: How much did the fumble at the end of the first half with (KOR Charlie) Jones change everything? You seemed to be in control the entire half…
JOHN HARBAUGH: It was big, big. I mean, the whole sequence there was big. I mean, we let him back in the game. And then we come back out and we don't stop him after half. That was 17 points. That started it. So, there's so many things in this game that the guys, I appreciate and I feel like we have what it takes to win a lot of football games. And man, these guys are going to fight and they're going to compete. And there's a lot of good things we can do. But we got so many stretches where we're not playing good football. There's so many stretches that are not winning football. We're not stopping the run like we need to at all. We're not keeping the quarterback where he needs to be at all. Way too many quarterback scrambles. We had a couple of things in coverage that weren't good. So defensively, we've got to play way better. And our guys know it. Way more consistently. Offensively, we're not executing well. We're not hitting basic plays like we need to. We're not running the ball well enough at all, to the other question. I mean, not even close to good enough. So, you know, what's our record now, 3-2-1? We're 3-2-1, we've got a huge game in front of us against a very tough Houston team that's getting healthy. And we need to go down there and play our best football. That's what we've got to do. And we have a chance. We have a chance to become a really good football team here. And that's what we're going to be fighting to try to do.
Q: When you look at (QB J.J.) McCarthy's mobility and athleticism, how much is that an asset to the team? And how much is that a reason why you acquired him in the first place?
JOHN HARBAUGH: I think it's a big asset for him. Absolutely. He's a very mobile quarterback. Absolutely. That's a plus for him. Sure. Big part of his skill set.
Q: I know you say it's not up for discussion, but when do you, is it tonight? Or tomorrow? When do you start thinking about whether you do make a change in what you do at quarterback? When does that process start for you?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Starts right now.
Q: When did you make the decision to bench (RB) Cam Skattebo as far as the running game goes?
JOHN HARBAUGH: We didn't bench Cam Skattebo.
Q: As far as not giving him carries?
JOHN HARBAUGH: No, it was not by design. All those guys were taking equal reps in the first half. We were trying to see who could make something happen, who could get a hot hand and earn it. Nobody has really taken the bull by the horns. Motor (RB Devin Singletary) really hasn't had a chance to take the bull by the horns. So, we thought we'd get him in the mix, too. So, we put four guys up and see if we can get something going with the running game. That was the idea. They were all pretty equal, I think, in the first half. Second half, we come out and now we're down by a bunch. And after the first series, we go into kind of a no huddle type deal. And that's where you start using your third down guys. And that's just the way it went. So it wasn't by design for him not to carry the ball. Just when he was in there, we didn't call any runs. So, you're not thinking about which back is in the game and how many runs they're getting. It's we're going to give them all an equal shot, give them a chance. See who's got a hot hand maybe, see who can get going with it. And we're not planning on being down by 24. That's for sure. Whatever we were down by.
Q: But clearly, his playing time was decreased. He ended up having six snaps.
JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, that's why I said, because you're balancing between four guys. Do the math. How many plays were there? And that was our plan. Now you can argue that. You can say, well, I don't like that. I don't like you divvying up the snaps between four backs. And I can tell you, I don't like it either. One of those guys needs to step up. Somebody needs to step up and be the back. And none of those guys have done that yet. And when one of those guys steps up to be the back, then they'll be the back. That's your answer. And that's as honest as I can be about it. And they know that, too. And believe me, they're all hungry. They want to step up. One of those guys wants to step up. Somebody's going to step up and take that job. We're going to see who it is.
Q: How much of that was a byproduct of the fumbling? Were you talking about just the overall?
JOHN HARBAUGH: I think it's been pretty clear, the whole story. I mean, there's really no more. I don't even know what else to say. I mean, that's like that's the best answer you could ever get on that in a thousand years. There's not a coach in the world that would give you a better answer than that. If you're not thrilled with that answer, I got nothing else for you, honestly.
Q: What were you going to do if you scored at the end?
JOHN HARBAUGH: We're going to go for two.
Q: What did you think of the deep pass to (wide receiver) Charlie Jones?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Thought it was awesome. I thought it was a great play. Thanks for asking a really great question. Appreciate that. Yeah, see him go up and make that play. And (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) went up and made the play he made. (Tight end) Isaiah (Likely) made a play downfield. Just a great play. It was all very awesome. Very good to see.
Q: Can you think of any positives from this game with how hard they fought back?
JOHN HARBAUGH: Absolutely.
Q: What are the main positives there?
JOHN HARBAUGH: I think all those things, all those plays that were made and the way they fought back. I mean, it's self-evident. I don't really have to sit here and describe it. You guys watched the game. You guys are writers. Write about it, describe it in a really cool way. Do what you do. Be great writers and describe it in some awesome way or some whatever you think way.
Q: At the end of the game, were the J.J. plays designed for the J.J. package? And how much of that was him running the actual offense?
JOHN HARBAUGH: It was mostly running the actual offense for that circumstance, the no huddle offense.
Quarterback Jameis Winston
Q: Can you talk about what happened? You guys are up 10-0 and all of a sudden, things just fell
apart there at the end of the second quarter.
A: It's play to play. It's always about winning the next play, and I, myself personally, just left a lot of plays out there that I could have executed better on.
Q: For the second week in a row, you and Darnell Mooney seemed to have some conversations in terms of passes he was able to bring, were they thrown in the right place, certain things. Can you just talk about what you and Darnell are still trying to work through?
A: Yeah, I think consistent communication, collaboration, leads to success. So us continuing to work our craft and build a better connection.
Q: Did you know when you were going to come out of the game for J.J. to come in? Was there a lot of conversation about that?
A: Yes, my quarterback coach had shared that with me before J.J. went in, and he did a great job.
Q: What you saw out of J.J., I'm sure you guys wereocommiserating in the sidelines a little bit there.
A: What I saw out of him? Man, he was able to rally us up, and he did a great job. I was proud of him, proud of what he did.
Q: How much back and forth, I mean, there's probably not a lot of time, but how much did you talk to him in between periods before when he was on the field?
A: We're always communicating based on the play and the drive. So it's pretty consistent.
Q: You guys seemed pretty in control until the fumble on the kick return Did something change? Were there major halftime adjustments that made it more difficult to move the ball in the second, or what changed for you?
A: The most important thing is the execution. And myself personally, we can't be moving backwards, and I have to do a better job of making sure that we are operating at an elite level.
Q: What are you seeing in the running game? You guys, again, weren't able to really unlock it the way that you were trying to.
A: Yeah, I think it's complementary. Obviously, I love pounding the ball, and it starts with the trenches, but we're going to continue to work that, and we're going to continue to find a way. It doesn't matter what we have. As a quarterback, I have to step up in any facet that's required for our team.
Q: John Harbaugh said he was going to, I guess, start to think about the decision about who's going to play next week. What do you want him to think about when he thinks about you and your potential to be the starting quarterback for this team next week?
A: That's him. You know, that's the decision that he'll have to make. What I would love is to just put myself in a better position to execute. And that just starts with me. Things that I can control, going out there every single play, doing my very best.
Q: What positives can you take from today's performance?
A: I think you continue to see a resilient football team, never losing faith, never wavering. So, I'm just glad that our guys, they continue to rally together and continue to find a way to create a spark and stay in the game.
Q: I know players and coaches, they always want to watch the tape afterwards to really dissect things. Are there certain plays that you're looking forward to looking at on tape to really understand what didn't go right versus what did go right?
A: Yeah, I believe just all in all, it's a play-to-play game. And being able to focus on executing with elite operation is the most important thing in front of the quarterback position. And the decisions are over the outcomes. And when I look back at that game, there were some plays that I left out there that could have helped us.
Q: Do you miss Skattebo in the game? Do you feel like he could have made a difference?
A: Anytime we have our good players, everyone makes a difference in their own way. I'm glad that we all get to continue to stay hungry and continue to be motivated for more.
Q: The first interception, was that a play that you intended to throw to the sideline or was it just Malik cut it short? Just from your take, your initial take, what happened there?
A: I think sometimes we went into turbo. So, man, we were just in a position where the DB made a good play. It was a ball that was outside where I perceived that only our guy could get it, but it just seemed that the DB had made a good play on it.
Q: Jameis, you said you would love to put yourself in a better position to execute. In what specific ways do you think you can go about that?
A: Just play-to-play, just elite operation, elite execution. Making sure that we're staying positive on the chains on first and second down.
Q: You said the quarterback coach did a good job of kind of walking you through J.J. coming in. What did he say to you?
A: That J.J. was going in.
Q: Is that what you want in that situation? Just a straightforward decision, or do you want a conversation about it?
A: I would love to play, but the decision was made.
Q: As well as J.J. played in the fourth quarter, almost bringing you guys back, how difficult do you think he made that decision for John to have to make when he sits down and figures it out tonight?
A: I'm just happy he played well. At the end of the day, it's about winning. As long as we're winning, I think all of us are going to be happy with that. I can only focus on how I can improve and get better. Today, it wasn't good enough for our team to get a win. I'm looking more internally than outwardly. I think J.J. did a good job.
Q: There was no rain today. Did that affect you?
A: It was a beautiful day. It was definitely a beautiful day to play some football. It's unfortunate that we didn't get a win for our home team.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy
Q: J.J., at what point did you know you were coming into the game, and what was the mentality and the plan that you were going to try to execute once you got in?
A: I believe it was like 10, 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the mentality stayed the same every time I step on the field. Do my job in those six seconds, and do it to the best of my ability, and anything I can to help the team move the ball.
Q: What were you pleased about in your short stint here in the fourth?
A: I'm not pleased when you lose. At the end of the day, no matter what happens, we try to get that 1-0 win each and every week, and I've got to look back at the tape and find ways to get better. I was just really proud of the guys around me, just responding and always keeping that belief that we can go win this thing. That's going to be huge going down the stretch, and I'm just really proud of the guys around me. I felt like I was protected every single play I was in there. Offensive line played great, receivers caught the balls, running backs did their thing when they needed to, and it was just a really awesome group to be a part of.
Q: The coaches have talked about how they wanted to give you small packages, but also give you the whole playbook in some chunks as well. So, what of the preparation you've had in the few weeks you've been here helped you in today's game?
A: I think just the over-preparation, just making sure that each and every week, even when I got here when we were playing Arizona, I went into the game with the mindset that I could play the whole game. So, just being able to really put myself in that position Monday through Saturday is something that helped me out today.
Q: What did you think of the resiliency of this team, being able to fight and come back and almost pull something off? Because I've got to ask you about that final drive.
A: Yeah, I'm extremely impressed. This team, since I got in the door, you could tell there was something special about them. The way Coach Harbaugh just instills this kind of confidence, belief, but it's through the work and the preparation and it's not just talk. Just being able to be a part of this group is extremely special. They were going to keep having to build that resilience along the way. Just earlier in the year with (Brian) Burns and Jax (Jaxson Dart) going down, that's huge. But seeing how they responded, it's a really special group.
