Defensive End Khalil Mack
Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio
Opening Statement:"Is there such thing as a 'Fast Sunday?' What do you call it a 'Quick Sunday?' Obviously, with the extremely short week, the first thing we want to do is enjoy the win. Great to get win No. 10. Want to keep stacking up wins as best we can. They were a good football team that we played. They gave us all we could handle early. Even early in the third quarter. Then I felt like all three phases kind of clicked and started coming together. We pulled away and took control of the game. Really good team effort. I think everybody contributed. We've been really good about staying the course and staying in the fight and finding a way. Today was another example of that. Really proud of our guys and we encouraged them to enjoy this one quick and then come in ready to work tomorrow, getting prepared for the trip to Kansas City."
Q: What defensive adjustments did you make?
Coach Del Rio:"There were a couple of things schematically, but I think most importantly we just settled in and started making plays. Started doing our job. Once we started doing that, I think you saw what we're capable of as a football team when all three phases come together."
**Q: Did you have to talk to the team when it was 24-9?
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Coach Del Rio:"No. We're always engaged with our guys. It wasn't anything dramatic that occurred at one point or another. It was us staying the course."
Q: Can you talk about the confidence of the team when their back is against the wall?
Coach Del Rio:"We're going to give each other 60 minutes worth or more if it need be. We're committed to that for each other. Every player in that room, every coach in that room. That's what we're going to give. We're going to give great effort. Go out there and play a full game and know that we believe as along as we can stay together and give that kind of effort, we can have happy endings and have a big smile. Of course that's what we're all about, finding a way to win, somehow, some way and then have a big smile when we go home.
Q: What was more impressive, scoring 29 points or not allowing any during the comeback?
Coach Del Rio:"I like both. I like getting the 29 and I like giving the 0. Fortunately they add up, they work together. We're able to pull ahead while we're not letting them score and while we are scoring ourselves. Really good for us."
Q: How much did it effect the game when LeSean McCoy was gone for a series?
Coach Del Rio:"He was probably just catching his breathe. He was running like crazy. I mean that guy is a heck of a running back. He's one of the best in the business. I told him that afterwards. I said, 'Man, you are one heck of a running back. I have a lot of respect for you.' He's a good player. He made life difficult for us, but we settled in and got the stops we needed and got a nice victory."
Q: Is the key to defending McCoy having a second defender on him?
Coach Del Rio:"Have more than one guy there? Yeah, that's a good idea. It's tough to tackle him by [yourself]. Reminds me a little bit of a guy I played against name Barry Sanders. Just because he makes so many people miss. He has that ability to kind of hover a little bit and then accelerate. Not a lot of guys can do that."
Q: Is Derek Carr just a better quarterback in the third and fourth quarter?
Coach Del Rio:"I think he's pretty good in the first, second, third, fourth. I think he's a pretty good player. We feel like we have a good team and we just continue doing the things that we need to do to make the plays and win the game."
Q: Did Carr hurt his left hand in the game?
Coach Del Rio:"I think he was OK. Maybe after one of those runs we just wanted to make sure everything was OK, but I think he's fine."
Q: Do you just laugh of Marquette King's penalty?
Coach Del Rio:"Obviously, it's definitely a teachable moment. He's not mean spirit in what he's doing. He's having fun. He enjoys himself. He had the Pee Wee Herman out there today. I saw that. I got a giggle. He's enjoying himself. Now, right there, he just didn't realize you can't do that. He was like, 'Really? I couldn't do that? Oh man. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Mr. Ref.' It really was innocent and obviously, we'll make sure we don't leave any stone unturned when it comes to teaching to make sure we understand what we need to do there. That should never happen again."
**Q: Are you always anticipating a strip sack from Khalil Mack at the end of games now?
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Coach Del Rio:"Khalil Mack is really making his mark on these ball games. That interception that he caused. He just keeps showing huge and that's what great players do. He's a great player."
Q: Is the next game against Kansas City just another game or is it something that you need to prove to yourself?
Coach Del Rio:"It's Chiefs week, man. What do you mean another game? (laughing) I took a Denver team and went in there and beat them twice. They were 9-0 and we went in there and beat them twice. For us, they won the first one here. We look forward to going in there and competing. It's a good football team, and we are too. We look forward to it."
Q: Was the matchup on Amari Cooper's touchdown one you look for?
Coach Del Rio:"The one over in the right side, I think they were all out on that one. We felt like we saw that look and we'd have an opportunity to hurt them. That was one that we connected on."
Q: Did you address the Oakland fire with the team?
Coach Del Rio:"I'm sure we all saw what happened. I did not address it with the team specifically. Obviously, our prayers go out to the families and friends that are involved. It's a tragedy. Obviously, we're very proud of this area and the people in this area and several people in this area had their lives taken away and that's really, really sad; really unfortunate. Our prayers go out to all those people."
Raiders QB Derek Carr
Q: How much did you feed off the defense today?
Carr: "We feed of each other, that's for sure. You can always tell when someone makes a play, the stadium gets going, the momentum starts swinging. It's a great thing. I say it all the time, but I'm glad they took him [Khalil Mack] first. I'm glad he's on my team. I'm glad we can help lead this team together, it's really fun."
Q: Did it feel like two different games today?
Carr: "Obviously, yeah. If you look at it that way, yeah. In our heads, on offense we were shooting ourselves in the foot. We feel like we can move the ball, make a lot of plays, and I think that's just the confidence and belief we have in each other. We expect to go out there and score points, obviously just like everyone in the NFL. When things were going bad, we just stay the course. Because if we make the plays we're supposed to make, we can score a lot of points."
**Q: Did the pace throughout the third quarter help you guys out?
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Carr: "Yeah, definitely I think that helped us. That always takes me back to my college days, if we were up on the ball, but then 5 seconds of it being spotted every time. Just pressure coming in that way. It's just another tool in our toolbox that we have, that we can use. It's so cool that we can use that as a weapon, whether we need it or don't need it. There have been games where we haven't used it once, but sometimes if we need to go to it, it's nice to have."
Q: What's the feeling for the team when the momentum is building?
Carr: "We have a good group. We have a lot of talk that goes on. A lot of communication goes on in the huddle, which is awesome. I love to communicate; I love to talk about what's going on the situation. When the momentum is starting to build, I try to get everyone to take a deep breath. Everyone's excited because Khalil made another splash play or something like that, but we all take a deep breathe and let's make sure we're signed and sound. Let's make sure we don't forget the little details with our mind being on the big play that just happened."
Q: How does it feel to have 10 wins?
Carr: "It feels good, obviously. To get the 10th win, never done that. I've never won more than 7, so it definitely feels a lot better. We know that in our division, we have to keep winning with Kansas City, Denver, and San Diego. Everybody is so good. We're not focused on what game it is or how many wins we have, we're focused on Kansas City, who's next. We obviously know the tough test that is, but we have to compete and get a win there."
*Q: Going into the half, you have 30 seconds left, and went down to get the FG. Was there a time in your career where you would have sat on the ball with 30 seconds left in the half? *
Carr: "You know, I don't know. I think that was a big deal for us. It's nice to have the polish cannon [Jankowski] on our side. We know that if we get it past the 50, we always have a shot. He always tells me that. Coop [Cooper] did a good job making a good play. Crab [Crabtree] made a nice one. I felt bad because I had to get him hit, but we kind of needed the yards. He made a good play. Latavius [Murray] had those two runs after the little check down. Those are big plays to get down there. I don't know the past, but I just know that Coach Del Rio has faith in us. Usually, you look at the clock and you see a lot of people take a knee in that situation. I'm just thankful that backed up to where we were, he just said go, let's go get some points. It just builds confidence and belief in the team and the players."
Q: What adjustments did you make during the 2nd half?
Carr: "We had to stop getting dumb penalties. It goes back to basics for us when things aren't clicking. Hey Man, Derek make sure you're accurate. Tay, hit the runs. O-line, make sure we're assigned and sound. Receivers, make sure you run the routes at the right depth and things like that. That's where we go, back to basics. We can make plays, we're doing everything fine but maybe it's another focus. Let's shift our thoughts on what we really need to do. I don't know what it is for each guy, but everyone has their little thing. Hey, let's re-focus and make sure we go out there and do what we're capable of doing."
Q: Do you think you're a different quarterback compared to the 1st and 2nd half?
Carr: "Oh no, I'm the same guy all the time. I don't want to be put into two separate things. I just try to do the same thing and do it all the time. We can watch the film and see we were really close to having 21 points in the first half. We're not having that conversation, so I wouldn't look too much into it."
Q: Do you see the championship coming through Oakland?
Carr: "Yeah, no - you already know. I see your smile. It's an exciting time, I can't lie about it. It's an exciting time in Oakland, for our fans, it's really exciting. Look how many people are in here now. I remember my rookie year, it was like eh. It's definitely a fun time. We've come a long way as everyone here knows and has been with us. We've come a long way, we're enjoying it. We're very thankful, but at the same time we don't think it goes through us. We still have yet to do anything. We're just playing regular season football right now. Hopefully we just keep stacking up wins and put ourselves in a good position."
Q: Is it tough to keep the guys going when you're going 24-9?
Carr: "It's easy because we have such a good group. I could see if we didn't have a good group, it would be like pulling teeth. Everyone on our side of the ball believes we can go score points because we've done it against some of the best teams this league has ever seen. We always have that belief and faith in one another. If we just do our job, it's only a matter of time before someone makes that play or we hit that big play or big run. I think that a lot of the credit goes to the character of the guys in our room. That starts with Reggie [McKenzie], Coach Del Rio bringing in guys who have that same mindset.
Q: Do you keep your fingers taped together all the time?
Carr: "If I feel like it."
Q: Does it hurt if they're not taped together?
Carr: "No pain, no pain. It's great. I'm off the injury report so I really don't know what you're talking about. It's more of a fashion statement."
Q: Did your finger affect anything you did today?
Carr:"It really didn't. If I missed a throw it was just because of me to be honest. They took me off the injury report for a reason. It was not affecting me at all. Just leaving it taped for precautionary, just to be safe."
Q: Who was your favorite comeback quarterback to watch as a kid?
Carr:"You guys know I love Brett Favre. I loved watching Brett Favre play. It's really just the excitement he played with and I just try too…When I leave this game someday, no one will ever say he didn't play with passion. That's something that I always got when I watch Brett Favre play. He played passionately. He loved his teammates. That's something that hopefully they'll say about me when I'm done."
Q: How important is your faith and family?
Carr:"Absolutely, it's the most important thing to me. It kept me grounded. It kept me focused when we weren't very good at football. Honestly. I've seen a lot of people, obviously, in my three years here. They go through a lot of ups and a lot of downs and they have no foundation. I'm just thankful that I have a foundation that I can always rely on. I'm never ashamed of that. I'm very thankful for it. That's why I'm here today, it really is. That's the only reason. Yeah, and my brother obviously helped me with the mental side of the game. The No. 1 thing that he always told me is you have to protect yourself for obvious reasons. Sometimes he didn't really have a choice. That's the No. 1 thing. He always taught me how to pick up blitzes and understand that stuff."
Q: What's your mindset and the team's mindset when they drop balls?
Carr:"It's just one of those things like, 'Dang.' It's just like when I miss a throw. It's like, 'Man, that was a huge opportunity.' The cool thing about our team is no one is ever pointing fingers. No one is ever like, 'You should've made that play,' or anything like that. You guys know. I think there was a time this year where maybe Seth dropped on and he ended up catching the game winner right after that. There's no doubt in my decision making, meaning there's no doubt that I'm going to come back to them. There's no doubt in my mind. No hesitation that I'm going to keep trying to feed him the ball. I think that like I said before, we have a great group of guys that have been brought in here that they understand the game. They understand everyone messes up, and they understand that we still rely on each other and we have each other's back."
Q: Can you talk about your brother's team winning the championship?
Carr:"Yeah, Bakersfield Christian. Go Eagles. Bakersfield Christian Eagles. They won their Valley Championship. IO remember winning mine back in the [inaudible]. I'm really proud of them. I'm really proud of them and I'm thankful that they keep me in the loop. They keep me in the loop and they have me in the program as the hype man. I'm thankful to be on that coaching staff as well. Hopefully, they send me a ring thought. That's the main thing. They're going on, man. Hopefully they win state, too."
Q: If you had a MVP vote, who are you voting for? You or Khalil Mack?
Carr:"You know I'm voting for Khalil. I never vote for myself for anything. I'm voting for Khalil, there's no doubt about it."
Q: Do you feel like this team is in the zone?
Carr:"I remember playing basketball. When you'd shoot a shot and you'd feel like, 'Man, I can't miss. The basket is three feet wide right now.' All of that came down to all the hours you put in the gym. All the hours I sat there with my dad rebounding, throwing me passes, jump shot after jump shot. That's the same thing with our team. We've put so much time in. There's so many guys on this team that when team meeting says 8:00, there's guys meeting on their own together at 7:00. There's guys meeting on their own at 6:00. That is why you can go out there and be confident even when it's not going well. To be honest, I don't think there's anything that's just magical that you're just in the zone and it's working. I really do believe that hard works pays off. That's what got me here and that's what I'm going to continue to believe."
Q: Did tonight feel like what the Warriors do with a 29-0 run?
Carr:"I'd say it feels like what the Lakers do. That's a jab at Steph [Curry] for wearing a Panthers jersey at our stadium (laughing). I'm just kidding. He's a great dude. They go on those runs, man, that's kind of what it felt like when you're scoring points and the defense is making stops. Lucky for me, I only have to do it on one end. They have to do it on both. It felt good, man. It did have that feel to it, like a basketball game. I'm just thankful we won."
**RAIDERS WR MICHAEL CRABTREE
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Q: After the penalty that you got, it seemed like you were on a mission.
Michael Crabtree: "After the penalty? He got in my face. The refs are doing a good job. I'm just playing ball."
Q: It looked like you were on a mission from that point forward.
Crabtree:"Yeah, by any means. We say that all the time. I think that's going to be our quote from now on, by any means. I don't care if it's ugly, pretty. By any means we're going to make it happen, end up with the 'W'."
Q: How big is this game coming up for you guys going to Kansas City?
Crabtree:"It's really big. It's really big for the conference. We need this one. Everybody is on the same page. We're going to go out here and play ball."
Q: Do you guys feel, no matter how far behind you get, you have the ability to come back late in games?
Crabtree:"I don't think that's the thought process. I think it's 'whatever we need to do to win'. We don't really dwell too much on the score like 'we're down 15, we need this'. We don't panic, we don't sweat. We go out there and play ball."
Q: Where did you see the momentum in the game change?
Crabtree:"Where did I feel it, where did you see it?"
Q: Was it when the defense went three-and-out?
Crabtree:"Everybody, the team, played a big part in this win. Everybody did their job. We hounded it right and came out with the 'W'."
Q: How impressive was it to see Derek [Carr] play like every snap under out of the shotgun? It's unusual look for him to do and he was able to move the ball."
Crabtree:"Like I said, by any means. We need to get him to center, the snap, however we have to do it."
Q: We've heard the chants of 'MVP' when Derek's on the field. Now we're starting to hear them when Khalil [Mack] is on the field. If you had a vote, would you pick one or the other?
Crabtree: "I'd double-vote."
Raiders G Kelechi Osemele
Q: You are the guy in this locker room that has been through this in terms of getting to a Super Bowl. When you look at what this team has and what is laid out for you, what do you thing?
Osemele:"I'm very confident. I see a lot of confidence in this team. We see a quarterback playing better and better each week and being consistent. Derek [Carr] is such a young guy so it is incredible to see. As an offensive line, it is fun to see and do our job of protecting him. We need to take it week by week and keep on stepping up."
**Q: Can you talk about how big of a playmaker Khalil Mack is?
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Osemele:"Our defense is doing a phenomenal job of closing out games and putting pressure on the quarterback. Giving us opportunities and being clutch in those situations. Khalil is such a tough, clutch player and he's getting better and better with these experiences. We got to keep on improving."
Q: What was the mood like losing 24-9?
Osemele:"There was more of a sense of urgency. We just tried to get points on this drive and get down the field. We had to make sure we do our role in protecting the quarterback. Guys are getting open too, so there was still a lot of confidence from the guys. It is a really good sign for us as a young team."
Q: What did it feel like to score 29 straight points?
Osemele:"It kind of felt like everything was smooth and working out. Like I said, confidence keeps building in this team."
RAIDERS RB LATAVIUS MURRAY
Q: I was joking with TJ Carrie that it was like you guys were served double espressos at the end of the game to just turn it on and light it up like that.
Murray:"We definitely didn't play the way we were capable of in the first half. We found a way at the end. We turned it on, started making plays. It was a completely different half for us on offense."
Q: What is it about this offense that allows you guys to, when your back is against the wall, flip the switch and turn it on?
Murray:"I don't know. I say it time and time again, I think the fact that we've been in that situation just helps. Any time you get repetition at certain situations it just helps. You're comfortable in those situations. You know what you have do, and you are able to go out there and get it done, each man, each individual guy doing his job."
**Q: Touchdowns, you're up to 11 after today. I think I saw you're the first running back since Marcus Allen in 1990 with double-digit touchdowns for this team. What does it mean for you, it's helping the team but what's it mean to you?
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Murray:"I think i8ts a testament to what the OI-line has done up front. It's a combination of the backs as a whole. Yeah I'm going in there and putting in a bunch of touchdowns, especially on the goal line but that first one I told Jalen [Richard] thank you because he's the one that set that up for me. It's been a team effort, a group effort starting with the O-line and the running backs as whole. I've just been fortunate to have the opportunity to finish off those runs."
Q: Usually it's a play, a score, some game changing type of moment. Can you put a finger on what it was today?
Murray:"Once they went up two scores on us, it's like we have to go out there and do what we have to do. I really think that was the turning point there, we're down two scores. We had to do something on offense. We started making plays on defense, started getting stops so we can get the ball back and start putting the ball in the end zone again."
Q: What can you say about the job that the defense did once you got that first score to keep turning them away and get you the ball back?
Murray:"The offense wasn't'[t clicking at all but the defense did a great job once we got going to keep us in the game so we could go ahead and finish off the game in a big way."
Q: Big win for you guys but where do you guys go from here with a short week ahead going to Kansas City?
Murray:"Like you said, we have to get back to work. No time for celebrating much, Thursday night game, division rival. This is what we want. I'm excited and every guy on this team is excited for this opportunity. It's time to get back to work."
Q: 10 wins, you can smile.
Murray:"I'm smiling. I'm happy, trust me. But this is another big one for us. We still have some work to do. They stand in the way of that. They really do. I'll smile when we get our goal at the end of the season."
Q: It had been a few weeks since you guys had any runs of 10 yards or more. You guys were able to break a few runs today. What made you guys able to break out a few?
Murray:"Game plan. The O-line, it starts with them up front. Us just trusting them to get us to the second level, then making guys miss and finishing the runs."
Q: Is there any better closer in the game than Khalil Mack?
Murray:"No, not at all. It's the second week straight. The guy does what he does. We see it week in and week out. He's the best."
**Raiders WR Amari Cooper
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Q: What did you see about the matchups that you liked on the touchdown catch?
Cooper:"I knew the defender was right where I wanted him to be. Just like how we practiced the route and we got the play."
Q: What are the challenges of facing a tough Kansas City team on the road, and on a short week?
Cooper:"I mean, to me it isn't a new challenge. It is the same deal for Kansas City playing us on a short week, so we are on an even playing field."
Q: Kansas City beat Atlanta Falcons earlier today. What gives this team belief that you are ready for the challenge on Thursday night?
Cooper:"I personally look at it like another week. Take care of your body, study the film, practice hard and know them and what they like to do."
Q: Can you describe Derek Carr's performance and success this season?
Cooper:"I come early, and I see him being here too. I see Derek [Carr] sitting there with a notebook of plays and looking over everything that we are going to call during the game. Make sure he knows what each receiver has, so that is why I'm not surprised by his success."
Q: Is it almost like when you are in college and cramming for an exam?
Cooper:"I wouldn't call it cramming because he is diligent throughout the week as well. I think it is a moment of going over it one last time."
Raiders CB David Amerson
Q: How did you guys kick it into gear in the third quarter there?
Amerson:"We knew our offense was going to get going and that they could put up points in bunches. As a defense, we knew we had to get on our horse. We couldn't keep letting them go down like we did in the first half in the second half. We knew we couldn't keep letting that happen. Once we flipped that switch, we didn't look back."
Q: Those plays Khalil Mack is able to make, getting his hand on the ball to force an interception and a second week in a row with a strip sack, what is going on with this guy right now?
Amerson:"Before we went on the field, I looked at him and said, 'Go do what you do and be special.' It's almost expected that he's going to make plays. It's just a matter of when. It's nothing surprising."
Q: What were they doing that was so effective early in the running game? LeSean McCoy was putting up some yards.
Amerson:"I play on the edge, so I don't really know what's going on, how he busted up the middle like that. I know he's a great player. Every time I play against him, he's a guy that makes people miss and hard to tackle. I expected that but I can't really say."
**Raiders LB Bruce Irvin
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Q: How is it a defense that played like you did in the first half have the issues that you did in the first half then flip it, force three straight three-and-outs and do the things you did as a defense in the second half?
Bruce Irvin:"Just stay with it. We know they were a good offense. They have very capable dudes in [LeSean McCoy] and Tyrod [Taylor]. We just continued to pound, continued to go at it and got into a rhythm."
Q: When you look at the six games you guys have come back and won in the fourth quarter is it just a simple fact of sticking with what you know?
Irvin:"It's just sticking with it. It's the National Football League. No game is going to be [easy]. Our defense hats off to us, we we're giving up a lot of big plays at the beginning. We tightened it down and came together at the end. We really helped the offense seal this win."
Q: Is [Khalil Mack] an MVP candidate?
Irvin:"I would say, would you?"
Q: When you and Kelechi [Osemele] have both been through this where things are mapped out for you for the last four games, you've succeeded and won the games. You see all the ingredients in place here?
Irvin:"We just take it one game at a time. Playoffs is a whole different story. We still have Kansas City, the Broncos and a good team in the Chargers. We just have to take it one game at a time. The rest of it will take care of itself."
Q: What's the biggest difference between now and the start of the year when you guys defensively had some challenges?
Irvin: "That's just believing. No matter what the situation is, no matter what plays they get. We continue to believe in each other. We continue to fight. That's the main thing, the biggest difference between the beginning and now."
Q: Does it surprise you anymore what Khalil Mack is doing, especially at the end of games?
Irvin:"It speaks for itself. The guy is a walking Hall-of-Famer. HE's the best in the business. I'm blessed to suit up with him week-in and week-out."
Q: How do you think you turned that around, 29 unanswered points?
Irvin:"Just continue to fight. Continue to believe. 29 unanswered is hard to do in this league. Buffalo has an explosive offense. Hat's off to us and to [Derek Carr] for continuing to believe in us, continuing to battle and put points on the board."
**Raiders DE Khalil Mack
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Q: What was the key to shutting them down in the second half?
Mack:"We knew we had to get those defensive stops and stay disciplined in our game plan. We did that and we shut them down well in the half."
Q: What gives this team the belief to continue to find ways to win?
Mack:"Belief. We work hard. We work hard in practice and we continue to play hard in the games."
Q: On the strip sack, were you surprised to find the ball in your lap and can you describe the play?
Mack:"I had to reach for the ball and it was crazy. Just go."
Q: This game seemed to turn on a dime for you guys. Did it feel like that for you on the sideline?
Mack:"Man, the offense really did a great job, and the whole team did. The offense was special and rolling. 29 unanswered points is special. We knew we had to step up as a defense."
Q: How are you feeling for the Kansas City Chiefs on a short week?
Mack:"Very excited. It is a big game. A real big game."
Q: Were you able to hear some MVP chants for you?
Mack:"Was Steph Curry here? *[laughing] * Man, I just got to keep balling out there and make plays."
Q: Do you feel like you may have more power in the fourth quarter?
Mack:"Yeah, this is just a testament to the work I put into this. I feel powerful every quarter. The game moves on. We knew we wanted to contain Tyrod [Taylor] and LeSean [McCoy] but we also knew we couldn't allow him [Taylor] to have the time to find the open man down the field."
Q: How do you and Bruce Irvin feed off of each other?
Mack:"We feed off each other's energy. He pulls me up. He always tells me "We need you man, come on." So he is like my brother always pulling me up."
Raiders T Donald Penn
Q: What happened out there? What changed for you guys to score 29 unanswered?
Penn:"We just kept fighting out there. We've been doing that all year. For 60 minutes. Tampa Bay, we played more than 60 minutes. We keep fighting, and you have been seeing that all year. We don't stop fighting. No matter how far back our backs are against the wall, we keep fighting. That is the goal for the season. We keep growing each game and getting better. We need to make it easier on ourselves if we can, but hey, we growing."
Q: Was the anxiety a little high when you were trailing 24-9 earlier?
Penn:"We weren't too bottled up on offense because we knew we stopped ourselves. The Bills didn't stop us, we stopped ourselves. We had a couple penalties, a couple step-backs. We knew going into the second half that if we got the little things fixed and everybody does what they are supposed to do, we are going to get stuff rolling. And we did."
**Q: What can you about the job of the defense?
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Penn:"The defense doesn't get enough credit. Defense has been playing hard. Look at Khalil [Mack], Bruce [Irvin], all these guys. They are playing their butts off. You can talk about rankings, but it doesn't matter because we are winning. They are playing their butts off. I would take our defense over anybody any day because I know what they bring to practice. I work with them every week so I know what they are bringing."
Q: What do you think as a lineman about these plays that Mack continues to make?
Penn:"He does it to me at practice. I don't see anything differently. He has done it to me plenty of times at practice. I know what he is doing. We are going against him and Bruce everyday. I've seen it happen plenty of times before. You just see it happen now, but he has done it to me at times in practice. I mean, I've had to hold him up sometimes so he can't do that to me." [laughing]
Q: What does this win say about this team?
Penn:"We have a long way away from where we want to be. We can take each win as we go and we going to keep working hard to get where we want to be at. We going to keep taking these wins and get better, and hopefully, make things a little bit easier on us."
Q: How does double-digit wins sound to you?
Penn:"Man, I mean nobody thought about that happening. We got great fans. These fans were rocking. Great fan support and we are happy now. We got a short week and got to keep this going."
Q: How would you describe this short week against Kansas City?
Penn:"Big game. A real big game. We are excited for it."
