FS Charles Woodson scoops up the fumble and returns the ball 25 yards for a touchdown. Photo by Tony Gonzales
Raiders Head Coach Dennis Allen
On the game: Really the only injury in the game, the guy that didn't finish, Rashad Jennings with a hamstring. He wasn't able to finish the game, but other than that, everybody else was able to finish the game. I thought this was a great team win. I thought all three phases contributed to winning this football game. I thought it was outstanding the way we were able to start the game to be able to get a stop, hit the deep ball early in the game for the touchdown. To come back after that the next drive and be able to get a 13-play, 88-yard drive and get a touchdown after that I thought that was outstanding. I thought the goal line stand for our defense was a critical situation in the game. Special teams taking the ball away on the fumbled punt was outstanding. I think we had five takeaways in the game. Those interceptions you guys have all been talking about, they began to come around a little bit and that's what happens. I thought it was a great team win. Our guys fought. Our guys battled. Our guys kept competing all the way to the end. We were able to get the win and that's a good football team that we played. Well-coached and they're a good team. So I'll open it up to questions.
On second half offensive struggles: I just don't think we executed as well as we needed to in the second half. That's really, basically, what it was. We have to come out faster in the second half and a little more attention to detail. It's about throwing and catching and blocking and running; it's pretty simple.
On Terrelle Pryor's ability to extend a play late in the game: It's huge. Listen, that's what that kid brings to us. Terrelle brings that ability when things aren't right, when things break down, he brings the ability to go and make the play. I thought he made some outstanding plays in the game being able to get out of the pocket and still be able to get the ball down the field. So I was pleased with the way that Terrelle played. I thought he started the game out about as good as you can start out. I thought he threw the ball well. He got us in and out of the huddle, got us in the right plays. He did a nice job.
On Denarius Moore: I think all those guys, the more they play together, the better that chemistry is going to be. I think the one thing that they all know is there's always a chance the ball could get to them because Terrelle can extend the play and continue to create. That's what those guys understand to stay alive in the scramble patterns that we have and gives them the opportunity to make plays. I think our passing game, it's still a work in progress, but I think I've seen some good things.
On if it's fun to watch Pryor from the sideline: It's exciting. It really is. It gives everybody on the team a boost when he goes out there and makes those explosive plays and creates those plays. A lot of times when you look up and you think, 'oh no, something bad is going to happen,' and here he goes getting out of the pocket and creates. So, it gives our team a sense of confidence that no matter what happens in the game, we're going to still be able to continue to move the ball and have a chance to score points.
On defense responding with two turnovers at end of game: I thought that was outstanding. We knew this was going to be a 60-minute game. This is a team that in two games this year they've had over 500 yards of total offense. We knew they were a good offensive football team; they were going to be able to move the ball. But we knew that if we continued to hang in there and keep playing and limited the times the ball gets over our head, that was the critical thing in the game. I think we had one where we really let the ball get over our head. Making them keep the ball in front of you and do a great job of tackling, we thought we could potentially get some takeaways.
On when Jennings got hurt: I'm not sure exactly when. I'm pretty sure it happened in the first half, but I'm not sure exactly when it was.
On the defensive stops in the red-zone: We have to play better in the red-zone. We hadn't played well enough in the red zone this year and that was a huge point of emphasis this week and I thought our guys responded.
On LB Kevin Burnett: Kevin is like a lot of the guys that we have on our defense that not very many people talk about, but they're good football players. They love playing the game of football. They come to work every day. They've been playing in this league for a while. They understand how to play and to play at a high level and he's one of those guys that's done that. I think this was a big game for Kevin and he was team captain for this game and I thought he played outstanding in the game.
On FS Charles Woodson: He's made a habit of doing that his whole career – a defensive score and an interception to seal the game. That's what we expect out of him. He's been a playmaker for us and he'll continue to be a playmaker for us.
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Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor
On the fast start:"You always practice and you always talk and preach that you want to start fast because it's a big impact. I thought in the third quarter we died down and [QB] Philip [Rivers] had their offense rolling and it was scary because the guy – when he's on, he's on and he's one of the better quarterbacks in the league. I like watching him play. He caught fire and we have to keep punching back, we have to keep striking. I thought we started fast and then we slowed down, and that's not going to work in the NFL."
On his receivers getting open on scrambles:"I thought [WR] Denarius [Moore], he's done a better job at it. I thought today he actually – we did a lot of work at it in practice with scrambling drills and all of that and I thought Denarius – actually on the touchdown that he caught when I rolled out, I looked eye-to-eye and I gave him a head nod. If you go back and watch the film I nodded my head and he caught on and that's how we got that one. That was a phenomenal job by Denarius and guys made plays today, and that's how we have to do it."
On free agent QB Josh Freeman reportedly signing with the Minnesota Vikings:"I heard some of it and at the end of the day I can't really control what I can't control. Whatever happens, happens and I'll still come to work working at the end of the day [and] no one's going to work harder than me, so I try not to focus on things I can't control. That's it on that one."
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Raiders WR Rod Streater
On his touchdown: Yeah, it was part of our game plan. We knew that we could attack them through the air, and TP [Terrelle Pryor] really gave us a chance. He gave us two great balls, and me and Dmoe [Denarius Moore] made two great plays on it.
On the offense:Yeah, it's just football. Giving us receivers a chance to makes plays is what we like to do. We block a lot, but we just want a chance to go out there and show what we can do.
On Pryor completing first 10 passes: You can just see his swag back there. He's playing with a lot of confidence; making his throws; makings his reads, and he's getting a lot better.
On Pryor extending plays: It electrified us. It's a big play and that's what he does. Every game you see him just scramble and make some amazing plays. So, with him back there you can never expect what's going to happen, but you know he's going to make some great plays.
On if he's constantly paying attention to where Pryor is:Oh yeah, your time clock goes out after you run your route, if the ball didn't come your way, you try to just find T.P [Terrelle Pryor] and find an open void. The defense is probably tired by then, and they're not playing as hard, so you just try to find that open void.
Raiders LB Kevin Burnett
On 3rd quarter exchange with Defensive Coordinator Jason Tarver: Ah man, it's football. It's just football.
On defense responding to points by San Diego: We were playing a good football team, and this is one of the occasions, you're under the lights, you're pretty much going to be tested. We answered the test today and we just have to continue to build on it and know that we're a good football team. We need to play like it all the time.
On experience of having San Diego come back and still finishing:It's always a good thing when you can finish. Our finishing ability has been questioned the past few weeks and today we came up on top. What we have to learn is that we don't have to make it close all the time. We can deliver a knockout punch, we just have to prove it to ourselves.
Raiders CB DJ Hayden
On his interception: Basically I saw the quarterback scramble the other way and I saw [WR Keenan] Allen kind of do like a little dig and I just followed him. [QB Philip] Rivers threw the ball and I broke on it and caught it and got the interception.
On his interception sealing the victory: Yeah, it felt good. It felt good. We needed a play in the red-zone; we were backed up against the corner and I came through and I got the little pick and got off the field.
On the game: I thought the defense, we played good. We got some turnovers. We got some defensive turnovers this game, we had a defensive touchdown, Wood [S Charles Woodson] got 13 defensive touchdowns and I thought we played pretty decent for the whole game. We still have some little stuff we need to adjust, but as an overall defense I thought we played good.
Raiders S Charles Woodson
On 13th defensive touchdown: Old cousin Rod, I'm coming for him (laughter). It just means I've been around the game a long time. I've made a bunch of plays and I'm one of the greatest to ever play this game. It feels good, first and foremost, to get the win, and to be able to do things like that that are in the history books throughout the history of this game is really big time.
On why defense was so effective against Chargers: I just think we've been due. We played four or five games at this point and we haven't really gotten any turnovers to really break a game open and today I just think we were due. We made the plays when they were there for us to make them.
On being more comfortable with the new defense: I think today, team-wise, was more complete. I think if you look at the offense and being able to move the ball and keep us off of the field, those guys putting up points and then us going out there and being able to get off the field, those things work together. What we have to do as a defense is work on closing games out and not giving up points late. But I think today, offense, defense, special teams, that was a big play by Taiwan [Jones] getting down there and forcing the fumble on the return. If we can get all phases of the game to work together, we can get big wins like this .
