Bills Players Postgame Transcripts 12/14

BILLS PLAYERS

James Cook lll, RB

(On being able to rally in the second half)

“Just being us, man. You know, we just stayed level headed and just went out there just played football the second half.”

 

(On playing together and why they are successful)

“Well, I think just leaning on each other and just standing together and doing those types of things in a game like that, just stay together. You know that is what we did today and came out with a victory.”

 

(On what they did differently in the second half running)

“We just leaned on them and that is why we are the number one rushing offense in the NFL. So, you know like I am always saying, we just need to keep going and just keep playing football.”

 

(On the momentum and energy in this game as they were pulling close)

“Just like I said, it is just staying levelheaded and just playing with each other. That is what we did and like I said, we got the victory. We need to get back to Buffalo and get back to work.”

 

(On the importance of not letting the Patriots win the division today)

“I mean that was not our focus. Our focus was to play football and try to get a victory.”

 

Khalil Shakir, WR

(On the play of Dawson Knox the last couple of weeks)

“That’s what having a baby girl will do to you. Honestly, Dawson is a great dude. He’s a hard worker, and I look up to him and everything he does, both on and off the field.”

 

(On how much pride there is in denying the Patriots the AFC East title in their building)

“Obviously, it’s a divisional game and for us, we take every single game as serious as the next one. We try not to overlook anything and also try not to make any game bigger than what it is. It’s our most important game because it’s our next one. So, I’m just looking at it that way and taking it one game at a time.”

 

(On how a comeback like that can bring a team together)

“Yeah, I mean, we’ve done it a few times, and I think our vibe afterwards is always great. We play for one another and we play for our families. I just think it means so much to us.”

 

(On what it’s like after a tough first half and then having a successful second half)

“It’s like such a chill vibe between everybody, no matter the spot we are in. It’s crazy, we are down 24-7 and everyone is chilling. I’ve said it a thousand times, but as long as there is time on the clock, we know we have a fighting chance.”

 

Joey Bosa, DE

(On the slow start in today’s game)

“We have to do a better job of coming out fast, but I think we prove that when we play together, we can be a really effective defense. We just have to learn what we can and that is one of the best teams in the entire league, so being able to come back and finish with the win is huge.”

 

(On why they are better in the second half)

“I don’t know if I have the answer to that, but like I was saying, I just don’t think there’s any quit in this team. We’ve proved that a few games this year that you just have to keep fighting when we have a guy like Josh [Allen] back there with the ball in his hands, anything is possible. So as a defense, we just needed to make a few stops, and we came out hungry in second half to prove that we could do that. And I’m just really proud of everybody for executing, and for doing their job, playing fast, and never giving up on the game.”

 

(On if momentum real in this game)

“Of course, it’s real, and it’s easy, you know, when you get up on a team to kind of let the foot off the gas a little bit. When we’re down, coming in at half, we have to realize that and we have to come out swinging at the second half. So, I think we did that. We played really well as a defense and in the second half, there was that long run that we really need to be better on, but the offense was just unstoppable. They gave us a chance, and luckily, you know, we capitalized on that.”

 

(On if it is different knowing you have Josh Allen as your quarterback when your down in a game)

“Yeah, no doubt. It’s never over and obviously that is not the start we want as a defense, but as soon as they started rolling, we got that score at the end of the half and then we let up that field goal, which was obviously not ideal. We came in at the half and didn’t get down on ourselves, stayed calm and just made some adjustments and came out to play in second half.”

 

A.J. Epenesa, DE

(On the momentum swing between the first and second half)

“Momentum’s real. They had some of that on their side today where they had a score, defensive stop, score. First half was definitely their half, but coming back in the second half was just dialing in. I think that’s our big thing. We just have to hunker down and not make things too big or too small.”

 

(On what they say to each other when things aren’t going well)

“Like I was saying, nothing is too big or too small. We can acknowledge that the first half wasn’t our game. It wasn’t Bills football. Coming out in the second half, we just knew what the standard was, and that’s what we strive for.”

 

(On the fourth quarter play of the defense)

“I don’t think we necessarily did anything differently. I think we just had some good reps, and we were able to get some pressure on them. I don’t think we really started hitting them until later in the game. When you can put some shots on him [Drake Maye] and make him start to think about the rush rather than what is developing with his routes, it’s an easier load for us defensively.”

 

Shaq Thompson, LB

(On the outcome of the game)

“We started off a little slow, but the one thing about this team, we’re going to stay ten toes down until that clock hits zero.”

 

(On adjustments in the second half)

“We just got back to our brand of football. You know what I mean? The first half wasn’t us. We let them get away with some stuff. We didn’t wrap up. I didn’t do well myself, so you could put all that stuff on me in the first half.”

 

Tre’Davious White, CB

(On his interception)

“I mean, we were in one of our zone coverages. They were in one of their formations where I knew it was going to be a deep ball. So, I was expecting a deep ball, I was just trying to stay on top, stay in my position where I was supposed to be in. The quarterback threw the ball, and I went and made the play.”

 

(On not allowing long plays)

“I mean, that’s Bills defense, not to give up the big plays. Bend don’t break, take the ball away. They were driving down. It was a crucial time of the game, and for me to come up and make that type of play for our team in a situation where we went, after the takeaway, and scored.”

 

(On the second half adjustments)

“We were just able to get up, get aggressive and get our hands on them a little bit, and just play aggressive and be aggressive in our man-to-man coverages. Our defensive line, they did a great job of getting the quarterback off the spot. So, anytime you have those two, rushing and coverage working together, it’s going to be big for us.”

 

Maxwell Hairston, CB

(On Tre’Davious White’s interception)

“That hit different, I was so happy about that one. He deserved that. I love Tre, love playing with him. That was a special moment for all of us.”

 

(On adjustments defensively in the second half)

“We had a mindset to come out in the second half. We were down. Give it your all, empty the tank, and we did that.”