Week 9 vs. New England

RE: How would you assess what went wrong for you today?

I think, just poor decision making. I think on those three plays, specifically. I think on the naked [when I] threw the pick-six, you know on that, I think it’s a matter of being sure and if I do feel like [Matthew] Judon was coming at me to really just put it on Ian [Thomas], I mean the way that I kind of threw it and just tried to flick it out to him, I can’t live with that. I can’t live with turning the ball over like that. The one in the end zone, I think the second one, first of all, was a really good play by Jaime Collins. For him to be able to go up and make that play, that was a good play. And then the third one, again, just trying to put the ball in a place where DJ [Moore] can make a play, and I didn’t; threw it behind him.

RE: Do you think those interceptions were the result of you being turned the wrong way and not getting your feet set on those throws?

They are throws that I can make but definitely would have liked to get my feet set.

RE: What did Robby Anderson say to you?

Robby is a competitor just like all of us. I am fully aware that I didn’t play my best football today. Obviously, you want your teammates to be able to say, “Hey, let’s go. We have a lot of game left, let’s tighten up, let’s put some points on the board.” I mean it’s nothing more than that, me and Robby [Anderson] are cool, so I’m not worried about that.

RE: How would you assess your readiness to play this week?

I was ready. I mean the coaches had me ready to play. Again, it’s just, going out there and making those decisions that I made. On the picks that’s something I cant do, no matter how many reps I get during the week.

RE: Do you feel like there’s anything you didn’t get this week that might have hampered you today or no?

RE: Are you concerned that Coach Rhule might go into a different direction at quarterback moving forward with the amount of picks?

I mean I can’t turn the ball over. That’s one thing that any coach would tell you. I have to stop turning the ball over. As far as I know I am the starting quarterback, so I am going to continue to play and continue to give it my all for this team.

RE: Why do you think you are still the best option going forward at quarterback?

I mean, I am not going to sit here and tell you guys why I should be the quarterback. I believe in myself and that’s all that matters.

RE: What is it about the matchup against the Patriots and how Bill [Belichick] defends you?

I think just playing man coverage and then trying to create picks and create confusion up front. I think that’s the biggest thing that they do and they do a really good job of it. Again, I think it just comes down to my decision making. We had guys in the place that we wanted, just couldn’t get them the ball and turned it over few too many times.

RE: Can you take us through your decision making and how you can improve that?

I think it’s just there have been times in the season where I got flushed out of the pocket, felt like nothing was there and I was able to throw it away. I think the pick-six that I threw, I think the decision was okay, getting back down to Ian, it was just the ball. So that was really it.

RE: How is the locker room’s confidence in you?

Guys tell me that they trust me, I think that’s something you have to ask them though.

RE: A couple of weeks ago when you were benched, was that the first time you have ever been pulled from a game at any level?

RE: Were you appreciative of not being pulled today, despite your struggles?

I don’t know, I wasn’t really focused on that. I think I was more focused on trying to finish the game and trying to get our team to go down there and score points.

RE: Do you see what is being said about you as you go through these struggles?

I don’t. You know, I do a pretty good job of staying off of social media and not watching any of those opinion shows. I don’t really watch any of that stuff, I don’t really pay attention to it at all. All I really talk to are my teammates, coaches, friends, family outside the building.

RE: What were some of the messages that Coach Rhule had for you over on the sideline, if any?

It was just, continue to play football. I know that I shouldn’t be turning the ball over the way that I am. That’s just kind of the end of it. I think Coach Rhule knows that.

RE: Why do you think you are sometimes having issues with making the right decisions?

I think it’s something that we have to go back and look at the tape. I think just with some teams playing man coverage and then disguising, getting out in the zones, I think its me being patient and understanding that sometimes it’s better to just check the ball down instead of forcing it.

RE: What percentage of the practice reps did you get Thursday and Saturday?

I don’t know about percentages. I got most of them. 

RE: You said you thought that you were ready but you don’t think the limited role at practice played into it?

RE: Did your shoulder play any part?

RE: What is wrong with your shoulder?

Yeah, I am not going to go into details about the injury. It was from the hit that I suffered in Atlanta, but that is all I am going to say.

RE: Is it related to your shoulder from last year at all?

RE: When did you start feeling good from the concussion protocol?

Yeah, I felt good on Monday. I didn’t really have any symptoms on Monday, didn’t have any symptoms on Monday. That was a really good sign that the doctors said but yeah, just continued and progressed throughout the week.

RE: How destructive was the loss of Matt [Paradis] and Cam [Erving] and the chemistry of the offensive line?

Obviously it is tough, first of all just losing guys like that talented, smart players up front but again its just kind of the next man up mentality that we have to have and unfortunately in this game, things like that are going to happen. Our guys are ready and I thought for the most part the guys came in and did a good job of spelling them out.

RE: Do you feel it’s a disruption of timing when you lose those keys guys?

Any time anyone goes down, it can be tough. But again, I thought they did a really job coming in.

RE: How can you eliminate the mistakes?

I think it’s just, again, learning from it, continuing to take care of the football. It’s really that simple. I think for me its understanding like if its not there, throw it away and then if I am outside of the pocket just making smart decisions that way.