Yeah, I mean it's cool. I mean, obviously there have been so many great players in this organization, UM, and to set the record at home obviously very special. But at the same time, the most important thing to me tonight was to win UM five and six against the good football team, against a really good run defense. UM. They got good players up and down that defense. So something that we needed tonight, UM, and something that allowed us to continue to have the every opportunity UM in
terms of the postseason in front of us. That was the most important thing. How your connection with Yeah, I mean, I think this year's definitely taking that next step. UM. I thought last year we were playing at a high level, but I think this year we've kind of taken that next step. UM. We see the game so similarly. We talk about football all the time. We're fully invested in being the best players we can be for this team, in this organization, and we just love the game of football.
We love talking about it. We love, um the fine art of route running and the timing of the quarterback in the tight end, and I think you can see it each and every Sunday most of the time. There's been one time this year I think we've seen something different and other than that, we see the game very similarly. And it's a lot of fun playing with him. I mean, the guy is so competitive, he's so talented. Um, it's
really fun. Yeah, I mean, I mean putting up that many yards against that defense, Um, it's very I think it's very revealing about where we're at as an offense. Obviously, we have the ball inside the five twice and don't get any points. It's tough. But at the same time, we didn't panic after those drives and we've got a lot of good players on offense. And this isn't about me at all. Um. Everyone else is doing their job tonight and that was the most important thing coming out here,
finding a win. So happy for Darren. He's been through the gam at the past eleven weeks of trying to get right from the Sam strength thing, and just proud of all the work he put in to get to this point. He could have easily called it quits and said, man, maybe this just isn't for me anymore, um, but he really stuck, stuck to the process and just found a way to get healthy. And we need him. I mean, he's a dynamic player and he's really helpful for our
football team clicking after a whole season struggling. Why do you think that, UM, I mean, I think it just takes time. We got new faces. Obviously Carson didn't start the year UM bringing in new guys. UM. But we work really hard in practice. I mean we're grinding for three days during the week trying to get this thing right. We understood that the talent level on the offense wasn't matching their production, UM, and guys were not panicking by
any means. UM. We were just focused on being better from the previous week, and I think it's finally starting to click. UM. Against the defense tonight that I mean that front seven is probably one of the best in the league. UM. Josh Norman is one of the best corners, two really good safeties. UM. So it was a really
good performance. We held the ball for a long time, and most importantly, I mean, our team is built to play with the lead, UM and coming out fast, getting seven points early, something we haven't really done and been successful UM in most of these games. So that's probably the biggest thing that I took from tonight was we finally started fast one. Yeah, express what your yeah? In terms of route running. I mean just studying him for
so long. UM, finding the intricacies of how he ran routes something that I studied from the moment I came into the league. Since I had the opportunity to really study tight ends and study their film. He was the guy I was always watching because it seemed like third down. UM, he was always getting his number called, and he was always attacking leverage, and so I just really just modeled my game after him. I think there's there are some differences,
but there's a lot of similarities. Um. And I've said it since I was sixteen. He was the guy that was always on TV, unfortunately back in California, and he was the guy that I was forced to watch. But at the same time, it was the perfect guy for me to watch because I was able to see, at sixteen years old, how a tight end should play. UM as the ultimate respect for him, he knows that. Um, we have a good relationship. I obviously we shouldn't play for the Cowboys, but UM, it was fun playing against
him too. For a couple of years. The only jersey that yeah, yeah, he just uh you know, he told me in the passion Know it wasn't because that he was my favorite tight end growing up. He said it was because of he really respected how I played the game, UM, and how how I was always trying to get better. He said, he was watching my game from the moment I came into the league. UM, and he was one of the guys that I was one of the guys he was studying the off season and having being the
only guy that he ever traded jersey with is honestly special. Obviously, everyone knows how I feel about him and h I'm excited for the game next weekend down problems, targets. Did you hear of that? I did hear of it, obviously, UM, obviously, UM. There are there are things that come out playing in the NFL for six years, there are things that come out sources all the time. UM. I don't feel like, I hope I'm not the problem. I don't think I'm the problem. I'm just trying to be the best tight
end I can be. UM. I said all along, it's all about efficiency. UM, when it comes to targets and catches, I feel like we're efficient in that regard. UM, And I think I mean, I'm just focusing on trying to put wins on tape. That's the only thing I try and do. Um, I don't really focus on whether I get the ball or not. I said it all along, whether I get two catches or ten catches, the most
important thing to me is winning football games. And I thoroughly believe each and every guy in that locker room feels the same way. Um. There's never been a doubt of selfishness from anyone in that locker room. And UM, I don't think. I don't want to give it too much merit just is what it is. UM. Focused on the win tonight. I felt like everyone got the ball, felt like it was a it was a good team win. That's what I'm focused on. Addressed the team or no,
I didn't care at all. Um, I don't think there was anything to address. UM. I mean, it was an anonymous source, so if it was one of my teammates, I felt like they I mean, I'm I don't have a motive by any means. I feel like we have a great relationship with all my teammates and I got I mean, I can't give too much credit to an anonymous source because I don't know who it was. But for practice to a Thursday, Yeah, I guess I'll thank all you for that. Yeah. I mean, typically we don't
start practicing until two days after a game. UM, it'd be really tough to go out there on Wednesday and play football game after a physical football game like we just had. UM, And at this point in the year, the recovery sometimes more important than the little little details. I mean, obviously, we played these guys a couple weeks ago. Um, I played them. There's gonna be my twelfth time playing them, so they know me, I know them. UM, it's gonna
come down to how fresh can we be for that game. UM, that's gonna be the most important thing for a lot of guys, just trying to get your body right. Obviously it's gonna be week thirteen for us, So that's how your body feels right now. And guys are gonna be in the training room, living in the training room. Hopefully we'll get some more with these injured guys back. Um. But UM, I think that's the right schedule in terms of practicing. UM. I want to be on the field
each and every play. But at the same time, Dallas is playing really well. UM. I got a lot of confidence teaching every time he's in the game. I got a lot of confidence in the coaches doing what they do, drawn out the game plan. Um, it's not saying that fourth and one, I'm off the field. It's based on the play that they already have called. UM. So each and every week they personnel the plays. Um, I can't every snap. Obviously, We've got in that early in the
year and it's just not sustainable. So that was a play where Dallas was in. It was a scramble or it was an automatic sprint out to the right and he was backside, and it was a great play call. You said a few weeks ago that you had to believe despite the evidence. Yeah, two wins since then, and I'm playing the first place on Sunday. Just kind of what was the feeling in the locker room after this one. Yeah, I mean, guys are obviously extremely happy. It's really tough
to win football games in this league. Guys, we found out the first eleven games of this year. Obviously we didn't start the way we thought we were going to. But I think this one really speaks to the overall resiliency of this football team, the character of the guys in the locker room. Obviously, at four and six. When we got drilled by the Saints a few weeks back, everyone had the opportunity to kind of put their head, heads down and sulk. But guys in that in that
locker room really loved the game of football. I think guys really loved their craft. And I mean we went to work and obviously six and six now not where we wanted or thought we were going to be. But at the same time, we got the whole season in front of us. UM, I think we're close. I think we're really close. Um. Obviously, we scored two touchdowns inside the five yard line tonight, We're putting up forty against a really good team, and so if we're able to
execute in the low red zone. UM, just finding little things to be better at each and every week. But I think we're close to reaching our ultimate potential as an offense. Okay, thanks guys, Thank you guys.