UM. Disappointed, UM, knowing that we had lost a game that we felt we should have won. UM, you know, being up what was it ten, and with I don't even know six minutes left to go? Uh. You know, we put ourselves early in that game, in a good opportunity, in the opportunity that we wanted to be, in the position we wanted to be in, UM, and then those last you know, six to four minutes just kind of derailed ourselves and played uncharacteristic um the way we have
been playing the whole game. So you know, it was definitely disappointed. I listened to Malcolm and talk about the margin of error, and you know, we we just have shot our foot, shot ourselves in the foot, UM, And that's one of those instances. Do you think that do you think that winning on Thursday night, as you talk about learning lessons, is that one of those games where you feel like you learn the lesson and this team
will now win those kind of close games. You know, I don't think it's one defining momentum, but I think that adds on to that learning experience that we need figuring out. Uh. You know, what we've been talking about this whole year is in winning those tight those tight games and being able to make the plays down the stretch to win in crunch time. And you know, for us to be able to do that on Thursday was obviously a step in the right direction, But by no
means does it necessarily mean that we're there yet. You know, I think everybody understands the situation and understands that there's still a lot of growth that needs to be done. Obviously, we believe that we're close, but that one game doesn't define who we are or you know, what has happened in the past just says that we are making those steps in the in the right direction, and we've got to continue to work, um, you know, to to correct and to uh and and to be able to do
that consistently. Dallas. Are you expecting to see their regular players or what? I don't know, Um, you know, I can't really say who they're going to play. It's on them obviously, um. And but whoever they do play, you know, we're ready to face and you know, we're we're going into it thinking we're playing starters, and you know that's the matchup obviously that that we would like. You know, we want to play everybody at the best, and uh, we understand the situation, but you know, it is, it
is what it is. That's their decision. UM, And well, I guess we'll see what do you want to get out of this final week for this season? First and foremost, it's a matter of setting, um, the foundation for the off season, setting the foundation for next year. UM. You know, I think I think these last couple of games, you know, we've played extremely hard, um, and if just battle, you've watched the film we battle out there, and you know, I think that necessary that has to carry over into
this last game. And you know, if we do that, a lot of us, you know, most of us are would be you know, excited about the outcome. You know, we believe that when we play at our best, it's tough for anybody to get at us. So you know, ultimately it's that foundation. Ultimately it is it is laying the groundwork for off season and things to come. I think that you roll your eyes as the three you're you're sitting here in week seventeen one started. Every game
is an a compliment? Really, is it is? It is? You know it is because I knew the perception going into the year. I knew, UM, that it had been built since college, that it was something that you know, I had told you guys that I'm not worried about. You know, it's something that I'm working on, UM. And I think the work that I put in, the amount of focus that I put on my body and making
sure that it's it's consistently healthy throughout the season. You know, there was there were times late in the season that I was feeling as good as I was, you know, early in the season. So UM, you know, I think I think the focus that I put on it has helped quite a bit. And UM, yeah, it's accomplishment mentioned margin of error. There's a lot of close games in this league, one score games. Getting over the top in
a closed game. Is that something you can learn not not from, but you can learn to do more consistently or is that just sort of the feel of a season. I mean, I think it is. It is something that you learn how to do. I think as you've got your core, UM group of guys that are continually continually you know here and and are in those games and are watching the tape, UM in our understanding that every
little detail counts in the outcome of the game. Um. You know, I think that's something that has learned um. And obviously this is my second year, but I think you can learn a lot from losing. I think you can learn a lot from mistakes, um, as long as you look at them for what they are and work on it. So, UM, you know, I think, like I said, I think we're heading in the right direction. I think Thursday is a testament to that. But you know, by no means is where we're you know where we're at
right now. We're not We're not basing that on the whole season. So George, you got the peck injury at the end of the year. Didn't take you a while before you could really as far as training goes, get into it in your upper body. And I guess the question of masking is moving into this off season here. I know you're not looking there yet. Will that be a big year for you to develop physically? Yeah? It definitely,
UM set me back a little bit. Um. You know, I couldn't bench for you know until really until I got back here in April, which you know is a good chunk of time off. So and you know, it's been, it's been. You know, I was always trying to be smart with it and not not do anything too crazy
on it. But yeah, absolutely moving into this next this next offseason, UM, there's definitely a premium one on my body on you know, getting stronger, especially in this type of defense, you know where I'm taking on blocks and having to shed three hundred pounders, so you know, obviously, yeah, I mean every year there's you're constantly trying to work on that. But there's definitely a premium issue if you
do see the starters. What did you call from feazing Zeke Elliott the last time and dree Rolls a chance to face him once ago. Yeah, he's a good back man, and you know you take it for what it is. Obviously we played for about ninety percent of the game pretty well against the run, and you know he's going to get his plays. But he's a good back. He's a good back and well respected back already and runs hard.
So absolutely into your question, you know, we always want to go against the best, UM, so any chance we get to go against somebody like him or that offensive line is definitely an opportunity that we see already mentioned taking on blockers. How is your first full season as a middle linebackers supposed to safe being on the weak side, was occasionally not having to take on somebody. How how does it feel to get through it and have you
enjoyed it? Yeah, I've definitely enjoyed it. I enjoyed being in the middle, being able to control, um, everything around me, you know, being that that voice on the field, the coach on the field. Um, you know, I don't know. I don't want to hype it up like it's something that I haven't done. You know, I playing linebacker, that's part of your job title. You've got to take on blocks. So uh, you know, obviously in some defenses you take
on a little bit more. They techniques are a little different, but you know, it's part of the job title, man. And if I make it into something that is bigger than itself, you know that's not that's I just shouldn't do that, you know. So, Um, I don't know, taking on blocks is taking on blocks. I've done it ever since I've been a linebacker, so