You guys a lot of close games this year and you haven't been able to pull any of them out. What goes into winning those games? And why haven't you guys been able to people? Um, At the end of the day, it's execution, you know, flatting playing and simple. Um. You've got to be able to execute at a high level, uh, in order to pull those games out. And I think
you know that comes with experience, that comes with playing together. UM. But you know, ultimately you have to focus in and and play one snap at the time and realize that every single snap counts and that when you're you're out of position for one you know, and that could be the game changer. And when you've got multiple people saying my bad, um, you know, and and doing different things. UM, I mean you don't execute. That's that's how you get
beat in this league. You know, every competition is super stiff. Um, every game is gonna be tight, you know. And so UM, I don't think you know, we haven't other than one game other Cincinnati. You know, there has been one game where we couldn't have feel it. We don't feel like we could have won. So it's difficult, UM, tough, It's definitely tough to to to think about and to come to that realization that you know, we could this season could be completely different if we would just execute those
little those little details. I think the Giants are like eight and two and games decided by seven points or less. You know, a couple of those games go one way, and then you guys, a couple of games go your way. Probably talking about a whole different subjects. Absolutely absolutely, and you know, ultimately it's on us. Ultimately we have to
make the plays to win the games down down the stretch. UM. And again you know that could mean a big play, miss opportunity in the second quarter, you know, or or early in the game. UM. Doesn't necessarily have to be at the very end, you know. You just want to put yourself in position UM and build that momentum throughout the game. The problem, right, I mean, it's obviously a goal of mine. UM. I'm not gonna sit here and say it's not obviously be an honor, but my number
one goal is to win games. UM. My number one goal is to be the best linebacker I can be UM for this team, for this defense. UM. You know, and let the chips far as they may, you know that's that's really been my mentality, uh this whole season, and you know, I don't see that changing at all. Personally. You know, I think it's been all right. You know, I've grown a lot um obviously new defense. I think I've got a lot of guys around me who have made me better. Um. You know, We've put a lot
of work into this year. It's disappointing the way it's turned out. But you know what, the you can always see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I think that that we're we're able to see that, and you know that's really the focus. That's what the focus is. Turning it around. Um, you know, making plays and finishing this season right. Yeah, just physicality, not being able to go out there and have um, you know, coaches are trying to pull back a little bit um
on the physical aspect. You know, it's nice to have that every once in a while, just just so you're getting game speed reps. But at the same time, you know, got a supplement with more film study, um, you know, getting in on your own, making sure you're you're on point with all the little things because you might not see see that look out there on the field because you're not getting as many reps. Obviously you're playing the Redskins and they celebrated a division title on your field.
That much extra motivation is it that, you know, to not let the Giants clinch a playoffs bote. I mean we're hearing that mainly, um, honestly from you guys. From for us, it's more about us. You know, at the end of the day, we want to win because we want to win. We've got a lot of pride on this team, um, you know, and we feel that we deserve, you know, to win these last few games. We feel like those first the first time we played, um, the Giants, we were not We had an opportunity and we did
an execute. We weren't able to capitalize on the opportunity. UM, you know, So I think this win is more for us than it is for them. You know, we don't we don't want it's not necessarily we don't want them to go, but obviously we don't. But you know, we want to win the game because we need this win. UM, we need to turn this around. UM. You know, losing this many games in the row, it is not acceptable
and we understand that. At the same time like this is I think gonna be the third game against a team that pretty much needs to win to you know, keep the playoff. Like for you guys, does that kind of show you like the kind of intensity? I guess that. I mean, I know you guys played with the intensity anyway, but like kind of at a different level a little bit. You know, the fact that your question is, is we
played a different intensity because of this guys? I guess so you think they get a chance to see like the intensity level, you know, playing like one of those games that you gotta have or win. I don't know, I don't I mean this time of the year, you know, you've got to win in December. Um, so that's how the league is. Uh, It's always gonna be that way around this time. So I don't know. I think if you're talking about must win games, I feel like in my mentality the way I'm wired, every win is a
must win game. You know, obviously, once you get in December, you're playing for you know, things are kind of defined a little bit and you understand your situation. But to me, every every game is a must win. You learn definitely. UM, A guy who cares, coach who cares coach who wants to see us succeed. Um does everything he can to put us in position to do that. UM listens to us. You know, obviously you guys know about the players counsel.
You know we've had some good conversation in there, and you know he takes it serious, just like we take it serious. And then there's UM good communication. You know, he's he's a guy who wants to do everything right and do everything possible UM to put us in a position away. And yeah, you guys are constantly around the football having an opportunity to play with him. What are some of the things that you've seen from from him
as a football players a line back? Yeah, is you know, you can watch him and realize how physical he is, how athletic he is. What y'all don't see is how smart he is. Um. You know, he is a talented football player, but he understands the game. UM understands the way the defense is supposed to work. UM and does a good job you know, helping me. Um and I think we we've we've really built a really good chemistry this season. UM talking to each other on the field.
You know, if he sees something, he yells it out. You know, we're just we're kind of gelling together really well right now. Um, and it's it's it's been a lot of fun playing next to him. But um, he's a great player. You know. I can't say enough about him. I can imagine the leadership council areas we don't see so so yeah, I guess from one day to Saturday, how does he show that to you guy? How does
he have that? How does he have Yeah? I mean obviously it starts with that, that leadership council and and um, you know, speaking to him being vocal, being honest, him being honest with us, us being honest with him, um, and just kind of talking about the direction we're going, you know. And and that's really all you know he can do is try and convey the direction and and show us how he's doing that, and then us take the reins of it and push it in that direction.
And again, in my opinion, it's on the players to push this, this team, the locker room into the direction that we wanted to go. So, um, you know, he's done a great job so far, you know, I think, Um, you know, obviously we're all holding hell accountable. But Um, he's done. He's done. A good job.