On what went wrong in the third quarter:
The biggest issue was how ineffective we were on first down. We had a handful of drives, and on most of them we gained little to nothing early in the series. When you put yourself in second- and third-and-long situations, especially against a defense like that, you’re setting yourself up for trouble. We still had chances to convert on third down, but consistently starting behind schedule limits what you can do.
On whether the run game was effective enough:
There’s always room for improvement. I’m sure the guys up front would tell you they’d like to produce more in the run game. That’s not a criticism—it’s just our mentality. Running the ball is a big part of who we want to be. But games take different shapes. Some weeks we dominate on the ground, other weeks the passing game has to carry more of the load. Today leaned more toward the passing side.
On the team’s 8–6 record:
That’s where we’re at—8–6—with three games remaining. The goal is simple: win all three. But it starts with winning the next one.
On why he believes the Lions can still finish strong:
This team responds well to adversity. We’ve proven that. We’re coming home to play in front of our fans, and we expect that environment to give us a boost. The mindset is to get one win, then stack another, and hopefully head into the postseason with momentum. But none of that happens unless we take care of the next game first.
On what worked in the first half:
We were physical early. The run game had some success, and the passing game was clicking. Protection was solid, which gave me time to make throws downfield. We were able to take advantage of opportunities and move the ball effectively. Unfortunately, we couldn’t sustain that level of execution after halftime.
On playing against his former team (Rams):
(No response was provided.)
On how pass protection has developed during the 2025 season:
It’s been up and down overall, but lately it’s been strong. The Dallas game stood out, and I thought today was solid as well. The offensive line gave me time to work through progressions and push the ball downfield. They’ve done a good job recently.
On whether the Rams adjusted defensively in the second half to slow down Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams:
Not necessarily. It really came down to down-and-distance. When you’re constantly facing third-and-long, it makes everything harder. Our offense thrives when we can stay on schedule and keep drives alive. Those two receivers are explosive, and when we can get them the ball in space, good things happen. We just didn’t give ourselves enough clean opportunities.
On the successful fourth-down play deep in Lions territory:
It was a play we felt really good about all week. The design, the matchup, and the defensive look we expected all lined up. We trusted it, and it worked.
On the third-down screen pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown for a touchdown:
That was one of those situations where even if we didn’t score, we were likely going for it on fourth down. The call made sense. The defense sent zero pressure, and a screen against that look is ideal. Once Amon-Ra had the ball, he took care of the rest.
On the identity of the 2025 Lions:
Resilience defines us. I hope I can give an even better answer in a few weeks, but that’s who we are. We believe we have a championship-caliber group. There’s still a lot ahead of us, and we can’t let outside noise or storylines divide us. Our leaders need to be vocal, bring energy, and stay united. I fully expect us to respond the right way and show that toughness again.
