CHARGERS TE HUNTER HENRY
(On how this dominant win felt) “It’s huge. Everybody contributed. Run game, we were just very balanced today. It was just good to see the chunk plays, the big run plays, big pass plays and everything, it was just a fun game overall. Just to even see, we get up, and Virgil [Green] gets a touchdown. To see ‘Ek’ [Austin Ekeler] have a big day like that, Mike [Williams] get one, Tyrod [Taylor] get one… it was just a complete team. Everybody came to play and it was fun to get a win.”
(On the difference in today’s win versus other games this season) “It hadn’t gone our way, it hasn’t gone our way this year at all, lots of adversity. We came into the game wanting to be 1-0. You can’t look ahead. Obviously, we were 4-8, now we’re 5-8, but it’s just take each game at a time. We signed up for 16 and we knew we were going to come out here and fight, and we executed well today.”
(On Austin Ekeler’s performance) “That kid deserves it. Just to see where he’s come from, just being an undrafted kid and see where he’s at, it’s really awesome just to see his success. That kid is a beast. He’s up there because of me, because I had a big drop just to let him get 80 yards. So big props to me on a crucial drop for him, so he could get 70 yards on a third down, but I’m happy for him. He’s a stud.”
(On being so wide open for his touchdown reception) “Anytime it’s like that, sometimes you can just get relaxed, and I’ve got to lock down on everything. You definitely live and learn, but there’s lots of adversity in this game. You’re going to go through a lot, and you’ve just got to put it behind you and focus on each one that comes your way. But everybody executed today, so it was fun.”
CHARGERS FB DEREK WATT
(On the first rushing touchdown of his career) “I had one in college, but it felt good. Shoot, it’s been, like I said, in college, I only had one and it was [a] receiving [TD]. Shoot, it’s been four years. I haven’t had any, so to find a way to get in the end zone, it was awesome. To see all the guys happy for me and to celebrate, it’s a good feeling, that’s for sure.”
(On RB Austin Ekeler’s performance) “He doesn’t go down easy, usually not the first guy. He breaks tackles like crazy, and he just had a heck of a game. He’s been putting in the work and he’s just reaping the benefits of it, for sure.”
(On the Chargers playing such a complete game on a west-to-east road trip) “It’s awesome to put in a full game together, everybody doing their job in all phases. Putting a team away where it didn’t have to be close; we don’t have to make these games close but we’ve been in these tight games, and just haven’t found a way. But today, it just felt great to have everybody rolling. The offense was moving, everybody was firing on all cylinders. It feels good. We’ve still got a lot to play for. We’ve got a lot of pride to play for, and we’re trying to win these last three games to finish strong.”
(On nearly getting a touchdown in the playoffs last year, but finally getting one now) “That one was tough. That one would have been the first one in a playoff game, on the road. It would have been awesome. I finally got one anyways. I’ve got one and a half, with an asterisk on that other one, but I’ll take this one as a first, for sure. It was awesome.”
CHARGERS TE VIRGIL GREEN
(On the Chargers winning in a dominant fashion without a chance at the playoffs) “We just did our jobs, executed well. We just had fun doing it. Regardless of our situation, this game is fun when you’re winning. We wanted to make sure we got that W and finish the year strong.”
(On how the Chargers can keep their momentum rolling) “Break the film down, come back Wednesday ready to dig in again, be on top of the details and technically sound in practice and carry it over to the game.”
(On his touchdown reception from Tyrod Taylor) “It felt good, I’ll say that. Honestly, I was more happy with how I blocked in the run game. I felt really good, I felt like an animal and I was excited about how I played in the run game.”
(On the pride he takes exceling in the run game) “Those guys are freaks, especially Austin (Ekeler). The stuff he could do. He’s got to be pound-for-pound the toughest, strongest guy in the league. It shows by the way he plays.”
CHARGERS S DERWIN JAMES JR.
(On the defensive strategy this game) “Just slowing them down in the running game because we know [Leonard] Fournette is a great running back. If you get him going early it’s tough to slow him down with [Gardner] Minshew being able to move around and make throws. We just wanted to keep Minshew contained and make sure Fournette didn’t beat us on the ground.”
(On being back for his second game after an injury earlier this season) “I’m starting to feel like me. It feels good. After not playing football for three months and to be finally able to come back and play another game it just feels good to be out there, especially going out there and getting a big win and helping my team win.”
(On the team’s goals for the rest of the season) “Just finishing strong. We can only control what’s in front of us. Like everyone says, we sign up to play 16 (games), so we’re going to finish them out and finish strong. Trust me.”
CHARGERS WR MIKE WILLIAMS
(On Chargers Head Coach Anthony Lynn talking to him after Williams was flagged) “He was hot. He was mad. He was mad about the situation. ‘Don’t put the defense in that type of situation.’ The defense got a stop so it didn’t hurt the team.”
(On how it felt to score his first touchdown of the season) “It felt good. To have 11 last year and then setting the bar higher for this year, 15, things like that… just to get my first one, this late in the season, but I’m still able to get like five-plus. So I’m looking forward to the rest of the season, continuing to play hard, come to practice, practice hard and have fun in the games. I feel like we had a lot of fun today so that’s why we were getting a lot of things moving.”
(On what goes through his mind to make a long reception) “I feel like I’ve been making those plays for so long. I feel like when I see the ball in the air, I’m just making a play on it. It’s one-on-one, me and the corner. Who wants it the most? It’s body control, knowing when to put your hands out, because DBs read your hands, so I’m just going up to make a play.”
(On if he was frustrated this season to not score a touchdown until today) “No, it’s part of it. I knew when I got one, they were going to come in bunches. So I got my first one kind of late in the season though, but I’ll get some more.”
CHARGERS RB AUSTIN EKELER
(On what it means to be the second Charger ever with 100 rushing and 100 receiving yards in a game) “Four years ago, if you would have told me I would have done that, I would’ve been like, ‘What? Really?’ It’s been a big process. It’s been a long process, but it’s been enjoyable. Getting to the position where I was, where I finally got an opportunity to make the team, and just building on my role, building and building and building. Credit to my teammates today for helping me out because there were some great blocks on all those runs and catches as well. It’s just been a process, and I’ve just been building my role, like I said. Today was an opportunity where I happened to rack up a bunch of yards and make a personal accomplishment. We also won the game as well, which is something we haven’t done in a while so it’s all just good motions right now.”
(On finally winning by a large margin) “I feel like we could have done this all year, but we were just so inconsistent throughout the year. It’s really put us in a hole, and we were both 4-8, so someone’s going to have a different record coming out of this thing. We knew if we were consistent we could possibly run up the score on them. In a way, that’s what we ended up doing and I’m very thankful for it, and I know my teammates are as well.”
(On his 84-yard touchdown reception) “It was just the perfect play call because they brought a blitz-zero, which, basically, they’re blitzing everybody. We were letting everyone go because they were throwing it outside right away. It was just the perfect play call and then it was just a race to the end zone. I was looking up at the Jumbotron to make sure no one was catching me. It ended up that my speed held out, so that was nice for my longest touchdown of my career.”
(On the play of the Chargers’ offensive line) “Hunter Henry had two big blocks on those, cutting the guy down and helping me get around the edge, so shout out to him for sure. And then the O-line, even punching [Derek] Watt in the end zone for his first touchdown. And then we had a third-and-two punching Watt up there again. We’ve got guys that are healthy and playing, and the O-line’s been together for a little bit now. So now we’ve had some time to get our starters healthy and playing with each other, which always helps. Before, we’ve just been up, down, with who we’ve had healthy and not. We’re finally able to get a consistent win, played through all four quarters and come out and get a good, solid, dominant win.”
