Head Coach Mike Vrabel

Q. [Question about taking care of business].

COACH VRABEL: Winning takes care of everything. That’s what I learned a long time ago. In athletics, winning takes care of everything.

Q. [Question off microphone about the fans in the stadium].

COACH VRABEL: We love our fans. Again, I’m happy for our organization to be able to win a title. I’m happy for our fans. They’ve been great. And some of the defensive guys are even commenting, like, trying to make checks or communication. And it’s getting loud. And we practiced that. We practiced the defense having to do that at home games. So that’s really refreshing.

Q. You mentioned the defense holding them to three points. I don’t think they got in the red zone all day. What did you see from your defensive guys?

COACH VRABEL: We gave up some plays. I thought they swarmed. I thought there was a speed there. We anticipated what the weather was going to be like. And I thought that all the credit goes to the players, obviously, but the way that we managed the game, took advantage of their mistakes.

Q. The way you ran the ball and how cool was it to do on a day like today?

COACH VRABEL: It was tough sledding early. It was tough. That’s a good run defense. They pressure a lot. I felt the plan was good, the finish was good. We hit some runs and we were able to bust a couple there at the end.

Q. With Ryan (Tannehill) getting two touchdown passes against his former team, how was it leading up to this game? And did you give him a game ball after this?

COACH VRABEL: No, the game ball will go to the entire team. Ryan (Tannehill) was great. Really, we didn’t have a whole lot of conversation about, ‘Remember back three years ago when you played for the Dolphins?’ We focused on our preparation.

Q. Fourth downs obviously opened the doors early for you to get things going. No doubts there on any of those, I don’t imagine.

COACH VRABEL: Just made a decision. What’s wrong, you didn’t like the answer? I’m sorry, like, no doubt. There can’t be doubt. You live in doubt. We don’t. We like to live in being decisive and giving our players a chance to go make plays. That’s what sports and athletics and competition is about. And sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But doubt? No doubt.

Q. (Indiscernible) don’t want anybody to get hurt. How much do you hate to see MyCole get hurt and carted off?

COACH VRABEL: It’s awful. We all know what we signed up for and what this game gives us and sometimes what it takes away from us. And (MyCole) Pruitt, obviously I have history with him at other places and here. He had been playing well and playing physical and helping us in the run game and catching the ones that we threw to him. And so hopefully we’ll be able to just see where he’s at. And saw him at halftime but I haven’t seen him since then.

Q. On the subject of health, the offensive line started and finished the game tonight without issues. How big is that for the consistency of the running backs?

COACH VRABEL: I think that’s something that, you want to have all your guys out there. They’re working together and Ben (Jones) is the glue to that unit. We feel confident where we are in getting guys that haven’t been in there, maybe. Dillon (Radunz) played last week, played some today. Brew (Aaron Brewer) played and everybody is ready to jump in there.

Q. With getting the division locked up, playoff spot locked up, do you hope that maybe that gives you some kind of, what is it, some room with Derrick (Henry), just in terms of hoping he can get back for you guys knowing you guys are already (indiscernible)?

COACH VRABEL: I think the plan is always going to be, ‘Where is he at?’ And each individual player, can they do their job effectively? Can they make it worse? And can they protect themselves out there? You guys — it’s a violent game. We done want to put guys out there that can’t go out there and protect themselves or they can make it worse.

Q. [Question about David Long].

COACH VRABEL: Good to see him back. We joked before the game, if he forgot how to put his shoulder pads on, Rashaan (Evans), make sure you help him, buckle him up. It’s been a while. David (Long Jr.) is a passionate player and it’s fun to see him go out and make some plays for us and get the interception there.

Q. The organization hasn’t won a division title since ’60-’61, the first two years. What’s it say about these guys they’ve been able to forge —

COACH VRABEL: I think when you do this, you want to do it and you want to create a family that has a common goal of winning and understand that every member of that family or this team is going to be different, is going to be from somewhere else. And it’s our job to try to bring everybody together for a common goal of winning, and that’s what we’ve always tried to do.

Q. You mentioned the fans. How important is it to win on Sunday and give yourself a chance to kind of let the playoffs come through Nashville?

COACH VRABEL: I think winning takes care of everything. And that’s what we told them all the time, and that the mentality was that we were just getting started. We’ll have to prepare for a team that’s been playing really well and that’s already beaten us once this year.

Q. You mentioned the importance of peaking this late in the season. Do you feel you are peaking? And if so, in what ways?

COACH VRABEL: I think there’s some consistency. I thought we’ve been able to run the football. We’ve been able to take care of the football these last couple of games. You see how critical that is to be able to take care of the football. We got off to a much faster start. I know there was moments there in the third quarter where we kind of stalled and they kind of moved the football, but I thought we responded there in the fourth quarter with really great effort.

Q. (Inaudible) just getting started a few times now. But before you go there, how do you think you guys even got here considering all the different challenges that you faced all season?

COACH VRABEL: I think it’s a resolve by the type of people that are in our building that we’ve tried to bring in. I’ve tried not to panic when things come up. We just deal with it. We explain to them, we show them history of guys that have gone in and taken advantage of opportunities, have gone on to have great careers. I think that they have seen other players on our team go in when guys are down and we’ve had some guys that have helped us out that didn’t have jobs. Buster Skrine was out of work. D’Onta Foreman was out of work. And when you get that opportunity, you’re not in a big hurry to give it up. And that’s what some of those guys have done.

Q. The adversity, I think it’s 88 guys you’ve played. That’s a record. Seeing some of those guys in this moment, does that make it more special?

COACH VRABEL: Well, it’s always going to be special. But I think that some of those guys that maybe a lot of people haven’t heard of, or maybe didn’t expect to help us out at points throughout the season, is very rewarding to know that we’ve helped those guys be in a position to go out on the field and execute. And have given them the confidence and the trust to go out there and do their job.

QB Ryan Tannehill

(on beating his former team)

Yeah, it was a great win for us. Obviously, a lot was on the line for us as a team and excited that we came out and played well, full game as a team. Obviously, this was important for me being where we’re at in the season and having the opportunity to win the division, first and foremost. Just proud of our guys and the way we responded with the opportunity we had in hand.

(on what he shared with the team during the final drive regarding today’s game)

I don’t even know what I said. Yeah, I wanted to go finish the game. I think at that point it was still 17-3, and I knew if we got points on that drive we were going to put the game away basically. So, it was important for me and for our team, obviously, to be able to drive, run time off the clock, and we were able to get points and basically end the game.

(on the team controlling it’s own destiny to get the number one seed)

It’s huge. It’s huge, you know, getting the win. Got a little help today, so a big opportunity for us next week to go take care of business and seal off the one seed. So, it’s going to be a big week in practice in preparation for us and have to go play well on Sunday.

(on the run game and running back D’onta Foreman’s performance in Derrick Henry’s absence)

Yeah, he’s done a great job for us. Truly all of our backs have done a great job filling in, obviously tough shoes to fill. Talking about one of the best, if not the best running back in the league, but they’ve done it. They’ve come in and ran hard, given us a one-two punch there with Foreman and (Dontrell) Hilliard. Hilliard, a little speed, has the ability to get loose as we saw way back in New England and provides us a little juice there. And (D’Onta) Foreman’s been running hard. He’s getting the tough yards. You see him get contacted, you know, one yard, two yards downfield and he’s driving his feet, pushing the pile, he ended up with six yards. If you’re able to do that consistently, sustain drives, get first downs and ultimately score more points.

(on how rewarding it is for the team to be in the position it is with all of the injuries and adversity this year)

Yeah, we’ve been through a lot, faced a lot of adversity. It’s kind of wild when you think back through everything that we’ve been through, injuries and COVID and everything else along the way. I’m proud of our guys, the way we’ve battled through. We’ve been in some tough situations and found a way to win games when we were short-handed. If you’re able to do that and just continue to find a way to win games, you put yourself in a situation like we’re in now to control your own destiny.

(on if he talked to Dan Marino before the game)

Yeah, I talked to Dan (Marino). It was great to talk to him a little bit before the game. Talked to him when I went out there and warmed up. It was good to see him. I see him occasionally down in South Florida. Dan was always great to me when I was in Miami. It was good to see him.

(on what it’s been like the last two years with division titles and another shot at playoff success)

It’s fun as hell to win. I love winning. I love competing. But winning is why you’re out here. I love doing that and I’m proud of our guys and the way we’ve, like I’ve mentioned, fought through a lot and continued to find ways to win. So, it hasn’t always been perfect and pretty – it’s football, it never is. So, the fact that we can continue to find ways to win has been a lot of fun.

(on if he feels a significant role in turning this franchise into the right direction)

I hope so. I’m doing everything I can to go out and try to lead our guys, put ourselves in position to win games and win games. Whether it’s the ball in my hand in the fourth quarter or if you take care of business earlier on in the game. I think I – actually, I know I have a lot of fun doing that. So, I’m excited for what’s in front of us.

(on the balance of celebrating what the team has accomplished with the bigger goal)

Yeah, that was a battle I was having in there myself. I’m thinking, try to enjoy the moment and celebrate, but I’m going around telling the guys that we’re just getting started. It’s a big step and enjoy it, but we’re just getting started. We’ve got a long way to go and that was kind of my message going around to the guys. Congratulate them but thinking back of my mind, we’ve got a long way to go and we’re just getting started. Definitely try to enjoy the moment and celebrate today for what it is, but just knowing in the back of our minds that our ultimate goals aren’t done yet. We’ve still got a long way to go.

(on crediting Head Coach Mike Vrabel with keeping the team together)

He’s done a great job. I think the vision he casts on a weekly basis, the confidence that he projects no matter who’s out there, whether it’s an injury, a COVID issue, whatever comes up, he gives the guys the ability to go out and play confidently and try to take advantage of their opportunity. We’ve had so many guys step up and play huge for us that probably didn’t start the season with a big role or even during the week didn’t know that they were going to have a big role. I think back to Dillon (Radunz) last week, didn’t know he was going to be in the game and a couple of hours before kickoff, you’re the starting left tackle. So, just that mindset of next man up and having the confidence to step in and play good football on short notice or in tough situations has been huge and it’s all led by (Mike) Vrabel.

(on ifwhether he had the chance to talk to tight end MyCole Pruitt after he was carted off)

Yeah, it’s brutal honestly. You hate to see it to anybody, especially to one of your teammates. It’s gut-wrenching honestly. I turned and saw the ref waving over and then I looked back and saw what was going on and my stomach just churned. You feel so bad, and you hate to see it and you wish that could never happen to anybody on the football field. Yeah, I’ll be praying for MyCole (Pruitt) and connecting with him and trying to support him through these next steps.

(on the possibility of running back Derrick Henry coming back)

We’re starting to have a little bit of momentum and do some good things, obviously. We’ll see where Derrick (Henry) ends up and hopefully we can get him back, but getting A.J. (Brown) back, we’re starting to build some momentum, play some consecutive games with good football, taking care of the ball and running the football. Playing our style of ball has been huge for us to kind of finish up these few weeks of the season.

(on what the team has done since the Bye Week)

You want to play your best football at the end of the year. We kind of set ourselves up through the year to be in a good position, but you want to play your best football going into January. That’s what the great teams do. They find a way to get hot and build confidence going into the playoffs, and then you’ve got to play your best football in the playoffs, is what it comes down to. The games are tough, the margin for error is small, but you’ve got to be able to play your best football on a weekly basis late December into January.

RB D’Onta Foreman

(on if earlier in the season he thought he would be a key part of a division title team)

No, ma’am. I definitely didn’t. I was just very – I am just at a loss of words right now. I am just thankful and blessed being in this position. God is so good. Just being at home, I guess I would be at home, I would say to myself, ‘Man, I just want the opportunity, somebody give me the opportunity and trust in me and just give me the opportunity.’ I just felt like I could go out there and just play my game and play well. Like I said before, unfortunately certain situations happened that led me here, but I am very thankful to be here. Every time I step out on that field. I just want to go out there and give it my all and just show that I deserve to be here. I deserve to be in the league somewhere, you know what I mean? Just do what I can do.

(on the locker room after the game)

It was a lot of music going. Everybody was jumping around, excited, happy. Just a great feeling

(on his comfort level growing as time progresses)

Definitely. I have been feeling it the last few weeks, just getting more comfortable. Just getting back to the flow of everything. I was at home, and when you first come back it’s not easy to just jump in and just go have 100-yard games, or just go out there and be explosive. So, it takes time, you know? Build chemistry with the other guys. But, I mean, I don’t know man. I am just so thankful for everything that has been given to me at this point and I am just trying to capitalize on every opportunity that I am given.

(on the team keeping momentum going despite the adversity it has faced)

When I was here last year, man I just felt it. You know, just felt the energy of the team, the coaches and guys that want it, you know what I mean? Just people that come to work everyday and just give it their all, work hard day in and day out. And when I got my opportunity to come back, I just wanted to fit in with those guys and I already knew what the coaching was, so I just wanted to come in here and do what I could to help, and I think I am doing that.

(on what his teammates have said to him about contributing to the team)

Yeah, a lot of guys come up to me during the game and after the game and just tell me, ‘Great game, way to run the ball, keep running it.’ That’s great to hear. Being back playing football, just all the little things that I was missing being at home. I just take every moment and cherish it, you know what I mean? From the fans, to my teammates and coaches, and even sometimes in our running back room when Coach (Tony) Dews is getting on me. Like, I don’t take anything personal. At the end of the day, it’s a job and I am here to try and help this team any way I can. So, I don’t ever take it lightly, never. No day that I am here, I never take it lightly.

(on his approach to arriving to a team with big shoes to fill)

I think my approach was, not try to fill big shoes. I think the approach was go out there and play my game, do what I can do to help the team. I mean, Derrick (Henry) is Derrick, you know what I mean? He is a great running back, I think the best in the league. So, to be able to come in, just try to help this team and fill in where he left off, it was a challenge for sure because I am a competitor. So, I never wanted anybody looking at me like I couldn’t do it or I couldn’t get the job done. I never tried to compare myself to him or do anything he was doing. I just wanted to go out there and be as effective as I could be and help this team win games.

(on how he thought his teammates felt when he returned to the Titans)

They kept saying, ‘Welcome back’ in the middle of the game. ‘Keep going, keep going. Keep carrying us, keep carrying us.’ So, like I said for me, none of that was on my mind. I was just having fun. Everybody was saying calm down, settle down. I was enjoying myself, not trying to get too carried away. Like I said, I am just grateful just to be back out there and play the game that I love.

(on being part of the running game moving forward)

I am not sure what the plan is, but whatever my role will be, I am going to do my role, do everything I can to help the team win. At the end of the day, the Titans gave me this opportunity, so I am just so thankful. There is never anything that I wouldn’t do to not be excited. Even if I am on the bench or even whatever my role would be, I am just here to do my job, do my part and help this team win games, man.

RB D’Onta Foreman

(on if earlier in the season he thought he would be a key part of a division title team)

(on the locker room after the game)

It was a lot of music going. Everybody was jumping around, excited, happy. Just a great feeling

(on his comfort level growing as time progresses)

(on the team keeping momentum going despite the adversity it has faced)

(on what his teammates have said to him about contributing to the team)

(on his approach to arriving to a team with big shoes to fill)

(on how he thought his teammates felt when he returned to the Titans)

(on being part of the running game moving forward)

LB David Long, Jr.

(on returning to play after missing time because of injury in previous weeks)

I have been gone for a while. I missed time but I was still behind my brothers. I was just being a teammate and staying in there when I could. They held it down. They didn’t fall off or anything like that. Everybody was still playing, we were still winning and we were still a top defense. Everybody was just playing ball. I was glad to get back in the rotation.

(on how he approached his role this week)

Just play it by ear on how I feel. I wasn’t about to just go back out there and play every snap again. I was cool to drizzle back in there wherever they needed me or wherever I could help the team. That was OK with me.

(on winning back-to-back AFC South Division championships)

Back-to-back. It feels great, man. Coming into the league a lot of people don’t get to experience playoffs or let alone back-to-back division champs. It feels great. We have a lot more work ahead of us. We are going to enjoy this and then get back to work.

CB Elijah Molden

(on winning the AFC South in his rookie season)

It is hard to win in this league, but at the same time, I don’t really – this is my first time doing this. It was fun to celebrate that with everyone. We were talking about putting the hat on and the shirt on before the game, so it was fun.

(on the secondary continuing to be active all game long)

We knew what type of offense they were. They don’t take too many shots deep. They have quick guys and they run some RPO stuff. Especially with the conditions too, we have to take that into consideration. You don’t want to give the quarterback easy throws when the ball is slippery, and we went out there and executed.

(on how important it was to get out to a fast start)

Like you said, they have won seven in a row. Wanted to start fast and create a spark.

(on the character of the team after having to deal with so much adversity throughout the season)

I just feel like we are a tough group. Speaking for the defense, just going out there and battling with those guys on this field. It is so much fun to go out there and look around and see everyone’s face. We play fast, we play physical, and I feel like the offense has our back and we have theirs.

(on if he envisioned this when he was first drafted)

Shoot, I didn’t know. I feel like I was so naïve back then, to be honest. Growing up I always knew I wanted to play in the league. My dad had told me stories so I thought I could get some perspective, but it is all brand new to me. I am glad to be on this defense, we have so much fun playing for coaches like ours.

T Taylor Lewan

(on winning back-to-back AFC South Division Championships)

This is unbelievable. I am going to try my best not to get emotional. When we got off the field Titans Amie (Wells) interviewed me and I couldn’t stop crying because it is like being here through those times we just sucked, it was just awful. Come in and would have to have a silent cadence because the opposing fans would be in the building, and you couldn’t hear your own snap count on your own field. It just seemed like no one even cared about Titans football. I say that, I know there have been season ticket holders since the 90s and all that, I am not coming at them. It just wasn’t as big of a crowd as it is now. Like I have said so many times before, I am so proud to be a part of this team. Last year, sitting there at home with a torn ACL and watching the boys win the division – Will (Compton) FaceTimed me in the locker room and I just lost it, I was so proud of being a part of this team and I wish I could have helped more last year. Being on the field today and winning the way we did, I just broke down and started crying. It is just amazing to be a part of something for this long. It is amazing to help change the culture of a team. I am so proud of that.

(on if he expected the season to go the way it has so far)

Every year you think in April that you are the best team in the world. Then you find out who you really are in the season. There has been a lot of adversity for this team this year. There has been a lot of adversity for me this year. Some BS, nagging things here and there and not as available as I want to be. I am just happy we got this win today. We are going to celebrate it for 24 hours and then the Bengals won right? We have a game to win next week.

(on the remaining goals of the season such as getting the number one seed in the AFC)

Like (Mike) Vrabel said leading to our Bye Week, it was a super late Bye Week, we came back and (Mike) Vrabel told us, ‘This is when the season is beginning.’ In the past there wasn’t that mentality. I think last year there was and maybe the year before that. The past coaches didn’t set that mentality. (Mike) Vrabel has done that. We really believe it that our season is just getting started now.

(on how proud he is of the running game)

There is always room for improvement. Those guys ran their ass off today. (Dontrell) Hilliard, (D’Onta) Foreman, (Jeremy) McNichols, they ran their asses off. They found holes and the boys were blocking. That is a really good defense. Hats off to the Dolphins. They have won seven in a row for a reason. Their defense was that dominant. We knew we had a lot to play up to. I am proud of that. You miss the King (Derrick Henry), though. Not just him on the field, but him in the locker room with the boys. That guy is a huge staple of our team.

(on returning from the reserve/COVID-19 list and what it is about this team that allows them to perform well despite all the adversity)

Yeah, I had COVID this week. Miserable. I came back on Wednesday and was dying at practice. I think it says more about (Mike) Vrabel and Jon (Robinson) and what they have done putting the guys in this locker room. Drafting guys like Jeffery Simmons, A.J. Brown and Derrick Henry, but also bringing guys in like Denico (Autry). Bringing those guys in knowing what they bring to the table and instilling that in us. It doesn’t matter who is in or who is out. I think you saw it in the middle of the year, there were times where we played games and you were picking up dudes off the street. You were like, ‘Hey, we need 11 dudes to be on the field.’ And those guys took advantage of their opportunities and are still here. It says a lot about Jon (Robinson) and (Mike) Vrabel, and it says a lot about the guys that had to come in on a short week and learn the playbook. It is not an easy thing to do.

(on what it means to win back-to-back division championships)

This team is getting better every single year. Like I said before, Jon (Robinson) and (Mike) Vrabel bringing in guys that are going to help our continued success. Taking it one week at a time. We could tell even during the season, shooting ourselves in the foot too many times. Losing those games you shouldn’t lose or ball security and all that stuff. There is still so much more we can get better at so that is really exciting.

(on if winning the division is becoming the new standard for this organization)

I think that is a bold, bold statement, but I think he is right. You win back-to-back – your goal every single year is to win the division. We have the talent on this team to do that and we have done that for the last two years. I would agree with him. I believe that this is the standard for us. This is the standard we should be held to and continue to hopefully have success in this postseason as well.

WR A.J. Brown

(on the Titans winning back-to-back AFC South titles)

It feels pretty good. Me personally, I feel like this is the new standard here, but we want more. It feels good to go back-to-back, but it’s not the end goal. Just to be a part of this special group just moving forward, it feels great. We are excited. We appreciate it. But this is not where we want to stop.

(on the success in the run game over the Dolphins)

The plan coming in was to run the ball. Be more physical. And we ran the ball really well, so D’Onta (Foreman) and all the other backs did a really good job today. It kind of took it out of our hands, but we threw it when we needed to. Most important, we got the ‘W,’ so it’s not a problem.

(on how good it is for the Titans control their own destiny in terms of seeding)

It’s not all the way in our hands yet. It definitely gives us a level of comfort, but we know we’ve got a lot of work ahead, and we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do. We have to come out and play, no matter who we are playing, no matter what the seed. The extra week is going to feel good for rest and to get everybody back healthy. But we know we have a long road ahead. It is important to have the playoff games here. They come here. We don’t have to go anywhere, and we have homefield advantage. All that stuff plays a part. That’s the great thing about it.

(on the importance of ball security)

Protecting the football each and every game is important. You can’t win these tough games in the NFL with turnovers, so it was just another week. He (Mike Vrabel) is going to preach that every week. Protect the football, no matter who we play.

(on if the team had extra motivation to beat the Dolphins with Miami being quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s former team)

Oh, most definitely. All week I never heard Ryan (Tannehill) say anything about the Dolphins, until the last little drive. He wanted to go and put it on them. I can’t tell you what he said.

(on the Titans getting charged up by the fan support and enthusiasm today against the Dolphins)

Man, that gives us tremendous confidence, when the fans are on our side and cheering their butts off. It helps us out a lot. We feed off their momentum. And our fans shouldn’t listen to naysayers out there, either. We appreciate them.

(on knowing how important it was to win today and going out and getting a victory)

Most definitely. We had to worry about ourselves and we had to win today. We are not really worried about anyone else no matter what cards we were dealt. We had to win today, and we got the win today. Next week, it’s going to be winning next week, against Houston. We know that right now, it’s playoff football. And we are already trying to get in form, because it gets tougher.

S Kevin Byard

(on being back-to-back AFC South champions)

It feels excellent. It feels great. When I got drafted here in 2016, obviously previous years, we were like 2-14, 3-13, so to really be a part of that first draft class and turn this thing around, been having winning seasons ever since, watching this fan base embrace this city, embrace the team, it’s definitely been great. So, definitely happy. Two-time division champs, but I’m pretty sure everybody that’s going to come up here is going to echo it that we’re not done yet. The season’s just getting started. There’s a lot more meat out there on the bone.

(on the way the team focused and took care of business)

Yeah, the entire week we were focused on what our job was and not focused on scenarios and anything like that. We understood that obviously the division was on the line and we treated it as such. Proud of the way the defense played. Guys were out there flying around, making plays, got some turnovers, got some sacks as well. Think we played really complementary football off of them turning the ball over, we got some turnovers, so it was great.

(on how the defense is peaking)

Yeah, man, I’ve talked about it previously – earlier in the year that we kind of know what we are as a defense. We go out there. We don’t give up a lot of big plays – we had a couple today. We’ll get that stuff corrected, but we don’t give up big plays. Teams can’t run the ball on us. We feel like we can stop anybody as far as running the ball. Guys flying out there and making plays, trying to the ball out, turnovers and things like that. We’re just a confident group. Talking about the guys on the front seven, those guys are hungry and those guys are making plays every single weekend. It makes jobs easier for us on the backend, so it’s been fun, for sure.

(on getting linebacker David Long Jr. back in the lineup)

We know throughout this entire year obviously when he’s out, he’s been our emotional leader out there. He’s been out there making plays, so it’s good to see him come out here today and obviously get a turnover, which was definitely clutch to end the game. Definitely happy for him, but we’ve got a crowded linebacker group now with (Zach) Cunningham, David Long and Rashaan (Evans), I know Coach (Vrabel) is trying to figure out how to get all of them on the field at the same time, so I’m excited to see how that thing plays out.

(on if the adversity the team has faced this year makes this win more special)

Yeah, I think our mentality – all of that outside noise saying, ‘We may not be a good team,’ and ‘Eventually a team is going to come in’ – we just handle our business. We just do what we do. The next man up mentality that we’ve been having this entire year where guys have been coming in, getting signed, playing the same week, guys been out here playing a lot of snaps for us. So even that record that we broke, as many players as we’ve had playing for our team, to still have the success that we’ve had is just a credit to the culture (Mike) Vrabel and Jon (Robinson) have built as far as constructing this roster.

(on how much of an edge home field advantage can be for the team)

Yeah, I wouldn’t say it’s an edge or not, but I think that it’s good going into next week knowing that we don’t have to worry about anybody. We don’t have to worry about somebody losing or anything like that. We go out there and handle business in Houston, we’ll have the one seed. So, it’s definitely good to be in this position. Usually, last game of the year we’re fighting for something anyway, so it’s good to go into the last week of the season trying to fight to be this number one seed.

(on getting the lead on the defense and running the clock)

Yeah, we feel like that every single game. If the offense gets us a lead to get some points, we feel like we can play with anybody in this league. I think we’ve proven that, but obviously we’ve had to continue to do that. Obviously, the offense did a really good job of just not turning the ball over. It’s been evident this year that if they don’t turn the ball over, we tend to win the ball game.

(on how much Head Coach Mike Vrabel has been a catalyst to keep the team’s eye on the prize)

At the end of the day, sometimes when guys are hurt, sometimes you don’t even recognize it on the sideline. You kind of say, ‘Hey, this guy’s not playing,’ or even throughout the week, every team is dealing with COVID, all the injuries we’ve had, guys have just been focused on their job and their job alone. I think that if we continue doing that and guys keep preaching that, we’ll be good to go. I think we’ve just had a lot of great leadership as well from the players, from the coaches, to the entire organization. I think we’re just very hungry. We were obviously disappointed how last year ended, especially on defense, and I just think that the mentality this year is just not satisfied with anything. Not satisfied with division champs. We’re trying to go win a Super Bowl for this entire city.

(on how much fun it is to be a part of this defensive group)

A lot of fun. I’m just having a lot of fun being with this entire team. We just feed off of each other. Special teams, just feeding off of each other. Obviously, just being out there on defense, I was kind of joking a little bit on the sidelines. I think this is the first time in my career where I didn’t end the game. It was like four times where Coach (Vrabel) took me out early, and it was kind of – I mean, it feels good because obviously that means you’re winning, you’re doing things the right way, so we’ve got to continue doing that. Coming into this clutch time, obviously we’ve got to finish next week strong and see who we got in the playoffs.

(on if he put on an AFC South Championship t-shirt)

The locker room was like – we’ll keep that in the locker room. But it was crazy. Guys were jumping around ridiculous. People falling and all types of stuff, taking pictures. When you win the division obviously it’s a great reward for all of the hard work we’ve put in this year, all of the adversity we’ve faced and you definitely see that as the locker room exploded as we came in, blasting music and stuff like that, so it was definitely fun – and I’m going to enjoy tonight as well, trust me.

TE Anthony Firkser

(on the Titans winning back-to-back division titles)

It’s exciting. It’s awesome for the team. We’ve worked hard, and it’s good to finally get that. I think (Mike) Vrabel, this organization, and guys he’s brought in have done a great job of surrounding us with guys that know how to win and know what it takes. Everyone is dedicated and motivated.

(on how the offense has improved with less mistakes and turnovers as the playoffs approach)

Yes, that’s something we saw in our wins and losses. In the losses we were turning the ball over, so it was something we had to emphasize. And just making sure everyone took care of the ball, blocked as long as they could, and it’s everyone’s job.

(on the offense being able to establish the running game today against the Dolphins’ defense)

That was exciting to see. We knew they were going to have a lot of guys up there up front with their guys back. Everyone was rough and hard coming off the ball.

(on his long touchdown catch in the end zone)

Yes, it was up there for a while. I knew I was pretty open. It’s always exciting. I’m just wanting to make sure I catch this one.