HEAD COACH KLIFF KINGSBURY
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, December 12, 2022
On an injury update for QB Kyler Murray:
"It doesn't look good, but we'll know more in the morning."
On the emotional toll an injury like Murray's can have on the team:
"It's tough. There's no doubt. You see teams go through it every week, but (when) you lose your starter in the third play of the game—a non contact kind of deal— it's just tough to watch and see. You've got to be able to rebound and continue to play the game though."
On what he said to Murray on the field after his injury:
"He was just kind of asking what was going on from the medical staff, and obviously it didn't look good. I've never seen him in that type of shape, so I assumed it wasn't good."
On the turnovers on offense:
"Yeah. The self inflicted stuff offensively was really bad tonight. The illegal shifts on big plays, you can't do that. It's just unacceptable, and we've got to be better. No matter who's out there operating, no matter who's in—obviously there are some guys that are backups that are getting a lot of time. We've just got to execute at a high level and when you have a chance to make plays you have to make them."
On how ready QB Colt McCoy is to take on the starting role for the remainder of the season:
"He's ready. There's no doubt. He's got a great feel for the system. I thought he did some good stuff tonight. It's always tough when you haven't had the reps during the week, but I thought he gave us a chance. Some of those plays that got called back, a couple tough drops, and then obviously the turnovers just put us behind the eight ball."
On WR DeAndre Hopkins' fumble in the third quarter:
"He hasn't done that much but in that situation he knows you've got to make sure you secure that. It just can't happen in that situation."
On the six sacks offensively:
"That really happened late. With our o-line and some of the injuries we had there, if you're on dimensional against that team it's going to be tough sledding and that's really where those started showing up. We got down a couple of scores, (then) they could pin their ears back and that's not what we're built to do right now with how it's set up."
On if the decision to go for in on fourth and one at the end of the first half was due to K Matt Prater's missed field goal earlier in the game:
"I liked the play call we had. I thought we had a shot at it, and unfortunately they got a hand on it, but Matt's been a clutch kicker in this league for a long time. So that was just a decision based on the play call."
On an injury update on DL Zach Allen:
"Some sort of hand (injury). He didn't come back, so we'll have to check that out in the morning."
On how much of the playbook he is unable to use with McCoy in at quarterback instead of Murray:
"Just some of the more movement quarterback run stuff is out, but Colt has a good eye for the pre-snap progression stuff, so we just have to adjust the game plan. The game plan was built for Kyler, but I thought he came in and executed the things we asked him to do at a high level at times."
On if he had to tell McCoy not to run due to him being the only quarterback left:
"No. You saw the run on fourth down. He took off so we would have had a running back in if he would have gotten hurt but he's a competitor."
On if the inability to score in the second half was due to self inflicted mistakes offensively:
"Yeah, I thought so. Once again, some crucial plays on illegal shifts and things of that nature. On fourth down, I thought we had a shot to make that play and against a team like that when you have a chance to do it, with the situation we have offensively, you've got to make those plays."
QUARTERBACK COLT MCCOY
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, December 12, 2022
On QB Kyler Murray's injury:
"Tough. You never want to see that happen to anybody. It's tough."
On how he's feeling moving forward and his thoughts on the outcome of the game:
"I'll be alright. We hurt ourselves tonight just situationally. The shifting penalties that took away two explosive passes, I missed 'Hollywood' (WR Marquise Brown) down in the redzone (on a) kind of a scramble almost creating a play. I really wish I could have that one back. We had our opportunities. We had an opportunity in plus territory right before the half to kick a field goal or get points and we didn't do it. They finished the half with a field goal and started the second half with a field goal— all of a sudden you're tied up. They're a good football team, and they're very well-coached. We had our opportunities tonight and unfortunately we just let it slip away. That starts with me. There's some things I definitely would like back. We get into situations to drop back and pass the ball down the field and we're just not built like that right now."
On the missed pass to TE Trey McBride:
"We had some plays this week where we were really trying to get Trey the ball in certain scenarios and I missed him twice. I thought Trey had a nice game. He made a really nice catch when the corner fell off on a play pass. I didn't think the corner was going to fall off there. Trey's a tough guy, competitor and I've got to be sharper for sure. Same with Hollywood. I've never played with him. The games that I played in early he was out, so there's some things that I need to work on with him. I trust all of those guys. We have a great group outside and if there's a finger to blame, point it at me. I've got to make some throws that would help us in this game."
On the incomplete pass to WR DeAndre Hopkins:
"I got hit. We were kind of setting that up and I think at worst I had a 50-50 ball to Hop—which we'll take. As I was throwing it, I got hit. My feet came off the ground and I didn't have anything to push it down the field."
On how ready he is to start for the remainder of the season:
"I've played for a long time and you've always got to be ready. You never want to see the guy in front of you go down. You just don't. I've had a lot of opportunities in my career, I've gotten injured, so I'm thankful to be on this team and on this squad. I love the guys that we have. We've battled injuries all year long and the guys that are going to go in there, they're going to fight until the very end. I don't think there's anymore you can ask for and I'd be proud to go lead them."
On if he feels like he has something to prove:
"I don't think I have anything to prove. I think I've just got to go out there and play good football. Distribute the ball, keep us in third and manageable situations, and score touchdowns in the red zone. It'd be good to get a week of practice in with some of these guys, Trey (McBride) and 'Hollywood' (WR Marquise Brown). I thought (WR) Robbie (Anderson) had a really nice game today. I haven't really thrown to him much, so there are some positives but I think as a quarterback we've got to be more detailed. We can't have the previous snap penalties. We can't have the shifting penalties. They took away two of our explosive passes. Especially against these teams we're going to play down the stretch— top defenses. We can't hurt ourselves. It's not an issue of guys not playing harder or am I ready to play. It's just as a group we've got to buckle down, play well together, practice well together and finish these last four games out one at a time. I think that will be my focus. It sucks for (QB) Kyler (Murray). We've been together for two years. We work together everyday. I don't ever want to see anything like that happen. I know how much he cares about the game. I know how hard he works. It's just unfortunate and I think I'll be able to put an arm around him through this because I've dealt with many in my career."
On the offense rallying around him and if it's something the team can build off of moving forward:
"Yeah I think so. I feel comfortable with what we're doing. We're not good enough to overcome some of the things that we did tonight. That starts with me. There's a lot of things that I can do better. I can manage the game better, but we've just got to lock in on the details and be sharp."
RB JAMES CONNER
On QB Kyler Murray's injury:
"It's very tough, that's our guy man (QB Kyler Murray). The work he puts in, how much the game means to him. How much he wants to be out there. So for him to go down, I don't know how serious it is, obviously I didn't have confirmation on anything, but that's my brother so it sucks. I feel for him. That's the game though."
On the emotions while witnessing Murray's injury:
"I've had knee injuries before, so I know it's tough, but I'm just thinking in that moment to step up."
On pushing through this tough season:
"Living in the now. Living in the present moment and right now my mind is on Denver. That's all you can do is to live in the now and just try to focus in, and carry on."
On his injury during the game:
"I just got the wind knocked out of me. I think I fell on the ball so I couldn't breathe real quick, so it's all good."
On his touchdown and the team's effort tonight:
"I think we played good football pretty much all game. A couple costly mistakes but that's the game. As for the question, it is everybody giving max effort. The touchdown run just meant trying to put points on the board and move the chains."
On the feel of the locker room after all the injuries in tonight's game:
"I'm not deflated and I can only really speak from my own perspective. So I'm not deflated, I understand this is a blessing. I know the responsibility and the blessing. I'm not deflated and I'm going to keep spreading the message to the guys to not be deflated, because there's no point in feeling that way. Obviously you can have a bad taste in your mouth but we still have football left and that's a blessing."
On setting new Cardinals offensive scoring records:
"It's incredible and I can't help but thank God. The situation he brought me through while I was in college and to come here now and be able to continue to play. I know with hard work and preparation that the touchdowns and everything is going to come with it. I just can't think of anything else but just gratitude."
WR DEANDRE HOPKINS
On the chances offensively to stay in the game:
"It's tough, obviously. The fumble hurt us more than anything and I take responsibility for it, for that. I think that's where everything went downhill when they (The Patriots) got the momentum. It just seemed like it kept coming, so it's on me. I take full responsibility."
On how frustrating it was to commit mistakes:
"Yes absolutely. I try to be perfect so for me I let myself down today. I let coach down, I let the guys down. I haven't fumbled all year so it's definitely a reminder of protecting the ball."
On watching Cardinals QB Kyler Murray get injured:
"Oh it hurt. Kyler puts a lot into this. He's been preparing his butt off to get back after the hamstring injury, so for that to happen, I hate that for him. I know he'll recover and get back to himself."
On if he has spoken to Murray since the game concluded:
"No I haven't."
On seeing a non-contact injury and if it's worse than seeing a contact injury:
"Yes, absolutely. Every time you see a non-contact injury you know it's worse right away."
On how tough it is to reset as a team after Murray's injury:
"Where we're at sucks, but we have to turn the chapter. It's the NFL and you never know what can happen. A lot of guys are playing a lot of ball, so you just have to turn the page, it's a short week."
On maintaining a positive mindset through all the ups-and-downs this season:
"It's the NFL, a couple people here won a Super Bowl, so I think for everybody who hasn't won a Super Bowl they've been dealing with adversity their entire career. I think the NFL teaches you a lot not just about the game, but about yourself overcoming it."
On how he fumbled the ball:
"I think watching the replay, the guy, it's a game of inches but his thumb hit it. But it's on me, just trying to make a play and wasn't getting a lot of completions, so once I got the ball I was trying to do something with it. That's my fault."
On how the offense is different with Cardinals QB Colt McCoy compared to Murray:
"Both of those guys are on offense, so I can't get into a comparison game."
OL JOSH JONES
On how QB Kyler Murray's injury impacted the team:
"It's tough, because he controls our offense. He's a crazy guy out there, he can do so much. It's tough losing him so early. I hope he's okay, I don't know what's going on. I just hope he's okay."
On how tough it was for the team following Murray's injury:
"It's tough, just because it's K1. But we've got (QB) Colt McCoy. We know he's ready to step in so we just tried to pick up the baton and keep it going."
On what he felt seeing Murray on the ground following the injury:
"It's tough, man. I barely even saw the play, I don't even know what happened. I think he tried to make a cut then something freaky. So I'm not sure what happened. You all probably know more than me, so I just hope he's alright."
On how the team has struggled to get over the hump:
"Yeah, every time it's adversity. It's just like always a little bit of setbacks. It's always one play here, one play there. And it's tough when you're trying to put a drive together and go down and score. It's tough, man. Shooting ourselves in our own foot."
