NYG Postgame (at Baltimore Ravens) Transcripts: WR Sterling Shepard
December 27, 2020
Q: How ticked off does it make you that it takes until the fourth quarter for you guys to play the way that you want?
A: It’s frustrating. We have to get off to better starts. We’re not the type of team that can afford to get off to this type of start, especially against a good team like Baltimore. We have to figure out what it is and how to get into a better groove early next week.
Q: When you play a game like this against a team that may be headed to the playoffs, does it reflect how far or close you guys are to where you want to be? How do you evaluate it when you get this type of result?
A: No, it’s simple things we have to correct. When you look at the first drive, little things like jumping offsides put us in a bad position. Those types of things are just mental errors, it’s nothing the opposing team did, it was something we did to ourselves. I look at it like we have to get into the room and correct those things.
Q: You got on a plane leaving Seattle in first place in the division, you’ve now lost three straight and your touchdown was the first one in nine quarters, what is the frustration level and how do you bounce back from this?
A: I really wasn't frustrated, and neither were the guys on the offense. We got a group of guys that will keep pounding no matter what’s going on. That’s what I love about this team and this offensive unit. Guys are going to keep on working as you saw at the end of the game, we were trying to keep pounding and put up a point on the board. I’m proud of the guys and the way they finished the game.
Q: How much are you going to keep an eye on these games this afternoon?
A: We can only control what we can control, and our focus is on Dallas right now. That’s where my focus will be immediately.
Q: You didn’t have a play over 20 yards offensively today, why has it been such a struggle to get those big plays?
A: That’s just the way the cards were dealt. We can’t control what coverage they’re in and when they’re going to be in it. I had one today I should’ve taken deep, and I hooked it up. That was my chance to go deep.
Q: Are you talking about the one where (Daniel Jones) threw the ball deep in the first half?
A: Yes, that’s my fault, I got to go deep on that one. I believe it was cover zero and that’s my fault.
Q: Joe Judge was saying he thinks the foundation is getting there, and the culture change is there and he thinks moving forward, this team will be okay. Do you agree with that? And if so, why?
A: I agree with that wholeheartedly. Like I said earlier, we have guys that will fight until the end, no matter what the scoreboard looks like. It doesn’t matter how well we played previously, we got guys that will keep chomping at the bit to play football. When you have a close-knit group like we have, you can only think that things will be on the up from here. We just got to keep on pounding, and we’re focused on Dallas and next week.
Q: After the Seattle game, if someone told you you would lose three straight and not be in any for the most part, would that surprise you? This team was on a roll and it kind of fizzled.
A: That’s the way this game goes. It’s the NFL. Any given Sunday. You never know what’s going to happen. You just got to prepare and go out there. Unfortunately, that’s the way these last few have worked out, we weren’t able to get these last three.
Q: Do these last three games show how far away you are from being a playoff contender?
A: Games are always going to show you what you need to correct. That’s what we do. We get into the lab on Monday and we try to correct those things that we didn’t do so hot on in the previous week. You’re going to learn week to week what you need to do.
Q: How about just in terms of the caliber opponent you’ve faced in the last three weeks? You’ve played three teams that are fighting for playoff spots.
A: It’s a good look for all the guys to play those caliber teams. We have to play better. That's the bottom line.
Q: Logistically, how did it work to have a coach calling plays who wasn’t at practice all week? Were there any challenges there?
A: No. No challenges at all. We had zoom meetings, Coach (Jason) Garrett was with us just like he was whenever he was able to be in the room. So nothing was thrown off about that.
