Offensive Tackle Andrew Thomas
Q: Tell us about what you told (Head) Coach (Joe Judge) when he came to you or if he came to you and said, 'Would (Quarterback) Jake Fromm be a good fit for this team?' and, assuming you said yes, what you saw from Jake that said yes?
A: I really didn't talk to coach that much about that decision, but when I saw the news that he was coming in, obviously excited. Definitely played with him for three years at Georgia. We won a lot of games there, so I'm excited to see him get his opportunity.
Q: For those of us who only have seen him play on TV, what is it about him that gives him a chance here? Obviously, it's a tough spot for him to be in. What gives him a chance here to have some success?
A: Jake does well with seeing the whole offense, knowing what the defense is running, what pressures are coming, getting the ball to the right people, being the best leader he can and I think that's something that he does really well.
Q: With all respect, you guys have a lot of pride as players and professionals – is it embarrassing to not score a touchdown, to have the kind of offensive performance you did yesterday? If so, how do you guys react to that and regroup quickly?
A: It's definitely frustrating. We have a lot of talent on this offense. Definitely capable of being more explosive. When we look at the tape and look at the end result, it's always frustrating, but we go back like we do every week, figure out what we can clean up and do what we can to be better for next week.
Q: What have you seen from (Chargers Outside Linebacker) Joey Bosa, assuming he plays this week? What kind of challenge is he? Where does he rank sort of in the pantheon of the edge rushers that you've had to face so far?
A: Definitely one of the best in the league right now. Very good with speed to power and has a really good double-hand cross chop. It's going to be something that we definitely have to key in on to be prepared this week.
Q: How do you guys approach this week as an offense not knowing who your quarterback is going to be?
A: From an offensive line standpoint, we're just trying to do the best job we can to open up holes for the running back and protect whoever's throwing the ball. Regardless of who's at quarterback, if we're not protecting, we're not doing our job. It doesn't matter. So, the focus is on us performing better and that way the offense will perform better regardless of who's throwing the ball.
Q: What do you think of the idea that a guy who's only been here nine days having to start?
A: That's the beauty of the NFL, it's next man up. Jake's getting his opportunity. I'm excited for him to get his chance, but, like I said, next man up and we're doing everything that we can to help him.
