Running Back Saquon Barkley
Q: How are you doing? How is the shoulder?
A: Shoulder feels pretty good. Obviously, I was able to go back out there and finish the game. I've just been rehabbing it, being smart. But I'm excited for us to get a chance to go against a really good football team.
Q: Do you have any expectations that it's going to limit you or hamper you on Sunday?
A: Nope.
Q: Do you think the guys who haven't been here for the last few years maybe don't appreciate the winning as much as the guys who've been through all the losing?
A: No, I wouldn't say that. Like I said after the game, it's hard to win in this league. To be 4-1 after five games is a pretty good start. At the end of the day, we've just got to continue to fall in love with the process. There's a reason why we've been so successful early in the season. We've just got to keep working and keep pushing each other so that can continue throughout the year.
Q: When did you come up with the 'Jumpman' celebration? Why did you start doing that?
A: I don't know. The first time I did it in a game was my second year against Miami. I think I did it my rookie year in camp. I'm just having fun, I'm just enjoying ball out there. Just trying to be competitive, play the game that I love with some competitive guys. That's really all it is. I'm just having fun out there.
Q: When you watch Baltimore on tape, do you see any similarities to the defense that you've been going against for months now?
A: Yeah, yeah. You can see, obviously it's a little bit different. It's going to be a challenging test this week. They're really good. They're physical. They run to the ball well. At all levels, they have guys that can make plays. Obviously, we know how great they are at creating turnovers – I think they lead the league. It's going to be a tough battle for us. At the end of the day, we've just got to go out and do what we do, take it one play at a time and hopefully put ourselves in the best position to come out with a win.
Q: Before these couple of weeks, how much have your run the wildcat and what's different or any challenges in doing that?
A: I ran it in college, I ran it last year a little bit. I just listen to the rules that I'm told and follow it. That's really all I do. The guy I got to read, read him. If he does this, do one thing. If he does that, do another. That's really it. When the ball is in my hand, try to make a play and whether it's running with it or making the right decision and handing it off.
Q: Or throw it?
A: Or throw it, you're right. That's a good point. Or throw it.
Q: Does it mean anything to you at this point in the season to lead the league in scrimmage yards? Does it mean anything inside to you that you're doing that?
A: Not really. As a competitor, I'm not going to sit and lie, you want to do this, you want to accomplish this, you want to accomplish that, but at the end of the day the ultimate goal is to go out there and win games. Me being up in that category, I feel like helps the team. That's more of the motivation. Whatever I can do to help the team be successful to help us win games, put ourselves in positions to win games is what I'm willing to do. I'm all about finding ways to win games. I really don't care about the individual stats. At the end of the day, like I said, I'm a big believer in that's all going to take care of itself. If I continue to have the right mindset and the right work ethic and continue to do the things that I've been able to do – that's going to take care of itself. Whatever I can do to help the team win games.
Q: You guys have had a lot of success in the red zone, especially last week. The creativity is noticeable, you're attacking teams a lot differently in the red zone than you have the last couple of years. Do you guys notice that, and do you almost feel like you have a lot of different options to go to when you guys are down in there when it's seemingly the most challenging?
A: The coaches do a great job of putting us in position to be successful. It's a player's league, it's our job to go out there and execute it. We've been doing it in creative ways, we've been doing it in ways where sometimes the play might not be perfect, but we find a way to get in there and make a play. That's what we've got to continue to do. We work on it every week obviously, like every other team in the league, but continue to have a sense of urgency when you're down there and find a way to put it in the box.
