Running Back Matt Breida
Q: In your career, you've played with some quarterbacks who are not particularly fleet-footed and some that are pretty mobile. What does it add to the offense when you've got a quarterback like Daniel (Jones) who can do that with his legs?
A: It just makes it harder for the defenses to be able to play both the running and the pass, especially with Daniel being so fast and able to make quick decisions. He can run it, but he can also throw it. It just makes it harder for the defense.
Q: Seeing you out there lead-blocking for him the other day, how much have you had to do? Is that something new for you? It seemed like you enjoyed it.
A: Part of playing football is you've got to block. You've got to run, block, tackle. I feel like if you want to be a good football player, you've got to do all those things. So, I enjoy doing whatever I can do for the team.
Q: You got one of the carries. I think you guys might have run the same play eight straight times. (Running back) Saquon (Barkley) kept on gaining yards, and you came in for a play. Have you ever been a part of that where the offense calls the same play time after time after time?
A: Oh, yeah. If it's not broke, you don't even have to fix it. I guess that play was working that whole drive, and we decided to keep running with it. And it got us the results that we wanted.
Q: For a running back when you see that, can you ever have too much of that when they just keep on saying, 'Look we got to move the clock. We have to get some yards, and we're just going to run it time after time again.' Is that something that an offense kind of dreams of there?
A: Oh, of course. Anytime you get to run the ball on a team, I think it demoralizes a team when they know you're going to run the ball, and it's going to be the same play over and over, and they can't stop it. It's a great feeling. We did everything at the end of the game, and we were able to do that.
Q: Did you get a sense of any demoralization from the Jaguars yesterday down the stretch there?
A: You look at it, those guys were tired toward fourth quarter. Like I said, when you're able to run the ball like that, those guys got to get back up and do the same thing over and over and over. It makes them tired. I think we did a great job: O-line, wide receivers, tight ends, quarterbacks, running backs – we all did our job.
Q: Does it make you guys tired?
A: No. Of course not. It's our job. We're supposed to run the ball.
Q: You've been on teams that made pretty deep playoff runs, gone to the Super Bowl. At what point do you start to look around and say, 'Oh, maybe this is one of those teams that can do that,'?
A: I think the main thing is you've got to take it week-by-week. Like Dabs (Head Coach Brian Daboll) says all the time, you've just got to trust the process. We're trying to go 1-0 each week; we're not trying to look too far ahead. I think we've got guys on the team that have bought into that. They want to play for each other, play for our coaches. And I think that's a big key to knowing where we want to get to.
Q: Was that that key for that (San Francisco) 49ers team, too? Is that the same mindset you used?
A: Yeah. You've got to play unselfish football. I don't think anyone on this team is worried about their stats or the numbers, how many touchdowns they're going to get or interceptions. I think we all go out there and play for each other for every game, and we get the results that we want.
Q: This follows up on the same question, but how hard is it to – you play the game Sunday; Monday you go over it and then you just shut it out. Everybody makes it sound so easy. Is it?
A: At this point, yeah. I've been playing this game since I was six years old. So, I think you get that mentality from when you're a kid. Same thing, you go week by week all the way throughout high school and college, and it's the same mentality. So, you've got to let it go. There's nothing that you can do; you can't go back in time win or lose. The only thing we've got guaranteed is that next game in front of us. So, I think it's a very easy process once you accept it and are willing to do the stuff that requires of it.
Q: I have one other question. Did you talk to Saquon after the game and tell him he's got to park his rear end a little bit in the field?
A: I think Saquon knows what to do in that situation. We have his back no matter what. Saquon did a great job running the ball at the end of the game. I think the offense did a great job running the ball, and like I said, we got the win.
Q: I just wanted to ask you about Saquon. Obviously, he's playing through that shoulder injury. As a running back, how difficult is it? Have you ever had to do it? I'm sure you have at some point. How difficult is it to play with a should injury as a running back?
A: It's always difficult when you've got injuries to play through that type of stuff, and it goes to say a lot about Saquon that he's able to go out there every week and play and not let it bother him and put his body on the line for this team. So, I know I said we got a really unique team. I think all the guys want to go out there and play for each other no matter what injuries we have. It's part of football. We all accept that. And like I said, we got a great team.
Q: You have to be on high alert. It feels like every game, there's like a tackle or two where he (Saquon Barkley) hits the ground, and he has to run off. So, you always have to be ready.
A: It's part of your job to be ready on time. We get paid a lot of money to play this game – a child's game. And I don't think anyone's worried about they got to go in the game. It's part of what we're supposed to do is be ready at all times.
