Quarterback Tyrod Taylor
Q: How, if at all, different is this week for you?
A: I don't think it's any different for me. My mindset each and every day is to come in and challenge myself to be better, lead, and when my opportunity is presented in front of me, to go out and make the best of it.
Q: How many snaps with the first-team offense do you get in a typical week if (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) is healthy?
A: Not many, if any. You've got to prepare from another perspective, more mental reps then throwing with guys after practice. Here our 1s, the starting quarterback takes the 1s reps.
Q: Would it mean anything to you if you did get the start to be able to go back to Buffalo? It's one of the places you obviously played and started at.
A: As a competitor, any time you get a chance to go out and play, you always look forward to it. It just so happens to be Buffalo this week. Obviously, I love to compete, so wherever that is, if it's this week, if it's another time, I look forward to those opportunities.
Q: Have you and Daniel had much communication about how he's feeling or anything like that?
A: We have.
Q: Is that the end of the answer?
A: (Laughter).
Q: What do you take away from it though?
A: Take away from what?
Q: From your conversations with him…
A: It's a good conversation.
Q: As a competitor, if he can play, he's going to try to. You can certainly appreciate that feeling, right?
A: 100 percent. Obviously, as competitors, you get nicked up throughout the season, but we push through and battle through things. He's one of our leaders in this locker room, one of our leaders on the offense, and obviously, if he can go, he'll be ready to go.
Q: When you were hurt, did you just land on the ball?
A: Yes. I just got the wind knocked out of me. I fell in an awkward position. I'm okay, though.
Q: If you do have to start, do you – I don't want to say have to be careful – have to pick your spots on when you can be aggressive? How many hits you can take? What type of hits you can take?
A: No, I don't think you've got to go into a game with that mindset. I think you play free. Obviously, it's a contact sport that we play and a collision sport that we play. Playing scared is never a good thing. Obviously, as a quarterback, you want to limit the hits that you take on your body, but at the same time, you've got to do what's best for the team in certain situations as far as fighting for extra yardage or making plays. Never playing timid, going out there and competing at a high level and dealing with what comes with that.
Q: How much of a loss for them is (linebacker Matt) Milano leaving?
A: It's a big loss for them. Milano is a hell of a player. He means a lot for their defense. It's just like every team, you preach the next-man-up mentality and I'm pretty sure they have someone that they're looking for to step up in that role. Prayers to Milano, a teammate of mine. Wish him a speedy recovery.
Q: Obviously, everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. How much different do you think the offense looks with you compared to Daniel, or would look?
A: I think it all boils down to execution at the end of the day. (In audible) that's up front, that's the skill positions as well, too. Just about executing regardless of who's at quarterback. It's about executing at a high level and doing it consistently.
Q: Do you think they call a similar game from a play calling perspective with you and Daniel, or do you think you maybe do some things differently?
A: I think so. But also, that's out of my control. That's up to our coaches to be able to put our players and our skill players in the best position to go out and execute at a high level.
Q: Can an offense make explosive plays if protection doesn't hold up?
A: I think that's part of it. Obviously, protection and being able to push the ball down the field, but yes, explosive plays can be created in different ways. We've had our opportunities throughout this year to be able to create explosive (plays), we just haven't done a great job of executing. You can name a number of different things. Obviously, as a team we know what we can do better. We've been working on trying to do better in those areas.
Q: I know you said you don't approach the week any differently, but even just logistically, do you have to meet with (guard) Ben (Bredeson) more to make sure you guys are on the same page of protection and stuff like that?
A: No. We all sit in on a lot of meetings throughout the week. Our conversation is fluid throughout the week. Quarterbacks, offensive linemen, we meet a number of times outside of what's on the schedule, and all the quarterbacks and all the offensive linemen are in on those calls. It's not anything different from a weekly basis.
Q: You know what that place is like. It's a primetime game up there. That matters for an offense.
A: For sure. It's going to be an electric atmosphere. Obviously, their fan base is one of the wilder ones, I guess they've been labeled as it. They create a great environment for football. Communication has got to be at its best when you're going into an environment like this, but as a player, I think you live for these types of environments and these types of moments.
Q: Do you feel any more game ready from having been in so many games this season? I think you've played in every one but one. Does that help you get acclimated for a game where you might start, or does it not matter?
A: I don't think it matters for me. Obviously, the best experience is having experience in a game. But whether I played snaps or didn't play snaps this year, I think execution is, like I said, what it boils down to. That's going out there and executing in every aspect to give ourselves the best chance to go out and compete.
Q: Would it be helpful if you got (running back) Saquon (Barkley) back if you did start?
A: For sure. I mean, Saquon is one of our better players on this team. He's a leader on offense. If we can get him back, that would help the offense. But if not, the next man has to step up and be ready when called upon. I think the backs have done a great job of playing into that role and contributing at a high level.
Q: Are you surprised by the number of challenges this team has had at this point in the season?
A: No, I'm not surprised, but maybe that's 13 years of playing professionally. I think the season always takes twists and turns, some for the good, some for the bad. The good teams are the ones that can endure those and be able to stay levelheaded through all that and stay positive. That's what you see within this locker room. A lot of positive attitudes, guys working to get things right, and obviously, get back in the winning column.
