HEAD COACH JON GRUDEN

 

(Opening Statement)

“I would just like to say that wasn’t our best football today, but San Diego is an excellent, talented team. I realize their record didn’t indicate that today, but with their backs against the wall, they played a fine football game. They did not turn the ball over, I don’t believe, and they made some big plays. Obviously, I’m very disappointed.”

 

(On QB Philip Rivers’ ability to scramble)

“Two touchdown passes were scrambles. I don’t know that we had a lot of pressure today, but he was a problem outside the pocket and in the pocket. Their play-action pass hurt us throughout the football game and his mobility was a big factor in today’s game.”

 

(On if the lack of pressure is a result of injuries along the defensive line)

“I don’t want to stand up here and make excuses. We’ve had a lot of injuries; we’ve overcome it but we didn’t today. I’m not going to blame the injuries. I’ll take responsibility for it. We had our opportunities. A fumble on the opening possession, we had some opportunities to cash in, make some big plays and get off the field defensively. We are beat up to a degree at some positions, but so is everyone else in the league.”

 

(On QB Jeff Garcia’s second interception late in the game)

“It was a big play; he was trying to make a play. He saw the open receiver and it just didn’t work out for us. Obviously, he wishes he had that back. He was gritty today. He’s another guy that’s not, playing at the top physical peak of his game but one interception was after an intentional grounding penalty. They rushed three guys a lot of the time in the fourth quarter with a 10 point lead. It’s not a lot of fun to be in a position where you’re trying to push the ball and get back in the game against a three-man rush. Both of the interceptions were results of that.”

 

(On the defense’s struggles in the last three weeks)

“We’ve run into three good offenses. Not that the other teams that we played weren’t explosive or talented.  We ran into a very good Atlanta Falcons offensive attack, we ran into a very good Carolina rushing attack with a compliment of receivers and no matter what anybody says, the Chargers are putting it up. They’re putting points on the board. You see the players that they have. They have been together and are talented.  I think that has a lot to do with it. The simple fact is, we haven’t played our best football.”

 

(On the status of Garcia’s injury)

“He got cut in the nose. Though I don’t think it’s anything really serious, we did take him out and let Luke finish the game.”

 

(On the number of injuries this season)

“We had a lot of guys suck it up today to play in the game and I’m really proud of them for that. It wasn’t enough for us today, and I know we’re all sick about that.”

 

 

DE GAINES ADAMS

 

(On coming back from the loss)

“It won’t be hard at all; I mean this is our job.  You win some, you lose some but when it is all said and done, you have to come back to work the next day.”

 

(On what happened to the defense)

“I really can’t even explain.  All I can say is that the last three weeks the defense has been making mistakes.”

 

(On if the departure of Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin has affected the team)

“Not at all, in this league coaches come and go.  It is unfortunate that we will have to see Coach Kiffin leave but it is all in the business.  I don’t think his decision had anything to do with our play.  We just aren’t getting it done.”

 

(On if it was hard to get pressure)

“I mean we were getting pressure, he was just moving around.  Philip Rivers is a good quarterback and we knew we had our hands full coming in today.  Obviously, it was not enough.”

 

 

CB RONDE BARBER

 

(On QB Philip Rivers)

“He leads the league in quarterback efficiency.  There is a reason why he does that.”

 

(On the playoffs)

“We have to win a game, period.  The heck with the playoffs, we have to win a game.  We have Oakland next week, that is all that we can worry about.  I don’t know our scenarios; I don’t have any idea at this point.  We just have to win a football game.”

 

 

WR ANTONIO BRYANT

 

(On now being 9-6 after being 9-3)

“That is the way the league goes.  You have to play top notch football week in, and week out, and we just didn’t bring it to the game today.  We didn’t finish.”

 

(On being the go to receiver)

“I don’t think I did well at the beginning of the game helping my quarterback out a lot.  It kind of throws our rhythm off and then it kind of feels like we find our little sync.  It is just about not giving up on plays and run with your quarterback.  The drop is something you want to take back.”

 

(On if the team was missing the sense of urgency)

“I think we just didn’t make enough plays.  A couple of plays came my way that I didn’t come up with early on in the game.  That put a stop to two, potentially three drives, that we had, with the fumble and two drops.”

(On the offense being different with Jeff Garcia at quarterback)

“I would say that we were a little more upbeat, but aside from that, it is just a matter of stringing together play after play.”

 

(On if the team is playing not to lose)

“No, not in that sense, more so in the boxing sense where you give them the points.  You just end up putting up your guard and then the other guy keeps throwing punches.  In boxing, if you want to score points, you have to keep on punching.  That is how it felt like, that we just didn’t keep throwing punches at them, which we may well could have.” 

 

 

CB PHILLIP BUCHANON

 

(On the game)

“It’s just one of those games that we kind of came in here and we definitely want to get a win, and we have to tip our hats to the Chargers. They came out, Philip Rivers did a good job I mean at the same time the Chargers were a good team and they still are a good team they came and they showed up today.”

 

(On losing fourth quarter lead)

“We just couldn’t really get things going on right now. The Chargers are definitely a dangerous team, as you could see we came out and we gave our best effort. I mean it’s one of those games where they made more plays than we did and they’re dangerous as far as us playing today.”

 

(On defense performance)

“I’m just short for words. I just think it’s one of those things that I’m standing here shaking my head. They made more plays than we did. Philip Rivers did a good job, he found guys, he was scrambling and he made it work.”

 

(On what has happened over the past couple of weeks)

“Early on in the season we were doing real well and right now it just seems like we’re in this bad dream or slump or something. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s just we can’t get anything going right now and like I said the Chargers were definitely were a good team before the season even started. A lot of people had them picked as a Super Bowl team and they came here and they played well and we didn’t play to our potential today.”

 

(On failing to execute)

“No, it was good execution. Philip Rivers made some good plays. Their receivers did a good job, their o-line did a good job. They were running the ball; they kind of controlled the game. We were still in the game we just weren’t able to make the plays that we need to make and they made the plays and they hung in there and we didn’t hang in there long enough.”

 

 

DE KEVIN CARTER

 

(On scoreboard watching)

“We don’t have any control over the general factors in our situation now, but the only thing we can control is how we go out there and play. If we can’t get ourselves together and focused to go out there with a purpose to win then we won’t win. It’s not about who’s going to make the playoffs; we have to win one game. We have had the opportunity for the last three weeks to win one game to get to the playoffs, to guarantee ourselves a spot. We haven’t done that for whatever reason. So we only have one game left to get a win, to get it together. If there is something wrong dynamically, we haven’t been able to win whether it’s been close or not close or in the final minutes, or clutch situations; whatever it is we haven’t been able to get the job done.”

 

 

RB WARRICK DUNN

 

(On the running game)

“You have to have your cracks.  In the first half, we didn’t have any cracks; any opportunities, really, to get it going.  We got behind early.  In the second half, we came out more consistent early, but once we got behind, we had to throw the football.  So, it was tough.”

 

(On if he is surprised the way the last three games have gone)

“I think you’re always surprised. You’re 9-3 at one point. You’re a game or two away from making sure you’re in the playoffs. Now we’re fighting just to stay in. To lose three games in a row is tough, for any football team.  For us we just have to figure out a way to stay together as a team.  Find a way to win the game. I don’t care how we win it, but we just need to figure out a way to win the game.”

 

(On injuries playing a major part in the game)

“You never want to blame anything on injuries, but it’s apart of the game. We are all professionals and you have to take the good with the bad.  Unfortunately, guys got injured, but I think we stayed together as a team. We were able to play well early when we didn’t have guys so late in the year is tough.  When we have had injuries, other guys have stepped up and I think guys did that, we just weren’t consistent for four quarters.”

 

 

C JEFF FAINE

(On the game)

“It is tough for me to comment on this game.  The weeks before we just weren’t getting it done, execution wise.  I have to get a chance to see the tape, see what is going around outside my little area.  That is what football is all about, execution.  When it comes down to it, we just have to execute, make plays and it is just a whole team game.”

 

(On if the team is out of its groove)

“It is hard to say, but I wouldn’t say we are in our groove.  I don’t know if we are out of our groove, I don’t know what the deal is with that.  We are definitely not in our groove.  We are not flowing the way we should, we definitely are not doing the things we need to do.  We are not executing, we are not making plays, so we have to change that.”

 

(On WR Antonio Bryant)

“He is everything that we hoped he would be coming into this season.  He is turning into a major, major playmaker, a guy that defenses have to recognize as a definite threat all over the field.  He gets the ball into his hands and he has the ability to take it to the house, and that is a huge, huge thing to have on your team.”

 

 

QB JEFF GARCIA

 

(On the injury to his nose)

“I’ve had better days.  It’s a pretty good gash on the bridge of my nose, but it is what it is.”

 

(On the effort of the offense)

“We battled back.  The second half started out well, two scores in our opening two drives.  Unfortunately it didn’t continue.  It was one of those games where offensively we needed to maintain the pressure, maintain drives and unfortunately in the fourth quarter we killed ourselves with a couple of turnovers and not doing enough to help this team win.”

 

(On the two interceptions)

“The first pick, I saw an opening for Ike [Hilliard] over the middle.  I got hit right as I threw it.  I looked outside to Joey [Galloway] on a dig route and came back to Ike, saw him.  Just glanced real quick over the middle to an opening and unfortunately I led him too much and it hit a linebacker in the chest.  It would have given us a chance to continue that drive, it would have converted a first down.  Unfortunately I was a little off on the throw.  The second one, I looked left to soften the defense a little bit and I came back and really didn’t see the defender who was stacked right behind Ike.  It was a third-and-short situation, I just tried to give Ike a chance to make a play and the guy did a good job of getting his arm around and deflecting the football I guess.  They made the play and it was just an unfortunate break for us at the time.  It was a critical play in the game obviously.”

 

(On how the team can battle back)

“One day at a time.  We just have to refocus and try to finish off this last game of the regular season on a positive note.  It’s been very disappointing over the past three weeks to play the way we have and not finish games off the way we are capable of finishing.  We have one more opportunity this next Sunday and we have to do what we are capable of doing and that’s come out and play with the energy and excitement and know-how that we are capable of playing with and finish off the season on a positive note.”

 

 

LB BARRETT RUUD

 

(On the game)

“It was tough.  I don’t know what for sure, I have to look at the tape, see what happened, but obviously, we didn’t play nearly well enough to win.  Give them credit because they played well.”

 

(On the Chargers’ running game)

“I have to look at it but they were obviously doing what they wanted to do.  It is one of those things where you have to look at it tomorrow and learn from it, we have to adjust.  They definitely got the better of us today.”

 

(On the touchdown by Darren Sproles)

“We were in cover-two and they ran a screen, good call.  They got a couple of blocks out there and when he is in space he is tough to deal with.  He made a good move and scored on it.”

 

 

RB CARNELL WILLIAMS

 

(On the game)

“It is tough.  Wow, it is kind of hard to put things in words, with what went out with everything on the line.”

 

(On the team taking the lead in the second half)

“I think we got around to tossing the ball to some guys that made a few plays here and there and kind of opened things up.  Jeff made a great play, got the ball down field, and happened to get a score on the board.”

 

(On QB Jeff Garcia’s toughness)

“That guy there is just a winner, there is not too much you can say about that guy.  I feel like he is one of the guys that went out there and laid it all on the line.  I feel like he did well enough for us to have a chance to win, but for some reason, everybody didn’t come to play.”