Head Coach Matt Nagy
All right. So that was a good team win for us for our defense to come out and be as dominant as they were. That was our challenge to them specifically, along with the rest of the team, is to play four quarters and so I think you felt that, saw it. I know I did.
Just extremely physical and you know, then our offense, again, very similar to last week. I thought there was times when we got in some ruts but we picked that up and got it down the field. It was a fun night. I want to really, for me, just thank the fans. I think it was just so awesome.
It all started with the National Anthem, it was just so cool. It gave me goosebumps and it was just so neat to be a part of that. Then every time our defense got after it, just to hear how loud it's gotten, it's that 12th man and we talk about to our players that this is the place when our opponents come into Soldier Field, we want our opponent to feel, hey, man, this is a tough place to play and a lot of that is due to the fans. So, we appreciate all their support tonight. It helps us out a lot getting this victory, and then of course, also, 54 with the ring -- pretty good stuff.
Just all around, a good night but we're going to just keep growing from this and learn from it.
Q. How would you assess Mitch's game?
HEAD COACH MATT NAGY: I thought Mitch was, again, he got to a point, we started out with – was around a 97-yard drive to start the game, 96, and ended up with a touchdown, and similar to last week.
I thought that for the most part, again, in and out of the huddle, making quick decisions, getting the ball out on time, he had the interceptions and the one got tipped. Those were difficult. And then the other one was a shot downfield and the kid made a hell of a play. Again, the thing we're learning in this process is we are on a next-play mentality and I'm happy with how he handled himself from play one to the fourth quarter. Any time after any play, good or bad, after the series, he was phenomenal. His attitude was great and he didn't worry about anything. That's growth right there and that makes me happy to know that he understands that.
Q. Did you attempt to do anything in the second half --
HEAD COACH MATT NAGY: No, I don't care at all about what happened. I'll never care, I don't care if he threw four picks in the first half. I'm not going to change. I'm going to have ultimate trust in him and continuing to be this offense. I've told him that from the start and so I'll never back away from that. What I'll do is I'll try to protect him in times in certain ways but he won't know when I'm protecting him. It will be by me doing it my own way but he's going to cut it loose and if he starts getting into a shell we all get into a shell.
Q. Defense, when you needed it most -- the two giveaways in the first half, three and outs, turnovers -- what was the key to that?
HEAD COACH MATT NAGY: I thought it was pretty neat after sudden change with two interceptions we got two three and outs by the defense. That's awesome. There's not a lot of teams in the NFL that have that mentality of what our defense is playing.
The last two games, we had the difficulty there is in the third and fourth quarter against Green Bay but for the most part right now our defense is playing fast and flying around. They helped us out offensively. They helped the offense out. There are going to be times when the offense is going to help the defense out. In the end, the thing that matters, and that's it.
Q. What was the key to executing the shuffle pass touchdown?
HEAD COACH MATT NAGY: To read the defense and pick at their option A or B, there's a couple options on that, and so for him he made a great decision with that and it's a play that we have in our offense and we have different ways to do it and get to it and it was need to see that come to fruition.
Q. Their running game tonight --
HEAD COACH MATT NAGY: Well, they did some good things. They were doing some things personnel-wise and so -- but I think for the most part for us, some of our mentality of it was we wanted to try to stay a little bit aggressive and get some of the run game going through the pass game and just let the run game take over in the third and fourth quarter. Now it didn't actually happen that way but sometimes that's what you hope happens.
Q. What did you like about the short passing game in the second half?
HEAD COACH MATT NAGY: Mitch was efficient. I don't know what his final numbers were. I think he was nine of ten -- 12 of 14, so he was completing the ball. Some of those are like the run game. It continues to keep the clock going and then you pick and choose your shots. You want to be calculating with that but any time you have efficient passing -- whenever your completion percentage is high, you're doing something right and you just hope that within those you're able to have some shots downfield and get some chunks, as well.
Q. Given your path to this point personally what does this win mean to you, your first win as a head coach?
HEAD COACH MATT NAGY: It feels good. For me, though, it's really more about, and I mean this, it's just more about us, and it's just so neat to start here for my first meeting, team meeting, and meeting all the guys and seeing us grow, and so I'm just really looking forward to the future of this team and I'm anxious to see how we respond to not only tough losses like Green Bay but now do we respond to a good win for us.
Sometimes those are just as hard. I'll continue to do everything I can on a short week here and get them prepared and ready and we'll be ready to move on to Arizona.
Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky
Q. This week compared to last week in terms of how you felt?
MITCHELL TRUBISKY: Feels amazing to win. I mean, this is what this game is all about. Last week didn't go our way. This week,y with pulled together as a team and we got it done. There's always going to be stuff we've got to improve on, we know that. You've got to enjoy these W's and we definitely did. We came together and we made the play when is we need to. Offenses got to keep building, defense has to -- we just have to have each other's back and special teams is doing their thing, as well. We just have to bring the three phases together and continue to roll and hopefully get on a roll from here on out but it feels really good to win.
Q. You talk about wanting to have a different mindset. Did you have a different mindset this week?
MITCHELL TRUBISKY: Just let loose. Let loose, play free. My teammates and coaches had my back all week. Just try not to put too much pressure on myself and go out there, have fun and enjoy it with the guys and that's what I did tonight. So there's going to be something to look at, continue to build and get better but it's a lot of fun to be out there. Appreciate all the fans, they were great tonight, and like I said, defense played fantastic, so that's awesome for our team.
Q. How did you feel about your pocket presence, your poise, your clock, things you talked about improving?
MITCHELL TRUBISKY: For sure, still getting better. Feel like I was better at that this week, just staying in the pocket, getting out quick. O-line did a fantastic job all night giving me time when I needed it and just finding those receivers but they got a good scheme on their side and we just found ways to move the ball down the field and we just got to keep improving and keep finding ways to score points and keep our defense off the field to give them a break because they have been playing so well.
Just keep it rolling and just keep growing within this offense is what we are trying to do, but I think I was better in the pocket tonight and go back and look at it and see what I can continue to improve on.
Q. The second half --
MITCHELL TRUBISKY: I think we were just methodical, everything Coach was calling we were just going down the field and staying out of third and longs, just not beating ourselves with penalties or anything. Just sticking together, executing the plays, going out and really mixing it up with the run and the pass and the playaction and all that. And then going down and finishing in the red zone.
So it all starts up front in the O-Line. They were beating them up in the running game and giving me time in the passing game. So a lot of credit to those guys and I think they played really good tonight. They played good for us.
Q. Are you a guy that goes home and thinks all night about what you could have done better, or are you able to turn it off?
MITCHELL TRUBISKY: A little bit of both. It all depends. Definitely a little less after a win because you do what you needed to do for the team to win so I'm very excited about that but I will probably look at the game very quick and get some rest but we've got to bounce back for a short week because we played on Monday.
I'm trying to get over just dwelling on plays too much. I think it's hurt me more than it's helped me so getting over plays and just building on what I did good and forgetting about what I did bad and continuing to improve and get better and learn this offense and Coach keeps saying, it is going to be a process. We want immediate results but finding ways to win is very important and we did that tonight.
Q. You mentioned earlier this week that completion might set about fourth quarter -- is that something on your mind in the fourth quarter?
MITCHELL TRUBISKY: Yeah, definitely. We just wanted to step on it. Not being conservative whenever we got the ball back, just march it back down the field and score and obviously we were in different situations at the end, just trying to come out with a win but that's got to be the mindset of this offense all the time. When we've got the ball, just go down and no matter what play is called, just make sure we execute it to the best of our abilities and make it work. That's our mindset and my mindset is just completions, get the ball out of my hand, take care of the O-Line, get the ball to the playmakers and let them do the work. It's still a learning and growing process, I keep saying within this offense and we are just trying to get better each and every single day within it.
Q. What was it like to get Coach Nagy's first victory?
MITCHELL TRUBISKY: It was awesome. He's really hummable and he really deflects a lot of the attention but it was really important for us to -- because he always has our back for us to deliver this win for him and he's just creating a great culture and mindset for this team that just continue to come together and then play together as a family, so it was a lot of fun tonight and I'm happy to get Coach his first win as a Chicago Bear head coach.
Defensive Tackle Akiem Hicks
On closing games
"You see the energy tonight in the locker room. It's a great feeling and it's something we're going to get used to."
On anticipating a big play in the fourth quarter
"I didn't know who was going to do it, but I do know that we have a bunch of playmakers, and I knew that at some point one of us is going to get loose and make a play. Shoot, I was trying to get it. I was so happy for Prince (Amukamara), Prince took that back to the house. He said he was on track for ten interceptions this year so we'll see."
On this defense's potential
"You can't ask me that, man. You know what I think. Listen, we have to be nasty, ferocious, whatever words that I've thrown at you guys since OTA's. We want to build something here that is going to be remembered."
Tight End Trey Burton
On his touchdown
"Whatever that defender does, it's the opposite, so Mitch made a good read with the pitch."
On whether he had to sell his role as a blocker to score
"No, I'm on backside and he (the defender) was more front side."
On the success on the touchdown play in practice
"It always worked. It just depends on the read and the look of the defense. You can do multiple things with the ball and (Mitch Trubisky) made the right decision obviously."
On changes to their approach this week
"I think you saw us learn and grow a little bit. We didn't have a good finish last week but we worked on it during practice and we just have to continue to grow. We have a young team and each game really matters."
Linebacker Danny Trevathan
On the defensive performance tonight
"That's just a glimpse, man. We're just getting started. We finally put together four quarters, although we could've done things a lot better and I know that's how our defense feels because we're always trying to get better. But it was a start, and we're feeling good and we're going to keep it rolling for sure."
On the pressure on Russell Wilson
"The key to playing them is never letting him get comfortable and scramble around and use his legs like that. [We needed to] create havoc for him and we did that today. He still found a way to make some plays but I think we held our ground this week."
On last week's result as motivation
"It was a motivator throughout the week but we knew that this game is important because it is the next game. It's our first home game and we wanted to make a statement today. We know Urlacher's getting celebrated and he's special to this team, especially for our linebackers. We take pride in that so we wanted to go out there and show out for him and get the win. It was the second game. Nagy deserved it, this whole team and organization deserved it."
