Featuring postgame quotes from the following:

Head Coach Sean Payton

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SEAN PAYTON: Coming off the field, one of the things that we felt was important in this game offensively was early down efficiency and I think we really struggled there. It led to some longer yardage situations. I didn't feel like we ran the ball particularly well enough, not near consistently enough and there's more stress obviously, that falls on the quarterback, but our third downs, the numbers aren't going to be great. I haven't seen them yet but I just know based on the distances we were operating from. You know, it was a game where you felt the momentum shift, first half, second half, and I just finished telling the team there's not many games where that momentum doesn't swing towards each team. It's pretty common and then getting it back as quickly as possible is important. We saw a little bit more tempo from them offensively to get their offense going and in the end, we were short. We didn't score enough. We had some opportunities early, we had the early turnover, we end up settling for a field goal. So I'm sure there will be a lot we have to coach up after looking at the tape.
Q. Did you think Bo Nix was a little jittery early?
SEAN PAYTON: No. I didn't. I thought he seemed calm, poised. I thought that part of it, I felt like he was very comfortable and ready.
Q. How did you see him handle the adversity he has faced?
SEAN PAYTON: I think this. I don't know how many balls we dropped, and so I've said that before, for any quarterback playing, we've got to be more effective running the football. If (you) take away his scrambling yards, I think we're like somewhere (around) 60 yards rushing to their 140, so not nearly good enough.
Q. Did you see that last drive in which he scored a touchdown giving him confidence moving forward, though?
SEAN PAYTON: I think part of being a young player is he's a fairly confident -- I don't want to say kid, but, yeah, I felt the whole time, he was into it, competing. We just got to be better around him and that's my impressions from just watching it without looking at the tape.
Q. When you look at the run totals, the part of it like you said, you just weren't very good at it?
SEAN PAYTON: There's always that balance of, man, we're attempting to and then it's hard to keep, and so whether it's base personnel, we're going to look at the tape and we're going to say this and that, but we've got to evaluate, us as coaches, we've got to evaluate the run plan and why it wasn't as effective as we would like. It's going to be hard to (play) quarterback period if that's the best we can do running the ball.
Q. What did the Seahawks do in the second half, specifically the third quarter on offense?
SEAN PAYTON: A lot of tempo. A lot of, at the line, maybe shift so they kind of changed from huddle to more tempo and hit us with some gun runs. Looked like some check with me plays at the line.
Q. Sean, how is Garrett Bolle's ankle, seems like he was trying to get back in it?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, I think he's going to be fine. He had an MRI. I think the evaluation was fine. I think he's got a bruise.
Q. I'm just curious if 40 (passing) attempts, did you want that coming in?
SEAN PAYTON: No. That's a byproduct, a lot of times you get into the fourth quarter and heck no. No.
Q. Some of the empty and four wide, was that an effort to get Bo any (opportunities)?
SEAN PAYTON: There's just oddball looks you're trying to find completions, sometimes we're in a heavy personnel trying to get a certain match-up. A lot of times it's something you see defensively that you want to get to. I thought he was into it. Never felt like it was too big or confusing. He was sharp and I thought he actually extended some plays with his feet, and, again, we'll look at the tape, but we have to be better around him.
Q. Did the defense wear down?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, I don't know. That's a good question. It's a fair question. The time of possession, certainly we would have liked to have had a drive to start the second half. We were three-and-out and then I think we gave up a touch down on that next drive, so the momentum shifted there early in the third quarter, and, yeah, we struggled at that point. Took a while to get it back.
Q. You early settling for a field goal in the red zone. How much can that take the wind out?
SEAN PAYTON: Well, in the back of everyone's mind when that happens -- we had the early turnover, and, you know, we're in a pretty good position. We got a good play, the play we want, I think we have a false start, correct? First down or after. There's a first and goal after a run or two runs and it just can't happen.
Q. Sean, two safeties in the first half plus you the muffed punt, I guess frustrating to have those?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, not enough came of it. Now, the safeties are the safeties and the interesting thing with the safeties are that I don't know -- we were able to catch the ball, obviously, and plus eight, you give yourself a chance of possibly returning it. I would say it's not as penalizing maybe as in the past because you have hang time and all of that but it is what it is. But, yeah, the muffed punt, the interception, we've got to be better and I got to be better. The thing that was frustrating is the down and distance efficiency for us offensively on first or second down. There were too many third down and eight or more.
Q. Why do you say you have to be better?
SEAN PAYTON: Just, any time we have a plan like that and we don't execute or we don't run the ball as well, I have to look at why. That's why.
Q. You had a lot of possessions, but I think seven three-and-outs, how difficult is it to get into a rhythm when you don't generate that?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, I think it's very difficult. And generally if you're playing good offense, a lot times you're making first downs on first or second down, so there's like a CFL number we look at. How are you doing on first and second down converting first downs and obviously, that would have been minute today my guess.
Q. Coach, fourth and one on your own 39. Did you think about going for it there? Why did you ultimately decide to not?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, time-wise I thought we had plenty of time, but, yeah, I did think about it.
Q. How did you think you did sort of predicting what a first-year staff was going to do? I'm just wondering how well you did predicting what they might do.
SEAN PAYTON: We didn't get as much man-to-man on defense. We got a little more fire zone coverage. I think offensively in the second half they got into some no-huddle shift in motion package plays that we didn't play as well. Yeah, but we got the base run like we thought, the nickel like we thought. Yeah. And, again, there is that difference in personnel here than maybe Woody had and certainly Mike's smart enough to take an try to do the things that suit this team.
Q. You have a lot of experience evaluating quarterbacks. Sometimes you can be really critical. Seems like with Bo, maybe you're adding the context first game.
SEAN PAYTON: We'll watch the tape, but he gave us a chance. Our protection was average at best and I believe this. At one point in the game I came to the bench and talked to the receivers and said look, let's go, you know? I don't know how many drops we had, but, man, let's help this guy.

QB Bo Nix

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BO NIX: Their scheme, I thought they rallied to the football. It was tough to get some explosive plays, and I think, when you have a hard time getting explosives and you've got to sustain drives, they can get you in third and long and third and -- just tough situations. Overall, I think, as poorly as we did, I think we gave ourselves a chance to win there at the end. Our special teams and defense played incredible. They really kept us in the game and gave us hope. They battled. I think, overall, you like the compete of our team. You like the look of we never quit. We battled. It could have got out of hand, but it didn't. We were a possession away from having a chance essentially. Obviously not the original results you want, but I feel like we're going to have a confident group and bounce back from it and continue to compete.

Q. You weren't as accurate today. Balls were behind guys, like we're so used to seeing. Was that a reflection of the pressure or something they were doing, first game for you?

BO NIX: We've got to go back and look at the film obviously. If balls are on the ground, you've got to evaluate how you can change it. Sometimes that's part of the game. They play defense too, and they try to get to the ball. Obviously we didn't hit them all. That's what we're going to try to continue to do is go out there and hit them all.

Q. Everybody talks about the 12s and the crowd noise. How was the atmosphere? How did you handle that noise?

BO NIX: I thought we handled it really well. There was one down in the red zone that was the start of a drive after a turnover that was unfortunate, stuff like that can't happen, but we bounced back and got a field goal and didn't let it bother us the rest of the game.

Q. The first half, when you had the ball at the 20 to start, ball at the 9, only came away with field goals, do you feel like that's where maybe the game got away from you or why you ended up on the short end?

BO NIX: No, we were strong going in at halftime and we had a chance there at the end.

Q. What were your emotions at the end of the day?

BO NIX: It was a challenge. It was a tough day. They didn't make it easy on us, that's for sure. Like I said, we competed. We went down there and scored at the end and gave ourselves a chance to win. We were an inch away on an almost batted ball that Riley Moss made an incredible play on that they just made a better play. It's tough. You've got to give them credit, but we battled and we continued to fight. Those are the emotions of today, that we got a competitive team. We've got a team that's not going to quit. And we're going to put everything on the line. No matter if it's an ugly start, we're going to continue to find ways to finish.

Q. I guess I mean personally, you said earlier in the week you only get your first start once. How were you through the morning?

BO NIX: Yeah, you only get once, and the game went back and forth. Overall, got to continue to find ways to be efficient and get first downs and not stay in first and third down off the field. Kept getting three and outs. Things to learn from for sure, but they're not all perfect.

Q. Were you nervous?

BO NIX: No. I felt confident going into the game. I thought we continued to battle.

Q. Bo, how different was this from the preseason games? Was the speed much different, or was it about what you expected?

BO NIX: It was different. They got after us a lot of the game. We were able to move the ball there at the end, but yeah, I thought they had good team speed. They rallied in the football. They made open field tackles, and that's usually the sign of a good defense. So hat's off to them.

Q. In the first half, you had third and nine at the 21, I think, safety came over and got it. Explain what happened there.

BO NIX: Yeah, that was, I felt like, a bad decision. We would have had points. They got the ball at the 1. We got a safety after that, so our defense bailed us out.

Q. Bo, what's your process when you watch film in terms of figuring out things you can correct immediately versus longer term things you can work on this week?

BO NIX: That's a loaded question. We've got to watch the film, see what it says. We've got to find areas to improve on. I don't think we were far off. There's always going to be, even if we won that game, we're going to go in there and correct it the same way. So find ways to run plays as efficient as possible and stay out of third and longs. Overall, find ways to get a win in these tough games.

WR Devaughn Vele

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(On how to get into a rhythm) "By doing your own job, squaring your feet, and making sure you do what the coaches need or tell us what to do. You've got to make plays at the end of the day. That's the difference between winning and losing. The other team made more plays."

(On what they can take away from Bo Nix's performance) "The resiliency. It showcases every time he steps on the field, I give a lot of credit to him. It's big shoes for him to fill, but I feel like he's learning, he's getting better every single time, and we're going to continue to trust him every single week."

(On what Vele has learned from the first game) "Just understanding the tempo of the game; the little tendencies and nuances; reading the defense. Just being more savvy with the way you play. So, I think that was good exposure for the first game."

ILB Alex Singleton

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(On the loss) "One game doesn't define you. We're going to come back, get better. I'll watch this tomorrow and then throw it away and then get ready for the next game."

(On still having a chance to win this game at the end) "That's how we want them, that's how we like them. Be ready to play and we'll be ready next Sunday."

(On if it's a big deal or not a big deal after one game) "It sucks to lose a game. [There's] a lot to learn from. Stuff that we preached in the offseason was there. Defensively, obviously, we want that third quarter back. I think it wasn't how we wanted to play. We started fast, we finished. They went into four-minute mode early, but we did what we can to get the offense the ball back and give them opportunities to score like they did. Just building off that, I think. We just need to know that it's week one and keep getting better."

(On the biggest thing to build on) "Stopping the run and when we come in at halftime, not losing the momentum for as long as we did in that game."

DE Zach Allen

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(On being in good situations and having to go back on the field after a lot of offensive three and outs) "No, it's just football. Again, it's week one and we're a very good team. We have a lot of high end, high paid players so I'm not worried about it."

(On the difference in the defense between the first and second half) "It's hard to tell right now. We have to do a better job of making those adjustments. We're going to get there."

OLB Jonathon Cooper

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(On the difference with the defense in the second half) "As leaders of the defense, we need to make sure we come together. We need to do better when it comes to the second half. That's really all it is. I liked how the guys came out, we were getting after it. Like I said, that second half, we can't give off that kind of energy. I take that personally."

(On if it's a big deal or not a big deal after one game) "I don't think it's a big deal because you can't tell a lot about the team with how everyone started, but it's also a big deal because we have 16 games left, we have the whole season left. I'm not too discouraged, it's a really good opportunity to get better. As long as everyone sticks together and has that type of mindset and learns from this, the sky's the limit."

(On if he's surprised by the result today) "I'm not surprised. I feel like we still have a lot of hope. We still have a lot of things that we can show and things that we can get better at. It was just that second half and as long as we address that, as long as we come out with that same energy and get even better and clean up some things, we're going to be a really solid defense. We can't give up some runs as much as we did. That has to be an emphasis for us going into next week. And we'll stay on that for the rest of the season."

(On getting two sacks in the first half) "It's okay, it's good. It wasn't enough because we didn't win. I feel like the win is what's most important. Always, always. It doesn't matter if I have five sacks in the first half. If we don't get that win, then what's the point."

TE Greg Dulcich

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(On what they could do better on offense) "Just executing overall. There's a lot of stuff to clean up, a lot of plays we wish we had back. Just got to improve and move forward. That's the first step."

(On if there's anything specific that needs to improve) "We lost the game and you want to win. It's all the little things that come up. There's never just one thing. There's a lot of steps that contribute to that. We just have to clean that up."

(On if he was surprised that they struggled to find the end zone until the fourth quarter) "I know what this offense is capable of so I'm really excited for what we're going to do the rest of the season. Obviously, like I said, we just need to execute. We have to make the layups and make the plays as they come to us."

(On Bo Nix and his NFL debut) "I thought he did well. He had great control of the offense. It's a crazy environment for your first NFL game and he did a great job getting the plays out and getting us moving."

RB Javonte Williams

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(On his slip during his second carry of the game) "I was talking to one of the players on the Seahawks after the game and they said they got new turf, and it was slippery. You still have to keep your feet; you still have to make plays."

(On Bo Nix's composure) "Even though he threw two picks, he came back and still gave us a chance to win the game at the end. That's good for him being a rookie showing that composure."

WR Josh Reynolds

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(On what Josh felt he needed to be done to support Denver's rookie quarterback) "Make plays. In the first half, it was a lack of making plays. The second half, it took a little bit longer to get going. We couldn't come back with enough time."

(On how Bo Nix battled for a chance to win) "I love a quarterback who continues to fight. Our team continued to fight. We just have to clean up stuff and continue to execute plays."

(On Bo Nix's demeanor in the huddle during the second half) "He was ready to make a play like we all were. We all wanted to make a play for him, and you could tell he wanted to make a play for us. As long as we keep doing that, I think they will start falling our way."

(On Bo Nix bouncing back after the game against Seattle) "I have no doubts. I know what kind of character he's got and what kind of guy he is. We're going to come out next week and be firing on all cylinders."

WR Josh Reynolds

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(On what Josh felt he needed to be done to support Denver's rookie quarterback) "Make plays. In the first half, it was a lack of making plays. The second half, it took a little bit longer to get going. We couldn't come back with enough time."

(On how Bo Nix battled for a chance to win) "I love a quarterback who continues to fight. Our team continued to fight. We just have to clean up stuff and continue to execute plays."

(On Bo Nix's demeanor in the huddle during the second half) "He was ready to make a play like we all were. We all wanted to make a play for him, and you could tell he wanted to make a play for us. As long as we keep doing that, I think they will start falling our way."

(On Bo Nix bouncing back after the game against Seattle) "I have no doubts. I know what kind of character he's got and what kind of guy he is. We're going to come out next week and be firing on all cylinders."

T Mike McGlinchey

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(On his overall thoughts on the outcome...) "I think we've got to clean up a lot of stuff in order to move the ball more efficiently on offense. We didn't run it well, and we were three-and-out. We weren't converting first downs. We just weren't staying on the field today. That's something we've got to do a lot better at to have success moving forward."

(On how frustrating it felt to have so many three-and-out series...) "It's extremely frustrating. But it's Week 1. We've got a lot to learn from, and we're going to get better from this. Unfortunately, the ball didn't bounce our way today and we've got a lot to clean up, and we're going to go hard at it."

(On the composure shown by Bo Nix...) "I thought he competed his butt off today. It's not an easy place to come in and play, especially for your first NFL start. Certainly there were things that happened with cadence and silent count and all that kind of stuff to make it harder on him. But I thought he handled it well. I thought he was composed. I thought he did a great job commanding the huddle and showing he can be a leader. I know he's going to attack film and get better, just like all of us."

(On if Seattle threw things at Denver's offense and QB that were not expected...) "There's a new coordinator in Week 1, so we hadn't seen a lot of their tape. But yeah, we've got to do better. We've got to make his job a lot easier, and a lot to grow from."

CB Pat Surtain II

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(On the safeties and turnovers created in the first half...) "That's how we're always looking to start the game off, always creating momentum for us. Obviously getting off to a good start, and just feeding energy toward the team. I think we've done that, but the main goal for us is just to finish those crucial downs where we need to get off the field. I think we can be better that way. Overall, we can correct those. Like I say, we've got a long season ahead. We learn from this one game and just move forward."

(On if the second half performance was affected by being on the field for an extended time...) "Not necessarily. When we go out there, we expect to do our job no matter what the situation is. We've got to hold ourselves accountable at the end of the day. I mean, no one else is out there playing for us. But we've got to execute the calls and execute the scheme and play to the best of our ability. We've just got to finish off all four quarters of the game, all four phases. That's the main thing."

(On the level of frustration he feels losing the season opener after emphasizing the importance of starting fast...) "We know we want to win every game we can in the NFL. Obviously, this one was a very big game. But we don't dwell on this. This is the first game of the season. Like I said, we've got a long road ahead, a long season ahead, so I'm very confident in this team. I think we've got a very great team and looking forward to building off it."

(On what the team needs to build on...) "Like I say, just finishing close games like this. We had plenty of opportunities to do so. We made some mistakes down the line that we could easily correct. Honestly, I feel like this was a great teaching point for us, because there were some goods and some bads, some highs and lows. But at the end of the day we know what time of team we is, and this is a special team."