Featuring postgame quotes from the following:

Head Coach Mike Macdonald

Look, we're trying to win games. So ultimately, the goal is—we fell short in that department, which I actually think it's going to be a really great opportunity for our team to learn from this on how we manage games and the things you need to be able to do in the second half to win football games, first half included. But the bright side is I really do feel like our team got better this week from the work that we got in practice, and I thought we did a lot of great things, especially earlier in this game, which is what we're looking for. I think we took a step. I think we're improving. I think the important thing for our team is that we have to shed an expectation about where we need to be right now. I think the focus needs to be about how fast can we improve on a daily basis, and our guys have had that attitude. So through that lens, I think it was a successful week. But ultimately, we want to be able to win these games. But we definitely made an improvement from last week, so let's keep going.

What can you know tell us about Bud Clark and his prognosis?

We had two really tough injuries today. Bud has a broken ankle to my knowledge. Severity I'm not sure, but he's going to be out multiple months. We're going to try to figure out what's going on with Mason (Richman), but we also think that's a major injury, a long-term injury. Two guys that we love, that play our style of ball, that are our type of guys. Teammates love them. Great teammates, great guys, great football players. They have great futures. It's a really—it's a heartbreaker, honestly. We had three heartbreakers this week, which is tough.

When that happens, they see Bud (Clark) going down, the air cast comes out. Is it hard to get the team back into a game at that moment, or what's that process like?

Yeah. Yeah, it's not easy. I just think, like, to see how our team reacted, I think we had the whole team go out there to give him some love. I think that tells you what everybody thinks about him.

Did you get a chance to speak with him?

I just gave him a hug at halftime. That was it.

With the football side of it, early on they're playing their starters. You guys were able to jump out it a 16-3 lead. What did you like about the way you operated on both sides of the ball?

The things we said we wanted to improve on from last week, I think we did those things. So operation-wise just how we get in and out of the huddle, how we take the line, all those kind of before-the-play type of things that we wanted to improve on, I think we did, which is great. I thought we played physically. I thought we rushed the passer really well. It was good to see the run game get off a little bit in the first half. Be great to run it better in the second half. A lot of good things; a lot of good things.

Drew Lock in particular has had a good camp and today --

Yeah, I saw the same thing you did, Bob. He's done a good job.

Emmanuel Henderson, is that exactly why you drafted him, the plays he makes on the gunners coming across the field?

Well it's one of the reasons, for sure, but why stop there, you know? That's the stuff that really popped and gets you the most excited from his college tape and the return game. He should be trying to be an All-Pro returner, too. He should think about being a great receiver in our league, as well.

The second interception, (Emmanuel) Henderson falls down, but...

Yeah. You say two picks, it sounds a certain way. Let's watch the tape and see what we can improve there, but I know he's upset. He's disappointed. But we have a long way to go, man. He's still got opportunity to improve and take his game to another level, so let's go focus on that.

That's two weeks in a row that he's held the ball for a sack on fourth down. You just want him to throw it and the coaching point there?

You don't want to be reckless, because you don't want to throw a pick-six. But if you have an opportunity, you want to be able to give someone an opportunity to get the first down, for sure.

Rodney Thomas, I guess what's going on with him? There was a report he had a hand surgery.

Yeah, he has a hand, and we'll see if and when he's coming back on time.

You got the celebration penalty you wanted. Was that good to see?

I think our vets deserve a really big shout-out today. They had great energy. It's one of those deals where you would much rather tell them to 'whoa than go' in terms of the excitement and support for the guys. They did a phenomenal job. They had great energy. I think the guys that played really appreciated it.

The touchdown run, you see one where it's blocked out well just right up the middle...

I'm sure there's some great things on that play. Honestly, I heard the call, and I saw the run. I don't know all the other things that happened, but there's got to be some good stuff to go untouched right down the pipe. But you got to be decisive. You got to hit it in the A-gap and read it out A, B, C. So J-Wright (Jacardia Wright) did that, it was cool.

What has he brought to you? He had a big preseason last year, as well. What does he bring to your guys' team?

I think the things you saw today. I think he's still coming back a little bit from his injury, but he's been a great teammate. He's been here the whole time. He works his tail off. He's got a great opportunity in front of him. But he's a heavier back that can run, and he's got good hands out of the back field, too, so that's kind of a cool combination of skills.

With Bud (Clark) being out for a while, how does that change your depth at safety or what you might have to do?

Yeah, we're going to have to re-evaluate where we're at. But we saw some good things out AJ (Finley) and D'Anthony (Bell), so we'll see. Max(en Hook) I think did some good stuff, but we'll definitely have to re-evaluate.

17 days until the opener. Big picture?

See how it's kind of a funky preseason. It's almost like preseason three in terms of the proximity to the first game, but we're blessed with another week of practice and an opportunity to play another game. That's kind of cool, too, to have an opportunity to improve before we get into game mode.

You said you're better operationally. You're better at things you sought to improve. Is it safe to say you feel better this week than last week?

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, definitely.

QB Drew Lock

Drew (Lock) before we get to your first half, what kind of halt to the whole night was that injury right away to Bud Clark and then Mason Richman back-to-back?

Yeah, that's one thing you obviously try to avoid as much as you can in the preseason games. It is the life of football, though. But for those two guys, Bud (Clark) coming in, working as hard as he has, figuring the system out, finally getting comfortable, to have something like that, I don't know what happened. But it was serious enough to get carted off. Then even Mason (Richman), man, I was just giving him props. I forgot who I was talking to the other day about how good he's been this camp and how versatile he is. We had a couple of guys go down in that joint practice against them, and Mason, who had been running center and guard all camp, just popped to tackle and didn't notice anything. Just a versatile guy that I think has a really bright future in this league. It's tough for him. Again, not sure what happened to him, but I hope it's not terrible.

You've talked about how as the season progresses your role changes as a backup. In light of that, how valuable are these reps getting their starting defense for a quarter plus to really test yourself out?

Yeah, it's awesome. You never know kind of week-to-week on who you're playing, if starters are going, if starters are not going. But when you get a test like that, it just kind of puts real ball on the table and puts some perspective on what we can do in the run game, what we can do in the pass game. Just being focused going into the week, man, it was awesome. I'm at a loss for words for how proud of the group that I've been running with in camp to be able to go out there and do what we did in those first couple of drives. That was awesome.

What did you see on the touchdown to Elijah (Arroyo)? It kind of looked like maybe they blew a coverage there?

Yeah, sweet play. Sweet play by (Brian) Fleury. Got it in a couple of the walk-throughs. O-line sold it perfectly. I believe Jacardia (Wright) might have been my back. Good match back there and got him to bite up, and there he was.
On the interception, did you see the flag early on that play and you were just throwing it knowing you have a free play there?

You want me to be honest with you? No, that ball came out of my hands so bad. We ran a—we had a fourth down in the practice that we just ended up launching a go ball on, and I had to move left to throw it. It literally was the same exact feeling. 'I'm moving left, there's Cody (White), throw it.' Just rolled off the hand pretty bad. Chalk it up as a bad, bad ball, but thank you zebras.

Appreciate the honesty.

Yeah, of course. Of course.

Two weeks in a row you picked up third down with runs, are you a dual threat now?

Yeah, no, I wouldn't say that just yet. I will do it when it's necessary and when there's an opportunity. I've never been afraid to do that. You know, given the opportunity, I'll go do it, yeah. It's fun doing it. Maybe take a little less hits here and there. But again, third downs kind of just get into a little different mindset about going and getting it. Maybe first and second down you slide, but third downs are hard to get down on. You got to go try to move the sticks. Shoot, thank goodness we did, and then the next play was the long one to Jacardia (Wright), so that was cool.
Mike (Macdonald) talked after the Dallas game, the operation wasn't really where it wanted to be. That was a big focus this week. How did you feel that come to life this week in practice, the effort on that and how it showed up today?

Yeah, I mean guys hustling to the ball. That was a big thing for us, breaking the snap or breaking the huddle with urgency, getting up to the ball, putting the pressure on the defense, crisp with our motions, crisp with our shifts. I feel like we, like you said, we made a big emphasis on that this week and took steps forward. We can still be better with some cadence things. That starts with us in the huddle and then being able to go out and execute, all 11 being able to do that, but definitely took big steps in the operation standpoint.

With Jalen (Milroe), the numbers say two interceptions, receiver falls down on the second one. Did you talk to him about pressing in the preseason when you have limited opportunities like that?

Me and Jalen have a lot of good talks. I think for him, the thing that I have experienced in my career is just continuing to find ways to get to the next play. Just clear your head no matter if it was your fault, somebody else's fault. He does a great job of that. I think that's just the constant reminder that we play a special position where we always have the ball in our hands, so everybody is looking at us. It's also ten guys around us, and we all need to be on the same page and executing at the same level. Sometimes that doesn't happen. You learn lessons as a young quarterback, even as an old quarterback. I'm sure Sam (Darnold) learned lessons last year. It's about continuing to get better and moving on to the next play and perfecting your process.

TE Elijah Arroyo

Want to talk about your touchdown today?

Yeah, it was a great ball by Drew (Lock). I think they had a busted coverage, and yeah, just seeing green grass.

How do you feel in year two compared to last year?

I feel a lot more comfortable. I feel like the game has slowed down a lot for me. I have a year under my belt, and I got a lot of reps within that year, so I'm excited.

Did you know you would be going against their starting defense?

I mean, we kind of knew with the numbers that were out there. We were treating it like a nameless, faceless opponent.

What have you seen from Drew Lock?

Yeah man, Drew's (Lock) a dog. I'm glad he's putting everybody on notice with his performances throughout the preseason. I'm excited for him.

LB Connor O'Toole

What did you see from the defense early in the game?

Our guys were just playing off each other. Just like Mike (McDonald) says, like 12 as one. Guys were playing off each other in the pass game, in the run game. The offense was doing their thing. We just got to be able to do that throughout the entire game

When you all saw Bud Clark being carted off the field, what did that do to the team?

It almost takes like the life out of the game. With an injury like that, just to know what he's going to go through, and the pain that he's in, it's bigger than football at that point. Your heart just breaks for your brother. So, it takes a minute to kind of  regroup as a team. We'll just lift him up and he'll be in our prayers.

It seemed pass rush wise, you were able to get more going. What helped your defense get going better than last week?

I think AD (Aden Durde) and Coach (Justin) Hinds put a good rush plan for us just communicating what we were seeing early on in the game. Like I said earlier, being able to playoff each other, collapse the pocket on some of the rushes that we had and just knowing the pressures and the rush plans.

RB Jacardia Wright

What did you see on that 69-yard touchdown run?

Honestly, our coach tells us to stay A gap on counter plays. I stayed A gap and saw I could saw a little hole off the right. I saw nothing but green grass and a touchdown, so I'll take it.

Was the finishing thing the receivers getting up on the safety?

That was the finishing block right there. I just saw that when I went back and watched the video. He came and got that safety, and I cut right off that block.

How important it is for wide receivers to get in on the run game?

Those are the relentless details that we hone in on each and every day. That was big for him to get that block because that's really what sprung a 69-yard run.

What kind of opportunity have the injuries in the running back room offered you?

Yeah, I've actually been one of the guys that's been injured. So, just getting back, I thank God every day for just letting me be able to come out here and have an opportunity today. I am just taking it day by day and taking advantage of every opportunity that my feet touch the field.