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Nik Needham – December 27, 2021 (Postgame)

Monday, December 27, 2021
Postgame – New Orleans

CB Nik Needham

(I know that coming into this game you guys were respectful of Saints QB Ian Book and what the Saints were going to be doing in terms of preparation, but as you get into that game and you just know that everything is going, just how much fun is that as a defense to know that you guys can just kind of dial it up and it’s going to work and you’re going to have your way?) – “Today was definitely fun. When we can just execute like that throughout the whole game; I think they caught a little hot drive I think right before halftime so we went in there and just regrouped and said, let’s do what we’ve been doing all game and you can see that in the second half. We were all just having fun, celebrating with each other and it’s tough to beat a team like that so we were just trying to just keep doing that and keep feeding off that energy.”

(The fact of the matter is right now you guys don’t need any help whatsoever. You take care of your business, win two more games, you’re in the playoffs. What’s that feeling like?) – “We just have to take it one week at a time just like we’ve been telling each other all year. When it comes down to this part of the year each week is the most important game of the year, like you said, so these next two weeks are the most important games of the year. But we’ve just got to take it one week at a time and just go out there next week to Tennessee and just try to execute what we did today and just try to feed off this game.”

(Have you ever been part of a game where you held the opponent 0-for-12 on third downs and how much did that really drive – what was the catalyst that drove the defensive performance today?) – “I think like you said we’re kind of the edge and each week is the most important game of the year and I think just trying to do that. But no, I’ve never been a part of a game where we held a quarterback or offense to 0-for-12. I would say that’s somewhat impressive. I don’t know if there’s a better record or something like that, but I’ve never been a part of anything like that, so hats off to all the guys on defense working hard and executing. Just everybody being on the same page. And I think that’s why it resulted in that and Ian Book – rookie quarterback – we mixed up some looks on him so had him a little confused out there and I think that’s what also played a big part in that, and we did a good job on first and second down throughout most of the game just holding them to like, 1-3 yards and getting them on third-and-long instead of third-and-short.”

(Your pick-six. Can you take me through that play from your perspective? How you saw it develop and also just what it felt like to make a play like that right off the bat on Monday Night Football on that stage, that platform?) – “It was great. I’ve never had a pick-six ever in my life so that was my first one ever, so that was real cool and definitely like you said, it was cool – first play in just get right to it. We came out in man, but they didn’t have a really good protection look so we just went max blitz on them so we knew the ball had to come out quick, so I was just staring at the quarterback. Right when he said ‘hut’ he was looking at the slot and he was about to throw it before the receiver even broke, so I was just staring at the quarterback and broke and then I think the ball got tipped or something like that. Just landed right in my hands and it was lit. (laughter)”

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