Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury – Media Availability – December 13, 2021
Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury
On if he had optimism after the on-side kick recovery:
“I always have optimism. I thought it was a tremendous effort by that group, getting that ball. A great kick, a great recovery. You’ve just got to give L.A. credit. They stood strong on defense and made a play when they had to.”
On how he weighs and balances the decision to go for it on fourth down rather than attempt a field goal:
“Yeah, I mean I like our chances. You know, fourth-and-two. We check analytics, we do all those things. I liked the way we were going. I liked the call. It just didn’t work out. You’ve got to give them credit. So, I would do it 100 times out of 100 times in that situation.”
On the Cardinals play overall:
“Really hard. Not very clean, but I thought the effort was as good as we’ve had as far as start to finish. Some adverse situations and guys continued to battle and continued to stay in the game. But, just not clean enough in any phase.”
On whether he views the rest of the season as a dog fight now that all of the NFC teams with the best records are bunched up:
“Yeah, it always is. Every game is going to be crucial moving forward and we understand that and we’ve got some tough ones. So, we’ve got to flush this one. We’ve got six days before Detroit. We’ve got to get ready.”
On how important it is for the Cardinals to win out and get homefield advantage for the playoffs:
“As of now, I’d probably want to lose every game and play on the road every week. So, not that important, I don’t think. We just want to improve as a team and make sure, if we can make it in, that we’re playing our best football when we do get in.”
On whether WR DeAndre Hopkins was in pain towards the end of the game:
“He was. I’m not exactly sure what it was. It didn’t appear too serious, but I have to check on that.”
On if RB James Conner was also playing in pain towards the end of the game:
“The same. I don’t think it’s too bad, but we’ll have to check on that.”
On OL Justin Pugh being active but not playing tonight:
“Yeah, he was close. Just didn’t feel like it was right to put him out there not being 100 percent against that defensive line and what he’d be facing. So, we’re hoping next week.”
On how close RB Chase Edmonds was to playing tonight:
“Kind of a similar situation. We want him to feel completely confident when you put him out there first game back. So, we’ll try to get him some good work this week and hopefully he can be back for Detroit.”
On being 3-3 at home and 7-0 on the road and why that difference exists:
“Yeah, I mean I get asked this every week. I don’t have a new answer. If I did, I would figure it out and get it right. But, we obviously have to play better in this stadium. I thought the crowd was incredible tonight. Great energy. I thought our guys played with great energy. We just, like I said, didn’t play a clean enough game.”
On if he realized in real time that Rams QB Matthew Stafford had fumbled in the third quarter:
“I did not. And looking at it, I thought it was an incomplete pass. I’m not sure if they reviewed it, it wouldn’t have been. It looked like his hand was coming forward. But yeah, we’ve got to have some awareness in that situation. Just get on the football. Don’t leave it to chance, for sure.”
On how QB Kyler Murray played:
“It was the most proud I’ve been of him since I’ve been here as far as his effort. I thought he battled. He played his ass off the entire game. A couple of those throws, he was going to the right spot. One got tipped down there at the goal line and then number 54 (Rams OLB Leonard Floyd) made a tremendous play on that one. But. I thought he fought and created and did everything he could to keep us in that game. It was adverse conditions. That defensive line is tremendous and I was just really proud of the way he battled.”
On the Rams being able to complete long pass plays tonight:
“They were. Yeah, I thought Stafford played a great game. (Rams WR) Odell (Beckham Jr.), he’s a tremendous player. (Rams Head Coach) Sean (McVay) has done a great job of fitting him in and playing to his strengths once again. And then the Kupp kid (Rams WR Cooper Kupp) and (Rams WR Van) Jefferson made huge plays. So, you’ve just got to give them a lot of credit being down their tight end. They went to their wideouts instead and maximized those guys.”
On whether it will be easy to reset for this Sunday’s game in Detroit:
“Yes. It will. We’re frustrated. We’re disappointed. But, we’ll get back.”