WEBVTT - Press Conference: Zach Ertz December 23

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, what's going on in idle at that point. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean I think, um that that fourth quarter kind

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<v Speaker 1>of those circumstances has kind of been the pit of

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<v Speaker 1>me of our season, and we did not blink. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>the guys in the huddle were so confident. Folds was

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<v Speaker 1>so confident, everyone was so calm that. I mean, we've

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<v Speaker 1>been in that situation so many times together and no

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<v Speaker 1>one flinched. And I mean, I think that's the mark

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<v Speaker 1>of a good team. Obviously, the season isn't exactly where

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<v Speaker 1>we thought we would be, but I mean a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of guys would have kind of mailed it in. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>to be up twenty nine sixteen with four minutes left

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<v Speaker 1>and to be down and the blink of an eye

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<v Speaker 1>is tough. But guys didn't blink. Guys stay together, and

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<v Speaker 1>I mean that's the market this team. We're always going

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<v Speaker 1>to stick together. We truly care and love one another. Um.

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<v Speaker 1>I think you guys can see that each time you

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<v Speaker 1>interact with the guys in the locker room. It's not

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<v Speaker 1>an individual game for us by any means. Guys just

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<v Speaker 1>want to play to the best of their abilities, so

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<v Speaker 1>that for each other. And I think that's mark of

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<v Speaker 1>a great team. Nick came back in the huddle after

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<v Speaker 1>getting knocked down. Yeah. I mean, obviously the place went crazy,

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<v Speaker 1>but we just wanted to make sure he was good.

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<v Speaker 1>And I think the way he jogged off the field,

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<v Speaker 1>everyone thought he was gonna be good. Um, sat out

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<v Speaker 1>of play and came back and let us down the

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<v Speaker 1>field like it's he seems to do. Um. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>he played out of his mind to set the franchise

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<v Speaker 1>record for passing yards. Incredible. He's just an unbelievable player,

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<v Speaker 1>unbelievable person. He's so calm, his demeanor is so calm,

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<v Speaker 1>and he's really good player. Um. It was just kind

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<v Speaker 1>of the scissors corner route that we always have post

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<v Speaker 1>by number one. I had a corner Darren was to

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<v Speaker 1>the flat. Um. I'd been taking a lot of inside

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<v Speaker 1>releases against him. Um, so I kind of sold the

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<v Speaker 1>inside release, kind of threw him inside, and I think

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<v Speaker 1>he kind of ran into the linebacker. Um. I think

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<v Speaker 1>he tried to something happen where my feet got tangled

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<v Speaker 1>up and so I was kind off balance and Nick

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<v Speaker 1>just kind of laid the ball out there allowed me

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<v Speaker 1>to run under it, and I was able to stay

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<v Speaker 1>in bounce and make the play, and I tried to

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<v Speaker 1>get out of balance in that situation. UM, I don't

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<v Speaker 1>think I've truly I don't think I've truly come to

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<v Speaker 1>grips with it yet. I Mean, one thing I do know,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm thankful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ UM

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<v Speaker 1>for allowing me to be here. I'm thankful for everyone

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<v Speaker 1>that's helped me along the way. The one thing I

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<v Speaker 1>do know is I didn't get here by myself. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>Jason Witten has been as has been a huge part

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<v Speaker 1>of this UM, so technically I think a part of

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<v Speaker 1>him still has the record. UM. Brent Sellick has been

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<v Speaker 1>huge for me. There's just been so many people along

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<v Speaker 1>the way that I have helped me that I'm just

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<v Speaker 1>eternally grateful for UM. But like I said, what I

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<v Speaker 1>do know is that I didn't do this by myself.

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<v Speaker 1>I think it truly takes a village to become a

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<v Speaker 1>professional athlete, my family, my wife. UM. So thankful for

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<v Speaker 1>everyone that's helped me along the way. UM. And it

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<v Speaker 1>is special though, I mean, having that record is something

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<v Speaker 1>that hopefully it will last a while, but if not,

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<v Speaker 1>be happy for the next guy to do it, UM,

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<v Speaker 1>but it is special. I haven't really checked my phone yet, UM,

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<v Speaker 1>so I don't know. We're involved throughout the game, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>specially girly. Was that part of the game plan? Was

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<v Speaker 1>that something you saw you can take advantages. Um. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>they're a big zone team. They're big zone defense, and

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<v Speaker 1>finding zones is kind of something that I take a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of pride in. UM. But I mean they're a

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<v Speaker 1>really good defense. That front four, those front seven guys

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<v Speaker 1>really really talented Clowney, Watt, McKinnon, really talented players. We

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<v Speaker 1>weren't able to run the ball probably as efficiently as

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<v Speaker 1>we wanted to. Um. We didn't run the ball great, UM.

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<v Speaker 1>So most of that was due to their talent in

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<v Speaker 1>their front seven. So we kind of had to pass

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<v Speaker 1>the ball more. UM. And I'm just glad we won

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<v Speaker 1>the game. That is the bottom line. To have that

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<v Speaker 1>that many targets and catches it and to win the

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<v Speaker 1>game feels really really good. UM. And that is what

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<v Speaker 1>I love. The second top down, Zach, you got wide open.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not sure that was the motion going the other

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<v Speaker 1>way that kind of threw them off. I mean, I

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<v Speaker 1>think the motion was a part of it. I think

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<v Speaker 1>al Sean, being as big and physical as he is,

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<v Speaker 1>the guy kind of ran into him. He didn't mean

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<v Speaker 1>to pick him by any means. He just kind of

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<v Speaker 1>ran into al Sean. Um the jet motion I think

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<v Speaker 1>threw him off a little bit. But Nick just kind

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<v Speaker 1>of losted it out there. I thought I was gonna

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<v Speaker 1>get hit when I saw no one was around me.

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<v Speaker 1>I try to make a play. And when you're that,

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<v Speaker 1>I think when you're that, I think when you see

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<v Speaker 1>the goal line like that, I'm just always trying to

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<v Speaker 1>make a play for the team. Um, guys blocked their

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<v Speaker 1>butt off downfield. Um, I was just happy with scoring.

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<v Speaker 1>You guys have won four year, last five. Now with

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<v Speaker 1>rolling a little bit and be still, you know it's

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<v Speaker 1>not just you. You guys have the most of other

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<v Speaker 1>things happened. How tough is that too, to be playing

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<v Speaker 1>this well finally as a team and have to rely

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<v Speaker 1>on other people. Yeah, like you said, I mean it

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<v Speaker 1>is tough. It's tough not to really control your own destiny.

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<v Speaker 1>But at the same time, if you focus on everything

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<v Speaker 1>else that's going on, and then we have a slip

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<v Speaker 1>up because we're not focused on our job, and it's

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<v Speaker 1>really not gonna matter. So we've said for a while now,

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<v Speaker 1>every game is a must win game. That's the way

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<v Speaker 1>we've approached these past five games. I mean, we were

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<v Speaker 1>four and six at one point after the Saints when

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<v Speaker 1>we just got smacked down there and no one quit.

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<v Speaker 1>Everyone was focused on just doing their job better. And

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<v Speaker 1>I think that's the mark of a good team. Obviously,

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<v Speaker 1>we need some help, and hopefully we do get some help,

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<v Speaker 1>but at the same time, we're focused on beating the Redskins,

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<v Speaker 1>putting together a really good week of practice because I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>we practice really hard. That's I think that's the that

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<v Speaker 1>is the I think. I think that's the hallmark of

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<v Speaker 1>this team, the way we've practice each and every week,

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<v Speaker 1>and hopefully, I mean, we just need to go there

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<v Speaker 1>and win. We can't look at it if the Bearers

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<v Speaker 1>win and or if the Vikings win, or if the

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<v Speaker 1>Seahawks lose twice. We just got to focus on being

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<v Speaker 1>the best team we can next week against the Redskins,

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<v Speaker 1>against another really talented front um and some I mean

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<v Speaker 1>that defense is extremely talented. Mars it about Nick that

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<v Speaker 1>makes the team rally around him. Um, he's extremely calm Um,

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<v Speaker 1>he's always exuding positivity. UM not. I mean it's hard

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<v Speaker 1>to talk well about one guy and then um if

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<v Speaker 1>it seems the comments are going to come off as

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<v Speaker 1>demeaning another. So I don't want to do that by

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<v Speaker 1>any means. I just want to solely focus on Nick Um.

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<v Speaker 1>He's he's playing at an extremely high level. Um. We

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<v Speaker 1>love playing for him because he's always exuding that positivity

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<v Speaker 1>and guys love playing for him. I mean, he's always

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<v Speaker 1>going to give us a chance on those jump balls,

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<v Speaker 1>those fifty fifty balls, UM. And I think he just

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<v Speaker 1>ultimately trust us to make plays, and he's done that

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<v Speaker 1>for years here. Um, and he's a really talented quarterback. Question.

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<v Speaker 1>What have you noticed out of him during week on

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<v Speaker 1>the sidelines, Yeah, I mean he is the first guy

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<v Speaker 1>helping out Nick um what he sees in the game plan.

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<v Speaker 1>He's there early, trying to help those guys out, trying

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<v Speaker 1>to help uh, I think, just with the game plan.

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<v Speaker 1>So he's still in that same role where he's getting

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<v Speaker 1>there extremely early, staying late, helping those guys out anyway

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<v Speaker 1>he can. Um. I mean, and I think that's the

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<v Speaker 1>mark of a of a leader. No matter what's going

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<v Speaker 1>on individually, he's always focused on the team, and I

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<v Speaker 1>think that's why guys respect him so much. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>he's been through a ton of adversity, but at the

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<v Speaker 1>same time, everyone knows he's a leader of this team,

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<v Speaker 1>he's a franchise, and when and if he gets back

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<v Speaker 1>this year, I can't wait to play with him. But

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<v Speaker 1>at the same time, Nick is playing extremely well and

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<v Speaker 1>we're pumped to have both of them