WEBVTT - Press Pass: Jordan Hicks

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<v Speaker 1>UM. Disappointed, UM, knowing that we had lost a game

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<v Speaker 1>that we felt we should have won. UM, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>being up what was it ten, and with I don't

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<v Speaker 1>even know six minutes left to go? Uh. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>we put ourselves early in that game, in a good opportunity,

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<v Speaker 1>in the opportunity that we wanted to be, in the

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<v Speaker 1>position we wanted to be in, UM, and then those

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<v Speaker 1>last you know, six to four minutes just kind of

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<v Speaker 1>derailed ourselves and played uncharacteristic um the way we have

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<v Speaker 1>been playing the whole game. So you know, it was

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<v Speaker 1>definitely disappointed. I listened to Malcolm and talk about the

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<v Speaker 1>margin of error, and you know, we we just have

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<v Speaker 1>shot our foot, shot ourselves in the foot, UM, And

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<v Speaker 1>that's one of those instances. Do you think that do

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<v Speaker 1>you think that winning on Thursday night, as you talk

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<v Speaker 1>about learning lessons, is that one of those games where

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<v Speaker 1>you feel like you learn the lesson and this team

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<v Speaker 1>will now win those kind of close games. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>I don't think it's one defining momentum, but I think

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<v Speaker 1>that adds on to that learning experience that we need

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<v Speaker 1>figuring out. Uh. You know, what we've been talking about

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<v Speaker 1>this whole year is in winning those tight those tight

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<v Speaker 1>games and being able to make the plays down the

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<v Speaker 1>stretch to win in crunch time. And you know, for

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<v Speaker 1>us to be able to do that on Thursday was

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<v Speaker 1>obviously a step in the right direction, But by no

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<v Speaker 1>means does it necessarily mean that we're there yet. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>I think everybody understands the situation and understands that there's

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<v Speaker 1>still a lot of growth that needs to be done. Obviously,

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<v Speaker 1>we believe that we're close, but that one game doesn't

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<v Speaker 1>define who we are or you know, what has happened

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<v Speaker 1>in the past just says that we are making those

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<v Speaker 1>steps in the in the right direction, and we've got

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<v Speaker 1>to continue to work, um, you know, to to correct

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<v Speaker 1>and to uh and and to be able to do

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<v Speaker 1>that consistently. Dallas. Are you expecting to see their regular

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<v Speaker 1>players or what? I don't know, Um, you know, I

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<v Speaker 1>can't really say who they're going to play. It's on

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<v Speaker 1>them obviously, um. And but whoever they do play, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we're ready to face and you know, we're we're going

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<v Speaker 1>into it thinking we're playing starters, and you know that's

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<v Speaker 1>the matchup obviously that that we would like. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>we want to play everybody at the best, and uh,

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<v Speaker 1>we understand the situation, but you know, it is, it

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<v Speaker 1>is what it is. That's their decision. UM, And well,

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<v Speaker 1>I guess we'll see what do you want to get

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<v Speaker 1>out of this final week for this season? First and foremost,

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<v Speaker 1>it's a matter of setting, um, the foundation for the

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<v Speaker 1>off season, setting the foundation for next year. UM. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>I think I think these last couple of games, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we've played extremely hard, um, and if just battle, you've

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<v Speaker 1>watched the film we battle out there, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I think that necessary that has to carry over into

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<v Speaker 1>this last game. And you know, if we do that,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of us, you know, most of us are

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<v Speaker 1>would be you know, excited about the outcome. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>we believe that when we play at our best, it's

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<v Speaker 1>tough for anybody to get at us. So you know,

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<v Speaker 1>ultimately it's that foundation. Ultimately it is it is laying

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<v Speaker 1>the groundwork for off season and things to come. I

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<v Speaker 1>think that you roll your eyes as the three you're

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<v Speaker 1>you're sitting here in week seventeen one started. Every game

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<v Speaker 1>is an a compliment? Really, is it is? It is?

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<v Speaker 1>You know it is because I knew the perception going

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<v Speaker 1>into the year. I knew, UM, that it had been

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<v Speaker 1>built since college, that it was something that you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I had told you guys that I'm not worried about.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, it's something that I'm working on, UM. And

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<v Speaker 1>I think the work that I put in, the amount

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<v Speaker 1>of focus that I put on my body and making

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<v Speaker 1>sure that it's it's consistently healthy throughout the season. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>there was there were times late in the season that

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<v Speaker 1>I was feeling as good as I was, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>early in the season. So UM, you know, I think

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<v Speaker 1>I think the focus that I put on it has

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<v Speaker 1>helped quite a bit. And UM, yeah, it's accomplishment mentioned

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<v Speaker 1>margin of error. There's a lot of close games in

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<v Speaker 1>this league, one score games. Getting over the top in

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<v Speaker 1>a closed game. Is that something you can learn not

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<v Speaker 1>not from, but you can learn to do more consistently

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<v Speaker 1>or is that just sort of the feel of a season.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I think it is. It is something that

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<v Speaker 1>you learn how to do. I think as you've got

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<v Speaker 1>your core, UM group of guys that are continually continually

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<v Speaker 1>you know here and and are in those games and

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<v Speaker 1>are watching the tape, UM in our understanding that every

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<v Speaker 1>little detail counts in the outcome of the game. Um.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I think that's something that has learned um.

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<v Speaker 1>And obviously this is my second year, but I think

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<v Speaker 1>you can learn a lot from losing. I think you

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<v Speaker 1>can learn a lot from mistakes, um, as long as

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<v Speaker 1>you look at them for what they are and work

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<v Speaker 1>on it. So, UM, you know, I think, like I said,

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<v Speaker 1>I think we're heading in the right direction. I think

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<v Speaker 1>Thursday is a testament to that. But you know, by

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<v Speaker 1>no means is where we're you know where we're at

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<v Speaker 1>right now. We're not We're not basing that on the

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<v Speaker 1>whole season. So George, you got the peck injury at

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<v Speaker 1>the end of the year. Didn't take you a while

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<v Speaker 1>before you could really as far as training goes, get

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<v Speaker 1>into it in your upper body. And I guess the

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<v Speaker 1>question of masking is moving into this off season here.

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<v Speaker 1>I know you're not looking there yet. Will that be

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<v Speaker 1>a big year for you to develop physically? Yeah? It definitely,

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<v Speaker 1>UM set me back a little bit. Um. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>I couldn't bench for you know until really until I

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<v Speaker 1>got back here in April, which you know is a

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<v Speaker 1>good chunk of time off. So and you know, it's been,

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<v Speaker 1>it's been. You know, I was always trying to be

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<v Speaker 1>smart with it and not not do anything too crazy

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<v Speaker 1>on it. But yeah, absolutely moving into this next this

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<v Speaker 1>next offseason, UM, there's definitely a premium one on my

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<v Speaker 1>body on you know, getting stronger, especially in this type

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<v Speaker 1>of defense, you know where I'm taking on blocks and

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<v Speaker 1>having to shed three hundred pounders, so you know, obviously, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean every year there's you're constantly trying to work

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<v Speaker 1>on that. But there's definitely a premium issue if you

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<v Speaker 1>do see the starters. What did you call from feazing

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<v Speaker 1>Zeke Elliott the last time and dree Rolls a chance

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<v Speaker 1>to face him once ago. Yeah, he's a good back man,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know you take it for what it is.

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<v Speaker 1>Obviously we played for about ninety percent of the game

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<v Speaker 1>pretty well against the run, and you know he's going

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<v Speaker 1>to get his plays. But he's a good back. He's

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<v Speaker 1>a good back and well respected back already and runs hard.

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<v Speaker 1>So absolutely into your question, you know, we always want

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<v Speaker 1>to go against the best, UM, so any chance we

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<v Speaker 1>get to go against somebody like him or that offensive

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<v Speaker 1>line is definitely an opportunity that we see already mentioned

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<v Speaker 1>taking on blockers. How is your first full season as

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<v Speaker 1>a middle linebackers supposed to safe being on the weak side,

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<v Speaker 1>was occasionally not having to take on somebody. How how

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<v Speaker 1>does it feel to get through it and have you

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<v Speaker 1>enjoyed it? Yeah, I've definitely enjoyed it. I enjoyed being

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<v Speaker 1>in the middle, being able to control, um, everything around me,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, being that that voice on the field, the

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<v Speaker 1>coach on the field. Um, you know, I don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't want to hype it up like it's something

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<v Speaker 1>that I haven't done. You know, I playing linebacker, that's

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<v Speaker 1>part of your job title. You've got to take on blocks.

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<v Speaker 1>So uh, you know, obviously in some defenses you take

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<v Speaker 1>on a little bit more. They techniques are a little different,

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<v Speaker 1>but you know, it's part of the job title, man.

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<v Speaker 1>And if I make it into something that is bigger

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<v Speaker 1>than itself, you know that's not that's I just shouldn't

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<v Speaker 1>do that, you know. So, Um, I don't know, taking

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<v Speaker 1>on blocks is taking on blocks. I've done it ever

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<v Speaker 1>since I've been a linebacker, so