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Below is a look at what Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz had to say after Sunday's loss to the New York Giants. (Quotes provided by the Lions.)
On the team having an uninspired effort: "I wouldn't characterize it as uninspired. I think our team battled tooth and nail. We came up a play short, but I mean, we came back in the second half. We were 10 points down. We battled back. We got a play, made a safety. We got a turnover at the end of the game that got us to overtime. We got a turnover in overtime. I thought we battled tooth and nail. We came up short. We were one play away. Whether we were up seven, we needed that one first down. Well, we needed more than that one first down, but we needed a play to put that game away. We got that one holding penalty which was disappointing because at that point, we can roll pretty good and protect that lead and instead we had to convert that third down and 10. We get it picked off. I thought that was obviously a turning point right there. We had played really, really well up to that point in the second half and that allowed them to tie it. Then we had to battle to get to overtime and in overtime they made one more play than we did."
On if any thought was given to call a timeout at the end of regulation: "There was what, 19 seconds, 23, in that situation. We didn't have great field position. We tried to run a trap and hope to break it and try to get a first down right there. If we got a first down we would have been ready to jump on it, but we didn't, and at that point I liked our odds in overtime as opposed to trying to take a chance. At that point, after the thing right there you have to weigh everything and the chance that we take a sack or have a negative play right there could have ended the game right there. We still ran a play that we thought could break it. We tried to break it out there. I think he if would have gotten a first down we could have been in a position, but after that play didn't get a first down we were going to go in to overtime."
On the absence of WR Calvin Johnson affecting the game: "Well, his absence obviously affects things, but Calvin is a tough guy. He tried to do whatever he could today. Calvin's beat up. He's been beat up pretty much the whole year, but he has gone out and has tried to do whatever he could this game. His knee and his ankle, his ankle was an issue last week and it was an issue all week this week. He tried to contribute what he could. It was very difficult for him. We tried to use him in the red zone and some third downs and things like that. He was nowhere near 100-percent."
On if he responded to the fans booing at the end of regulation: "No. I was disappointed to hear boos. We were getting ready to go in to overtime right there. Our crowd is great for us and they support us. I thought our team needed a lift right there. We didn't need to feel bad at that point. We just intercepted the ball that got us to overtime. I thought that just trying to get our team ready and that's a tough situation when your players are getting booed, you want to keep them fired up and that's what I was trying to do right there."
On how disappointing it is to not make the playoffs: "It's very disappointing. But all our games, well not all, we have had a couple of wins where we have sort of led the, well not led the whole game, but they haven't come to down to close. But all of our closes have come close. It is frustrating. I know it's frustrating for our fans and it's frustrating for our players and coaches also. This game was no different. We were down 10 at the half. We were having a hard time getting anything going. I thought we came out in the second half with a lot of spark. I thought we played well on defense. We started getting some stops. Got a safety, then scored. We just weren't able to make the play that we needed. Whether, like I said, we got the holding penalty on the one that looked like Joique (Bell) had the first down on and then got intercepted right there. Whether it was at the end we had a fourth down and then got intercepted right there. Whether it was at the end when we had a fourth down play and we get them stopped right there and our offense has the ball back in overtime with the chance to move and score. There is no guarantee that we are going to win, but it is very disappointing coming from where we were. It's hard to take when every game is close. I think that's the thing that makes it difficult."
On if his attention should have been diverted to the fans at that point during the game: "I don't know how you cannot. At that point we were taking a knee and we were just letting the clock run out after we didn't get the first down in that situation and we were trying to gather the troops and get ready for overtime. I think at that point it wasn't like we were running another a play in that situation and I was doing that. We were getting ready to go in to overtime. Our fans have been great for us. We needed them on our side in overtime and there was a reason we did what we did at the end of the game. That was where we thought our best chance was in at overtime at that point based on the time that was left and everything else."
On summarizing the progress of the organization: "You know, I don't know. I have always said that I would wait until the season is over to characterize it. I don't think I should change that right now. We have come a long way, but we are still not quite there, obviously. We are still a play away from turning these games around. Whether it's offense, defense or special teams. Any more than that I think, just like I've always done, I think we'll characterize it after the season."
On if WR Calvin Johnson needs surgery: "I don't think he needs surgery. He doesn't have anything that's surgical, at least at this point. His ankle was very sore and his knee remained sore. I just think we will see where he is next week. If he is able to contribute, I mean he's such a competitor and he wants to be out there and help the team. It killed him to be on the sideline and watch as that game went on. Like I said, you're one play away from sealing a game or making a play here or there. Calvin can make that difference for us. He certainly feels a tremendous responsibility to this team. He is an incredibly hard worker. He's a committed team mate. If he's able, he'll be out there next Sunday."
On if QB Matthew Stafford performed better today in comparison to Monday: "I think we were inconsistent as a team. Whether you are a quarterback or defensively. I think we were playing really well on defense and we gave up that one play at the end of the fourth-down play. That's hard because you look at what we did in the second half and I don't think it's any different when you talk about quarterback play. We didn't make the key play when it counted and I think that's how we characterize it. We had some good drives, drove down there and scored, took the lead in the game and got a two-point conversation, but we didn't do enough to finish the game. That goes for Matt and that goes for everybody on the team."
On if RB Reggie Bush's fumble led to the decision to play RB Joique Bell more: "Reggie was still in there, but Joique was running well. Joique was strong and running well. Like I said, I thought that one of his better runs was the one where he picked up that first down and got called back with a holding penalty in that situation. I think that was a tough play, but Joique I thought ran well. He ran strong. He made a lot of plays for us. It had nothing really to do with Reggie fumbling. It had more to do with the game that Joique was having and where we were."
