Detroit Lions players meet with the media postgame | 2024 NFL Regular Season Week 1: Lions vs Rams

David Montgomery maybe the same question that that I asked you how fun is that in overtime game on the line and they just call your number and you guys are able to just chunk play chunk plays and then obviously get it in there at the end oh yeah yeah uh I'll be honest I hate overtime you know what I'm saying cuz it's a late game I want to see my son but um we got there and you know uh Coach Campbell is always big on saying like whenever your number call and whenever you get opportunity to be sure that you strike when you when it does get called so I was being uring myself that I whenever I got the opportunity I would take full advantage of it so um my old line did the whole last Drive was none of me and you know the r receivers do what they do all the time and you know Jared facilitates everything so it was good that it worked out how fresh you feel game can you feel the other team yeah um I feel real FES um honestly um we got a good thing going here with me and J you know going back and forth um you know saving each other's energy cuz we going to need um both of us throughout the whole entire year um in order for us to go on a run um but yeah that's a good team over there I'll be honest they gave us everything that they had and we didn't play our cleanest ball and we'll be better um obviously but like I said I'm just happy we came out with the win said this one of best train campsen anybody how good did this train C feel before you preparing you know coming into the season uh yeah it was good I think um i' have been around a block a couple times you know going into my six Camp um and kind of knowing how it looks and how it goes and being sure that I you know take advantage of everything that's in front of me um you know I know what I'm capable of ultimately and I know exactly what this team and this offense is capable love and if I don't go out there with my best foot forward I feel like I'm letting them down and letting myself down also so I will sure to keep myself at a high standard and I think for me myself personally like I rais my standard every chance that I get so um yeah I just was trying to take every opportunity um the best that I could I'm touchdown the game that guy how goodes it feel theame no no it was n it was good it felt good yeah it was a good play fun play once you got rolling in overtime did you think there was any way they were going to stop here oh nah nothing against them I was in the mode though I was already locked in at that point where um you know feel like I had to prove myself to myself you know I feel like that was the the greatest opportunity for to happen for me to Showcase um you know what I'm capable of but at the same time showing how much grit that that offense and this team has so um you know being able to go out and close it out like I said my o line like come on now like best o line in the league and you got them boys outside of me um blocking the way they block and you know like I said you got uh JG facilitating everything so like I said I'm just excited we got the win and no at the end of the game you went to the opposite end zone and just kind of had took a moment there what was kind of going through your head there something you normally do at the end of the game oh yeah I do that every game win loss or Draw you know you know at the end of the day um this game is so important to me and I put everything into it but also know that without God I am nothing and with God I'm everything and um being sure that I I give him all the praise and the glory when things are going good when things are going bad and you know when things are indifferent um because at the end of the day this this game is amazing but I can't do it without him just one more the closer Ro you know is is it can you just describe what that that feeling is like to be the LA better word like the he man you know like I can take on anything I am the strongest man at the end of the day running through people when everyone else is sort of you know exhausted at the end of the game what what does it just feel like to you to me that person oh I definitely don't feel like the he man I just feel like I was doing my job you know um I mean I'm here to to do a job a certain way and um I feel like if I didn't do that I would be doing a complete disservice to myself and to the team so um there was no He-Man in me there was no superpower no special human strength or none of that it was just uh me standing within the lines of the game um trusting what I see um allowing the boys up front to do what they do best and uh everybody else around me to do what they do best and um you know me just stay within the scheme of the game and I feel like I did that so I don't think I I was no he- man by any means when you say my I need to prove myself to myself can you expand on that what do you mean by that phrase what does that mean to you um the phrase is the phrase I won't I won't say anything more about it CU it's more for me than anybody else David when it comes to how you're able to like you said just do your job and focus on the game and it's not super human how much does it help when you have guys like am and ra who know they're not getting targets but are blocking for you Paving that way yeah you know Saint is a he's a special special specimen right and um his mentality is so contagious right and um games like this where um we not being not able to get him the ball successfully um you know he still leads um and then be able to have that you know knowing that he is that guy and when the when crunch time come we want to go to him and you know this game in particular we weren't able to do that and you know him to still come up big and block and being who he is that shows his character and what kind of guy he is you know he's a team guy um he got love for everybody on his team and you know he showcased that even when the ball's not in his hands I don't if you fell victim to it at all but just seemed like guys were slipping all over the place tonight was there slippery out there was there anything with the turf that you noticed yeah I definitely was slipping um gotta get my feet under me play more on my toes um that can't be an excuse to why I slipped I just got to be sure I get my feet under me and um I'll do that was the turf okay though uh the turf okay yeah it was good thanks guys yeah did this Jameson Williams before he got me weird all night your off offseason about how much improved and we saw you know quite a bit this summer but to have it come to fruition on a night like this first game of the season what does it mean to you um it means a lot you know I put in a lot of work um not just this year it's been continuous work ever since like you know since I got in the league and it's just been this is just the time to show it you know it's first game um it's just a start though we got 16 more in the regular season playoffs he got a lot more ball to play so it's just a start kind of a quiet game for for St Brown Porter how good does it feel knowing that the offense can lean on you maybe when when other guys are um that's just our offense um mean we we knew that from the jump that we got we got Stars we got ball players you know one person don't don't get going we got other people to lean on you know um the offense just shout out to Ben you know he he he called the right plays and he he know he know the right thing right situations to put us in you know um they was out there like uh in and out St Brown a lot double teaming him a lot and you know somebody else had to make plays and I just made the plays when my number was caught Jamon it seems like we've continued to ask you over the last couple years do you feel like you're breaking out do you feel like you're breaking out is this a night starting year three where you kind of told the football world that you are here to be an NFL star um yeah I I also then feel like I was an NFL star you know um it's just it's just it's just now it's it's showing um I don't look at this as no no no different game you know it's um just the beginning it's the first game of the season I got a lot more in me though all was getting a game you know get a full preas was that just to get start that was real valuable to me um I think to to the team too and and to golf you know we got a real great connection over the over the spring and the summer throwing we threw a couple times in practice um we threw a couple times in La you know so it just translated and the hard work is just finally showing you know um not not with just me with the whole team you know we just that was a hard game to win you know the was a good team and the defense helped out a lot of special teams everybody came together you know we just played to the last seconds of the game so um I would say it it feels good you know knowing that the hard work is paying off but we got a lot a lot more to go take off yeah um it it was it it was a play we we we had we we knew who we was going to run it on and we we we had that in in in motion uh early in the week so we worked on it a couple times you know and you caught in the game whoever we said whoever get whoever get the pass just it's a mirror play so it's both sides so you know whoever win get the ball did it feel like the playoff game last year um yes yes I would say that because U you know the playoff game last year ended 23 24 if I'm not mistaken it came down to the last seconds just like this one this one actually went further they went to overtime um like I said the Rams was a good team and and and they played real great ball today and I I just feel like we played better and we came out on top because you know that's that's what coach preach to us you know grit and we go we go all the way till it's done and you know we going to finish seem like guys were slipping all over the place can you just maybe speak to the the field conditions with the field slippery out there at all um not to me not to me I I wouldn't say it was slippery but you know um it's first game you know being on Turf for a lot of us you know we didn't some of us didn't play in the preseason so we just like getting back to the turf field we practice on grass a lot so they may be a thing um I'm not really sure about the turf I think it was okay I I don't I don't really know I I ain't slip setad of your performance that one of the best things about it was it wasn't even your best game do you feel like there's still oh yeah for sure it's just this just game one um like I said I put in a lot of work um I expected to have a big game you know um me personally I expect to have a big game I guess I guess this just big to the world um just because it's my first one but I I plan to have a lot more you know um I don't plan on this being my best game in my career I plan on this just being to start a start a you know me me being me was last was last you got a game B game ball I never got a game ball not at BMA not at nowhere I ain't even going to lie this right here this a might not leave my hands I might sleep like this the speed not just your speed but Gibs you know like you have a lot of speed on offens offense what does that do defense how does that um I think it scares the defense a lot because you know it it has a lot of it has a lot of way we have a lot of ways to stretch the field um you know you can get a ball to gives and he can get he can move the chains you can get a ball to anybody we they can move the chains from the tight ends to the running backs to the receivers you know even gol you see he got down there he got the first down for us so you know uh I don't really think it's about speed I think it's about playmaking um you know we come down to who can make the plays and we make plays um not just me Saint everybody make plays so I would be I would say the the it wouldn't be the speed it would be the playmaking thank you guys coming alive you know the games on Alex Anzalone the line that's the type of player he is and you know we can rely on him you know in those situations were more challenging haven't seen guys on I mean lot of new guys cycl there yeah I mean yeah to a certain extent yeah I think that um you know they ran a couple different wrinkles than what we've seen on film but um at the end of the day that's what you expect week one and um you know they we did stuff that they didn't know we were going to do either so it kind of goes both ways when it comes to a lot of rookies had their big debuts here tonight what did you see out of terion Arnold obviously things to learn but he also had some big plays as well yeah he had some big plays obviously um you know thinging you know just those pis were you know he's probably pissed off about that but that's part of being a rookie and they're going to go after him and um you know this is the NFL and it's offensive offensive league and that's what they're going to call all the time it's not it's not the same as in college and you know grow and get better from it and like we said you came out from the jump was there a point when you realized oh it's going to be a really hot game for me like I'm just all over their stuff you're hitting every Mark was there a point where you realize that or you don't focus on that in game no I just take it a play at a time I kind of you know expect that on myself every game and um you know some games those Splash plays are going to come but you know this I had a few of them so um you know it's fun to play week one in this in this atmosphere from a defensive perspective how does it feel when an offensive line does what you guys did in overtime yeah I mean it's it's a great feeling I think that we all got a sense of what they were you know they were tired um their defense that is and um you know I said this the media this week at the podium I think that daavid is one of the hardest running backs in the league to tackle and uh he runs behind his pads but he's also Shifty too so um you know he's a great running back and we can rely on him in those situations it's got to feel demoralizing I mean when they justos will like yeah 100% it's it's it's good to run the football in this league we're just happy to get the get the win and to start with the week one Amon-Ra St. Brown dub just setting the tone for what's next how important is that to build momentum I think it's super important um starting one and0 is Big you know starting on the on the good side we got to keep up keep the momentum going um we got a pretty good team next week in Tampa but we got to watch the film correct some things definitely a lot to correct after week one uh and and hopefully we know we get better next week when Dan talks about finishing the way you guys finish today how much conference I give you guys going you know in the next week a bunch um um you know like like like Deo said at the end in the locker room no one wants to go to no one wants to go to overtime we would rather finish it early but if we got to do it we got to do it you know we won the toss and once we got out there we knew this is time for our offense to to end the game and that's what we did so kudos to the o line everyone Deo jir um tight ends receivers man they they did they did their thing could you just talk about Dave Montgomery who was like a man possessed out there over time he's a beast um you know we all know what D what David can do uh ability he's hard to tackle um Shifty at 230 has great feet so you know when you have a back like that him and jir um that you can rotate and feed and and they you know once they start getting hot they're tough to stop so um super happy for for Deo man he's he's worked his tail off all Camp he deserves all this and we know what you do but talk about Jamon Williams too and how he came and the trust is now there yeah he he he had his uh I believe his first our game so I'm super excited for him super proud of him he uh he balled out I knew it was going to happen um he's been doing great you know all OTAs all camp but um yeah I think he you know he's he's sticking with it he's he's listening to coaches listening to you know the teammates um we're all supporting him he's you know bought in he's fully bought into everything you can tell out there he's having fun um and he's he's a heck of a player first give me your your Frank Ragnow overall impressions of just the crowd tonight and and the way you guys came out here at pfield yeah didn't disappoint incredible atmosphere um fun to still hear the Jared golf champ I think that gets us all rocking and they were they were definitely rocking when they were on third down so it was a great environment give me a sense of what was going through your guys mind when you got to that overtime and and you guys got in that huddle talk to me a little bit about how your quarterback settled things down and set the tone I think it was just a the mindset everybody in the Huddle was like hey let's go win this thing let's leave no doubt let's go do what we do and let's go finish it and then David was a manp possessed he was a manp possessed I mean this is a guy who runs over for Graham Graham hi Graham welcome to the interview um runs with a chip on his shoulder certainly you guys love kind of that put your head down and and pave the way for him talk about that mentality you guys really started the game that way yeah he's incredible I mean I can't say enough about the guy he runs so angry and uh I feel like it's never the first guy there it's always a third fourth fifth and uh to block for a guy like that is a blessing give me a sense of early on you guys had some trouble I mean they put some pressure on you guys defensively what kind of adjustments were you guys able to make to keep Jared clean and give him time yeah we knew going into it there was going to be a lot of unknowns uh a lot of players that weren't on tape didn't play in the preseason new coordinator so we knew they were going to throw something at us so it took us a while there to adjust and figure it out and I think we got a rhythm there at the end was this a little bit of a statement game I mean this one felt kind of like all business coming back after the playoff win against them but how good was it just to get back in the win column after the way last last season ended and you guys have waited a long time and talked about just building the momentum yeah win's a win uh especially in this league every every wi's hard and uh we knew uh it wasn't going to be the most perfect game and uh we found a way to finish it and that's what good teams do and when you talk about those Jared golf chance I mean the fans were crazy from the beginning what is it about Jared that you guys love so much and what did he show you tonight I don't know I'm just kidding he's just the same guy every day very consistent um plays with a lot of poise uh you know what you're getting and uh obviously really really talented does the crowd Amaze you from the standpoint like when you think it's loud it even gets louder like that there's different like levels of loudness from that there for sure and the consistency to able to be able to bring it every third down every crucial situation is pretty impressive when you guys were up by 17 points you knew they weren't going to go away you watched Matthew Stafford on the other side and to see your defense perform the way that they did in crucial moments how important was that yeah I felt like they had back a lot all game especially when we started off slow they uh they came up with a lot of crucial plays and that's what it's all about in this league complimentary football and I feel like we were although was ugly we were able to find a way to play that winning ugly though is something you guys talked about last year I mean it's it's part of your identity is it not yeah for sure a win's a win in this league uh it's it's as tough as it gets and to be able to find out find out finish out with a W in the column you can't be mad uh it it helped Terrion Arnold the defense tremendously how do you feel that you played in your first career professional I feel like I played all right uh normally me like even on those Corner balls uh like that corner ball I was really mad at myself CU I feel I got have turned in and made that play and that would have been a big momentum shifter but uh as far as that like just short play mentality uh those p uh I hold myself to a high standard so I felt like those kind of hurt our team a little bit but I take full accountability of it I'm going get to the drawing board and um get better you learned from that right I mean those how of mistakes you never want to repat again yeah of course like I mean it's football as a quarterback you know you got the toughest task just go out there and uh Cooper cup he's a he's a very great player so I mean me guarding him even after the game coming up to him and he's like yeah man you w them one so uh it was a great game great match up going against him and uh I liked it any butterflies that kind of compliment from you know one of the game's better receivers um I mean I know I'm one of them ones like I know I'm a great player I go out there and play with confidence and it just uh it's just a testament to my hard work but also test you know to our pass rush man they do a really really great job of getting back there affecting the quarterback and uh even me uh getting mad at Coss and Dav I was like man we get gifts like that we got to we got to uh we got to get those but uh you know even uh him just knowing that I got him on the other side of me to uh challenge me to push me and help me become a better player it helps me a lot DP really quick just you know they're they're a little bit touchier I guess in the NFL was that eye opening at all just how tight they call it for for DBS in this league um I honestly not just feel like I could have been better with my hands just looking back for the ball and uh you know those are plays that I got to look up take the risk of looking at the ball and make those plays so yeah what do you think when you you're on the sideline watching David Montgomery do what he did man Deo I always say this man he's a man child and uh everybody should notice like that video that went viral him squatting all that weight man I mean not squatting but de living all that weight you just know man like that's a freight train coming through so when he just pounded the ball down the field I wasn't surprised cuz I mean I know uh our team is full of grit and when it comes down to those big moments and those big plays we prepare for moments like that so I've seen them do that in practice did you have any butterflies and such a confident gu any butterflies to start of course I mean I'm human I'm going get butterflies but uh I've been getting them my whole life I feel like if I don't get those and something is wrong so like going into that and then being able to run out of the tunnel and just feeling that emotion right there it let me know like I've been playing this game since a kid then uh I'm going to play this game for a very long time continue to improve and uh become a big time starting this lead speaking of emotion what's it like being on the field defensively and hearing that crowd for a big play I mean it's almost like there's different levels of noise they're able to bring well uh Brian Branch he told me it was louder than Alabama and I didn't believe him so uh when I felt like my ears actually like shaking that's when I said oh wow like this is this is amazing and then just running out of that Tunnel right there it was almost like I couldn't like I couldn't hear nothing and I won't say like my like my head was shaking but I kind of felt like a like a outer body exp uh outer body experience I was just like wow I feel like I was in a movie so I mean that crowd man it's it's nothing like it so it's Lou than the talism way louder way louder Lou was possible and taloa was the loudest place you've been up to this Bo n Texas ain't know okay yeah but this was louder than Texas way louder like way louder thank you than