JOE BURROW
Quarterback
How does it feel to clinch home field advantage next week?
"We needed this one. If we didn't win this one, I guess technically we would have won the division, but it wouldn't have felt like it. So, it's good to get this one. We're going to have to play better next week to get the win, especially me. It's great to get the win, but on to the next one."
What is the locker room celebration like right now?
"It's always nice to celebrate with the guys that you work so hard with and to achieve something together. It's a special feeling that I don't think a lot of people get to experience. I always cherish those moments."
How are you feeling after such an emotional week?
"It was a long week. I think guys started feeling better at the end of the week when we started getting some good updates. At the beginning of the week it was tough."
How did you feel about your performance?
"Did not like the way I played today. I missed throws I usually make, but I won't miss those again."
What's it like to end this week with a win after all of the positive updates on Damar Hamlin's health?
"Awesome. Collectively as the NFL and as the players, you love to hear those kinds of updates. He's able to watch the game and experience that. It was a tough week for everybody and even tougher for him and his family. So, the fact that he's doing better is what matters to me."
What does it mean to win back-to-back division titles?
"That's our standard now. We're going to celebrate it every single time we do it. We're going to smoke our cigars and wear our T-shirts and hats, but we expect that every year."
What does Alex Cappa mean to you and the offensive line?
"He's really been playing unbelievable all year. No. 1, Cappa's a guy you love to be around, a great locker room guy. No. 2, (he's an) unbelievable player — smart, physical, tough — everything you'd ask for in an interior guy. I don't know the severity of the injury, but I have a lot of confidence in the guys behind him. Max (Scharping) has played a lot of football, and he knows his stuff. He's going to have to step up but we have all the faith in the world in him."
What are your thoughts on Joe Mixon's touchdown celebration?
"I didn't see it."
What was your take on the idea of a coin flip tiebreaker?
"It is what it is, doesn't matter now. I would love to get that same opportunity for us in the second round if we happen to get there, but that's not what they decided. So, it is what it is."
What's the challenge in playing a team in back-to-back weeks?
"It's tough because one, they're in our division so we play them all the time. They know our scheme, they know our guys, they know what we're trying to do. They make it tough on us. They're going to be able to run some stuff off of a lot of the defenses they ran today, and we're going to be able to do the same. It's going to be a tough challenge for us, but them as well."
How do you feel about where the team is?
"I love where we're at. How many games have we won in a row, seven? Eight? I think that's (one of) the longest win streaks right now. Going into the playoffs with a lot of momentum, happy with where we're at. Still a lot of room to improve."
Ja'Marr Chase eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards today. How impressed are you to see that?
"That's what I expect from him. He's going to have 1,000 yards every year that he plays, and he doesn't miss a ton of time. That's how good he is."
What was your initial reaction to the NFL's playoff rule changes?
"Whatever we've got to do. We'll play wherever, whenever. Make it happen."
What does it mean to you that this team keeps finding new ways to win?
"That's the sign of a great football team. We've got coaches that really understand what we're trying to do. They game plan really, really hard. I know the kind of time they put in, so it gives me a lot of confidence to go out there and execute the plan the way it's supposed to be executed. All year, our defense steps up when we're not stepping up and we step up when they're not. Drue (Chrisman) punted the 'heck' out of the ball today, so that was fun to see."
You said you didn't like the way you played. What do you attribute that to?
"Just missed some throws I usually hit. Not usually — always hit. I got to be better."
What this game what you expected emotionally after such a tough week?
"It was definitely a weird feeling going out there, initially. We settled into the game and put that behind us, but pregame was definitely a little weird."
Does the 'Us against the world' mentality suit this team right now?
"Yeah, I think with all the stuff that happened this week, with all the changes and everything, that's what it is."
Has that been the mentality of this team the last couple of years?
"It's expected now. We've got the guys that can do it. We like the hard path."
Do you ever think about the idea of a window of contention?
"The window is my whole career. Everybody that we have in that locker room — all the coaches we have — things are going to change year-to-year, but our window is always open."
Why does this team like the hard path to success?
"Would you have it any other way? We don't want it easy. It's not as satisfying."
Has your personal path been the hard way?
"It's always been the hard way for me and for a lot of guys in there. That's just the way it is. There's no easy path to the NFL and into the playoffs and to the Super Bowl. The harder it is, the better it'll feel."
What gives you the confidence that you will always be a championship team?
"I know the guys that we have in the locker room. Like I said, it's going to change year-to-year but I'd like to think that a lot of guys in there will be around for a long time. We've won a lot of football, played a lot of football together. We've got great players in there."
What is the most unique thing about why this year's team has been successful?
"We've faced a lot of adversity. Guys going down, guys stepping up. Guys that maybe hadn't played a lot of football in the past have now played a lot of football and gotten some opportunities and made the most out of them. We have guys that have been in these moments, had this experience, and know what it's going to take these next three or four weeks."
Jessie Bates III said that Joe Mixon's touchdown celebration came from a movie you watched last night. What movie was that?
"The movie was Gladiator. Great movie, by the way. I think after that a lot of guys went and watched it."
Were you aware of what was going on in the Buffalo Bills game?
"No, I was not. I kind of assumed they were going to win."
Did you think you'd get pulled from today's game early?
"Against those guys? These AFC North games are never going to go like that. It's going to be too close at the end. It's too hard, too tough. That's the way these games are."
What's the key to your dancing and escapability in the pocket?
"That was a cool one today. I saw the highlight after. I was proud of myself on that one. I got caught, though. I don't know how many yards I got — six or seven. I would have liked to get more, but it is what it is."
What accomplishment are you most proud of this season?
"We won the division, we've won a lot of games. We're 12-4, so we're right where we want to be. Obviously we would have liked for the beginning of the year to go a little different, but you never know how it's going to shake out if things happen differently in life. We like where we're at, excited about the playoffs. We're going to have to play a lot better to win those games, but we know we have what it takes."
You're 12-2 since you said "relax" ...
"Well (chuckling), I told you guys to relax, and you relaxed."
Have you seen any major change from the Monday night loss to Cleveland to now?
"No, just playing better, executing better, playing team football better. We're just a much better team than then."
