What are your plans for the bye week?
"Probably head back to California, see my mom and family. Just hang out with the family and rest. Mainly I'm going to look at a lot of plays that I need to do to make myself better, to help this team. Coach Garnes, he made a cutup for me. I'm going to relax and get some down time, get some me time as well."
How excited are you to spend some time with your family?
"I see them a lot because they come to my home games a lot. They've only missed one, and that was the New England game. I see them, but I told them when I come out there, we're going to hang out. But I need to get some me time."
How much will you be able to unwind and relax during the time off?
"You never can, but at the same time, you get some down time to where you feel like, I'm regular now. I can actually go out and hang out. I can actually sleep in and not wake up at six in the morning. I can wake up at 10 if I want. It's a good thing. I think it's much needed. As a coaching staff, as an organization, we all need it. That way, when you come back to the facilities, you miss football. This is our job and it's what we love, but at the same time, we have a life outside of this."
How would you evaluate your performance so far this season?
"It's been good. It's way better than I was last year. Overall, just my production and how I'm developing. This is only my (12th) game (as a starter), so I'm seeing progress every week. There's some play out there that I left and my name is still on. I'm just continuing to get better, but at the same time I'm not satisfied. I'm playing real good, I'm showing up in the run game and the pass game, so I'm doing my job."
Do you feel like the game has slowed down for you from your first to your second year?
"It's very true, but it's only true if you put in the work. You have to watch film, you have to give the game everything it deserves. It's going to be a lot of long nights, early mornings, and if you're willing to do that, then the game will slow down as much."
What have you been able to learn from your film study this season?
"Just how comfortable I am. In the run game, in the pass game, the way I'm disguising and helping those guys up front get cover sacks. Also, the film study I'm putting in is showing. I haven't made any big pick-sixes yet, but I've made a lot of plays that contributed to the team for us to win."
In what areas are you looking to improve throughout the rest of the season?
"Just everything. I don't ever underestimate this or that. I'll get better at everything. I make sure I look at myself to see what I can do to help."
How would you assess the team's play through its first six games?
"It's been good. It's been kind of up and down, but at the same time, we finished on an up note, which was this past Monday. I'm proud of where we are as a team. We never pointed the finger, we never doubted each other, we just got better. I'm excited, we have a big future. We come back from the bye week, they're going to see a different team."
How important is it to keep the positive momentum from the win over San Diego during and after the bye week?
"Most definitely. That right there, that game is not only something else to see, it's a good way to show people that you always play to the whistle is blown. The game is never over until the fat lady sings. That's exactly what we did and I'm proud of everybody. That's a great team effort."
