Las Vegas Raiders QB Aidan O'Connell's entire press conference Indianapolis Colts week.
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00:00 How do you prepare for a challenge like the Colts, a team that is over performing and
00:04 they're in a tight fight like you guys are for a playoff spot?
00:08 >> Yeah, I think when you get to this point of the year, everybody's fighting.
00:10 I've been playing football for a long time and so
00:14 I think it's gonna be a really good challenge for us.
00:16 Another back to back road games, another game on the road.
00:19 We're gonna have to deal with noise, all that stuff.
00:21 So it's gonna take, obviously, coming off a short week, a good week of practice,
00:25 walkthroughs, getting good mental reps throughout the week.
00:28 >> Being able to beat the Chiefs, does that elevate your confidence knowing that
00:31 you beat the defending champions?
00:32 And if you beat them, you guys can pretty much beat anybody you're facing, right?
00:36 >> I think we try to take it as, try to worry about ourselves.
00:40 And obviously, it was a great win for us last week.
00:43 But I think if you just go based off results week to week,
00:47 the NFL is so up and down.
00:49 So I think we try to stay pretty even keel as much as possible.
00:52 And not really based on the results week to week, but
00:56 rather how we're preparing, how we're performing, all those things.
00:59 >> We watched the video of your performance on Sunday.
01:03 What are your takeaways from it?
01:05 >> Yeah, obviously, didn't have my best game.
01:07 And we didn't do much offensively in the past game.
01:11 And I think, like I said, after the game,
01:13 I missed some opportunities that were there.
01:15 And so I think it's, again, it's week to week.
01:17 You gotta try to improve as much as possible and
01:19 try to execute when Sunday or whenever the game comes around.
01:25 >> How much emphasis have you guys been taking on taking care of the football?
01:28 It's been three out of the last four games where there's no interceptions,
01:31 taking care of the balls.
01:32 How important is that for you guys?
01:33 >> Yeah, I think it's huge.
01:34 I think just being able to give our defense a chance for
01:38 the most part is huge for us.
01:40 Our defense is playing super well.
01:41 And so for us to, obviously, we wanna score as many points as possible.
01:45 We wanna play how we played against the Chargers.
01:47 But sometimes it's a team sport, so there's ups and downs on both sides of
01:52 the ball, and our defense has done an awesome job keeping us in a lot of
01:55 games, and so, yeah, like you said, to not turn the ball over,
01:57 I think is huge confidence for our offense going forward and our whole team.
02:02 >> You know, even Coach Pierce kinda compared your poker face to when he played
02:06 with Eli Manning, and how were you able to kinda stay mentally tough
02:11 without completing a pass for a couple quarters there and
02:14 just hold all the way through?
02:16 >> You know, like I said, I think it's because it's a team game.
02:18 I'm really happy I don't play an individual sport.
02:20 I don't know.
02:22 I wouldn't do very well, and so to have guys to rely on,
02:25 I think, is a beautiful part of the sport we play.
02:28 I think if a team can win different games,
02:30 obviously we wanna win every game by a lot of points.
02:32 But there's been times this year where all three phases have had to step up.
02:37 And so, yeah, I think just the confidence that the guys around me give me,
02:43 I think is huge.
02:44 I think there's a sense that they understand how hard it is and
02:49 what it takes to move the ball down the field as an entire offense.
02:52 And so as we're maybe stalling in the game like that,
02:56 I think the guys stay confident.
02:57 We understand that it's not just about the last possession.
03:01 You have to look at the big picture and try to execute as much as possible.
03:04 So I think there's a lot of factors that go into it.
03:07 I think for the most part, though, I have great coaches around me,
03:10 great players around me that really help me try to be the best player I can be.
03:14 >> So, Aiden, to that point, with the defense playing the way that they're
03:16 playing, does that take some of the load off of your shoulders in terms of
03:19 not necessarily having to do too much?
03:21 >> I think, again, we try to execute as best as possible.
03:26 I think we don't go into a game thinking our defense is gonna bail us out here or
03:30 there.
03:30 Obviously, they have, and they've done an awesome job of that.
03:33 We're confident they're gonna do that, obviously, cuz they've showed it.
03:36 But we wanna perform as best we can, I think, individually and
03:39 collectively as different units on the offense and then as a whole group.
03:43 I think we wanna challenge ourselves to score as many points as possible, but
03:47 also be as efficient as possible.
03:50 Make good decisions with everything we do.
03:53 And so, yeah, it's like I keep saying, it's a team sport.
03:55 So we gotta rely on each other sometimes, and that's what we've been doing.
04:00 >> You've had a unique first season in the NFL.
04:01 What is the biggest thing you've learned so far?
04:03 >> That's a good question.
04:06 I think definitely how long the season is.
04:08 I'll give you two.
04:09 How long the season is is one thing.
04:11 It's been a lot of football played so far.
04:14 We've still got more to play.
04:15 And I think the other thing is how up and down everything is.
04:18 I think week to week there's so much that goes into each game
04:24 that requires to go out there and perform well.
04:26 And so I think you have to work as hard as possible each day,
04:30 each week to give yourself a chance when the game comes around.
04:33 >> Have you thought at all about kind of the juxtaposition of you with this
04:37 franchise that this franchise has been known as the bad boys of the NFL.
04:41 You're this quiet middle America, humble guy,
04:45 starting leading the charge of quarterback, think about that at all?
04:50 >> I have a little bit to my personality maybe sometimes that people don't know
04:54 about that can come out in different times.
04:58 But I'm just trying to have as much fun as possible.
05:01 I get to play quarterback in the NFL.
05:03 And I'm in a really cool spot in a really great organization.
05:06 So haven't thought too much about that, but
05:09 I'm really just trying to have as much fun as possible.
05:12 Yeah, it's been fun.
05:13 >> Are there any characteristics like you feel you have or
05:16 you need to possess to make the rest of the team play hard for you?
05:20 Especially even when you're not having your best game.
05:22 >> Yeah, I think a lot comes from preparation.
05:26 I think I try to be somebody who the guys look to as someone that works really hard.
05:31 I try to do extra as much as possible, not so they can see me, but
05:34 just cuz I know I need to.
05:36 I wanna be, whenever the game comes around and when it's third and
05:40 eight or whatever it is, I wanna be confident that I put in all the work needed
05:44 to be ready for that moment.
05:46 And it takes a lot of work in the NFL, especially playing quarterback.
05:49 And that's something I've had to learn.
05:50 And so I think, again, I've been lucky enough to have trust and
05:55 confidence from a lot of guys, to me both verbally and how they act towards me.
05:59 And so it puts me in a position where I can have great confidence
06:03 when I go out on the field.