Two-Point Conversions
Panthers coach Ron Rivera:
“The first time obviously was to make up for the blocked kick and then it puts you behind now you’re chasing points, which is unfortunate. In retrospect, you could say, ‘Oh well, let’s just go with it and keep trying to kick them.’ But as I said, we started chasing points, and we were trying to make that up.”
Panthers TE Greg Olsen:
“I kind of [expletive] us on the two-point conversion. That really ended up being the difference. … If I would have just caught the ball, then we would have been up by 10. Then, their touchdown they would have gone for one, and we would be up by three, and that field goal would have tied it. The math is clear. … I have caught a lot of balls in this league, and the team relies on me to make plays, and come to me when [expletive] is on the line. You have got to make the play.”
Cam Newton’s 1.7 Passer Rating in the First Half
Newton:
“That’s just unacceptable. For the first half, I don’t know what it was. I just couldn’t get in a rhythm. Making a lackluster turnover late at the end of the first half didn’t make it easy for us either.”
Khalil Mack’s Pick-Six Before Halftime
Rivera:
“We were looking to pop something, but at the same time, we didn’t want to give them an opportunity to get the ball back. We had a screen pass call and Khalil Mack, credit to him, made a heck of a play, because from what we saw, it looked like we had a little bit of running room there. You get that to Fozzy [Whittaker], and with his ability to run in open space, who knows what happens. Unfortunately, Khalil Mack read it and made a hell of a play.”
Mack:
“They switched the guard and the tackle, and they were doing everything to lighten up the pressure with screens, draws, quarterback runs, running the ball. We know they’re going to do things like that. Instinctively, I saw the back sneak out and I tried to separate and get my hands up.”
Raiders OLB Bruce Irvin:
“Pick-six, sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery. I’m just blessed to be in his presence. [Mack] is one hell of a player. We feed off each other. On that last drive, we told each other ‘It’s on us, it’s on us to put the team on our back and end it.’ That’s exactly what we did. I’m just blessed to be in such a great situation playing with a future Hall of Famer.”
Using A.J. Klein Instead of Shaq Thompson in Nickel Situations
Rivera:
“A.J. is a Mike linebacker and Shaq is a Will, or what we call the Buffalo.”
Thompson:
“When my number is called, I just go out there. If not, I will be on special teams.”
Klein:
“I know I definitely left some plays out there today: The deep ball versus [Michael] Crabtree and then giving up that touchdown. Those are plays that I wish we had back. … I know those plays were big plays in the game, and probably were a deciding factor. I take full responsibility for that.”
Crabtree’s 49-Yard Reception
Raiders QB David Carr:
“Their safety got flat-footed and doubled [Mychal] Rivera on the left side. I had Crabtree one-on-one with their guy and his back turned. … Those are tough ones to get. When you get a matchup like that, you’ve got to take that chance.”
Klein:
“That was my responsibility, to run high. I knew the ball was in the air when I heard the crowd, and I turned too early. But I just got tangled up, a little physicality at the top of the route, and didn’t get my head around in time. I tried to make a play on the ball, but that just goes down to technique. I have to be better.”
Miscellaneous
Rivera, on fifth loss of three points or fewer:
“It’s been very frustrating. I mean, the health of this football team is very frustrating. The missed opportunities are very frustrating. Now it’s five games where you’ve lost virtually in the last few minutes. … We had an opportunity to win the very first one this year. We didn’t, so that’s tough, but that’s the nature of it.”
Rivera, on deactivating first-round DT Vernon Butler:
“It was all about strategy and the way we wanted to play this game. That’s all there is to it. There was nothing else into that.”
Carr, on Thomas Davis:
“Thomas Davis should be a Pro Bowler. One of the best players I’ve ever seen in my life. Sorry, I had to say that, just to give him credit.”
Carr, on returning after “jamming” his pinkie:
“My coach said Willis Reid to me on the sideline — just to make me laugh and get me in the mood. I looked at him and was like who? What’s crazy is that I know who Willis Reid is, I mean, he came in and dropped like 40. I was like, ‘Can you tell me that story?’ Then I realized and said, ‘Never mind, I got it.'”
Irvin, on Carr’s return:
“It’s like Jesus rose from the dead.”