Cardinals OLB Markus Golden (10.17.21)

On his mindset coming into the game knowing the team was going to be shorthanded:

“Of course, we miss those guys. A couple of great players and a head coach, a great head coach so of course we miss those guys and wish they were here, but this is the NFL. This is football. Next man up has to step it up and hold it down for them. That is what everybody did today.”

On how much he needed to step up his game with other key defensive players out:

“I would not say I had to ‘do this’ because (Cardinals OLB) Chandler (Jones) is out. I am going to come in every day, no matter if it is practice or a game, and bring my all and get better. That is what I did today, but of course when you have a guy like Chandler gone, our goal was to play for Chandler, because I know if he was here he would have played his heart out and lay it on the line every play. That was my thing, to go out there and play for him and the rest of the guys and (Cardinals Head) Coach Kliff (Kingsbury) too.”

On what he saw from the offensive play calling:

“You have to give those guys credit. The coaches stepped up for Kliff and made sure they called a good game and did what they had to do. For the whole offense, the offensive line did good, the receivers ran the right routes and then you have (QB) Kyler (Murray) back there, a young great quarterback. When you have a player like him, he went out there and made some plays. Overall, when you do not have your head coach who is really involved in the offense, you have to give credit to the coaches. The coaches went out there and did their thing today.”

On if this felt like it would not ‘be their week’:

“Not at all. Everybody was even more motivated, like I said, to go out there and perform at a high level for all those guys. When you have players and a great coach like that who bring it every day, it is motivation because you know those guys would love to be out there. If they could, they would be laying it on the line just like we did today.”

On not having Kingsbury:

“It was real weird. It was weird not have Kliff, Chandler, (Cardinals DL) Corey (Peter) and all of those guys man. You are used to seeing Corey and Chandler. They are leaders on the team so they motivate a lot of guys. It was weird, but you got back to what I keep saying. That was the plan this week to go out there and perform at a high level for all those guys.”