QB P.J. Walker (10.27.23)

Bubba (Ventrone) tells us that he used you as a scout team kick returner in Indianapolis.

“When I was there, I was just trying to find a way to get on the field as much as I can. Find a way to help the team. Anything I needed to do; I was going to do there. That was my mindset when I was there.”

 

When did you go from Phil to P.J.?

“It’s up and down. A lot of people call me either one. Depending on who you are, depending on how long I’ve known you. Some guys might call me P.J., some guys might call me Phil. Like Bubba (Ventrone), he’s known me for a while. He called me Phil because that’s what I went into the league as. So, it’s cool.”

 

The number of transactions you had every week with Indianapolis. Seemed like every week. How difficult was that to deal with? I know you were a young quarterback trying to find your way, but how tough? 

“It was difficult, but at the end of the day, it was just me just trying to find a way to continue to stay ready and continue to get better every day. Not being in the building all the time really sucks. I would get signed back on Fridays. That’s why the transactions look like that. I would get signed back on Fridays and travel with the team on Saturday.”

 

Do you look back on those days and have a greater appreciation for where you’re at now?

“Absolutely.”

 

What sticks out about those? That period of time in your life as you were figuring it out.

“Just the journey. The journey I’ve had. I look back to 2019 when I wasn’t in the league at all, just sitting there watching from home. Just opportunities that present themselves. You got to take full advantage of it. There are a lot of people that wish they were in my shoes. So, for me to take advantage of every opportunity that I get.”

 

Seattle brings everyone at quarterbacks. I think they got like 24, 25 sacks. 11 different guys have a sack on that beat. Just touch on preparing to deal with that type of pressure. 

“Yeah. Our O-line has done a great job. For us, being able to do different things offensively, keep them off balance. Try to move the ball up and down the field as much as possible, just try to put the ball in my receiver’s hands. Try to deepen a lot of those pressures that they do bring. So, for me, it’s just trying to be efficient and just play.”

 

How much of your focus in this game is eliminating the turnovers? 

“Yeah. For me, it’s just continuing to just see what I see. Play faster, play a little faster, trust my instincts a little more. And I think those plays that are turning like close to interceptions, is just me not trusting my instincts and making that read when it’s time to make it.”

 

Do you feel like you’re getting more comfortable as the games go on? 

“Yeah. Day-by-day, play by play. For me, every rep you get is important. And for me, just to come in here and try to learn the system as fast as possible, every rep matters for me.”

 

Your time in Carolina too. Got that opportunity. I know sort of the up and down. How has, I know different team, but looking back on that time of your career, helpful?

“Yeah. The experience, the playing experience is one thing. Just to go out there and get a couple consecutive games to go play in when I was in Carolina last year. My first two years, I only played one game each year. Last year I was able to play five. So, for me to just get that and then get in the rhythm and go play, it feels good. You get used to guys around you and feeling the offense. So, for me, it’s just continuing to grow, continuing to play better, continuing to play faster and just try to continue what I learned from Carolina and bring it here.”

 

P.J., how’s your relationship with Kevin (Stefanski) grown the last couple weeks too? 

“It’s definitely grown. Just the back-and-forth communication, just trying to figure out what he likes and what I like. You can never have enough communication between the head coach and quarterback. So, for me, it’s just to continue trying to have as much communication and dialogue as I can with him. Whether it’s throughout the game, throughout practice, throughout meetings, anything like anything I have a question on, I got to bring it to him.”

 

Amari (Cooper) was saying yesterday you might have that clutch to you and other guys have talked about how you’ve kept your composure even when things weren’t going well, maybe down the stretch. Has that always been you? 

“It’s just a part of it. You can’t think about everything just going out there and playing in the moment, being in the moment. I try not to let everything try to confuse me or let the situation bring me to franticness [or] anything like that. Whether it’s a two-minute drive or first play of the game, try to approach it the same.”

 

How do you handle the noise? 

“We got to over communicate, we got to be loud, we got to talk. We got to make sure we’re all on the same page. We all have to be. We all have to over communicate. Not just from me. The receivers got to talk to receivers. O-line got to speak. So, for us, we all got to over communicate and just be on the same page.”

 

What’s the loudest place you’ve played?

“Loudest place I’ve played is Seattle.”

 

When was that?

“I didn’t play there, but I was there last year.”

 

What made you rock the (Nick) Chubb shirt today?

“Why not?”

 

When you got here, how helpful was that to have a familiar face? 

“It was good. Just knowing Bubba (Ventrone). Knowing Ant (Anthony Walker), Matt Adams.  A few guys that were already here from Indy with me, it felt good just to know them. And it’s just good just to have that feeling of, you know, guys, and you aren’t walking into a locker room that you don’t know anybody. So that was the best feeling for me.”

 

How has Deshaun (Watson) kind of helped you?

“He’s been great. I’ve been talking to him almost after every period of practice, just trying to figure out what he sees. We’re just communicating back on forth. I’m just trying to see what he would do in some of the plays that I’m out there. So, I’m putting myself in his shoes as well.”

 

Were you surprised to see Jerome (Ford) out there today? 

“No, I wasn’t surprised at all. I think he is a tough dude. He’s going to go out there and try to give his all. He’s going to go out there and try to go for the team. He looked good.”

 

Have you had a chance to process the end of that game? I mean, did you watch it individually at all? 

“Yeah, I watched it.”

 

What did you think when you went back and watched that? 

“I feel like we left some plays out there, specifically me. So, for me, I just got to be able to hit those guys. Like, I missed Elijah (Moore) in the back of the end zone. That one had me for the rest of the week, all week this week. But just me being able to get those reps, making those throws after practicing, just seeing myself go out there and make those throws and just getting a feel for it and just being ready to cut it loose.”

 

The Colts owner said that he tweeted out that the NFL told him those flags shouldn’t have been thrown.  Do you care about that? 

“I don’t. I was a part of a game last year that a flag shouldn’t have been thrown. It was thrown. We lost. So, at the end of the day, things happen. Things don’t go as planned the way you think it should go, but it happens.”

 

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