Every week, week in and week out, we as a team try and approach every game the same way. Every week we say the same things — it’s not about the other teams, it’s about us and making sure we are preparing the same way every day and I feel like we’re one of the hardest-working groups out there.

Coach Mace did a good job of getting the defensive line prepared this week. We worked on a lot of different things this week schematic-wise with what Montreal would do and I think he had us real prepared. Montreal did exactly and blocked us exactly like we thought they would and things kind of went our way this time.

Our defensive ends did a great job tonight of containing the quarterback. A lot of times d-ends in the league will give up their containment and allow Rakeem Cato to run around to the outside and when you get him doing that, it makes guys miss tackles. But our d-ends, they kept him in the pocket all night. After that, I think he knew he wasn’t going to escape he just decided to drop rather than get hit.

Tonight felt good, personally. I feel like I was in a bad stretch earlier in the season. I got real frustrated when a lot of plays weren’t coming my way. The coaches said to just keep my head down and keep working hard and these last few games, things have been going my way. Pressure plays are turning into sacks now, not just good pressure on the quarterback.

Tonight I had my father in the crowd. I told him “I might have to move you up here.” That was one of my better games and I clearly wanted to put on a good game for him. You know, my dad and family gave me so much support when I tore my ACL back to back times and just pushed me through the process to get back to this point. He and my mom, my girl and my kids provide motivation for me. It definitely was a big factor for me tonight, seeing him up there in the stands.

His example has always let me know I can never be working hard enough, seeing how hard he worked in the military for 26-and-a-half years. I saw the man work, tired, no matter what, he would do extra and I think that’s what caused him to excel and retire a full-fledged colonel. That speaks a lot. A lot of people don’t make it to that point. If there is ever a time where I’m feeling tired or wanting to take a day off, I just think about him.

Now we just keep working this week. Coach Dave does a good job of talking to us and really keeping everything in perspective. I’ve played on a lot of professional teams and this is the first team that I’ve been a part of where it’s evident that everyone has bought in and we’re just worried about the next opponent. Coach has everybody believing that we don’t take anybody lightly. We’ll keep that going forward.

Micah Johnson, #93