Here is everything Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell said following the Texans' 27-21 loss to the New York Giants, including his thoughts on his return, the play on the field with C.J. Stroud and his expectations following the bye week.
Question: On how his first game in two years felt
Tank Dell: "I just got out of an interview and they asked me the same thing. They said the crowd was going crazy. To me, to be honest, I couldn't hear it. I couldn't here like I wanted to. It was a blessing just to come back out of the tunnel like that. For the crowd to show love, the fans to show love, I give all the grace to God."
Q: On his first reception that went for 43 yards
Dell: "I had a deep curl. In man seven, Ben [McDaniels] talks about connecting on that play. I had a deep curl, a 19-yard curl route and when I came out of my break, I saw the ball was coming to me. Then out of nowhere I saw 'J-Noel' flash. He flashed into the picture a little bit, but I just stayed locked in on the ball. We got the completion and when I turned around I just saw green grass, so I was like, 'Oh, I have to go.' It was a great reception and I'm just blessed for that to happen."
Q: On if he was afraid of contact at all
Dell: "Like I said before, that was never a worry of mine. That was probably a worry of you all or everybody else's out there. For me, I've been playing football for 20 years. I never cared about getting tackled. Even when I had nowhere to go, y'all still saw me try to stay up and do something with the ball. I didn't have any worries on getting tackled. It felt cool, actually."
Q: On if his receptions felt relieving
Dell: " "I'm blessed. I feel blessed, but not really a relief. I'm grateful for everything, but I'm a playmaker. I'm so used to making those plays and there are so many more to come."
Q: On WR Jaylin Noel's injury
Dell: "Prayers up to 'J'Noel first and foremost. You guys know me, I'm ready to the role. I've been in the role to be that guy already. You all know how it gets, so I'm ready for it. Next man up, prayers for 'J.' He's going to rehab his toe, come back and pick up right where he left off."
Q: On increasing his snap count in the future games
Dell: "I don't know about increasing the snap count, I need to come all the way off of it. I'm ready to roll."
Q: On his first game in Offensive Coordinator Nick Caley's scheme
Dell: "It was cool. Like I said, I'm forever grateful because without God I wouldn't be back in this position. I'm just grateful. Nick Caley called a good game plan, we just have to execute our one-eleven more. Everybody has to come together and we have to make the plays happen for him."
Q: On if QB C.J. Stroud's pass was intended for him on his 43-yard reception
Dell: "Oh, 100% it was."
Q: On his comfortability with punt returning
Dell: "Very comfortable. I've been catching punts since college. I'm very comfortable back there fielding the ball, making guys miss and getting up field and try to break a touchdown. I haven't done one of those yet, so that's what I'm looking forward to."
Q: On his emotions heading into the game
Dell: "I woke up at five o'clock this morning and didn't go back to sleep. I was anxious. People thought I was going to be nervous, I didn't feel nervous. I felt more anxious than anything. Jittery, ready to just get out there and for the 12 o'clock game to hit. It felt good."
Q: On what he expects his body to feel like after his first game back
Dell: ""I don't even know. I only got tackled like three times. I don't feel any pain or anything. I feel cool. I'm expecting to go back to the meeting rooms and look at what we did wrong and see how we can get better and move forward from there."
Q: On what needs to be done offensively
Dell: "We just have to keep trusting the coaches, keep trusting the calls. Like I said, do our one-eleven and come together as a team. Everybody execute their one-elevens, everybody execute the things they have to do on the offense and that leads to great gains in the first and early downs and execute third downs. We just have to make the plays, make the play when our numbers are called. I feel like the most important thing we have to do is stick together. Even if the offense gets to a stale point, we just have to keep picking each other up, stick together, tell each other we're going to get over this and who is going to make the next play, bring some energy on the field and I feel like we'll be cool."
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans WR Tank Dell said following 27-21 loss to New York Giants