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Chiefs vs. Chargers: Justin Houston Postgame Reaction

Justin Houston addresses the media following the Chiefs Week 17 matchup against the Chargers

How disappointing is it that you aren't playing next week?"It's very disappointing. That's what you base your season off of. You play the game to win a championship. We fell short and it hurt."

Talk about your sack record."It hasn't hit me yet. I'm still disappointed we're not going to the playoffs. I think that hurt more than anything. It's a team game, it will mean a lot one day, but today I'm more disappointed we're going home next week instead of playing for the big thing. Like I said, it hasn't set in on me yet. I'm still heartbroken. We worked hard and I know this was a good team, I feel like every game we lost, we gave it away, we weren't just beat. When you look back on a season like that and think about the games you should have won and are supposed to win, I think it hurt more than anything."

At the end you were dropping into coverage and not rushing, were you aware of the record?"I was doing what the coaches called. There were some plays I was hoping I could let the other guys get there because I had at least two, three guys on me, so they were chipping the whole time. The last couple of plays that coach called were for me to drop. It's a team game, whatever coach tells me to do, I'm doing it."

How fitting was it that the record came on a forced fumble, something that Derrick Thomas was known for?"I honestly didn't pay attention to that. I was down there trying to scrap for the ball. This game I wanted to win, I just felt like everything was going to work out in our favor and if we win this game, we were going to be in the playoffs. So that's what I was fighting for."

Do you go into a game thinking you can get a certain number of sacks?"I always set my goals high, that's what you're supposed to do. If you fall short, you have to continue next week. I know at the beginning of the game, everybody was saying two, I told everybody I want five. If I come out and have a game like that, there's a good chance we're going to win. So that's why I always set my goals high." 

Have you had the opportunity to study Derrick Thomas' tape?"I watched some of his highlights, not really just sitting there and studying him. The game has changed a lot since he played to now. But he was a great pass rusher."

Philip Rivers says you're one of the guys who has a knack for getting a sack, what does that mean and where does this knack come from?"I think it comes from preparation, just studying your guys. Tamba (Hali) taught me how to study my guy, how to beat him. Once you learn how to beat a tackle, you just figure out his weakness and attack his weakness." What are your thoughts as far as coming back to the Chiefs since this was your last game under contract, where do you see things?"I haven't even thought about that. Like I said, I'm still heartbroken about not going to the playoffs. That's what I set my goals on. Individual records, it will mean something when I'm done playing, but it's a team game. There's nothing more important than putting that ring on your finger. That's what I play this game for. I guess in the next couple of weeks it will hit me, but right now I'm still disappointed that we're not playing next week."

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