Cameron Wake – September 25, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, September 25, 2016
Postgame – vs. Cleveland
Miami Dolphins Defensive End Cameron Wake (transcribed by Ted Leshinski)
(Adam Gase looked more like a coach that lost than won after the game. Did he relay that feeling to you? Could you blame him?) – “Well, I think everybody is frustrated. But you rub a little W on it and it makes you feel better. Guys fought all the way through to the end and beyond. But to be honest we still got things that we need to work on. But to close out games and to move on and do things we want to do during the season we got to play better at the beginning of the game.”
(What do you want to clean up first on the defense? Run defense? What concerns you most?) – “Just consistency. We go in there sometimes three and out, sometimes they can’t do anything. And then they’ll go in there with an explosive run, a power run. Just making sure that everyone is detail oriented. Making sure the ability that you have is not just one series here, one series there. If we focus in on those details we’ll be better off.”
(Cam, what’s the primary challenge of going on the road for a Thursday night game? Is it the game plan or keeping your body healthy? What’s the big challenge?) – “Well, I’d like to think everything is even. (Cincinnati) just had a game as well. The turnaround is quick for both teams. The challenge is playing in the NFL. You have to do everything right. The travelling may be a little more taxing on the body but the reality is you have to go out there and win. I don’t care if it’s Thursday night or Sunday afternoon. It doesn’t matter. Whether it’s here or whether it’s there, that’s the situation.”
(Cam, did you lobby for a bigger role for this week?) – “My role is usually predicated on situations and sometimes a situation calls for more of me and sometimes it doesn’t. But again, I work with the staff and we work together that whatever the situation is that’s best for the team.”
(Cam, this team as a whole seems to have the same issues – looking for consistency on offense and consistency on defense. As a unit, how do you come out and play the way you want to play?) – “I think the most important thing is to start out fast. We’ve had a couple of games where we rally the troops and fight at the end but that’s not the way this league is. You’ve got to go out there from the first snap and first whistle and give it your all. I think that’s definitely something we have to focus on. It’s encouraging to see the ability. It’s there. I know I said it earlier but we’ve got to be more detailed oriented; starting fast and making sure we’re not rallying behind or scratching for a win. “
(Cam, I saw some frustration from number 67 (Austin Pasztor). I think he had six holding penalties. I think they had a sack and a half against him. He had a long day out there.) – “Hey, that’s the NFL. You got to go against the best on both sides of the ball. Every time I step on the field, that’s my job. Whoever I’m going against is hopefully having a bad day. I just hope that that continues.”
(What were your emotions like on the big strip-sack fumble and when Bobby McCain is running into the end zone and then that happened.) – “You never want to see yellow flags on the ground, especially after a big play. But that’s football. I don’t know if they said I lined up off sides or if I jumped into the neutral zone but that’s something I have to make sure I fix. I’ll look at the tape and hopefully that’s a good call. I don’t know yet but we’ll see.”
(Are you not sure you jumped the gun on that one?) – “You all have the video somewhere. You tell me.”
(Yes.) – “Yes. Ok.”
(Obviously we had a moment of silence for Jose Fernandez, the tragic death of a superstar. As another Miami superstar, what are your thoughts?) – “I actually literally minutes before I went out there heard about it. I still don’t have all the details but it’s just … It’s so funny because we go out there and we’re playing a game and there are so many things going on that are bigger than football, bigger than sports. And to have someone lose their life … again, I don’t have all the details but it’s just seems early. The moment of silence is obviously well deserved. I know from speaking to guys that he’s a great player and a hell of a person as well. I think to everybody here and around the city he’ll definitely be missed.”
(Cam, Ryan [Tannehill] said he couldn’t believe it when that last kick was missed. Your reaction was?) – “I think everybody was willing it wide left, wide left. But again, that’s what I mean about the frustration. I feel like we shouldn’t have been in that situation to begin with because odds probably say that that’s a made field goal. But you wouldn’t want to be in that situation 10 out of 10 times because nine out of 10 times they’re probably going to make it. We shouldn’t have to rely on someone else’s mistake. We should be in the forefront with the game in our hands whether it’s offense or defense because we have the guys in the locker room who can do it.”
