Ryan Tannehill – November 27, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, November 27, 2016
Postgame – vs. San Francisco
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Ryan Tannehill (transcribed by Sara Perez)
(First of all, your 100th career touchdown pass. It’s a pretty impressive milestone for you. How do you feel about that?) – “It was cool. I didn’t even know I was however many away, but I came to the sideline and someone told me. I forget who it was, but yes, it’s pretty cool.”
(The 49ers made it tough running the football, did you feel that was going to be the case going in or was that something you had to adjust to during the game and start to throw the ball a little more?) – “Yes, we knew it was a possibility and we kind of figured that out early in the game that they were going to load the box and make it tough on us. We tried to stick with it there for the whole game – just tried to keep pounding away. I think finally in the fourth quarter we did crease one when Jay (Ajayi) got – I don’t know how many – 20 yards or so. They did a good job in the run game. They were physical up front. We knew it was going to be a battle up front and they loaded the box and made it tough for us.”
(You had C/G Anthony Steen, C/G Kraig Urbik and T Sam Young over there on the left side. you have to feel pretty good about the way they protected you throughout the course of the game.) – “Yes, (I’m) really proud of those guys. (I’m) really proud of all five of those guys, the way they battled up front. We knew it would be tough in the run game, but they battled. And in the pass game, they did a great job of giving me time and running lanes. When there was someone on the edge, they were covering up enough where I could move around and get outside the pocket.”
(At 7-4, how do you feel about this football team and how far you’ve come and how far you can go?) – “I’m proud of these guys, but we’re on the process and we’re taking it one game at a time. We just have to stick to what we’re doing. Nothing changes around here. We have to take advantage of every day in our preparation and practice and get ready for the next one.”
(It looks like the passing game is a little smoother. It looks like it’s clicking better than it was early in the season, in every facet – do you feel like that and if so, what are the improvements that you guys have made?) – “I hope it’s going better than earlier in the season. We’ve had a lot of practice, had a lot of games since then. We just want to keep on the course of getting better each and every week. The pass (protection) has been really good and that’s been one of the biggest factors, allowing me to go through my reads and let the guys work downfield. We have good playmakers on the outside that are making plays and that’s what you want to have.”
(What is it about this team that it comes down to the last play, last drive?) – “I don’t know, but we find a way to win. I’ve been saying for weeks now, that’s the kind of team you want to have – a team that finds a way to win, whether its offense, defense or special teams. Most games it’s going to take everybody. I’m proud of the guys that played today and the way they battled.”
(Your thoughts on that last possession San Francisco had?) – “I was just pulling for the defense – just rooting them on, trying to get the crowd to be as loud as possible. It got quiet a few times there and that’s when we need the crowd to be the loudest, so I was trying to do my best to pump them up. (You) can’t do much on the sideline.”
(Did you think the way they played defense that you would have some shots downfield? the way they were setting up to take away the run?) – “Yes. We knew … We kind of figured it out, like I said, early in the game that they were loading the box and we were going to have to push the ball down the field a little bit, and we were able to hit a few shots down the field.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said there was talk on the sideline that it was disrespectful to the passing game – did you feel that way?) – “I wasn’t part of those conversations or anything. I knew, obviously, we’ve been a heavy run team and leaned on the run, and they came in and decided they were going to load the box and make us throw to win. So that’s what we did.”
(How big was WR Leonte Carroo being able to step up in there and get a touchdown?) – “It was huge. I’m proud of Leonte and him just hanging in there. He’s been there, kind of our fourth, fifth guy all year, and for him to come in, in a big situation, in the fourth quarter and have a big run after catch – a physical run – after he had the ball in his hands for a touchdown. (I’m) really proud of him.”
(Head coachAdam Gase told us this week part of the reason he took the job is that he believed in you. You’re starting to have success. He’s going to get some of the credit. What does he deserve credit for as far as how you’ve transformed a little bit and played better this year?) – “He’s done a great job – not just (with) me, but with our team. The way he leads, the way he installs, teaches the offense, communicates and just keeps guys on track – whether it’s me or anybody else. (He) just keeps (us) focused each and every day on trying to find something to get better at. I think as long as you’re doing that, you’re going to continue to get better and find success.”
(What is something specific that you are better at because of Head Coach Adam Gase?) – “I’m better, I think, at a lot of things. Just playing fast with my feet, I think has been the biggest emphasis since we started this year and obviously there are times where I want to be faster, but that’s been a big emphasis for us and I feel like I’m getting better.”
(Speaking of your feet, are you going to do some sliding at some point when you are trying to pick up extra yards?) – “(Laughing) Yes, probably so. There are definitely a couple situations where I probably should have slid today, but I’m a competitor and I want to find a way to do everything I can to help the team win. Obviously, I can’t put myself at risk and not ever slide. I just have to find those spots where it’s a good situation to slide.”
(Have you noticed the town where the fans are being more behind this team recently? I know you guys don’t get out a lot, grocery shopping and all that stuff, but how do you figure out how much the team loves you and what their attraction is to you at a specific time of the season? Is it just by the cheers or how do you figure that out?) – “I don’t really know. I just kind of keep my head down and keep working. Obviously, I feel it the most on game day, when we have a full stadium; it’s loud when the defense is on the field and creating that home field advantage. That’s what I want to see; that’s what I think our team wants to see. Obviously, the support is nice outside the building, but I don’t spend a whole lot of time anywhere other than the building and my house (laughing). So, I don’t see it a whole lot, but it’s great to have the fans excited about it and we need them to create our home field advantage.”
(On the touchdown pass to WR Kenny Stills, the safety was out of position. did you notice that or did you move him out of position?) – “They were bluffing, they were showing a middle safety look and ended up rolling to a Cloud look on that side and I was able to get the ball there before the safety got there.”
(Is that a situation where the disguise lasted a little too long and you were able to take advantage of it?) – “Yes, possibly. I don’t know exactly how, or if, the safety ended up out of position, but he wasn’t close enough to make the play.”
(I think you were asked about the offensive line, but there’s a sense that if you guys can get through this stretch with your guys banged up, G/T Laremy Tunsil was close this week to playing, you can get them all back in a week or two, is that kind of the belief that ‘we just have to survive now, win somehow and get our guys back’?) – “I didn’t really think past winning this game. It makes sense what you’re saying, but honestly, I was just completely focused on doing everything I could to win this game. We’ll do the same thing this week.”
(When you said playing fast with your feet, are you referring to moving around the pocket or awareness?) – “Just faster through the drop and being ready to move – being in a position to either make a throw or move or whatever I need to do.”
(How did you feel about your pocket awareness today and also your decision making when you were under pressure?) – “I’ll have to go back and look at the tape. There were a few times when I left the pocket and felt good initially about when I left and what made me leave, but I’ll have to go back and look and evaluate and see where I can improve there.”
(You’re about to get to December and at 1-4 it didn’t seem like you would be playing meaningful December games and now you control your own destiny. Does the turnaround in the season surprise you? What goes through you mind when you think we just rolled off six straight wins?) – “It’s exciting. I think it is exciting be where we’re at right now. Obviously you want to be playing meaningful games in December to get yourself playing in January and February, and we’ve done that. I’m not surprised because we just kind of stuck to the process. We believed in each other and just kept growing as a football team. Each and every person just doing everything they could to just improve and get better and so when you finally see the success and see the run, it’s not by accident. It’s because guys have stuck to the process and put in the work along the way.”
(Are you at a point with WR DeVante Parker where you feel comfortable throwing him jump balls?) – “Yes. He’s obviously strong and has the talent to go up and get the football and he showed it again today. He didn’t get the catch; he got ruled out of bounds, but a jump ball situation and I gave him a chance on the sideline and he was able to go up and grab it. I don’t know how close that thing was. It was a couple of inches away from being a big catch for us.”
