Mike Gesicki – November 7, 2021 (Postgame)
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Sunday, November 7, 2021
Postgame – Houston
TE Mike Gesicki
Q: On those two catches – one-handed – some of your defensive teammates say you do that in practice all the time. Is that something you work on?
MIKE GESICKI: Yeah, I work on that a lot. The catches – everybody sees them on Sunday, but they happen behind the scenes and things like that. One of our strength coaches, Jimmy Mangiero, he throws me so many damn footballs, you would think he is a JUGS machine. We do a ton of drills together on off days, before practice, after practice. All that kind of stuff. You do it so many repetitions. This way when it happens on Sunday, it just happens naturally.
Q: To sky like that one-handed – you actually work on that?
MIKE GESICKI: Yes. Yes.
Q: Does your volleyball background help you?
MIKE GESICKI: I don’t know. You guys will probably write about it that it does, but I’m not sure if it does, but maybe. If it does, appreciate playing volleyball back in the day.
Q: Mike, how much does a win do for this group’s confidence especially on a short week?
MIKE GESICKI: A ton. It means a ton. Especially when we still didn’t play our best football. You guys saw the game. We played in it, and there’s still a lot to correct, but that’s the beauty of this game. Finally get a win. Finally something to build on, something to be positive about. Locker room, some smiles, but I think we got to be professionals and be ready to roll on Thursday. So get back to work. If you want to watch the film and get better from it, great. If not, you better be watching Baltimore.
Q: Can you describe the mood of the locker room for us?
MIKE GESICKI: It’s a lot of fun. It’s cool. It’s something that we’ve been working for, and like I said, for many weeks we’ve been close. Today maybe that’s the stepping stone we need regardless of the scoreboard, regardless of the turnovers, the whatever, a win is a win in this league, and it’s not easy.
Q: The one-handed catches obviously are great for the highlight reel, but I’m thinking that you probably only have other reasons for doing it just to increase your catch radius or whatever. Can you explain the advantages it gives you?
MIKE GESICKI: I just do it because you never know when the ball is going to be stretched out or it’s going to be behind you or the guy is going to be holding your arm and sometimes they don’t call it. You got to be ready to make those plays. I say week in, week out, you got to be – when you have an opportunity to make a play, you have to make the most of it, so those are opportunities, and you don’t want to come back and say, ‘oh, man, like, that would have been a great catch.’ Honestly, the one after that would have been a great catch, but you’ve got to make those plays. So maybe I got to work on the left too. I do work on the left, so I don’t even know why I said that. (laughter) Maybe I got to do even more on the left because that’s not my dominant hand.
Q: Do you need someone to sketch up like a Jordan-type logo for you?
MIKE GESICKI: If you guys do it and we sell merch off it and we get some money, we’ll talk about it. (laughter)
Q: It seems like you and Mack Hollins are two guys who try to bring positive energy and juice which can be hard when the team is losing. How have you or have you matured in that area – the leadership and the rallying other guys? How have you evolved in that?
MIKE GESICKI: I think as a young guy, you sit back and watch how things evolve and you watch how guys react when things go poorly. Now here in year four, I think the team needs it, so I’m not normally a guy that’s going to yell and scream or, you know, honestly, say a whole lot of anything, but if that’s the role and somebody needs to do it, I think I’ll step up and do it, and I think I have. I think Mack does a great job. We got a lot of leaders on our team, and a lot of them stepped up today.
Q: What do you think this team learned from the previous two times you’ve had a multiple score lead?
MIKE GESICKI: I think we just played 60 minutes of football today, so whether it was we turned the ball over, our defense goes out and helps us out. You know, we just kind of kept pushing, kept going out there and not letting this one slip away. Like I said, you know, a win is a win. It’s something to build on for us. We got a short week, and we should all probably be going home and watching some Baltimore film tonight.
Brian Flores – November 7, 2021 (Postgame)
Sunday, November 7, 2021
Postgame – Houston
Head Coach Brian Flores
Q: What’s the mood and the emotions for you personally just knowing what the team had to go through these past seven games and to be on the right side of things time?
BRIAN FLORES: It’s good to get a win. Always good to get a win. It’s good to get a win.
Q: Obviously, Tua was limited throughout the week, and he was active but backed up. Can you kind of walk us through what happened? Obviously if he’s – can you just walk us through why he was active but backing up Jacoby Brissett?
BRIAN FLORES: He got hurt or banged it last week. Finished the game in Buffalo. He was limited all week. Look, he is tough. He tried to go. It really just became more of how far could he throw? Would he be able to kind of make all the throws we needed him to make? We thought it was enough to put him in a backup role, and we felt like that was the best thing for the team, so we would have had to change some things offensively if he went in, if he had to go in, but Jacoby was able to finish the game.
Q: Was there any thought to doing a practice squad elevation given Tua’s limited status throughout the week?
BRIAN FLORES: We just felt like Tua at where he was at was better than making the elevation. He’s close, I would say, but it really was just more of how far can we make the throws we need to make – all of the throws we need to make.
Q: When was the final decision made that Jacoby would start instead of Tua, and do you think he has a shot for Thursday?
BRIAN FLORES: Well, for Thursday it’s still day-to-day. We just have to see how he is doing. It’s a quick turnaround, so tomorrow, Tuesday, you know, and in the ensuing days. I mean, we knew he was limited. He was trying to go. He was trying to go. We were basically testing it every day to include today, and we just felt like couldn’t do it or couldn’t do it and make all the throws that we needed to make, but he is close.
Q: Did you come into the game today with the idea that it was going to be Jacoby, or was it really up in the air?
BRIAN FLORES: Like I said, it was really every day it was, all right, let’s test it, let’s test it, let’s test it. A little bit better, a little bit better, a little bit better, and we just felt like we were better off going the route of going with Jacoby.
Q: What does a win do for the group’s confidence, especially on a short week?
BRIAN FLORES: Winning is always good. You know, that’s why these guys prepare. They work hard. They give great effort. It’s always good to win. It’s hard to win in this league. Small margin for error, as we’ve talked about. Obviously, definitely some things that we need to do a better job of, but it’s good to win.
Q: What did you learn about the guys in the locker room throughout the drop that allows you to coach them better?
BRIAN FLORES: It’s a resilient group and they’ve stuck together which that’s a testament to the types of guys we have in that locker room. The unity that’s in the locker room. I think that’s important on a team.
Q: Coach, have you ever won a game where you have turned it over five times?
BRIAN FLORES: You never want to turn it over. One is one too many, so five is just — we’re not going to win very many games doing that. I bet if statistically you look at it, I mean, I bet it’s low. You may have it. Very low, but you know, you don’t win in this league turning it over. I think it’s the number one stat. We got to do a better job of protecting it. Thankfully we got it off of them. Kind of evened it out to a degree, and we’ve got to do a better job from a ball security standpoint.
Q: What’s it like to see the young guys like Jevon and Brandon step up and play big in a game that helps deliver a win to you guys?
BRIAN FLORES: It’s good. We’ve got a lot of young developing players getting playing time, getting a lot of experience, and I think those two guys are probably two of the hardest working guys we have, and it’s nice to see them have some production, and yeah, it’s nice to see that.
Q: What were the keys to your defense – forcing the turnovers and also getting those stops in the Red Zone?
BRIAN FLORES: It’s always communication, tackling, limiting big plays. We work on getting the ball off really every day and we were able to do that. Got some decent pressure on the quarterback. Then when you get in the red zone, those plays are — they’re so critical. Especially at the end of the game. One of those is a touchdown instead of a field goal, and it’s a whole different game. We work on it a lot, and they executed today, so it helped us.
Q: I know you are probably going to have to watch the film before you have a full assessment, but just knee-jerk reaction to Jacoby’s game today?
BRIAN FLORES: Did enough to win, but I think there’s a lot of things we’ve got to do that we didn’t get done offensively. We didn’t run it efficiently. Just without watching it, I think there’s a lot of things we’ve got to correct, but like we always say, it’s always good to make corrections after you win a game, but we’ve definitely got to get a lot of things corrected offensively.
Q: You mentioned Tua as far as he could throw the ball – how far could he throw it if you’re able to kind of tell us that at this point?
BRIAN FLORES: I’m not going to get into that. It wasn’t enough that we felt like we could make all the throws he needed to make. There’s a lot that goes into that – amount of practice, the type of game that normally normal games get into if you get into a whatever situation. We just felt like it wasn’t – look, we’re always going to do what’s in the best interest of the team, and we felt like he just wasn’t physically ready.
Jevon Holland – November 7, 2021 (Postgame)
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Sunday, November 7, 2021
Postgame – Houston
S Jevon Holland
Q: Jevon, how are you guys feeling and you personally after a home win like that ending the streak and personally for you getting that first interception? How’d that feel?
JEVON HOLLAND: It felt great, man. Felt great. We’re really feeling good. I’m going to enjoy this. I know we have a short week, but I’m going to enjoy this tonight for real. We needed that.
Q: How are you going to celebrate this one?
JEVON HOLLAND: It’s not for the public. I’m going to keep that to myself. (laughter) Good question, though.
Q: What was the key to the interception in the end zone?
JEVON HOLLAND: Just reading Tyrod, and he is a great quarterback, so all week I’ve been preparing trying to get the next step, and I read my keys and just executed, and so Coach G.A. (Gerald Alexander) always says when splash plays happen, opportunity meets execution. So that’s what happened. Yes, sir.
Q: You looked like you were waiting for the fans to grab you in the stands and they didn’t have your back?
JEVON HOLLAND: No, man. I told my homeboy on the sideline. I told Brandon Jones, when I get that first pick, I’m going to try that electric slide. I was trying to, but everybody was right there. Then I just seen the fans, and somebody was, like, ‘come on,’ so I just — forget it, I’m going to just jump. I thought they were going to grab me, but unfortunately… I think somebody spilled beer on me, honestly. I’m not going to lie. It was fun.
Q: I think you had a third down pressure that forced an incompletion, where you kind of lined up on the edge there. How would you describe the aggressiveness approach that the team had today?
JEVON HOLLAND: We’re going to go at them. That’s basically what the mentality was. The Bills game we were bringing a lot of pressure, and that’s what our game plan was basically this game, and it worked out for us. Yeah, that’s what it was.
Q: How big is getting a win in this environment on a short week, especially with the short turnaround just for the confidence in the locker room?
JEVON HOLLAND: It’s huge. It really is. It’s huge. It’s added fuel to us, for real. We really needed that like I said before. It’s a lot of positivity in the locker room. And we were sticking together throughout that entire streak, but right now energy is high, positivity is high, and so it really feels good. It really does.
What was the key to having the success in the red zone that you guys had as a defense?
JEVON HOLLAND: Just executing what our coaches planned for us during the week. It’s as simple as that. Really is. Just execute.
Now that it’s over, what was this last two months like for the team not getting that win and then…?
JEVON HOLLAND: It was a grind. It was a grind, but it did bring us together. You know, you really have to look to each other when you are trying to fight through a losing streak like that, and I think because of it, you know, we’re closer. We understand that we’re trying to do something here, and everybody has bought in, definitely.
Brian Flores – November 5, 2021
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Friday, November 5, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(As you know on the injury list, QB Tua Tagovailoa has been listed as limited with a finger. Will he play Sunday?) – “So, yeah he banged in the game. Obviously he was able to finish the game. Some swelling, a little sore. He’s limited at practice, so we’ll see how he does today. We’ll just monitor it over the next couple of days.”
(Are you optimistic he’ll play?) – “Yeah.”
(How has it impacted his practice week?) – “Obviously it’s on the throwing hand, so some discomfort. It’s affected him a little bit. Look, he’s a tough kid. He’s worked through some discomfort before. We’ll see how it goes today and just kind of monitor it over the next 48 hours.”
(I don’t know much can you get into it because I don’t know what the rules are. I freely admit that. But General Manager Chris Grier told us Wednesday that when a player becomes available, you do your due diligence. There is a prominent player getting released today. Do you anticipate due diligence being applied again in that case?) – “I do, yes. I do. We check the waiver wire every day. We look at it, we go through it. Yeah, I expect due diligence on any player that’s on the wire. We will always try to do what we feel is best for the organization – for the team and the organization. I think we’ve said that time and time again. Yeah, I expect due diligence.”
(When you have a Thursday night game on the schedule – I know it’s one week at a time, one game at a time – but at what point do you start adjusting schedules and meetings to look a little bit ahead in terms of getting everyone ready for a short week?) – “That’s pretty much done already. The focus right now is on Houston. But we’re going to have to turn the page quickly. With that from a planning standpoint, we have an idea of what we’re going to do. But plan that, know what we’re going to do, then center all of our focus on the Texans this weekend.”
(Over the course of the year, QB Tyrod Taylor only played six quarters for them before he got hurt. How much does that change things when you find out midstream that they’re going back to a quarterback that hasn’t played in almost two months versus what you’ve been prepping for and seeing on film of late?) – “It doesn’t change too much. Obviously Tyrod is a very different quarterback than Davis Mills. But our fundamentals, our technique, our communication – we don’t really change our calls all that much. Just understanding that we may see more QB runs or zone-read type of plays. Who has the quarterback, who has the dive player – those things we spend a little bit more time on. But those are kind of already embedded in the call, I would say – the defensive call. They may not apply with a different type of quarterback, but when they do apply, they apply.”
(I wanted to ask you about LB Jerome Baker. Obviously last week he you decided to sit him. How has he looked in practice this week and considering the nature of his position, where there is a lot of running involved from a coverage standpoint, do you feel comfortable putting a player who has a knee injury in those roles? Or do you have to shift his roles?) – “Any player we put out there, we feel comfortable playing. Obviously we didn’t feel comfortable last week, which is why he didn’t play. He’s looked good in practice – better in practice, I would say. He is itching to get out there. He wants to get out there. He wants to help this team. We’ll see what today looks like. That will tell us a lot about what his status will be for the game. We’ve still got some time – 48 hours. But today will tell us a lot.”
(With LB Duke Riley, you had some plays where you felt his presence there. How comfortable are you with him knowing and understanding the playbook and his roles and not creating busted plays?) – “I thought Duke went in there and did a nice job last week. He was ready to go. I thought he did a good job of communication. He had the green dot and handled that for us. We’re hopeful that ‘Bake’ (Jerome Baker) can play, but if he can’t then Duke will step in and I’m confident that he’ll play well.”
(Whether it’s QB Tua Tagovailoa with the finger, LB Jerome Baker with the knee or anybody else, the player is always going to say ‘I’m good, I can go.’ How trusting are you – when it’s time to actually make the decision, how much does the player input weigh in that process? Or because the player is always going to say I’m good, do you not take that into account?) – “I think our guys are honest with us. They are always going to want to play. But we tell them to be honest with us. Obviously we’re dealing with something. You might be good on one thing, but is there something that you’re not. Whether it’s planting to the left or whatever the situation may be. We try to get them to be honest with us with at least that, so that we can make a true assessment. I think they all understand that we’ve got to always do what’s best for the team and I don’t think they would want to put the team in any jeopardy or any situation that wouldn’t be helpful to the team. All of these guys want to play – whether it’s Jerome, whether it’s Tua. They are going to do everything they can to get out there. I do listen to them. I try to take myself, (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston), (General Manager) Chris (Grier), offensive, defensive coaches based on what player it is. We try to make a collective decision on what the best thing is for the team.”
(Do you expect S Brandon Jones to be able to play with the ankle and if he can’t, has S Sheldrick Redwine, in light of being left back home last Sunday, shown he could make a case if you need him behind S Eric Rowe and S Jevon Holland?) – “I expect Brandon – he’s obviously been dealing with the ankle really all year. I’m optimistic he’ll be out there. Sheldrick has had a couple good days so we’ll continue to work with him and if we need him, I think he’ll be ready.”
(How is WR DeVante Parker doing?) – “DeVante with the hamstring, I would say he had a setback the other day so he will probably be listed as doubtful for the game.”
(What’s your message to the fans, especially those that are thinking about buying a ticket to come over on Sunday? Obviously not on a good start, why should they decide to get the ticket and come?) – “I think we’ve got a team that works hard, gives great effort, that believes in each other, that wants to win and wants to win for their fans. That’s why.”
(For clarification purposes, did WR DeVante Parker get hurt in the game or in practice this week?) – “Probably a combination of soreness from the game but probably call it reaggravated in practice.”
(With that in mind, is this a good time for WR Preston Williams to get back in the lineup and show some things?) – “Potentially. Potentially.”
(Obviously we would never ask you and you wouldn’t tell us what WR Preston Williams did to be disciplined. Was it so egregious that he can’t move past it or was it something that you are able to look past, give him a fresh start and has he seized on that at all by practicing well this week?) – “I mean look, players make mistakes. Coaches make mistakes. I’ve said this before. I’m not one to hold grudges. I think you have to move past things. Preston has done a good job this week. He’s practiced well. We’ll take it one day at a time and see how it goes. If he gets an opportunity, I’m hopeful he’ll take advantage of it.”
(I wanted to ask you about the center position with C Greg Mancz and C Austin Reiter. Greg was active last week and Austin continued to start. Is that just health-based or performance-based in terms of you guys like what you’ve seen from Austin?) – “We like what we’ve seen from both guys. Greg is still coming off of the injury. Just felt like it was best to go with Austin and use Greg in a backup role if we needed him. Still kind of working through that situation for this week as well and today will tell us a lot.”
(So it has been a competition this week, I’m assuming?) – “Yeah, yes.”
(Do you feel a little snake bitten at receiver? You all made the effort to upgrade with WR William Fuller V and WR DeVante Parker, who had been mostly healthy the previous two years. Do you feel snake bitten at the position at all?) – “I don’t think that’s a word I would ever use. This is the National Football League. Guys go down at all positions. We just have to move forward and do the best we can with the guys we have. We have a lot of confidence in the guys we have and yeah, we just move forward.”
(With WR Albert Wilson, obviously we all saw the start to camp but there hasn’t really been much there this season or since that first week. What do you hope to get from him for the rest of this season?) – “Good communication, good fundamentals, good techniques, good route-running, good blocking downfield and just the straightforward, standard, this is what we’re looking for at the receiver position. I think he has done a lot of those things. I just think we need to take advantage of our opportunities and I think he’ll do that.”
Patrick Laird – November 4, 2021
Thursday, November 4, 2021
RB Patrick Laird
(Tell us what the emotional journey has been like this year. Obviously not being on the 53, was that a let down? Were you down? Were you hoping you would be claimed elsewhere so you’d be on a 53? We haven’t talked to you in quite a while.) – “Obviously it was the goal to make the team initially. But my mindset was whatever happened, I was going to learn from it, take it as a challenge, take it as an opportunity to learn from. I think I heard ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts) talk about that in terms of his leadership. I was going to do that whether I was a practice squad player or not. Take it as an opportunity to learn. That was my mentality. Whether I got claimed or not, I wasn’t going to hope for one thing or the other. Whatever happened, I was going to be happy with it and just attack that opportunity.”
(So you weren’t especially down the week of September 1st, 2nd, 3rd?) – “Was I down? I mean, yeah it’s like if you don’t accomplish a goal that you had, you’re going to be a little bit disappointed. So yes. But that whole day happens really fast. It’s 24 hours and then you find out they are going to sign you back to practice squad. You could be down for a week but that’s not going to help you, so the short amount of time you feel down about that, the better I think. You just move on and again, I just try to be the best practice squad player I can be.”
(You’re one of the unique players who has been here for all of it – 2019, 2020 and now 2021. All three very unique seasons. How do you get this headed in the right direction? Taking what you’ve seen in 2019 and 2020 and putting it into 2021?) – “I’d be naive to say I know all of the answers just because I’ve been here. I’m still a young guy in the NFL relative to a lot of other people that know better. I think some of the messages our coaches are preaching every day ‘stick together, continuing to work, trust the process.’ A lot of coaches and players on this team and organizations have found success in the NFL. I got to trust that they know what they are doing. It’s just going to take more work. Every guy trying to do their job as well as they can. Having the attention to detail that you need to win in the NFL. I’m sure ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) has said this, but the margin of victory is slim. It’s going to take those little details. I see guys working on it. We just got to take those small details and go out there and execute on Sundays with them.”
(In your opinion, obviously pressure is built once you start losing and now you’ve lost seven straight. How much of a relief would a win be?) – “You go out every Sunday and just try to win. If you don’t have the mentality that you can win every game, then it’s going to be even harder to win. You just need to go out there with confidence. I don’t know if this is answering your question but you’re going out there expecting to win. If you don’t win, you’re disappointed and you’ve got to learn from the mistakes. If you do win, you’re happy for that plane ride home or whatever the rest of that Sunday is, and then the next week, that Monday, you’ve got to start preparing for the next game. I don’t know if relief is the right word. You want to win every Sunday. So when you do, you’re happy. If you don’t, you learn from the mistakes, and then you prepare for the next team.”
(What was going through your mind that week after RB Malcolm Brown was placed on IR? And then it’s you, RB Gerrid Doaks, and then they sign RB Duke Johnson on the practice squad, and then the idea is one of the three of you is going to get moved up. What’s going on in your mind as far as am I going to be the guy?) – “For me, I try to have the mindset that whatever decision the coaches made, I would be happy with it or fine with it, and I would work the same way. One other goal I had when I was signed back to the practice squad was I was going to work and prepare like I was on the active roster. My routine really didn’t change that much. I still watched film and studied all the plays the same, so if they did decide to call me up or sign me to the roster, I would be ready to go. I felt like I did a good job of that last week. There was some of that anticipation – am I going to be the guy they call up? If i am, I’ll be ready and I’ll stick to my same routine, which I think is what happened pretty much.”
(The RPO offensive style that QB Tua Tagovailoa is utilizing often here, that he used at Alabama. I don’t think you have experience in that particular system in your past, right?) – “At Cal, we did a good amount.”
(So for the RPO to work – was QB Jared Goff there when you were there, or no?) – “He was, but I didn’t play that much with him on offense. That was my first two years andthen had Davis Webb who is on the practice squad of the Bills now. So I actually got to see him last weekend. Then we had two other quarterbacks my last two seasons.”
(For the RPO to be as effective as it can be, can you tell me what your thoughts are on that and what the benefits of that style of offense can be?) – “It’s different with college and the NFL because in college you can go three yards down the field with the linemen, whereas in the NFL it’s only one. That plays a little bit of a role into it. And then in the NFL, just with my experience – I don’t know about other colleges – but it’s a lot more complex. The different reads and the defenses you are seeing. Like you said, Tua (Tagovailoa) has experience in that. He’s good at it. He’s good at seeing the conflict defender or whoever he’s reading. It’s a numbers thing. The quarterbacks are seeing it, the line is seeing the numbers, who they are putting in the box, who we want to have conflict with the various routes. I think Tua does a good job making those decisions. As a running back, the best mentality you can have is expect the ball. If he pulls it and throws it, that’s out of your hands. You just expect the ball and look at your run read.”
(Now that you’ve experienced the league from a practice squad perspective, as well as a 53 perspective, is there any part of being on the practice squad that makes you feel like you’re not fully a part of the team? Any sort of emptiness? Anything that you experienced like that before last week?) – “I’d say the first week during warmups, when I was watching everybody else warm up, and have their pads on and I’m just on the side with sweats and a t-shirt, I felt like – I wanted to be out there. That’s just the feeling I think you should have as a competitor. Like, man I wish – I just miss putting on pads today and playing in a real game. That was something to get used to. But as far as being on the team, you’re still an integral part of practice and gameplan. You have to study the opponent and how they are going to attack our team. You want to give the best look on scout team that you can or on special teams that you can. I try to have pride in being the best practice squad, best teammate that I could be during that period when I was on practice squad. Watching on Sundays is the biggest difference.”
(Were you able to travel to New England or Las Vegas?) – “Yeah. They are allowed to travel a certain amount of practice squad players, so I was one of those guys.”
(On gamedays for home games, before you joined the 53, you were situated where during the home opener for example this year?) – “You have a work out. So I guess that’s another difference. So they have the practice squad guys come to the facility and work out. Then certain guys are in boxes or at home, whatever it is.”
(Was it home for you at all for any game this year?) – “Yeah.”
(How weird was that? Watching a game, knowing you’re a team employee, but not at the stadium for a home game?) – “I felt like a Dolphins fan.” (laughter)
(Do you prefer to watch it from the game or at home?) – “I think the reason they have you watch it at home sometimes is with COVID. I actually don’t know all of the rules for it. Whether I’d prefer to watch it from home or the stadium, I’d rather just play in the game. (laughter) My favorite game to watch was last Sunday.”
(I remember LB Zach Thomas told me years ago years ago that if he was injured at home, he would cookout and grill. I just thought that was crazy to imagine that Zach Thomas, while his team was playing, would be grilling.) – “Sometimes it’s funny because I’d grab like a coffee right before or something, and I’ll see all of the people – I live relatively close to here, so I’d see people going to the stadium and I’m just a random dude with a coffee in my hand and I’m wondering like –they obviously don’t know who I am. But I’m about to watch the game just like them. But I know just a little bit more about what’s going on in the game.”
(People know who you are. You get recognized don’t you?) – “Very rarely. Very rarely.”
(The home games so far have been a combination of being at home or being in a box for you?) – ‘Yeah.”
(So you finally get into a game and you make a critical third-down conversion and there is this yellow flag on the ground. What goes through your mind at that point?) – “You have to move on at that point. I actually didn’t know what the penalty was. Every time I watch it on TV watching football and see the person do the first-down point, I always thought that was dumb growing up. I was like that’s what you’re supposed to do is get a first down. But then when you get into the NFL and you realize how hard it is to get a first down, and then a third-down conversion that’s a first down, I got real excited and I did the point. (laughter) I was embarrassed that I let myself do that and then I especially see it when there is a penalty and it’s called back, it’s like ‘oh, he definitely looked dumb doing that.’ I was just really excited I was in the game making a play.”
(What made you do it?) – “Just the excitement of converting on a third-down play.”
(You said you would not do it.) – “I always told myself that I was never going to do it, and then you get a big first down and sometimes your emotions just do that. I was just excited to make a play for the team and keep the drive going. Then like you said, you see the yellow flag and move on to the next play. I don’t think I was in on the next one. They had a different personnel grouping in. You can’t let that affect the rest of your game.”
(Of all the scenarios that could’ve happened last week in terms of you, RB Gerrid Doaks or RB Duke Johnson being elevated and moved to the 53, the best scenario happened for you in getting a regular 53 contract and not being elevated just for a week. I would imagine financially it’s better as well. Was that pleasing to you that it was the best possible outcome for you personally?) – “Yes I think is the honest answer. But I don’t want that yes to sound like I’m happy that other guys weren’t elevated. Obviously, I was going to trust whatever decisions the coaches made and be happy with it.”
(I know that you’re a key part of the social initiatives for the Dolphins. You and CB Byron Jones are key members?) – “Yeah. There are a few of us, the Social Impact Committee.”
(What’s one thing that you guys have been able to do that you’re particularly proud of or you think is quite interesting?) – “There is a lot of stuff that I enjoyed doing with the committee. One in particular this year that we did that was cool was we donated $100,000 to Palm Beach County, Miami-Dade, and Broward County school districts. What we wanted to do is not just hand them the money and they can do whatever they want. We wanted to see the projects have measurable impact. The thing with Palm Beach County is we discovered that they had – I don’t want to misquote the number but it’s around like 15,000 families that don’t have stable WiFi at home. I think you guys can obviously imagine the disadvantage a kid would have just not having good WiFi at home. They are creating this WiFi mesh network in Palm Beach County. That’s another issue in itself. But they need these WiFi extenders to go in the homes that the family can plug in and use. Those need to all be configured to the Palm Beach County WiFi network and all of that. We actually had those brought to the stadium and I think we did over 500. Just configured them so now when the network is set up, the families are going to get this box and a kid is going to have WiFi to study and participate in class, whether it’s virtual or not, and then their family will as well. That was a really cool initiative that we did and we’re excited to keep doing stuff like that going forward, having real measurable impact with the money that we’re donating.”
(Do you know what the range is on those? How far from the tower or whatever?) – “That’s what they are doing right now. They are building towers in certain neighborhoods in Palm Beach County. That’s part of the issue is they are trying to figure out the logistics and get through I guess the political backlash of trying to set up some of these towers with some people having ideas of what these towers – they think the towers have other… Whatever it is, they have different reasons for why they don’t want the tower near their building or whatever it is. Palm Beach County, the district and the superintendent and the administrators are working really hard. We’ve been encouraging – if there are people in Palm Beach County that want to go to school board meetings and help support this initiative, they should do that.”
Emmanuel Ogbah – November 4, 2021
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Thursday, November 4, 2021
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
(Any time that we ask Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer or Head Coach Brian Flores or Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark or Outside Linebackers Coach Robbie Leonard about sacks, they always say we are here to impact the quarterback, to get pressure on the quarterback. Is that, merely being top 15 in the league in pressures as you are, does that make you happy or do you feel – I don’t want to say emptiness – that you didn’t accomplish as much as you wanted to if you don’t bring the quarterback down?) – “As a pass rusher, you want those sacks. But when I go into the game, whichever way I can affect the quarterback, even if he’s getting rid of the ball fast – if I can affect him with the pressures, with the hits, then I’m doing my job. That’s how I see it.”
(We learned recently that Houston QB Tyrod Taylor will actually start this game. How does that change things for the pass rush?) – “Taylor, I’ve played him before. He’s a real mobile quarterback. We’ve got to account for his running abilities. Also, he can beat you with the pass too. We’ve just got to do a good job containing him and just affecting him as a rusher.”
(I thought you’ve played with QB Tyrod Taylor.) – “I’ve played with him and I’ve played against him, yeah.”
(How were you going to leave that part out?) – “(laughter) Just the type of guy he is, he’s a good quarterback. He’s a good leader for them obviously. I’m sure they are glad to have him back. It’s going to be a dog fight. We’re both one-win teams and we’re ready to go.”
(I know you wouldn’t reveal anything but were you able to pick up on some tendencies from being a teammate of his?) – “Why would I talk about that? (laughter) No, it’s a different offense that he’s going with so you never know.”
(Do you have reasons to believe that the second half of the season and future Dolphins teams – maybe you’re here, maybe you’re not but I hope you are – what are the reasons that you think things will get better?) – “Things will get better because if you really watch the game, like my teammate ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts) said, we’re getting better and better. We’re always in there. It’s just one or two things that we’re giving up or misaligned that’s getting us beat. We’ve just got to tighten that up. Like I said, there’s still nine games left. We’ve still got a chance. We’re still in this. We’ve just got to do a good job of finishing games better, I would say.”
(How do you compare your performance last year to this year?) – “My performance or as a whole defense?”
(Your performance individually because there’s a lot of talk about quarterback pressures versus sacks and all of that. You had a lot of sacks last year but you’re still pressuring the quarterback this year. So how do you compare the two?) – “I’m definitely getting more attention this year. Like I said, when I go into a game, if there’s any way I can affect the quarterback – I might not bring him down. Batted balls are huge, too. Hits. If I can affect him and throw him off the spot, then I take that as I’m doing my job helping this team give us a chance to win games. I know last year I had the numbers but this year I’m having the numbers too. I’m just not getting sacks, which is ok. As long as I’m doing my job helping the team win.”
(How do you take the more attention part? Is that a sign of respect maybe? I don’t know.) – “Yeah, I take that as a sign of respect. Chipped in, getting doubled here and there. I just still have to do my job. It doesn’t matter. Two guys, three guys on me, I still have to get that.”
(Good luck when you have two or three guys and you’re one guy going against them.) – “Somebody else has to win. Somebody else has to go affect the quarterback.”
(I always thought quarterback hits was a weird stat because you’re not allowed or supposed to hit the quarterback after he throws the ball. I’m embarrassed that I don’t know this, but how do you get a hit?) – “Like right after he threw it, smack him. So like a second right after (he throws it), smack him.”
(You had a play against Buffalo where QB Josh Allen was trying to get rid of the ball and he wound up hitting you like right in the stomach. Is that a ball you should have caught?) – “So I read the screen and kind of reacted quick. I think the running back had his hand in there kind of. So I kind of dove for it and then it kind of hit me in the face. It didn’t really hit my hands.”
(LB Jaelen Phillips told us not long ago that you are a guy that he goes to. There are elements of you and your game that he would like to emulate. I’m curious, how do you think he’s progressing and what needs to happen for him to one day reach his potential?) – “I’ll say Jaelen, he’s progressing good. He’s getting better and better. Sometimes he might think a little too much but that’s a rookie thing. I would say he’s getting better. His game is improving. We see it on tape every week. If you watch tape, you’d see it too that he’s improving every week for us and we’re glad with his progress.”
(Pass rushers, because you’re a little bit of a different breed. If you’re standing up as opposed to hand in the ground, can you get the same get off? Not just you in particular but just a pass rusher?) – “I think we are all different. Some pass rushers are better in the two-point stance get off and some pass rushers are hand in the dirt get off better. Me personally, I’d rather have my hand in the dirt, but I can get off too in a two-point stance.”
(When you have your hand in the dirt, what advantages does it give you in terms of get off?) – “I’m lower to the ground so I don’t have to start high and get low. I’m already low to the ground.”
(So you can, I guess work leverage?) – “Yeah. Better leverage too, yeah.”
(With you, I don’t remember you moving and switching sides as much as you’re doing. Is that wrong or are you doing that more this year?) – “I’m kind of moving around the defense because that’s what the defense calls me to do. That’s pretty much my job to do that, to move around inside, outside, so I can play all over the d-line. I played some right side too and left side last year too.”
(Last year compared to this year, how often this year would you say you’re only having to get by one person who’s trying to block you, you’re not being chipped, there’s not two guys trying to block you? Is it maybe a third of the time you might get only one person you have to try to get by a quarterback rush? Less than that?) – “Usually, you got to rush every time like you’re going to be free. That’s how I rush. Sometimes I don’t know when the chips come, sometimes I feel it coming and then I react a certain way to it. It doesn’t matter if one guy on me or two guys on me, I still got to do my job and get back there as fast as I can.”
(But there has been a clear difference to you in terms of blocking attention you’re getting?) – “Yes, definitely yes.”
Jesse Davis – November 4, 2021
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Thursday, November 4, 2021
G/T Jesse Davis
(What do you hope the offensive line, especially if you guys are able to stay in the same spots, what do you think the unit can do over the second half of the season?) – “I think run the ball more efficiently. That’s probably the No. 1 goal here. I think that will complement our pass game. I think running the ball is what our o-line wants to establish.”
(You guys had pretty much success last week running the ball and then kind of abandoned it. I don’t think it was necessarily the situation because the game was still close. What do you have to do to convince them that you are consistent running the ball?) – “I think probably just in a game, getting more than one or two yards per carry. I think getting in that three, four range where we feel comfortable we can get to third-and-2 or third-and-manageable instead of sitting there at second-and-10 or something. Last week, obviously Buffalo is a good defense and I think they had a god plan against us, but I think ultimately up front we have to be more physical and run the ball more.”
(Has the knee this year at all impacted your play? Have you felt it? I know you’re never going to use an excuse for anything but…) – “No, I don’t think so. It’s something I manage and in a game, the adrenaline is pumping so I don’t really feel anything.”
(I know Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre said this week that they talk every week about what position is best for each guy. I asked specifically and others have as well, about you and G/T Robert Hunt and what’s best tackle or guard. He said they talk about it every week. Has he asked for your opinion ever on what you think would be best?) – “No, I don’t think so. It’s just wherever they want me at is where I’m going to end up being. My opinion really doesn’t matter when coaches make decisions.”
(You’ve spent so much time at both positions, do you feel equally comfortable and effective at both tackle and guard?) – “Yeah, I think now I’ve been playing tackle primarily. I know last year, I felt comfortable at guard because I was playing at guard. It’s wherever you’re at.”
(You’ve been here for so many different lines. How close is this line to the point to where the team can rely on you, count on you to get the job done on Sunday?) – “I think we’re close. You see glimpses of some bright moments and then sometimes we take a step back. It all comes down to communication, preparation and that’s something that we continue to hammer on. I think we’re close, I just think the run game is what we hope to get where we want it.”
(Houston DL Jonathan Greenard has seven sacks. I‘m not sure where he lines up – if he’s more your responsibility or T Liam Eichenberg. What do you guys as an o-line seen from him on tape?) – “Yeah, I think he’s a quick player. He looks pretty good on film. We’ve just got to be on our technique and be able to stop their pass rushers too.”
(Looking back over the first half of the year, what concerns you most about the way the offensive line performed and maybe something you’ve been able to work on and turn around since then?) – “I’ll speak for myself but pass pro, it’s not where I want it. I’m working on it. I’m trying to get better and I think everybody is too. I think looking back, it’s just the pass pro is different for me with Tua (Tagovailoa). I haven’t played tackle with Tua other than this year, besides left tackle, I guess. It’s just getting that chemistry down with myself, understanding where he us and understanding where I need to be is primarily the thing and just being more physical.”
(Is there sort of a player or a coach – has anything been said with the team not winning that you have found to be uplifting or helpful? It must not be easy when the team is 1-7. Is there anything going on behind the scenes that you’ve found inspirational or helpful?) – “I think our o-line coach does a good job keeping our room together too. O-line is not a position you can take plays off or you get exposed pretty quick. For us, it’s natural business for us. You take one play off, that’s the play that’s going to get you. For us, it’s just keep grinding. It starts up front is what we always preach and that’s how we want to move forward with it.”
Xavien Howard – November 4, 2021
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Thursday, November 4, 2021
CB Xavien Howard
(Did you know that you weren’t going anywhere? Like when we talked to you, did you know that you weren’t going anywhere?) – “I just play football. I don’t make those decisions. I’m here today so that’s a blessing.”
(What’s the mood of the defense? I know that you guys had a really strong first half, first two quarters against the Bills and things didn’t go your way in the fourth quarter. But what’s the mood? Are you guys trying to take some of the successes from that first half against the Texans?) – “I feel like we played decent as a defense. I feel like even though we didn’t win the game, I feel like the defense did a lot of good things, especially against an explosive offense like the Bills. We just got to keep getting better each day and just go out there, try to do our jobs and do the best of it.”
(The Texans announced that QB Tyrod Taylor is going to start this Sunday over QB Davis Mills. How much does that change your gameplan and as a cornerback, how does that change the way you’re approaching the game?) – “Oh Tyrod man, he’s been in the league a couple years. I feel like he’s done a lot of great things. One thing when I think about Tyrod, people sleep on him. I feel like he also can throw the ball with the running that he can do. Extending plays and stuff like that, just staying on my guy will be the key for that.”
(You called it a blessing that you’re still here. The team obviously is 1-7. A lot of guys would be thinking.) – “A lot of guys at home, also. Just being in this position, being able to play football is something I love to do. It’s a blessing.”
(What gives you hope that the direction of the team can change course? Not just the rest of the season but over the coming years here?) – “All three phases got to bring the best of their games. We haven’t done that. Some days it’s offense, some days it’s defense and special teams. I feel like we got a great thing. We just ain’t never get that time just to really everybody do their job on all three phases.”
(One of your first breakout games was against the Patriots on a Monday Night Game when you were going up against WR Brandin Cooks a couple of times. What do you remember about going against him?) – “I had a breakout game before that and it was Denver.”
(I said one of your first breakout games. What do you remember from that?) – “I do remember. It was a Monday Night Game. I did my thing that night. I’m sure he remembers that night also, so you know he’s going to come in and give me his best and I’m expecting the best from me also.”
(You’re hoping to be matched up one-on-one against him most of the game?) – “It don’t matter who it is. I’ve got to do my job.”
(When you defend players with that much speed, what’s your mindset in terms of not letting them get behind you?) – “My mindset is using the right technique against speed guys. Being physical and I’d say just keeping everything in front of you and not behind you.”
(You’ve been playing through a few injuries. How do you feel now compared to a week or two ago? Is it better?) – “Yeah, I feel great. A lot of guys fight through injuries that people don’t notice and they just out there playing. You’re never 100 percent playing this game. You just have to have a strong mindset and go out there and do your job the best you can do it.”
(You’re a Houston guy. Does it mean something to you playing against your hometown team?) – “No, not really. I just want to win really.”
(Who did you grow up rooting for?) – “(Laughter) Not Houston. Dallas.”
(So like when you in Texas you got to, it’s hard to be nothing but a Cowboy fan?) – “It’s not hard to be a Cowboy fan when you Texas. But it’s like, what does everybody talk about when you go to Texas?”
(The Cowboys.) – “Cowboys. Houston? (Laughter) Nothing against that organization though, but the Dallas Cowboys are the team growing up in Texas.”
(Were the Texans even a franchise yet when you started getting into football?) – “No, I think it was still the Houston Oilers at that time.”
(There were some years when there wasn’t any team there.) – “I don’t remember that (Laughter). I’m ’93, that’s before my time.”
