Liam Eichenberg – October 21, 2021
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Thursday, October 21, 2021
T Liam Eichenberg
(As an offensive lineman, how do you approach and what needs to happen better to make a short-yardage play successful?) – “I think on that final play, I should have taken into consideration where Josh Allen was. I’ll put that on me. I should have told the guard a man-3 tech and then I should have helped the tight end. Just kind of understanding where those players are that can affect games, especially in crucial moments like that. I should have maybe made a certain call to kind of help the tight end out which, in turn, would have helped the running back out. It’s definitely something I can learn from moving forward.”
(What about in general? Not just on that play but in general, what needs to happen to make short-yardage situations successful?) – “I think it just comes down to communication. Just kind of like what I was talking about. It just goes back to everybody being on the same page. If Austin (Jackson) says something to me, I need to communicate it out. Especially in those moments when it’s loud and you can’t really hear well, you need to put an emphasis on communication. That’s kind of what we’ve been talking about this week and that’s something we’re going to continue to work on as the season goes on.”
(What signs of progress have you seen that gives you confidence that the offensive line is going to keep getting better?) – “I think we’re improving every week. Obviously it’s not enough though. It’s a group of guys that come in here every single week working hard. It’s not a lack of hard work. It’s just kind of those fine details that we need to continue to perfect. That’s kind of the emphasis that I’m focusing on and a lot of guys in our room. We’re getting to the point where it’s not acceptable to make that small mistake. I think when you strive for perfection, you’ll eventually keep getting better and better.”
(How much pride did you guys take in not allowing a sack?) – “Yeah, I mean there are still pressures. It’s definitely – I think it’s the first time this season so it’s somewhere to start. But obviously we can continue to get better and better. This week, we’re just kind of focused on this week. One week at a time. It’s about winning this game.”
(Were you impressed with QB Tua Tagovailoa’s ability to avoid pressure with those pressures?) – “Yeah, I thought he did a good job of stepping up. I think he reads the field very – I mean, I have no idea about the quarterback position. Let’s be honest. (laughter) I could get up here and tell you he made all the reads correctly but – I think he did a good job. Especially coming back, his first game back. I think he did a good job in the pocket. (laughter)”
(You might not be a quarterback expert in terms of technique and all of that stuff, but you do have a sense of QB Tua Tagovailoa’s presence, his personality, his demeanor and how he seems to be feeling. What is your sense about all of that stuff this week?) – “I think he’s got a good amount of energy to him and I think that’s needed. He’s a great leader. He’s a guy who demands respect and he pushes me and pushes a lot of guys. It’s definitely great having him back. But that whole quarterback room – Jacoby (Brissett) does the same thing. It’s kind of how that room is. But definitely having him back, his second week now, it’s great to see him out there and have him behind me.”
(Did you get a sense this week in the huddle that maybe QB Tua Tagovailoa wants to do more since he’s back and he played with some pain last week in London?) – “Yeah, I think regardless of how you feel, you obviously want to play as well as you can and keep moving in that direction. Whoever is behind me, I’m going to support. I’m going to do the best I can. At the end of the day, I need to play better. I need to strive for that perfection that we kind of talk about. Every single day I’m out there, I’m working to get better.”
(On the fourth-and-1 call, you talked about some corrections you made. Is that something you can make within the game and adjust to it then? Or is that something that you see on tape on Monday?) – “It’s kind of just based on personnel. It kind of depends on – it’s tough because you have your assignments and you have specific things you need to do based on alignments and stuff like that. Kind of like what I was saying with a guy like him, maybe I should have taken different footwork and maybe made a different call. That is kind of something that you talk about after the game.”
(Obviously there’s a lot of QB Deshaun Watson talk out there. QB Tua Tagovailoa is a mature man who understands the business of the league. Do you see any of that impacting him or impacting the team’s focus?) – “No, I don’t think so. I really don’t go on Twitter, to be honest with you. You just brought it up. Some of us have probably heard about it but as of right now – it’s just a distraction at the end of the day. The most important thing this week is we’re playing the Falcons and we need a win. I think that’s everybody’s thought right now is to focus on the Falcons.”
Malcolm Brown – October 21, 2021
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
RB Malcolm Brown
(In these situations when you’re on a five-game losing streak, how much do you feel as a veteran that you have to speak up or you have to say something?) – “That’s a good question. I feel like for me personally, I guess, I’m not a guy that’s ever going to start doing the whole yelling and screaming thing and we’re on a losing streak or whatever. I think that comes from within the locker room. Yeah, us older guys definitely – I’m learning that too because I’ve always been kind of on the back end of things and never been the vet on the team and stuff like that. I think it comes from within the locker room and really just encouraging guys. I feel like the yelling and screaming and all of that type of stuff, for me I don’t think that helps me. I feel like encouragement is where it comes because we’re already losing. We already feel bad. Why come in and do the whole yelling and cussing and screaming, ‘We got to do this, we got to do that’ (thing). For me personally, I’m more of a guy that will be encouraging this entire season, win or lose.”
(When you’re a running back and your team averages the least amount of carries in the league, which you guys do, do you take that personally?) – “I think we do need to run the ball more. I think I saw even a comment where ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) said the same thing. That’s something that, to be honest, is totally out of my control. Whatever plays are called, when we’re out there in that huddle, it’s my job to execute whatever is called and whatever my job is on that play.”
(When the team called your number in a critical fourth-and-1 situation near the end of the last game, I was curious what was going through your mind when you knew you were about to get the ball?) – “Get the first down. I knew the situation. It was one yard. We need to definitely as a team get better. I feel like I’m definitely the type of guy to where I need to find a way to get that done no matter the circumstances. But yeah, when they called it, I had full confidence in everybody. If they call that in the same situation again, I’ll still have full confidence in everybody and in myself to get it done.”
(In general, what do you feel like is the key for the short-yardage run to be a successful play?) – “Just pure heart and will. I think it just comes down to a mentality. I feel like you get into certain formations, certain plays, certain situations. There are times where the whole stadium may know you’re about to run the ball and you’ve got to get it done.”
(Going back to the whole notion of the five-game streak and all, throughout your career going back to even college and high school, have you experienced something like this before? And is there anything that stands out as possibly a path towards snapping out of it that you could maybe take away and implement here?) – “Right off the top of my head, I can’t really think of a major one key to that. I just know from looking at us, looking at the film, looking at the team – obviously I only like to speak for offense and there’s a lot of little stuff that we can correct. A lot of little stuff that people sitting on the couch watching the game may not even see or may not know about. But in this room and in this building, we know about it and we have to get those type of things fixed.”
(How was QB Tua Tagovailoa this week in the huddle? Upbeat? He played hurt last Sunday. Just upbeat and ready to go? You mentioned the five-game losing skid and never been through that, but to get this thing turned around?) – “Yeah. Even when he came in last week and played, we had full confidence in him. He definitely was. He was upbeat and ready to go throughout the whole week.”
(We saw a few times in the game that you were kind of mugged up in the A-gap pre-snap for pass protection. I was just curious how that changes your role in pass protection compared to when you are kind of riding sidecar next to the quarterback in the shotgun.) – “For me, it’s a little bit easier. Some downs obviously it’s going to be a passing down, so whether I’m up there or back near the quarterback, everybody knows it’s going to be a pass. But for me, if my responsibility comes, it’s really getting to him before he gets a full head of steam. Sometimes it’s tough. If he’s mugged up in the A-gap, he’s essentially four to five yards closer. So for me to be able to just meet him right there and just kind of stop before he even gets his momentum going, it’s a little bit easier sometimes in my personal opinion.”
(When you were talking about your leadership style and how you’re not one to stand up in the locker room and start yelling and screaming, it sounded as if you were also saying that you haven’t heard anybody else on the team going through that. That it’s been more on the encouragement side than on the yelling and screaming side this week. Am I reading that accurately?) – “Not really. (laughter) That’s some guys’ personality. I was more so speaking for myself. I’m not really a guy who – I’ve before in the past stood up and spoke in front of the team, whatever team I’m on. I’ve done that type of stuff. But when it comes to the whole outburst and start yelling and screaming stuff, it kind of takes a lot for me to get to that certain type of point. I feel like it doesn’t always have to be that to get your point across. That’s always been my thing. I feel like I’ve gotten plenty of good points across in the past, whether it be here or on a past team, without doing the whole yelling and screaming thing.”
(From your personal experience as a player, who is the best player leader that you’ve been around and why?) – “Man, that’s tough. I could probably name multiple people. You’re making it hard on me. (laughter) I think that comes with guys that you know have had success at a high level for a long time. So when you – and really just older guys that have been around the NFL for a long time. They may not even have a ton of experience. Guys like Andrew Whitworth come to mind. J-Mac (Jason McCourty) comes to mind. E-Rob (Elandon Roberts) comes to mind. Aqib Talib comes to mind. Guys that have had success and been in this league for a long time.
(On sustained success) – “Somewhat. Maybe somewhat. But I can’t sit here and say a second or third-year guy can come in. If he gets that vibe from the team, he’ll get that respect too.”
(You said you’re not the one that’s being vocal, yelling and screaming. But some guys are. I guess the natural thing is who are some of those guys and what are they saying?) – “(laughter) Nah, man. We aren’t going to get into that. (laughter) It just depends on personality. It depends on who the person is. You can get your point across any way you want to.”
Mike Gesicki – October 20, 2021
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
TE Mike Gesicki
(You had a really good game on Sunday and it seemed like you were able to really find the pockets in zone coverage. I know we talk a lot about a quarterback deciphering man versus zone. But as a tight end or receiver really, what’s the pre-snap recognition like for you in terms of finding the pockets?) – “For me, just understanding different tendencies in the defense. Who is going to be on you if it’s man? Trying to understand how they disguise different things and then while you’re running the route is the most basic way. If somebody is following you or are they not following you? Pre-snap you can kind of get a good idea and then post-snap you’re going to know immediately. That’s the biggest thing. Zone coverage, really getting depths in routes, understanding spacing. And then man coverage, being able to win.”
(What’s it like now getting more time with QB Tua Tagovailoa since he’s been gone…?) – “Yeah, it’s good. It’s been great. Tua has obviously been here now. I’ve gotten plenty of work with him since the day we drafted him. I feel like chemistry is there and all of that kind of stuff, so nothing new with that. It’s obviously good to have him back and good for him to get reps and that kind of thing.”
(I believe you spent time with TE Kyle Pitts at the Tight End University this summer and then he was here for the joint practices. I was wondering what your impressions are of him from one tight end to another?) – “Obviously extremely talented and very versatile in what he can do. I think he’s shown that. I know that he had a big game in London a week before. He’s obviously very talented and he’s definitely a matchup for them to utilize. I think week in and week out, there are a lot of talented guys out there, and he’s obviously one of them.”
(Did you interact with TE Kyle Pitts at all at Tight End U and did he pick your brain?) – “He didn’t ask me anything. There were a lot of other guys to talk to other then Mike Gesicki. (laughter) But he was there. He’s a good kid. I talked to him a little bit. I’m happy for him. He had a good start to his career. I wish him the best and all of that.”
(What kind of progress are you making on your hurdling game? You got caught in the air a little bit.) – “I will not quit the hurdling game. If there is an opportunity, which there probably wasn’t an opportunity on that one. (laughter) It is what it is. Get the ball in your hands and try to make a play. That is all that was.”
(Coaches tell you anything when you got back to the sideline after that play?) – “Nothing. Nothing.”
(Is it almost worse when the don’t say anything?) – “(laughter) No. You saw me. I get up, I go nuts, I run around the field and act like we just won the Super Bowl. That’s just the way I play and how I act. Just having fun out there. I’m not really worried about it.”
(Your celebrations when you get a first down, and the enthusiasm. Do you find that to be infectious with the guys?) – “You try to go out there and have fun, and you see the guys having fun out there. That’s why we do what we do, honestly. We put in a lot of work, we put in a lot of time, a lot of extra work that nobody really sees. You go out there and make a play, go enjoy yourself, go have fun. And then the next play mentality, be ready to go and do it again. That’s the way I play and the way I carry myself. I like to have fun.”
(I think you missed only one game in your pro career. I don’t remember if you had a similar track record at Penn State. What do you attribute to your ability to stay on the field?) – “A lot of it’s probably luck, honestly. It’s a physical game. You could get rolled up on the wrong way or be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But also, you try to put in a lot of work into your body and the weight room, stretching and tubs, and everything and anything that you can do to stay durable and stay out there. You always hear everybody say, ‘your best ability is your availability.’ If you can be out there making plays, it’s better than not. That’s what I try to do. Some guys are not as lucky, but it’s just the way the game goes.”
Myles Gaskin – October 20, 2021
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
RB Myles Gaskin
(Head Coach Brian Flores told us today that the team needs to run the ball more. What do you think when you hear that?) – “Just take that as a challenge for the running back room and when we get our opportunities, do well with them and excel. When you hear that from the coach, it just motivates you.”
(You’re somebody who’s always had good hands out of the backfield, but you seem to be fighting the ball a little bit on Sunday. Anything you can put your finger on? Or does that mean more time on the JUGS this week?) – “More time on the JUGS. Just got to have a better mindset. I had a hard day, had a rough day. Not catching the ball, a lot of drops. Just got to keep working on it, focus on it, don’t take the little things for granted about catching the ball and all that type of stuff. Not trying to worry about making a play after you catch the ball, just have to lock in on catching the ball.”
(Why do you think the team has not had the consistency in the run game that you would like to have?) – “I’m not sure. Just kind of the way the games have gone. We’ve been in different situations at different times and with those types of situations, you have to do other things. We like our RPO. I think Tua (Tagovailoa), I think Jacoby (Brissett) was really good at it. Just making those decisions because if there is another guy in the box, you’re just setting yourself up for failure sometimes at times. But when you can hit Mike (Gesicki), Jaylen (Waddle) and guys like that out in space, that’s a great thing to have.”
(What are you seeing out of defenses? Are they showing the run game any respect for you guys or are they not?) – “Yeah, definitely. I think every team respects every other team’s run game, sometimes a little bit more. I wouldn’t say that they don’t respect our run game at all.”
Brandon Jones – October 20, 2021
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
S Brandon Jones
(I was curious about the last play of the last game prior to the field goal. After the game, Head Coach Brian Flores said that it could have been played a little tighter – the defense that was called. And Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer talked about how he could have made some coaching points that might have helped on that play. What if anything – it’s a bang-bang play but what, if anything, could you or would you have done differently?) – “I think I just would have paid attention to the situation that we were in. Obviously with three, I don’t know how many seconds they had on the clock left but it was definitely a learning experience for me and I think did I have to touch him right then and there, could I have waited and maybe the one second that ran off the clock. It is what it is at this point. Like I said, it’s just a learning experience for me and just taking what happened and learn from it at the end of the day.”
(What was the experience like as far as you guys landed at like 2:30 Monday morning, which means you probably got to bed around 4:30 or something like that. Just getting your body clock right again and then coming back to work, what have the last couple of days been like for you?) – “That was tough. The biggest thing for me is that I usually don’t sleep on planes, but I had to force myself especially with a nine-hour flight back, being sore and tired after the game. I kind of forced myself to get an hour or two of sleep. I usually wake up really early so it didn’t really affect my clock that much. I got home at like 3:30 or something like that and had wake up early, come in and take care of my body and stuff. I think it was tough. I think the flight there was actually a little bit rougher to me because I had to force myself to get sleep because we had walkthroughs and meetings and stuff the next morning when we landed. That was definitely the hardest thing but overall, it was an awesome experience and I’m glad I got to be a part of that.”
(Is it kind of a good thing in a weird way that – I know you guys want to fix this and get back out there – that you don’t have to sit around for a bye with a losing streak on you? I know after the trip that everyone would like a few days off, sure. But is it a good thing in a weird way that you guys get back out there?) – “Oh yeah, especially for us. I think we’re just all at this point super hungry and ready to just get a win, especially just based off of the work we put in, the amount of time we put into this and just how much we care and love each other as players. And how much we respect the coaching staff and know that they put us in the best position that they can. At the end of the day, we just have to do a better job of executing. Once we can put that together, I think we can definitely string some wins together.”
(What was your perspective of CB Noah Igbinoghene’s play?) – “Noah played good, especially just him being a little up and down. He definitely did well. I think it was cool for me just to sit out there and see all the younger guys, a lot of the younger DBs out there being able to play and just build our communication and our overall learning and knowing how each other play. I think that’s always cool. I think for the most part, he did a really good job of holding his own and making plays when he could.”
Greg Mancz – October 20, 2021
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
C Greg Mancz
(How has your comfort level improved as you have gotten more and more playing time with the Dolphins?) – “Every day is better. I’ve told you guys before, it’s just as much about getting more comfortable with the guys off the field and just building the communication day by day because every situation is a new journey, if you will. Day by day, we just keep working.”
(What impressed you about what QB Tua Tagovailoa was able to do successfully in London?) – “Tua is obviously a very good quarterback. I’m not really surprised or anything. I just try to sort of make his job as easy as possible from what I can do and what I can communicate to my guys up front. I’ve told you before, I don’t see what’s going on behind me and my only goal is to make sure we can keep him going because he can do some things.”
(How is that quarterback-center chemistry with him?) – “My first week here was the first time I had ever taken a snap with him was the first game. It was nice. It’s a quarterback and he’s left-handed. I’ve told you guys before that really doesn’t mean anything to me. I just try to get the ball back there for him every single time.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa mentioned that there is some discomfort but when he gets in a game, he just puts it out of his mind and moves on. Is there anything, as an offensive lineman, is there anything that you can sense either in a good way or bad way as far as any discomfort he may have been feeling? Did he express any of that?) – “Nope.”
(So if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have known that QB Tua Tagovailoa was coming off an injury?) – “No, honestly. That might partially just be my mentality where I just zoom in and all I’m focused on is my job. I didn’t notice anything crazy.”
(You talked about the need to build chemistry off the field too. How critical is that when things are not going well? To have a group that likes and cares about each other?) – “I think it’s paramount if you’re winning or you’re losing. Every team I’ve been on, good or bad, that has always been a goal, especially in the offensive line room. There are five guys on the field but there are eight guys in a game and there are 14 or 15 guys in the room. If you guys can’t look at each other and sort of know what you’re thinking in the game, especially in a loud stadium – like in London, it got real loud every once and a while. You look at each other and you’re nodding. You’re not even talking. I think that’s paramount no matter where you are. I think it’s something that you are always working to improve as well.”
(I know you guys aren’t totally focused on stats but this was the first game where the Dolphins didn’t give up a sack. Were you aware of that and that must make you feel pretty good because that’s the goal right?) – “I mean I’ve told you, stats are cool and all but as an offensive lineman the only stat that really matters at the end of the day is a W or an L. We’re going to keep working. We’re going to get in the room. We’ve got more meetings today and we are going to try to work harder so we can get the outcome that we really want.”
Christian Wilkins – October 20, 2021
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
DT Christian Wilkins
(A lot of times when a team – most every time when a team has played in London, they’ve had the next week off. What was this process like of just getting the body and mind right after that long trip and ready to go again this week?) – “We’re still definitely in that process. You mentioned it. Most teams get the week off, but it’s just a quick turnaround for us. We’ve got to just make sure we’re being professional, being pros, getting our sleep, getting our recovery, all those things that are necessary to get back on track. And not just this week but the rest of the season.”
(As defensive linemen, what do you all as a group have to keep in mind as you face a guy like Falcons QB Matt Ryan?) – “He has a lot of experience. He’s been playing, what, 15, 16 years? And there isn’t anything that he really hasn’t seen, so we’re going to have to just do our job and stick within the game plan.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores mentioned there is some value in the walkthrough in terms of being able to make sure that you kind of slowly go through where everybody is supposed to be positioned. What do you view as the benefit of the walkthrough?) – “It’s definitely important because just mentally, you’re getting all the reps mentally and then it just kind of slows down for you. You’re able to just lock in mentally and really even just still work your footwork, work your steps, stepping with both of your feet in the right direction and things like that. So that’s definitely important. You lose the physical piece but like I said, the mental is all there and even more so in a lot of ways.”
(When things aren’t going great, when you’re losing games, and then you come back to work. Obviously you’re not happy about it, but what’s that line between carrying that unhappiness vs. nobody wants to come to work when everybody’s just in a bad mood.) – “Each week is a different week and I say this all the time, just that 24-hour rule. You can’t let things carry over into the next week regardless of what happened on Sunday. You’ve got to turn the page fast whether you had the best game of your career and we win or whether we have the worst game of your career and we lost. You’ve got to be able to turn the page really fast and look at it each week as each individual week because you don’t want to have the spiral effect.”
(Looking back a couple years ago when you went through a bad stretch and then you were able to turn it around – I think you won five out of seven at the end there. How do you look back on that and know that you had that strength to overcome all those losses?) – “Really just like I said – kind of just have to take things week by week. I know that was two years ago – different team, different situation, but this is a different team, different season. So we’re just going to have to take it week by week and try to put one foot in front of the other and at the end of the week, see what results happen.”
(In a way, is it easier said than done do you think to remain positive when losses pile up?) – “It really is just up to the leadership of the team. Just guys in the locker room. It’s up to us to continue to stay positive, continue to come to work each and every day and have the right mindset because whatever mindset we create as a team, it’s infectious and we know if we wantto turn things around, then we’re going to turn things around. And if we want to continue to have a positive mindset, then that’s what we’ll do.”
Jason McCourty – October 20, 2021
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
DB Jason McCourty
(I’ll ask you what I asked QB Tua Tagovailoa. How would you describe the mood of the locker room right now and how can you influence that as a leader?) – “I think guys are remaining positive and trying to continue to work towards getting to the goal that we have in mind. Obviously, that’s to win a football game. The last five weeks have been disappointing. I think what those guys alluded to, the work you put in Monday through Saturday, preparing for the game when you fall short on Sunday, it’s disappointing. It hurts but you have to turn the page and you have to move on. I feel like that’s what guys have done. We came in today focused, ready to work, ready to get the gameplan, had a walkthrough. Guys are out there communicating. Obviously in a walkthrough, you can get a lot more plays in, so it’s not moving as fast of a pace. But because of that, you can rep stuff a little bit faster. Guys are working and we know there is only one way to get a win – we’ve got to put the work in during the course of the week to be able to go out there and execute on Sunday.”
(What is your experience when you’re going through a bad streak? I know in Cleveland, you went through some tough times. What can you maybe take away from some of those experiences that might help you today?) – “Whatever we did in Cleveland, don’t repeat it because we continued to lose. (laughter) So I don’t really want to touch on that. But I don’t know, each team is different. I think like with what Tua (Tagovailoa) said, each level is different. I think at the end of the day, you’ve got to show up to work and you’ve got to be ready to work with a positive attitude. I think that’s not just football, that’s life. There’s going to be times where you go through adversity, where things don’t go your way. I’m sure most of you have children. There’s times you’re teaching them a lesson or maybe you don’t like your teacher or got a bad grade and how do you respond? I think for us as a team, it’s continuing to get up every day with a positive attitude. Making sure you’re watching the same if not more film this week to prepare for Atlanta than you did last week for Jacksonville. Making sure we’re not getting down on ourselves or looking for excuses but that we are continuing to put the work in and we’re continuing to move forward.”
(I know you know Head Coach Brian Flores well. How would you describe how he is approaching this particular situation?) – “Being himself. Just continuing to push guys, not lowering the expectations. You know for him, it’s consistency. You know each and every day you come in here, you know what you’re going to get. You know the attitude that he’s going to have. You can almost guess the things that he’s going to say and it’s going to remain the same of we’ve got to put the work in, we’ve got to execute. I think for us as a team, we’ve continued to work each and every week since I’ve been here. When we get to Sunday, we just have to make sure that we are executing and we are doing the things that we need to do to come out with a win. Those are those small details that sometimes get lost but that become the difference between winning and losing.”
(Your snap count has gone down the last couple of weeks. Have the coaches told you anything about what they want to see from you?) – “I think for me, it’s just you focus on whatever plays you do have. Obviously every single guy in that locker room would love to be out there every play of the game and we all feel like we can make an impact to help win. But the one thing I’ve learned throughout my course in the NFL is control what you can control. I think my defensive coordinator used to say that all the time my rookie year. Throughout my career, I had a DB coach that said, ‘Don’t count the plays, make the plays count.’ I’m trying to control what I can control and trying to make the plays count that I do have. Obviously, we all would like to be out there every single play. I think what Brandon (Jones) alluded to when he was talking – him, Jevon (Holland), those guys and some of our younger players are doing a good job and playing well. Although I haven’t been in as much, it’s been fun to see the evolution of Jevon from when he first got here to being out there, making plays, communicating well, the passion and emotion that he plays with, his ability to line guys up and just seeing the growth from him as a player. When you’re 34, you know if there’s a young guy behind you that’s behind you that’s a good player, at some point he’s going to get on the field. I’ve just tried to be super supportive of him and Brandon on the sideline looking at the (Microsoft) Surface if there’s things that I can help them with or reminders of yelling out on the field. I’ve just tried to do my best just to help the team get a win whether I’m out there for 90 percent of the plays or whether it’s 30 percent of the plays.”
(What does it say that even at 1-5, if the mood is still good and the want is still there, what does it say about the character of the room? The character you guys have inside the room.) – “I think what Tua (Tagovailoa) said when he talked about trust, I think there is trust amongst our locker room. I think guys trust that the other guys care. Obviously, you want guys to know what they’re doing and there’s going to be mistakes, there’s going to be some bad plays. But when you truly believe that the guys in the locker room and the guy lining up next to you, he cares about the team, he cares about winning, he’s out there and he’s doing everything he possibly can to get those things done, I think you can continue to build even when it is in a loss. Obviously, it’s a lot harder. We know this league is about production, it’s about wins and losses. When you come up short, it’s going to be disappointing, there’s going to be a lot of negativity that surrounds the team as it should be. We’re all paid to do a job and that job entails winning. I think for us as a team, guys, coaches and players alike, trust that we are doing everything in our nature to go out there and win on Sunday. We just have to continue to work. When we don’t get the results, we may have to change a thing here or there but continue the one thing that has to stay consistent, which is the work that’s put in.”
(With the top two cornerbacks down, was there a consideration to make a move and put you back at corner?) – “I guess I would go back to what I said before, control what you can control. If that’s what the coaches believe is the best thing for us to do in order to win on Sunday, then I quite possibly could be out there at corner. If they feel whoever is out there gives us the best chance to win, then that’s who’s going to be out there. Whatever the role is, just trying to do whatever I can.”
