Frank Smith – October 13, 2022
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Thursday, October 13, 2022
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(The blocking of the tight end room – outside of TE Durham Smythe, who I guess is in question this week in case Durham can’t play because of the hamstring – with TE Mike Gesicki, with TE Tanner Connor, with TE Hunter Long obviously coming back, is there enough blocking skill there to run the offense entirely as you might want to?) – “Yeah. And I think also, when it comes to that, there’s also different options as far as scheme, different things we can utilize to help everyone execute what we need, fundamentally. So I think that, yeah, if Durham can’t make it to the game, then we have a plan and we have contingencies like we talk about for all positions. But ultimately, our job is to put our players in the best position possible to execute what they do well.”
(What was it like having a week where you prepare to have QB Teddy Bridgewater as a starter, and the first play he goes out and you have QB Skylar Thompson going?) – “Yeah, the last two weeks have been an interesting time in the NFL to be honest. But also really a great time for us to really act upon the adversity that the NFL provides for this roster to really learn nothing’s guaranteed, for everyone to maximize their opportunities. But if you dwell on what you don’t have, you will be reminded really quickly of what you won’t get, and that’s not winning. So our goal is always around here to focus on the future, focus on the present and make sure that everyone that’s active on game day is preparing in a way to make sure that they can help us execute to win a football game.”
(Now, what gives you confidence in QB Skylar Thompson with a full week of preparation for him to start?) – “Well, I think it’s pretty evident from what you guys have been able to witness through training camp, for Skyler, he’s not your average rookie. The way he’s been able to prepare, the way he’s been able to execute, we have full confidence in what he’s going to be able to deliver to help us win on a full week of preparation. The scenario to which he went in, I can’t even imagine sometimes. It’s the second play of the game and you’re standing there and you’re kind of by yourself. I mean the rest of his position group that he’s been prepping with the entire offseason was not available. So he’s by himself pushing through and I think you really saw a lot of the moxie he possesses and the reason why he’s going to grow and continue to get better. We felt like this week, with him being available and getting the full preparation, that he was our best chance to help us win.”
(Let us get some, I guess, an explanation on the offensive tackle situation last week and this week. OL Brandon Shell made his debut at left tackle. But you have T Greg Little, who I believe has flexibility. So why go with Brandon on the left side as opposed to the right side last week? And then how is OL Austin Jackson after yesterday?) – “I think overall, it just stresses back to our goal to create consistency for guys at positions. When you’re flipping guys constantly, you’re not allowing for that to happen. We felt all along that if we can create consistency for the guys, we’ll give them the best chance to execute when we need them to be at their best on Sundays. And always, it’s never a finished product. There’s always things to work on. There’s always the ebbs and flows of the game that create challenges. But overall, at the tackle position, we’ve tried to create that consistency so if and when we have to make changes at those spots, we try and make sure that we’re not flipping them back and forth because in the course of a week, just with our experience, we found it’s extremely challenging. It would be challenging for many positions – if you’re on one side, you’re on one side. That’s just kind of like, you’re back in the 1980s and you’re going strong guard, quick guard like everyone else was doing.”
(And OL Austin Jackson, are you optimistic?) – “Yeah, extremely. I think A.J. has done a great job in his rehabilitation, his preparation, being active and involved. He is such a hungry learner. I mean just coming into the NFL so young. I mean, he’s just been really fun to work with. I know we’ve all enjoyed his progression. So we’re very optimistic and hopeful that he’ll be able to help us this Sunday the rest of season.”
(I wanted to ask you about T Terron Armstead. Obviously he signed here in the offseason, and yet he hasn’t been able to practice hardly at all really. How sustainable is that? Does it hold him back more? Or is it a matter of having an opportunity to work on chemistry with the other guys?) – “I would think if he was younger in his tenure, maybe more. Now granted, practice is where you want to refine and work on the things that you’re trying to get ready for Sunday. Terron, and like many elite tackles in this league, though, have such a wealth of experience to draw upon. And I mean, it’s a credit to him in the last couple of years in New Orleans – I know it was very similar, as far as making sure any little things are being maintenanced and also his mental focus and his stamina is elite. Like he’s able to stay on-task through everything else. So we haven’t had any concerns with that. Just knowing the guy since he was a rookie, he’s one of those guys that when you draft him, he acts like he’s 31. I mean, he acts older, he’s more mature, he’s always been that way. So I don’t think we’ve particularly had any concerns, and we won’t probably going forward. I mean, you’d love to have practice time, but it’s the NFL and sometimes it’s not available. But especially for younger players, you’d like to be able to practice more.”
(I know he had some injuries early, but what’s been the issue or challenge in getting WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. involved into the offense?) – “I think that the challenge is, ultimately, just trying to make sure that we’re getting guys in positions to do what they do well, and then secondly, how does the game play out? Like, guys have opportunities throughout the game plan, where we really want to have options. And then ultimately, what the coverage is dictating, what the defense is trying to do can sometimes have us adjust and have to move the ball around. Or the primary gets open immediately. Or when we thought a check-down was going to be there, or obviously the second progression, first or second, we have to adjust. I wouldn’t say that for us, really, we’re trying to make sure that we spread the ball around, because great offenses make sure they push the ball around as much as it can. So I think that the continued work in practice by all guys is to try and work on – getting involved in the offense is the most important thing because that’s where we build the confidence for getting ready for Sunday.”
(Watching the games, it looks like on a weekly basis, you get good blocks on the perimeter from your receivers. I’m curious if you agree with that. And then also, as kind of an underappreciated part of the position, if you can maybe just quantify how valuable it is to have that good blocking on the perimeter?) – “It’s vital. I think (Wide Receivers Coach) Wes (Welker) does a great job with one, playing the position of such a high level, and then understanding how to execute the fundamentals of perimeter space blocking. (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) also has experience because that’s kind of been a hallmark of their system of having all skill players be good blockers and understanding that that element is going to help them get more opportunities in the ball with being good blockers. So overall, yeah, there’s always stuff you can improve on. I mean, we never really think everything’s a finished product, especially at this point in the season. The growth is from week to week. I mean there’s obviously a couple blocks that occurred in the game on the perimeter that we feel that we could have improved on. But overall, we like we’re progressing, especially with Tyreek (Hill) and Jaylen (Waddle)’s production in the passing game. The fact of which that they strive to be not just effective blockers, but excellent blockers is just a credit to who they are as players and who they are as men.”
(You guys seemed to play complementary football very well in the first three games. Maybe not so much in the last couple. What kind of stress does that put on your unit and each unit when don’t get that complementary football?) – “The biggest thing is it’s just kind of the name of the NFL. I mean, if everything goes the way you thought it was going to go, every game would be boring, and you’d play out exactly as you prepared. But it’s our ability to adjust, it’s our ability to communicate, it’s our ability to push through the adversity that the 17-game season provides. And I think that’s truly where you learn the measure of your football team and how you’re built and what kind of guys you’re going to be able to count on when it really matters in December. So I think you normally would say, even our Baltimore win, it didn’t really go the way you would want it to go. But it went a good way at the end. And I think we learned from that. And then the Buffalo game was a back and forth contest. I mean we didn’t get a whole lot opportunities with the ball, but when we did, we tried to maximize it. And now the last two weeks, we’ve had some adversity where the quarterback at the start of the game didn’t finish it, and that is the NFL at its most. So I think ultimately, we’re learning as a football team that the next-man-up mentality has got to be the most vital and important thing. And I think that as coaches, our fundamental job is to communicate, educate and prepare our guys to be able to handle those variables and be able to execute regardless of situation.”
(It seems like for the longest time, the Dolphins have had a challenge in putting together kind of a dominant offensive line. What is it that makes it so hard to put together that kind of line? Are there things that the average fan doesn’t even think about that makes it that hard?) – “Absolutely. It’s a great question. I think it comes down to like last year, when I was in LA, and (General Manager) Tom Telesco was talking about the challenges that they were going through through the years of trying to get their line back because they felt their heyday years were back in the late 2000s, when they were running the ball with ‘LT’ (LaDainian Tomlinson) and they were really controlling the division through running the football. And the challenges are just as you allocate resources to the position, there’s uncontrollable variables that occur, (like) injuries, a guy maybe you wanted to have back and free agency and he moves on because of the market so high. I just think that sometimes guys – you have to make sure in your evaluation selection, that you’re making sure you’re finding the right type of guy. Sometimes coaching change is a big issue. I know that happened in LA when I was there, that they had been through a couple of different changes at not only the head coach but the position coach. So I think ultimately, if you’re trying to develop players, if you don’t have consistency of their coaches, that’s hard for a guy because he’s getting a different message each year. So I think ultimately, if you want players to have sustained success, you’re trying to create a world where there’s consistency and availability. And I think that is, in all life, in all jobs we work, that’s the hardest thing is trying to create a consistent environment where you can be at your best. And I think if you look at this group, they’re kind of a hallmark of there’s been injuries, there’s been changes in position coaches, changes in head coaches. None of those are excuses but that’s the reality of the situation, the adversity that the group’s got to overcome and meet the challenge head on with a positive attitude, and just realize that they are control of their efforts, their attitudes and their approach. They’ve got to trust us that our number one goal is to help them be their best, and then we form a bond and push forward.”
(What went right with the running game last week?) – “I think there was some consistency that we were looking for that we’ve kind of been talking about here with you guys. Just what are the little things where we can get better? There was some fundamental stuff that we’ve been really stressing that guys up front were able to execute. I think that we were able to create some space in the defense that our runners were able to exploit. I think some of the explosive runs contribute to a higher overall yards per carry. I think of the game before in Cincinnati, you add back and there was a throw on one of the runs that if we would have handed it off, you’d been looking at a double-digit gain. There was a penalty on the Tyreek (Hill) run, which would have been a double-digit gain. If you add those two onto our total, we’re looking at over a hundred yard game. So Cincinnati was kind of a prelude to that, and then we were able to capitalize on some of those learning lessons from Cincinnati into last week. So ultimately, week to week, it goes into how we improve and it goes from – it takes all 11 and to run the ball effectively in this league and you’ve got to be committed to it. I think we got some good positive growth that we’re really going to look to build on this week. And ultimately, the 11 that are in there every play have got to be able to execute collectively.”
(You talked about finding space in the run game. Are you seeing teams play more two-high against you guys to open up those spots? And is that something, in conversations with the coaching staff, like if teams are going to try to take WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle away, we have to take advantage of the lighter boxes?) – “Yeah, absolutely. I think that what we’re trying to do, ultimately, and with who we have, we’re going to see some of those coverages. And when we get those coverages that are advantageous for the run game, we got to maximize it. And that’s where I would think that we think collectively, that’s a great area where we can improve and really with the emphasis in probably the last two or three weeks, we’re starting to see the growth because the guys are really seeing how important and how small the margin of error is. So I think yeah, as teams try and make sure they have roof over the coverage on our wide receivers, we’ve got to make sure that our foundation is good in the running game. So I think that we’ve made growth and this week will be a great opportunity with way that they play their defense to try and continue our growth in that area.”
(Is RB Raheem Mostert setting himself apart as a lead back or do you still kind of see it as matchup based who will get the bulk of the carries?) – “I think Raheem has done a tremendous job and Chase (Edmonds) too. I mean his opportunities are going to come. Again, it’s a long season. To rush to any decisions about what we’re going to need or who’s where and who’s in what spot, in a month, we’ll be sitting here and saying it’s flipped. So I think we’re fortunate to have two backs that we feel really good about. Right now, Raheem is playing some really good football. But Chase is going to come up huge for us at some point. We all know that; we feel that. He had an excellent day of practice yesterday and really challenged himself. We’re excited for him to have another great day of practice today and look forward to him on Sunday and build into the next month and quarter of the season.”
Jaylen Waddle – October 12, 2022
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Wednesday, October 12, 2022
WR Jaylen Waddle
(Do you remember your first start in the NFL and your jitters? What’s some advice you’d like to give to QB Skylar Thompson going into his first start?) – “Just be confident. You prepare the right way. I know he’s going to have a great week of practice. So just go back to your preparation, go out there and ball out and have fun.”
(How important was it for him to get some action, QB Skylar Thompson, in a regular season game? How different do you think it will look this week?) – “I think he kind of had to learn on the fly coming in, being the backup, and then going in the game and having to play a lot in the game. It’s just experience. All that just adds up. I think he’s going to have a great week and come out prepared.”
(What’s his skill? What’s QB Skylar Thompson’s skill that most impresses you?) – “Honestly, I think its his confidence. He’s confident he can make every throw. He’s confident he knows what the defense is in and trusts his reads.”
(As a team, what are some things that you guys need to help QB Skyler Thompson this week in terms of offensively?) – “I think just being on our assignments and not putting extra stuff on his plate. He’s a young quarterback, so us knowing our assignments and being real detailed in how we go about our jobs is definitely going to be key.”
(In terms of the Vikings defense, what are some things you’ve learned or seen throughout the film?) – “They play well together. I think all their DBs and their front seven, they’re all in-tune and play well together. They’re definitely ball hungry. They try to get the ball out. It’s going to be a great test for us.”
Skylar Thompson – October 12, 2022
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Wednesday, October 12, 2022
QB Skylar Thompson
(So, after the game – it was a weird situation where you’re coming in after the first play – and you said you wanted to look at the film. What stood out to you the past few days watching the film of your first NFL game action?) – “Yeah, there was a lot of learning. Definitely some things to be proud about and excited about moving forward. But then there’s definitely some plays out there that I wish I had back. That’s why I really like the past – like 24 hours after the game, I really like that time to really digest how I felt after the game, being able to watch through the film, kind of see how I was playing, how our team was playing, kind of get a feel for what I was feeling on the field and see if that aligned with what I saw on film. It definitely was a tough loss, but I’m really encouraged about where we’re at today and guys were having a great attitude and coming to work and just have an opportunity to get better each and every day like we always talk about here. Today is a great opportunity to do that.”
(How would you describe your emotions driving to the facility today knowing you’re about to make your first NFL start?) – “Yeah, I mean, it’s exciting. It’s a dream come true. It’s something that I’ve worked for my whole life. There’s a ton that goes into that. I didn’t get here just by myself. There are a lot of people that have contributed to help me get to where I am today – my family, my past coaches, my current coaches, my current teammates, Teddy (Bridgewater) and Tua (Tagovailoa). There’s a handful of people that have helped me get to this spot and I’m not the type of person to point the finger at me and I did it by myself and all that type of stuff. That’s not the case at all. I’m very grateful for this opportunity and I’m super excited to go to work today and have this opportunity in front of me.”
(How do you handle a practice week with the expectation of being a starter as opposed to getting thrown into the fire in the middle of a game?) – “Yeah, I mean, it helps kind of knowing – I’m a very mental visualization person. I like to put myself in situations before they happen and all those types of things. Just having a week of prep, being able to – most importantly, just build the continuity of the offense with the snap count, the cadences, the protections, the timing of routes. All of that stuff is so important to build throughout the week. For me to have a week to build that, build confidence with the guys and build that trust and timing is going to be really, really important.”
(Your week is going to be a lot different. People are going to be hitting you up, friends, family. How do handle all that attention? Is there anyone you lean on that gives you advice?) – “Yeah, I mean, my dad. My dad is probably my go to. I have a great circle around me of people that have supported me from day one as a person more so than a football player. At times like this, that’s what I really lean on is those people, and then just try to tune everything else out. It’s all white noise and just trying to focus on doing my job and doing whatever I got to do to help the team win. And yes, that roll has increased a little bit this week. But I just try to keep things as strict in my routine that I’ve been doing and try not to change too much stuff up this week just because some circumstances changed.”
(Internally, which players have come to you and said, ‘We got your back, man?’) – “Man, I’ve had countless guys. I mean, too many to name. There’s been a great support system that I’ve had from this team and guys that are showing trust and belief in me. And for me being a rookie, walking in here and having that support, I think it just speaks volumes about the type of guys we have in our locker room. The people we have in this organization is tremendous. I’ve said this quite a few times that when you come to work every day with great people, it makes the work fun because you know the days are long, you’re sacrificing a lot of time out of your day to be successful and to win. Having great people surrounding you during the process is big time and I’ve been very fortunate being in this organization and being surrounded by great people.”
(You mentioned some of the support and people who helped you get here. Can you take us through maybe the first person you called when Head Coach Mike McDaniel told you that and what that conversation was like?) – “Yeah, I called my dad. He was emotional and excited for me. He just told me that I earned it and he was proud of me. My dad and I have been through a lot. This has been my ultimate goal and I think for him as a father, being able to hear me express I’ve accomplished a goal of starting a game in the NFL, it meant a lot to him. I told my girlfriend and other people in my family that I’m really close with. But I’m not – like I said earlier, the attention on me, that’s not the type of person I am. I just kept it very tight-knitted with the people that I’m really close with and shared the news with them and just moved on and continued my routine of what I normally do on a Tuesday.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel was out earlier and he mentioned getting with you and focusing a little bit on like 10 plays that you wish you had back. When you looked at those, was there a common thread that you know you can work on this week?) – “Yeah, I think just my feet not aligning with my eyes. We preach here to listen to your feet, and if you’re hitching too many times, it’s time to get off that read and get to the next one. There were times I felt like I was kind of just getting through my progression a little bit quick and missing a guy or so, and just forcing stuff that we really haven’t talked about in meetings or things that are part of the progression and just playing outside of what the scheme is coached to do. I think that just a sign of me pressing and trying to do too much. That’s one thing I’m focused on this week is just taking what the defense gives me and not forcing anything and just playing good complementary football on offense. That’s what we talk about all the time here about what we want to do.”
(What was it like for you Sunday going back to the sideline without QB Teddy Bridgewater, without QB Tua Tagovailoa – no teammates in the quarterback room there to help show you what they’re seeing on the field?) – “Yeah, it was a different feeling. Obviously spending so much time with those guys and being on the sidelines with him so far this season, not having them there is definitely different because we do talk about things on the sideline and Teddy points out things to me or vice versa. We’re all working together there. So I’m excited to have those guys back this week and having them around me. Like I said, they’re a huge reason why I’m having this opportunity. They’ve helped me a lot. Whether they’ve vocally said something to me to teach me something or whatnot, they’ve taught me a ton through their actions and the way they carry themselves, the way they prepare. I’m very, very grateful for those guys.”
(I know you said after the preseason that you felt like you had shown you were good enough and shown that you belonged in this league. After your first game, what was your takeaway there? The game, was it different in the regular season compared to maybe the preseason?) – “Yeah, I mean, it’s a lot different than the preseason. The defense is more complex, there’s a lot more going on, the offensive playbook is expanded further. So all those things kind of going into one. It is a different game than the preseason. That’s one thing that I felt at the beginning of the game and what’s encouraging for me is I do – reflecting back on the game, there were moments where it was slowing down for me and I was trusting what I was seeing, making a good throw and making some plays for us. So there were some positive things to come from that and to grow from.”
(To follow up on some of the support you’ve gotten from the team, what have conversations been like specifically with the receivers on this team? Have WR Jaylen Waddle or WR Tyreek Hill been in contact with you as you prepare?) – “Yeah. Tyreek (Hill), (Jaylen) Waddle, Mike (Gesicki), Trent (Sherfield), River (Cracraft), everybody has shown support in me and supported me in this process and are excited for me. That gives me confidence. I’m looking forward to having a week to prepare with those guys and build that timing and trust and that’s going to be big time for me, having a week of prep with those guys. I’m excited. They’re great teammates and I’m very fortunate to take the field with them.”
Mike McDaniel – October 12, 2022
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Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(The league-owned TV network reported today QB Tua Tagovailoa will throw and I guess my question is with Tua throwing, is there a possibility he might play Sunday? Or do you want to be cautious and rule him out for Sunday and wait another week even if he clears protocol this week?) – “It’ll be exciting for today because really in these situations, you are relying on all medical advice and what people can do. And what I’ve been told as he can go out and throw and do some individual work this week, or today. So that’s exciting for everybody, just because really, we just miss his personality. He’s a guy that we rely on, not to mention all of his play and all that stuff. Now when talking about this week and playing, I don’t see a scenario – I don’t see him being active and I’m not going to – I do not plan to have him play at all. It’s something that this whole process is a little tricky and today he’s just getting back to playing football for the first time in two weeks. He hasn’t been on a field playing football in two weeks. So today the focus is – again, I’m not trying to get ahead of myself and think about the ‘Z’ component. I’m worried about ‘A’ and ‘A’ is getting him on the field and having him throw a football and being around his teammates. And that’s what today’s step is and then moving forward we’ll go about 12 to 24 hours, right? But I can say with certainty that he’s not going to be playing this Sunday.”
(What’s the update on QB Teddy Bridgewater?) – “Teddy is currently progressing through the protocol. He feels good. The soreness on his pec is getting better, but in this stage of the protocol, he is unable to do anything football-related with his team. So when you guys are out there, I’m sure you’ll see him, but he won’t be with the rest of the guys. He will be on the side working with the trainers and trying to progress through this stage of the protocol as deemed.”
(So does that automatically mean or likely mean that QB Skylar Thompson is going to be the quarterback Sunday?) – “Really, Teddy’s (Bridgewater) whole week is going to be – he’s just getting back and able to do work with the trainers today. Tomorrow he’ll be able to do a little bit of football in a limited capacity. And as a result, we’ll be moving forward with planning on starting Skylar Thompson this week.”
(You mentioned QB Teddy Bridgewater will be able to do limited tomorrow. If I’m correct, would that be stage three of where he is in the process?) – “The stages are a foreign language to me. I don’t really keep up with them because it’s very simple. You’re dealing with all these medical professionals that are giving you instructions on what someone’s allowed to do. And what I do know is he’s allowed to do non-contact football tomorrow in a limited capacity. So that’s where we’re at. I’m not really sure what stage that is, but the stage as I understand it, is that he can play a little football, but he can’t be in any sort of situations where he can engage in contact. And thus, it has to be a very limited role.”
(In regards to that, I know that position is different than others because of the prep during the week. If QB Teddy Bridgewater is cleared on Friday or Saturday, what’s your comfort on him being able to play without having much full practice?) – “That’s a tricky question. As long as everything goes to plan with regard to his protocol procedure, I’m very confident just in Teddy in general, so he’ll be active for the game in that scenario and be backing up Skylar (Thompson).”
(With QB Tua Tagovailoa, and that report that was previously described, it said that even if Tua is cleared that he won’t play on Sunday. Is that accurate? And if so, what’s the threshold between being cleared medically and you being comfortable putting him back at risk?) – “So it is accurate in that there is a definite scenario that he will be cleared before Sunday’s game. But in this particular scenario with regard to him, like I just said, he hasn’t done a thing on the football field for literally two weeks. That wouldn’t be fair to the player. That wouldn’t be fair to the team. I think that’s something that I don’t feel comfortable putting them in that situation. So I guess (whatever those) sources are, they’re pretty accurate. I need to find out who your sources are. (laughter)”
(If QB Tua Tagovailoa is not going to play this Sunday, is the target for him to play in the Steelers game?) – “I’m just excited to get him on the football field and see – there’s some progressions we have to make in terms of, ‘hey, he has to throw a pass.’ As far as his exact timeline of when he’s going to play, I’ll be excited to consider that whenever that comes up. Right now, I’m just really focused on him getting out there and feeling good and being around his teammates, and that those types of decisions aren’t in the immediate future right now. I’ll handle that when that comes after. Let’s just get through this week and see where we’re at is basically the way that I look at it.”
(And the report said that QB Tua Tagovailoa was evaluated by four independent specialists. I guess the first time the after the Bills game, you were confident in the evaluations that happened. I guess how do you feel now about the evaluations about where Tua is that he can practice today and is cleared to practice?) – “Again, as a football coach, you want to make decisions based upon information, and I’m much more comfortable making decisions in my area of expertise. So that’s one of the reasons why we were excited to get some of the best, most renowned people in their field of expertise and get their opinions on it, so that I’ll be relying on those exclusively because I do not fashion myself as a brain expert. That’s one of the reasons you get multiple opinions and you see the most skilled, highly prepared, schooled and knowledgeable professionals that that you can get your hands on, so that you can have the most information possible from experts and not laymen.”
(Can you give us updates on CB Xavien Howard, T Terron Armstead, WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle?) – “’X’ (Xavien Howard) and (Terron) Armstead need the whole week. You’ll see ‘X’ out there today. I don’t think you’ll see Armstead, but that’s one of those situations that it’s kind of become the norm, hasn’t it? But we just kind of have to take it day by day. So I know they’ll do the best they can to move forward and play the game because I know it’s eating at them. And then the third – Tyreek Hill? He’ll be out there today. He’s going to get some work in, and he won’t be practicing with a boot on. (laughter)”
(On Monday, you had alluded to your captains kind of embracing that role of team captain. Coming off these two losses and some adversity here this season, what are you hoping to see from those guys this week?) – “Well, I’m hoping to see them. I think we had three out of our seven captains last game play the entirety of the game. So I’m hoping to see them, one. But also, as I’ve stated to you guys and as I’ve stated to the team, this is not something that is foreign to NFL teams. You lose two in a row – that’s the adversity that in one way, shape or form, happens to every single team. Captains need to help lead people in the direction out of that. So how do you do that tangibly? A multitude of ways – and I really put a lot of pressure on those guys to make it their team, because it is. One example that I was pumped about – I think you guys will have an open locker room today – Tyreek (Hill) and the captains decided that they wanted to take a step forward with all their opponent prep with regard to the team and their preparation with our game plans in general. So he made the move to take the ping pong tables out of a locker room. That, to me, is leadership. To me, leadership is acting, not talking. There’s a bunch of different examples from those guys, and that’s why they’re captains and that’s why I rely on them, because it’s about solving problems, not complaining about them. They, collectively, as a group of players, wanted more time investment during the week on their jobs for Sunday. So instead of just saying it, they did something about it. And that’s the whole reason that I really have a lot of love for those guys.”
(I wanted to ask you about QB Skylar Thompson. Some coaches would start the veteran, even on limited work, as opposed to the rookie. What gives you the confidence that he’s able to handle that moment?) – “What gives me the confidence is that I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think the team would agree in terms of their confidence for him. You’re always trying to keep the pulse of how everyone feels. The quarterback’s job is to make people better, and he’s – as you guys have noticed and a lot of people have noticed, he’s not the run-of-the-mill rookie. But also, it’s not just about the quarterback, it’s about a collective group of individuals working together. He’s going to have the opportunity to have all the full-speed reps this week because of the position that Teddy (Bridgewater) is in the protocol. We’re very fortunate to have three quarterbacks that our guys really believe they can operate at high level with. So it wasn’t that difficult of a decision for me to make in this set of circumstances.”
(When will you make a decision on QB Reid Sinnett and whether you need to have a third quarterback available on gameday?) – “I think the way things are going, it’s probably going to be later in the week because I can’t wait (for) what’s in store for me today. There’s a lot of moving pieces, especially when you have a limited gameday active situation and with all the guys that really strain to make it on gameday with all of our bumps and bruises. That compounds that whole decision a little bit. So you end up having to take the week to kind of process everything and see where people are at to make sure that those guys feel healthy. If the need is necessary, that does come at a cost to another roster spot for that gameday active. So you have to assess where that comes from and what groups can afford that, so there’s a lot a lot of different variables that go into that equation.”
(What’s one teaching point that maybe you could share with us that you’ve given to QB Skylar Thompson after his first real game action going into this week?) – “When I talked to him yesterday, I talked to all those guys yesterday, (and) the one thing I said to him is that you take stuff, you learn stuff, but you also have to understand what the situation was last week. I want you to – there were some things that he was definitely happy with. He definitely left the game feeling like, just like he thought in the preseason, that he’s an NFL player. But also, I made sure to (say), ‘Hey, look at these 10 plays that I know you’re not happy with. OK, what’s this common denominator?’ There was some footwork stuff, there was some timing stuff, all of which you can kind of connect to that was his first live full speed rep of that footwork, that concept, that progression. ‘So, this week, you’re going to be afforded all those full speed reps. Understand that game is that game – take it for what it is. You got, basically, your first start out of the way. This week, you have a great opportunity to hone-in on the details of all the things you’ll be asked to do on Sunday. So move forward with that and gain confidence with that because if that’s the worst that we’ll see, which you talk about controlling the controllables and if you’re going into a game, especially as a rookie, completely blind without reps, if that’s the worst you’re going to do, we’re all right. So you should get confidence, in an ironic way, from that game that you, without a shadow of a doubt, can play up to your own personal standard. And that, I wanted him to – because to me, that’s a big deal. It made me confident in him that he was able to do what he did, own the game plan and be a pretty darn good decision-maker without having anything full speed of that given gameplan, which in this game and the National Football League, the difference between that is the difference between an interception or a completion. So timing is everything. This full-speed work is vitally important, and I know he’s going to make the best of it this week. So be excited and just go after it because everybody believes in you.”
(Did I hear you correctly when you said that if QB Teddy Bridgewater clears protocol that he would be backing up QB Skylar Thompson?) – “If there’s no setbacks and he clears protocol, yes, he’ll be backing up.”
(What kind of impact can that have for QB Skylar Thompson on the field? Because I mean, on Sunday, he goes in, it’s his first game action, no teammate, or I guess no quarterbacks on the sideline with him. How big of a difference will having somebody in the room on the sideline be?) – “Huge. Huge, because in a game experience for a quarterback, you get coached. There’s a lot of stuff going on and you’re taking in information from one, two, three voices. But then when you have a peer that has gone through it and has seen it, that translation – it might be one word, it might be a pat on the back – that teammate support is a very immensely huge thing for a player like that. That’s the great thing about that room that we really – really, I hope all the rooms on our team can really be inspired by that group because they support each other, they make each other better and it will make a definitive difference, for sure, having that support from his brother on the sidelines this week. It was a lonely sideline last week. He just – all Skylar (Thompson) had to talk to was (Quarterbacks/Pass Game Coordinator Darrell) Bevell and myself. We’re great guys, but not that great at conversations. (laughter)”
Mike McDaniel – October 10, 2022
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Monday, October 10, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Has QB Tua Tagovailoa been ruled out for Sunday against Minnesota?) – “Tua (Tagovailoa), right now, I’m not even really thinking about his timeline. As I said before, he is – we’re just trying to get him as healthy as possible. We’re pretty much in a 12- to 24-hour reoccurring evaluation process, and he’s doing well. He was here today, but he is not ready to take the step to do some football stuff yet. So that will be – talk to me every 12 to 24 hours.”
(Where is QB Teddy Bridgewater at? Is he still in concussion protocol?) – “Teddy (Bridgewater), he had no symptoms today. He had no symptoms yesterday, but per the rule change, he is being treated as though he has a concussion. So he is in the subsequent protocol.”
(This week, you play the Vikings as you mentioned before. The names that come to mind include Adrian Peterson, Randy Moss, Daunte Culpepper, Cris Carter and the late Hall of Fame Coach Dennis Green. I know you spent some time early in your career as a running backs coach with him in the UFL. What was that experience like and what are some things that you keep with you today that you learned from him?) – “That was a very impactful experience, specifically with Coach Dennis Green, because he was a unique and unique-spirited leader. So it was very – he was very outside the box, so it left a big impression on me, just how he saw things for what they were, how he didn’t try to follow the path of least resistance, nor did he really concern himself with what others were doing. He would tell me stories about how when he got to Minnesota, he specifically altered the offense to a digit system that was foreign to him because all the – he wanted to have something unique and different and a competitive advantage against all the Coach (Bill) Walsh disciples that were coming from that tree. So all those things were very impactful. He was such a good human being and that will forever last with me.”
(A couple of offensive line questions, T Terron Armstead, what are you hearing? Is he back in South Florida? And then T Austin Jackson?) – “He’s back in South Florida. I think the visit went well. The one thing I’ve learned with Terron (Armstead) is I can trust him as much as I’ve ever trusted any player. So I know one thing, he will do whatever it takes to play Sunday. The one thing that myself, the coaching staff and his teammates know is if he’s not able to play, it’s because he’s physically unable to play. So (I’m) trusting that process and excited that he’s taken a step to get that thing healthy. And then what was the (other question)?”
(T Austin Jackson.) – “The plan is to hopefully – we plan and hope to see him practice this week in a limited role, but he’s done a great job getting himself back so that we could even consider that this week.”
(In the past hour or so, we’ve seen a couple of videos from some of the local TV stations showing QB Teddy Bridgewater after the safety. And in those videos, at least from what we can see from those angles, we did not see him stumble. What have you been able to see on video so far? Have you seen anything that indicates a stumble or doesn’t indicate any stumble whatsoever?) – “Honestly, I don’t really concern myself with all of that, just because – I was there at the game. I was watching him intently. It was the first offensive play of the game and I didn’t see him stumble, but I’m also not really in the business of grading and coaching spotters. The rule is in place for player safety and I’m all about that. Honestly, whether he stumbled or not, the rules are the rules. My only takeaway from the whole process was really my personal relationship with Teddy (Bridgewater). Teddy was very prepared to play that game. He put a lot into it, and I was excited to see him play. My heart hurt that he was unable to execute something he was very prepared for, and his teammates were excited to see him play.”
(Regarding QB Teddy Bridgewater, given the area that he’s in now where he’s not showing symptoms but he’s in the protocol, what would be the soonest that he could possibly participate in a practice? And how reluctant would you be to play a quarterback if he hadn’t practiced the previous week?) – “As far as the protocol, for good reason, the coaches aren’t involved in that. So I know in a perfect world where there’s absolutely no setbacks with anything – again, this is kind of uncharted territory for us – the soonest that you can be on the field in a limited capacity, non-contact, would be Thursday. However, I’m not going to try to guess if that’s going to come true or not. This is, again – I just do the best with the situation given and try not to spend my time worrying about things that I can’t control as best I can.”
(If QB Teddy Bridgewater only has a couple of limited practices leading up to the game, just based on his experience, would you feel comfortable having him play in the game on Sunday?) – “These are a lot of hypotheticals. I think I would like – I would like to see when Teddy (Bridgewater) can practice, which is not up to, necessarily, us in general. And then once that happens, assess the situation, which there are some compounding variables. I think he does – the one thing I do know is that he will do everything it takes to prepare to play in a football game. I’m very comfortable with that. You just have to really do right by the football team and the player in terms of whether or not you’re putting a player – whether or not he feels comfortable to execute his responsibility. So that’s too early – there’s too many hypotheticals for me to even assess that. What I do know is he’s a pro, and if and when he’s called upon, I know he’s going to put his best foot forward for himself and his teammates.”
(Can you quantify just the level of, I guess you’d call it misfortune, to have three consecutive games where a quarterback hits his head the same exact way on a hit and is caused to miss time because of it?) – “It’s a weird question for me to be asked because I’m not lying. The adversity is an opportunity is real to me, only because that is life (and) that is football. So as opposed to sitting here and saying, ‘Wow, this is hard.’ Winning is hard. Being the National Football League, whether you’re a coach or a player, is hard. All things that are worth achieving are hard. So in an odd way, I haven’t really – let’s just put it this way. I think I would feel guilt and feel as though I was shortchanging the Dolphins and the team if I was spending any time thinking about how hard it is. I think you always want your players to be healthy. I think you always make sure that your roster is built so that you have players capable to execute in light of any sort of injury, and you do that the right way, you’re confident in all your players and whatever hand is dealt, you have to deal with.”
(A couple of your cornerbacks, CB Xavien Howard and CB Byron Jones, are you optimistic for this week?) – “Again, no setbacks. I’m not sure. I don’t expect to see Byron this week. I don’t. ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) had a – we were happy with where he was at today and he’s a guy that he’s fully embraced his captain’s role. He takes it very serious. It pained him to not be on the field with his teammates, much like it did the other three captains that were playing – or two-and-a-half because (Terron) Armstead dropped. So I know for a fact that he, like the other captains that are on the sidelines, will do everything possible to be ready for Sunday, and we’ll see him if he’s ready to go.”
(How about TE Durham Smythe?) – “He’s really in the same lump, I guess. It’s all the true professionals that do things the right way that appear to be getting injured. So he’s a guy that I wouldn’t count out at all. But it was a serious enough deal for it to be unknown for his game status. So we’ll treat that day by day. It’s a real – I don’t know, crapshoot right now when it comes to injuries. But an unintended consequence that is a positive is that I think our team is getting used to not blinking when guys go down. That is a part of our sport that you don’t want people to lose a competitive advantage if you’re like, ‘well, we got no chance because this guy’s hurt.’ That is not the mindset of the football team. We have a lot of good football players that can contribute and perform if those guys aren’t able to come back.”
(Are you moving forward this week with practices and everything with the assumption that QB Skylar Thompson will be the starter on Sunday?) – “I’m moving forward to – it’s too soon for me to really pinpoint that. There’s, again, I kind of have to wait and assess the whole situation, which I do not have in scope. What I do know is that Skylar will be practicing on Wednesday and hopefully Wednesday I’ll have a better feel of the direction that we should go that’s best for the football team.”
(After watching some of the film from last night, what did you like about what QB Skylar Thompson did?) – “I really respected the fact of how – being a backup quarterback in this league is not easy. And what people don’t understand is you have a finite amount of reps during the week because you can’t deplete your athletes and you can’t have endless amount of reps. So typically, starters get anywhere from 80 to 100 percent of the practice reps. So a backup quarterback, especially a rookie, is a tremendous challenge because you have to own the whole gameplan, visualize it, be able to call it, be able to line people up and then execute appropriately. I think he was way on top of the gameplan in a way that I don’t think typically I’m used to rookies being on top of. I think he was also frustrated with his play but confident that he – it was more of like a frustration in the moment like ‘my feet are messed up, that wasn’t the right timing.’ Overall, it’s exactly what I thought it would be where I left the game knowing that the game is not too big for him and that was probably if he has any say in it, that was probably the worst that he will feel like he’ll perform as a professional. And that was good enough to (almost) win. So I was very happy with the player because it takes a lot of prep and it’s a big stage that everyone isn’t up for.”
(When you say it’s too soon to pinpoint if QB Skylar Thompson will be starting, is that only because of the availability of QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Teddy Bridgewater? Or does QB Reid Sinnett factor into that?) – “You guys didn’t bring up Cedrick Wilson. (laughter) No, there’s just like, too many variables right now for my head to even absorb. I think those decisions are important and without a shadow of a doubt, I’ll make that with the best interest in the football team. But there are literally too many variables that I don’t feel comfortable going down that road. But hopefully in the next couple of days, I will.”
(Those variables are challenging enough coming up with a game plan for a tough opponent, but then you factor in you don’t know which quarterback. What does that add relative to the challenge of your install and everything that may go into this week?) – “It a nice challenge, but nothing that myself and the rest of the coaching staff isn’t paid to do. That’s just kind of how I look at those things. No one really cares how hard it is. Do you want me to sit here and be like, ‘Man, this is hard?’ No. It’s a different sort of challenge, but every week you’re trying to solve challenges. Whether it’s what the defense presents, some of the issues, maybe injuries that you have. And then there’s some weeks that those are compounding. It’s difficult but nothing that I don’t see as part of what I expect from myself and what I expect from the coaching staff, so you don’t need to shed any tears for me.”
(Yesterday you said you were optimistic about WR Tyreek Hill’s status. He obviously was in the boot after the game. Are there any updates on his health kind of going into the week?) – “He looked pretty good today, but we’ll take that day by day. I know he won’t – if and when he plays next, he won’t play in a boot. I know that much. (laughter) But he’s another one. We have a lot of guys that really care about playing football and take the responsibility, especially the captains, that take that responsibility very serious. So days after games, especially with leg and ankle stuff and feet, typically things are pretty swollen. He felt all right, but it’s going to be – with him he’s a fast healer, but you just don’t know those type of things. So like most of my life right now, we’ll take it day by day.”
(A couple of QB Teddy Bridgewater questions – back to him. No. 1, I know you guys can send video to the league. Would you send – I don’t even know where he would send a video of him allegedly stumbling, but would you send that video to anyone to get a clarification on the rule? And No. 2, would you send video of the intentional grounding? And what did you think of that call?) – “So the two things as far as those procedures go. One, I wouldn’t see any reason to send the league a video because it already happened. So like, am I in the business of grading spotters? No. I mean, it is what it is and I’m not really concerned with – again, I would feel irresponsible on my part to be like, no one cares if we think this, that or the other. Secondly, typically there’s a communication system set up by the league in regards to penalties. And the way it works is that you have designated coaches each week and if you have a discrepancy with a call or a question, you submit them in a form format that’s standardized the day after the game, and they generally get back to you pretty quick. So I’m sure we’ll get a clarification on that. But typically, I don’t really – again, I don’t really spend my time worrying about past things, whether they’re misgivings or whatever they are that are outside of my control. I’m more concerned with doing my job as it relates to the football team, the coaching staff, the players in the organization, and then preparing our team for the next challenge ahead, which you know (the Vikings are) 4-1 and doing a great job so we would not be giving ourselves the best chance to compete against them if we did anything otherwise.”
Jevon Holland – October 10, 2022
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Monday, October 10, 2022
S Jevon Holland
(What have you seen out of the corners that have been elevated to bigger roles early in the season and playing the last game without CB Xavien Howard?) – “They’re doing their job. They’re stepping up to the plate like we ask them to. That’s what I expect because they’re high competitors.”
(You all allowed Jets RB Breece Hall to amass 197 total yards this past game. You guys face Vikings RB Dalvin Cook this week. How much are you guys focusing on that to try to limit him because he’s a South Florida guy, so you know he’s kind of going to get some touches on Sunday?) – “We’re going to work the game plan that the coaches give us.”
(How concerned are you about the turnovers not coming at it at a high rate? I know you had the interception, LB Melvin Ingram had the touchdown, but the last couple of games they haven’t come as constantly. Is that a concern? Or are you just kind of, we just do our job and they’ll come?) – “Just got to do your job and splash plays will happen.”
(Just at 3-2 the first quarter of the season, snap, done. How would you evaluate what you guys have done as a team?) – “We’ve done some good things, we’ve done some things that we wish we could take back and improve on. But overall, we’ll just continue to work hard and get better every day. That’s all you can do.”
(To preserve your undefeated home record, what are you requiring from the fans on Sunday? What kind of energy would you like to see from them?) – “I would hope they come out there and bring it, have a great time and be energetic. But regardless of the fans out there, we got to do our job. I would appreciate them being out there, livening things up for sure.”
(How much of a factor have the last two fourth quarters – you haven’t had CB Byron Jones, obviously, but then CB Xavien Howard also – how big a factor is that in the last two fourth quarters?) – “It’s large. Those two guys are very important people on the team and not just on the field, but also in the locker room. So not having them out there is definitely a blow that the defense takes. But like I said earlier, guys got to step up and do their job. We are professionals and we are grown men, so you got to take it on the chin. You’ve got to go into the game knowing that you don’t have those guys and execute.”
(I’m sure that Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer wishes he had two of you, one who could blitz and one who could be in coverage, but he only has only one of you. So you’ve been in coverage most of the time. You’ve blitzed very few times according to the metric sites. Would you like to blitz more ideally?) – “I’m probably going to do what the coach asks me to do. And in that, you see me doing more coverage than blitzing, so that’s just what I’m going to continue to do.”
(What changes when CB Xavien Howard isn’t on the field?) – “’X’ (Xavien Howard), I just leave over there and he does this thing. Not (that I) necessarily have to worry about another side of the field, but I know that ‘X’ is going to be over there battling, just like I know that Nik (Needham) is going to be over there battling. It’s some peace of mind knowing that he’s out there and he can make a splash play just like anybody else on the team, but he has a track record of getting the ball in his hands. It’s a comfortable feeling to know he’s over there.”
(Have you guys seen QB Teddy Bridgewater around the facility today? And if so, how is he?) – “Oh, yeah, he’s going good. I saw him today. Yeah, he’s doing well.”
(He seems like normal?) – “Yeah. I mean, yeah.”
(What’s your take on the circumstances under which he was out of the game, passing concussion test, but now the new rule – someone saw a stumble allegedly and he couldn’t come back in?) – “I think the league is taking great consideration into our health past football, which I deeply appreciate. I mean, football does end for everybody at some point and we have to live a regular life. So if they’re taking the steps to make sure that we continue to live a regular normal life without any repercussions or anything later down the line, then that’s what it’s going to be.”
Christian Wilkins – October 10, 2022
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Monday, October 10, 2022
DT Christian Wilkins
(The QB Teddy Bridgewater situation, have you seen him today? How does he look to you? And what did you think yesterday when he left the game? Did you think that was necessary?) – “Yeah, I didn’t really know what happened exactly. It wasn’t until later I found out about what’s going on but that’s the – I guess those are the new rules. That’s how things are going to be handled. Not only Teddy, but other guys around the league, I saw there were a bunch of guys who kind of dealt with the same situation. That’s just what it is. We’re looking to protect the players.”
(How did QB Teddy Bridgewater look to you today?) – “Fine.”
(Defensively, just to give up 40 points, how do you rally around each other to make sure that this Sunday it’s a different result?) – “It’s simple. We watch the tape today and then get back to it tomorrow, and then everyone’s got to just hold themselves accountable and look themselves in the mirror and see what they can do better to make sure that that doesn’t happen. We all got to have each other’s back and carry guys with us.”
(Later in the game against Jets after QB Teddy Bridgewater has this situation, Jets WR Braxton Berrios takes what appears to be a hit to the head. He’s taken a knee to not get up. It’s kind of fascinating how things develop just within a game where players are adjusting apparently. Do you think that’s going to be a conversation among players now? Strategically, just hold on and don’t get up immediately?) – “Yeah, I really don’t know. But I’m sure the spotters or whoever will still do what they – they’ll be doing their job. I really don’t know how guys will handle it.”
(What sticks out to you? You probably haven’t looked at the Vikings too much. I know it’s Monday. But WR Adam Thielen is a stud, you’ve got WR Justin Jefferson on the outside and RB Dalvin Cook. What’s the key to making sure that you can limit them?) – “Yeah, they definitely got a lot of good players. They have a really good athletic offensive line. They obviously got really good skill players. They can do a lot of good things. They can put up points. They can do it all. We definitely got to have a good week of preparation. We’ve got a tough challenge in front of us. They’re a really good team and a really good offense. We’re all going to just have to put our best foot forward this week.”
(The last two fourth quarters, Cincinnati and the Jets, how much of it had to do with injuries? How much of it had to do with being on the road?) – “Yeah, you don’t make excuses. We’re all pros. We’re here for a reason. It doesn’t matter. We’ve just got to do better and we’ve got to finish, really. Everyone has a job to do. You’ve just got to do it to the best of your abilities for a full 60 (minutes).”
Jerome Baker – October 10, 2022
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Monday, October 10, 2022
LB Jerome Baker
(So how much, I guess, shock value was there among the team yesterday when QB Teddy Bridgewater goes out because you know that obviously QB Tua Tagovailoa was out? How shocking was that to the team?) – “Of course, when you see a guy like that go down it was shocking, but we have to approach the next man up. Skylar (Thompson) stepped in and did the best he can. So, that’s all it was.”
(Have you seen video of QB Teddy Bridgewater of the incident? And did you notice him stumble or anything like that?) – “Honestly, I didn’t even realize it. I think I looked over at ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts), and he said something. With the offense out there, we were kind of getting our stuff on defense, so I wasn’t looking at the play or anything like that. But it is what it is.”
(You haven’t seen any video of it?) – “No, I still didn’t really watch it just yet, but I’m sure I’ll get around to it.”
(What changes defensively when CB Xavien Howard doesn’t play?) – “What changes? I mean, the guy is a superstar in this league. He’s one of the best corners in this league. So you can just imagine, our defense is going to change a little bit. You can put him on any receiver and he’s going to pretty much lock them down or get interceptions off of them. So, of course it’s a blow to our defense, but we have great guys that come in and they can do a pretty good job. So the expectations don’t change for our defense when he’s out. We still have to get it done.”
(You guys haven’t produced turnovers at a high rate. Why do you think that’s been? I know there has been some dropped potential interceptions, but why do you think the turnovers haven’t come?) – “I don’t think there’s a real reason why. We had opportunities and we just didn’t lock in on them. But our approach is still to go after the ball, still come up with the ball and that’s not going to change. That’s a part of our defense, and that’s a part of our culture. We’re still doing that, it just hasn’t gone our way just yet.”
(The Vikings have a lot of weapons – WR Justin Jefferson, TE Adam Thielen, RB Dalvin Cook. An unfamiliar opponent, how do you minimize what they do?) – “I think for us, we just really have to do our job. I think yesterday was unfortunate because we didn’t do our job. One guy would do this, go rogue or whatever. At the end of the day, if we just do our job, we can handle any high-power offense. So that’s the main thing. They have some weapons over there, but at the end of the day, if we don’t do our job, it doesn’t matter who is across from us, we’re going to get exposed. So that’s our main focus this week is just do our job, do the things that we’ve always done, run to the ball, get turnovers and we’ll be just fine.”
(From watching the tape, were the mistakes defensively more mental or more physical?) – “I think it was a little bit of both. Mentally though, if one guy does this wrong, it’s just a trickle-down effect. If you expect the guy to do this and he didn’t do it, now that leads to a whole number of things. But I think we will do a great job this week of just getting back on track and just locking in. I think we’ll be just fine Sunday.”
(For the first three games, you guys were one of the best fourth-quarter defenses in the league. You kind of slipped down the last two games against Cincinnati and New York. Obviously, you guys have had some injuries on that side of the ball, but what are some other things that you need to clean up late in the game to get back to the level you had the first three weeks?) – “I think it’s just what I said before, just do our job. I think guys just want to make plays. The intent is there, but at the end of the day, our team, how we’re built, if we all do our job, the play is going to come to us. That’s the main thing. I think guys want to make plays, guys want to do the right thing. They want to be that guy that makes that third-down stop, or that sack, or that pick, whatever. But at the end of the day, if we just do our job, all those things are going to come. That’s the thing we got to focus back on is just do what you’re supposed to do, and the play is going to come to you.”
(Yesterday, the defense had two sacks and three quarterback hits. Are your blitzes having the effect that they did last season?) – “Is it having an effect?”
(Because you were so effective last season with it obviously.) – “Well, it is still early in the season – you can’t just compare these few games to a whole season last year. But I think the main thing is we’re going to be just fine at the end of the day. We believe in our scheme. We believe in the guys we have on our team and we’ll be just fine. I think now is just a wakeup call. We just have to go back to the drawing board and do what we do. It’s not anything new that we haven’t been through, and we’ll be just fine.”
