Alec Ingold – September 9, 2024
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Monday, September 9, 2024
FB Alec Ingold
(How good did it feel to convert those two third-and-1 runs? And on the second one, can you take me through the play where it looked like you got hit in the backfield before you were able to plow through?) – “Yeah, it felt great. I think it was – we had a few of those opportunities that just pop up in the flow of the game and to keep the offense on the field was awesome. As a fullback, I didn’t really have to do much. The right side of the offensive line just kind of rode that wave. Austin Jackson down-blocking, we have that out block with Durham (Smythe), or Julian (Hill), or whoever man, and the hole was there and we just made it work. So I’m glad we could keep the offense on the field, Jeff Wilson Jr. was humming at the end of the game. Tua (Tagovailoa) was on one. Everyone was fiery getting in and out of the huddle, so just to keep that momentum, those little things are the big things so it felt good.”
(On the second one, I was not wrong that you got hit in the backfield, so what was going through your mind and the determination to plow through it?) – “I just tried to get – in my mind, I was mentally thinking get as skinny as possible and get through that hole. I tried to embody Raheem Mostert as best I could, but no man. I think it’s all mindset; like he’s going a little sideways, I’m going forward, you got to be able to make that work, especially when you’re at that point in the game. You got to be at your best when your best is required in the fourth quarter, set up ‘7-dawg,’ Jason Sanders for that game-winner. That was all we needed.”
(It seemed like the Jaguars made a real concerted effort to take away your run game early on at least – the second half RB Jeff Wilson Jr. really got it going for you guys. What did Jacksonville do that was effective and how can you improve going into this week?) – “I think we talked about that new defensive coordinator over there getting those guys rolling. Their edge defenders are really tough – really high paid, really high motor guys. Linebackers were flowing down hill, so – you got big Arik Armstead in there too. They had quite a bit of defensive players that were making plays. As we were able to make adjustments, as we were able to see things on the sideline, communicate, I think that’s what opened up those lanes in the second half. And I think that’s just a testament to the team man, sticking together. Obviously it wasn’t pretty in the first half, but when you have guys that have been intentional about the way that we’re working through things, we can talk to each other, speak the same language and be able to iron it out on the sideline to be able to put up some points, get some drives rolling. Even when things are moving slow and it doesn’t feel great, you’re able to kind of get all that rust out, burn all those fumes out and be able to get what we need in the second half. So I was really proud of the guys; the communication on the sideline was elite. Yeah, we made those adjustments together as a crew and it was great.”
(I think you have won your first game against the Bills with the Dolphins and then have lost four straight since and 11 of 12 for the franchise overall. Can you take us into – what are the feelings inside the locker room toward Buffalo?) – “I mean we don’t like them; they don’t like us. It’s not a really big secret, we’re all very familiar with each other. It’s a Thursday night game, a short week so adversity is an opportunity. Really excited any time you get to play the Bills. They’re atop the AFC East as long as I’ve been here and that’s the type of game you want to play in primetime with all the guys rolling deep and being able to lay it all out there. If you’re a competitor, you love playing the Bills. You got a heck of a lot of respect for them across the board. You’ve got to play really sound football for four quarters to be able to compete and that’s what we got to do. We’ve got to put one together.”
(I was going to ask about the Bills as well, but I wanted to ask you about the compressed time frame. What time did you get out of the stadium last night? What time did you get back to work today? And what’s on the agenda to get ready for one of the biggest games of the season?) – “Yeah, fans were rolling deep yesterday so we didn’t get back until maybe 5:30 (p.m.) and got to just hang out by the house, grill out some dinner and then we’re right back at it 7:00 a.m. this morning. So it is a quick turnaround but you’re also just playing football, right? It really does boil down to the simplicity of the game, being able to execute, take in a game plan, playing ball, making those adjustments. Nobody’s bodies feel great, but I think that’s that extra layer of want to that you really need to bring into those Thursday night games, and it’s an exciting opportunity for us. So anytime we can be back at Hard Rock Stadium on a quick turnaround, I’m not complaining about that.”
David Long Jr. – September 9, 2024
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Monday, September 9, 2024
LB David Long Jr.
(I wanted to ask you, given what happened and how weird thing were before the game yesterday. can you give us a picture of how you guys were able to come together and focus on the game after you found out what had happened?) – “It really wasn’t that tough for us to stay focused on the task at hand. We knew with the challenge we had in front of us that was a good team across from us. We knew we couldn’t go out there and play around and focus on things that were out of our control. We talked about it and locked back in and ended up going out there and handling business.”
(What were the key changes do you feel in the second half that lead to the difference in performance in the first and second half?) – “I think people just woke up. We went in there, we realized that we were not playing ourselves on the defensive side of the ball. We went in there and got each other right. As far as the coaches coming in there and announcing the things we were messing up on and holding each other accountable. We know we have too many elite players on that side of the ball for things to be going the way they were. It didn’t take much for us to have some self-reflect and go out there and hold each other accountable at halftime. We went out there and handled business.”
(You’ve had at least a couple occasions where you’ve gotten to play against QB Josh Allen. What are some of the keys to stopping him in your estimation?) – “Discipline football and tackling. Strong quarterback that can make things happen with his feet, so you know how you have to be discipline. He can make you pay when you’re not. I’ve played against him many times, and this team has as well, so we know what we got on Thursday.”
(I know this isn’t a question specifically about how your defense performed. I want to talk about the mentality that it takes on those third-and-shorts situations, those fourth-and-1 situations. You’re a physical linebacker. What type of mentality do you have to have to keep the offense from converting on that play?) – “I feel like that’s where you can a find out a lot about your team on those tough downs. That’s where the great football is played because it only takes an inch, either to stop them or to get the first down. We made key stops a couple of times yesterday. It’s just to attest to who we are. We know it’s not easy to win in this league. It usually comes down to one or two plays and you got to take advantage when the opportunity presents itself. I was actually happy we were in those positions because especially early, you get an idea to see who is going to bow up and then who’s not. I think we all showed that some adversity is nothing to us. Actually, we like being in those positions and it shows a lot about us.”
(How’s the hand, by the way?) – “It’s straight, man. I’m cool, ain’t going to put too much on it.”
(I wanted to ask you about your impression on how Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver called his first game with you guys? Do you have any good stories form the sideline or was he up in the box?) – “He was on the sideline. I think it was great. I think he called some plays to get some people to show their strengths, especially at the end of the game. Guys just making plays. It wasn’t just like extra effort, especially with ‘JP’ (Jaelan Phillips), ‘O’ (Emmanuel Ogbah). We just wanted it more. I think it showed. I think he called plays to just let guys play their game which is important, especially to the elite players on this side of the ball that got to show their strengths. It was good. Looking to build on it throughout the season.”
(What are your impressions on how LB Jaelan Phillips did his first game back?) – “Man, listen – we literally just left film. I don’t know if y’all watched it but that boy has a motor. That man has motor and it shows. It shows that he was just eager to get back out there with the guys. It’s going to be a long season for these tackles, not going to lie.”
(So much is made by fans and some media about how players from former teams can help their current team. Is there anything that S Jordan Poyer can offer you guys, without saying what it is, is there anything strategically, or even nuances of Buffalo’s offense you think can help you this week? Or is all of that totally overstated and you know enough just from having played them a lot?) – “I would just say just that – you answered the question. We know them enough. ‘JP’ (Jordan Poyer), even with him being over there I don’t think it’s much. Even if they did, they would probably know, so any calls, any pre-snaps, they would probably change it, of course. It’s not like, ‘JP, give us a blueprint.’ Just go out there and we know we have a plan when we get it, and play to that. But no, I’m not worried about that.”
(I wanted to go back to the question about the incident involving WR Tyreek Hill before the game. I’m wondering if you were able to see any of the social media videos about what happened, and for you personally, what was it like seeing a teammate going through that? Was it scary? What have you been able to reflect about what happened?) – “I wouldn’t say it’s scary. It’s something that I’m used to seeing. But it was just wild that like – I saw the video, but I didn’t see the caption or anything at first, but then I saw it. It’s crazy that mentally he could lock back in and go out there and finish the game that he did, because that could’ve threw him off his game. He probably could’ve had a bad game and just let that mess with his mental. But he didn’t. He went out there, got past it at that time and made stuff happen. It was a good attest to him and his focus and discipline.”
(I wanted to know about the run defense. You guys allowed 128 yards on 26 carries. But the biggest play of the game, S Jevón Holland’s strip, came in the run game. How do you balance that? How did you guys do overall against the run?) – “I think we did OK. I know I could’ve done better, but as a whole, as a defense, we we’re just meeting. We know we have some things to harp on a little bit, but all in all, we feel like we have the tools to make stuff happen and we just want to be great. To us, that was too much, but big plays here and there, they weren’t consistently running. They had a couple of plays where they were just big gains, but it’s easy fixes especially with the leaders on this side of the ball. It’s an easy fix.”
Jordan Poyer – September 9, 2024
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Monday, September 9, 2024
S Jordan Poyer
(Do you expect any emotion Thursday playing your former team that’s different from a regular game? After these teams have seen each other so much, is there anything you can share with defensive teammates about the nuances of Buffalo’s offense? Or is that whole thing entirely overstated and there is really no inside information that you can give them?) – “I’m excited to play this week. Obviously, a team that I played with the last seven years. I’m very familiar with a lot of guys they have over there. I still have a lot of good relationships over there. I’m thankful for all of my years out there in Buffalo, but I’m excited to play, for sure. I’ve definitely been connecting with the guys on this team. Like I said, we’re going to be ready to play. We’re excited to play; this is going to be a fun game on Thursday night.”
(This whole topic of sharing inside info, is there anything to it or is there really nothing you can say that your teammates haven’t seen on tape playing Buffalo so often?) – “I’m sure there’s really a whole lot they haven’t seen playing tape. We’ll continue to talk throughout the week, and we’re excited for the opportunity on Thursday night.”
(From practicing against QB Josh Allen for so long, but now preparing to play against him, what have you gathered are some of the keys to containing him?) – “Probably some of the same things that you guys have seen. Yesterday he went pretty crazy doing what he’s always been doing, running around, throwing the ball, hurling over people. Great player, man. I’ve seen him do some crazy things over the years, so I’m really excited for my first opportunity to finally play against him. It’ll be a fun night on Thursday night.”
(Being so familiar with him, are there any tendencies in his play specifically that maybe weren’t always expressed to him that you have in the back of your mind possibly?) – “Yeah, I’ll keep those within the team.”
(But they exist?) – “They exist on every player. We’ll keep those within the team”
(Not to put too fine a point on it, but do you think you were brought here, among the reasons you were brought here, would be to beat the Buffalo Bills?) – “I don’t think that was one of the only reasons why I came here. One of the reasons I came here was because I’ve seen this team over the last seven years grow and become who they are. I wanted to be a help in becoming a part of that steppingstone of winning the AFC East and going on a run in the playoffs. This is just part of it. This is just another game for us to win, go 1-0 this week. What a cool opportunity for Thursday night.”
(Are there any group text blowing up this week?) – “No, there’s not.”
(I wanted to commend you for what you said earlier in the season when you had a press conference with us about the mentality that most Dolphin fans knew, but probably don’t publicly speak about it, especially amongst the team in terms of the Dolphins folding when adversity hits. One, did you get heat for saying that inside the locker room, and how do you go about changing that mentality?) – “I think you saw a little bit of that yesterday – down, what, 14-3. There was probably a lot of people that could’ve counted us out, probably a lot of people that did count us out in that game. We just stuck with it, just kept playing. Kept playing football. I swear I’ve been saying this for years now, a coach used to tell me this, is every game you just keep playing, the game is going to always come down to the last play, the last series, the last drive, it doesn’t matter the score. When you at the games over the weekend, that was a game. When you look at the game last night, the last drive, the last series, Detroit drives down with the ball, game over. You just keep playing. Adversity is going to hit; every team is going to go through adversity and you being able to handle those moments, that’s what it’s about – the moments. Handling the moments, and I thought we did an amazing job with that yesterday. It was really cool to be a part of this victory, and we’re excited about this week.”
(The touchdown pass yesterday in the corner of the end zone to WR Brian Thomas Jr. Looking at the all-22, it just looked like it was just a really good throw. Sometimes it’s a good offense rather than a defensive mistake. But I’m curious, from your perspective what did you see on that on that play and how did it get completed?) – “Yeah, it was a good throw. I think just us and the secondary playing together and continue to play together, we’ll continue to communicate things. There is this couple of things out there that we could do better on the back end that are super easy fixes. We’ve got a super talented, we’ve got guys that have played this game for a long time. So just small communication things that will help us continue to get better.”
(Was that Cover 4? I’m trying to learn.) – “We’re playing football. It was Cover 2 and then Cover 4 based off of releases and there were certain communications. Things that we got to communicate, that we’ll continue to communicate and get it figured out. We gave up 14 points to an NFL team in the first NFL game of the season. I think going into the second half, we shut them out pretty good so that’s what we’re going to continue to build off of and continue to thrive off of.”
(I just wanted to get your reaction to what happened with WR Tyreek Hill prior to the game and how were you guys able to respond?) – “What a crazy situation. He’s a boss for getting (detained) and then going out there and going for – what did he go, for 130 something yards? That’s just absolutely ridiculous. We love Tyreek (Hill), man. It was super cool that the guys that were around him, Calais (Campbell) and Jonnu (Smith) and I think there might have been another person, were there to help support. It’s just a tough situation, we’re glad that he was OK. I saw his press conference after the game. What a leader he is for saying the things that he said and I’m just going to keep it at that.”
(I wanted to ask you a little more about what you just said. Was there a turning point before the game, something someone said, whether it was Head Coach Mike McDaniel or someone else, that got you guys focused on the game and able to overcome that very weird situation before the game?) – “I think everybody kind of realized on their phones on Twitter when it happened. He came in the locker room, and he got dressed like he was playing and we were all ready to go. It was like it never happened, really, and he went out there and went crazy on the field like he always does. What a crazy story. That’s something, shoot, I’ll tell my grandkids when I’m 70 years old. ‘Yeah, that boy Tyreek got (detained) and went out there and went crazy on the field.’ (laughter)”
(I’d like to ask you about the Buffalo connection. I understand usually ex-teammates don’t communicate the week of that game. Going back over the summer when you first signed with Miami, was there any good trash talking between you and the Bills, sort of like “See you in September,” kind of thing? What do you remember?) – “Absolutely, there has been, for sure. (laughter) I’m going to keep it at that. The boys know we’re coming; I know they’re coming, so it’s going to be a fun Thursday night.”
De’Von Achane – September 8, 2024 (Postgame)
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Sunday, September 8, 2024
Postgame – Jacksonville
Dolphins RB De’Von Achane
(On the team’s performance) – “I feel like as a team we came off sluggish, but the second half – and you see we picked up, but as long as we came out with the win, I feel like we’re always correcting mistakes.”
(Was it just rust or just lack of practice…?) – “Like you said, it’s Week 1 so I would say I’d rather we come out and be rusty Week 1 than Week 17.”
(How do you like being used in the passing game as well as in the running game?) – “I feel good. I feel like I’m as comfortable as I’m doing a lot of various things as I am going to running back so it’s nothing new to me so if I go to receiver, I feel ready.”
Jaelan Phillips – September 8, 2024 (Postgame)
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Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024
Postgame – Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins LB Jaelan Phillips
(On his return) – “I’m grateful for this opportunity. It’s been a long road coming back from this injury, but I feel amazing. I’m ready just to keep moving forward.”
(How does it feel?) – “I feel great. I feel amazing. Let’s go.”
(You were close on a few. You could tell you were getting a little frustrated with it.) – “That’s how it is, but you just have to keep rushing, that’s what it’s all about. Obviously, when the time came, I had to close it out. I’m very grateful.”
(What about the play where S Jevon Holland and CB Kader Kohou combined to stop them when it looked like they were going in?) – “Huge. That’s Jevon (Holland). That’s just what he does. We’ve seen this time and time again. Guys just stepping up when we need them the most. Really big plays.”
(What was DT Calais Campbell like in the huddle? The way you guys were warming up, the communication, what was he like?) – “Calais (Campbell) is just a savvy vet out there and he’s a force to be reckoned with. We all respect the hell out of him. He’s a leader on this team. So he was just getting us going and doing what he has to do.”
Jaylen Waddle – September 8, 2024 (Postgame)
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Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024
Postgame – Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle
(On the win)– “You know, I think our team is built for adversity, so when it hit, they came in with great attitude and really brought energy to the team. They just channeled their energy in the right way and gave us a hard fought win.”
(For you guys, offensively, it seemed like the first half it was a little slow to start, but you guys got your heels going in the second half, what was it that maybe got you guys started?) – “Yeah man, the Jaguars had a great game plan. Coming in, they really switched up some of the things we thought they were going to do. Some of the leverages we thought we were going to have, kind of switched up a little bit. So we had to adjust, and when we did, started hitting a lot of plays.”
(How important was it getting this first win knowing that it’s a short week?) – “Very important, man, especially with the type of win that we had. When we had to come back, it really shows the character and the leadership that we have on this team. Our defense played outstanding, really had our backs until we could find our groove and we just tried to help them out.”
Jevon Holland – September 8, 2024 (Postgame)
Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024
Postgame – Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins S Jevon Holland
(Peanut punch. Tell us a little about the strip on Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. that felt like it changed the momentum of the game?) – “Just how the game goes. Somebody’s got to start it off, we needed a turnover at that point. It was down in the red zone. Couldn’t let them score so had to get the ball out.”
(How was the satisfaction of immediately seeing the next play, or two plays later, Tyreek with the big touchdown?) – “Oh yeah, definitely, 100 percent. It changed the momentum of the game. I’m happy to be the guy that my name was called and I was able to make that play, but it could be any of us. That’s the sweet part about being on a team, you just have to wait for your opportunity. Play your alignment, assignment, technique and then when that thing happens you just take advantage of it, so I was happy it was me.”
(They had some success with the passing plays in the first half. You guys kind of got that under wraps in the second. Were there any adjustments y’all made?) – “Just a little adversity. There’s always going to be adversity in the game and you’ve got to kind of get back on the drawing board, rely on your technique and what you practiced and that kind of settles everything out. But yeah, nothing crazy, we’ve just got to play our game.”
Tua Tagovailoa – September 8, 2024 (Postgame)
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Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024
Postgame – Jacksonville
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
Q: Can you talk about the resiliency of your team after being down 14 and being able to pull this out?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I think it tells you early on a lot about our team and a lot of what we’ve tried to ingrain in each other with the relationships we’ve been building off the field, on the field. It’s collectively I got your back, you got our back. We’re not shying away from what we know is true. We’re down 14. That’s what it is. What are we going to do? Nobody can change that but us. We went through a lot of adversity, but good teams find ways to win, even if it looks not as good. So there’s a lot of things we need to clean up, but happy we came out with the win.
Q: You mentioned adversity. Part of it was what happened pregame. When did you become aware that WR Tyreek Hill had been involved in an issue pregame and how did you handle that conversation or handle that?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I found out from a couple guys. I didn’t know that it happened. I went up to ask Tyreek. Tyreek told me his story. Now I’m always going to support my teammate. I’m always going to support my teammate. From what he told me, I only know that side of the story, I don’t know the other side. But I’m always going to support him. I’m going to have his back. It was just an unfortunate deal that happened today.
Q: The touchdown to WR Tyreek Hill, was WR Jaylen Waddle the first read? It looked like you looked his direction.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, Waddle was the first read.
Q: Can you go through the progression on that?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: (Jaylen) Waddle was the first read. I saw space. There was nobody over there and I knew Tyreek was coming into my vision. I skipped my first read basically – probably. I may get in trouble for that. (laughter)
Q: Was there a sense that the team was rallying around WR Tyreek Hill after what happened?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I would say they were rallying off the fans, if you will. Jaylen Waddle had a deep one and the fans kind of ignited, then we got stopped. Then when Tyreek did his deal, as you guys all know, we could hear how loud the crowd was for the opposing offensive team’s possession. But I think from then on, we found something. Collectively, we’re going to go watch this film tomorrow. We’re going to learn from it and see how we can not be as sluggish. We should start fast. We’ve got some other good teams we’re about to play. We can’t be doing things like that.
Q: Sometimes the halftime adjustments … it seemed like you were doing different things in the second half. What did you learn from the first half that you were able to fix in the second?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: There’s a lot of minutiae for a lot of us because there’s a lot of personnels that guys have to hear, who’s who, who’s what, who’s where. It’s just calling it fast and then they got to go out and line up, and we only have about 10 seconds to do all those motions. It’s a lot of that that we kind of collectively came to. I kind of addressed it to the entire offense with the coaches included. They were all included with that, with the personnel, getting the guys out, who’s who, who’s what. We’re all calling it the same way; we’re all hearing it the same way.
Q: The turnaround with the fumble in the end zone, is that a perfect opportunity to strike, when you have a team a little down because they should have had seven?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Anytime we get the ball, that’s always the perfect opportunity for our team. Every time we’re out there, that’s what we’re looking to do. We’re looking to put points on the board, whether it’s six points, whether it’s three points. Any way we can end a series with points.
Q: How would you describe the importance of the S Jevón Holland play?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: That was very important. That was very important. I would say that was a huge momentum swing. Whether we got points off of that or not, it was just the feel of it with the fans, with our guys on the sideline, it was a big swing.
Q: What did you like from RB De’Von Achane? He tied WR Tyreek Hill for leader in receptions.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: He did?
Q: Yes.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: It tells you a lot right there. He tied Tyreek in receptions today. Very versatile. We put him out there at receiver, we bring him in as a back. We move him around a lot. He does a really good job. That tells you a lot about his IQ as well, knowing the personnels and plays at different positions. It’s all deserving. It’s not a surprise to me.
Q: Last year you guys had some games where when you got down, you weren’t able to get back into it. You got punched in the mouth early today. What can you say about the resilience of this team that you were able to take a hit and come back?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, I mean the game is never over until it is. That was the first two quarters. It sort of trickled into the third quarter a little bit. We regrouped. We found something. We found a way to win it, although it didn’t look as pretty.
Q: It is just one win and they all count the same in the end, but is there a mental significance to starting 1-0 as opposed to the alternative?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, I think it’s a morale booster for the team because it’s a new team. There’s a lot of new guys, a lot of new fits with what we’ve got guys doing on the defense. We’re in our third year in this offense. We’re trying to see what else or what better we can do with this offense and whatnot. I would definitely say it’s a big morale booster.
Q: You used the term ‘sluggish’ earlier.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah.
Q: Was it timing? Can you pinpoint what that was?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I think collectively as a group offensively, it was just one of those deals where we just needed to get our head out of our ass. That was it. It was, ‘okay, yeah, we’re going to come out here, it’s hot, these dudes are probably going to give up a little bit.’ No, we got punched in the mouth. That’s what you get. How are you going to respond?
Q: Can you touch on the fourth-and-8 on the first drive as well the fourth down on the fourth drive, trying to clean that up and trying to establish those long drives?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Well, that’s what we got film for, to clean all of that up. But I think that tells you a lot about the confidence that Mike (McDaniel) has with us going out there. ‘Ok, it’s fourth down and we’re basically at the 50. Like, I trust you guys, but I also trust the defense, that the defense is going to be able to hold them, as well.’ That’s what we did in the second half. They scored zero points in the second half. That was an unbelievable job by the defense.
Q: What were your thoughts on the offensive line as the game progressed leading up to that final drive?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I think they did a great job. Yeah, some things are going to happen where, ‘Okay, I slipped, I do this, I do that.’ I move into a pressure. That all happens. So you just got to continue to play. The game’s never over until it is. That’s sort of the mentality for everyone. Like, yeah, you’re going to have a bad play at least once. Those guys are good as well. We’ll just continue to keep going until it’s done. When it’s done, we can all talk about it and move forward from there.
