Ryan Tannehill – August 21, 2018
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Tuesday, August 21, 2018
QB Ryan Tannehill
(On the third preseason game.) – “Yes, I think it’s obviously the closest thing you get to a real game as far as game-plan preparation. We’re setting it up how we go through a normal week so meetings, install, everything is pretty similar to a normal week. So it gives us a good dress rehearsal, so to speak, of your process through the week and creating habits of on what days you do what, and obviously getting ready to play.”
(Is this week a better gauge for where the team is than the first two preseason games because there’s more prep in it?) – “I don’t know. It’s still a preseason game so it’s not fully … I don’t think either side is fully throwing all of the cards on the table but I think it’s as close as you’re going to get.”
(When it comes to individual performance and team performance, how much do you think the preseason correlates to how someone or a team will do in the regular season?) – “I don’t know. I haven’t done a study on it or anything like that. I know that if you’re constantly playing well then usually you’re going to continue to play well. I don’t think as far as final scores or anything like that, that it’s probably a big indicator; but you kind of think about how you’re playing. Are you trending (upwards)? Are you getting better each and every week? That’s a big deal.”
(How is the RB Kenyan Drake that you’re taking the field with today different than the guy you saw as a rookie?) – “Kenyan has grown up a lot. He’s matured and kind of became a pro. I think he’s had a couple of older guys to learn from. He’s doing a great job of being in the right spot on the field and working hard every single day. He’s a talented guy. He’s had that since he got here but I think he’s added all of the off-field stuff and just a complete understanding, and he’s really taken it to the next level.”
(Is it a bit of a surprise to you with how RB Kenyan Drake escapes plays when it looks like he’s dead in the water?) – “Yes, he’s fun to watch. I’ve said it multiple times, Frank (Gore) is fun to watch with how he can skirt through a tiny hole. Then Drake, like the play last week, I didn’t even realize he had spun out of it because I had finished my fake, turned around and he’s running off to the other side. But after watching it on tape, he should have been tackled for a 3-yard loss and somehow gets out of it and it ends up being a 30-something-yard gain. I think that’s the kind of playmaking he brings to the table. Any play can be a home run.”
(Looking at third-down situations, Head Coach Adam Gase was saying that first and second downs have gotten you into third-and-long situations. Improving on first and second down, is that more mental or more physical?) – “I think for us last week it was a little bit of both. I would say it was probably a little bit more mental with the penalties, but some of those penalties or are because of physical (things) – not having your hands in the right spot and that type of thing. I would say it’s a little bit of both. They go together. I thought we moved the ball well last week when we didn’t have penalties and then we put ourselves in some third-and-long situations through penalties. Obviously we need to eliminate those.”
(What do you like about the offense right now because as you said, it looks like you guys are moving the ball fairly well.) – “Yes. We’re building in the right direction. We’re trending in the right direction. We are still installing some new things still and trying to master a few things so we have a lot of work to do, but I feel like we’re trending in the right direction. We’re getting some good work the past couple of drives that we’ve been out there and it has to continue this week.”
(Have you been touched yet by defenders?) – “Maybe bumped. I haven’t been hit, that’s for sure.”
(How good does that feel, not just to go through the preseason, but the offensive line looks like they’re a little bit more stable?) – “It’s huge. Whenever you’re able to drop back and go through your progressions, find a check down and not get hit, it obviously is going to open up a lot of things for us in the pass game and makes my life a whole lot easier.”
(When you watch the film, did you see opportunities to maybe stretch the field that you didn’t see in the game? Where there opportunities there or is it kind of what you called is what you ran?) – “I think the ball went in the right spot except for the one where I overthrew Jakeem (Grant) down the left sideline. I think other than that, the ball was in the right spot. That team plays a lot of soft coverage and they were giving us the easy underneath throws. You kind of have to just keep taking them when you play a team like that and just kind of wait for the right time. When you have the right play call and the right coverage, then you take a shot. I think we did a good job of taking what was there. Hopefully, if you’re playing a full game, you’re kind of wearing them down and wearing them down and then you eventually get your shot over the top.”
(How prioritized is it to get in the end zone on Saturday?) – “It’s huge. We need to get in the end zone. That’s the whole object of being out there is to get points and more importantly get the ball in the end zone. It’s going to be huge for us to be able to finish drives.”
(What do you see from the overall team speed on offense? You have a lot of speed burners. Is that difficult to adjust to when so many guys are that fast?) – “It’s a lot of fun. When you have speed all over the field, the defense has to cover the whole field. It really helps us out with matchups and stretching the field both horizontally and vertically. With so many playmakers, it’s just a matter of getting the ball in their hands and letting them go to work.”
(When you have two good pass-rushing defensive ends – the Chargers have it with DE Joey Bosa and DE Melvin Ingram, you guys have it with DE Robert Quinn and DE Cameron Wake – what does that do to a pass protection? Is everybody on edge or how does that work?) – “I think you’re just aware of where your issues are. We actually have some great tackles that are really athletic and long and can block those guys; but when you know you have a really good edge rusher, you have to make sure you set the pocket and then dip underneath. I think the quarterback can help out a lot with being in the right spot in the pocket. You’re obviously aware of those guys and you might add in a few chips in the game plan, have a tight end on one side, a back on the other side or those type of things to help out as much as you can.”
(How much do you trust those guys? I was talking to RB Kenyan Drake and he was ‘it’s physics with me and DE Robert Quinn. I’m 210 and he’s 2-whatever.’ As a quarterback, when you see that are you ‘it’s time to do something’ or do you trust that they can get in the way?) – “We shouldn’t have any situation where Drake is one-on-one blocking Quinn. (laughter) That should be the biggest priority, is not having him one-on-one. Usually he’s helping out, he’s doubling or giving him a chip. Obviously, if you have him in a one-on-one matchup, that’s not one you’re going to feel good about offensively. (laughter)”
(Is this the training camp Ryan or are we growing a beard?) – “No, I just haven’t shaved yet.”
(I thought we were going to get a bearded version.) – “No. Maybe in November, December, something like that.”
