Adam Gase – December 28, 2018
Download PDF version
Friday, December 28, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(What was their mood like obviously with the last day of legitimate practice?) – “All three days were really good. (They had) great energy. Today was really competitive. Guys were doing what they normally do on Friday. I didn’t see any letdown.”
(Yesterday we were talking to Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains and he talked about the sack issues that you guys have had recently and making plays on critical downs in terms of quarterbacks processing faster, getting off their reads and throwing guys open. Where would you evaluate QB Ryan Tannehill in terms of those aspects of his game?) – “I look at it so much … He’s talking quarterback because he’s always going to look at it that way. I look at the big picture of saying ‘How are we as an offense?’ We’ve been poor. We haven’t done nearly enough to get the conversions we need. Really, that’s why we kind of talk about first down, second down, first down – staying out of it, staying as short as we can because now we get into some of those distances where (Kalen) Ballage can get involved and get some conversions. A little bit of it is confidence at some point where we get some conversions and then it helps you throughout the game. I think anytime that we’ve actually had a game where there have been respectable numbers, it’s because we got some early conversions early in the game.”
(What about QB Ryan Tannehill’s ability to buy time in the pocket? He’s taken 27 sacks in the last five games. Maneuverability, evading pressure, extending plays … ) – “I think the majority of them, probably 75 percent of them, I don’t know if he really could have done anything. They happened that fast. I do think sometimes he’ll hang in there a little bit trying to get that throw off if it’s a third-and-longer type third down. Sometimes, you wish if there’s a lane and he sees it, go. It’s hard when you’re standing on the sideline and he’s back there, to see how actually everything is unfolding. When we look at tape, we could say ‘Maybe you can run here, maybe you can at least extend the play.’ We talk about it a lot. We try to see if we can get him to escape the pocket sometimes. A couple of these games, he hasn’t been as mobile as what he was earlier in the season.”
(In this stretch of games since he’s been back, are his receivers doing a good enough job of getting open? I know it’s an everybody issue in terms of where the offense is right now, but where are they in terms of creating an opening for him?) – “We’re so inconsistent. That’s why we’re where we’re at right now. I think there are some games where we’ve been open. The New England game comes to mind, just because just going back and watching a lot of our third downs, where the play call gives them no chance. The coverage they ran compared to what we were running, they had us beat on leverage. It was going to have to be ‘You’re going to have to escape the pocket and make a play,’ but we never had a chance because we got sacked. I think the receivers have been okay. I think it was easier with Albert (Wilson) being around because he can be the fourth progression and you throw him the ball and it’s third-and-9, he catches it at four yards and he’ll get you a first down, just because he can run through all that stuff. Our other guys are more vertical, cut type players. They’re not in-space, make-you-miss type guys.”
(So you would say that you need more guys who can make people miss?) – “We have a couple of them. They’re just in the wrong room.”
(LS John Denney is about to wrap up his 14th NFL season, all of them obviously without missing a single game. How remarkable is that?) – “It’s impressive. He plays through … He got pretty banged up there early in the season, whether it was shoulder or finger or all those type of things, where he just keeps going. I know other people say ‘Well, long snapper.’ He played in a day and age where long snappers were not protected. He took some shots early in his career and now it’s probably kind of nice for him that they actually protect him a little bit.”
(Anyone you can rule out for Sunday?) – “I know T.J. (McDonald) is doubtful. That’s all I know.”
(Where is CB Xavien Howard?) – “It’s going to go down to the game. He’s going to have to make me feel really good to make him active.”
(With LB Kiko Alonso, have you watched him in terms of movement?) – “He looks a lot better this week. He looks a lot better. It was probably good that we didn’t play him because he could’ve gotten worse. He could’ve pulled it. He looks completely night and day from what I saw on Sunday.”
(Bills DT Kyle Williams announced his retirement today. Is he a guy that you still have to account for on that Buffalo defensive line?) – “Yes. He has not changed one bit. Kyle I’ve known since he was a freshman in college. He’s always been the same. College, pro’s – (he) never changed. Whatever he has, he leaves it on the field, and he’s disruptive. He drives you insane because he always seems to get in the backfield whether it’s a run or a pass. You have to be very careful with him.”
(How hard is it to find a defensive tackle like Bills DT Kyle Williams?) – “Kyle, to me, is a little different because he’s so old school. He’s the kind of guy that you might not see the whole offseason and then he shows up for training camp ready to go. His knowledge of the game is huge. That’s why (Davon) Godchaux is a guy that we’re so high on because – I don’t know if it’s LSU or what – but he has the same kind of computer in his brain where he remembers all of this stuff and he can do the right thing in real time and remember what he’s faced before.”
(So you would say DT Davon Godchaux has had a good season?) – “I think it’s been inconsistent. I’m saying the way he thinks, that’s what you want. The more he plays … When you go into Year 3 or Year 4, that’s where you usually see these huge jumps with a lot of players.”
(DE Cameron Wake is turning 37 in January. He loves it when you bring up his age. How much more do you think he can play?) – “I think that’s going to be really up to him. He does such a great job taking care of his body. I feel like we’re smart with him with how we practice him and how we try to manage the game early in the season so he can be ready to go this last part, so he can just play without us thinking about it. But it’s really going to come down to what he wants to do. If he wants to go another year, I don’t think anybody is really going to be up in arms, with him wanting to go another season or another two seasons or whatever it ends up being. I think he just looks at it as it’s one year at a time and he’ll see how he feels at the end of the year. He’s smart about it. I’ve heard him say it a million times. He’s said it to me. He’s like ‘I’ll take the duration and when March comes around, I’ll decide what I want to do.’
(Pass rushers seem to be able to play at an advanced age. Is there any other positions that you think can get that done in their mid-30s?) – “I think some of those wide outs have played for a long time. I look at what Larry Fitzgerald has done, where he was outside, moves inside and then becomes a really dynamic slot player and figures that kind of position out. It’s tough though. Sometimes you see some linemen creep in there, but that’s rare. Obviously running backs we’re never seeing except for our guy (Frank Gore). Quarterbacks are probably the only ones. They seem to get better. When they’re about 34 or 35, you see these guys still peaking and having great seasons. They just see more and more.”
