Adam Gase – October 14, 2018 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Postgame – Chicago Bears
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase
What happened to QB Ryan Tannehill?
ADAM GASE: I think it was just stemming from last week when he got hit on I think it was the fumble. He got through Monday and Tuesday. He was starting to feel better and then we went out and practiced on Wednesday and he was sore but he was fine. And then Thursday kind of came around and it just kind of got progressively worse as far as his ability to really throw the ball the way he wanted to. So we kind of were just making contingency plans in case it just didn’t get any better. And then this morning, when we worked him out, I mean we could tell that he couldn’t go.
How much work did QB Brock Osweiler get and when did you say, okay, you’re going in?
ADAM GASE: Not a ton. Maybe a few reps on Thursday. Our Fridays aren’t very long so he had some red zone reps. So he really was coming into play off of walkthroughs.
What can you say about QB Brock Osweiler, the short notice and he comes out and plays the way he played today?
ADAM GASE: That’s why he’s here. He knows this system in and out. He knows how to operate at the line of scrimmage, in the huddle. He takes care of the ball. He does things the right way, prepares the right way. Every week he treats it as though he’s going to have to go in the game. So I think that puts him in a great position, when something like this does happen, it’s not like a cram session for him.
You talked about QB Brock Osweiler got great protection from the offensive line and the offensive line, against a very good defensive run team, did a nice job of opening some running lanes. The offensive line did a lot of good things for you out there it seemed like today.
ADAM GASE: I thought protection was good. I thought we got rid of the ball when we had to, to kind of protect ourselves, and I thought Frank (Gore) and Kenyan (Drake) ran hard, and if there was any kind of opening those guys were hitting it. I know there were a few times where I saw both of those guys really fly through there and make contact with the linebackers and just run through arm tackles. Whether we blocked them or not, those guys were doing a good job of getting north.
Defensively, you gave up some big plays in the second half but the first half you were just stingy and made a play at the goal line for a stop, a fumble recovery down in the red zone, and really came up with big plays when they needed to for you all day long. That being said, how do you resolve the big plays that really hurt you?
ADAM GASE: Well, I mean we’re getting healthy, which is nice. It’s the right time. That’s going to help us. We’ve got some young players that are learning and learning the hard way. I know those guys aren’t satisfied with the kind of really the results as far as the yardage goes, but their job is to figure out a way to help us win and they came up with the big plays when we needed them.
Is the QB Ryan Tannehill injury long-term or just this week?
ADAM GASE: I do not know. I do not know. I don’t know. I know today he couldn’t go.
So you’ll just take it day-to-day?
ADAM GASE: That’s what we’re going to do.
Talk about the big picture just a really gutty effort by your team today. Kind of win that can really, after the two losses, it can really just get the momentum back and really catapult your team to getting back on the right track.
ADAM GASE: That’s what these guys do; that’s why they’re here. I like this locker room; I like the way these guys keep fighting. We like playing at home, I know that. We like it hot. The other team wears down eventually and we just keep fighting.
You gave RB Kenyan Drake the ball after he fumbled on the first play in that ensuing series. Is that something you intentionally did to keep him in the game?
ADAM GASE: I don’t think about it. Once we start the series it’s over. Move on to the next one.
RB Frank Gore had over 100 yards. It seemed like every time you needed something big you gave him the ball and he found away to get it done. He put you in second-and-4, second-and-5, those type of things.
ADAM GASE: I was hoping he was going to get in on that one, just looking for … We needed about a yard and a half. But he ran hard; he gave everything he had. That’s why he’s going to be a guy that’s one of the greatest backs ever. The guy’s unbelievable and to do it at his age and to come out here and get 100 yards and grind through that heat and I mean that guy’s a warrior.
What’s the best thing QB Brock Osweiler did from your perspective?
ADAM GASE: He made big plays when we needed him to. Third downs were good and a couple of those plays, the 2-point conversion was, I’ve never … We have never thrown the ball to that guy. (Khalil) Mack did a great job. He blew up the whole play and then Brock stayed on the move and threw a great ball. Kenny (Stills) did a great job of coming out of his break and catching a really tough ball.
WR Albert Wilson made a couple of giant plays from relatively similar circumstances.
ADAM GASE: It’s probably better that he’s like the fourth progression and then we get to him and then that happens. We’re always trying to find ways to get the ball in his hands and Jakeem (Grant), whether it’s short or intermediate because those guys are unbelievable when it comes to getting into the open field. If they have a little bit of room, they’re so fast that they just split the defenders and they’re gone.
TE Nick O’Leary got a ton of run today. Is that him doing everything and then…
ADAM GASE: I think he does a good job with just both run, pass and pass protection and kind of what our game plan was. The tight end was not going to be involved as much and Mike (Gesicki) knew that going into the game and we probably thought we were going to go a little more two tight end personnel, but it didn’t go that way. So we kept those other guys on the field and Nick was just able … We were able to do a lot of, a lot of things with him in there.
Were there one or two things about your defense today that impressed you the most?
ADAM GASE: They just kept bouncing back. Whether it was good or bad, they kept fighting the entire 70 minutes now.
After most Bears games, people are talking about Khalil Mack. What did you guys do to…
ADAM GASE: I don’t know. We had about four guys blocking him. (laughter)
When the team fell behind 21-10, what was going through your mind relative to some ideas to get the offense going and to get back?
ADAM GASE: Just call plays. Just, I mean, it’s hard to … You can’t think like that because then you’re just going to you’re going to press. You just worry about that series how do you get the first first down, and then let those guys go play.
There was a report that the QB Ryan Tannehill injury is a sprained AC joint. We were told that’s not it. What is it?
ADAM GASE: I don’t know. I think there’s some kind of like HIPAA law or something like that. I can’t talk about it. I don’t know. I don’t sit there and ask him all these questions. I just know the guy couldn’t go today. All right? Go ask him. I’m tired of answering this question about this guy. I got it; but you know what, I’m over it. Me and him, we know that he’s not right right now, okay? The details of it, we’ll keep that to us. You guys don’t need to know that.
The tight end seemed to be move involved in the game today, was that part of the game plan and is that something that we’re going to see more of?
ADAM GASE: I mean it was just more almost like check downs. We were worried about the edge guys. So he just, everybody was dropping out of there and that’s why they were so, you know, Nick (O’Leary) was wide open because the DBs were so deep.
