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Austin Jackson – December 20, 2021 Download PDF version

Monday, December 20, 2021

G/T Austin Jackson

(How did it feel to get the run game going the way you guys did, rushing for a season high as a team. And also watching RB Duke Johnson, the veteran, do what he did at his first home game back with his hometown Dolphins?) – “It was great. Like you said, it was definitely great to see Duke back in his hometown, back in Hard Rock (Stadium) making plays like he’s been doing. Huge credit to our backs, they had a great game. They did an excellent job reading. It feels good when the outcome of your work is that. We look for plenty more 100-yard rushing games definitely. That’s going to be our goal.”

(You played well again yesterday. You didn’t give up a quarterback pressure. Obviously you were a part of a run game that really good. Are you at the point where you look back at the decision the Dolphins made to move you to guard as a good one in your career? And if you’re not at that point yet, do you think you’ll ever be at that point and feel that way?) – “I definitely think moving to guard has enhanced my career and me as a player. Just the knowledge that it’s given me as an offensive lineman, it’s forced me to really focus on my technique, which is something I think I needed at tackle as well. I think playing guard is definitely going to help me become a better and greater player that I am and will be.”

(Has the feedback you’ve received on how you’ve played the last few weeks, has the feedback from Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre been positive? Are you playing well in your eyes and in the team’s eyes?) – “I’m doing my job, definitely. If you’re not doing your job, they will tell you. (laughter) So I’m definitely doing my job. My mindset is whatever position I’m at on the field, I’m going to put 100 (percent) into it and I think this organization knows that as well. Every week we come in and have a new team and we’re just looking to win.”

(As a group, the offensive line has helped reduce the number of sacks as the season has progressed. What do you think are some of the reasons and some of the ways in which the offensive line has been able to limit pressures and sacks?) – “To eliminate pressures and sacks? Playing better, I guess. (laughter) I don’t know. You can look back at other games where we’ve had off days, and yeah, our communication was bad, especially on my end. Like I could’ve done different stuff with my technique. I think the focus has always been there. We’ve always been focused on executing. But obviously when you go into a game and it doesn’t go your way, you have to figure out what else you need to do. I think we just got to the point where collectively as a group, as a team – because it doesn’t just start with the offensive line, we all work together and get on the same page with stuff to help us out in situations. I think us collectively doing that over and over again and leaning on each other and not pointing fingers – it’s so easy to point fingers. We didn’t do any of that. We just stuck together and worked to execute.”

(You were listed as questionable on the final injury report with illness. How bad did it get and were you ever concerned that you might not be able to play?) – “It wasn’t bad and I don’t think I was concerned about playing.”

(Next Monday is going to be your first Monday night game. A spotlight game with everybody watching, does that hold extra meaning for somebody like yourself that hasn’t played in a Monday night game before?) – “I have not played in a Monday night game. You’re right. I didn’t even think about that. Coming from the Pac-12, I remember we played at night almost every game. Like it was rare for us to play at noon. I definitely look forward to the later night games. I think they are fun. It’s like high school ball. Like Friday night lights. It’s good energy. We get to go up against a great opponent too, the Saints. We’ll have our assignments that we’ll need to execute, but they have a pretty decent front, good edge rushers, good interior. They are a good team. I’m looking forward to getting with my guys and coming up with a plan and executing on Monday night. I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

(How about the notion that mentally, not only the fans are watching this game, but pretty much your fellow NFL players around the league are watching that game as well?) – “Definitely. Everyone is watching those Monday night, Thursday night, Sunday night games. Everybody is watching those. It definitely is. We just prove ourselves right. We don’t just try to prove the whole world wrong. It’s not the Miami Dolphins against the world. We just lock in together and try to prove us right. At the end of the day, that takes you a lot farther than trying to prove a bunch of people wrong.”  

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