Brian Flores – December 18, 2019
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Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Are there guys on the roster right now who with a good showing in the next two games could earn a spot on the offseason roster, the 90-man roster? Is anybody in that category do you think right now?) – “I think every guy who plays and practices is every day working to compete, get better and prove themselves in this league or to this team. Yeah, I think every day guys are trying to compete and make a roster, make a team, continue playing. You want them to have all of that type of attitude. So yes, I think that’s the case every week and I don’t think that will change.”
(How much evaluation – I know every game and every week is an evaluation – but in terms of evaluation towards the offseason, how much of that is going on versus trying to win on Sunday?) – “Well, we’re always trying to win but part of winning is obviously playing well, practicing well, preparation, and all of those things are being evaluated. That’s for every player, every coach. Everything we do is being evaluated. Each guy has to go out there and play well individually and play well as a group – offense, defense, special teams – whatever your role is. If you do that, then things normally take care of themselves.”
(What have you seen from CB Nik Needham in terms of dealing with the inevitable ups and downs that come with playing cornerback in the NFL?) – “At that position and really all positions, you have to have a short memory. There will be some good plays, some bad plays, and you just have to be able to move on from both. Again, I’ve said this many times: you can’t get too high, you can’t get too low, you have to stay even. You just have to continue to prepare and go through your process and do things the way you’ve done them. Don’t try to do anything outside of what we’re teaching. If we do those things then we’ll be okay.”
(What have you seen from CB Nik Needham in that respect?) – “I think Nik has played well overall. He’s a young player. He’s smart. He tackles. He’s tough. He’s made – I’d say he’s made a lot of plays over the course of the season and he’s really improved. He’s given some up (as well); but he’s gotten better, and that’s really what you are looking for. I think where he was from that first preseason game to where he is now, I think there’s been substantial development from him. There’s some ups and downs with that but I think at the end of the day, he’s made a lot of improvements and we’re happy to see that. I know I am. I’ve expressed that to him. At the same time, there’s still room for improvement, room for growth. He’s got to work towards that. We’ll always try to keep the foot on the gas as far as helping these players, helping them improve and get better.”
(You said you are going to pick the best guys that give you the best chance to win games. At the quarterback position, what does the backup – QB Josh Rosen – need to do to close the gap with the starter, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick?) – “I understand the question with Josh and ‘Fitz.’ I think Josh has done a lot of good things in practice. He really has. He’s throwing the ball well, he’s making good decisions, he’s throwing with more accuracy. At the end of the day, ‘Fitz’ has played well also and he has a rapport with the team. Not that Josh doesn’t – Josh does as well and he’s building from that standpoint. Whether it’s with the scout team or when he gets his team reps in practice, they’ve been good. You can see the improvement. But we just feel like going with ‘Fitz’ is the best thing for us to win the game or to try to win the game on Sunday. From meetings to walkthroughs to all of the preparation, as a coaching staff we’re with them on a daily basis and I think we have a good feel for what that is. To answer your question, for Josh and the steps he’s got to take, I think he’s taken those steps. I think in due time, he’ll get his opportunity.”
(If you had to give QB Josh Rosen a list of three things – improve on these three things Josh – what’s on that list?) – “I’ve given him that list, for sure.”
(You’re not giving me that list.) – “I’m not giving you that list. Again, like I’ve said all year, those conversations between me and the players and me and (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and me and ownership, those are internal conversations and we’re not going to share that with – I think it’s common courtesy to not share that with anyone else. Those are private conversations that Josh and I have had. It’s not just Josh but really multiple players on this team, because they all want to compete and play, and they all ask, ‘What can I do to get in there, to get better?’ I have a lot of those conversations. I don’t think it’s the right thing to share them with everybody.”
(Everyone admires and respect QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Some fans, some media members, me – I wonder and maybe you can help me understand, how, if at all, is it in the best long-term interest of this franchise to start a 37-year-old over a 22-year-old – if there’s an answer, I really want to hear it – starting a 37-year-old over a 22-year-old when the record is 3-11 and there’s two games left?) – “Well, I guess my first thought is if we feel like that’s the best thing for us – and we do for us to win on Sunday – I think that is in the best interest of this team. I think – and this is philosophically, I think people will feel differently about it – I think that any time – you always want to give yourself the best opportunity to win. I think it’s easy for people to sit and say ‘you should do this or that, or this or that.’ I don’t think those same people will stand in front of that group and say ‘this is in the best interest of the team, for us to win this week.’ That’s no knock on Josh. Maybe you think that’s in the best interest, but you’re not in front of this team every day. You’re not in the trenches and a lot of people aren’t. Those are decisions I have to make, and we as a coaching staff, we go through this diligently and we come out of it with that decision, and we feel like that’s the best thing to do.”
(Do you think QB Josh Rosen has a future with this team?) – “Josh Rosen is a very talented player. I think we all know that. I think he’s making a lot of improvement like I’ve been saying for the last few weeks. Yeah, I do. We’ll see where it goes. But right now, for this team and this week, we’re going to play ‘Fitz.’”
(I remember talking to C Daniel Kilgore a few weeks ago and he mentioned that the decision to go back to QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, that’s something that gained you a lot of respect in the locker room. Did you think about that when you made that decision, just keeping the locker room trusting you?) – “I always try to do what I feel is best for this team. I’m always going to try to do that really on a day-to-day basis.”
(Now that LB Raekwon McMillan was placed on IR, how would you assess his development this season?) – “I think Raekwon has done a good job specifically from a leadership standpoint. He’s a guy who is very vocal, he gets his teammates going, he meets extra with the linebacker position and the defensive front. He’s made a lot of progress that way. It’s unfortunate that he went down last week and we’re not going to have him for the rest of the season but I thought he made a lot of progress over the course of the year.”
(Yesterday the Pro Bowl rosters were announced. The Dolphins do not have a selection. I wanted to get your reaction to that, and particularly in the case of WR DeVante Parker, who the numbers say he had a good case to be considered. What are your thoughts?) – “I think making a Pro Bowl is a great accomplishment. Congrats to all of the players who made it. DeVante, I thought he’s had a good season; but there are a lot of other players who had good seasons as well. Not everybody makes it. My thoughts on the Pro Bowl are very minimal to be honest with you. I’m focused on the Bengals and helping this team improve this week, build and get better. Hopefully we’re prepared to try to win a football game next Sunday. But yeah, congrats to all of the guys who made the Pro Bowl.”
(T Laremy Tunsil and S Minkah Fitzpatrick both made the Pro Bowl. QB Ryan Tannehill was an alternate. These are all guys that were on your roster at the beginning of the year. Do you kind of wish you had those guys back?) – “No. I just worry about the guys we’ve got on our team. I don’t really worry about anyone else. Those guys are deserving and congrats to them, but I’ve got a group that I enjoy coaching and that’s where my thoughts are. They’re not on ‘what ifs,’ or ‘what could have beens.’ I personally don’t think you get much out of that.”
(Your running game has been struggling all season. Have you seen improvement over the last week or two?) – “I thought there were instances last week where we ran a little bit better. It could always be better, especially early in games. We’ll keep working on it and keep trying to stick the runs in there and hopefully block it better, run better and break more tackles. There’s a lot that goes into it. I think we talk about it every week. I would say it was a little bit better last week, and hopefully we see some more improvement this week and in the future.”
