Brian Flores – November 23, 2020
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Monday, November 23, 2020
Head Coach Brian Flores
(With what happened yesterday, what do you feel like this team can take from that loss, particularly considering the game to me was kind of lost in the trenches?) – “We’ve got to do a better job across the board – fundamentals, technique, communication, coaching. We’ve got to do a better job across the board. We’ve got to prepare better, we’ve got to practice better and we’ve got to execute better.”
(Obviously there are going to be ups and downs with rookie offensive linemen. Maybe not the best day for T Austin Jackson, G Solomon Kindley and G/T Rob Hunt but generally through 10 games, are you pleased with the direction they’re going? Do you just accept the fact there might be hiccups with rookie offensive linemen while still demanding more?) – “I don’t know if we accept any – we don’t accept bad play here. Look, we expect a lot of every one of our players from rookies to veterans to really everyone in the organization – coaches, everyone, as I’ve said before. We need to do a better job on the o-line, on the d-line, in the secondary, at the receiver position, all positions, players, coaches, everyone. We didn’t play well enough yesterday to win the game. There are a lot of things that we wish we had back, but we have to just it as a learning experience and we’ve got to move forward. We still have a lot of season left. We need to make the corrections and then try to improve and get better. That’s the only thing we can do.”
(With the decision to go to QB Ryan Fitzpatrick yesterday in the fourth quarter, I’m curious your thought process on maybe why that wasn’t a moment for QB Tua Tagovailoa to fight through maybe what seemed like some adversity for him.) – “I’m always going to try to do what I feel is best for the team in a particular game, and that’s kind of how we felt yesterday. That’s really it. We couldn’t get into a rhythm really the majority of the first three quarters. It became a two-score game and we felt like we needed a spark and we stuck ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) in there. We felt like that was the best thing for our team to try to win a ball game last night.”
(A follow up on that question, you said yesterday that QB Tua Tagovailoa remains the starter. Why, in your opinion, does he give you the best chance to win on a weekly basis?) – “This is a very talented player. He’s played well. He’s a young player. He’s an improving player. He’s a developing player. We’ve got a lot of confidence in him and that’s why he’s the starter.”
(In terms of the run game, what went wrong there against Denver? Was it just the scheme or was it some of the struggles or the fact that you guys were in a pass happy mode at that point trailing?) – “Are you talking about defensively or offensively? Well let’s talk about both because we didn’t do a good job in either phase. We didn’t run it effectively enough. Again, when we get behind, it’s hard to continue to stick runs in there; but even when the score was 10-10 or 13-10 or we were up, we didn’t run it effectively enough. We’ve got to do a better job up front running it, tight ends, receivers., really everyone. Defensively, we’ve got to set better edges. We’ve got to communicate better. We’ve got to tackle better. We’ve got to put players – as coaches, we have to put the players in better positions offensively and defensively. We win as a team and we lose as a team. We’ll make the corrections and try to be better next week.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa seems to be a sponge and so eager to learn. What lesson or message should he take from your decision in the fourth quarter yesterday?) – “Tua is a resilient kid. I don’t know if there is a message or anything to take from it. It’s the same message the entire team gets. We all have to play better. We have to coach better. He’s not in this alone. He’s got my full support. He’s got the support of our coaching staff. He’s got the support of everyone – every player in that locker room. And conversely, he supports all of the other players in the locker room as well. I don’t know if there’s a message here. I don’t want to make too much of this. He’s the starting quarterback. He knows that. We’ve had that conversation. He’s played well and I expect him to continue to play well. I expect him to bounce back. He’s a resilient kid, like I’ve said, and he’s a talented kid as well. I expect him to bounce back. I expect our entire team to bounce back, to be honest with you.”
(Regarding G Solomon Kindley, did he aggravate the injury during the game yesterday, or was he just in more difficulty than you thought from the start? Do you expect him to be able to practice starting Wednesday?) – “Yeah, his foot bothered him during the game, so obviously we pulled him. It’s still early, so we’re still in kind of evaluation mode. He’s going to treat and rehab and I’m sure get back as soon as he can. He’s a tough kid. He’s toughed through a couple of things already this year. If he can play, he’ll play.”
(Regarding WR DeVante Parker, coming into the year he talked about his goal was to strictly play 16 games this year. Then yesterday when it seemed the offense needed a big conversion on third down, the ball was going to him and he certainly showed up with some big catches. I wanted to ask you what does that dependability do in terms of managing the nicks and bruises, but also being trustworthy on third down? What can that do for a young quarterback like QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “It certainly gives him confidence to throw it to him, that he’ll catch it, he’ll make contested catches, and in those critical moments, I’m sure it’s a good feeling to have somebody like that out on the field. DeVante has done everything he can to get out there and play. He’s played through some nicks and bruises, like a lot of our players have. He’s definitely a team-first guy, a big-time competitor and we’re pleased with where he is. Like the rest of the team, we’re going to try to learn from yesterday’s game and he’s no different than the rest of us. there are some things that he would like to have back. We’ve just got to try to get better.”
(I wanted to get your thoughts on Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey. He obviously has a great deal of experience calling plays for QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and not nearly as much experience calling plays for QB Tua Tagovailoa. How do you think he’s handled the adjustment from one quarterback to the other?) – “Chan’s dealt with a lot more quarterbacks than Ryan Fitzpatrick. He’s been in a lot of different offenses. He’s coached on defense. You mentioned his experience. I don’t want to pigeonhole him to one quarterback. I’m not sure that’s completely accurate, to be honest with you. He’s worked with a lot of different players, a lot of different quarterbacks. He’s had success with different quarterbacks. As a team, offensively, defensively and special teams, we need to play better. This team doesn’t point fingers. We don’t make excuses. We don’t place blame. We’re just going to come out and try to prepare better in meetings, walkthrough, practice, and try to have a better week of practice and hopefully play better next week. I have a lot of confidence in Chan, a lot of confidence that we’ll play better offensively and defensively and in the kicking game.”
(The production you’re getting from the slot position at receiver. I know you’ve got a lot of guys who kind of fit different roles and different molds. Do you feel like a slot is emerging or are you working towards that?) – “I don’t put too much in the slot, in that position or that area of the field, as a spot where you’ve got to have production from that spot. There are so many different people you can put in that role. You can put a back in the slot, you can put a tight end in the slot, you can put normally your outside receiver is in the slot. We’re just looking for production across the board – run game, pass game, screen game, play action, third down, red zone. We need to get better execution from the slot, from our outside receivers, from our tight ends, from our backs, really across that board. I don’t want to put it on one specific spot. I think offensively, we’ve just got to do a better job of sustaining drives, running the football, punching it in, and defensively that same thing. We’ve got to do a better job stopping the run and keeping teams out of the end zone, and obviously we’ve got to play better in the kicking game as well.”
