Brian Flores – September 6, 2021
Download PDF version
Monday, September 6, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(TE Adam Shaheen is out, correct?) – “Adam Shaheen is on the COVID IR list. Yes.”
(Can you tell us if T Austin Jackson is out?) – “Austin is the COVID IR list also. So both guys were placed on there this morning. They’re currently out and we’ll just kind of take it day-to-day and see how things go over the next few days.”
(How much does that impact you kind of having that pop up today?) – “I think it’s kind of a ‘next man up’ mentality and that’s kind of how we’ve taken it this morning. Obviously those are two players we like, we feel strongly about, who are contributors to this team; but we have to assume and move forward as if they won’t be with us and then we will kind of – well, we’ve already reassessed and said, ‘hey, we’re going to do this, this and this’ – and prepare for the next guy to play and contribute. That’s the plan moving forward.”
(For T Austin Jackson I guess in particular, I think he was supposed to be your starting left tackle. Do you have a plan for what will be your left tackle plan if he can’t go?) – “Yeah, we’ve talked about that as a staff. We’ve got a few different options. We’ve got multiple players who have played over on the left and on the right, so we’ll work a few different combinations today and see what that looks like in practice and talk about it over the next few days. There’s an opportunity to get both guys back, so we’ll see how it goes.”
(How has T Greg Little done since he arrived?) – “I think Greg (Little) has done a nice job. I think Greg has worked hard to learn the offense, to learn the terminology. He’s a hard-working kid. He’s taking in all the information and then tried to apply it in practice and in games, and I think he’s had some bright moments the couple weeks that he’s been here. We’re just going to continue to work with him and develop him.”
(We saw T Liam Eichenberg kind of early in camp and then I think he got banged up at some point. Where is he maybe health-wise? Is he ready to contribute Week 1 if you need him to be?) – “Liam (Eichenberg) is day-to-day. He’s doing everything he can to get back out there as quickly as he can and he’ll try to get out there as soon as he can. That’s where he’s at.”
(Are S Jevon Holland and WR Preston Williams fully good to go in practice this week?) – “You’ll see both of them at practice today. Both have worked to deal with their situations, injuries, worked hard and have rehabbed, and yeah, they’ll both be out at practice today.”
(I wanted to clarify something a minute ago and maybe this is just me so you’ll have to forgive me, but I think a minute ago you said there’s an opportunity to get both guys back. Does that mean it’s possible – underline the word “possible” – that T Austin Jackson and/or TE Adam Shaheen might be able to play on Sunday?) – “It’s possible, yes. I think under the protocol – yeah, it’s possible.”
(I know you’ve talked about it a little bit in the past, but vaccination and whatnot; obviously when you have TE Adam Shaheen who is not vaccinated, how do you kind of approach that situation where a player tests positive or is a close contact and that may impact the team for a variety of reasons for that?) – “I think it’s – I would never question Adam’s (Shaheen) commitment to the team. I think guys have a decision to make. They make it. We support it and we move forward. And I think that’s how a team, teams work. So I’m never going to question his commitment; I’m never going to question any player’s commitment. I think it’s a personal decision. (He’s) someone that I support and we deal with whatever happens after that.”
(I didn’t know if this past weekend or I guess this current weekend was Labor Day weekend – did you have any message to your guys about traveling or doing different things back home during this weekend?) – “I told them to be safe. I told them it was probably not in their best interest to just lay on a couch for three days; so get up, get out, get a workout in, go over the game plan a little bit, but enjoy themselves and spend time with their families, but be smart. I think that was kind of the message and I think our guys did that.”
(Do you get the sense guys are coming back now feeling refreshed and now ready to ramp up ahead of Week 1?) – “I mean, yeah, there’s excitement in the room. I think with this opponent, the opportunity to play a division game, a team like this, on the road. I think guys are excited to practice, to prepare for this opportunity and I think that’s what it’s about. It’s about preparation and if we prepare the right way, we’ll give ourselves the best chance to have some success. I think the focus is on the preparation.”
(The last time the Dolphins beat the Patriots and I think I have this stat right – it was in my story so I hope it’s right – it said that QB Tua Tagovailoa’s longest completion in that ballgame was 15 yards. Obviously you ran the ball very effectively that particular day. How much better prepared do you think Tagovailoa is to create explosive plays this season as opposed to last season?) – “I think Tua (Tagovailoa) is a better player. I think he’s worked hard. I think he’s made a lot of improvement. I think every game is a little bit different. I really do. I think every game, the ebbs and flows of the game, what’s working, what’s not working, where the matchups are, the weather; there’s a lot of things that play into that. So yeah, we always want to create explosive plays. We want to limit them defensively. But every game is a little bit different and I think at the end of the day, the quarterbacks wants to have command of the offense, move the football, protect the football and to me that’s playing well.”
(I want to ask you about slow starts. Something that has been – it happened in this franchise before you even got here there has been years where the team has started slow and picked up steam as the season went along. What’s your message to the players in terms of the importance of starting fast? Is there anything you as a head coach can do to try to get this team on track early?) – “You always want to start fast. I think it’s all about preparation. If we’re ready to go and we prepare, it gives us the best chance to execute. Again, every year is a little bit different and we’re not really thinking about previous years. We’re thinking about today and what’s in front of us and the preparation for this week will give us an opportunity, or a chance to potentially have good execution on Sunday. You can’t have one without the other. I think our players know that. That’s where the focus is right now, not on previous years. It’s more on right now, today. We always want to start fast. Every drill, every period, every meeting, we always want to start fast. I think the preparation is a big part of starting fast.”
(The Patriots spent a lot of money during the offseason on free agency. How much of an impact do you think those players will have for the Patriots, and how surprising was it for you to see them having that strategy?) – “I think they will have a significant impact. They’ve got some very good players at the tight end position, defensively. I think they’ll have a significant impact. I think they are good players. They are guys that could potentially be featured on both sides of the ball and the kicking game as well. They complement a lot of the players they already have on the team. They fit what Bill (Belichick) and his staff are trying to do. I think they are good additions. It will be a competitive game. They’ve got a good team. They are well coached. We’re going to have to prepare the right way and execute the right way if we’re going to have success.”
(What made CB Jamal Perry the choice to be the COVID-19 replacement from the practice squad considering you guys already have 12 DBs on the active roster?) – “Jamal is somebody we have a lot of history with and we think he can help us. At the end of the day, we’re going to do what we feel is best for the team. We’re going to bring guys up who can help us. We felt that way about him, so we brought him up.
(I wanted to get back to what you mentioned earlier about trying a couple of different offensive line combinations. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think G/T Jesse Davis was probably going to pencil into the right side of the offensive line. What’s your philosophy on moving multiple guys, just trying to get the best five versus replacing one guy? I know some coaches think differently on that.) – “Get the best five. That would be my initial answer. There is a lot that goes into that. You want your best five players out there. I think we’ve had a few different combinations. I think from a communication standpoint, the guys should’ve worked together in some different roles. My first thought would be to get the best five guys out there and take it from there.”
(You brought up one COVID replacement over two spots. The idea behind that?) – “Wait and see. (laughter)”
(Is one expected to come back sooner?) – “Wait and see.”
(What stands out to you about WR Jaylen Waddle’s summer and how early he can be a key contributor for you guys?) – “I think Jaylen has worked hard. I think he’s gotten better over the course of training camp. I think he’s smart, I think he’s tough, I think it’s important to him. I think he prepares that right way and when you put all of those things together, it gives you an opportunity to play well and be in the right spots and gives you an opportunity to execute. I think we’ve got a lot of guys who have done those things and we’ve just got to put it all together. That’s what training camp is all about and what this week is going to be all about. I think that’s where our focus is right now.”
(What’s the first thing that jumps out about RB Myles Gaskin in terms of what he’s better at now than he was when he first arrived in the building?) – “The first thing that comes to mind is protection. I think he’s really worked hard at that and made that a part of his game where he’s not a guy we’ve got to take out in those situations. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. And then his professionalism. He’s a guy who is in early, out late, doing extras – whether it’s JUGS, whether it’s running routes, whether it’s film study – and all of the work that he puts in. Again, all the preparation he goes through gives him an opportunity to have some success on the practice field and then hopefully in games. He’s done a nice job.”
(I know you’ve done it a few times as it’s your third year here. But going up to Foxborough playing the Patriots, given your history, does it add any significance to you?) – “It’s a good team. Well coached. I was there a long time. I think as the years pass – I’m a Miami Dolphin. That’s where I’m at. When we go up there, we’re going up there to play a tough competitive team and we’re going to compete as well. It’s a road game in a tough environment against a good team that’s well coached. We’ve got to prepare the right way to have some success. No, there is no nostalgia or anything like that.”
