Emmanuel Ogbah – November 4, 2021
Download PDF version
Thursday, November 4, 2021
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
(Any time that we ask Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer or Head Coach Brian Flores or Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark or Outside Linebackers Coach Robbie Leonard about sacks, they always say we are here to impact the quarterback, to get pressure on the quarterback. Is that, merely being top 15 in the league in pressures as you are, does that make you happy or do you feel – I don’t want to say emptiness – that you didn’t accomplish as much as you wanted to if you don’t bring the quarterback down?) – “As a pass rusher, you want those sacks. But when I go into the game, whichever way I can affect the quarterback, even if he’s getting rid of the ball fast – if I can affect him with the pressures, with the hits, then I’m doing my job. That’s how I see it.”
(We learned recently that Houston QB Tyrod Taylor will actually start this game. How does that change things for the pass rush?) – “Taylor, I’ve played him before. He’s a real mobile quarterback. We’ve got to account for his running abilities. Also, he can beat you with the pass too. We’ve just got to do a good job containing him and just affecting him as a rusher.”
(I thought you’ve played with QB Tyrod Taylor.) – “I’ve played with him and I’ve played against him, yeah.”
(How were you going to leave that part out?) – “(laughter) Just the type of guy he is, he’s a good quarterback. He’s a good leader for them obviously. I’m sure they are glad to have him back. It’s going to be a dog fight. We’re both one-win teams and we’re ready to go.”
(I know you wouldn’t reveal anything but were you able to pick up on some tendencies from being a teammate of his?) – “Why would I talk about that? (laughter) No, it’s a different offense that he’s going with so you never know.”
(Do you have reasons to believe that the second half of the season and future Dolphins teams – maybe you’re here, maybe you’re not but I hope you are – what are the reasons that you think things will get better?) – “Things will get better because if you really watch the game, like my teammate ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts) said, we’re getting better and better. We’re always in there. It’s just one or two things that we’re giving up or misaligned that’s getting us beat. We’ve just got to tighten that up. Like I said, there’s still nine games left. We’ve still got a chance. We’re still in this. We’ve just got to do a good job of finishing games better, I would say.”
(How do you compare your performance last year to this year?) – “My performance or as a whole defense?”
(Your performance individually because there’s a lot of talk about quarterback pressures versus sacks and all of that. You had a lot of sacks last year but you’re still pressuring the quarterback this year. So how do you compare the two?) – “I’m definitely getting more attention this year. Like I said, when I go into a game, if there’s any way I can affect the quarterback – I might not bring him down. Batted balls are huge, too. Hits. If I can affect him and throw him off the spot, then I take that as I’m doing my job helping this team give us a chance to win games. I know last year I had the numbers but this year I’m having the numbers too. I’m just not getting sacks, which is ok. As long as I’m doing my job helping the team win.”
(How do you take the more attention part? Is that a sign of respect maybe? I don’t know.) – “Yeah, I take that as a sign of respect. Chipped in, getting doubled here and there. I just still have to do my job. It doesn’t matter. Two guys, three guys on me, I still have to get that.”
(Good luck when you have two or three guys and you’re one guy going against them.) – “Somebody else has to win. Somebody else has to go affect the quarterback.”
(I always thought quarterback hits was a weird stat because you’re not allowed or supposed to hit the quarterback after he throws the ball. I’m embarrassed that I don’t know this, but how do you get a hit?) – “Like right after he threw it, smack him. So like a second right after (he throws it), smack him.”
(You had a play against Buffalo where QB Josh Allen was trying to get rid of the ball and he wound up hitting you like right in the stomach. Is that a ball you should have caught?) – “So I read the screen and kind of reacted quick. I think the running back had his hand in there kind of. So I kind of dove for it and then it kind of hit me in the face. It didn’t really hit my hands.”
(LB Jaelen Phillips told us not long ago that you are a guy that he goes to. There are elements of you and your game that he would like to emulate. I’m curious, how do you think he’s progressing and what needs to happen for him to one day reach his potential?) – “I’ll say Jaelen, he’s progressing good. He’s getting better and better. Sometimes he might think a little too much but that’s a rookie thing. I would say he’s getting better. His game is improving. We see it on tape every week. If you watch tape, you’d see it too that he’s improving every week for us and we’re glad with his progress.”
(Pass rushers, because you’re a little bit of a different breed. If you’re standing up as opposed to hand in the ground, can you get the same get off? Not just you in particular but just a pass rusher?) – “I think we are all different. Some pass rushers are better in the two-point stance get off and some pass rushers are hand in the dirt get off better. Me personally, I’d rather have my hand in the dirt, but I can get off too in a two-point stance.”
(When you have your hand in the dirt, what advantages does it give you in terms of get off?) – “I’m lower to the ground so I don’t have to start high and get low. I’m already low to the ground.”
(So you can, I guess work leverage?) – “Yeah. Better leverage too, yeah.”
(With you, I don’t remember you moving and switching sides as much as you’re doing. Is that wrong or are you doing that more this year?) – “I’m kind of moving around the defense because that’s what the defense calls me to do. That’s pretty much my job to do that, to move around inside, outside, so I can play all over the d-line. I played some right side too and left side last year too.”
(Last year compared to this year, how often this year would you say you’re only having to get by one person who’s trying to block you, you’re not being chipped, there’s not two guys trying to block you? Is it maybe a third of the time you might get only one person you have to try to get by a quarterback rush? Less than that?) – “Usually, you got to rush every time like you’re going to be free. That’s how I rush. Sometimes I don’t know when the chips come, sometimes I feel it coming and then I react a certain way to it. It doesn’t matter if one guy on me or two guys on me, I still got to do my job and get back there as fast as I can.”
(But there has been a clear difference to you in terms of blocking attention you’re getting?) – “Yes, definitely yes.”
