Emmanuel Ogbah – October 3, 2022
Download PDF version
Monday, October 3, 2022
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
(Just a follow up with QB Tua Tagovailoa. Where’s the mindset of this team?) – “Tua is our starting quarterback. We hate to see a player go down but we’re rooting for him and we’re praying for him. Hopefully he gets better quick. We got Teddy (Bridgewater) to step in and take his place.”
(Can you speak to your confidence in QB Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback?) – “Yeah, we are confident in Teddy. He was brought in for a reason in case something like this were to happen. We support him and we’re ready to have his back too just like we have Tua’s.”
(How confident are you in the way the NFL handles protocols, concussions, potential injuries to the head and things like that? As a player, how do you think the NFL deals with it? What can improve, if anything?) – “Me personally, I’ve never experienced it, but I will say that we have hired a good medical staff to handle those. That’s above me. I don’t really know how to handle it based on my experience.”
(Were you able to get away from the QB Tua Tagovailoa situation over the weekend? I mean, even watching games yesterday it came up.) – “Oh yeah, during this weekend I just took the time off just to relax and rest of my body. I didn’t really watch a lot of football games this weekend. Just getting my mind right for this week.”
(Have you guys, as teammates, had discussions about concussions and protocols come up in the past few weeks?) – “No. We kind of just met today since the game, so we haven’t really talked amongst teammates about it.”
(What’s Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s message throughout this? Obviously it’s kind of been a tough week for you all?) – “Adversity is opportunity. Just go out there and handle our business and control what we can. Just let the rest fall in place.”
(How was the mood among the players in the building today?) – “I mean obviously seeing a player get hurt is never a good sign. But we had a good practice today, I will say. Everybody was upbeat, uptempo. Yeah, we’re rooting for our brother, but everybody still has that in back of their mind. It was sad but it’s the next man up. We got to game to place this Sunday.”
(You’re at the quarter mark of the season. What’s your assessment of how it’s gone for you guys so far?) – “I mean, I would like to be 4-0, but it didn’t go as planned. We’re still fighting. We’re still in this thing. It’s still early in the season to measure where we are. We’ve got to keep fighting and just keep making plays out there.”
(Are you pleased overall? I mean 3-1, are you pleased overall?) – “Like I said, I’m a hard critic of myself. I’d rather be 4-0. But I’m ok with 3-1. Just more football games to be played.”
(What are your thoughts on the pass rush as a group through four games. Is it where you want it? Your thoughts on that.) – “No. We definitely have to improve as pass rush unit. We have to get better at affecting the quarterbacks. I know Joe Burrow got rid of ball pretty quick during our game. We just have to do a better job of getting back there as fast as I can and give those guys in the back end a chance to compete and make picks.”
(What do you see from the New York offense? I know QB Zach Wilson’s back now but what do you think maybe from the offensive line, and how you’re going to attack them?) – “I haven’t really watched a lot of their film yet. Like I said, I took the weekend off and just kind of relaxed my mind and my body. Zach is back and they obviously beat a good Steelers team, so we’re going to go in there watch film, see what they’re good at and see what we can capitalize on.”
(I know you guys saw QB Tua Tagovailoa on the plane Thursday night. Did he have a chance to talk to you guys today. Mike McDaniel said he’s in the building.) – “We spoke to Tua on the plane. We were rooting for him. We asked him how he was doing. He seemed fine. He seemed great. Just happy to be with his brothers.”
(No conversations today? QB Tua Tagovailoa didn’t talk to the group?) – “Oh, no. He didn’t he didn’t talk to the group.”
(You said earlier that you have not experienced concussion protocol. Even going back to like your high school and college days you never had any of that at all?) – “No, I’ve had a concussion. I meant in the NFL. I don’t know how that’s all handled in the NFL because I haven’t had one. But that’s why we hire good medical personnel just to handle that. Like I said, that’s above me. I don’t really know how that works.”
(How many do you estimate you had?) – “Concussions? I only had one I’d say in college. I would say that’s about it.”
(Did you see DT Christian Wilkins pick Oklahoma State over Baylor in the game? What were your thoughts on his reasoning behind that?) – “Somebody sent that to me and I was like good choice. (laughter) He better had picked my team. And he was the only one that picked our team so he did a good job of picking us. It’s a d-line brotherhood so we got each other’s back, even though ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) is still part of the team too. But the d-line comes first.”
(Some say that a win or against divisional opponent on the road is worth two. How do you guys feel about that?) – “Like I said, we are going to play a good Jets team. We’ve got to go out there and handle a good team. They’re a good team even though their record isn’t really. We’ve just got to go out there and handle business like we did the past two opponents.”
(What does QB Zach Wilson being back with the Jets do to that offense compared to maybe when QB Joe Flacco was under center?) – “That’s their QB1 so he brings the energy to the group. As long as we do a good job affecting him, it’s going to be a good play for the defense.”
