Lynn Bowden Jr – August 13, 2022
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Saturday, August 13, 2022
Postgame – Buccaneers
WR Lynn Bowden Jr (transcribed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On his touchdown in the second quarter) – “Coach, he just called a good play. He dialed it up. He trusts the quarterback; he trusts my instincts and it’s something we drilled all week. He put me in the right position at the right time, Skylar (Thompson) threw it up and I went and grabbed it for him.”
(On how important the preseason is for him) – “It’s an [opportunity]. I missed a whole year last year – just have to put it on film and just keep stacking the days – just keep going. I’m not nervous. I’ve been here before.”
(On QB Skylar Thompson’s performance) – “Skylar is a great, great young dog. [He’s] got the heart of a lion in him, and I think [he] can be one of those quarterbacks in the league that can really go ball.”
Skylar Thompson – August 13, 2022
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Saturday, August 13, 2022
Postgame – Buccaneers
QB Skylar Thompson (transcribed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On his overall performance in the game) – “I thought I did some good things. There’s a handful of plays that are on my mind right now. Being able to anticipate and trust myself, I felt I was seeing the field well. There were a couple of times they stumped me a little bit. But I felt I was seeing the field well and had a good understanding of what they were going to do. There were times where I felt a little hesitant instead of trusting my read, throwing it, and throwing it to a spot. As the game went on, there were a couple throws where I did better. But there’s always room for improvement. There’s always room for growth. That’s what I love about this game. I’m super excited to go back and watch the film and see it from that perspective and see how it aligns with what my thoughts are right now.”
(On the touchdown pass to WR Lynn Bowden Jr.) – “First off, it was a great route by Lynn. They were in soft zone coverage, [it was a] double move, so I had to get my eyes on it. I was hoping Lynn would get separation off the move, and he ran a great route. Throws like that when he is that wide open – it makes it a layup, so I just put it out there for him. He made a great catch, [it was a] great play, the offensive line gave me plenty of time to make the throw. [That’s a] team play right there, [so I was] excited.”
(On his nerves leading into the game) – “Obviously it is a big moment – it was my first time getting out there on the field and starting the game. There were a lot of emotions, thoughts, all good [thoughts]. I was very excited to get out there and play, and just get thrown in the fire. I love being in that type of atmosphere – that’s where I feel that I learn the most and really find out the most about myself. I wanted to have a lot of fun, I tried not to make the moment too big. At the end of the day, it’s football. It’s the game I’ve been playing for a very long time. Go out there with my teammates, my coaches, and go play the game that I love. I just tried to make the game simple and tried to have fun doing it.”
(On getting out of the huddle quicker) – “The whole operational part is one of the most challenging parts about playing quarterback – hearing the play call on third down with music playing and the crowd is going. To be able to understand the call and process it so you can spit it out so everyone can hear it – the communication aspect is so important. There were times where I could’ve been better, more efficient in that aspect, which could’ve helped clean up some of the stuff in the second half there. That is all a part of the process. I know [with] the more reps I get it is going to get a little easier. That was my first time getting exposed to it. I tried to trust the coaching, what he was seeing, and be able to rally the troops, be able to talk to the offensive line, have some of the guys help me out a bit. They did a great job to help me get that cleaned up a little bit.”
(On Head Coach Mike McDaniel breaking down plays with him right away on the sideline) – “He was communicating with me, asking what I was seeing. Asking why I made the decisions I made. Just having conversations about what was going on out there. He picked my mind about what I was seeing, and I was also gathering information on what he was seeing and thinking. That is the most important part – having the open line of communication to be on the same page and to understand the why behind the what, and that is very important.”
(On his discussions with QB Tua Tagovailoa and Buccaneers QB Blaine Gabbert) – “First and foremost, I’m super grateful for Tua (Tagovailoa) [and] Teddy (Bridgewater). Both of them have been a tremendous help for me, having my back, teaching me things, spreading their wisdom of what they know and what they’ve experienced to help me grow. I know that is not something that they have to do, but it means a lot to me. Just giving me feedback of going through the iPad pictures, walking me through what they were seeing, ‘You should have done this or keep this in mind.’ Throwing pointers, not telling me what to do, keeping me on my toes, trying to learn and keep processing things. Having guys like Tua and Teddy who have been there and done it and are able to spread wisdom of doing it, I’m truly grateful for them …Talking to Blaine [Gabbert], it’s actually a funny story. I was in second grade at a quarterback camp in Kansas City and Blaine Gabbert was one of the college kids who came and helped out at the camp while he was at Missouri. We worked with a similar quarterback coach at the time who put on the camp. So, I already knew of him, so I went up to him to ask if he remembered me, so we talked about that. Blaine is a good guy and has been in the league for a long time, so it was good to talk to him too.”
(On being noticed by QB Blaine Gabbert while only being in second grade) – “Well, that day [at the quarterback camp] I was one of the youngest guys there and I was super nervous to be there because I felt like I didn’t belong. Blaine [Gabbert] was actually the guy who grabbed me and encouraged me, and I still to this day remember that, so it was pretty cool to see him.”
Mike McDaniel – August 13, 2022 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 13, 2022
Postgame – Buccaneers
Head Coach Mike McDaniel (transcribed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On what goes into deciding the players who start) – “It’s a balancing act – a lot goes into it. I talked to the players about it. I waited all the way until Thursday evening to finally stamp it. I talked to the players on Friday that it wasn’t necessarily a punishment or a reward – it was every individual and where they’re at and who needs it to perform Week 1, best guess. So it wasn’t that we were just sitting guys because they’ve done X-Y-Z. It was more protecting guys against themselves, realizing specific positions that guys can get a little taste of in a game – get them in, get them out. It’s a balancing act that we’ll continue to do during the preseason to get ourselves best ready for the regular season.”
(On the decision to play TE Mike Gesicki) – “Just in general, it is not an easy job to play tight end in the offense, so we thought that it would benefit him to get him in a little bit, but again, we’re trying to protect people too so you’re just trying to manage all of those things. Having a scope for the whole preseason, we thought it would be good. We wanted to get him a touch and get him orchestrated in hearing the offense, but also protect him, so I was happy. Before watching the tape, I was happy with the way he played and how he approached it – again, it a punishment at all.”
(On the reaction from his team when the Buccaneers missed the potential game-winning field goal) – “It made me very happy because that’s what I want to see from the team. There’s a lot of guys – not a lot – but there’s probably 16 or 17 that didn’t play snaps that weren’t even suited, but what I was happy about was the whole team stayed locked in for their teammates. They genuinely wanted to win and you better have a competitive nature in this business to be able to succeed. It was cool to see that they wanted to finish what they started so I was happy with that.”
(On his impressions of his offense’s debut in Tampa Bay) – “You’re never going to be completely happy with a performance. That’s the point of being a coach. The day they have a perfect game, I feel like you should walk off into the sunset. I was happy with how they handled adversity. When things didn’t go their way, and we started behind the 8-ball a little bit – they were running a bunch of pressure so we were struggling to get the run game going because they were committing to stop it – so I was happy how they responded, but there’s a lot we can learn from it.”
(On QB Skylar Thompson) – “I have to check myself when certain things will happen during a game or practice where I’ll feel myself getting impatient with him because I’ve completely forgotten he’s a rookie. But he is a rookie, and to his credit, we rely on him as a veteran. It’s a hard thing in this league with a night’s sleep to go in as a starter – we were pumped to give him that opportunity. I know he feels like, and we’ll all feel like, he left some plays out there. But the biggest thing is we didn’t have any turnovers as an offense. I think we had one penalty, so that’s something to build on positively and you can’t have those types of statistics there, specifically, if you don’t have efficient, good quarterback play. It was cool to watch – he was pumped. He was very salty, I think, every series because he was mad at himself for whatever happened the previous series and that’s a good starting point because he didn’t shy away from making plays either after he was frustrated.”
(On seeing poise from QB Skylar Thompson and him running the offense as a rookie) – “That was one of my favorite parts. At the beginning of the game, I thought the operation looked slow. They were trying to get the play in pretty fast and I don’t know what he was saying exactly in the huddle, but it was just taking a long time to get them lined up. I took the opportunity to tell him, “Hey dude, you need to get the guys in and out of the huddle.” He was able to adjust that – he did better with that while also taking each play, one play at a time. That was an encouraging thing you don’t know until it’s real. There’s a lot of rookies out there that I think felt more rookie feelings than he did, and he touches the ball every play. I’m happy with that. There is a lot to get better from, but he’s a stud. We are happy to have him.”
(On WR Lynn Bowden Jr. through training camp and tonight against the Buccaneers) – “I was talking to the team about it – the receiver position in general you have so many variables that are compounding for you to get opportunities. A couple people have mentioned to me that he’s maybe had a quiet camp or whatever. All I’ve seen him do is do his job. So that sets you up for success when you continue to do your job then all of a sudden you catch the right coverage or you get the right play call. I was happy with that – I think it’s a lesson for a lot of guys to take – just be ready for your opportunity and I thought he was ready for his opportunity tonight.”
(On if he has a status update on CB Trill Williams after being carted off the field) – “I don’t – we’ll always try to defer to [the medical staff]. I don’t want to start pushing a direction – we try to have science in our statements with regard to injury. There was some concern definitely for his lower extremity but we’ll find out more tomorrow exactly what it is. But he’s a competitor. He did not want to be hurt and I think that’s what you saw from him – was the emotion that he felt that he was making plays. This is a setback but that’s all it is. However long it takes him, it’s a setback.”
(On his first game as an NFL head coach) – “It’ll be interesting to maybe reflect on the plane for five minutes, but really in the moment, I feel such an obligation to the organization, the players, the coaches that it just felt like I was trying to fixate on what my job was at the time. I guess I did feel some goosebumps during the national anthem, for sure, but you try to do your best. For me, there was a lot of it that felt like practice because if you put yourself in the right mindset each and every day at practice, practice should be like a game in theory, right? I was just focused on doing my job for all the players, the coaches and the organization. It was cool to get that out of the way so that we can continue to focus on getting better and making everyone the best they can be for the regular season.”
(On depth of the cornerback position and if there are any concerns going forward) – “I’m very happy with the group. They’ve been very competitive and there’s a lot of guys that have really gotten better through the last couple weeks specifically. Now that you get some dings, you kind of have to reassess and you have to figure out exactly the timeline. But I know Chris [Grier] and his staff is probably – I saw he had his backpack on – so he has probably already started to look at it just in case we get unforeseen or really any bad news tomorrow on some injuries. We’ll just be prepared for whatever is dealt and we’ll find out first and foremost what those injuries are and the extent of them and move forward from there.”
Xavien Howard – August 13, 2022 (4th Quarter)
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Saturday, August 13, 2022
4th Quarter – Buccaneers
CB Xavien Howard on WFOR broadcast with Kim Bokamper
(Let’s talk a little bit about this defense. You kind of brought everyone back, how does that feel?) – “It feels great to have everybody back, man. We’re starting off where we ended last year.”
(Communication is very important in this game. The more you can spend with these guys, the better. How much does that help you?) – “It helps out a lot. Especially on defense, you all have to be on the same page. Communication is everything for the defense, so we all can just play as one.”
(Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer is an aggressive coach. He likes to put some pressure on the quarterbacks. It certainly helps you guys on the backside when he puts that pressure on and has those guys up front kind of pinning their ears back.) – “Most definitely. We’re putting pressure on the offense and the quarterback. At the end of the day, we want to cause turnovers. We have got to be aggressive, and we’re trying to make plays on defense.”
(How good can this defense be as you move forward?) – “I feel like the sky is the limit for the defense. We just take it one week at a time and continue to get better.”
(Do you guys think about this offense coming into their own and saying, “Hey, we may have to hold up the load a little bit early until these guys really get in stride?”) – “I think we’ll hit the metric at the perfect time, both sides of the ball and in all three phases, I’d say. If we just continue to keep growing and keep getting better on each side of the ball, I feel like the sky is the limit for the whole team.”
(We’ve talked a lot about Head Coach Mike McDaniel on offense. How does he influence you guys on defense?) – “Man, he makes you think, a lot of the stuff he does. We see a lot of different stuff on the offense, and I feel like they’re also going to help put points on the board that I’ve been seeing from the offense.”
(How many picks do you got in you this year?) – “I don’t know. You’ll see at the end of the season. (laughter)”
Tua Tagovailoa – August 13, 2022 (3rd Quarter)
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Saturday, August 13, 2022
Halftime – Buccaneers
QB Tua Tagovailoa on WFOR broadcast with Kim Bokamper
(Let’s talk a little bit about this offense. How do you like this new Mike McDaniel offense and the way you’re becoming accustomed to it?) – “Yes, I think all the guys love it. He brings something different that I would say none of us in our experiences playing in the NFL have been accustomed to with his style, his swag, who he is as a person. Just the aura of what he brings to the building, it’s been different and new for us in a good way.”
(You’ve got some speed out there, too. Any quarterback has got to like that. You have a lot of good guys out there playing and a lot of guys that are making plays. Some of the young guys stepping up big, too.) – “Yeah, I think any quarterback could say that having someone like Tyreek (Hill), having someone like Jaylen Waddle, that they could make those throws too. They just make my job easier. They make it easier for the team. They also get other guys open as well, so that’s a plus.”
(You’ve been working this offense all offseason. What’s your comfortable level with it right now?) – “I would say there’s no comfort level yet. There’s always nuances to (Head Coach) Mike’s (McDaniel) offense. I can say that we are getting comfortable with timing, route distribution with guys on the field and our communication I think has been a lot better as we’re moving deeper into training camp.”
(You’ve got time, but how excited are you getting ready for the opener this season?) – “We’re super excited. We’re really excited. You look around – football is back. When we stepped foot on the field today, you could smell the grass, you could see the fans, it’s exciting. It’s exciting.”
Mike McDaniel – August 13, 2022 (Halftime)
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Saturday, August 13, 2022
Halftime – Buccaneers
Head Coach Mike McDaniel on WFOR broadcast with Kim Bokamper
(Coach, you get a couple late scores to take the lead into halftime. What did you see in the first half that you liked?) – “What I liked was – the whole objective of the preseason was to have some adversity and fight through it. Obviously, we didn’t come out the exact way we wanted. Guys are getting used to tackling, but what I did like is no one panicked and then people made some plays and then we were opportunistic. In the second half, we have got to run the ball a little bit better. We can stop the run a little bit better because it’s coming, but this is a great opportunity for all these young guys to keep performing.”
(How do you feel about the energy and the effort from your team?) – “I like it. That’s really what I wanted to see. I was happy that we got down a little bit because you get to see how people react. People maintained focus, so I liked that. Hopefully moving forward when we do have adversity, we’ll have a little bit more energy on top of that.”
(Any butterflies before the kickoff?) – “No. The thing is I’m not good at much else besides football, so this is the one time I’m pretty comfortable. It was pretty cool through, a special moment to share with all these people.”
Tyreek Hill – August 11, 2022
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Thursday, August 11, 2022
WR Tyreek Hill
(There was a play to TE Mike Gesicki where he catches a touchdown in the back of the end zone. It sounded like someone yelled “feet, feet, feet” like in the moment. Was it you and was there that level of communication on the field?) – “No, I was just yelling ‘touchdown’ all the way, man, because you know how Steph Curry do this and turn around when Klay (Thompson) is shooting the ball? It was one of those moments for me, man, so I don’t know who was yelling ‘feet’ – probably his coach because that’s the tight end coach he is, but as you saw, Mike came out here, made some plays today and building off what he’s already started from OTAs to now. I’m happy for him.”
(You’ve always played with an elite tight end, a Hall of Fame tight end. How important is that to opening up the field for you?) – “It’s definitely important. That’s why I’m always in Mike’s (Gesicki) ear. Next time y’all interview him, just ask him, ‘how aggravating is Tyreek?’ Like literally, ask him that question and he’ll tell you, man, ‘Tyreek is literally in my ear all the time about the greatest tight end, the greatest tight end.’ And I tell him all the time that (Travis) Kelce was my best friend on the Kansas City Chiefs. We hung out together. We did a lot of things together, so I told him I need that same relationship with him. Like when I came here, I want you to be my best friend. The tight end is always my best friend. It was the same way in high school, too. I don’t know why. (laughter)”
(So when you say that, what does TE Mike Gesicki say to you? What’s his response?) – “Oh, he’s down. He’s down to hang, so hopefully we can get some volleyball in because he is a huge volleyball guy. And also go surfing sometime.”
(You’ve got to fight off TE Durham Smythe though.) – “I’m not worried about Durham, man. Durham’s no comp for the ‘Cheetah,’ baby. (laughter)”
(I asked Head Coach Mike McDaniel about CB Xavien Howard earlier today and he said that he feels like you guys kind of have the same kind of mentality where it’s like you guys are the leaders of your position groups and you have to really set the tone. Going up against “X” every day, just how have you seen him approach? He seems like he’s just very, very business-like, but how do you see him approach his business?) – “You know what, man, I try to get a good read on guys and this is like a personal conversation between me and ‘X’ – I had a chance to talk to ‘X’ and I’m like, ‘dude, how are you feeling today?’ He’s like, ‘I feel good, man.’ So I’m like, ‘how did you do yesterday?’ He’s like, ‘I didn’t do too good. I gave up a pass to Julio’ or whatever and I was like, ‘so what you going to do about it today?’ He was like, ‘man, I’m going to kick his ass today, dawg. I didn’t really like that.’ For me, I’m feeling the same way. I’m like, ‘damn, I got clamped up. I’m going to go attack whoever I’ve got to attack today.’ You know what I’m saying? Usually when you see guys like that at a certain level like that, they get real complacent, man, so for him wanting to come back out here and grind and compete with one of the best at all positions, receiver Julio Jones, is amazing for me. It motivates me to keep wanting to get better each and every day because I don’t want to be that guy that goes into the team meeting room and Coach (McDaniel) pulls up a film of me and ‘X’ and he’s scrapping me like crazy. I don’t want to be that guy in front of the whole team.”
(I’m not going to ask you if you want to play in the preseason because I’m pretty sure I know the answer, but do you need preseason reps or do you think practice is enough to get you ready for the season?) – “To me, I feel like I need to work, but whatever Coach (McDaniel) sees fit for this team. I came here to play ball. Football is football to me, so if I’m out there in the preseason I’m going to give 110 (percent).”
(Did you play a lot in the last couple years in the preseason games?) – “Yes, sir, I did. So it really doesn’t matter to me. I’m just thankful for the opportunity. I feel like football – like a lot of people tell me that football is only a short stint of our life so each and every game that I get, I’ve got to take full advantage of it.”
(How do you feel the offense did today?) – “We had our ups and downs. I feel like we can be better mentality-wise. A few false starts in the receiver room that can be corrected, but all of our mistakes were correctable so it’s nothing like crazy. So like I say, the sky’s the limit for this offense as you can see. It’s very electric, very fun to watch, a lot of playmakers, so I’m very excited.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel told us last week that your attitude has helped him set the standard as far as how accountability goes in this locker room. What kind of responsibility did you feel like you were shouldering when you first joined this team?) – “Well me being me, dawg, I want to be the guy that’s always pointed out because I feel like I love a challenge no matter what. So if I do bad on something, if I mess up a play or something like that, I want to be that guy that Coach (McDaniel) calls out on film. Because if you think about it like this, if Coach is calling out like, the fifth, sixth receiver who’s barely getting reps, he’s going to feel some type of way. But if he’s able to call me out and then call that guy out again, that guy is going be like, ‘okay, he’s calling out ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill) so I need to pick up my (game).’ So I don’t mind. I don’t mind. I’ve been picked on, talked about, so it really doesn’t bother me.”
(We heard that QB Tua Tagovailoa may not play in the preseason game. What do you think of his performance through training camp and these joint practices here?) – “He’s obviously Tua – Tua’s going to be Tua. He’s going to come out here. He’s going to give you the same thing every day – consistency. He’s going to work hard and he’s bringing a little bit more swag to the game and he’s talking more. But if he doesn’t play in the preseason, like I say, man, that’s above my pay grade. Probably not. (laughter) I messed that up, didn’t I? But yeah, if he doesn’t play, he doesn’t play. That’s Coach’s decision.”
(You talk about QB Tua Tagovailoa showing a little swag. How would you describe Tua’s swag?) – “Man, just like when he throws a touchdown – I don’t know if y’all can see it – when he’s walking to the sideline he’s like ‘yeah, yeah, yeah!’ I’m like, ‘bro, okay, Tua, I see you, I see you, I see you.’ And I didn’t see much of that in OTAs because I barely knew him, but now I’m seeing him sling the ball around even like I said, when I mess up a play or when I don’t get open, he’ll come up to me like, ’10, I need you to get open right there.’ I’m like, ‘dang, Tua, like chill.’ (laughter)”
(You had some battles with Antoine Winfield Jr. in the Super Bowl. Did you guys do any back-and-forth out there the last couple of days?) – “No, it’s all love, baby. That’s how we play the sport. I feel like the very first time I played him in my career, we all know what happened. But then we played him in the Super Bowl, he did his thing, he got his taunts in. But when we came out here, man, I know what I’m out here for and he knows what we’re out here for. Like we’re out here to get better. No hard feelings, no nothing, man. So we just let social media talk. We just come out here and work.”
(How much of an adjustment is this offense from what you were doing in Kansas City?) – “I play ball, man. It don’t matter if I play for the Bad News Bears. I’m going to get out there and play ball regardless. I don’t care who’s calling plays, but just know I’m going to give my all no matter what.”
(This morning Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that he was really pleased with how he thinks the team played for one another yesterday. I was curious what that looks like to you, playing for each other?) – “Offensively, I feel like for a wideout playing for each other is being smart, not getting stupid penalties and let’s say for instance Raheem (Mostert) gets the ball, all receivers are blocking downfield, getting on the right assignment. So not just being stupid, but getting stupid penalties.”
(You’ve been a part of some really good teams, Super Bowl-winning teams. Where does this team stack up at the same point of the season against those teams that you’ve previously played for as far as potential?) – “Trick question. All I’m going to say right now is we’re going to continue working. We’re going to continue getting better and if we continue doing that, we’ll definitely be headed in the right direction. We’re a young team with a great looking head coach. (laughter) So man, everything is going in the right direction for us right now, so we’re on the up-and-up.”
(You open up some business ventures?) – “Oh yeah, man. Let me tell y’all about my store. I opened up a Soul Runner store today in Aventura mall. It’s right in front of Bloomingdales. It’s something that I’ve been a part of. Fashion is my second dream and what I’ll probably be doing when I’m done playing. It’s just a one-month pop-up. You guys are welcome to come. It’ll be great if all you guys come and let me stand in front of a podium and talk to you guys again about my store. But yeah, we’re open right now for basically a whole month until the end of August.”
(What are you selling?) – “I’m selling football gloves and I’m also, because I own Grip Boost, and also selling athletic merch.”
(Describe your style. What’s it like?) – “It’s just a bunch of hoochie daddy shorts. You know what that is? (laughter) Yeah, I got some on right now. Like these right here would be considered hoochie daddy shorts. What I call them is, they’re called ‘Hot Boy Cheetah Summer Shorts,’ you know what I’m saying? So go and get you some. (laughter) I wear them all the time.”
(What’s it called?) – “Hoochie daddy shorts. Oh no, the store – Soul Runner. It’s opening in Aventura mall today. And we’re also doing this crazy special guest thing. I can’t say the guest name. Just know he’s a megastar. If you guys want to come, I’ll put y’all on the VIP guest (list).”
(When is that?) – “August 15. That’s our day off, right? August 15. Monday. So we’ve got a special guest that’s coming into the store.”
(What time?) – “11 a.m.”
(Is it you?) – “Obviously me, but I’m also having another special guest. (laughter) He’s a megastar, you know?”
Jevon Holland – August 11, 2022
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Thursday, August 11, 2022
S Jevon Holland
(How difficult is it to calibrate – when you want to be live and want to be tackling full speed, to kind of tagging off, how tough is it for you as a defender to kind of pull back on that and play slower?) – “It’s difficult as a defender, but as a professional, I have to carry myself a certain way. So it’s not that hard to understand that I’m trying to keep them up and they’re trying to keep us up. We’re trying to practice hard but (help) everybody stay healthy.”
(Do you feel like it’s the same work when you play in that style of practice environment?) – “Yes, because it’s 100 percent speed until the point of contact, then you just keep them up. You don’t really have to take them to the ground. Guys do fall to the ground and that’s just part of the game, angles and whatnot, but it’s always good to have that type of good work.”
(What’s the biggest takeaway from these last two days for you?) – “Really it’s just about us refining ourselves as a defense, really tuning into the small details and making sure that we’re capitalizing on the work that we got from the Bucs.”
(How much do you think the starters on defense need to play in this game on Saturday?) – “This is only my second time in preseason, so really I have no idea. That’s a question for a vet or something like that.”
(What has it been like going against the Bucs receivers and what’s it been like defending them?) – “It’s been a great time. It’s been a different dynamic than our practices. Our offense is really different from theirs, just like around the league, and that’s how it is game-in and game-out throughout the season. So it was great, especially going against Tom Brady. I love Tom Brady, and he’s obviously been in the league longer than I’ve been alive. (laughter) So going against that type of guy is always great for my mental to know that I’m trying to sharpen my tool against the sharpest sword.”
(I saw that feature of you and your family on the Dolphins YouTube channel. Obviously your relationship with your father – you’re very close. He talked a little bit about working with you as a kid and the work you put in. What kind of impact do you think he has on you now as far as advice and things that he tells you?) – “I think he’s just like a safety net for me, like as a reliable source if I have a question about anything. I kind of go through the line of people that are close to me or that I have access to like coaches, players, and if no one has the answer, then I’ll just go ask my dad because I know that he has some sort of type of answer. So it’s great, honestly. He’s always ready to coach me. He just kind of steps back and is like, ‘When you need me, I’m here. But I’m not going to hound you or anything like that.’”
(Some of these guys are going to be playing their first NFL game on Saturday. What do you remember about your first preseason game – nerves or whatever went into that?) – “I was mostly excited. We were playing the Bears for the preseason game. I was only (wearing number) 22 then, trying to get the drip right, trying to get the swag right. (laughter) I remember just running out to the field when all the fans were out there and just the energy and excitement from everybody, it was great. I felt energized, kind of like college, but it was almost like an ‘Ah ha,’ like an I-made-it-type moment. So it was nice.”
(What’s easier now than it was a year ago relative to the communication aspect of your role?) – “I just know the defense better, so it’s easier for me to make sure everybody is on the same page. For myself, I’m a lot more comfortable in the defense because I know more.”
(Are you calling all of the defense or just the secondary part?) – “We’re switching it up between me and ‘Bake’ (Jerome Baker). It’s not really set in stone right now. There’s more than one green dot, so we’re just going throughout trying different people.”
(Who’s impressed you the most in the last two days?) – “Man, there are a number of guys, honestly, but I’d say Keion (Crossen). Keion has been making a bunch of plays. He’s been around the ball. I tried to pop one up for him today on like a tip ball. Keion has been lights out today and yesterday too.”
(Did you learn anything about the defense this week, just going up against a different offense? Did you see something that you’re like, “Oh, wow. I didn’t realize we could do this?”) – “No, we’re kind of Year Two in. I know the guys on the team, the personalities of our defense and how energetic and dialed in everybody gets once we play a different color (jersey). As you guys saw, that’s exactly what happened. I wouldn’t say I was shocked about it. I was more excited.”
(How exciting was it to see S Verone McKinley III a couple days ago get picks in two-straight days? You ran up to him and congratulated him.) – “Yes, that’s awesome, man. That’s like one of my best friends, dude. That’s great. It’s kind of – it’s surreal. We did that in college and now we’re doing that in the pros. So I’m excited for him. This is his first preseason game coming up, so I just want him to go out there and ball and have fun. Yes, it’s been great, for real.”
(I noticed a couple big runs that the Bucs had. From your sightline, seeing the whole field, what did you see on those plays that went wrong?) – “It’s just about the tempo of the game. It’s like, guys come through the hole, it could be a tackle, it could not be a tackle. We’re not really trying to put contact on guys if you’re on the side of them, only when you’re head up and you can square a guy up. So a lot of the times, if they’re getting through the hole or if they’re not, we’re not trying to tackle anybody or anything like that. It’s just about, for me personally, working my technique, inside-out track, trusting my corners to hold the edge so that they won’t be able to get outside and I’ll be able to work my technique trying to knock those tackles out.”
(Were you pretty surprised you didn’t see QB Tom Brady out there today?) – “Not really. If he was going to be out here, I would’ve been like, ‘Awesome,’ but if he’s not, I was kind of like, ‘He’s a vet.’”
(What was the difference going up against QB Blaine Gabbert today instead of QB Tom Brady?) – “Gabbert is just a whole different player, you know what I mean? He’s great in his reads, and then a lot of time, they started running the ball a lot, so that’s when I was really focusing on my inside-out tracks, things like that and tackling out of the post, which is difficult.”
