Patrick Laird – November 4, 2021
Thursday, November 4, 2021
RB Patrick Laird
(Tell us what the emotional journey has been like this year. Obviously not being on the 53, was that a let down? Were you down? Were you hoping you would be claimed elsewhere so you’d be on a 53? We haven’t talked to you in quite a while.) – “Obviously it was the goal to make the team initially. But my mindset was whatever happened, I was going to learn from it, take it as a challenge, take it as an opportunity to learn from. I think I heard ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts) talk about that in terms of his leadership. I was going to do that whether I was a practice squad player or not. Take it as an opportunity to learn. That was my mentality. Whether I got claimed or not, I wasn’t going to hope for one thing or the other. Whatever happened, I was going to be happy with it and just attack that opportunity.”
(So you weren’t especially down the week of September 1st, 2nd, 3rd?) – “Was I down? I mean, yeah it’s like if you don’t accomplish a goal that you had, you’re going to be a little bit disappointed. So yes. But that whole day happens really fast. It’s 24 hours and then you find out they are going to sign you back to practice squad. You could be down for a week but that’s not going to help you, so the short amount of time you feel down about that, the better I think. You just move on and again, I just try to be the best practice squad player I can be.”
(You’re one of the unique players who has been here for all of it – 2019, 2020 and now 2021. All three very unique seasons. How do you get this headed in the right direction? Taking what you’ve seen in 2019 and 2020 and putting it into 2021?) – “I’d be naive to say I know all of the answers just because I’ve been here. I’m still a young guy in the NFL relative to a lot of other people that know better. I think some of the messages our coaches are preaching every day ‘stick together, continuing to work, trust the process.’ A lot of coaches and players on this team and organizations have found success in the NFL. I got to trust that they know what they are doing. It’s just going to take more work. Every guy trying to do their job as well as they can. Having the attention to detail that you need to win in the NFL. I’m sure ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) has said this, but the margin of victory is slim. It’s going to take those little details. I see guys working on it. We just got to take those small details and go out there and execute on Sundays with them.”
(In your opinion, obviously pressure is built once you start losing and now you’ve lost seven straight. How much of a relief would a win be?) – “You go out every Sunday and just try to win. If you don’t have the mentality that you can win every game, then it’s going to be even harder to win. You just need to go out there with confidence. I don’t know if this is answering your question but you’re going out there expecting to win. If you don’t win, you’re disappointed and you’ve got to learn from the mistakes. If you do win, you’re happy for that plane ride home or whatever the rest of that Sunday is, and then the next week, that Monday, you’ve got to start preparing for the next game. I don’t know if relief is the right word. You want to win every Sunday. So when you do, you’re happy. If you don’t, you learn from the mistakes, and then you prepare for the next team.”
(What was going through your mind that week after RB Malcolm Brown was placed on IR? And then it’s you, RB Gerrid Doaks, and then they sign RB Duke Johnson on the practice squad, and then the idea is one of the three of you is going to get moved up. What’s going on in your mind as far as am I going to be the guy?) – “For me, I try to have the mindset that whatever decision the coaches made, I would be happy with it or fine with it, and I would work the same way. One other goal I had when I was signed back to the practice squad was I was going to work and prepare like I was on the active roster. My routine really didn’t change that much. I still watched film and studied all the plays the same, so if they did decide to call me up or sign me to the roster, I would be ready to go. I felt like I did a good job of that last week. There was some of that anticipation – am I going to be the guy they call up? If i am, I’ll be ready and I’ll stick to my same routine, which I think is what happened pretty much.”
(The RPO offensive style that QB Tua Tagovailoa is utilizing often here, that he used at Alabama. I don’t think you have experience in that particular system in your past, right?) – “At Cal, we did a good amount.”
(So for the RPO to work – was QB Jared Goff there when you were there, or no?) – “He was, but I didn’t play that much with him on offense. That was my first two years andthen had Davis Webb who is on the practice squad of the Bills now. So I actually got to see him last weekend. Then we had two other quarterbacks my last two seasons.”
(For the RPO to be as effective as it can be, can you tell me what your thoughts are on that and what the benefits of that style of offense can be?) – “It’s different with college and the NFL because in college you can go three yards down the field with the linemen, whereas in the NFL it’s only one. That plays a little bit of a role into it. And then in the NFL, just with my experience – I don’t know about other colleges – but it’s a lot more complex. The different reads and the defenses you are seeing. Like you said, Tua (Tagovailoa) has experience in that. He’s good at it. He’s good at seeing the conflict defender or whoever he’s reading. It’s a numbers thing. The quarterbacks are seeing it, the line is seeing the numbers, who they are putting in the box, who we want to have conflict with the various routes. I think Tua does a good job making those decisions. As a running back, the best mentality you can have is expect the ball. If he pulls it and throws it, that’s out of your hands. You just expect the ball and look at your run read.”
(Now that you’ve experienced the league from a practice squad perspective, as well as a 53 perspective, is there any part of being on the practice squad that makes you feel like you’re not fully a part of the team? Any sort of emptiness? Anything that you experienced like that before last week?) – “I’d say the first week during warmups, when I was watching everybody else warm up, and have their pads on and I’m just on the side with sweats and a t-shirt, I felt like – I wanted to be out there. That’s just the feeling I think you should have as a competitor. Like, man I wish – I just miss putting on pads today and playing in a real game. That was something to get used to. But as far as being on the team, you’re still an integral part of practice and gameplan. You have to study the opponent and how they are going to attack our team. You want to give the best look on scout team that you can or on special teams that you can. I try to have pride in being the best practice squad, best teammate that I could be during that period when I was on practice squad. Watching on Sundays is the biggest difference.”
(Were you able to travel to New England or Las Vegas?) – “Yeah. They are allowed to travel a certain amount of practice squad players, so I was one of those guys.”
(On gamedays for home games, before you joined the 53, you were situated where during the home opener for example this year?) – “You have a work out. So I guess that’s another difference. So they have the practice squad guys come to the facility and work out. Then certain guys are in boxes or at home, whatever it is.”
(Was it home for you at all for any game this year?) – “Yeah.”
(How weird was that? Watching a game, knowing you’re a team employee, but not at the stadium for a home game?) – “I felt like a Dolphins fan.” (laughter)
(Do you prefer to watch it from the game or at home?) – “I think the reason they have you watch it at home sometimes is with COVID. I actually don’t know all of the rules for it. Whether I’d prefer to watch it from home or the stadium, I’d rather just play in the game. (laughter) My favorite game to watch was last Sunday.”
(I remember LB Zach Thomas told me years ago years ago that if he was injured at home, he would cookout and grill. I just thought that was crazy to imagine that Zach Thomas, while his team was playing, would be grilling.) – “Sometimes it’s funny because I’d grab like a coffee right before or something, and I’ll see all of the people – I live relatively close to here, so I’d see people going to the stadium and I’m just a random dude with a coffee in my hand and I’m wondering like –they obviously don’t know who I am. But I’m about to watch the game just like them. But I know just a little bit more about what’s going on in the game.”
(People know who you are. You get recognized don’t you?) – “Very rarely. Very rarely.”
(The home games so far have been a combination of being at home or being in a box for you?) – ‘Yeah.”
(So you finally get into a game and you make a critical third-down conversion and there is this yellow flag on the ground. What goes through your mind at that point?) – “You have to move on at that point. I actually didn’t know what the penalty was. Every time I watch it on TV watching football and see the person do the first-down point, I always thought that was dumb growing up. I was like that’s what you’re supposed to do is get a first down. But then when you get into the NFL and you realize how hard it is to get a first down, and then a third-down conversion that’s a first down, I got real excited and I did the point. (laughter) I was embarrassed that I let myself do that and then I especially see it when there is a penalty and it’s called back, it’s like ‘oh, he definitely looked dumb doing that.’ I was just really excited I was in the game making a play.”
(What made you do it?) – “Just the excitement of converting on a third-down play.”
(You said you would not do it.) – “I always told myself that I was never going to do it, and then you get a big first down and sometimes your emotions just do that. I was just excited to make a play for the team and keep the drive going. Then like you said, you see the yellow flag and move on to the next play. I don’t think I was in on the next one. They had a different personnel grouping in. You can’t let that affect the rest of your game.”
(Of all the scenarios that could’ve happened last week in terms of you, RB Gerrid Doaks or RB Duke Johnson being elevated and moved to the 53, the best scenario happened for you in getting a regular 53 contract and not being elevated just for a week. I would imagine financially it’s better as well. Was that pleasing to you that it was the best possible outcome for you personally?) – “Yes I think is the honest answer. But I don’t want that yes to sound like I’m happy that other guys weren’t elevated. Obviously, I was going to trust whatever decisions the coaches made and be happy with it.”
(I know that you’re a key part of the social initiatives for the Dolphins. You and CB Byron Jones are key members?) – “Yeah. There are a few of us, the Social Impact Committee.”
(What’s one thing that you guys have been able to do that you’re particularly proud of or you think is quite interesting?) – “There is a lot of stuff that I enjoyed doing with the committee. One in particular this year that we did that was cool was we donated $100,000 to Palm Beach County, Miami-Dade, and Broward County school districts. What we wanted to do is not just hand them the money and they can do whatever they want. We wanted to see the projects have measurable impact. The thing with Palm Beach County is we discovered that they had – I don’t want to misquote the number but it’s around like 15,000 families that don’t have stable WiFi at home. I think you guys can obviously imagine the disadvantage a kid would have just not having good WiFi at home. They are creating this WiFi mesh network in Palm Beach County. That’s another issue in itself. But they need these WiFi extenders to go in the homes that the family can plug in and use. Those need to all be configured to the Palm Beach County WiFi network and all of that. We actually had those brought to the stadium and I think we did over 500. Just configured them so now when the network is set up, the families are going to get this box and a kid is going to have WiFi to study and participate in class, whether it’s virtual or not, and then their family will as well. That was a really cool initiative that we did and we’re excited to keep doing stuff like that going forward, having real measurable impact with the money that we’re donating.”
(Do you know what the range is on those? How far from the tower or whatever?) – “That’s what they are doing right now. They are building towers in certain neighborhoods in Palm Beach County. That’s part of the issue is they are trying to figure out the logistics and get through I guess the political backlash of trying to set up some of these towers with some people having ideas of what these towers – they think the towers have other… Whatever it is, they have different reasons for why they don’t want the tower near their building or whatever it is. Palm Beach County, the district and the superintendent and the administrators are working really hard. We’ve been encouraging – if there are people in Palm Beach County that want to go to school board meetings and help support this initiative, they should do that.”
Emmanuel Ogbah – November 4, 2021
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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.”
Jesse Davis – November 4, 2021
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Thursday, November 4, 2021
G/T Jesse Davis
(What do you hope the offensive line, especially if you guys are able to stay in the same spots, what do you think the unit can do over the second half of the season?) – “I think run the ball more efficiently. That’s probably the No. 1 goal here. I think that will complement our pass game. I think running the ball is what our o-line wants to establish.”
(You guys had pretty much success last week running the ball and then kind of abandoned it. I don’t think it was necessarily the situation because the game was still close. What do you have to do to convince them that you are consistent running the ball?) – “I think probably just in a game, getting more than one or two yards per carry. I think getting in that three, four range where we feel comfortable we can get to third-and-2 or third-and-manageable instead of sitting there at second-and-10 or something. Last week, obviously Buffalo is a good defense and I think they had a god plan against us, but I think ultimately up front we have to be more physical and run the ball more.”
(Has the knee this year at all impacted your play? Have you felt it? I know you’re never going to use an excuse for anything but…) – “No, I don’t think so. It’s something I manage and in a game, the adrenaline is pumping so I don’t really feel anything.”
(I know Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre said this week that they talk every week about what position is best for each guy. I asked specifically and others have as well, about you and G/T Robert Hunt and what’s best tackle or guard. He said they talk about it every week. Has he asked for your opinion ever on what you think would be best?) – “No, I don’t think so. It’s just wherever they want me at is where I’m going to end up being. My opinion really doesn’t matter when coaches make decisions.”
(You’ve spent so much time at both positions, do you feel equally comfortable and effective at both tackle and guard?) – “Yeah, I think now I’ve been playing tackle primarily. I know last year, I felt comfortable at guard because I was playing at guard. It’s wherever you’re at.”
(You’ve been here for so many different lines. How close is this line to the point to where the team can rely on you, count on you to get the job done on Sunday?) – “I think we’re close. You see glimpses of some bright moments and then sometimes we take a step back. It all comes down to communication, preparation and that’s something that we continue to hammer on. I think we’re close, I just think the run game is what we hope to get where we want it.”
(Houston DL Jonathan Greenard has seven sacks. I‘m not sure where he lines up – if he’s more your responsibility or T Liam Eichenberg. What do you guys as an o-line seen from him on tape?) – “Yeah, I think he’s a quick player. He looks pretty good on film. We’ve just got to be on our technique and be able to stop their pass rushers too.”
(Looking back over the first half of the year, what concerns you most about the way the offensive line performed and maybe something you’ve been able to work on and turn around since then?) – “I’ll speak for myself but pass pro, it’s not where I want it. I’m working on it. I’m trying to get better and I think everybody is too. I think looking back, it’s just the pass pro is different for me with Tua (Tagovailoa). I haven’t played tackle with Tua other than this year, besides left tackle, I guess. It’s just getting that chemistry down with myself, understanding where he us and understanding where I need to be is primarily the thing and just being more physical.”
(Is there sort of a player or a coach – has anything been said with the team not winning that you have found to be uplifting or helpful? It must not be easy when the team is 1-7. Is there anything going on behind the scenes that you’ve found inspirational or helpful?) – “I think our o-line coach does a good job keeping our room together too. O-line is not a position you can take plays off or you get exposed pretty quick. For us, it’s natural business for us. You take one play off, that’s the play that’s going to get you. For us, it’s just keep grinding. It starts up front is what we always preach and that’s how we want to move forward with it.”
Xavien Howard – November 4, 2021
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Thursday, November 4, 2021
CB Xavien Howard
(Did you know that you weren’t going anywhere? Like when we talked to you, did you know that you weren’t going anywhere?) – “I just play football. I don’t make those decisions. I’m here today so that’s a blessing.”
(What’s the mood of the defense? I know that you guys had a really strong first half, first two quarters against the Bills and things didn’t go your way in the fourth quarter. But what’s the mood? Are you guys trying to take some of the successes from that first half against the Texans?) – “I feel like we played decent as a defense. I feel like even though we didn’t win the game, I feel like the defense did a lot of good things, especially against an explosive offense like the Bills. We just got to keep getting better each day and just go out there, try to do our jobs and do the best of it.”
(The Texans announced that QB Tyrod Taylor is going to start this Sunday over QB Davis Mills. How much does that change your gameplan and as a cornerback, how does that change the way you’re approaching the game?) – “Oh Tyrod man, he’s been in the league a couple years. I feel like he’s done a lot of great things. One thing when I think about Tyrod, people sleep on him. I feel like he also can throw the ball with the running that he can do. Extending plays and stuff like that, just staying on my guy will be the key for that.”
(You called it a blessing that you’re still here. The team obviously is 1-7. A lot of guys would be thinking.) – “A lot of guys at home, also. Just being in this position, being able to play football is something I love to do. It’s a blessing.”
(What gives you hope that the direction of the team can change course? Not just the rest of the season but over the coming years here?) – “All three phases got to bring the best of their games. We haven’t done that. Some days it’s offense, some days it’s defense and special teams. I feel like we got a great thing. We just ain’t never get that time just to really everybody do their job on all three phases.”
(One of your first breakout games was against the Patriots on a Monday Night Game when you were going up against WR Brandin Cooks a couple of times. What do you remember about going against him?) – “I had a breakout game before that and it was Denver.”
(I said one of your first breakout games. What do you remember from that?) – “I do remember. It was a Monday Night Game. I did my thing that night. I’m sure he remembers that night also, so you know he’s going to come in and give me his best and I’m expecting the best from me also.”
(You’re hoping to be matched up one-on-one against him most of the game?) – “It don’t matter who it is. I’ve got to do my job.”
(When you defend players with that much speed, what’s your mindset in terms of not letting them get behind you?) – “My mindset is using the right technique against speed guys. Being physical and I’d say just keeping everything in front of you and not behind you.”
(You’ve been playing through a few injuries. How do you feel now compared to a week or two ago? Is it better?) – “Yeah, I feel great. A lot of guys fight through injuries that people don’t notice and they just out there playing. You’re never 100 percent playing this game. You just have to have a strong mindset and go out there and do your job the best you can do it.”
(You’re a Houston guy. Does it mean something to you playing against your hometown team?) – “No, not really. I just want to win really.”
(Who did you grow up rooting for?) – “(Laughter) Not Houston. Dallas.”
(So like when you in Texas you got to, it’s hard to be nothing but a Cowboy fan?) – “It’s not hard to be a Cowboy fan when you Texas. But it’s like, what does everybody talk about when you go to Texas?”
(The Cowboys.) – “Cowboys. Houston? (Laughter) Nothing against that organization though, but the Dallas Cowboys are the team growing up in Texas.”
(Were the Texans even a franchise yet when you started getting into football?) – “No, I think it was still the Houston Oilers at that time.”
(There were some years when there wasn’t any team there.) – “I don’t remember that (Laughter). I’m ’93, that’s before my time.”
Elandon Roberts – November 4, 2021
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Thursday, November 4, 2021
LB Elandon Roberts
(Houston QB Tyrod Taylor is going to start for the Texans. I don’t know if you’ve gone against him a time or two before but what do you think is a key against him in particular?) – “Tyrod is a good player. When he was in Buffalo early in my career, I went against him a lot. He’s a good quarterback. He can throw, dual threat, obviously his running capability and stuff like that. Veteran quarterback in this league that has seen every defense and seen every coverage and seen every type of scheme thrown at him. I know for a fact, probably, that Houston is glad to have him back. He’s a good quarterback.”
(With QB Tyrod Taylor’s scrambling ability, how much does that put you guys in an uncomfortable spot because he can cheat and get those extra yards?) – “It affects you. It affects you because you always have to make sure the quarterback is accounted for. I think what benefits us is that we have played against quarterbacks like that this season that have scramble capabilities. We know in the sense from a defensive schematic standpoint, okay what will put is in a bind and what won’t. Like every other week, it’s going to be a 60-minute game.”
(I wanted to ask you about the run defense. You guys, since DT Raekwon Davis came back, with the exception of Buffalo QB Josh Allen’s big run, you guys have been tightening up as a run defense. What has been the difference that wasn’t there early in the season?) – “I think we just honed in as a defense and just started – we just really honing in as a defense, fixing some things and just been playing better run defense. I think it’s all 11, whoever is on the field, defensively-type job.”
(As a captain, and I wouldn’t ask you this specifically what it is that’s private, but are there things that you would suggest to Head Coach Brian Flores or that you have suggested over the last few weeks to try right the ship whether it’s a change in routine, bringing in inspirational speakers or anything at all? The changes you privately suggest to Flo.) – “In like what way? What do you mean?”
(In terms of maybe we change the practice routine, maybe we do this a little differently on Thursday or Friday. Anything at all that you feel like because of your experience, knowledge and role as a captain, that you can privately go to Head Coach Brian Flores and say, ‘How about we do things this way, just my idea.’ Do you feel comfortable doing that and do you do it?) – “I think as leaders, we have those conversations. I think that’s at every club, though. At my previous employer, we did the same thing. I think that’s just like a regular routine just as a leader and a captain in the building.”
(You go back with Head Coach Brian Flores longer than most of the people here. What has this type of adversity been like for him?) – “Personally I think that’s a ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) question. I can’t.”
(In terms of what you’ve seen him and how Head Coach Brian Flores has responded to it?) – “I mean, how he responded to it to me is that he comes in each week working on what we need to get better at. He’s putting us in a good position as a football team to go out there and be successful. I’m not speaking for him, but I don’t see him hanging his head. I don’t see him this and that. I just see him trying to fix problems and coming in each week ready to work, just like he expects us to.”
(Unless I’m wrong this is you’re sixth year in the NFL and in your first five years you never played on a team that won less than 10 games. How difficult has this been in dealing with the situation with the team with the record it has?) – “You don’t want to be in the situation but just because I haven’t been in the situation, I use it as a learning experience. As a leader, how can you lead if you ain’t ever been through something? Just like growing up – a lot of adversity. I didn’t have a lot of schools calling me going to college. Sixth round pick and stuff. If you ain’t never went through it, how are you going to know how to move when adversity hits you? I just take it from a leading standpoint of just each week being there for my guys, learning from the adversity and one thing about leadership is you got to be willing to learn as well and learn from others. That’s what it’s teaching me on a personal level.”
(I asked CB Xavien Howard too because like him, you guys are both Houston-area guys. Did you grow up a Texans fan? He said he grew up a Cowboys fan.) – “Nah, I didn’t grow up either one.”
(Who did you root for?) – “When I was growing up, I was a Philadelphia Eagle. It’s kind of funny because that’s the team I lost to in the Super Bowl. Me and my dad always joke around about it. But no, I didn’t grow up a Houston or Dallas fan.”
(How do you become an Eagles fan?) – “I liked Donovan McNabb – black quarterback. A lot of people are afraid to say that but I’m not afraid to say I was going for him because he was a black quarterback and then I just kind of fell in love with that organization.”
(Were you around a lot of Cowboys fans? Division rivals?) – “Yeah, all my family are Cowboy fans. It’s Texas. That’s mostly what it is, Cowboys fans. I think Houston came in like 2002, 2003 but it was the Oilers there first, so you still got a lot of Oiler fans.”
(You mentioned something earlier that you learned from this leadership experience. What have you learned? What have you picked up?) – “I picked up a lot. Even from like I said about ‘Flo’s’ (Brian Flores) standpoint, ain’t no head hanging, ain’t no this, ain’t no that. We are going to get better. We are going to get better as a team. A lot of people may look at the record and say oh that’s this or their season is done, but they need to really start watching film because if you look at the games, we’re getting better as an overall team. The average fan wouldn’t understand that because they are just looking at the game, they don’t really know what they’re looking at. But if you are really a football person like you say and you really know the game and you look at the game and not look at certain stuff, you’ll be like, ‘This team is getting better,’ and we are getting better each week.”
Mike Gesicki – November 4, 2021
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Thursday, November 4, 2021
TE Mike Gesicki
(This team obviously will have a decision on you at the end of the year, which should be a big decision as you’re one of their best players. But I’m curious if the frustration of this year – we saw it on the sideline with you – has the frustration of losing made you any less interested in remaining a long-term part of the Miami Dolphins in the future?) – “No, absolutely not. I think that we have a phenomenal organization. I think that we have coaches that are in here into the late hours of the night preparing and helping put players in position to be successful. We have great guys in the locker room. An unbelievable strength staff that is helping guys maximize their abilities on the field. The best trainers. The best people in the kitchen. The best media team. Security staff. The list goes on and on about all of the positives about this organization. The product on Sunday, I think, will follow. I think that we’re close. I’ve said that for weeks now. I think it truly shows each and every week that we are close – very close. At some point, we’ve got to turn the corner. I’m not going to come up and make predictions or statements or anything like that but our goal is to turn the corner this week. That’s the only thing that we can do. We’re focused on this week and playing Houston. We’re ready to go out there and maximize all of our opportunities to hopefully give all of the people I just named – the coaches, the staff, everybody that works in this building – what they deserve.”
(One other question on the future and forgive me as I know it’s nothing players like talking about ideally. But has General Manager Chris Grier or Head Coach Brian Flores ever left you with the impression – you or Jimmy Sexton – the impression that this will get done and we want you here long term? Is that your understanding? Or have they never said anything to suggest that?) – “Honestly, I don’t really get involved with it. I know that every player that’s ever been asked about their contract says, ‘Oh, I’m just going to leave it up to my agent.’ But that’s honestly what the situation has been for me and I’m not even avoiding anything. I haven’t talked to anybody. I haven’t done anything. The only thing I’ve focused on is going out there on Sunday and doing whatever role is asked of me, whether it’s going in there and blocking corners and safeties and outside ‘backers, or going out there and catching a ball on third down or fourth down or whatever it is and making plays to help this team. I think that when you focus on just your role and your assignment and you focus on your technique out on Sunday, and you make the plays that you’re asked to do, everything else will kind of take care of itself. I think that’s how I approach this thing.”
(You ended last season and battled an injury. Obviously players who are in the final year of their contract, their main concern is injury that could impact future earnings. Is that something that you worry about and is that a motivator towards trying to get a deal done?) – “No. Honestly, I was not expecting to come in here and talk about contracts or anything because I really don’t think about it. (laughter) Health and all of that kind of stuff, I don’t think about that either. I just go out there and try to, like I said, produce and make the most of my opportunities. I think everything else kind of takes care of itself. I’ve obviously been blessed with health but that’s not up to you. That’s just the game. I just kind of take it one play at a time and let everything else kind of handle itself.”
(How is QB Tua Tagovailoa throwing the ball this week?) – “He’s doing well. I think he’s done a good job. I think that honestly, collectively, we’ve kind of done a good job of just coming together and like I said, talk about turning the corner. I think that it’s something that we’re really focused on. We’re focusing on the little things. Focusing on doing everything possible. When you’re in the huddle, just listen to everything that’s being discussed in the huddle – play call, formation, shift, motion. Whatever it is. Snap count. So this way when you go out there, you line up and you don’t want to make negative plays before the ball is snapped. We’re trying to prevent from kind of hurting ourselves, which is something that’s shown up, because we’ve got talent. We’ve got the ability to make plays. We’ve got great coaches and a good team and all of that kind of stuff. But we have to be able to put it together and not hurt ourselves.”
(I think one reason you were asked about QB Tua Tagovailoa is because he’s been listed on the injury report as limited with a finger injury on his throwing hand. Has he thrown well this week?) – “Yeah. I don’t get into all of the injury report stuff. If you guys want to get (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle Johnston up here, I can call him and you guys can ask him those questions. (laughter) I stay far away from the injury report.”
(The alignment stuff, was it something where you just came in on Monday, you guys looked at the film and sorted it out? Or as you kind of alluded to, is it more that this entire week it’s been a point of emphasis – the alignment and kind of a lot of the pre-snap stuff?) – “I think obviously that kind of stuff can almost get overlooked because you are thinking about the play, you are thinking about what route or thinking about who you are going to block or which combination or trying to read the coverage. I think that kind of just goes back to focusing one play at a time, focusing on your alignment, your assignment, the communication and technique that needs to go into the play, and not having those small things equate to big things. That’s just kind of the focus and that’s been a focus for us this week.”
(I know you don’t want to talk about that specific play at the end of the first half, but just knowing the fact that you actually pointed out to WR Jaylen Waddle to get into position, when you are learning the playbook, do you kind of study the other wide receiver spots?) – “Yeah, absolutely. I think in my position, I’m kind of moving around a little bit. This season we’ve had some injuries at that position so I’ve had to kind of fill in here and fill in there. But also, just the play call that we ran, I kind of knew what was supposed to happen. Obviously there was miscommunication or whatever it was. Stuff like that happens but we need to be able to overcome that and prevent that from happening.”
(At the beginning, you cited all of the things that you have going for you in this organization. To look at the list, it’s a long list that you cited. Is there a time that you want to scratch your head and say, ‘well, why aren’t the results reflective?’) – “Yeah, I think that’s natural in this business. When you do have all of these great people and you do have so much hard work and you have this big nice building and you’ve got everything and anything that you could possibly want, why aren’t the results there on Sunday? That’s when I always going back to we’re close. We’re a ball bouncing the right way for us – instead of going out of the back of the end zone, maybe somebody falls on it in the end zone (and it’s a) touchdown. Or a ball maybe hits a returner in the finger but they go to review and it doesn’t hit the returner in the finger. I don’t know. That’s what I mean when I say we’re that close. Obviously you don’t want to leave it up to those plays. You want to be able to go out there and control the game on your own terms. But we’ve just got to keep pushing, keep pressing and keep trusting. I think that’s the biggest thing because it’s easy to get down and it’s easy to not have belief or trust anymore when you’re 1-7. But I think this is the time when you can really improve and really get better and fight through adversity. I’ve been on a team before where we were 1-7 and we weren’t supposed to win a game the whole year and we come out and have a couple of wins to end the season and people are on a high note and all of that kind of stuff. I’m not saying that’s this year, but I’m saying that we have to be able to fight through adversity and build off of positives to, kind of like I said earlier, turn this corner.”
(That was going to be my follow up, about a couple of years ago…) – “Yeah, this is a different situation. Every year is a different situation, a different team. Obviously the record is similar. Actually it’s exactly the same. Like I said, we’re trying to turn that corner.”
Mack Hollins – November 3, 2021
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Wednesday, November 3, 2021
WR Mack Hollins
(Tell us about your Halloween?) – “We lost a football game. Got home, caught some balls on the JUGS. Went to sleep. Prepare for the next week. Not too eventful.”
(Did you go trick-or-treating?) – “No, I think I’m over the age limit. As much as I would love to knock on some doors and get some free candy and pass it out next year. Then the kids realize I got the stale candy so they stop coming to my door and I can go to bed early. (laughter) That’s deep thinking. It’s next level stuff.”
(How often do you put in work after a game? You said you went on the JUGS machine.) – “Yeah, every time after a game, win or loss. Some of the guys will come to the house, turn on the garage lights and if you angle it just right in my garage, it’s not so close that it’s dangerous and you can shoot and catch. We’ll get 100 or 200. It’s kind of fast when you get a good group of guys.”
(Is it the whole receiving corps?) – “The whole receiving corps has but it’s not all 12 of us at the same time. Sometimes it’s four of us, sometimes it’s eight of us. Off days it will be more. I think win or lose, you have to continue to put in the work. It’s easy to just be like, ‘We’re losing, I don’t need to put in the work,’ or ‘We’re winning and I don’t need to put in the work.’ You just got to keep going, keep going, keep going.”
(Is the garage door open as you are doing this? Are your neighbors there? What do your neighbors think of this?) – “Yeah. The neighbors know by now. Sometimes I’ll bring the JUGS out in the street and I’m shooting like 50-yard balls down the street. They kind of know that’s just what Mack (Hollins) does. Their kids will come and play with us so now I’m the cool kid on the block. They’re okay with it because I’ll throw with their kids or do two-on-two, Mack is the permanent quarterback and I get to show my skills.”
(They catch balls with you? Is that how you get your contested catches?) – “Yeah, you get the little kids and they’ll take like, I got a bunch of pool noodles and I’ll let them just hit me as hard as they can while I’m on the JUGS. They think they’re having fun but really, I’m getting the better of it. It kind of goes back to the candy stuff, it’s always thinking ahead. Like telling your little brother or sister, ‘Hey, go upstairs and grab this, I’ll time you,’ and then all of the sudden they run up there to go get it. (laughter)”
(Has Head Coach Brian Flores or anyone in the building this week brought up examples of teams who dug out of big holes whether it be 1-7 or something else and made something of their season? Have you heard anything like that this week?) – “Not me personally. I think for us, it’s just what do we need to do to get a win. You focus on your keys and how can we execute those keys on Sunday. But no, I haven’t really got any examples like ‘Hey, this team was not doing well and they turned it around.’ I don’t think I’ve ever got those. Even if we had a good season like last season when we were playing well, it wasn’t like, this team did well and look what they ended up doing. You just kind of got to put the blinders on and keep pushing.”
(Has Head Coach Brian Flores or Stephen Ross or any of the players done anything different to keep you guys engaged, motivated, spirits up this week? Any motivational speakers? Anything out of the ordinary these last three days?) – “Nah, for me motivational speeches don’t really do anything. They’re not really worth it to me. Motivational speeches make you feel good for that speech, then you break the huddle and the motivation is over. Preparation makes you confident. The work that you put in the offseason and in practice that week is what makes you confident on Sundays. All the ‘rah-rah’ speeches in the world aren’t going to make you feel like ‘oh, I’m going to play different than what I did all week.’ For me, the motivational speeches don’t really work.”
(What stands out to you about the Texans defense?) – “They fly around a good bit, which is good to go against a team that challenges you. We’ll be prepared and we’ll give them our best run for their money.”
(What observations, if any, have you had about QB Tua Tagovailoa’s emotional state in the last week or two and if it’s changed at all now that the trade deadline has passed?) – “I haven’t seen anything from him that’s different. I couldn’t say like hey, he’s acting different now that 4 o’clock on Tuesday has ended. He’s the same guy. He comes to work, he prepares, he keeps the guys engaged and tells guys, ‘Hey, this is what I want, this is what I don’t want, this is where I’m seeing things when we break the huddle and you’re running routes.’ To me, he’s the same guy.”
(How often do you think about the record? About being 1-7 and is there anything that, moving on from the record, we have a game on Sunday?) – “Personally, when I think about the record, it’s kind of embarrassing. Not kind of – it is embarrassing. We’re 1-7. You put in a lot of work from the day the season ended last year until now and you’re not seeing the fruits of that labor. The only thing you can do is continue to put the work in. You can’t just give up on something because things aren’t going your way. I think it’s easy to do that. It’s easy to scrap the season. It’s easy to say we’re not going to win anymore who cares, let’s just focus on next year, let’s tank. Everybody wants to be treated like a man, everybody wants to be grown, everybody wants to be the big dog this and that. If you want to be all those things, you can’t do that type of stuff. Nobody on this team is and nobody on this team is going to at any point. I certainly won’t allow it nor will the coaches or any of the other captains. We’ll continue to work hard, we’ll continue to push ourselves and whether the fruits want to come or not, we’re going to get them.”
(Is there any product in the hair at this time or no product?) – “Right now, there’s some SheaMoisture in it. SheaMoisture, I mean.”
(We need more tips, the routine or something like that. You have curly hair in this humidity is not easy.)- “I know it’s not easy, that’s why I just pick it out. If I brought the curls in, the helmet would have messed it up and I would have came here looking goofy. I decided to just pick it out so that I can have an excuse for why it’s so wild. Every once and a while, if y’all see me traveling to a game, you’ll see the curls really going if I don’t braid it up and keep it out of my face because it’s about 500 degrees.”
(When was the last time you got a haircut?) – “The last time I got a haircut was – what is it, 2021? The day before training camp in 2019. It’s been some years. I’ll trim the sides here and there. Every girl in here is probably like, ‘You got a lot of split ends,’ and I do. (laughter) I definitely do.”
(Can we get Shea to sponsor you?) – “I mean, Shea? I know y’all see it. Just imagine the things we can do, imagine the things we can do.”
(How long does it take for you to come up with your videos every Friday?) – “What I’d like to say – weeks and weeks. The honest truth? I’ve done them 8 a.m. on Friday before. Sometimes it’s quick thinking, sometimes it’s really prepared. Like last week, if I know it’s something specific like the Crucial Catch, I knew we had that game so that was kind of prepared. I’ve done some breaking practice on Friday like oh, I go to get this done in four hours.”
(Inaudible) – “Sitting in the locker room when guys are like, ‘Did you see this,’ or ‘Have you heard of this?’ And I’ll grab that and if I can Google some more stuff and do some research and find at least like four or five more facts, that’s worthwhile.”
Jerome Baker – November 3, 2021
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Wednesday, November 3, 2021
LB Jerome Baker
(In terms of not playing last week, was it more of a pain issue or a movement issue where you just would’ve been limited? And are you certain you’ll be able to play this Sunday?) – “It’s a little bit of both. But right now, it’s just taking it day-by-day, and just trying to get better and get back out there.”
(So is it iffy for Sunday?) – “Right now it’s just day-by-day. Just trying to take one day at a time and have consistent days.”
(You had mentioned that this is the first time you had missed a game since high school. I don’t know if you traveled with the team, but what was that like watching the game, and what was going through your mind as you were watching it?) – “It’s definitely something I’m not used to, that’s for sure. I just tried to get the guys that are going out there and get them ready the best I can. If that’s saying things that I see or give little tips or whatever it is, I just really try to help the team win as much as I can. Not being out there is definitely hard. It’s definitely challenging mentally. But at the end of the day, I love this team and I want to see this team to do well, so I try to do as much as I can.”
(How did LB Duke Riley play?) – “He did his thing. He definitely did good. We all made some mistakes as a defense, but overall the effort was there. He communicated very well. That’s what we expect in our linebacker room. If one guy goes down, the next guy has to step up and make plays. He definitely did that.”
(If you were trying to define why this season has gone the way it has, what would you say?) – “We’re not consistent with executing. What I mean by that is, in this league it’s hard to win games. But it’s really hard if you’re just beating yourself. For us, it’s the little things that we do that just keep coming up that we’ve got to get done and get fixed. If it’s the penalties, if it’s the lack of communication, letting the guy free, or snapping the ball early. Whatever it is, those little things we keep saying ‘we’re going to get it next time, we’re going to get it next time.’ They keep showing up and we’re still not getting it done. That’s whey we come in every day and we’re harping on the little things. No matter if it’s a small thing everybody knows, we still got to communicate. We still got to lock in on it. I think that’s the main thing. We just got to execute and really be consistent with doing that.”
(Looking at the roster from what you had last year, a lot is similar. So what has changed form last year when there was so much positive?) – “I can’t say it’s an exact thing because if I knew exactly what it was, I’d definitely try to get it fixed. I think the majority of it is just executing. We’re a talented group, we know that. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how talented you are if you beat yourself. We definitely got to execute and I think that’s the main point. We definitely got other problems, but that’s definitely the main point.”
(Do you feel like you’ve got somebody on the team, whether it’s a player or coach, that keeps you guys accountable when those mistakes become consistent?) – “Yeah, we’ve got great leaders on this team. We’ve got great guys as far as holding everybody accountable. I think the one part – it starts at the top and that’s ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores). He definitely holds us all accountable. He doesn’t care who you are or how long you’ve been here or whatever you’ve done in the past. For him, it’s every day you’ve got to show that you are consistent and you go out there and make plays. That’s been his message since he first got here. He’s going to have the guys that are accountable, the guys that do the right thing and help this team win. He’s going to have those guys out there and it doesn’t really matter who it is. It starts with him and at the end of the day, our coaches are on the sideline. Us as players have to execute. That’s why I keep saying it’s definitely us. We’ve got to execute at the end of the day.”
(When mistakes happen in the game, how hard is it not to think ‘here we go again?’ and just move on to the next play?) – “I wouldn’t say it’s hard. When I say that, this is our job. This is what we do for a living. If you’re dwelling on the past play or the past game, it’s going to be a longer day for you. When things happen, you really have to flush it out of your head and go on to the next one. If you let it dwell and you let it keep being on your mind, it’s going to affect you and affect you and affect you. You’re going to look up and one bad play may turn into a bad game for you. At the end of the day, we’re professionals. We’ve got to go out there and do what we do every play. Is it easy? No. But this is what we signed up for, so we’ve got to get it done.”
(From watching film on Houston, what kind of things have you seen from this offense?) – “They are fast. This is a fast team in general. They are a fast team. It’s just easy to tell they play fast. They’ve got high motors. They’re definitely just a fast group. I don’t even know what their record is or whatever, but they’re going to come in here and they are going to try to win a ball game, and we’re going to do the same thing. We’re all desperate for wins here. Sunday is a great opportunity for us.”
(They are pretty fast? That team speed really stood out?) – “That was just the one thing for me is ‘these guys are fast.’ For me, just personally looking at the running back room, it’s like alright, they’ve got some guys that can run. Just going guy to guy, you’re like ‘alright, this is going to be a fast game.’ It’s going to be a great challenge for us. We’re definitely excited and Sunday is a great opportunity for us. We’ve just got to get it done.”
