Ted Karras – October 19, 2020
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Monday, October 19, 2020
C Ted Karras
(You all have handled COVID really well since the season started. Besides wearing masks, can you please tell me one or two other things that you all are doing as a team or as individuals that are helping?) – “I think everyone just going home or just here to the facility. We reported July 28th and I haven’t been anywhere other than my house or the facility. I think a lot of guys are taking that responsibility pretty seriously, and so far so good in the regular season. Knock on wood, we’ve got to keep doing our routine.”
(I want to ask you the level of confidence from the players after the big win against the 49ers, and the Jets?) – “Anytime you can string two wins together, any wins together in the NFL, it’s going to breed confidence. It definitely feels good going into a bye week here, getting back to even. We’ve got to keep working our hardest, keep coming in every day to improve. I know we are going to have a lot of improvement to do this week, and then some rest, and then we have a big game coming up here in two weeks.”
(Statistically sack wise, you’re in the top half of the league. What has gone so well with your pass protection this year?) – “I think a lot of credit goes to (Offensive Line Coach Steve) Marshall and Coach Gailey (Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey) scheming it up, Ryan (Fitzpatrick) getting us in the right calls and then coming down to individual technique and winning one-on-ones. We’re fortunate we work hard to win our one-on-ones, and we’re doing a good job of it across the board. We’ve got to keep it going.”
(TE Durham Smythe was talking about how eventually the mindset shifts from hoping to win to expect to win. Where are you in that process?) – “I think that we’re close to expecting to win. Every game has been close. Now, we’ve strung a couple of games together, and learning how to do that as a team, and learning what it takes to prepare and putting yourself in the right positon to go out there 60 minutes on a Sunday. We’re getting that. A lot of work still to do after this bye – a 10-game stretch to see what we’re about. It’s really exciting. It’s going to be a fun stretch to finish the season.”
(A lot of people didn’t know much about RB Myles Gaskin going into the season, he’s obviously been pretty productive for you guys. What have you learned about him as a running back from blocking for him?) – “He’s a great player, and it’s a pleasure to block for him. He hits the hole fast and makes the right read all the time, and finds the hole. Our job is to open it up and his job is to find it, and he’s doing a great job. We’re rushing the ball pretty effectively. Obviously you always want more out of rushing production on a Monday; but after a win, it feels pretty good. He’s a great player, a great teammate and I’m excited to see what he does for the rest of the season.”
(I want to piggyback off that comment about RB Myles Gaskin because after the game yesterday, he talked about the way you guys hold him accountable, and there is a relationship on this team to not be afraid to speak up about when a guy can do more. I’m wondering how that relationship develops between a team and between you guys and Myles Gaskin specifically?) – “I think everyone just wants to do everything right, which is a good sign for our team. Sometimes an RB will leave a read out, or sometimes you’ll let your guy come through and maybe it wasn’t your best block. Everyone is striving to do the right thing. We’re trending in the right direction, working really hard. We are holding each other accountable and it’s a lot of fun to play on a team like that with a lot of big playmakers and a lot of talent.”
(I’m wondering how the vision that was laid out for you, what this Dolphins team might look like and what the organization is like, how was that vision that was laid out for you when you were deciding where to go, how close is that to reality right now?) – ‘I think we’re playing tough, smart physical football, stringing wins together. We still have a lot of work to do, a lot of improvement, and we’re working hard every day. That’s the kind of team I want to be on is a team that wants to improve and work hard, and get better individually, which will help the team as a whole. This is a big week for us. It’s going to nice to get some rest, get some guys back and we’re going into a stretch to determine our fate this year.”
(What is it about Offensive Line Coach Steve Marshall that you think has been a good fit with the three rookies in particular? Is he a good teacher, is he a yeller? What about Coach Marshall has helped the three rookies?) – “He has a lot of experience in this league and has a great rapport with all of us. He is a very good teacher, and this is a fun system to play in as an o-lineman, and to learn how to play in the National Football League. I think that he’s doing a great job of not only developing these three rookies, but helping me out, and Jesse Davis and Ereck Flowers and all of us get better at our craft. We have a great room. Coach Marshall and ‘Coach Lem’ (Lemuel Jeanpierre) are doing a great job of putting us in the right positions to be successful.”
(A normal year, how would you spend the bye? Would you go to the Bahamas? And how are you spending the bye this year?) – “Well, there are a lot of options down here. I was looking forward to that; but how am I spending it this year? I’m just going to get COVID tested and I’ve got a lot of chores to do at home. I’m pressure washing the whole exterior, so I’m looking forward to it.”
(Is that a bye weekend or just a weekend without a game?) – “Well, I just put so much stuff off. It’s nice to get caught up at home. That is a bye weekend to me. It’s not a vacation. This year we have to come in and get tested every day, so we might as well get up, get going and get some stuff done to have peace of mind for the second half of the year.”
(You can’t leave without answering one QB Tua Tagovailoa question, so I’ll try to be creative. How did his approach to the game and approach to that play – rolling out to the side there in the end zone as opposed to just handing it off – how does that align with any confidence that you’ve seen this young man gain over the last seven weeks?) – “Well, he went out there two-for-two with a big third-down conversion to seal the game for us. That was pretty fun. Coming in, there was like a minute left, and it’s the highest pressure snaps in the game. With Tua coming in, you want to do a good job protecting him. I think we had a good pocket for him and he stuck it in there for a completion. It was awesome. I’m really happy for him. He’s a great teammate. I’m really looking forward to – as all Dolphins nation is – looking forward to see what he can continue to do in the future. It was a good start though, two for two.”
Durham Smythe – October 19, 2020
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Monday, October 19, 2020
TE Durham Smythe
(How jealous is TE Mike Gesicki that you and TE Adam Shaheen are taking all the catches and touchdowns away from him at this time?) – “(laughter) That’s hilarious. The funny thing is, is I think he (Mike Gesicki) gets more excited – which is hard to do – he gets more excited when we score, I think, than when he does. And when you see him in the end zone when he scores, he gets pretty damn excited, so that says something about him. He’s always providing the energy and that stuff; but I don’t think it’s jealousy, I think it’s excitement.”
(A couple of things. One, are you keeping the football or doing anything with it from the touchdown and two, I know TE Mike Gesicki mentioned in August that he and you really worked to improve on what people thought were – I don’t want to use the word “shortcoming” but maybe not the best part of your game. You’ve always been a capable receiver, but people did not always see that skill, so what did you do to improve in that area?) – “First of all, we’re keeping – all the tight ends are keeping all the balls that we score and we’re putting them actually up on the wall in our tight end room just kind of as a reminder of what’s happened. And two, yes, that’s something that we – like I said a couple months ago – that’s something we both focused on in the offseason because obviously I think me and Mike (Gesicki) and even Adam (Shaheen) – all three of us have natural talents that come a little bit more natural to us in certain parts of the game. And over the last year, especially this offseason, me and Mike kind of took a step back like I said previously and tried to work on that other part of the game to be more multiple, to be more complete players. I think that’s something that we’ll continue to work on through the year and hopefully we’ll continue to improve.”
(You guys are hot, obviously winners of three of four and all three wins were in pretty convincing fashion; but is there a sense at least on offense that there’s maybe still a little meat left on the bone?) – “Absolutely. Yeah. Obviously I think in this game, you can never get complacent even if you put up 50 points in a game. There’s never going to be a perfect game. When you come in on a Monday, obviously it’s always better when you win the game, but there’s always plays left out there to be made. I think specifically yesterday, I think there’s a lot – like you said – a lot of meat left on the bone out there. I think we had several opportunities where we could have gotten Myles (Gaskin) over 100 yards. We missed a play here and there in the air. So absolutely, I think there’s a lot more that we can improve on not just in one aspect of the offense, but I think really across the board.”
(I think the way QB Ryan Fitzpatrick supports publicly QB Tua Tagovailoa, sort of sets the tone for everyone, including the players of course. How Tua performed – not just handing off but actually rolling in the end zone and completing a pass – what is your reaction to that?) – “I think obviously Ryan (Fitzpatrick) is the one that you see publicly cheering and things like that which is awesome to see, but I think really across the board, this franchise has done a great job of bringing in – I think Ryan said it yesterday or maybe the day before – but really the right type of people. I think it’s rare that you see so much support really across the board. So like I said, you see Ryan publicly supporting Tua. Tua is great with him, but I think it goes to every position. If you look in our room, we’re all supporting each other – the o-line, the defensive side of the ball; and that’s something I think is rare at least through my three years in the league so far. You don’t see it every year with so much consistency across all of these positions groups. I think we’ve done a great job bringing in the right guys that’ll definitely support each other. Obviously it’s cool to see Tua get out there and succeed in his first couple snaps.”
(Not to bring up unpleasant topics, but one year ago tomorrow, this team was 0-6. How far have you come in this year?) – “I think we’ve come a long way. I hate to kind of be repetitive here, but I think a lot of it comes back to just the guys that we’ve brought in in this locker room that have really had a very direct focus on the mission, which is turning this team around and becoming a consistent winner here. Obviously we’ve been hot the last few weeks, but this is something that you have to continue to focus on kind of consistently through the season, because even when you’re hot, this is the NFL. Every week you can lose. So I think we’ve done a good job thus far in terms of trying to turn the tide coming from, like you said, last year at this point in the season; but it’s just something that we’ll have to continue to work on through the year.”
(How would you describe the level of confidence on the team after the two big wins against the 49ers and the Jets?) – “I think it’s really high. I think guys are starting to realize that they can count on each other, and something that we’ve talked about is shifting the overall mindset of the team from hoping to win to expecting to win. I think that’s something that as we continue over these next few weeks, and hopefully we build that confidence like we have been the last few weeks, that that mindset will be kind of cemented across the board. I think that’s really what takes teams to the next level, is when there’s an expectation to win instead of just going in and hoping to win.”
(Is there a little bit of you guys maybe, with the schedule change and stuff, that this bye maybe came at a bad time or a wrong time for you guys with you guys kind of rolling and kind of picking up the last two games?) – “I don’t necessarily think so. Obviously in a very unique year, everyone is on their toes across the league. But I don’t think this will slow us down. Going into a bye, I always kind of enjoy it. Besides having a little time to get healthy and things like that, I always enjoy a bye because this is the time of year where you can kind of take a step back, do some self-scouting on the offense as a whole, and you as an individual. I’ve always thought that coming out of a bye, I’ve been more successful and I think a lot of guys think that same way, just because there’s some self-reflection. So honestly, I think it comes at a good time. We’ve won a few games here. Obviously there’s a lot more – like I mentioned earlier – that we can build on. I think we can improve across the board and hopefully we can take this week to kind of accelerate that.”
(As a group, you guys have done really well with COVID obviously in the last month. Does Head Coach Brian Flores have a specific rule saying, “I don’t want you going out to sports bars, restaurants…” If not, have players sort of agreed among themselves “we’re going to do that sparingly?”) – “Obviously there are protocols that are ever-changing from the league itself, and we all follow those obviously as league rules. But I think this team is – we’ve talked it about several times – it’s just about being professional. Especially in a season like this, as you’ve seen kind of across the league, teams get hit by things here and there. It can really affect not only practice time and things like that, but it can kind of affect who’s actually playing in a game and obviously that affects the outcome. So I think it’s just about being professional. We’ve talked about it. Off the field, we try to limit it to three guys or less kind of together at one time. I think most of the time it’s actually just guys on the team, so we’re kind of just keeping it in-house with things like that, and hopefully we’ll continue to be professional and do a good job in that aspect.”
Sam Eguavoen – October 19, 2020
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Monday, October 19, 2020
LB Sam Eguavoen
(I know late last season you were used more as a pass rusher. Where have you been working in practice? What sort of ways have they looked to use you this season?) – “Just anywhere. I move around – inside, outside, pass rushing. I’m just ready for whenever my number is called and just do what I’ve got to do to help the defense.”
(You were obviously part of the rebuild last year and there were some tough times to start the season. Not just the spirit of the team but the execution of the team, how much is different this year than last year?) – “I just feel like it’s a culture change. We still have a lot of guys from the team last year and then they brought in some more guys this year. It’s just been a culture change. ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) is still hard on us but he took it back on us a little bit. We still work hard. I feel like we’re the hardest working team in the NFL. I feel like now we’re working a little bit smarter. Guys are buying in. We don’t dread coming in on Wednesdays like we kind of did last year. We’re just growing better as a team.”
(I wanted to ask you about third-down defense. I don’t know if you know this statistic, but the Dolphins are now No. 1 in the whole NFL in third-down defense – best third-down defense. What do you think are some of the things that lead to a team being statistically good on third down?) – “I think it’s just energy, just finding that energy on third down knowing if we get a stop, we’re getting off this field. We have a great returner in Jakeem Grant. We get opportunities for punt returns. I think the way we work throughout the week, the way the coaches break it down for us, we watch a lot of film and we study really hard on third down. We call it the money down. It’s time to get money. That’s winning football. If you let the offense convert on third down, their chances of scoring go way up. So that’s our mindset that we’ve just got to find – new juice when it comes down to third down. Whether it’s third-and-1 to third-and-30, we’ve got to find a way to get off that field.”
(I wanted to ask you about the work of the defensive line in front of you guys. You guys running plenty of rushes behind those guys. I’m just curious of how their work of clogging up blocks makes your guys’ job easier at that second level.) – “They work hard. Watching them just in training camp, the way they use their hands and control blockers, it’s crazy. Our linebackers coach, there’s times in training camp where we’ll be done watching film and he’ll just pull up like d-line film, the way they’re hitting the bags, the way they’re hitting the sleds and everything like that. It’s really a work of art of how much they truly emphasize things like that. It’s just easy to just work off of them because we know they’re going to do the same thing every single time. They play with good technique. We know when we get plays like – when Christian (Wilkins) got that sack, there’s just little things I’m learning from them and we all can just help each other out.”
(I’d like to ask you a little bit more about something you said a little bit earlier in the conversation. You were talking about the difference between working hard and working smarter. What would be some examples of working smarter?) – “Working smarter is – I think it’s more like playing with anticipation. Like the coaches give us tip sheets and the film and everything like that. I feel like we’re just buying into it more so now once we see all of the hard work and studying that we did throughout the week, once we go out there on the practice field, you’re like ‘oh, I remember this play.’ It’s just a little bit more relief on you rather than you just always reacting to everything. It’s more like you can anticipate things. I know it’s a 90 percent chance that this play may happen so now I can play with a little bit more anticipation. I think that’s really the difference between this year and last year. ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) is taking care of us. Sometimes he’ll throw us a bone and we won’t have to wear shoulder pads during practice, and little things like that. It’s working smarter.”
(How would you describe the level of confidence on the team coming off two really convincing victories?) – “It’s just any given Sunday, really. We’ve got confidence going into every football game and I’m pretty sure even the Jets have confidence going into every football game. It’s the NFL. If you weren’t the best of the best, you wouldn’t be here. We take it one game at a time. I don’t see the record. We’re numb to the wins; we’re numb to the losses. That’s the only way you can – that’s what good football teams do. Every week is a new week. I can’t dwell on a loss and I can’t be riding my high horse 10 weeks after. ‘Oh, I made a sack in Week 2 and I’m still riding my high horse on that sack.’ I’ve just got to keep pushing it and see what we can do this week and see what we can do next week.”
(From a mental standpoint, how tough was it not to play a lot of defensive snaps the first few weeks? Is it tough to stay as engaged in terms of the preparation? Or is that easy for you when you’re not playing a lot?) – “It’s tough just going into a game. You prepare so much for this team and you’re like, ‘this week might be my time.’ I would get on there and it doesn’t happen. But I don’t regret the hard work I put in throughout the week. I could still be on the streets working at Foot Locker or doing something else. Why not use my time studying an opponent? Even though I know I’m not going to get on the field, what else should I be doing? With COVID going on, I’m not going to be riding on boats and just spending my game checks. I might as well study up this film so when I do get that opportunity like I did last night, I’m ready for it.”
(There was a report that LB Kamu Grugier-Hill had a pretty nasty finger injury. Did you see it and what does it say about him that after breaking a finger and casting it up, he came back on the field?) – “No, I actually didn’t see his finger. I was so locked into the game that I didn’t know anything that was going on, because I was just like – just happy for my opportunity. He’s a tough dude. He’ll be all right. Clearly he went back into the game. That shows what type of character he has. I didn’t really see what was going on with him after the game. I’m pretty sure he’ll be fine though.”
Adam Shaheen – October 18, 2020 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 18, 2020
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
TE Adam Shaheen
(I’m wondering what role QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has played in what has happened since you’ve joined the team for you?) – “I mean ‘Fitz’ is just such a good leader for our locker room and being able to play with somebody that’s been doing it for so long at a high level, it’s awesome. It’s fun too because you see how much fun he’s having. It rubs off on everybody.”
(You had a long, I believe it was a 43-yard catch in the seam. Could you tell me if you knew the ball was probably going to come to you? What’s the behind-the-scenes stuff on that play?) – “No. I mean they snapped it and I don’t know if the defense was ready for them to snap it and I saw the middle just wide open and just kind of threw up my hand and Fitz saw me and made a play and of course I got hocked, so that’s great.”
(Hey Adam, two touchdowns in two games for you now. I got TE Durham Smythe in the end zone for his first career touchdown today. TE Mike Gesicki obviously catches plenty of touchdowns. Is there a bit of a competition between you guys and the receivers as far as who can get in the end zone the most?) – “I wouldn’t say that. I think we’re all just so happy that we’re putting points on the board however they come. We left some out there today so there’s still room for improvement big time.”
(You’re 3-3 at the bye, where is the direction of this team right now? Is the arrow up on the Miami Dolphins?) – “I think we’re playing with more confidence week by week and I think it’s going to carry over. It’s a good time for a bye week with the schedule change and come back after even stronger and healthier and see what we can do towards kind of the back half of the season.”
(You’ve always been able to catch the ball so this is nothing new. I know it’s just been a matter of health; but I wondered, TE Mike Gesicki mentioned Tight Ends Coach Godsey has helped him a lot. Has there been any area where Coach Godsey has helped develop your game that you’ve focused on working with him that you believe has improved?) – “I wouldn’t even say just – George as well as the other tight end coaches that we’ve had, they’re on us every day whether it’s run blocking, pass pro or route running. It’s been a total improvement, I think. It’s been really positive from all three of those guys. It’s been great.”
Myles Gaskin – October 18, 2020 (Postgame)
Sunday, October 18, 2020
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
RB Myles Gaskin
(Obviously you had a career game today, 126 all-purpose yards. I wanted to ask you, did Miami’s flirtation or pursuit of RB Le’Veon Bell contribute to anything that went into this week of preparation for you?) – “No.”
(This team has been looking for a back for a long time to do what you did today, to be able to kind of carry the load and get over 100 yards. What gives you confidence that you can be that guy, that three-down back for this team going forward?) – “Just the guys up front. Obviously ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick), those guys just kind of instill confidence in me, just how they practice, how they go about it every day, how much we talk and communicate on a day-to-day basis. (You’re) just coming in more comfortable, when you’re playing with guys (where) you know what they’re going to be doing and you know where they’re going to be. So that’s how I feel about it.”
(Kind of want to continue on that same train of thought with the offensive line. A couple weeks ago, you lose T Austin Jackson and G/T Robert Hunt steps right in. What can you say about the way the offensive line has continued chugging along with changing out a body like that?) – “Those guys work hard every day. (They are a) very talented group of guys, and very – usually when you see that group of guys that are very talented, sometimes they’re not coachable; but those guys are coachable and they’re not afraid to speak up. Like when I’m in the wrong or say I hit the wrong hole, they’re going to tell me, ‘hey, Myles, what the hell you looking at,’ or something like that. (laughter) Those guys work hard every single day, and it motivates me to work hard for them.”
(The stadium obviously got pretty loud there at the end and also on the sideline. What was that moment like to see QB Tua Tagovailoa get in there for a little bit?) – “It was great. It was great. A long time coming. I’m just excited for that guy. He’s a real good dude.”
(Continuously in the last couple weeks, you’ve been proving yourself week in and week out. What does it say for you and how you feel about the performances you’ve been able to turn in the last couple weeks?) – “Very thankful that the coaches are putting trust in me; but I think I can do a lot better personally, for myself and for this team. I just need to keep growing, and I think I’ve been on that path, just kind of learning from my mistakes each week and just trying to get better each and every day, not trying to be complacent at all. I give everything I can to this team and this organization.”
(Do you think that you have an opportunity between now and the end of the season to prove that you can be a lead back for this team?) – “Yeah.”
Emmanuel Ogbah – October 18, 2020 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 18, 2020
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
(Take us back to that big sack. I think 28 yards on QB Joe Flacco. What was that pursuit like to bring him down?) – “I know a couple of plays before I know I had missed him on one. I just knew he wasn’t going to get away from me this time, and I knew Eric Rowe pulled him up and he came back around, and I just saw him clear as day so I just took my shot.”
(That’s three consecutive games with a full sack for you now. What would you say is helping you bring your game together and really get the production on Sundays?) – “It’s just good film study, good coaching. Just let me go out there and do my thing and they trust me, I trust them. They put me in the right position to make plays.”
(You guys have really turned it on defensively over the last few weeks. What has been the difference from the first two weeks where you struggled a bit?) – “The first game we have to get used to working together, so I think it took us a little time, but I think we’re on the right path now. We just got to keep it going, keep building.
(You just talked about the right path. You lead the team right now in sacks with five. Is this kind of what you envisioned when you came to this team in the offseason, this is what you guys are capable of?) – “My goal every game is just to make plays to help my team win games. That’s why they brought me here, and that’s what I’m here to do.”
Tua Tagovailoa – October 18, 2020 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 18, 2020
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(We just saw you out there on the 15-yard line. Could you walk us through what that moment was like, what you meant to come back out here and take it all in?) – “I think it was a very special moment for me because my parents weren’t here, so I couldn’t really remember where we ended our drive at, so I tried to sit close to where we ended our drive at, and I ended up FaceTiming my parents because they couldn’t be here. That’s usually how it goes. I usually talk to my parents after the game, and my parents usually never miss my game. That’s what I did, I went out there, and I talked to them. But yeah, that’s what that moment was about.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was giving you some flak for the first pass you threw. He said it was probably one of the easiest passes you could throw in the NFL. What did you think about that, and how did you feel out there from a health standpoint and finally having this moment to play?) – “I feel healthy. I think it was a great play call by (Offensive Coordinator) Chan (Gailey) to kind of get things going for me. It was an easy completion, and everyone can say that; I can roll out and throw it to someone who’s 2 yards down the field. But you’ve got to deal with pressure, and there’s just a lot going on in such a little play like that. But I think a lot of credit with that easy completion goes to Chan and then also goes to our o-line. Our o-line played their butts off today.”
(Two-part question for you: If there’s anything that you could possibly feel comfortable sharing with us over the conversation you had with your parents, it had to be a very warm conversation I would think, and also your feelings before you went in,. I saw you dancing with some of your teammates on the sideline. No butterflies at all before you went in?) – “I think you play this game for a good some, 22 years of my life and I’d say you take five years off of that, that’s how long I’ve been playing this sport. It wasn’t more so butterflies, it was just excitement to just get out there and see what plays that (Offensive Coordinator) Chan (Gailey) would give me to run with the offense. But it was really fun. I think the most important thing that came out of my conversation with my parents was just that they were happy to see me out there and playing again, especially with what happened last year prior to the injury and whatnot.”
(What was the feel for you as you jogged on? We saw QB Ryan Fitzpatrick on the sideline kind of pumping the crowd up. We heard the crowd chant your name. Could you hear all of that, and what was sort of your emotions when all that was happening?) – “I definitely could hear it. There was nothing else playing in the stadium, so I could hear that, and that was awesome. But to just be out there with my teammates, being my first time, and getting the support and love from them, I think that was super awesome. You have a 16-year vet like ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) who has no animosity towards it, as well, who’s just been supportive the entire time. Good drive, bad drive, he comes to the sideline and just talks through his process with why he did some things. I’m very fortunate to have a mentor like him who is just very encouraging on the field and then there’s guys like … He’s just very personable off the field, as well. I could say a lot about him but just won’t have enough time.”
(Is there a moment when you think back over the last 11 months, almost 12 months now that really sticks out in your head, part of the recovery, maybe some words of encouragement that you got? Has any of that flooded back for you in the last hour or so?) – “Not really. I think the biggest thing that really stands out to me is just being able to make my parents proud. So whether that’s Tua as a football player, Tua as a person, Tua as a son, I think that’s what brings me the most joy is seeing how happy my parents get and then seeing how happy my family gets, as well, with who I am and then also what I do.”
Brian Flores – October 18, 2020 (Postgame)
Sunday, October 18, 2020
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
Head Coach Brian Flores
(This is the Dolphins’ first shutout since 2014. What was the key to shutting down the Jets today?) – “I think we had a good week of practice. I think (Defensive Coordinator) Josh (Boyer) called a great game, did a good job getting those guys ready to play, and then the players played well. We got contributions from a lot of different guys. A lot of guys made plays, and they played for 60 minutes. I’m proud of that effort. That’s the focus we need really throughout the week, and then you’ve got to execute and play well in the game, which I thought they did. But our defensive staff, Josh, (Defensive Backs Coach) Gerald Alexander, (Linebackers Coach Anthony) Campanile, (Defensive Line Marion) Hobby, those guys, I know I’m leaving a couple guys out, but those guys do a great job. They really worked at it this week, showed up on the field.”
(I just want to know, that sack by DE Emmanuel Ogbah to take the Jets out of field goal range there in the fourth quarter, just could you explain how excited the sideline was for that, knowing that it had been such a long time, and since you guys have had a shutout, how satisfying it is to go out there and get a shutout?) – “I think there’s a lot of … These guys like playing together, so when other guys make plays, whether it’s offense, defense, special teams, you see a lot of excitement, a lot of energy. Guys were excited for Ogbah to make a play. Guys were excited about the situation, of getting a stop and getting them out of field goal range, and they were excited about the potential to get a shutout. That’s what I like to see, guys enjoying kind of the process of working through the week, prep and preparing, walk throughs, meeting, practice, and then going out and executing on a Sunday afternoon. I think they’re just happy for each other and kind of reaping some of the fruits of their labor.”
(I know last week we talked to you about putting QB Tua Tagovailoa in the game and obviously you did this game. What sort of went into that decision, and what did you see out of him in his two minutes of garbage time?) – “Well Cam (Wolfe) you can take credit for that. You had a great idea, so I listened to you. But I think he went in and had a run play, threw a couple passes, got some — just got some playing time. It was a situation where we could do it. I guess I listened to you, Cam, so you can take credit for that one.”
(Back to the defense, when CB Xavien Howard is on top of his game, how much more complete does he make the secondary and also just the entire defense?) – “I thought it was a really good team defensive effort. ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) played well, Byron (Jones) played well, Nik Needham played well, (Zach) Sieler, Elandon Roberts, so it’s a team effort. I know ‘X’ had the big play there with the interception, but it was a good rush, it was good coverage. It’s never just one guy. It’s a lot of things coming together, good calls by (Defensive Coordinator) Josh (Boyer) and then good execution and good play by ‘X’ in that situation, but good play by a lot guys in a lot of other situations. We need everybody to play well. We got a fair amount of that today, from ‘X’ as well as a lot of other guys, and that’s what you need in this league against the caliber of players we see on a weekly basis.”
(You’re going into the bye now at .500. If you could take stock of where this team is now, what would you say?) – “We’ll use the bye week and kind of self-reflect on the first six weeks of the season. I don’t think right now … I’d rather do that with all the information than going through that, and that’ll take us really through the end of the week, how we’re doing offensively, run game, play action, third down, two-minute, red zone, same thing defensively, same thing in the kicking game, evaluate the roster. But I think we’re happy to win today, happy to play well today. That’s kind of … As far as taking stock, that’s kind of where my thoughts are. Some things we could have done better, but we’re excited about getting a win against a division opponent.”
(I think when people remember that moment that QB Tua Tagovailoa ran on the field, they’re also going to remember QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s reaction to that moment. He was just hyping up the crowd, hyping up Tua. What does that say about their relationship and kind of them as people?) – “I didn’t know that, but that doesn’t surprise me. The two … Those guys have a great relationship. They root for each other. Those are some of the relationships that are building really throughout the team. You like to see that. Hopefully when you watch them play, people see that. It’s nice to hear that. I didn’t actually see it, but I know there was some excitement once he went in, and I’m happy for Tua. But I like hearing that.”
(I wanted to ask you about RB Myles Gaskin. Obviously, this week the flirtation with RB Le’Veon Bell, do you think that got his attention, the reason why he contributed 126 yards or was just the run game finally got going?) – “I think he’s been playing well really these first six weeks. Look, most guys are … I know the guys on our team, they’re motivated to play, period, so I don’t think we need any extra motivation. Myles is a motivated kid. It’s important to him. I wouldn’t take much stock in that. But I thought he played well. I thought we ran the ball effectively at times. But like everything else, we can improve in a lot of areas, and we’ll work towards that. But Myles is tough, he’s competitive, and he’s been productive. Hopefully we keep going on that, keep building.”
(We saw some contributions from LB Sam Eguavoen today, your linebacker. Just wanted to get your take on him stepping up into a role and a couple of guys went down. We saw LB Kamu Grugier-Hill and LB Andrew Van Ginkel leave the game. Talk about the depth of your linebacker corps and his performance today.) – “We had a couple guys get nicked up in the game. Sam is a guy who obviously was here last year, can play multiple positions, plays in the kicking game, very smart, tackles well, can set an edge, hasn’t gotten as many opportunities as maybe he did a year ago, but his number was called today and he was ready to go and made some plays for us early and got a lot of snaps. That’s what we need. Some guys get nicked up and we need the next guy to step up and be effective. Our level of play can’t go down because we have an injury because injuries happen in this league, and we talk about that. We talk about guys having to be ready. Sam did a really good job of that today. But I’ve got to go back and watch the film. I’m sure there were some things that could have been better, but just my recollection of the game right now is that he went in there and played pretty effectively.”
