Frank Gore – September 13, 2018
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Thursday, September 13, 2018
RB Frank Gore
(What would it mean to just move up one notch and become that fourth all-time leading rusher?) – “That’s big, especially with how my career was coming out of college. The knee injuries and hearing what a lot of people say I’d be in the league two or three years and be done and I’m still playing. So that would be big; but my main goal is to go out there and try to have some success to help this team win a game.”
(You grew up here, you know about the Jets-Dolphins rivalry. What does that mean? How special is that?) – “It’s real special, but it’s a game that you want to win. It’s a divisional game. Watching film on them, they’re a good team. They’re a good defense. They’ve got a young quarterback who played great in his first game and now he’ll be playing his first game at home, so we’re just trying to go up there and get a win.”
(What’s it like when you’re in a hostile environment like that? Either you made a great play or your teammate, to silence a home crowd …) – “That’s the main thing, to just go out there and whenever or whoever has the opportunity to make a play, make it. That’d be better for us.”
Adam Gase – September 13, 2018
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Thursday, September 13, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Reading through the conference call and you were talking about how physical the Jets and the fact they don’t really get sacks but they get pressures, how much of that is the 3-4 scheme that they use as opposed to the body types?) – “I mean, that one game … I’m only going off of one game here where statistically they didn’t have any sacks. They have in the past. When they do play base defense, they get great push. They collapse (the pocket). A lot of times there’s five guys rushing – two guys off the edge and then three interior guys – and they can collapse it very quickly. They do a good job of keeping the quarterback in the pocket, so it makes it tough to throw a lot of the shorter throws, the intermediate game, because the quarterback’s vision (is obscured and) it’s tough. They are very disruptive. And then when they go with their nickel packages, they have a large variety of just straight rushes or exotic sets that cause problems.”
(Generally, how many games does it take to know, okay, this is what I’m working with?) – “Probably that first quarter (of the season). If you stay healthy, you have a good idea who you are and really what you can lean on and what you need to stay away from. I do think it takes some games and some different defenses you’ve played to kind of figure out who can handle what.”
(Do you have any update on G Josh Sitton?) – “I do not. I think I’ll know this afternoon or this evening.”
(How has WR DeVante Parker reacted to just the impact of the ball hitting his hand?) – “He seems fine. I think he’s itching to play. We went through today and he got involved in team reps. Now it’s just me going in and asking (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston), ‘Okay, what was the reaction?’ He hasn’t complained about anything. He’s been aggressive to get out there and catch as many balls as possible. He did a good job of staying in shape. Running-wise, he’s good. I’ve just got to get the info from Kyle.”
(Is that an injury that WR DeVante Parker can re-injure?) – “That was one of my first questions, and it sounds like the fact that we’ve let it go as far as we did – the healing process – that he should be strong.”
(How much do you think WR DeVante Parker wants to play this game because he’s trying to get rid of this injury-prone label?) – “I don’t know if it’s so much that. I think he’s just excited to get going. When you don’t play that first game, you’re kind of itching to get to that first one. I know when he tells me that he’s ready to go and he wants to go, when he’s that emphatic about it, that’s a good sign for us.”
(Late last game, defensively, you switched things up a little bit. CB Torry McTyer was on the boundary, CB Bobby McCain in the slot and S Minkah Fitzpatrick back at safety. For one possession, how much information can you get from that, and how might you apply it in the future?) – “The way we look at it is we rotate those guys a lot in practice anyways and being able to get them going in a live game and just moving guys around … You have to look at it as games are an extension of what we’re doing every day. We’re going to sometimes do some things that maybe we haven’t done in games before and put guys in different positions. You’re always just trying to figure out who are your best 11 and how do they all work together, because at some point, that group might have to be out there if something ever happened to a guy. We have to kind of really work that angle, especially in live games, to get a good feel with each other.”
(If C/G Ted Larsen has to play this week or in the future, what should we know about your comfort level with Ted Larsen?) – “That’s why he’s here. I mean, he started for us last year. That hurt us last year when he got hurt. That was a big loss for us. We had to shuffle a lot of pieces around because we had so many reps with him. Him going in, that was the main reason that we wanted him on this team was if something ever happened to anybody and he went in the game, we were really comfortable with that because we feel like he is probably a starter at a lot of different places and we’re lucky enough to have him here.”
(Both C/G Ted Larsen and G/T Jesse Davis have position flexibility. You like Jesse on the right side?) – “Yes, I mean, we’re not going to go through all this time and move Jesse all of a sudden. Plus, the more I’ve kind of been around this group, that relationship – that guard-tackle relationship – is important.”
(With the captains, the guys had ‘Cs’ on their jersey. I’m assuming they’re permanent captains?) – “Mhm.”
(What roles do captains have in terms of what your expectations are?) – “I think for us, it’s really we’re all delivering the same message. Those guys are vocal guys and they’re the type of guys that they take pride in their group and what side of the ball they are, whether it’s offense, defense or special teams. That’s really what we’re looking for. We’re looking for those guys that’ll step up when things get tough and things aren’t quite going the way (we expect). Who’s going to step up and who’s going to be a guy not only to play well but to be vocal as well?”
(Who chose the captains?) – “Don’t worry about it. (laughter)”
(Did you pick them?) – “I did. I picked them.”
(When it comes to these rivalry games, what do you tell, if anything, the rookies, the first-year players, on what to expect going into a place like MetLife Stadium?) – “Nothing. It’s another team. Division games, no matter who you’re playing, it amps up because everybody knows it’s one of two. You almost feel like each division game, it almost feels like it’s either two wins or two losses. That’s the added little bit of intensity that occurs in a division game.”
(You usually vote captains.) – “Right. I changed it this year.”
(Why?) – “Because I wanted to.
(The thought process?) – “Voices told me to do it, so … (laughter).”
(Was there any push-back from the players that they didn’t pick it?) – “Not that I heard.”
Adam Gase – September 12, 2018 (Conference Call)
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Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase Conference Call with N.Y. Jets Media
(You look at what the Jets were able to do on Monday night, what kind of challenge do you think it’s going to be for you coming into their home opener on Sunday?) – “Obviously, all three phases did a great job. That poses a tough challenge for us. Really, almost every time we play these guys, I think we’ve only had a couple games where one side dominated the other. Two of the games have been tight and competitive and very physical. Early in the season, I’d bet on a tough, physical game.”
(What are your initial impressions of what you saw from Jets QB Sam Darnold the other night?) – “I thought he did a good job. I thought (Offensive Coordinator/QBs Coach) Jeremy (Bates) did a good job of calling the game. He put him in great position. Guys were springing free; guys were where they’re supposed to be. That’s a rookie quarterback’s best friend right there where you get to (progression) number one and he’s open and you’re able to make a good throw. They did a good job (with) the run-pass ratio, all of those type of things. They really did a good job of helping him be in a good position and then allowing him to just keep gaining confidence. When you do that for a rookie quarterback, he’s only going to keep … He’ll keep getting better from there.”
(What did you see from the defense. Obviously, forcing five turnovers off a quarterback like Lions QB Matthew Stafford, what went into those turnovers?) – “When you’ve got a defense that plays as fast as they do, as physical as they do, they create pressure on the quarterback. It might not always be about sacks; it’s really about pass disruption. And when you make the quarterback throw the ball earlier or get them to where he’s off-balance and he tries to force the throw where his feet aren’t set, that’s when turnovers occur. That’s what these guys do. They create a lot more pressure than what anybody really realizes, because everybody always just wants to look at sacks and it’s not always about that. It’s about how many times you’re hitting the quarterback, how many times are you creating pressure, how many times are you making him move out of the pocket. They basically did that the entire game.”
(Do you see a significant amount more of team speed out of the Jets than you recall previously?) – “It felt like they were pretty fast last year when we played them and I know they were young. There were a lot of rookies that – if I remember correctly – were playing. I think we got them when our turf was a little soft. That might’ve slowed them down a little bit; but when we played up there, those guys were flying around making plays, causing chaos. I feel like you see that on film and now it’s more experience. One season for an NFL player, that feels like five, because when you see all the things you see week in and week out, if you’re a learner, you gain experience quickly. This group, these guys, they understand what Todd (Bowles) is asking them to do. Those guys are executing and they’re playing fast.”
(Speaking of that, specifically on S Jamal Adams, he seems to fit into what you just talked about a little bit there. He was a rookie last year. Can you see a jump in what you see in him from last year to this year?) – “Well, he was good last year. He was tough from the first time we played him. I think we got him in their third game. When we saw him the second time, he was causing us all kinds of problems. You can see it on tape. When they bring him off the edge, he is physical, he’s aggressive, he’s really good in coverage, he gets his hands on anybody that he has to go against in the passing game, he’s in the right spots in the zone coverages. You can see where this guy is headed as far as long-term career, to where he’s going to be one of those guys we’re going to be talking about for a long time. He’s an impressive guy to watch; he’s a fun guy to watch. He’s a tough guy to play against, but that’s one of the main reasons why a whole bunch of people wanted him coming out of the draft.”
(How much of a handle can you get on your team coming off that game just because the game flow was so disruptive and unusual?) – “The way I look at it is the positive was our guys did a good job of staying engaged. There was quite a bit of down time. That was a long day. We get there at 9:30 (a.m.) and leave around 9 (p.m.). There was a lot of sitting around. I thought guys did a good job of focusing and really staying engaged in what we were trying to accomplish. When things didn’t go well, guys weren’t going into the tank. It was just, ‘Alright, what’s the next series? How do we correct it?’ There was that … Really the progression you’re always looking for within a game to where you’re not getting hung up on what just happened. You’re trying to figure out what’s going to be next and how are we going to make sure that we do it right.”
(Do you think another one of your guys, WR Kenny Stills – obviously had a decent game statistically and I know you said you wanted to get him more involved in maybe shorter, intermediate stuff moving forward – but did you see this potential in him a year ago?) – “Yes. He has always been one of our stronger players. He’s probably been our most consistent receiver we’ve had over the last three seasons since I’ve been here. He’s a tough guy to defend because he plays all the different spots. He could be in the slot, he could be number three in three receiver sets, he could be outside. He has a large route tree and it’s really about do we have the amount of plays within a game that he gets an opportunity to do a lot of different routes. Sometimes there are situation predication in that. Everything that we’ve asked him to do, he’s executed at a very high level. He’s been one of the guys that’s been very impactful for us.”
(Are you at least a little bit surprised that RB Frank Gore is still a productive player at his age given his position?) – “No. Never bet against Frank. Never bet against that guy. I learned that a long time ago.”
(He’s highly unusual though given that running backs typically fall off the cliff at 30, 31 and he’s what, 35 now?) – “He’s not normal. He’s different. He’s built different. He’s mentally built different. He’s a special person. He’s a special player. If you watched him work day in and day out, it would make sense.”
(What do you like about WR Quincy Enunwa. He’s a guy that can do a lot of different things on the field. He’s obviously a very diverse player; but as an opponent, what do you think of him when you try to game plan for him?) – “When you’re dealing with multiple guys within an offense, and I know a lot of people outside – you guys know, because you cover these guys every day – but when we’re in the division, we’re aware of who we’re going against and guys that cause us problems and that’s where we have to do a good job of using what we’ve talked about to defend these guys. We feel like they have multiple weapons that can cause us problems and he’s one of the big ones to where mismatches can be created there. We have to understand where he is and what we’re doing and how we’re defending him and other guys. That’s where our weekly preparation comes in and our guys understanding what we’re trying to accomplish in that game.”
(How challenging is it to have … I know you got an opportunity to see this scheme twice last year in the division with Buffalo, but how challenging is it defending the zone-blocking run game?) – “That’s something that we also do it. I’ve actually worked with ‘Rico’ (Jets Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator Rick Dennison) before in Denver. So, I’ve had my tutorial on that over time. When you do it right and you have guys that are 100 percent in, believe in it, and players believe in it, that’s when it’s really good. When you have a back that understands what’s trying to be accomplished and he sticks his foot in the ground and he knows when to get vertical and knows when to stay with it and have a chance for the edge, that’s where you start seeing those explosive plays. We went through it a couple years ago. We were having a lot of success with it and it was almost a feast or famine type deal for us where it would be either 20 (yards) or minus-5. The good ones I’ve been around, it’s really – and ‘Rico’ has experienced this – to where he doesn’t have the negative yardage. That’s when you know you’re really rolling when it’s at least positive yardage but then you start really gashing a team and creating explosive plays in the run game. It just opens up so much more in the passing game as well, because now all of a sudden you’re using the outside zone fakes and all the linebackers are up at the line and you’re getting easy, layup passes, and especially when you have a young quarterback, that’s what you’re looking for.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick – September 12, 2018
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Wednesday, September 12, 2018
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
(Were you nervous before your first game or were you pretty chill?) – “No. I wouldn’t say I was chill, but I wouldn’t say I was nervous. I was just really excited. I was just running through all of the plays through my mind, trying to envision everything, trying to get myself into game mode but not get too hyped up or too low. I was just trying to have fun with it and not try to overthink it.”
(How did you feel after that goal-line stand tackle you made?) – “It was awesome. I made my first big play in the NFL. You dream about those moments. Just seeing my teammates and the whole crowd go crazy, it was awesome. It’s definitely something I won’t forget.”
(How did it feel on Monday? Did the guys go crazy when they showed it?) – “We watched it today. We didn’t have film on Monday. We watched it today. It was good. Everybody was just saying ‘good job rook’ and we kept it moving.”
(That was one play that you did watch though?) – “Yes, I watched that. (laughter)”
(How did you feel about Jets QB Sam Darnold on tape? What did you see about this rookie himself?) – “He’s a good player. I played against him back in college. I’ve watched him play other games. He’s a great quarterback. He was drafted high for a reason. The Jets picked him for a reason and they have him starting for a reason. It’s a big challenge for us, but we just have to do our job.”
(What are QB Sam Darnold’s strengths? Is it because he can roll out both sides, that he can roll out and throw on the run?) – “He has a lot of strengths. He puts the the ball into good windows. He is smart with the ball. He’s not going to try to force throws. He’s going to check it down. He’s going to be smart with it. He’s going to try to manage the game. He’s not going to just try to get chunk plays. He’s going to try to dink and dunk and move down the field.”
(What do you remember about the time you played against QB Sam Darnold in college?) – “It was quick. We played them I think my sophomore year. He wasn’t even starting at the time. He came in in like the third or fourth quarter. I only played against him like one or two series. He did a pretty good job. We were up high on them. Just watching him out there, you could tell that he was talented. Then the next season, you all saw what he did and it just kind of made him who is was.”
(Did you spend some time with QB Sam Darnold during the draft?) – “No, not really.”
(You guys were both there, right?) – “Yes.”
(They say he’s the next Joe Namath. Have you heard of Joe Namath?) – “Yes. (laugheer)”
(What can you tell us about QB Joe Namath?) – “He was a great quarterback. That’s all I can tell you. (laughter)”
(It’s the first Jets home game. They are going to be rabid. Can you draw going to Auburn as to what that must be like?) – “It’s going to be awesome for me because I kind of grew up in that environment – in the Jets, Giants, Philly, all of them just being … Just everybody loving the game up there and the passion that everybody plays with. Just going back there, I know what I’m walking into. I know how crazy and wild it’s going to be. You can’t compare it to an Auburn or Alabama type of intensity. They love the game up there, they’re crazy about it and they are really passionate about the sport.”
(What team did you grow up rooting for?) – “Philly. I was a Philly fan.”
(Did you go to a lot of games at the Meadowlands as a spectator?) – “No, I never … My first NFL game was the first one I played in. I played in MetLife (Stadium) though in high school. We had our state championships there.”
(What did you think of your first NFL game?) – “It was good. It was a whole lot of fun.”
(It was kind of long right?) – “Just a little bit, just a little bit. I’m definitely not going to forget it, whether the length of the game, or just being my first NFL game. It was a whole lot of fun.”
(Will the butterflies be different this week?) – “I wasn’t really nervous. I didn’t really have any butterflies. I was just excited, just thinking about doing my job. I was really soaking it all in and enjoying the entire moment.”
Ryan Tannehill – September 12, 2018
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Wednesday, September 12, 2018
QB Ryan Tannehill
(What prompted you to – as we read in Peter King – gather all of your teammates and on a day off, bring them all in? And the fact that it seemed to be unanimous that they all came. What does it say about this meeting, about them and you all as a group?) – “It says a lot about the guys we have and how guys want to get better. We’re early in the season. (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) threw us a bone, giving us some time off, some time away, after a long, long Sunday; but we knew as a team, as a group, that we needed to be able to learn from that film. There were a lot of mistakes that were made, left a lot on the field and with the way the season is set up, if you don’t get that tape in on Monday, you don’t have time for it Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. You want to move on to the next game. We just wanted to make sure we would learn from the tape and the guys did a good job of coming in and being engaged and growing as a unit.”
(What does this say about team culture? Were there guys in the past that would have resisted something like that?) – “I don’t know. It means we have good guys in the room now and guys that are hungry to be great. We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re on the right path and we’ve established the habits that are going to take us there.”
(The Jets after their win, some of the defensive players were talking about knowing the signals for the Lions. How do you guys prevent that from happening to you?) – “We have to be clean in our communication, whether that’s changing the signals, making sure we’re clean with our signals – a huddle. There’s going to be all types of different ways that we battle that. It comes down to us and the way we communicate and doing it in a way where we feel good about where we’re at.”
(Is it an inconvenience? Does it mess up the process in any way?) – “I don’t think it messes up anything. Obviously we’ll take a little time to go over what we have and make some adjustments, but I wouldn’t say it detracts from anything.”
(Did you watch the Jets game Monday?) – “Yes, I did. I watched it live with my wife and then obviously came in and watched the tape from … whatever you call it, the All-22 view or whatever. Yes, it was an exciting game. It started close and then the Jets really turned it on there in the second half and went on that run where they scored I think 21 points in like three minutes or something like that. I have a ton of respect for this team. The defense played really fast. I think that’s something that jumped out at me on tape. They played fast the whole game. Even when it was tight early on, their team speed and the way they were playing was just fast all around. It’s definitely something that we respect and have to be prepared for.”
(What did you think of Jets QB Sam Darnold?) – “He responded well. Obviously the first play … but the way he responded was admirable. You definitely respect how he bounced back from that and found a way to lead his team and get a W.”
(To have to go on the road in the first weekand have a pick-six on your first pass and come back and put 48 on the board, that’s pretty impressive.) – “Yes, definitely. I thought he did a good job.”
(What would you tell your rookie self if you could go back in time right now?) – “That would be a lot, a lot more than I can tell you right now. You learn so much over the course of your career. (I’m in) Year 7 now. If I knew then what I know now, I think that’s how everyone feels. You just kind of have to go through the process and take the lumps along the way, but it’s definitely a growing process.”
(Physically, you were fine after that game? It was your first full game in 20 months.) – “Yes. I thought the offensive line did a great job throughout the game. I had a really clean pocket for most of the game. It gave me time to go through my reads and make a couple of downfield throws, especially the long one, the touchdown to Kenny (Stills). Going back and looking at the tape, there’s no one around me. When you have a clean pocket like that, it makes playing quarterback a lot easier and delivering the football a lot easier. A lot of respect and props for my guys up front and how they protected me.”
(Obviously you’ve played in this rivalry many times. What is different about playing the Jets?) – “It’s always an exciting time. I feel like all division games have that extra buzz around them; but I feel like when we play the Jets, it’s always turned up just a little bit more. I don’t know what makes it that way or why it’s that way. Maybe it’s just the competitiveness of the games, but there always is an energy that goes with playing against the Jets.”
(How do you feel about playing at MetLife Stadium? Do you love playing up there? The fans are always on top of you and obviously want to see the Jets win.) – “I like playing on the road no matter where it is. Just the hostility of the environment, the feeling that you’re kind of alone as a team. You really have to kind of stick together, anchor down, feed off the crowd as much as you can even though they’re rooting against you, and be clean. It really tests you on your communication, on trusting the guy next to you because you can’t hear everything that one another is saying, right? You have to be clean in everything, whether it’s a signal or communication outside, communication up front with the offensive line. Everything has to be clean, so it really is a good test anytime you go on the road and there’s nothing better than getting a win on the road.”
(If you’re in front of a rabid crowd, what’s it like to silence that crowd?) – “That’s the best. When you get a win on the road and you get to feel the energy zap out of an entire stadium with 70-80,000 people, and you can just feel the energy drop out of the whole stadium, it’s the best feeling.”
(You know Jets Defensive Coordinator Kacy Rodgers from his time here and obviously Jets Head coach Todd Bowles and that defense. What is it about them that makes life for a quarterback difficult?) – “They show you a lot of looks. They do a good job of mixing things up up front. They play physical within the box. Then you add ‘33’ (Jamal Adams) who they added on last year, who’s a strong, physical, fast player. He generates a lot of pressure from the edge, does a good job whether it’s rushing tight ends, rushing backs, finding a way to get around the edge and be disruptive. They do a good job of matching their personnel with their pressures and giving you a bunch of different looks. Third down, I feel like there’s always something you haven’t seen on tape. They’re going to mix it up, do something you’re not prepared for and see how you respond. As a unit, we have to know our roles and be clean on how we respond to that.”
(If WR DeVante Parker is able to play this week, what element does he add to this offense?) – “We’ve seen what DeVante can do over the years. I think he’s obviously a big, strong, physical target. I don’t know if he’s going to play or not. We haven’t even discussed that. But any time he’s in the game, you feel good about having a physical, strong target at the ‘X’ spot that can go up and make plays for you.”
(Do you need time, I guess? Because you worked with WR DeVante Parker so much in the spring? Or do you he’ll just pick up where he left off?) – “Obviously he’s going to need to practice before he plays; but, yes, I’ve had a lot of time with him over the course of the last four years. Whenever he’s able to hop in, I feel like we can kind of just pick up where we left off.”
(Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke is game-planning against a guy who is making his second start in the NFL. Do you recall your rookie year where defenses were disguising things and what was it like your first few games? Were they trying to trick you at all?) – “I don’t know that any more of that goes into it. Maybe a little bit more pressure. I don’t think teams are going to do something that they don’t do. If they’re a pressure team that’s going to mix a bunch of looks, then that’s what they’re going to do. I don’t think you’re going to see a team that plays 5-match and Cover 2 and then all of a sudden they’re going to bring crazy blitz zones and play Cover 0. I think teams are who they are, maybe a little more one way than the other; but at the end of the day, you’ve got to be who you are and be good at it.”
(You mentioned picking up where you left off and you and WR Kenny Stills, clearly picked up where you left off from in 2016. Why is it with all the things that he can do, why not throw him the ball more? He’s like a four-target-a-game guy; can he be a seven-target-a-game guy?) – “Yes, Kenny can do a lot for us. Some of that is just kind of finding the spot in the game for that play. Obviously there were other calls in the game where we tried to get the ball downfield to him and didn’t get the right coverage. So you kind of play the game of biding time and waiting for the opportunity to take your shot. You can’t force those things to happen. You make the call to try to get the shot and if you don’t get the right coverage, then you have to be smart with the football and find the adjustment and go to two or three. Yes, sometimes it’s frustrating where you get those calls early in the game and you want to hit the home run, you want to get that touchdown, but you don’t get what you’re looking for. So you have to have the discipline in order to come down and take the completion and get ready to go for the next time and get another opportunity.”
(What was it like to play receiver on Sunday?) – “Not even a snap. (laughter) What was that, about three seconds? That was uneventful, I guess you could say. (laughter)”
(Do you have an NFL catch?) – “I don’t think so. (Oh) yes, I do. I do. Jarvis (Landry) threw me one back in Buffalo. I forget what year it was. We ran like a little reverse pass. It should have been a touchdown, but he threw it behind me. Spoken like a true receiver, right? (laughter)”
(You put something on social media about social justice. What message do you want to get across?) – “Yes, my friend Miles (McPherson) wrote that book. Social injustice is just a big topic these days with racial inequality and I believe that there is an issue in our country that people need to be aware of and conscious of. I think it’s a good read and you can get a take on his view of it.”
Adam Gase – September 12, 2018
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Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(You guys had a very good per play average out of no-huddle on Sunday. Was that about the amount you want to run it or even more moving forward?) – “It’s just kind of how the flow of the game is going. We still didn’t have as many plays as we were looking for. It’s a good start for us with really the conditions we were playing in. I felt like we were getting going and then we head a stoppage and kind of reset everything. Then they had a couple of good series and we got a couple going there. We’ll see how it goes this week. Being on the road, that will be a good test for us to see where we’re at.”
(I saw a story where after you gave the players off on Monday, QB Ryan Tannehill went around the offensive players and suggested they come in and watch film. What does that say about his leadership?) – “I mean it doesn’t surprise me. I know those guys weren’t real excited about how they played. They felt like there was more there for us to have and there were some execution things. There were some things where we just missed some opportunities. I think a lot of those guys wanted to make sure that they watch it together and everybody was on the same page. We hit a lot of things today as well to where we can make sure everybody is on the same page. Really, that’s the biggest thing. That’s why you come in on Monday and try to do that; or Tuesday, whenever you do it. It’s so everybody gets things cleaned up and everybody can move forward, learn from those experiences and improve from those.”
(Is that something you expect from your quarterback?) – “Yes. He’s really always been like that. He’s always trying to pull those guys in. He’s done it after practices on Fridays. He’s always looking to get with those receivers, especially, and the tight ends, to make sure they’re all on the same page.”
(How does WR DeVante Parker seem to you?) – “He looks like he wants to get out there and get going for real. It was good to see him running and catching balls. We’ll take the progression towards the next step and we’ll move on from there.”
(What does WR DeVante Parker bring when he’s available that is different than the other guys in the room?) – “Well, I think he’s about a foot taller than everybody else. (laughter) He’s a big guy that has really good long speed and has good quickness in and out of his breaks. He has an unusual skill set for a guy that size. The times that have been really good with him in games, he can make some freak-ish plays. It’ll be good to kind of get him going again. Really, it’s a start-over for him. Whatever happened before he was injured, it’s really behind him. I’m glad that he did a good job of staying involved in the meetings and engaged in everything that we were presenting to him in individual. He didn’t miss anything. That’s smart on his part to make sure he’s right on track to where when he’s ready to go, he can jump right in there and he’ll be alright.”
(One of the Jets players last night said that they were fully aware of all of the Lions’ signals on offense. Is that something that probably concerns you knowing that you guys play them twice a year?) – “No.”
(We saw some nice holes open for the running game, especially in the first half there. What kind of stood out when you went back and looked at the line play from that game?) – “I thought the guys did a really good job of executing what we asked them to do. Really, we felt like a lot of those things were happening in practice but sometimes it’s hard (to tell) because our defense, there will be days when we’re going against those ends and Cam (Wake) shuts a lot of things down when we run to his side. We don’t want to just get in the habit of running one way in practice because he’s on the other side. I think the positioning of what their defense was doing and some of the things that we had called, our guys did a really good job of executing and understanding why we were doing it. With them, the tight ends and the running backs, they were all on the same page. We executed most of our runs fairly well.”
(The two veteran guys that came in on the offensive line – C Daniel Kilgore and G Josh Sitton – what difference have they made in the unit of this line?) – “Experience. Those guys have been around. It seems like that chemistry in that whole room, from the first guy to the last guy in there, they all get along and they work together. They know how to practice well on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. They’re an intense group. They’re not very talkative. They’re there to do one thing and that’s work and protect the running back and protect the quarterback.”
(I know you mentioned on Monday that you and Tight Ends Coach Shane Day talked about tight end snaps. At this point, do you have a good comfort level with TE A.J. Derby because of his experience and he’s been around you before?) – “It’s just kind of how the game worked out. It’s one thing to have a plan going in. It’s another thing to get it to go the way you want. Some of the things that we had planned for, we either didn’t get to … We might have had some different personnel groupings. He probably got more reps than what I anticipated at first but I’m alright with it when he executes the majority of the stuff the way we need it done.”
(We didn’t see WR Danny Amendola out there today. Is he okay?) – “Yes. On Wednesdays he won’t be … this is going to be the whole year. He won’t be practices on Wednesdays.”
(G Josh Sitton also?) – “Sitton got banged up in the game so we’re kind of still evaluating him and kind of seeing where we’re at.”
(Did any Jets defensively stand out to you from the tape on Monday? Obviously they had a lot of picks and were around the ball a lot.) – “Yes. Their defense … (Head Coach) Todd (Bowles) is really good. He’s always … It’s one of those things that it’s always fun to compete against him but at the same time, it’s a huge challenge because whatever we see on tape, good luck seeing the same thing. He’s always been a tough guy to prepare for. I feel like his team is built more of the way (of) his personality. They’ve moved on from some guys and it seems like they have a lot of guys that are on the same page as he is. That’s a good thing. He has a lot of young players that are very good. I think you can tell by the way they play. Those guys are flying around. They’re executing their defenses properly. They’re creating turnovers. They’re scoring points. They’re doing a good job.”
(What are your impressions of Jets QB Sam Darnold?) – “Any time you can bounce back from the first play of the game like that, that’s impressive. He was able to get into a little bit of a rhythm. I think (Jets Offensive Coordinator/QBs Coach) Jeremy Bates is a really good coordinator. People don’t remember that he had the No. 2 offense in 2008 with Denver. They were rolling. (Jay) Cutler, that was the year he went to the Pro Bowl. He knows what he’s doing. Now he has another opportunity with a young quarterback. I’d expect no less because I know how he’s going to call plays and how he’s coaching those guys. They’re going to be successful. They’re going to be tough to go against. He’ll have them ready to go and he’ll do what’s best for the quarterback every week to make sure that he has success.”
(Banged up doesn’t sound serious. Is G Josh Sitton’s injury serious?) – “We’ll see. We’re still going through some tests and stuff. He just had kind of a weird hit. We’re going through that right now.”
(Are you able to let us know what body part it is with G Josh Sitton?) – “Once I find out all of the details of everything, I’ll let you guys know.”
(How is LS John Denney doing?) – “He’s good. He’ll be ready to go on Sunday and we’ll be good to go.”
(RB Frank Gore has a chance to pass RB Curtis Martin for fourth place on the NFL’s all-time rushing chart this week. What do you think that means?) – “To him? He won’t even talk. If you ask him, he’s not going to talk about it. He’s so wired in on just helping us win. It speaks volumes for what he’s accomplished. It’s unbelievable the amount of years he’s played and the amount of carries he’s had over his career and the success that he’s had, the things that he’s battled through. When you watch him practice, at his age, you can’t tell. It was fun for me to watch him get introduced and him playing, getting out there and ripping off a couple of runs. We get a first-and-20. I don’t remember the last time we got a first-and-20 (conversion) on a run and getting an explosive play like that. Guys did a great job of blocking up front. He found that hole and Kenny (Stills) did a good job at getting to the safety and he did the rest. It was great to see him get going a little bit. Him and (Kenyan) Drake, that’s a good combination. Those guys work well together.”
(This week I guess you have a couple of bigger receivers out there with the Jets. Is there something different you can do to prepare your corners for that size they have on the outside?) – “We can try to sign some bigger guys so they can see them on scout team but that’s about it. (laughter) They’ve had to go against DeVante (Parker) quite a bit. That’s really a lot of the experience they can lean on from practice. Every week it’s going to be a different body type. They know what they need to do to use their strengths against those types of players. You have to be physical at the line of scrimmage and you have to get hands on them. You have to re-route them. Then when the ball is up in the air and it’s some kind of jump ball, they’ve got to be aggressive to the ball.”
(With WR Albert Wilson and the variety of roles he’s lining up on offense, how enthusiastic is he that he’s used in so many different ways?) – “Oh, he’s excited. It’s almost like we had a plan for him all of this time. (laughter) He likes doing all of the things we’re asking him to do. We’ll keep expanding it.”
(Is this something you had in mind before WR Albert Wilson was signed that you could do?) – “Yes. Sorry I didn’t show it in training camp. (laughter)”
T.J. McDonald – September 12, 2018
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Safety T.J. McDonald
(Do you know if you’ve ever sacked or smashed or blown up a USC quarterback in the NFL?) – “Caron Palmer. I hit Carson Palmer a few times. I played in the NFC West when he was with the Cardinals. That’s about it.”
(Did you say anything to former Cardinals QB Carson Palmer before or after?) – “Obviously I have a ton of respect, so it was nothing too crazy. I did train in Arizona for a few weeks in the offseason a few years back, so I gave him a hard time for it..”
(When you watch a Monday night game like that, do you watch it as a fan or are you like ‘we can do this to them, we can do that to them?’) – “I think that in a case like this, when you know you’ve got them coming next week, you’re not really watching as a fan. You’re trying to pick up signals, you’re trying to do whatever you can, see their tendencies and things like that. When you’re watching the TV copy, you always kind of see certain things as a fan; but also in circumstances like where we have to play them next week, we’re going in and looking for things.”
(Did Jets QB Sam Darnold seem like a rookie?) – “He didn’t. He didn’t get flustered. They said it on TV a lot, but he was poised and that’s a tribute to his hard work and his confidence level, so hats off to him.”
(Along those lines, QB Sam Darnold’s resiliency – he throws a pick six his first pass and it didn’t seem to bother him at all. He just came back and put it behind him right away. How impressive is that?) – “It was impressive. Coming into this league, it’s a competitive league, and in a market like New York, to be able to go out and do that, that’s impressive. You definitely have to tip your hat to that.”
(Did you follow QB Sam Darnold a lot at USC?) – “I watched all of the games. Saturday is a big college football day for us in this locker room. I was watching the Rose Bowl runs and watching him in the Pac-12 championship games and all of that, so I definitely kept up with him.”
(As impressive as he was, do you think DE Cameron Wake and DE Robert Quinn are licking their chops a little?) – “They’re licking their chops every week. They can’t wait to go. I know they’re excited for this one just like the other ones.”
Jakeem Grant – September 12, 2018
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Wednesday, September 12, 2018
WR Jakeem Grant
(Can you into words what it means to be named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week?) – “It means a lot. It truly does. I actually didn’t know I was named until everybody started walking around saying, ‘Congrats!’ I’m like, ‘What are you all talking about? You all told me good job on the sideline when I scored.’ I mean, it’s an honor. All of the credit (goes) to my blocking unit on the kickoff return. That’s just a stepping stone. I want to go out and make a big play like that every Sunday. That’s only setting the standard.”
(Is there something about Tennessee because your punt return for a touchdown in 2016 was also against Tennessee.) – “I don’t know. Everybody says ‘That’s the team that you always return on, so we’re expecting a return from you.’ I guess it just happens like that. I couldn’t be more proud. But, like I said, it’s all credit due to my return unit. I didn’t even get touched. I thank them.”
(What are you looking forward to here against the Jets?) – “I know they’re a very physical team. We’re just looking to go out there and play with speed, be physical. We’ve got a lot of guys that have tremendous speed. All we have to do is go out there and use our speed and it’s hard for DBs to match-up against that. They have a lot of great guys. We’re going to go out there and put every last one of our guys – Albert (Wilson), Kenny (Stills), Danny (Amendola), myself – and go out there and just run and see if they can cover that.”
(When you go against a team that scored that many points on Monday night with a rookie quarterback, what does that do to you as an offense?) – “We’ve just got to match the intensity. We’ve got to go out there and outscore them. When we look back at it, they did put up a lot of points. They did a good job putting up all those points; but we’re going to go in and we’re going to attack them. We have a great defense and I feel like our defense will go out there and play lights out like they did Sunday. All we have to do is go out there and just continue to compete like we have been doing.”
(You have WR DeVante Parker back at practice today. What does that mean for your football team, and how much can that help you Sunday?) – “It just creates more weapons in our receiver room. You never know who you’re going to get out there. You’ve got me, Danny (Amendola), Albert (Wilson), Kenny (Stills), then when DeVante gets back, we’ve got a big man. There goes the jump ball and he can hit you for a home-run ball too. We’re anxious for him to get back. We’re ready for him to get back. As you can see, he was out there and he looks really good. He hasn’t missed a beat. He’s in every meeting and he’s running and all we’re ready for him to do is get in there and get those reps and get back going like he was when he left.”
(What is MetLife Stadium like, compared to others, in terms of loudness?) – “It’s a very loud stadium. It’s actually a really good stadium. I love the lights, especially when we played there at nighttime. It’s a great atmosphere to play in. Me personally, I love a road game because it’s us versus the world basically, so to go out there and get a win it means a lot. It’s hard to win on the road in the NFL.”
(Do you have a feel for the Dolphins-Jets rivalry yet?) – “Yes, I definitely have the feel, with them and the Patriots. I feel like it is a rivalry game. We’re going to get their best shot and they’re going to get ours.”
(Last week you told us you were the fastest guy in the locker room. Did you prove it Sunday?) – “Yes, but actually I wasn’t even running full speed. I was actually three-quarters speed and when I looked up at the speed meter and it said 20.9 (mph), I was hurt. That’s slow, man. (laughter) I tried to tell everybody, I was like, ‘Jakeem, that’s all you’ve got?’ I was like, ‘No, I wasn’t running, man.’ I didn’t have to do anything. I didn’t get touched and I didn’t have to run for my life. Because (of the blocking), I could just use 75 percent to run past those guys.”
(So what’s top speed?) – “All I can say is stay tuned. Whenever that speed … I can’t give you a number. All I’m going to say is stay tuned. Once that speed number comes up there on the scoreboard when you actually see me running from a defender and actually have to run, then you’ll be shocked.”
(Was it a relief to get that first kickoff return for a TD?) – “Yes, definitely a relief. Just showing the world and showing the other NFL teams that our return unit is going to be a force to be reckoned with this season. If they’re going to kick it to us, then we’re going to go out there and make a big play.”
(Did you save the ball and everything?) – “Yes. I don’t know. I’m just lost for words. Like I said, it’s all credit to my kickoff return unit. It’s not about me; it’s about them. Like I said, I didn’t even have to do anything but run. I didn’t even get touched (by) a fly or anything. I would say that all of us collectively – we all as a unit – got the AFC Player of the Week.”
(Are the new kickoff rules going to benefit you?) – “Yes, it’s going to benefit us as a unit because the guys are not getting down there as fast. With those guys that are in the front line blocking for me and the guys on the back end blocking for me, they get to see exactly who they’ve got and they can avoid the twisters and everything. For me, I can see on the back end exactly what hole to hit and it’s a much clearer picture.”
