Cameron Wake – October 15, 2017 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Postgame – Atlanta Falcons
Dolphins DE Cameron Wake (transcribed by the Atlanta Falcons)
On the win:
“It feels good. It is hard to rank them. Anytime you fight your way out of a hole and come out successful especially against a good team it definitely is going to be one that makes you feel good for a little while.”
On the defense getting better each week:
“We always try to prove ourselves. Last week we knew we had some things to fix and coming into this game we made it about us. Outside of the locker room, we did not care about what everyone was saying. We were saying we had to believe in one another and go out there and do your job. The rest would take care of itself.”
On how the defense played:
“We knew we had confidence in one another. And we just continued to keep playing and keep fighting and we had confidence in them since weeks ago and we knew when the time came they would get the job done. Last week they put points on the board and got the job done and this week did the same.”
On what rallying to win says about this team:
“We’ve been saying it for forever, but again, it is not what anyone else says about us. I don’t care about what anyone else says about us, it’s about the guys to my left and my right. We came into halftime and we knew we were going to do whatever we had to in order to get this win. We had guys buckle down and make some adjustments and did the job. Again, who cares what people say about us? We believe in us, we are going to go out there and fight regardless of the situation, back against the wall or not. I think that is just how we are built.”
On whether this can be the game that turns the season around:
“I think time will tell. We are going to enjoy this one but there are a few things we need to fix. We could have made this game a little different on the defensive side of the ball and hopefully, I can say that this is just another piece of evidence to say what we are capable of. Whether this is a year changing win or not, we will be able to look back at the end of the season and tell or not. Being 1-0 is our goal and we’ve done that so we will take this win back to Miami.”
On getting pressure on Matt Ryan:
“I’d like to think playing together. Offensively they started to put some points on the board and then we forced situations to where they had to throw the ball and that’s where we thrive. Obviously, we have a great front seven and we are going to put the offense in a situation where they can’t just dink and dunk. If you try to hold the ball it is our job as a front to get there and make you pay. Offense, defense, special teams, I think we all just played together in the second half and that is just a product of all of our effort.”
Ndamukong Suh – October 15, 2017 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Postgame – Atlanta Falcons
Dolphins DT Ndamukong Suh (transcribed by the Atlanta Falcons)
On the challenges of playing against Atlanta:
“I think we understood that it was going to be a tough task. An elite quarterback who understands their scheme, two great running backs, and obviously a great receiver whose an All-Pro guy. We understood we were going to have our hands full but at the end of the day we had confidence in our defense and understood that we would just have to execute. You know we made some mistakes, we didn’t tackle in some situations, but for the most part, we did what we needed to do and we held them to 17 points.”
On whether they fed off of the success their offense was having in the second half:
“Yeah, no question. That was our goal. We talked at the half and understood that they were going to come out with a certain way of doing things and they threw some stuff at us that they had never done before like unbalanced. We knew if we weathered those storms we would be fine.”
On how the offensive line played:
“Resilience, plain and simple as that. I think those guys understand what they have as a group. They are very tough, obviously, they go against us and we push them and we strive to push them and continue to do that and vice versa for them. At the end of the day, they are a good group and they are very coachable. With the current situation from Monday, and them coming in with a new coach who is kind of changing the stints, they executed.
On where they are right now:
“I can’t look at the bigger picture. We are 3-2 and are obviously taking good strides. I’m happy we came in and stole one on the road and that’s our goal. Now we are going to go home and get prepared for the Jets.”
On Reshad Jones:
“That’s why he gets paid the big bucks. I mean he is a playmaker and we expect for him to make plays. Vice versa we obviously create the pressure at the line for him to make plays and be the elite player that he is.”
On the play of Kiko Alonso, Rey Maualuga, and Lawrence Timmons:
“I’ve said it before but they have got great experience. And like I have said before our entire defense has just been executing. If we continue to execute then we will be successful.”
On staying in the game despite being down 17-0 at halftime:
“It’s easy. At the end of the day, we have been in this situation before. With this particular group, we’ve been down 17, 21, 24, you name it. Being in this situation in the past we knew we had to execute and that’s the mindset that we need to continue to have. Obviously, we would love to not be down 17-0 and be able to close a game out but we are not scared of being in that type of situation.”
Jermon Bushrod – October 15, 2017 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Postgame – Atlanta Falcons
Dolphins G Jermon Bushrod (transcribed by the Atlanta Falcons)
On the feeling in the locker room during halftime:
“We knew the situation at hand and knew we needed to pick it up. We needed to keep doing what we were doing on the field. When we get in the red zone, we had to find a way to put points on the board.”
On the offensive performance:
“I think it was important for us to be as balanced as possible, especially in the run game. One thing we have been talking about is eliminating the negative plays. The fact that we can do that and then mix in the pass. The quarterback can get the play off and get the ball to our playmakers to make some plays. Really what we needed to do was just finish. We came out in the second half, and our defense made plays all game. We played great team ball in the second half.”
On the rushing game today:
“We had to come out and be physical. We knew we were not trying to be one dimensional offensively. We were trying to open up our playbook a little bit. It is a lot easier for our play caller to call plays when it’s second-and-six instead of second-and-nine, and if it is third-and-four instead of third-and-seven. We tried to keep ourselves out of some of those positions and situations.”
Adam Gase – October 15, 2017
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Postgame – Atlanta Falcons
Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase (transcribed by the Atlanta Falcons)
On what changed between first and second half:
“We finished drives. That was really our biggest thing. [In the] first half we felt good as far as what we were doing moving the ball. The personal foul hurt us and set us back. The interception just kind of surprised me on the call they played. Jay [Cutler] stepped up in the pocket and missed the throw a little bit. It really just isn’t one of my favorite calls based on what they did.”
On the play of offensive line:
“The biggest thing we stressed all week was about starting and finishing and really that is what he did those last two drives against Tennessee Titans. We wanted to build off that, and that is what we really focused on. We were trying to put the rest of that game behind us and you saw that today. Jay [Ajayi] had some good runs, seeing the holes, breaking tackles, and fought hard for every yard he had. The receivers did as well, and we just stayed with it and executed the plays.”
On the decision to stay with Jay Ajayi in the second half:
“He makes it really easy to stay with because it is almost like throwing the ball, you know you are going to get some of these 10, 12, and 15-yard runs. He starts hopping around feeling how they are playing him, and he is hard to bring down.”
On the touchdown to Jarvis Landry:
“It was really supposed to be Kenny’s [Still] touchdown, and Jay just saw them all go with Kenny. I was just glad he kept his head up and saw him.”
On the mental toughness of team:
“That’s what it was. These guys are different cats. They have something in them where it doesn’t matter what the score is. They will battle. Today was the first time the offense kind of gave our defense a little hope. Once we came out and scored and our defense saw us get in the end zone, the sideline came alive quick.”
On how the team handled difficult times of season:
“They just move on. That is what they do. That is what the NFL is. You face adversity all the time. It is only going to get worse the deeper the season goes, and it will be different things. You just stay focused on your job, push through, fight, put it on the back burner, and do your job.”
On how it felt to get the offense going:
“It means a lot to me because those guys are battling with physicality, and we are on the sidelines as spectators for the most part. You do everything you can to try and put them in the best position possible. It’s their game, and we are just there with them to try to help and do everything we can. I think he knew how I felt about getting things going on offense because that is the side of the ball I’m in charge of, and I felt like we were letting the defense down. He knew I wanted to get it going, and that the offense wanted to get it going.”
On what he was most proud of with the play of the offense line:
“They just fought. They kept playing every play. They played through the whistle. It cost us one personal foul, but they were just trying to protect the running backs and wide receivers, and watching those guys finish every play. It is what we need every week.”
On his thoughts on going for it on fourth down three times:
“We hadn’t been on that side of the field very much, so I felt like, ‘What do we have to lose?’ I felt good about the plays we had in. I felt good about who we had the ball going to, and we might as well be aggressive.”
On whether the play of defense influenced his decision to go for it:
“I guess I just have a lot of faith in our defense, so once we crossed the 50 or are anywhere near it we will probably go for it.”
On being aggressive and taking more gambles:
“That’s really how we have done it the last year and a half. This year we just haven’t been getting past the 50. We have been very inept, and this was the first game where we were in position of fourth and three or less, so we just had to go for it.”
On the decision to stick with Jay Cutler:
“I don’t care what anyone says. I’m going to do what I want to do, and what is best for the team. That is how we operate. That is how we did it last year. I know the direction we are headed. I watch them in practice every day. I go through these steps with these guys. We are practicing well. Why are we not doing that well in a game? I feel like he is doing a lot of good things. We just got him in August, and we are a little bit behind from where I thought we would be. Hopefully, this is the first step. We put together two good drives in the Tennessee game. We had some good things going on today. We didn’t finish the drives in the first half, but in the second half, we did. The longer we keep going, the better we are going to get, and that is the goal.”
On the possible concussion for Mike Pouncey:
“I have to check with the trainers. I know he is in the protocol, but I can’t say for sure.”
On the play of Reshad Jones:
“He has been playing with everything he has. He wants to be an impact player every week. He wants to be the guy that makes the play like tonight or today that wins the game.”
Jay Cutler – October 15, 2017
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Postgame – Atlanta Falcons
Dolphins QB Jay Cutler (transcribed by the Atlanta Falcons)
On rallying from down 17 points:
“It’s not easy to do, I can tell you that. It takes defense, and the defense went out there and they played the way they did in the second half. The offensive line did a great job all day. We were rolling a little in the first half but getting ready before halftime, we were kind of shooting ourselves in the foot. We felt confident going into halftime, we felt good about it. We just have to take it one stage at a time.”
On Jarvis Landry:
“He is just a football player. He has a high football IQ, tough as nails, competitor, wants the ball on the play. You know he sees those third and fourth down plays, he going to get a catch and he’s going to get more, he’s going to attack the defense.”
On this game being the win that will turn the season around:
“I mean, I think that the way the defense is playing if we can get a little bit better offensively. If we get it going offensively we will be okay. But we can’t be satisfied with this game. We have to take a look at it, fix our mistakes and we have to move on. This is one big business, we have the Jets coming in and the game was on the line the last time we saw them.”
On the confidence after today’s game:
“Once you go out there and do it, you put up some points, I’m talking about the offensive side. The defense has been solid all year. Offensively, we go out there and say this is an example of how it’s done, this is the feeling you should feel when it happens. You experience and you know it’s not just talk, you can make it happen.”
On one game being more important than another:
“I think that you look back after the season and I don’t think that any season you can have perspective on that. Each game is so difficult to win in this league that you just have to take it one by one. And then after the season you might look back and say, that one was a big one. But I don’t think that at this point in our season, or really anytime throughout the year we can do that.”
On this win feeling different than other wins:
“Yeah, offensively in the second half, we’ve got to get it going. The defense and those guys are playing their tails off, and we have to match their effort, intensity, and focus. If we do that as a whole team, we’re going to win.”
Jay Ajayi – October 15, 2017 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Postgame – Atlanta Falcons
Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi (transcribed by the Atlanta Falcons)
On what the win means:
“It’s a great win for us. With how we have been playing, it was great for us just to finish a game no matter what the obstacles are. We were down early. This week we really put it on ourselves to stay together and not get frustrated no matter what we do as an offense or whether we put points on the board. We didn’t want our emotions to get us out of the game. I think this week offensively we were really able to lock in as well and keep our emotions in check. That was big for us, and we were able to create big plays down the stretch. The defense did the rest.”
On the run game:
“From the start of the whistle, my mindset this game was to be downhill and physical with these guys. We felt like we had a big opportunity in the run game to get a lot of things done. The offensive line did great getting bodies on bodies. After that, it is really about me running with a physical mentality and running downhill trying not to get tackled. We were able to do that early and stay on that pace. Then we like to grind people out in the fourth quarter, and we were able to do that as well.”
On the number of carries despite being down early:
“I always want to be able to be a factor for this team and help us win. Being that workhorse for us, I pride myself on that. It was a clutch time getting crucial first downs in scoring range, and I was glad I was able to help. The offensive line and receivers on the outside did their jobs, and I just run hard.”
On the state of the offense after the first half:
“We knew most of our stuff was self-inflicted. Really this week it was about us keeping our emotions in check and staying together. As we were able to stay united, we were able to start quickly in the second half and keep our foot on the gas.”
On handling adversity during the week:
“That has been our M.O. I think. Whatever it is, however it is, we just find a way to get it done. We have a lot of great personalities on this team that has helped build that culture of challenging and fighting adversity head-on. It was a great game to showcase that, and we did. That’s a great team we just played in the Falcons, so credit to them. But it was exciting for us to rally and really show that we can come together in all phases and close out the game with a win.”
Kenny Stills – October 15, 2017 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Postgame – Atlanta Falcons
Dolphins WR Kenny Stills (transcribed by the Atlanta Falcons)
On how he feels about his team after the win:
“We’re just happy to get a win. We try to take it one week at a time and this week we came out on top.”
On how it felt to score the team’s first touchdown of the game:
“I think it made a spark, we had a couple of good drives in the first half, so to be able to just put some points on the board you could see how the momentum shifted and we were able to take over the game from there.”
On Jay Cutler’s performance thus far:
“Jay’s doing his job, it’s a team sport. For the average fan or person who watches football, it’s easy to blame one person. He’s been doing his job, we just have to do a better job of supporting him and helping him out, and I think we did that today.”
Cameron Wake – October 13, 2017
Download PDF version
Friday, October 13, 2017
Defensive End Cameron Wake
(Does it feel like as you guys are 2-2 right now?) – “Sure. We have a short memory but we know we let a couple of games slip through our fingers. We had a good win last week, but in reality all that stuff is over. I can guarantee the Falcons don’t care whether we’re 4-0, 2-2, 0-4, blah, blah, blah. It’s going to be a nail-biter.”
(Speaking of the Falcons, obviously their offense is very prolific with what they have. What do you guys have to do to slow that down?) – “Just play consistently. That’s the way defense is set up. As an offense, you’re going to have a few bad series and have two good ones and everything kind of evens itself out. Obviously the converse is true for defense. If you have a couple of series and then you let your guard down for a minute, in this league, they have lots of players – whether they be running backs, quarterbacks, receivers, whoever it is, tight ends – that can kind of change the course of the game in one play. You can’t ever let your guard down. You have to (be) locked and cocked every play, and that’s the only way to get it done.”
(A couple of your defensive linemen teammates have said that run defense was a big emphasis in the offseason. We saw that through draft, through free agent acquisitions, but what around here? I mean were there signs in the defensive room or did you spend more time in OTAs?) – “Yes. Well, signs don’t make you a better football player or change your defensive output in any capacity. It’s time, hours, blood, sweat, tears, the age-old mantra. It’s going out on the field and repetitions over and over. It’s being wrong. It’s making mistakes. It’s all the things that we’ve done from April until now and again, I think it’s also, I guess a sense of accountability to know that this is my gap, this is my job – whatever the scenario is – and I have to do this or else the entire team suffers. So all of those things combined I think is what it is. It’d be great to just make some signs and some t-shirts and then all of a sudden your defense changes, but unfortunately that doesn’t work or else I’m sure a lot of stores would be sold out.”
(Speaking of t-shirts. The significance of yours?) – “It that a rhetorical question?”
(Those in Vegas think you are underdogs this week. I think 13 is the line?) – “I don’t concern myself with Vegas.”
(Was it a conscious choice to wear the t-shirt with the particular message on it?) – “Sure. Every shirt I buy is a conscious choice. They all get worn at some point.”
(Are you speaking for yourself or the team there?) – “You all have great ideas, it could be any and all.”
(Nice kicks.) – “Yes, of course. The same classics. You know my story and you know the team’s story. It’s a badge of honor for me. I’ve always been counted out – every opportunity to be counted out, I’ve been counted out, and every opportunity I just keep putting my head down and working. I don’t think the team would be any different. I don’t think the defense would be any different. I’m sure a lot of other people will agree. So, whatever.”
(Is that the kind of feel you have this week, that you are underdogs going up there?) – “No. I just like the shirt. It matches my shoes.”
(Football is a team sport. Guys always talk about offense, defense and special teams. How can the defense help the offense pick up their flow?) – “I think it starts with repetition. It starts on the practice field. Even if it’s getting with a coach or a player, or maybe even the head coach – whatever it may be – offering wisdom. More repetition. ‘Hey listen, let me show you what you didn’t do right on this play.’ Or ‘If I was a player going against you, this is what I see, and what I would try to exploit.’ The same thing on their side. Doing the repetition and losing, and making mistakes and learning from those things. Again, it’s a conscious effort from everybody involved. It’s not just offense. The defense has to help as well because on Sunday there is no, ‘The defense won, the offense lost.’ The Miami Dolphins, either win or lose and you win or lose together. It’s going to take every man. That’s kind of the way to approach it.”
(But even within that, are there times where the defense would get frustrated at the offense or even vice versa? The offense. Do units get frustrated with each other at any point?) – “For me, and I think I can speak for most guys, when you sign up to play defense, you sign up to say it’s a whenever, wherever type of mentality. There’s no real script. I know you probably know this about offense, they come in and they have a play list of things (they’re going to run). ‘My first 15 plays, whatever we’re going to run.’ Defense doesn’t really work that way. The second play of the guy, it could be a turnover and you got the ball on the 6-yard line, goal line. ‘Get out there.’ You’ve got to stop them. You’ve got to get an interception. There’s no predetermined amount of plays or area on the field. It’s ‘here’s the situation, ready, go.’ If you don’t have the mindset that I don’t care where the ball is, I don’t care what you’re doing, I don’t care what happened two plays ago, I’m going to go in here and we’re going to stop the bleeding, we’re going to end the play, we’re going to get a touchdown. How about that? We’re going to score. We’re going to take it to you. If you don’t have that mindset then to me, not only have you already lost but I wouldn’t want you on my side of the ball at all. So to me, there’s no frustration. I accept the minute the ball is put down on the field that I’m going to be victorious, regardless of the situation.”
