Ndamukong Suh – August 13, 2017
Download PDF version
Sunday, August 13, 2017
DT Ndamukong Suh
(Now that we know LB Raekwon McMillan is going to be gone for the year, what gives you confidence that the run defense is still going to improve from last year?) – “I think it’s about execution, at the end of the day. No matter who’s in the game, what we need to do is execute. It’s very unfortunate that we lost Raekwon. Obviously, he’s a great talent and somebody that we were expecting to play. He still had to earn his position, at the end of the day, if he was going to play at a high level and be in the game for us; but at the end of the day, it’s all about execution. It doesn’t matter who’s in the game, whether it’s myself or anybody else.”
(Can you talk about LB Mike Hull and what he brings to the football team?) – “Mike Hull is a great talent. (He is) obviously somebody who’s underrated, but in my opinion, plays at a very, very high level. (He’s) a kid that knows what he needs to get done, is going to play 100 miles per hour, if not more. (He’s) somebody that I respect and I expect a lot out of him coming into this year, especially after what he did last year.”
(When did DT Davon Godchaux first catch your attention?) – “I don’t know if he ever caught my attention per se. I’ve always kind of been working with him. I talked to him when he first got drafted. (We have) been in constant communication and he’s just a willing learner, which is what I love the most about him. When people teach him things – whether it’s myself, Cam (Wake), (Andre) Branch, (Defensive Line) Coach ‘T’ (Terrell Williams), (Assistant Defensive Line) Coach ‘Dre (Andre Carter) – he just soaks it up and he implements it when we get into individual as well as team.”
(What stand out about DT Davon Godchaux on the field?) – “I think it’s his aggression. He’s a kid that’s very aggressive, gets off the ball (which is) primarily what our defense is built around – getting off the ball and being attack-style. I think he started to do a good job of that. It’s all about being consistent. Myself, I’ve got to be consistent. It’s not something that’s easy or comes easy so (we need to) continue to do that and get that repetition.”
(Are you pleased with the progression of the defensive line so far in training camp? What are you expecting for the defense heading into the season?) – “Honestly, it’s very hard to gauge. We’re going against ourselves. We understand how to game plan and do different things against ourselves. I think last Thursday was a good test for us; but at the end of the day, we still have a lot of work ahead of ourselves, because we didn’t all play an extended period of time. I’m not saying that’s a reason, but we need to go out there and continue to work on our craft and get better and not really focus on where we’re gauged at right now, because the true test at the end of the day is going to be how well we play against Tampa.”
(Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams talked a lot about aggression and like you said earlier, he said it’s really important for you guys to knock those guards back. That’s what he really wants to see. How good and how consistent has DT Davon Godchaux been with that?) – “I think everybody across the board has done a pretty good job of it. But at the end of the day, we all need to be consistent. Even if you have a great play or two or three or five, it’s about being able to string those five or six plays (together) and have those be elite and then eight, nine and 10, 15, 20 (snaps) need to be just as powerful and just as aggressive and pushing your offensive lineman in the backfield.”
(Having said that, can you get a gauge or do you always reserve your thoughts until the real deal?) – “I’m always going to reserve myself for the real deal because at the end of the day, you get a good understanding of what you can and cannot do in the preseason as well as even in practice; but the true test is when you get out there on the football field and there are live bullets and there are guys that are … You’ve got every single option that’s coming at you. They can run 50 million different plays and kind of go from there. It’s how you react and adjust and how you go against it.”
(Did DE Charles Harris show you what you thought you would see last Thursday in his first game?) – “What was I supposed to see? (laughter)”
(You tell me.) – “I don’t know what I was supposed to see. (laughter) All I understood was (Charles Harris) had a job to do, and his job was to get off the ball, play at a high level and attack offensive lineman and make plays. I think for the most part, he was doing that; but like I said before, we’ve all got work to do.”
(With a guy like DE Charles Harris, you see him fly off the ball and he’s almost there, he’s making the guy move. When does it click to, ‘Okay, now I got to get a little more?’) – “I think one thing for him is that he’s always going to have that ability. But the special thing about this league is being able to finish. You see the great pass rushers all those guys have that instantaneous step to get to the quarterback and get him down. It’s not about getting close to him and getting him out of the pocket. It’s about getting him down. I think Charles has that. I think over time, it’ll become easier and faster. There are some alignment things and stuff that we’ve all talked about that we all need to work on, including himself.”
(Do you guys on the defensive line and defense overall feel any added pressure with QB Ryan Tannehill’s injury and QB Jay Cutler trying to get up to speed, or do you guys have that confidence already that the offensive side of the ball is going to be balanced enough to take some pressure off you guys?) – “We’re got a very high-powered offense. At the end of the day, we need to continue to do our job and that’s to stop the run and get after the passer. At the end of the day, I don’t believe there’s added pressure. I think nonetheless we have to get our job done. If we get our job done, we’ll be fine.”
Jay Cutler – August 13, 2017
Download PDF version
Sunday, August 13, 2017
QB Jay Cutler
(How have you done out here and how do you determine progress this quickly?) – “Talking with (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) … Obviously, going to the right spot, and footwork and all of that stuff is factored into it. Just kind of how I feel in the pocket, how comfortable I am. Yesterday, I felt like the tempo was really fast. Everything was kind of sped up for me. I saw the field well. I was just moving a little faster than I should. So today felt, I told Adam it felt a lot better. Everything was slowed down. I felt a lot more comfortable, I was moving in the pocket. It’s just going to take playing football to really get to where I feel really comfortable.”
(What do you want to do on Thursday in the second preseason game? Do you want to start, play like two or three series? Ideally, what would you do on Thursday?) – “Whatever (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) wants. We’ll talk to Adam. We’ve got a few more days until we get there. (We’ll) see how everyone else is feeling, see how the (offensive) line’s feeling and we’ll make a decision whenever we feel good about it.”
(Are you anxious to get in that preseason game?) – “I am. I am. Just being behind some of these guys and missing most of training camp, missing OTAs, I think it’s important for me to get some valuable reps out there, feel good and get some positive stuff on tape with some of these guys.”
(You talk about learning your guys. How is that process coming along with the wide outs?) – “It’s coming. I think the good thing about these guys is they’re really open. They’re really receptive. They want to get better and they’re smart football players. (This is) a high IQ football team. When I say something, they’re right on the same page. They get it, they know what I’m talking about. So I think that’s been really positive for us so far.”
(You and WR Kenny Stills look to be getting a little chummy out there. Are you guys building a little bit of a rapport?) – “I like all those guys. Those top three (wide receivers), the tight ends, I’ve known Anthony (Fasano) forever, Julius (Thomas). You’re talking about guys that have been around football, know football (and are) smart players. They just want to get better, so (building rapport) is easy. You’ve got guys that run hard, want to get better each and every day. That makes my life 10 times easier.”
(Have you ever worried about pitch counts in a practice?) – “Pitch counts?”
(Like how many throws you make in a particular practice.) – “No, no. That’s never been something I really worry about. Tuesday I got here, or whatever day it was – Tuesday – I came out and practiced. I told (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) let’s kind of ease me in. Let me kind of get my toes in the water, then we can go from there; but yesterday and today we were full go and I think going forward, with the training staff, the weight staff, everybody in the building, Adam gives us so much time after practice to get ready for the next day, so we’ll be good.”
(Chemistry with receivers doesn’t happen over night. From you experience, how long typically do you take?) – “It could be three weeks, it could be three days. I don’t know. It’s just kind of when it clicks, it clicks. It’s like whenever you meet somebody new, right off the bat there’s a spark or sometimes it might take a little bit longer or it just doesn’t happen; but with these guys, it’s going to happen. These guys are good football players, they’re fun to be around. It’s an enjoyable process.”
(It is your second time obviously working with Head Coach Adam Gase. He’s kind of a night owl right, is that his schedule? What’s the latest you’ve worked with him?) – “We do FaceTime. I get out of here at a reasonable hour so I can get home and rest up; but we FaceTime late into the night if something pops up or if I’m not sure about something, he’s always right there and he’ll explain it. (Quarterbacks Coach) Bo (Hardegree) is the same way. It’s a group that communicates really well.”
(Has this experience been overwhelming and if so, is there any other way it can be coming out of retirement?) – “No. I mean the first couple of days, I think it was. You meet all of these new people. Coming from a place you’ve been for eight years, you kind of know everybody. There’s a new influx of people from year to year, but for the majority, you know everybody. Coming here the first couple of days, they’re a whirlwind. It’s just what it’s going to be. You just have to get used to it, like any other new experience. The longer you’re in it, the easier it is. It feels like I’ve been here for two weeks. I don’t think I’ve even been here a week yet. So I don’t know if it’s going fast or slow, but it’s going. (laughter)”
(What are your impressions of being on the same team now as DT Ndamukong Suh after going up against him for several years when he was with Detroit?) – “It’s a positive in my book. (laughter) He’s put me on my back a few times. He’s slammed me. He’s a tough player. I think that defense is good. They’ve got some players – impact players – in each area. The front’s going to be really good, so I’m glad he’s on my side.”
Kiko Alonso – August 13, 2017
Download PDF version
Sunday, August 13, 2017
LB Kiko Alonso
(How did you feel the first preseason game went for you?) – “It was alright. Obviously we wanted to keep points off the board. We’re looking forward to a better performance on Thursday.”
(What was your comfort level at that outside position because I know there were a little bit different assignments?) – “Yes, it’s a little different but with the more reps I get, I’ll get more and more comfortable, so I’m feeling real good.”
(Obviously it’s a very unusual circumstance to see a young guy like LB Raekwon McMillan get hurt in his first ever play. What went through your mind when you saw that?) – “I was just hoping for the best. That stuff happens.”
(What have they told you about whether or not you need to get ready to play the middle sometimes?) – “They haven’t told me anything. I’m ready for … I know this defense well so I’m ready to play wherever they need me.”
(What have you told LB Raekwon McMillan if you’ve had the opportunity considering you’ve sort of been through that before?) – “I immediately told him, ‘Hey man, I’ve got two (knee injuries).’ But really, we don’t know what’s going on with him. If it is the knee, then I told him that I’ve got two and you’ll be fine. That’s the truth this day and age. That stuff is like – a knee injury … If you tore your ACL back in your day, you’d probably be done. (laughter) And how old are you?”
(That’s correct. I’m 40.) – “(Laughter) Never mind, you’re not that old. (laughter)”
(With LB Mike Hull, what makes you confident that he’s ready to elevate into a starting role?) – “Just watching this guy at practice, he practices his butt off. This is his second year in the system. The guy day in and day out practices his butt off and makes a lot of plays. You saw that when he stepped in last year and had a pick. He played really well against Baltimore.”
(And no concerns about the size of LB Mike Hull?) – “No. Size is just a number.”
(How much do you guys refer to LB Mike Hull as scrap?) – “That might be the perfect nickname because that’s exactly what he is. He’s just a scrappy guy. He gets the job done and he’s physical and aggressive and he’s just scrappy. He’s a wrestler. He’s a wrestler type football (player).”
(How much do those guys up front really make a huge difference? Everybody talks about LB Mike Hull’s size but if the guys up front are doing their job…) – “It makes a big difference. It’s the same thing with an offensive lineman to a running back. That’s the same thing as a defensive lineman to a linebacker. Those guys get after it. It makes our jobs a lot easier.”
(For you, how smoothly has the transition gone from middle to outside?) – “It’s gone well. It’s a little different but – I know I tell you guys a million times – you go see ball, get ball.”
Adam Gase – August 12, 2017
Download PDF version
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(How big of a step would you consider C Mike Pouncey taking some snaps in the team drills today?) – “It was great. I know he’s excited. He couldn’t wait for this. We were trying to time it out the right way and go through the right procedures. He’s been ready since that first day to get out there. We were just doing exactly we talked about with the doctors and don’t try and rush and (Manager, Skills Development) Mike Wahle and the rest have done a great job of making sure we stayed on track.”
(Is there still no thought about playing him in any preseason games?) – “I’m going to talk with him about it because I know he wants to. I just want to do the right thing. So I’m just going to keep thinking about it, keep talking with him, see how he feels out at practice. I think that Philly week will be a great indicator for us because just going against somebody different and when you do those practices against other teams, it’s a game feel for you, every day.”
(Does it matter to either C Mike Pouncey or QB Jay Cutler that they’re new to each other?) — “I don’t think so. These guys are used to playing that game. When you come up through the league, you play with multiple centers and same thing with the center with the quarterbacks. Those guys are kind of used to somebody else coming in there, hearing a different voice and kind of getting on the same page.”
(Is it fair to say you have a soft spot for a player like LB Mike Hull? Undrafted. Just works so hard every day?) – “Every time it seems like somebody comes in and he’s always looking for that shot to jump in the starting lineup and somebody’s above him and then he’s got to fill in. I mean whether he … Last year when we had guys go down and he had to fill in, he did a great job. He’s always ready to go and he works extremely hard and he makes sure he knows exactly what he’s supposed to do. He knows everybody else’s job as well. He fits in well. With that crew that we got going right now, that’s a … I like those three guys together and we’ll see how it kind of plays out.”
(You seem to spend a lot of time on the sidelines today with QB Jay Cutler in between reps. What do you try to convey in those moments?) – “We’re just trying to get back in that game day feel. It’s just something that … That’s just kind of our routine and it’s just the communication, kind of the tempo of the play, how it’s coming in. If we change anything, I can still communicate with him. That’s more of our routine on game day, so we just kind of keep it consistent and work on it in practice.”
(Did RB Jay Ajayi suffer a setback or is this part of the concussion protocol?) – “It’s part of it. I mean he’s still in the protocol. I don’t even ask questions about it anymore. They just tell me when a guy is back or not.”
(Anything you can tell us on CB Tony Lippett?) – “His foot wasn’t quite feeling right. We tried to work him out before the game. I don’t know if we need new shoes or what’s going on but we’ve been talking about some different ways to just get his feet kind of right.”
(What is the outlook for T Ja’Wuan James?) – “We’re giving him a little rest right now. He’s been playing extremely sore with kind of what he’s got going on. He … It’s one of those things. It’s just, it’s not going to affect his play it’s just a pain management deal and we’re trying to take some of the hits off him and just try to get him a little rested.”
(If T Ja’Wuan James was out there today it would have been, I guess your closest look at the starting offensive line all training camp. Do kind of snap your fingers at missed opportunity?) – “No. It is what it is. I couldn’t even tell you who was on the offensive line today. I just sit there and keep rotating guys in and that’s the way we want it. We want to keep mixing up the lineups. We want to keep challenging guys to be able to go in if somebody goes down. I just don’t see it going to be a situation where it’s the same line week after week. That’s the way this league is. It’s rare. I think it only ever happened one time in my career where I can remember having multiple games where it’s the same lineup. Some thing is always going on, somebody’s shuffled around, injuries. I mean there’s just a lot of things and (Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach) Chris (Foerster) does a great job. He just keeps moving those guys around and just everybody’s getting used to playing with each other.”
(I know you’re comfortable with the top three linebackers with LB Raekwon McMillan going down but where’s the comfort level from a depth standpoint?) – “Yes, we’re just going to keep working those guys. I mean we were feeling really good about our depth when we came into camp. A couple of guys get hurt and a couple of guys are learning. We got to get that process going, pick it up a little bit. It’s getting closer and closer to real football, so we’ve got to make sure we get these guys as sharp as possible, keep putting good tape out there, doing things right, making tackles. That’s the biggest thing for me is like let’s get people down. Let’s not have missed tackles. Let’s be assignment sound. So we’ve got some newer guys. We’ve just got to keep working through.”
(I know LB Mike Hull is right now getting that work with the starters. Is there any thought to moving either LB Kiko Alonso or LB Lawrence Timmons inside and giving LB Neville Hewitt maybe a look?) – “That’s going to be a constant discussion and I think it’s going to end up being what’s our best lineup and we have time for the first week of the season. So, could we move guys around? Absolutely. And we were lucky enough to have a guy that can do multiple positions and has done it before with … Kiko has played every spot. So if we wanted to do that, we could. Right now we like where we’re at. We like that group we’ve got going on and we’ll just see how it plays out. If we don’t like something, we’re going to make a change. We’re not just going to sit there with our hands behind our back and say this is what it is.”
(Was it a tough conversation with QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “It was probably tougher for me. It’s more and more real. I think the fact that it’s him, he knows his body and knows how he feels. It’s unfortunate for him. He worked so hard to be available for us and those guys did a lot of work during the offseason to get to this point. I think he’s handling it good. He’s trying to do everything he can to help Jay (Cutler) out and Matt (Moore) has done a great job. We’re trying to make sure we’re … Matt has got more reps than he had last year at this point in training camp. We have to keep an eye on that because we don’t want to overdo it too early with Matt. I’ve got two good quarterbacks that I like – two starters – and I just want to make sure they’re both ready to go.”
(A couple questions – No. 1, is the surgery in the next couple days for QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “I don’t know. Maybe. I’ll let you know. (laughter)”
(And you have every confidence QB Ryan Tannehill will be ready for 2018?) – “Absolutely.”
(Are you still anticipating QB Ryan Tannehill being around the team a lot?) – “Yes. He’s going to have to do a few things with rehab. I know there’s going to be times where he’ll be rehabbing at other facilities. He has got a good plan kind of mapped out. He has done a good job of communicating with our training staff, our doctors. They’re all on the same page. I’m going to know when he’s not going to be here. There will be some weeks where he’s going to be around a lot, and he’ll be able to help the coaching staff and help the players.”
(Is there a plan for LB Raekwon McMillan?) – “We’re a little early to tell right now the exact timetable of everything.”
(Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon out there. Wasn’t sure of your relationships with Dee Gordon.) – “Yes, he has been coming out. I know he’s friends with a lot of the guys on the team. He comes out quite a bit in the spring and we’ll see him every once and a while in training camp when he gets a chance to pop out. It’s always fun to talk with him. I saw him before we got started, when they were playing the Dodgers. I went down there and saw him and a couple of the other guys. Any time we can get those guys around here with our players … (He’s a) good player. I love his mindset, love talking competitive sports with him. He has got a great demeanor about him. He’s a competitor.”
(Why was it important for this defense to bring DE Andre Branch back?) – “He’s our spark plug. He’s the guy that gets it going. A lot of the things you guys don’t see. He’s our energy. He makes sure that there’s not a dull moment. When he gets in that groove in a game, you know it’s just a matter of time (before) he’s going to make a play. I really like the way he’s rushing right now. He’s really trying to do a better job in the run game. I know both those guys on the edges … Cam (Wake), I’ve noticed, is really taking it up a notch. You can tell he’s further away from that injury, because when he sets the edge, that thing is done. You can see that strength and power for a guy his size is really remarkable. Him and Branch together, I like that combination.”
(With the exhibition game on Thursday, I know losing LB Raekwon McMillan was a tough thing, but what were your overall thoughts on how the offense and defense performed?) – “We had plenty of errors to correct. That was very glaring for us at first. We played a lot of young players for a long period of time. It’s probably the longest they’ve played because while here in practice, they don’t get as many reps as the starters do. I loved the energy level. I loved the fact that those guys were competing as hard as you want them to. You never saw anybody that just looked lackadaisical. It was full go. Guys were making plays. The energy on the sideline was awesome. You see our starters are so into the game. They take off down the sideline. I’m waiting for a flag to come out, because (I) look up and Jarvis (Landry) is like on the other 10(-yard line). I’m like, ‘This is perfect.’ (laughter) It’s great to see our guys that into it. The guys on the field feel it. They feel that energy. They come back to the sideline and guys are talking and they’re telling them what they saw and how they can fix things. It was a really great experience.”
(Did you see irony in the fact that you won a fourth quarter preseason game and that was pretty much your whole 2016 season?) – “It’s just kind of what we do.”
(Looking ahead to Thursday, QB Jay Cutler has only been here a few days. How much do you expect him to play?) – “I’m still working … I need to see him keep going and see where his comfort level is. If he feels good enough to go on Thursday where the pocket feel is there and he feels like he’s in a good place, then he’ll go. If he doesn’t, then Matt (Moore) will start the game and we’ll roll from there. I really can’t say right now, because today … We were talking through the whole thing and he can tell me what’s going on and trying to get used to the rush. This was really the first day he had multiple plays of our pass rush coming at him with (Ndamukong) Suh and Cam (Wake) and (Andre) Branch coming off the edge. It speeds up real fast when those guys are coming at you.”
(Regarding your run defense from the game, I know the starters weren’t out there very long. Any thing you could tell about the run defense or about gap assignment?) – “We’ve got to keep working to be sound. We went through the whole thing with the ones in practice and things were looking strong for us going into that game. You didn’t see a ton of runs, but we let up a couple big ones. It was really the back end group; but we’ve got plenty of room to improve. Everybody knows it. We’ve just got to keep working on being sound and everybody being on the same page.”
(One question I’m sure all of us have is relating to LB Raekwon McMillan and why he was out there on special teams.) – “Because he was going to play it this year. How many snaps at nickel are we going to play this year? We’re going to play 600-plus. We’re going to play 300 snaps at base, probably. He was going to play base. You only got 46 guys on the roster that are going to play (on game day), so somebody has got to play it. We’re not just going to trot out eight guys because you can’t play any starters. He was going to play. (Mike) Pouncey can be in bubble wrap not playing, but when you’re a rookie, you have to experience this stuff. It’s unfortunate. We had a lot of high hopes for him because we felt like we drafted a really good player. I hate to see that happen to him, especially a guy that has never been hurt in his career. That’s the NFL. You have to experience these things. You have to go out there and do it because we throw him in a real game and he has never done it in a real game before, it’s not going to be a good result.”
(Have you ever called a 99-yard touchdown play before?) – “No, I haven’t”
(You’re a sports fan. Your thoughts on Derek Jeter with the sale of the Marlins, him coming to the South Florida sports scene?) – “I have no clue what’s going on. (laughter) I kind of briefly heard …”
(Just having a guy like that now?) – “Anytime you get a great player involved with an organization, it’s usually … You’re going to have good results.”
Mike Hull – August 12, 2017
Download PDF version
Saturday, August 12, 2017
LB Mike Hull
(Obviously it’s unfortunate what happened with LB Raekwon McMillan, but do you look at this as an exciting opportunity to be an NFL starter if you’re able to win the job?) – “Oh yes, definitely. It’s a great opportunity. You hate for something to happen like that to one of your teammates, but I’m just going to take it one day at a time, try to improve, try to get better, and work on my skills.”
(What’s your sense of what you do well as an NFL player defensively from what you’ve observed about yourself the last year?) – “(I’m) quick in the box, good in the box. I feel like I have a good nose for the football against the run, so I think those are my strengths, for sure.”
(How would you describe your progress as a linebacker at this level?) – “I definitely got better from whenever I came into the league; but I’m still continuing to grow every day, work on my skills, fine tuning everything in the defense, and I just want to keep getting better every day.”
(How did you prepare this summer? Did you do anything special?) – “I work out at a good gym up north. I work out with guys like (Dallas Cowboys LB) Sean Lee and (Jacksonville Jaguars LB) Paul Posluszny, good linebackers and we get good work in. It’s good to compete all summer with those guys.”
(I’m just going to ask you what Linebackers Coach Frank Bush or Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke indicated to you what the plan is going forward without LB Raekwon McMillan?) – “I think they’re going to roll groups and see what the best fit for our team is. I feel comfortable at any position. That’s kind of what my role has been the last couple of years, so wherever they feel like they need to play me and whatever’s best for the team, I think I can get the job done.”
(How much did starting, getting those couple games in last year, how much does that help you?) – “It helps a ton, just from a confidence level and just getting the speed of the game down. I think it goes a long way and having at least one start under your belt, it’s good.”
(What have been your early impressions of LB Lawrence Timmons and how much have you been picking his brain?) – “He’s a really aggressive player. He’s not afraid to hit you. Everyone’s in the meeting room every day bouncing ideas off of one another and seeing how he might have played things differently in Pittsburgh versus how he’s playing it now, and it’s good to have that kind of veteran guy in the room.”
(In spite of your enormous tackle numbers in the Big Ten, you’ve been overlooked in terms of not being drafted. Any sense why that is? Do you think it is size? What factors would you point to?) – “I don’t know; but that’s in the past now so all I can do is live in the present and keep working every day to solidify a job on this team.”
(Does that drive you at all, that sort of underdog perception?) – “Oh yes, every day. That’s always on my mind. It’s a chip on my shoulder every day so yes, I’m just out here working to prove everyone wrong.”
(Are you calling signals now?) – “Yes, I’ve called signals at Mike (linebacker) the last couple of years, so that’s not something that’s new to me. It’s just something I want to keep rolling with.”
(How do you size up the run defense? Obviously that was a major issue last year. Are you better this year? What signs do you see that maybe are better?) – “Honestly, I’m not going to speculate on anything. We just want to go one day at a time, take it one game at a time, and we’ll see as the season unfolds.”
(How frustrating was it to see teams running the way they were last year?) – “Obviously you don’t want teams running through your defense. You want to try to make teams one-dimensional so that’s something we’ve got to address and keep working on moving forward.”
Mike Pouncey – August 12, 2017
Download PDF version
Saturday, August 12, 2017
C Mike Pouncey
(How did it feel getting out there and finally getting action? I’m sure you’ve been dying for that.) – “It felt good to get out there and start communicating with the guys, just get back playing football, get the feel for all the physicality of it. It felt good to be out there today.”
(How much of a comfort level do you think you need to have with QB Jay Cutler?) – “We’re good. We’ll be working through walk-throughs. We’ll work sporadically throughout practice. Jay’s a pro; I’m a pro. We’ve both been doing this for a long time, so we’ll do (well) whenever we’re both in there.”
(Have you and QB Jay Cutler been working on snaps already?) – “Yes, we have.”
(How much time have you and QB Jay Cutler put into snaps over this week?) – “I don’t know the exact number, but we’ve worked on it a lot. He’s comfortable. I’m comfortable. We’re just, right now, getting used to his snap count and we’ll be ready to roll.”
(How significant of a step do you consider this being able to participate in a full practice?) – “Considering where I was when this whole process started, it felt great to be out there today. Honestly, it’s a blessing. I was excited to be back out there and I feel good right now after all the work we did today.”
(You look like you’ve got a legitimate sweat going on.) – “Yes, first time in a long time. (laughter).”
(How much were you looking forward to this practice?) – “Today? I couldn’t even sleep last night. I don’t know if I was nervous or just excited; but I was just ready to get back out on the football field and I was ready to – I hate to even say it – but just make the mistakes again. The only way to get better is if you make mistakes and today was my first true test if I can go back out there and play football, and it went well.”
(Is it the case that you physically can’t or shouldn’t go through a full practice or is it just trying to take it progressively?) – “I guess the way we put it is that we don’t want any setbacks. A lot of times, a lot of guys are on the ground during practice, so we try and avoid all that stuff; but it’s not anything to do with the injury that I had. They’re not worried about that. It’s all the way healed back up. It’s just that we want to ease back into it since I’ve been out for eight months.”
(But you feel good to go doing the full workload of a game right now or would you need to build up to that?) – “No, of course. I feel ready. I’m ready to go. Whenever they tell me to go out there and play, I’ll be ready to play.”
(I don’t know if I missed this, but how resilient is this team given everything that’s happened?) – “It’s been awesome. These guys come in each and every day, work their tail off, and it kind of seems like we started where we left off last year. We’re a fourth quarter team, and we saw that in the preseason when we came back and won that game (against Atlanta). It was exciting to see all the fans out there and to go out there and win that game was big time for us.”
(Do you guys point back to last year and the way you rode out some of the injuries in the middle of last year, right now? Now you’re dealing with them in August.) – “Well in training camp, you usually deal with this kind of stuff, where guys are in and out, there’s a lot of banging going on. So I think that kind of just rolled over into our season last year where it’s just next-man-up kind of mentality. We had a lot of our star guys go down and the guys that came in played really well for us.”
(What do you think about your new quarterback Jay Cutler?) – “We like him a lot. He’s a good dude. He’s been a proven guy in this league for a long time. He’s a guy that we’re really excited about working with.”
(Do you feel additional responsibility this year to kind of pull that offensive line together because it’s so many new guys, and guys are rotating in and out? That’s on you?) – “Well yes, obviously. I’m one of the leaders of our offensive line group and I want us to do really well. We feel like if you want to win games, you’ve got to do well up front on both sides of the ball.”
Andre Branch – August 12, 2017
Download PDF version
Saturday, August 12, 2017
DE Andre Branch
(How did it feel to be out there?) – “It was warm. It felt good to be back on the field, though. We got to watch the film and go from there.”
(What do you take away from the first game?) – “We did a lot of good things. We still have a lot of stuff to work on though.”
(What do you think you learned about the depth of the d-line after the first game?) – “Good. We still have to work. The younger players looked good and guys stepped up.”
(The news on QB Ryan Tannehill was official today. That’s got to be tough to finally hear that.) – “Yes, it’s tough; but, it’s the next-man-up mentality. We have two great quarterbacks now. We just keep working and keep getting better each and every day.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said that you guys handle adversity better than anybody else does. How much more adversity can this team handle?) – “If we’re used to it, then that’s what we got to do. I think this team has shown that adversity doesn’t change us. Just keep getting better each and every day, that’s our motto, and keep moving forward.”
(I’m doing something on Head Coach Adam Gase and why things work with Adam Gase here. To me, there’s a lot of accountability and that accountability has led to credibility for Gase. Do you see it that way? Do you understand what I mean by that? Accountability like RB Jay Ajayi staying home last year and CB Byron Maxwell and DE Mario Williams being benched and guys getting cut. That turns into victories. That accountability turns into credibility for Gase. Does it work that way? Do you see it that way?) – “On this team it does. It’s shown that it does work so why change the formula?”
(Why does it work for Head Coach Adam Gase where maybe other coaches have tried it?) – “I can only speak on what Coach Gase does. He has his way of coaching and that way is working. For him, he’s been successful with that, so he doesn’t need to change it.”
Cameron Wake – August 10, 2017
Download PDF version
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Postgame – Atlanta
Miami Dolphins DE Cameron Wake (Bruno Zayas)
(During the brief time that you were out, what’s your takeaway?) – “It’s fun. It’s good to be back out there. Finally hitting somebody with a different colored jersey on, getting after those guys on the other side – the offensive side … It was fun to get after somebody else. Playing together, as a full unit, getting the Mike situation, getting calls, real kind of timing and everything. It felt good out there.”
(As a guy who has had to deal with an injury in the past, and all of the stuff that goes with that, what did you do when you saw LB Raekwon McMillan go down so early in t first play of his professional career? A young guy who obviously wants to do well on defense.) – “Well hopefully, it is something very temporary. Who knows what’s going on? I don’t know. Any time any player goes down, your heart goes out to them. Even myself, coming off injuries, I know it’s tough. It’s part of the game unfortunately but again, hopefully things will turn out well and we’ll put this all behind us.”
(Is it hard to get a feel defensively when you know you’re only going to be out there a handful of snaps in what you are trying to accomplish in these games?) – “It comes with the territory. You know it is preseason. It’s that trial run to get everyone going on the same page. It’s not just for the players, it’s for the coaches, getting their calls in, all the different things that go on upstairs – everything involved. Knowing what it is, it doesn’t really bother you, so while you’re out there, you treat it like a regular game until the coaches pull you out.”
(What did you see from some of the young players on defense that caught your eye?) – “A lot of energy. A lot of guys, obviously we have a lot of talent and a lot of jobs up for grabs. Guys out there competing, that’s a big thing we wanted. As a whole, go out there and compete. Show what you can do. The reason that got you here – if it’s covering, cover. If it’s tackling, tackle. If it’s rushing the passer, do that. It wasn’t a big complicated scheme; it was like ‘Hey, put the ball down, play football and show what you can do.’ I think from watching from the sideline, before I saw the film, I think there’s a lot of players out there who have a good opportunity to make this team.”
