Vance Joseph – December 29, 2016
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Thursday, December 29, 2016
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph
(Some of your statistics, the yardage, the rankings, I’m sure not what you ideally want but the bottom line is 10 wins, maybe 11 this week. Can we just throw all the stats out the window with this unit?) – “No you don’t have to. You can keep them. (laughter) You can keep them all. You know, I think this: I would hope for better numbers; but obviously it’s not the case. We track four or five major stats and we’re pretty good at those – yards per pass play, takeaways, sacks. Those things we track – red zone. Obviously the yardage stats, it can come from a lot of different things as far as plays played. We played 94 snaps on Sunday. But again, we care about winning and the stats are the stats. I’ve been on a team where my last year in Houston we were 2-14, but we were No. 1 in defensive stats. So I’ll take this.”
(Where does the big make up come, you think? Turnovers have been very good since the 1-4 start I noticed. Is that the biggest thing you think, the takeaways?) — “I think takeaways, third downs have been pretty good. Our sacks been pretty good since the 1-4 start. Those are the major stats that I can identify that has helped us turn it a little bit.”
(You guys have obviously struggled against mobile quarterbacks this year. Is there a sigh of relief there’s none of them left on your schedule?) – “Absolutely. We’ve had real struggles with obviously the kid in San Francisco (Colin Kaepernick) and Tyrod (Taylor) and the kid at Tennessee (Marcus Mariota). That has been a major issue for us, containing those guys in the pressure game and in four-man rushes. It has been impossible. Obviously, we’ve got to do better there. We’ve got to get to the spring here and reboot it and make it better.”
(Losing S Isa Abdul-Quddus, what is the impact of that on the defense do you think?) – “Well, we are kind of used to losing players. As far as the impact, I mean he’s been a guy that’s been a great leader for us in the back end. He’s been a guy who’s made the calls for us the last two months without Reshad (Jones) being back there. But again, Michael (Thomas) has played. He’s a veteran player. He’s a smart player. It’s been that way all year, so I expect Michael to fill in and play well. Michael played his best game of the year, in my opinion, on Saturday. So I think Michael will play well. (Bacarri) Rambo will play more base (packages) now and we’ll move on.”
(S Michael Thomas had 11 tackles at Buffalo? Is that right?) – “Yes.”
(Where they the kind of tackles from S Michael Thomas you want to see? I think I remember at least one behind the line, or were they down the field, thank goodness he was there type tackles?) – “Yes. He made impact tackles in the pressure game and in run-fits being the down safety. Michael played his best game Saturday, so that’s a good sign. Obviously he’s going to be a full-time thudder now, so we need Michael to play well.”
(The back seven has just been crushed with injuries. I know you’re not going to use it as an excuse, but you are going to have some tight ends you’re going to have to cover in the postseason and the middle of the field has been kind of open. How do you fix that?) – “Well, you fix it with different coverage – answers basically. We can’t be in one coverage where we expose someone to an awful matchup. So we have to have some coverage variations so we can help guys with those big tight ends down the seam.”
(Along those lines, we know Patriots QB Tom Brady gets the ball out very quickly. What do you say to your pass rushers here? Is it be smart or is it keep attacking? What do you tell them?) – “Well, keep rushing. Keep rushing because it starts with the coverage. If the coverage is tight, you can make him hold the ball. If the coverage is soft, the ball’s going to be out, it’s going to be a catch, it’s going to be a ball for a first down or for a positive gain. So keep rushing up front. It starts with the coverage, but we’ve got to have tight coverage to make him hold it, and then eventually once he holds it, we can get there. But it’s frustrating for those guys when the ball is out so fast. That’s the new trend in the NFL. It’s shotgun. It’s catch-and-throw. It’s been that way all year, so just keep rushing.”
(What is your level of concern as far as lack of depth now in the defensive backfield with CB Byron Maxwell not practicing yet obviously, two starting safeties down? How worried are you and also second part is S Walt Aikens equipped to play defense if he needs to?) – “Well, we’ve got some young guys that are going to be backups this week obviously. Concern? I wouldn’t say it’s a concern. Obviously when you lose starters and you’re playing with backup players, you’ve got your young guys that are backups now and it’s a concern but it’s the next guy up. Everyone’s in the same meetings. Everyone’s practicing the same system, so we expect guys to fill in and do their job. So is it a concern? Absolutely. But is it a big, big worry? It can’t be. That’s who we’ve got. Walt Aikens is a guy who’s been here three years now. So if Walt has to play, I’m comfortable with Walt playing. He’s been a valuable (special) teams player for us, obviously. He’s a big athlete, so physically he has no problems. It’s just experience. If Walt’s playing, I’m fine with Walt.”
(How do you feel about CB Byron Maxwell and LB Jelani Jenkins playing this week?) – Byron’s probably not going to play. He’s still very sore. The same with Jelani. He’s still very sore. Hopefully those guys kind of heal up this weekend and get ready for the playoffs in a week here. But they’re not going to play this week, those two.”
(When it comes to playing assignment football with some of these more mobile quarterbacks, what are some of the things that need to be done to tighten that up and kind of make sure that the yardage is minimized there?) – “Most of it is really physical. As an outside blitzer, you’re coached to stay outside and he circles you. ‘I’m outside coach. But he circled me.’ So it’s not a mental thing. It’s not a compliance thing. It’s a physical thing. Most quarterbacks don’t run like that, so when you’re even with the quarterback … If it’s Tom Brady, it’s not a concern, but if it’s Tyrod Taylor, if we’re even he’s leaving. It’s no different than ‘Shady’ (LeSean McCoy) playing quarterback. So it’s not a mental thing, it’s a physical ability thing. That’s the issue.”
(I saw LB Neville Hewitt, he took a dive, you know make the play on Bills QB Tyrod Taylor there. What are you seeing from him and his progression and are you liking some of the things you see?) – “Neville’s had a great season in my opinion. As a backup Will ‘backer, he’s played at a high level. He’s been our base starter for about a month and a half now. He’s played really well. I can’t name a game where Neville hadn’t been productive, even last week. But Neville’s (Hewitt) a young player who can run, so as a Will ‘backer, if you’ve got speed and you can tackle, you can play in this system and Neville’s (Hewitt) done well.”
(In what area of the game have you seen the most growth from LB Neville Hewitt?) – “Probably the mental part. He’s, again, a second year player in the spring who struggled with his assignments but now he’s doing things right. Again physically he has no problem but mentally he’s grown a lot.”
(Do you have a general philosophy about playing players who might be a little sore in a game like this? Playoffs looming and has experience taught you that one way is better than the other?) – “We’re playing to win. If a guy’s ready to play, he’s going to play. Obviously if a guy can’t play this week, he’s not going to play. We’re not sitting guys who are borderline healthy enough to play this week. If you’re healthy enough to play, you’re going to play. If you’re not, you’re not going to play. This is a big game for us. Now obviously and going forward obviously, it’s an in-division opponent who’s won a division for numerous years, so for us it’s a big game going forward. If you’re a player and you’re healthy you’re going to play this game. We’re playing to win.”
(And the risks of that?) – “I think the risks of it are football. Every game is a risk. But again, it’s a bigger picture for us here than one week. It’s moving forward with this football team versus a division opponent who’s dominated this division over the years, so it’s a big picture issue for us.”
(A specific play question. There was a 53-yard completion to Sammy Watkins in the last game. I think it was the third quarter. It looks like it involved at least CB Xavien Howard and S Bacarri Rambo? What could have been done better there?) – “Well, first of all, there was a four-strong pressure and we had Kiko (Alonso) free inside and Bobby (McCain) was the edge blitzer and Bobby (McCain) ducked inside and Tyrod (Taylor) circled it, so it started there with the pressure. The coverage is a zone-man coverage, so when Sammy went vertical, ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) should have been on Sammy but he squatted and kind of let Sammy run behind him. So as the play … It broke down. He got behind ‘X’ and Rambo’s on two, so he kind of saved us by overlapping back towards Sammy. So it was a pressure issue and a coverage issue on that play.”
(I know that snaps always don’t come out exactly as you would envision because of the length of drive, etc. That said, did the fact that DE Terrence Fede and DE Nick Williams played more than DE Mario Williams, was that a reflection of they were better at practice recently?) – “Well Mario has not been healthy and Fede’s played well, so he’s earned a right to play more reps. So going forward, until Mario gets totally healthy, I think Terrence has earned a right to play in that role, so to speak. If he’s playing well and he’s playing hard for us, he’s going to play. Until Mario gets healthy, it won’t change.”
(The way you played in overtime, where does that come from? Is that the veteran leadership mostly or what would you?) – “Well I think the entire team believes. We didn’t think one second on Saturday that the game was going to be not won. So I think it comes from our total team culture. And obviously having guys who can rush and make plays on the ball always helps in overtime. If you make two or three plays, it’s probably good enough in overtime. We had a belief that someone was going to make a play eventually and we did.”
Clyde Christensen – December 29, 2016
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Thursday, December 29, 2016
Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen
(I asked Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph about this team statistically. Some of the numbers, the rankings – yardage numbers and things, point differential – are not that impressive. The bottom line is 10-5, could be 11-5 this week. What’s your take on that?) – “Talking about their numbers or our numbers?”
(Comparative. The fact that you’ve barely outscored the opposition, some of the defensive rankings are not very high in the league, some of the offensive numbers are middle of the pack, and yet you’re 10-5.) – “It’s interesting to look at our numbers. You really don’t see an explanation. Probably if you took our numbers after Week 5, then they would be more in line with how we’ve played and (the) winning. It has kind of been funny. I don’t know. We’ve done it the hard way. (Head Coach Adam) Gase is always wanting me to wear the Renegade shirt. I think I’m probably joining the Renegades. I don’t know how we do it. We keep throwing blows and seeing what’s happening. That has been our deal. It hasn’t been the conventional way. It hasn’t been the way any of us have been used to. We have his personality. We go in there and take chances and go and play hard and see what happens at the end of 60 minutes, look up and see what the scoreboard is. I don’t think the numbers do … I do think, probably, we have protected the ball really well during this streak. I’ve said it to you: we were 32nd after Week 5 and now we’ve climbed up. So, we haven’t given away the ball. We have not given away the ball. Jay (Ajayi) has been consistent. We’ve been consistently been able to hammer the ball up in there, and then we’ve also made the big plays. As far as the consistent, top-ranked something, we really aren’t that, which is interesting. These guys (New England) continue to be impressive. Same thing – they do the critical things really, really well plus they have a prolific quarterback who’s on fire this season. Same thing – sometimes a lot of years you look at theirs and go, ‘15th in this, 16th,’ but then all of a sudden they win football games. They do the important things really well.”
(One aspect of the game Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick – we talked yesterday – praised was he said you might be the most explosive team in the league. You guys always seem to get those big plays. It’s WR DeVante Parker breaking a tackle, WR Jarvis Landry running past people, WR Kenny Stills and RB Jay Ajayi. Is that something you can count?) – “Yes and no. Yes, you can count on it in the sense that it keeps happening week after week after week, but they’re not by design. You don’t design it with No. 14 (Jarvis Landry) all of a sudden breaks six tackles and runs for another 20 yards. No. 32 (Kenyan Drake) – we don’t get the point-of-attack blocked and he turns and runs around the end for 45 yards. They’re kind of weird. The same thing, I don’t have an understanding of exactly how we do things other than we keep playing hard; but I think you can count on it in the sense that they keep doing it. They keep breaking tackles. DeVante – that was great to see. To go do that … We’re getting those run after the catches. All of a sudden, Kenny gets behind somebody. They’ve been consistently inconsistent, if you will. I don’t have an explanation for them, but I do count on them, because that’s the way we play and all of a sudden, those things happen. Jay Ajayi is going to bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. It might be a couple games and then all of a sudden he’s going to go for 200 (rushing yards) and pop a couple runs. That has kind of been the story. Even the tight ends. The tight ends all of a sudden … They haven’t had big numbers and then all of a sudden they catch a 50-yarder or so. It really has been one of those seasons.”
(How advantageous is it to not only have three quality wide receivers with WR DeVante Parker, WR Jarvis Landry and WR Kenny Stills, but to have three guys who have different skill sets?) – “It’s good. It’s really good. I still don’t think we’ve hit on all cylinders with all three of those guys. We’ve been consistent. Or when they’re consistent, all of a sudden, we haven’t protected well or something. That’s the encouraging thing that we’ve gone on this streak, but I still think our margin … Usually when you’re doing something you say, ‘Our improvement at this point in the season is going to be really minimal, because you’ve been going for 15 weeks, 16 weeks.’ But I still feel like we haven’t come close to playing as well as we can. We haven’t done everything on the same Sunday. I think there’s still huge room for improvement instead of … Usually at this time you’re saying, ‘Let’s go make two to five percent improvement each week.’ I said I think this group can still make some gigantic improvements health-wise and big-play wise. Those three guys give you … They all do it different ways, and it is all different weeks. Probably the one consistent thing has been Jarvis. Jarvis is going to give us some juice just by his energy and how he does things and running into people. Even when he has a 1-yard gain, sometimes it’s an energy producer, because he puts his helmet underneath the defensive lineman’s facemask or something. He has been the really consistent guy as far as that tempo that he brings and I think does ignite the whole unit. I still think we can be more consistent. I think all three … The neat thing is those three guys all can make big plays. That’s unusual to have three … Usually you don’t have three receivers who can make 50-yard plays. You usually have one, maybe two, one-and-a-half and then you have a couple guys who wallow around in there and make their catches. These three guys can go 50 at any time. They can go 50 with a diagonal. They can go 50 with a hook, break three tackles and go 50. They can run by you for 50. It’s unique how they can get their 50-yard plays. A lot of … There are certain speed burners; they’re going to get theirs all by running by you. These guys do it a different way every single week. DeVante catches a 3-yard gain play and runs for 50-plus yards. Where you’d say, ‘He’s your long strider. He’s going to go down and catch balls.’ That’s good stuff. That is good. I don’t know how you calculate the benefit, but it’s just good. You just have to hang tough and then one of those guys does that and then off we go. We’re kind of streaky that way.”
(When it comes to RB Kenyan Drake, he’s a playmaker. But have you guys adjusted to the idea that he’s not going to always make plays within the construct of the play design itself?) – “Yes, but he’s really gotten more consistent. I’ve really been impressed with him. His consistency is really good. That ball was going to hit right where it should. That thing was going to open up and we just didn’t finish on a block, so it sent him back the other direction; but he was right where he should be, which is what you look for as a coach. You don’t want him, all of a sudden, just anticipating and doing stuff just randomly. But that thing just kind of happened. He was exactly where he should have been. That thing should have been … we should have turned the tackle out and the thing was going to rip through for a 5-10 yard gain, right where it should, and we lost a block late. He ends up spinning out of that thing and just going. I think he’s doing, from a coaching standpoint, he’s really dependable. He’s where he should be. He’s worked hard on his discipline and his steps and all of those things – his kickoff returns, his ball protection, his receiving skills. The hard thing is just getting him in more. We keep coming out of games and he has seven reps on offense or he has nine reps on offense. But when do you pull (Jay) Ajayi? When do you not put ‘26’ (Damien Williams) in there? It’s kind of a good problem to have. He probably warrants more in the game plan, but there is a bunch of them that do. So does Damien. Every time he goes in there, he’s like Jarvis; he’s an instant big play. He just shows up. The big thing would be getting him in there more, but he’s really developing as a disciplined, good football player. He obviously has some great ability to make some plays when they’re not there, but he pounded up in there. In 4-minute, Jay gets banged up a little bit and he goes in there for some really critical carries and just rams the thing up the A-gap for a key first down up there in the fourth quarter of the Buffalo game. I think he’s really developing into a good football player and, certainly from a coaching standpoint, a disciplined one, which is important. He’s not just randomly bouncing all over the place. We’ve been really pleased with him.”
(In your estimation, just how versatile is RB Kenyan Drake?) – “He’s real versatile. I think we probably haven’t seen how good he can be as a receiver. He’s a gifted receiver. He’s really fast. I was teasing him, I got home that night and I thought he was maybe the fastest human being alive and then I watched that Kansas City game and watched that kid (Tyreek Hill) go run. I said, ‘You look slow compared to the guy on TV there.’ (laughter) But he can run, he really can run. The same thing, I don’t think we’ve come close to tapping our potential on what these guys can do, how to use them, when to use them. We just continue to learn about them and they continue to take their role and make their big play. The same thing with him, he ends up with seven plays but two of them are big plays. That’s a great characteristic to have. That big play per snap is huge. That’s a huge ratio and he’s cut out the critical errors and he’s been really good.”
(Your philosophy on playing players this week when you have clinched a playoff berth? Especially those who might be a little banged up?) – “I got a text from (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase the night before and he said we’re going to go play this thing to win. As soon as he said that, then it’s just a one-game season and let’s go try to win this one game like we’ve done all season. It doesn’t matter what my philosophy is. We’re going to go and the guys who can go are going to go and the guys who can’t are not. The next guys will step up and go. It is just like Game 1. It’s just a one-game season like every other game has been. A nameless, faceless opponent, let’s go just try to win one football game.”
(The offensive line seemed to really run block better than they have in weeks. Is that a fair assessment on our part?) – “Yes, I think it is. I think we kind of came out of the thing and said we made an emphasis on getting back to what we did those first weeks and really get running off the ball. (Let’s) take it to them on their side of the line of scrimmage. It just looked different. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase made a comment in the team meeting that it just looked different. It did. We kind of got some energy. I do think we got healed up a little bit. I also think some adrenaline kicks in at this point in the season and you get your second wind, if you will, at the end of December here, because you are playing some big games. Whatever reason, I think it did look different. It looked like there was an improvement. We felt like we came off the football a lot more like we were doing the first half of a season. So it was a point of emphasis and they responded. I do think that what you saw is true. We did come off the ball the best we had in several weeks.”
(We saw RB Jay Ajayi get a couple 200-yard games going back to Weeks 6 and 7. And then his totals kind of went down steadily for several weeks even though he was still running hard. And then against Buffalo, obviously back to 200 yards. So what changed and what happened in that Buffalo game that you can use going forward?) – “Yes, I don’t know. I do think we were coming off. I do think that nothing’s changed that way. It’s kind of, if you will, you kind of mind, that you just keep digging. You don’t hit gold every single day. There are a couple days where you just keep tunneling, you keep tunneling. Then there are some days where you have a great day and you strike some gold. But it’s not one of those jobs that it happens every time you get the football. You just kind of got to have that mentality that ‘I’m going to tunnel, tunnel, tunnel. I don’t know when I’m going to see the light. I don’t know when the thing is going to pop out. I don’t know when I’m going to hit on something.’ And that’s what he’s done a great job of … Like I mentioned to you last week, I don’t think he’s been up and down. I think he’s been really, really consistent – unbelievably consistent on his run reads, on his effort, on his pounding in there physically. And that’s a great characteristic to have because there are a lot of times there are certain positions – like a receiver – you run 15 times as fast as you can and then a ball comes. But you don’t know when that’s coming. You just have to keep running. That’s the same with running backs. You keep tunneling. You keep going, you keep going and you don’t know when you’re going to see light. You don’t know when you’re going to strike, and he’s done a great job of that. That’s what you look for. A lot of guys can’t do that. They get discouraged or start trying to make something happen on every single run. He has not done that. Why at Buffalo? I don’t know. Maybe percentages. We were due, right? He had been pounding and pounding and pounding and all of a sudden, bang. It hits, right in the nick of time there, right when we needed one. So that was good. That was great for us.”
(How critical is it for you to have that level of production the playoffs to get to where you want to go? – “Really critical. We’re at our best when he’s running hard and we can play action off of it and we’re protecting the ball and keeping the third downs manageable. We’re not in those third and really longs. I think it’s really critical. It’s not fatal for us. We’ve proven that there are days where we can’t run the ball and we can throw the ball and win football games. So I think that’s one of the good things about us. Those three wide outs, they go into Buffalo and they do a great job going down there and rooting out safeties, and it’s kind of grimy day, if you will, to be a wide out – to go to Buffalo and have all those runs. It was kind of a grimy outing for them, if you will – forearm pads, neck roll and the whole deal. But the Jets game, it was opposite. It was kind of fast-break offense, if you will. So I think that’s a good characteristic to have. We’ve proven we can play either kind of game and they’ve kind of just fallen. I couldn’t tell you how it’s going to fall this week. This isn’t one of those teams that you can predict. ‘Hey, we’re going to run it twice, third down we’re going to convert it…’ It’s not one of those things. It can be a … I don’t know who’s going to go off. I hope all of them at the same time but it’s kind of been different people, different ways each week. So we can’t be too predictable because I don’t know what’s going to happen so that’s a good … We don’t have any tendencies that way. If we do, I’ve missed them.”
(The Bills added another linebacker in at safety and they still couldn’t stop you guys. How good does that feel?) – “It’s a good feeling when you run the ball and they got their 4-4, the four down (linemen) and four linebackers in there and they said, ‘Hey, you’re not running the ball,’ and then you run the ball. That’s a great feeling. That’s a great feeling. They’re a good run defense. They’re a good, physical, big bunch. So they’re a good football team. That was really big. You just don’t know. That’s the kind of … What I’m trying to get across is it’s weird. You just keep pounding. The time you don’t have a chance is when you don’t keep pounding and you don’t take care of business then it doesn’t have chance because that extra guy is in there. That was big. That’s a good feeling. It’s a good feeling to go into Buffalo and win a tough, hard-nosed, grimy game like that. That’s going to pay dividends to do that in December on the road, inclement (weather) sort of. Those are good deposits to put in the bank because you’re going to need them somewhere if you’re going to go very far.”
(After RB Lamar Miller left, obviously there were discussions with veteran backs and the question for the front office and Head Coach Adam Gase for a couple of months was, ‘Do we need a veteran back?’ RB Arian Foster came and retired. Has what you gotten from the three young backs wildly exceeded all your expectations on what you could have thought when you were sitting in May saying, ‘If we just go with RB Jay Ajayi, RB Damien Williams and RB Kenyan Drake, is that good enough?’) – “Yes. I think the answer is yes. It would wildly exceed … I wasn’t sure. I think we all made an effort to keep Lamar here. He’s really, really a good football player. A guy didn’t … Being new, a new staff. He’s one of the few home run hitters in this league that can go (the distance). So I do think that no one really knew. No one knew what … I don’t think anyone would’ve predicted what Jay has done this year and the seasons that he’s had. Damien was a little bit like Matt. His film was really good. His film was really, really good. But you had (Isaiah) Pead. You almost had too many. Then you add Arian (Foster) to the mix and what does he do well? We probably, by elimination, it got clearer. That kind of ended up being a positive. I think we came out of the preseason and offseason and OTAs kind of going, ‘Gosh. We have six guys and all six guys had a different profile, if you will.’ That’s a hard way to play. So I do think that … I was looking at this game when we went up there last time, Jay wasn’t even really the starter. Jay wasn’t the starter. Jay came in he had the fumble, and so, even in this season, at that point, we still kind of were like, ‘What’s Arian? Is he going to be healthy? What’s Jay?’ We had a couple of guys suspended at that point. All of those things. It really feels like three years ago we played these guys, and a lot has happened, but I do think that the reduction has made it clearer and giving those guys a chance. And it’s still hard to get them reps. Kenyan’s a good example. It’s hard to get them into 20 rep-wise in a game. His ability and production would warrant it, but those guys in front of him have done a great job too, and then he’s picked it up on the special teams. Him and Damien have been, that’s where they’re so valuable. They’re a two and a three (on the depth chart), but they give us big plays on offense; they give us a toughness on offense – running the ball, protecting, and they give us consistency in the special teams and they’ve given us big plays in the special teams. So that’s exactly what you need out of that two and three slot out of the running back. It’s hard to get. You kind of have someone who doesn’t play special teams and then it gets all out of whack. Those guys have contributed. You’d have to watch all the film and say, ‘Man, oh man. What a year Kenyan Drake’s had. What a year Damien Williams has had.’ Every week we give out a ‘War Daddy’ t-shirt. Damien is getting it on offense, on special teams and that’s great stuff. That’s why you do go on a little streak and win some games, because you have guys like that who keep doing what you give them to do. It’s all different things. It’s holding up on punts. It’s getting a third-and-1 and scoring a touchdown. It’s taking a third down and running over the corner, spinning and going 50 (yards) with it. There are not that many guys who do that many different things like Damien does. So that’s really, really … He won’t get the credit for what kind of year he’s really had. It’s been magnificent. He’s really had a great year and you’d have to dig deep to find out everything he’s contributed. It’s good stuff. Good stuff.”
(What can be taken away from the interception that occurred shortly before halftime?) – “What can be taken away? We don’t want to do that ever again. (laughter) We don’t want to do that ever again. That was a bad interception. That took three (points) off the board. I was sitting there thinking we’ve put such a stress on it, and then Matt (Moore) knew it as soon as it left his hands. The thing you do take away is you’ve got to stay aggressive and that stuff is going to … This isn’t a game of perfect. He’s going to, he’s going to … He was being aggressive and we’d rather not do that. All of a sudden I’m looking at that game and all of a sudden we’re going to lose that game by three points and that’s the three that we left on the field at the end of the half. Those are the things that bite you in the rear. So it’s no small thing, but again, you have to overcome some of those. I think he’d be the first to tell you ‘Gosh, I made a big mistake.’ We threw it to the guy we really were reading. We don’t want to do that ever again. We want to just not do that ever again.”
(What does a player have to do to win a War Daddy t-shirt?) – “Yes, that’s … I don’t know, I don’t know. It’s just kind of subjective, but what we look for is just an effort and a level of playing for the whole game that is above and beyond, that he plays physical, that he really is a guy who just sold out at whatever role we gave them – kind of how I just described Damien (Williams) The reason for it is this: you might be the left guard and you come out of the game and you have no touches, you’ve got no carries, you’ve got no interceptions, and no tackles; but you laid it on the line for 75 snaps in there. That’s a way to honor those guys that maybe the numbers don’t show up on the stat sheet – (Jermon) Bushrod didn’t show up on the stat sheet this week for anything – but really played really good football, and was really physical in there. It would be a way to honor those guys. It’s easy for the quarterback to show up and get his accolades and stuff. But some of those guys who are holding up the center on punt return, and doubling up the gunner on punt return, those kind of guys, it’s a way that we honor them and just put a premium on team football. That’s kind of what that is for us.”
(Are you sure you don’t want to do those interceptions again?) – “No, no. That was our last one. We got it out of our system.”
Jay Ajayi – December 28, 2016 (Conference Call)
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Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Running Back Jay Ajayi Conference Call with New England Media
(I was wondering about your journey through coming up through the draft and being a fifth-round selection and now putting up the season you’ve had. Is it especially gratifying knowing that you had to come from that point and prove some people wrong?) – “When I got drafted, it was disappointing from the standpoint that I believed I was a higher choice than where I went. I believe it was like 14 guys that got picked ahead of me or something like that, so it was definitely motivating for me. I was grateful to be on the Miami Dolphins and then since that moment, it was about proving to myself how great I can be in this league and showcasing to everyone else about the mistakes they made picking the guys in front of me.”
(I know that one of the concerns that seemed to make you drop in the draft was over your knee and a possible micro-fracture surgery. When you were going through that – and you’re hearing all those things – how frustrating was it to not have any control of those type of rumors?) – “It was frustrating because there were a lot of rumors, basically, and a lot of stuff that wasn’t factually supported, and I couldn’t really say anything. All I had was my play and film and everything I did up to the draft to speak for itself. It was tough sitting back and watching everything unfold. I think everything happens for a reason, and I’m glad I ended up on the Dolphins, because this is where I’ve actually been able to have my opportunity to play. This is where my career is, and I’m grateful.”
(One of the things a lot of the guys here are talking about is how much better you get as the game goes along. You have, I think, the highest yards per carry for somebody that has had at least 10 rushes in the fourth quarter and overtime in the league. Is that something you’ve been able to pride yourself on is your ability to finish games?) – “I think all throughout my career I’ve done a good job of being the workhorse throughout the games – through all four quarters – understanding the fourth quarter is usually the most important quarter to finish the game off, and I think it has been a great job. Our o-line, they’ve been doing a great job finishing games, staying physical throughout the game. I know if I run hard the first three quarters, by the fourth quarter, most defenses usually wear down, and they don’t want to keep having to tackle and wrap up. It’s just a mindset, a mentality with our team and myself that you’re going to have to see us all four quarters, and it’s not going to stop.”
(I know you didn’t get that much of a chance to play the first time this season when you guys faced the Patriots. What is it like being able to go up against them knowing that you’re going to be one of the guys?) – “It’s exciting to play this game. We know what’s at stake for us. It’s the next game, but we’re excited for the opportunity to have them come play us at home. For me, personally, I didn’t play as much that first go-around, so it’ll be exciting this next time. We understand what’s at stake. It’s still a big game. We’re not looking ahead. We’re looking to this weekend.”
(You talked about getting stronger as the game goes on. Dave Puloka, the strength and conditioning coach, can you maybe talk about the work you’ve done with him and how that has translated to your ability to get better as the game goes on?) – “I do a lot of stuff not just with ‘Coach P’ – Coach Puloka – but also with the sports science staff, (Director of Sports Performance) Wayne Diesel, and the trainers and making sure that my body always is at tip-top shape for the game. Working with Wayne and ‘Coach P’ during the week, I try to prepare myself to be able to withstand all the hits and punishment of the game, so that I can stay in all four quarters, still feel fresh, still feel good and staying on my routine to make sure that I can handle a full workload.”
(I’m asking specifically about Head Stength and Conditioning Coach Dave Puloka, because he has some local ties up here to the area. Is there anything maybe he has challenged you with in a different way or brought something new to the table that you’re unfamiliar with, but now you’ve tried it and reaped the benefits of it?) – “I would say with ‘Coach P’ this offseason, it was good to work with him. It was his first time, I think, being the head trainer – head strength coach – so his program, it was pretty intense. Working with him, I definitely felt like it helped me get ready for the season.”
(Your production obviously spiked once the Pittsburgh game came along. Was that something that coincided with the offensive line gelling a little bit better or was that something that you felt you were more energized at that point of the season? What do you think was the difference there?) – “Week 6 – the Pittsburgh game – it was a culmination of a lot of things. As a team, we changed the whole mindset, mentality. We made some personnel decisions here and there, our o-line got healthy, we were running confident, we were being physical. I was able to get a big opportunity to carry the ball more than the usual 10 times. It was about running hard that day, and we were able to have a good game. We were able to see what we can do when we run hard and hit our landmarks and read our keys. For me, I always have the confidence that I know what I can do. It was about staying with it since that week and trying to continue to have great games like that.”
(Do you still keep in touch with former Boise State Head Coach Chris Peterson?) – “No.”
Adam Gase – December 28, 2016
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Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Can you give us a little more insight on the decision to put S Isa Abdul-Quddus on IR?) – “He wasn’t going to be able to play the rest of the season. So we just felt like we needed to get another guy up and right now we’re still figuring out what the time table is going to be, but it wasn’t going to be close to being able to go any time soon.”
(Last time you had to put S Michael Thomas into a starting role, it paid a price on special teams. What do you guys need to do to address that and how prepared is he to start at safety?) – “He’s prepared to start. I have no doubt in my mind on that. The special teams aspect, we’re going to need some guys to step up. We’re going to have to limit his role. Obviously there are certain things we still need him do; but we’re going to need some of these guys that have either been added to the roster or haven’t done a whole bunch in that area to really be the next man up.”
(How much has S Michael Thomas played safety? I know he’s in that nickel package but how much has he actually played safety?) – “Quite a bit. Usually it’s a little more than half the snaps during the game. There have been a few games where it’s been heavy base (package), but we’re getting 14-18 snaps on third down and then a lot of teams play those sub-packages on offense to where he’s getting enough action.”
(Both you and the Patriots obviously have lost key players, injuries, suspension with QB Tom Brady in there, TE Rob Gronkowski, C Mike Pouncey, S Reshad Jones. How have you both overcome it? Do you think quality depth? What factors do you think go into being able to still win despite that?) – “Some of it has to do … I think we probably have similar styles of practice to where it’s competitive, which helps guys develop, especially younger players. Just my time with (Patriots Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach) Josh (McDaniels), I can’t say it was exactly the way they did it, but it was very similar to what we do as far as how competitive it is. That’s how you get younger players to get better, and then at the same time, you do need some guys that are in backup positions that have experience playing. A lot of times when their number’s called, they make the most of it and play well enough for you to win. I’m sure they feel the same way. They’ve had a lot of guys step up in roles where at the beginning of the year, they probably didn’t think they were going to have to do that, and the same with us. Guys have done a good job of filling in for guys that we thought were going to be starters for the entire year.”
(The Patriots have 452 rushing attempts, which seems like a lot for a QB Tom Brady led team. Just curious what you’ve seen on tape, particularly with their power run game.) – “I don’t think it’s anything different then what they’ve really done in the past. I think it’s really what’s best for that game. I know last year they didn’t have the success they wanted to running the football, but this year they seem to have found a good groove. When you get leads in a game, that’s when your rushing attempts go up because they can finish the game the way they want to and account for everybody in the box with some of the personnel groupings that they’re going with, and the physical mindset that they’ve had and the way that they’ve been running the ball. They’ve done a good job. They’ve implemented a power run game and they’ve been successful with it.”
(We saw RB Jay Ajayi out there today doing individual stuff. Does it seem like he’s okay from the shoulder injury?) – “Yes.”
(Are you expecting him to play?) – “We’ll see. But I mean I don’t see why we’d have … unless we have a setback.”
(How difficult is it to prepare for their backs? I mean they all seem to be doing a different sort of thing?) – “You have to be very aware of who’s in the game and understand what each guy brings to the table – how they’ll do enough to where they’ll change it up to where it’s not always one thing. But you do need to be aware of the differences in those backs because they’re different sizes, they have different strengths. One guy comes at you with some power. One guy’s got a little more quickness. So ‘V.J.’ (Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph) has got to do a good job, and the defensive staff has to do a good job, of communicating to (Joseph) so he can communicate to our guys who are in the game. That makes it difficult. It’s almost like receiver. When you’ve got different types of guys, you have to defend a lot of things.”
(What type of difference to the Patriots offense do you think that TE Martellus Bennett has made for that team?) – “I know when they had both those guys (Bennett and TE Rob Gronkowski), that was a scary combination and ‘Marty’ (Martellus Bennett) is a tough guy to defend, because he’s a big body. He understands coverage. He’s very smart and when he gets the ball in his hands, he’s a very physical runner. He has the ability to make guys miss. You always forget how big he is until you get right next to him. I’ve seen him play a lot of games last year where he catches the ball and a guy tries to square him up, he can either make you miss or he can go through you. He’s a very, very hard player to bring down.”
(How much work did CB Byron Maxwell do in practice today?) – “We’re trying to work him through and moving him around more. We’ll kind of see how this goes through the week. I’m just not sure where we’re going to end up on Sunday.”
(What would you say is the toughest challenge about playing a Bill Belichick coached team?) – “They’re going to know … They’re going to know your tendencies. They’re going to understand what you’re trying to accomplish in the games they watch. They can get multiple. They can give you some different looks. You just never really know what you’re exactly going to get going into the game. It can change very quickly. They’re very sound; they’re very disciplined. They tackle about as good as anybody in the league. It makes it very difficult, because you’re not really sure … Are you going to be able to get the explosive plays? Are you going to be able to catch them in the right coverage? It makes it very difficult to predict what they’re going to be in.”
(How difficult do you think it is to sustain this type of level of success for this many years?) – “I don’t know how many guys have actually done it. It just seems like they consistently restart every year, and it’s a new year. And whatever their roster is, they get the most out of every guy on that roster. It’s just that consistency. I think the way they go about their business is probably what every team is trying to do the same thing, trying to mimic that, and trying to figure out a way to maintain that long term success, which is tough. We all see it every year where three, four, six, seven coaches go down and you can’t maintain it. They’ve done a great job of consistently, no matter who’s been in the game, getting the best out of all of their players.”
(Have they told you any new information about QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “I haven’t asked.”
(Are you certain that you’re going forward with QB Matt Moore on Sunday?) – “Unless somebody tells me different.”
(With your running game, what was the difference in Buffalo that you hadn’t seen for the previous month?) – “I think it helped that we were a little healthier than what we’ve been. I think that ‘B.A.’ (Branden Albert) and (Laremy) Tunsil felt better this game. Those guys were out there playing pretty banged up, and pushing through some injuries. We had the change in center. I thought that some of the teams we were playing, they were loading up the box. That’s why we had success in the passing game and basically teams were saying ‘You’re not going to run it on us.’ Fine. We have to throw it and we feel pretty good about the three wide receivers that we have. We feel pretty good about what our tight ends are bringing to the package. We feel good about what our quarterbacks do. If teams want to take that away, we’ll just throw it and win a different way.”
(With your receivers, each of them sort of have a different strength, and bring something different to the table. How much do they help balance each other out, and balance the offense out?) – “We’ve been talking about this since the spring. They really complement each other very well. They all have different strengths, and they bring a different element to our passing game and it works well when all three are together. Take one guy away, it changes a lot, and you guys have seen it where we’ve lost DeVante (Parker); Kenny (Stills) started a game and then he goes out of a game. It becomes hard on the play caller because you’re trying to figure out a way, ‘Well how do I fix this? Or how do I get us back in rhythm?’ When all three of those guys are out there, you don’t think about anything. They all know they’re all going to do what exactly they’re supposed to do. They’ll be in the right spot, they’re going to make plays, you have no worries of what they’re going to do. There is something about that group, they’re very tight, and they play off of each other very well.”
(You guys have had a great deal of success – going back to the run game – in the zone-blocking scheme, also in the gap scheme. What does it say about this offensive line and this unit to be able to execute both the way that they’ve been able to?) – “They’re very flexible. They’re an intelligent group. They work very hard. It’s hard to get all the reps you want and looks you want in practice. So you have to get some of those looks, whether it be off of tape or walkthrough, and those guys take those walkthrough periods very serious. They get their techniques down and they make sure they’re on the right guy. They’re trying to get Jay (Ajayi) and the other back the right look, even though it’s not full speed, of what it should look like in a game, which helps them, because now they know exactly what they should expect when we get in the game. Those guys have taken a lot of pride. I know they were frustrated because we didn’t have the numbers they were hoping for a lot of times; but I think we got a little spoiled when you have back-to-back 200-yard games. They really should take a lot of pride in the games that we really didn’t have all the numbers. Yards per carry were great, they were doing a great job as far as assignment-wise and trying to play physical. Even though we were banged up a little bit, we got everything that they had. Last week was a great indication that you can get back to it. They were putting a linebacker in at safety last week, and we still figured out a way to run the ball. It was good to see our guys really embrace that challenge of going on the road. We knew they were going to try to stop the run, and it didn’t matter to them.”
(Two games in, do you feel like you have a good enough play calling feel for QB Matt Moore now, and how is that process coming along?) – “Every game that we go we learn something different about each other, as far as what either I need to remind him, or his communication to me of something he didn’t like or he does like. The good thing about having a guy that’s been around for some time is that he’s not going to be shy about anything. He’s going to tell you exactly what he thinks and he’s always going to be prepared. I never have to worry about anything with the game plan. If he doesn’t like something, he’s going to tell me quickly, which he never says he doesn’t like anything. (laughter) He’s exactly what you hope guys will try to become at all positions – just that professionalism, always being ready to go. You go four-and-a-half, five years without playing, and then jump in a game and go and win it, and then come and start two other games on the road in the division, it’s been impressive.”
Jay Ajayi – December 28, 2016
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Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Running Back Jay Ajayi
(You’ve had 270 touches now this season, 32 carries on Saturday. How’s the body holding up?) – “It’s feeling good. I was sore right after the game. Now, I got back into my routine of the week, so it’s starting to feel a little better.”
(I know you had a big workload at Boise State, but I assume it’s a little different in the NFL. What have you learned about that part the job description?) – “You have to be a professional. Here, it’s a lot different. At Boise, I had to go to class. (I) do a lot more different stuff here, either doing the work or getting my body right. So, I have more than enough time to do the things I need to do to make sure I stay on the field.”
(Do you take a lot of pride in being able to handle it?) – “I take pride in being able to withstand a lot of hits and being able to stick with the run game all throughout all four quarters.”
(You’ve been the type of back that gets stronger as the game goes on even since your days at Boise State. Who do you attribute that to and how are you able to bust your biggest runs towards the end of the game?) – “I think it’s a – first of all – credit to the o-line, them sticking with it all game long, us having that mindset that we want to be able to create big runs on the ground and sticking with it. For me, my mentality is running hard all throughout the game, not stopping and eventually wearing down the defense. We understand a lot of teams can’t really stick with us all four quarters. Eventually, they’ll wear down. You just have to stay diligent with it and continue to find ways to break through.”
(Congrats on the [AFC Offensive Player of the Week] award – third time you’ve done this. Do you pinch yourself now, or is it starting to sink in what you’ve been able to accomplish, now for the third time?) – “I don’t really think it’s settling in right now. Probably after the season when I get to sit back and see what I was able to accomplish, it’ll probably hit me more. Right now, we’re still in everything, so my mind is on New England and wanting to do it again and keep running hard and keep making plays for this team. I feel very grateful to be able to get the awards like that and understand that it’s not just me out there doing it. I’m getting a lot of help from my teammates. You don’t get these awards unless we win. That’s the most important thing: we’re winning the games, and we have the opportunity to reach our goal.”
(In Buffalo when their defense is on the field, they like to play a train noise. Did you hear that at all when you were playing? I thought it was weird. That’s your “Jay-Train” and they were playing it when you guys were on offense. I’m not sure if you noticed that.) – “It was actually funny. I heard it before our drive, and I thought it was kind of funny, because over here – in Miami – they always play the horn. I thought it was kind of cool. I didn’t know if they were doing it to send a message or if that’s just what they do up there, but it was interesting. I heard the horn a couple times while I was playing.”
(Did it hype you up at all or no?) – “It was kind of like a funny thing. I laughed to myself. It was just an interesting thing.”
(Did you have an idea early on, on Saturday, that you’d have that kind of game?) – “From the beginning of the game, I was very confident going in from the work that our o-line put in this past week, how they were feeling (and) my confidence level. From that first couple series, we knew we were going to be able to have a good day on the ground. It was about sticking with our game plan and getting what we needed to get done.”
(A 57-yard run in overtime – 55 yards or whatever it was. I think you had 55 yards against the Jets in the fourth quarter. What does that say about you, your offensive line, the whole offense?) – “I think it shows that our run game can be explosive. At the same time, we can do things where we can continue to pick up yards and be consistent. I think we’ve shown that we can do different things. If we stick with it – if we’re diligent with it, and we’re on our game – that we can really control the way the game goes.”
(Is there a feeling that the run game will always come through, “Give us enough carries, we’ll wear them down and break a big play,” or is it something different from that?) – “That’s my mentality. I don’t think it would be different for the o-line. I think we believe that we can run the ball on anyone. For sure, I believe that. When we get out there, we have to make sure that we’re on our keys and at the same time, creating lanes coming off the football and making it happen.”
(Were you disappointed that you weren’t first-team Pro Bowl or whatever it was? Was that a statement to the rest of the league that they missed you?) – “There’s not really anything I can do about it. You want to be one of those guys that’s considered the best at your position, obviously, and that’s what I’m striving to do. It’s just a little bit more added motivation to keep working and keep striving to be the best.”
(Do you consider yourself the best at your position) – “I consider myself one of the best. Yes, I do.”
(Do you expect the Patriots to key on you differently considering the first time you faced them, and what have you been able to do since that?) – “I think that they’ll respect what we’ve been able to do in the run game. They have a great defense up there. We understand that we’re going to get a great challenge out of them. We understand that we’re going to have to be on our keys, make sure that we are very disciplined out there and that we put ourselves in a great position to win.”
Ndamukong Suh – December 28, 2016
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Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh
(You all gave up some yards on Saturday but when you needed those stops late in the game, you got them. That seems to be the pattern for this defense. Where do you attribute that knack to? Rising to the occasion when the game is on the line.) – “You can answer it for me or you can let me answer. (laughter) How I feel is understanding the opportunities that we need to get done, particular games, certain situations and situational football, and that’s what it’s going to come down to being successful. Everybody has elite players. They’re obviously going to put them in the best position, and they did that. We didn’t stop them but when we needed to, we did.”
(When you look at the Patriots on tape, is it the same team you saw last year and the year before or are there subtle changes each year or what do you see?) – “I think they have a pretty much similar scheme as they’ve had in the last couple of years. I’ve pretty much played them every single year of my career, so they’re pretty consistent; but at the end of the day, they have their running game going pretty well, especially with LaGarrette Blount. So we have to first and foremost stop that, and then obviously when Tom (Brady) is back there and throwing the ball, we have to make sure we touch him and get after him so he’s uncomfortable.”
(Does their quarterback look any different to you this year?) – “No.”
(You guys have beaten New England the last three times you’ve played them here. Is that going to make a difference for either team on Sunday?) – “I think it’s always important to protect your home, so at the end of the day, I’m hopefully we can continue that streak. But at the end of the day, we have to understand what we have to do for this particular game and go from there.”
(Are you aware that you guys are 6-1 at home and if so, what do you think that says about you guys?) – “I’ve said this from the very beginning, you have to protect your home. You always want to be winning when you’re at home and obviously go on the road and still win when you can, because it’s very tough to do that. But when you’re at home, you should definitely be winning and protecting that.”
(Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick called you ‘unblockable’ last game, tremendously disrupt and ‘phenomenal,’ I think was another adjective. Did you feel that way?) – “That’s his opinion. I appreciate it. But at the end of the day, I’ve just got to go out there and do my particular job, which is what (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has continued to preach. Everybody do their particular job, execute and we should be fine.”
(Knowing the significance of you coming here and getting this team to the playoffs is what? The significance for you personally to come and help lead this team to the playoffs after they’ve been out of it since 2008?) – “No matter where I was going, my goal was to go and be a part of something special. I think we have an opportunity to be something special here. Unfortunately, in the previous year, we weren’t successful; but we have an opportunity this year to make it and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
(Was this what you envisioned when you signed here? This kind of success.) – “You can’t really envision anything. You have to take what you’re given and make the most of it. I expect for this team to be successful for years to come, if that’s what you’re looking for.”
(You had 12 tackles last time you played New England, what do you remember about your game personally?) – “I had a good feel for what they were doing, especially in the run game. In the pass game, it changed a little bit after we put their quarterback out or (Jimmy) Garoppolo, and then kind of going from there. At the end of the day, I want to continue to do the same thing – understanding their run game, be a part of shutting that down, and then obviously get after the quarterback.”
Jarvis Landry – December 28, 2016
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Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Wide Receiver Jarvis Landry
(You guys are 6-1 at home, but does it feel like you guys are a dominant home team to you?) – “What do you think?”
(Well, you’re 6-1. You’ve done a damn good job. Are you dominant or does it matter to be dominant at home?) – “I think we still have things that we have to continue to improve on and build on but we definitely feel like we have the home-field advantage here.”
(And does the crowd play any part in that?) – “Absolutely. All the support. We need it.”
(How so?) – “For us, when teams come in here, they’ve always been expected to communicate. When we have the support that we’ve been having from the fans and as loud as it has been with the defense that we have, it makes it hard for opponents to communicate.”
(Does the lid make a difference?) – “The lid?”
(The new top [canopy] on the stadium?) – “No, it’s the people.”
(How important do you think it is that you guys know that you’ve won the last three at home against the Patriots?) – “It’s this year, right? I think if you think about it, I think we’ve done well here at home; but, obviously we have to finish this one. Then I would think we answer that question again … (I mean) ask that question again.”
(Is there extra motivation that if you beat the Patriots and get some help, you guys are the fifth seed in the playoffs?) – “All we’re worried about is the Patriots.”
(Whether it’s inside leverage or outside leverage that the DB might have on you, you’re able to get wherever you want to on the field. What do you attribute that to?) – “Footwork, film study, anticipation and reaction, honestly – kind of reacting of what he does and knowing where I’m going. He doesn’t know where I’m going, so using that to my advantage.”
(Does a lot have to do with the situation as well and knowing where the DB is supposed to be also?) – “Absolutely, and that’s part of film study.”
(WR Kenny Stills said yesterday that he came into the season realizing that he was kind of the old man in the room. And you are a little bit too. You’re one of the more experienced guys. He took it upon himself that he needed to be one of those guys like what WR Greg Jennings was last year. Have you seen kind of a change in Kenny as far as leadership goes?) – “He’s alwyas been a constant leader. Kenny has always been a constant leader. He’s always been the more accountable one in the room and held everybody to a high standard but also holding himself to that same standard. Especially over this season, he’s definitely grown and become a stronger leader.”
(I know every team deals with injuries but I feel like you guys are a little bit more snaked than anyone. You lost another starter this week. Do you feel a little more snake bit than anyone? I mean, you’ve lost so many starters. Your quarterback’s out for a few weeks. Do you feel more than normal number of injuries you guys have suffered?) – “It happens. We play a dangerous game and people get hurt; but at the same time, people have to step up. And this organization has done a great job of getting guys that have been able to step up when people went down and go in and do the job the right way. That’s credited to the wins that we’ve had.”
(What does it say about this team that you’ve gone 9-1 in the last 10 games despite all the injuries you’ve had?) – “(Head) Coach (Adam) Gase brought the focus in – one game at a time. We had to self-evaluate ourselves and take a step back and start approaching each game that way. When we started doing that, we started having success.”
(Why do you think you guys, the three receivers, balance each other out so well?) – “Because we all pose a different threat. Kenny (Stills) is speed. DeVante (Parker) is size. Myself, just being able to get the ball in my hands and try to make something out of nothing. For us, it allows us to throw screens. It allows us to throw a drag to DeVante and he’ll break a tackle and go 60 (yards). Or we get 0 (yards) and then Kenny runs past somebody and Matt (Moore) hits him down the field. So for us, we all pose three different threats.”
Matt Moore – December 28, 2016
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Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Quarterback Matt Moore
(Not that this team needs extra motivation but if you beat the Patriots, you [could] get the No. 5 seed. Is that something you guys look at? And I know it’s one game at a time.) – “Yes, that’s part of the answer, it’s one game at a time. I think everybody is aware of the scenarios; but again, it’s the same focus every week. We’re working to win one game and that’s kind of where our heads are at right now.”
(How much do you need these reps going into this game?) – “Obviously experience in this league is hard to come by, so any time you can get live reps, it’s only going to make you better. You’re going to learn from it. Things are going to go bad and you learn from those, and then things are going to go well and you learn from that too. These reps are extremely valuable.”
(I know you’ve obviously had a history starting in the past and then now coming into the last couple of games. A new system and all of that being with the teammates this year, how important is it for you personally, having been a backup all of this year until the past couple games to get these reps this game?) – “Again, my answer stays the same. I’ve got two games under my belt this year and so it’s all going to help. Every little bit helps. Taking the reps at practice, the game reps, the walkthroughs, everything is only going to help and make you better. They’re all important.”
(Was that the craziest game you’ve ever been a part of on Saturday?) – “That was pretty nuts. It was back and forth and we played a whole full quarter there at the end (in overtime). Those games are few and far between. It was nice to come out on the right side of it but yes, it was a crazy game.”
(It seems like there were five different ways each team could have won, and then ultimately you guys did in the end. How much of a rollercoaster was that?) – “I was just trying to stay focused and calm. I wasn’t trying to get too high or too low, knowing that we were going to have a chance and we needed to be mentally ready to go out and execute. It was tough but I think everybody stayed really focused and understood that we were going to have a chance.”
(Were you shouting to RB Damien Williams to get out of bounds?) – “(laughter) Yes. No, but yes. (laughter) Looking back, he did good, though. That was a big play in the game to get those extra yards for the kick.”
(You watch New England over the years, when you look at them on tape this year, does it look like the same team? Are there different characteristics? What stands out?) – “Well, they’re obviously well coached. There are a lot of the same things – a bunch of guys that play hard. It seems like they plug anybody in and they’re going to know the system and execute. They’re a very disciplined team. Those are the things that I think stand out and again, offensively for us, it just comes down to execution and understanding that those guys, they don’t make many mistakes. We’ve got to come out and execute.”
(What has impressed you the most about RB Jay Ajayi?) – “Oh man, a lot. He’s just getting better every day. His strength, his toughness, the way teams are loading the box and he knows there is one unblocked and he needs to make somebody miss. He’s been doing that consistently. He’s just all-around been really grinding weekly and getting better.”
(And here in Week 17 it looks like he’s handling the workload with 32 carries on Saturday…) – “Right. And I think mentally he maybe expects it, which is good. He knows going in, ‘Hey, I’m going to run the rock.’ He has a great mentality for that and has really been huge for this team.”
(You guys are 6-1 at home. Do you feel that you are a dominant home team? Do you feel that you definitely have an edge when you’re at home?) – “There’s nothing like playing at home. We’ve done well here, like you said. It’s good. Who knows what the classification is but you like playing at home. We feel good at home. It’s nice to be here this weekend.”
(Are you aware that you guys have beaten the Patriots and QB Tom Brady the last three times that you have played them in Miami?) – “Yes. It’s been like that the past couple of years, yes. Hopefully we can keep that going; but again, it’s nice to be home.”
(I know every team has injury issues but you and New England seem to have had some body blows. It wasn’t an injury but they were without their quarterback for the first part of the season, they lost TE Rob Gronkowski. We don’t have to go through the list of injuries you guys have had. What is it about these two teams that you just kind of shake it off and keep winning?) – “I think it starts at the top. I can speak for us – I can’t speak for them – but for us, (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has preached the next-man-up (mentality). Guys understand, again, there are opportunities. It’s a shame that guys have gotten hurt. You never want to see that happen. But the guys that have stepped up and had to play have done well consistently. Every time something little happens, it seems like there is somebody else that steps right up and is ready to go. The preparation of the guys, the mindset has really been good. It’s helped us not to miss a beat when somebody goes down.”
(There have been teams that would have an injury like that and fold and they go away. Are those teams just mentally weak? Why does that happen?) – “Again, I can’t speak for those teams; but for us, I think it starts with the message from the head coach, guys being prepared, being ready when you get your opportunity, and then really trusting the guys that are in there to play. The scheme doesn’t change and guys go out there and execute and play ball.”
(That’s the NFL right? The bench is going to come into play over a long season) – “Always, always. And especially this time of year, it’s just always like that. If you’re one of those guys, it’s bound to happen and you just have to be ready for that opportunity.”
(Do you expect the Patriots to game plan you a little differently because against the N.Y. Jets you had four touchdown passes. You’re known to stay back there and fling the ball.) – “I don’t know. I’m sure they’re going to do what they do best and they’re going to do what they think is going to stop this offense. I doubt I’ll have a lot to do with it. We’re going to move forward that way.”
