Ryan Tannehill – December 4, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 4, 2016
Postgame – at Baltimore
Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill (as transcribed by the Baltimore Ravens)
(on the interceptions today) “I didn’t make good decisions. It was something different on every one. We moved the ball very well on our first two drives, and then something happened. [Jarvis] Landry fell down on a third-down play, and then we missed the field goal. On the next drive, their safety made a great play on the interception in the end zone. When you’re playing a good team on the road, you need to capitalize.”
(on the Dolphins’ offensive problems) “We just didn’t play well, but there’s still a lot of football left for us. We just made too many mistakes. We made physical mistakes and communication mistakes. This could be a good learning opportunity for us.”
(on bouncing back) “We have four games left. Everything we want is still in front of us. We just have to reset and correct our mistakes. We’ll be ready to go next week.”
(on the Ravens’ intensity) “I don’t know anything about that. They did come out, and they executed, and they played well. When you play meaningful games in December, every team’s intensity level is higher. We have plenty of talent and plenty of opportunities to finish this season strong.”
Jarvis Landry – December 4, 2016 (Postgame)
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Postgame – at Baltimore
Miami Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry (as transcribed by the Baltimore Ravens)
(on the game) “We just didn’t play a full game. We didn’t complement each other like we had been. It’s something that we have to go back and fix.”
(on the field conditions) “Honestly, when conditions are against us, it comes down to [having] better technique. So, for us, we need to find a way to technique it a little more and make some of those plays that we missed.”
(on the biggest frustration of this game) “Just not scoring. Really hurting ourselves. Give them credit, they’re a good team. We were in positions a lot of times to make plays. We had penalties that took us back and put us behind the stakes. We had a couple of turnovers – that’s how it goes in the NFL.”
(on losing a game in the playoff hunt) “I wished we hadn’t lost that. It’s just one of those days today. For us, we have to get this one corrected on Monday. We have four games left ahead of us, and that’s all we’re going to worry about.”
Jay Ajayi – December 4, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 4, 2016
Postgame – at Baltimore
Miami Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi (as transcribed by the Baltimore Ravens)
(on the game) “We didn’t do what we needed to do to get the win. It is what it is. They played a good game. We’ll go back tomorrow and look at the film. Sweep this game under the rug. We’re onto the [Arizona] Cardinals.”
(on the offense’s struggles) “I think we did some things on offense that shot us in the foot. We had great field position in the first half. We had the ball in their territory and we didn’t get any points. That’s the name of the game – you’ve got to score. I feel that’s why we didn’t win.”
(on the condition of the field) “It was slick out there. You saw some guys sliding around. No excuses – we just had to make it work as the game went on. At the end of the game, there were definitely some people losing traction out there.”
(on having come back in other games) “We never felt we were out of it. We’ve been in positions like this before. [At] halftime, we were still high. But, at the end of the day, we didn’t do the things we had to do to get the win. We didn’t score. We didn’t stop them, and that’s how it goes.”
(on if this game was a wake-up call) “I would definitely say so. We’d been on a streak and hadn’t tasted a defeat in a long time. So, we lost today, and it’s tough. It’s a weird feeling. We’re used to winning, but it’s okay. We’ll get past this and we’ll start a new streak.”
Head Coach Adam Gase – December 4, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 4, 2016
Postgame – at Baltimore
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase (as transcribed by the Baltimore Ravens)
(on how frustrating the Dolphins’ play was) “I would say this was not one of our better performances. We can’t waste opportunities early in the game on offense when you cross the 50 three times and get no points. We have nothing that really jumpstarted us. We couldn’t make any plays.”
(on Joe Flacco and the Ravens’ offense) “They had a good plan. We felt like the big thing they were going to do was throw the ball quick. We had to tackle the catch, and we didn’t do that. They were able to run away from us. We just didn’t do what we talked about this week. We just have to make sure next week we do a better job as far as executing what we kind of talked about all week.”
(on getting ready for another important game) “Go back to work – that’s what we have to do. Monday we’ll come in and watch the film and make corrections, and try to get as healthy as we can for Wednesday and go practice, just like any other week.”
(on what went wrong with Ryan Tannehill today) “He threw a good ball to DeVante [Parker], and that’s one that you hope that our guy brings down. Thought he had it there for a second, and the guy took it away from him. The one at the end, I think he felt that the guy would settle, and he took a chance there on the sideline, and he really didn’t put it exactly where he wanted. I think he was a little surprised that the guy was that wide. He just threw it a little behind Jarvis [Landry], and [Eric] Weddle was back there, and the ball popped to him. When you throw that route, you better put it out front. He missed enough where the ball pops up, and there’s a pick right there.”
(on how he expects the team to be this week in practice) “I expect the same. I expect a little intensity probably in practice. Nobody likes losing. I know guys are really battling, and we had a lot of guys playing today. The fact that DeVante [Parker] came out and told us on Monday that he was going, it felt like the guys were trying to return and get back out there and help us. I really felt that was going to give us a spark. We just did not make any plays early. That’s what you have to do when you play a team like this that’s been through this before. You have to come in here and execute. You have to take care of the football. You have to find a way to get the ball, as far as a turnover or something to happen on special teams. We just did nothing to get us going. Then, all the sudden, we’re behind. That’s going to be tough to battle back on a team like this.”
(on matching the Ravens’ intensity) “I felt good coming into this game. Pregame was good, and it felt good heading onto the field. When they started moving the ball, I didn’t feel any type of deflation as a full team. I felt like guys were saying the right stuff. We were trying to get things corrected in that first quarter. It was just at the end of the day, whether it was the call, execution, just straight play-making, somebody making something happen that could get things heading in the right direction. Seems like every week, we’ve usually had somebody make some kind of play that gets the avalanche going in the right way. We went the wrong way today. It was just one thing after another. We didn’t execute, and they pounced all over it. That’s what they do. There’s a reason why they’ve won divisions, they’ve won playoff games, they’ve won Super Bowls – because they understand, at this part of the season, you’ve got to be on it early, because it can snowball one way or the other.”
(on the footing issues of some players) “I’m not sure about that. That was a little surprising. Most of our guys come out there early and start cutting and make sure that everything is good. I didn’t hear anybody really complaining in pregame, but sometimes when you get out there, and it really starts happening, and you’re trying to make a sharp cut, all of a sudden, you lose your feet, and you’re trying to figure out, ‘Is it the cleats?’ Did I cut off the wrong foot?’ We have to go back and look at that, because we really can’t have that happen. We had a couple chances to make some big plays, and we’ve got guys falling down, and the quarterback expecting the receivers to stand up, and all the sudden, they go down, so that’s a possible turnover right there. So, we just have to make sure that we have the right equipment.”
(on the Ravens’ 18-play drive) “Think we’ve had a 17-play drive this year on offense. That’s what it is. You’re trying everything that you can, and then you start going first down, second down, third down, and it’s just third-and-short, third-and-short. You’ve got to try to get a negative play in there. You’ve got to try to get second-and-10. You’ve got a short passing game the way they were doing it. They were executing, and we weren’t doing anything to stop it. That’s what’s going to happen. It’s going to be a long day at the office.”
(on what he told the team after this loss) “I told them one loss can’t become two. We have to go back to work. Can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We have to come in Monday ready to go to work. We have to make our corrections, and don’t be sensitive. When we hit Wednesday, be ready to work. That’s how we’ve gone about our business the entire season. When we were 1-4, we did the same thing. We just have to find a way to battle back next week. It’s a one-week season every week. One week everybody loves you, the next week you’re terrible, so just move on to the next week.’”
(on if there was a learning curve in playing in games like this) “I think every game is a little bit different. You’re just trying to figure out for that game what’s the best thing to do for that game. For us, we’re really not talking about things like that. We’re just trying to figure out what’s the best thing to do in that one game.”
Adam Gase – December 2, 2016
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Friday, December 2, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(It looks like T Branden Albert has practiced every day this week. Are you still feeling good about his chances for Sunday?) – “Things look good. We’ll keep going through the next two days and see how he feels. I haven’t really talked to him as far as, ‘You’re a definite yes,’ yet, but I’ll have a conversation with him tomorrow and have a better idea.”
(G/T Laremy Tunsil says he’s playing. Is that accurate?) – “It’s good that he’s feeling comfortable enough to where he feels like he’s going to be able to go. Unless we have some kind of setback, we have a great opportunity for him to play Sunday.”
(How much is that going to help you as far as play calling against this defensive line knowing that you’ve got potentially T Branden Albert and G/T Laremy Tunsil on that left side?) – “We have a big challenge. Obviously, this is one of the top defenses in the league. Anytime you can get your starters out there and competing against these guys, that’s critical for us as far as having success. When we were moving the ball pretty good, we had all five of those guys out there, and it makes life fairly simple. You’ve got veterans and talented players, and when you start shuffling everybody around, that chemistry kind of goes away, and you’re trying to get that going as quick as possible. This will be nice. The more guys we can get back, the better.”
(I can’t recall a team that has gone this late into the season without playing a cold-weather game. It’s going to be 50 degrees on Sunday – which isn’t that cold – but Buffalo, New York is probably going to be colder. Any thoughts on that as far as … I know you guys use the heat as an advantage here early in the year, but flipping that in December …) – “The one thing that we’ve talked about at least – as far as our strength staff and sport science and nutrition – is you get a little lackadaisical as far as your hydration, nutrition, things like that, thinking you’re going to colder weather (and) it’s not important. But we’ve made a big emphasis that even though we’re not playing in the heat, it is important still as far as what you need to do to get ready for the game. You never really worry about the temperature, because it is what it is, no matter if you’re playing down here or you’re playing up north. It’s one game for three-and-a-half, four hours. With all of the things that they have to allow you to stay warm during the game, it’s really – for the players – it’s really not as bad as what you would think.”
(What you’ve gotten from your defensive backfield in light of S Reshad Jones’ injury and CB Xavien Howard has been hurt, how pleased have you been with the whole group?) – “I think the guys have done a good job of working together and playing off each other. The communication has been outstanding. It could’ve easily gone the other way, but guys stepped up. We added some – a couple – new faces there that came in and contributed right away. I think (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph) and (Defensive Backs Coach) Lou (Anarumo) and (Assistant Defensive Backs Coach) Daronte (Jones) have done a great job as far as getting those guys prepared – up to speed – as fast as possible. They’ve put them in some good positions, too. He has called some great defenses at the right time, and those guys have executed.
(K Justin Tucker made 34 straight field goals, obviously he’s perfect this year. Is there anything you can do to get pressure on him on Sunday?) – “It’s tough when you have a guy that has such a great rhythm, and he’s not fazed by anything. At least my experience has been, when you play a team that does have a kicker that’s outstanding, it’s hard to throw those guys off. You try to rush as hard as you can and try to penetrate, but it’s almost like any other phase of the game – kickoff return, punt return – when you feel like you have a special guy there, things amp up a little bit. I’m sure those guys up front know, let’s not give any leakage up, because we know this guy’s going to split the uprights. That point of emphasis for them probably kicks in big time when that guy is back there kicking.”
(What would have to change, what would have to happen in order for WR DeVante Parker to play?) – “Just how he feels. Today, him running was a big step. He’s really pushing himself. I’ve been really impressed at how he’s not letting anybody else control whether or not he’s going to play or not. He’s really taken this, taken this injury … You can tell there’s something different about him. He’s really trying to get back. He doesn’t want to let his teammates down, for sure. I think that’s the biggest thing. He doesn’t want Jarvis (Landry) and Kenny (Stills) to have to go out there without him. I think he’s taking a lot of pride in that. He’s been up here a lot trying to figure out a way to be able to play on Sunday. Obviously, we’ll be smart as far as what we’ll do. I’ll have to make that final decision. He might even tell me ‘I’m ready to go,’ and I might say no. We’ve got to be really smart with this.”
(WR Jarvis Landry wasn’t wearing the red jersey this week. Is that a sign that he’s progressing with his shoulder?) – “I think he feels better than he did last week, for sure. It’s still … The way he plays, he’s always kind of going to banged up. He sells out and he gives everything he has and he sacrifices his body. I’m sure he doesn’t feel good on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. He’s just trying to get himself as close to where he can feel good for Sunday.”
(With LB Jelani Jenkins, it’s been off and on, sometimes practice. How difficult of a season is that for a guy like that, when you are trying to be out there contributing, but you’ve got one thing, and it just continues to progress?) – “I’m sure it’s frustrating. I love the fact that he keeps coming back and he keeps working. I know that’s not the easiest thing to do. It has to get somewhat annoying that something is breaking down, but he keeps fighting. He keeps trying to find ways to get back on the field. Obviously he wants to contribute; he wants to be a part of what the defense is doing. We’ve tried to manage the situation a little differently. Neville (Hewitt) stepping up has been huge for us; (Donald) Butler developing a role for himself; Spencer (Paysinger) coming in when he has to come in, he’s done a great job. We’ve had a lot of guys step up, which if we can get into a situation where he’s playing less plays just so we can have him on game day, that helps us so much, because it’s one more player that we feel like is an impact player on our defense. If we can just keep getting him to where he feels better, that’s going to be beneficial to us.”
(LB Jelani Jenkins played right after having his knee scoped. Do you guys feel like that was the right decision to make in hindsight? I know you can’t play what if.) – “We felt really good about when it happened. It feels like five years ago. It feels like a long time ago, but when that went down, he was pushing us. We would try to hold him back (and) he was like, ‘I’m good. Let’s go. Let’s get this thing progressing.’ He was aggressive in what he did rehab-wise. We went through our normal procedure. The timing was right as far as what we thought it was going to be and he did a good job and just kept pushing himself to try to get as strong as he possibly could. But we felt really good about it, at the time of him going out there.”
(C/G Anthony Steen kind of got throw into the fire right away, Week 1. In what ways is he a better player now in Week 13 than he was during his first stint?) – “Any time you get a handle of the offense, that helps you play faster. That is as obvious as you can be. He really has a great grasp of what we’re doing and it makes it easier on the quarterback. He becomes more comfortable with what the center does and then when he has to get plugged in there, the rest of those guys feel good about it because they played with him. They know what he’s going to do. They understand the tempo of how he’s going to make calls and how he’s going to snap the ball as far as when you’re on the road and things like that. It’s never easy to replace a player like Mike (Pouncey), because you’re talking about one of the best centers in football, and he’s done a good job as far as stepping in and doing everything he can to fill that role and be a guy that can help us move the ball.”
(With C Mike Pouncey, we haven’t seen him all week. We know it’s a situation that you guys are monitoring but how much of this has to be concern about the long-term ramifications of this hip issue?) – “It’s hard for me to answer that because I haven’t dug deep enough as far as what this injury could be as far as long term goes. Knowing him and how he battles and how he tries to take care of his body and figure out what went wrong to where we can make some adjustments, he’s really invested himself into figuring out, ‘How can I get in a situation where I’m out there for 16 weeks.’ I think that’s really his mindset right now. One: how do I get back so I can be a part of this at the end of the season? And then when we finish – whenever this finishes for us – it’s probably going to be, go back and reevaluate more of how can we help him to where we can get a full season out of him, because he’s extremely valuable to not only the offense but the entire team. He’s one of our best leaders. He’s one of our best vocal leaders for sure. He’s one of those guys that when young guys see him operate, if you follow him, good things will happen, because I don’t know if I’ve been around too many guys that work as hard as him on the field, off the field. The amount of time he spends doing what he does is very impressive and we need him. We need him here. Obviously, we want him here. So we need to figure out a way to make sure that we can get him on the field for 16 games.”
(Do you have any early indication about practice next week? How are you listing C Mike Pouncey?) — “I’m way not even close to that.”
Jarvis Landry – December 1, 2016
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Thursday, December 1, 2016
Wide Receiver Jarvis Landry
(What do you see? They are not just a great rush defense, they’re a great defense overall. What do you see on film when you watch the Ravens defense?) – “Obviously they’re a great defense, like you said, and they have been for a long time. They take pride in that. But for us, we understand that there’s going to be a challenge to run the football, to protect; but I have faith in the guys up front that they’re going to get the job done like we have every week so far.”
(If you get T Branden Albert and G/T Laremy Tunsil back, nothing against the backups, but what kind of shot in the arm would that be for the offense?) – “Obviously, having those two guys on the field helps us out; but I think that those guys that have stepped in and filled those positions as well have really stepped in and filled the role as much as they could, and we’ve won. Obviously, we want them out there; but if not, we’re going to continue to move forward.”
(S Michael Thomas does a lot for you guys on special teams, does he deserve a spot in the Pro Bowl?) – “Absolutely. Mike T is one of those guys that every year deserves a spot. He kind of is what (Matthew) Slater is for New England; he’s kind of that for us. Around this league, he’s well known, not only for his defense playing safety, but also for special teams.”
(How meaningful will it be for to be wearing those cleats on Sunday?) – “Very meaningful. Just having personal ties with (Cystic Fibrosis), and having the opportunity to share and raise awareness about it. It’s something that is really unique, and I thank the NFL for giving me the opportunity – the NFL for giving the players the opportunity period, to stand behind something.”
(Some of your teammates have echoed that they respect Head Coach Adam Gase because he treats all of you like grown men. There’s also an aspect that he has a cool factor. Does he have that cool factor because of his age and he can relate to players?) – “I think there’s a way that he wants things done and it’s a standard level. When changing the culture, sometimes it’s not going to be as pretty or as easy to make decisions; but sometimes those decisions have to be made. It’s his job and his position to make those decisions. How people judge him or how I judge him, how you judge him, it doesn’t matter as long as he’s doing the right thing for this organization. That’s the direction we need to be headed in.”
(What have you seen out of WR Leonte Carroo from the beginning of his rookie year until now?) – “Just constant growth. He’s been a guy who, along with Jakeem Grant, has come in and each day, each week, they’re just trying to learn more and more. To see him finally get in the end zone this past week means everything – I know to him – but just to the receivers’ room as a whole. If a guy goes down, you step up and we don’t miss a beat. For him to come in and do it like he did, it says a lot about him.”
Jay Ajayi – December 1, 2016
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Thursday, December 1, 2016
Running Back Jay Ajayi
(When you faced the Jets they were the No. 1 rush defense and you did quite well. You’re facing the Ravens. What do you see? Is there a difference between the two? What do you see on film with the Ravens rush defense?) – “They have a front – a lot of good players up there. (Terrell) Suggs, he’s been doing it for a long time. Their linebackers, as well, are good. I know we’re going to have a good challenge again this week. They’re playing well right now; we’re playing well, so it will be fun.”
(You went last, you went more to the right then you have in the past. More rush plays were called to the right. If you get T Branden Albert and G/T Laremy Tunsil back, how much would a shot in the arm will that be to the offense?) – “I don’t really know like which direction I’m running, but it will be good to get those guys back. Those are our starting guys and we’re confident in those guys and what they bring to our o-line when they’re in there. It will be good for them to get in there. We’re excited to see how it will turn out on Sunday.”
(Is the word playoffs even being mentioned right now in this locker room?) – “No. Not really, because to be honest, we’re still just working on finding ways to win each week. It’s kind of been where we want to win games outright and we’re playing in a lot of four-quarter games so it’s kind of been to where we really have to focus on each opponent, each week, and just find a way win every time.”
(Are you aware of your opponents, their run defense rankings, and do you make notes of that like Baltimore’s No. 1? The Jets were No. 1? San Diego was No. 5? Are you aware? Do you care?) – “They tell us when we go through our weekly meetings that we do. When we go over the overview and all that, we learn what the team rankings are, defensive stats and all that. It’s been interesting the past couple of weeks. We’ve definitely had to play like a lot of good rush defenses. It’s been cool taking that challenge and at the end of the day, whoever’s out there we’re going to go out there with our mentality that we want to run the ball downhill and make plays.”
(Do you take pride in knowing you’ve gone up against the best?) – “It’s a good feeling to know we’re going against top defenses and we’re having success. At the same time though, we just want to keep proving a point every time we step out there.”
(But the faith that Head Coach Adam Gase has in the run offense. For instance, against the Jets, you got I think 26 first-half yards and you end up with 111 – half of them in the fourth quarter. They were the No. 1 rush defense and you kept pounding the ball and pounding the ball. What does it say about his faith the run offense?) – “I think just over this win streak, our run game has been a key factor and the reason why our offense has done well. I don’t think there would be any reason to stray away from it. We’ve shown production and we’ve shown what we can do when we’re rolling, and so I don’t really think there’s a reason to stray away from it and it’s been good, because even with our run game doing well, now our passing game is opening up and making a lot of plays on the perimeter. Everyone basically eats on offense and so that’s what we want to have.”
(Even if you have 20 more rushes, do you feel stronger in the fourth quarter than you do, say in the first quarter?) – “I feel good. Like I said, I always feel like I get stronger as the game goes on and get more of a feel of how the holes and runs are looking. It’s good. In the fourth quarter, when defenses are tired, that’s when you want to attack.”
(You’re going to be wearing special cleats on Sunday. Tell us what that’s all about and why you chose the cause you did?) – “Yes, so I’m going to be wearing some red cleats. I’m getting them actually painted today in support of MENs Disease (multiple endocrine neoplasia). I lost an aunt to it, my dad’s sister, and actually my cousin who lived with me growing up (has it). I just found out this year that he has it as well. So just through communication with him and my whole family, I wanted to bring awareness to the disease and hopefully start getting a conversation out there, because there are people that go through it.”
(Going back to wearing out defenses for a second, can you tell by looking at guys that you’re grating on them, you’re wearing them down, they’re bumped and bruised as the end of the game nears?) – “I think there’s a point where you start to see that guys are kind of tired out there in the fourth (quarter), or guys kind of maybe don’t bring the same physicalness that they were in the first quarter or the first half. It’s all about just myself and just having that mentality that I’m not going to stop and just going to keep pounding all game.”
(T Branden Albert said yesterday that he respects Head Coach Adam Gase because he treats all of you like grown men. He also said there’s like a cool aspect to him. Is there a cool aspect to your head coach?) – “Yes, I think because he’s younger, he relates a lot more to us. He’s very player friendly. He allows a lot of dialogue between himself and us and so I think that kind of helps us just feel a lot more cool in the building. Everyone just feels a little more relaxed, where different head coaches might not be as open to conversing with the players like that.”
Adam Gase – December 1, 2016
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Thursday, December 1, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(What adjustments would the offense have to make if WR DeVante Parker isn’t ready by Sunday?) – “I don’t see there being too much, because we are pretty flexible as far as what we can do. A lot of times, the things that we do are based off of what the defense does as far as our game planning goes. We’re able to move pieces around pretty easy.”
(Where are the young guys – Leonte Carroo, Jakeem Grant and Rashawn Scott – as far as ready to step in and contribute?) – “We’ve made some big strides, especially since Kenny (Stills) and Jarvis (Landry) have been banged up the last month or so. Those guys have been able to take a lot of reps, which when you’re a young player, that’s critical, because you can look at everything on a piece of paper – you can look at everything on a board – but at the end of the day, until you really do it, that’s when you can make some strides. I think that’s what has happened with those guys.”
(And why WR Rashawn Scott called up to the 53-[man roster]?) – “We feel like what he has shown us since the first day we put him on practice squad, he has made improvement. At the same time, he does have something about him as far as his attitude and his intensity and his confidence in himself. I think there is some trust there with the knowledge of the offense and the same time with his ability.”
(With all the guys cross training at multiple wide receiver spots, how clutch is that at this point in the season now that you are facing some injuries?) – “It makes it a lot easier. I think the thing that with this offense that helps us is it’s easy to move guys around. Nobody is really assigned a letter or anything like that. We’re able to keep our offense pretty close to what it has always been. With those guys being able to play multiple positions, that makes it even that much easier.”
(What are some things that WR Leonte Carroo has really worked hard to refine since his arrival?) – “I think the thing that has been very impressive as far as … He stays with it. He stays with the fact that early he was struggling a little bit with the volume and what he had to do and knowing multiple positions. The longer we’ve gone, the better he has got a grasp of our offense. You can see he’s a lot more comfortable right now. (The first) game was a good example where last time he went in there, he struggled a little bit as far as doing the right thing a lot of the time. Last game, he was on point. He did exactly everything right that we needed him to do.”
(Do you feel like WR Leonte Carroo is playing faster also as a result of knowing what to do?) – “That touchdown tells you everything you need to know right there as far as he was able to run that route crisp, be exactly where he was supposed to be and then catch the ball and make a play. A lot of times you call that play not thinking that’s going to happen, and he did a good job finishing that one.”
(How would you describe CB Bobby McCain’s personality?) – “I don’t know if I have a good description of it. He seems to be a little bit of a jokester. I know that. He’s always messing with me. I really like the attitude that Bobby has. I know a lot of people were down on him early in the season, and he has really stuck with it. He has always remained confident. The longer the season has gone on, the better he has got.”
(What do you see on film from Ravens DT Brandon Williams?) – “It’s always hard to point out one guy with this defense, because they play so well together and guys do benefit from having so many good players up front in that front seven. It’s a very disruptive bunch. They’re very sound in their scheme. That’s the one thing: besides being good players, they play well together. They do their job. When guys do get singled up, somebody makes a play. Whether it’s him or one of those other guys, they make it very tough for the offense.”
(Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi explained to us earlier today about game circumstances dictated not trying a 50-plus yard field goal with K Andrew Franks. In general, not pertaining to that situation, do you think his range can get to the mid-50s with as strong as his leg is, depending on weather and wind?) – “Yes, we watch him bomb kicks all the time in practice. He does a god job and that situation there, probably a lot of the times I would probably just kick it. I think it was more, I was mad at myself for the third down call. That was probably the decision. That was kind of the thought process where we put ourselves in a bad spot, and we felt confident as far as we needed to keep them backed up and (Matt) Darr has been so good as far as pinning guys back. We had a chance to make a play there, we just didn’t make it. It really had nothing to do with Franks. He’s done exactly what we’ve talked about since the beginning of the year. We sputter out once we cross the 50, we have a lot of confidence in him getting us three points.”
(With G/T Laremy Tunsil and T Branden Albert potentially back into the lineup, how critical are those guys to being able to execute, balance things out and execute some of the front side and back side runs. Being able to execute on both sides?) – “Any time you have your starting lineup out there, obviously it’s going to be more consistent as far as they’ve been together for most of the year. When we lose a guy here and there and we have to plug somebody else in there, that goes back to their chemistry thing we’ve talked about before where sometimes guys can step in and play well together. Sometimes it takes a few games and it’s nice to have a chance that if those guys end up being out there, they have very good chemistry with just those two. It is nice that you can lean on a side if that’s what you want to be your point of attack, and protection-wise, you feel really good with those two guys out there.”
(I know the status of G/T Laremy Tunsil and T Branden Albert still remains up in the air, but how do you go about who’s working where at left tackle since both of them have to kind of be prepared to play left tackle?) – “That’s a nice thing about having Sam Young being able to take some reps at left tackle. I don’t have a lot of concerns if Tunsil has to play left tackle. That’s what he does and that’s an easy move for him, and he knows what we’re doing. Once again, when we had those … We’ve kept him on the left side for a reason because we felt like that was an easier transition for him – all the calls, nothing changes for him. So we feel confident that if we have to bump him out to left tackle, that’s not a problem.”
(With little practice?) – “Absolutely.”
(So he’s primarily working as a left guard now?) – “Yes.”
(How does T Branden Albert seem to be doing with whatever apparatus they’ve tried for him?) – “He’s doing good. I think he has a lot of confidence in what they have for him. If he didn’t feel like he could function, he wouldn’t go. He’s not going to put the team in any kind of jeopardy as far as he can’t function at the level he needs to function at. When he says, ‘I’m ready to go and I’m good to go,’ I’m going to have a lot of confidence in that.”
