Jay Ajayi – October 24, 2016
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Monday, October 24, 2016
Running Back Jay Ajayi
(Obviously this is a platform you can get used to after doing what you’ve been doing the past few weeks?) – “Yes. It’s been a good past two weeks. (I’m) just trying to continue being consistent, keep doing a good job on offense and playing together as a team.”
(You were like a kid in a candy store when people reference the fact that you’re one of only one of four backs to ever to that in back-to-back weeks and you ran down the list and said how you can appreciate being in that company.) – “Yes, I mean it’s amazing company to be with. All of those guys are Hall of Fame players, guys that pioneered at the running back position and so to be in that list is a great thing to have. Now it’s about continuing to build off of it and just keep winning games. I mean that’s really the best thing about all of this stuff is that we’re winning finally, and so we just want to keep that up.”
(How’d you feel getting out of bed this morning?) – “I felt good. (I’m) still kind of sore, just from the usual game of playing in an NFL game. (I’m) just back to the normal routine of re-gen and therapy, but other than that, yes I feel good.”
(What is your routine for re-gen and therapy?) – “I try to come in and do some stuff with the trainers – either ice down (or) get in the cold tubs. I go do cryotherapy as well and also getting stretched, working with (Director of Sports Performance) Wayne (Diesel) and the sports science staff. So there are a lot of resources and tools we have here to use, and I try to use as much of them as I can.”
(What is cryotherapy like?) – “It’s cold. It’s a thing I just started actually doing this season. I had never really tried it before or done it. I got to start doing it and I think that it’s been doing really well for me. I like doing it so it’s something I’m going to continue.”
(Can you talk about the effectiveness of the offensive line, the blocks they’ve been giving for you, the downfield blocking as well and how much that’s aided in what you’re doing?) – “Yes, I think there’s a very good confidence level right now that we have with those guys going into the game. All of those guys, being healthy, I felt great running behind them. I know they’re going to open up creases and holes for me to get to the second level and it’s just about running hard. I also think we’ve done a great job of keeping ‘Tanny’ (Ryan Tannehill) off his back and allowing him to go through his reads. The success of our offense is definitely a big credit to what those guys have been doing.”
(T Branden Albert said that he isn’t interested in any dinners yet. He said that you offered to take them to dinner and he said, ‘No, we’re not ready for that yet.’) – “Yes. I mean last week, I just wanted to show some appreciation to those guys. They kind of just told me, ‘It’s not a one hit thing,’ and ‘Let’s do it again.’ And lo and behold, we did it again. Really, we’re kind of just saving (the dinner) I guess for after the season when we can look back on what we’ve accomplished this year and really be able to hang our hat on something. Right now, it’s about just pushing forward and keep building.”
(What’s been the biggest difference for you, year over year, or has it been a matter of opportunity?) – “I think it’s been a little bit of both – taking your opportunity and making the most out of it. I think also, with me, just personally, I’m learning a lot about myself. (I’m) taking each week by itself and kind of just pushing to get through what happened earlier this year and move forward from that. Now being in this position, it feels good, and we just want to keep building off of that and not be satisfied.”
(You have to be careful. Those offensive linemen and dinner. That can get a little, you know?) – “It’s worth it. To keep those guys happy, keep them wanting to keep blocking their tails off for me and for the rest of the offense. I think we’ve been able to do some really good things on offense and we’re starting to play collectively as a team. We just want to keep this rolling. It feels really good to win. You guys have seen how it is kind of when you get those losses piled up. So now, we’re starting to kind of catch a rhythm and we want to keep it going through this bye week.”
(Have you talked to your peeps that didn’t start you last week in fantasy football and I’m sure they did this weekend.)– “Yes, they didn’t make that same mistake. They trusted me and I paid off for them.”
(You talked about learning about yourself, what did you learn about yourself?) – “Just to put my head down, get back to work, get back to focusing on what’s important and just work on being consistent. And to be ready for that opportunity when it came and to just really take it and run with it.”
(Do you realize how big this has gotten? I mean, you’re on SportsCenter now and it’s a national story. Have you gotten your head around how big this is?) – “It’s crazy. Every now and then I catch a clip or something on TV. I mean, it’s crazy. I just want to keep it up, though. I just want to keep building off of it and see where this can go. I mean I’m just really excited of where this team is at more than myself because I think that we still we have a lot of room to go and we can reach our goals if we just continue to just take it week by week and play consistently together.”
(There’s a lot of talk about the tackles that you break. When you have the ball, would you rather run around the guy or over him?) – “I think, when it comes down to it, when I run it’s a lot of just instincts and kind of not thinking too much. So, there’s times where my body tells me to just try and run through someone or try and make them miss. And so, really it’s just about constantly trying to pick up positive yards for this team (and) make big plays. So when the ball is in my hands and I can see those creases from the o-line (offensive line) and then I just hit them, it’s about trying to make a big play and get in that end zone.”
Adam Gase – October 23, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 23, 2016
Postgame – vs. Buffalo
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase (transcribed by Michelle Stone)
(Two games, very similar. Is this becoming a pattern for your football team?) – “This was the way we thought we were going to have to play this one. We knew it was going to be this style of game. We wanted to make sure that we established the run game as early as we could. (We) tried to do the best we could as far as … We wanted to move Ryan (Tannehill) around a little more, but they did a really good job of shutting down the edges, which caused some problems as far as getting him outside the pocket. We were trying to do the same thing, make it a shorter game for our defense. If we could have got them … We let them kind of make it a one dimensional game. We could never really pull ahead early.”
(How much did it help you in that first quarter when RB Jay Ajayi went for 49 yards and was ripping holes and ripping yards through the line of scrimmage?) – “Anytime that happens early, it gets everybody’s confidence up knowing that, ‘Alright, we have a good rhythm,’ really before you anticipate it. He did a good job of running through arm tackles and our line did a good job as far as sticking on guys and finishing blocks.”
(What can you say about back-to-back games over 200 yards? Only the fourth in the NFL to accomplish that.) – “I think it’s a great job of those guys up front opening holes, and then he has done a great job of being decisive and hitting it and just getting every inch he can. He has done a great job with his ball security. He has done exactly what we’ve needed him to do.”
(You seem to be very patient with the running game – staying with it, staying with it, staying with it. Was that your plan going in?) – “Jay just seems like … He’s really a rhythm-type guy where it might take a second sometimes for us to get some of these runs going, but he has popped a few earlier than I anticipated. For myself, I keep reminding myself to stay with him, because he seems to find the right hole and pops it, and it becomes a 10-, 12-yard gain. That’s my biggest challenge is always just staying with it. Sometimes it’s easier to start throwing it around, because the yards come quicker, but staying with him and letting him get into a rhythm is really critical for us.”
(You spent the first five games looking for a go-to back to step up to the plate. You got one now? Do you feel comfortable with Jay carrying the load now?) – “I think we’re just going to look at each week differently. We’ll see how it plays out (and) what’s best versus that team. Obviously, he’s the guy that has done everything that we’ve needed him to do, especially these last two games. We’re going to into the next game, we’ll see what the best thing is for us that week.”
(To talk about the next game, after two good wins like this, is it almost disappointing that you have a bye week coming up?) – “No, I don’t think so. It’s pretty late in the season for us right now. Our guys have been practicing hard and playing hard on Sundays. Our guys are probably ready for that bye week. We’ve been pretty banged up. We finally got a little bit healthy, but after every game, our guys are hurting. They’re coming out to Wednesday’s practice, and they’re still not right. We probably need this week.”
(What do you think is happening on third down – the last two weeks being so much better on third down conversions?) – “Quarterback has got a nice pocket. That’s the only difference. He’s not on his back.”
(Is it sometimes that simple, the difference in your team the last two weeks?) – “Yes. It makes a big difference when he can actually take a three-step drop and not get smoked.”
(What did you see on RB Damien Williams’ go-ahead touchdown run? It looked like a couple of guys carried him in.) – “That’s how he runs. This is every game. Every time he plays, you just know – especially in the fourth quarter – you give him the ball, the first guy is not going to get him. He’s going to take two or three guys with him.”
(Your team’s disposition today, its physicality – without S Reshad Jones – specially on both sides of the ball, what did you think of it? Was it the best it has been all season, the most efficient? How would you describe it?) – “I think the last two weeks, our guys are trying to come out, they’re trying to hit. We’re running the football. Their team is going to run the football. Our guys are doing a better job as far as assignments on defense and trying to make sure that we’re not having huge plays, and we’re tackling better, because we’re gang tackling. I think it really comes down to guys are playing with energy, effort, physicality. They’re trying to make sure everything they do, it’s about physicality for us right now.”
(They went ahead 17-6, and you got the ball and you ran eight times in 10 plays on that touchdown drive. Were you tempted to pass? What was going through your mind when you went out in the second half?) – “A lot of times when you get into those situations, my brain almost goes to, ‘Stick with what’s working.’ You’re trying to think, ‘Okay, what was successful?’ The one thing I do know is that every time that No. 23 (Jay Ajayi) kept getting the ball, he was popping a run. It was just leaning on him, leaning on the offensive line. I’m sure (Mike) Pouncey walked by me like 25 times and said, ‘Keep running it.’ That might have gotten into my head after a while. I trust those guys up front. Those five together play well together, and then Jay just seems to have a good feel for how they’re blocking things. And our tight ends did a great job as far as covering up the edge and doing everything they could to either seal it off or widen the guy out to where Jay could hit it.”
(Your defense, especially in the second half, really kept you in the game. You had some opportunities. You had some good field position. They really weren’t able to come up with anything until that last touchdown.) – “That’s what we’re trying to do as far as just playing a little bit of complementary football. We’re still a little spotty at times to where one side gets hot and the other side kind of fizzles out. It would be nice if we could play together a little bit better. But that was the big thing. We kind of stalled out there in the third quarter and our defense did a great job as far as making sure (we were) holding them, whether they punted or a field goal on a short field. (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph) did a great job getting those guys ready and making sure all the things that they do … It’s a tough offense to stop, especially when the running game is rolling.”
(A lot of penalties. Do you disregard that because it’s a victory?) – “No. It’s dumb. The penalties we have, they’re not the kind of penalties that you say, ‘We had a holding call, because the guy stood back inside and he held them.’ The things we’re doing right now, it’s just absolutely dumb.”
(Special teams – you had the punt blocked. What went wrong?) – “We’ll take a look at it. It’s hard, for me sometimes to tell right after the game. When you’re in the moment, when you’re trying to communicate with (Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach) Darren (Rizzi), I’m flipping all over the place as far as offense, defense. We had the punt. We had a couple of things that didn’t quite go the way we wanted to on kickoff return. I know he’ll take a close look at this and try to figure out, ‘Okay, who are the best guys to have out there?’ I know he has lost a couple of guys the last couple weeks as far as now they’re playing more on defense. It kind of puts him in a bad spot. He has got some new guys playing on a lot of his teams. So, we’ve got to get some things cleaned up and this will be a good week for us to do it.”
(The home stand – overall, now you’re 2-1, the bye week, and then the Jets. What have you thought about this home stand? Have you protected the home? Have you established an identity? What have you done in these three games?) – “How many games have we played? Seven. We’ve got a ways to go.”
Cameron Wake – October 23, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 23, 2016
Postgame – vs. Buffalo
Miami Dolphins DE Cameron Wake (transcribed by Ted Leshinski)
(The mentality, the physicality that you guys have had the last two weeks – is that what you thought this team would be coming out of camp or has that just kind of evolved and taken you guys by surprise? ) – “Definitely not a surprise. At some point you’ve got to draw a line in the sand and say that’s enough. We knew coming into this game it was going to be that kind of game. They had been running the ball well. The front seven, that’s something you’ve got to take personal. I think guys, top to bottom, put into their mind that that’s not going to be something we’re going to allow. So today we went out there and put our foot down.”
(What’s different from the past couple of weeks opposed to the first six weeks of the season?) – “Consistency. Even the first few weeks of the season we’ve shown that we can do it. Again, you can’t play seven, six snaps and let the last four go. The good or bad thing about defense – you can have six great series and one bad one and it kind of ruins everything. Offense may not be that way. You have five great plays, five touchdowns, you get a pat on the back. Vice versa on defense. You play 99 percent great and give up a few scores, it doesn’t work. You have to play the entire game, every play, because you never know which one is going to be the one that changes the game.”
(You just didn’t win two games, you beat two hot teams. So what does that say about where your team is at now?) – “To me, I don’t look at it like that. Every time I go out there it’s going to be a tough battle, it’s going to be a good team. You’ve got to fight to win every snap and I feel like the guys we have on this side of the ball, the guys we have on this team … when we play together, play complimentary football, whether it’s offense doing their thing driving the ball, eating up the clock, defense goes out there and gets the ball back to the offense, I think we’re going to be tough to beat. Because, again, that consistency that we were lacking, whether it was offense maybe not doing what they were supposed to do or defense not getting off the field … kind of messing up the complimentary styles, that’s where you get in trouble. So I think from top to bottom, again, it was a team win. Offense did what they were supposed to do. Defense did what they were supposed to do. And again, no one can beat us when we’re playing that way.”
(I know that winning is the bottom line and it doesn’t matter how you do it but the last two weeks you won in a physical nature. You beat the other team up a little bit. Does that make it sweeter? Does that make it more fun for a guy who plays at the line of scrimmage?) – “I personally like getting in there, getting a little dirty. I’ve always had that pit bull mentality. You don’t bring a Chihuahua to a dog fight. That’s the mentality you’ve got to have. It’s just man versus man. It’s my gap. I don’t care who’s going to be in there. I don’t care what you think. It’s mine, plain and simple. There’s no C+ in football, it’s pass/fail. I think every guy across the line, front and back end as well, that win it all mentality, where I got to win my match up. And that’s the only way we’re going to stop a team. Again, I was excited about somebody coming in here and saying that they’re going to run the ball down our throat … yeah, not so.”
(Besides getting one in the win column, for your first-year coach, these kind of wins, do they pay dividends for guys believing?) – “Well I’d like to think that guys who’ve been around this team from April believe … if you just started believing today then you’re kind of doing everybody a disservice. I think from the beginning of OTA’s when guys got together we knew what kind of team we were going to have, and like I said, getting that complimentary football together where the offense was doing what they need to do and we have their backs and vice versa. The last few games that’s what we’ve been doing. That belief, to me, that started back in March when guys started coming into the building. It’s just getting out there and getting back out on to the field and I’m looking forward to having more games like this.”
(You’ve been around long enough to know that when things don’t go well the quarterback gets a lot of blame. How do you feel for Ryan Tannehill when he gets time … you know Ryan’s personality; he’s not going to say it but is it unfair to judge him when he doesn’t have time back there in the pocket?) – “The mob is fickle. That’s just the nature of the beast. One minute they’re singing your praises, the next minute they’re trying to cut off your head. That’s football. And as a football player you have to know that going into the game. There’s no difference between the quarterback or anybody else. You’ve got to know the nature of the beast and you have to focus on your job at hand and the guy that you have playing with you. Again, I know him and have played with him every snap he’s ever played and I think I can say if he’s concerned with other people’s opinions he’d be doing the team a disservice. That’s not the way he’s built. He’s got the guys in this locker room, the guys in this building standing behind him 100 percent. He goes out there and does his job and every game he’s better and better. I don’t think he worries about the mob.”
(From a defensive player’s perspective on what we’ve seen from RB Jay Ajayi these past few weeks, what is he giving the defenses? What are you seeing?) – “Running the ball downhill. I like it. Obviously another guy from the moment he got here I knew the ability he had and just waiting for him to get his opportunity. Obviously, as a defensive guy sitting on the other side watching him – first down, first down, eating up the clock. We got guys getting on the bikes, staying warm. Long drives, putting up good yards. The run helps the pass. When you got that going it helps everybody out. From that standpoint I couldn’t be any happier for the guy.”
(Getting there on a consistent basis, how do you feel about your game personally playing in running situations the last couple weeks, how do you feel about your game personally?) – “Well, they say you’re only as old as you feel and I have a young mentality. Go out there and just, again, do whatever I can to help the team win. My role is kind of flexible and whatever the situation may be, I’m ready to go. Again, I’ve worked with the coaches from an injury standpoint, from the playing time, to the situation, all the things we’ve been working closely together about maximizing it for not only myself, but for the team’s best interest. I feel good. Any time I’m out there I want to do what I can to help the team win and if that means getting to the quarterback, let’s do it. If that means getting down in 3-technique and throwing around some guards, I’m ready for that too. The more the merrier, especially when the W’s keep piling up high, I’m all for it.”
Mario Williams – October 23, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 23, 2016
Postgame – vs. Buffalo
Miami Dolphins DE Mario Williams (transcribed by Armando Gonzalez)
(Two weeks in a row two big running backs have come in here and really not done much; is it a testament to what you guys have been doing upfront?) – “I think the biggest thing is simply us just going. It’s the same guys up there we’re rotating in and out trying to keep guys fresh and then on top of that the offense is doing a heck of a job. Hats off to them for sure the last two weeks, that is the biggest thing, it’s not something that you can hide it’s giving us the opportunity to take a breather and get out there and mix it up.”
(What does it mean to the defense when you know your offense even though you guys were down, they kept running and they didn’t abandon it?)– “It’s just being physical. We’re definitely trying to change the culture here and it starts with that. Being able to run the ball, being able to throw the ball off of that, as long as we keep it going we will be alright.”
(Early in the game, Reggie Bush, you lined up right across from him you guys were one and two in the 2006 draft, have you had an opportunity to talk to him at all?)– “No not during the game [laughter]. We’ve spoke before but we’re not like pen pals or anything but, he’s cool, I’m cool with him.”
(What have these two wins meant at this point of the season when it looked pretty bad and now you know?)– “It’s meant a lot but at the same time it’s two wins. When we come back from the bye week it doesn’t matter. We have to take it one game at a time no matter what we’ve done in the past. Just like the losses that we had we can’t let it affect us, we have to win this game.”
Kenny Stills – October 23, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 23, 2016
Postgame – vs. Buffalo
Miami Dolphins Wide Receiver Kenny Stills (transcribed by David Norwood II)
(These two wins back to back, what does it do for this team? What is the difference in what you feel around here?) – “We’re just happy to win two games in a row. Obviously, it gives you a little bit of confidence, but we have been working so hard. So it’s a good feeling to know that the work and practice is showing up on the field, and that’s the biggest thing for us.”
(When you got a guy going for 200 two games in a row, you guys going to start opening it up a little bit?) – “We’ll see. We just want to continue to do what we have been doing, and that’s winning and running the ball well and playing together.”
(How rewarding was it to answer back with a touchdown right after you had one thrown your way earlier in the game?) –“It’s always nice to make a big play and help the team. To that first one, I’ve got to come back and make that catch. It happens, but it’s nice to put that behind me and get in the end zone.”
Jarvis Landry – October 23, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 23, 2016
Postgame – vs. Buffalo
Miami Dolphins Wide Receiver Jarvis Landry (transcribed by David Norwood II)
(Two weeks ago this season is kind of like a season likely going nowhere, now back to back wins in dominating fashion on offense, what is there to say about the Miami Dolphins right now?) – “Just our persistence to stay with it, trust the process, trust Coach head coach (Adam) Gase and I think these last two weeks for us just came down to guys not doing their job and somebody else’s job. Just doing their job and trusting that everybody else will do theirs. That’s what allowed this momentum to be created.”
(What can you say about the job RB Jay Ajayi has done the past two weeks?) – “He’s amazing, amazing. You see him in the hole against linebackers, safeties and he breaks those tackles and that’s how he gets his big runs and down the field he’s just running hard. Guys don’t want to tackle him. It’s a credit to him and his hard work and his running style.”
(What about that 50 yard run, that was a big turning point there; backed up third and eight I believe took it down field?) – “Wish we could have gotten some points off that drive but we ended up punting. At the same time, it was crucial for us to flip the field position and we had the opportunity to flip the field position on the punt, on that same drive. I think the defense actually got a stop on that drive, three and out which allowed us to get the ball back and go down and make the game winning score.”
Mike Pouncey – October 23,2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 23, 2016
Postgame – vs. Buffalo
Miami Dolphins C Mike Pouncey (transcribed by Jason D. Silver)
(When you are able to run it like that, especially early, what does that help with you guys as an offensive line?) – “I think it gives us confidence. I think it gives the coach confidence to keep calling the calls. It just shows when we’re an offensive line that’s all playing together and all guys are healthy, we can do special things. Jay Ajayi right now is just … That kid overcame so much. It just makes me smile every time I think about it, because a lot of guys would have tanked and went the other way. Getting benched right after thinking you’re starting the season off and then to come back and to play the way he’s playing, I hope it opens up a lot of guys’ eyes.”
(When did you begin to see this from him?) – “I think it started in practice. Once (Head) Coach (Adam Gase) demoted him and made him a backup, you could tell. He didn’t complain about anything, just kept working as hard as he could, and it has paid off for him. Jay is a true testament to never giving up. The way he has been running the football the past two weeks is just unbelievable.”
(How important of a message was it to you guys that after you fell down 17-6, on the next possession you guys were still sticking with the running game?) – “It was awesome. When coach (Adam Gase) is feeling it, coach does a great job of calling those runs. And whenever we’re doing good, he just keeps calling them, and it’s paying off for our offense right now big time. I know a lot of the offensive linemen are sore as hell. I’m going to go get in the cold tank right now, hang out for a little bit. I’m just proud of this football team. A lot of people counted us out, gave up on us. I’ve seen all you guys’ predictions; you all didn’t believe in us either. This will prove everybody wrong and go out there and keep moving forward. This football team can be special if we keep doing the things we’re doing.”
Jay Ajayi – October 23, 2016 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 23, 2016
Postgame – vs. Buffalo
Miami Dolphins Running Back Jay Ajayi (transcribed by David Norwood II)
(What has been the difference in the last two games for you?) – “I think it’s just have been kind of Coach head coach (Adam Gase) trusting us, trusting the offensive line and me, (and) other runners to kind of get the running game going. We know we want to be more balanced on offense and throughout the week in the practice, we really put an emphasis on finishing blocks, finishing downfield and just doing a good job of being physical. I think that it has shown on game day.”
(For you personally said after the Browns game you wanted to redeem yourself and these two last games you have proven that you can be an every down back.) – “Yeah, I’ve always had the faith and the confidence in my ability for these performances to happen. It’s kind of surreal for me all glory to God. First thing’s first just for being in this position and it’s kind of crazy, it’s kind of surreal. Just got to keep working, keep grinding.”
(You know the stat fourth running back in history, back to back with 200 hundred yards.) – “Yeah so they told me that and the backs that I’m in company with and that’s huge. Those are Hall of Fame guys, guys that I look up to at running back so it’s big.”
