Tony Lippett – September 29, 2016 (Postgame)
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Thursday, September 29, 2016
Postgame – at Cincinnati
Miami Dolphins Cornerback Tony Lippett (transcribed by the Cincinnati Bengals)
A.J. Green had some big plays for the Bengals… – “He’s a great player – a great wide receiver. I’ve got to put myself in better position to make a play on the ball.”
How do you get better? – “You watch, live and learn and put it behind you. You go out there and learn from your mistakes out on the field”
When did you find out you were starting? – “I found out two days ago.”
What was your reaction when they told you? – “My reaction was, ‘It’s time for me to play.’ I had to get my mind right. It was a short week, and I had to get my mind right to play football on Thursday night.”
What happened on the missed tackle on the touchdown by A.J. Green? – “I just missed the tackle.”
How do you think you hung in there in the matchup against Green? – “I feel like I did alright. I felt like I can do better.”
Adam Gase – September 29, 2016 (Postgame)
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Thursday, September 29, 2016
Postgame – at Cincinnati
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase (transcribed by the Cincinnati Bengals)
How frustrating was tonight’s loss? – “We have to go back to work. We’ve got some time to evaluate what’s going on, whether it be schematically, the players, the decision making, play calling. I put us in a couple of bad spots as far as the play calls. We’ve got to go back and look at this stuff. We have to put it all together and figure out what we do well and start working on that a little more. It is literally something different every time, whether it be the play call or the quarterback or the running back or the line. We’re all taking our turns.”
How did you feel about the defense keeping you in the ball game? – “That’s what makes me feel terrible, to be honest with you. Those guys laid it out there and we didn’t show up on the other side of the ball. If our defense keeps playing like that and we can flip time of possession, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Can you explain the play where Terrence Fede knocked the punter down? – “That’s just one of those things you don’t see that often. It was really a bad mistake and costly mistake for us. To be honest, I was surprised it came from Fede. That shocked me more than anything. We can’t do things like that especially battling for every little inch to try and get back in the game. It was just one of those painful penalties for us to have to swallow.”
How do you think the offensive line performed tonight? – “Some of the plays were not ideal, as far as what we were doing. Some was busted protection. Ryan has to step up on the fumble. It’s everybody taking their turn. I don’t think it really mattered who was out right now. We couldn’t get out of our own way.”
What was the purpose behind benching Byron Maxwell? – “We felt like we wanted to give Tony Lippett a shot, and that was a decision we as a coaching staff decided to make. The one thing is Byron is going to be here, and Byron is going to come to work. We want him to keep practicing and figuring out a way to get better, and we’ll figure out what the best group is for that week. When we go and play our next game, whoever is out there is who we’re playing that week, and we’ll from here on out.”
How was Ryan Tannehill’s night? – “The entire offense struggled. Obviously he missed a couple of things early. He missed a third-and-one on a naked, and behind on a throw to Jarvis Landry. When things start going bad, you want him to find that one throw where he can spring us loose. But tonight was one of those nights where he only had two opportunities early that maybe could have sparked us. It’s hard to play that position. It’s tough. You’re trying to make plays, and if you’re a quarter of an inch off and the ball is behind, then they’re going to play tight defense. And that’s what these guys do. There were some good things he did, and a couple of times he had some great plays. But not everybody was on the same page. All of the sudden he looks like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. I know he’s going to come back to work and figure out a way to get this thing turned around.”
Jermon Bushrod – September 29, 2016 (Postgame)
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Thursday, September 29, 2016
Postgame – at Cincinnati
Miami Dolphins Guard Jermon Bushrod (transcribed by the Cincinnati Bengals)
What do you need to do to turn this around? – “We’ve got some work to do. We’ve got to get back to work. That’s really all we can do. It’s tough. We had opportunities, and they played well. We’ve just got to fight.”
Within the group, what are the challenges with new guys coming in different spots? – “We did a lot of things well. This game is just a breakdown here, a breakdown there. After a while, it just adds up. I’m looking at myself first, absolutely. It’s just things we’ve got to clean up. We’ve got to find a way to get better. We’ve got to do something.”
Ndamukong Suh – September 27, 2016 (Conference Call)
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Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh Conference Call with Cincinnati Media
(On how challenging it is to play a Thursday night road game) – “It’s not always the easiest, but definitely doable from a recovery standpoint. At the end of the day, the way we have things set up here at this organization, it allows us to definitely get back on our feet quickly and be prepared for a Thursday night game.”
(On if he feels that this is a must-win game) – “Yes, no question. It’s definitely a big game for us. Being 1-2, in my opinion, we need to definitely finish the (first) quarter (of the season) out 2-2 and go from there, or else we put ourselves in a very tough bind for the rest of the season. The best thing we can do is focus on the task at hand, which is obviously Cincinnati, and we need to go up there and have a great showing.”
(On the Bengals run game) – “They have some good downhill runners. They have two solid (running) backs. Both of them can run the ball. One of them is more specialized to get out in the passing and screen game. At the end of the day, we have to be able to contain both of them and shut down the run and put it on the quarterback’s shoulders, who is obviously capable to win the games. But (we want to) force them to be a one-dimensional team.”
(On what he sees out of QB Andy Dalton and what he’s done well so far this season) – “He’s been able to get rid of the ball, especially having a big target in No. 18 (A.J. Green). At the end of the day, he is experienced. This won’t be my first time going against him. He’s athletic, he can move outside of the pocket. He likes to move up into the pocket and obviously make plays with his feet, as well as his arms. We definitely have a big challenge on our hands.”
(On giving QB Andy Dalton his greeting to the NFL on the very first preseason snap) – “I’m not sure what you mean by that, sir.”
(On him hitting QB Andy Dalton with a pretty good hit) – “Yes, I like to hit any and every quarterback that steps up in front of me. That’s my goal when I go out there on Thursday, to hit him as much as I can.”
(On it not being the first time he’s gone against G Kevin Zeitler) – “(He’s a) good young kid, obviously in his fifth year. (He’s a) first round pick, obviously you’re not picked in the first round without having some talent. In my opinion, (he’s) a guy that I respect. It will be a good battle, I look forward to it and we’ll go from there.”
(On if he watches much tape of DT Geno Atkins) – “I’ve watched tape of him, without question. I watched a lot of his tape of last year and the success he’s had. I respect all defensive tackles and wish them all the best. At the end of the day, they’re my counterparts and we want to see success in them. Yes, I definitely watch Geno (Atkins) and his ability to be a great pass rusher as well as in the run game.”
(On what he likes about his game, what) – “He’s an explosive, strong guy, plays great with his hands, doesn’t allow guys to hang on to him. He’s quick (and has) good inside moves, from the three technique especially. At the end of the day, it’s not going to be between me and him, it’s going to be between himself and our offensive line and myself against their offensive line.”
(On what he thinks needs to get better on defense) – “I think at the end of the day, for us, it comes down to execution. Obviously when we do execute, we need to make sure that we are down and dirty and make sure we make the plays and tackle. We’ve had some missed tackles in games past and haven’t always been in the right positon, myself included. At the end of the day, just execute and make sure we tackle and get the guys on the ground.”
(On if it’s difficult to face two running backs that have very different running styles) – “Yes, it’s actually been that way for the last two or three weeks for us. (We’ve) seen a lot of running back combinations like that, where (teams) have a predominately downhill running back, a guy that they are going to feed a lot of times, as well as a guy that they like to use in the screen game and the pass game on third down. It’s not something that will be new to our defense. I think that we will be well-prepared for it. I think that we have a good scheme; we just got through with a walkthrough. I’m excited about it and I look forward to it. At the end of the day, it’s about us just going out there and tackling and not allowing them to make explosive plays.”
(On Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s history coaching in Cincinnati and could he give any insight on the Bengals’ offense that you can’t get from film) – “I think he can give us insight, but at the end of the day, I think the other team obviously knows that. They’ll have some pieces to combat that. At the end of the day, we just have to go out there, line up and play ball, and execute the scheme and make plays.”
(On how he feels Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s transition to calling plays is going) – “I like Vance a lot, first and foremost, as a human being. He’s a smart, sharp guy. We get along; (he has a) great personality. Most importantly and secondly, he’s a guy that understands that he’s not out there on the football field making plays. It’s his players out there making plays for him. He puts us in great positions to do that, I respect a guy who has that type of mindset. I think it will serve him well as he continues to move in his career. Obviously, I’m enjoying every bit of it with him being our defensive coordinator here.”
Ryan Tannehill – September 27, 2016
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Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill
(On the importance of this game) – ”It’s a big game for us, obviously. Where we’re at in the season, we’re in the fourth game being 1-2, on the road, Thursday Night Football, a big stage – it’s going to be a fun game. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere. Thursday night games are always fun to play in, no matter where they’re at. We’re looking forward to the game.”
(On how the tight end role changes without TE Jordan Cameron) – “I don’t think it changes a whole lot. I think we’re comfortable with Dion (Sims) and what he brings to the table, as well as MarQueis (Gray) coming in as a second tight end. Obviously Jordan has some specific talents that we’re going to miss while he is out, but Dion has done a really nice job when he’s been in the game. He made some really big plays for us over the last two weeks. (He had) a big third down (conversion) last week (at New England) – a nice catch. And then the first play of overtime I think it was, or the second play of overtime (vs. Cleveland), when he made the nice catch and run. He’s had some big plays for us and we look forward to more of those.”
(On if he has full confidence in TE Dion Sims and how that has developed over the years) – “I’ve had confidence in Dion for a long time. He’s a heck of a football player. I like to think of him as our little secret because I don’t feel like people really know how good of a player Dion is and what he brings to the table. It’s going to be exciting for him, as well as the offense, to have him out there and see what he can do.”
(On S Reshad Jones saying the team matches up well with the Bengals and if he agrees with that given the recent success against them) – “I think I have a lot of respect for the defense. I don’t know much about their offense. I know they have some playmakers. On defense, they’re a good defense. They’re going to have a lot of different looks. (They are) very similar to our defense as far as the base defense and the pressures – the kind of exotic pressures – they bring. We’ve got a lot of reps against a defense like this and hopefully that will pay off on Thursday.”
(On if he has good memories of previous games against the Bengals) – “Yes, I remember winning up there a few years ago and then the Thursday night game here (in 2013) is probably the most memorable. Just being Halloween night, I remember the orange flashers, the lights off in pregame and then the walk-off sack (by DE Cameron Wake) to end it was pretty unique and something I’ll never forget.”
(On TE MarQueis Gray’s versatility and what he brings to the offense) – “He’s an athletic guy. We’ve brought him into the game in three tight end sets before but having him in two tight end sets, we’ll use him much like we do Dion. I think they’re kind of similar as far as they can block really well but can also get out and affect the pass game.”
(On if Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s familiarity with the Bengals personnel helps on a short week) – “Not really a whole lot. Obviously, he knows those guys, but you kind of have to trust what you see on tape. Expect what you see on tape and make the adjustments accordingly with how things go throughout the game.”
(On the pass protection over the past two weeks) – “It has been good. Obviously we have some things to clean up, especially this last game and the mistakes that we had. But I think it’s heading in the right direction. I think the guys are coming together. We’re going to have to battle through some injuries this week and guys stepping up and filling in for us. But I think we’re headed in the right direction. We just have to keep building on the good things that we’ve done and correct the things we haven’t done well.”
(On what he saw when he went back and watched the Browns game) – “It’s always better than you think it was or not as bad as you think it was, however you want to look at it. There were good things. I think our run game really did some good things. Dion (Sims) blocked really well, getting the edge for us and we had some good outside runs. We did have some explosive plays. You see DeVante (Parker) with a nice catch down the field, Jarvis (Landry) with a nice catch and run for a touchdown. Some big plays were made. There were good things in there; we just have to be more consistent in the details of what we’re doing.”
(On if it is fair to say the team needs to play better on Thursday than it did vs. Cleveland to get a win) – “Definitely. We didn’t play very well. We had a ton of MAs (missed assignments) across the board on offense. You can’t do that and expect to win, and expect to win consistently. Like I said, last week I’m not sure we deserved that win, but I’ll take it every day of the week. Moving forward, we have to be better, we have to be cleaner and not (have) nearly as many MAs.”
(On if this is the most chemistry he has had with his wide receivers during his career) – “Yes, we’re talented at the receiver position. No matter who is the primary target, I feel comfortable and excited about the opportunities that they get. They’re so versatile and the things that they bring to the table – Kenny (Stills) and his speed, DeVante (Parker) and his size and ball skills and then Jarvis (Landry) just being a football player. We have a really good combo of those three guys and are able to kind of highlight their strengths and matchups in order to help us out.”
(On if his chemistry is coming along with WR Kenny Stills, WR DeVante Parker and WR Jarvis Landry) – “Yes, it’s great. I feel 100 percent comfortable with where we’re at with chemistry right now.”
(On why his numbers are so much better in the second half than the first half of the first three games) – “We haven’t played well in the first half. I think that’s plain to see. It doesn’t take any long division to figure that out. We just have to come out and execute. I think it all just comes down to execution of the total offense – just being on the same page, doing the right things and being in the right spot.”
(On if the short passing game is an extension of the running game) – “Yes, I think so. You look at the bubble screens and the quick throws, they are an extension of the run game. We look to get 4 yards a pop on those. Anything over that is a bonus. You just want to be efficient. I think we had over 100 yards rushing last game and that’s a good place to be in. If you’re getting over 100 yards a game then you’re going to be in a good spot. We just have to keep building off what we did last week.”
(On WR DeVante Parker and WR Kenny Stills having a lower percentage catch rate than WR Jarvis Landry) – “A lot of things go into that – whether it’s the play call, the protection, the throw, the route. It all plays a factor. We just have to, as an offense, work together as a group, all be on the same page and execute to get the ball in the right spot.”
Cameron Wake – September 27, 2016
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Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Defensive End Cameron Wake
(On his walk-off safety in overtime to win against the Bengals in 2013) – “I remember it being a long game. There were a lot of plays played, and obviously, overtime. Thursday night, it was probably after midnight (on) Halloween. I remember the fans were all into it. The game ended in a dramatic fashion, and it was a lot of fun.”
(On whether the walk-off safety is a career highlight for him) – “I’ve had a couple of them – a couple of nice plays – but that’s on the list. I’d have to sit down when I’m old and gray and start trying to make a list. But again, to end the game like that, after all of the fighting and scratching and clawing that it took to get to that position, it was definitely something to remember.”
(On whether people mention that play to him) – “This week it has been brought up a few times, especially (because it is) the same team, Thursday night. It’s kind of déjà vu, but the reality is football is played week to week. I guarantee the Bengals don’t care about that. Probably some guys in here don’t even know about it. This week we have to go out there and not live in the past. We’ve got to make our mark starting fast, going out there and playing hard and doing our job this week. So, I’m kind of over that.”
(On where the walk-off safety against the Bengals ranks in his career) – “Like I said, when I’m on my rocking chair on the porch, it’ll be a better question to ask me. I’ve been in a lot of tough games and fortunately made a few plays here and there throughout my career. But that one is one that most guys know about. Thursday night, a lot of guys were watching the end of the game. Was it my most memorable play? I don’t know. But it was something I definitely cherish, and I was fortunate to be there and make it.”
Ndamukong Suh – September 27, 2016
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Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh
(On when he started or needed to start planning for the Bengals) – “Sunday night, Monday morning. (It’s as) simple as that. Technology is a great thing in this world. I’ve got an iPad at home so I can watch whatever I need to watch.”
(On if he ever feels like he doesn’t have a handle on everything on shorts weeks because of the preparation time) – “No. Not for me personally, because at the end of the day, if you look at a normal week we go Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We’ve still got three days before our game, so we should be able to be fine. It’s just going to be sped up.”
(On what insight Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph has given the team after being in Cincinnati for so many years) – “I think he understands what their offense wants to do and what type of players that they have. I think that’s going to be the best insight he’s going to be able to give us because I think they are smart enough to figure out that he is going to have those pieces (of information) and he’s going to tell us. So they are going to combat that. So we can’t really look at schemes or things of that nature that they’ve done in the past, because they’re probably going to end up changing it.”
(On Bengals CB Adam Jones saying that Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph is one of the best coaches that he’s ever been around in making adjustments and if that is his experience in the short time with him) – “I would definitely agree with that. I would also agree with the simple fact that Vance understands that he’s not out there on the football field making plays. His players are going out there, so he puts us in great positions to do that. That’s something I’m excited about, being around him for three games and being our play caller.”
(On at what point does his body starts to feel good on a typical week) – “This is football. You never feel good.” (Laughter)
(On when his body starts to feel okay during the week) – “Honestly, I don’t pay attention to those things. I don’t focus on that stuff. (I) just go out there and play and do what I got to do to make sure that I’m prepared.”
(On if the run defense is concerning after the first three games) – “Obviously, teams have found ways to crease us on certain plays. I think at the end of the day, it’s going to come down to us to continue to find ways to make sure we execute 100 percent. I think a lot of those big plays come in small spurts. I think we do a great job, for the most part, of being consistent and then sometimes we just let them spurt out. We have to eliminate those.”
(On if he is double-teamed most of the time or all of the time) – “I don’t pay attention to those things. There’s no point. I would imagine that I’d be double-teamed most of the time, but at the end of the day, whoever is in front of me whether it’s one, two, three, four or five guys, my goal is to beat them and get after the running back or the quarterback.”
(On if he has had three guys block him on one play) – “Like I said, I don’t pay attention to those things. I just go out there and play.”
Darren Rizzi – September 27, 2016
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Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi
(On Head Coach Adam Gase saying P Matt Darr saved the Dolphins and what his thoughts were on his performance) – “I don’t know if he saved us but he certainly played a very good game. His performance on Sunday in particular was impressive. The things that Matt has been working on are hang time on the ball and location, and that’s something that he’s really improved on. The best thing about Matt (Darr) is he’s really never satisfied with his results and he’s always looking to get better. He’s a little bit of a perfectionist. For a guy that’s only in his second year in the league, he’s really kind of already a pro, and that’s rare to see for a guy that’s only played as many games as he has. In particular, Sunday, our net averages are obviously very good. He had a couple of great locations on the ball. The punt at the end that we downed at the 9-yard line was a huge play for field position certainly. But there were some other ones there. I think we downed four inside the 20. There was some real good coverage on a couple of them. Our gunners –Tony Lippett and Walt Aikens in particular – did a really good job of facing up the returners. It’s not surprising me because I see Matt (Darr) do it every day on a consistent basis in practice and a guy that’s really working on his craft. He’s a talented player. We’re very, very happy to have him and again, I think he’s one of those guys who is always trying to get better. I certainly know where Adam’s (Gase) coming from. I mean, at the end of the day, when you look at the stats sheet and you look at the overall game after you step outside and kind of look back, you could certainly look at it like that. He really helped us from a field position standpoint and that ended up being a huge part of that football game. You didn’t know what play was going to be the biggest one because it ended up being a see-saw battle. So all those plays were huge at that stage.”
(On LS John Denney and the influence of a veteran has in the locker room) – “Yes. I’ll tell you what, John Denney’s great for everybody – including me. As a coach, when you have a guy that’s been around the game for a long, long time, John (Denney) has got the perfect temperament for his position as a long snapper. He’s always right here [holds hand up to the middle]. He’s never too high, never too low. He’s just got a really, really good temperament and personality. He’s great for the younger guys. A guy like (Matt) Darr and (Andrew) Franks that were rookies last year, both were undrafted rookies that came in here and they’re playing with a guy that’s been doing for it as long as he has. He was a really good role model for those guys to get oriented into the league. Not only is he good for the specialists, but he’s also good for the rest of the group, the rest of the team. He’s a guy that you’ll see, even some of the players in other positions will bounce ideas off of him or bounce thoughts off of him because he’s a wise guy and he’s really very thoughtful in everything that we’re doing. Like I said, he’s seen a lot of things around here. He’s been through a lot of coaches and he’s been through a lot of regimes. He’s seen a lot of things and he’s a very well-grounded guy. He’s a very smart person, very intelligent, and like I said to another guy, we’re very, very fortunate to have (him). Sometimes a long snapper is kind of like a referee or an umpire. If you don’t talk about them, they probably did a pretty good job. That’s kind of the way John Denney’s been. I can count on one hand, in the eight years I’ve been here, how many mistakes he’s made – mental mistakes. Knock on wood. But that’s a guy we’re very fortunate to have, not only from a special teams standpoint, but from a team standpoint. He’s a guy that’s on our leadership committee – voted in by his peers – and not surprising. Just again, he’s a consistent, steady performer week in and week out, and hopefully he continues to do so.”
(On the Browns kicker situation and the level of confidence in his kicker on the road) – “I’m very confident in Andrew (Franks). I think Andrew (Franks) really had a great preseason. Talk about our guy, I know a lot of people point to the kick in Seattle and things like that, but again, I have the upmost confidence in him as a person (and) as a player. So I’m not only worried about that. As far as the Browns go, that’s a very unfortunate situation. In the eight years I’ve been here, it’s happened twice to us – maybe not on Friday, but late in the week a couple of times when Dan Carpenter was here. We had to pick Nate Kaeding one time and Shayne Graham the other time later in the week. That’s a rough spot. It’s a rough spot. I don’t envy anybody –their coaches, Cody (Parkey). I think Cody’s (Parkey) a very good player – obviously went to a Pro Bowl. But to be put in that situation, that’s a tough one. You look around the NFL right now and I think already through three games, (there are) some pretty mind-blowing stats. Already 24 teams have missed field goals out of 32. Seventy-five percent of the teams have missed a field goal and 13 teams have missed an extra point, so 40 percent of the teams have missed an extra point. Those numbers are pretty eye-opening and again you’re seeing it around the league. That play, the field goal and the PAT, is no longer a ‘gimme.’ I think we’re all figuring that out as we go. Every point matters. It’s something we take very seriously. It’s just an unfortunate situation that the Browns got themselves into with the injury to their kicker late in the week. Getting back to our guy – I’ve got pure confidence in him, and I think if (he was) put in that situation, I’d have no problem with that at all.”
(On if he remotely had that situation of losing a kicker) – “I can remember Nate (Kaeding) came up here, off the top of my head. I remember that Shayne Graham played in a game in Dallas. I think he was 3-for-4. And then I remember Nate Kaeding played in a really, really windy day up in New England. He started one about 10 feet outside the right post and it ended up about 10 feet outside the left post. He ended up missing one up there. When you only have one (kicker) on the roster, those are situations … I’ve seen it happen with long snappers. I’ve seen it happen with kickers. I’ve seen it happen with punters. Heck, I even know of situations where guys have gotten hurt in pregame after the inactives were in. That’s really when you find out a lot about some guys. So those situations, unfortunately, can come up. That’s why you always have to have your short list. We travel around in the offseason working out free agent guys, just to have a punter, kicker, long snapper, kind of a short list in case it ever comes up. I think one of the things, a few years ago, we had one of our specialists got sick the night before the game. (He) came down with like a really high fever, vomiting and all that. We weren’t quite sure what was going to happen. That was on a Saturday. So it can be a touchy situation and, again, I’ve been there. It’s not an easy situation. I think the thing when you look back to the Browns game is, you get a guy like Cody Parkey in there, who’s been there. He was out of it for a little bit. He was out of it since preseason. It’s very hard to simulate. You can go to any field. You can go to – I know he’s from Jupiter – you go to a high school field or a college field and kick field goals and stay in shape and all that, but to simulate a live rush in a situation like that? It’s like me going out in my backyard. I can make 20 free throws in a row there by myself (laughter). And then all of a sudden, if you put me in a game, and we’re running around, the situation changes. So it’s very, very hard to simulate live action, a rush coming at you, a new holder, new snapper. I think a lot of people forget there are a lot of factors that go into it. It’s not just the kick itself. There’s a guy, I think, like I said, he was a rookie and he made a Pro Bowl. (He’s) certainly a good player. It certainly worked out … We’re happy that it worked out the way it did, and kudos to our rush team because they, as I said last week, our rush team has really been coming after people. Certainly, I think we’ve kind of put that in the back of the minds of a lot of kickers.”
