Jarvis Landry – September 7, 2016
Download PDF version
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Wide Receiver Jarvis Landry
(On LSU’s loss to Wisconsin last weekend) – “It’s always tough to see. It’s always tough to see your alma mater take a loss, especially to a couple Big Ten guys. It happens.”
(On the challenges Seattle’s secondary presents) – “(It is about) understanding who they are and the nature of their style of football. They’re going to be physical. We know they’re going to make plays on the ball. We know they live for third-and-long situations. That’s kind of where they, ‘make their money’ and get teams off the field and get their turnovers. We’ve got to find a way to be efficient and effective.”
(On whether there is a lot of adrenaline when facing a talented secondary) – “A lot. For me, that’s why I play this game. You go up against guys like Richard Sherman, that whole secondary … To go up against guys like that – to go up against them with the guys we got here – I’m excited about it. I’m excited about the challenge and (am) looking forward to it, actually.”
(On whether crowd noise is something the team can prepare for) – “It’s something that we can try to prepare for, but you never get the true effect. We’ll see when we get there, but obviously, we understand that (it is the) first game of the season and that it’s going to be loud. We’ve worked on communication things to be able to establish the communication and still run effective plays.”
(On whether QB Ryan Tannehill’s leadership role has evolved every year) – “Every year. I know it kind of sounds like I keep saying the same thing, but every year I see this guy grow and for the last few years, (he’s grown) more and more as a leader. It’s something that this team needs. It’s something that this team needs, and he has stepped to the forefront and obviously been appointed captain, it shows.”
(On whether the team captains were selected by a team vote) – “Team vote.”
(On whether it’s important for the quarterback to be a team captain) – “It doesn’t matter. Some people say, ‘A great team is a team full of leaders.’ (Ryan Tannehill) was just appointed to that position to wear the ‘C’ on the jersey or whatever it may be. I believe that we’ll have a team full of leaders.”
(On whether leaders are more effective leading by example or when they are vocal) – “I’ve seen it both ways. I’ve seen it effective both ways. I’ve seen it in a negative way in some cases. I can speak for myself: I’ve been more of a leader by example more than vocal. I’m a passionate person, and I use that (and) let that feed what guys feed off of and lead by doing the right things on and off the field. Guys really appreciate that and they follow that.”
(On whether Seattle’s cornerbacks play by sides or pick a receiver and stick with them – “They play sides, right and left.”
(On matching up against CB Richard Sherman) – “Happy to see him. Happy to see him since (the) Pro Bowl. Let’s work. Let’s work. At the end of the day, it’s friendly competition. Even though we’re on opposite sides, he won’t shy away from me, and I won’t shy away from him. That’s what this game is about.”
(On if he gets fired up when cornerbacks talk to him on the field) – “I do. As a corner, he has got 10 other guys he can feed off. As a receiver, you have to make plays before you can start talking yourself. (laughter) I’ll let the game go as it goes, and we’ll see what happens.”
Adam Gase – September 7, 2016
Download PDF version
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On if he was encouraged by LB Jelani Jenkins today) – “Yes. The fact that he was out there participating, that’s big for us. We felt pretty good leading up to today and knowing there was a lot of time left for us before we head out there and have a few more practices. I know he was really working hard since the injury and just to see him feeling better and moving around better, that was good.”
(On what makes Seattle’s empty set on offense work) – “I think just a lot of it is concept based but also the players executing it and Russell (Wilson) does such a good job of getting the ball off fast. He knows where to go with it. He can identify the coverage. Obviously they’re very smart in how they do it. He has quick identification. He understands the indicators that he’s getting pre-snap and when the quarterback knows exactly where he’s going with the ball before the ball is even snapped, that’s a huge advantage.”
(On if has made a determination on having game-by-game captains or season-long captains) – “Our players voted and then we came up with two offensive captains, two defense and then one special teams. Mike Thomas was the special teams (captain). Then we had Reshad (Jones) and ‘Cam’ (Cameron Wake) with the defense and then Ryan (Tannehill) and (Mike) Pouncey with the offense.”
(On the threat of the run still with Russell Wilson) – “That’s a big-time issue because when you have a guy that is basically just going to stand back there and throw it, you can rush certain ways. There are a lot of things you can do. But when you have a guy that not only can throw it but can break the pocket if you take the wrong rush lanes, he can just go right up the middle and no one’s really looking for it. It’s a tough, tough thing to defend and it has obviously been a very valuable weapon for them.”
(On if the captain votes went the way he figured it would) – “You just never know. You never know how the voting’s going to go because you think the guys that you interact with a lot of the times kind of assert themselves as leaders but sometimes you’re not really sure what guys gravitate to who. So the fact that there were – you know we did have a good variety of who people voted for, which is encouraging because that means a lot of guys look up to different guys besides just those five – but I think those five guys, at least in my experience here, so far they stood out as leaders for me. Those are the guys that were always either approaching me or you could always see them working with younger guys. I guess I wasn’t really surprised by who was voted in.”
(On how he would describe his relationship with QB Ryan Tannehill) – “I think it’s been, obviously with the rules in place, you go through that spring and you’re kind of limited in time; but as training camp comes around, and now that we’re in game-planning mode, we’re around each other a lot more as far as off the field. When I think about some of the things that he’s done really well, the fact that he’s open and that he makes suggestions and then if he doesn’t like something, he tells me. That kind of communication is critical because the last thing I want to do is put him in a position to where he doesn’t like what I’m calling but he doesn’t say anything. But I haven’t seen that because he’s been pretty forward about things he doesn’t like and sometimes it hurts you when you’re calling plays because you really like something and then he crosses off and you’re like, ‘Ah!’ You know you felt like you really loved that play; but that’s what you need. You need that kind of dynamic because at least you know every play that’s being called, he’s basically checked his box of, ‘I’m good with it. I understand what I’m supposed to do.’ And when a guy is invested in the process, he wants to make a lot of the things really work well, especially when he gets his type of plays in there.”
(On what has he seen out of QB Ryan Tannehill’s accuracy since becoming the head coach) – “I haven’t seen an issue with that since the beginning. He’s been accurate. I know we’ve worked on some ball placement things occasionally. Sometimes what happens is just getting your feet right when you’re getting pushed in the pocket to get aligned with your throw, so every once in a while, we’ll have a missed throw. You try not to go over the top at practice, because you just want to see what happens. When you get some pressure sometimes and you have to slide, you may not be aligned. The one thing I’ve noticed with him, and I think everyone knows this, is that he’s not afraid to hang in there. He’ll have someone barreling down on him and he just stands in there and throws it. Sometimes that can cause inaccuracy. You can’t follow through; there are a lot of things that can happen. But for the most part, he hits the receiver. I know there are little things that he likes to work on that makes his ball placement better sometimes, but for the most part, I’ve seen a guy that hits his target a high percentage of the time.”
(On C Mike Pouncey and WR DeVante Parker not participating in practice and if there is a concern they won’t play Sunday) – “There’s a possibility that it could go either way still. We’ll see, obviously traveling, we’ll see how they feel when we get there. That’s one of the reasons why we wanted to go out there a day early, just to make sure our guys – when we go to practice Friday, that’s still an up tempo practice us. We’ll have a good gauge on where everybody’s at – if we have everybody available (or) if we have somebody that can’t go, we’ll have a better idea then.”
(On if QB Ryan Tannehill is to the point where he trusts him to make calls on the field like Seattle QB Russell Wilson) – “I think he’s about as good as I personally can ask for, for how fast we had to go on this. The longer you play in this league, it really slows down for you one, but then you start to recognize what the defense is doing – sometimes by alignment, sometimes by formation, and sometimes guys have to read it on the run. He’s obviously been able to do that. You’re going into your fifth year and you’ve seen a lot of different defenses, especially in this league. You rotate these divisions around and you start seeing some of these exotic teams, you start to get used to it. In this division – especially when you play a team like Buffalo, New England and the Jets – Those guys do a great job on the back end as far as not letting you figure out what they are doing until the ball’s snapped. He’s got plenty of experience having to do that on the run.”
(On should the offensive line be the strength of the team since they have four No. 1 picks) – “Yes, The No. 1 pick thing, you can throw that out the window in the second year. It doesn’t matter how you got here, as far as I’m concerned. It doesn’t matter to me, I want the best guys out there and I want guys that can execute.”
(On what makes a good road team to him) – “Being able to handle adversity, that’s the hardest thing to do. When things don’t go right, how do you respond? The good teams I’ve been on before … We were in some interesting situations in Denver and you never saw anybody really waver. Guys just kept going back out there every series. You saw offense, defense and special teams always working together, trying to figure out how we get over the hump. It was more solution-based than complaining. When you get a group of guys that do it that way, that gives you the best chance. That doesn’t mean that you’re always going to win. It’s tough. The percentages say if you go on the road in the NFL, it’s hard to win. No matter how good you are, wherever you’re ranked, it doesn’t matter. Every stadium you go into, it’s tough to play on the road. When you do get a win on the road, it’s a big win, no matter where it’s at.”
(On if WR DeVante Parker can’t play and the snaps have to go elsewhere, if he thinks WR Justin Hunter, WR Leonte Carroo and WR Jakeem Grant have stood out in practice this week) – “We’ve been rolling them all in there. The good thing is having three days to go still. It’s going to give us a better chance to keep talking about it and thinking about what’s the best plan for us, if (Parker doesn’t play). If it is the best thing for us to put Jordan (Cameron) and Dion (Sims) out there and just roll with those guys, we’re going to keep looking at our options. The good thing is we’ve got some time.”
(On if WR Justin Hunter will be able to learn the offense fast enough to be effective on Sunday) – “The good thing about where he came from is that some of the terminology is close (and) obviously, being with (Wide Receivers Coach) Shawn (Jefferson) before. Sometimes when you can translate something to where it hits his brain, that’s an advantage for us because now it kind of speeds up that process. Some of the terms are the same, but he can say ‘Hey, this is this,’ and he’s got it. You hit that a couple of times and you will remember.”
(On if he will keep the team on Eastern time in Washington or will he change to local time) – “We’re going to change. The hardest thing is when we get back. We’ve been doing our research on when we do get back, how we’re going to get back on east coast time.”
Byron Maxwell – September 7, 2016 (Conference Call with Seattle Media)
Download PDF version
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Cornerback Byron Maxwell Conference Call with Seattle Media
(On how he is enjoying Miami) – “It’s great. I love it. Miami – the sun is out (and) that’s all you need, really.”
(On the challenge of being on three different teams in three seasons) – “Getting used to new people, a new locker room, having to work with different attitudes, different personalities every day you go to work. You got to get used to how to work with people and how to talk to them. It’s very challenging, but you also learn a lot, too.”
(On Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll stressing that players be themselves and whether it has been different for him with other teams) – “Every place is different, but Pete definitely does a great job of letting you be yourself and trusting the players to believe that it’s important to them. He does a great job at that. It’s unique.”
(On whether he is looking forward to going back to Seattle and playing) – “I am. (It is) where it all started. I had a great time there my four years. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I know I got a special bond with some guys there. I’m excited to play in that stadium.”
(On which Seahawks players he stays in touch with) – “All the guys in the secondary. That was a close team. I got love for a whole bunch of guys, not just in the secondary, coaches included.”
(On what it will be like on the visiting side at CenturyLink Field) – “I don’t know. That’s going to be a different experience for me, obviously. I guess I’m looking forward to it. I’m trying to mentally plan (on) how to handle the situation. It’s going to be different, a lot of emotions, but (I) still got a game to play, still got to come in and do business. That can wait afterwards, after the game.”
(On whether it will be a change to be on the field and have CenturyLink Field quiet) – “You’re going to be able to communicate, talk (to) other DBs. You’ll be able to hear them and everything. It’s going to be weird going against ‘Russ’ (Russell Wilson), too (after) cheering for the guy for so long.”
(On making the decision to leave Seattle and sign with Philadelphia as a free agent in 2015) – “At the end of the day, we all love this game, there’s no doubt. We put so much time into it. You want to be compensated. You want to feel like … You want to get paid like everybody else. That’s all it really was. Of course I didn’t want to leave, but sometimes you got to do things you don’t want to do.”
(On whether he thought at any point last year that leaving Seattle was a mistake) – “No. It is what it is. I guess you take the good with the bad. Looking back at it, it was definitely a learning experience for me. You got to hopefully learn from every situation that you’re in.”
(On what he learned from his experience last year) – “I learned how to be a better leader. That was really my first time in a leadership role. (I learned about) being a better leader and how to handle adversity (and) being the guy that everybody looks to. So, it was different. But learning, it was good though.”
(On whether Miami’s defense suits him better than Philadelphia’s) – “It was a lot of things in Philly; but yes, definitely. (With) the players we got here, we got a lot of depth in Miami, and that’s going to work wonders for us. We definitely do things (that are) corner-friendly here, so yes.”
(On whether there are aspects of Seattle’s defense that are unique and if he had to change his play in Philadelphia and Miami) – “It was four years, so it was ingrained in you. So yes, definitely (there are) things you got to change and you got to work on.”
(On the technique differences between the teams he has played with) – “(With the) Seahawks, you’re in charge of one thing. Seahawks, you do a lot of different things. It’s really about contact. They teach you about contact with the Seahawks. Every other side, it’s a little different. Philly was a little different. You had a lot to think about before the play, actually (like), ‘What’s my assignment?’ Stuff like that.”
(On adjusting to Seattle’s technique coming out of college) – “It was definitely a big adjustment. I was looking at ‘Sherm’ (Richard Sherman), and he wass probably the best at it and Jeron Johnson. I had to study a lot of them – their film – to learn it. It’s a hard technique to learn, to be patient (and) just sit there.”
(On how helpful CB Richard Sherman was early in his career) – “He helped me a lot as far as how he approached the game – first of all – how he sees a game, his vision. He knew concepts, and he knows how to play the ball in the air. I realized that was a big thing.”
(On how the Seahawks’ scheme is different from Philadelphia and Miami) – “It’s different. It’s just very different. It’s hard to explain.”
(On not having the crowd noise at CenturyLink Field on his side as a visitor) – “I’m going to be on the field when they’re quiet so I won’t have nothing to worry about.”
(On whether it will be strange not to have the crowd noise at CenturyLink Field in his favor this week) – “You’re going to be able to communicate easier. I don’t want to say it’s easier playing on the road, but as far as defensive backs, it’s a little easier, because you can communicate what you want as far as no busted coverage and stuff like that. It’s easier to get things across the other side of the ball to your teammates.”
(On whether he is particularly excited to see a specific Seahawks player this Sunday) – “All the guys. It was a great locker room. There are some great guys in there. I’m excited to see the whole Seahawks organization. There’s a lot of people in there I love.”
(On whether there is a particular receiver he wants to matchup against) – “No, not at all. I know what those guys can do and what they’re capable of. It’s one of those things that I just want to play ball and come out with a ‘W’, obviously.”
Adam Gase – September 7, 2016 (Conference Call with Seattle Media)
Download PDF version
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase Conference Call with Seattle Media
(On if he is looking forward to his first game as a head coach) – “Yes. I think it’s a new start for us, for a lot of the guys on this staff and myself. We’re in a different location now and I think everybody in this building is excited to get the regular season going.”
(On what stands out when he watches Seahawks QB Russell Wilson on film) – “When you play as much as he has, every year you can see it becomes – not only the typical things that quarterbacks usually do well in the NFL as far as throwing, moving around and starting to understand concepts. But you can see that he’s in that phase in his career of where he really knows the why of everything. He’s so decisive now that he plays with no gray (area). You can tell he has the offense down to a ‘T’ and he’s able to go out there and play fast. He doesn’t think; he reacts. The ball comes out so quick and he’s been so accurate, especially last year and then now obviously he’s only going to get better as time goes on, because a guy that has his skill set, his talent and his mind, I think you’re going to see a guy that just keeps getting better.”
(On how long it typically takes for quarterbacks to get to that point) – “I think when you’re in the same system, it really helps. When you start bouncing around systems and get new coaching and new terminology, it sets you back. When you’re a young player, from the first day that you’ve been in there – I’m sure things have changed over time as far as maybe what they like now compared to what they like when (Wilson) first got there and probably what he likes as well. But when you’re able to stay with that same group, as far as coaches go, when you come into the spring and it’s kind of like, ‘What do I want to work on this spring?’ And the same thing for training camp, that’s a big advantage for a quarterback, especially when he’s young.”
(On if anything about Seattle’s defense stands out to him or looks different from when he studied it for Super Bowl XLVIII) – “We played them twice in 2013 – preseason and regular season – twice in 2014 – preseason and regular season – and then last year, I was lucky enough to be the home opener in Chicago. The thing that I’ve noticed the most, as far as playing these guys, is you can see the detail of what they do. There is such a perfection there. They really understand, not only what they’re doing, (but) they can key on what you’re doing on offense. Once again, what I was just saying about the quarterback, these guys have been together. That core has been together for so long and they’ve done such a good job of putting it together initially, as far as what their scheme was, (that) now they perfect it. Now when you try to run certain concepts against them, they take it away. They bait you into throwing things because they know everything so well. You think something is open and then they take it away.”
(On how he feels his team’s pass rush has come along) – “I think it’s still kind of a work in progress for us. We feel good about our guys; obviously we have a couple of veterans out there. What it’s more about for us is that chemistry. We haven’t played a ton in games together quite yet. We really went limited as far as what we did in the preseason. Obviously we practiced together but at the same time, Cam (Wake) was still kind of coming back so we weren’t doing a ton with him in the offseason and then in training camp, we were trying to make sure we were smart with him. I think for us, as far as that group’s chemistry goes, we’re going to be evolving throughout the season. I think the more our guys play together, the better that group will get.”
(On if he expects C Mike Pouncey to play on Sunday) – “We’re still kind of in our evaluation stage. With us flying out tomorrow and still having another practice on Friday and then a walkthrough on Saturday, we didn’t practice him today. Once we get off the plane, we’re kind of going to really take it to where our injured guys, we’ll see how everyone feels. That’s why we wanted to get out and run a little bit on Friday; just to see where everybody was at. The best thing I can say is we’ll have a better answer on Friday.”
(On what went into the decision to leave for Seattle on Thursday) – “Just some of the research that we did with some guys and other sports as far as guys going from east coast to west coast. With this being the first game of the year, we were actually able to do it. We felt like if we could get out there a day earlier than what we normally would do, we felt like we had a chance to get our guys out there and practice but we could use that Thursday as a travel day. We were able to do just a short meeting on Thursday, jump on the plane (and) get there. We’re going to do one thing to where we can kind of get guys just moving around a little bit, then practice Friday and then Saturday do our walkthrough. We just wanted to give our guys the best chance they could to feel as good as they could heading into Sunday.”
(On what CB Byron Maxwell has brought to the team and if he has leaned on him at all to get some insight on Seattle’s defense) – “Ever since we acquired him in the trade (with Philadelphia) – he’s been a guy that’s been around a winning organization, he’s had some ups and downs and he’s had some adversity thrown at him – but him coming here has been great for not only myself, but I think the guys that were already here. He kind of went through a tough spot last year and these guys have seen him battle back. He was so good in the offseason as far as competing and kind of bringing a different mentality than I think some of these guys had seen in the past. For myself, I always enjoy it because there’s a lot of talking that (him and I) do a lot because of our past relationship of competing against each other. Unfortunately he reminds me too much of who has been on top of those two games but he has really brought, at least for me, a guy with that experience and that competitive nature that we’re always looking for in this sport. He’s been productive in practice and we obviously haven’t done too much with him in the preseason.”
(On what he has seen as the difference in styles between RB Thomas Rawls and RB Christine Michael) – “The way I look at it is, in what (Seattle does), it’s a very tough scheme to be too aggressive because if you are, then all of a sudden you look up and it’s a 20-yard gain. With those two guys, physically you look at it and maybe you think, ‘How are you going to take some of these guys on?’ But at the same time, they both have great tempo to what they do as far as running backs and can see the holes. Sometimes that’s a hard thing to defend because when guys are able to set an angle and stick their foot in the ground and get north and find a crease there that you may not think is there because somebody didn’t fill (the gap) right, it’s tough going against not only one guy but when you have multiple guys it makes it really tough on the inside.”
(On what he has learned as a new head coach as opposed to a coordinator so far) – “I think the only thing that has been really different for me so far is some of the things that come across your desk. You would always hear other guys say, like I think once I was with (former Denver Broncos Head) Coach (John) Fox and he would always tell me the last few years, ‘There’s going to be some stuff that comes up and you’re just not going to want to deal with it and there’s no one else to go to.’ I remember when I was with (former Denver Broncos Head Coach) Josh McDaniels in Denver in 2009 and 2010, that was something that he also said to me, that you never realize until you get in this seat, some of the things you have to end up dealing with. It’s no different here. You end up working with some people or trying to have to deal with some issues that may not be directly related to players or coaches. It’s more organizational things that you have to take care of.”
(On the wackiest thing he has had to deal with as a head coach) – “I can’t even think … I haven’t had anything too crazy. I just know it’s like those little tiny things that come up and then all of a sudden you have five 20-minute discussions and then you’re looking up at the clock going, ‘Where did the time go?’ I think that’s what kind of gets you a little bit and you get out of the flow of what you’re doing.”
Adam Gase – September 6, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On how he feels about RB Arian Foster and DE Cameron Wake physically and mentally approaching the season opener) – “Feel good physically. Just watching those two guys work the way they do. How quickly obviously ‘Cam’ (Cameron Wake) came back. I wasn’t with Arian (Foster) until the summer but just seeing how those guys try to take care of their body, the way they practice, the way they really try to push themselves. I feel really good as far as going into Game 1 and kind of the plan that we had moving forward. So we can make sure that we have those guys for the duration. Having two guys like that that have been through a lot, have seen a lot of things, it’s always comforting as a coach to have guys like that on both sides of the ball because when things get tough, and they will because that’s the nature of this business, you know those guys are always going to be the ones leading the charge.”
(On what makes QB Russell Wilson different) – “I think his ability to push the ball down the field. I mean it just hasn’t changed since he came out of college. That was the one thing when he came out it was really a staggering completion percentage for throwing the ball down the field compared to everybody else. And his ability to keep plays alive. You can really have a massive breakdown and he’ll make something happen. He’s been that way since he’s gotten in the league from probably the first day, when he started playing in the preseason, and it just seems like he’s just been growing ever since.”
(On how much did he look at QB Russell Wilson and QB Ryan Tannehill coming out of college) – “It was probably more Russell (Wilson) then Ryan (Tannehill) because we were not thinking quarterback in that area that we were feeling (Tannehill) he was going. I know Russell (Wilson) is right in the conversation with a lot of the guys that we were looking at. I remember we had him in. I think we were really impressed with his football intelligence. It kind of jumped off with us right away. We were in a unique situation because Peyton (Manning) was coming off of all his things, as far as the neck and trying to figure out a new team and a new system. So we were trying to figure out what was the right fit for us. I think if (Wilson) would have been there that would have been interesting to see, as far as what would have happened there. Peyton (Manning) went on to play four more years after that. Russell (Wilson) got drafted by a great organization then had the opportunity to compete right out the gate, which obviously he was ready for.”
(On if CB Bryon Maxwell defending him three years in practice can help) – “Probably a little bit but sometimes that can hurt you too because you start overanalyzing everything. Then you start getting all, ‘Well, look out for this and then if he does this and you start…’ It goes overboard. Sometimes players being able to study guys on their own, coming to their own conclusion, that’s sometimes a better way to go about it because you just don’t want to put things in your head and then all of sudden it’s not what you thought.”
(On the decision to fly out to Seattle on Thursday) — “We just thought since it was the first game of the year, it would give us some more time out there to just get … That’s a long trip. The closest experience I think I had to it was when we flew out there for the Super Bowl this year and it just felt like you were on the plane for like a day. So we felt like getting out there, kind of getting our guys accustomed to the sleep patterns going on and finishing up the week out there. We just thought it was best and gave us the best chance to win, as far as getting our guys ready to go. We just want to feel as good as we can going into that game. We’ll see what the results are.”
(On if it goes well if he would consider doing that for the Los Angeles trip) – “I mean we’re going to kind of see. We’ve got an initial plan right now but we’re going to kind of see how everything goes on this trip. Obviously everything is day to day. We’ll see how it goes and then if we need to make some changes, then we’ll make them.”
(On if he thinks back to Super Bowl XLVIII and scheming up against the defense and what went wrong) – “Never… (Laughter). Yes! You lose the Super Bowl, 43-8, you try to figure out what went wrong. We got a chance to play them the third game of the season the next year and saw them in the first preseason game. Yes, you think about what went wrong.”
(On whether the Super Bowl XLVIII experience helped at all) – “Absolutely. When we went into that game, I think a lot of us felt like we were rolling at that time. Really, it was as close to a shutout as you can get. We got one (touchdown) late. (I) went back … You have to do a lot of soul searching at that point and reevaluate what you were doing and what went wrong and how you could’ve changed things.”
(On what he would have done differently in Super Bowl XLVIII) – “The one thing that we did that went against what we had done all season where, we went in with a game plan, we got down, and I think we started to press a little bit, and then it cost us because I called a couple plays in that game that forced Peyton (Manning) to have to push the ball down the field and our protection was … They got through, and he got hit a couple times. The ball popped up I know on the one (turnover). You get a pick-six (on you) the other way. It changes the whole momentum. We needed something good to happen, and it was like an avalanche for us.”
(On talking to CB Byron Maxwell about Super Bowl XLVIII) – “He talks about it a little bit, but he’ll remind me occasionally.”
(On whether CB Byron Maxwell is kind when mentioning Super Bowl XLVIII) – “No.” (laughter)
(On if he has a policy on players needing to practice by a certain time before being eligible to play in a game) – “For us to feel good, absolutely you’d love to be able to say, ‘We’d like to see you at practice one day.’ I think this is a little bit of an unusual week. We’re going to be able to push this thing all the way to the end. I think every situation is a little different. I think sometimes experience plays into that, to where you might be able to say, ‘We’re not going to have anything all week,’ and then he’s going to show up on Sunday and be able to do his job. I think every situation, it’ll present itself and you have to make the best decision for the team at the time.”
(On who the backup offensive tackles are) – “It just depends. I feel like you’re wishing something is going to happen to somebody. (laughter) We’ve repped them all. Basically, I think ‘B.A.’ (Branden Albert) is the only one we haven’t done anything – and Tunsil – as far as right tackle. But I feel like we got four guys that can play left tackle. We got a plan as far as if something happened at the backup right tackle, and we feel good about how we can swing some things on the inside.”
(On whether RB Kenyan Drake is an option on offense yet) – “He could be. I think once we get close to the game we’ll decide what way we’re going to go, who’s going to be on special teams, how many backs we want up. When you’re this early in the week, you have an idea, but you don’t want to … It’s in pencil. Once we get closer to the game, then we’ll have a better idea as far as, ‘These are the guys we’re going to go with.’”
(On his comfort level with the starting offensive line) – “I feel pretty good about it. I feel like they’re getting a good feel as far as the tempo of what we’re doing, how Ryan (Tannehill) is doing some things at the line of scrimmage and making changes and the way that we handle protections in run game and things like that. The nice thing … Really, (Larmey) Tunsil is the guy that’s trying to get caught up the quickest. Obviously, the rest of those guys have been practicing a lot more than him. (Jermon) Busrod being in the offense before, it’s just a different position for him not really necessarily terminology, not necessarily understanding why we do stuff. He knows that, it’s just at a different spot. As far as them knowing what to do, I feel really good about it. It’s (about) playing off of each other and understanding when the center does something, the guard is going to be able to play off of them. Same thing with the tackles with the guards. There is something to say about chemistry amongst those guys up front. I’ve seen it change midseason, and it worked as well. The longer guys can play together, obviously, the better they’re going to do when they work together.”
(On his comfort level with C/G Anthony Steen making protection calls) – “He has been great. He’s a sharp guy. He picked things up quick. For a guy that … When you get thrown in there and all of a sudden you’re the guy, that’s a lot on your plate. I haven’t seen him really change his demeanor from the day he arrived here, at least with us. He has been really good as far as dictating what we’re doing up front.”
(On whether DT Earl Mitchell can jump right back into playing after missing some time) – “I think he can jump right back into it. Obviously, we’re going to be somewhat smart with how many snaps he gets. I wouldn’t want him to run out there and play 65 snaps or anything like that. We’re going to be smart as far as how many snaps he actually gets in the game. Hopefully when he comes out of this, we keep moving on as far as increasing those numbers as the season goes on.”
(On whether he addresses an underdog) – “I guess it’s hard to really focus on that. We have so many other things going on. I’m sure me bringing that up … These guys aren’t going to … That’s not something they focus on. You never really hear players talk about, ‘We’re big-time underdogs,’ or ‘We’re big-time favorites.’ That’s so far back. We have so many other things to worry about than that.”
Byron Maxwell – September 6, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Cornerback Byron Maxwell
(On the biggest challenge as the veteran that is helping the young secondary play at a high level) – “I don’t think I really do it by myself. Really, (I) just lead by example and if they need some type of guidance or help, as far as off the field, I think that’s where I can help the most. That’s where you become a pro. I think, my example and what I do off the field helps more than anything – getting ready for the game, film study and things that (aren’t) necessarily on the field that helps.”
(On how anxious he is to start the regular season) – “I’m ready to play; I’m ready to go. Obviously, this (week) is big for me just because of the relationships I have on the other side of the field. I want to win even more so than any other game. It’s going to be fun, though.”
(On the key to beating or containing QB Russell Wilson and the offense) – “Practice is totally different than a game. ‘Russ’, I don’t want to say he’s a gamer, but the things he can do don’t necessarily show up in practice because he can escape and that’s a big part of his game. He’s a special player as far as that. Really, practice can’t really tell you what he can do. It’s going to be the first experience for me too, having to go against him. I was on the other side cheering for him. It’s going to be fun, though. I know he’s a competitor.”
(On if he can prepare the team for the 12th man effect in Seattle) – “Really, I don’t address stuff like that. I treat it as a normal away game. It’s the first game of the season, (so) you’re going to have some jitters but (I’m) just going out there to play and have fun. Football is football. If you make it bigger than what it should be, that’s when you start to get in trouble. You need to run, hit and play ball. That’s it.”
(On crowd noise not being a factor communication-wise) – “Well, when we’re on the field, it’s going to be quiet because (Seattle’s) offense is out (there). (For our) offense, I wouldn’t tell them to worry about. It’s an away game. It’s an NFL away game. It’s going to be hard and you have to play.”
(On what he can tell his teammates about Seattle QB Russell Wilson) – “Not really. Like I said, this is my second year being gone so they’ve changed a little bit. They do what they do but I just tell (our guys) that he’s a playmaker (and) he’s a good football player.”
(On the advantage to traveling to Seattle a few days early) – “I don’t know.”
(On if it matters that the team is traveling to Seattle a few days early) – “It doesn’t matter to me.”
(On if he still communicates with former Seahawks teammates and what that communication has been like) – “Right now, I haven’t really been texting anybody. You definitely communicate (with guys) because we did some special things and we accomplished a goal that not many players do so definitely, they’re my brothers. (But) I kind of want to shut that down until after the game.”
(On how important it is to read your keys going up against a mobile quarterback) – “You have to be disciplined with your eyes. Your eyes can’t be in the backfield because he can escape and you have to know the play is going to be extended. You just have to make sure you’re on that and be disciplined. The ball is coming your way. He has a big arm. He has a great arm and can make all of the throws.”
(On what it takes to be a great defense like he was part of in Seattle and if this group can do that) – “Definitely. I think obviously it takes great players (and) good coaches. To me, it takes depth too. The first guy has to be good but the second guy has to be just as good. We’ve got that here. It just takes experience, at the same time, and actually going out there and doing it and putting the work in. We’ve got to do that now. We’ve got to do a couple of things that are on that list but we’re definitely capable of being that team.”
(On his best memory from the Super Bowl run with Seattle other than the confetti falling) – “I mean the confetti fall is the best moment. That’s what you work for; that’s the feeling you want. That’s the feeling I want again. That’s it. Once you accomplish it, you’re like ‘This is what it is. This is what it feels like.’”
(On if he has talked trash to Head Coach Adam Gase about that game) – “No, but he brings it up every now and then.”
(On what Head Coach Adam Gase says when he brings up Super Bowl XLVIII) – “He’s suckered. He got blown out. (Laughter) The No. 1 offense got smashed.”
(On Super Bowl XLVIII and Head Coach Adam Gase) – “To be honest with you, the Super Bowl that we lost (in Seattle) sticks in my mind. So I understand.”
(On why he left Seattle) – “Oh, cash flow. All day.”
(On if the Seahawks were even in it with him when he became a free agent) – “They were close but I can’t make that back in my lifetime so I had to go.”
(On there not being any hard feelings when he left) – “No, definitely (not).”
(On if he remembers his days in Seattle fondly) – “Yes, I had a great time.”
(On who he remains close to up in Seattle) – “Really, the secondary guys (and Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Kris) Richard because you spent four years working with those guys in close quarters – six, seven, eight months. You get real close (to them).”
(On if it was fun to play in the Legion of Boom) – “Yes, definitely. It was a culture. It was definitely fun. I’m excited to go back.”
(On what he learned most from his time in Seattle) – “Just preparation. Preparing for the game and treating every game the same. The mindset (and) mentality is really what I learned.”
Arian Foster – September 6, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Running Back Arian Foster
(On if there is any added significance to the game because he’s coming back from an injury last year) – “Not really. I mean football is football. Any time you get the luxury of coming out here and doing what you love for a living, it’s always awesome. So I guess in that sense, it’s special. But I’m just another chess piece out there.”
(On any story behind the number change to 29) – “Yes. 34 just didn’t look good on me, in my opinion. So 29 was open and so I took it.”
(On being superstitious about numbers) – “No. Numbers are just numbers.”
(On if there was a moment in the preseason where he said he felt like his old self) – “Yes. It was probably around March or April, where I didn’t feel like I was, quote unquote, ‘supposed to feel’ at age 30 as a running back. You hear all of the geniuses that say that’s what’s supposed to happen at 30. But I feel like if you take care of your body and you train like I train, you should be able to do good things.”
(On if he’s curious to see what he’s got on Sunday or if he knows what’s in there) – “No. I’ve been playing so I pretty much know where I’m at physically. It’s just all about executing at this point.”
(On if there is a better test than going up against a Seattle defense for him) – “I know they’ve been dominant in this league for years now and they kind of set the mark of what a defensive team is supposed to do. So it’s going to be a tough one but it’s a great team to open up with because you know where you’re at after you play them.”
(On if he ever sets statistical goals for himself) – “Yes.”
(On what his statistical goals are this year) – “I don’t want to share them with you all though, because then you all take them and write articles about it. (Laughter)”
(On if he usually meets his goals) – “No, I haven’t. I haven’t met my goal yet. But I set them high.”
(On if he didn’t meet his goal even in his best season) – “No.”
(On the satisfaction of being at the top of the depth chart and if that’s important to him) – “It was never like a goal. I didn’t really think too much of it. You really can’t in this league because I’ve seen guys be at the top of the depth chart at the end of training camp and then they bring somebody else in and it’s just part of the business. So you just have to focus on being the best player you can be. I know it’s kind of cliché, but it’s true.”
(On if it was gratifying to be listed at the top of the depth chart after where he came from physically 11 months ago) – “I wasn’t dead (laughter). I had an injury. I’ve bounced back before.”
(On how he feels about his timing with C/G Anthony Steen) – “I feel your job as a running back is to be patient and that helps the line get on to the second level. So that’s what I try to do and emphasize. I feel like the line is gelling very well and I think we have the potential to do really good things this year. Everybody just has to stay patient and not get flustered when things don’t go your way because sometimes in this league you’ll have a game where you’ll have 50, 60, 70 yards and then you get on a roll. So you just have to stay patient.”
Darren Rizzi – September 6, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi
(On if WR Jakeem Grant will handle both punt and kickoff returns on Sunday) – “It’s still fluid. We’re going to see how that goes. He’s been taking a lot of reps all preseason. He’s been doing both and doing a good job at it. Obviously we have some other options there with Kenyan Drake now emerging in the last game and obviously Jarvis (Landry) is always there. We’re kind of going to go in with a committee and kind of see how it plays out. But Jakeem’s (Grant) definitely right there in the mix. He’ll be back there at some point, for sure.”
(On if it will depend on the situation throughout the course of the game if WR Jakeem Grant will handle punt and kickoff returns) – “Yes, I don’t want to say too much with that. I think it will depend on a lot of different factors. We’ll see kind of what the elements are and how it plays out but again, he’s really done a nice job all preseason. He’s definitely in the mix. He’ll be back there, like I said, at some point; whether we have two guys, one guy, we still have a lot of different options we can do. We can put two kick returners back. We could put two punt returners back. You guys kind of know who those guys are. But all that’s going to be, like it could be situationally, it could be game plan. So all of that’s open right now still.”
(On what his message would be to a young guy like WR Jakeem Grant on making his professional debut) – “The biggest thing is kind of tuning all of the noise out. He’s done such a good job. For a guy that’s never fielded a punt in college and really hasn’t done it since high school, he really did a nice job in the preseason. He’s probably fielded 10,000 punts between the time he got drafted and now. Just whether it’s fielding a punt, snapping a ball or kicking a ball, the message always to those guys is ‘Lock into what you’re doing.’ It’s kind of like a golfer. A specialist and a punt returner is kind of in that same category – it’s kind of like a golfer. You lock into a guy. You hear a guy like Tiger Woods talk all the time about just being on the practice green. It’s the same exact putt. Just block out all the noise. That’s kind of been the same message to these guys. I look at a returner no different than the snapper, holder, kicker or punter in that regard. ‘You’ve done it a million, you’ve done it 10,000 times. It’s just another example of doing it. Don’t let the emotion, all that stuff, don’t get caught up in that stuff.’”
(On what he would tell WR Jakeem Grant on playing in a tough environment) – “He’s played in some big games, obviously. His conference is pretty big. He played in front of a lot of people. We tell Jakeem (Grant), as well as all the other guys, it’s just like I said, ‘You’ve got to put yourself in the moment. You practiced this a million times. Don’t let this situation, the environment, dictate what you’re capable of doing. Again, just stay mentally locked in. Stay in the moment and just go and do what you know you’re capable of doing.’”
(On if in practice he’s been looking at RB Kenyan Drake both on punts and kickoffs or just punts) – “He’s done both. He’s done both actually and he’s another guy that didn’t get a whole lot of punt returns in his career in college but since he’s been back, it’s another phase he’s been working on. I said to him the other day in the pregame warmups against Tennessee, it was actually the best kind of period I saw him have catching punts, just real smooth. Kenyan’s (Drake) a guy that’s got a lot of confidence and he doesn’t really get shaken by much. So that’s a good thing for a returner, especially a young guy.”
(On two guys that he has great confidence in their ability to cover kicks and punts) – “That’s a great question. I’ll tell you what, we have four guys back that really did a good job last year. You look at Michael Thomas, you look at Walt Aikens, you look at Damien Williams (and) Spencer Paysinger. Those four returning players are guys that are all core guys for us last year and have kind of continued that trend. At one point or another last year, all four of those guys were at the top of the pile in terms of core players. Mike (Thomas) got thrust into playing a lot because of injuries last year. Then Walt (Aikens) took over for a while. There was a stretch of games – maybe six or seven games – where Damien Williams was playing as well as anybody on special teams in our division. I don’t just mean the Dolphins, I mean our division. Then Spencer Paysinger is kind of just a steady guy. He’s led our team now … he led our team in tackles last year on kickoff. Mike (Thomas) led it in punt. All four of those guys have really been impressive and I’ll tell you what, they’ve really all provided veteran leadership during this training camp and this preseason for some of the younger guys like (Kenyan) Drake, (Leonte) Carroo and (Jakeem) Grant – some of these younger guys that may play on Sunday. That’s been a very fortunate thing for me is to have those veteran-type guys. (I’m) very, very happy with where they are and all four of them not only have great ability to cover kicks; but just like I said, kind of that maturity. That veteran leadership has been really, really good.”
(On who made the team that was a bubble guy that he pushed for because of their special teams abilities) – “I don’t think it’s a secret, Mike Hull was probably a bubble guy coming into camp. And he played as well as anybody on special teams, on this team, in the four preseason games. Not only special teams, but defensively as well. That’s just not my opinion. The numbers kind of say that as well. (He was one of the) more productive players. You talk to (Linebackers Coach) Matt Burke and talk to our defensive coaches, they’ll tell you the same thing. There wasn’t a more productive guy. There’s guys that may have played more plays and all that, but this guy just really got people on the ground on defense and on special teams and that was impressive. Not surprising, but it was very, very impressive. I told the story awhile back about going up to Penn State last year with my daughters – she now attends Penn State – and talking to their coaches. They couldn’t say enough great things about him and his leadership. So they’re not surprised either up there in good old ‘Happy Valley.’ But here’s a guy that was a captain there and has really just shown tremendous … Here’s a guy that’s been told his whole life you’re too small, you’re too slow and all this. ‘You can’t play Division I football,’ or ‘You’re not going to be big enough to play in the NFL,’ and all he does is go out there and make plays. So he’s a guy that maybe was a question mark coming into the preseason, and he just kind of every week, earned his way onto the football team in both defense and special teams, for what it’s worth.”
