Ryan Tannehill – October 7, 2018 (Postgame)
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Sunday, October 7, 2018
Postgame – Cincinnati Bengals
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Ryan Tannehill (transcribed by Cincinnati Bengals)
(Can you take us through the pick-six?) – “We had play-action called. They got quick pressure, and I was moved to the right, with the receivers to the left. I was just trying to throw it away and not take the sack there and put us in a long-yardage situation. I had two tight ends there, I tried to just dump it down low to the back of Durham (Smythe). It ended up going off his helmet and right into somebody else’s hands.”
(What changed in the second half?) – “They did a good job. Of our two drives in the third quarter, we had the field goal, then we came back and had the third-and-one. They did a good job of covering up. We didn’t really get what we wanted there once we got outside. Past that, in the fourth quarter, they did a good job on defense getting pressure and not letting us get to what we wanted to downfield.”
(How do you feel about the quarterback sneak call that came in?) – “I like the call. It’s something we worked throughout the week. We liked the call throughout the week and it was something we felt good about. They did a good job of disrupting our slide guy coming across, Albert (Wilson). They latched onto him, latched on to the over and all we had was the one-on-one downfield, so I tried to put it up and let Kenny (Stills) make a play, get a pass interference or something like that. You just have to give credit to them. They did a good job of taking it away from us.”
(Do you feel there’s still enough to build on with this offense?) – “Yes, no question. I think we got the run game going today, so that was good. We got Frank (Gore) going downhill. We had efficient runs, which was huge. Coming off last week, we didn’t have the efficient runs on first and second down. We got positive yardage on our run game, I felt really good about what we did in the run game. We just have to be cleaner all the way around, convert third downs and stay on the field.”
(What was going through your mind on the second Bengals defensive score?) – “I didn’t know what happened. I was getting hit as I was throwing it. I was just trying to dump it and not take a 9-yard sack there. I really didn’t know what happened. I heard the crowd cheer and everyone running away from me, so I knew something bad happened.”
(Were you trying to throw it to the ground?) – “Yes, I was trying to throw it low to Durham (Smythe) there, the only player on that side of the field to throw the ball away and not get a grounding call. I was trying to avoid a grounding call. Looking back at it, I wish I would’ve just took the sack and live to fight another day. I was just trying to be smart with the football and not take a sack.”
(What happened on the third-and-17?) – “I had the double-move on the outside with Jakeem (Grant), got a middle safety, what we were looking for. I felt pressure coming from the right, stepped up and moved to the left. Jakeem was in front of his guy downfield. I was just trying to get the ball to him and got hit as I was releasing it.”
(How tough is it to play with backups out there on your line?) – “Anytime starters go down, it’s hard, but our guys came in and battled. You have to give credit to the defense – they did a good job of getting pressure and shaking things up. But it’s part of football. We have to have that next-man-up mentality and be able to be ready to go when your number is called.”
(Do you feel confident you can correct the offense with Chicago looming next week?) – “Yes. We just have to come back and to go work. I felt good about the plan coming in. We left some opportunities early on the field, then we kind of got in a groove a little bit there in the second quarter. Even in the third quarter, we felt good about what we were doing. It all started with the turnover. That’s on me. I can’t let that happen. I have to find a way to take the sack or throw it away to a different spot or something. I can’t turn the ball over in that situation. That really gave them the momentum and put us on our heels a little bit. That’s squarely on me. Regardless of what happens up front, I have to take care of the football.”
(Do you look at the big picture, still being 3-2?) – “I’m not worried about the big picture right now. I’m just worried about getting better because obviously we didn’t finish the way we want to finish, we expect to finish. That’s on me. We have to go back to work, take a look at the tape and evaluate what I can do better and be ready to go next week.”
(Why do you think the passes to RB Kenyan Drake worked today?) – “Kenyan’s great out of the backfield. That’s something that we like doing. He good, he’s fast, he has great hands. He’s a matchup problem on the outside. It’s something that’s always going to be in our game plan, and I felt like he executed well today getting out of the backfield.”
(Do you still have an offensive identity?) – “Yes. I don’t think our identity changed. Like I said, I felt good about the run game. I felt like we were executing on first and second downs for three quarters. We just have to find a way to finish when things go sideways a little bit and there’s some adversity. When Laremy Tunsil goes down, when we have a turnover, we just have to tighten up, find a way to keep playing and get points on the board.”
(What do you think about the way the defense played?) – “The defense played great today. I’m really happy how they played and I’m really proud of the way they battled. They did a great job all day and got an early turnover. Special teams made some big plays for us, the blocked field goal and the return. The defense did a great job. This is squarely on me, squarely on the offense and that’s my responsibility. It’s my fault.”
(Can you put your finger on the last two games?) – “The last two games were completely different, the way last game went and the way this game went. We felt really good this game. I felt like we finally got into a groove a little bit in the second quarter. We obviously didn’t come out to the start we wanted to, but we got into a groove there in the second quarter. Even in the third quarter, we felt good about what was going on, felt good about our game plan, how we were attacking them, and then it all unraveled starting with the turnover. Like I said, it’s on me and I have to find a way to eliminate those plays and get the ball in the end zone.”
(Do you think there’s something to these fluky turnovers?) – “The fumble, I don’t know if I can do much about that. I tried to make a play on third-and-17. I knew the guy was chasing me but didn’t know how close he was. He’s like 6’8 and has really long arms. He made a really good play on it. But the first one, it’s squarely on me. I was just trying to make a smart play by not taking a sack and it ended up kind of getting unlucky and being a dumb play. I just have to take care of the football, and live for another down.”
