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Xavien Howard – December 7, 2020 Download PDF version

Monday, December 7, 2020

CB Xavien Howard

(Another pick for you this week. A lot of your teammates are trying to make the case for you for defensive player of the year. A lot of times that’s been a pass rusher award, but CB Stephon Gilmore won it last year. What’s been the case for a cornerback to win that award in your opinion?) – “I feel like if I continue to play the way I’ve been playing, I feel like it will take care of itself. It’s an honor for guys to mention my name for Defensive Player of the Year. If I continue to play the way I’ve been playing, I feel like everything will take care of itself.”

(Earlier today, Head Coach Brian Flores was saying that you’re one of the best corners he’s ever been around. I was trying to think of some of the guys he has coached, but maybe you guys have discussed it. I was thinking of CB Stephon Gilmore, CB Darrelle Revis, CB Devin McCourty. Have you guys ever talked about the corners he’s coached and has he ever brought up some of the things they do well?) –“Not really. I don’t really bring up other cornerbacks, and he’s never brought up any cornerbacks. We are all different in a way, so I just focus on what I can get better at and what he can coach me to get better at. That’s the only thing I really focus on. It’s an honor for him to even say that. I just got to put my head down and keep going to work.”

(You are two interceptions shy of the franchise record of interceptions this season. That record goes back to 1967. It’s been 53 years since somebody has had double-digit interceptions in a Dolphins uniform. Do you feel like that’s a record that’s within reach, and what would it mean to you to put your name in the history book like that?) – “That would be great. The way I’m getting a pick damn near every week, just keep that going. I’m really not focused on – I wouldn’t say like making history or something like that. I’m just playing day-in and day-out and really just trying to put my team in the best situation to win. It’s not really on my behalf of being selfish. It’s a whole team effort. When everything starts getting together and people start making plays, it helps the team out. That’s what my main focus is on, not really just Defensive Player of the Year or making history. I’m just playing and everything at the end of the season will take care of itself.”

(I have to ask you about your emotions as you walked off yesterday. The game obviously not complete and you had to walk off. What was going through your mind and do you think that Bengals WR Tyler Boyd thought that you shoved him rather than CB Byron Jones?) – “Yeah, he didn’t know who shoved him, so he just came up and did what he did. I didn’t throw a punch, so I thought it was a BS call; but I put my team in a bad situation. That can’t happen down the stretch because these games are important games for us and my team needs me out there.”

(You have to be excited about this matchup because it’s the Super Bowl champions and they are playing at a high level with this offense. What will it mean for you guys to come out and be the defense that you’ve shown all season?) – “We’ve just got to keep that going, from everybody’s aspect. We’ve got to win all three phases. This is a good team, an explosive offense. Just contain them guys, it’s going to be a big matchup for us all. If we just play and win all three phases, I feel like we’ll be on top.”

(You mentioned that matchup, and obviously they got WR Tyreek Hill on the other side. He’s been making a lot of big plays for a while. What do you think about that matchup? Do you anticipate being on him and what would winning that matchup say for you as a corner?)  – “I really don’t know our game plan, like what matchup we’re going to have. Whatever matchup they have, I feel like they are going to put us in the best position to make plays and win. With them guys, there is Tyreek Hill but there’s also Sammy Watkins and (Travis) Kelce. And (Demarcus) Robinson also. There’s a lot of weapons they have, so we can’t just focus on one guy because it’s a bunch of guys that they got that can hurt a defense.”

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