WR Jaylen Waddle
(10 catches for 92 yards and 1 touchdown. How did it feel playing in your first Monday Night Football game?) – “It was great, it was great. Really any time we win or get a W, it’s always great. It was fun. It was fun.”
(What are your thoughts on tying the Monday Night Football record with WR Jerry Rice on 10 receptions for a rookie?) – “Yeah, I didn’t even really know. I just literally found out like five minutes ago. Jerry Rice is the GOAT so anything with him is an honor.”
(The first team in NFL history to have seven straight losses and then seven straight wins in the same season, what does that say about the way that you guys were able to stick together?) – “It just really speaks to the team, how we are going to fight with each other every week. Every opportunity we get, we are just going to try to go out there and just compete.”
(After you scored the touchdown, I wrote down WR Jaylen Waddle touchdown run but I messed that up. It goes in the record books as a touchdown pass and catch. What do you think about that?) – “It was pretty cool. I know it was a weird play design. It was smooth. I liked the play call. It was a great play call. Our OC called it at that time. It’s pretty fun any time you score. It’s hard to score in this league so any time you score is big.”
(You guys have had some good success in the red zone, what do you like about the types of plays that are being called in the red zone?) – “I think our OC does a good job of keeping the defense honest in how they play us specifically in that area. I like it. I think we are doing good. Still room to improve here and there, but I like it.”
(I know you don’t necessarily keep track of these things, but on this 10-receptions game, you are on pace to break WR Anquan Boldin’s rookie record for receptions. Is that something that would be important to you?) – “Important… I wouldn’t say it’s something I got my mind focused on, but I’m all for it as long as it comes with some wins. It would obviously be pretty cool because the NFL is a special league, so anything in this league to have a record in is always big.”
(You’re now in the No. 7 position for the AFC standings meaning if you win out, you get in the playoffs. You don’t need any help. What’s it like to move into that position and when did you become aware that you would not need any help from another team?) – “Really just right now. Honestly, I think our team does a good job of staying on course, taking it one day at a time, one play at a time and then just going out there and competing when it comes time to compete.”
RB Phillip Lindsay
(I know you’ve only been here for about a month but obviously this is a team that was 1-7 not too long ago and now this team is 8-7 with the opportunity to go to the playoffs if you guys win your next two games. What was the emotion like in the locker room and how are guys feeling just knowing that you guys are in control of your own destiny now?) – “Emotions are high. Everybody is excited. You have a team that was 1-7 and now we’ve won, how many have we won? Six, six straight? Seven straight. That’s hard to do in the NFL. Honestly, I’ve always wondered how it would feel to be on a team that has turned it around like this. It’s a great atmosphere. It’s a tight-knit family here and everybody grinds for each other. Everybody takes care of each other, and I think it’s just one of those things where we keep it 1-0 and we kind of just go with the flow of things. One play at a time and it is really, truly, honestly just one play at a time. You look up and you got big plays being made and I think that’s why we are able to be as successful as we are right now.”
(I wanted to ask you about the catch for WR Mack Hollins in the third quarter. It seemed like that was a big moment for you guys?) – “Definitely. Mack (Hollins) had a great catch. Somebody needed to make a play. He made a play, but he’s honestly, if you really go and watch the whole fil, he’s doing a lot of dirty work. He’s a phenomenal player on punt. As you guys can see, he’s downing the punt at the 1-inch yard line. That’s the type of stuff that wins games. It’s how good your special teams can do. Can you make those big plays? Mack came up really big for us and I’m proud of him. It’s exciting to see a player like that with so much energy that just kind of goes and takes it one play at a time. Honestly, it seems like nothing fazes him and he has fun and it shows up. Hats off to Mack for doing that.”
(It was a three-pronged rushing attack tonight. How do the skills of you, RB Duke Johnson and RB Myles Gaskin complement each other?) – “I think you’re coming to the end of the season where people are getting banged up. People are getting banged up and you definitely need – it’s not just us – we have a couple other running backs other that if needed will do well. I think that that helps out a lot and I think that we do complement each other well. We’re getting the dirty yards right now and we always say we need to stay ahead of the chains and that’s what it’s all about. We all want to make those big plays and things and they will come as time goes on, but it’s key that we stay in front of the chains, get those dirty yards because it adds up at the end of the game.”
(I wanted to ask you about the Wildcat as well. Obviously, you’ve been added to it tonight, is that something you enjoy doing?) – “Yeah, I mean it’s something that I’ve done before and honestly, I had to do it against the Saints last year when we had no quarterbacks in Denver. I’m kind familiar with it and it’s just kind of shocking that back in Denver, we had no quarterbacks when we played the Saints and now when we play the Saints again, the majority of their quarterbacks are out. It’s a coincidence, but it is what it is.”
DT Zach Sieler
(I wanted to ask you what it was like to be part of a defensive game where the team has eight sacks?) – “It’s a team effort. Defensive effort right there. It takes all 11, coverage and the rush – get them married together. I think we did a good job of putting those two together today.”
(I got to ask, is that your chain?) – “No. (laughter)”
(Who’d you borrow that from?) – “(Adam) Butler.”
(When you’re playing like this and you got a rookie quarterback making his first start, is it just an opportunity for a defense to pin its ears back and just attack? It’s not like he’s seen a whole lot of film in his NFL career.) – “I think it’s more so you have to do more of your technique. You don’t know what’s going to happen. I think you just got to play our game. You can’t get overzealous or too excited about anything. I think it’s just as much as any other time to play your technique and do your job.”
CB Nik Needham
(I know that coming into this game you guys were respectful of Saints QB Ian Book and what the Saints were going to be doing in terms of preparation, but as you get into that game and you just know that everything is going, just how much fun is that as a defense to know that you guys can just kind of dial it up and it’s going to work and you’re going to have your way?) – “Today was definitely fun. When we can just execute like that throughout the whole game; I think they caught a little hot drive I think right before halftime so we went in there and just regrouped and said, let’s do what we’ve been doing all game and you can see that in the second half. We were all just having fun, celebrating with each other and it’s tough to beat a team like that so we were just trying to just keep doing that and keep feeding off that energy.”
(The fact of the matter is right now you guys don’t need any help whatsoever. You take care of your business, win two more games, you’re in the playoffs. What’s that feeling like?) – “We just have to take it one week at a time just like we’ve been telling each other all year. When it comes down to this part of the year each week is the most important game of the year, like you said, so these next two weeks are the most important games of the year. But we’ve just got to take it one week at a time and just go out there next week to Tennessee and just try to execute what we did today and just try to feed off this game.”
(Have you ever been part of a game where you held the opponent 0-for-12 on third downs and how much did that really drive – what was the catalyst that drove the defensive performance today?) – “I think like you said we’re kind of the edge and each week is the most important game of the year and I think just trying to do that. But no, I’ve never been a part of a game where we held a quarterback or offense to 0-for-12. I would say that’s somewhat impressive. I don’t know if there’s a better record or something like that, but I’ve never been a part of anything like that, so hats off to all the guys on defense working hard and executing. Just everybody being on the same page. And I think that’s why it resulted in that and Ian Book – rookie quarterback – we mixed up some looks on him so had him a little confused out there and I think that’s what also played a big part in that, and we did a good job on first and second down throughout most of the game just holding them to like, 1-3 yards and getting them on third-and-long instead of third-and-short.”
(Your pick-six. Can you take me through that play from your perspective? How you saw it develop and also just what it felt like to make a play like that right off the bat on Monday Night Football on that stage, that platform?) – “It was great. I’ve never had a pick-six ever in my life so that was my first one ever, so that was real cool and definitely like you said, it was cool – first play in just get right to it. We came out in man, but they didn’t have a really good protection look so we just went max blitz on them so we knew the ball had to come out quick, so I was just staring at the quarterback. Right when he said ‘hut’ he was looking at the slot and he was about to throw it before the receiver even broke, so I was just staring at the quarterback and broke and then I think the ball got tipped or something like that. Just landed right in my hands and it was lit. (laughter)”
DT Christian Wilkins
(I know you guys still have two more regular season games left, but knowing that you started 1-7, seven straight wins and you’ve got an opportunity to control your own playoff destiny I guess what do you want the overarching message to be when people look at your team and kind of talk about this team and what you guys have overcome and accomplished?) – “Really we just stayed the course throughout the whole season. We didn’t grow weary. We just stuck with the program, stuck with what we knew and even when things were tough we just took it one day at a time, one game at a time and that’s what we’ll continue to do the rest of the season. That seems to be the right mindset and that’s the approach we’ll take. That’s the approach we have taken; that’s the approach we will continue to take.”
(And when you guys woke up this morning were you personally aware of kind of how the outcomes of Sunday’s game affected your trajectory? Were you aware that you guys were in a win and you’re in situation?) – “You hear rumbles here and there, but I don’t pay too much attention to it. All I know is that we’ve just got to control what we can control and then the rest will take care of itself.”
(Got to ask you about stripping Saints RB Alvin Kamara of his towel. Was that something that you planned you were going to do? Was that just a spur-of-the-moment decision to get into his head? Kind of what was going through your mind?) – “I’m not going to really get too much into that, but like a lot of things I do throughout the course of the game are all just in good fun. I don’t mean any harm by anything. It’s just I’m a big kid out there. I have a lot of fun. Little gamesmanship, but I definitely don’t ever want to cost my team anything so in certain situations I’ve got to be smarter, but like I said it’s always in just good fun and just a little gamesmanship.”
(Obviously you guys have rushed the passer really well in this stretch. Great coverage. But as far as stopping the run that’s obviously been something you all have done very well in these straight wins. Can you talk a little bit about the factors contributing to that whether it’s your play, DT Zach Sieler, DT Raekwon Davis being back, your linebacker play – what would you point to as reasons why you all are doing well against the run?) – “Really it’s just a collective effort. I feel like the biggest mindset is just everyone is focusing on their job. No one is trying to do too much. No one is trying to be heroes and the good thing about this defense is we’ve got a lot of guys who can get it done and do a good job and so you never know who it’s going to be. Who has a big game or makes a lot of plays or whatever, but we’ve got a lot of guys who focus on doing their job and try to do it well and just playing off each other. We’ve got a lot of guys who have now played together for two and three years so there’s good chemistry built and just good confidence in each other. You know, ‘E. Rob’ (Elandon Roberts) says something; I’m shutting up, I’m listening. If I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m thinking about doing this, whatever’ you can kind of just play off each other and you kind of know what each other’s strengths and weaknesses and it just all helps.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores mentioned the character of this team and you guys being together throughout the ups and downs of the season. How would you describe what you see from your teammates now that you’ve been able to win seven games, close to the playoffs? What do you see from your teammates day-in and day-out?) – “Really just a group of guys who are about each other, who love playing together, love the game of football. Bunch of guys who just take it one day at a time. Bunch of guys who want to be their best each and every time they walk into the facility, they walk onto that field. And that’s just the mindset we have.”
(Outstanding performance by the defense. Eight total sacks. How were you all able to give Saints QB Ian Book different looks and what will it take for you all next week to continue this effort?) – “Yeah, we were able to do some good stuff today as a defense. Happy about the way we fought. We just competed. We came out here and did a pretty good job. It was a solid performance. There’s always things we can improve on to get better at and that’s just it. We’re going to have to find what we didn’t do so well and improve on that and continue to do things we did do well. It’s all about getting better. You’re never a finished product and you’ve just got to have that one-day-at-a-time mindset.”
LB Jerome Baker
(I’m just curious as you woke up this morning and you were kind of getting ready for the game and preparing yourself, were you aware of how Sunday’s games kind of shook out and how you guys essentially in a win and you’re in situation? Right now if you guys win your final two games you’ll be in the playoffs. Were you aware of how all that came to be this weekend?) – “No, not really. I just knew we’ve got to come out here and win a game so I didn’t really – I’m not going to say I didn’t care, but I wasn’t looking forward to or looking out for it.”
(Well now that you’re – after a 1-7 start, seven straight wins – just knowing that you are in that situation now and you just have to kind of take care of what’s in front of you, I guess what’s the mindset of the team? How do you personally feel about that?) – “Just keep it going. What we’ve been doing, it’s been working. Just taking it one day at a time, one game at a time. It’s been working for us so why change it. I think that’s our approach right now, is just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
(You had 8 sacks, you gave up 164 yards and 0-for-12 on third down. When you look at some of those numbers how do you assess this defensive performance? Could you ask for much more than that?) – “I’m sure ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) will have some corrections. That’s one thing I’m pretty sure he’ll have. Josh (Boyer) is the same. That’s just the approach of our team, is just we just want to get better and better and better, and we know we can accomplish some great things so at the end of the day we’re just going to take that approach and just keep getting better. We could’ve played better. We’re going to enjoy this one and worry about next week.”
(You guys are the first team in NFL history to have seven straight losses and seven straight wins in the same season. What does that say about the character of this group?) – “It says a lot. That we believe in our coaching staff, we believe in each other, and anything is possible. We’ve just got to take it one day at a time. It’s been working for us so I’m going to keep saying that and we’ve just got to continue just doing what we’ve been doing and keep getting it done.”
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(I know obviously you and WR Jaylen Waddle have a connection going back to Alabama, but could you have foresaw him having this amount of impact as a rookie inching closer to the rookie reception record, breaking all these franchise records and just the impact that he’s had on the offense. Is that something you could have seen back in summer workouts?) – “I’m not a genie, so I’m not going to say that I did foresee that in Jaylen’s future, but I knew that he had a lot of potential of course just being able to play with him at Alabama and then also the OTAs that we’ve had together and leading up into training camp, he’s done a really good job. You could just see his development within his understanding of coverages, his understanding of getting open fast against man coverage and then blitz, man and so forth. I think he’s done a great job for us and I did just hear about his record so congratulations to him.”
(I wanted to let’s walk through that interception pass that you had in the game. Could you walk us through what you saw on the field and why did you go to WR Mack Hollins?) – “Just stepped up and I thought I could give Mack a good back-shoulder. Didn’t expect him to break it across like it happened but took a chance there. Obviously we could have hit the easier throw, the easier pass to Jaylen (Waddle) on the in-cut on that play, but it was what it was. I think our defense did outstanding giving us opportunities that we obviously need to capitalize on. But that was that.”
(You mentioned the Dolphins defense with eight sacks, holding the opponent to 0-for-12 on third down. How does that impact the throws that you want to make knowing how solid the defense has been?) – “We always stress playing complementary football so the defense giving the offense the ball back and the offense capitalizing on those turnovers and then also in the kicking game whether it’s a punt; being able to back their team and putting our defense in a good situation and vice versa with our kick return and our punt return game. It’s definitely something that gives us life whether it’s the offense scoring on the first drive or scoring in general or the defense getting a big third-down stop or getting a turnover and scoring. It’s definitely something that gives I would say this team life.”
(I wanted to ask you about the throw in the third quarter to WR Mack Hollins that seemed to be a big moment in the game. I just wanted to get your thoughts on that and the confidence you have in him in making the catch.) – “Yeah, I have a lot of confidence giving all our guys the ball. We ran that play flipped going the same way, I think it was the first quarter – and I hit Jaylen (Waddle) on that third-down conversion and coming back to the sideline Mack (Hollins) was open. So we knew they’d have a plan to either double Jaylen or force Jaylen to break in and to the … so when we did come back to it, I thought I’d give Mack a shot on that and I think he did a great job of tracking the ball and catching it.”
(You guys are the first team in NFL history to have seven straight losses and seven straight wins in the same season. What does that say about the character of this locker room?) – “I think it speaks a lot to the character of this locker room. A lot of the guys like I’ve been saying spend time with each other outside of the locker room and I think that’s what helps build the chemistry on the field for us. And it can only get stronger from here, I would say, so it’s hard to get a win on the road especially in a hostile environment like this, but we’ll take it and we’ll move on to who we’re playing next.”
Head Coach Brian Flores
(I know the season isn’t over and you guys still have at least two more games to play in the regular season, but to start 1-7 and to win seven games and put yourselves in position where you just need to win and be in the playoffs I guess what do you want the overarching message to be for anyone that looks at your team and the turnaround that you’ve had this season?) – “I think this team stuck together really the entire year. I think obviously we dealt with a lot of adversity early in the year and I think it revealed a lot. I would say it revealed the character of the guys in our locker room. Revealed that some people are with you and some people were on the fence and I think our guys just kept fighting. They kept sticking together and I think they support each other, they work hard, they give great effort. And when you do those things you put yourself in position to get the results you’re looking for.”
(Can you talk about your defensive approach against Ian Book making his NFL debut and Nik Needham’s early pick-6 setting the tone in that regard?) – “Credit to Josh (Boyer) and the defensive staff. They had a nice game plan – mixing coverages, mixing the fronts. They did a good job stopping the run which was a big emphasis. I thought the guys just played hard, they played fast, they gave great effort. We knew it was going to be a 60-minute game. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It’s a physical Saints team. Sean (Payton) had them ready, made some adjustments in the game that we had to make some adjustments so thought they had a good plan. We just made a few more plays than they did.”
(It was referenced a little bit earlier but just to be more specific about it. The Dolphins are currently in playoff position with two games to play. What are your thoughts on the idea that the team does not have to rely on anybody else? Focus on the games ahead for the Dolphins.) – “I think the games this week – we’ll enjoy tonight, but the game ahead is going to be as tough as any game we’re going to play. I’ve already taken a look at Tennessee. Obviously I know Mike (Vrabel). I have a lot of respect for him. I know he’ll have his guys ready so we’ll enjoy tonight – it was a hard-fought 60-minute game so we’ll enjoy this one and then we’ll turn the page and get started on our next opponent.”
(In terms of what this team has been able to accomplish going and winning seven straight games how difficult is that – I know every game is a one-game playoff situation and you have a linear focus on the season – but to win seven straight games is kind of an accomplishment?) – “I think it’s really just one in a row and that’s really all we’re trying to do. That’s kind of the approach and I think our guys have kind of taken to that approach and the preparation, how important the preparation is, the preparation that’s needed to get results in this league. There’s a lot that goes into that. There’s a lot of work, a lot of working together. I think George (Godsey), Eric (Studesville), Danny (Crossman), Josh (Boyer) – our coaching staff is doing a nice job of putting together game plans and giving our guys a chance to have success. Now the focus is to try to do it one more time.”
(I wanted to get a little clarity on the answer you gave earlier. You said that it revealed a lot about your locker room. It revealed that some people were with you and some people were on the fence. Was that talking about people outside the building or inside of the building?) – “There’s distractions always and when things aren’t going your way I think it just reveals a lot about a lot of things, I would say. I’ve always had belief in this team – our players, our coaches. Maybe there were some people who didn’t share that same belief and I understand why, but at the end of the day it’s not about anyone else. It’s about the guys in that locker room and the guys in our building and the people in our building and we believe in each other. And at the end of the day that’s all that matters.”
