Head Coach Brian Flores
(Opening Statement) – “First I’d like to send thoughts, prayers and condolences to the soldiers who died in Afghanistan. We have a lot of freedoms and liberties in this country and we have those because of their sacrifices and I just want to send thoughts, prayers and condolences to the families and loved ones of those soldiers. It’s a sad day. It’s been a sad few days, I should say.”
(We’ll get to the game of course but yesterday a report named the Dolphins the front-runner in trade talks for QB Deshaun Watson. Your reaction and are you and General Manager Chris Grier still pursuing Watson?) – “Reports (and) speculation are not things we really get into. Look, I understand the question; but as I’ve said in the past, any conversations we have or don’t have with other clubs are going to be internal. I’ve been pretty steadfast about that – with our players, with other clubs – and that will remain the case.”
(Can you address your confidence in QB Tua Tagovailoa and did you have to address it with him? Did you have any talks with him?) – “I’m very confident in Tua. He’s done a lot of good things this spring, this offseason, this training camp. He played well last week. Again, my conversations with the players are going to always remain between me and that player. I talk to a lot of players every day. Obviously I spend a lot of time with the quarterbacks. But yeah, those conversations will remain between myself and that player.”
(You have three preseason games done. You’ve got two more weeks before the season opener. Are you optimistic with where you’re at right now? Do you like where you’re at right now from what you’ve done up until this point?) – “There are a lot of things that I like. I think we’ve got a good group that works hard. They have good camaraderie. They have fun playing together. Hopefully people who watch us can see that. They’ve really worked hard. I think we’re moving in the right direction but there’s still a lot of work to be done. I’ve always felt like preseason, training camp, preseason games, you’re still kind of forming your team; and I would say that’s the case for us right now. What role certain guys are going to play, I think that will be determined over – some of it’s been determined over training camp but more of it we’ll see over these next two weeks of practice and obviously when we get into regular-season games. But I like where we’re at. I like the guys we have. I know they’re tough, they’re smart, they’re competitive and they work. I think when you work and you get a lot of guys going in the right direction, in the same direction, there’s potential for a lot of improvement.”
(Can you talk about this game a little bit? QB Reid Sinnett comes in and plays the whole game and throws for 343 yards and a couple of touchdowns. He looked pretty sharp out there.) – “Yeah, I was excited for Reid. Another young player who was on our practice squad last year. He’s really made a lot of improvements and got an opportunity today and took advantage of that opportunity. I thought he played well, led, made some big throws, took some hits. Every play wasn’t perfect. He had an interception early but battled back. He really led that group. There were a lot of guys who played a lot of football today and really played a full game and had to battle through. Reid was one of them but he was also a guy who was very supportive and bringing guys along throughout the game. He battled until the bitter end and made a play at the end. I was excited for him.”
(You only dressed 45 guys. There are limited roster spots available. Were there some guys out there today who may have earned a job?) – “Certainly. There were certainly some guys out there who – I’ll have to review the film but from what I observed throughout today’s game, there are some guys who are close that played well. There’s some hard decisions we’re going to have to make coming up in these next couple of days. Myself, our staff, Chris (Grier) and his staff, we’ll talk about it. We’ll talk through a myriad of things and reasons to keep guys or to not keep guys. And at the same time, we’re looking at various players who might be available on other teams. There’s a lot that goes on these next couple of days and we’ll certainly be busy.”
(We saw WR Kirk Merritt make plays, WR Khalil McClain and WR Malcolm Perry. Does a game like today kind of encapsulate how difficult it is to make those decisions, especially in the wide receiver room?) – “Yeah, like you said all of those guys went out there today and played well. They got open, caught the ball, made big plays, tough catches in critical situations. Kirk had one at the end of the game to pull us within one score. Malcolm made plays the entire day. Khalil makes a (catch) on a back-shoulder throw, which we’ve been working on that. It was good to see that in a game. So yeah, there are a lot of competitive players in that room and really throughout the team. Yeah, there will be some tough decisions we’ll have to make.”
(There were a couple of nice moments from RB Gerrid Doaks, who of course played his college ball here in Cincinnati. What have you seen from him this preseason?) – “Tough, smart, loves to play, competitive, team-first. Really all of the attributes we’re looking for in a Miami Dolphin. Smart kid. I thought he played well. I thought he ran it well. I thought he did a nice job in protection. I’m pleased with where he is.”
(The team announced yesterday that it acquired OL Greg Mancz in a trade with the Ravens. Obviously he wasn’t able to play today but what do you see and how does he play into the offensive line?) – “We’re excited to get Greg. We’ve watched a lot of tape on him. He has a lot of film from this year and previous years. He has versatility to play center or guard. Tough. Competitive. From what I’ve heard from people I have good connections with, there’s some leadership there with him as well. We’re excited to have him.”
(What does that mean for C Matt Skura? What have you seen from him this camp?) – “I think Matt has played well. Matt’s another guy who is an experienced player and has played a lot. We’re going to have tough decisions to make in that room. I mentioned it earlier but that’s across the board. Matt’s a good player. He’s shown leadership. So yeah, some tough decisions we have to make.”
(Regardless of any talks with other teams, a portion of this fan base would like to hear the team say they are not interested in Deshaun Watson. Would you say that – feel comfortable saying that?) – “I would say that I’m interested in the players that are on our team. That’s what I am interested in. I’m interested in Reid Sinnett, who went out there and played his butt off tonight. I’m interested in Gerrid Doaks, who we talked about a second ago. I’m interested in the guys that didn’t play today that were focused on our recovery and being fresh for next week. That’s what I would say. I’m interested in the players on the Miami Dolphins.”
QB Reid Sinnett
(Can you break down that last play and what happened? We saw you move around and kind of get that pass to TE Chris Myarick. Can you just kind of break that down for us?) – “Yeah it was fourth-and-long so you’re trying to make a play. I kind of got flushed out of the pocket initially. That’s normally not something you just throw up but with fourth down and the game on the line, you just try to give somebody a chance. I got knocked down and didn’t even see the ball get caught. I got the wind knocked out of me and I’m sitting there expecting the game to be over and I hear our guys start cheering. It was a fun moment. I’m glad it was Chris (Myarick) that caught it. I’ve gotten to watch him work all summer. We’ve worked together a lot this offseason and it was great to watch all of these guys have success today.”
(I know you were down so you weren’t able to be in the middle of the mob but when you get to the locker room – I know it’s the last preseason game but what are the emotions like when you get to the locker room after a game like that?) – “It was a lot of fun. We always want to win so I think that’s what everybody was so happy about. We went out and figured out a way to win so it was excited coming back in (to the locker room). When you win a game like that, there’s always a little bit of buzz in the locker room.”
(You played the whole game. When did you find out that both QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Jacoby Brissett were going to sit and that you were going to handle everything?) – “I don’t know if there was a certain point but once I got a chance to help game plan, I kind of knew I was going to be out there quite a bit. Going out there and playing the whole game is exactly what I wanted. I’m getting a chance to show that I can operate the game from start to finish, work the situations, find ways to win and I think we did that tonight. (Gerrid) Doaks ran the ball really, really well, the offensive line did a good job protecting, Kirk (Merritt) made some plays down the stretch. It was awesome practicing with those guys and with their limited reps, to see all of those guys have so much success. It was a lot of fun to be out there.”
(Down the road, if you’re ever put into the situation in a regular-season game where guys go down and you have to play, what does this do that you’ve got the confidence now that you’ve done it on an NFL field?) – “I think I can play at this level. I think that’s something that comes with that. It’s taking steps here and there and trying to get better. I think today was a good step in trying to find ways to get better. There were a few mistakes that I made throughout the game that I think would have made it a different situation but it does help your confidence a lot, and it feels good to come away with a victory. It’s fun to be out there with those guys so that’s the best part about getting to play the whole game.”
(Coming into training camp, this was a team that was really, really strong at wide receiver at the top four or five spots; and obviously guys like WR Kirk Merritt, WR Khalil McClain and WR Malcolm Perry were making plays in the final preseason game. What can you say about some of the guys at the end of the depth chart at wide receiver, playing with them and making plays today?) – “Malcolm and Kirk are two of my good buddies and so is Chris (Myarick). Like I said, we worked together all summer so I saw the work that they put in and the sacrifices they made to make improvements. It’s exciting to watch them, like I said, have success. I don’t know how the cards are going to fall but I think they did a really good job out there to prove that this is something they can do.”
(Did someone get a nice souvenir after the touchdown?) – “Yeah, Jacoby (Brissett) grabbed it and ran it over to me. Then earlier in the game, the ball I threw to Kirk (Merritt), he grabbed it and said go throw this to your mom, so that’s pretty cool. I love that Jacoby is looking out for me. He’s coming to the sideline and locked in, trying to help me out with coverages and what we want to do next. I seriously love having him around. We sit next to each other in meetings and I’ll lean over and be like, ‘what do you do here? What’s your thought process here?’ He’s not just shushing me and telling me to buzz off or whatever. He’s awesome and loves to talk about that stuff and it’s been a great resource for me.”
(Do you notice the guys that weren’t playing, how into it they were to watch the backups or even guys that are just trying to make the team?) – “Yeah, and I think this is a tight-knit team. I think there are a lot of guys that spend a lot of time outside the facility together. They’re doing a good job of working together and making sure that they’re ready when their time comes. You can see it in practice that there’s back and forth, ebbs and flows, offense, defense. Guys talk and are competitive and want to win. I think that’s the environment we’ve created through ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores) and it’s from the top down. It’s great to be a part of.”
(Does it bring you back to being a kid when you bring the game ball to your mom?) – “A little bit. This was kind of a surreal moment getting able to make a play like that. I still haven’t seen (the play). I’ve got the game ball in my bag so it feels pretty good heading back to Miami.”
WR Preston Williams
(How did it feel to get some preseason action and for the first time in a long time, get in a game?) – “It felt good to just get back out there with the guys. I felt like myself again.”
(Where were you on that game-winning touchdown pass to TE Chris Myarick? What was going through your mind as you saw the play?) – “I saw the play and Myarick just jumped out of nowhere and snagged it. I know Myarick is a real baller. I’ve been here with him since my rookie year. It was great for that guy. That was pretty cool.”
(What was the sideline on the celebration like? You’ve got QB Reid Sinnett and…) – “We were all just slapping (high) fives and just so excited because Reid did a scramble drill (just like we do) in practice and laid it up there for one of his guys to make a play.”
(Can you talk about where you feel you are now after it’s been a week that you’ve been back practicing and everything and finally getting into a game?) – “I feel real good now just getting out there and getting game action and game reps. In practice, I was just kind of like wondering what it would feel like to play against some other people and somebody trying to tackle me and all of that. Being back out there definitely made me feel way more comfortable.”
(Hearing the commotion in there, you can’t tell people that these games don’t mean anything. Is that what it’s about, when you see guys like that make plays?) – “Every time we touch the field, we’re trying to win. It doesn’t matter if it’s preseason, practice. It doesn’t matter if it’s a scrimmage against another team. We’re always just trying to play Dolphins football.”
(I saw the guys that weren’t dressed were your biggest cheerleaders. What does it mean to have a team like that?) – “Pretty good. Those guys were just encouraging us. We had an away game so definitely they have to be our biggest cheerleaders because there aren’t no fans in the stands, so just having those guys around and cheering everybody on keeps everybody spirits up and it’s good for players to go make game-winning catches like that.”
C Matt Skura
(How did you feel out there today and just this whole training camp, can you tell us how it’s gone for you and where you stand on this team?) – “First, I’ve had a lot of fun. I think that’s the most important thing going into training camp, just being an older guy too. The offensive line room has been amazing with Jesse (Davis), (Michael) Deiter, ‘Lem’ (Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre), being able to bring in new guys and really being able to create that chemistry. Yeah, I felt like I’ve had a good preseason. I’m just kind of letting my tape speak for itself and then just seeing whatever happens happens.”
(You’ve been a starter in this league and you’ve been a lot with the second team. How does a guy like you deal with that and how do you push forward?) – “I mean a lot of that is just competing with myself and making sure that I’m prepared every day. Honestly I just take it day-by-day. I know that’s kind of the catch phrase for everything but really you just never know. You’re one play away from being in the starter spot. That’s what I’ve learned over my career. I’ve just got to stay patient and work hard.”
(The team traded for a center just yesterday. What was your reaction?) – “Yeah, I saw that right before getting on the plane. Honestly I just kind of put it to the back of my mind. I was like I’ve got to get ready for the Cincy game. I’ve got to focus on that. I can’t be giving that any energy because I just wanted to put my energy towards the game. I had that to focus on. Yeah, I didn’t really think about it too much.”
(And about today’s game, QB Reid Sinnett and his performance and you being the center for him a lot of the time, what did you see out of him?) – “Just being a competitor. That was the one thing that all of us are; but I think Reid really wanted to make his stamp, especially getting the start today, getting to play the whole game and being able to fight the way he did. He took a really hard hit on that touchdown pass and then came back and converted the two-point conversion, which was awesome to see. Just seeing everyone rally around him and the rest of the guys, to finish the preseason on a win is huge. Yeah, I think we’re all really happy for Reid.”
(You spent a couple of years in Baltimore with a team that was able to advance in the playoffs and be successful. Being here with a younger team in Miami who is trying to get to that level, what can you say about the guys in the room and kind of their mental as they approach the regular season?) – “Yeah, obviously that’s the goal. You want to keep stacking games, win games, get to the playoffs and then win a Super Bowl. Being in those situations before, I think I can provide a lot of perspective in that way, especially for a group that is younger and is trying to figure out how to get there. Luckily I’ve been around a lot of guys in my career who have won Super Bowls and big in the big championship games, and just taking those little tidbits from them and giving them to the younger guys and the rest of the guys in the room. So yeah, I’m just trying to give them my experience. I think that really goes a long way.”
(Can you talk a little bit about what you’ve seen from C/G Michael Deiter?) – “Yeah, he’s had a great camp. It’s been great to kind of learn from each other, bounce ideas off each other. It’s been great.”
CB Jamal Perry
(You can’t tell people these games don’t matter judging from the reaction afterwards, right?) – “I feel like these games definitely count, especially this last game for players that don’t get to play as much in the previous games. This means a lot to them and also it means a lot to the coaches just so they can see these guys that haven’t gotten as many reps in a game and just see them go out there and compete.”
(What do you say about the way the defense performed overall? We’re wrapping up the preseason and a lot of backups played. How did you guys feel?) – “I think we feel great. Preparation – we prepared good and had great practices during the week. We felt good about the outcome.”
(You had a near interception. What did you see on the play and almost coming up with it?) – “I just saw the guy run over. I looked at him between – I saw him through the quarterback and once he threw it, I kind of thought he was going to tip it, but he didn’t and it just went right through my arms. I was sick, though.”
(Obviously Tuesday is a big day for a lot of guys. Where do you think you stand on this team and is it stressful? What are the emotions…) – “It’s not stressful to me at least because I know I left it all out there on the field and it’s up to them to make the decisions. It’s tough decisions they have to make but it’s the nature of the business.”
TE Chris Myarick
(Can you just kind of break down that last play? Just where were you at the start of the play? Obviously there were a lot of moving parts but what did you see from your vantage point?) – “Fourth-and-15 I think it was. We needed a big conversion there. It kind of just turned into a broken scramble play. I just followed my rules, took it deep, Reid (Sinnett) gave me a shot and I just came down with it.”
(What did it feel like to have all of the starters and everyone kind of vibing? This is a game where they aren’t playing and it may not mean much for them, but for guys competing for roster spots, what was it like to have that?) – “It was great. I think this game did mean a lot for those guys. They were supporting this team. We’ve been through a long camp all together. I think it was good for them to watch and show us support. It was a great feeling.”
(When you see that ball in the air, a big tight end like you, what are your thoughts when you see that?) – “It seemed to be in slow motion. Like I said, I just followed my rules on a broken play and he gave me a shot and I was able to come down with it.”
(Did you think the ball was coming to you? Because WR Kirk Merritt was in that area too.) – “I didn’t even see Kirk. I turned and was looking backwards. I just saw it and grabbed it.”
(Did you know if you came down inbounds?) – “I knew I caught it. I kind of was just waiting for the ref to give the sign and then I was good.”
RB Gerrid Doaks
(How did it feel to have a big game back in the city where you played your college ball?) – “It felt great. Coming from Cincinnati and being able to be a big playmaker there, it just felt good to come back to the city and do what I do.”
(You’re from Indianapolis right?) – “Yeah, I’m from Indianapolis.”
(Were you able to have some family come?) – “Yeah. Only an hour and a half so they drove down – my mom, stepdad and all of them. It was good.”
(Being so involved, obviously it’s the final preseason game and cuts are coming on Tuesday. Just being so involved in the offense – 16 carries you had.) – “Yeah. It feels good to get an opportunity to get heavily involved in the game. I’m just controlling what I can control and taking it from there.”
(Where do you think you stand right now as Tuesday looms?) – “I’m not sure. Whatever – I can only control what I can control. But I feel like I did good. I feel like I had a pretty good camp. I’ll just leave it at that.”
