DT Davon Godchaux
(Do you prepare differently when you face a team like this specifically QB Tom Brady, or is it just the same?) – “(It’s the) same thing we do, same thing we did last week. Come out (and) practice hard. We had a good Wednesday practice, had a good practice today on Thursday. (It was) pass-rush day, third-down day. We’re getting ready for Tom and the New England Patriots.”
(Is the key to make QB Tom Brady uncomfortable?) – “I can’t tell you that. Like I said, we just come out and do the game plan that the coaches tell us to do each and every day and try to execute it.”
(Is there anything Head Coach Brian Flores brought to the table this week as far as game planning because he was in New England for such a long time that maybe you didn’t realize the Patriots did, or something different that maybe you hadn’t seen before that just kind of clicked?) – “Everybody knows the Patriots are a well-coached team. They are coached by Bill Belichick. There’s a reason why they are in the Super Bowl each and every year. They make you make mistakes and they execute off of it. At the end of the day, we’ve got to make less mistakes and execute our plays. The biggest thing on my mind that we need to do this week is start fast, and focus on defense, offense, special teams. We need to start fast.”
(You guys had to make a change on the defensive line. Is it safe to say that with DE Jonathan Ledbetter going on IR, that it makes it easier that you’re signing a guy that you spent training camp with, and have familiarity with in DE Tank Carradine?) – “It’s the next-guy-up mentality. I’m sorry about what happened to Ledbetter, but this is the nature of the business in the NFL. One day you’re here and the next day you’re down, whether it’s an injury or you got released. At the end of the day, Jon will be okay. At the end of the day, it’s the next-guy-up mentality, just like me my rookie year. Something happened and then, ‘Hey, I’m up.’ At the end of the day, I think every guy has to prepare everyday like they are a starter – whether they are on the practice squad, the second team or the third team.”
(What did you learn about DE Tank Carradine during your time with him?) – “He’s a veteran guy. He’s got some veteran skills coming off. We’re going to need that coming into a hostile divisional game against the New England Patriots. (They are) a team who always comes down here and plays hard. We know we’re going to get their best and they know they’re going to get our best. At the end of the day, we have to prepare well.”
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Thursday, September 12, 2019
DT Christian Wilkins
(On going against the New England Patriots.) – “You see why they’re so successful and they have been so successful for so long. They’ve got a really good team who all work well together. They know the plan. They execute the plan well, and they really don’t make too many mistakes. From what you see, they don’t put themselves in bad positions, so you can just see why they’re so successful and have been so successful.”
(I know you don’t want to go into a game star-struck, but the idea that you’re going against Patriots QB Tom Brady. Does that carry that much special meaning?) – “Not necessarily. I feel like once you’re out there on the field, you’re just playing ball. You’ve got a job to do, so you try to execute it to the best of your abilities and try to stick with the game plan so you don’t really try to think about that, but maybe afterward or something, I’m like, ‘Oh, that was pretty cool.’ Just what I’ve been hearing about him for so long, it’ll be pretty cool to see it live and in-person.”
(Did you learn anything about Patriots QB Tom Brady this week that maybe you didn’t know before, just from Head Coach Brian Flores having coached him?) – “When you’re game-planning for someone, you learn a lot more about him rather than just hearing what you do from the media or just from the outside. When you’re game-planning and you’re focused on him, you hear a little bit more and know a little bit more. I’m just trying to take and learn as much as I can, so I can execute the game plan the best that I can this week.”
(No state secrets you can give?) – “Nothing crazy like that. None of those, no.”
(How do you think the defensive line performed against Baltimore, and what do you do to get a better pass rush this week?) – “The biggest thing is just addressing the areas of where you weren’t your best at and try to improve on those each week. This week, we’re stressing and straining to improve on all the things we didn’t do so well and continue to do the things we did well. That’s the biggest thing and the biggest takeaway from Week 1.”
(Now that you have your first game out of the way, is it going to be easier for you the rest of the season?) – “Yeah, definitely. That’s the hope and that’s the plan. You want to improve each week and get better each week and just for my confidence and just getting used to the speed and just getting those reps. The more reps you get as a young player, the better. The more locked in you are and those kinds of things, so it’s just important to get reps, mental reps, physical reps out there on the field – just reps, reps, reps, reps, reps as a young guy. That’s the most important thing.”
(Is there anything that surprised you about your first NFL game?) – “Nothing, specifically. Guys were really good. I kind of expected that. It’s the best of the best out there for a reason, so that’s what I expected and that’s what you kind of felt out there. They played well. That was pretty much everything.”
(Did you have a “welcome to the NFL” moment in those 60 minutes?) – “There wasn’t one specific moment where I’m like, ‘Oh yep, I’m here.’ That’s what happens, but I’m just trying to learn and improve and get better each week.”
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Thursday, September 12, 2019
DE Tank Carradine
(How does it feel to be back?) – “It feels good. I’m excited to be back with the guys and be able to have another chance to go out there and compete. So I’m excited.”
(Were you sticking around in town or where were you when you got the call?) – “I was in Texas. I actually was training. My agent gave me a call and said the Dolphins want to bring you back. So I was like, ‘Oooo, that’s awesome. I want to go back.’”
(Obviously it had to be hard to stomach not being part of the team on the final cuts, but also watching them play last week and the struggles. What was that like?) – “It hurt because I knew that I wanted to be out there and compete with the guys. I knew that I could have been out there helping that defense and the d-line. I knew they could have used a guy like me. I had to get over it. It hurt, but now I’m glad to be back and get another chance to compete and be able to go out there and play the New England Patriots.”
(What do you think you can offer this defense going against QB Tom Brady and company?) – “Just being dominant in the run and being disruptive in the passing game. That’s something that I’m looking forward to doing this Sunday, and help this d-line out and help this team out.”
(How much do you feel like you still have something to prove?) – “I feel like I still have a lot to prove. The situation that happened, it kind of caught me off guard because things were going so good. I know they felt they made the best decision for the team, but it’s something that I had to deal with. I had to overcome it. So I just went back and started training and did things so if I ever get back on a team, (I will) make sure something like that won’t ever happen again.”
(When did you get back in town?) – “I got back in town last night – like 1 a.m. And I was here at 5:30 in the morning. (laughter)”
(A little tired?) – “No, because I’m excited to be back so my juice and everything is up right now. I’m excited to be back and being able to play, practice and compete with the guys. It felt really good. I didn’t feel tired at all.”
(Adrenaline is a good thing?) – “Adrenaline is a good thing, yeah.”
(Were you excited to see DT Davon Godchaux?) – “Yeah, I was excited to see him. He’s one of the guys who is competitive. We call each other out when things aren’t going right and try to stay on top of each other. But yeah, I’m excited to be back and talk trash to him about LSU thinking they can beat Florida State. (laughter)”
(Is it exciting too – obviously this is a challenge on Sunday but it’s also QB Tom Brady. Is that also exciting for you to see what you can do?) – “Yes. Going against a good offense – a really good offense – I’m excited. It’s just another challenge for the defense, being able to redeem myself and come back and show everyone that last week was a fluke. That’s not us. That’s not how we work. We compete really hard and we’re going to go out there and show that we are a good team and we are going to show that we are a good team.”
(Does it seem like they’re going to work you into the mix right away or is there going to be a little time, when you think about playing time this week?) – “I think they’re going to put me in the mix. I’m not for sure yet. That’s up to the coaches but I think so.”
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Thursday, September 12, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Is it possible to build a team in the likeness of the New England Patriots? For years, this team said it was going to build a team to beat New England. Now it kind of seems as though this team is taking a New England path to building. Is that possible?) – “No, it’s not. There are different players in this building. We’re trying to build the Miami Dolphins. I’ll say that first and foremost. New England has their players, their coaches, their own organization. We’re the Miami Dolphins, and we’re trying to build something here. Each player is different. Each coach is different. How you coach differently, it’s all different. To build something in the likeness of someone else – that’s not how it works. We’re going to have our own personality as a team, our own culture. That’s the goal.”
(How is that going? How do you think instilling your culture to this franchise is going so far?) – “I think it’s a work in progress. I think we’ve got a group of guys who understand the work that it’s going to take to prepare and compete every week, and we’re learning to do that. I think we practiced that way yesterday, and we’ll continue to build and try to improve and get better.”
(One of the things that you talked about or have learned in your previous stops is “team first” and “selflessness” – that those are part of the core values.) – “Absolutely.”
(When you encounter resistance to that, what is your plan to overcome it?) – “(The plan is to) continue working and continue preaching the message. I think ultimately, at the end of the day, in this game when there are 11 guys on the field and 53 guys on the team, it’s a lot of individuals. I think to get the most out of the team, to get the most out of the groups that are on the field, you have to put the team first. So I just keep preaching that message. Hopefully, it sinks in and guys start to really take it to heart, understand it. It’s my message, and hopefully it becomes their message, which I think we’ve got some of that already.”
(It’s no secret you guys are heavy underdogs this weekend. Is that anything that you tell the team, you make that known or…?) – “We just come to work. We’re going to prepare like we do every week. They’ve got a good team. We know that. We understand that. Our preparation doesn’t change. I think every week they go out there, we’re going to go out there and compete regardless of who the team is. It’s hard to win in this league. It’s a challenge every week. That’s kind of where we’re at. We’ve just got to come to work, practice, try to get better and then we’ll go compete on Sunday.”
(What does it take to pull off a big upset?) – “It takes all 53 guys on the same page. Obviously, 46 on game day, but 53 and really 63 with the practice squad – (and) all the coaches working during the week. It starts in practice. It doesn’t just happen on Sunday. It starts in practice, and then you execute in the game and you just string good plays together. I think that’s – you call it an upset – I just call it playing good football.”
(What do you think of WR Jakeem Grant’s performance last week? He had the muffed punt, he had the touchdown-saving tackle on the fake punt. I know QB Ryan Fitzpatrick went at him deep one time, but overall, what did you think of Jakeem’s performance?) – “I think we’re kind of moved on to this week. I think everyone had plays they wished they had back, and some guys – as a coaching staff, we have things we have things we wished we had back, but we’re kind of moved on to – I shouldn’t say kind of. We’re moved on to this week.”
(How do you foresee him being used in the next few weeks, and what do you expect from WR Jakeem Grant?) – “I have a lot of confidence in Jakeem as a returner, as a receiver. I have a lot of confidence in him. He’s a guy who with the ball in his hands, he’s very explosive, and we’re going to try to put him in positions where he can make some plays.”
(What’s WR Albert Wilson’s status after he tweaked that calf last week?) – “Albert’s doing everything he can to get back. Obviously, he didn’t practice yesterday. He’s doing everything he can to get back. Obviously, when he’s in there, he’s an integral part of the offense. The guy’s dynamic with the ball in his hands. He’s doing everything he can to get back, and hopefully he’s back sooner than later.”
(Is it realistic to have WR Albert Wilson Sunday?) – “That’s the hope. That’s the hope. That’s the hope.”
(After S Walt Aikens, CB Chris Lammons is the one who got the most snaps on special teams. What is it you like about him as a special teamer?) – “He’s worked extremely hard to better himself, both on the field and off the field. He’s tough. He’s fast. He’s physical. The game’s important to him. He puts the team first. He went out and made a lot of plays in the preseason. He’s a guy who we like his toughness. You need that on your team, especially in the kicking game. I think he’s done a good job.”
(What do you want to see out of your tight ends this Sunday against that Patriots defense?) – “The first thing that comes to mind is we want to see them block in the run game, block in protection if that’s what the offensive play call calls for, get open, catch the football and then just 100 percent on their assignments. That’s kind of my checklist for really every position.”
(You made some roster moves this morning. Why DE Tank Carradine? Why’d you bring him back?) – “We put (Jonathan) Ledbetter on IR. We just felt that was a one-for-one, end-for-end.”
(What did DE Tank Carradine show you in preseason to warrant getting re-signed for example?) – “Tank’s tough. He’s physical. He’s a good teammate. We liked a lot of things about him, and we’re happy to have him back.”
(You guys have made a habit these last couple of days – coaches and players – of saying, “we’re not talking about the Ravens game.” Is that going to be the norm throughout the season? After a victory, will you stick to that same line, or do you take good stuff and…?) – “No. I think you have to move on. I think every week, you’ve got to put your energy and your effort towards the next opponent because if you take your eye off that team and you start worrying about some other things, then you lose a little bit of preparation that you’re going to need for the following week, so that’ll be something you’ll hear from me on a weekly basis. You learn from both wins and losses, and we just try to make the corrections in either case and try to move on, get better, improve and really move on to the next opponent. That’s simply because I really firmly believe that the moments, however – five minutes spent on the last game is five minutes you could spend on the next game, and I don’t know what the difference would be, so we try to move on.”
(WR Allen Hurns got a lot of snaps – I think he was second on the team in wide receiver snaps in that opener. He had kind of a quiet preseason from him, but what do you like about what you’ve seen from him? Obviously he’s a veteran guy.) – “(Allen Hurns is) veteran, tough, blocks in the run game, good hands, tough. I like Allen a lot. (He’s) smart (and) can play multiple positions. (He’s) clean on his assignments most times. I like him. I think he’s a good player.”
(How does the, I guess the uncertainty of whether Patriots WR Antonio Brown is going to play affect how you guys prepare?) – “We’re preparing for everyone, so ‘AB’ (Antonio Brown), (Julian) Edelman, (Josh) Gordon, (Ryan) Izzo, the backs – we’re preparing for everyone. They’ve got a good team. There’s a lot of guys to prepare for but he’s as dynamic as they get from a receiver standpoint, but they’ve got a lot of good players there. We’ve got a big task ahead of us.”
(When S Reshad Jones was on the field last Sunday, how did you feel he performed?) – “I thought he played well. I thought he played well. I think he tackled well. I thought he was aggressive. I thought he played well.”
(I know it varies from week to week. Do you think S Reshad Jones can do more?) – “Yeah. This is an experienced – this is a very good player. This guy’s made a lot of plays in this league. I think he can do a lot, and we’ll try to put him in positions to do that.”
