K Jason Sanders
(I wanted to ask you, how big was the game for you last week? Not only just the game-winning field goal but from rebounding after the missed kicks after the last two weeks?) – “It was a big win for the team. When I miss a kick, I don’t try to overanalyze, overthink it. It’s usually just onto the next one and I think that’s what usually helps me for future kicks is not just dwelling on a missed one.”
(I was just googling Andrew Franks’ k-ball. I wanted to try to remember that deal. In 2016 at Buffalo, Franks is going to kick a 55-yarder to tie the game and keep the Dolphins playoff chances alive. Are you familiar with that story and have you heard the story about how he looked down and realized it wasn’t a k-ball like it was supposed to be?) – “No, I didn’t know that wasn’t a k-ball; but I remember the kick. I remember I saw a video of the kick, but I don’t know the incident with the k-ball. I don’t know how – I haven’t kicked a quarterback ball or anything, so I’d assume it wouldn’t be much different. It’s just not identified as a kicking ball.”
(I went back and watched the game today and I saw you gave a good little fist pump after the game-winning kick. I’m wondering, what was the emotion like of knowing that you just put the team on top for the final score of the game? I’m also wondering, did you play other sports growing up and is there an equivalent to a game-winning kick? Like maybe a walk-off homer or a buzzer-beating three?) – “Yeah, it’s about the same – or a soccer goal in the last second. The game was up and down and it feels good to be able to come up with a good win like that for the team. There was a lot of energy on the field, so a lot of energy goes into how important the kick was and when you hit a kick like that, it’s hard not to celebrate.”
(I think you’re 1-for-1 on field goals in two games at Buffalo and maybe something like 5-for-5 on extra points? When it’s expected to be very cold, how do you feel about the cold and does that affect anything about the inflation of the ball, how it travels? What are some factors you need into consideration?) – “I’ve maybe had one or two cold games here with the Dolphins and I’ve had a lot of success in it. It’s just, I think the thing with Buffalo is the conditions. I don’t think the cold will be as big of a factor as maybe the wind. It’s just staying smooth with your process and it’s a pregame thing where you identify how it’s working, how the ball is flying off your foot and you’ve got to make it happen from there. So I’m going to identify where the wind is blowing and probably just go off that and hopefully all my kicks go in. (laughter)”
(A lot of us – myself included – thought you had a really good shot at the Pro Bowl this year. What were you thinking about that? Was it a disappointment or were you just waiting to see what was going to happen?) – “I think nothing takes away from a good season that I’m having. As a kicker, you know if you’re doing well or if you’re not doing well and just because I didn’t make the Pro Bowl doesn’t mean I didn’t have a good year. That’s ultimately what I reflect on.”
(Can you take some of us back to what those 19 seconds were like before QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s head almost got ripped off and he’s throwing it down the sideline? What was your reaction to seeing the play and the flag, and then did you kind of scurry over to get on the field?) – “I was getting loose. When they were kicking the field goal to go up, I was already at the net. With my position, I’m anticipating a kick. The game’s not over until it hits zeros, so I didn’t want that situation happening – (where) I wasn’t loose – so before (Daniel) Carlson even hit the go-ahead at the end, I was already getting loose.”
(Sorry about my obsession with k-balls, but I’m pretty sure the reason they didn’t have the k-ball is because it was the Geronimo drill where they didn’t have time and they just all ran out. So under normal circumstances, who is in charge of the k-ball? Is it LS Blake Ferguson? Is it a special teams assistant? Whose job is it to make sure that doesn’t happen in Buffalo?) – “The ball guys. The ball guys are our equipment guys on the sideline, so when – like you said – on a no-timeout, you’ve-got-to-go situation, you’re going to get what’s already on the field. But on a normal operation, we’ve got the equipment guys throwing in our k-ball.”
(So in those dying seconds – not just the game the other day but any game – are you looking forward to a pressure kick or are you feeling it as that, pressure?) – “What I’ve learned is that I can’t be too comfortable. You want a little bit of nerves going through you. You don’t want to be too comfortable because then it might not feel like an important kick and the way I want to treat every kick is it’s important whether it’s the first quarter or the fourth quarter. I think a little nerves helps and it helps you focus a little more.”
CB Byron Jones
(Did you get an explanation on the defensive pass interference?) – “Yeah. He said that I grabbed the receiver from the front and pulled him back from the shoulders. In those situations, I pride myself on being poised and trying to go up and get the ball. I’ve got to be better in that way.”
(I noticed from watching the games that you guys tend to switch your matchups around a lot. I’m wondering what that preparation is like in that defensive back room. I know you have your individual study, but is there a collective – here is what this guy does and here’s how we defend him as a whole as opposed to individual study?) – “What was your question? What do you mean? I play on the right mostly, and ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) plays the left.”
(When you rotate covering different players, I’m wondering if there is more of a group collaborative studying what each player does that you’re going against?) – “Yeah, every player has their strengths and weaknesses. Some players in the slot are more shifty while outside receivers are big play guys, fast guys. Understanding every receiver’s strengths gives us the opportunity to guard them the best way we think is possible. Every week we’ve got a scouting report on each receiver and we go through that. We decide on how best to play them. Of course we have our technique, we have our thing we always do consistently regardless of who we play against; but it’s always good to know exactly what receiver you’re going against and how they can be beat.”
(How great a difference, if any – and by the way this isn’t just about Saturday but in general – how great a difference, if any, do you see in the way offensive pass interference is called versus defensive pass interference?) – “I’m not an expert on offensive stuff. I’m not sure when they call it or what they are looking for. But defensively, we’ve got to – or at least I’ve got to do a better job of not allowing the officials to come in and affect the game. We understand what it is – the challenge that we have as DBs in the NFL in today’s era. That’s a challenge that all DBs accept. We’re not going to get much OPI (offensive pass interference) and that’s fine. We just have to play accordingly.”
(I wanted to ask you what happened on the long touchdown play. It seemed like you were in good position. Did you just have your back turned towards the play or were you pushed off on?) – “I need to do a better job of just staying on top of the receiver, especially in that situation. (Derek) Carr, throughout his career, he’s made a lot of plays with his feet buying himself more time. In those instances as a DB, you want to plaster your guy; but protect that deep shot because that’s what they are going for. They want a big play. We’ve seen the Raiders make big plays throughout the entire year. That’s one thing we wanted to limit, so I’ve got to do a better job of staying on top of the receiver.”
(You guys have been through several adverse situations or potentially sticky situations through the year, whether it’s COVID, whether it’s QB changes. It seems like you guys have not really been affected at all by anything. Is there anything that Head Coach Brian Flores has done stood out on keeping you guys together in those moments?) – “I think we all have ultimate trust in what ‘Coach Flo’ is doing. He’s been very real and very straight up and very straightforward since Day 1, which gives the players a comfort that what the coach is saying is not BS. I think that’s why we’re having such a good response to the year, regardless of what’s happening. It’s because we trust our coach and he keeps it straight up, he lets us know what he’s thinking and how he’s feeling. It’s really a collaborative team effort when we go into games like that, and we know and trust him, and we just follow through.”
(When you watched that first Bills game, I know you were hurt, and CB Noah Igbinoghene was stuck with a huge assignment in Bills WR Stefon Diggs. How tough was it for you to be there as an observer, and what did you pick up on what Diggs can do from what you saw in that game?) – “Diggs, he’s always been a really good route-runner, a guy who catches the ball really well, a savvy, vet player. That’s what he showed. He showed a guy who just had great experience and Josh Allen did a good job of getting him the ball when they needed it most. That’s one thing we’re going to have to stop this game is both of those guys have been on a tear this year along with the other receivers on that crew, especially (Cole) Beasley. This is a fun challenge for us as a secondary and as a defense and really as a team. Our destiny is in our hands, so let’s go do it. That’s the goal.”
(My question is about Bills QB Josh Allen. What do you think is most unique about him?) – “I think his decision-making at this point is really impressive. He knows when to run and he knows when to fit the ball into a tight window. He’s doing both pretty well. Obviously he has a really good offense, and especially his receiving corps is probably one of the better ones in the league. He can really make all of the throws – deep, short, especially deep. He’s got a really good deep ball, so that’s a challenge for us. You’re competing against not just the receivers, but the quarterback and the offensive line. They just really work well together and they’ve been really efficient all year. His deep ball, his ability to leave the pocket, extend plays and also run, that’s what makes him special.”
TE Mike Gesicki
(It surprised me that you were able to play again this season. What is your injury and how painful is it to play through this injury?) – “Specifically, I can’t really get into all the medical diagnosis-es. I think I used the wrong term there already. I’m 0-for-1. (laughter) But obviously it was my shoulder. It is what it is, but I think our medical staff – (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle Johnston, (Assistant Athletic Trainer) Troy Maurer – those guys did a phenomenal job helping me and motivating me and me motivating myself with just doing treatment and getting in there each and every day, and I was able to get back out there on Saturday. So it was fun. It was a lot of fun to get back out there after missing a week.”
(Did you have to play through some pain on Saturday?) – “Did it look painful? (laughter) It is what it is. You’re never going to be 100 percent playing this game, especially me. You guys know I just play so physical out there. (laughter) Just 100 percent physicality out there on the field, so all those hits and blocking and all that kind of stuff out there just takes a toll on the body.”
(I want to hit you with two questions if I can. First, when you hit the ground on the play in which you were injured, you were thinking what? Were you thinking “that’s it, I’m done for 2020” or what was going through your mind? And second, I want to ask you about the block you threw on RB Myles Gaskin’s touchdown. Is that going to end all debate about you and your blocking?) – “(laughter) Well, I’ll start with question two. The debate will probably continue because you guys got to continue to make some articles and get some clicks. You guys got a job to do, too. I respect it. I’m not going to hold it against you, so the debate will go on. As for the shoulder, when I first hit the ground, I just thought I had a dead arm because I couldn’t really feel it. So I was like, ‘all right, it’ll come back.’ And then I tried moving and it wouldn’t come. Obviously at that point, I’m just trying to get out of pain and feel better and all that kind of stuff, which our doctors and our medical staff and everybody did a great job. I lived to tell the story, so here I am.”
(I just wanted to let you know ahead of time I’m going to write a lot about Kyle Pitts and Mike Gesicki, the tight end duo.) – “Good player. Good player.”
(Just reaching up and catching, are you really relying on adrenaline and whatever you take before the game to kind of get through a game? What is the game day process kind of like for you and what is it kind of after playing, how do you feel?) – “Like I said, at this point I think I’ve shouted out (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston) too much – our trainer. Me and him kind of joke around a ton, so he’ll love all this media availability. This is great for him. This is huge, honestly for him. (laughter) But he did – him and Troy (Assistant Athletic Trainer Troy Maurer), my guy Troy – they did a great job just helping me just do the rehab, strengthen it and get back to wherever I’m at right now to be able to play. Honestly, I’m just going out there and I’ve just got to make plays when they come. Whether it’s once or 10 times or whatever it is, once you’re out there and you agree to go out there and play, it doesn’t matter what percentage you’re at or how you’re feeling or whatever it is. Nobody cares. You’ve got to go out there and make plays.”
(I’m curious because obviously every time we see a QB Ryan Fitzpatrick or QB Tua Tagovailoa thing come up, there’s a lot of debate on who should be the quarterback this and that, but it seems like for you guys in the locker room, that hasn’t been an issue all year. I’m curious what maybe Head Coach Brian Flores has done for you guys as a team to make sure that that situation hasn’t become anything that’ll create any tension?) – “I think that the whole team has done a great job and honestly at the end of the day, it’s not up to us and it’s not up to honestly anybody besides ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores). The only people it should really affect, if that’s the right word here, is ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) and Tua. And they handle it great. You always see ‘Fitz’ helping out Tua, Tua supporting ‘Fitz,’ ‘Fitz’ supporting Tua, however you want to do it. So I think that they’ve done a great job with it and just kind of understand each other’s roles and like I said a bunch of times, just making the most of opportunities when they present themselves.”
(I couldn’t tell with the jersey and pads, in all seriousness, have you found a brace or harness to be helpful? Did you try multiple braces or harnesses out to pick one?) – “Yeah, I ended up finding something that works nice. Obviously I wear my half sleeves that I wore back in college. I got away from it a little bit and then last year before we played the (Washington Football Team), Durham (Smythe) was like, ‘Mike, I think it’s time to go back to the half sleeves. It’s what you did in college. Just give it a shot.’ I went back to the half sleeves and I’ll probably never go back. The half sleeves have been good to me and now they’re covering up my brace that people just don’t even know about, which leads you to ask questions about it. The half sleeves have really been a huge part of my career here so far, obviously.”
(I’m just curious, we have eyes but we don’t know a fraction of what goes on inside the building. Why is it to our eyes that there’s more of a vertical passing game when QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is in than QB Tua Tagovailoa and how do you fix that in, I guess, a week?) – “I really don’t think that it’s one guy’s better to do this or one guy or anything like that. It’s really not what it is. The game and defenses just present different things or it’s just how the flow of the game kind of goes. Obviously ‘Fitz’ got in there and made some big plays for us. Some of them were vertical – he hit me down the field – but another one was just Myles (Gaskin) making a great play and all of that kind of stuff. I obviously joked around with ‘Fitz’ after the game. I said, ‘Listen, came back, won us the game, we appreciate it, thanks very much – all that kind of stuff – but I’m not going to forget that you missed me on a touchdown. It is what it is.’ (laughter) But that’s just me joking around with ‘Fitz’ and all that kind of stuff. ‘Fitz’ – he’s done a great job and obviously has understood his role and all that kind of stuff. He’s been doing it for a very, very long time now, so I’m appreciative of him and appreciative of Tua and just everybody. I think that this team is able to handle a lot of adversity and a lot of different situations extremely well.”
(I don’t want to say QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is like Mariano Rivera out there. That might be giving him too much praise. But I wanted to ask you, you obviously and WR Isaiah Ford obviously had a little bit of excitement when “Fitz” came into the game and I wanted to ask you specifically, do you feel like defenders start to press a little bit when “Fitz” comes in? Do you think they kind of are on their toes a little bit more not knowing what he can do and what the gunslinger mentality can get them really at any time?) – “I think that – I can’t speak for the defense and their mindset or what’s kind of going through their mind depending on who’s in the game and all that kind of stuff, but I do think that it just goes back to – I’ve said it, I feel like repetitively in our media opportunities throughout the season – that whenever you get an opportunity to make a play, that’s when you’ve got to make the most of it. So to me, obviously you guys know that I love both our quarterbacks and have had success with both of them. They’re both extremely talented and all that kind of stuff, so for me, I’ve just got to continue to focus on my job – my role – and then depending on whoever’s out there or whatever it is, whatever the situation is; I don’t care if Durham (Smythe) is throwing the ball. Which you guys wouldn’t want to see that – he’s got a bad arm. (laughter) But I’m just saying, if the ball is in the air, you’ve just got to go out and make plays. That’s just what this game is about. I think that and everybody on our team has done a good job understanding that and making the most of opportunities.”
LB Andrew Van Ginkel
(I wanted to ask you about the sacks but I also wanted to ask you really about your celebration in the backfield and having fun after those two sacks you had in the Raiders game. What did those plays kind of mean to you in the course of the game as they’re happening?) – “I’d say the biggest thing is just bringing energy and getting momentum for our team and just kind of hyping – I try to always celebrate with other guys when they make a big play, so just bringing energy and making the most out of the plays.”
(I wanted to ask, you’ve been one of the young guys that’s really taken off in the second year. I think you’ve started like nine games this season. You’ve contributed to a number of sacks. What do you think has been the biggest contributor to your growth?) – “I would say buying in and just taking what the coaches coach and what they preach on a daily basis, and really developing myself – whether it be film study or out on the practice field – to really refine my techniques and fundamentals. I’d say the coaches have done a good job of putting me in position to be successful and make plays.”
(There were so many things that happened on Saturday night, sometimes it is hard to keep track. When I was watching back the game, I remembered that DT Zach Sieler made a fourth-down tackle, and that was a key play. What is it about Sieler that maybe being around the guy in the locker room, the weight room and meetings, what don’t we know about this guy that puts him in a position to have made such a big jump in his career?) – “I would say he’s physical and tough. He comes to practice willing to work and he’s very hard on himself to get better and to make those plays. That’s not the first time this year. He keeps doing it game in and game out. It’s just who he is and part of his DNA, the way he comes to work and approaches getting better.”
(Obviously a pretty emotional win on Saturday but now you head into a weekend where you guys control your own destiny. Can you talk a bit about what that feeling is like knowing that if you win, you’re in?) – “Yeah, we’re right where we want to be. We control our own destiny and it’s up to us now to go out there and make it happen. It’s on us. We’re not relying on anybody else. We’ve just got to go out there and do our own job.”
(I want to talk about the first sack you had in the game. It looked like you ran through the tackle with a pretty good bull rush. I know you mentioned throughout the course of the season and offseason that adding strength to your game was a big point of emphasis for you. I’m wondering, what is the key to a good bull rush for you?) – “There’s different ways to go about it. You can go straight, right down the middle of him or you can give him a little head nod and get them to stop their feet so that they’re on their heels, so that you have a little bit more momentum. But yeah, I think a lot of guys think of me as a speed rusher so anytime I can throw a little power, it can throw them off and really help my speed rushes. It works hand in hand.”
(You’re a second-year player. You were one of the first players drafted by Head Coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier. You fill a big need at edge rusher, which this team has needed the last couple of years. What can you say about your success over the last couple of seasons and what the future maybe holds for you as a player here in Miami?) – “That’s just one of those things where I’ve just got to take it day by day and continue to try to improve and really hone in on my skills. These coaches have all done a great job of putting me in the right spot and position to be successful and really help me grow as a player. I can’t thank them all enough, from (Outside Linebackers Coach) Austin Clark to (Defensive Line Coach Marion) Hobby to even (Assistant Defensive Line Coach) Robbie Leonard from last year. Just all of them helping me and really taking me under their wing and helping me grow as a player.”
(I’m curious, for guys with long hair like us, what inspired you to start growing it and when was the last time you cut it?) – “(laughter) I started growing it out in college when I first got to South Dakota. It’s just one of those things where I never went and got a hair cut so I just kind of went with the flow on that one. Then my brother got married when I was at my junior college, so I ended up cutting it all off; but then once again, I just went right back to it and just let it grow. I like it so I just stuck with it.”
(I wanted to ask you about DE Emmanuel Ogbah. I know we all see how he impacts the box score from a sack perspective but I’m wondering if there is something he does that the casual observer doesn’t see as far as creating opportunities for other guys in the pass rush, against the run. How does he help the defense with a general ripple effect?) – “Right. He does a lot of things under the scenes that a lot of people don’t see and know. He’s kind of a swing man. The coaches put him at different positions and he always steps up to the plate and takes care of his business. He’s always going to do what the coaches ask. He’s one of those players that he’s always going to make a play and he’s always around the ball. It’s good to see him have that success and get to the quarterback.”
(For some of the hair-challenged people out there like myself, do you have any tips on how to keep a beautiful head of hair like yourself? Do you shampoo and condition? We need the full-on LB Andrew Van Ginkel regiment of how you keep your hair nice and golden and full like that.) – “(laughter) I honestly don’t do a whole lot. Obviously you’ve got to use shampoo and conditioner but other than that, I comb it and slick it back. Just simple. Just shampoo and conditioner.”
(With LB Vince Biegel being on IR, I’m guessing he’s probably not around the players as much as you’d usually be, and especially during a pandemic; but is he a texter? Has he hit you up with any cool texts, especially after you’ve had success?) – “He’s in the building every now and again, so I’ll catch him probably about every other week or so and we’ll talk. But yeah, he’s such a great guy and a great mentor. He’s always been there for me and always helped me, especially this summer and this offseason and in training camp when he was here. He’s one of those guys that is very unselfish and is always helping to see the team and everybody grow as a player.”
