Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(I know all the focus obviously is on getting through this week and winning Thursday, but just to get this out of the way with Shaq Barrett unretiring today, are you and General Manager Chris Grier open to his return at some point next week or beyond?) – “Just to be candid, obviously there’s a reason why you target and sign somebody, and then I was fully caught off guard or caught by surprise this morning as I found out and it wouldn’t be reasonable or – I really haven’t had a chance to think about it. I think the team is counting on me to think about the Packers and I’ll get with Chris (Grier) and we’ll work through that, but there’s a ton of implications that go along with it in terms of team and roster stuff, so we’ll work through that as we just got the news today.”
(And with LB Tyus Bowser that sort of popped up – two injuries that he’s dealing with – do you expect him to be available Thursday?) – “He’s working through it. He’s a competitor that really wants to play so we’ll give him – what is today?”
(Tuesday.) – “Tuesday, Wednesday a little bit and we should know more tomorrow.”
(Where are you with LB Cameron Goode? You said he was ahead of LB Bradley Chubb, but is he at the point where his window can open?) – “Are you asking, is he ‘Goode’? (laughter) He is Cam Goode. I have nothing to report other than no setbacks. They’re getting closer for sure and there’s a lot that goes into it, but Cam is approaching ‘good’ or he is ‘Goode’ or he will be good.”
(What made S Marcus Maye the choice to make room for S Patrick McMorris?) – “Tough decisions, really a lot of roster variables and positions. You have to take into account anybody that has an injury in that position group that affects depth, so when you’re trying to make tough decisions and it involves a safety, a lot of the times it comes from the position group. But I absolutely have high regard for Marcus (Maye), and I would say it’s less about him and more about ‘Pat’ (McMorris) and the stuff he has to offer. He’s ready to go.”
(If I can just one more about Shaq Barrett, I know he kind of surprised you guys with the retirement in camp. Had you guys communicated with him at any point up to this week of that he’s contemplating this before?) – “No, so that’s why it’s just kind of news as you guys got it, it’s to us. So we’ll sort through that. The Tuesday of a Thursday night game, it’s tough to kind of totally know the way – I’ve got to talk to Chris (Grier) first and I’ve just got done with a meeting and about to go to another one. So we’ll get to do that, but I hadn’t had any communication.”
(Earlier today it was announced that WR Tyreek Hill’s tickets were dismissed. Knowing that the season kind of started and you were emotional about everything that had occurred in Week 1, do you have any response to that? Did you hear about that, that his citations were dismissed at all?) – “I have a lot of people make me aware of a lot of things, but I think with regard to the business at hand – I did go into depth into that situation when it occurred at the very beginning of the season, but I don’t think it’d be prudent relative to what this team is preparing for and I don’t really have much else to say beyond what I already have.”
(The Packers defense has 22 takeaways, eight games with multiple takeaways this year. What makes them so good at taking the football away from opposing offenses?) – “When you’re talking about takeaways and turnovers, so much of it has to do with the variable that you can’t control and that’s effort. The Green Bay Packers, a defense lead by Coach (Jeff) Hafley is a very high octane, high effort crew, so good things happen when you are pursuing the ball and have high strain. Some of those fumbles become turnovers when you have a collective effort, so I think it starts with the overall strain. They’re very ball aware; you can tell they talk about it a ton. A good zone defense that plays with vision and then has the accompanied pass rush that can make quarterbacks make a decision a hair earlier than they would like to. You leave yourself vulnerable to risky situations when pass rush and coverage are tied together, and I think ultimately, they do a good job of taking advantage of mistakes. You have an overthrow, generally it’s a pick – a lot of guys with ball skills in the back end. I think the collective effort doesn’t surprise me that they rank where they do without seeing the takeaways directly based upon how they play every play. When I did come across the takeaways, I wasn’t surprised because they play each and every down that way.”
(The balance in this offense right now, the ability to sustain and elongate drives, do you feel like this style is better suited for success in cold winter environments like the one you’re about to see on Thursday?) – “I think that the variables that you can’t control like your opponents, your matchups and weather, being able to adapt to certain circumstances is vital. Being able to be aggressive when attacking a defense, inherent in that is being able to have success in a multitude of ways. So being able to show up on a game day and survive the elements, maybe you show up and defenses flip the script and it’s an eight-man front and they play two man all day. Or they’re a two-man team and they just play zone spot drop. You’re constantly trying to sharpen the axe, so to speak, for every team in one shape or form faces elimination games. In elimination games, you don’t choose the matchup, you don’t choose the situation; you just keep playing or your season is over, whether that’s to get in the playoffs or in the playoffs. I think it’s important for teams to be not subject to matchup if they’re trying not to leave it up to fortune for their success or failure of a season.”
(I wanted to ask you about your history with Head Coach Matt LaFleur. You guys were together for three spots. Having an intimate knowledge of a guy being on your coaching staff, you’ve been in meetings with, knowing his thought processes and him knowing yours, does that hurt you in the process of preparing for a game like this?) – “Just based upon successes and failures as your career goes, I think for me at least, earlier in my career knowing information or things that I thought that I knew, you can kind of overthink certain situations. I think ultimately with Matt (LeFleur), I just know the team is going to be super prepared. The second I start crystal balling things based upon the past, then I’m leaving myself vulnerable if he’s still working hard and changing which I know he is. I think the biggest thing is as a coach, I have such a high regard and respect for Matt. He’s been a big part of my career and was really helping me along during my career path when times were tough and when things were going well. Through all of that, I know that regardless his standard is that he prepares his team – offense, defense, special teams. He is going to be detailed, and they’re going to be ready to play and they’re not going to take you lightly and you’re going to have to play football to beat them. So that’s where I’m going to kind of leave it. Based upon my past, the second I’ve absoluted something to a coworker or a fellow coach – I got that out of the way before I was a head coach because I’d do it and then you’re wrong and then you’re like, ‘Sorry.’ As a head coach, people tend to at least pretend to listen to me more. So I try not to overly crystal ball, but the one thing that I make sure that the whole coaching staff and the team knows is that come Thursday night, there’s going to be a prepared motivated team that’s going to come after us and going to give us their best shot.”
(Given your relationship with Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur, is there any fun story or friendly wager that you think about as you prepare to coach against him?) – “Beyond some nonsense texts that I sent out after our game on Sunday that may or may not have incentivized – I was giving him the optimist, ‘Hey, if you don’t feel like trying that hard, it’s OK.’ (laughter) You want to talk about things that I probably shouldn’t say in a press conference at a microphone, we were at our late 20s, just cutting our teeth in the coaching industry and what’s funny is when you look back, you don’t feel like you’re young in your late 20s – or at least I didn’t, I thought I was like an adult. But some of the things that you think you know as a football coach, you’re not nearly as hardened from tough times and you think you have some answers and you get humbled along the way, and just some of the growing that we did as coaches, it was very impactful. He really pushed me and some of the other coaches I was working with because he’s a tireless worker and that type of competitive nature as you’re cutting your teeth as a coach in the league, it’s a big deal and it’s gone a long way in my career. I think the world of him and it doesn’t surprise me the success that he’s had. And he’s – I’m just going to have to concede, he’s probably the best-looking guy out there. I mean let’s just be honest, so I’ll concede that title for sure.”
(Sean McVay is pretty attractive.) – “You think so?”
(Yeah.) – “I don’t know. So you prefer Sean McVay to Matt LaFleur? I can’t wait until he hears that. (laughter)”
(A lot of the players have shared the times that they’ve watched Thanksgiving night football as they were little. Do you have any special memories of watching games on Thanksgiving night?) – “Yeah, I think it might be the coolest game to play in in the regular season. I can remember – you guys might remember – a snow game with Leon Lett. Like that’s one of my first TV memories, I was in Fort Morgan, Colorado – population like, 12,000 people in northeast Colorado, and I remember sitting there, watching that. I think it’s unique and special because everybody can relate to, ‘All right, well I know that my family is sitting down. My Uncle Ray is sleepy because he always eats too much turkey,’ all the different nuances of family time, but it’s always kind of centered around watching football after old school people would be watching the parade and stuff and then you turn on the game. So it’s something that everybody can identify with, it being a holiday experience that is annual, so it’s a cool thing to be a part of. You feel very grateful and that’s always a cool experience to have that platform and have everyone jump into your season journey and get the opportunity to play in front of America. It’s a really cool one that I don’t think is lost on anybody.”
(Did you get a chance to evaluate Jordan Love when he came out? And if so, how have you seen his evolvement as a quarterback?) – “Great player. I think what’s been cool is any time you watch people have expectations thrust upon them and then to be able to grow as a quarterback, you can see the influence on his game that he took from Aaron Rodgers but then you can also see him play his own style of ball. I think the way he competes is real cool; I think he’s not afraid of the situation. He will make the long, intermediate or short throw, so it’s been cool to watch him develop, and I know Matt (LaFleur) has a fun time coaching him.”
(With OL Isaiah Wynn activated, do you envision a reserve role at first for him and could there be competition down the road?) – “I think one foot in front of the other. I think right now – Isaiah (Wynn) is a competitor, so he’s working to be his best each and every practice. As coaches, we don’t always have the most patience in the world, but I think it would be silly of me not to take into account there was a year, almost a calendar year, where he didn’t play football. So you’re trying to put players in positions to succeed; I love him as a player but I’m careful not to put him in situations that isn’t prudent to his success. And there’s also some guys, Rob Jones is really playing at a high level and the facilitation of ‘Brew’ (Aaron Brewer) and both Rob and Liam (Eichenberg) has been a strength of ours during the course of the season. But you love those problems in terms of there’s only so many spots on the field that guys can play, so I’m happy for Isaiah to continue to work and feel better and better each and every practice so that becomes more and more difficult for us.”
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
FB Alec Ingold
(What’s the earliest you can ever recall thinking to yourself, “I’d love to play on that field someday?”) – “That’s a funny story. Like I said, it’s a gathering space, right? So I was probably eight or nine years old, my cousin is getting married and they have wedding receptions there. So we’re up there and everyone is dancing, having a good time and they had one of the suites open where you could just get desserts or whatever. And I sat down there for like hours just staring out at the field like, ‘Man, I want to be out there. I want to be there one day. I want to play on this field one day.’ So that was probably the earliest memory of me dreaming about being able to play on that field. Played there in Pop Warner, played there in college – we played against LSU Week 1 my sophomore season – and then again as a rookie. So it’ll be fun to be able get back onto that field.”
(I’ve been to just about every NFL stadium but that one, what makes it so special?) – “I think it’s a community place; it’s faith, family and football there. That’s how people eat, live and breathe, it’s all about that organization and that sport. I think it brings people together, I think they’ve done a great job of continuing to renovate the place while keeping the history of it alive and well. So I just think they do a lot of things the right way. I think it’s going to be a really cool honor to be able to be on that field, especially for Thanksgiving. There’s been a lot of memories there for a lot of people growing up in that area.”
(Are you the most popular guy in the locker room these days, considering you’re going back to the crib with everybody in town?) – “I don’t know, I don’t know about that. I think Tua (Tagovailoa) might still be and I think we got Jonnu (Smith) over there who’s playing well, so we can pass that love around the locker room a little bit.”
(In the spirit of the holiday, what are some of the things that you’re thankful for and just being able to play on this evening?) – “First off, I think I’m thankful for being here, being where our feet are, all these opportunities. I’m thankful for family and thankful for being able to be adopted and brought into that family that I’m apart of and being able to have a platform that can advocate for those individuals and those families that might look a little bit different on Thanksgiving this Thursday, but it’s all the same and really special for all those folks.”
(I know you guys are preparing for the Thanksgiving night game, but some of your favorite dishes on the holiday – what can you indulge in? Even though during football season you guys got to –) – “Well I know mac and cheese is big up where I’m from, so you got to get as much cheese and all the cheese curds, all that stuff. Mac and cheese, you got good turkey is always pretty good, so I’m pretty simple with that stuff.”
(How many tickets are you responsible for?) – “My dad took good care of it. Our extended family is all taken care of, but I bet you there’s a hundred, couple hundred people that are going to be there all repping Dolphins stuff. I told them, ‘No Packers gear. You can’t bring it in.’ (laughter) So we’ve got a lot of extra Dolphins fans in the stands for this one.”
(Playing on that iconic field is one thing, but a Thanksgiving game and as big of a game as it is for the Dolphins – that’s the triple-threat right there, that just must be everything?) – “Yeah, it’s prime time and you think about growing up, families all sitting together watching football – I lived that. Playing in ‘Turkey Bowls’ out in the back yard, we played in ‘Turkey Bowls’ out in the Titletown district steps away from the stadium. That’s where I grew up, that’s where family kind of learned the love of the game. So for family and football to kind of be brought together on Thanksgiving night, it’s about as good as it gets.”
(I hear that all of the teams playing on Thanksgiving are going to have John Madden patches on their jerseys. When you think about John Madden, what comes to mind?) – “I think about the turducken. (laughter) I think about him being that voice of football for so long, every big-time game educating fans, educating families in how to play football. He was fun, he brought energy about him. Obviously a legend in the coaching world. He did a lot of great things for this game and I’m glad that we’ll be able to continue to remember his legacy.”
(I’m not sure if you heard, but Shaq Barrett came out of retirement. How cool is that that you guys own the rights and might be able to have him back here in this locker room?) – “Yeah, that would be good to obviously – any way that he is able to help this team, I think would be good for us. I think healthy competition always brings the best out of people, so hopefully it’s all good. Obviously enjoyed him as a teammate while he was here and wished him the best with his entire retirement and then coming out. You hope the best for all those guys that you walk across and meet along this league, you’re always a big fan of the players that you share this locker room with.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that QB Tua Tagovailoa has made significant improvement when it comes to emotional control in a football game. I was curious, coming into the huddle, do you know of any examples of that within the last couple years? Is he different this year at all?) – “He was singing all game on the sidelines, so I think he’s got his swagger back in his own way. He’s in his own skin. So I think it’s just a part of growing up and being in the third year of this offense, being able to play the game within the game. He’s been doing outstanding, I think we’ll continue that whole trend, so he’s doing a great job.”
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
OL Isaiah Wynn
(How long did it take you to get into game shape? We know that you haven’t had trained camp or anything.) – “You can’t really put a time limit on it, but the more reps and more things I do the better I’ll get.”
(Playing in cold weather, I know you’ve done it a lot. What is the key? What is the secret to it if there is a secret? Is it mental?) – “Ain’t too much secret to it, it’s all mental. Really ain’t nothing too much to it. You just got to go out there and play. By that first snap and first series, you’re pretty much acclimated to the cold.”
(Is there anything that you practiced this week to help the team mentally prepare for colder start times?) – “I’m not too sure, that’s a Coach McDaniel question.”
(Just in you’re history of being a football player, is there anything you can do to prepare for the shock?) – “No, not as much as just being out there. If you don’t have that actual environment, it’s kind of hard to simulate it.”
(Does the adrenaline usually take over in those circumstances?) – “For sure.”
(Tell me about when you’re in an atmosphere like that, how that alters so the temperature doesn’t matter.) – “Yeah, a lot of things don’t matter when you’re in that type of atmosphere and you get going and all of that, it’s kind of second nature.”
(What’s it been like being on the sidelines for so long? It must be tough.) – “Not too much tough. It gave me an opportunity to help out the team and also on my behalf learn more stuff about the offense, learn my responsibility and what I have to do to help this team. It’s been good.”
(How does it feel to be getting back in the swing of things?) – “Oh man, it’s awesome. It’s awesome, for sure.”
(What do you think about the way the offensive line has performed this year?) – “They’ve been playing great. They’ve been playing great. We’re looking forward to just continuing that.”
(The road getting back for you, what’s it been like?) – “Just as any injury, mentally and physically just staying active and staying prepared for anything to come up.”
(What do you think you can add to this team at this point in the season?) – “At this point, the guys are playing their (explicit) off. I guess energy at this point.”
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
DT Calais Campbell
(What is your reaction knowing now that all the charges have been dismissed against your star receiver, WR Tyreek Hill?) – “That’s new information, but it makes sense. Honestly that was just such a long time ago now with all the football stuff and everything else, but going back to that, it was just a crazy moment, really uncalled for but I’m glad the charges have been dropped and hopefully can move past that process. It’s kind of crazy that’s how the season started off, but here we are. Grateful for our opportunity.”
(What kind of effect did that whole situation have on the locker room since then?) – “I think it helped bring us closer together. At the end of the day, we try to build those bonds as a brotherhood. Tyreek (Hill) is captain, star player, just a great guy. You always try to have your teammates’ backs and that’s everything I’ve always tried to be throughout my whole career, really, my whole life is my have my people’s backs. I’m glad I was there for him, but obviously the main thing is just that I’m glad that we can put it behind us and all charges have been dropped because it doesn’t make any sense to start with.”
(Calais, on that day you jumped into action with TE Jonnu Smith and you were briefly detained.) – “Yes. Yes, placed the handcuffs on, it was crazy. It’s relevant and it matters, but now it’s time – for me, my mindset has been just moving forward and try to put ourselves in position to get back in this fight, we’ve had a very interesting season. It started off with the most interesting outside of football, but the season has been up and down. We’ve had a lot of game where I feel like we should have won but we didn’t, and then the last few weeks we’ve been rolling. We’ve been playing really good ball and now we have a great challenge ahead of us and we’re going to make sure we’re on point.”
(After the temperature kind of cooled down from that incident, did you ever have any connection with the officers involved? Did they apologize to you? Was there any dialogue at all or anything?) – “No, but I don’t know if they – I mean they might have tried, but there was just so much going on. So for me, it takes a lot to get ready every week so the time is limited. My mindset is we can deal with it in the offseason, just push it down the road because football is why I’m here, it’s the most important thing to me other than my family and my religion, so I just have to make sure I put everything towards that. I think they might have tried to reach out, but I haven’t talked to them.”
(You came here to compete for a Super Bowl, and now this three-game win streak has put you guys in a position, I know you haven’t done anything yet, where now the rest of this season means something. What does it mean to you that now there are possibilities for this season that you came here to compete?) – “I think we’re in a really good spot. Obviously, football is a four-quarter ball game; same thing here, it’s a full-season ball game. We’ve played some really good football the last couple of weeks, but our best is required now. For us to go where we want to go and get back into this fight, this one is a pretty big one, and it’s special. As a kid, I grew up watching Thanksgiving football and imagined playing on Thanksgiving. I’ve played on Thanksgiving before, but it’s always special. It’s very, very special, and also we’re playing in one of the most historic stadiums that’s ever been built – the frozen tundra. So it’s going to be fun. I’ve always liked those big games; lights are bright and everybody is paying attention. It’s nice to know all the people that grew up in my hometown in Colorado are probably going to be watching, all my friends through college and everything else, these kinds of games are special in that way. It’s motivation to go out there and play really good ball, but really this team, where we’re at right now, we need a win. We’ve got to stay hungry. Obviously, the last couple of weeks have given us a chance to make these games matter and these games definitely matter, but those games don’t mean anything if we don’t get this one. So we’ve just got to keep the same mentality we’ve been having, preparing at an elite level, focused, details and doing what’s required for us to win a ball game.”
(You’ve had a long career, I’m sure you’ve had a lot of cold weather games. Do you give any advice to the guys that haven’t had the most success in these temperature games even though it’s not the coldest this team has played with QB Tua Tagovailoa, etc. Do you do warmers? What’s going through your mindset with the cold or do you kind of just let that slide?) – “There’s things that you can do to give yourself a little bit of an advantage, but at the end of the day it’s really just a mindset, it’s a mentality. I’m a football player; rain, sleet or snow, give me an opportunity to play football and I’m going to go out there and play my game. It’s cold for them too, but it’s technically football weather. It’s temporary. I grew up in Colorado where little league football and high school football, you didn’t have heaters on the sideline. We didn’t have big jackets, you just had to suck it up. Obviously, a lot has changed since then. You were superman when you were a kid, you could run through a brick wall and then nothing happens. Now it’s obviously a little different but we have all the things we need for us to go out there and be successful. That definitely won’t be an excuse, we just have to have the right mindset but I think we’re at a place in our season where we should be locked in and have the mental toughness to go out here and win the ball game.”
(You’re someone that has a lot of routine and you’re preparing for a game knowing that it’s a short week for both teams. Is there different preparation for you to get ready for a Thursday night game coming off of short rest?) – “The short weeks are always a different preparation; you just don’t have that much time. I’m doing what I normally do on a short week, normal Thursday. You really can’t – you just have to make the best of it, there’s not much more you can do. In my experience, I’ve done enough and I was able to go out there and play well on Thursdays. Hopefully I’ve got one more in me, we’ll see. (laughter)”
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(So the topic of no-look passes which are always very snazzy, came up with Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith today. Was there any basketball player that you ever watched do that where it left an impression on you and do you get a kick out of doing it?) – “I would say no basketball player that I know inspired me to do any of that. Definitely get a kick out of it. It’s always fun when you can manipulate the defense with your eyes just because you know the spots in which guys are going to be with the throws and you’ve been working on that for some time with those guys as well.”
(Was there a football player who inspired you?) – “I would say no. In my opinion you’ve either got it or you don’t. That’s what it is.”
(How does this offense feel different than years past? Like as the one who operates it, how does this feel different?) – “I think within the structure of our offense with how we’ve said we wanted to go out and how we wanted to play games in terms of taking over it, staying on the field, managing situational ball the way I think we have these past couple of weeks has definitely helped. I think also being able to elongate drives and we’ve been known last year to take shots and it’s been three, four plays. Maybe the longest last year was a 12-play drive and I don’t even remember if that ended in points or not, but I would say that’s the biggest difference with our offense this year.”
(On the flipped pass to RB Jaylen Wright when he comes from your right to left, is that designed as a no-look flip or is that something you just thought…?) – “All of those I just do trying just to try to manipulate the defense, but Mike (McDaniel), ‘Bev’ (Darrell Bevell) and Frank (Smith) – they entrust me with the ball handling knowing that I’m not going to screw it up with whatever play is called. But yeah, it’s not it.”
(I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Lambeau Field – I can’t remember off the top of my head – I think you guys have played Green Bay here. Do you ever look forward to playing in these historic buildings where you think about the NFL and those are one of the top places you think about?) – “One hundred percent. One hundred percent. I think this is an awesome opportunity being able to play Thursday Night Football, prime time, on Thanksgiving. It just takes me back to growing up in Hawaii. Obviously, the prime time games were a little earlier in Hawaii, but it’s sort of the same deal, like that’s the only team that’s playing. And whether you liked the teams that were playing or not like you just sit down eat, you spend time with family and you get to watch that. And sometimes you go outside and you pretend to be some of the players that are playing and so for me and I feel like a lot of the guys, cherish this opportunity that we’re about to get, to be able to go over there to Lambeau, be able to play over there at a historic field. And it is just a blessing. It really is.”
(Who was the guy you emulated when you guys went out back?) – “I don’t know, it’d be like safeties. (laughter) ‘Like I’m just playing defense.’ And then somebody would be just the quarterback for both sides.”
(Have you practiced this week at all or will you when it’s a short week with the glove on the right hand?) – “Probably not.”
(No glove this time?) – “Yeah, probably no glove this time. I think for a lot of our guys that were able to play in the game last year against Kansas City, kind of gave you a different perspective of what cold really was.”
(You’ve talked about the Seakeeper mentality a lot now this year. Why did that specifically come to you? Just buy a boat recently or were you on a boat and you noticed that or where did that come from?) – “I have a boat and the guys that were showing me the features of the boat ended up telling me about the Seakeeper and what the Seakeeper does and whatnot, and so sort of took that mentality into training camp really. It was just one of those I had an ‘a-ha moment’ like it would be good if we use ‘Seakeeper’ and sort of explained it to the quarterback room, explained it to ‘Bev’ (Darrell Bevell) and that’s what it came to be.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel has talked about the gigantic strides you’ve made in like emotional control in a football game. Can you feel yourself when maybe that’s slipping away and then how do you like jar out of that mode so that you can move on to the next play?) – “As a competitor I think you definitely tend to slip out of that frame of mind, but I think at the position, it entails for us to, you have to know how to erase whatever play happened last time and focus on what the defense is giving, focus on the play and the task at hand.”
(We know you want to kill narratives and one of them being your record in the cold. What can you take from your previous opportunities in cold weather into this game?) – “I would say the biggest thing is mindset. We’re obviously nowhere near the temperatures that all these other cold teams play at being in Miami where it’s 80. Sometimes it gets down to 50, but it just gets nowhere near the teams that make it in long stretches in the run that they try to do. To me it’s just a mindset. That’s really all it is.”
(Going back to just elongating drives, do you feel like that style of play is more conducive for success in these kind of environments? Not this, I meant like the one you’re going to see on Thursday.) – “I think with what the defense gives us and with what the play that we’re told in the huddle to run entails for us to do; that’s basically what it is. When we do call our shots, we’re looking to take them, but if they’re not there, that’s just essentially what that series calls for. Now, if we’re dinking and dunking for three plays and then we get a shot, we’re not going to be mad at that. But then again, it falls back to the mindset of the quarterback play like, don’t get antsy. Take what they give you. If this read entails for you to take your shot, take your shot. That’s what it is.”
(This will be your first game against Packers QB Jordan Love, fellow 2020 Draft class. What do you think of him and his game?) – “I’ve got a lot of respect for him. He’s done himself justice last year and he’s earned his contract last year coming into this year. He’s a baller. That’s the reason why they paid him.”
(Packers S Xavier McKinney leads the NFL in interceptions. It looks like he was taken 31 picks after you in the 2020 NFL Draft. What were those practices like back in college?) – “I had ‘X’ (Xavier McKinney) and I was with Josh Jacobs at the same time, so knowing the competitive mindset that those guys have, those were fun practices. Those were fun practices, but being able to go against those guys, I know ‘X’ knows what he’s going to get out of me and I know exactly what he’s going to bring to the table, too. With Josh as well, we came from the same school so you know the mindset that those guys are going to bring every time they see a fellow Alabama player, but yeah, I’m super happy for ‘X’ and the success that he’s found as well as Josh, but I’m looking to mitigate that success when we play against them.”
(Speaking of former Bama players, you have a moment with Christian Barmore there on Sunday after the sack?) – “What do you mean?”
(I saw a little bit of jawing back and forth, some old Bama love?) – “That’s it, that’s it, that’s it. (laughter) I’m glad they didn’t put any of that in the mic’d up. I’m a good person, I swear.”
(How much trash talking do we miss when you’re not mic’d up?) – “Oh, I don’t know. You just go with the flow of the game.”
(We talking Christian Wilkins level or no?) – “I think it can be absurd sometimes. I’m like, dude, what are we doing?”
(What is prepping for Thursday night games like for you? Do you study tape late to Monday night and Tuesday night?) – “I would say yes, you definitely study tape. I would say studying tape begins after our Patriots deal. Then you get with your coaches. You get to look at things that you need to clean up and whatnot, but you’ve got to move quickly. So from there, then it gets to the plays and getting guys dialed in on those plays as well, reasons as to why we’re running those plays, spots they need to be in, all of that.”
(What’s it like playing on Thanksgiving for the players? Is that an honor or is it more like kind of rather be home with my family?) – “I think the players look at that as a great honor, great opportunity. Reason I say that is because a lot of us grew up watching prime time football and on Thanksgiving, a lot of times you’d see the Cowboys play, you’d see the Packers play, the Lions play. And to be able to have that opportunity to play in in a prime time game at night at a historic field, I don’t think any of the guys take that for granted.”
(Will you have your family with you, traveling with you?) – “I probably won’t have my family traveling with me. I think it’s too much for Annah with the kids.”
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(Sometimes I don’t realize these no-look things that QB Tua Tagovailoa does until I see the Twitter get all excited about it and they show the videos. One was to RB Jaylen Wright, a little pitch, and one was a quick pass to WR Jaylen Waddle. The first question is, are those no-looks schemed up or is that something that Tua kind of adds in to give a little flavor?) – “Some things are part of ball handling mechanics, other things he adds his flavor to it, but at the same time it comes through the repetitions of knowing where guys are at, knowing intent and purpose. Some things we add through what we’re trying to do with ball handling. Other things are when he feels very comfortable and thinks he can manipulate a defender a certain way and normally it goes into all of our preparation to make sure that guys handle all that stuff appropriately.”
(Have you seen a quarterback in history who you think is just outstanding, in addition to QB Tua Tagovailoa, at this sort of deception with the ball handling and that sort of thing?) – “No one comes to mind, I’m sure there are many times – “
(I guess Mahomes does it at times.) – “He does it at times. I know quarterbacks just through a lot of times movement of defenders as you’re looking one way and throwing another. I know (Justin) Herbert would always – he’d be looking one way but he’s doing this with his eyes (looking the other way). So you could always see on the TV copy with Justin, his helmet would be that way but he’s really looking that way, so he was moving his head to make the throw. So I think part of it comes with the quarterback position. With Tua, he’s obviously very good at working through different mechanics with the guys.”
(Last part, you guys are totally cool with it? It’s not like you’re ever like, “Hey man, you’re pushing it a little too far with that one?”) – “No, we’re very open and transparent. There’s nothing he’s doing that we’re surprised by.”
(I believe I asked you this last week in terms of the run game, kind of the volume has been – or the production has been turned down a little bit. I know QB Tua Tagovailoa is back and Tua is distributing the ball at such an efficient high level and a lot of those passes are simulated runs, but when you want to run the ball, why has it been such a struggle in recent weeks?) – “I think what happens is when earlier on like in Buffalo and Indy, Arizona; a couple of those games where obviously we’re very efficient running the football, teams were trying to sit back and play and trying to defend different things, where recently they’re trying to solve run game issues and especially like New England, we ran for over 200 minus the penalties. Like we had a really good day of rushing against them and they were clearly committed to make sure that wouldn’t happen again, so when they commit to such a level to stop the run, they’re going to make themselves vulnerable in other ways and we were able to capitalize on some other things that they were doing. Many of their pressures were to stop the run, so when they’re bringing all that, we were able to exploit it through the passing game. Because I think ultimately when you look at it, you’re going, OK, it’s efficiency of the run game; you obviously want to make sure that you’re always staying on schedule, however, our job is to score points. And if they’re going to defend a certain way to stop the run, OK, what’s the complement so that’s where we make sure that when we build the attack, if they’re trying to overcommit to stop something, they’re going to be vulnerable somewhere else and we were able to pivot to it really quickly. That’s why the second quarter kind of went the way it did because we could see their plan and kind of the way they were going to try and defend us.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel was telling us that QB Tua Tagovailoa has taking a gigantic step when it’s come to emotional control of himself during football games. I was curious how specifically have you seen him work on that and how much has that played into some of the more sustained drives you guys have had?) – “I think it benefits when you’re able to – I mean collectively as the whole offense, we’re trying to make sure we all stay present in the moment and play each moment as intently as you can just because when you start off a season and things don’t go the way they are, it’s makes you appreciate what you have. And the more deliberately you’re in the moment, whether the result was good or bad, you can stay now in the next moment to make sure you maximize it. He’s done a great job of that and just you can see like him and many other guys from the process from the meeting rooms to the walkthrough to the practice to the game, just making sure you can get that approach if you really activate it every day in everything you do.”
(Now I know compared to Kansas City, Green Bay is going to be balmy. It’s going to be a good 30-40 degrees warmer than it was there, but think back to that playoff game and the instructions you gave QB Tua Tagovailoa as to how to handle that cold – what did you learn from that? What were the keys then? How well did he handle it? Why do you think this time will be better?) – “Nothing will be colder than that game. I mean, the press box was frozen over. It was an all-timer. But I think through everything you learn to equip yourselves for everything, especially like this season we’ve had plenty of adversity that you learn from and everything is a new challenge whether it’s the weather or getting out of the slump or a bad drive or a bad play; it’s how you respond and what’s your focus in that moment. And like we were just talking about, just being deliberately present and really focusing on how you can maximize now that’s the best way to really prepare for an environment because whether it’s cold, whether it’s loud, whether it’s hot; all these things are just factors you can’t control, so you really just want to make sure that, OK, what are the things I can control and be aware of and I think that’s what him and all the other guys are really focusing on for this game and all games going forward.”
(They say wind is probably the most disruptive, correct, for quarterback beyond cold and sleet and rain and all that? Is that correct?) – “Yeah, wind can be – up in Green Bay, when I was in Chicago for three years, they were in division. Went up there plenty of times so it’s – all the elements can be challenging up there. Ultimately it just comes down to us and being together and executing together and we’ll be good on – I was about to say this weekend, but shoot, it’s Thursday. It’s in two days. (laughter)”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel yesterday mentioned that the preparation for the cold game on Thursday has changed. I wanted to know like how is it – he didn’t want to get into specifics, I don’t want to ask specifics – but how has the preparation changed or maybe even stayed similar to years past?) – “I think when you go into Kansas City, it was about as cold as it gets and when you have that level of extreme weather, I think everyone learns something. I learned that there’s not enough layers I could wear to stay warm that day. Thankfully, I was in the press box (coaching booth). (laughter) But I think a lot of guys were able to realize, OK, when we’re dealing with temperature variance of so extreme, how are we going to go about our process and I think that’s where guys pregame will make sure they’re ready to go, get out in the environment, test their cleats, move around and everyone be good to go. But ultimately, weather, wind, all these things, you can’t control it, but if you have the right mental process towards it, that’s the most important thing.”
(Wanted to ask you about OL Isaiah Wynn now that the long-awaited move to activate him from PUP has been made, what the vision is for him in terms of potentially working him back into the starting lineup where he was for the first seven games of 2023?) – “I think it was good to get him activated to the roster and we’ll work through all those things as we go through it. Rob (Jones) has been doing a great job for us, and it’s been a process to get him back to the roster to feel good about himself so we’ll play that out as it goes. The season, you never know what’s going to happen, so I think ultimately it’s just making sure that he’s ready to go, back in the game plan, working with the guys and making sure we can get back up to speed for whatever contingency we have to hit along the way.”
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver
(A report just came out that Shaq Barrett has applied for reinstatement according to his agents. Has it been conveyed to you through General Manager Chris Grier or through him or through Head Coach Mike McDaniel whether he wants to play for the Miami Dolphins, who own his rights?) – “I’ve got to be honest, that’s news to me. I really got no comment on that because it’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
(What has CB Storm Duck done that’s given you the confidence not only to play him a lot, but you’ve still been able to blitz CB Jalen Ramsey and do different things with Jalen even without CB Kendall Fuller there?) – “I think we’ve been talking about Storm (Duck), really, since training camp. He’s a guy that’s just consistent out there, and this is not a pun by any means, but he is truly unflappable. It doesn’t matter what happens good or bad, he’s the same guy play-in and play-out, and that dependability obviously builds trust with his teammates and it’s why he’s out there.”
(Obviously you have confidence in LB Tyrel Dodson, he knows the scheme, the terminology, the languages because he’s coming from a scheme that’s similar. But how difficult will that transition be, especially in a week where you don’t have practices?) – “I don’t think it’s going to be very difficult at all. Since he’s gotten here, he’s been the consummate professional. So fortunately for him, there’s certainly some verbiage similarities between the two schemes between what we’re doing here and what they’re doing in Seattle. It’s like anything, when you’re going to another team, a lot of times you’re trying to learn a new scheme. The hardest part of that is translating that language into what you already know, so that’s been fairly seamless for him, and then he’s just a confident player. I think you guys saw that on Sunday. When he got on that field, ultimately once he knows what to do, he’s going to rely on the instincts which he has his whole life, and he was able to go out there and make plays. I don’t expect there to be a big transition between him and ‘Walk’ (Anthony Walker Jr.). I think from a communication standpoint, he is just as strong out there in trying to convey what we’re in and then helping his teammates out as well. So we have the utmost confidence in ‘TD’ (Tyrel Dodson) to go out there and play and play well.”
(Obviously, you’ve been around football a long time. What do you make of this “The Dolphins can’t play in the cold,” mess? What do make of that?) – “(laughter) I don’t make anything of it, to be honest with you. I’ve played – like you said, I’ve been around big-time football now since 1998. I’ve never lost a game and looked back and thought, ‘Guys, it was just too cold outside,’ so I don’t expect that to happen this week. I understand some of the things that are being talked about and the narratives out there, but for us, it’s football. It doesn’t matter what the temperature is, they can go and snap this in the mall parking lot and we’re going to go and do everything we can to try to win. Do they still have malls anymore? Do those exist? (laughter)”
(RB Josh Jacobs, what’s going to be the key to limiting him?) – “I’ll tell you what, tremendous amount of respect for who he is as a back. He obviously has incredible short area quickness, really good contact balance, but he runs angry and when you’re watching opposing backs, that’s always what you’re looking for – how many yards do they get post-contact. So for us, obviously we’ve got to do a great job tackling him, and we can’t just rely on any one guy to bring him down. We got to make sure we try to shoot him low and run our feet and all those things, but we’ve got to try to get population to the ball. We got to swarm tackle this guy, make sure we’re chasing down and not assuming he’s down because the second you do that, he’ll break a tackle and he’ll run for 20. So we’ll be constantly preaching these guys these next two days is let’s just get as many Dolphin logos to the ball on every single snap as we possibly can.”
(Obviously QB Jordan Love has taken the next step, I think, in his career, but he also tends to turn the ball over a little bit, he has 11 picks and four fumbles I think I saw. Has there been a common thread as to what defenses have been able to do to get that guy to turn the ball over?) – “Not really. I think it’s just because he is so talented, has tremendous arm talent, can make every throw, he’s mobile enough to hurt you as well. I think when he gets in trouble, it’s just because he is so confident in that ability and the playmakers around him where he’ll try to extend some plays and make something extremely special happen. Now, while turnovers and things of that nature occur, there’s also a bunch of times where those work out in his favor, so I doubt it’s certainly something they’re not trying to take out of his game, and we’re going to try to do everything we can to disguise him pre-snap and affect him with our rush and our blitzes and our coverage disguise, so hopefully we can have some of those fall our way.”
(When you guys had interest in Shaq Barrett in the offseason, what was it that drew you to him? And if he’s coming back to you or someone else, what kind of player would they be getting?) – “I think with Shaq (Barrett), it was his veteran presence. He’s obviously a guy that has a bunch of pelts on the wall, that has a Super Bowl ring. There isn’t anything schematically that he hasn’t seen and he’s been impactful throughout his time in the league. So that was obviously what we saw in him, and if he chooses to come back here or whatever that is then God bless him, but right now I’m focusing on the guys who have been here, who have been committed to us and are currently in the fight.”
(DT Calais Campbell, he came here to win a Super Bowl, and I know this team hasn’t accomplished anything yet, but how much do you appreciate for him that at his age, this season has newfound meaning over the past month for him to maybe be able to go and compete for that Super Bowl?) – “It’s incredibly important to me. I just remember talking to him early on when he was trying to decide between a few teams and telling him what I felt in this building and the connectivity and how special of a group I truly believed it was. And I know in our darkest moments, you can waver in that faith and belief, but we never did, and I think we’re starting to see the truest version of what this team can be. So just incredibly happy for him in that we’ve put ourself now where we’re getting to November, December football where we’re going to be playing meaningful games which ultimately, that’s all you’re chasing as a football team – to make sure at the end of the year, you’ve positioned yourself where you can try and make that run and there’s nobody I want to make that run for more than Calais Campbell.”
