LB Jaelan Phillips
(How much have you studied the pass-rush moves that you used effectively in college, just maybe on your own at night watching tape and determining, ‘Ok, these are going to work at the NFL level maybe against this opponent. These aren’t going to work. How much of that self-evaluation alone have you done either in your mind or watching tape?) – “I would say my game is constantly evolving. They kind of always say with pass rushers that they’re like pitchers, right? You’ve got to have a good fastball and a good off-speed. So for me, it’s just kind of figuring out what works for me and what works against different types of tackles. It really changes every week because obviously different tackles are going to have different sets and are going to use their hands differently. You just kind of have to do business as business is being done and just attack everybody differently. I don’t really watch college tape, like my own college tape, anymore unless I want to reminisce a little bit. (laughter) But yeah, I’m just continuously trying to improve my game and figure out what works.”
(Speaking of college and reminiscing a little, when you threw up The U the other day, did you hear how much louder the place might have gotten than usual?) – “Oh, yeah. I knew that was about to happen. I did it for the fans. (laughter) You’ve got to represent. That was fun though. I was talking to one of the offensive linemen before the game and I was like, ‘Yeah, when I get a sack, I’m going to throw up the U and see what happens.’”
(What are your thoughts on having to chase down QB Lamar Jackson?) – “I’m going to be running a lot. (laughter) Lamar is a great player. A dynamic guy, obviously. You just have to be really disciplined when you are playing a guy like that so it’s going to be key for us edge players to be sound in our techniques and our fundamentals, and just do what we’re being coached to do. It’s going to be a fun one.”
(Following up on that question, are some of your veteran teammates talking to you about the do’s and don’ts of chasing a guy like QB Lamar Jackson?) – “You just have to be sound, like I said, on your fundamentals and techniques. We’re always taught not to jump when they’re pump-faking and to make sure you’re chasing their up-field shoulder so they don’t spin out and you don’t lose contain. There’s just different techniques to try to contain a guy like that but at the end of the day, he’s an extremely dynamic – probably the most dynamic – player in the league. So we’re definitely going to have to be on our game.”
(They do a lot of misdirection in the backfield and pulling linemen and kind of leaving guys free to kind of read them on those option plays. I guess how hard is it when you’re so used to just breaking on quarterbacks to remain disciplined? And you’re on a short week as well. How difficult is that?) – “Yeah, we just have to really lock in and make sure we’re on our game in terms of watching film and studying these guys. But yeah, it definitely changes up the game a little bit. You’ve got to make sure, like I said, you’re disciplined. Discipline is the number one thing. It’s eye discipline. It’s discipline in your feet and making sure that you have your weight under you so you’re not just flying around. It definitely changes the game up a little bit. But we prepare for these types of things.”
(You stood up some last year and obviously stood up as a linebacker at UCLA. But the adjustment of going from hand in the ground as a rusher to standing up, how has it gone from July to now? Is there a point in the last couple of months where you felt like you’re getting a lot more comfortable doing it this way?) – “Yeah. I would say even last year some I would stand up. It just gives you kind of a different vantage point. It allows you to see a little better. I’m really comfortable doing either technique and doing whatever I need to do – playing inside, doing 4i, 3-tech, whatever it is. Yeah, I’d say I’m definitely comfortable doing anything.”
(You probably played some big Thursday night games in the ACC – Virginia Tech. One of my favorites was always Miami at Virginia Tech on Thursday night. I don’t know if you had one of those – maybe one or two.) – “I don’t know. I don’t think we played on Thursday last year. It was Saturday. I remember that game for sure.”
(The idea of playing a night game when you’re the only game in town and the only game on TV, is that appealing to you?) – “Yeah, it’s prime time. It’s going to be awesome. Playing under the lights, it’s almost like Friday Night Lights. It’s like taking you back to those days back in high school. It will be fun, a little change up. So yeah, Sunday is the best day of the week because that’s when you get to play. Now we just get Sunday (three) days earlier, so that’s nice.”
(I’m doing a story on Steven Rivera, aka the Canes Barber. Just talk about him being part of the team. You’ve known him now from your college days. Now he also cuts here. Just how much a part of the team he is for you over the years.) – “Funny enough, I actually hit him up the first time I ever came to the University of Miami because I just had heard from a friend that he was the basketball team’s barber. I was on my little visit, I wanted to get fresh and stuff so I hit him up. That was the first time I met him. Learning about him as a man, like he’s extremely involved in the community. He’s an extremely hard worker and a passionate guy. We’ve become kind of close friends. I’m loyal to him as a barber. I don’t go to anybody else. (laughter) I actually got the chance to – he’s working on kind of a show where it’s basically like Lebron’s barbershop talk kind of thing where he’s just chopping it up about real life things. I think that’s an awesome thing to give some athletes the opportunity to share their story and for him to share his story. So yeah, I love the guy. He’s awesome.”
(People are particular about their barbers. Sometimes barbers can be like their psychologists. Is Steven like the kind of guy who is part of the team with you guys?) – “Yeah, he’s definitely a guy you can chop it up with about anything. He’s a personable guy and I really enjoy hanging out with him. I know everybody appreciates his time and dedication and how often he comes down here. He’ll pull up to your house, wherever you are. Yeah, a great guy.”
TE Mike Gesicki
(I know a couple weeks ago when you guys were playing the Falcons, we asked if you had talked to TE Kyle Pitts at Tight End U. I’m just curious on TE Mark Andrews on the Ravens, were you able to talk to him a little bit and if so, what were your impressions of him?) – “I haven’t spoken with him since that event but he’s obviously a great player. He makes a ton of plays. I’ve gotten the chance to watch him play. I believe it was a Monday night game against Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago and he went off. He went crazy. He’s a great player, is able to affect the game in a lot of different ways and I think it’s going to be a good challenge for our defense.”
(You have been playing great the last few weeks, the entire year. Do you feel this is the highest level that you will reach in your career?) – “I hope not. Me and the way that I work and my routine coming in here each and every day, just trying to improve, trying to get better. I hope that I’m not even scratching the surface yet. That’s why you play this game, you go out and you have an opportunity to make plays each and every week. You’ve got to make the most of them when they present themselves.”
(I’m curious when you practice one-handed catches in practice, do you do an equal number with right hand and left hand?) – “Yeah, absolutely. Every day after practice our equipment manager, Jon Swede, shoots me the JUGS. We’re always out there pretty late so I appreciate him doing that. We do a bunch of different positions, catches and things like that. Right hand, left hand – I work them both because you never know when that opportunity comes. It’s not like you think about it. It just happens.”
(Do you feel you are as efficient with the left-handed one-handed snag or maybe a little more right-handed?) – “Yeah. My right hand is my dominant hand but I’m working to get the left as strong.”
(Do you have a favorite or most difficult one you’ve had since you’ve been in the league?) – “Honestly, I saw it on TV that they gave, I think it was my second one, was the one that was talked about. I think the first one was better. I guess I’ll leave that up to everybody else to decide.”
(That was the one on the sideline, right?) – “Yeah.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores has been saying all year that this is a resilient group, a group that believes, a group that believes it’s close and all those things. When you show up to work yesterday after a win, was there a little more tangible bounce in everybody’s step?) – “I think his message after the game was to enjoy it for the night and once we got back in here yesterday, touched on the game, what we need to improve and all of that kind of stuff and what we did well. Then it was right back to work. It’s obviously a very, very short week so it’s unique in that aspect – different than other weeks. So we couldn’t really hang our hat on it for too long. We’re already on to Baltimore.”
(WR Mack Hollins said after the game that your body hurts less after a win. Is there validity to that?) – “Actually, I do agree with Mack on that one. Things just feel better when you win, especially after a couple tough losses. To bounce back and get a win is definitely a positive aspect of that.”
(Even for pros, every game is on TV but being prime time, is that a big deal?) – “Yeah, I think it is a big deal. Obviously, you take every game the same way but I think it’s exciting. You’ve got a chance to go out there, there’s only one game on on Thursday night, so everybody is going to be watching and you’ve got to go out and make the most of your opportunities.”
(In support of QB Tua Tagovailoa, do you say anything to him when he deals with this finger injury that detoured maybe what he wanted to do this year?) – “Yeah, obviously you’re there to support him but I can’t give him my finger. (laughter) I just let him heal up and do everything that he has to do and hopefully he can get back out there as soon as possible.”
(Trying to get an idea of what WR Will Fuller is going through with finger. As a fellow pass-catcher, if one of your fingers isn’t healthy, how much does that impact your ability to catch the ball?) – “Obviously there’s different injuries and things like that. I’ve dislocated fingers and stuff like that. Right afterwards it’s sore, hurt, whatever. You need your hands to catch the ball. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory.”
(Do you ever think about the 2019 Ravens game?) – “I tried to not remember much from it. They’re a very good team. They’re extremely physical, well-coached, explosive in all three phases of the game and it’s going to be a great challenge for us on Thursday night.”
(I know you said you try not to think about that game but how much different of a place is this team in now than you were then?) – “Yeah, I think we’ve grown a lot in those three seasons or two-and-a-half seasons, however long it’s been. Obviously every year is a new year. That’s just kind of – I can’t even compare this team to that team, whether it’s good or bad.”
(As bad as that afternoon was, was that the type of game that maybe stuck with you guys longer than…) – “No. We’re not like coming in here saying, ‘Do you remember 2019?’ You could probably pull up something when the Dolphins played the Ravens like in 1992. That’s in the past. We’re not really motivated by that.”
(The Ravens weren’t even around then.) – “(laughter) There you go. I got nothing for you on that.”
(What stands out, I guess, with QB Jacoby Brissett when he’s in there about what he brings as a QB?) – “He plays with a lot of fire. He plays with a lot of fight. He does a very good job of leading. He gets guys lined up, gets guys in and out of the huddle, does a good job of communicating. Then he’s willing to take chances and put the ball where it has to be. I love playing with him. I love playing with Tua (Tagovailoa). I think we’ve got a very good quarterback room and I’m appreciative of both of those guys.”
(I know when you watch film, you’re watching the other side of the ball of course. But just as a fan, where do you think QB Lamar Jackson is right now in the echelon of really good ones?) – “I mean he’s obviously extremely high up there. He’s an extremely talented player. I think I saw last week he had the most rushing yards and then obviously being a quarterback – but the most passing yards. He’s obviously extremely talented and can affect the game in many different ways. He’s obviously going to be a big challenge for our defense but one that I’m sure they’re excited to go up against.”
CB Nik Needham
(You all these last two weeks have really looked like the 2020 defense that was really good. Is there anything that happened off field before these two games, whether it was Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer saying something or whether it was one of your teammates standing up and saying something that might have coincided with this turnaround defensively?) – “I think it was just with all that was going on, just coming back and just going back to work, and being consistent and listening to what the coaches were preaching. We had a lot of games where just the little things were going wrong, and I think we’re just doing a better job at just executing the gameplan.”
(What was going through your mind when you realized you had a free run on QB Tyrod Taylor?) – “Watching it now, I’m kind of sick because the ball was right there. I should have just hit the ball out of his hand. But I just saw a free edge. (Emmanuel) Ogbah did a good job of holding the tackle off of the edge, so I just ran in there free and hit him. It was kind of like a blur and then you heard the crowd (scream).”
(Was that the best play of your pro career?) – “I guess you can say that. It’s similar to the Sam Darnold one. That’s the same thing, I should’ve got the ball out at the end of the day. It could’ve been better.”
(You’re still a young guy yourself, obviously third year. But playing with two really young safeties, what kind of adjustment is that for the corners? No one can know as much as S Bobby McCain can yet, because of S Jevon Holland’s age and experience. But is he close to it? Just the experience of playing with two young safeties?) – “I think I’ve said this before. Jevon has been doing a good job. He’s making some rookie stuff and making some good plays out there. Brandon (Jones) is also doing well, a second-year guy. We trust both of them back out there. That’s why they are out there. Whatever calls they make, that’s what we’re going to go out there and execute. It’s good to have them both out there.”
(When you look at the Ravens offense on the film, have you seen that maybe they move more guys around and put more guys in the slot than most other teams that just keep one guy in the slot?) – “I’m not sure if it’s more than usual, but you see Hollywood (Brown). He moves in and out. They’ve got (Devin) Duvernay and put him in the slot as well. (James) Proche is also in there. They put a couple of guys in there. It’s the same as any other team really.”
(Do you have to have your eyes in the backfield any more than usual playing against a guy like QB Lamar Jackson?) – “For sure, it’s definitely going to be an eye discipline game. That’s what they’ve been preaching all week. We’ve got to be on our P’s and Q’s and make sure that we’re all focused and locked in on our jobs. That’s what (Defensive Coordinator Josh) Boyer has been preaching. Make sure you do your job on each and every play. We’ve got to be locked in. There is a lot of stuff going on back there.”
(You mentioned WR Marquise Brown. What do you see in his game and maybe some of the difficulties he provides as a challenge?) – “Definitely speed. You can see that. He definitely has a lot of shots deep, even the deep field. Explosive athlete. We’ve got to do a good job of keep coverage over the top.”
(Assuming you watch other NFL games when you get the chance, are there certain players that you enjoy watching as if you were a fan and would QB Lamar Jackson be one of those guys?) – “I wouldn’t say a fan, but you have a level of respect for everybody’s game. I would say that’s a very good player. I wouldn’t say as far as a fan, but you definitely have respect for everybody’s game.”
(Is he particularly fun to watch because of his style?) – “I guess you could say that, yeah.”
(It seems to me that game after game, opposing offenses say that we’re going to stay away from CB Xavien Howard and probably stay away from CB Byron Jones, and we’re going to go after CB Nik Needham. But then game after game, you get pass breakups. It seems to me like you’re gaining confidence. Where is your level of confidence as a professional athlete at this moment, in comparison to your first NFL game?) – “Obviously it’s definitely higher than that. It’s been three years. It’s my third year. I just try to continue to make plays every week. That’s all I’m trying to do. Just try to stay consistent. That’s all you can do in the NFL. I think if I just keep doing that and keep doing a good job with that, I’ll be fine. That’s my main focus. Try to be consistent.”
CB Byron Jones
(What do you think are the biggest changes in the defensive performance as a group the last couple of weeks that have allowed you to resume the dominant way you all looked for much of last season? Pressure on quarterback, tight coverage, what’s top of the list?) – “I think we’re throwing a little bit more at offenses. I think we’re getting turnovers and guys are executing.”
(Studying QB Lamrr Jackson now and his progression throughout the NFL career, do you feel he’s become as a dangerous passer as he’s always been a runner?) – “Absolutely. I think watching the film and watching the passes he’s able to make, but also how he extends the plays with his feet is really impressive. He’s done that since Day 1. We were actually watching the film from 2019 when they played Miami and he was throwing just fine then too.”
(What do you see when you watch WR Marquise Brown?) – “Speed.”
(How are you physically with this turn of playing on Sunday and then Thursday? How is your body? How is it doing? Is it any different?) – “You try to sleep as much as you can. You drink a lot of water and watch as much film as you can because you can’t really practice. Your body is beat up a little bit but everyone goes through it so you just have to suck it up and find a way because they are dealing with the same thing we’re dealing with. A good challenge for both of us.”
(I wanted to ask you about CB Nik Needham. What have you noticed about the way he plays, that you like or appreciate?) – “He’s just a scrappy player. When you look at his career path and understand that he wasn’t a drafted guy or wasn’t highly recruited at probably any stage of his life, to come here and be on this roster for so long and contribute to the starting defense for so long, I think I’ve said that before, I look up to guys like him. Those guys have it hard. They are looking to cut guys like that, but he’s always found a way to stay on the field and perform well. We all love Nik. We’re all happy for him to see that, but also he deserves it. He’s a smart guy. He plays hard. He’s a true professional.”
(How hard is it to defend QB Lamar Jackson because if you’re in man coverage, you’re locked in on covering your guy and all of a sudden you have to turn around and he might be 10 yards down the field.) – ‘We’ve played mobile quarterbacks who can throw or run. It’s not a new challenge for us, but we’ve never played against this type of threat with his legs. I’ve watched film of this guy just juking an entire team. You don’t see that often from a quarterback. You just play ball. Just cover when you need to cover and tackle when you need to tackle.”
(As a defensive back, when your back is actually turned to where the quarterback is. How do you start knowing that you’ve got the scramble drill? Do you react to the wide receiver if he starts to try to block you? Do you realize..?) – “A lot of it is just feel and just how the receiver’s eye light up, or you can see if the ball is coming or not. In terms of when the quarterback leaves the pocket, it’s definitely the receiver that’s going to tell you a lot of things. It’s just a feel. The crowd kind of reacts in a certain way too. For me, it’s just watch the receiver and if he stops running his route, his eyes are getting big or the ball is coming – I think it’s just feel. It’s hard to explain, but you just got to be out there to feel it, I guess.”
(A lot of times you hear DBs talk about plastering when you have these mobile quarterbacks. Do you have a strategy you go about practicing plastering?) – “No. it’s just exactly what you think. When we’re out there on the field, we understand that the play is going to go a little bit longer than we want it to, and then you keep your eyes on your receiver. He’s going to switch up his route. He may run a dig, but he may turn into a seven or he may come back to the quarterback, away from the quarterback. The best way to practice is to do exactly what you are probably going to do in the game and that’s just keep your eyes on the receiver and stay disciplined that way.”
RB Myles Gaskin
(What have you noticed about the Ravens defense?) – “They bring a lot of pressure on third downs, kind of all around in general, but everybody runs to the ball. Very good defense. I think they’re well-coached, very aggressive, so it’s definitely a great challenge.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey, G/T Robert Hunt and everybody has brought up the desire to run more and run more efficiently. What do you think about that and how important it is to do that as a group?) – “It’s very important. I think that opens up everything for the passing game, just having a very well-balanced team, very well-balanced offensive obviously. I think that’s just the challenge that I got to put on myself, the running back room has to put on themselves, and the o-line put it on themselves and everybody as a collective unit. It goes to the receivers too. They got to go out there and block for us and all of those types of things. It’s just a collective unit challenge. As a running back, obviously, you take that as for yourself the biggest challenge. Just ready to get after it this week. Last week did not go as planned. That’s the good thing about the NFL – you got another week, got a new opponent and we got a short week. That’s in the wind now.”
(You scored out of the Wildcat on Sunday. What are some of the intricacies that change about your position once you’re actually taking the snap under center?) – “Nothing at all. I did it in college a lot. It’s just one of those things once you’ve done it a couple of times, it’s just kind of playing football. You’re just catching the snap instead of having somebody hand it to you.”
(When you look back at last game, do you feel like there just wasn’t running room? Did you feel that there were some places that you could have found holes there?) – “I think I always look at the film and look at things I could have done better, so yeah I think I could have done a few things better. Broke out of some tackles, some shoe-string tackles and stuff like that. Just like I said though, on to the next week. I’m not really worried about last week. I mean we won so at the end of the day we won and that’s the biggest thing, so on to this week.”
(Going back to the Wildcat touchdown, it seemed like you hesitated a little bit to see where the hole was after you took the snap. Is that something you had predetermined? I’m going to get the snap and see where it is or was that just a reaction?) – “As a Wildcat quarterback, in that situation, you got to kind of give it the time that you would take the handoff. That would be kind of like that, the hesitation. You’re just kind of seeing the blocks develop.”
G/T Robert Hunt
(Have you gone back to right tackle at practice this week? Have you practiced there this week?) – “No. Not at all. No.”
(So you are staying at right guard?) – “Yeah we’re keeping the same lineup right now. We haven’t really worked on anything yet.”
(How tough have the offensive line meetings been this week? Obviously as a group, you all want to play better than you did Sunday.) – “Yeah. Tough outing for us. Like you said, we want to play better. We are all pretty pissed off about the performance we put out Sunday but thank God that we got another chance to try to come out and prove ourselves Thursday.”
(What jumps out at you when you look at the Ravens on film?) – “Big, physical group. Big, physical, tough group. Veterans. Guys that have been playing the game for a while. We’ve got to do our best to get in the film and know the guys we are going against. A lot of gameplan.”
(How did you come away feeling from last game the way you guys run blocked the run game and what can you do to fix that?) – “Of course you want to run the ball better. I think we had a lot of chances to get the run game going. It just didn’t work out in our favor. The only thing we can do is come in and continue to try to work on it and get better. It’s the NFL. Every game is not going to be pretty but we get another chance to try to come out and run the ball again Thursday.”
(Two teams have to go through this every week, I get that, but this week it’s your turn. What’s it like trying to get ready for a game in four days?) – “We knew what it was already. We got us a good win this past weekend and after that, you’ve just got to lock in and know you’ve got a game coming up Thursday and try to get in the film and get on top of the guys you are going against. It’s our job so we got to do what we can do to put ourselves in the best situation.”
(WR Mack Hollins said after the game that your body hurts less after a win. Is there any validity to that?) – “Yeah, that’s right. It’s hard to win. We went down a losing streak for (seven) weeks so yeah, I didn’t care if my body hurt or not. At least we got a win.”
(Who in the offensive line room has helped keep things together and upbeat?) – “I think all of us. We want to be good and we hear all the noise, of course. We just got to stick together, be a tightknit group, because it is five of us playing and us five have to be on the same page. We all know that and we all try to keep each other up and we are keeping each other up. That starts with all of us from our position coach to the older guys in that room. That’s pretty much that on that.”
(You guys have had a lot of, I guess change this year whether it’s through injuries or play. How has that impacted your continuity or cohesion as a group?) – “I guess it’s just a next man up mentality I guess in the league. We got to be ready no matter who’s playing. Whoever is playing where, no matter what position it is, anybody can go anywhere. We just got to be ready to play. We got to be ready to try to compete and try to win. We got to be on the same page.”
(The Dolphins have the national stage, the prime time audience, the only game, and that really hasn’t been discussed this week. Is that something that appeals to you? What do you like about that?) – “It’s the only game on Thursday you know what I mean, so that’s exciting. I think that will be my first game on Thursday Night Football, so I’m pretty excited about it. I’m sure the whole team is, so it’ll be fun.”
(Is it different playing at night here in Miami than playing than playing at 1 p.m.? I guess for you guys, you can feel it with the heat and all of that.) – “Yeah, it is. Yeah, it definitely is. I only played once and that was the Atlanta game. But yeah, there definitely is a difference. It goes from 90 to maybe 80 so that’s good. (laughter)”
(I got something positive. Home teams have historically had success on short weeks on the Thursday night game.) – “I get that. I can see that. We’re coming in, preparing and hopefully we can keep that going.”
QB Jacoby Brissett
(Obviously you probably watched the film of the game. What was your biggest takeaway about how you performed and the offense performed?) – “I think we left some plays out there. I think that was the biggest takeaway from it. We obviously – the turnovers and things like that are definitely unacceptable. The plays that we left out there, I think that was the biggest thing.”
(You and QB Lamar Jackson have something in coming – the Palm Beach connection. How well do you know him personally, if at all really?) – “I think he would mostly claim probably Broward (County). We’ve met each other in passing a couple of times. I obviously played against him in college. Just playing with him and stuff like that, we have a lot of mutual friends. But we’ve never like hung out with each other.”
(Was there a different bounce in here on Monday? Head Coach Brian Flores has been saying all year that you guys are resilient, close and all of that. But it had to feel a little different coming back after a win.) – “Definitely. Obviously coming off a win and then having to turn the clock to come back for another game this week, a short week. It definitely put a different pep in for a Monday, for sure. I think everybody is excited. Everybody is ready to go. I think we did a good job of turning the page because we got right into them yesterday. Looking forward to the challenge.”
(What stands out about the Ravens defense?) – “The Ravens of Ravens defense – fast, physical, tough, fly to the ball. They obviously got good players and they’re a hungry bunch. They’re playing well right now. We’re going to have to play our best game of the season this week.”
(Do you feel like there’s anything that you took or learned from your first three starts this season and then applied it to what you did on Sunday?) – “Just finding ways to be myself at all times through the adversity and through the rough times throughout the game, and the ebbs and flows of the game. Being the steady head of the ship. I think that’s the most important thing for the quarterback when you go through those rough times is you want the offense and the players on the team to be able to find somebody that’s going to be level-headed. So I try to be that. Obviously I get emotional in the game. You saw me with the ref and stuff like that. It’s part of it. But other than that, I hope I am the same guy.”
(How much fun is it to play with TE Mike Gesicki this year?) – “Aw, man it’s a lot of fun. He’s a joy to play with. It’s no surprise. You say it and it kind of sounds cliché but the things that he does in games, he practices it in practice. It’s cool when you see it come to fruition in games and hopefully it just continues, which I know he will. Because right after that, the next day – well, yesterday, he came and was practicing those same catches. He’s definitely fun to play with. A guy that I have a ton of respect for. I enjoy playing with him, coming to work with him and hanging out with him outside of football. I’m happy for him.”
(Forgive me if this one is a little out there but you guys are used to getting up Sunday morning, you go to the stadium and you play a game at 1 o’clock. How much hard is it to wait until 8 or 9 o’clock at night to play a game? How much harder is that process of waiting around all day to play?) – “I hope that it isn’t that hard because you’re still playing in the NFL. You’re still playing in the National Football League. If you can’t wake up and play for that, no matter the time, I don’t know what’s wrong with you. I think we’ll be all right.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said if the game were tonight, you would start. But that there is still a possibility that QB Tua Tagovailoa could improve to play Thursday. You seem to do very well with the highs and lows of NFL life and adjusting. If you’re not told you’re starting until 6 p.m. Thursday, does it make a difference to you in terms of your game-day routine? Or does it have no impact at all?) – “You pretty much answered the question so I can’t give you a good answer. (laughter) But yeah, it doesn’t matter. Whenever my time is called, I know and I trust in myself that I’ll be ready to go.”
(No game day routine for you that…) – “No, I do my same thing no matter what.”
(I see that you have the Cactus Jack lows on. Do you have a pretty big shoe collection?) – “Yeah, too many. It’s a bad habit. (laughter) Yeah, a lot of shoes that I couldn’t get when I was growing up, I got them now.”
(What was the last pair that you just picked up?) – “Well I got the other lows of the other version. And I bought another version of these because you can see these are beat. I think that was pretty much it. I’ve kind of been buying other shoes that aren’t like sneakers.”
(Do you notice if there’s a teammate or two that has particularly good fashion or style?) – “I don’t know. A lot of these dudes wear sweatsuits too much. (laughter) Nah, it’s Miami. It’s easy to dress in Miami. You just put on some shorts and a nice pair of shoes and everyone will think you’re like GQ. I mean my man here, I see you with your suit and your shoes right there. I wouldn’t wear those socks with him. (laughter) You’re doing like a Zoom interview or something.”
(P.J. Tucker from the Heat has like 6,500 pairs of shoes that he admits to having in his collection. He said somewhere along the way, it feels like you’re collecting art. Do you kind of look at it the same way?) – “Oh, for sure. That’s kind of how I see it. It’s just like ways of expression and stuff like that. That’s one of like my sneaker Gods is P.J. I follow him on Instagram just because of his shoes. I don’t even know the guy. (laughter)”
(He’s also a big wine guy now. Are you a wine guy too?) – “His price tag on wine is way higher than mine. I’ll drink a little of what I can find. (laughter)”
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Is QB Tua Tagovailoa able yet to make all the throws to play on Thursday?) – “He threw yesterday. Looked good. He’s making some progress. Still somewhat limited. We’re just going to take it day-to-day and see how he looks today, tomorrow and probably take it right up to the day of the game.”
(You mentioned that he looked good. Did you see any progress from when you worked him out last week?) – “Yes. He’s definitely making progress. Look, he’s got a fracture in the finger and there’s definitely discomfort. It’s getting better. The swelling is down. It’s getting better and progress from last week but there’s still some limitations for sure.”
(You mentioned choosing QB Jacoby Brissett because he gave you the best chance to win. How do you weigh how much a percentage of QB Tua Tagovailoa is versus a fully healthy Jacoby when you make that call? It seems like he won’t be 100 percent regardless for Thursday.) – “I think there’s a lot of things that go into that decision. Obviously, the health of the player No. 1 and whether or not Tua, in this instance, no different than last week, can do all the things we need him to do to have success in the game. Again, then there’s the short week and knowing there’s discomfort. There’s a lot that goes into it. We’ll always do what we feel is best for the team.”
(If he plays, would he wear anything on the finger? Is there anything you can put on it to help him?) – “Help the fracture? I guess as far as splints and tape and things like that, that’s not really my wheelhouse. I know our training staff, our medical staff, they will do and have done everything to help him get back as quickly as possible. Tua is doing everything to get back as quickly as possible also. There’s still time here. We’re 48 hours from the game, so there’s still time. I would say look if the game was tonight, it’d be Jacoby (Brissett). That’s kind of where we’re at.”
(Is the right way to look at it that you make the final decision after the consultation with the trainers and QB Tua Tagovailoa? Is that fair?) – “It’s a medical decision. It’s a team decision. Obviously I have a lot of say in that. I always try to keep the team first. The health of the player obviously is at the forefront but also want to put the team in the best position.”
(Speaking of finger injuries, with WR Will Fuller, are you concerned that his finger injury has taken him so long to recover from? I understand he needs his fingers to make catches and catch a football, but could you shed some detail on why it has taken him since Week 4 to return from this one?) – “It was a significant injury. He’s made a lot of progress. We actually got some favorable news in the last couple days. I’m hopeful that we can get him back out there quickly but look, he’s been in, he’s been working. It was a pretty significant injury. That’s why it’s taken so long. He’s doing everything he can. That’s trending in the right direction.”
(Given the fact that you said QB Tua Tagovailoa’s status will likely be a game-time decision, would you expect to elevate QB Jake Dolegala from the practice squad or if Tua can’t start, will he just serve in an emergency role again?) – “I would say if he can’t start, he would be in the same role he was in last week.”
(What are the top mental challenges for trying to get ready for a game in three days? Obviously the schedule differs greatly of course but guys talk about a 24-hour rule and DT Christian Wilkins famously says it every week and then he said that doesn’t even apply this week because you have to turn it around so quickly. What do you tell guys about how to handle the daunting part of getting ready for a game in 72 hours?) – “I think I can speak for myself personally. You turn the page on the last game. There’s already been some preparation on Baltimore, understanding that it would be a quick turnaround. Then for the players, you’ve just got to speed up your weekly routine as far as their roster, who their players are, who their coaches are, what they do on early down, what they do on third down, what they do in the red zone. You’ve just got to speed up that entire process. We as coaches, we want to give them all the information, give them the install. Obviously it can’t be as expansive as it is when you have more time. In a lot of instances, you have to rely on a lot of the things you’ve already put in. Core plays offensively, core defenses, core things in the kicking game. More than anything, it’s trying to get them mentally prepared and physically prepared because we just got done playing a game. Those are kind of the points that I try to hit on. They’ve got to get themselves physically prepared to go in four days – two days now. As far as getting mentally prepared and the preparation against a team like this, they do a lot in all three phases and they do a good job in all three phases. Just having a good understanding of how they want to play, their style and how we are going to need to play to combat that.”
(At the risk of answering my own question, I know it’s a different year, different team, different circumstances. But obviously the last time you saw these guys it was not a pleasant experience for you in any way. For the guys who went through that, should that matter? You should never need more reason to want to win a game or to play well, but for the people who went through Week 1 against Baltimore, should that be a motivating factor at all?) – “No, it’s really not something that – I mean you look back, you go and watch that film and see some of the things they were doing then. Some are similar to what they are doing now and some things aren’t. But you try to learn from that experience. We didn’t play well that day. The goal is to always get better and improve and try to get better and play better Thursday night. But there is always motivation in this league.”
(On a short week, have you and Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre decided to stick with the quintet of linemen and give them another shot Thursday to get their act together or might we see changes?) – “Definitely a lot of conversation there. We had a walkthrough yesterday. We’ll have a walkthrough today. Tomorrow we’ll have a little bit more pace. We’ve had some conversations about moving some guys around. No final decisions yet, but definitely some conversations being had.”
(I know fractures can be kind of fluky in QB Tua Tagovailoa’s case, but at what point do you have to factor availability into your determination of a player?) – “Obviously availability is very important. There are a lot of factors that play into that. You mentioned it, some of them are fluky. That’s not the only factor. It’s the person, the player, the talent. I think Tua is competitive. He’s smart. He wants to be out there. I think he’s getting better. I think we all know that in order to continue to get better, you’ve got to be out there and get the experience. I think he’ll get that. I think this is another bump in the road for him. He’ll get through it and he’ll be fine.”
(I’m thinking about pressures allowed, particularly at the offensive tackle position. There has been three or more players that have been tried. What, if anything, do you think has been the common denominator, or reason or reasons, that have led to too many pressures?) – “There is so much that goes into that. Obviously in some instances, and it’s been the case for us, is just not playing well enough – technique, communication, or things of that nature. There are other instances where we could help the situation by getting rid of the ball, stepping up into the pocket. It’s a team effort, it’s a team situation. We’ve got to do a better job. We’ve got to do a better job of not allowing as many pressures, getting the ball out. There is running the football better so that we don’t have to pass it as many times and put ourselves in those situations where it’s pass, pass, pass, and they know it and they get off. There is a lot that goes into it. I think there are some things we can do on early downs that can help the obvious pass situations.”
(We talked a little bit about development and particularly the offensive line. How do you balance wanting young guys to play through some of their struggles versus needing better production to have success now?) – “It’s a fine line. It’s a very fine line. Young guys need reps to get better, but we also want to win and have success. Those guys need to step up and play better. We need to do a better job of coaching them and putting them in better positions to have success and that starts with me. I’ll be the first one to say that. What I’ll say about these guys is it’s important to them, and they are working hard to get it right.”
(There is only one QB Lamar Jackson. How difficult is it to simulate him in practice? How does that change your practice routine or how impossible is it against him?) – “Impossible is probably a better term. He’s one of the best players in the league and he’s gotten a lot better, I would say, over the course of his career. He’s dynamic, explosive. There are a lot of words like that you can use to describe Lamar. I have a lot of respect for his game and the way he’s grown. Obviously we’re competing against him on Thursday, but as a coach, watching guys develop and grow is a good thing to see. They’ve done a good job of getting him coached up. He’s done a nice job and he’s a very good player in this league.”
(Piggy-backing off of the question about the 2019 game, you often talk about learning through adversity. What, if anything, were you able to take away from that game?) – “It feels like a while ago. I came out of that feeling like we have a long way to go, and we’ve got to try to get better and improve and get better. That was the goal that day. That’s always the goal. That’s really it. We weren’t good enough that day and we had a long way to go and we’ve got to get better. That’s really what I took from it.”
