S Eric Rowe
(This happens to be a similar Rams team to the team that you guys beat in the Super Bowl. How different are they from when you played them last and what’s the same?) – “What’s different is – not even really the players, not the coaches. Actually what’s different is at least offensive-wise – not much. It’s the same scheme, same players, obviously the same head coach. So actually I would say all those things are the same. Still great players over there. Still making plays. Still a good team. (They) have a really good scheme every week against whoever they play. Nothing really changed.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores told us that CB Jamal Perry – formerly Jomal Wiltz – sometimes I mess that up still – is out. So I don’t know if that means maybe some more time for S Brandon Jones or some more time for CB Noah Igbinoghene, but just in terms of Perry specifically, can you help explain to me what his role sort of generally is and what he does best – Perry?) – “His role is generally the slot defense, as we saw in the Seattle game when Bobby (McCain) went down – like the backup free safety. Really, he’s pretty versatile. He can go outside if you need him to also, and then on special teams. So his role is pretty deep on the team, so having him injured is kind of a little bit of a shock to the secondary, but that’s the season goes – how the NFL works.”
(I think we’ve all been curious. What is it about your skillset you think that makes you so good at locking down opposing tight ends? Tight ends can be such a tricky position to lock down based on size, speed and really the aspect they bring to the game. What is it about your game that you’re able to lock those guys down on a week-to-week basis?) – “I think a lot of it has to do with how the defense is set up – how (Defensive Coordinator) Josh (Boyer) and ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores), how the system is structured. To me, I think I fit it, so I think that’s why I’m having a lot of success. Obviously it’s not just me. I’ve got d-line on the pass rush, sometimes me and Bobby (McCain) kind of – if it’s something over, I know I’ve got Bobby sitting there. It gives me time to catch up if he has the step on me. But kind of the other thing is coming just with the confidence. It’s all about your mentality on the field, so I just go in the game just telling myself I’m about to lock this guy up, about to make him not a threat on offense. Just leave him in the protection. So that’s just my mindset every game. Then that with how the defense – how the system is – I think all that kind of contributes to it.”
(Earlier this week, CB Byron Jones talked about how he thinks the communication is as good as it’s been for you guys in the secondary back there so far this season. With so many new pieces and the rookies and the young guys that you guys have had to kind of bring along, what did the bye week and that time off do to help you guys improve in those areas and get guys even more acclimated with maybe the mental side of the game?) – “Just more – the only thing you really can do is just get more reps. Just get more reps, have more film study together, talking about ‘we’re going to do this if they come out in this play.’ Just communication for it. ‘We call this play against this formation.’ All that. So even with the bye week, we had a practice. We kind of went through corrections – what we could do better, kind of just self-scouting and kind of just all that, pack that together because now we’ve got to go 10 weeks straight. There’s no re-dos, so we’ve got to bring them along and then all that communication; obviously we’re going to need it.”
(I wanted to ask you about the Rams in terms of all the motions and shifts and things that they do to try to create breakdowns in the secondary. How do you deal with that before the snap?) – “We’ve talked about that. We’ve got to keep our eyes on their huddle. So whatever play call that we have in – to the corners, even me – keep your eye on your man because they can come out with a receiver at the running back position and that can screw everything up. So just keep your eyes on your man. Don’t just line up in your spot that you may 90 percent (of the time) be in. Keep your eyes on your man so when they break the huddle, you’re on it, too, and then we’ve already got the communication ready to go so none of that breakdown stuff will happen.”
DT Raekwon Davis
(You’ve had two starts in the NFL. What did you think you took from the playing time and the opportunities?) – “It was a great opportunity, I tried to just keep going and moving forward, and continue to hope I get those opportunities.”
(The last game seems like forever ago; but if I remember correctly on the first defensive snap you had a pressure. I’m wondering if you remember that play, and if you felt like it was important to get off to a strong start in that particular game?) – “I don’t recall, but I was just trying to do whatever I needed to do to help the team in that situation.”
(I was watching the Rams game on Monday night and the broadcasters kept talking about the key to that outside running game is to get knockback on the interior. As an interior defensive lineman, how do you establish that? What’s the key for you to get knock back on an interior defensive line?) – “Knock back is important. It helps our linebackers get the edge right. It just helps everybody, When you’ve got that knock back and you’ve got control of the offensive line, it’s good for our linebackers. They can see things, they make the hole bigger, they can see what hole to run in. The linebacker has to read off of you, so that knock back is very important.”
(You suffered the shoulder injury against the Jets. How is that coming, and do you feel like you’re capable of playing up to your talent level?) – “My shoulder is great. I’ve been practicing this whole week and I feel like I’ll be going this Sunday.”
(As a rookie, who are some veterans that you’ve been leaning on for advice, or little tidbits to help you improve your game as you’ve been going on this season?) – “I’d start with (Emmanuel) Ogbah. He’s helped me with a lot of things. He tells me that as a nose tackle, that knock back is important for him. If I get that knock back, the quarterback will try to go outside and he’ll get opportunities to get sacks. That’s why the knock back is so important; and like I said ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts), after practice we watch extra film on our opponents just to get ready.”
(I’m guessing that you and QB Tua Tagovailoa are pretty good friends. What has been your sense from him this week? How is he approaching and handling being the guy now?) – “I’m not over there just to see what’s going on, because I’m on defense when they are up. I just focus on what I’ve got to do, and what I’ve got to do to help the defensive side of the ball. Just knowing what type of guy he is, I know he’s going to start off great, and he’s going to do good.”
S Bobby McCain
(What’s unique about the Rams’ offensive approach?) – “(Rams Head Coach Sean) McVay does a good job with (Jared) Goff and getting calls in, going up-tempo, getting you on the ball, trying to confuse you. They do the things that they do well. They do them very well. When you have a defense that’s looking for guys trying to line up, trying to get lined and you’ve got confusion and you can beat people in leverage, it’s really smart. It’s a really smart game plan and they do a really good job of that.”
(As one of the leaders on defense, what have you seen about the way that QB Tua Tagovailoa leads that you think is part of the reason why guys are gravitating towards him?) – “He’s a good kid. He does right. He comes to work each and every day. He leads in his own way. He’s going to be a really good leader for us and he has been, and he’ll keep improving. He’ll keep getting better. You can just see each and every day that he comes to work and that’s all you can ask for.”
(Two years ago, CB Xavien Howard tied for the league lead in interceptions. This year he’s got four in four games. Does it surprise you that quarterbacks are still throwing the ball where he can get it?) – “A little bit; but they have plays called they’ve got to execute, too. They’ve got good players on the other side of the football offensively, and if they want to try and throw it up, it’s way less than a 50-50 shot that you’re going to come down with it offensively, so we appreciate them keep throwing the ball up and hopefully he’ll keep making plays for us.”
(After you get your hand on the football for interceptions, I’ve noticed you do the guitar celebration. I was just curious if you were playing any specific song when you bust out the guitar?) – “No, not necessarily. (laughter) Not necessarily. Whatever comes to my mind, it’s just try to get the guys together, try to get them together and celebrate together as a unit and that’s just something we like to do.”
Head Coach Brian Flores
(WR DeVante Parker has been dealing with a groin injury. How has he come out this week and do you think the injury since the Jets game will have some possibly lingering effects for Sunday?) – “Look, you never really know until we get to the game. We’re running game speed. In practice he was full today, so we expect him to play.”
(We spoke to RB Myles Gaskin and really every player this week about QB Tua Tagovailoa. Does having him in there add an extra layer for Gaskin? We’ve talked about RPO and all of that, but would you expect him to continue to come out and show out as he’s done all season?) – “Look, we need execution; we need good play from everybody – Myles (Gaskin), (Matt) Breida, the tight ends, the receivers, the offense line, the defensive line, linebackers, secondary, coaching. This is going to take a total team effort, to include the quarterback. This is a good team. They’ve got good players offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. Johnny Hekker is probably the best punter – definitely I would say – in the league. He might be one of the all-time punters. This is a tough challenge. We’ll need everybody.”
(The day before you became the Dolphins head coach, you were part of a Super Bowl win over a Los Angeles Rams team, whose offense anyway, looks a lot like the one you’ll play on Sunday. My question is I’m wondering if you’ve thought about that game at all in the last couple of weeks, and if there’s anything from that game you can take to Sunday?) – “I mean look, this is a good team. It’s a good offense, it’s a good defense, it’s a good special teams. They’re well coached. They score a lot of points. They run the football. Anytime there’s some history, you take a look at it; but things are so different. They’ve got different players. We’ve got different players. There’s a lot – I wish I could just cut and paste that game plan, but that’s just not how it goes. They don’t have the same players. Different team, different time. (Jared) Goff has a season-and-a-half under his belt just from an experience standpoint. So does Sean (McVay), so does the offensive line. There’s so many layers to that. It’s a good team, so we’re going to have to play well really in all three phases. I think guys are practicing hard. They’re trying to prepare. There’s a lot to prepare for. I understand the question and the familiarity as far as having played against this group before; but again, every game is just a little bit different. Every season is a little bit different. None have ever been the same. No game has ever been the same. Really, I don’t take much from it.”
(I just wanted to check back in on LB Kyle Van Noy, S Bobby McCain and TE Adam Shaheen, and if you expect them to be available to play or questionable.) – “You guys will see the injury report. Van Noy was full. We expect him to go. Same thing with Bobby. Shaheen was limited, so he’ll be questionable.”
(Forgot to ask about the guy who was working on the side in CB Jamal Perry. I’ll try to couple Jamal Perry with CB Noah Igbinoghene. I know they don’t play the same position, but how is Perry looking and how has Igbinoghene practiced? Is he still focused almost exclusively on outside corner?) – “Yeah, Noah has practiced well. He really has. I think he’s prepared well. He’s practiced well. Jamal Perry is going to be out for the game. You guys will see that on the injury report, if it’s not out already. But yeah, Noah has practiced well and he’s prepared himself to play, as he does every week, as he should every week, as everyone should every week. As we all know in this league, guys get injured, things happen. So everyone, we try to stress on a weekly basis that everyone’s got to be ready to go. That’s Noah, that’s all of our backup or second-team type players. We try to stress that there are no backups and that everybody could be in there for an extended period of time. They all have to prepare.”
