WR DeVante Parker
(We haven’t seen you since Sunday’s game. I just wanted to ask you about the play in the end zone. What was your perspective on what happened on that play?) – “I just feel like I should have came down with that. That’s what I do best. I don’t know what happened. I just didn’t make the play that we needed, really.”
(When you look back at that game, although you weren’t able to put any points and that’s what you guys set out to do, do you feel like kind of a glass half full just knowing that you were able to at least drive the ball and get to Buffalo’s side of the field? Just wasn’t able to turn it into points.) – “We were moving the ball. We just have to punch it in. That’s the biggest thing that we needed really. Even if it’s a field goal or anything. We just have to do better and we’ll do that.”
(What was practice like with QB Jacoby Brissett leading you?) – “I’d say practice to me is the same as it always is. The same. In and out of the huddle, the same things we’ve been doing. Nothing different.”
(QB Jacoby Brissett has played in 50 or more NFL games. How would you describe his leadership approach?) – “I would say just like any other leader. They’ll tell us if we’re not doing something right, let us know or ‘come on guys, we need to get this’ or something like that. Just little things in the huddle. Small things like that.”
(How different is the ball coming from a right-handed quarterback to a left-handed quarterback?) – “I see it the same both ways. Doesn’t affect me really, but the same way.”
(Do QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Jacoby Brissett throw the ball similar or does one throw it harder than the other?) – “To me, I think it’s the same really.”
(So obviously you guys didn’t score in the last game, but you did move the ball up and down the field. You did get first downs. Can you take some encouragement from that – the fact that you guys moved the ball pretty well at times?) – “Yeah, for sure, but it can’t be at times. It has to be all the time especially just help out the defense. They’re doing a good job and we just want to be all as one.”
(What do you remember most about the game at the Raiders last year?) – “I remember that one big play. I didn’t play in that game, but I was there. I remember that one big play that we had and it helped us win.”
(Were you watching WR Mack Hollins on the sideline or were you watching Ryan Fitzpatrick’s helmet get wrapped around his head?) – “I was watching ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) and him getting it wrapped around his head so I didn’t know what was going on down there until I heard everybody cheering. So I looked down there and I’m like, ‘oh, made a catch.’”
(Just quick question about Raiders CB Trayvon Mullen. I’m not sure if he’s going to follow you around or not come Sunday, but what kind of challenges do a longer cornerback like that present?) – “Corners like him, they’ve got the long arms. They have to grab on you and we just got to do a good job getting their hands off of you.”
(Is that more from your perspective to try go up for a 50/50 ball against a guy who can look you in the eye rather than a 5’10, 5’11 type dude?) – “It’ll be tough. It’ll be a tough matchup. Good player over there so you’ve got to stick to what you know.”
(Think you’ll finally get WR Will Fuller V in the offense this week. What do you think his addition will do you for you and WR Jaylen Waddle and TE Mike Gesicki and the rest of the guys?) – “I think having Will (Fuller) out there will help open things up a little bit more. Looking forward to just have him out there with us.”
G/T Jesse Davis
(How concerned were you about the knee and how do you feel today?) – “It is something that happened and I took care of it. I’m starting to feel better.”
(Obviously with QB Tua Tagovailoa injured, what was your thought process when you saw him down and struggling?) – “I felt pretty bad. Every time you see the quarterback go down and it’s your fault, it’s a bad deal.”
(As a leader on the offensive line, what can you say to these guys to elevate their game this week?) – “You just got to stay positive. Put one foot in front of the other and get better each day. How can I get better and how can I make the people around me better? One day at a time.”
(QB Jacoby Brissett said after the game that he did not view himself as a backup and that he has the mentality of a starter. Do you see that in practice from a guy that you have been around virtually every day in training camp a few weeks since?) – “Yeah, Jacoby brings a lot to the team. He’s a vocal guy, he’s a good leader and he’s been a quarterback in this league for a while. I think he should view himself as a candidate and I think he does a good job.”
(There’s obviously been a lot of focus on the offensive line after Sunday. Where is this line, how do you fix it and how far are you from fixing it?) – “Like I said, one day at a time. Just trying to make myself better and make the people around me better. We’ll see how we do.”
(I know you guys are probably trying to ignore that but does it ever set in when it gets heavy as far as the criticism of the group or individuals?) – “We try to leave all that stuff outside these doors. We focus on each other and what’s being said in our rooms between coaches and whatnot. We kind of pick each other up in that aspect. But no, we don’t really pay too much attention to the media.”
(As the guy in the rom that everybody looks up to, as the veteran, the leader do you have to lift the spirits of the young offensive linemen at all this week after some of the toughest moments that they’ve had as pros?) – “It obviously wasn’t a good outing. We all kind of preach the same thing. One play at a time let’s get better, let’s make the corrections, let’s watch the film and let’s fix our technique issues. Everybody has their issues and day by day let’s fix them.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores mentioned that there is going to be competition and maybe some shuffling going on. How do you approach that as an offensive linemen maybe not knowing for sure where you’ll be on Sunday?) – “It’s the same old thing; wherever the club needs me, that’s where I’ll be.”
(What’s one thing you’d like to see the offense keep in mind to help limit the number of free rushers?) – “I don’t know, I think our scheme was good, I just don’t think we executed. That’s the only reason. I think these coaches do a really good job of putting a plan in place for us and it’s our job to execute. That’s how it trades off. It’s up to us.”
(We heard that the Bills brought the type of pressure that you guys expected last week with a couple new wrinkles in there. What did they do differently that maybe you didn’t see on film prior to the game?) – “I don’t know. I didn’t hear that. That’s a good football team. They’re a good defense. We didn’t play nowhere near where we should have and we just have to do better.”
(I don’t want to pretend that we know everything about o-line play but as far as the communication, what is typically the process you go about when someone has to slide protection left or right based on someone coming?) – “That depends on the structure of the protection, where our point would be and where that play is going. It depends on the structure. It’s nothing crazy.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said the biggest difference going from QB Tua Tagovailoa to QB Jacoby Brissett was going from left-handed to right-handed. For a receiver, that’s spinning the ball and stuff like that. As an offensive lineman, the adjustment left-handed to right-handed is what?) – “It’s just football. It’s another thing to the game and you don’t even really think about that too much. There’s different players but you still got to block them. That’s the key.”
(With the possible shuffling, how does the experience that you have at multiple positions help for situations like that?) – “It depends on how I play, too. I can’t really speak too much on that.”
S Brandon Jones
(How do you feel your comfort level with the defense and your assignment and play is now compared to this time last year?) – “Last year I would say I was trying to keep my head above water especially with how complex our defense can be at times. I was kind of all over the place. Really focused on my position and my role versus getting an overall – my knowledge of the whole defense and the schemes that we run. I think now I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with that – my coaches obviously giving me the opportunity to play multiple positions has been super beneficial to me. Just being able to know the safety, the star, anything like that. So I think being able to do that has definitely increased my knowledge, my football IQ.”
(I think of you as one of the top four safeties, but help me understand. When you’re on the field, literally explain it to me if you can. Are you also sometimes doing the slot nickel assignment, a linebacker assignment, both of them? What are the accurate descriptions of your various assignments?) – “I’m still a safety at the end of the day so I line up in multiple different spots whether it’s in the box, kind of in that star role, some of the strong safety, the dime world, stuff like that. So yeah, I definitely have to consider myself a safety. I’m only 195 pounds so I can – definitely in the box I can’t say I’m a linebacker when everybody else is like 250 and stuff like that.”
(I was hearing LB Jaelan Phillips just talk about the prospect of thinking, having to think when you want to rush. Have you transitioned from college – now you’re two years in – how do you get that grasp of thinking and not making mental mistakes but still playing fast?) – “Yeah, it’s definitely that I’ve put a big emphasis on – I think last year, especially being young you get caught up in trying to do everything perfect an do everything right that you get too focused on the mental side of the game which causes you not to be able to play fast. So I think that’s my biggest jump, is just being comfortable out there and I’m a guy that I have to see whenever we install a new defense or something like that; I have to go through it three or four times before practice with my coach – meet with my coach in the morning and seeing it the first time at practice, if that’s the first time I’ve seen it I know that I’m already behind so that’s just how I go about it. And I think that Jaelan (Phillips) obviously has a really good head on his shoulders and he’s a really smart guy, but yeah, biggest advice would be to just stay in your book and once you’re able to know it inside and out and when you can actually teach it to somebody else that’s when you know you know your material.”
(Your impressions of the Raiders passing game? It’s been pretty prolific in the first two weeks.) – “They do a really good job obviously with passing the football, multiple personnels, and it comes from 11, 12, 13, 21, 20 (personnel). Everything in the book. They run a lot of empty. Obviously they like to spread the ball out and take shots, deep shots down the field. They have a lot of playmakers to be able to do that so they’re definitely going to keep us on our toes. It’s going to be a really good matchup, but yeah, they do a really good job of doing the good things.”
(When you played in Vegas last year obviously there was the crazy finish, but how would you describe what it was like to be on the Dolphins sideline in that last minute of the game?) – “Yeah, it was crazy and I think it was kind of weird, too, just because there was literally nobody in the stands so it kind of felt like a scrimmage in a way, but yeah, that last play was unreal and then obviously we had the onside kick or whatever so I’d start on kickoff and I’m just praying back there as a safety like, ‘please don’t let it break, don’t let it break.’ But everything worked out good.”
(What makes a guy like Raiders TE Darren Waller so hard to cover?) – “Biggest thing – you really just can’t identify him as a certain position because he’s listed as a tight end, but he has the ball skills and the route running of a receiver so I think a lot of teams get caught up in the matchup situations with do you put a corner on him, do you put a safety on him. How do you treat him as a player. He’s one of the best tight ends in the league in my opinion if you want to label him as a tight end, but he really does everything really well.”
(How hard is it to balance wanting to be ultra aggressive on the field and then just kind of holding in the reins and not committing a penalty like you did with Bills QB Josh Allen just near the sideline? How hard is that?) – “It’s especially just how competitive I am and how passionate I am with playing football and winning. Obviously no disrespect to Josh Allen with the penalty. I have the utmost respect for him and what he does for his team. I just kind of got to realize the situation especially if somebody is going close towards out of bounds; I know we preach so much about attacking the football and stuff like that. I just have to be smarter about situations like that.”
LB Jaelen Phillips
(I know it’s not a ton of defensive snaps – I think 40 for you so far. What’s your feeling on how you played on those snaps?) – “Honestly, regarding the snaps, I can only control two things and that’s my attitude and my effort. When I get out there, regardless of how many snaps I play, I’ve felt that I’m still kind of settling in. I don’t think I’m completely comfortable yet. I’m definitely working on being able to let loose and have fun. At the end of the day, I think that’s the most important thing – when you’re talking about success, being able to free flow and let loose. I’m just grateful for the plays that I’ve been able to play – the couple of half tackles and stuff that I was able to make. It’s definitely good to get my feet wet.”
(What are your impressions after getting in a little bit in two games?) – “That doesn’t change. At the end of the day, I was a guy at UM and even before, basically at every level you go in and you’re the best on your team and you play every single down, and when you get to the NFL it’s a whole bunch of guys who were the best on their team. That’s doesn’t change. Every day is a competition, every day is humbling. I feel like I’m starting to kind of find my ground. I definitely feel like I’m settling in.”
(It’s never automatic, but you don’t just step on a team and become the guy from Day 1. You know that. Is that tough to keep in the back of your mind, that it’s not supposed to be that way. There is a learning progression, there’s a learning curve?) – “Yeah. Funny enough it’s actually not tough, it’s actually, if anything, more comforting, just understanding that you have to be patient with yourself. Like at UM, I remember that last year I got frustrated because after four games, I had some TFLs and stuff but I didn’t have a sack and I really didn’t have too much production. But as the season went on, basically three weeks after that happened, I had like six. Everything happens at the pace it’s supposed to happen at. For me, to take comfort in knowing that I have to be patient with myself and understand that good things will come as long as I’m doing what I’m supposed to do.”
(You mentioned the comfort level. How much of that are the added responsibilities of coverage versus if they just turned you loose and said go get the quarterback and that was it?) – “I don’t think it’s so much a schematic thing as it’s just the NFL. There is a lot going on. The schemes are more complexed. When I was at UM playing d-end, I didn’t really have to worry about coverages or know what’s going on with the defense. It was more just line up and go. The more I’m having to know, obviously when you start thinking a lot it kind of slows you down. I think it’s going to be key for me to be able to prepare well enough and to feel comfortable with the defense and what my responsibilities are, so that when I step out on the field I don’t have to think at all, I can just go.”
(The time missed during training camp, is that still a factor? Are you in catch up mode from there?) – “Like I said, I’m starting to get settled. I think at first, definitely from a conditioning standpoint, and from having … in your body, I hadn’t played football in almost a year. It definitely took me a second to kind of get back into things, but I feel like I’m starting to get there, for sure.”
(As far as pass rush moves in college, where are you now in the learning process that every NFL edge rusher or rookie goes through in determining which work in the NFL, and which don’t?) – “I think the biggest difference between the league and college is just the technique of everything and how disciplined you have to be. There are not a ton of guys in the league where you’re just going to run around or you’re not going to bully them. You have to be really tactical with what you are doing and very precise with your hands. I think that’s the biggest thing really is hand work. Being able to be active. Guys aren’t just going to let you slap their hand down and give up. They are going to try to get hands on you again. It’s just being tenacious when it comes to rushing, and that’s in all facets of the game honestly. That’s setting the edge, that’s pass coverage, that’s everything.”
(How can you describe how much smarter you are today than you were a year ago? Just all the things you’ve had to learn at this level. Is there a way to quantify the difference between what you knew then and what you know now?) – “My football knowledge has definitely increased. I didn’t know what Cover 3 was last year. I’ve definitely learned some more. Just being able to know other people’s responsibilities as well as my responsibilities, and kind of how it fits in the schematics of the defense. I definitely think that a year ago today, I definitely wasn’t as smart as I am now, and a year from today, I’m going to be 10 times smarter. It’s all about growth. It’s about persevering and being able to take the criticism and really just build upon what you want to do.”
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
(QB Derek Carr, it’s two games into the season, but he’s leading the league in passing yards by a pretty wide amount. What is he doing differently this year compared to, he’s been typecast as a conservative passer in years past?) – “He’s making a lot of good plays for them, which we’ve seen on film. This is probably the best year he’s had going into the season. But yeah, he’s making a lot of big plays for them. He’s playing well for them and we have to be prepared for that.”
(What’s the key with stopping a guy like TE Darren Waller? Is it bumping him off the beginning of his route, is it rotating coverages? Obviously as a defensive end, you might not be covering him that much but what do you think is a key?) – “Just affecting him, whatever way you can. If you got put your hands on him, you got to put your hands on him. You can’t let him get out. Just do a good job containing him. A guy like that is kind of hard to contain. He’s going to get his eventually but you’ve got to do a good job containing him.”
(LB Jerome Baker was talking about how excited he was to play in that stadium with fans because it was so amazing to be there last year even without fans. What are you looking forward to going back to that – obviously it was a crazy game too but just being back in that building?) – “It’s going to feel good. We are going to have fans this time. I can’t wait to get out there and just ball out. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be exciting. They’re going to have a good game plan and we are too. I’ve just got to go out there and do the best I can to help this team win games.”
(They gave half a sack to LB Andrew Van Ginkel?) – “(Laughter). Oh yeah, he made him not move around. I appreciate Ginkel for that.”
(Do you plan to appeal?) – “It is what it is, it’s a team sport.”
(The last game I thought S Jevon Holland had a forced fumble when he made the guy flip – sometimes it’s hard to tell – but it was really CB Byron Jones.) – “Yeah, yeah you know you’ve got to go back and watch film to see what really happened on the play.”
(It does say something about the defense doesn’t it, in terms of when game-changing plays happen, it’s usually more than one guy.) – “Yeah. Like I said, we all want the ball and we all go for the ball so we all attack the ball. If one guy makes a play, another guy’s got to be there to scoop it up.”
(Going back to that game last year in Las Vegas, what was it like on the sideline in that crazy final minute?) – “So much emotion. It was exciting getting that win. Las Vegas is a different team this year and we’ve got to be prepared for them. They have different schemes than last year. They have different people out there, different offensive linemen. We just have to be prepared for them this year.”
(On most of the rushes in the last game, the defense did a good job but there’s always that one or two like the 46-yarder. When a long run happens, what usually do you notice about that play?) – “When a long run happens, everybody is down because they gave up that big run. But that’s what we go to do is move on to the next play. It’s a new down so we’ve got to do our best to stop them from making that same mistake.”
(I didn’t phrase that the right way, what usually went wrong?) – “We will watch film and see what normally goes wrong. Either somebody missed their gap or something happens. Like I said, we all got to run to the ball, regardless.”
LB Jerome Baker
(We haven’t seen you rush quite as much, is that something you’ll bring up to Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer, saying ‘hey, give me a few more chances?’ I know you’re a team guy and you have value in pass coverage too. Is that ever anything you might be antsy to do more of?) – “I’m honestly one of those guys that whatever they need me to do, I’m down to do it. They ask me to do so many different things, so I don’t want to say something like that. We have guys that can get after the quarterback. We’re pretty fine. I try do whatever they tell me to do and I’m down to do it.”
(I know the rule with your team and most team about moving onto the next opponent. Has there been any lingering depression for you guys? You guys are used to winning the last year and a half and that was a very difficult moment Sunday.) – “Yeah, we just didn’t execute. I honestly think we just to turn the page. It’s still early in the year and we’re better than what we showed Sunday. We just turn the page and focus on the Raiders. That’s been our main focus. We’re not going to let it linger and let it affect us for the rest of the year. We’ve got a long year. We’ve got to turn the page and keep going.”
(The last time you guys played in Vegas, a pretty wild finish. How much fun was that finish?) – “I am so excited to play there. Their stadium was amazing and it was empty. I can just imagine what it is now. I’m excited. It was a fun game last year. It will be a tough game this year. I’m excited, we’re all excited and it’s definitely going to be a good one.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores called the Las Vegas offense explosive. That’s the word he used to describe them. What stands out to you about them last year and if anything has changed at all?) – “It’s the same thing. They are explosive. They get the ball down field. They get the ball to their playmakers. It’s going to be a challenge for us and I’m excited. We’re going to be fine. We’ve just got to execute and really play together.”
(How did QB Jacoby Brissett look today in practice?) – “He looked good. We’re going to support him. We’re going to expect him to lead our offense. He’s going to be fine and we all have trust in him.”
(Do you have feelings or feel bad for QB Tua Tagovailoa with his situation with injury?) – “Yeah. Tua is my guy, so just to see him banged up, I don’t like – I don’t like seeing anybody hurt in football. But the reality is it comes with the sport. I know he’s going to be in the training room, getting his body right. He’s going to come back, he’s going to bounce back and be stronger.”
(I think you said after the game Sunday that QB Jacoby Brissett showed a lot of poise, and a lot of confidence and he’s a guy that can pick it up if QB Tua Tagovailoa is not in there.) – “Yeah. He’s been like that the whole year. With him, he was behind Tua, but he was coming in and getting our defense right, our first-team defense, and coaching us up, telling us what he sees. He’s been like that the whole year. He’s definitely helped us. Now we’re excited he gets his shot to be the first-team quarterback and we all believe in him. He’s going to do well.”
(You’ve practiced against both of those dudes, what stands out to you as the biggest difference between them?) – “Really just experience. That’s pretty much the main thing. Tua (Tagovailoa) is a younger guy. You can tell that’s really the main thing. Jacoby (Brissett) has seen a lot more defenses, so he knows little things. That’s pretty much the main thing. Just experience.”
(We heard from Head Coach Brian Flores that QB Tua Tagovailoa was trying to re-enter the game on Sunday. Did you see any glimpse of that in the locker room at halftime?) – “No, I didn’t see that. Just knowing Tua, I know he definitely was doing that. He’s one of those guys that wants to be out there with the team and just help us win. I’m sure that was definitely Tua. That sounds like him. Right now, he has to get healthy and he’s going to come back and be stronger for us.”
(For clarity, if you get brought back to the locker room, where are you during halftime? Are you in the position where you can see the rest of your teammates in the locker room, or are you off to the side?) – “We’re all in the locker room. It’s pretty much offense on one side, defense on the other. We get a little break where you can walk around and get your mind right. Guys that are hurt are usually in the training room, so you really don’t see them. That sounds like Tua. He’s definitely a guy that just wants to be out there and help us win and he’ll do anything to help us win. That sounds like him.”
(You get to tackle RB Kenyan Drake. What’s that going to be like?) – “That’s going to be fun. That’s my boy. We’ve been competing for so long. When he was here, now that I actually get to hit him, and really compete in a game day setting, it’s going to be fun. I’m definitely excited to go against him.”
(You might find yourself having to stick TE Darren Waller at some point. What stands out about his game?) – “He’s just a playmaker. He gets open, he’s physical. He’s one of those guys you have to look out for on pretty much every play. Last year was a challenge and this year is going to be a bigger challenge. They are rolling right now and we’ve got to go up there and execute and play together. That’s the main thing we got to do, just play together and execute and we’ll be fine. I’m excited to go up against him. I’m excited to go out there Sunday and bounce back.”
QB Jacoby Brissett
(You said you always prepare as a starter and you’re ready for these moments when you get called on. Just kind of your mentality as you led practice today.) – “Yeah, I mean nothing has changed. Obviously I’m taking the bulk of the reps. It’s just my mentality. Like I said, nothing has changed from when I said Sunday that I feel like I’m a starter so I prepare that way. There’s no difference in my preparation this week than there was last week.”
(When did Head Coach Brian Flores give you the final nod that it’s going to be you this week.) – “We talked about it today.”
(So if I told you when you were like 10 years old that at some point in your life, you would start at quarterback for the Dolphins – thinking back to your 10-year-old self, what would you have said or thought?) – “Not a chance in hell that I would probably make it this far. (laughter) Definitely not playing for the Dolphins. Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
(Were you a Dolphins fan growing up?) – “No, I was not a football fan. Yeah. Crazy.”
(I guess you talked about having the rep difference. Obviously now that you’re the guy, what is it like chemistry-wise when you get those reps in a game week versus when you don’t?) – “It makes a tremendous difference because you are getting those reps with the guys and you can talk through things that not only you see but you feel when you’re out there. I think that’s just been the most important thing from today was a lot of those guys, just us getting on the same page not only just from the physical part but the mental part too.”
(You took some hits Sunday and you needed a little time getting up from one of the hits in the game. Physically, how did you come out of Sunday?) – “I’m good. Like I said, I’m still standing with a smile. If I’m laying on the ground for a while it’s just I want to catch my breath. (laughter) It’s nothing too dramatic. I’ll get up next time faster though for you. (laughter)”
(So you weren’t a football fan at age 10. How did that evolution come along and who made you into a football fan?) – “I mean I still played football. I just loved basketball. I had favorite football players obviously growing up. My older brothers played football, so that was just my way to stay connected with them and with our neighborhood friends. My mom made sure I played multiple sports and not just concentrate on basketball. Then I stopped growing, so therefore I needed to take this a little serious. That’s what made me stop liking basketball.”
(You said after the game Sunday that you did not view yourself as a backup, that you viewed yourself as a starter. Is that mentality what kept you going through camp to be prepared for this moment?) – “I think that’s been my mentality since I got in the league. That’s what I just – I’ve been in situations where I honestly didn’t know when my chances and my opportunity was going to come. So I just wanted to make sure when I went out there I put my best foot forward and just stick with that mindset. It’s put me in good situations.”
(Early in the 2019 season, when you were starting, you played very, very well in terms of touchdowns to interception percentage… What are some of the things that you remember were going really well for you at that time, that you’d love to see continue here?) – “It really just comes down to confidence. Obviously that was years ago with a different team. I think this will present some of the same opportunities with the guys and them feeling my confidence in them and also in myself and what we’re doing in our plan against who we’re going against. I think the only thing that really matters is that it’s really about us. If we do what we’re supposed to do to take care of ourselves, that will take care of what we need to take care of.”
(What stands out to you about the Las Vegas defense?) – “They’re playing really well right now, obviously. They’re playing really well. They’ve got a lot of good players. Obviously their front is causing some havoc. They’ve got some good players on the edge covering. Gus (Bradley) is doing a good job with those guys.”
(Do you remember watching how the Dolphins were able to win their game in Las Vegas last year and what was your reaction to that game?) – “(laughter) Well when I was in Indy, I think we needed the Dolphins to win for us to go to the playoffs. We definitely stayed up a little too late for that game. Yeah, I remember ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) and Mack (Hollins) make that play. Hopefully it doesn’t come down to that.”
(Left-handed quarterback versus right-handed quarterback, how much do things change for the other guys on the offense – whether it’s the offensive line or the receivers, the way the ball spins?) – “I think you’d have to ask them that because I don’t catch the ball from a left-handed person. (laughter)”
(Inaudible) – “No, not yet. I’m about to go re-watch film and say how were my right-handed throws compared to the left-handeds. (laughter)”
(How would you describe the leadership approach that you are planning to take throughout this week and especially on game day?) – “Really just being myself and the guy that has gotten me to this point. I don’t think it changes because your role changes, because I think that’s fake and I try not to do that – not try, I know I’m not going to do that. Really just go out there and by myself. I think that will suit me well. They’ll feel the authenticity of that from me. They’ll feel my confidence and then we’ll go from there.”
(You were smiling Sunday when you were speaking. You’re smiling now. You obviously have this gregarious personality. How much do you think that alone rubs off on other guys? When you have a positive attitude towards something, that obviously has to help the people around you.) – “I hope so. Look, it was the second game of the season. We’ve got a long season to go ahead. The mindset is just we’re still finding things to get better at and still trying to find our identity and still trying to go and continue our foundation and our bricks that are going to build this offense and this team. We can’t abandon those just because one thing happens and one game looks like that, because you’re going to have those along the way. You hope that once you go back and watch the film, you correct them and you grow from that.”
(I asked LB Jerome Baker a little bit ago about what stands out about you and he mentioned the experience, the fact that you’ve seen a lot of things and defenses. What can your experience add to this team with a young offense and a young offensive line.) – “I don’t necessarily think about it more as experience but just me being who I am, hopefully that just adds a little bit of difference. Look, it’s not my offense or Tua (Tagovailoa’s) offense. It’s the team. We’re going to go as the team goes, not as the quarterback position goes or whatever position goes. We’re going to go as we go. That’s what I relay to the guys. That’s what it’s all about. It’s not about who is starting at quarterback. It’s about us understanding the objective that week and it’s about us every week. We’ve got to go take care of our business.”
(Obviously you had a run with the Colts as the guy there. What did you learn maybe from your time there that you can maybe take here?) – “That it is a long season. Like he alluded to earlier, you have that success early in the year and then we clearly fell off towards the end. But understanding the highs and lows of the season and understanding that it’s a process of still getting better. No matter which week it is and whoever the opponent is, you still have to find ways to get better. Like I said, this is the third game of the season so we’ve got a long way to go.”
(Whenever there is pressure or sacks, fans and sometimes us media folks, we just point a finger right at the offensive line.) – “I know y’all do. It’s terrible. (laughter)”
(So I admit it.) – “It’s terrible. Stop. (laughter)”
(What I’m wondering is, how can you help the offensive line and the offense limit the amount of pressure and/or sacks?) – “I think it just comes down to – like you said, it’s not the o-line, it’s not the quarterback. It’s all of us. It’s the receivers, it’s the running backs, it’s the tight ends. It’s all of us playing a part in it. We’ve just got to find ways to get better at those things and really just understand the broad picture of what we’re trying to accomplish on each play and understanding the timing of each play and when we have a lot of time and when we don’t have a lot of time. Just playing like that. I think once we realize that and understand that, that just puts us in a better position so you guys don’t write these terrible articles about the o-line and they can’t block and (expletive) like that. (laughter)”
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Opening Statement) – “I’m going to open with Tua (Tagovailoa). I said on Monday that we were going to run some more tests. We ran those tests and Tua will be out this week. He has fractured ribs. Obviously he is in a lot of pain. He will be out this week. Jacoby (Brissett) will start. We’re just going to take it week to week. Let’s call it day to day and week to week but he’ll be out this week. I just wanted to put that out there right now. This is a tough kid. He wants to play. He’s actually trying to play. We’re going to save him from himself a little bit on this and hold him out this week and then take it week to week from there.”
(Is this injury one of those where you have to let it rest? Is there much you can do? Is it just time?) – “I’m no doctor so I don’t want to speak out of turn here when it comes to an injury like – or any injury. Rest always helps. We’ll just take it one day at a time; but right now we know that he’ll be out this week.”
(Do you anticipate QB Tua Tagovailoa being placed on IR?) – “Again, we’ll take it day to day. Like I said, he wants to play and I think he would try to play. But we will see how he responds over the next days. That’s not something that we’re really thinking about right now, but we’ve got to see how this trends over the course of the week.”
(What are you going to do as far as backup quarterback?) – “Reid Sinnett will be the backup quarterback.”
(You said QB Tua Tagovailoa took some additional tests after Monday or Tuesday. Was it a surprise that what you found on the additional tests weren’t on the initial tests?) – “Again, I’m not – X-rays, MRIs, CTs, that’s really not my ballpark. We did some more tests and that revealed the fractures. So that’s what it is. He’s in a lot of pain. Was I surprised? Is that what the question was? We got an initial diagnosis and we decided to run some more tests like we talked about on Monday. We ran them and we got this information. It’s unfortunate, but thankfully it’s not something we think is going to be – I don’t want to put a timetable on it. He’s taking it day to day. He’s better but he’s still dealing with some pain. We’ll take it one day at a time.”
(None of this is ideal obviously, but the fact that you’ve got some definitive answers early in the week, does that help him in terms of installing a plan and that sort of thing and not having certainty until Thursday or Friday or whatever?) – “You don’t want this. Nobody wants this. We are going to deal with – we have the information, we’re making a decision and we’re going to move forward with Jacoby (Brissett). The team knows that, the team understands that. Not ideal but we’re just going to move forward with the guys we have available.”
(How do you anticipate being able to get a lot of practice reps on Wednesday and Thursday or Wednesday and Friday, might help QB Jacoby Brissett compared to the situation last week?) – “Practice reps always help. We’ll have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to go through our practice routine – early down, third down, red zone. Obviously he didn’t get a lot of reps last week. He will get a lot more this week and build some timing and some chemistry with the offensive line, the backs, the tight ends and the receivers. That always helps. You get that timing and you get those reps, you get some execution with some of those guys in practice, and hopefully it carries over to the game.”
(How does QB Jacoby Brissett’s skillset affect what you might focus on as far as running the offense compared to QB Tua Tagovailoa’s skillset?) – “Do you mean right-handed versus left-handed? I think that’s one obvious situation. One is right-handed and one is left-handed. The ball comes out a little bit differently from one guy to the other, so I think we’ll work through that from a practice standpoint. I think all of the receivers, tight ends and backs have caught the ball from both quarterbacks and really all three quarterbacks. This week, it will be Reid (Sinnett) as well. As far as a skillset, I don’t really think much changes, to be honest. We’ll just kind of move forward and try to prepare a game plan that puts us in a position to have some success.”
(Were there things that QB Jacoby Brissett did on Sunday that you liked? I know there is obviously a lotto correct, but were there things that he showed you that particularly stood out?) – “That’s a hard situation to go in with limited reps against a good team. Some of the timing things that you gain through practice, he kind of did it on the fly. I think this week will be good. I think we’ll use today, tomorrow and Friday to try to build some of that chemistry and build some of that timing in the pass game, as well as the run game, as far as ball-handling and things of that nature working with the centers. That’s the plan this week.”
(You mentioned QB Tua Tagovailoa is in a lot of pain and he wanted to play. How is he doing emotionally obviously knowing that he has to be down for this week?) – “He’s in good spirits. He’s a tough kid. He’s doing everything he can to get back as quickly as he can right now. He’s getting better. He wants to be out there. He wants to be with his teammates and I think this is the right move for him from a health standpoint and again, he wants to be out there. We’ve got to protect him though.”
(What sense do you and the coaching staff have about QB Jacoby Brissett relative to his ability to understand defenses and sense pressure and be good in the pocket awareness category?) – “I think all the quarterbacks do a good job from that standpoint – can step up in the pocket and move laterally and avoid the rush that way, have a good understanding of what we’re seeing or what the defense is doing. I feel good about all of them. That includes Jacoby and we’ll work through all – we’ll put them through some of those situations in practice where we try to create some instances where he’s got to step up and slide and avoid a little bit of a rush. That’s just kind of part of being a quarterback.”
(You mentioned you have to protect him whether it’s QB Tua Tagovailoa or QB Jacoby Brissett. Have you made at this point any decisions that you’re willing to share as far as the o-line and how you can fix that?) – “Every week we look at it and say ‘hey, who are our best five?’ I think we’ve talked about that numerous times in this setting. That’s no different this week. I think obviously we’ve evaluated last week’s game and we’ve got to be better. That’s kind of the message we’ve sent to everyone on the team. I know you’re talking specific to the offensive line. They’ve heard that message as well and I think there’s going to be a lot of competition in practice this week and when we come out of practice this week, we’ll make the decision on who will be out there.”
(You talked about after the game on Sunday that being the next man up was nothing new for QB Jacoby Brissett. He’s been in this position before. Just kind of your faith in him as a coaching staff and kind of stepping into that role and the confidence that he brings.) – “This is someone who’s played a lot of football in his career. He’s started games, come in as a backup. He prepares the right way, puts himself in position to come in, play as a backup, play in a starting role and I think he’s done a nice job from that standpoint. I think he’s preparing that way, preparing the same way he prepares every week this week. I think we’ve just got to build chemistry with the o-line, with the backs, with the tight ends, with the receivers, some timing and I think if we do that – we’ll work towards that throughout the course of the week.”
(Kind of a similar line of questioning – QB Jacoby Brissett said after the game he doesn’t refer to himself as a backup quarterback, that he sees himself as a starter. What does it do for your team’s morale, for your team’s I guess mentality, when it has to go to a backup quarterback who has that kind of mindset?) – “I think that’s the mindset every player should have. We’ve got a lot of good players and not everyone can ‘start.’ I’ve coached positions where we’ve had six, seven guys who I felt were starting-caliber players, but you can’t start all of them. So you kind of try to build that mindset that each one of them is a starter. They may be a backup, but when they go into the game, they should prepare like a starter every week and we’re counting on them to go into a game and play as such if the opportunity presents itself that they go in. I didn’t know Jacoby (Brissett) said that, but that makes sense. That’s the message that he should be getting. That’s the message that we really give to everyone. But yeah, it’s good to hear that and I think guys have confidence in Jacoby and his ability to lead the offense. But we’re going to have to prepare the right way and work throughout the week to put ourselves in position to execute.”
(Do you anticipate having to tweak the offense at all to fit QB Jacoby Brissett’s skillset versus QB Tua Tagovailoa’s?) – “No. No, other than the right-handed to left-handed.”
(Regarding offensive line changes, because it’s only been two games, how is your mindset relative to, “okay, we can tweak this scheme or this guy,” as opposed to we need to reshuffle the whole deck? What’s the process and the factors that you consider about tweaking versus a reshuffle?) – “I think the process starts in practice first and foremost. So we have a lot of information on all of our guys. The games give us more information and then if we are going to do anything, we would see what that looks like in practice and then really evaluate and make a decision. So ‘reshuffling’ or ‘tweaked’ – I think we’re always kind of moving some guys around during practice anyway because that could happen in the game. But as far as how we start the game or anything like that, I don’t think we’d make any decisions until we’ve actually practiced.”
(There’s only six or seven teams that have started 2-0, the Raiders of course being one of them. What jumps out when you study them?) – “It’s an explosive team offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. They’re well-coached and they’ve got some explosive players on both sides of the ball, all three sides of the ball. From (Darren) Waller to (Henry) Ruggs to (Hunter) Renfrow to Maxx Crosby to Yannick Ngakoue, they can create big plays really a few different ways. They’re explosive. They’re really moving the ball. Derek Carr does a great job. I should always mention him first. He’s done a great job of taking total control of that offense, putting them in good positions to have success. He finds the matchups. He knows what defenses he’s looking at. And then defensively, I think Gus Bradley is doing a real nice job of getting those guys coached up. They’re doing a good job in the run game. I think they’re tackling well and they’re making people earn it. So I think collectively they’re doing a lot of good things.”
(You mentioned last time WR Will Fuller rejoining the team. Where is he physically and mentally?) – “He’s here at practice and he’ll be out there today.”
