OL Connor Williams (transcribed by N.Y. Jets)
(On QB Teddy Bridgewater going down and the challenges of playing after that) – “Honestly, it’s tough to see. Definitely in the beginning of a game like that, you just got to put that in the back of your head and move on and take it one step at a time.”
(On if it is easier said than done to continue playing after watching QB Teddy Bridgewater go down) – “Most definitely. At the end of the day, our job is to go out there and execute at the top of our ability. So, that’s what it takes.”
(On QB Skylar Thompson’s performance) – “I think he did a great job. To be able to come out of college and run the offense like that and to be able to move us like that, I think he did a great job.”
WR Jaylen Waddle (transcribed by N.Y. Jets)
(On how QB Skylar Thompson handled things) – “I was impressed. It’s tough to go in there, but I think he handled it really well. He commanded the offense, got the o-line going, got the run game going. We just have to have more of an offense to put everything together.”
(On QB Teddy Bridgewater not being able to come back into the game even after passing concussion testing protocol) – “That’s for the higher ups. I don’t really have any opinion on that.”
(On the run game) – “(That was) something we wanted to place an emphasis on (and) work on in practice. We knew what we were capable of, so I’m kind of glad to see it come to light on Sundays.”
TE Durham Smythe (transcribed by N.Y. Jets)
(On the feeling when QB Teddy Bridgewater was injured) – “I think you never want to see a teammate go down on the first play, especially a guy who is playing quarterback for us and is getting his shot to play quarterback. But in terms of how the team reacted, I think we’re confident in all the guys in that room. Skylar (Thompson) showed a lot in the preseason, so guys had confidence in him. I thought he did a great job when he got in there. He showed confidence in himself, took command of the huddle. I think we’re confident in all those guys.”
(On QB Teddy Bridgewater being ruled out by the NFL spotter despite passing concussion tests) – “Yeah, actually I didn’t hear that. As I was saying just a second ago, I think the protocols are the protocols – there’s nothing we can do as players or as a team to change that. I think the intentions are right, so I appreciate what they’re trying to do in that aspect. There are always going to be situations like this, where maybe a guy saw something that wasn’t there and then he cleared everything. That’s a fine line you’re walking there, so mistakes are going to happen one way or the other, but luckily, like I said, we’re confident in everybody in the room, so we’re confident in the next guy up.”
(On whether you need to be more careful getting up due to the new protocol) – “I think so. Obviously, this is a new thing. One week into these new protocols and I think that’s something that I guess you have to take into account a little bit more now. But like I said, I think the intentions are right, so we appreciate that to a degree. But like I said, there’s going to be mistakes. If this was a mistake, then that’s going to happen. That’s part of the game – (the) physical game. Trying to keep people safe in a dangerous game, things like this are going to happen.”
RB Raheem Mostert (transcribed by N.Y. Jets)
(On the offense’s reaction when QB Teddy Bridgewater left the game) – “It’s a little discouraging, but at the same time, we’ve just got to know that next-man-up attitude and have that mentality going into the rest of the game, which I felt like we did a fairly good job of. It’s all about working. You’ve got to do a little bit extra.”
(On the running game improving and him being the team’s first running back to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a game this season) – “We had a plan; we executed it. I felt like I left a lot of meat out there, especially on some specific runs. But all in all, it’s not about the run ability, it’s about the team effort. And I felt like we just didn’t get up to our standard and it just showed out there.”
(On QB Skylar Thompson in the huddle) – “He’s a young guy. He’s just got to take his time. We all have to trust and believe in him, which we do. But when he comes into a situation after that first drive, now all of a sudden he’s up. You’ve got to hang your hat down and go out there and play ball.”
OL Robert Hunt (transcribed by N.Y. Jets)
(On whether he feels better that the running game was better today) – “I mean, it’s an emphasis every week to get the running game going. It’s never a good feeling after a loss no matter what you do good. I’m glad we got it going, hopefully we can keep it going next week, but we didn’t get the job done today and get the win.”
(On the reaction on the sidelines when QB Teddy Bridgewater was injured) – “We see it. It’s part of the game, so next-man-up type of deal. Of course it hurt the team. We all felt it, but next man up. Skylar (Thompson) came in, Skylar played well for his first game. We’ll come back, we’ll watch the film tomorrow and see what we can do better.”
(On what QB Skylar Thompson was like in the huddle) – “He was good. He had a presence. He’s a natural leader, so I’m excited to see what goes on in the future.”
WR Tyreek Hill (transcribed by N.Y. Jets)
(On QB Teddy Bridgewater getting hurt on the first play) – “It was rough. Just to see everything Teddy (Bridgewater) had to battle from last year, just that adversity. For him stepping in for us in a time that we needed him, it was tough. Like I said, I’m going to keep reiterating (that) our main focus here is making sure he’s alright. Making sure that he’s not dealing with any kind of crazy circumstances. So far, so good. I talked to him during halftime, and he said he was feeling alright.”
(On QB Teddy Bridgewater being ruled out because the spotter saw him stumble) – “I believe that’s a little bit above my pay grade. My job is to play ball and just let professionals be professionals in that area, so I don’t have too much to say. Obviously, I would want Teddy (Bridgewater) out there, but if somebody saw something and wants to be cautious, that’s their job to watch stuff like that.”
(On QB Skylar Thompson) – “Skylar (Thompson), he did a tremendous job. For him not being able to get all of the practice reps (and) just come in, play-calling and stuff like that, because our play calls, I feel like, are very tough, especially for a young quarterback. For him to just step in the way he did, complete passes and stuff like that, it’s great. And for him moving forward, he’s going to be able to build off of that for his confidence. Looking forward to playing with him more.”
QB Skylar Thompson (transcribed by N.Y. Jets)
(On how it felt playing) – “It was great to get out there and get my feet wet. The first real taste of wild NFL football for sure, as far as getting experience, the atmosphere on the road, live reps. So it felt good to get out there and get that going.”
(On how he was able to adapt and get himself ready to play mentally after the first play) – “Obviously, you never want to see one of your teammates go down, especially to see Teddy (Bridgewater) on the first play. Definitely was a little bit to take in. It kind of took me a little bit to settle in there, take a deep breath and just relax and trust the work that I’ve put in up to this point. I kind of knew that it was going to be a little bit of that going into this, or whenever the time came, but you have to start somewhere. We didn’t play well enough today and that obviously starts with me. There’s a lot to learn from and go from which is the exciting part from my end.”
(On how he thinks he performed and what he needs to improve on) – “It’s hard to – I try not to make quick judgement on how I feel right after a game, because sometimes it’s different on tape than what we feel in the game. I just really try to hone in on my thoughts right now and what things looked like on the field to me every play and then try to go back and watch the film and try to correlate with my eyes, ‘Did I see this correctly? What could I have done differently on this play?’ There’s a lot to learn out there, I know that for sure. So, I’m excited to watch the tape and start improving on the things that I need to.”
(On if the game felt fast at first and if it slowed down at any point) – “Yeah, it started to slow down. Like I said, it’s a jarring situation. The first play to see Teddy (Bridgewater) go down and what not. I kind of knew it wasn’t going to be perfect right off the bat, but I definitely felt like there were times where it was slowing down. I was able to see the defense, see what was going on, being able to make decisive reads, put the ball where I wanted to, but there’s still a lot there. I’m looking forward to watching it on film.”
(On the offense sometimes seeming out of sorts and what stood out to him) – “That starts with me in my operation of communicating clearly and controlling those things in the huddle to where there is no confusion and where we don’t look out of sorts. That’s not something that we want on offense and that starts with me in the huddle commanding things, speaking with confidence, doing those things. That’s something I’m going to get better at and continue to improve on. That’s definitely something we want to improve on, because we don’t want delay of game penalties or those unnecessary false starts. Those things that get you off schedule are really tough, so that’s something we have to clean up and that starts with me.”
(On the frustration level after missing the field goal with 13 minutes left in the game and having the rest of the game slip away) – “It’s tough no matter what fashion that you lose. I’m here to win. I know everybody in this locker room and this organization are here to win, and to just lose in general is really tough. It’s hard to fully speak on everything right now just because I want to go back and watch the tape and align everything with my initial thoughts and feelings right now. But losing is not what we’re about here, and I know we have the right guys in the locker room that are going to bounce back from this and find ways to take ownership in their play. It’s not about pointing fingers or pointing blame or anything like that. It’s about taking ownership in what you did, and that’s what I’m going to do and do my best to just get better and continue to improve.”
(On how tough it is on the sidelines to see your teammates QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Teddy Bridgewater go out) – “Well, my world has changed quite a bit in three weeks. Like I touched on earlier, coming in here this year, Tua (Tagovailoa) and Teddy (Bridgewater) have been phenomenal to me and helping me learn, helping me grow, mentoring me, even though that’s not in their contracts at all or something that they’re asked to do – they’re just those types of people. So when you’re surrounded by people like that, especially in your quarterback room, it makes the team better. I think the three of us in our room, the attitude and the people that are in there has really impacted our team in a great way this year. To see those guys, to see Tua go down the way he did and to see Teddy go down the way he did, it’s something that I’d never wish on anybody. You just hate to see it and it hurts. I care about those guys and want to see them do well. I was really excited to watch Teddy play today; his week of preparation was unreal. I just tried to jump on his back hip, tried to learn as much as I can from Teddy. He’s done an awesome of mentoring me, even though I know that he’s not asked to do so. I feel for those guys and I’m praying that they’re getting better.”
(On how tough it was to get the ball to WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle) – “I felt like I got the ball to them in certain situations. Like I said, it’s kind of hard to really comment just because (it was an) emotional loss and (I) don’t really know. I want to go watch the film before I really answer those things, because I know there are plays I left out on the field and that’s always tough. The one thing – I gave it my all today; I played the hardest I possibly could for this team and to help this team win. I never gave up and that’s what I’m going to hold my hat on and stand on every time I touch the field and step between the white lines. I’m excited to get back and watch the film, learn and get better.”
Head Coach Mike McDaniel (transcribed by N.Y. Jets)
(On losing QB Teddy Bridgewater so quickly) – “It’s rough, but the whole team has confidence in Skylar (Thompson). I think our team in general doesn’t look at it like we’re a one-man savior at any spot. It is a new set of circumstances of adversity so early. I didn’t think the rest of the team’s response to losing Teddy (Bridgewater) had anything to do with losing the game.”
(On how the injury to QB Teddy Bridgewater impacted his play-calling) – “It adjusted a little bit. You try to do stuff that the quarterback that’s playing is very comfortable with. We’re in communication all week and I kind of have an idea, so there’s maybe a couple of calls that I would have done a hair different with Teddy (Bridgewater). But for the most part, Skylar (Thompson) has earned the confidence of the team. He did have a rough rookie outing, but that’s not really a cause of concern moving forward knowing that he’s the type of person that he is. The biggest thing is he has to learn from it, which I know he will.”
(On the running game being more effective today) – “We knew coming into the game that was where a little familiarity with the coaching staff (played in). We figured we’d be getting certain types of defenses. We put a strong focus and our objective going into the game was that we thought we’d have some good opportunities, so we needed to take advantage of them.”
(On how difficult it is for a backup quarterback to be ready to come into this type of situation) – “Maybe that could have had a slight effect on Skylar (Thompson), perhaps, being so soon in the game. It’s something that all of his teammates and coaching staff know he’s fully built to be able to handle. I do think with it being so early, that was the one guy it might have been tough on – the one guy who had to come in.”
(On if he’s concerned about the defense’s lack of turnovers) – “It’s not necessarily a concern as much as it’s a focal point to improve on. I think, as you guys know, regardless of win or loss, in general, success or failure, this is a journey throughout the season. As long as you take the same from losses and wins, that’s how to get better and improve. I think that’s what winning teams do, because they end up playing their best football in November and December. It’s a definite point of emphasis. It’s not nearly to the point of our expectations for sure. It’s something we have to figure out a way as a coaching staff and as players collectively to try to right that ship because there is a big component of this defense that we expect as a coaching staff to get turnovers. We’ll address it with a fine-tooth comb to see if we can improve that for sure.”
(On how QB Teddy Bridgewater is now) – “Basically, what happened was a spotter saw him stumble. Under the new rules, he’s ruled out and placed into (concussion) protocol. He doesn’t have any symptoms and he’s passed his evaluation, but under the new regulations, he’ll be in the concussion protocol moving forward.”
(On if QB Teddy Bridgewater will be able to travel home with the team) – “I believe he’s fine to travel. I wouldn’t say it with 100% certainty, but I believe he’s fine to travel.”
(On the missed field goal killing any momentum) – “Whether its correlation or causation, it doesn’t matter. That’s something the team has to be aware of and the team has to address. Without a doubt, that’s something I’m going to bring up because when push comes to shove, there’s so much time in the second half. Shoot, we missed the field goal – let’s make a stop. Let’s go do it again. I have total faith in our field goal unit to make those long ones. Also, the offense can do a better job of not making it so long. Without a doubt, to say that the wheels fell off would be fair because it occurred in all three phases. That’s something you can’t let slip through your fingers and try to figure out the why. That’s what our coaching staff and collectively our players, that’s what they get paid to do. We have to figure that out. That’s not acceptable. It really shouldn’t have been as much of a momentum shift as I think it played out to be.”
(On his reaction to the NFL and NFLPA’s statement on the handling of QB Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion protocol) – “Honestly, I’m happy that there’s some policy that the medical experts deem as more safe for the players collectively. That’s a positive thing. As far as the determination that things were followed appropriately, that didn’t surprise me. That’s what we’ve been saying from the beginning.”
(On if they will consider having three quarterbacks active on gameday because of the new protocols) – “It’s going to be tricky because you don’t want to leave things up to chance. It’s impossible to say the timeline of when someone is going to clear protocol. This particular situation with the new rule change as of yesterday is unique and slightly uncharted. I think we’re comfortable having two quarterbacks on the gameday roster, so we’re going to have to assess those situations and we might have to make a move as a result. We’ll just keep working on that.”
(On his level of comfort with the number of touches WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle were able to get today) – “They kind of knew that in the long-term scheme of things, until we start being a little more productive in the run game, there’s going to be some disadvantage in the pass game. They went into this game knowing their targets might be minimized early. To their credit and the type of players they are, they want to be on a winning football team. Offensively, you have to be able to run and pass, not just pass. Obviously, they’re a huge component of our offense. To say that their touches were equating to our offensive productivity, I don’t think that’s necessarily correct. You try to take things the defense is giving you. It was obvious from very early in the game that they were going to play the pass until we proved otherwise. I can’t remember a first or second down single safety defense until the second half. Then, we had to pull Tyreek (Hill) at the end. He got stepped on pretty hard, so that hurt his cause in the second half as well.”
(On CB Xavien Howard, T Terron Armstead and WR Tyreek Hill) – “It was unfortunate, ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) wasn’t able to really get to the game. He tried his butt off, that’s for sure. Terron (Armstead), we had already scheduled something for him to stay in New York and get something looked at with regards to his foot. He’ll be staying here. Hopefully, we get some good information on how to address it moving forward. That’s really frustrating to him. He’s a tough player to lose. Tyreek (Hill), he’s a very quick healer. I’m very optimistic, but at this point, I really don’t know.”
(On RB Raheem Mostert) – “It’s a pretty simple formula. You kind of have an expectation as a coach – you see a front, you see a coverage, you know the play, so you know the pieces of it that are tough in terms of blocking. You know how much the runner is going to get until there’s contact. What’s been cool to see from Raheem (Mostert) the past couple of weeks is his yards after contact – the ones that aren’t really what you’d call sexy. It’s more those lean yardages where you turn a four-yard run into seven where now it’s second-and-3 instead of second-and-6 – (that’s) a huge difference. Those are the things that I think have really stood out with where he’s at with his game. I know his teammates feel it, and he’s earned each and every opportunity he gets.”
