QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(So what was the feeling in the huddle when you were going for that last drive and then going for two?) – “It was fun. I mean that whole fourth quarter was fun just to be out there. I think there was a lot of confidence on that last drive. There were some things that – we had a timeout. We had to get up there and clock it once. Some guys made some nice plays, and then DeVante (Parker) on the touchdown – a big catch. That’s the kind of stuff – that’s why I still like being out there and playing this game. That’s the kind of stuff that you love, and I was happy that we decided to go for two. That was the right move, and I wish we would have got in there.”
(When did you I guess feel…?) – “When did you feel it, you know? (laughter). I mean (Head Coach Brian) Flores just tapped me on the shoulders and said, ‘Hey, you’re going in.’ I said, ‘Okay.’ I went and got a ball and took a few throws on the sideline and was ready to go out there. I thought the guys, when I got in there, it was just a good feeling in the huddle. Guys played hard for me…”
(Do you think you have to say anything to QB Josh Rosen, I guess, after this – given that he got benched?) – “We’re constantly talking, whether it’s on the sideline or in the locker room after. We spend a lot of time together, so I’ve been in every situation you can imagine multiple times. I know that for him, maybe he hasn’t experienced as many of these situations as I have, but you just put your head down, work hard and go from there.”
(For this football team to have that opportunity at the end of the game to win and not get it done, what was the emotion like in the locker room coming in?) – “I think each guy feels their own independent feelings and different – there’s a lot of frustration in there. I’m disappointed that we didn’t get it in. I think obviously we all wanted it. We all had confidence in the play. It just felt like when we scored – when DeVante (Parker) made that catch – it felt like that was the right move for us at that time. And going for the win, we didn’t get it.”
(What do you think a fourth quarter like that will do for you guys the rest of the season?) – “I have no clue. I’m not sure where we go from here. I just – whatever my role is, I’m going to try to do it to the best of my ability.”
(Why wasn’t it the right call in terms of that pass to RB Kenyan Drake? In your opinion, because you see all those 2-point situations. Why was that the right call?) – “To go for it? Or the actual play.”
(The actual play.) – “Yeah. There’s a million different things like the play design and everything else that we could talk about; but I felt like the aggressiveness – I felt like giving arguably our best guy the ball and giving him a chance to win it for us, those are the types of situations that I think everybody on the team wants to be in. Kenyan (Drake) is one of our best playmakers.”
(And it just didn’t work? There were three defenders there but you think it could have worked if he’d caught the ball?) – “I think it gave him a chance. Whether – Was he going to walk in the end zone? No. He wasn’t going to walk into the end zone. He would have had to do something significant and special; but that’s what we think of him, so we wanted to give him the chance to do it.”
(And you clearly like the aggressive approach?) – “Yeah, I love the fact that we went for it.”
(So I recognize it is professional football and there are no moral victories and so forth, but you walk away from the stadium today having played a game where you were competitive to the final play basically, and you scored in the second half and you had a chance to win. Does that feel any better than what has happened the previous four games?) – “Again, I think you have to individually ask everybody about that; but what I told you guys when I first got here, I enjoy playing football. I enjoy being out there. And did we want to win, do we want to win every game? Yes. We haven’t done it yet. But to put yourself in those competitive situations and to have a chance at the end of the game, that’s a much – moral victory, whatever, I don’t know if we believe in those; but it’s much more fun to be involved in a game like that than one when you look up and you’re losing by 40-plus points. So in that regard, if that’s what you’re getting at, then yeah. It was much more fun to be a part of that game.”
QB Josh Rosen
(In terms of the first-half sacks, what were some of the issues there that were going on?) – “(It was) a couple of things. That was kind of the frustrating part. It was just something new on every play. I made plenty of mistakes throughout the game; but it’s like if all 11 could make one mistake on one play and then get it over with and then move forward, (it would be better). I couldn’t speak to details, but there were a couple of things here and there.”
(Who told you about the change of the quarterback position?) – “’Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores). I came off the field and he told me about it.”
(What were your thoughts?) – “I was disappointed, but I understood the situation. I mean it obviously was a smart decision given how the game almost ended. ‘Flo’s’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) job first and foremost is to win football games and I respect the decision, and it’s my job to not put him in that position.”
(Did you see anything different standing on the sidelines that was happening that was different than the three quarters that you played in the game where there was a lot of pressure and seemed like there was a lot of duress that you had to deal with?) – “I mean it was a different kind of game when ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) went in, so they were running a little more two-minute. (We had) a little bit lighter personnel on our behalf, so it was a different game; but, yeah, definitely some different looks given the circumstances.”
(I know it didn’t go the way you wanted personally, but the team was very competitive today. Do you get any good feeling about that at all coming away from this game?) – “Yeah. I mean I think as a team, this is a step in the right direction. Personally, I may not say the same; but I mean, that’s just sort of take it on the chin and continue to improve. It was obviously a disappointment for me, but we almost came close to our first team win, which is awesome regardless of who is behind center. I’m a Dolphin first and foremost and that was good; but I mean I’ve definitely got to get better personally.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said earlier that week that you were kind of settled in at quarterback, but then made a change three quarters in. Did you feel like that was kind of different than what you thought the situation was going to be?) – “It’s not really in my thought process. I’m trying to worry about who the Mike (linebacker) is, who I’m throwing the ball to and stuff. Regardless, it’s above my pay grade.”
