Texans vs Dolphins Postgame Transcripts

Miami Dolphins Media
Conference
Sunday, November 7, 2021
Miami, Florida, USA
Coach David Culley
Texans Postgame Presser
Dolphins – 17, Texans – 9
COACH CULLEY: I want to extend our condolences from the Texans for the tragedy that happened at Astroworld. I just want to say we’re sorry for everybody involved in that deal.
Q. Could you describe your performance today?
COACH CULLEY: Very poor on offense. Our job on offense is to protect the football. Our job for our quarterback is to protect the football. We didn’t do that today. When you do that, you get these results.
Q. Defense deserved better, didn’t they?
COACH CULLEY: Our entire football team deserved better.
Q. Talk about Tyrone’s inability to protect the football.
COACH CULLEY: You’re right, that’s unusual for him. His history has always been to protect the football. He didn’t do that today. We’ll have to look at the video to see why those things happened. But that hasn’t been his MO, but it was today.
Q. Missing that much time. Can rest be a factor for a quarterback?
COACH CULLEY: I don’t think so. When you go back to watch the video, you’ll see why he did what he did. I think a couple of then were bad decisions. He tried to throw it out of bounds, didn’t get it out of bounds. The first interceptions he had he was trying to throw it in the back of the end zone and he was short. The guy made a play on
it.
Q. (Question off microphone)?
COACH CULLEY: No, he was given a signal.
Q. Where were the shortcomings that led to the pass protection, trying to fix that through the game?
COACH CULLEY: I wouldn’t say it was just shortcomings as they got us a couple of times. We didn’t get the ball out when we needed to get the ball out. We knew it was coming. We were prepared for it. We just didn’t execute it very well. We didn’t execute it.
Q. Talk about picking up — you all had trouble (indiscernible)?
COACH CULLEY: We knew going into the game that this was a team that, with zero blitz, especially when you cross the 50-yard line, to try to back you up. We had a plan for it. We didn’t execute it.
Q. How did you feel about the defense’s performance with five turnovers?
COACH CULLEY: Usually when you get five turnovers for your defense you expect to win. But not when you have four on your offense.
Q. You mentioned starting Ty. Best chance to win where is the morale of this team after a game like that where he was supposed to give you a boost?
COACH CULLEY: Nobody’s going to give you a boost playing quarterback when you turn the ball over like we turned the ball over today. And we expected that out of them. We didn’t get it.
Q. How frustrating is it to have the ball in the red zone as much as you did?
COACH CULLEY: You’re not going to win football games in this league kicking field goals. We had an opportunity to get points down there and touchdowns, and again we didn’t execute it. We were down there. Previously in the past we’ve had trouble getting down in the red zone. We got down there this time but couldn’t get it in the end zone.
Q. Would you have Ty start after the bye week?
COACH CULLEY: We’ll look at the whole situation, when you’re where we’re at, you look at everything. We’ll do that over the bye week.
Q. You mentioned kicking field goals was it a thought to go for it at fourth and one?
COACH CULLEY: Possibly. But at that time we feel like we needed points. We needed points. And it would keep us right in the game by getting the three points. And it did.
Q. What should make you confident, what makes the team confident that you’re the right person to have this job?
COACH CULLEY: First of all, I’ve got a great locker room. And we understand the process. We’re going through that process right now. And obviously we’re not where we want to be. But we know we’re going to get there. And we’re
going to stay the process.

Tyrod Taylor
Texans Postgame Presser
Dolphins – 17, Texans – 9
TYROD TAYLOR: First off, I’d like to say something. I know something bigger than football happened back in our Houston community this past Friday. Just wanted to let the city of Houston know our organization, our team, our
prayers are definitely with you all. Never want to see loss of life. So we continue to keep praying for you all.
Q. Why do you think you made so many turnovers today? What happened?
TYROD TAYLOR: Bad decisions. Something I need to get better at to give us an opportunity to win games. Especially on the road, turnovers are critical. Like you said, it’s uncharacteristic of me. But it happened today and it’s something I have to clean up. And I’ll do that moving forward.
Q. You seemed to be constantly under pressure having to get rid of the ball.
TYROD TAYLOR: The guys have done a good job of protecting and battling up front. We knew we were going to get a couple of exotic looks, odd-ball looks that we had to prepare for. We just didn’t execute. And that falls on me. And like I said, moving forward I’ll be better doing so.
Q. That second interception, were you trying to throw the ball away?
TYROD TAYLOR: I was trying to throw it away. Careless on my part. Just gotta make it clear and get it out of bounds versus leaving it in for the defender to grab it.
Q. Did the time off have anything to do with it?
TYROD TAYLOR: I don’t think so. I walked into this game fully confident in my ability to go out and perform. Just was a lack of execution. Like I said, that starts with me. I own up to that. I have to be better for our team to have a chance to win. And I’ll be better.
Q. Downfield, seemed to be open. What did you see — what went through your head on those plays, what happened?
TYROD TAYLOR: The one in particular that I remember is the rollout to Danny on the sideline. That’s definitely something, a routine play that we make all the time. I just misfired. Comes with the game. Obviously you want to have those back. I hate incompletions, obviously. You want to have all those back. But, like I said, it’s up to me to execute. Obviously it’s a team sport. But I’m the one that touched the ball every play and I have to be better at executing.
Q. How does your hamstring feel?
TYROD TAYLOR: I feel good. My hamstring isn’t bothering me.
Q. 1-8 eight game losing streak, a lot of hopes around the team?
TYROD TAYLOR: We regroup. We have a bye week coming in. We regroup and we continue to keep pushing, preparing. And have to go out there and play the rest of the season. Take it one game at a time. Take it one day at a time. As far as hope, it’s not a lack of hope. If anything, guys are eager to get out there and turn it around. I think the bye week comes at a spot where we can regroup and prepare ourselves mentally and physically to get back on the (indiscernible).
Q. A one-year contract, back after injury. Do you view this final stretch run of the season as somewhat of an audition for whether you stay with this team or whether you move forward in your career?
TYROD TAYLOR: I take it one game at a time. I can’t look at, obviously, the big picture. I understand walking into the
season I was in a one-year contract. And you know what comes with that, each game counts. But that’s whether you’re in a one-year contract or multiple years. Each time you get out on the field you want to perform at a high level and give your team an opportunity to win. That’s what it really boils down to — take it one game at a time and continue to keep battling.

Maliek Collins
Texans Postgame Presser
Dolphins – 17, Texans – 9
Q. How do you feel about the performance of the defense today?
MALIEK COLLINS: Condolences to the families who lost loved ones at Astroworld. It’s a tragic event.
Q. What do you think about the defense performance?
MALIEK COLLINS: Gotta get more turnovers. Gotta give offense more opportunities to score.
Q. How frustrating is it to get five and not get a touchdown out of it?
MALIEK COLLINS: It’s frustrating, but that’s the way the game goes sometimes. Sometimes you’ve got to score on defense. Nothing against the offense or anything like that, but just sometimes we’ve got — maybe we could have did
more.
Q. Did you guys change anything when you found out Brissett was going to play?
MALIEK COLLINS: No, we already had our initial game plan. It didn’t matter who was at quarterback as long as we try to stick to our plan.
Q. Where does this team go from here? What do you try to do?
MALIEK COLLINS: Take the bye week and reflect. That’s what I’m going to do, I’m going to refect a lot on what I can do better. And I’m pretty sure everybody in the locker room will do the same thing.
Q. This was a 1-7 team a chance for you to win. A boost with Tyrod coming back. What do you think?
MALIEK COLLINS: I don’t think records matter. It’s the NFL. Every week you’ve got a chance to win. That’s the
standard of the NFL.
Q. What was the key to getting five turnovers?
MALIEK COLLINS: Emphasis on the ball. Kamu punched one out. Ross tipped one and I was able to catch it. J-Mar
strip-sack fumble. I mean the picks. So guys have been making an emphasis on it. That’s the way we plan on
going about it.
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Eric Murray
Texans Postgame Presser
Dolphins – 17, Texans – 9
Q. First game, what was it like being back out there getting turnovers out there for the defense?
ERIC MURRAY: It was an electric feeling. Just to be back out there play defense again. Felt really good and I think we had a great outing today.
Q. What was the key to getting five turnovers?
ERIC MURRAY: I think we — rush and coverage worked really well together. And we just kept our eyes on the quarterback. We were able to flesh him out of the pocket, make him move around a little bit and make him throw
some passes he didn’t want to throw.
Q. What changes did you make when you found out Brissett would be playing in place of Tua?
ERIC MURRAY: Obviously less RPOs. So that kind of took a back seat. But we knew it would be more play-action. So we played a little bit deeper and we didn’t let their fast guys get behind us.
Q. Did it make any difference, lefty or righty (indiscernible)?
ERIC MURRAY: No, no. It didn’t make any difference. RPOs go both ways. He’s a bigger guy. So, like, when you get back there you’ve really got to get him down.
Q. Rare occurrence to get five turnovers and have this turnout. Does it tell you where the team is?
ERIC MURRAY: I just think it says we won’t stop fighting regardless of what’s going on. And I think the five turnovers is a testament to that, and we fought every down. And we just came up short.
Q. You’ve been rotated. A lot of players — what do you feel, despite the rotations and you just can’t get a win?
ERIC MURRAY: In spite of adversity you’ve just got to keep playing and striving for perfection. And I think regardless of who’s in there, people have done a good job of just stepping up and doing their job when their name is called.
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Jordan Jenkins
Texans Postgame Presser
Dolphins – 17, Texans – 9
Q. How do you feel about the way the defense played today?
JORDAN JENKINS: We didn’t get the win, but proud of the way some of the guys fought. We still had a little miscues
throughout the game that have to be fixed if we want to be a better defense. But it was a good step forward.
Q. Would you say this was your most impactful game?
JORDAN JENKINS: Could definitely agree with that. I had a different mentality for this game. Had stuff going on with my family and I just wanted to put it all on the line for them.
Q. What was the mood in the locker room after this?
JORDAN JENKINS: You know, emotions definitely were — it hurts losing a close game like that. We were in it until the
end. We had some great momentum shifts throughout the game. But it was down. But we came together and said we got two options. You either fold and just go out there with the mindset you’re going to lose every game, or you make the option, you do a reality check, look at yourself in the mirror and figure out what you’ve got to do to get better. If you can’t fight for yourself, fight for the man beside you. Because a lot of people got stuff going on back home, and
you can’t be the one guy bringing it right now. If you can’t do it for yourself do it for everyone else fighting for their
families to get fed.
Q. Did you all make adjustments when you found out Brissett was going to play instead of Tua?
JORDAN JENKINS: Yeah, it sort of changed up some of our calls on defense. Tua, being a left-handed quarterback, kind of a slippery guy, smaller guy. And then you got Brissett, who has gained a little bit of pounds since the last time I’ve seen him. He was my host when I took an official at Florida. But he’s definitely bigger, and I realize that on the first QB hit, I couldn’t get him down. But we had to make adjustments for that, too. We didn’t realize how stout he was. I’ve got to give Jacoby his credit. He’s a little bit harder to take down than you think. And he took all the hits and just made some good throws.
Q. What happened at Astroworld, is that something you guys talked about as a team after you saw it?
JORDAN JENKINS: I think in everyone’s position group we all saw videos and talked about it because, I’m from
Houston but it was right behind the practice fields and everything. So we talked about it and thought it was crazy. And we are just glad we didn’t have anybody there that could have got caught up in that mess.
Q. They were doing the sound check when you guys were out there Friday. Did you realize that?
JORDAN JENKINS: Yes, because we heard — some of the guys are saying that, Travis got on the mic or whatever, but we definitely heard some of that. And they had some of the speakers blasting throughout the Friday practice.
Q. Thinking that how many hours later something bad like that can happen.
JORDAN JENKINS: That’s sort of another thing I said to the guys. It’s like you never know what day’s your last.
You never know what game’s going to be your last, what play will be your last. And me, a guy who’s had two
shoulder surgeries I lived it. Everything was fine and dandy, then you get the call saying your shoulder is torn, you’ve got to get surgery. It’s a big reality check. And that’s something that the guys, we all spoke about. We gotta go into these last eight games with the mentality that you never know what game’s going to be your last, never know what play will be your last. Why not give it your all and keep fighting.
Q. Were you surprised to see the struggles there offensively?
JORDAN JENKINS: It wasn’t the return that Tyrod envisioned for himself. But me knowing the guy, me knowing Tyrod — played against him when he was with the Bills and I was with the Jets for multiple years. He’s a competitor and fighter. And he’s going to respond with passion and with a whole lot of attitude.
Q. You had a different mentality after going through something with your family. Will you be willing to share that?
JORDAN JENKINS: It was just something my dad was fighting through. And he’s known about it for a couple of months now. And he stayed strong. He stayed strong throughout that whole time and never told any of us throughout that whole time. It was an inspiring thing for me, that he held that in that whole time. And to me it just showed that if he can fight it like that, I can fight even harder on the field.

Jacob Martin
Texans Postgame Presser
Dolphins – 17, Texans – 9
JACOB MARTIN: First, I’d like to my condolences and prayers to the friends and families affected by events that took place Saturday, Friday or Saturday evening at the concert. On behalf of the Texans, I send my prayers and my condolences to those affected.
Q. What do you take away from this game?
JACOB MARTIN: We did a lot of good things. As a defense I think we played a heck of a game. And the way these guys battle, week in, week out, I loved the way we go into every game with the mindset that we’re never out of it. You’ve got 60 minutes to play a football game and it’s never over until that clock hits zero. And today things didn’t go our way. So this bye week, I think it’s going to be important for guys to take care of their bodies and take care of themselves and really look in the mirror, how they can get better in their game and things they can change up during this week. And I think we should be better coming out of the bye.
Q. You haven’t won more games. Why do you think it’s been so hard?
JACOB MARTIN: Hey, man, it’s the NFL. Guys on the other side get paid as well. And it’s any given Sunday. The best team wins on Sunday. And first and foremost, you can’t make mistakes. You can’t have penalties. You can’t beat yourself. And as we work through those growing pains and cleaning things up, I think we’ll come out stronger on the other side.
Q. How did the mood in the locker room after this loss feel different than others?
JACOB MARTIN: To be honest, losing sucks. It’s terrible. But, as a team, I think, in football you gain those scars from
mishaps and mistakes. Those are lessons learned. As long as you continue to grind and continue to trust the process and trust what you’re being coached, things are going to come around eventually. You’ve just got to buy into that and believe in that, that this team will take the next step.
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