Coach McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Coach McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Mike, uh, do you have any update on whether James Daniels and Storm Duck will be out long term? Um, it looks, uh, with James, um, uh, it’s not season ending. Um, it’s not, uh, he won’t be available this week. It looks to be a couple weeks and we’re evaluating um uh the uh the the timeline and um if there’s any roster management with that, but um uh right now as we know it will be a couple weeks. And Storm Duck, Storm Duck will also be a couple weeks. about Austin Jackson. Um, still finding out some more information on him. Um, and uh, in regards to his toe and then Bonito Jones. Um, it looks uh, like um, uh, you know, Bonito’s in in a week toe category. Um, I you know I I wouldn’t rule him totally out um, for this game, but I wouldn’t rule him in either. We’ll see how time progresses. And is there anyone in concussion protocol after yesterday? Um, no, there’s not. Not getting to the run game was the biggest factor in that the turnovers, time of possession, just and also the the Colts took. Well, no, I think the uh the biggest issue was that four out of the first five uh drives were turnovers. um and 24 points were came off those turnovers. So, uh you know, in situations like that, um it is uh and and in in those situations, if you’re um you know, not only failing in in one phase, but in multiple phases, and then you’re not getting off the field, um yeah, you’re not going to have any plays. We had like 48 plays, so um it was tough to get a uh any sort of balance of anything. um based on uh didn’t earn more. There was a stat highlighted by Daniel Watson that it’s now one full calendar year since Tyreek Hill’s last 30 yard reception down the field. I guess my question is how um well there’s uh he hasn’t caught a 30- yard um reception uh for a multitude of reasons. um one uh this last game there was probably probably three different opportunities um that he the the opportunity was taken away from him by by his teammates um lack of e uh execution on their uh non-ball assignments. So, um there there’s a there’s a litany of of things uh compounding variables um when you’re you’re talking about um you know, something like that. And uh specifically with yesterday um you know uh uh I’m not sure for the entire whole season um if I’d want to say it was the same thing, but um for this past game it was definitely that uh the opportunities were there. um you just no one saw the throw and the catch because it didn’t exist because of a um a a a teammate. Mike, it’s easy for us to point out a lot of the bad things that happened. What were some of the good things that you saw happen either individually or by unit yesterday? I think I think to be honest like there’s um I the I’ll I think the positive is that um that was a miserable experience. Uh it was embarrassing flat out. Um and in that there’s nowhere to hide. Um it’s almost you know uh within the game uh you know it’s almost good that there’s that that it wasn’t reachable that there were we were minus four because there’s you know um as as a team we have to you know I I I was really looking forward to see to seeing uh the stuff that we’ve really worked on diligently and I didn’t see any of it and that’s a problem. So, um, we’re, uh, it’s also, um, you know, teams, uh, usually it’s not week one off of a, um, a, you know, blowout, but, um, teams generally have, um, a lesson of, uh, a lesson that you have to learn, particularly as as you go through through the season, um, and get into the final stretch of of how to, uh uh prepare and apply your your position specific um uh non-negotiables in a game and um you generally learn that lesson the hard way when you don’t do it correctly. Um and there’s a lot of times that you know I don’t want to misconstrue it. Um, one of the reasons, uh, you know, it was a it it was tough to get punched in the mouth like that was, um, because it was not a result of lack of intent. Um, you know, there’s a lot of guys out there trying to make plays um on on a um all all things equal. That’s not necessarily a bad villainous thing to desire. However, um when your your mind isn’t focused on your exact responsibilities as it relates to your teammates and when you’re not playing um you know in all three phases, you’re not playing collective team football where you you are doing your job and then one or two players on the field get to make the play. Um you know, there’s a there’s a cost. So, it was a um uh you know, I think we watched 93 out of the 136 plays um as a as a team um today and that is not fun. Yesterday wasn’t fun. But the point is that you know that you want uh you have to learn and this the NFL is a a league of development and growth and teams start out doing do it first four weeks is generally wild because people are figuring out who they are. Um you know on paper who you think you’re going to be but in actual execution who you are and then molding themselves to that. Um, and you have to continue to get better. Um, you know, I I would say the good news and the positive is, um, I don’t I don’t see how it could be worse. Um, and I I also believe in um, you know, the coaches and players to get it fixed because it wasn’t, you know, it’s just a shame. It’s uh, you you work behind the scenes for months on end and you don’t show any of it. It’s frustrating, but that can be a good thing. And that’s what I saw from the posit I also um you could tell as frustrating as it was um the team didn’t splinter and the effort still remained um there’s things there um but overall I’m not trying to you know paint a glossy glossy I’ll call it what it is. It wasn’t, you know, embarrassing, not not anything that um paying fans sign up for. Was it mostly mental or physical? I would say it was the the mental focus on what the physical is. It was there was no lack of physicality. Um okay, there’s I’ll give an example. Um, all right. So, there’s probably I mean every starter on the tape that I was pointing out. Um, but just so you guys, you know, it’s not my I don’t make a habit of um putting uh family business and just, you know, out out on at the podium. But um for example sake, there was one um uh there was one play that ultimately led to being an explosive that um the the utmost um dependable player, Zack Cer, um in an attempt to get a sack uh at the final stages of pass rush kind of voids his pass rush lane. well-intentioned trying to make a play. Um but uh the you know the um dropping of rush lanes allows for an explosive that you know you have to learn how to with new teammates play with them and lean on them and trust them. So, um, we have a very close team, um, that I think was caught by surprise. Um, and and I think that’s because their their play wasn’t as as close as on game day as as one would like. So, um, back back on the grind, um, sole focus is on fixing that, nothing else. Um because you know if we’re going to work diligently at at our craft and technique and fundamentals um we should actually use it in games. I think that’s important. How did you evaluate Keith’s play and will you continue to roll at right? Um I think he uh I thought he did a a very good job in there. um he uh got more and more comfortable and I think in the last um drive or two, he uh was able to do some pass sets that that uh um his his feet connected with his hands um uh in terms of timing and he and he uh shocked the defender of the line of scrimmage. So there’s some positive stuff um from from his game and there you know there’s some details um like every really every player I would say had where um they can very much improve which is you know what we’re why they employ coaches is to um find those things and then um improve them and and counting on our guys to lean into all those things and and uh um get our game uh ready for uh um Sundays like we like it should be. I know you you’ve said that you know you guys don’t pay much attention to outside noise and narratives, but I guess for people who may be concerned about the direction of this team, direction of this franchise, uh given how long it’s been since the last playoff win, given how last season ended and now yesterday’s performance, what would your response to them be? Yeah, I mean that you’re saying uh fans are frustrated for for a loss that they um they like us would have um don’t don’t think that’s acceptable. So, I mean I I I don’t really I mean fans want to win and when you don’t they don’t like it. And there’s um our our journey here um as players and coaches is forever whatever fraction um of that that tenure. But at the same time um understanding that we have uh season ticket holders that have been having season tickets since um you know mid70s and and or earlier than that. um you know you you the fans that cheer for us that’s part of their journey. So um we very much understand all that and I think you know my job is to focus on getting the stuff right and there’s a lot of times in football that um whether good or bad uh if you regardless if you stand on business it’s going to it’s not going to end up well. So we we have to improve from the last performance, but we have to improve in general um like every other team does or you get left in the dust. So um I I I think one of uh one of 17 is one of 17. Um, and if uh if that type of game doesn’t show up ever again, um that that’s the only only way you can make it worth it because otherwise it’s just um miserable for miserable sake. So, um I I don’t really question uh any of that. Um, and you know, I think the biggest thing is, uh, regardless of what what they say, I I know with certainty that Dolphins fans want to see the Dolphins do well and win football games. Just to clarify on Austin Jackson, did he reagravate the toe and could that be a long-term thing? Um, yeah, they’re they’re um we’re just looking at his toe, getting some opinions and um don’t have a timetable at all and uh I I I would be rushing to judgment if I were to put it in other categories. I was going to ask you the decision not to put Waller on IR and do doctors think he should just sit and rest for another week or two to heal him? No. So, um you know, I know he’s he’s trying to um play uh you know, shoot. I think we have two games in 11 days, right? So, he’s trying to play um as best he can uh on this next one. If he can’t, he’ll try to play on the next the next game. Um and you know, we’ll take it that way. The phrase don’t get too high, don’t get too low a lot yesterday. Just how important is that mantra this week? And you know, when you think of just the the grand scheme of things, um, you know, in what ways are you helping to implore the players to, you know, stay on that middle course? Well, I think you you you have to you utilize history and your experiences and understand that um, you know, there’s a lot of different uh, ways to skin a cat, so to speak. Your NFL season is 17 weeks, week one. Um, are you uh kicking your feet up and uh sitting in the sun after a win? Um, or are you over cooking that? Um, you know, right now uh we have one loss. Um and and the our job is to learn from both good and bad, but to continue to progress so that um you can play meaningful football that actually matters and and uh win win those games um down the stretch of the season. So, uh I think I think the big the biggest thing you learn it both ways. Um we’ve had our first two years here was doing the inverse. um you’re still doing it regardless. It’s the same where you’re trying to get people connected to their game and and develop it and grow the overall collective football um uh as the season progresses regardless. Um and I’ve had uh you know bad seasons with um a lot of wins early. I’ve uh you know been the whole gamut. I think at Atlanta we were we lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the division um game one and we’re in the Super Bowl that year. All things it’s one of 17. Um and uh with a showing like we had um to me the key is that we with absolute certainty um learn from it and uh utilize it in not just um this season but the very next game and and moving forward. Two more questions. There’s a saying the biggest one week improvement teams will make is between games one and two. Do you subscribe to that? Um well, you can um the the hardest week in the in the NFL football season. Um generally uh to to put your to nail down of exactly what you’re going to get is week one. um just because of the simple formula of time. Time time with the people that have played together, time w where they’ve it’s how long it’s been since you know it’s a different deal when there’s 70,000 um and it’s broadcast and and you’re playing four quarters. So each and every year um you know I I can’t remember a a week one that I’ve been like yes um you win um sometimes that feels good but generally you’re you’re really doing a lot of labor on um you know what correcting what you thought would occur um by your concepts and your and your technique and fundamentals because it is um 0 to 60 for for a lot of guys. So, um those it’s it’s all on a competitive balanced field. So, um it’s generally uh the the team in week one that that can handle um the not beating themselves um generally generally win. Um that’s the case with football in general a lot of the times, but specifically in week one because there’s more penalties, there’s there’s more turnovers. Um there’s there’s more of um of all that of all that. So yeah, the week week two um you know uh is generally a a big week where you can see a lot of improvement and that’s obviously where where our mindset is and where where our focus lies. Last question. Mike, how do you feel like the the marriage between your your pass rush and your coverage operated yesterday? Oh, I think we I think we see our pass rushes as strength and we felt like there was um some meat left on the bone um for sure uh this past game. I think uh the rush being tied to coverage um I I had expected um you know I think we all expected to have um a little more production that way just because of of what we’ve been working on, what what we’ve uh what we put on tape. um you know in in the off seasonason and going into training camp, but again that it you only are what you are and I think that’s probably the most frustrating part is uh the you know our guys knew that that we had the opportunity to have a have a game where we could um you know show what we’ve been working on. We didn’t um fortunately we have another game um coming up in tminus 6 days.

Coach McDaniel meets with the media

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