Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media after #MIAvsATL | Miami Dolphins

Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media after #MIAvsATL | Miami Dolphins

All right, Mike. Um, what role did the ability to stop the run play in the victory today? Monumental. I think it um extended our extended the distance for third downs um uh to to a point that we could play a little bit um on our on our terms. I thought the the plan um led by Weave was phenomenal. I think the execution u matched that. So, uh I I think the stopping the run not only um uh changed the time of possession, but it also um was an assistant to uh uh the the third down um execution uh where we could be a little aggressive. So, there’s a a lot of things at play, but it the starting point was for us to um you know, we knew they’re going to try to give it to a dangerous player and we needed to have multiple players um on every play around the ball. So, did great job doing that. Uh it’s up there for sure. I think um you know the uh uh opening drive was three and out um and to get a stop and then to um have clean uh execution on special teams um you know we we had some uh frustrating overindulgent penalties that we we cleaned up and then the offense going down the field it was like 13 plays or something um with one of those being a fourth down uh deep in their territory. Uh that you know the the outcomes of the game is uh much different in my opinion if all three phases aren’t working in concert at that point and then it continued through the game. So, you know, it was it was cool to see um uh the most complimentary football played um in what I thought was the most complimentary uh practice week of guys investing into each other and the plan. Um the from scout team out giving looks um it was a a highly motivated team. Um and uh they were able to execute. Um, I thought collectively the coaching staff and the players did a great job um, uh, being focused and uh, the the results are um, it’s nice to, you know, finally get them and what seems like forever. Um, so it’s something that um, we have to uh, be able to replicate more in the coming weeks. What was the decision to lean heavily on the run, especially in the early stages of Well, I think um we I I I’ve liked the way that we’ve blocked in the run game and developed as the se as the season has progressed. Um but we haven’t the games haven’t played out every every week um the way where you’re able to fully um lean on on that development. I think you know the complimentary football was a big part of it. Um there was uh uh some really good plays made by um you know uh the the runners uh in particular on third down when we we gave some gave some uh runups you know the extra yardage that Ollie and um Vaughn were able to get and and the way that um Jaylen Wright’s leg drive was we were able to incorporate all three and I thought that helped us a lot um for for this game for sure. Um, yeah, it was uh it was more it it seemed to be more cosmetic than anything. Like he could feel it and it felt um but it it’s one of those things that um I’m pretty sure uh it was a the way I understood it was it was a better drill type situation. I don’t think he took Venadryil. I don’t know what he took. Um it wasn’t that it was one of those uncomfortable random things that um he he it wasn’t the ideal, but once he once I could hear in his voice that he was focused and I knew it wasn’t it was going to just be another thing. Um and we’re focused on executing the game plan. Well, you know, it’s um util utilization of your roster. We had a couple injuries um that uh we saw the opportunity to dive into um you know, some of the things that uh Dan has done. um knowing him from you know all the way back to his uh to I believe 2019 in San Francisco um you know I know what type of professional he is and his versatility and we had um you know we have some injuries at the position so it gave us an opportunity to do um something that you know we knew uh having not done that one time uh since I’ve been here I knew they wouldn’t be preparing for it. So uh it it it it’s a credit to him. Um offensive linemen um typically in the segmentation of the play call don’t even listen to the formation at all. It’s just it’s kind of like Charlie Brown like WW. So for him to um in in a week’s time be able to um uh digest uh the play calls and the assignments and the alignments. Um, it takes a special breed. That’s that’s why I think it was his sixth position that he started at in the National Football League. Um, and but but it was an effort. He he kind of encapsulates, you know, the the effort of the team where it didn’t it didn’t matter the mission. Everybody was on board to um, you know, really write uh, a football experience that everyone had a tremendous distaste for. of the week previous. So, there’s one thing you can do um when you have outcomes or uh uh you have an outing that you that you don’t um that you don’t want to cosign is you can go back to work. And I think that’s what everyone did, including Dan Brunkill um who uh learned uh formations this week. Well, I think um you know it was something that uh I hadn’t planned on. Uh it was more of a reaction to the work week and I just thought that um for some of the stuff that we were trying to uh get done offensively um Frank just did a phenomenal job staying on on the guys and and they responded to him during the week. So I I really wanted um them to have that extension of the work week in practice um on the field. So I I think uh you know Frank is a um problem solver um a a solution man so to speak. So um he he uh invested in the players. They responded to him. So I wanted to um continue that going into this game. Um, you know, I think when you start the season out one and six, you’re looking for things to um adjust and change up and you’re looking to um, you know, who who are the people that are going to step up and um, how h how do they engender a response and um, Frank certainly did that this week? Very um, uh, very proud ofvious the the the job he did. And then um obviously it’s all all about the execution of our players. So um they they really responded and kind to him uh which uh uh we were all fired up about. What does that actually look like? Well, there’s, you know, there’s uh that football can be very complicated or very simple depending on um the the way you look at it. And I think Frank um really push the guys to um all week uh just our um communication within within the offense um and the way we break the huddle and the way we approach the line of scrimmage. um and um keeping it about the most fundamental parts of the game which we were failing at the week previous. Um and uh in that process I saw them uh literally run to the line of scrimmage every play. Um and uh and we I think we had a um pre- snap penalty on Wednesday, one or two, we had one on Thursday, and then we had um zero on Friday. And uh you know, I just wanted to lean into that. Um I I wanted guys to um have that consistency w with which they responded to to um try to get this done in this game. And um fortunately, you’re able to do stuff like that when you have um a lot of uh uh good coaches on staff. I was able to um without blinking um have uh Frank down and Bobby Sloic up and didn’t didn’t lose the information that you get from upstairs because that’s a very vital job too. Um and that in cohesion with um you know the rest of the staff um I thought everyone did a a very good job executing that um adjustment that we’ve made this season. How much more? Well, I I I think that came to us, you know, was wasn’t really um on the forefront of our radar. You’re very skeptical about um things just in general um in the national or in the NFL season. So, um, banking on, uh, uh, you know, Kirk playing, um, is wasn’t the wasn’t the move we were really making it, uh, we kind of realized that, um, last night when they announced it. Um, and, you know, being in Washington, um, in 2012 when we drafted him, um, I I know that he he can get on a heater if you let let him. So, um, the the plan from the onset uh, was pack uh to have like a pack mentality on on the running on the runner that it wasn’t going to be um one player that was going to um have 45 tackles um to to stop him. that it was going to have to be a lot of population around the ball and a lot of strain u because you a a small window or um shortcoming in in your run fit and uh they make a living on um the explosives and uh having those big gains. So, um, trying to keep them, uh, onedimensional was a a priority, um, regardless of the quarterback just based on the the offense they have. Yes. Um, I think it was something that, um, we knew going into the game that if we didn’t win, um, or didn’t feel good about, um, our line of scrimmage play, we’d probably, um, be facing the the the same result. Um, that that’s a really good team that, um, is battling through some injuries. Um and but at any time they can they can really um take the momentum of a of the game by their line of scrimmage play. both um how they run the ball and if they’re able to um hang on time of possession. And then, you know, they have a lot a lot of good pass rushers and a really really good scheme um that that if you’re if you’re not winning and you’re not able to run the um football, they will get you into a one-dimensional game and and um and cause takeaways and all sorts of stuff. So, it it was vitally important that we had um our best line of scrimmage game. Um guys have uh relentlessly been working um at their craft and I thought it showed showed today and um that that’s that’s definitely what our team needed um to uh you know change uh the the last game’s outcome for sure. Last question for this game of 17 or Is it more than that? Um I think it is one of 17 that uh I think this team has the ability um to uh you utilize this work week um in the coming weeks. No, the next opponent Baltimore Ravens um will not care about what ever happened in this game, nor should they. and um but you can um replicate you know the things that for this for this team um that have uh that produce results. So, I think it was anytime you have um a a an embarrassing outing in the National Football League from a as a team um the you go uh one of two ways and I didn’t see the um the uh the negative way being a uh something that was on the table for our locker room. Uh so generally if you can if you can sustain through tough times um and uh continue to build momentum uh in your game without results. Um the results do come but uh easier said than done. Um I I think it was an important one of 17. Um unfortunately I don’t think it will count in any other box score. Um, and uh I’m going be very very clear and direct with the team that uh I think they already know that, but making sure they know that. Um, because there was the outcome of this game had to do with what guys put in and um how they played together. Uh, and um I I think that’s that’s the main takeaway from our team’s perspective. But uh I was very proud of proud of the guys staying together. um and uh look forward to our next opportunity um to play which comes sooner than later. Thank you guys. Thank you. That’s it for

Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media after #MIAvsATL

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