Drive Time - Eric Rowe On Halloween and Spooking Quarterbacks

are a f C East rival. We'll hear from coach Floras, a handful of Dolphins players, as well as my exclusive interview with Dolphins sensational safety Eric Rowe. And I'll tell you the one thing more disheartening than allowing a third and long conversion on defense. All of that and more on this Wednesday, October fourteenth edition of the Drive Time podcasts, and Drive Time was brought to you by Auto Nation.

There are so many reasons to drive pink, but for Auto Nation, there's only one to finish the fight against cancer. In fact, Auto Nation has helped raise over twenty five million dollars to drive out cancer to join the fight, visit the Auto Nation store near you, or drive pink dot com and it is Wednesday. Here on the podcast, we had the very rare, I think, the second ever Tuesday night football game in the NFL, as the Titans take down a f C East foe Buffalo Bills and

helping the Miami Dolphins out there a little bit. Buffalo falls to four and one. That makes Buffalo four and one, New England two and to Miami two and three, and the Jets oh and five. I know it's a little bit early to start looking at the standings in the NFL. I always believe maybe after Halloween, maybe even closer to Thanksgiving, is when you start to really pay attention to the standings.

But the Dolphins now behind the Bills by only two games, and we're only one game back of the Colts, who hold the seventh seed in the a f C wild Card picture, along with the Las Vegas Raiders who were also three and two, and the Patriots right ahead of that at two and two. So Miami with a chance to make some moves this weekend with the game against the New York Jets. And I thought the primetime games

over the weekend in general, just we're really good. We talked about the Titans and Bills game got kind of out of hand at the very end there, But on Monday Night Chargers and Saints, that thing came right down to the wire into overtime a field goal off the upright. Can't beat that, Russell Wilson. The Seattle Seahawks doing their

thing on Sunday night football against the Minnesota Vikings. So if primetime games can continue to be like this and give us that much entertainment, especially three nights in a row, can't top that, man, I'm all here for that. So NFL, you never let us down. You always give us the

best drama on all of television. Speaking of drama, watching the first part of that Bills and Titans game, I kept thinking to myself as Josh Allen was converting these third and thirteens and third and fifteens and just breaking the back of the Titans defense early in that game, how disheartening that must be as a defense to watch a quarter back that can extend plays and get the football down the field into those intermediate areas, and with the way he extends the play and extends the pocket

by the time he finds the receivers. Those guys have been covering for five, six, seven seconds, and so they're wide open at that point. So a difficult quarterback to defend. And I was thinking, what's more disheartening than giving up third and long repeatedly? Especially I think on the second or third drive of the game for Buffalo, they had converted to plays that were third and thirteen or longer,

and I was thinking, what's more disheartening than that. Well, I'll tell you my favorite food is chicken parmer Gan. We had chicken parm for lunch on Tuesday here at the Dolphins facility, and I went up there, saw the lunch in the lunch room, saw what was in there, decided to go back to my desk to clean a couple more things up with work, and then came back to get the lunch and the chicken parm was gone.

So third and thirteen not getting your chicken parm. I think both those things are all things equal, all joking aside. Let's go ahead and jump now into Brian Flores is

Wednesday morning media availability. It's a new week, a new oponent of the the New York Jets, and we're gonna start here for a question with coach about getting out to fast starts, and both of the Dolphins wins this year, they got out to fourteen zero leads and would later extend those leads seven and then seven seven in that Jacksonville game as well, So plenty of early leads and

fast starts in those victories. I asked coach, what is synonymous with fast starts and how do you do that again here in Week six against the New York Jets. But we always talked about, you know, playing fast, starting fast, Um, something that we harp on on a weekly basis. Again, it's football about ball bounces a few different ways, so anything can happen, and we've got to be able to

play any type of game. So, um, you know, when we start fast, and when we started fast this season, it's were five games and we started fast twice and we won those games. We didn't start fast, um, and we didn't win those games. So um, like every game is a little bit different. You know, there's some some if we can get going early, and we want to and that's always a good thing, but we've got to be ready to play, um, you know, in any type of game. We've talked about that as a team. Um,

you're up, you're down. It's a back and forth to defensive games, you know, an offensive game. We've got to be able to adjust and try to play any any style because every week it's a little bit different based on your opponent, based on you know, a lot of factors. So the starting fast is always something we we we put a lot of emphasis on. And earlier in this week, we had Mike Gasicki on talking about Ryan Fitzpatrick and

said he's his favorite player he's ever played with. Coach was asked about that comment and what makes Fitzpatrick so likable among his teammates and his peers. I think he just he brings a lot of energy to the field. Well, I would say, first and foremost, he's a he's a great teammate that goes I would say, you know far beyond you know what you guys see on the field. So that's their interactions in the locker room, um, you know,

outside of the building. I think that's all plays a part and why he said something like that, Um, but on the field, you I see his energy, his enthusiasm, UM, his support for his teammates, willingness to you know, put his body on his on the line for his teammates. I think that's why you get that that type of response from a guy like Mike and other players as well.

But um, to me, that starts. You know, what you see on the field is what you see on the field, But those relationships and that that respect is earned, um, you know in practice and meetings and you know, in the locker room, and then it kind of manifests itself into the relationships you see on the field from the quarterback to the guys that try to get to the

opposing team's quarterbacks. Here's what coach had to say about what he's seen so far from Emmanuel Ogba, who picked up another sack on Sunday and continue to have his presence felt along that Dolphin's defensive line, pass rush and run defense at the end inside wherever he can line up AGAs making plays. You know, there's a lot of things. I mean, he's run game, pass game, uh, work, ethic, competitiveness. You know, it's tough, smart, you can play multiple positions.

So I was been obviously getting improving and getting better every week, getting more familiar with the system, his role and his fit, you know, and the defense. So I've been I've been pleased with him. We talked about that run defense and Emmanuel ogbas impact on the run defense.

He was a big focal point of that fourth down stop which Mary and Hobby, Dolphins defensive line coach on the podcast yesterday, talked about how important that play was to not just get the defense off the field and set the offense up in almost plus territory was at the minus forty two yard line in that range, but it also gave them some momentum and got the offense charged up. They would later score on that possession and

make it fourteen zero. Here's coach talking about the other side of the football though, the running game, which chan Gaily said was doing good on counter needs some work on wide zone on Tuesday's press conference that he was available for. Here's coach Flores on the running game. It's like every other area, UM on this team could it could improve. Um. So, run game, play action, run defense, past defense, you know, kickoff, kickoff or tern punt coaching,

all of it can improve. So, UM, that's what we're trying to do on a daily basis. UM. I mean it starts in meetings. It starts in meetings and you take it to walk through and you go out there and practice and try to improve it and get better. Um. You know, whether it's you know, blocking up an eight man front or one guy you know, getting seven on seven and the back beating the eighth guy, or um, you know, something schematically that we could do that would

help us in that in that phase of the game. Um. But we're doing that on a weekly basis. And you know, things that people think we're struggling in obviously, but also the things that we're actually you know, we might be having some success in. So we're trying to improve every every area. And on the topic of improvements, Dolphins have a season high five sacks in the game on Sunday, spearheaded by that front seven, the linebackers coming into the asbrush,

but also the defensive line. And then coach finished up with his thought on Shack Lawson. Alright, So Shack Lawson, Uh, he's getting better, he's trying to rehab and he's getting treatment. Expect to see amount of practice today. So we'll see how this goes and practice. We want to see him out there obviously if he can, if he's healthy enough, we'll get him out there. So though you have it

busy Wednesday morning presser here for coach Flores. Up next, let's go ahead and run my interview here with Dolphins

safety Eric Row. We talked about a handful of topics like career adversity, um playing the new position at safety, his production in that position, playing with his teammates here, and kind of gathering that sense of camaraderie and leadership here on the Dolphins team in his second year with the club, and also some tips on fashion, talking about Halloween and his potential side hustle during his NFL career and possible post playing career endeavors. Long down the road

here for Eric Row. Let's go ahead and roll my interview with Dolphins safety Eric Row and writing Shotgun Now on Drive time is Dolphins safety Eric Row. Eero, Welcome back in Man, Thanks for joining me. Hey appreciate having me as always. And I think the last time we talked was smack dab right in the middle of training camp and you had a one word answer when I asked you how you were feeling. You just said sore. But after a game and a five hour flight, how's

the body feeling today? Even more so, even what you know what. It's a good, happy sort. We came away with a win. That's exactly right. That's exactly right. And we talked about this a little bit, you know, before we jumped on the podcast here and how we wanted to talk football, but also talk about your personal background a little bit. And I understand you have another interest outside of the football world, correct. I always had an

interest in real estate. You know my mom kind of growing up, she didn't she kind of showed me the ways and kind of ever since then, I had a you know, I had a good interest in it. So and now that you know I have a little bit of money to invest, I start looking for like different unit properties. Well, shoot, given the trends of the recent market, it's a good time right now, isn't it. Yeah, it's

a great time to do it. Great time. And are you more focused back in your hometown of Houston, is that kind of the area you want to be or maybe down in South Florida? Like where's your focus at for that? Really? Both I'm actually looking into property is actually in Florida. It's actually like Tallahassee. Uh. And there was a couple there was a property chill looking at Houston kind of here and there. You obviously died down during the season because you know, my whole focus is here,

but you know, a little bit here and there. You know, I'll look, you know, to see if something's under the market. Yeah, and you mentioned you, you know, the fact that it has kind of dined down while you're here because your focus is right here, and thankfully for Dolphins fans, your career are still in the middle of it, still thriving, in the middle of your prime here and plenty more years to come, hopefully, Eric. But I wanted to ask you about maybe some of your career adversity. You know,

the injuries. Dolphins were your third team you've you've been on now, and you were playing cornerback at this time a year ago, and this team was off to a difficult start, and I think it's to draw parallels there. How would you say your career adversity has helped prepare you for managing the highs and lows of an NFL season, in more particular this Dolphins team the last couple of years. Yeah, I mean, just uh, you know, I've been through it all,

been through the the injuries. You know, that's that's the lows, Uh, you know, the highs with you know, making a playoffs

and super Bowl runs. So I kind of been from the top and I've been at the bottom and uh and kind of you know, kind of what you learned from both is how you know, kind of how much work that you need to consistently put in, you know, day and day out, whether you know you're at the top, we're at the bottom, you know, just to stay and you know, really compete in this league because if you don't get better, then I mean you get worse. I mean that's what I learned. So obviously that taking care

of your body is a huge issue. So but you know, from this time last year, yeah, we you know, over four or five days and oh and five you know, rough star. You know, I had to you know, had a rough start going in. But the only thing you can do is just keep working. And then when they made the position switch, I just keep I just kept working. I mean just you know, really nothing that I can do. Like, I'm not I'm not a quitter, so I'm not gonna quit.

So I'm just gonna keep working. And I mean I'm glad like the work I'm putting in it is kind of paying out but I know is it doesn't stop there. He's gotta keep working. And that seems to be kind of the the entire mentality of the team, right because we've had Fitzpatrick on after after the Seahawks game, he was down on himself after the game on Sunday against

the night Ares. He was, you know, kind of in the same like, same tempered, measured approach as far as like I don't want to get to high, don't want to get too low. Does he really kind of help permeate that throughout the course of the locker room. Yeah, I mean even even you know, we had a team meeting and our player meaning and he told us, like, you know, be the same guy whether we're losing or we're having success. Be the same guy, you know, coming

to practice, the same guy in the game. You know, just cover losing. Don't be down on yourself for if we're winning, you know, you have extra energy to be the same guy every day and being consistent. And on the topic of adversity, Eric I think a less person might cave to the idea of switching possessions, especially mid season, but you talk about how you embraced it and how what else am I gonna do because I'm here, I'm

not on a quitter. And before I get to my main point here, I want to ask you just just real talk for a second. When you first realize you were going to be down there in the box with some of those bigger dudes at two oh five, what was your reaction? Yeah, yeah, well, you know, at first, I'm like, you know, okay, I'll do it. But then when I got down there, you know, during the game, and how fast, how fast you know, things really move and that you know that little box, I mean, it's

it's pretty physical. I'm like, oh, she like this is this is real down here. I've been on you know, I've been out by the numbers, you know, facing of my whole career, and I mean, you have the receivers are fast, but it's a one on one, but you're the box. It's it's a lot of moving parts and I'm like, holy crap, like they move fast. But uh well, you know, what's it. You know, once you get used to it, you know, it just kind of is what it is. But at first I was like, man, this

is this is tough. Are there may be any like little silver linings to to that flip and and the fact that you do have to take on those big physical guys down the box. Because I recall reading a story I think it was from Charger Center, former Charger Center Nick Hardwick, who talked about playing down there and the weight you have to maintain and how he would eat ice cream every single night. Was there any advantages

like maybe more ice cream for you? Yeah, I mean I got you know, you get to take on the fullback or live in at some point. And I mean the coaches they try to like, they try to help, and you know the way they you know, put me in the position where I don't have to do that a lot, so that helps. But you know, at times I have to go down there and kind of just stick my body in there, and it's kind of sacrifice. Yeah, that's that's the name of the game, right, that's football

on a nush all right there. But again, you embraced it. And you know, we saw Jamal Perry play safety when Bobby went out last week against the Seahawks. We saw Jesse Davis flipped from right tackle to left tackle Sunday against the Niners. It's a hallmark under the team for Brian Floors. Versatility, guys playing multiple spots, next band up mentality, this adaptable, vers versatile mindset. But I want to go in deeper on that because guys just seemed genuinely receptive

to being team first over me. First. We heard coach talking about it last year when he first got here, how he doesn't want the star player that's bigger than the team. And I think that you really embody that, e Ro And what do you think it is about Flora's that makes players so receptive to his style and

his teaching. I think it's that so really like the mindset of the guys that you know, kind of he brought in and you know from free agents, and we all have the same mindset of obviously everyone has a mindset of winning, but obviously have to get more you know, in the detail with that, Like a lot of guys, you know, they you know, we have a good chemistry on the team. Everyone you know, they love hanging out

with each other, respect each other. So you know, kind what comes with that is you're gonna play hard for each other, right, you know, we got to play onto positions like to help the team win, Like you know, we don't want to let each other down, So it kind of is what it is. Like. It was funny because win Jamal, he came in and see how his game.

He hadn't got like a free safety snap probably like in three weeks when he went in there, and you know, he did his thing and he really helped the team out and body went down, And I mean, that's that's kind of stuff we need, and we've seen it up throughout the course of the first two years here with Brian Flores. And your history with Brian Flores goes back now to you know New England previously before you got here.

You know him as well as anybody maybe on this team, but maybe you can tell us a little bit about some of his defensive philosophies. You mentioned the team signing certain free agents, drafting certain players. We saw them signed Byron Jones usual a first round pick on a cornerback, and Noah Eggnogay a third round pick on the safety,

and Brandon Jones. What does the value or kind of the mindset they are building that defense sort of front to back and really loading up that secondary and give you've got so many matchup parts and so many guys that can do multiple things back there. Yeah, I mean it. I mean, obviously everyone knows he's a you know, defensive guy, and I guess our you know, first first thing was we needed some people in the back end, so you know, they got a lot of secondary people coming in. But yeah,

he's definitely, you know, a defensive like heart. But a lot of people don't know he's big on special teams, Like he drives a lot of people based on special teams first, so I think people don't know. But yeah, just knowing his like philosophy, like like defense, it's just kind of like, you know, we gotta get it done, especially on the back end. Yeah, he talks about the kicking game plenty in his press conferences. We've we've heard it a few times. But we were also, you know,

going back to that kind of even quel mentality. We talked about Fitzpatrick kind of approaching the game that way and his you know, his media and everything he does is all, you know, let's try to get away from the roller coaster and stay on that flat line, so to speak. But after the game Sunday, you know, in the post game zoom calls, I expected Flow to be a little bit more jovial on Sunday, but he had the exact same demeanor that he did after the Seattle loss.

He preaches it, he practices it, same guy every day. My question to you is, how does this team kind of take on that personality of their head coach And do you think it's already taken hold now just one games in. Yeah, like we it kind of reflects to us, like of course after the game, you know, everybody's happy, right,

we're chairing blah blah blah. But I guarantee you on Wednesday, we're gonna go right back to ward, you know, kind of prepare for the you know, the Jets, because I mean we know that we can weak out you know, games like that. You know, it just doesn't happen just because you're hyped up, right, you gotta get ready. So I'm guaranteed on Wednesday, we're gonna work just as hard as we did, you know, after we lost the Seattle

or after we wanted Jacksonville. So you know, we have the same mindset going to each each week, each game week, And yeah, it kind of comes from him. And you mentioned, you know the Jets coming up on Sunday last year, the first one of the season against the New York Jets at home. So we'll have that that bout back

here again this Sunday at hard Rock Stadium. I'm just curious if there was one moment last year, Eric that maybe stood out to you there was kind of a turning point, you know in the season where maybe you guys kind of started to click and kind of get the approach of the program and had had his message kind of take hold. Was there a moment where that maybe happened and you kind of see that carry into

this season too. It was the the Buffalo Bills game when we were at the Bills and we actually took the lead, and I think kind of from there, people started believing like okay, like yeah, you know, whatever we're doing, like putting you know, the work we're putting in practice and off the field, and it means it is working obviously.

You know, we just got to execute and finish and kind of, I think like the next game or so, we finally, you know, we beat the Jets, and then kind of from their own you know, people started believing and rolling into this year. Even though we have new guys, you know, some of us old guys like we had the same mentality, like we kind of knew we were coming off last year and then and obviously you know, now this year going on, like we all see like you know, the work you put in like last Sunday,

like it shows. So you know, I feel like last year it did kind of roll over. Do you think there's value and the fact that you guys were here for that, like guys like you and Nick need Him for instance, Bobby McCain, Xavian Howard, the guys that were here and kind of carried it over. Does that really help that message? Like for the younger guys like, Okay,

that's the expectation for how it's gonna be around here. Yeah, I mean, I mean definitely definitely, uh you know, with Noah and Brandon and even on the whole line like Austin Johnson even to it, like you know, you know, we all like you know, we help him out now and they're here on and off the field like it kind of like trying to put that minset and like you know, you know, this game is not easy. It's

not easy to get wins. You know, if you make a play that's it's not like you know, college where you know it MAIM may have been a lot easier you can do more consistently, like so like you know, we tell him you gotta keep putting in that work and kind of obviously they'll pick it up and then you know it kind of care to start the locker room and for you personally, Eric, just looking over some of your stats since the switch to safety last year,

as far as tracking coverage reps. You know, completion percentage yards on those completions every week, Man, your numbers, You're you're locking guys down. We saw it yesterday to completions in your target area on six targets for like thirty one yards man and one for twelve for George Kittle up against you. I'm gonna guess that it's confidence, but I want to hear it from you. What trade would you attribute your performance these last sixteen year sold games

at safety too? I mean really, my really, the teammates. I mean, it's not a woman show out there. It's not just me. It's uh, you know, it's a D line obviously get pressure. It's you know personally QB and and like really like sometimes me and Bobby like he has like he has my help. Like there's a couple of overs and you know, Bobby's right there in the window, you know, for that split second, you know, cor right, he looks his ways like you know, all right, you're

not open. So I mean it's it's not a woman's show. But I mean I continue like to the whole defense, like you know, we're all just trying to help each other out and make each other better. Yeah, that's right. I love hearing that. Eric. And to go back away from the football field here. We talked about your you know, your real estate endeavors, but I want to talk about your drip because I've seen a picture of the pumpkin suit. Fashion meets Halloween. Is that kind of your game? Yeah?

Or I say my wife's things. You say, put this on. I'm like, all right, I'll throw it on. You should see my closet from the time I from when I was a back storch when I got married, completely completely different. Oh yeah, no, say, is Halloween your favorite holiday or is that just something that was you know, timely and that's my wife favorite holiday? So I only like this one is all costumes and all that decorative stuff. You guys, You guys take out the house like like Griswold style.

But Halloween, Yeah, you know, some stuff outside. She loved Halloween. There's a new movie on Netflix and it's it's Adam Sandler, which he like does the you know, he's just kind of a goofball. It's like it's called like Hui du bois or something like that. It's the name of the character. It's it's goofy. But she probably would like it if

she's into Halloween, cause it's just silly about Halloween. So you guys can check that out for a little up there you go, All right, Eric roll, I really appreciate it time today, man, hell of a game on Sunday, and we'll see you back out there for the Jets this coming Sunday. I appreciate it, thanks man, And so there he goes, Eric row. You guys can find the feature up on Miami Dolphins dot com taking a look at Eric Rowe, some quotes there from coaches, from himself

as well from this podcast, and some stats. And let's go ahead and talk about those stats here real quick, because since he made the switch to safety seventeen games ago, he is allowing only thirty seven completions on sixty four pass attempts for three hundred and thirty eight yards and one touchdown, one interception with eight pass breakups, that's a passer rating of seventy point nine six. Most quarterbacks these days are up in the high nineties, close to a

hundred NFL. He's left in quarterbacks to seventy point nine six passer rating when they test him. He also has twenty two run stops. He's also forwarding some of the best tight ends in the entire National Football League. Last year, against the Eagles, he held Zach Ertz to no catches on two targets, and Sunday against the Niners, he limited George Kittle to one catch on two targets for twelve yards.

That's one week after Kittle had fifteen catches for one hundred and eighty three yards in their win over their loss rather to the Philadelphia Eagles. He has seventh among safeties in completion percentage allowed at sixty one point nine percent this year with minimum ten targets. His four pass

breakups are tied for second most amongst safety's. He's got one hundred and eighty three career tackles, getting close to two hundred, and he's second right now on the team with twenty two tackles, behind Jerome bakers eighty one tackles

last year were second behind Jerome Baker. His snap counts this year, He's played two hundred and fifty eight snaps, ninety eight of those in the box, fifty five of those in the slot, fifty deep in the free safety spot, twenty nine out at wide corner, twelve on the defensive line, and fourteen special team snaps. Last season a career high one thousand one thirty five snaps four in the box to fifty four out wide, to in the slot, eighty six at free safety, sixty one on the defensive line,

and sixty three on special teams. All of those numbers coming courtesy of Pro Football Focus. So Eric role plays everywhere on the damn field. You've heard coach Flores talking about him playing safety, linebacker, corner, slot, and there's the proof of the putting right there. Guy plays all over the place, and he's productive, and he got that contract extension last year, and boy, he is playing really good

football right now for your Miami Dolphins. And let's go ahead and get started with player media availability here, starting with Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who first was asked if he knew about his fifth overall ranking in the qb R statistic and if it matters to him, does he care about it? Here's Fits on just that you know, you don't you don't really pay too much attention to any of that stuff. But I think that one is probably a better metric of overall quarterback play um than

just the the regular QB rating. So I mean that one to me matters more than the blanket quarterback rating one. So Fits is a QBR guy and his argument makes total sense right there. My next question for Fits was about the thirty two yard touchdown past to Preston Williams. We saw Brian Baldinger break that thing down on his Twitter timeline on Baldi's breakdowns, showing Fitzpatrick's trust in his eyes and throwing the ball to a spot under pressure.

I wanted to ask Fits about how he gets to that point of his career in his football life where he can trust his eyes so much. Here's Fits on that touchdown past to Preston Williams and growing confidence here with the Dolphins receivers. Yeah, I mean a lot of it is experience and film study and just kind of years of accumulating this catalog in the back of my mind of things that I really like and I'm comfortable

with first and certain looks. And then the other end of that is getting the guys that you're playing with understand how I'm seeing it and where I want them to be. And that was a huge play in the game. That was a huge play for me just in terms of my confidence in Preston and for us to be on the same page and for me be able to throw that ball knowing exactly where he was going to be and for him to make the right read and

the right decision there. That kind of thing goes a long way and building confidence with guys, and that one, that one was a fun play because, uh, you know the setup and every the way everything went, but also just because it was a pretty meaningful play in the second half. And you hear him talk about the years of catalogs in the back of his mind he has with certain plays and certain looks. How about some physical elements of Fitzpatrick's game that he feels he's gotten better at,

whether it's accuracy, decision making. Here's the quarterback on where he thinks he's improving now in year sixteen. I just think as the years have gone on, For me, I've become more accurate. I've become a better decision maker, but more accurate in the way that I'm throwing the football. And I think that's shown up a little bit this year. Um, but I don't know. I mean, also for me, it's it's not necessarily about the physical anymore. I mean, I think I could still make all the throws, but it's

never really been about that for me. So feel uncomfortable, uh, you know, in this system, feeling comfortable with the guys I'm playing with and right now just spreading the ball around. You know, There's been other years and seasons where, um, you know, we haven't either had as much talent or we've had one superstar where he's getting force fed a lot of the time. And I think with the group right now, we've got a lot of really talented guys

that have different skill sets. And we said that in the past, but I think with the ball being spread out more that's also helped with my efficiency and accuracy a little bit. Let's go ahead and pick it up here with Dolphins offensive lineman Jesse Davis, who first was asked about Ryan Fitzpatrick, the teammate he is, and how guys rally around the energy puts Patrick brings to the huddle, to the practice field, to the game day field and all of the above. Oh, I mean, he just brings energy,

you know. I think everybody always comments on how electric he can be and how he uplifts of you know, the whole squad really and even coaches, you know, seeing it's refreshing to play with them. Um, he's out there getting this, you know, on correct assignments and then you know watching him, you know, have fun throwing the ball

and you know, scoring touchdowns. So I mean it's just great. Next, Jesse talks about the growth of this team and what he's seen in two years so far underhead coach Brian Flores. This organization has done a really good job bringing to the guys that they need, what they want on you know,

who they're gonna fill roles. So you know, it's fun to see our defense you know, get the ball and just felt like a practice out there where you just a sudden change to go back out So if that happening, and then with us actually moving the ball contributing as well, you know all of that. You know, Um, from the time I've been here and flow you know it kind of it's fun to see it kind of come together. You know, his ideas, his philosophy is actually working, and

you know, it's really exciting to see. And Jason Sanders was named a f C Special Teams Player of the Week. He has fourteen consecutive kicks to start the season. That's a franchise record. He is only three away with sixteen consecutive makes going back to last year from breaking Olindo Marey's record that he sat back in n He also has his second consecutive game with five field goals made. He also made seven kicks in a game last year, So this guy putting plenty of footballs through the uprights.

What does it mean to Jason Sanders to win a f C Special Teams Player of the Week award for the third time in his career. He also was the Player of the Month last December um after a good start. So for me, it's a matter of how do I treat each kick the same to you know, that twenty year fielder that happens to be in the fresh quarter, is it the same importance as that fourth quarter kick.

That's the mentality I kind of had to taken in each kick, So when I go on the field, I'm sure that that same as that fifty yarders go ahead and finish up here with Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, who first was asked what area of his game he feels he's improved the most so far in a second season. You know, I think I'm just building my strength in

the weight room and trusting my technique. I think Austin Clark has done a great job, um with teaching me his technique and you know how to do a better job set in the edge and whether it be hand placement or my feet, um, not giving up ground, you know, but more attacking. I think that's really helped improve um me this year. Next, I asked Andrew what it is about this scheme that really best accentuates his strengths as

a pass rusher. Here's Van Ginkle on that answer. Um, I'd say they put us in a position to succeed. You know, the coaches no our strengths and weaknesses as well, so um, they're not gonna you know, put me you know, down the middle of a guy or um make me do something I'm uncomfortable with, which I think has really helped me and um whether it be movements are at joshing At think they're just um aligned guys where they

can succeed, which is benefited me? And who does Andrew Van Ginkle credit for his improvement and progression in your two outside linebackers coach Austin Clark. You know, once again, I just gotta give credit to Austin Clark. Um, you know, I think the key that he has taught me is getting inside hands, um you know, and they're shortly played or on their chess plate, so that way you can get a grip of them, and um, you know, it's

easier to disengage, you know. Um, So I would say that think that's the biggest thing is to get an inside hands and being able to grab them has made a huge difference. And so there you have it. I think we can go ahead and put a button on this Wednesday edition of Drive Time with your host me Travis Wingfield. In the meantime, you all please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcast or Spotify

wherever you get your podcast from. Go ahead and leave us a rating, leave us a review, give me a follow on Twitter. It's at Wingfield NFL. Follow the team at Miami Dolphins. Check out the fish Tank podcast they had Bart Scott on this week. You will not want to miss that one, and don't forget to check out the Audible with John and Bow and also Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time finds up