Drive Time - Jerome Baker's Value from Dolphins Coaches

practice and preparation for the Seattle Seahawks. He's gonna talk penalties, officials, Seattle's vertical passing game, and that scrambling quarterback and so much more. Plus we have our first injury report of the week. We'll hear from a few Dolphins players. We're gonna talk about Jerome Baker, who is Leonardo DiCaprio in the Wolf of Wall Street because he's not freaking leaving. What do the coaches say about Jerome Baker and why he never leaves the field. We'll talk offensive line overhaul

and draft pick success. A busy, busy show. All of that and more on this Wednesday, September edition of the Drive Time podcast and support for drive Time is brought to you by Auto Nation. If you want to sell your car or truck, Auto Nation will buy it from you any year, any make, any model, They'll buy your car and you'll get a check on the spot and as fast as thirty minutes. Appraise your car now at

auto nation dot com. And let's go ahead and jump into the injury report here for this Wednesday, and we'll have the Seahawks report available as soon as it becomes available up on the top news story and on tomorrow morning's blitz article. So keep their eyes out for that because they are a West Coast team, so they operate three hours behind us. So we're gonna get the podcast

out and not wait on that injury report. But for your Miami Dolphins, six players on the injury report for Wednesday, three in limited capacities, safety Clayton Federland with the peck injury still limited, safety Cave Fraser has a shoulder, and cornerback Xavian Howard with a knee was on the injury report. One of the Dolphins players on the injury report was a full participant, safety Brandon Jones with the back, and the Dolphins had two players who did not practice on Wednesday.

Cornerback Byron Jones with the growing slash Achilles and quarterback to a Tongue of Valoa listed with an illness did not practice on Wednesday, and so you heard the last addition to the injury report. Their Dolphins quarterback to a tongue of Valoa will not be on the practice field on Wednesday, or rather was not on the field on Wednesday. Coach Flores addressed that on his own accord at his

Wednesday morning media availability. That's where we start with coach this morning injury not injury standpoint, so too will be out today. He will be on the injured poor with an illness. Um, this is not COVID related. Um, this is not a false positive. We've been through the protocols we test every day, so UM confident saying that's not COVID related. Won't being on the COVID I are. But just wanted to let you guys know, so you weren't

blindside at practice, so to A won't be a practice today. Illness, UM won't be on the COVID I are not COVID related. So that you have it straight from coach's mouth. There

onto a tongue of Baloa. Let's go back to the beginning of the press conference and get to some more questions for coach regarding this game, this matchup on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, and we're gonna go back to a topic that we're gonna cover heavily on tomorrow's podcast, talking about this Seahawks offense, the Seahawks approach, and that quarterback in Russell Wilson. Here is coach talking about the challenge of dealing with the quarterback who can extend plays

and scramble. It's multifaceted when it comes to this quarterback, this guy, Russell Wilson in particular, according to coach, I mean there's a lot of challenges with a quarterback who can extend plays. You know, the coverage, the rush. You know, you've got some some guys who extend plays and they're looking to scramble. You have some guys will extend players are looking to throw. Um. With Russell Wilson, it's it can be either or and he's very good at both.

So um, you know, you couple that with I mean we've got good receivers, they've got good backs, they've got a good old line. Uh, those receivers, I would say, in a scramble situation, they know where they want to go once he once they see him scramble, They've I mean they've kind of lived it for a number of years.

I mean there's some some rapport that's been built. So I know it's you want to say it's just Russell, but I mean they kind of work all work together in concert, create big plays or create positive plays when he does extend to play. It's not like guy's just standing around. I mean they're all they all work together and they do a good job of that. So you know, we we need we need good rush. We need to try to you know, limit those opportunities where he does

extend plays um. But when he does get out, which he will, I mean, good, he's a good player. We've got to do a good job in the back end of trying to plaster receivers um when they try to uncover. I love I love coach referencing there the idea that you know, it's not just about the quarterback, it's about the players on the other end. They kind of connect and hook up with him on those broken plays, on those broken routes and It's been that way for the

Seahawks team for all long time. They're so well coached and they execute so well that Doug Baldwin, for instance, was so so good at that and they lose him, and then DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and Will Distally and all these other guys in the passing game just step right up and fill in for that void. So the Seahawks are a a one of these blue blood programs that just kind of seems to turn things over, or when they do turn things over, they pick up

where they left off. Next question here for Coach Flores was in regards to the vertical passing game of the Seahawks, speaking of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Doesn't get much better than that. Again, we'll talk about it on tomorrow's podcast more in depth, but here's coach on the vertical passing game and the challenges those guys present to your secondary. To your point, Adam, and they've got a lot of vertical threats. Obviously, the quarterback can get them the ball

down the field. You're defending the run game, you're defending the screen game, you're defending the short passing game. But the big plays, you know that they're definitely looking for him. Metcalf's obviously a big play guy. Lockett's obviously a big big play guys. So um, I mean, they've got multiple weapons. We got to do a good job, you know, defending they part of the field also, but also defending the intermediate part of the field and in the run game,

in the screen game. So it's a big challenge. Um, I would say, those big players are the ones you need to limit those. If you don't, then you know, they just lead to scoring drives or scores on the play. So um, it's something that we we've obviously we we know and understand that we've got to try to limit as many of those big plays as we can. And DK Metcalf leads the NFL in deep passing yardage with throws over twenty yards. He's also second in the NFL

behind Chase Claypool, who only has six pass targets. So I would say that technically Mattcalf is number one in average yards per reception at twenty four point eight yards per catch. Last year, Tyler Lockett was number eleven in the NFL in reception yardage on passes over twenty or more yards, so these guys can get vertical. Another big element of this game, in any game, is being mistake free,

playing a clean football game, having limited penalties. We're gonna talk more about this here on the offensive line segment. I have land later on in this episode, but here's coach talking about what goes in to being a team that does not commit penalties, a team that is disciplined and can keep that number low and keep you competitive

and in ball games with mistake free football. I think our coaches do a good job of of talking through what a penalty is, you know how to avoid them, so, you know, Chan Josh Danny in the kicking game, think those guys do a good job of of of coaching those coaching our players from that standpoint. You know how to play with good fundamentals, or try to play with good fundamentals, good technique, a good communication, and penalty free. We you know, look, we understand that penalties, you know,

they they can only hurt us. We try to, you know, as a team, try to limit those penalties that they happen. We we we understand that's like not like we have none. They happen, but we try to, you know, as best we can um use the techniques or understand what's gonna get called, how it's gonna get called, try to play in a way that we can be competitive. We can do ourselves an opportunity to play well but not commit penalties. It's you know, we try to stress that, but we

stress a lot of things. We tell these guys a lot, you know, offensively, defensively in the kicking game. You know, whether it's communication, where it's tackling, whether it's a fundamental whether it's you know, um and they think they do a good job of or or we're getting better at taking everything we tell them and trying to uh apply it applied in game and excuse me, in practice and

then in the game. So our players work hard at it, um our coaches work hard at it from a penalty standpoint, and again hopefully and just jinxes a little joke there at the end with a big rye smile from coach Flora's talking about jinxing us on the penalties. Somebody would later ask coach about whether or not he studies the officials pregame or studies the officials that are going to be officiating that particular game. He said, yeah, I do. I try to study as much as I can about everything.

And really, I mean, these guys have X amount of hours to get this game plan, to get everything ready for Sunday. It's just it's wild to be how much goes into this how much we really don't see out there on the outside as football fans with you know, what goes into the NFL game, what goes into a Sunday Coach Flores talked about a little bit. They're good stuff from coach and so we talked about the vertical

passing game of the Seahawks. How about since you're on the Miami Dolphins podcast talking about how we can combat that vertical passing game with the secondary we have. Here's coach Well, I mean, we're we're getting guys ready, and we're getting everyone ready. I think our guys are in today and they've been working um to prepare against a

really good opponent. And they're working together. And the group of guys that we have, um, you know, corners, safeties, uh, you know, Nichols, they're working together trying to get a good graphs of what they do offensively, who they're key players are, how they're getting in the ball. The guys

who are out there. UM. I think they're gonna do everything they can to try to, uh play a competitive ball game and limit what these guys do offensively, which they do a lot, and they've got good players, so it'll be a tough challenge. I think they they No one understand that, UM, no specific to who's in who's not. Um, you know, injuries, you know, we we have the guys we have. You know, it may not be what we had on you know, Week one, but that's it's that

way for every team. You know, everyone's dealing with something. And uh, I think the guys were confident the guys we're gonna play on Sunday, and um, you know, if we prepare the correct way, UM, we compete and we'll give ourselves a chance. Um, but we're not have to play well against a very very good, good team. And now you have it. That's basically what it comes down to. Playing well against the Seahawks team. You're gonna have to

play a clean football game. You're gonna have to execute in the red zone, you might have to take some chances on fourth down. This is a team you have to execute and play well against a beat and the Dolphins know that Brian Flores obviously knows that. Next question for coach was about he's referred to the idea that the way players performing practice and how they get themselves prepared throughout the course of the week determines their playing time.

He was asked about that. What goes into that here's coach and how he decides who gets the snaps on Sundays. I think there's a combination of performance on the field and practice, whether it's individuals to UM any kind of group or seven on seven or not on seven, to the team periods. Uh So the performance in those uh

areas of practice. UM, there's we feel like they're performing well and they have a good understanding of what we're trying to do, you know, this particular week, and I think that may may lend give a little bit more inside O mar. Every week is a little bit different, UM as far as who we may be trying to attack, what we're trying to do, UM game plan wise, and that's offensively defensively, are in the kicking the game? UM.

Some matchups are better than others. I don't think I can't say there's one specific thing, UM that that that will elevate someone. Uh but if we like a matchup or we feel like someone can handle uh a position, that's going to entail them doing two, three, four or five different things um versus one thing um that could elevate someone in a particular game plan. So attention to detail definitely a main area of focus in this football team.

Speaking of attention to detail, let's go ahead and spend this thing forward now to a piece on Jerome Baker. I'm working on looking at why the Dolphins linebacker never leaves the football field. I asked the question to a few of the coaches on Tuesday about Jerome Baker, about his prowess as far as knowing the defense, knowing the communication,

knowing the calls, the versatility that he displays. And that's why a big reason why I should say he's been on the field for one hundred and seventy seven of the one two snaps played by this Dolphins defense through three games. And this comes one year after he played a combined twelve hundred and eight snaps on defense and special teams combined. Coach Flores talks about leaders, communicators, versatile

players who prioritize the game. Those hallmarks we have all come to know and love about Flora's the requisite traits for Chris Greer and Brian Flores to consider bring you in to this Miami Dolphins football team. Now, Baker was an incumbent, a player here, a rookie in ten before Flora has arrived. But he gets here, recognizes the talent, recognizes the leadership, recognizes the versatility in Baker right away. And Baker has thirty tackles this season that's tied for

sixth most in the National Football League. He saved that touchdown Week one with a great hustle play that led to a forced fumble and really got the Dolphins back into the game. An eight yard marched down the field from Ryan Fitzpatrick and the offense would ensue. So he definitely the complimentary football aspect of that play. Was there a game changer, a momentum swinger. He leads by example

and proudly carries multiple responsibilities on this Dolphins defense. Now, I asked Josh Bowyer, what is it that allows Jerome Baker to be a guy that plays nineties percented your snaps here's coach on just that? Well, I would I would say that the first thing is he's in good physical condition. UM. So he's he's able to take his his many reps as we can give him. Um, you know, and he's he's been productive for us. Uh. He works hard. Uh.

You know, he's been all over the field. We've asked him and you know, he's got the mental capacity that he can handle multiple rules. UM. So you know that with the physical condition, we think we're putting him in positions to succeed. Um. And he's shown the ability to make plays. So that kind of that's all of a culmination of him being out there as much as he is. And you just go back over the messaging of Brian Flores throughout the course of his two years here so

far in Miami. It's not just about consistency on the football field, but being consistent in the playbook and the weights on the practice field, the fundamentals, the technique, you need stretches of games of consistency. Coaches said before to feel good that they understand how to be a professional and that complacency does not set in. So it's been a big message. Jerome Baker really embodies that message. And this is a guy who's been on an upward trajectory

since his arrival. That rookie season, a third round draft pick. We're gonna talk more about draft picks later on in this podcast. A third round draft pick playing nineties your snaps on defense, that's not too bad. Baker worked his way up from a sub package linebacker as a rookie to the centerpiece of the middle of the Dolphins defense, again leading the Dolphins in defensive snaps besides Bobby McCain at safety, who's played just a few more snaps than

Jerome Baker. But his arrival in this position is not just a mid round feather in the cap of the Dolphins scouting department. It shows that the way a player arrives does not determine their playing time or their role on this football team. Because coach Flores gets here, he sees a player on tape with exceptional closing speed and versatility and made him the focal point of the defense last year, again leading this defense in snaps taken in

nineteen and now just behind McCain. In and I had former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder back on the podcast on March sixteenth, and he talked then about the job that Flora's and Baker do together on this defense and the role he gives Jerome Baker in the middle of this defense. He put Jerome Baker in the middle of everything and try to keep him unblocked to let the Rome run

because the Roome fans. He slid him to the tight end pool guys down in the box, and I think the result of that is a pretty tangible aspect of where Jerome Baker is. He was tied for six last year and quarterback pressures for off ball linebackers that does not include guys down off the edge like a Von Miller. Courtesy of Pro Football Focus, he had six team pressures

on the quarterback last year. His ball production in the passing game produced more interceptions and pass breakups four of those combined than touchdowns allowed, and coverage just two of those. His forty six run stops those are tackles within two yards of the line of scrimmage for second among all

off linebackers in the NFL or off ball linebackers. I should say, and on the topic of rushing the quarterback and those six team pressures he had a season ago, how about talking to Mary and Hobby, the guy who coaches the defensive lineman up front and the pass rushers. I wanted to get his take on what he sees from Jerome Baker as a pass prushure in that off ball linebacker position that they gave. Everybody knows that Baker has been a playmaker around here for a long time.

And uh and in the offensive line to see Baker on a line of screamers, they all know he can really run. So it's a lot of times he's you know, he's stretching the offensive linement out and getting better every day with his pass rush um and sometimes he's calling the play forwards. So he is like a coach on the field force in the situations without his speeding is evidence in those situations as a pass rusher and a penetrator. You hear him talk there about calling the defense that

leadership role in the middle of this Dolphins defense. Just twenty three years old, and this guy is so advanced in the mental aspect of the game. It's a product of the way Baker works, the coaching staff, his teammates, personnel people, everybody lodged the way Baker goes about his professional approach and the example he sets for the younger guys.

The type of player that you want to kind of emulate this roster and players behind him after because of the way he approaches the game in this rebel aspect. Speaking of cerebral aspect, how about his linebackers? Coach Anthony Campanelli on just that, Yeah, Bake Um is a very cerebral guy. Um, very high football i Q. I think sees things pretty well. I think he's done a very good job communicating through the summer h and through the

beginning of this season. And went back and pull up an old quote from Kyle Van Noyd from the summer who said, me and Jerome have a great relationship. We talked about the game plan each and every day. So coach Campa only talking about the linebackers in his room there and the game plan. For a player like Baker, it's going to be extensive because his involvement has a

ripple effect on all three levels of the defense. Defensive backs coach Jeral Alexander complimented Jerome Baker for his ability to reduce stress in the middle of the field, whether it's stone coverage or in man and the way they

match up in that man coverage. Here's Alexander on how Jerome Baker helps the defensive backs in coverage I think it helps us in coverage with with a guy like you, Bake, who has the flo suddenly get the depth in his own coverage and have the speed to really break down Um on checkdowns, to be able to make open field tackles, as well as be able to do some things that poetically when want to place a man a man matching up on certain guys um, I think that that's a

weapon force defensively, being able to utilize his skill set. So you talk about the preparation, the film room, the weight room, everything that comes with being an accomplished football player. Baker's production on Sundays continues to make him shine out amongst his peers. With two and thirty career tackles, Baker is fifth among players in his teen draft class. All four of the players drafted ahead of him or that have more tackles than him rather were drafted ahead of

him in that year's draft. Again, Brian Flores demands smart, tough football players. He wants communicators that can execute a variety of roles on the field. These are the traits that Jerome Baker embodies, both as a player and as a leader. To quote Brian Flores here from earlier this offseason. He's got good speed, good athleticism. He's got good timing as well. He does a good job studying cadence and timing things pretty well. He's a guy that's taken on

a leadership role. I really appreciate the work he's put in and the leadership role he has taken. So Jerome Baker, third round draft pickback in really kind of exemplifying what Brian always looks for and a football player on this Miami Dolphins football team. Now, I wanted to get back into another topic about this team that has kind of shown flashes so far in this early going of the season and talk about the offensive line and some draft hit success rate, especially since those two are kind of

intertwined this year for this Miami Dolphins football team. Let's go ahead and start up on that offensive line and first off again just to get Noah Egmonogamy and Solomon Kinley and replacing the left tackle with Austin Jackson. A big credit here to Steve Marshall, the Dolphins offensive line coach, for essentially getting a brand new offensive line up to speed with the two rookies and Solomon Kinley there too,

free agents and one incumbent playing so well, they're communicating. Well, there was a rep in the Jacksonville game where Kinley kind of takes the cheese as the three technique winds this thing outside to help set up Josh Allen the out the defensive end for an inside loop, but he really has the recovery speed and the recognition to get back inside just in time to run the rush right

around fits. And I mean there are reps where this offensive line just looks like it's been playing together for years, and it's been together since freaking August what was it August seventeen when the Pads came on. Super impressive the way they've been able to communicate and pass things off up front. And look, I love using Pro Football Focus for the stats that are black and white, that have

zero opinion and zero possible conjecture involved in that. But I'm not going to use the grades to justify the offensive line and run blocking. I'm not really sure how to quantify that other than to tell you, well, watch the tape, watch what each of these guys are doing. And in the run blocking game, I'm watching these two

guards just straight up bully people. Man, I'm watching the tackles, erase the age the edge for the gas can bend back runs and get surge and short yard is to help convert those short yard touchdown runs and first down runs. I'm watching this center hit his reach blocks, hit second level blocks, and I'm watching the whole damn line connect on double teams. I mean, whether it's a duo block

or you have to double teams and iso blocked. I mean, let's go, baby, because I think that's a true strength of this team, and I think it really starts with those guards. Kinley was regarded as one of the top combo blockers and all of college football last year by many a draft pundits. Eric Flowers has been doing it since basically he moved to guard last season for a full year here in the NFL, and so those guys,

it's been really impressive for both of them. It's early, but that's looking like a real feather in the cap of the personnel staff. And in past pro we can quantify that stuff. Five sacks allowed, that's tied for the eighth fewest in the National Football League, and I mean seven teams right now have allowed double digit sacks, so more than double the sacks of the Miami Dolphins, a huge jump from last game. So it what is five

sacks and three games. I'm no mathematician, but that's what carry the one one point six seven sacks per game. Last year, that number was three point six to five sacks per game. So they've literally cut the number in half and then some. And before the blockbuster trade and before Flores was even here to oversee this offensive line rebuild in collaboration with Chris Greer and the personnel staff,

it was three point to five sacks per game. So yeah, and you cut it in half from the previously before the trade. And did I mentioned we have an additional first and second round draft pick that are currently oh and three and didn't have to doll out roughly twenty million dollars per year for one player on that offensive line. And this offensive line has surrendered thirty one pressures per Pro Football Focus in three games, just to smidge over

ten pressures per game. They've allowed ten hits on Fitzpatrick per game. That's a little more than three hits per game on your quarterback. The offensive line has committed four penalties, just over one penalty per game. How about the previous two years? Last year, it was eighteen point eight pressures, eight teen point eight pressures per game. That's up almost eight pressures from what it is This year. It was four point three seven five hits per game. That's up

almost one and a half hits per game. Now, the penalties they're in the same range because TNT Wall Brian Flora is getting these guys to cut those penalties down. They have two penalties per game on the offensive line. Last season, that's three two total penalties. But to tie it back to pre Flores, it was thirteen point three pressures per game and it was two point one two

penalties per game. So consistently higher across the board there, and with a turnover, you have a reduction in sacks and hits and pressures and penalties, and rather convincingly in a year where you've replaced eight percent of the offensive line up front. Now two other teams have done this in recent years, replaced four starters on the offensive line. One team did it this year. They're currently allowing six

team points seven pressures per game. Again, Miami's was ten pressures per game, and one team did it last year and they allowed sixteen point six quarterback pressures per game. So while it's very early, you have to love the early returns on this Dolphins offensive line. And let's not pretend like it was cupcakes they saw on the other side of the ball. Through these three games, Buffalo and New England had the number two and number one scoring

defenses in all of football last year. And this all goes back to the NFL draft, right That's where you build your team, that's where you make your money. Austin Jackson and Solomon Kindley have played all snaps, both of them, and actually all five Dolphins offensive linemen have. Kinley still has a goose egg, a zero in the pressures allowed department. Jackson has allowed one hit on fits no sacks, and he's playing the position that faces some of the most

premier pass rushers in the National Football League. And Robert Hunt is getting acclimated and has a role in that heavy package. We heard Steve Marshall talk about that last week on the podcast. And to put a bow on this point, and I'll dive into this more at a later date, just look at some of the recent drafts here three games in and again, sample size is king, but I think it also proves the opposite with regards

to sample size. How many folks maybe thought that Myles Gaskin was a bubble player on the roster this year. I mean that was always a little bit much for me. I thought he was always going to be a guy that had a role on this team. But now he's a guy that's got the most snaps among the running backs. He's got a good average yards per carry, he's basically rewriting his own career high and scrimmage yards gained every

single week. He's making tacklers us to the tune of better than three yards on average after contact after the initial contact. And that's a seventh round pick, people, and you're getting production out of the seventh round of the draft. That's usually a spot where you go for specialists or hopefully guys that can be core special teamers, or guys that maybe can make the roster. You get seventh round draft picks cut all the time. Myles Gascon is here

producing out of the seventh round. How about the two tight ends you double dipped on. One has more touchdowns than anybody on the planet dating back to Week twelve of last year, and the other is well, I want to use an expletive here, but he is wiping dudes the f out in the running game. Get SICKI and smythe for the record at tight end. Durham Smith, how about Isaiah Ford's seventh round value? Would you put Isaiah Ford?

Would you draft him rather in the seventh round this year if you knew you were gonna get that dependability, that reliability, and the slot, the sure hands, the recognition of where the sticks are and getting those first downs, Hell yeah you would you take him in the fourth round. You might even take him on Day two. Andrew Van Giegel sacking orderbacks as a fifth round draft pick a year ago. I don't think the first rounders really need a whole lot of dressing up because Wilkins is a

freaking stud. Davante Parker is a monster who has become consistent, dependable, and a guy you can rely on under coach Flora's I mean the track record there. Regardless of where these picks come from, whatever round, the undrafted guys like Preston Williams, for instance, it makes me feel pretty damn good about having Chris career and giving him another boatload of draft

picks and premium picks in this year's draft. Let's go, baby, all right, that was a fun seg Let's go ahead and turn this thing over now to player media availability

for Wednesday. We're getting ready for the Seahawks. Let's go ahead and talk to the guys, and we start here with Dolphins rookie cornerback, the youngest player in the National Football League, Noah ig Monogamy, And he first was asked about a player who was a rookie last season coming into his own at the end of that year and now into year number two in Seattle's DK Metcalf, the big physical receiver. Here's what Higbo had to say about d K but how it's more about what the Dolphins

do and not what Seattle does. Oh, he's been physical fans some pretty everybody knows about that. And you see what he did it to combine UM. So I feel like it's not really about him. We have the we all have the fiscal reviewies to beat him, um, but we gotta focus on ourselves and we got to do our technique and be disciplined ourselves, be focused on that. I feel like it's not really about to see us, about how we how we play ourselves, and so that's

how we're going in this game. Joe Shadow the Palm Beach Post had what I thought was a really good line of question today about penalties and how they've been down both this year and last season since the arrival of Brian Flores. You're gonna hear him ask that question to all of the guys on this particular podcast on these media availabilities. Here's what the rookie know what Bunogamy had to say about how they drill penalties and to

cut that number down. Uh, he's We've sat in his own calls and and face to face called face to face meetings, and he just he really details and he explains it to us every single rule literally he's he's he's explained every single rule. He's about referees and to tell us about the rule himself and so um, he's just it's just it's been a real um. Um he got his educated about it. I would say, I really educated, and I think that's why I was successful in that

area the game. We're just gonna keep going keeping disciplined. Hey, Noah, you had mentioned, um, focusing on your own technique and your own fundamentals and being disciplined. Just to kind of piggyback off the previous questions, What would you say you changed in your fundamentals and your technique from week two to week three to have more success on game day? Uh, I said, I took a breath, UM, I just relaxed. I feel like that second game, I was tense, just

on myself. UM, I wasn't really um everything was. I was so tight everywhere. In this last game, I was playing relaxed, And I hope he was able to see that. And I was just myself. I was relaxed, and I was just focused on my game and I really focused on an opponent and just focus on my eyes, my technique and my fund of meals and stuff like that, and just being focused and and it came out to

be a better game. I love hearing that answer from talking about just being honest with himself and being himself

and playing more loose. That's definitely true in any profession, especially in the National Football League, and it really kind of gives you an eye into the mind of how football players psyches are managed throughout the course of the season, throughout the course of week, throughout the course of a day, and how there are ups and downs, there speaks and valleys, and these guys are gonna perform, Well, they're gonna have off days. It's just it's fascinating to watch loved Eggbows answer.

They're very mature for a twenty year old young man and going from the young man to the oldest player on the team. And Fits even brought this up when he first arrived, going from youngest to oldest. Here is Ryan Fitzpatrick first asked about the challenge of seeing Russell Wilson on the other sideline and the pressure that puts on you as an offense to keep pace with the points he's been scoring so far through three weeks. Yeah, I mean I do. I think it does, especially as

you get into the second half of games. You know, every possession matters that much more. And when you have a lead, you know no lead is safe with with a guy like this, and you know they've uh at a really great start to the season. Obviously they're putting up a ton of points, and I think a game like this it does matter in that second half. Your mindset can't be if you have a lead, Okay, we're gonna sit on this thing and just just hope that

things work out. You've got to keep going the whole game, and you know, every possession you've gotta make it count. And it's not one of those games we're gonna be sitting there watching the clock in the fourth quarter. On this podcast, I've touched on that last drive of the first half in the Buffalo game being kind of a

turning point for the Dolphins offense. Here's Ryan Fitzpatrick on the conference developed from the success of the end of the Buffalo game offensively and last week in Jacksonville and how this team has to put together a full four quarters to beat Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. I think the last few weeks we're just in a little bit better, better rhythm, and that's gotta that's got to

continue this week. You know, you want to see it happened for the rest of the season, but this this week is definitely very important for us, not just to get to a to a fast start, but you know, put together a full game. And um, you know, last week we had a good first half, didn't capitalize at the end of the two minute drill, and then a slow second half. So that's something we won't be able

to get away with this week. We've got to put together you know, a solid offensive game for all four quarters, and that will be an emphasis for us this week. I fits want to talk about your offensive line here real quick. Um, according to one website, you've been under pressure on thirty of a one eleven dropbacks this year, and nineteen quarterbacks in the NFL have been under pressure more often. Last year, you were under pressure two three

times out of five eight dropbacks. That was the sixth most in the NFL compared to you know, with thirteen stars compared to sixteen stars or some other guys. So my question is about the offensive line with eight turnover on the line from a year ago. From your perspective, how have they been able to gel and perform so well so quickly? I think I think Ted gets a lot of the credit there. You know, he's the leader for those guys up front and has done a really

nice job. I think, uh, you know, just the talent that we brought in in the offseason, you know those guys that have come in and messed really well. But um, it's it's a ly too. You know, they've got a lot of work to do and communication wise, we have to continue to get better, whether it's me and Ted or Ted with the rest of the guys. So there's still a lot of work to be done, but it's been it's been a good start. It's been a solid start for those guys, and you know, I'm I'm proud

of how quickly they've been able to come together. But as we know in this league, you know, as soon as you you show something that you know, there may be a crack or there may be something that guys can take advantage of their going to And so they've got to come out and perform every week and we've just got to continue to get better and not be

not be happy about the first three games. And as promised, here's the question for Fitzpatrick about the penalties and how the Dolphins have been able to limit those the last two seasons. Well, I think part of that is focused on fundamentals and the things that we do in practice to sort of eliminate some of those bad habits. I also just think, you know, in terms of a clean operation and avoiding a lot of those pre snap penalties. Uh,

that's been a big team too. Whether it's the false starts or delay games on offense, um, you know, illegal formations, that kind of stuff. Those are all things you can avoid. And you know, we'll have penalties that pop up throughout a game, just like anybody will. But preaching fundamentals and then just preaching those small things, the penalties that we can avoid and making sure that um, you know we

all understand that those aren't acceptable. That those have been two things that have really helped us out in that area. I mean, the old adage goes that in this league, the talent discrepancy is not that great because everybody in the National Football League can ball. These dudes can play football. That's why they're here, and so that's why you get so many games in you know, sixty plays of offense, sixty plays for your defense usually comes down to three

or four of those plays. Tight scores at the end of the game comes down to who makes more plays in the fourth quarter. And so to have that emphasis on the little things you can control, like a pre snap formational penalty or pre snap movement penalty, those things are so crucial and so key to not beating yourself. And really that's the first up towards being a winning team is not beating yourself before you can go out

and beat an opponent. So I love hearing that I love hearing how focused and drilled this team is on that particular aspect, because you get that thing taken care of, then you can build on the other things. It's almost like institutionally fundamental to get that baseline there layered, and not all teams do it, but Brian Flores here and the Miami Dolphins take care of our penalties as well

as anybody. Up next, we heard from Dolphins safety Bobby McCain and a question from yours truly, So just the Seahawks come in with a couple of guys that are known for getting deep on defenses, and DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and obviously Russell Wilson throw is one of the better deep balls in all of football. As the guy that plays that single high safety looks so often in this defense, how much onus do you put on yourself to kind of limit that deep passing game. I'm

just doing my job, man, defend departerfield. That's our job to the secondary. UM, just making sure we defended depart of field. All that big plays, all that big touchdown. Um. You know, and it depends on what coverage you're playing. Uh, so you know, I can't tell you what coverage will be in or will it'll be single higher or whatever, But it um just defending deep part of field. Is

that is our job as a secondary. And now it's the Dolphins captain on defense, safety Boba McCain's opportunity to talk about how they've been able to limit penalty so far through a season in three games under coach Brian Flores. Just making sure we're discipline and practice, making sure to practice, that we understand the rules and that we get you know, you can't get too hands on guys, especially at the top of the rounds because think we'll call it in this league. You got a five yard you have a

five yard access to put your hands on guys. You can't hold him. And just explaining the rules to everyone each and every each and every week he would go over to the the rules and and having the refs here for training camp, Like having a refs here was huge, but they explained to us what we could and could

not do. So that helped a lot. Let's go ahead and put a bow on this thing with Dolphins linebacker Kyle van Noy, who first was asked about his versatility, but what is it exactly that he does best loved Kyle's answer right here. You know, I just probably myself and me and a disruptive player or whatever you want me to do. I got you. Um. And that varies week to week. Um. Different teams do different things, and

we want to attack those situations. And I feel like all eleven of us are playing together to allow those plays to happen. And hopefully we can just keep continue to keep progressing and keep doing doing that. Hey, Kyle, you're gonna see one of the league's most athletic quarterbacks this Sunday, and Russell Wilson, and he's got a penchant for evading the rush as well as anybody. How does that change you know, your target point as a pass rusher, or kind of alter the way you work to get

up field so it's not overrun him. Yeah. I think you have to be conscious of that, but at the same time, you have to do your job and do it to the best of your your ability without overthinking. You want to get pressure on him. You want to be able to do what you need to do to get back there. And I think if we do it as a team, the coverage doing their part, the rush doing their part, and marrying it together. I think we'll be all right. It's not easy though, as easier said

than done. And we'll finish up with Kyle with the question about penalties and how this team takes on the personality and the approach of their head coach and Brian Flores taking on a coach flores philosophy and um being a fundamentally sound team that doesn't make mistakes, and mistakes are penalties and we want to limit those as best as possible. We've done a pretty good job of it this year. And you know, we want to do business

how business is being done. If they're calling it tight, and then we got to adjust our game if they're calling it loose, and we can be more aggressive. So I just want to be able to do business as that's being done. So there you have a juicy edition of the Drivetime Podcast on this Wednesday, plenty to look forward to coming down the pipeline as well. Tomorrow we'll preview this game. And I want to go ahead and make a mention to say, go Marlin's and go Heat

Manners are out of the playoffs. The Sonics don't exist anymore. So I South Florida Sports all the way. Besides my Washington State Cougars, Go Coogs. But the Heat tonight nine pm tip off. Man, these East Coast games are crazy late and the Marlins are probably playing right now during this podcast, so we'll see how that goes. But go Marlins, Go Heat, Go Dolphins, South Florida Sports all the way for this guy. Now, as for my time on this podcast,

that is going to be my time you all. Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, podcast, 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. You can follow the team at Miami Dolphins. Check out the fish Tank and the audible podcast. The Todd Wade episode of The fish Tank is up right now, and of course Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time finds up