05:25 Fri 12-11-09 | by Andy Cohen
After the big win over New England, the Dolphins are now primed to make a playoff run and Coach Tony Sparano is eager to take on this challenge. Sparano takes a look at Sunday's huge game at Jacksonville as well as several other issues in this interview with Dolphin Digest editor Andy Cohen, exclusively for MiamiDolphins.com.
TODAY'S VIDEO- FinsTV
- Coach Sparano Press Briefing
- Vontae Davis Media Availability
- Justin Smiley Media Availability
TODAY'S TRANSCRIPTS
Q. Given the jumbled state of the playoff picture, do you view the next four games as each having the importance of a playoff game?
TS: Yes we do. From our end, we've been in this position before. We put ourselves in this position to have to view them that way. It's been proven that in December each week has to be viewed as a playoff game. That's where we are. We are in must-win situations. Instead of worrying about what someone else can do for us, we need to worry about what we can do for us.
Q. What do hope your team takes from the New England win with the hope of avoiding another game like the road game at Buffalo?
TS: I just hope they understand that playing with passion and emotion and having fun out there is a positive thing that can be contagious. I would also hope we understand that the fourth quarter issues are issues that, in some situations, are brought on by us and by our lack of execution because when we execute we can change games.
Q. How will the victory over New England be viewed in your memory bank years from now?
TS: I hope there are a lot bigger ones. But it was a big win for us at this stage of where we are. We really made the plays you need to make.
Q. How would you characterize the mood and mental state of the team at this point in the season?
TS: I would say the players are excited about the opportunity to play meaningful games in December, which a lot of people in our league don't have right now. At the same time, they are cautious in their enthusiasm because they are aware that every one of these games is just as important as the next.
Q. You are facing two of the top backs in the league over the next two games in Maurice Jones-Drew and Chris Johnson. How would you evaluate how your rushing defense has done this season and what is the key to containing Jones-Drew on Sunday?
TS: Our rushing defense has played consistently well. In the big picture if you look at where are, I'm pleased. We're one of the top two or three teams in the league in first down rushing defense. That has helped us get off the field on third down. In fact, that has helped us be one of the top 10 teams in the league in third down efficiency as well. I think the guys have done a good job that way. I believe as of late people have rushed the ball a little bit more and for a greater average than I would have liked, and our defensive players would like. Jones-Drew is one of the few backs in the league that is carrying the load by himself. He's a great player. He's very hard to tackle, can make all the cuts. He's a handful.
Q. What are some of the other things that concern you about Jacksonville?
TS: The quarterback, David Garrard, concerns me. He's big and is elusive. He can extend plays and run with the ball. He also completes over 60 percent of his passes. Not only is he big and can run, he can also get the ball down the field pretty well. That concerns me. We can't let him make big plays. The tight end and two receivers are outstanding players.
Q. You pointed out this way how many false start penalties your offense has had in the fourth quarter. Is your conclusion that it has to be related to mental fatigue?
TS: It's concentration and mental fatigue. There is no excuse either way for it. This is a high performance business and there is no greater stakes than in the fourth quarter of games. From our end, we need to concentrate for four quarters and that has to be done.
Q. You've been alternating offensive guards recently. Doesn't that affect the continuity of an offensive line or is that overrated?
TS: It's not overrated. I believe five guys should go out there and play as long as they can. But we're in that situation right now because we put ourselves in this situation by injury or performance. Either a player isn't playing as well as I think he should or we're injured. That being said, we've gotten more people involved. When that happens, and they are playing well, you continue to get more people involved. It's now routine for us to play more than five linemen and it hasn't hurt our performance at all.
Q. You have stated over the last few weeks a desire to get a few players more playing time. Two weeks ago you mentioned Tony McDaniel, this week you mentioned Cameron Wake. Is this something you realize while watching tapes or how do you go about implementing that in a game?
TS: As you watch the film, as you see these players grow, your confidence level changes and that tells you how much you want to get them involved. Tony McDaniel has done real well lately. He goes into the New England game and plays 20 plays, which is one of the bigger games he's had. That's the way we go about it.
Q. Would you ever consider using an onside kick as a surprise element as opposed to late in the game when it's absolutely necessary?
TS: Yes I would. We go into some ballgames and we'll talk about situations in games where this might be the time. It's not an every game thing because it may not be available to you on film. It's just a matter of whether the situation comes up in a game. If you execute it, what I'm finding out is that you're a genius. But if you don't execute it, I'm finding out that you're a dope. You either make a great call or you cost your team the game. That responsibility falls on my shoulders.
Q. Finally, Anthony Fasano has re-emerged after coming back from a hip injury. How would you explain his season and what he has done lately?
TS: Anthony is healthy now. He's getting better and better. He's put together two good games for us. A couple of weeks ago at Buffalo we kind of weaned him in and didn't give him his full amount of plays. Against New England, he played 69 plays and his contributions were great. He has also started to form a little bit of a chemistry with Chad Henne, which is important.
By Andy Kent
MiamiDolphins.com
INJURY UPDATE: Outside linebacker Joey Porter (knee) was back at full practice today and is listed as probable along with outside linebacker Jason Taylor (shoulder), who also practiced in full. Cornerback Nate Jones (hamstring) was limited and listed as questionable, leaving center Jake Grove (ankle) as the only player on the Dolphins' roster not practicing today. He is doubtful for Sunday's game.
For the Jaguars, defensive tackle John Henderson (shoulder), cornerback Rashean Mathis (groin) and wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker (calf) are all doubtful, with Henderson and Mathis limited in practice and Sims-Walker not practicing at all. Guard Kynan Forney (back) and defensive end Julius Williams (knee) were limited and listed as questionable while running back Maurice Jones-Drew (knee) and wide receiver Mike Thomas (hamstring) participated in a full practice and are probable.
MCDANIEL EAGER TO RETURN TO JAX: Dolphins defensive end Tony McDaniel has had this Sunday's game with the Jaguars circled on his calendar since he was traded to Miami for a seventh-round draft pick at the end of March.
"I've been looking forward to this game all year and going back to basically home," said McDaniel, who has 1.5 sacks to go along with his 10 tackles this season. "I'm very excited and I basically want to show them what I can do and what kind of player they lost."
This will be the first time McDaniel will run out onto the field as a member of the visiting team and he hopes to be able to prove to himself that he has a little clairvoyant side to his personality.
"I had a dream about it last night," he said. "I was kind of visualizing being in the visitors' locker room and seeing some of the old people that I know and I'm very excited about this. We definitely won in the dream and I had some good stats and whooped the O-line a little bit. I don't think it was six sacks, I think it was 2.5 maybe. Randy [Starks] snuck in on one of my sacks."
His familiarity with the players on Jacksonville's offensive line and the scheme they run on offense is something McDaniel feels will benefit him in this game. He practiced against the likes of Jones-Drew and quarterback David Garrard for three years prior to this season and feels like he knows how to beat them. This is the game he sees himself racking up some good stats.
Sparano isn't worried about McDaniel getting too wound up to the point that it would be a detriment to the team, even though McDaniel admitted he still has a chip on his shoulder for the Jaguars.
"One thing that Tony McDaniel has done a great job of here is he's really a team guy," said Sparano, who was Jacksonville's tight ends coach back in 2002. "That whole defensive line group with the number of plays they play, the way we rotate them, they understand team concept is pretty important right now. I know Tony will be wound-up, ready to go. At the same time, I know he understands how important the game is right now as opposed to your own personal agenda."
If McDaniel's dream does come true, then he will have satisfied both agendas.
DOLPHINS TIDBITS: When recalling his days in Jacksonville, Sparano pointed to three players that were on the team when he was there and are still on the team - Henderson, Garrard and defensive lineman Rob Meier. Henderson and Garrard were drafted in 2002. ... As the team stretched inside the practice bubble, the upbeat chart-topping single "I Gotta Feeling," by The Black Eyed Peas was blaring from the speakers. ... Backup center Joe Berger, who started in place of Grove at Buffalo and against New England, was mistaken for Grove in the locker room today by a reporter but he took it in stride. When their pictures are placed side by side, there is a very close resemblance.
