Miami 28, Houston - 3
Q. Denzel, you made two big plays in the first two preseason games. When you're out there, you're capable of making those big plays every game. How frustrating was it that you weren't able to capitalize. I know you didn't like watching them go 99 yards. Did that set the tone?
DENZEL PERRYMAN: That interception was a momentum changer at the beginning of the game. We got three points out of that. Obviously we wanted to score.
The drive after that, that wasn't the most appealing. There's just a lot of things we need to get back to the drawing board and go watch the film and get back to fundamentals.
That's not taking anything away from the Dolphins. They make plays. That's what we're here for. But just getting down to fundamentals and executing.
Q. What did you see on that first interception?
DENZEL PERRYMAN: Just play action. Just going through my keys. Just read play action. I kind of froze for a second, to be honest with you. I was reading the quarterback and got in the window, and I just had a feel for it.
Q. With the starters for the first time preseason, quarterback and all that, working with the coaching staff. What was that like on the sideline, functioning through what will likely be a gameday situation later on?
DENZEL PERRYMAN: Just get to the sideline and make those adjustments. Like I said, man, just come down to execution of fundamentals at the end of the day.
Q. Denzel, appreciate the Dickies and the gold chain.
DENZEL PERRYMAN: It's a Florida thing. Came to work today. Came to work today.
Q. As one of the leaders on the defense, it started out well. Did you like the intensity level of your guys the whole way through, the first unit that was out there?
DENZEL PERRYMAN: Not just the first unit. We're talking about the whole unit as the defense. As one of the leaders there, I felt like after the turnover and whatnot, they drove down the field that second drive, and I felt like even coming into halftime, like you said, that intensity, that energy, it wasn't the same that we carried all week.
I know myself, I gave up some things that drive. So it was just like I said, getting back down to the fundamentals and just executing.
Q. Denzel, what did you see from the team's run defense today? It seems since the start of training camp, one of the things Coach DeMeco Ryans has been talking about is stopping the run.
DENZEL PERRYMAN: We did get to the ball. We've got to wrap up. We've got to set the edge. Block protection is another thing. Back down to fundamentals. Again, not taking away nothing from the Dolphins offense. They capitalized from our mistakes today.
Q. What did you think of Will's strip sack? Is he capable of doing that on a consistent basis?
DENZEL PERRYMAN: I said this before, Will comes to work every day angry. I can see him do it every day. It was an amazing play to be honest with you. I was surprised he didn't get it. I got to teach him you got to tackle the ball carrier, whoever's trying to get the ball, and let everybody else rally to it.
Q. Interesting to see Henry go from playing the middle linebacker to the outside. Did you notice any areas where he looked very comfortable?
DENZEL PERRYMAN: He just looked comfortable out there, period. Henry, he's just learning like himself. Whatever the coaches have for him to do, whatever challenge it is, he's just accepted it. Just put his head down and get to work.
Q. I asked you earlier in training camp, what did you like better, sacks or interceptions?
DENZEL PERRYMAN: Honestly, when I catch an interception, man, I'll be laughing in my helmet. A lot of people don't know, I'll be laughing. Number one, I caught the ball. I'm bound to drop the ball, to be honest with you. So when I catch an interception, I start laughing. At that point, I'm playing a game like a little kid.
Everybody was telling me, I should have hurt with Tua. Honestly, I see him fall and see my cleats the next two seconds.
Q. Thinking about moving forward, we've two recent games in the books, obviously two joint practices. You're going to go down to New Orleans. You've been through this. We asked DeMeco about the leadership, and they targeted you. You were the guy. You're smiling. You understand. It's on you. Here's my question. When you think about moving forward, to get this defense where it needs to get to, what keeps you up at night? What aspects of two games in now do you think about with the people you practice with every day, what are those pinpoint elements? We've got to elevate here or it's going to get ugly?
DENZEL PERRYMAN: I've got to say just making the team one dimensional. We've got to go back and really look at stats. They were 400, almost 200 on both sides, rushing and passing. Unless you're playing a real good man game, there ain't no way both teams are going to -- somebody's got to win, but the team that is not executing, we just happen to be on that end today.
Moving forward, like I said, it really does come down to fundamentals and technique. I'm pretty sure this week, it's going to be -- it might just be day one training camp, to be honest with you. I know we're going to go have a joint practice. That's the time to get better and grow, and like I said, learn from this film and really bring our toolbox next week.
I'm pretty sure the Saints ain't letting up on us at all.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports