Miami Dolphins Media Conference

Sunday, December 5, 2021

Miami, Florida, USA

Tua Tagovailoa

Postgame Presser


Dolphins 20, Giants 9

Q. Tua, it seems like lately you guys have been able to really milk the clock when it matters most. We saw that in the Baltimore game. We saw that in the Jets game. We saw that today. What's been the key, maybe the offense wasn't so good early in the game, but when it matters most, you guys are able to make the plays come.

TUA TAGOVAILOA: We emphasize a lot of our situational deals throughout practice. Whether it's four-minute, two-minute Bingo situations, Peter situations -- maybe some of you guys don't understand what those are, but there's a lot of situations that go on in the game having to do with trying to manage the clock, whether it's an end of game or end of half situation.

Q. How do you feel about the way this team is now positioned in the big picture? You got the bye coming up, and you're one game away from .500. How do you feel about where this team is positioned?

TUA TAGOVAILOA: I'm glad we won, but I think there's a lot of things that we left out there on the field. A lot of plays that we wish we could have back, but then again, it falls down to the execution of us. It starts with me in the center, and then it being communicated out there, and I think we did a pretty good job protecting the ball today, though.

Q. Considering the injuries you've had this year, how much are you looking forward to getting a week off?

TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, I think it's going to be really good. I think it's going to be good for a lot of the guys in there. I mean, it's been, what, 13 games, 14 games with contact nonstop, a lot of preparation, so being able to get this little bye for our guys I think it's going to be really helpful for us in the back end of the season.

Q. Jaylen Waddle had nine catches for 90 yards. What are your thoughts on how Jaylen Waddle is playing right now?

TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, I think Jaylen Waddle is doing good. I think just for all of us we just got to continue to keep working.

Q. How do you feel like you played today?

TUA TAGOVAILOA: I don't think of myself. I just think of the overall offense. I think we can get better, continue to get better, find ways to get better, and that's what this bye gives us. A chance to self-scout, look at the things that we can clean up, work on, and then implement it when we play the Jets.

Q. What's it like to have DeVante Parker back -- (Off microphone)?

TUA TAGOVAILOA: It was really good to have DeVante back. DeVante adds another vertical stretch for us offensively, and he makes tough catches when you need him to, so really glad to have him back.

Q. We heard Jerome say part of him almost wants to keep playing to keep the win streak going. You don't want that lull. Is there any bit of that? Do you feel any bit of that, or do you really need this week to self-scout and take a breather after a long season?

TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, I understand what Bake is saying. I think it goes both ways. You take some time off, but then you're also not really taking time off. It's more so mental preparation, whereas it's physical.

Q. What's it like as a leader on this offense knowing your defense isn't even giving up -- barely giving up double digit points during this period? What's that like?

TUA TAGOVAILOA: It feels good. They keep the pressure off of us, if you will, offensively, but, I mean, we want to go down and punch the ball in to the end zone, and we got to find better ways to do that. Can't go three and outs to start the second half.

Roll Tide. Roll Tide.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
115341-1-1878 2021-12-05 21:55:00 GMT

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