Dolphins 34, Patriots 15
JEROD MAYO: My message to the team is, look, this is the NFL. First quarter, zero points across the board and then give up 24 points in the second quarter definitely is a hard pill to swallow.
Then, look, we saw some fight at the end, which is encouraging, but at the same time this game, every single play, every single play counts.
I thought we gave up too many big plays defensively. Did a better job in the run game. Gave up too many big plays tackling, scheme, whatever you want to call it. Just overall execution defensively just wasn't good enough.
On offense they did some good things, but any time you lose a turnover battle it's always going to be a tough game. Then special teams, we just have to continue to improve on that.
The last thing I told the guys, it's all about us. And this is before the game. I said, It's about us. It's not about anybody else. It's about us and to make a commitment to one another. That's what the game really came down to.
It's us going out there, you know, kicking ourselves in the butt or stomping our toe against the wall because of penalties. We don't have a team -- I don't think any team wants to go backwards in any cause, but we did that today.
Q. Did you get a sense this week in practice that something was off, or did you not have a good week?
JEROD MAYO: No, not at all. Not at all. I thought the guys were locked in. Just didn't walk away with a win.
Q. On the coverage breakdowns, we're not used to seeing that from this team historically, so what's the cause of it?
JEROD MAYO: Historically or even this season. Just a lack of communication. A lack of communication.
Q. Six presnap penalties in the first half -- five on offense, one on defense. How much of that is a reflection just on the coaching?
JEROD MAYO: Look, it starts with me. It starts with me. We've had these hiccups of games where the penalties really affected us, and it did today.
Q. Do you think that first drive -- the first sustained drive in the first quarter, the two penalties brought it back, and then you kind of went conservative in the middle and then went for the field goal. Did you feel like things stalled out there? How much did you --
JEROD MAYO: In the first quarter? To me in the first quarter you see us trying to get a vibe for the game, how they're going to play us and we're going to play them and how they're going to match our stuff.
Q. How concerned are you that this was a big spot for you coming off a loss, division game, and you came up flat today?
JEROD MAYO: Yeah, it's a long season. It is a long season, and the guys recognize that. You know, when you get the schedule early on, you have to see where the bye week is.
Saying that, look, no excuse from me, and hopefully no excuse from the players. We just have to be better.
Q. Defensively where do you go from here?
JEROD MAYO: For me nowhere but up. A lot of that stuff going back to the big plays, like, it starts there. The defensive line and the run game, I don't think that was a problem this game. It was just the big plays.
Q. You've been there done that before as a player, but how do you coach a guy that keeps making the same mistakes over and over and over again? How do you get to that guy?
JEROD MAYO: I mean, that's where we're coaches. We have to find a solution, whether that's -- you have to figure out what lever to pull to get a guy going.
Sometimes, look, it can look good during the week and then you get into the game, and it's a surprise.
Q. (Indiscernible) -- just like they did in the says first matchup, was that them trying to stress your communication when you said it led to the breakdowns?
JEROD MAYO: I wouldn't say so much. Tempo is always difficult. Those guys come out with one-word plays, and he with just have to -- I felt like we were on the same page out on the field if that's what you're talking about.
Q. It seemed like both tackles were struggling today, but specifically you decided to pull Demontrey Jacobs in the forth. Just what went into that decision there?
JEROD MAYO: Yeah, he was having a tough game. Whether it was penalties or blocking the edge, he was having a tough game. We have to protect the quarterback. As an offensive lineman, that's what we do. We protect quarterbacks and we have to open up holes for the backs.
Q. Was there a reason you chose to take out Demontrey and (indiscernible)? Was there a reason for one over the other?
JEROD MAYO: No, not at all.
Q. How much, if at all, was the health of Christian Gonzalez coming into how things happened?
JEROD MAYO: We saw the injury reported. He was dealing with something. He worked out before the game, and we thought he was ready to go.
Q. On Monday you said, We enough talent in that room to win football games. How do you rectify that with falling behind 30-0?
JEROD MAYO: Yeah, it starts with me. I think it starts with me and getting these guys ready to go.
Q. There was some assignment breakdown it seemed like in the red zone it seemed like.
JEROD MAYO: Absolutely.
Q. What did you see on those plays?
JEROD MAYO: I mean, it wasn't a secret. They used motion and shifts and things like that to stress the communication, and we just weren't on the same page.
Q. Early in the game first drive, fourth and one from your own 39, any thoughts of going for it there?
JEROD MAYO: The thought was there. Did what was best for the team.
Q. I know it starts with you, but when do you players have to start looking at themselves? You can only do so much. When is on the players?
JEROD MAYO: Look, once they cross the white lines, there's nothing I can do for them. There's nothing any coach can do for them once they cross the white line. It's my job to prepare not only them but our coaches to go out here and play better football. Thanks.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports