Read the full transcript from Calais Campbell's press conference on September 24, 2024.
Q: It was a good effort on Sunday, but what did Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver focus on as areas he wants to see improvement?
"I think our biggest issue is that we all want to make plays, right? And when you chase plays, sometimes you kind of leave your job left not to the standard we want it to be. So the message has been just let the plays come to you; do your job at an elite level and just make the plays you're supposed to make. We had a pretty tough meeting because he went through pretty much line by line situations, and we went through tape and watched it. Sometimes you need those. It's not really a call out session, it's just a get better session, but let's be on the same page, understand who was messing up on what play or caused the issues so we can get it fixed. And usually, that's probably the biggest issue you have on defense is (with) a big gain, you don't really know what happened on the field because you really can't go through that process, you really don't have all the information, you can't see it. And then guys still trying to make up for it, still trying to do a little more because they had a little leakage instead of letting that one guy get it fixed. So a big thing is trust, trusting the guys you have next to you to do their job and you do yours and be accountable."
Q: How much of – and it's not as if the run defense has been bad, it hasn't been at the standard set last year when teams averaged 3.8 per carry.
"It's not our standard. It's not our standard."
Q: Right, and now it's been in the four range, 4.2 on Sunday. On the runs you've given up, and you have had obviously some tackles for loss, but on the runs you guys have given up, has it been blocks being defeated, what's been primarily the problem from what you've seen on tape?
"Most of it was gap discipline, and we play a light box and stuff too, so we do make it tough on ourselves, but we like that challenge because we know we can handle it. Probably 80% of it's really, really good, but the extra 20% has been just biting us for a couple weeks, so we have to clean that up. But a lot of it is just being on the same page, communicating and just playing together football. I have a high standard – we, the Miami Dolphins, have a high standard and we obviously know that we can be a lot better. I think everybody knows we can be a lot better. It hasn't been just brutal, other than that 49-yard run and a couple leakage yardage this game. It hasn't been brutal. But we want to be the best, right? We don't want to be OK most of the time and then have these runs that we're really beating ourselves. I mean if somebody just makes a play to make a play, but we can't have times where we beat ourselves, that's just not who we want to be. The standard we have, we have to adhere by, so we're putting a lot of effort on, a lot of emphasis on – we asked for a different way of doing things so we can try to be a little better too at times. At the end of the day, it really comes down to just win your matchup and being where you're supposed to be, being accountable and making the play you're supposed to make."
Q: You're obviously good at getting your hand up, tipping ball at the line of scrimmage. You had a big one on Sunday that led to an interception, but what do you think gives you a knack for that – obviously, being 6'8" I think helps a lot, but do you think over 17 years you've picked up on some reads?
"(laughter) I try to look at the quarterback's flight line, where he's throwing the ball, and trying to do little things that can help, but most of the time it's just instincts in the moment. I feel like there's a lot of times that I'm trying to bat the ball and I have no chance, but then sometimes you're in the middle of a rush and you just kind of got to feel, put your hand up and good things happen. I do think that good things happen to those who play really hard and run to the ball, and if you play hard and run to the ball, good things are going to happen for you. Now batting balls is a little different because you're going towards the quarterback or whatever, but I'm trying to get to him. (laughter) And if I can hit him, I want to hit him, but if I can't hit him, then I'm trying to affect him any way I can, so getting my hands up on balls is definitely something that comes natural to me. But man, what an interception though. My man Zach (Sieler) got his hands up and got that ball. It makes it that much more sweet; when you get a hand on the ball, it's cool – it happens all the time. But when – not only when it's intercepted by a DB or something, that's cool, but when it's intercepted by a d-lineman, you can't get no better than that."
Q: You played with QB Tyler Huntley going back to your years with Baltimore. What can people who haven't seen his game expect from him as a player if he does get that opportunity?
"Yeah, we call him 'Snoop.' 'Snoop' (Tyler Huntley) is a guy who is going to be very prepared. He can make every throw. I think he has good poise in the pocket and then he can create with his legs, which I think is something with the weapons we have at receiver and the way people have to guard us, when you can really make people pay with your legs, there's going to be some opportunities there. And I think that's a place where we can really exploit going forward – or at least if they have to adjust and account for his running ability as well, it should give us some more opportunities to hit some bigger throws."
Q: What are your impressions of QB Will Levis or any of the Titans offensive linemen you might have to face?
"They're one of the best running teams that we're going to face, which is something that we've been putting a big emphasis on the last couple of weeks and we still haven't really had that complete game from a front seven stopping the run. The Titans are – that's what they do best, and Will Levis' ability to scramble and keep plays alive makes it even more hard. They have really good backs who can hit the home run hits and just make you pay if you catch a gap. So this is going to be a very big game on being disciplined, gap sound and just doing our job. They have good players. They're also a 'desperate' team – take that with a grain of salt. It's early in the season, just get this next win and everything goes back to normal, right? Just play football. They're a team that wants to get a win real bad, too, so it's going to be a matchup of who wants it the most and who's willing to do what's required."
Q: Do you think you'll check out your Canes on Friday night?
"(laughter) I always like watching my Canes, man. I love going to the games when I can, but if it's it on, I'm always watching."
