Read the full transcript from Austin Jackson's press conference on October 14, 2024.
Q: I've been asking everybody about the team's mindset. You guys are coming off a victory, maybe not necessarily a pretty victory, but a victory nonetheless. Where are you guys as far as your game? Do you feel like you're about to turn a corner, are you taking it day by day? How do you feel about this?
"Our mentality is we're always turning the corner, we're always ready. Our mentality really though is just going 1-0 in the week, one day at a time that way you can be present doing everything you need to do without inviting extra clutter to your brain."
Q: The offense, have you seen things that you guys are consistently doing well? I know obviously last week the run game went pretty well. You've had a lot of turnover, but are there things you guys are consistently doing well do you think?
"Yeah, definitely. We're definitely doing a good job of playing withing the means of our technique on offense, meaning we're executing the technique. We have some issues here and there that are really unfortunate, but at least our technique has been pretty consistent, that's one thing you can hang your hat on."
Q: Have you seen parallels to this season compared to what you guys went through in 2021 when you started 1-7?) – "Kind of, literally Tua (Tagovailoa) went on IR both seasons in the second week, that's really the biggest one. That's really the biggest parallel (that's) glaring."
Q: What was it like for you guys upfront just to have the rushing output that you did in New England?
"That's what you live for, especially against the New England Patriot system. They kind of their own way of defending. They have their own techniques and that's kind of what they hang their hat on, so it's rewarding to get that against a good team like that."
Q: We don't know when OL Isaiah Wynn will be back, but when he does come back, what will he add to the offensive line unit?
"He loves ball. He loves ball. His energy, his excitement and focus translates through his play. I think that will be great whenever he comes back."
Q: Head Coach Mike McDaniel mentioned today that QB Tua Tagovailoa will be on the field at some point in 2024. What's your reaction?
"My reaction, I'm happy for him. Happy for the guy, great guy, we love him. We love him over here."
Q: Can you detail maybe us some recent interactions you've had with him?
"He's in his own kind of schedule being hurt, so I talk to him here and there but he's in good spirits. He's in good spirits, really good spirits. He's focused, talks a lot about staying focused and that's good."
Q: How have you seen QB Tyler 'Snoop' Huntley grow within this offense and the way he leads the team in the huddle during this stretch of games where he's the quarterbacking team?
"Shoot, just being extremely vulnerable in terms of like understanding that he's taking in a new offense halfway through the season and he's just gotten better at everything that he thinks he can get better at. He's very confident leading the offense which is great. I think he's just the type of guy that's gets better every day, and in this league, that will be good for you."
Q: How pleased have you been with your year so far? Are you happy with your play?
"Yeah, definitely some things I can get better at, but that's the league. I was taught once that if you're not getting better in this league, you're getting worse and I think that's true. Everyone is working to get better every single day. So I think as long as I stay true to that, I'll be pretty happy with how the season ended when it gets there. But for now, we're still working."
