Pouncey plays his best late in season
DAVIE — Adam Gase has only coached Mike Pouncey for two seasons, so it would be hard for him to concur with the center’s assessment this has been his best season.
But Gase said Wednesday that Pouncey has been really good recently.
“Especially down the stretch, he has been probably our most consistent guy and he’s played his best ball in the back half of this season,” Gase said. “You know we’ve done some things to make sure that he feels good on Sunday, which I know is frustrating for him to watch. He’s not a big fan of watching practice. He’s kind of right in the mix, even when he’s not practicing. But our whole goal was to make sure that we had him for Sunday. Especially in these last two games, where we needed him to play well, he was one of the few guys who really stepped up and did what he was supposed to do.”
After Sunday’s loss at Kansas Cit y, Pouncey was asked how he feels he’s played this season.
“I had my best year,” Pouncey said Sunday. “Ask the coaches. They’ll tell you the same thing.”
Pouncey explained doctors once told him he would be not able to play again, due to hip injuries.
“Honestly with the extent of my injury avascluar necrosis (in my hip) I was told my career was over at one point,” Pouncey said. “Just to be here going into Week 16 is a blessing honestly. A blessing.”
According to mayoclinic.com, avascular necrosis is the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply. Avascular necrosis can lead to tiny breaks in the bone and the bone’s eventual collapse. The blood flow to a section of bone can be interrupted if the bone is fractured or the joint becomes dislocated, according to the website.
On Wednesday, the Dolphins announced Pouncey is the team’s 2017 Ed Block Courage Award winner.
McTyer steps up: Torry McTyer was a pleasant surprise in the spring and summer, making the team as an undrafted rookie free agent out of UNLV.
On S unday i n Kans a s Ci t y, McTyer got his most extensive playing time of the season, taking 59 cornerback snaps after veteran Alterraun Verner left the game with a hamstring injury.
Verner was playing for Cordrea Tankersley, who had an ankle injury, who was playing for Byron Maxwell, who was released. Tony Lippett has also missed the season with an achilles injury.
Coaches are high on McTyer’s potential and he did not look out of place against the Chiefs.
“I think it went well,” McTyer said after the game. “But I felt like since we lost I felt like I could have done a little better. But it was definitely a good feeling to finally get out there and get my feet wet a little bit.”
McTyer said he believes he covered Tyreek Hill, Albert Wilson and Demarcus Robinson.
“I had no time to react,” McTyer said. “Just go out there and do my job. And do everything I can to help my team win.”
He said playing extensively after only six defensive back snaps previously (he’s a special teams contributor) helped his confidence.
“I would say a lot,” McTyer said. “Just proving that I can cover those guys. I can cover those guys. I can compete.”