Flores’ anger after pivotal flag was about ‘the players’
First
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Third quarter
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Fourth quarter
LAR: Gurley 7 run (Zuerlein
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16 308 21-106 202 2-3 0-0 2-55 22-36-1 5-43 5-46.0 2-0 8-64 28:56
A:
26 455 35-162 293 2--1 2-35 1-0 22-32-2 0-0 3-50.7 0-0 3-20 31:04
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DAVIE — Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores didn’t want to speak much about the late pass-interference call against cornerback Nik Needham on Sunday following the 22-21 loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
On Monday, back at the Dolphins’ training facility, Flores reflected on his visible frustration with officials after the non-call on the field, which would’ve put the Jets in a fourth-and-18 situation for the game, was reversed upon review. The call, which Needham deemed “trash,” gave the Jets a new set of downs at the Miami 38-yard line and, after one more first down, set up Sam Ficken’s game-winning 44-yard field goal.
“I get over things pretty quickly,” Flores said. “Look, it’s an emotional game, and it’s not really my anger. It is my anger, but it’s for the players, you know? I’m upset for them because I watch them work on a day-to-day basis. I watch them meet and walk through. I see how important it is to them. I watch them lay it on the line for each other. That’s where that emotion comes from. This is not about me. I’m more about serving those players. That’s what that is.
“This isn’t about me at all. It’s about those players, the coaches, the cafeteria people and the equipment staff and everybody in this organization. We all put a lot into this. Winning is important to us.”
Players appreciated Flores taking a stand for them.
“You like to see that in your coach. That’s the head of our organization, coaching-wise,” said linebacker Raekwon McMillan. “He’s passionate about every thing he does, and he’s passionate about his team. He’s passionate about his players. He’s passionate about everybody in this building, so you see that from your head coach, it just pours out into the rest of the organization. We feel how he feels, the same way. We’re passionate about winning, and we just want to keep it rolling for him.”
Added receiver Isaiah Ford, who led the Dolphins with six catches for 92 yards with DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson sidelined due to concussions in the second quarter: “It means a lot to us for our head guy to kind of put it all on the line and go out there and to vouch for us when he feels like something was right or wrong or however he portrayed it to be. … On Sundays, we go out and put it all on the line for him, as well.”
Despite the call reversal, the Dolphins could’ve kept New York’s final field-goal attempt outside of 50 yards, but a Sam Darnold pass to Ty Montgomery set the Jets up for a more comfortable kick.
“There’s always calls that don’t go your way. I think, as a team, you’ve got to be able to deal with that adversity and be able to move past it,” Flores said. “Say what you want about the call, we still had an opportunity to get them stopped. We didn’t get it done.”
Earlier in the Jets’ final drive, Darnold threw a short pass to Vyncint Smith that Dolphins safety Steven Parker gambled on, going for the ball, and missed as Smith broke loose for 37 yards.
“Right there, I should’ve went for the tackle rather than going for the pick,” said Parker, who had his second career interception earlier Sunday. “I probably did a little bit too much as far as trying to be the hero. It’s plays like that that happen throughout this game that you learn from.
“I actually tipped that ball. I was super mad that I actually missed that pick because that was a play that, earlier, that we had ran and they threw it to the same side, everything, and I actually thought I was going to have a pick on that one. Same one that Nik Needham actually batted down. That was another one that we said, ‘That should’ve been another pick, as well.’ ”
That was a teaching moment for Flores to relay to Parker , a second-year player out of Oklahoma, after the loss.
“A lot of plays come down to this much,” said Flores, holding his thumb and index finger close to each other. “It’s the National Football League, so when we talk about details and we talk about alignment and we talk about reading your keys, we don’t say that for no reason. A great example, not only for Parker, but for everyone, everyone on the team.
“Most times, that’s what it is between what’s a sack and a 40-yard play. In that case, that’s an interception or a breakup, catch-no catch. That’s your margin.”
Flores offered his general thoughts on how the NFL’s new rule to give officials access to review passinterference calls has gone.
“Every week, I think the officials do a really good job. It’s not an easy job for them,” Flores said. “I think, every week, there’s good calls, calls that some people don’t think are very good, but in this game, it’s about overcoming adversity.”