Monday Media Transcript: DL Dexter Lawrence

DL Dexter Lawrence II -- September 16, 2019


Q: What happened on that field goal penalty?
A: They said I hit the guy, I guess, too much. Then they threw the flag.


Q: I assume you know that rule and didn’t think you were breaking it?
A: Yeah, I didn’t intentionally try to hit him. I was just trying to cross his face and get to the other gap, but I’m big so I take up a lot of space. I just so happened to hit him.


Q: Did you think that was a raw deal you got?
A: A raw deal? Well I guess he felt like the guy was in danger, or something like that, with his head down— so he just threw the flag.


Q: A lot of people actually look at that penalty and say, ‘you know what, even though it’s written in stone, maybe they should let up on it sometimes.’ Like a play like that which there is no harm done.
A: I don’t have anything to do with that. I know what I have to do, and I try to do it to the best of my abilities. I hit him a little bit, so that’s their job to throw the flag if they feel like they should throw it.


Q: You personally seemed to be in the backfield a lot on the pass rush. Do you feel like you took a step in the right direction?
A: I am just trying to get better. I want to pressure the quarterback, I want to get sacks, so that’s my intention when I step on the field. Just do what I’m good at— and that’s wreak havoc and make plays.


Q: Has this adjustment in the first two games and the development been slower, faster, about the same, or more difficult than you thought it would be?
A: I don’t know. I think I’m pretty prepared just from what I’ve been going against in practice in the offseason. Those guys got me ready for the regular season. I feel like it’s just me going out there and just proving it and showing it.


Q: You can see it coming?
A: Yeah, I’d agree with that.


Q: You’ve been in a program that doesn’t lose a lot, is it kind of an adjustment to lose?
A: I mean I have lost before. It’s just not to keep letting it happen. It has to stop somewhere. It just takes everybody believing, the whole team in all three phases, special teams, offense and defense, believing that we can win and believing in each other. Getting a team morale and just going out there and playing football.


Q: The first six quarters of the season weren’t that great, but in the second half yesterday, you guys, as a defense, played better. Did you feel that way?
A: Yeah, we felt that way. You have to start like that. Even in between the beginning and the end, in the middle you have to play like that as well. It’s just about consistency.


Q: How much trouble did you guys have once (Buffalo Bills Quarterback) Allen got outside the pocket? It seemed like on the run, maybe you flushed him out a couple of times, but it seemed like his mobility gave you guys some trouble.
A: We just have to work on our edges. We all have to continue our responsibility— cage him up, keep him in the pocket, get him a little bit uncomfortable. Little things like that we have to work on. That’s just with our rush discipline.


Q: Are those plays frustrating? Do you feel like, ‘oh, we did our job we flushed him out of the pocket,’ but then he makes a play on the run?
A: It happens. Like I said, it just comes to the front just not putting all of that stress on the back seven like that. That’s when they start making up their routes. That’s on us to cage them in and keep them contained.


Q: Do you scratch your head on third downs? Because the other teams are getting almost 50% against you guys.
A: Yeah, that’s definitely a focal point that we need to improve. Getting off the field on third downs and not extending drives. We addressed it, and now it’s just up to us to fix it.