Matt Moore looking to compete for Miami’s starting QB role
Although the Miami Dolphins may have signed Jay Cutler to one-year contract, back-up Matt Moore is still ready to compete to prove that his is the guy to lead the team.
Matt Moore is a leader in the locker room. He has earned the respect of his peers. He has chemistry with Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, and Kenny Stills. Something that newcomer Jay Cutler doesn’t.
Moore stepped up last year for injured Ryan Tannehill. Of the four games he played in, he started four. His completion percentage was 63.2. He threw for 721 yards, with 8 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and a passer rating of 105.6.
In the Dolphins playoff lost to the Steelers, Matt Moore completed 29 of his 36 passes for 289 yards. He finished the game with one touchdown and one interception. Without the injuries to Miami’s defense and offense, I believe Moore would have been able to pull out a victory that game.
Many have labeled Matt Moore as a “gunslinger”. Offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen decribed a gunslinger as someone who isn’t afraid to come in and make things happen. He doesn’t make stupid mistakes, but he doesn’t play conservative.
That describes Moore perfectly. He isnt’ afraid to launch the deep ball to any of the Miami Dolphins wide receivers. With this being Matt Moore’s 10th season in the NFL, him turning 33 on Wednesday, this could be his last shot to start for an NFL team.
After today’s practice, Moore was asked about the signing of Jay Cutler, his communication with Adam Gase about the decision and more. The full transcript if Matt Moore’s interview is below courtesy of MiamiDolphins.com.
Monday, August 7, 2017
QB Matt Moore
(You said after Saturday’s scrimmage that it was business as usual. Is that still the same mentality today?) – “Yes. I mean really, that’s the approach. It’s kind of the same message. In training camp, there’s tons to work on; there’s tons going on obviously, so I’m singing the same old song. It’s getting better every day, learning from the previous day, working with the guys that are here now and that’s my mindset.”
(Based on that, do you believe it’s open competition?) – “I think I’ve been in this league long enough to know that you compete every day. Whether there’s a depth chart or not, you’re competing every day with yourself, with your teammates, and that makes you better.”
(Have you ever asked yourself ‘Why not me?’) – “I don’t have time for that. I’m grinding. I’m working on things. I’m improving from last year and looking forward to the future.”
(How did you find out that they would be bringing in another quarterback?) – “I talked to (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase. We had a nice conversation and he told me what was going on, and that was it.”
(Can you share the message Head Coach Adam Gase gave you?) – “It was very simple. (It was) very straightforward and I get it. I understand; but it wasn’t very Hollywood. It was just pretty straightforward.”
(You’ve obviously been doing this awhile, as you mentioned. You thought this might be your chance to have a team to start for 16 games. It has to be on some level disappointing for you.) – “You know what? This is a team sport and you guys know this, I’ve been with this organization for a long time and have been a team guy and I’m, like I said, (focused on) training camp. My focus is getting better and working with the guys that are here.”
(Is it still viewed as a competition for the starting job?) – “Always. Like I said it before, you compete every day. And other guys … Everybody makes you better around you. You compete every day and you try to be at your best when the season starts.”