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Transcript: Mike Smith post-practice interview

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**On the one thing he wants to see the most going into the third preseason game:

**"Consistency, that's probably the biggest that I'd like to see. I'd like to see consistency in everything we do. I'm not just talking about the players; I'm talking coaching staff as well. We just need to be very, very consistent and play efficient football. Those are the two things that are the big things for us this week."

**On if the outcome of this game matters more because of the game-planning and extended playing time for starters:

**"The outcome matters every time we go play in terms of whether it's a preseason or regular season game. We're playing to win. We just have a different rotation in mind. We really want to win the football game but most importantly we want to see our guys go out play efficient football. Do their job and do what they're capable of doing and make plays when they are presented."

**On how different the evaluation process of the third preseason game is:

**"I think it's very important for a number of guys on our team. When you get this far along they should have a pretty good idea of your schemes so they should be able to play faster. That's the thing that we really want to see. Sometimes early on it's difficult to evaluate those guys because their heads are swimming. Right now, we've got to cut down, we've got to compartmentalize to a weekly game-plan. Those are the things that will be important for the young guys."

**On getting DT Peria Jerry back:

**"It's going to be an opportunity for us to evaluate where Peria is. This will be his first full speed action. He's worked extremely hard to get back into this position and I know he's excited about the opportunity to play. We'll get him in, in limited snaps this week. It won't be the whole 30 or 35 that the starters are playing. Of course, the defensive line will be in a rotation the entire game."

**On playing against another 3-4 defense and if it is helpful to plan for 3-4 defenses in the regular season:

**"I think it will be invaluable this week in getting our third week in a row to face a 3-4 and three of our first four opponents are 3-4 teams. Again, you just don't know what you're going to get schematically even though you're game-planning. Everybody's holding for the regular season. Every coaching staff in the League has spent the offseason working on things and they're going to show some things in the preseason, some things they're going to hold back. I think that's the fun part of this preseason, it's almost like a poker game."

**On the possibility of the season expanding to 18 games:

**"My thoughts, I've said, is I think an 18-game, enhanced season is good for everybody. I always have believed, when you play a game it should count and count on your record. Right now, we've got four preseason games that don't count on your record. I know the guys like to go out and compete. I think playing 18 games will enhance the League. It will enhance the level of play and I really believe that with two preseason games, and I may not be the only one that thinks this, you can get your team ready."

**On whether or not two preseason games are enough to evaluate the players:

**"I believe it is. I think you have to do things that we looked at this year in terms of working against other teams. We ended up having six practices in our training camp this year against other teams. That would be an opportunity to evaluate those guys. I think if they do cut down the preseason to two games, I think you'll see more and more teams having combined practices and working against each other."

**On what he wants to see from CB Dunta Robinson and RB Jerious Norwood:

**"I would like for those guys to come out, and again it will be their first action this season, and no different than what we're seeing from the other guys. Just come out and play efficient football. It's the biggest tune-up in the preseason in terms of the number of snaps that our guys are going to play and we want to see them play well. It's going to be our first road trip so it's going to be an opportunity for our guys to experience the first of three road trips for our team."

**On how similar he expects the Dolphins' offense to be with QB Chad Henne and not QB Chad Pennington:

**"I think it will be very similar. Looking at what they've done here in the preseason there's not a whole lot of differences. Chad Henne is a different quarterback in terms of his arm strength so I think we may see more deep balls. I think they have a little bit of a different personnel. When you add WR Brandon Marshall into the mix you add a receiver that you have to defend. You may have to do some things schematically if you were playing them in the regular season that you would want to take him away. Their tight ends, I think TE Anthony Fasano had a very good game last week against Jacksonville. I don't see a whole lot of changes. Of course you always have to be prepared for their wildcat offense with RB Ronnie Brown being healthy and even the possibility of QB Pat White. I know that he didn't play in the game last week, but we've got to prepare that they may come out and run some of their wildcat offense with a quarterback and not a running back in that position, which we saw last year in our season opener."

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