Other pressing issues ahead of Seattle game

Part 2 of the Miami Dolphins’ pre-Seattle game letter on SI:

From Artie (@SoFlaArthur):

Is it possible to fix this OL this year?

Hey Artie, can you define “fix”? And is it possible that we overreact after a bad performance? If we expect this group to become a unit that will make a difference every week, don’t think that’s going to happen. They can absolutely become a solid group, so yes, it is possible to “fix” what went wrong against Buffalo.

From Mark Schoninger (@SchoningerMark):

Dolfans are pessimistic about Skylar Thompson being the QB1. Do you personally believe he has the ability to be like Scott Mitchell and reinvigorate the fan base?

Hey Mark, I understand why fans would be skeptical, but I also think it’s extremely unfair to make judgments on Thompson based on his rookie debut in the seventh round. the preseason or his appearance against Buffalo last week under ridiculous circumstances. So could he step up and have a big performance like Scott Mitchell did immediately after replacing Dan Marino in 1993, why is that impossible?

From Toby Marmorino (via email):

Hi Alan, Mike McDaniel has coached 38 games so far and he has yet to run a draw play! It drives me crazy that as soon as the linebackers don’t understand it’s a run play, they sprint back 10-15 yards to take the middle of the field; a draw play would gain at least 7-12 yards every time, but it never happens. I’ve told you this before, but it still baffles me. And he has not run a single trap play on offense either. If Tyreek Hill were to run to the left side of the field, Tyreek being left-handed, we would be able to slip a receiver behind the defense for a long touchdown. What do you think about him never running a draw play and the lack of any trap play? I understand that his entire offense is essentially a trap play, but I mean a real trap.

Hey Toby, I agree with you a lot more about the lack of draw plays, but I also understand that the offense doesn’t feature many deep dropbacks, so the defense might be in fashion, that’s something that happens with a sudden deep drop. Also, if it was as simple as calling a trap play and the result was a touchdown, don’t you think McDaniel would have done that already?

From Jeff (via email):

Do you think McDaniel is adjusting well to Skylar at QB? By that I mean throw left or right handed. A lot of the “quirks” in some of his starts seem to center around the fact that the plays aren’t reversed and Skylar has to turn around a lot more, which really throws off the timing and craftiness of McDaniel’s offense. Along those lines, do you think McDaniel is doing a good job adjusting his playbook to what’s happening on the field? What does the “eye test” tell you about play calls and what you’ve experienced over the years with different head coaches?

Hey Jeff, “some of his starts” is a bit of an exaggeration considering Thompson has made exactly three starts in his career (not counting the preseason). If Skylar is going to have timing and craftiness issues, it has more to do with him not processing things as quickly as Tua, which is certainly understandable given the different experience of the game. As for adapting to what the defense is doing, yeah, I think McDaniel does a good job, but that doesn’t mean I always like the way he plays. But the thing is, there is no perfect player and it’s very easy to question things when they’re not working. I will say that I called the weird play calls late in the first half against Buffalo on Thursday night while they were happening and not after because the lack of urgency baffled me.

From Basti (by email):

Hi Alan! With all this talk about the backup QB and picking Tyler Huntley, I was wondering: why are the Dolphins keeping Skylar as a backup when they clearly don’t trust him to run the offense when Tua is out for a few weeks? What’s the point of keeping Skylar or Mike White when you don’t want them to play in a crucial situation like the one we’re in? Why not go with a “competent” backup QB in the first place? I’m well aware that Huntley is a better QB than Thompson. But the point of having a backup is that you trust him to play well or at least average when called upon, right? Thanks in advance and greetings from Germany!

Hi Basti, the only people suggesting that the Dolphins don’t trust Thompson to run the offense are the fans and a few members of the media. I think the Dolphins trust Thompson; if not, then you’ve asked a very good question that no one could answer satisfactorily. This whole idea of ​​Huntley coming in to save the day struck me as very odd, to be honest. P.S. My question to you: My family and I have visited several countries in Europe over the last two summers, but not Germany; should we put that country on our list, and why? Thanks.

From Lloyd Heilbrunn (@LloydHeilbrunn):

So did the NFL push for Tua to be placed on injured reserve? If so, it needs to be investigated. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but why is he being treated differently than all the other NFL players who suffered 149 concussions this past regular season, according to their own data?

Hey Lloyd, I hate to break it to you, but you really do sound like a conspiracy theorist! LOL. No, I don’t believe the NFL asked the Dolphins to block Tua for four games. And let me add this, did you really want to see Tua back in action quickly if there was even the slightest chance he would come back too soon?

From Dave (@angryvet59):

I totally respect your analysis and opinions, but I disagree with the idea that the team can win with Thompson. Turnstile O-line. Bantam weight RB. McDaniel scheme found. What can this team do differently against a former Baltimore DC who beat Miami last season? I still love Podcast.

Hey Dave, I totally respect your disagreement with me. Let me address your points, starting with the “turnstile offensive line” because it didn’t look like that in the opener against Jacksonville, so I’m saying you’re overreacting to the Buffalo game. The “bantamweight” running back set an NFL record for yards per carry last year and rushed for over 150 all-purpose yards against the Bills. The scheme being drawn up is questionable, and it’s not like Mike McDaniel can’t add some extra wrinkles. What about the Baltimore DC “beating” Miami last year? You know the Dolphins rushed for 269 yards in the first half, right? So we’ll have to agree to disagree here.

From Wyomi_Dolphins (@GrizWald307):

What does this stretch tell us about McDaniel as a head coach of this franchise? Will this stretch of games be a defining moment for him as a head coach?

Yes, I’ve written about how these next four games are a referendum on how the roster was built in the offseason. and I might add that this is also a major test for Mike McDaniel. This is the moment for him to live up to his reputation as a great offensive mind.

From Jayco (@ljc7975):

They have averaged 14 points in their last 5 games played and have lost 10 of their last 14 away games. Has the league caught up with Mike McDaniel?

Hey Jayco, I’m not sure it’s that simple. There are a number of factors at play here since last season ended, including injuries, defenses adjusting and doing a better job of containing Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle (at times), and perhaps the team’s lack of physicality showing through at times. I’m not quite ready to say the league has caught up with McDaniel yet, though.

From Andy Bunting (@AndyB250):

Without Jordan Love, Matt LaFleur has come up with a plan to get the win. Should McDaniel follow that run-first approach, or do you trust Skylar to find receivers against really good cornerbacks? And is this an important moment for McDaniel to show he can do it in the face of adversity?

Hey Andy, if we can’t trust Thompson to find receivers, then why was he the backup in the first place? And if Tyreek and Waddle can’t stand out against really good cornerbacks, why did they get huge contracts this offseason? And, yes, as we saw in the previous question, this is absolutely a key period for McDaniel.

From Richard Hulme (@RichardHulme7):

Off topic, but do you think being under Ryan Fitzpatrick’s wing as a freshman influenced Tua in his attempt to run through tackles head first?

Hey Richard, congratulations on bringing this up, because this is the first I’ve heard it. And you know what, it would make sense, right? Tua is already a competitor, but it’s totally fair to wonder if watching Fitzpatrick try to bulldoze defenders had an effect on him. I also remember Tua driving straight at a Jets defender early in his career and knocking him over, which drove the fans crazy and made me think it wasn’t a good idea. So, yeah, it’s definitely possible. Great move on your part.