Hungry Dolphins Fans Should Be Craving For More Tua

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Ok, I’ll say what everyone else was thinking: I was really hoping that the stat line in Tua Tagovailoa’s first pro-career start would be something like 20-25, 250 yards, and 3 touchdowns topped off with 3 rushes for 30 yards and a rushing touchdown that had him carrying Aaron Donald on his back like Bo Jackson with Brian Bosworth. Tua would be smiling that contagious smile, dancing on the sidelines to reggaeton, and playfully bantering with Ryan Fitzpartrick and the squad of Fitzpatrick children. Of course, this would be all in a Dolphins victory.

 

Well, I got the Dolphins victory part correct.

 

The Miami Dolphins beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-17 in a game that should not have been as close as the score seems to indicate whenever people review the headlines Monday morning. That incredible first half was all that I could have asked for, though I was hoping Chan Gailey would break out the Statue of Liberty play or throw in a flea flicker. Nope. Not on the menu.

 

Dolphins fans, this was enjoyable to watch despite the cardiac nature of the finish. The constant pressure put on Jared Goff via well-timed, excellently executed blitzes was such a marvel. There was even a Jakeem Grant sighting as he returned a punt for a touchdown. Heck, even Andrew Van Ginkel got in on the act. Who out there would’ve expected that?

 

Despite all of the pyrotechnics of the first half, this was the Tua game. This game had the hype of Tua but the aftertaste of a very satisfying complete team victory. But truth be told, I really wanted more Tua. We all wanted more Tua.

 

As Miami Dolphins fans, we are so starved for a QB to give us a Dan Marino-eque lift that we glom onto anyone that feels like will come within the same time zone of that possibility. We all know that Tua represents the best chance of quelling that hunger. And no, I did not feel that way with Ryan Tannehill, though I am happy he is enjoying success in Tennessee, having rid himself of the Adam Gase stink.

 

Tua is different. He comes with a pedigree and a resume of success that we have not recently seen in a QB we have drafted since, dare I say, Chad Henne? Was he the closest?

 

In this, the seventh game of the season, we were given the opportunity to see it all come together. But rather than it be the showcasing of a franchise changing QB, we were gifted a team that came together very Voltron-like to get the dub. You’re lying if you weren’t wanting Tua and what he accomplished in his first game to be the headline for all of the major networks. We wanted to get drunk off of the coverage.

 

Rest easy Dolphins fans, there will be opportunities for more. Chan Gailey isn’t going to horde the meatier, tastier parts of the playbook. I am willing to bet that it is going to be a buffet of play calls. Chan was kind enough to tip his hand with that Wildcat play as a tease of things to come. Sure on that play Aaron Donald engulfed Malcolm Perry and Malcolm Perry’s entire family, but it was a taste. And a staple of all the upcoming menus will be Tua Tagovailoa.

 

We were robbed of several promising drives that could have given us a longer look at the Tua possibilities had it not been for some uncharacteristic dropped passes courtesy of Preston Williams. That will be a bitter taste if only because it would have also been more live reps as he acclimates to the rigors of professional life, pro-players, and his own teammates.

 

Fear not, it will come with time.

 

Dolphins fans, if you are in any way down because the stat line was not what you had hoped or that you were deprived of a Marvel Cinematic Universe level debut, I think we can take pause. I think it’s safe to say that we should take a pause for several weeks. One game does not a career make. 

 

The fact that this all came in a victory where all three areas of the team–offense, defense, and special teams–contributed to scores and excelled makes us both sated and yet wanting more. Our hunger is magnified because this victory came as a result of a complete team effort. We’re all thinking, “Man what if Tua had just gone stat machine crazy out there?”

 

But much of the offense looked rather pedestrian, as per the stats. The most exciting play on offense besides Tua’s first touchdown pass, a three yarder to Devante Parker, came on the second play of the game. And it wasn’t exciting in the traditional sense.

 

I took a long gasp as Aaron Donald did Aaron Donald things, driving Tua and causing a fumble. I was like a corner man yelling for his boxer to get up, which he did. But with no pre-season and red jerseys in practice, it was good for him to get the rust off and get the first contact out of the way. The first drive was pretty difficult to swallow.

 

Over a year ago, before wearing a mask was a polarizing test of one’s citizenship, I wrote about how I really wanted newly acquired QB Josh Rosen to succeed. He was a high draft pick with a good arm and the smarts. Looking on the menu of quarterbacks who were drafted that year, I told myself, “Why not try it out?”

 

I can play the hindsight game now and say that the Rosen one was not the Chosen One. This is to illustrate just how desperate we were as fans. 

 

It also illustrated just how low we had set the bar. It has since been raised.

 

Stats be damned, I believe we have sushi grade Tua. There is a swagger that is all confidence and toes nowhere near arrogance. Once he has his sea legs under him, he will exude even more confidence and it will be infectious.

 

I may not 100 percent trust the organization to properly handle dispensing the news of starting Tua to incumbent starter Ryan Fitzpatrick or even septuagenarian offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.  But I do trust this staff in handling him properly. I do trust that the training wheels will come off much sooner than we think and the order of the day will be a healthy dose of Hall of Fame trending Miami Dolphins quarterback not named Marino or Griese.

 

Sounds pretty damn appetizing to me.

 

Next week and in the weeks to come, Dolphins fans we will feast.

Tua Tagovailoa wins in his first NFL start for the Dolphins.

Pressure Point: Dolphins’ defense picks up Tua; he’ll return the favor

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Of all the likely scenarios for Tua Tagovialoa’s first career start for the Dolphins, what transpired Sunday was beyond imagination.

Consider: The Dolphins win convincingly against a good Los Angeles Rams team, 28-17, and the vaunted rookie quarterback is limited to a supporting role.

Dolfans tuned in Sunday to see if the franchise has finally ended its long search for a quarterback to lead in pursuit of a championship. They received a better answer: It was another indication that the Dolphins have finally found the coach for that objective.

The occasion will be remembered as Tagovailoa’s first NFL start and first win. More significant, it pushed the Dolphins (4-3) above .500 for the first time in Brian Flores’ two seasons as Dolphins coach.

Tua didn’t dazzle, as fans and South Florida media were hoping he would. He had a shaky beginning, getting strip-sacked on his first drop-back, yielding a fumble that gifted the Rams a 7-0 lead.

His longest completion was for 15 yards. But he consistently showed the accurate touch that enabled him to post the NCAA record passing rating while at Alabama.

Modest first step for Tua

It wasn’t a debut performance that portended greatness. But Tagovailoa displayed the skill and poise to suggest he’ll be fine once he settles in.

“We have a lot of confidence in him,” Flores said. “Obviously, it’s his first NFL game against a real good defense. They’re hard to move the ball on. You’ve got to take that into account as well.

“The rest of the players on the team picked him up. Tua’s going to pick us up at some point. It’s a team game. We’re going to pick each other up.”

That’s the encouraging part for Dolphins fans. They came for Tua’s debutante ball. They were treated to an extravaganza of defense.

The Dolphins D did what the Brian Flores-led Patriots’ defense did in shutting down Jared Goff and the Rams in Super Bowl 53 just before he took the Dolphins’ job.

What stood out Sunday was how far the Miami defense has come since the beginning of the season, turning in a dominant performance for the third consecutive game — all double-digit victories.

Dolphins defense dazzles

The Dolphins created four turnovers in the first half, including Andrew Van Ginkel’s 78-yard return of a fumble recovery for a touchdown. The defense took over the game after Tagovailoa was stripped of the ball by Rams otherworldly defender Aaron Donald on his first attempt to pass.

Throw in a stunning 88-yard punt return by Jakeem Grant and it was 28-7 Miami in a blink of an eye.

Tua’s contribution was leading a 33-yard touchdown drive following one of the takeaways, capped by a 3-yard toss over the middle to DeVante Parker on the final play of the first quarter.

Show of hands: How many in the Tua’s First TD Pass Sweepstakes had No. 1 to No. 11 on 11/1?

It was a dart through a tight window from the pocket to Parker over the middle.

“That was really fun. It always feels good throwing a touchdown and being able to celebrate with your team, and teammates on the sideline are celebrating as well,” Tagovailoa said of his first touchdown since throwing for 88 in his college career.

“It’s not easy scoring against a defense like that. But just enjoying the moment every time. And I’m keeping the ball.”

Aside from that, Tagovailoa wasn’t asked to do a lot, as offensive coordinator Chan Gailey called a conservative game. The big lead made that possible.

Shades of Super Bowl 53

It was an odd game in that instead of it being in the hands of the quarterback, it was the Dolphins defense that controlled the game.

The defense was on the field for an astounding 92 plays, to only 48 for the Tua-led offense.

It is tough to remember when it was so much fun to watch a Dolphins defense. The unit pressured and befuddled Goff with a variety of looks, much like Flores’ Patriots defense did in the Super Bowl win. Two transplants from that Super Bowl crew, Elandon Roberts and Kyle Van Noy, were key contributors. Eric Rowe, another former Patriot, had an interception and should have had another for a pick-6.

They forced Goff to fumble twice, deflected several of his passes and intercepted two of them.

Goff threw 61 passes, completed 35 for 355 yards, but had subpar passer rating of 65.9.

Tua completed 12 of 22 for 93 yards, with a passer rating of 80.3. There were four drops — Preston Williams dropped two on one series. Myles Gaskin somehow dropped another right in the midsection that prevented a first-down conversion when the Dolphins were trying to run out the clock in the fourth quarter.

“We won the game. Again, it’s a team game — I can’t stress that enough. It’s not a one-man show. I think he made enough plays for us to win the ballgame,” Flores said of Tagovailoa.

Rude welcome to the NFL for Tua

The main thing that Tua accomplished Sunday was getting the first-game jitters out of the way.

Remember, this was the first full game he has played in nearly a year. In between, there was a major injury that jeopardized his career. And there were no preseason games, due to COVID, to get acclimated to the NFL.

Notably, Tagovailoa took the rude welcome as an NFL starter by Donald and Co. in stride.

“That was a good hit. It’s football,” he said. “Tried to step up and make the throw, and Donald swiped at the ball behind me. I don’t know who the guy was that took me off my feet and pretty much body-slammed me. But hey, that’s football.

“I’m not going to lie, I did enjoy getting hit that first time.”

Now that that’s out of the way, Tua can focus on making his presence felt against upcoming opponents.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Season Ticket: It was a Start, and for Tua, Surging Dolphins, it’s Sufficient

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MIAMI GARDENS — What this could have been.

That was the thought on the approach to Hard Rock, where nary a brake was necessary on the Turnpike ride, off the ramp, into the finally-promising future of what was once the signature franchise in South Florida. What this could have been, if not for the global pandemic that has stopped so many lives in their tracks, waiting for some better day. What could have been, if the buzz in this town for a new Dolphins beginning, in living rooms across four counties, could be sanitarily matched in sports bars and the stadium, so more than 13,000 or so could be on hand for local football history, the official unveiling of the most important player of this franchise’s past two decades?

What this could have been.

But in a year of “if onlys,” we’ll take what we can, and so, in so many ways, the Tua Tagovailoa starting debut, in the seventh game of this weird but increasingly interesting 2020 Miami Dolphins season, was about as much as we could reasonably expect. His performance wasn’t spectacular in any sense, certainly not to his standards with all of 93 yards in Chan Gailey’s Bubble-wrapped gameplan, as he acknowledged afterwards. But we’ll take it, won’t we? Take the 28-17 win? Take the 4-3 record in an open AFC East, with the Bills scuffling and the Patriots sinking and the Jets Gase-ing? Take the hope? Take the small pleasures, in seeing his read a defense properly, in seeing him stand up after his first hit (“I did enjoy getting hit that first time; that was definitely a welcome”), in seeing him walking off a winner at the end, his mother’s eyes wet in a skybox?

“I don’t think I played to the standard of what this offense was capable of,” Tagovailoa said, after completing 12 of just 22 passes, with Miami accruing just eight first downs compared to 31 for Los Angeles.

Maybe it was somewhat on him. But the drops held him back, four in all, of he would have thrown for closer to 130 or 140 yards than his sub-100 total. So, seemingly, did Gailey. The extreme conservativism in the play-calling made it seem at times as if Tua had been elevated prior to Gailey rendering him ready, though the sizable lead likely contributed to some of the caution. Why push it if you didn’t need to, especially with the receivers struggling so much? As long as the Dolphins had enough upright defenders  — and that was an open question with the 93 snaps they were forced to play — Miami might have enough to survive the day, even against a team that entered 5-2.

“We played a lot of defense today,” Flores said. “Guys were a little bit gassed at the end. I can talk about conditioning now.”

He could say that with a smile, because he knows what he has here. The defense, which appeared leaky at the start of the season, with free agents struggling to acclimate, suddenly looks lethal, confounding the flustered Jared Goff with more unique, twisted looks than Khloe Kardashian’s had.

Miami has allowed fewer points than any other NFL team, and GM Chris Grier is on an even better run.

The biggest plays of the game were made by players he’s trusted, from 2019 fifth-round linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, running with a fumble like his Viking hair was on fire, to 2019 first-round defensive tackle Christian Wilkins showing better hands than anyone on offense, to free agent picks Emmanuel Ogbah, Shaq Lawson and Kyle Van Noy all taking part in enormous plays. The Dolphins’ defense is now on offense for the first time since Jason Taylor by far was the best 99 in football, not the guy (Aaron Donald) who is now, and stripped Tagovailoa on his very first series.

It could have gotten worse from there, and Tagovailoa’s second possession wasn’t much more productive, when after a quick slant completion to Preston Williams there was miscommunication on a stop route by DeVante Parker. The receivers couldn’t consistently get separation and, when they did, Williams in particular couldn’t catch. But again, the defense was doing enough, and when Jakeem Grant exploded for a punt return touchdown, the team-record fifth return touchdown of his short career, the Dolphins could reel it in even more offensively.

Along the way, Tagovailoa made some zippy timing throws, one to Duncan Smythe and another to Grant, but the timing that mattered most was the clock ticking down. Escaping. Getting to the next game, against surging Arizona and their own smallish franchise quarterback Kyler Murray, in one piece.

Tagovailoa called his first starting experience “fun,” and said he planned to keep the ball from his first touchdown, a 3-yard dart to Parker, who made the best receiving adjustment of the afternoon. But this is a guy who would throw for more yards on the first two Alabama drives than he did all of this Sunday, so he won’t kid himself. He needs to recognize pressure from the middle faster, and to prepare for even more than the coaches outline in practice, after saying that the Rams threw some unexpected alignments at him.

“I’ve heard it many times from the guys in the locker room, it’s good that we still came out with the win,” Tagovailoa said. “Aside from that, thank God we got a good defense.”

He told the defense the fumble was his fault, an extension of the leadership he showed from the start, as when he was grabbing teammates by the shoulders as they finished warmups and headed toward the tunnel. He has charisma and toughness. That’s a start. That will get respect, as it got Ryan Fitzpatrick’s, even as hurt as Fitzpatrick was by the quarterback switch, the announcement of which was the rare thing the organization has bungled of late, with the leak of that made well over Brian Flores’ head, with someone high up telling the wrong friend who told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Flores has earned trust with everything he’s done thus far in his Dolphins tenure, which now includes a 9-7 record over his past 16 games, and improvement in several areas every week. He has earned the right to raise Tagovailoa as he sees fit, and in that sense, this was an auspicious start.

Remember, Tagovailoa’s closest NFL comp, Russell Wilson, averaged just 184 yards passing in his first six NFL starts, back in 2012.

Through the first six games of 2020, Wilson has averaged 315 yards.

Even for the best, it doesn’t happen overnight.

“What was the plan?” Flores said. “You can go through a lot of different scenarios… But the plan was to play good, efficient football. There’s some things we need to correct but it’s good to make those corrections after a victory.”

Corrections will be made.

Obstacles will be still be encountered.

But you could feel the start of something here Sunday, something that could last decades rather than years, something this place has needed as a worthy complement to the more successful Heat. There is hope here, one of the few places it seems to still exist. There was a kid wearing No. 1 who has a chance to be that guy in this town, and that one touchdown, even if only three yards, and one of only 12 completions, will likely long be remembered by those who bore witness.

You only wish there could have been more of them.

 

Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) has covered South Florida sports since 1996 and is now the CEO of Five Reasons Sports Network. 

Jason Sanders

Fresh Perspective: What makes Jason Sanders a great Dolphins kicker

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The Miami Dolphins have a long history of finding great kickers. Think back to the days of Uwe von Schamann, Garo Yepremian, Pete Stoyanovich, Olindo Mare. All of these kickers made a name for themselves wearing a Miami uniform. Mare is arguably the most notable of the bunch. However, the team now has a young kicker making the case he can be the greatest Dolphins kicker ever. Jason Sanders, 7th round pick out of New Mexico. The best going away present former special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi could have given his old team.

In just three years in the league, Sanders has already surpassed both Mare and Stoyanovich in both field goals made and attempted in a single game (seven and eight for Sanders, respectively), as well as consecutive field goals to start a season with 17. All he has to do to beat Mare’s all-time consecutive field goal record, set in 1999, is make three more field goals without missing.

But what makes Jason Sanders such a special kicker? How, after a mere two and a half seasons, is Sanders already in the conversation for best Dolphins kicker of all time?

“The biggest thing that differentiates Jason (Sanders) from any other kicker I’ve ever trained is his unique mental makeup.” said Brent Grablachoff, Sanders’ private kicking coach. “He’s the most even-keeled, neutral emotion kicker I’ve ever coached, which besides his polished fundamentals and form is what makes him so successful in his craft. He approaches every kick the same, and negative thoughts and feelings don’t get a chance to clutter his mind.

“Even the most mentally apt kicker, I feel, if things are happening around them … it’s going to affect them, at least a little. Every kick is a new kick, and the previous kick is in the past, and no longer a concern. That’s the mentality you have to have to be a successful kicker; and Jason owns that mentality.”

 

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Appreciate @kickingworld for the fine tuning! Been there since the beginning dating all the way back to high school days.

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Since founding his kicking camp – Kicking World – back in 2008, Grablachoff has worked with aspiring football kickers and punters ranging from nine years old all the way to pro level ages, and travels the country training over a thousand students a year in over 30 states. In Sanders’ case, Grablachoff has been working with him since his high school days.

Even today, Grablachoff still works with Sanders in the offseason. Sanders breaking franchise records and getting honors like AFC Special Teams Player of the Month makes no difference. However, it isn’t just Grablachoff who took notice of Sanders’ ability to stay focused. Back in 2018, Darren Rizzi cited that as one of the biggest reasons he was drafted.

“You have to have a really, really level-headed demeanor.” Rizzi said. “You can’t really be a roller coaster guy in terms of personality. I really think Jason Sanders was a really good fit from that standpoint. I’m not talking anything about his talent or his kicking ability; but I really think he’s got a really good approach of the game. I think he’s really mature above his years. I think a lot of that factors into it. That’s why certainly he takes the field with confidence every time whether it’s practice or out here during training camp, OTAs or on Sunday.”

Then of course there’s head coach Brian Flores, who also has an appreciation for the art of kicking.

“I started in the kicking game.” Flores said on October 15. “That’s where I got my break in coaching. I know and understand how important those guys in those positions are, whether it’s kicker, punter, long snapper, returners, ball security and things of that nature … Jason has done a great job. I think it’s important to him that he continues to improve and get better and continue with his consistency. That’s been good thus far and we need to just keep going in this direction. Yes, I’m very pleased at where he is, and the job he’s done really on field goals but also kickoffs. He’s done a good job from that standpoint. Just every day, just his attitude and work ethic on a day-to-day basis, he’s really done a good job really since I’ve been here.”

With this in mind, one has to wonder why Sanders struggled somewhat in college. Obviously, Rizzi saw something in Jason Sanders no one else did. Why else would the Miami Dolphins spend a draft pick on him? Still, how does someone go from a 71.4 percent field goal percentage in college to one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL?

Grablachoff offers a possible explanation.

“The thing that coach Rizzi knew and that I knew and that was also understood by another sharp AFC Special Teams coach I spoke with during evaluations, was a lot of times the misses were operational misses.” Grablachoff said. “If you watch video, the careful eye could decipher that on many of the misses Jason was getting the laces. The laces of the football were either aimed at him or aimed to the side, or the ball wasn’t optimally set up. It doesn’t necessarily mentally screw up the kicker, but physics prevail. If the ball is tilted sub-optimally or the laces are aiming left or right of target, or toward where your foot strikes the ball, it’s going to negatively affect the ball flight, trajectory, and distance of the kick.”

The physics of how field goals work is something that rarely ever comes to the minds of fans. However, bringing it up may actually answer a question that many fans are still wholly confused about. In the 6th round of the 2020 NFL draft, the Dolphins selected long snapper Blake Ferguson. That was with several skill players still available that could make a potentially immediate impact. The decision had many analysts scratching their heads, wondering why Miami would use a 6th round pick on a long snapper of all things.

“Once Jason got the opportunity to crack into the league, among the top 32 kickers and punters in the league he was rewarded with nearly perfect snaps and holds every time” Grablachoff said. “Matt Haack has done a phenomenal job, and I know that has made a huge difference in the field goal percentage rate. After evaluating game film and talking with Jason, the new long snapper has done a heck of a job this year too. That’s further helped the optimization of the snap, hold and kick operation which has equated to impressive kicking statistics this season thus far.”

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It’s very possible that Brian Flores also knew how important the long snapper is to the kicking game. Hence the 6th round investment in rookie long snapper Blake Ferguson. All of this is information that never gets talked about. Kicking is all but an afterthought in the NFL, and there’s more to it than anyone realizes. There’s also much more work that goes into being an elite kicker than anyone knows.

“One thing that maybe outsiders may not know is with a kicker, you don’t just kick 100-plus kicks a day and leave.” Grablachoff said. “Most of the training session is focused on drills. A lot of these kicking drills are stationary where we focus on making good foot to ball contact. It’s very similar to a golfer, where the club face needs to strike the ball at the correct angle. It’s similar as a placekicker. But the correct spot of the foot needs to make contact on the correct spot of the ball, and at just the right angle.

“More than half of Jason’s kicking practices are focused on drills & tactical planning than it is monotonously kicking balls. As Jason’s brothers are both involved in the military, as were both of my uncles and grandfather, I’ll give you an analogy to war. The kicker is the sniper and has to make each shot count … a one shot, one kill philosophy if you will.”

It’s clear that Jason Sanders takes what he does very seriously. But that doesn’t mean he’s all work and no play. All the proof anyone needs of this is the remarkable fake field goal last season where Sanders caught a touchdown pass from punter Matt Haack. Sanders has a very neutral mindset when kicking. But the utter joy on his face when he caught that touchdown shows that Sanders loves what he does with a passion.

“It was pretty wild,” Grablachoff said about the play. “He was getting inundated with interviews that day, so much that the son of a gun didn’t have time to get back with me after. I was mad at him, jokingly, because I wanted to do a live interview on our Instagram page that night. But he said his voice was hoarse from all the reporters’ questions. So, I didn’t get to talk to him until the next day about the play. It was pretty funny and unexpected to see live.

“And of course, I pick up my phone ten minutes later and have dozens of DMs, shares, and tweets to attend to … it went viral immediately and it was pretty neat to see the exposure for the Fins’ lonesome kicker/punter duo. Then seeing Jason and Matt (Haack) earn the NFL Play of the Year at the end of year award ceremony was pretty awesome.”

While it may not be news to hear that a player is hard-working, getting a behind-the-scenes look at what that means is very interesting. Jason Sanders shows poise with his kicks that hasn’t been seen in a very long time. Not since Olindo Mare.

Will Sanders eventually miss? Probably. But with the kicking team Miami has put together, it may be quite a while before that happens. There’s always that possibility that Sanders will put together a perfect season. But, Sanders’ mental makeup is still intact, and he refuses to get ahead of himself and lose that focus.

“That’s the goal, right? You want to walk out being 100 percent.” Sanders said in mid-October. “For me, when the season is over, it’s a good time to reflect on what you did during the season … It’s a long season. That’s kind of why I want to stay on the same line right now just going forward.”

If Sanders is successful in his goal, then in time, he may just break more records. And perhaps, prove himself the best kicker the Miami Dolphins have ever had.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

trade deadline

Fresh Perspective: Top 3 potential trade deadline targets for Miami Dolphins

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As the trade deadline quickly approaches, the Miami Dolphins have some interesting possibilities to explore. With Tua Tagovailoa set to make his debut as Miami’s starter, the future is now. But the future is also still the future, and there are players available to acquire that could help the Dolphins now and in the years to come. General Manager Chris Grier has proven he’s willing to make deals when he sees an opportunity. The draft day trade for quarterback Josh Rosen comes to mind.

Obviously, any acquisitions need to be at a good price. Miami shouldn’t try to trade simply for the sake of trading. Nonetheless, part of being a GM is doing due diligence. Here, we shall take a look at the top three players who could potentially find roles with the Dolphins if they were acquired.

DL Quinnen Williams – New York Jets

The New York Jets are a miserable 0-7 and are on the fast track to drafting Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. As such, the Jets are in a prime position to be sellers at the November 3 trade deadline. They have already traded defensive tackle Steve McLendon and a 2023 7th round draft pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 2022 6th round draft pick. So at the risk of accusations of tanking, New York needs to build up draft capital to create a decent team around Lawrence.

Probably their most valuable piece – aside from QB Sam Darnold – is second-year defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Coming out of Alabama in 2019, Williams was considered the most dominant interior defensive lineman in all of college football before the Jets drafted him 3rd overall. He dominated one-on-one blocking, held his own against double-teams, and most felt he still hadn’t even reached his ceiling.

So why would he even be available for trade with all that in mind? Simply put, Williams has had a somewhat disappointing start to his career. In the 13 games he played for New York in his rookie season, Williams only contributed 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks. For someone projected to be the best defensive lineman in football in a few years, that’s not the stat line teams hope for. He has improved so far in 2020, already recording three sacks in seven games. But he’s not making a difference in whether the Jets win or lose. Also, there are some analysts who believe that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has misused Quinnen Williams so a good offer may be enough to shake him loose.

This is a two-fold situation. The Miami Dolphins need defensive tackle depth with the loss of Davon Godchaux to injury. Not only that, Godchaux is in a contract year, and he’ll be looking to cash in in 2021. By acquiring Williams before the trade deadline, Miami takes care of their depth problem and even potentially upgrades from Godchaux. Not only that, Williams will be under team control until 2023, meaning the Dolphins have relatively cheap, possibly elite talent for a few more years. Icing on the cake? If Miami trades for Williams, and Godchaux signs a huge contract elsewhere, they will still be eligible to receive a high compensation draft pick. Trades are not included in that formula. There are very few downsides.

That being said, acquiring Williams isn’t likely to be cheap. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Jets are looking for something more than just a 2nd round draft pick. Of course, the Dolphins do have the draft capital to meet their demands. Miami can easily package their 2nd rounder, along with one or two late-round picks to sweeten the deal.

Ultimately, this boils down to how badly the Jets want to sell at the trade deadline. According to Connor Hughes of The Athletic, the Jets have not yet received any “serious” offers for Williams. And according to Manish Mehta of New York Daily News, the Jets are trying to trade Williams before the trade deadline. Of course, Brian Costello of the New York Post says the opposite. So there’s no telling what the Jets are really thinking right now. In a vacuum, if Miami is willing to send a package of picks to New York for a young defensive tackle brimming with potential, it might be worth the risk, especially if they can get away with keeping both 1st round picks.

WR John Ross – Cincinnati Bengals

John Ross is good at one thing. He’s really, really fast. So why bother trading for someone who is essentially just a taller version of Jakeem Grant? Because speed kills, and Miami’s WR corps – without Albert Wilson – is lacking serious top-end speed. While DeVante Parker, Preston Williams and Mike Gesicki (a tight end) are all terrific options to catch contested passes, they don’t have the speed and agility to break away at the line of scrimmage. It’s often a challenge to catch the ball.

This is why Jakeem Grant’s lack of targets is puzzling. Through six games this season, he’s only been targeted 17 times, 13 of which have been caught. Perhaps things will change with Tua Tagovailoa taking the reins. Ryan Fitzpatrick prefers taller wide receivers, and getting the ball to Grant requires pinpoint accuracy on account of his size. Tagovailoa projects to be a more accurate passer, but that doesn’t mean Miami should stand pat with one speedster.

Ross suffers many of the same issues Grant does. He tends to drop passes, his reliability is suspect. Not only that, his early career mirrors that of DeVante Parker’s. Often injured, Ross has only played in 24 of 48 games since he was drafted 9th overall in 2017. Now, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Ross is requesting a trade. Rookie WR Tee Higgins is impressive, and Ross’s snap count has decreased dramatically. He wants to play.

If the Cincinnati Bengals decide to honor the trade request, Ross could be had relatively cheaply. He has the makings of a redemption project, so perhaps a 3rd or 4th round pick would be enough to shake him loose. His contributions with the Bengals are minimal, and his reliability is suspect at best. Let us not forget, however, that is exactly what everyone thought about DeVante Parker. Looking into Ross’s history, a lot of the same patterns emerge. Nagging injuries, lack of confidence, no investment in taking care of his body, too much investment on social media.

Ring any bells?

Brian Flores was able to bring out the best in DeVante Parker. Perhaps he can do the same for John Ross. If they decide it doesn’t work out, they can let Ross go in the offseason no worse for wear and try to get a comp pick for him. If he does play well, then he can be re-signed to an affordable deal and add blistering speed to a WR corps that desperately needs more of it.

Safety Justin Reid – Houston Texans

The younger brother of Pro Bowl safety Eric Reid, Justin Reid has had a mixed start to his career. On the one hand, he’s very versatile. He can play in the box and as a deep safety. That fits the Miami Dolphins defensive style to a tee. On the other hand, Reid isn’t exactly playing at a Pro Bowl level. He’s good, but not great. That can change, however, if put on a team that values the secondary like Miami does.

While Bobby McCain and Eric Rowe are coming into their own, adding a young, developing player like Reid could offer a new range of possibilities for the Dolphins. Reid is only 23 years old, and he’s under team control until 2022. He’s also insanely cheap with his rookie contract, so the cap hit would be negligible.

As of now, the Houston Texans are 1-6. They have almost no draft capital whatsoever, and their salary cap is not a pretty sight. They only have about $7.5 million in cap space this season, and next season’s cap projects to be even worse with DeShaun Watson’s contract set to give him a massive pay bump. Houston needs to do something to collect picks for the future, because extending existing players isn’t going to be easy with their cap woes.

Any one of these three players gives Miami an added dimension they’re currently lacking. They also fit the youth movement the Dolphins clearly are looking for. Will they go out of their way to pursue anyone at the trade deadline? That remains to be seen. There are even rumors Miami may be sellers, as media speculates Ryan Fitzpatrick could be on the move.

Whatever the Dolphins decide, they should heavily consider using some of their picks to acquire established talent and potential before the trade deadline. Thanks to world events, NFL scouting has taken a massive hit. Picking players in the 2021 draft beyond the 2nd round is going to be riskier than ever as a result. So there’s no reason not to explore the possibility of acquiring young talent from bad teams looking to rebuild. With Brian Flores in charge, they may get something out of those players that previous regimes could not.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Houtz Special: Dolphins eye playoffs, division title after Tagovailoa promotion

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Prior to the 2020 season, I was telling anyone that would listen this season was the amuse-bouche (appetizer) before the inevitable Wagyu steak in 2021.

Translation: 2020 is year two of Miami’s rebuild. Playoffs will come in due time, young grasshopper.

But for a team that has only had five playoff appearances over the last 20 years–each one of those resulting in a loss—it seemed like Miami had to feel good about their chances of landing one of now seven playoff spots heading into their newly-rescheduled Bye.

Let’s check the facts:

  • The Dolphins are 3-3 and .500 for the first time in the Flores Era.
  • Ryan Fitzpatrick has the 7th highest-QBR rating of any QB in the NFL (79.6)
  • Miami currently sits one-game back of first in the AFC East, with the tenth-easiest schedule remaining.

(Is it too soon for a Brian Flores must be a passer-rating guy joke?)

The Dolphins appear to be in a good position.

After all, the offensive line is much improved. (Despite what ESPN thinks)

And with the 17-year Fitzpatrick at the helm, Miami’s offense was averaging 26.7 points per game (14th).

So while it seemed likely, the team was headed towards being In the Hunt with ten games remaining. It was clear this wasn’t about landing a Wildcard birth and slowly getting bounced. This wasn’t about participation trophies. The move to Tagovailoa was about making the playoffs, winning divisions, and, most importantly, playing complementary football on both sides of the football–and that starts now.

I’ve been critical of Fitzpatrick’s play throughout the season.

Early on, I pointed out that his arm looked like a noodle. And we all saw the plays left on the field, most particularly vs. Seattle.

I think Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post said it best when he referred to it as ‘leaving too much meat on the bone.’ Because let’s face it, that’s exactly what this offense did under Fitzpatrick.

You can look at the Dolphins first six games and make a pretty damn good argument that you win two of those games if Fitzpatrick plays better.

There’s also a very good chance you lose two of those games without him. But even in the blowout wins vs. Jacksonville, San Francisco, and the New York Jets, Fitzpatrick didn’t execute in the second half. Especially last week vs. New York.

And then it happened.

With a little over two minutes to go, Tua entered the game.

Was it the standing ovation that swayed Flores’ decision? Probably not. Was it the poise in the huddle? Or maybe it was the way he rolled to the left before throwing a dart to Patrick Laird for a two-yard completion. Maybe it was the way he manipulated the safety with his eyes before finding Jakeem Grant in the soft spot of the defense–converting the only third down of the day.

Wait, I know what it was

“It was just time.”

We’ve heard that said over the last several days, but what exactly does that mean?

No one thought it was time.

NO ONE.

Many of us couldn’t wait to see Tua in action, but during the BYE after a 3-3 start and a legit chance at the playoffs? #nah

I respect the decision Flores, Grier, and whether you want to believe it or not, Ross ultimately made. And while it sucks for the feel-good veteran Fitzpatrick, it’s time.

What I like most about this move isn’t that the team is upgrading the most important position on the roster. Or that Gailey will begin implementing new formations like the pistol–which we saw vs. New York–or even utilizing more zone reads and RPO concepts to make things a bit easier and maximize Tua’s skills.

What I like most is that for the first time in years, the Dolphins believe they have an opportunity. I believe they have an opportunity, and they’re going for it.

The truth is, Miami’s offense was already putting up points, and when healthy, the defense is firing on all cylinders. The only thing this team could truly do at the BYE to ignite this team and squeeze every last drop out of Gailey’s offense. Every last drop out of the 2020 Miami Dolphins was to make a move to Tagovailoa.

Tua does a lot of things that remind you of Drew Brees or Russell Wilson. He has an exceptional feel for the pocket. And his best traits are his accuracy and decision-making. He’s also the ability to make things happen when everything around him falls apart. Most of all, his skills should fit perfectly in Gailey’s system, and I’m excited to watch it evolve with Tagovailoa under center.

It’s Tua Time

I’m not going to sit here and tell you the Miami Dolphins will make the playoffs. That would be foolish for anyone, especially a Dolphins fan.

But Brian Flores and his staff have to believe.

The players have to believe.

And I sure AF believe.

I think I speak for all Dolphins fans when I say how thankful we are for what Ryan Fitzpatrick accomplished throughout his NFL career. But most importantly, what he did during his first 18 months in Miami. And I think I speak for everyone when I say; I’m excited to watch you transition from starting QB to mentor. Tua’s mentor.

Brian Flores and his team won’t play a game of football for another nine days. But when they do, things will look much different than they’ve ever been before because the clock struck Midnight on FitzMagic. And my clocks telling me it’s time. Tua time.

#InTuaWeTrust

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Ryan Fitzpatrick

Fresh Perspective: Ryan Fitzpatrick embodies true leadership for the Dolphins

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What makes a leader? Is it the ability to rally the troops? To rise above adversity and come out on top? Getting the best out of those around you? There are many different ways to define leadership. However, the one thing that almost everyone can agree on is the burden of leadership is a heavy one. Not everyone is cut out to be a leader. Some are crushed under the pressure, some prefer not to take up that role at all. Those that find ways to thrive under the pressure, they’re a precious commodity. That’s what Ryan Fitzpatrick has been for the Miami Dolphins since he signed back in 2019.

Every player on the team has said how much they love the 37-year old veteran. His energy on the field is infectious, his love for the game spreads to everyone on the roster. He is a beloved figure, both in the locker room and to the fans who watch him.

But what happens when everything comes to a screeching halt? All of a sudden, Fitzpatrick is no longer the focus of the Dolphins offense. Now this team belongs to Tua Tagovailoa, which everyone found out – not by an official statement from the team, but late Tuesday morning from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, stating that the information came from an unnamed league source.

It’s quite possible we will never know who that source is. Many have speculated that it was Tua Tagovailoa’s agent. Some have said that it was an overexcited executive within the team who ran to tell Schefter the news as soon as they heard it was going to happen. Regardless of who it was, it immediately put Miami into a very uncomfortable situation. This news wasn’t meant to break when it did.

“One thing on this situation that’s unfortunate is that I didn’t get a chance to address the team before this was out.” Head coach Brian Flores said on Wednesday. “The media – it’s not the way I or we want to do business. Unfortunately that’s kind of the way of the world right now. That’s unfortunate. I’m not happy about that at all. I’ll address that to the team and really apologize to them that they had to find out through social media. I don’t think that’s fair to them.”

In this hypersensitive world of social media, news gets out before anyone has a chance to stop it. There are reports from the Sun Sentinel’s Omar Kelly, with the condition of anonymity, that certain players question the decision to go to Tagovailoa at this point in the season. Others are excited about the idea of Tagovailoa starting, but were no less shocked about how they found out. Linebacker Jerome Baker appeared on the Fubo Sports Network and said that he found out about Tagovailoa being named the starter on Instagram. Later, Baker expanded on his thoughts during a Zoom conference with South Florida media.

“I think just the one thing, we were just off, and that’s when we all heard it.” Baker said. “We were just off. One thing about ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) is he always makes sure we know news first. I think the team is excited. We’re all excited; we are ready to go. We believe in Tua. He definitely can get the job done. We’re all excited about what he can do, so I guess we’ll see when the time comes.”

As it turns out, however, there was at least one person who knew about the news ahead of time.

Ryan Fitzpatrick.

“I found out – ‘Flo’ called me to his office and we talked.” Fitzpatrick said during a very somber interview on Wednesday. “He’s – with everything last year and this year – everything, he’s real up front and honest and likes to have those face-to-face conversations, so I definitely appreciate that.”

This is where Fitzpatrick’s leadership truly becomes a factor. Everyone who knows Fitzpatrick knows that he loves to play the game. That’s part of why his teammates love him so much. He makes the game fun every week. Everyone is also aware of when he cheered Tagovailoa on when he went into the game against the New York Jets. He was praised as being a terrific teammate, rooting for his future replacement.

But after the interview on Wednesday, it’s obvious that Fitzpatrick believed he would have more time to play than he got.

“I was shocked by it. It definitely caught me off guard and it was a hard thing for me to hear yesterday.” Fitzpatrick said. “Just kind of digesting the news, my heart just hurt all day. It was heartbreaking for me. ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) kind of said what he said and said what he said to you guys as well, and that’s the decision and the direction that the organization is going in, and obviously we’ve talked in the past – me and you guys – about how I’m the placeholder and this eventually was going to happen no matter – it was just a matter of kind of when, not if. It still just broke my heart yesterday and it’s a tough thing for me to hear and to now have to deal with, but I’m going to do my best with it.”

So with that said, it’s clear that Fitzpatrick does not appreciate the idea of being benched. Coming off a 24-0 shutout against a division rival, he expected to suit up and start against the Rams. He did not expect to sit on the sidelines and watch Tagovailoa go in his place. Now whenever he sees Tagovailoa in the film room, it’s not the student who watches and learns while he plays. It’s the person who is keeping him off the field.

“This profession is interesting in that I basically got fired yesterday and then my day of work today consisted of me in Zoom meetings listening to the guy that fired me, and then locked in a spaced out room with my replacement for four hours today.” Fitzpatrick said. “There aren’t a whole lot of jobs that are like that, but I know how difficult it is to play the quarterback position and I know that that room is so important to the guy that’s playing in terms of everybody having your back and pulling in the same direction.”

But this is where the true mettle of Ryan Fitzpatrick is put on display. This is where he proves he embodies leadership in all of its forms. It’s a lot easier to be a leader when things are going your way. When you’re forced to face a harsh reality, being a leader becomes much more challenging. Fitzpatrick being hurt by the decision does not disqualify him from leadership. If anything, he’s proving to be more of a leader than ever.

“Today is a day to digest a little bit and we’ll get away for the bye a little bit,” He said. “But once this thing starts up again, I’ve got to do my best for Tua to help him out, because there’s two separate situations here. One is with Tua, and I want him to do well and I think he’s a great kid, and I think he has a really bright future. The other one is my feelings and just kind of what I’m going through, and that has to be separate from when I walk into this building and help him out. I’ve got to separate those feelings from trying to be a professional and help him out as best I can.”

That right there says it all. There is the biggest reason this team respects Ryan Fitzpatrick and looks up to him. It’s not his seniority. It’s not because he always has a big grin on his face. The reason he’s earned the team’s respect is that no matter what, he wants what’s best for his teammates. Even if it means his own feelings are disregarded. Very few people accept this type of demotion with this much class. Even fewer are willing to continue to mentor their replacement afterwards. That is what makes Ryan Fitzpatrick such a unique individual.

And make no mistake, Miami’s young rookie QB is very aware that he’s lucky to have someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick in his corner even after what happened through this whole sordid ordeal.

“I was very excited.” Tua Tagovailoa said on Wednesday. “That’s news that I think anyone would love to hear, being named the starter at any position. But at the same time, I also felt for ‘Fitz’ as well. Me and ‘Fitz’ had a conversation about all of this. Like I’ve continued to say, although it kind of hurts me in a way to see ‘Fitz’ hurt, I’m just very, very lucky to have someone like ‘Fitz’ in my corner, regardless of the situation we’re in right now. He’s just – I hate to say it like this but it is like this, it’s like a father and son.”

The mutual respect between Tagovailoa and Fitzpatrick cannot be understated. Is Fitzpatrick upset? Of course he is, and he has every right to be. But instead of making things difficult, he’s making it clear he still wants to do what he can to help Tagovailoa find success in the NFL. Even if it means he can’t play anymore. As for Tagovailoa, he’s the man now, but even the guys most excited for him aren’t going to make it easy for him.

“I think in the locker room, he’s still our rookie.” Jerome Baker said. “He can get all the hype he wants, but he still has to do his rookie duties. He still has to – honestly he still has to prove that he’s ready. We understand that the media is going to give you all of the credit and all of that; but at the end of the day, you still have to strap on those pads and gain our trust and gain the trust of everybody that you can do it. The one thing we all can agree on is that we’re behind him 100 percent, and we definitely believe in him.”

That includes Ryan Fitzpatrick.

So what makes a leader? Dolphins fans have questioned this for years. Is it the ability to lead by example, like Cameron Wake used to when he was in Miami? Is it to be the best player on the field, like Dan Marino during his tenure? Or is it about being loud and pumping up the crowd like Jarvis Landry? Any one of those definitions would be acceptable, but they don’t tell the whole story of leadership.

Perhaps, leadership can’t be defined through words. But it is something that can be recognized when it’s there. It remains to be seen whether Tua Tagovailoa can bring the leadership he had in Alabama to the Miami Dolphins. But for now, he can continue to learn from the man who stole the hearts of Dolphins fans everywhere. The man who is willing to try and put aside his own broken heart to help the person who indirectly broke it.

Appreciate Ryan Fitzpatrick, ladies and gentlemen. He is the embodiment of what true leadership is all about.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Changing of the guard at quarterback from the Miami Dolphins as Tua Tagovailoa takes over.

Pressure Point: Brian Flores makes bold move to Tua as Dolphins QB

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Woke up this morning and surprise of surprises, the future had arrived.

Turns out that wasn’t just a Tua tease at the end of Sunday’s game. It was the dawn of a new era for the Miami Dolphins.

Reports that Tua Tagovailoa will start at quarterback when the Dolphins return from the bye week against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 1 spread through South Florida as the most welcome news for Dolphins fans since, well, since the last century at least.

Any other time the demand for tickets would be over the moon. But of course, this isn’t like any time we’ve ever known.

So the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium will be limited and social distanced. But years from now, perhaps millions will claim to have been there to witness the onset of the savior of the long downtrodden Dolphins franchise.

That is, if Tagovailoa measures up to the hype and expectations. That is what fandom has been waiting to see, and the opportunity is coming sooner than foreseen, even as recently as yesterday.

After the Dolphins won their past two games by a combined score of 67-17 and pulled to within one game of the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills, a quarterback change from veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to untested Tua seemed unlikely.

Alfredo Arteaga on the elevation of Tua to starter

Flores follows his own vision with conviction

What the move says about coach Brian Flores is what makes it fascinating. The second-year coach, groomed under Bill Belichick, is unlike anything we’ve seen with the Dolphins.

In that regard, elevating Tagovailoa at a time the team is playing well and winning is not out of character.

Flores, since he arrived, has been unconventional and unpredictable. A number of his personnel moves have been surprising if not baffling. But they have always been driven by conviction.

This coach has a clear sense of how he sees the team moving to the next step. Given how far the roster teardown and rebuild has already progressed since he took the reins from the Adam Gase debacle, you have to say he knows what he’s doing.

Concerning the starting quarterback, Flores always says something along the lines of, “I believe, [fill in the blank] gives us the best chance to win this week.”

Fitzpatrick never reached playoffs

Clearly, he has reached the conclusion that Fitzpatrick, whose time in Miami has been inspirational and admirable in leading a young team, has taken the Dolphins as far as he can.

Fitzpatrick, at 37, has started for eight different NFL teams but has never appeared in a postseason game.

And, Flores apparently has seen enough of Tagovailoa’s progress in practice to entrust him with leading an improving team in a playoff pursuit.

Dolphins followers have had no basis to gauge the rookie’s progress. Due to the preseason canceled by the pandemic, Tua saw no game action from the time he went down with a major hip injury that ended his college career last November until that five-play cameo at the end of Sunday’s 24-0 win against the Jets.

It wasn’t the two short passes he completed, which had fans clamoring for more while expecting the wait would continue until at least Dolphins fell out of playoff contention, that precipitated the move. It was that Flores had seen enough progress in practice to believe Tagovailoa is ready to do for the Dolphins what he did in a remarkable run for Alabama.

Tua’s injury history ongoing question

What makes Tua’s situation different from most rookie quarterbacks is the health issue. A few weeks ago Flores indicated it was a factor in gauging when to play him.

“If it was my kid and he had a serious injury like that, I wouldn’t want his coach to be in a rush to put him in there because of media pressure,” Flores said at the time. “No one is going to pressure me into doing anything.”

Tagovailoa’s health, in relation to the hip injury, will continue to be an issue until he proves it’s not.

Which makes Flores’ decision to raise the curtain on Tua Time at this particular time all the more bold and intriguing.

But the Dolphins didn’t identify Tagovailoa as their quarterback of the future and draft him fifth overall (higher than any quarterback since they took Bob Griese in 1967) to shelter him indefinitely.

It has been a carefully measured process. The development of the offensive into a competent unit in pass protection undoubtedly provided some comfort in making the move.

Tua’s father weighs in on Flores

Most revealing was an interview the quarterback’s father, Galu Tagovailoa, did with KHON2 sports director Rob DeMello in Hawaii after Tua’s debut against the Jets.

“It’s very comforting. It’s things as parents you want to hear and it’s things that you want to know,” Galu Tagovailoa said. “I have direct communication with Coach Flores, with Brian, calling him and we talk and texting back and forth. He’s not just a coach for Tua out there. He’s also a father for him on the field and the things that he’s going through with Tua.

“It’s always good to hear things like that and to see it through our son and then to hear it through coach, I mean it’s so comforting. We really, really appreciate that.”

Now Flores has made his most impactful decision yet as Dolphins coach, and the future of his young quarterback and the team are on the line.

For Dolphins fans, it has been a very long time in coming. And this next game can’t come soon enough.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Switch to Tua seemed unlikely after win over Jets

Tua Tagovailoa made his debut in a brief appearance, but the big story of the Miami Dolphins is their rise as a playoff contender.

Pressure Point: Miami Dolphins’ rise as contender eclipses Tua debut

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Rewatching Tua Tagovailoa’s brief but eventful Miami Dolphins debut in mop-up duty in the 24-0 thumping of the Jets, and my thoughts drift back to a Monday night in September 1983.

Was watching a lackluster Dolphins loss to the Raiders in a bar in Newport, Rhode Island, which would have been lost to memory until it suddenly became unforgettable. That was when Don Shula sent in the rookie quarterback Dolphins fans had been clamoring to see, and Dan Marino began a Hall of Fame career by chucking two touchdown passes to enliven a 27-14 defeat.

It would be another three weeks before Marino would get his first NFL start (with another relief effort in between).

Remains to be seen when Tua surfaces again. Safe bet the first start won’t come in two weeks when the Dolphins play host to the 4-2 Rams (who will be coming off a Monday night date with the 5-1 Bears).

Unlike Marino, who got enough time to toss fourth-quarter TDs to Joe Rose and Mark Duper that night at the L.A. Coliseum, Tagovailoa only got five plays Sunday.

He threw two passes, completed both for nine yards. Still, he showed mobility rolling to his left on the sort of play he broke his hip on last November, and completed the first to Patrick Laird.

The second was on the mark to Jakeem Grant for a first down. Notably because it was the only third-down conversion the Dolphins made all day, in nine attempts.

More from Five Reasons: Can the Dolphins follow upward trend of Heat, Marlins?

Only one game back in AFC East

It was a tantalizing taste of Tua that will leave fans wanting much more, and soon.

I was ready for it after the 1-3 start. But circumstances have changed in the past two weeks. The surprising blowout win at San Francisco was a seismic shift.

Now at 3-3, and just a game behind the AFC East-leading Bills, the Dolphins are in position to chase a playoff spot. The way they have played in winning three of the past four weeks shows it is a realistic ambition.

The improvement since the ragged opening losses against New England and Buffalo is profound.

What stands out as meaningful about Sunday was not that Tua got on the field. It was what it revealed about how far Coach Brian Flores has taken the Dolphins as opposed to how previous coach Adam Gates has turned the Jets into the sort of mess he left behind in Miami.

The comparison was highlighted by the CBS studio crew at halftime.

Boomer Esiason on the Jets: “Looking at the Jets’ sideline, it looks dead to me. It looks like a dead team walking. … They look lost.

Bill Cowher on the Dolphins: “They are building a culture, which is about winning football games, holding people accountable and bringing people together.”

Dolphins find togetherness

That togetherness was evident in Ryan Fitzpatrick leading the cheers for Tagovailoa from the sideline. And in Mike Gesicki, who didn’t catch a pass all day, dashing from the sideline to the end zone to celebrate fellow tight end Durham Smythe’s touchdown catch.

Understand, these Dolphins aren’t ready to make a run deep into the playoffs. But they may be good enough to get there.

This rebuilding effort under Flores and GM Chris Grier appears to be well conceived and is much farther along than could have been envisioned a year ago when they were on the way to a 0-7 start.

The offensive line, with two rookie starters, has been solid all season. And when rookie Austin Jackson went down with an injury, they plugged in rookie Robert Hunt with similar results.

But most significant is the improvement in the defense in recent weeks. This is what Flores was supposed to bring, and positive signs are mounting that it’s working.

With the return of Byron Jones and Xavien Howard trending to pre-injury form (four interceptions), the secondary is solid on the corners, and Eric Rowe has been outstanding at safety.

Emmanuel Ogbah is becoming a force on the pass rush and Christian Wilkins has been stout against the run.

Stats tell of Dolphins’ improvement

All of that and more are showing up in the results:

Through Sunday, the Dolphins led the league in third-down defense. They were tied for second in points per game allowed (18.8). Their 17 sacks ranked seventh.

By outscoring their past two opponents 67-17, they pushed their net points to plus-47, third in the AFC behind the Ravens and Steelers.

It is difficult to remember when stats cast the Miami Dolphins in such a favorable light.

“I just feel like it’s a culture change,” said linebacker Sam Eguavoen, who endured the growing pains last season. “We still have a lot of guys from the team last year and then they brought in some more guys this year. It’s just been a culture change. ‘Flo’ is still hard on us but he took it back on us a little bit. We still work hard. I feel like we’re the hardest working team in the NFL. I feel like now we’re working a little bit smarter. Guys are buying in. We don’t dread coming in on Wednesdays like we kind of did last year. We’re just growing better as a team.”

Quite the opposite of what was apparent on the opposing sideline Sunday with Gase and the Jets.

So, if Tagovailoa doesn’t start a game this season it will be because they are doing fine with him on the sideline, which they are right now. That could change.

As intriguing as the prospect of what Tagovailoa may eventually bring to the future of the Dolphins, and as much as many of us our eager to see it, if the team is buying in, the rest of us will just have to trust in Flores.

He’ll let us know when it’s time for Tua.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

5 Reasons Contributors on Dolphins-Jets “clash”

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The Miami Dolphins are favored for the first time in forever against unintentionally-tanking former coach Adam Gase and the hapless New York Jets.

We asked some of our Five Reasons Sports contributors to assess the matchup.

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Though matchups between divisional opponents—especially when a head coach is going up against his former team—are supposed to be interesting, this one probably won’t be. The Jets are a dumpster fire this year led by Adam Gase, who should be on the hot seat after starting off this season 0-5 and finishing last year with a 7-9 record and whatever bag of chips you’re rewarded for being 3rd in the AFC East. 

 

Not to mention that the Jets somehow managed to waive Le’Veon Bell, arguably one of the best runningbacks in the league and almost certainly their best player, instead of trading him and getting at least something for him. Bell walks away with a cool $28 mil and the Jets walk away with… another bag of chips? Don’t ask Adam Gase about Bell though; those questions are “irrelevant.”

 

Without Bell and QB Sam Darnold, who is still nursing a shoulder injury, New York will have to hope veteran backup Joe Flacco can put something together. Flacco was 18 of 33 for 195 yards and a single touchdown in last week’s embarrassing 30-10 loss to Arizona.

 

The Dolphins, meanwhile, have started to show some grit with a big 43-17 win over last year’s Super Bowl contenders, the San Francisco 49ers, last week. Though the 9ers were decimated by injuries, the Fins showed some true potential on both sides of the ball, totaling five sacks and two interceptions on defense and 444 total yards of offense led by Ryan Fitzpatrick’s best performance of the season (including a QBR of 99.1, the highest of any quarterback this year). 

 

The only way this game could get interesting is if Bell signs with Miami, considered as of now to be one of his top three landing spots. There’s nothing better than a revenge game, right?

— Kylie Wang

*****

 

The Miami Dolphins are preparing to take on a division rival in the New York Jets this Sunday, bringing back an old face in Adam Gase. And with Sam Darnold out,  Joe Flacco, an old Dolphins nemesis, will be under center for the Jets once again this week. 

Flacco has been very successful against the Dolphins with a total of 7 wins and 0 losses. — six wins in the regular season and one in the postseason.

His regular season numbers over those 6 starts against Miami include completing 71 percent of his passes with 10 TD’s to 3 INT’s and adding 1 rushing touchdown. In his last start in 2017, the Dolphins got embarrassed 40-0 even as Flacco’s outing ended early on the controversial hit by then-Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso.

Fast forward to Sunday’s game, though, and times are different for the former Super Bowl MVP. His best days are behind him and he is currently on the worst team in the NFL.

The Dolphins are favored by eight. Don’t expect Flacco to keep it that close.

— Jaccare Givens 

 

*****

With an annihilation of the 49ers on the road comes some expectations.

We have learned that Miami can win and play good teams tough with “Fitzmagic”.  They have little to no hope with “Fitztragic”.  In this case, Miami has a decided talent advantage, are home, and confidence is riding high.  The last time I said this team had real expectations, was the Thursday night beat down of the Jaguars.  I expect much of the same.  It is required.  No letdowns allowed.

Miami Dolphins 30  NY Jets 16

— Alfredo Arteaga

 

*****

 

Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey has shown that with inferior competition he can devise strong game plans. That will continue. I expect the Dolphins to take an early lead behind the arm of Ryan Fitzpatrick attacking downfield to DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki and Preston Williams. Once the adrenaline starts to fade, an ugly, punt filled late afternoon will take place with whichever team can establish the run coming out on top. I trust Coach Flores to take advantage of the early lead and let his pass rushers like Emmanuel Ogbah, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jerome Baker and maybe the banged-up Kyle Van Noy go to work. Jason Saunders will also extend his consecutive streak of field goals to start the year and in the process break Olindo Mare’s record for overall consecutive field goals of 19 to his 20.

Dolphins 27 Jets 13

— Juan Cardona