Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa won’t practice Wednesday. Here’s why
Brian Flores ended his Wednesday news conference with a big piece of unsolicited news:
Tua Tagovailoa will miss practice Wednesday with an illness, but it is not COVID-19-related. He did not test positive for the virus and is not going on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
That’s an important clarification, given what’s happening around the league right now. The Tennessee Titans have shut down their facility and their game against the Steelers has been postponed until at least Monday after nine people — including three players — tested positive for coronavirus.
“It’s a reminder that we can’t let our guard down,” Flores aid. “We can’t get complacent. I know Mike [Vrabel, Tennessee’s coach,] well. I’m sure they’re not. We know how quickly the virus can spread. We’ve got to be vigilant in enforcing the mask [rules] and diligent in following the protocols. That’s what we talked about as a team.
“When you have three, four, five, six weeks where it’s going good, human nature takes over and you let your guard down a little bit. You can’t do that. It’s a reminder that you’ve got to continue to be diligent.”
More news, notes and quotes from Flores’ daily Zoom conference and Wednesday’s practice:
▪ Byron Jones is still not ready to practice after leaving Miami’s Week 2 loss to the Bills with a groin injury. Fellow cornerback Xavien Howard, however, participated in every drill during the portion of practice open to reporters after doing rehab work Monday.
As for safety Clayton Fejedelem, who has missed the first three games with a pec injury, is out of the non-contact jersey, an encouraging sign for his availability Sunday.
▪ What’s the biggest challenge of facing a quarterback like Russell Wilson who does an excellent job of buying time?
“We need a good pass rush. We need to limit those opportunities when he does extend plays. And when he does get out, we have to do a good job on the back end. It will definitely be a challenge.”
▪ The Dolphins rank sixth in penalty yards per game — a sign of a disciplined team.
Flores said the coaching staff does study officials’ tendencies to get a feel for what they will and will not call, but that’s just a small part of playing clean football.
“Our coaches do a good job of talking through what a penalty and is how to avoid them,” Flores said. “Chan [Gailey], Josh [Boyer]. Danny [Crossman], those guys do a good job of coaching our players [on] how to play with good fundamentals, technique and communication. We understand that penalties can only hurt us. We try to limit those penalties.”
▪ When asked if he has thought back to Super Bowl 49 — and his role in putting Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler in position to intercept Wilson at the goal line — Flores replied:
“That stuff is in the past. That’s where they are. They can’t help us now.”
▪ How can a player buried on the depth chart earn a promotion during the week of practice?
“Individual, group work, 7-on-7s, 9-on-7s, team periods — the performance in those areas of practice, if we feel like they’re performing well and have a good understanding of what we’re trying to do. ... I can’t say there’s one specific thing that will elevate someone, but if we like a matchup or think someone can handle a position [and do multiple things], that could elevate him. There’s more than one or two things. Matchup, game plan, there’s a few different factors that go into that. But if you perform well in practice and we feel confident that you can execute our game plan, [you’ll play].”
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 9:18 AM.
