Mailbag: How will the Dolphins’ COVID issues impact their game vs. the Jets?
For the first time in three months, the Dolphins are facing COVID-19-related issues. The team has four players on the reserve/COVID-19 list after running backs Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed and Phillip Lindsay, and rookie safety Jevon Holland tested positive in the past week. All are reportedly vaccinated so they must produce two negative tests at least 24 hours apart to return to practice ahead of Sunday’s home game against the New York Jets.
In this week’s mailbag, I take a look at the problems presented by the uptick in positive tests and what it could mean in a must-win game for the Dolphins. And a reminder that if you have questions you would like me to answer in future mailbags, you can ask me on Twitter or email me.
Here we go:
If a player test negative on Saturday and negative just before the game, is that player good to go? - @claudineyton
Technically, yes, but it’s not always that simple. There are plenty of cases of players testing positive early or in the middle of the week and returning to play in games on Sunday with little to no practice time. Part of that is due to the coach’s comfort level with putting a player out there who might be rusty. But everyone reacts to the virus differently. Offensive lineman Austin Jackson is vaccinated and was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list the Monday leading up to the team’s season opener. Jackson didn’t return to practice until the following Wednesday and later said the virus hit him hard and that it took him a while to get his full conditioning back. We still don’t know whether the quartet of Dolphins on the reserve/COVID-19 list is showing symptoms or where they might be in terms of their timeline of returning a negative test.
Do you know if the Dolphins have encouraged players to get boosters? - @DaytimeDan
So, to cover all the bases: Unless it has been agreed upon with the NFL Players Association, the NFL can’t mandate players get the booster shot, just like vaccinations, although the league implemented rules that strongly incentivize players to get the shot. According to multiple reports Monday, the league is mandating Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals — coaches, front-office staff and team personnel — get the booster by Dec. 27 to be considered fully vaccinated.
According to a league source, the Dolphins have provided opportunities for players and staff to get the booster shots over the last several weeks, and now that it’s mandated for Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals, those efforts should continue.
With Jevon and [Jason] McCourty out, do you think we play more conservatively with our defense? - @POCARUS
One of the perks of having Holland on the field was that he can do so much: cover, blitz, tackle in space. While him missing Sunday’s game would be a big loss, I don’t think it would dramatically change the aggressive nature of the Dolphins defense, especially facing a mistake-prone rookie quarterback in Zach Wilson. I figure that Eric Rowe, who has started for the injured Brandon Jones the last two games, would be in line for another start and if Jones is healthy and can play, that gives the Dolphins a more than serviceable safety tandem. Rowe might not have the range and athleticism of Holland but he’s been really good in a part-time role and can still do similar things.
With so much shine going to players like Waddle, Phillips, X [Xavien Howard] and more, who have been the unsung players helping during the 5 game win streak? - @treetop70bg
This is a good question because, while there are a few clear standouts who have led the charge, if you ask one player about their individual performances, they’re quick to point out that it takes the other 11 teammates on the field to put them in a position to succeed.
I’ve written about Mack Hollins’ efforts as a reliable pass-catcher, special teams ace and team captain but how about two guys in the trenches: defensive linemen Zach Sieler and Raekwon Davis. Jaelan Phillips and Emmanuel Ogbah have put up the gaudy sack numbers but Sieler and Davis have been just as important, especially in the run game.
Davis went down in the first series of the season opener because of a knee injury and missed the next three games on injured reserve. Opposing teams rushed for over 100 yards in each game that Davis was sidelined, including Week 1. Although the Tampa Bay Buccaneers eclipsed 100 rushing yards in Davis’ first game back, opponents have only reached that mark twice since then.
Sieler has continued to make the most of limited snaps each week; he’s only played more than 40 snaps in a game once this season but remains one of the league’s highest-graded players defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.
The efforts of both of those players against the run have allowed the Dolphins defense to play in advantageous situations on third down and remain aggressive with its blitz packages.
