Four questions for the Dolphins during joint practices with the Texans
When the Dolphins take the field in Houston for a set of joint practices with the Texans, there will be plenty of familiarity.
There’s left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who is forever in Dolphins lore for the treasure trove of draft picks he got Miami in a 2019 trade to help jumpstart the franchise’s rebuild. There is Texans coach Demeco Ryans, who was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator for two seasons and overlapped with Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel when he was San Francisco’s offensive coordinator.
And in Ryan’s first year as head coach, he’s implementing a similar Shanahan-style offense with rookie quarterback CJ Stroud and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who is also a former 49ers assistant.
This deep level of overlap should be the foundation of what the Dolphins hope are productive practices ahead of their second preseason game on Saturday.
Here are four questions for the Dolphins as they practice in Houston.
How does Mike McDaniel fare against his former coworker, Demeco Ryans?
This won’t be the first time McDaniel and Ryan match wits on opposing teams. They both called plays in the Dolphins’ meeting with the 49ers last season, a 33-17 loss for Miami. In the defeat that ended the Dolphins’ five-game winning streak, Ryans and the 49ers’ defense gave Miami’s defense trouble with a game plan that asked for San Francisco’s athletic linebackers to get a lot of depth when dropping into zones. This forced quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to throw into tighter windows than he was accustomed to.
McDaniel has had all offseason to find answers for the schemes that gave the Dolphins’ offense problems in the second half of the season. Can he get the upper hand in joint practices?
Does Vic Fangio’s defense give CJ Stroud issues?
Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, made his debut in the preseason against the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick, who is known for making life hard for rookie quarterbacks. And with multiple starting offensive linemen sidelined, Stroud’s two drives went just as one might expect: 2-of-4 with 12 yards and one interception. The No. 2 overall pick was also sacked once.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a similar reputation but unlike Belichick, Fangio confuses quarterbacks not with relentless blitzing but elaborate coverages. Miami’s defense has looked impressive implementing a new scheme, even with cornerback Jalen Ramsey sidelined. And with the Texans running a similar offense, the unit should see many familiar concepts.
Can Tua get into a groove in Houston?
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ offense saw mixed results during joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons last week in what has been a training camp best described as bumpy. Tagovailoa didn’t play in the preseason opener and then struggled in Sunday’s practice, although he responded well on Monday.
There’s been a level of experimentation for Miami’s offense this summer and the host of revolving offensive linemen and wideouts during team drills haven’t helped Tagovailoa. But with the regular season slowly approaching, it would be a good sign for the offense to start to stack some practices that resemble the record-setting unit of 2022. Last year, Tagovailoa made his preseason debut in the second exhibition game. There is no indication that he will do that this season but if Tagovailoa is sidelined again, these practices carry even more importance.
Who is limited in practice because of injuries?
While the Dolphins haven’t experienced any major injuries in camp outside of Ramsey, the list of players sidelined by ailments is slowly increasing. Wide receiver Jalen Ramsey, fullback Alec Ingold, rookie cornerback Cam Smith, safety Brandon Jones and wide receiver Braxton Berrios are among those who haven’t participated in the last few practices.
McDaniel said the team will be cautious with Waddle, who is dealing with a midsection injury. McDaniel also said he’s not worried about Waddle’s involvement in the offense, and that’s understandable. But the second-year coach has also spoken about the value of reps in joint practices. Given the way the team has handled injuries, several players could be limited or held out all together this week.
This story was originally published August 15, 2023 at 11:59 AM.
