Dolphins’ McDaniel addresses Thompson, Armstead, Fuller injuries and state of team
Postgame reaction from the Dolphins’ 24-3 loss in Seattle, a game in which Miami produced just 205 yards and went 1 for 12 on third down in falling to 1-2:
▪ Quarterback Skylar Thompson — who left with what the team called a chest injury — couldn’t dress himself after the game, per our Omar Kelly in Seattle. The staff had to pack up his things.
Tim Boyle was heard telling Tyler Huntley to “get ready.”
McDaniel said Thompson has a “rib injury that’s pretty painful. Half of the frustration for him is he was really trying to find a way to not come out of the game. Ultimately, it was pretty painful. He fought through it. We’ll have a chance to look at him tomorrow.”
As far as Thompson’s play goes, McDaniel said “the positives were he took care of the ball. I think Skylar did a good job operating the offense. There needed to be a lot better job in preparation on my part. Eleven penalties is not good enough.”
He said Boyle, who replaced Thompson, “did a great job of leading the guys, was very good in the huddle and was very good communicating the things needed to communicate from the sidelines.”
▪ McDaniel was hard on himself afterward, as one would expect.
“I see the quarterbacks as an extension of the offense and the offense is an extension of me, and three points, I’ve never won a game scoring three points,” he said. “Collectively, starting with me, it just needs to be better. We have to get it figured out fast.... I’m not looking for excuses. I don’t think anybody in the locker room is...
“You have to look at everything and you have to find a way to give your team the best chance to win. In 2022, this is something that happened to us as well.. We have to find a way to get better collectively. It’s going to take a better effort from everyone, starting with myself.”
McDaniel added that “consistency has to be found from the nucleus. The guys who truly know the offense need to be on it. We need to get better fast. Every season, teams find a way to win games when their starter or even their backup is out.”
McDaniel blamed the overall “execution of plays” and said “I have to look at that hard including myself, to look at what we’re good at and how to play clean football. Bottom line is it has to be better. We have to do it immediately.”
▪ Why didn’t the Dolphins try a Hail Mary to end the first half? (Thompson was sacked.)
“You’re trying to take a shot and make the defense defend. In that situation last year, we got a defensive pass interference [against the Chargers] that led to a field goal. We tried the same thing. It didn’t work out the same.”
▪ McDaniel said committing 11 penalties, for 85 yards, “is not good enough. We have to handle the road better and that starts with me. But then that continues through everyone. The crowd was rocking. We looked as though it was the first time in a hostile environment. That’s a vast lesson you have to learn from and get better.”
▪ Left tackle Terron Armstead “got poked in the eye” and is now in concussion protocol, McDaniel said. So is cornerback Kendall Fuller, who left in the first half.
An update was not provided on linebacker David Long Jr., who left with a hamstring injury, or cornerback Storm Duck, who also was injured during the game.
▪ McDaniel, on Tyreek Hill being limited to three catches for 40 yards: “Give the Seahawks credit. They did some things to try to nullify him. This team needs him. I have to do a better job of getting him the ball. We have to do a better job of staying on the field to get our play-makers the ball.”
▪ Cornerback Jalen Ramsey spoke to reporters for less than a minute.
Where does the team need to take it from here?
“Up a notch,” he said, leaving it at that.
What happened on the 71-yard DK Metcalf touchdown reception?
“Cover 2,” Ramsey said, leaving it at that.
Jevon Holland was faked out on a double move by Metcalf on that play.
McDaniel said “the good news is we found our rhythm as a defense as the game progressed.”
▪ Zach Sieler, asked about the defense struggling against the run, said: “We did a good job up front. I don’t agree with that.”
Seattle ran for 100 yards on 4.3 per carry.
This story was originally published September 22, 2024 at 8:10 PM.
