McDaniel explains what’s “killing us,” where he was “definitely wrong.” And Berrios update
Among the puzzling questions to emerge from the Dolphins’ gut-punching 16-10 loss to Indianapolis on Sunday that left Miami at 2-4:
How in the world could Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combine for just two catches for 19 yards?
“When you run the ball 40 times, it does minimize your opportunities,” Mike McDaniel said. “And then if you’re trying to take advantage of a defense overplaying and doubling them and getting the ball to the tight end, then they have less [opportunities].
“I always look at that part of my job to find ways [to get Hill and Waddle the ball]. It was frustrating. Didn’t anticipate some of the game shaping out that way. I have to find a way specifically when they are doing their jobs at a high level. … I need to find ways to get them involved.”
Hill had one catch for 8 yards; Waddle had 1 for 11. The Colts often blanketed Hill and Waddle by playing two high safeties, like several others defenses that have had success against Miami.
“There’s been games in the past that maybe as they reviewed the tape and where they’re at in their careers, where they’re trying to be great, they’ve acknowledged sometimes that they’ve minimized their involvement by certain things that they can do in their game,” McDaniel said. “However, this game, I didn’t see that. … I have to keep them involved.”
Tim Boyle, who replaced the injured Tyler Huntley, said of Hill and Waddle: “I think defenses do a really good job of taking those guys away, and we have to be creative with the ways we get them the ball. But when you have really good players like that, the defense is game planning them too.”
▪ McDaniel lamented the critical fumbles by Raheem Mostert and Alec Ingold and team’s six penalties for 50 yards.
“Collectively, as a team, we just have to play smarter football,” McDaniel said. “That starts with me.
“I’m very frustrated because you think you have emphasized things correctly and you think you have certain things fixed, and when they’re not, it’s not going to be anybody’s else fault but me. I was definitely wrong. You have to approach it that way.
“We have retooled things to clean up our game with penalties and it’s still killing us. I need to figure out something better, which is what I’ll be doing the second this press conference ends.”
The Dolphins entered averaging 8.6 penalties per game, the most in the league.
▪ On the costly second half fumbles by Mostert and Ingold, McDaniel said:
“Raheem has had 400 plus carries since he’s been here. Had his fourth fumble out of those 400 touches. Timing of that was rough.
“Alec Ingold is a captain because he’s one of our best people, and a playmaker for us with and without the ball. That was unfortunate in that situation. There was an opportunity for him to not be strung out sideways. It’s a game of accountability. They know they can’t do that… They can’t do that.”
▪ Though Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return to practice this week, McDaniel declined to confirm that, saying it’s “not appropriate” to discuss that on a game day. Tagovailoa is eligible to return to practice this week after sitting out four games on injured reserve, following a Sept. 12 concussion against Buffalo. Here’s more on Tagovailoa’s situation.
On Sunday, running back De’Von Achane wore a skull cap to protect himself from future concussions, but the Dolphins are not permitted to order any player, including Tagovailoa, to wear one. NFL teams are prohibited from instructing players to wear skull caps because that’s collectively bargained. Achane exited concussion protocol on Friday.
▪ McDaniel said he had no update on Tyler Huntley’s shoulder injury that forced him to miss the fourth quarter: “I thought he gave the offense a chance to win. There were a couple things that were things that we didn’t execute. It’s short-sighted to place blame on any one individual. He had us in position to win, which is all you can ask for.”
▪ Achane said “we beat ourselves.” Achane, who came out of concussion protocol on Friday, said he wore a guardian cap, which is purported to lessen the chance of a concussion because “I was comfortable with it today.”
▪ Left tackle Terron Armstead, speaking about the loss to CBS-4: “Frustrating. So self-inflicted. That’s what makes it hard to deal with. Turnovers... Penalties. Self-inflicted issues keep showing their face. It’s really hindering us.”
▪ Defensive lineman Zach Sieler: “We have to be right on little things, whatever the play entails… When you do that, that’s when you win games.”
Sieler said “the energy we’re going to get from Tua back is incredible.”
BERRIOS UPDATE
Receiver Braxton Berrios, the Dolphins’ primary returner, pounded his hand on the turf in anger after sustaining a knee injury in the second half on Sunday.
Berrios is fearful that he sustained a “significant injury,” agent Drew Rosenhaus told WSVN-7’s Josh Moser. (Rosenhaus appears on Sunday nights on WSVN-7).
Berrios will get an MRI on Monday.
Receiver Dee Eskridge, who’s on the Dolphins practice squad, could be in line to replace Berrios. He has a 25.3 average on 18 career kickoff returns, mostly for Seattle. He hasn’t returned a punt in the NFL or in college.
Receiver Malik Washington didn’t return a punt in college but is listed as the Dolphins’ backup punt returner on their depth chart.
This story was originally published October 20, 2024 at 5:09 PM.
