Why Taco Charlton was a healthy scratch for Dolphins. And Flores reacts about late call.
A game-plan decision — not practice performance or effort — led to the Dolphins’ decision to deactivate defensive end Taco Charlton for Sunday’s game, coach Brian Flores said Monday.
Charlton had five sacks and two forced fumbles in nine games as a Dolphin, including five starts.
Asked why he was a healthy scratch, Flores said: “More game-planning. We needed to go with some other guys from a game plan standpoint.”
He said Charlton’s effort in practice has been good. “Taco been great,” Flores said. “He has done good across the board.”
On the defensive line, with Charlton a healthy scratch, Christian Wilkins again led Miami in snaps with 48, with Davon Godchaux playing 37, Avery Moss 24, John Jenkins 21 and Gerald Willis 11.
FLORES REFLECTS
A day after venting angrily toward officials for the costly pass interference call replay ruling late in Sunday’s loss to the Jets, Flores was asked how long it took for him to calm down.
“I get over things pretty quickly; it’s an emotional game,” he said. “It’s my anger, but it’s for the players. I’m upset for them, because I see them work day to day and put it on the line for each other. It’s not about me. I’m all about serving those players. This isn’t about me at all. It’s about those players, the coaches, the cafeteria people and equipment staff. We all put a lot into this.”
Asked how officiating reviews have been handled this year, he said, “It’s been fine.”
In general, he said: “Officials do a really good job. It’s not an easy job for them. Every week there are good calls and calls some people don’t think are very good.”
Cornerback Nik Needham’s defensive coverage on receiver Vyncint Smith, forcing an incomplete pass on a third -and-17, originally was ruled a clean play before pass interference was called on replay, giving the Jets a first down and setting up their game-winning field goal. Without the penalty, the Jets would have had fourth and 17 from the Dolphins’ 46 yard line.
With the penalty, the Jets got the ball at the Miami 38 with 43 seconds left and then gained 12 more yards before Sam Ficken’s game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired.
“We have to deal with adversity and move past it,” Flores said. “Say what you want about the call. We had an opportunity to get them stopped and didn’t get it done. We didn’t make enough plays to win the game…. I’m always going to advocate for our team. That’s not going to change. We’ve got to work harder and put ourselves in a situation where it’s not up to anyone else.”
RECEIVER SITUATION
Flores said receivers Albert Wilson and DeVante Parker remain in concussion protocol. Their status for Sunday’s game at the Giants is uncertain.
Parker played 18 snaps and Wilson 17 before departing with concussion symptoms.
Newcomer Mac Hollins — the former Eagles receiver claimed off waivers last week — played 10 snaps on offense Sunday. Allen Hurns played 57 and Isaiah Ford 55.
▪ Flores said Ryan Fitzpatrick will start at quarterback Sunday. Eli Manning is expected to start for the Giants.
▪ In needing to settle for five field goals on red zone chances on Sunday (and seven field goals overall in eight attempts), the Dolphins fell from third to 16th in red zone touchdown percentage.
“We know we didn’t play well in the red zone but the offense moved the ball efficiently,” Flores said. “You want to give yourselves a chance to win at the end. I like field goal [games]. That’s kind of how I’m wired. Our tight ends stepped in, played some different positions. [Receiver] Isaiah Ford really did a great job, played every position from a receiver standpoint, made some big catches. Allen Hurns was dinged a little bit and fought through it.
“Patrick Laird had some good runs in the second half, caught a big pass late in the game, made some good blocks for us. Thought he played a solid game.”
▪ In his third game back from a preseason foot injury, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel received by far his most playing time — receiving 35 of 71 defensive snaps —- and had a sack on the Jets’ final possession. “Van Ginkel has improved each week,” Flores said. “This is a guy who works extremely hard and earned those snaps. He’s in [the] kicking game as well, two tackles there.”
▪ Among safeties, Adrian Colbert and Eric Rowe played all 71 defensive snaps, with Steven Parker logging 25 snaps on defense.
▪ At cornerback, Needham played all 71 defensive snaps, with Jomal Wiltz logging 61, Ryan Lewis 44 and Ken Webster 29.
Rowe, Colbert, Needham and linebacker Jerome Baker were the only Dolphins who played all 71 snaps on defense.
▪ With Kallen Ballage going on injured reserve last week, Miami gave 59 snaps to Laird, 13 to Myles Gaskin and seven to fullback Chandler Cox.
▪ At tight end, Clive Walford played 33 snaps on offense — his most this season — with Mike Gesicki logging 50 and Durham Smythe 41. The Dolphins made extensive use of two tight-end sets.
▪ Pro Football Focus gave Miami’s highest grades on offense to Ford, Hurns and Laird. PFF gave its worst grades to guard Micheal Deiter (who played only nine snaps off the bench), Evan Boehm (who replaced Shaq Calhoun as the starter at right guard) and Keaton Sutherland (who replaced Deiter in the starting lineup at left guard).
Sutherland allowed four pressures and one quarterback hit. Boehm allowed three pressures and three quarterback hits.
▪ PFF gave its best grades on defense to Steven Parker, Wilkins and Colbert and its worst grades to Lewis and Webster.
This story was originally published December 9, 2019 at 3:07 PM.
