Why Sunday changed so much for the Dolphins. And Flores addresses Tua and Austin Jackson
During a four-hour stretch that began with an unprecedented NFL schedule change and ended with a Dolphins demolition in Santa Clara, California, everything changed seismically for Miami’s NFL team on Sunday.
The Dolphins entered the day in serious jeopardy of dropping to 1-4, perhaps another mediocre Ryan Fitzpatrick performance from making the change to rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
They ended the day not only coming off the most convincing win of the Brian Flores era (43-17 at the 49ers), but now potentially positioned to remain in playoff contention at least until facing a murderer’s row schedule in December.
The NFL’s Sunday schedule change — which was set in motion because of COVID-19 issues on the New England Patriots — was significant for the Dolphins because by moving up the home game against the woeful Jets from Nov. 15 to Sunday, Miami will now be a heavy favorite to move to 3-3 next weekend entering its bye week, which was shifted from Nov. 22 to Oct. 25.
After that Jets game and the team’s bye, Miami’s following six games will be: home against the Rams, at Arizona, home against the Chargers, at Denver, at the Jets and home to Cincinnati.
Miami could be favored in three of those games (Chargers, Jets, Bengals) and none of the other three games — Rams, at Cardinals, at Broncos — are automatic losses, considering how Miami played Sunday.
So if the Dolphins beat the Jets on Sunday — and can win at least three of those following six — they would be 6-6 or perhaps even 7-5 entering a brutal December schedule.
And considering each conference is adding one playoff team, that would put the Dolphins squarely in contention heading into the final quarter of the season.
Now here’s the bad news:
The Dolphins have the NFL’s toughest December schedule: home to Kansas City and New England and at Las Vegas and at Buffalo.
By that point, the Dolphins will either be fighting for a wild card spot under the direction of Fitzpatrick or breaking in Tagovailoa if the seemingly manageable next seven games don’t go as well as the organization hopes.
Count tight end Mike Gesicki among those who hopes Miami sticks with Fitzpatrick.
“The greatest teammate I’ve played with,” Gesicki called Fitzpatrick on Monday. “The energy he brings, confidence he gives to everyone else, it’s contagious. What makes him special is he makes guys around him better players. If I could play with him the next 15 years I would do it.”
Last season, Pittsburgh (8-8) and the Rams (9-7) would have made the postseason under this new expanded 14-team field.
What if this 14-team playoff format had been in existence for the past 10 years? During that period, five more 10-win teams, nine more nine-win teams and six more eight-win teams would have made the playoffs.
Even though Miami is in Year 2 of a major rebuild, Flores made clear that “every time we step on the field, we’re looking to win. We’re always looking to make moves with the idea of winning.”
Flores addressed several issues Monday:
▪ He sounded hopeful that left tackle Austin Jackson will return in the weeks ahead from a foot injury that landed him on injured reserve last week.
Flores said Jackson won’t be at practice the next couple of weeks. Under new NFL rules this season, Jackson is eligible to come off injured reserve before the Nov. 8 Arizona game. He could possibly return in November, though Flores declined to speculate.
Flores was pleased with the offensive line play and Robert Hunt’s debut as the starting right tackle: “Robert was going against a very good player in Arik Armstead, and it wasn’t too big for him. Solomon Kindley did a good job on the right side. As a whole, [the five linemen] played well.”
▪ Flores said rookie Noah Igbinoghene is playing only boundary cornerback and is not being used in the slot.
“Noah’s play time decreased a little, but we still have a lot of confidence in Noah,” Flores said. “He’s a perimeter corner, which makes him the next guy in for X [Xavien Howard] or Byron [Jones], with Nik Needham and Jamal Perry in there in nickel.
“Sometimes people might interpret Nik playing over Noah; but they’re two different positions. Want to make that clear to everyone. Noah is a young player, still ascending.”
▪ Asked why he didn’t insert Tagovailoa late in the game with the score lopsided, Flores kidded that it would have made “some people happy” but suggested it would have been pointless because he merely would have handed off. Flores also cited quarterback injuries around the league.
“He will be ready to go when his number is called,” Flores said.
▪ Asked why receiver Lynn Bowden Jr.’s playing time has increased, Flores said: “I really let Chan [Gailey] handle the offensive side. I have a little bit of input. He’s still learning the nuances and techniques of receiver. This is a work in progress. Chan has done a good job of developing players in the past.”
▪ Flores said practice squad defensive end Tyshun Render played in the game because with “Shaq Lawson being out, we needed another end. He performed well in training camp and has done a good job in practice. And with [tight end] Durham Smythe down, we needed a bigger body from a kicking game standpoint.”
▪ Flores said the decision to have running back Jordan Howard on the inactive list against the 49ers “was the best move for us for this particular game plan.”
Here’s my Monday Dolphins piece with lots more personnel nuggets.
Here’s my Monday Miami Hurricanes 6-pack.
This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 3:02 PM.
