Will Dolphins start using more no-huddle offense for Tua? Flores addresses that, more
Though the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa thrived after the Dolphins went to a hurry-up offense in the third quarter of Sunday’s game, head coach Brian Flores suggested he doesn’t want to use that up-tempo approach in every game.
“It’s week to week,” he said. “Every week, it’s based on what we see from the next opponent. We could see someone running no huddle against Kansas City and getting stoned every play and then we wouldn’t do it. It’s very early. All of the focus was on the Bengals. We’ll see if that’s something that will help us, [whether we will] implement it. I don’t think it’s an every week thing. It’s something you can go to in the offense. Every team has a two-minute-type thing.”
Aside from late-game situations when they’re trailing, the Dolphins have used an up-tempo offense sparingly this season.
Flores addressed other issues in his Monday news conference:
▪ On playing Kansas City on Sunday: “The Chiefs are a very good team, reigning Super Bowl champions, great coach, great quarterback, do a good job in the kicking game. It will be a great challenge for us. We’ve got to do a great job of preparing.”
▪ He said left guard Ereck Flowers — who has a sprained ankle — “is getting treatment this morning, getting evaluated. He’s a tough guy. He wants to be out there. He’s going to do everything he can to get back out there as quickly as possible.”
Agent Drew Rosenhaus told WSVN Fox-7 that Flowers hopes to play against Kansas City.
▪ Receiver Jakeem Grant — who was hit hard on two cheap shots while trying to field a punt — “is banged up like a lot of guys on our team,” Flores said.
Regarding the minor melee that followed the second of those plays, Flores said: “We’ve moved past it, talked about it as a team today. We’ve got to do a better job of keeping our composure, not get penalties. It’s going to be a point of emphasis this week. I’ll leave it at that.”
▪ On cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, who played the second half after Xavien Howard’s ejection: “I thought he played well. He’s a guy that has been practicing very well. I’ve seen a lot of improvement with him in practice. He’s made a lot of plays in the kicking game the last few weeks. Those things don’t go unnoticed. He’s gotten better.”
▪ He said Xavien Howard “is one of the best corners I’ve been around. And he’s improving and he works at it on a daily basis. We have a lot of confidence in him and hopefully that continues in the way he works. I know how important the game is to him. He’s a key piece to this team.”
▪ Flores said some of the team’s rookies have played better and are further along than others but likes all of their work ethic. The team’s top seven draft picks all played a lot Sunday and “they’ve all earned that opportunity.”
Here’s my piece with the rare feats that Tua Tagovailoa has achieved, how his first five NFL starts compare with Dan Marino’s and nuggets on every Dolphins position.
This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 2:10 PM.
