McDaniel likes this Dolphins team: ‘I would never forgive myself if I wasn’t ready’
Just days away from his regular-season debut as Miami Dolphins coach, does Mike McDaniel agree with pundits who expect big things from the Dolphins?
He said that former Denver and Washington coach Mike Shanahan once told him that “only a portion of the teams have a chance, because everyone is working together and you have the prerequisite talent.
“We have a chance to really compete. That’s all you really want. We deserve to be in the party. I’m very confident in the team. I’m very, very proud of them for where they’re at.”
He said of league-wide reaction to results in Week 1: “It’s a huge buildup. We’re either crowned, or we suck. Either way, we have Week 2.”
McDaniel addressed other issues in his Wednesday media briefing:
▪ What has he enjoyed or relished the most about his first regular-season week as an NFL head coach?
“Me personally, not knowing if the opportunity would ever come, the bottom line is I would never forgive myself if I wasn’t ready. I’ve been preparing as though as I was calling plays for years, to the point of each play. [But] being careful not to murmur it out loud.
“This particular staff that I’m able to lead - you spend all this time really making sure you see the game the same way. Going against an opponent, having all of their contributions, has helped the process for me, made it pretty seamless. I’ve been involved in not just the run game, but the pass game as well [for years]. That has been enjoyable.”
▪ Asked who will be handling returns, McDaniel said he will use “our best players in the best situations for the team. We have highly skilled players we will use appropriately and accordingly.”
Three of the Dolphins’ half dozen best players are options as returners: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Jevon Holland. So is Raheem Mostert, who is atop the depth chart at kickoff returner.
McDaniel indicated he isn’t concerned about injury risk to top players on special teams.
“If I made decisions based upon safety in football, that’s a process I would fail in,” he said. “Every single snap there’s a huge risk of injury..... Every time, somebody is trying to tackle you. Why is special teams [plays] any different from catching a screen?”
▪ On Tagovailoa’s on-field chemistry with Jaylen Waddle, who remains limited with an injury but is practicing some, McDaniel said he noticed “how convicted, how confident Tua played throwing the ball to Jaylen.”
McDaniel said he remains very optimistic that Waddle will be available Sunday.
▪ On the Patriots’ Mac Jones: “I see a really good NFL quarterback who will continue to progress. Commands the game, really has a feel for timing. Within the pocket, he’s very elusive. Has a cool charisma and command, which I saw in Zoom [49ers pre-draft sessions] talking about his receivers, one of which we got” in Waddle.
▪ On cornerback Noah Igbinoghene: “I’ve seen him make huge progressions in his game. You have to remind yourself that you’re talking about a guy younger than some of our draft picks. He’s 22. He knows it’s all about development. He wants there to be no conversation about whether he’s a starter or not. That’s his goal.”
On the depth chart, with Byron Jones out for four games, Igbinoghene and Keion Crossen are listed as the Dolphins’ backup cornerbacks, behind Xavien Howard and Nick Needham.
PRACTICE UPDATE
Nik Needham and Alex Ingold were both limited. Skylar Thompson returned after missing Monday’s practice.
This story was originally published September 7, 2022 at 12:22 PM.
