Dolphins’ McDaniel dishes on injuries, Beckham, Ross reaction, the Wright issue, more
If the Dolphins are going to get immediate pass rush help, it won’t come internally.
Chubb, who sustained a torn ACL injury on Dec. 31 against Baltimore, is not ready to begin practicing. He remains on the physically unable to perform list.
His return is “not on my immediate horizon,” coach Mike McDaniel said Monday. The coach added his injury was an “ACL plus,” suggesting another injury could be at play as well.
With Chubb sidelined and Jaelan Phillips out for the remainder of the season after ACL surgery, the Dolphins are second to last in the league in sacks, with nine in seven games.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins might be without safety Jevon Holland on Sunday at Buffalo (1 p.m., CBS), though McDaniel said that’s not certain.
McDaniel said Holland’s knee injury, sustained in Sunday’s loss to Arizona, “wasn’t serious by the measure of surgery or extended time [out]. Still a little too early to tell what it means for this week. It feels like it might be week to week. Might be a possibility for this week. Got to let the week play out with him.”
On another front, McDaniel was asked if the team needs to be more of a meritocrasy, with the most productive players getting the most time.
In the question, two examples were cited:
Jaylen Wright leads the team and all NFL rookie running backs in per carry average at 5.3, but played only three offensive snaps and had two carries (for 18 yards) on Sunday.
Mo Kamara had the only two pressures delivered by the Dolphins outside linebackers against the Colts, and yet was a healthy scratch against Arizona, when Miami didn’t have any sacks.
Here was McDaniel’s response:
“It’s a fair point for any and all things to be questioned when the results don’t match [what’s] desired. That’s one thing I’m very comfortable with as a head coach: I’m comfortable with second guessing of any and all things. That’s fair.
“There are reasons behind it. Guys having success on the field that maybe all people would want to see more of, there are things that go on... For instance, as a pass rusher, there’s a complexion of the entire team that involves special teams and other phases, not just pass rush and the run game....
“Jaylen Wright has exhibited a lot of things that are connected to why we drafted him. He continues to improve, just like Mo. They are important pieces of our young nucleus that will get more opportunities. In hindsight, our plan [against Arizona] with Jaylen was to have him get more opportunities.
“It was trending that way and the offense had eight possessions. There are things I can do from a game planning standpoint; there are things we’ve done here with two backs on the field. It’s not lost [on me].”
How does McDaniel balance Wright’s upside with his trust in Raheem Mostert, who is averaging 3.5 yards per carry?
“I’m not going off Raheem’s productivity last year,” McDaniel said. “He was a gigantic tone setter for us against Indy. Yards per carry is not going to be high near the goal line because it’s a short distance.”
McDaniel addressed other issues:
▪ Asked about owner Stephen Ross’ reaction: “My instinct is to apologize for the result. The people he hired he really believes in and he’s very supportive. He’s also supremely competitive. He doesn’t like to lose. He’s disappointed when we don’t have [success].”
He said Ross “is very consistent making sure he knows tough times don’t last. Tough people do... No loss doesn’t feel like it doesn’t start with me.”
▪ On Tyreek Hill getting just one target in the second half: “The defense decided to over-invest in guarding him” and that created opportunities for others.
▪ On Odell Beckham Jr. having no catches and just 33 offensive snaps in three games: “The snaps he had [against Arizona], a couple he was primary [target] and the shell of the defense suggested” going elsewhere. McDaniel said “I thought he was running the best routes” of his three games this season.
“My expectation would be more involvement and owning that much more of the offense so he can be on the field more. It was a step in the right direction, even though the box score doesn’t really assess that.”
▪ What are reasons for optimism at 2-5? “We aren’t far off, based on tape and empirical facts, from being able to challenge every team we face.”
This story was originally published October 28, 2024 at 2:43 PM.
