Tua Tagovailoa, Skylar Thompson, Mike McDaniel and more

Part 1 of the mailbag before the Miami Dolphins On SI vs. Seattle game:

From Big Ern McDolphin (@dana_buice):

McDaniel is popular with Dolphins fans. However, there are always problems. Such as the timing of the game and the problem with stronger opponents. His insistence that the O-line is fine gives me food for thought. Is it time for Dolphins fans to be more critical of him?

Hey Dana, I can't speak for the fans, but I hope he has a little leeway considering the Dolphins made the playoffs in both of his seasons and had a very good record of 11-6 last year. Is he perfect? ​​No, but that's not a coach. I'm not saying he's above criticism, but we're just two games into a new season, so I would suggest maybe a little patience. I think he's earned that.

From Dave (@DaGreco49):

Alain, how come four Dolphins players have shoulder injuries?

Hey Dave, this is just a coincidence.

From Olive Grove Jon (@Owlizee):

Hi Alain, what will the next 4 games tell us about coach Mike McDaniel? He has a bad record against playoff teams and now his star QB is gone. Do you think this could be a crucial period for him?

Hey OGJ, I get what you mean, but I think this is a part of the game plan where he has a lot more to gain than to lose, because if the Dolphins fail, I think it will be more on GM Chris Grier and poor roster construction. That being said, the team needs to be competitive regardless.

From Roger Dodger (@RogerDolfan):

Asking Tua not to dive headfirst to gain a few more yards on the first down when his team is down 21 points late in the third quarter is like asking an alcoholic to stop drinking. That's not possible. Given his history of concussions, should he be allowed to decide for himself whether he will play again?

Hey Roger, why shouldn't Tua be allowed to make the decision about his career and his life? The idea is that the doctors will give him all the information he needs to make an informed decision, but ultimately it should be the player's decision.

From Mason (@Orli88704562):

Alain, since Robert Jones and Cotton have not performed well at left guard, do you see rookie left tackle Patrick Paul getting the opportunity to play alongside Armstead? Especially given the possibility that the Dolphins will run more.

Hey Mason, I absolutely don't think so. I've said from the beginning that I don't think the Dolphins want to play Paul in key offensive situations this season if they can avoid it. And Paul is pretty much just a tackle.

From Dinney Wilkinson (@DinneyW):

I saw Anthony Weaver say Brooks and Long didn't want to leave the game and that's why they didn't. Bradley Chubb suffered his injury because he couldn't leave the game because it was a loss. Is it fair to expect the team to learn from this? Is it fair to expect more leadership from Weaver in this situation?

Hey Dinney, yeah, I wasn't happy with Weaver's answer and my first thought was, “Uh, you're the coach, you make that decision.” The Dolphins definitely should have learned from what happened with Chubb last year.

From Geoffrey (@Geoffre1641181):

Hi Alain, where do you think the Dolphins will have the most success in the running game against Seattle, outside or between the tackles? PS: I'm from the UK and I'm going to the game, disappointed not to see Tua!

Hey Geoffrey, that's an awfully small sample size, but it seems the best way to beat Seattle's defense in the run game is to the outside. Denver had modest success running against the Seahawks in the opening game, but New England was successful with 185 yards (though the Patriots didn't accomplish much in the passing game). This would obviously benefit the Dolphins in their run game.

From Brian Lewis (@BBlewis20):

As a training camp spectator, what have you observed about Skylar that gives the Dolphins (and us fans) confidence that he can be successful this week against Seattle and beyond?

Hey Brian, what would give me confidence is that training camp is not the same as the regular season, that Skylar barely got to hang out with guys like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Training camp itself was rough on Thompson and Mike White, but that's another story again (pun intended).

From Crash Jensen (@Sngly):

What did the Jags and Buffalo do defensively that made life so difficult for Miami's offense? Is Seattle's defense capable of doing the same?

Hey Crash, they did what most successful teams have done: They stopped the deep pass by lining up two safeties deep, having the linebackers drop back to defend against crossing routes, and then attack the quarterback. The area that would most worry the Dolphins offense in this matchup would probably be Seattle's pass rush.

From dolfanjeff (@dolfanjeff77):

Did anyone ask McDaniel why Tua was even in the game at that point? I feel like McDaniel escaped a lot of criticism because of Tua's injury.

Hey Jeff, the Dolphins were down 21 points and in the red zone. Have you forgotten that they blew a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter in Baltimore in 2022? Nobody asked McDaniel that question because it's not legitimate. It would have been a legitimate question if Tua had NOT been in the game.

From Chris Bustin (@ChrisBustin13):

Hey, Alain. My question this week revolves around two hypothetical cases: 1. Tua was the same weight last week as he was last season or 2. Tua wore a Guardian cap last week. Do you think Tua's collision with Damar Hamlin will still result in a concussion in either of those scenarios? Thanks!

Hey Chris, I'm not too keen on hypotheticals, because in this case I'm just speaking out. But since you asked, no, I don't think the extra weight would have made a difference. As for the Guardian cap, I'd go as far as to say maybe.