Dolphins Notebook: Flores Follows Through, Ford Update, Respect for Chiefs Defense
Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores showed great respect Thursday morning for the Kansas City Chiefs defense and special teams, two units that easily can be overlooked playing alongside Patrick Mahomes and the team's electrifying offense.
Flores also talked during his daily media session about rookie Tua Tagovailoa's health status and his involvement in hurricane relief efforts for his parents' native country of Honduras.
Flores began first by speaking about the care package of Kansas City barbecue he got from Chiefs head coach Andy Reid as a thank you for the Dolphins defeating New England in Week 17 last year to give Reid's team a first-round bye in the AFC.
“The barbecue went fast," Flores said. "We enjoyed it, so we're very thankful for that. It went very quickly. KC barbecue is very good.”
TUA'S FOCUS
Tagovailoa still was listed as limited in practice Wednesday, but he no longer was wearing a small brace around his left thumb.
“You know, I mean, I think he's feeling better," Flores said. "From that standpoint, I think he's got like everyone else bumps and bruises that he's attained over the last few games that he's been playing. But, yeah, I think he feels a little better as far as the hand. Like everyone else, he’s trying to prepare as best he can for a very, very, very strong opponent and very good defense. They do a lot of things from a disguise standpoint, from a front standpoint, from a coverage standpoint, so. Yeah, so he shed whatever he had on his hand, but he's got other issues as far as dealing with the Chiefs. So it's kind of where his focus is and our focus is.”
Flores later made it a point to praise the Chiefs defense, which ranks 17th in the NFL in yards allowed but is sixth in scoring.
“I know people talk extensively about the offense, but this defense and special teams, they’re for real," Flores said. "I don't think they get enough credit. This is, I would say, a top-level defense from my standpoint. I think Spags (Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) does a great job. I think these two safeties are very good, really three safeties including (Juan) Thornhill. Corners are very good in press and man coverage. And obviously we know about Frank Clark and Chris Jones and (linebacker Anthony) Hitchens makes a lot of tackles.
"I mean, this is a good team. And they bring pressure. They bring pressure from a lot of areas. The corners blitz, the backers blitz, the ends drop. You’ve got guys coming from all over the place. They do a good job of disguising. Yeah, this is a good group. This is a very good group.”
FLORES FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH HELP
Flores pledged several weeks ago to do what he could to help out in Honduras in the aftermath of Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota, and he followed through with the help of the Honduran consulate in Miami, as well as Publix and Spirit Airlines.
“We talked about this a couple of weeks ago as far as some hurricane relief for the people down in Honduras. So I just worked with Jason Jenkins in our community relations and got in touch with the consulate from Honduras and put some with help from Publix, put some packages together with Spirit Airlines, flew a plane down there and just gave them some support, some things that they needed, a variety of things. They needed some support and we're happy to help. And I just think about the family I have down there. ... I just think about them and to them just tell them I love them and I'm praying for them. Te quiero mucho. We’ll just try to keep supporting them.”
PRO BOWL UPDATE
The NFL released an update on fan voting for the Pro Bowl, and it's the same as last week when it comes to the Dolphins.
Cornerback Xavien Howard and punter Matt Haack still continue to lead the AFC at their position, while kicker Jason Sanders still finds himself behind Rodrigo Blankenship of the Indianapolis Colts.
Fan voting ends Dec. 17, and players and coaches will vote the following day.
The Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on NFL Network late this month.
FORD FOLLOW-UP
Amid a report that wide receiver Isaiah Ford was headed back to the Dolphins practice squad after he cleared waivers, Flores provide an update that in essence suggested it's at best a move in progress.
"We brought him for a visit," Flores said. "We’ll just kind of see where it goes, but there's COVID protocols that we’ve got to go through and then we’ll take it from there.”
The Dolphins traded Ford, who had 10 catches for 184 yards in seven games with Miami this season, to New England on Nov. 3 for a conditional 2022 sixth-round pick, but the Patriots released him after he was inactive for the three games for which he was eligible to play after going through the COVID protocols.
Based on comments from Bill Belichick, who said he was hoping the Patriots could "continue to work with him," New England had an interest in bringing Ford back to their own practice squad.
The best part of all this for the Dolphins is that they still will be getting a 2022 late-round pick.
HONOR FOR HARTLINE
Seven years after he led the Dolphins in receptions for a second consecutive year, Brian Hartline is getting recognition for the work he's doing coaching wide receivers at the college level.
Hartline was nominated Thursday for the Broyles Award given to the top assistant coach in college football. Hartline is now in his third season as wide receivers coach at Ohio State, where he played before joining the Dolphins as a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft.
Hartline led the Dolphins in receptions in 2012 and 2013 when he topped 1,000 receiving yards each time.
