Dolphins Week 2 Saturday Mailbag: Weaver, Waller, Cornerbacks, and More

How confident should we be about the right side of the offensive line and the ability to protect Tua? Is everybody overreacting after the poor Week 1 showing? Tackling those and other Miami Dolphins issues

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver | Alain Poupart - Miami Dolphins On SI

Part 2 of the Week 2 Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From Adnas:

Why does Anthony Weaver get so much hype? Seems like a bad DC. Padded stats vs. bad teams last year. Has no clue how to generate a pass rush.

First off, the Dolphins finished fourth in the NFL in fewest yards allowed last season despite that lack of a pass rush, so clearly Weaver did some things right. And the lack of a pass rush last year had more to do from where I sit with personnel than scheme deficiencies. I also wouldn’t rush to judgment on the pass rush for this year, no matter how disappointing and invisible it was against the Colts. Weaver has a great reputation around the NFL, but it’s fair to at least suggest the jury is still out on him as a defensive coordinator before more evidence comes in.

From Lloyd Heilbrunn:

ETA on them just bailing on the Waller thing…

Hey Lloyd, based on Mike McDaniel’s comment Wednesday that the Dolphins might at some point decide there’s too much risk “for the rest of the season,” I’m thinking we’re not very far from that time arriving.

POSITIONS OF CONCERNS

From Prince-Bishop Militantly Aardvark:

Hey Alain, hope you feel better and it was nothing too serious. At the risk of triggering a relapse, I have to ask, have you ever seen a worse/more woefully underpowered group of cornerbacks suit up for the Fins?

Hey PBMA, thanks, am feeling better; did hate to skip an All Dolphins Podcast episode, though. It is indeed a pretty underwhelming group of cornerbacks, but I recall in the 1980s — before the arrival of Troy Vincent and J.B. Brown — when the Dolphins also had a pretty questionable group. There were several reasons the Dolphins failed to make the playoffs four consecutive seasons (1986-89), and sub-par cornerback play was at or near the top. Then again, that group had little help from the pass rush and that’s always a factor as well.

From SciGuy17:

Seriously, how can they protect Tua's blind side with Smith and Borom?????? Do they realize they've failed by letting this happen, or are they Pollyannas?

If the Dolphins didn’t think Smith and Borom couldn’t protect Tua at all, do you honestly think they’d go with those two. Now, is there some wishful thinking involved here? Yeah, probably. But let’s also understand there are things the Dolphins can do to help those two, whether it be more quick passing, having the tight end or back chip or even rolling out Tua to his left. And, who knows, maybe Borom and Smith surprise you and do a good job in pass protection against the Patriots. Let’s just see how it plays out.

From Gaz Hay:

If (and we know it won't happen) Fins want to move on from Tua, realistically no one will trade for him, so no way out till 2027 because of guarantees and cap? Even a new GM would have to use Tua so MMcD is going nowhere.

Tua’s contract indeed is problematic if the Dolphins wanted to move on from him — and we’re nowhere near that point, I believe — but let’s not forget that the Denver Broncos ate a major slice of cap space last year to move on from Russell Wilson. If the situation gets desperate enough, maybe the Dolphins do the same, no matter how painful it would be, if they decide to start all over. Trading him would be very difficult because of his contract.

WHAT TO MAKE OF THE LOSS AND THE AFTERMATH

From Basti:

Hey Alain, still crushed by this devastating loss. What I don’t understand is how off Tua was all game. The first interception — this is a throw Tua made a million times. He NEVER sails it the way he did on Sunday. Same with so many other throws against the Colts. Do you have any explanation for that, apart from “everyone having a bad game once in a while”? Additionally, I was shocked seeing the same mistakes as I did the last one and a half years. Why is no one on the coaching staff able to erase those mistakes like the pre-snap penalties, the poor clock management, etc.? What do you think - is it time to move on from Mike (who I still really, really like as a coach) because he obviously isn’t able to make the necessary changes? Or am I overreacting shortly after week 1?

Hey Basti, yes, Tua had a bad game and the two picks were the result of bad footwork on the first, which caused the ball to sail, and the same looked like he didn’t spot Laiatu Latu after he had dropped in coverage. And, yes, it was disheartening to see the Dolphins get flagged for delay on fourth-and-goal and then have to burn a timeout on the two-point conversion (though the game was lost by now). Yes, you are overreacting after one loss, though there absolutely were very troubling signs and if things don’t get rectified, then maybe a change will become inevitable.

From Jason Kirkland:

Hi Alain, maybe I'm looking into it too much, but for me it wasn't a good look that McDaniel looked so dejected the day after the loss. I can't see how that gives the players confidence in their leader. This team has no Dawgs, no tenacity, no fight.

Hey Jason, here’s the thing: McDaniel’s demeanor is pretty consistent after wins and losses and if he comes in either overly chipper or defiant the day after the loss, then he’ll get criticized for compensating. So in a sense he can’t win there. I don’t necessarily put much stock in the after-game reaction; it’s what happens during the game that matters, and what happened in Indy clearly wasn’t good enough.

From FishyFootball:

Who comes back first: Waller, Sanders, Jackson, Daniels, Wright, Duck, Jones?

Interesting question. Let’s eliminate Sanders and Daniels first because they’re on IR. Waller, Jackson, Duck and Jones didn’t practice one time this week and the Dolphins are going to have two (very) light practices next week ahead of the Thursday night game at Buffalo, which means they likely won’t play in that game, either. That leaves Wright, who at this point looks like to me like your answer after practicing (albeit on a limited basis) Thursday and Friday.

From Kasey Jones:

Hey Poup!! Why do the Canes and Fins seem to always have the same home game week? Seems like more often than not I see the Canes playing Saturday night and the Fins Sunday early window? Few times the field looks terrible because of it. Always wondered that, Poup.

Hey Kasey, college schedules usually are made years in advance, while the NFL obviously does its schedule in April-May. And while I’m pretty sure the NFL is cognizant of not overloading weekends at the same stadium, I’m not sure how much of a priority that is as opposed to other factors like balance, TV, etc.