Friday Dolphins Mailbag: Tua, Tyreek, Mostert, and More

Tackling various issues ahead of the Miami Dolphins wild-card playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs

Part 1 of the pre-KC playoff game All Dolphins mailbag:

From Reza Hariri (@Thereealrezpect1):

I got to say it sucks 2 years in a row going to the playoffs without the team you were supposed to have. Weirdly I like our chances better this year than last. If we run the ball, take what the Chiefs give us & no TO I think we win. Thoughts?

Hey Reza, yes, it sucks to not have your full complement of players, but that’s unfortunately life in the NFL. I do agree with you that the running game and getting takeaways would be a clear path to victory, and the Chiefs are definitely more vulnerable than they’ve been in recent years.

From ThatDolphinsRealtor (@ThatFinsRealtor):

Will the Chiefs be weak against our pass rush? Who gets more sacks, the interior or the OGs?

Even though the OGs story is certainly interesting, I’d still put my money here on Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler being the disruptive elements for the Dolphins pass rush.

From Dave (@angryvet59):

Tua plans on no gloves. I've been stationed in my past Army career in similar cold/wind & that weather hurts. If he does change his mind, how would not being a regular glove user affect his throwing?

Hey Dave, the logical thing is for the Dolphins to bring a couple of different types of gloves (thickness) to Kansas City and have him work with all of them during pregame warmups and for him to find one with which he’s comfortable. He always could go with a glove but with a pouch on his jersey to keep his hands as warm as possible between plays.

From DonRad (@DonnieRad):

Does Tua force Tyreek the ball vs good defenses? There seem to be players open but since he gets rid of the ball so fast he doesn’t see it. Your thoughts?

Hey Donnie, I think there’s an element of focusing on Tyreek — maybe even “forcing” — but it’s hard to argue with the overall results. And I don’t think it changes from opponent to opponent, except that the results sometimes are different.

From Olive Grove Jon (@Owlizee):

Hi Alain. If I’m the Dolphins and win the coin toss, I’m taking the ball first. I want to see this team run the ball early and often. I believe they need to have long, sustained drives and keep their patched-up defense on the sidelines as much as possible. Agree?

Hey OGJ, I do not. Getting the ball first in the first half or the second half isn’t going to change the time of possession and I always prefer the scenario of being to double up with a score at the end of the first half and at the start of the second.

From Jason Kirkland (@1bigdad424):

Alain, the common theme is "no excuses" as far as injuries go. I agree with that. However, If Miami started the season with the current 53, we would've said the FO didn't do enough to compete. Seems like perspective has changed because they started with more. Your thoughts?

Hey Jason, yes, there’s no accounting for the number of significant injuries they’ve had recently on the defensive side of the ball. Maybe the only area where we could complain about a lack of foresight is at cornerback, but then again maybe they just overestimated what they could get from Cam Smith as a rookie.

From GetMyLickBack (@GetMyLickBack):

Will this game prove whether or not Flores was right about Tua?

No, that’s too simplistic. It’s simply part of a body of evidence that’s been collected for the entirety of his career.

From Miller Stan (@knightsickle):

Will Tua be able to make those around him better like Mahomes does week in and week out with half the weapons this week?

That’s the challenge, right?

From Ed Helinski (@MrEd315):

How are you liking the matchups against the Chiefs in bitter cold weather?

Hey Ed, I think this actually is a pretty good. Matchup for the Dolphins if they can get something out of their injured/ailing offensive players, like Waddle and Mostert. I’d love the defensive matchup if the Dolphins had all their pieces, but that’s sadly the reality of life in the NFL.

From Tim Ski (@TimSkii22):

It’s too easy to say the injuries are just bad luck. Why does this franchise struggle to keep their athletes, with all the resources available, healthy?

Hey Tim, how many soft-tissue injuries have the Dolphins dealt with, as opposed to freaky-type injuries. What could the Dolphins have done better to keep Jerome Baker from dislocating his wrist or Jaelan Phillips from popping an Achilles, for example. It was just a rash of bad luck. It’s also not something that happens every year. Their number of injuries wasn’t excessive at all in 2022, it just got a lot of attention because of Tua’s concussion issues.

From Chris Bustin (@ChrisBustin13):

Hey, Alain, can you please explain a little more about the Good Guy Award? What are some examples of how Raheem Mostert has supported your profession during press conferences? Thanks!

Hey, it’s not so much about specific answers but rather consistency in being willing to answer questions and provide elaborate answers. Understand that players are required to talk to the media once a game and after the game, and some won’t go beyond those minimums and others are willing to help out above and beyond. Mostert is a guy who’s always accommodating and always pleasant.

From chip folsom (@ChipFolsom):

To me it feels like an Achane game. In the coldest winter games in history, do the fast RBs dominate or do the big RBs?

Hey Chip, that’s a question that would require extensive research, so I’m just going to go off my personal experience and say I remember Ricky Williams going off on the Bills in the snow at Buffalo, though he had a good combination of speed and power.

From Luis Rodriguez (@Elfrijol3232):

In the first KC game the offense was meh and the defense was good. Do you think the addition of Achane in this game is enough to overcome the hits we’ve taken on defense since the first game?

Hey Luis, that’s going to be the question, along with whether the Dolphins can avoid the big mistake offensively (the Tyreek fumble return for a touchdown) and whether they can finish the game. But I do think Achane could be a difference-maker.

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