Saturday Dolphins Mailbag: Skylar, Tight Ends, X, and More
Part 2 of the pre-Vikings SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:
From Chris Bustin (@ChrisBustin13):
Hey Alain, how important do you think this game (3-3 vs. 4-2) is for the Dolphins to be on pace for making the playoffs? Thanks!
Hey Chris, every game is important and getting any kind of cushion would be great, but there’s no way I’d even come close to calling this a must-win game for the Dolphins. It’s only Game 6 of the regular season and the Dolphins are about to get into the “soft” part of their schedule with Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and Houston next. So, no, this isn’t a huge game in terms of making the playoffs compared to others particularly since it’s again an NFC opponent and a loss wouldn’t hurt as much as if it came against a conference opponent.
From Reza Hariri (@Therealrezpect1):
Still confused why Miami is keeping Cethan Carter on roster rather than IR. Also seems like we don’t run as many WR screens as SF does.
Hey Reza, well, Cethan Carter no longer is on the 53-man roster because the Dolphins indeed put him on IR last week when they activated safety Clayton Fejedelem. I did find it odd myself that they would make that move after Carter already had missed four games, but this clearly is an example of the fickle nature of concussions. As for wide receiver screens, I haven’t seen a stat, but certainly have seen the Dolphins run their share of them so far this season, both to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
From AB (@Brtlnx):
Hi Alain. We know that Gesicki is not best suited for this offense. How effective have the tight ends been in the run game so far? Do you see Smythe, Conner or Long as difference makers in the future?
Hey AB, I’d from my vantage point that Smythe has had his moments in run blocking but nothing dominant, and I haven’t seen either Conner or Long on the field enough blocking to even form an opinion. The real wild card here for me is Long because the Dolphins spent a third-round pick on him just last year, but that also was with a different coaching staff that didn’t emphasize blocking from the tight ends as much as this one does.
From Luke Yanka (@lsyanka):
Do we have any chance to beat the Vikings with Skylar? My outlook is bleak haha.
Hey Luke, the point spread is 3.5 points in favor of the Vikings; does that sound like an impossible task for the Dolphins to win. Not only does Miami have a chance to win, it has a very good chance to win. Don’t underestimate the difference having a full week of practice as the starter will make for Thompson.
From LEGION OF ZOOM SZN (@1972wasgreat):
What are your expectations for Skylar with a week of practice under his belt?
My expectations are that Skylar will do more than a serviceable job and the offense has some interesting possibilities, though a lot of it also depends on Terron Armstead being available at left tackle and Raheem Mostert being available at running back. If Thompson has a full complement of personnel around him, I think you’ll be happy with Thompson. If Armstead and/or Mostert can’t play, things might get a little rougher.
From Phins Up (@PhinsUp_934):
How can X contain Jefferson? Hasn’t been too convincing so far this season.
Hey there, no, this has not been vintage X we’ve been seeing so far this season, though I’m not sure I’d put too much stock in the Cincy game since he was dealing with a groin injury. But this is where you have to have confidence that X will find his game again beyond just dealing with Justin Jefferson because if X struggles the whole season, then it’s really bad news for the secondary and the defense in general.
From Dave (@angryvet59):
Kohou is a rookie but started last week. Any chance they keep him on outside & move Needham back to slot?
Hey Dave, as impressive as Kohou has been for a rookie free agent and as great as his story is, we also can’t pretend he’s shutting down opposing receivers when he’s in coverage — as indicated by the 104.5 opponent passer rating when targeted. What he’s does best actually is tackle in the open field. All that is to say that I’m not sure Kohou starts if the Dolphins have other viable options. Against Minnesota, for example, I’d be inclined to think it’ll be X and Nik Needham starting outside.
From Big Ern McDolphin (@dana_buice):
McDaniel seemed to take a less is more approach towards veterans practicing. Presumably, thinking that would lead to a healthier start to the season. Do you think health is just a roll of the dice or did lack of practicing lead to this M*A*S*H unit we are currently looking at?
Hey Dana, the idea of giving veterans “rest days” isn’t new and, no, I don’t think there’s a correlation there between the injuries and the rest days — though maybe an athletic trainer might actually disagree with me. Look at Terron Armstead, for example. The Dolphins gave him a light practice schedule to get him ready for the regular season and to take care of his knee issue, and then it’s a toe injury that’s kept him from practicing. These things just happen sometimes.
