Tuesday Dolphins Notebook: McDaniel and Tua Odds, Defense, And More
The Miami Dolphins' 42-38 thrilling victory at Baltimore in Week 2 not only earned the team some national respect, it propelled Tua Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel among the betting favorites for NFL awards.
McDaniel actually has become the favorite to be named NFL Coach of the Year, according to BetOnline (www.betonline.ag), going from 15/2 odds after Week 1 to his current odds to 4/1. Nick Siranni of the Philadelphia Eagles is the second favorite at 5/1.
When it comes to regular season MVP, Tagovailoa is now tied for sixth-favorite at 16/1, up from 40/1 after Week 1. He's tied, ironically enough with Tom Brady. The MVP favorite remains Josh Allen at 13/4, followed. by Patrick Mahomes at 17/4, Lamar Jackson at 9/1, Justin Herbert at 8/1 and Jalen Hurts at 11/1.
For NFL Defensive Player of the Year, CB Xavien Howard is tied for 31st at 75/1, the same odds Raheem Mostert has for Comeback Player of the Year, where he's tied for 22nd.
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STANDING THEIR GROUND
While Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle stole the spotlight in the victory at Baltimore, we shouldn't forget about the role played by the run defense.
Yes, the Dolphins gave up a 79-yard touchdown run to Lamar Jackson that made the score 35-14 late in the the third quarter, but they also came up big in short-yardage situations time after time.
Here's an incredible stat that tells the story: The Ravens had a combined 10 second-and-1, third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 situations in the game in the game and picked up the first down only three times.
The highlights, of course, were the goal-line stand that spanned the end of the first and the start of the second quarter after the Ravens had a first-and-goal from the 1 and the fourth-and-1 stop in the fourth quarter when Baltimore led 35-21.
Here's another stat: Besides Jackson's 79-yard run, the Dolphins allowed minus-2 yards on six rushing attempts.
DOLPHINS HALL NOMINEES
First-year Dolphins wide receivers coach Wes Welker, whose NFL playing career began with Miami in 2004, was among the 129 modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 announced Tuesday.
Among the other nominees who spent part of their NFL career playing for the Dolphins were WR Irving Fryar, T Richmond Webb, LB Zach Thomas, P Matt Turk and CB Troy Vincent.
Thomas, of course, was a finalist each of the last two years.
The list of modern-era nominees will be reduced to 25 semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 finalists whose names will be announced in early January.
PLAYER NOTES
-- Taking care of some bookkeeping business, WR River Cracraft and T Larnel Coleman both reverted to the practice squad Monday after being elevated for the game against Baltimore.
-- The Dolphins active roster still stands at 52 players since no move has been made since tackle Austin Jackson was placed on IR on Friday.
-- The Dolphins' upcoming opponents, the Buffalo Bills, will be without backup tackle Bobby Hart for the game at Hard Rock Stadium after he was suspended Tuesday for an incident that occurred after the Bills' 41-7 victory against Tennessee when he threw a punch at an opposing player, missed and hit the head of a Titans assistant coach instead.
