Friday Dolphins Mailbag: O-Line, Game Plan, and More

Should Robert Hunt ever be considered an option at tackle? Could fullback Alec Ingold be a big factor against the Chargers? Those and other questions from Miami Dolphins fans

Part 1 of an SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag heading into the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers:

From Jorge boyd (@raga1922):

Hi Alain, can the Dolphins play the Chargers better, having playing them just last year and having practiced against a Vic Fangio defense this season?

Hey Jorge, yeah, the Dolphins absolutely should have some answers for what the Chargers might want to do against them defensively. They also need to not be stubborn and changing things up if the start isn’t ideal, something they didn’t do last December.

From OGHighway (@OGHighWay):

If both Armstead and Jackson miss time, do you think MIA would move Hunt to RT and play Cotton at RG rather than use a second backup at tackle?

Hey there, ultimately — and this is what coaches always say — they’ll line up the best five guys up front and I find it hard to believe that wouldn’t include having Hunt at tackle and Cotton at guard. The Dolphins would prefer Hunt at tackle, but not at the cost of the overall good of the line.

RUNNING GAME

From Ed Sarmiento (@_Special_Ed_):

McD has consistently indicated an intent to run the ball more. However, in our run/pass option Offense…how much “control” does he vs Tua vs the opposition have over that? (Hope that makes sense. lol)

Hey Ed, actually, it does make sense, and I think what McDaniel is talking about is maybe call more pure running plays. Yes, on RPO, the play is kind of determined by what the defense is doing and what Tua is reading, but McDaniel does have the control to call more out-and-out running plays.

From Big Ern McDolphin (@dana_buice):

The Chargers run defense has been terrible for the last 2 years. I know our strength is passing, but this is a game where McDaniel has a chance to show that he has the ability to grow and commit to the run. Thirty runs by the Dolphins. Can you give me a % they win in that scenario?

Hey Dana, yeah, running the ball would make sense as a key to victory, though it needs to be combined with success running the ball (not just a high number of carries) as well as the defense doing its part. But generally speaking, if a good team rushes the ball more than 30 times with a decent measure of success, it will more often than not come away with a victory.

From Jeff (via email):

Hello Alain, one of the most troubling things was hearing the evolving injury report. One major caveat is that this could purely be for treatment not a severe, lingering injury. As a fan, it's always hard to keep that in mind, but I wanted to bring up something that may or may not be a trend. in 2022, we saw a lot of people play hurt. Tua after the Bills game suited up on Thursday, Armstead was (and was expected to be) a week-to-week injury list note, we saw Tyreek Hill limping at the end of the season after he would catch TD balls, and we had Waddle take some big hits as well. I am sure there's others I am missing. My question is about how you get through the season strong enough. Do you just have guys on reserve until the home opener if there is any sort of issue? Why would you ever put a guy out there in the first few weeks of the season in lieu of longevity, and end-of-season availability?

Hey Jeff, like it or not, football is a very physical sport and you just can’t bubble-wrap players all week and expect them to perform at a high level on Sundays. All you can do is to have players take care of their conditioning heading into camp, be smart when players are nursing minor injuries, and then hope for good luck. In the end, the last factor might be the most important. And, yes, every team gets injuries.

From Toby Marmono (via email):

Wouldn't it make more sense to put Cedrick Wilson Jr. on the practice squad and keep Robbie Chosen on the roster? That way if someone poached Wilson they would be responsible for his contract, I think Chosen is more valuable as a receiver. Your thoughts? By the way, your podcast with Omar is on the money, you guys flow with a natural ease and respect each other's opinion.

Hey Toby, first off, thanks on the shout-out for our All Dolphins Podcast, which everyone can find on YouTube or on the Fans First Sports Network (under Miami Dolphins Insider) for those who prefer audio podcasts. As for your suggestion, it doesn’t work like that. The second the Dolphins release Wilson, they become responsible for his $5 million salary guarantee and another team can then sign him for any money and it doesn’t relieve financial burden from the Dolphins.

From Leon Fresco (@FrescoLeon):

Do you think Miami would be favored in the game if the teams switched QBs?

Hey Leon, regardless of where anyone stands in the Tua-Herbert debate, I don’t believe the Dolphins would go from a 3- or 3.5-point underdog to a favorite if the QBs were to switch teams. Could the point spread be smaller? Maybe, but I don’t think there wouldn’t be that kind of a swing.

DOLPHINS GAME PLAN

From Dave (@angryvet59):

I don't remember a lot of "hurry up" offense last year, even at close losses or when the opponent was on its heels. HC choice, complicated verbiage of calls or me not observant enough? You & Omar are doing great stuff on the Podcast. This casual fan, as Omar says, is learning a bunch.

Thanks Dave, appreciate the compliment on the podcast. I don’t think the emphasis on offense is so much on going fast as it is as trying to confuse the defense with a lot of pre-snap motion, which is why, no, you didn’t see a ton of “hurry-up offense” last season. I suspect it will be more of the same in 2023.

From Mad doggo (@Dogadoodle72):

If the Dolphins run the ball effectively against the Chargers, should that bring the linebackers closer to the line of scrimmage, allowing Tua to throw to the middle of the field? What about if they jam up Waddle and Hill at the line again?

Yes, those are scenarios the Dolphins have to contemplate, focusing on the run game to draw the linebackers in and finding ways to help combat the jamming at line. The Dolphins had all offseason and the end of camp to come up with a game plan to counter what the Chargers did last year and I would expect McDaniel to come up with different ways of attacking them.

From Elliott Guzmon (@ElliottGuzmon):

With how the Chargers game-planned the Dolphins last year, do you think Alec Ingold could have a big game? Especially since he’s good at catching the ball out of the backfield.

Hey Elliott, yes, I absolutely would expect Ingold to be part of the game plan and I would expect the same with Braxton Berrios so the Chargers won’t be able to focus so much attention on Hill and Waddle. Ultimately, though, whatever the Dolphins come up with in terms of scheme, the execution has to be better than it was last December.

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Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Dolphins news and analysis year-round. Check out our daily podcast (All Dolphins Podcast) on YouTube and also available wherever you get your audio podcasts under Miami Dolphins Insider on the Fans First Sports Network. Also, you can follow me on Twitter at @PoupartNFL, and that's where you can ask questions for the regular All Dolphins mailbags. You also can ask questions via email at fnalldolphins@yahoo.com.