Can Seattle Seahawks Buck Backup QB Curse Against Skyler Thompson, Miami Dolphins?

Making his first start since January 2023, the Seahawks will have to deal with a much different Dolphins offense with Skylar Thompson under center.

Aug 23, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (19) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter during preseason at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Over the past decade and change, the Seattle Seahawks have had more than their share of issues playing down to opponents with backup quarterbacks under center, often losing games they had no business losing in the process.

Most notably, journeyman Colt McCoy went 3-0 against the Seahawks as a fill in starter in his career, including throwing for 328 yards to help the Cardinals pull off an upset at Lumen Field in place of starter Kyler Murray in 2021. Fellow veteran Andy Dalton has also given Seattle fits over the years with multiple teams as a backup, though he wasn't able to guide Carolina to a road win last season at Lumen Field.

Gearing up for Sunday's Week 3 matchup against the Dolphins, the Seahawks will hope to buck that previous trend with a new coach in Mike Macdonald on the sideline as they prepare to face Skylar Thompson instead of starter Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered a concussion in last week's loss to the Bills and will miss at least the next four games on injured reserve. The former Kansas State standout last started a game in the playoffs back in 2022 and has thrown a grand total of 119 regular season passes in his career thus far.

What can Seattle expect to see from Miami's offense with Thompson under center? Locked On Dolphins host Kyle Crabbs anticipates a far more conservative approach from head coach Mike McDaniel with more emphasis on the run game, fewer shot plays downfield, and moving the pocket to help the inexperienced quarterback find his way in a tough road environment.

"I certainly think you can move the launch point for Skyler," Crabbs explained. "He's a little bit more athletic than Tua Tagovailoa is, so I think that gives them an opportunity to do more play action with boots off of that and try to get your speed coming across the middle of the field and get some underneath completions. If you catch man coverage, you trust those guys to be able to run away from from man coverage just because of how fast that they are. So rollouts at three levels, whether you're running a corner or some kind of a vertical with a deep cross and then somebody sliding through into the flat trying to make Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill be the early progressions in those types of concepts to try to get them running away from defenders in space if they're going to do that. And if they're going to play zone, then you're probably looking at trying to get that second level in conflict."

On a new Crossover Thursday edition of Locked On Seahawks, host Corbin Smith and Crabbs discuss how Thompson replacing Tua Tagovailoa will impact Miami's offensive strategy and what Seattle may do defensively to try to rattle the young signal caller on Sunday, revisit the rivalry of DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey as the two stars prepare to battle once again, and dish out keys to victory for both teams, including the Seahawks finding a spark in the ground game.

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