Saturday Miami Dolphins Mailbag: Bridgewater, Running Game, Jackson, and More

December 10, 2022December 11, 2022 Admin

Part 2 of the pre-Chargers SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:

From jon green (@ripplerat):

Do you think McDaniel will make more of an effort to run the ball?

From Michael Titus (@michaeltitus170;

Do you expect more of a run game this week? Would really help out Tua, Play Action, etc!

Hey Jon and Michael, I hear what you’re saying, particularly in light of the lack of rushing attempts against the 49ers combined with the Chargers’ porous run defense, but let’s also remember that Houston came to Miami with a horrible run defense and the Dolphins didn’t have a big game running the ball. With all the Chargers’ injury issues on defense, I’m not really worried about how the Dolphins choose to attack because logic says they should be successful regardless.

From MAKE THROWBACKS PERMANENT (@THROWBACKS4EVER):

Have you heard anything about throwback uniforms possibly making an appearance?

Howdy, hmm, would you be in favor of the Dolphins wearing the throwback uniforms? LOL. I think I know the answer to that question. I have not heard anything, but if I were a betting man, I would think they might be worn on Christmas Day when the Dolphins face the Packers at Hard Rock Stadium.

From Dave (@angryvet59):

Armstead is a great LT but older and somewhat injury-prone. Draft & groom with limited picks? Same with Mostert? Dark Side of The Moon or The Wall for Pink Floyd album?

Hey Dave, Armstead is in a different category here because he’s an elite left tackle and you rarely get those without spending a high draft pick. Also understand that Armstead will be back at least for next season given his contract. Mostert would be a lot more replaceable, but I certainly wouldn’t discount the possibility of the Dolphins re-signing him for 2023. And with Pink Floyd, I think we have to go with Dark Side of the Moon.

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FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM

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From MIKE DROGEMULLER (DrogemullerMike):

Hi Alain. Love your reporting. Will Liam Eichenberg start? Has Austin Jackson played his last game with Miami?

Hey Mike, first off thanks. I do believe Liam Eichenberg will be back in the starting lineup once he’s deemed ready to play again. I don’t believe Jackson has played his last game for the Dolphins. Remember, they liked his progress this summer, but they never got the chance to see him in action in the regular season, plus he’s under contract for next season at a very reasonable price. Now, I don’t see the Dolphins exercising the fifth-year option on his contract, but I’d be surprised if they simply let him go.

From Eran Quinlan (@EranQuinlan):

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Who will be responsible for shadowing their biggest offensive threat (Ekeler), Baker or a combo package?

Hey Eran, I think I’d start off by saying I think Mike Williams is the Chargers’ biggest offensive threat. Ekeler will get the ball in his hands more often, but he’s not necessarily a big-play guy, whereas Williams can make big plays in the passing game. But to answer your question, I would expect that the Dolphins would use different players on Ekeler, including Baker and maybe Duke Riley as well.

From Will Long (@wlong_heels):

After this dumb take that Teddy vs Tua, why would anyone want your opinion on anything else?

Hi Will, I’m not 100 percent sure, but let me give it my best shot at giving you an answer. The first obvious thing is that maybe some folks don’t think my take is dumb, however ridiculous that might sound to you. Maybe they actually paid attention to what I specifically said, which was that it’s MY OPINION that the offense would not experience a significant drop-off with Bridgewater at quarterback — provided he had a full week of practice reps as the starter and provided he had Terron Armstead in the lineup at left tackle, you know, the same circumstances under which Tua has thrived. Perhaps those same folks see my point about Bridgewater passing for 329 yards in less than three full quarters against Minnesota (projects to 481 over a full game) WITHOUT Armstead in the lineup and passing for 193 yards in a little over two quarters at Cincinnati (projects to 330 over a full game) and stop for a second to ask themselves whether there might be validity to my point. Maybe they can look beyond Bridgewater’s career stats and stop themselves from so quickly saying, “Well, Teddy has never put up big numbers” and realize this Dolphins offense — with Mike McDaniel’s creative design and the ridiculous speed on the outside — is unlike anything he (or most quarterbacks) has ever played with. Maybe they understand I’ve been covering football on a full-time basis since 1989 and accept that maybe I know what I’m talking about — even if they disagree with me on this particular topic. Or maybe some of them just feel sorry for me. Or maybe they just love the Expos hat. Or maybe a combination of all of those factors. You can decide for yourself.

From Laguerre (@HaitianPopi):

Would you still take Herbert over Tua?

Hey there, if the question is whether I would take Herbert over Tua this year for the Pro Bowl? No. For NFL MVP consideration? No. It’s Tua in both cases. For the long run? Yes, the answer is Herbert.

From Tua.is.football.porn. (@CokemasterD):

Baker beat the Raiders with NO team chemistry, the Raiders beat LAC. Do you see Miami winning by 5 TDs??

Hey there, yeah, it’s not quite that simple. It’s like that whole dominoes thing you can do in college football with “Team A beat Team B, which beat Team C, which beat Team D, which beat Team E, therefore Team A is better than Team E” and Team A is like Colgate and Team E is Ohio State. But, yes, the Dolphins should defeat the Chargers, but just because they’re a better team, not because the Rams beat the Raiders, who beat the Chargers.

From The Nandolorian (@RealtalkFern):

Is Eric Fisher our starting RT for this game?

Hey there, that is a fabulous question. Mike McDaniel left open the possibility Friday of Fisher playing against the Chargers, but I think I’d be surprised if he were in the starting lineup that quickly. It will happen before long, though.

From Luis Angulo (via email):

Longtime Dolphins fan from Texas originally from Mexico. I appreciate all the hard work and all the information you provide to us religiously. You are my favorite beat writer 🙂 I am going to give you $20 monopoly bucks, if you would have to bet those 20 bucks, would you bet on A) Byron Jones plays this season or B) Byron Jones would not play this season OR for $40 monopoly bucks C) Byron Jones will never play for the Dolphins again. Do you see Eric Fisher playing instead ahead of Greg Little in two weeks as the primary backup tackle for Armstead and bonus question; do you see Eichenberg regaining his starting spot on the offensive line?

Hey Luis, first off, thanks very much. Second, why does it have to be Monopoly bucks; can’t I have real bucks? LOL. OK, the Byron Jones thing is a really tough call and I’d be lying if I said I had inside information to allow me anything more than a guess here, but the fact that we’re in the middle of December and he hasn’t returned would suggest to me he’s not playing in 2022 and his salary is pretty high to carry next year after a full season off, so I’d go with the 40 monopoly bucks he has played his last game in Miami and will be a post-June 1 cut next spring. It’s a shame because the Dolphins clearly is better with him in the lineup. And, again, this is just a guess. I absolutely see Eric Fisher being ahead of Greg Little on the depth chart as the swing tackle and it wouldn’t surprise me either if he ended up taking over as the starting right tackle. And, yes, I do see Eichenberg returning to the starting lineup.

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