There’s no time to waste in this week’s episode of Miami Musings, your trusted source for deep Dolphin thoughts.  Last Sunday’s battle between Miami and Kansas City was as close to epic as it gets, short of the 33-27 score.  The consensus out there suggests the Dolphins fought like warriors, which they certainly did.  Simultaneously, injuries and a lack of offensive explosiveness exposed Miami’s vulnerability in their quest for favorable playoff seeding.  So follow me down the Dolphin rabbit hole and get ready to muse.

  • While I appreciate Tua Tagovailoa for the person/player he is, it’s always fun to compare someone new on the scene with previous NFL players.  What blend of past/current quarterbacks do you see in Tagovailoa?  With the word “hybrid” becoming so popular, I see a Hawaiian version of Russell Wilson and Steve Young.  I’ll take that.

 

  • Speaking of Tua Tagovailoa, why do you think 68-year-old Chan Gailey would pull himself out of four years of retirement?  Gailey knows the NFL coaching grind, so when Brian Flores came a-knockin’ with an opportunity to groom Tagovailoa, it must have been an offer he couldn’t refuse.  Plus, with Flores having his thumbprint on the defensive side of the ball, working with the Dolphins could be his last shot at winning a Super Bowl.  Aren’t you thankful Adam Gase is not whispering in Tua’s ear?

  • The more I think about the Chris Grier/Brian Flores relationship, the more thankful I am the Dolphins FINALLY have coaching/management karma.  They share a common vision for how this Miami team ought to be assembled using leadership, character, skillset, and developmental potential as indicators.  How fun must that be to identify and hand-select the “chosen 53” and see the plan come together?  I can assure you this arrangement is difficult to create in the NFL.  Just look at all the franchises that have been built up and torn down in their pursuit of what the Dolphins have now.  Enjoy it!

 

  • Anyone else out there finally on board the Bobby McCain Train?  Before the arrival of Brian Flores & Chris Grier, I just couldn’t put my full faith in McCain.  He was always touted as a ball-hawker in the secondary, and he never seemed to bring it on game day.  McCain has also been suspect to injury (even this year). Still, he seems to have finally found his place in Flores’s defensive system at free safety.  Flores has also tapped into McCain’s leadership skills, which has done wonders for the secondary as a unit.  Nice job, Bobby!

 

  • Finally, I’d like to thank the football gods for the Dolphins rostering Frank Gore and Ryan Fitzpatrick over the past several years.  It wasn’t until they became Dolphins that I really began to appreciate their love of football and their effect on an organizational level.  Gore will go down as one of the most underappreciated runningbacks of all time.  No matter where he goes, he contributes on the field and mentors developing players.  To still see him rip off 5-10 yard runs is very inspiring at his age.  I’ve mentioned before what Fitzpatrick brings to the table, and 2020 may be his most important year for this Dolphins team’s continued development.  While his on-field play has been admirable, what he has done on the sidelines and in the locker room is equally important.