The Dolphins must decide what to do with Tua Tagovailoa - keep him or release him. The Dolphins must also decide whether to pursue Green Bay's Malik Willis, who spent the last two seasons with the Packers alongside Sullivan and Hafley, and is scheduled to become a free agent. And if Willis is signed to a multi-year contract for, say, $20 million a year, what happens to Sullivan's pledge to bring competition into the quarterback room?
I'm not sitting here saying don't laugh, you can't talk to a friend after a game or anything like that, but I do think there are some optics of, when you're cracking up, belly-laughing on the field after you just lost a huge game in that way to be eliminated from the playoffs, that's a look that doesn't go over well, whether it's with certain other players in the locker room, whether it's with ownership, whether it's with the fanbase.
When the Dolphins have won the toss during the past six games, McDaniel has taken the ball, a change in strategy, instead of deferring his option to receive until the third quarter. Consequently, the Dolphins have scored first in every game of this six-game stretch although not always on their first possession. They've scored first-quarter touchdowns in four of the six games.
The game - which the Dolphins won 16-13 in overtime - was the NFL's first in Spain, as part of a growing international series that's seen contests played in England, Germany, Brazil, Ireland and Mexico. Tagovailoa, a Christian, was asked where else he'd like to play after experiencing Madrid and previously Frankfurt, Germany. And his answer caught the eye of a high-ranking diplomat: Mike Huckabee, the United States Ambassador to Israel.
You're right. Owner Stephen Ross can't paint ex-general manager Chris Grier as the singular scapegoat or fall guy. After all, Grier led the way in collecting the most talent this franchise has had in two decades. Coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa are more responsible than Grier for the on-field disappointment, or, as you call it, the dysfunction. I think bringing back McDaniel and Tagovailoa while Grier is the only one to pay a price would be doing the rebuild halfway.
Miami's starting quarterback, though, has no game status designation and is expected to start against the Falcons. Tagovailoa is trying to rebound from back-to-back three-interception games, the second instance while throwing for just 100 yards in an ugly 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Atlanta is already going to its backup quarterback Sunday, albeit a very experienced and well-paid one, in Kirk Cousins. Falcons starter Michael Penix is expected to be inactive with his knee injury.
