MIAMI GARDENS – Miami Dolphins common supervisor Chris Grier quoted Corridor of Famer Monthly bill Parcells when describing Miami’s 2022 season, in which the crew showed promise but fell small of its goals.
“He states ‘You are what you are,'” Grier said Monday. “I imagine we finished in which we were being but we received to the playoffs, had a chance to get a playoff recreation as opposed to a single of the ideal groups in soccer.”
The Dolphins lost 34-31 to the Buffalo Payments in the AFC wild-card spherical Sunday.
The Dolphins briefly challenged Buffalo for the best location in the AFC East just after beginning the period 8-3, but injuries and weak performances at important moments expense them. They turned the only staff in NFL background to make the playoffs with getting rid of streaks of three and five video games in the exact same time. Grier said he is not happy with Miami’s 9-9 complete.
“At the conclude of the day, all 32 teams are striving to get to that top goal,” he stated. “To watch the men compete yesterday, figuring out the injuries we had. … Upset we dropped, but pretty energized.”
Coach Mike McDaniel, the former San Francisco offensive coordinator, brought a quirky self-assurance to the workforce in his initially period. He got a lot of the credit rating for Miami’s warm begin and shouldered significantly of the blame for its late-year collapse, which culminated with puzzling clock administration in Sunday’s playoff loss.
“There is a great deal of constructive criticism that I place on myself initially and foremost,” McDaniel said. “Bottom line is, in the moment, we weren’t able to execute.”
A single of McDaniel’s greatest successes was instilling self confidence in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and building an offensive procedure that allowed him to thrive.
In his 3rd NFL season, Tagovailoa had vocation highs in passing yards (3,548), touchdowns (25), completion share (64.8) and passer ranking (105.5).
The worry will be Tagovailoa’s overall health just after he was identified with two concussions that price him five video games, which includes Sunday’s playoff loss. He has a historical past of critical accidents relationship back again to his school vocation at Alabama.
“We thoroughly be expecting him again next calendar year, 100 per cent all set to go,” Grier reported. “He is our starting up quarterback and will be future season.”
Grier mentioned he isn’t going to feel Tagovailoa will be more vulnerable to concussions than any other participant based mostly on the information of team health professionals and NFL consultants.
Past Tagovailoa, accidents affected approximately each individual place for Miami, while there have been dazzling spots to construct on.
Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill were being between the NFL’s most effective receiving duos. Defensive deal with Christian Wilkins earned a huge payday with a vocation yr. Rookie Skylar Thompson stepped in amid quarterback injuries. Undrafted rookie cornerback Kader Kohou had a standout time.
“It was not fantastic, but we did some great matters and we performed difficult and we fought challenging to the very finish,” Wilkins mentioned. “Which is a single of the issues I enjoy about this staff and regard about this group.”
DEFENSIVE Issues
The Dolphins’ defensive performances in the last couple of games, like three pressured turnovers against Josh Allen and the Payments on Sunday, were being examples of how fantastic they could be on that aspect of the ball. That just was not evident all season.
Miami’s pass defense was shredded substantially also frequently, and inquiries about defensive coordinator Josh Boyer’s occupation stability are most likely to persist. McDaniel claimed he’s proud of how Boyer and the defense ended the season, introducing that it really is also shortly to make staffing choices.
Miami finished the season rated 18th in whole defense, 27th in passing defense, fourth in rushing protection and tied for 30th in takeaways.
Byron Jones, 1 of Miami’s very best cornerbacks, did not perform a activity just after offseason medical procedures on his lower remaining leg. Cornerback Nik Needham, protection Brandon Jones, cornerback Trill Williams, defensive conclude Emmanuel Ogbah and linebacker Trey Flowers all went on period-ending injured reserve.
Long gone FOR Fantastic?
As tight close Mike Gesicki cleaned out his locker on Monday, he reported he hoped it would not be his past time at the Dolphins’ facility.
Gesicki, drafted by Miami in 2018, performed this season below the franchise tag as the Dolphins tried using to uncover approaches to fit him into McDaniel’s program. Gesicki was tasked with becoming far more of a blocker, and it didn’t get the job done out as either social gathering would have hoped.
McDaniel mentioned throughout the year that he deemed it a failure that he wasn’t able to characteristic Gesicki in the offense additional. The tight conclusion had his fewest receptions (22) and yards (362) because his rookie period.
Gesicki has not complained substantially this period about his lack of involvement in the offense, but he is stated he would love additional alternatives with the ball. That just may not occur with the Dolphins.
Future Steps
With Tagovailoa predicted to return for his fourth period, the Dolphins will have to come to a decision irrespective of whether to supply him an extension. They’re going to initially want to make your mind up if they’re going to decide up his fifth-calendar year choice, which would be certain even if he is hurt yet again. Finding his substitute would not be quick. Miami is about $9 million in excess of the wage cap, according to Spotrac, and has no first-round decide on in this year’s draft. What’s more, Miami will enter the offseason with 28 gamers expected to strike free agency and upgrades needed at numerous positions.
