Is it too soon to say that I have seen enough? Tua was absolutely stellar today. I have been reading the stories all week just like you guys saying that Tua has been tearing it up in camp. But who wants to talk about practice? Channeling the sentiment of the great Allen Iverson, we want to talk about the game- not practice! So today we saw Tua go against a formidable Chicago Bears defense and he absolutely shredded them. He went 8 for 11 for 99 yards and he was no check down Charlie.
Tua did it all today. Moved well in the pocket. Showed good awareness. Throwing into tight windows. Moving the chains with his arm on 3rd downs. Dropped a 50 yard dime to Gesicki to put the team in scoring position when he had a clean pocket. When he didn’t have a clean pocket he moved his feet to create a better angle to throw it underneath to a wide open check down for a respectable gain. He threw the out route well. He threw the slant well. He threw outside the numbers, and up the middle. He shared the ball around. Gesicki, Smythe, Hollins, Brown, and Shaheen all caught passes from him.
I know what you’re saying: “but he threw the pick in the endzone!” Yes he did. You’re correct. He forced it to Shaheen and was fooled by the coverage look, he didn’t see the safety. But at least he was being aggressive. He went for it. Last year a big problem that I had with Tua towards the end of the season was that he was too conservative in many cases and wouldn’t let it rip unless his receiver was running wide open by like 4 or 5 yards- which just doesn’t happen often in the NFL. It made the offense stagnant and predictable. Today he went for it and on that play he turned it over. He will learn from that moment and get better from it. Plus, it was an exhibition game and he knew that was his final drive so he just went for the big play. I feel confident saying that I believe Tua will make a significant second year jump.
The Dolphins defense is still dominant. My word the Bears 1st string offense couldn’t get anything going or sustain a drive! Flores has put this team in a great position to win games by virtue of his defensive team building and schemes that stop teams on 3rd downs at an elite level. By the way the defense dominated without 4 starters on the field. Howard, Jones, Phillips, and Ogbah all sat out and the defense didn’t miss a beat.
Jacoby Brissett is the back up we need. He’s safe, mobile, and has tons of starting QB experience. It doesn’t hurt to have a few former Patriots on the roster. He will help to keep Tua looking over his shoulder, and that’s a good thing.
So those were all of the good. Now for the bad and the downright ugly. We can’t run block for bleep and that can be a major problem. Chicago’s defense owned the field all week in the joint practice sessions in goal line situations and that continued today in the game. The first drive after Tua makes two great throws to get to the goal line we couldn’t punch it in. The Dolphins offensive line didn’t get much push at all in the 1st half to move guys and create running lanes for Malcolm Brown. Short yardage opportunities can become scary zones for us this year if we don’t get that corrected. The Dolphins need to have some semblance of a respectable run game for play action and to keep defenses from pinning their ears back and coming after Tua. Pass protection was decent today but there were some leaky moments on the left side when Austin Jackson and Solomon Kindley got worked. That can’t happen with those guys. They were decent as rookies last season. We need them to progress, not regress.
Noah Igbinoghene had an up and down day. He had some good coverage moments in the 1st half but in the 2nd half he gave up some receptions. Including one where he was in great defensive position but never got his head around to locate the football and make the play. Justin Fields seemed to like throwing it in his direction at times, so I can see why the Dolphins went ahead and restructured Xavien Howard’s contract. The kid isn’t ready yet. I can see the potential in Igbinoghene, but he is definitely a developmental project.
It’s going to be a tough cutdown decision for the receiver room. Lots of talent in that group. Parker, Williams, Hollins, Hurns, Wilson, Fuller, Foster, and that’s before we get to Waddle. I fear Bowden and Grant could be two of the odd men out, but we shall see how it all plays out. Looking forward to preseason game #2!