Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa didn’t play in the team’s first preseason game this summer and head coach Mike McDaniel isn’t ready to say if he’s going to play against the Texans this weekend. McDaniel opened his Thursday press conference by saying that the team’s second joint practice with Houston would help him make “some decisions this afternoon regarding who, where and why” for this weekend’s game. McDaniel was then asked specifically about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and whether he’d feel comfortable with Tagovailoa going into the regular season without any preseason playing time. “I would probably hesitate to say that,” McDaniel said. “I would expect to see him in the preseason. However, you know me. I’m a wild card. I do think game reps are valuable depending on where you’re at in your journey from preseason setting up the regular season. I would expect him to play.”
I think he'll play. I'd be surprised if we don't get the starters on the field for a half on Saturday.
This is an easy one to play Devil's advocate with, and I could go either way. On one hand, a player with Tua's injury history probably shouldn't be on the field anymore than he needs to be and maybe not play in the preseason. On the other hand - sure doesn't feel great not seeing him get any preseason reps and knowing how he was performing the last time we saw him on the field. I think (hope) most of that was concussion related. McDaniel has the info to make the call on this one and we have to trust the coach here.
You can’t be afraid of injuries. Play him especially if there is some concern on cohesiveness with the offensive unit.
If it's going to happen its going to happen. It could happen the 1st play of the 1st game. The Chargers looked good during their last pre-season game. I look for how prepared are the players, are they where they're supposed to be, penalties, tackling. It is preseason but we need to get some revenge on em for last year.
NE went 0-4 preseason before winning a Super Bowl. Detroit went 4-0 and tanked the regular season. Preseason means nothing other than getting looks at some backups.
I'm 50/50 on it. But, if Tua does get reps, I just hope it's only for no more than two series (preferably just one).
He needs to play. Whatever happens, happens. You can't coddle him forever. He's got to prove that he can stay healthy for more than a few games. Personally, I think it's going to be a long season of little nicks bumps and bruises along the way that are going to lead to a ton of overreacting fans. Sounds like fun.
It's not just Tua. Waddle, Hill, and several other cornerstone pieces need to stay healthy for Miami to succeed this season. That's the price you pay for lack of depth. I do see your point but I just think it's crazy to risk any of our key players in a meaningless preseason game. We already lost Ramsey for a long stretch from just practicing.
This is football. It’s a contact sport. He has to get some reps. He has to be able to handle it and he needs to maybe work on some new concepts or plays, timing, the feel, etc. Can’t baby these guy too much.
Yup. If you want to guarantee they won't be injured, put them all on reserve and let somebody else play for them until we make it to the Super Bowl. Then, we'll be guaranteed to have our best players healthy and ready to roll. I'm a big Tua guy but if we can't have him play one quarter without worrying that he won't survive, we should have moved on already.
This. Although, I'd settled for just one quarter of the starters -if they get a couple drives and look competent.
Mike White won’t be able to make a final case to be the Dolphins backup quarterback in the team’s final preseason game. White went into the concussion protocol earlier this week and head coach Mike McDaniel said at his Thursday press conference that White has not been cleared to return to action. McDaniel said he didn’t know when that would change, but that White will not play in Saturday’s game against the Jaguars. Tua Tagovailoa is expected to play against the Jaguars and White’s absence means Skylar Thompson will be the next quarterback into the game for Miami. McDaniel said White and Thompson have been competing to be the backup this summer, so Thompson will get one last chance to show why he should be the choice. Regardless of how Thompson and White stack up, Tagovailoa’s injury history would seem to make it likely that all three quarterbacks will remain on the roster through next week’s cut to 53 players.
White's $alary won him the backup role no matter what we see out of Skylar. Just like Bridgewater last year.
To be fair the first one was a deflection that went through the hands of the receiver. It was a bit off target but, certainly could have been caught.
