Deshaun Watson is not the answer, says Miami New Times sports reporter Ryan Yousefi.
“I’m a no on Watson,” says Yousefi of the controversial Houston Texans quarterback who has been linked by rumor with the Dolphins. “The sexual assault allegations and the cost [to get Watson] makes it just a non-starter for me.”
The New Times reporter — and one of the area’s sharpest minds on sports — is still committed to Fins starter Tua Tagovailoa, who was injured in the first five minutes of this past Sunday’s game with the Buffalo Bills after a brutal sack left him with bruised ribs. He was carted off from the sideline and never returned to the game.
Though Tagovailoa was injured and the team was humiliated Sunday by the Bills 35-0, Yousefi feels the team can still contend in its division. (The team is still tied for first.) When asked about the AFC East, these were his thoughts: “I still think the Dolphins are the second-best.” Miami will face the Bills again in week eight at Buffalo.
Yousefi wasn’t completely deflated by the worst loss versus the Bills since 1966.
“Unbelievably, it could have been even worse,” Yousefi put some of the onus on the Fins O-line,” Yousefi said. “The offensive line is abysmal, even after dumping an insane amount of valuable draft assets into it.”
And there was more blame to pass around. It is on the coaching staff to make sure they put their team in a position to win the game, but the lack of adjustments was evident.
Regarding the coaching he noticed on the field, Yousefi said “The play calling did them no favors…it makes sense to dial-up quick pass plays and screens, plays that require the line to block for less than three seconds.”
The O-line was consistently beaten on the edge, allowing the pressure to reach the Dolphins quarterback quickly. Fins head coach Brian Flores accepted his part in this shellacking. After the game, he said: “I got to do a better job getting us ready to go.”
Miami’s offense played particularly poorly on Sunday, perhaps based on the inadequate plans of George Godsey and Eric Studesville. “The Dolphins are going with co-offensive coordinators, but it seems they need a third,” Yousefi added.
The Fins are now 1-1 with most of the season in front of them. They travel to Las Vegas to battle the Raiders, who are now 2-0 after their Sunday win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But if the trajectory continues next week, it will be time to look to the front office. On the safety of Tagovailoa’s job security this year, Yousefi had this to say: “I’d wait and give Tua time, make the team around him better, and likely look for a mid-round or good backup with potential.”
Yousefi feels the quarterback situation can be salvaged but not Dolphins’ general manager Chris Grier. “He’s blown lots of draft capital and money that should have this team looking a lot better,” Grier said.