The Dolphins are ready to turn the page and get onto London for an overseas showdown with their fellow Florida resident Jacksonville Jaguars. As they do, the coordinators reflected on Sunday's game in Tampa Bay and how the lessons learned from the first five weeks can be instructive heading into the next leg of the 2021 season.
Co-Offensive Coordinator George Godsey
On play calling:
"There are a lot of things I feel like I see before the snap. As much as I can communicate with those guys, especially from upstairs, I think will help them. Whether it's breaking the huddle, communication offensively, defensively, whether we're aligned right. I think that streamlined things a lot. I'll leave it at that."
On offensive line shuffle:
"I think there were some plays that were real impressive honestly, and then some that we'd like to get corrected. I think Austin is working his way through some things. Within a week, he made some pretty big steps there. Liam is going to continue to get better. Hopefully that group can maintain some consistency and some cohesiveness."
On what Tua Tagovailoa needs to do when he gets back:
"For Tua, it will be getting back out there on the field, being decisive, getting back that silent alarm and really getting back to where he was building in training camp, and kind of taking it from there."
On what coaches need to see from Tua before playing Sunday:
"It's a unique week too with us traveling and getting ready for the London itinerary. But whenever there is an injury at any position, you're looking to see what happens on a hit or you get tackled, whether it's another position or not. We won't be able to find those things honestly until game time. But as far as certain throws, making sure he's able to rip a ball out to the sideline if he has to, show some touch over some linebackers, avoid movements in the pocket, those are obviously things that are going to happen throughout the game that you'd like to get a look at in practice and hopefully they come up – whether it's a play that develops, a defensive linemen that kind of gets an edge on an offensive lineman. You like to see those movements take place. It's a little bit different when there are no movements, which is kind of what's going on right now, just to make sure you have the functionality to execute that when that happens. It's always a touchy thing with all injuries, but obviously when he has the ball in his hands, he'll be making those movements. We'll take it day-by-day this week and see if we can arrive at a place we feel comfortable with before the game."
Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer
On the fallout from the defense's performance so far:
"I think what we've put on film is what we are. I think it all starts with – for myself, I've got to do a better job of coordinating the whole thing to make sure that we're better at run defense, pass defense, pass rush. That's where I start. To do a better job of making sure that I'm putting guys in position to make plays. That's how I look at it."
On rub routes and the difficulty defending them from man coverage:
"Sometimes if you're in man coverage, those guys could have a particular coverage. Well, we don't always have somebody free. Sometimes they are free and they'll force one crosser to go in a different direction. But if you've got multiple crossers, then you can't get all of them in that situation. There are different coverages, different things you can do to those crossers, and there are different ways you can handle man too."
On his comments about possibly changing things up:
"I think all of our guys that you see out there on the field, we feel comfortable with. I think it's a matter of fine-tuning better – whether it's scheme or whatever it may be, or different calls in different situations to put the players in better position. Ultimately, that's what we're trying to do."
Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman
On Jaylen Waddle as a return man:
"I think his history. He's a very, very gifted player. Has history in the return game both in punts and kickoffs in college. Maybe an opportunity to get him some more touches. We feel like we have several good players and obviously with Jaylen being one of them, we got him out on the field on Sunday. Unfortunately, he didn't get many opportunities."
On the diminishing number of kickoffs around the NFL:
"It's an interesting deal. It really is. There are times where you see around the league teams where you want to put the ball in play and there's times where you don't want to put the ball in play. I think especially always early in the year, you see the numbers really tend much more towards the touchback and I think for two reasons. No. 1, obviously with the good weather, some guys are able to put the ball in the back of the end zone. Then you see some of those numbers come down. I think the other thing is you see teams, once they get a better idea of who they are working with and what their unit's strengths and weakness are, I think as the season goes on, you'll see more and more balls put in play and you'll see some more returns."
