The Dolphins will put their six-game winning streak on the line on Monday night in a raucous Caesars Superdome against a New Orleans Saints team who is coming off a shutout victory over the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
There has been plenty of news around the league the last couple of days and we'll start there.
First, Jevon Holland has been cleared from the COVID protocols and practiced with the team on Thursday. Here is the latest injury report.
The Saints will start a rookie quarterback Monday night in fourth-rounder Ian Book.
If it is indeed the rookie quarterback for the Saints, the Dolphins will be prepared. Here's what they are saying about the potential quarterback change and the upcoming opponent for Week 16, including his college teammate, Liam Eichenberg.
Eichenberg on Ian Book: "Obviously I didn't play wide receiver but I know that he throws a very good ball. It's a tight spiral. He's a pretty accurate quarterback. You know what you're going to get with him. He's a pretty consistent guy so it'll be good to see him out there on the field."
Byron Jones on Ian Book: "I guess that just came out. I got the news on the way up here. If he's in the NFL and he's playing quarterback, he's going to be a good player. Preparation still stays the same. I'm sure he's a mobile guy who can run and throw as well so we'll be working, just the same way we work otherwise."
Zach Sieler on Saints run game:"They're a very dynamic group. They all play multiple positions and they have multiple formations and packages so it's just being ready and being prepared and watching the tape and just studying your opponent."
Tua Tagovailoa on playing in the dome: "I think one thing is for certain is that we've been working on it in practice – our communication with crowd noise. We do understand that this is going to be very hostile. It's going to be very loud. We do understand that we got to get in the huddle, I've got to get things communicated whether it's the personnel and we've got to give ourselves as much time as possible so we have that much more room for error, so you're not always playing with the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 shot clock. That is something that we've been working on communication-wise and also with signals."
Christian Wilkins on Saints offensive line: "This is a really good offensive line. I feel like in a lot of ways, it's what makes their team go. They've got a lot of experience and like you said a lot of beef up there and they're really good players across the board. Really good center, good guards, the tackles are two of the better ones in the league, so they present a good challenge for us. But we've got good guys on our side, too. We're going to have to be at our best though in order to get a win."
Phillip Lindsay on Saints defense: "The Saints are a physical team. They're physical, they're sound, they're aggressive and they've been together for a very long time. The Saints have been through a lot of ups and downs. They've seen it all. They have gone through heartbroken times so as a team collectively they share that bond, which is very special and it's hard to break. That's why that defense is what they are today. For us, we're going to have to go out there and we're just going to have to play football. It's going to be to be a hard-hitting game."
X Pro Bowl Bound Again
The National Football League announced that Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has been selected to start for the AFC team in the 2021 Pro Bowl.
It is the third Pro Bowl selection of Howard's career and his second consecutive honor. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl as a starter following the 2018 and 2020 seasons.
"it's a blessing to see a guy like that perform at the highest level that you see on a day-in and day-out basis," Byron Jones said of his teammate. "He's a ball hawk. He's a smart player. He's grown in so many ways since I've been here. There's no one more deserving to get that award than him on the defensive side. He's always making an impact. We're all happy for him and of course he wants more so he's still pushing the rest of the year to get more."
