The Miami Dolphins are getting ready for their Week 6 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, which is a game the Dolphins are undoubtedly anxious to win.
After starting the season 3-0, the Dolphins have dropped two straight, and they’re surely looking to end the slide as soon as possible.
A win over the Vikings this weekend would go a long way, but if the Dolphins are going to get the job done, they’re going to need quarterback Skylar Thompson to step up. The rookie will start for Miami on Sunday, according to Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
It’ll be the third-string quarterback’s first start at the NFL level.
#Dolphins QB Skyler Thompson will start vs. Vikings on Sunday, coach Mike McDaniel says. That's the Dolphins' plan with Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater progressing in concussion protocol.
— Safid Deen 💯💯💯💯 (@Safid_Deen) October 12, 2022
Per McDaniel, if second-string quarterback Teddy Bridgewater clears concussion protocol by the end of the week, he’ll be the backup quarterback against Minnesota.
If #Dolphins QB Teddy Bridgewater is cleared in concussion protocol by end of the week, he will backup QB Skyler Thompson, coach Mike McDaniel says.
— Safid Deen 💯💯💯💯 (@Safid_Deen) October 12, 2022
It also sounds like there’s a scenario where lead quarterback Tua Tagovailoa gets cleared before Sunday’s game, but even if that does happen, he isn’t going to play.
McDaniel said there is a "definite scenario" in which Tua is cleared before Sunday's game — but even if he's cleared, he will not play:
"It wouldn't be fair to the player, it wouldn't be fair to the team. I don't feel comfortable putting him in that situation."
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) October 12, 2022
This certainly isn’t an ideal situation for the Dolphins. Before the season started, they probably never imagined that Thompson would have to start a game at any point in the season.
However, the Kansas State University product was drafted for a reason, and he’ll now get a chance to show the Dolphins what he’s capable of.
Dolphins fans got their first look at the 25-year-old in Week 5 when the New York Jets hosted the Dolphins. Thompson took over for Bridgewater in that game, giving the rookie his first taste of NFL football.
Thompson completed 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 166 yards, and he was intercepted once. Although it wasn’t the prettiest performance, the fact that he was able to gain experience and take snaps could end up being a huge advantage for him going into his Week 6 start.
The Dolphins are certainly hoping to get healthy as soon as possible, but in the meantime, they need to find a way to get back in the win column before their positive momentum from the first three weeks of the season completely disappears. A win this weekend would get Miami to 4-2.
