Gase offers no reason for new anthem policy
DAVIE — The Dolphins are in the middle of a few storms at the moment, mainly the scandalous resignation of offensive line coach Chris Foerster. They’re also trying to fix the offense after three straight ugly weeks.
Then there’s the national anthem.
Miami coach Adam Gase implemented a new policy last week that mandates players stand for it, and anyone who refuses to do so is required to stay off the field. That directly affects Kenny Stills, Michael Thomas and Julius Thomas, who knelt the week before as a protest against racial inequality in the United States and planned to do so again at Sunday’s game versus the Titans. All three stayed in the tunnel or locker room during the anthem.
Gase has declined comment at every turn since Colin Kaepernick began kneeling in August 2016 and allowed his players to do what they pleased. When asked why he changed his mind now, he declined to discuss it.
“I don’t need a reason,” Gase said Monday morning. “That’s what I wanted to do.”
He was pressed multiple times for an explanation on the timing and philosophy behind the rule and said nothing more than, “That comes from me” and “I thought it was time for us to address it.”
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said Sunday it was “incumbent upon” his players to “stand and salute the flag” because President Donald Trump has tried to frame it as an issue of patriotism. Gase said Ross did not institute the new rule.
It was an unexpected shift for the Dolphins after being at the forefront of the player protest movement the past two seasons. Ross has been one of the most outspoken owners in the league in support of those players, and Gase’s only comments on it had been that he backed his players’ right to speak freely on the topic.
Cutler not as bad as numbers: It gets old hearing Gase defend quarterback Jay Cutler at every turn even as he puts together mediocre numbers, but it looks like he has a point coming off the win over Tennessee.
Cutler’s line was an abysmal 12 of 26, 92 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a passer rating of 52.1. Statistically, that goes down as one of the worst games of his 12-year career.
However, after looking back at every throw multiple times, he wasn’t as bad as those numbers indicate. For starters, he lost five completions on drops by his receivers. Jakeem Grant couldn’t hold on to a would-be touchdown catch in the first quarter, and there were also drops by MarQueis Gray, Julius Thomas, Jarvis Landry and Stills.
Flipping just those five passes would bump Cutler to 17 of 26, 161 yards and two touchdowns. Not amazing, but it would’ve pushed his passer rating to a much more tolerable 92.0.
Of all 26 Cutler attempts, four would be considered bad throws. He also had four incompletions that were simply throwaway balls caused by the defensive line bearing down on him.
Parker update: Wide receiver DeVante Parker left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.
The Dolphins accounted for 92 receiving yards, with only Jarvis Landry posting more than two catches.
With Miami traveling to Atlanta on Sunday, quarterback Jay Cutler could really use Parker in the passing game.
According to a league source, Parker has an ankle sprain that is not considered serious. In fact, Parker has not been ruled out for Sunday’s game, according to that same source.