The reason why Tyreek Hill should not play Sunday is specifically because of what happened when he returned from injury Monday night against the Titans.
The Dolphins were clearly ignited by Hill’s reemergence, juxtaposed with what we saw when Hill was receiving treatment or resting on the sideline. On the team’s first drive without Hill, the Dolphins leaned heavily on the run game. On Tua Tagovailoa’s one true drop-back of the drive—a second-and-14 following an Arden Key sack stemming from a missed pull block by a tight end—the quarterback spent more than five seconds in the pocket before chucking an incomplete pass.
In between, Miami had to rely on a running game that, with both of its lead backs, was averaging more than six yards per carry. Coach Mike McDaniel even rolled out one of my favorite motion concepts, bringing De’Von Achane to the opposite side of the quarterback before daggering him on a downhill run in the direction from which he came. Just that small backfield gesture completely shifted the positioning of Tennessee’s linebackers.
