MIAMI GARDENS — I put Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith on the spot Tuesday, and probably shouldn’t have. I wanted an update on the backup quarterback situation between veteran Zach Wilson and rookie Quinn Ewers.
As a veteran reporter, I know the backup quarterback issue is a question for the coach, Mike McDaniel.
But McDaniel isn’t scheduled to speak until Thursday, prior to the joint practice against Jacksonville, and then not again until after Saturday night’s preseason finale against the Jaguars.
No coaches were scheduled to speak Wednesday.
So I sought an answer Tuesday, when Smith spoke.
Yes, I could have simply waited until Wednesday’s practice, during which it was apparent nothing has changed from the Chicago and Detroit preseason games, and nothing has changed since the last time this question was posed.
As a reminder, the last time the question was posed McDaniel said Wilson was the No. 2 behind starter Tua Tagovailoa.
“Zach is the backup quarterback,” McDaniel said on July 30, “and it’s up to players to adjust that.”
So far, it seems no adjustment has been made. The order apparently remains the same.
I agree with that pecking order — Wilson No. 2, and Ewers No. 3.
Here are their statistics through the two preseason games:
— Wilson is 20 of 32 (62.5 percent) for 247 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 96.7 passer rating. He’s been sacked five times;
— Ewers is 16 of 35 (45.7 percent) for 207 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 83.9 passer rating. He’s been sacked two times.
For the record, neither quarterback had a great day Wednesday. Both had a fumble. Wilson, the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft by the New York Jets, had a fumbled exchange with running back Ollie Gordon II that Gordon scooped up. It was hard to tell who was at fault.
Ewers, the seventh-round pick from Texas, fumbled a snap from center.
But neither quarterback had a bad day Wednesday.
Ewers threw a sweet deep ball for about 35 yards to wide receiver A.J. Henning that landed in the perfect spot.
Wilson hit running back Mike Boone with a perfectly-thrown pass for about 20 yards on a skinny post.
But Wilson was more productive and ran the offense more efficiently.
And he seemed to get more snaps, especially in the red zone drill.
Time is running out for Ewers to make a move.
The Dolphins have Thursday’s joint practice against Jacksonville, Saturday’s preseason finale and then it’s on to the Sept. 7 season opener at Indianapolis.
In Detroit, both quarterbacks showed progress from the Chicago game, where neither looked comfortable. Against the Lions, their reads and their footwork were both improved.
Yes, Wilson had a couple of passes against the Lions he probably wishes he could have back. There was an overthrown deep ball over the middle to wide receiver Dee Eskridge and a widely-thrown pass in the end zone to wide receiver Tarik Black.
To this point, however, Wilson, who McDaniel called a “direct, calculated target” and is being paid $6 million, has been more reliable in practice.
And to me, Wilson has been the better quarterback.
As for the bigger question, are the Dolphins better at backup quarterback this season than they’ve been in McDaniel’s previous three seasons?
I don’t know.
And we won’t know until Wilson or Ewers has to play in a regular-season game.
So, from that standpoint the wait continues.
As for Smith answering my question of who is the backup quarterback, well, being a wily veteran he artfully dodged it Tuesday. But he did compliment both quarterbacks and issued a broad, general statement on the situation.
“I think ultimately the growth that they’ve shown throughout training camp has been outstanding,” he said. “You can measure results any way you look at it, but we’re really pleased with where we are at right now, and this next week is going to be huge, I think, for the entire offense, not them alone.”
Perhaps McDaniel, who has final say on the matter, will provide a more direct answer Thursday.
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