The Miami Dolphins remain in a holding pattern as they await word on the future availability of standout quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
In the meantime, Tyler Huntley will again guide the league’s lowest-scoring offense when the Dolphins (2-3) battle the host Indianapolis Colts (3-3) on Sunday.
Tagovailoa sustained a concussion in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills and missed the past three games.
The Dolphins scored 3, 12 and 15 points in the full games Tagovailoa sat out and are averaging just 12 per game on the season. They did get a win during that span — 15-10 on the road against the New England Patriots on Oct. 6 prior to last week’s bye.
Miami coach Mike McDaniel is hopeful Tagovailoa will be cleared to practice later this month.
“There is still information that he’s seeking this week,” McDaniel said of Tagovailoa. “As far as timelines go, I know he’s not playing this week and I do expect to see him playing football in 2024. But where that is exactly, we’ll let the process continue since we still have time before you even could entertain anything.”
The Dolphins’ No. 2 quarterback, Skylar Thompson, started in Week 3 and sustained a rib injury. Huntley started the past two games and hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass while being intercepted once.
Part of the bye-week process was helping Huntley get more comfortable with the offense. The former Baltimore Ravens player known as “Snoop” didn’t join Miami until mid-September.
“It was just imperative that he could have more time on task to study and to review the footwork of some of our core concepts and core fundamentals, which he did a great job working through,” McDaniel said.
The upheaval in the passing game has hurt the production of standout receivers Tyreek Hill (23 catches, 286 yards) and Jaylen Waddle (21 for 258). Hill has one touchdown catch and Waddle has none.
Last season, the two players combined for 191 receptions, 2,813 yards and 17 scoring receptions.
Miami did have Raheem Mostert on the field for the first time in four weeks when he rushed for 80 yards against New England. Sidekick De’Von Achane, a full practice participant Wednesday, is hopeful of clearing the concussion protocol this week after getting hurt against the Patriots.
The Colts are experiencing their own quarterback quandary, and coach Shane Steichen said Anthony Richardson (oblique) would start unless he has a setback. Richardson missed the past two games, but he was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.
“Because he’s a guy that touches the ball on every play, and it’s a long season, (just) wanted to make sure he’s 100 percent before he goes back out there,” Steichen said.
Joe Flacco replaced Richardson early in a Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and started the past two games. He has thrown for 716 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception.
Flacco rallied the Colts to 10 fourth-quarter points in a 20-17 road win over the Tennessee Titans last week. He tossed a go-ahead 10-yard touchdown pass to Michael Pittman Jr. with 7:27 left in the game.
Pittman played through a painful back injury, and his perseverance impressed Flacco.
“When you have guys like that, you can go a long way,” Flacco said of Pittman. “That’s the kind of guys you need to play winning football. And he’s unbelievable for that.”
Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor (349 yards, four touchdowns) has missed the past two games due to an ankle injury, and he didn’t practice Wednesday.
Among other Indianapolis players to sit out Wednesday were Pittman and fellow wideout Josh Downs (toe), center Ryan Kelly (calf) and linebacker E.J. Speed (knee).
For Miami, safeties Jevon Holland (hand) and Jordan Poyer (shin) were among the limited participants.
The Colts have won three of the teams’ past four meetings.