Dolphins coach addresses one of Tagovailoa’s unique skills, other issues

A six-pack of quick hits from the regular Thursday news conference with Dolphins assistant coaches:

▪ Dolphins quarterback coach Darrell Bevell was talking about vision on Thursday in his first news conference since surgery to repair a detached retina during training camp.

But Bevell wasn’t talking about his own vision, which fortunately, is now fine.

Instead, Bevell delivered this quote about Tua Tagovailoa:

“His field of vision is incredible, probably as good as anyone I’ve been around,” Bevell said. “He sees the whole thing. He keeps his eyes down the field.”

Keep in mind that Bevell has coached Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre and Russell Wilson.”

Tagovailoa threw for 466 yards against the Chargers, but Bevell said, “I don’t know if it’s his best game. He’s playing within the system. He’s taken to all the training, all the timing, grown in so many ways.”

Bevell said Tagovailoa’s best throw was the 47-yarder to Tyreek Hill on a third-and-10 on Miami’s game-winning drive. “To put the ball where he put it, that was a special play,” Bevell said.

Tagovailoa has been salty at times in recent weeks, including telling ESPN’s Ryan Clark — who criticized his conditioning — to keep his name “out of your mouth.”

Asked about that side of Tagovailoa, Bevell said: “We’ve been able to see him grow in all kinds of ways. He’s more comfortable with who he is and you’re able to see a little more of his personality. It’s fun to see. You want guys to be able to be themselves.”

As for Bevell’s eye, he’s fine now. But after the surgery, he said he had to have his head facing down 98 percent of the time for more than a week. That required a lot of lying on his stomach — while watching practice tape on his iPad — or sitting on the couch and putting his head down on a massage table.

He couldn’t fly initially, which meant he needed to drive to Houston for the team’s preseason game. But he can fly now.

“Surgery went as well as it could have,” he said. “Recovery has been good. My neck and back hurt more than my eye did” from keeping his head down.

▪ Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith on the team’s creative and frequent use of presnap motion: “We motion with a purpose. We don’t just do it to do it. We do it with intent to get reaction out of a defense. When we don’t, we have to figure out why. When we don’t move, [Dolphins players are] like, ‘That’s it?!’”

▪ Smith said rookie running back De’Von Achane — who was a healthy scratch against the Chargers — has been “awesome. It’s a long season. Opportunities will come. We have zero reservation about his ability to help us.”

▪ Jason Sanders’ missed extra point late in Sunday’s game — which barely missed — reminded us of this NFL rule: “If the ball passes directly above the uprights, it is a good field goal so long as no part of the ball extends beyond the outside edge of the upright.”

Keep in mind that missed field goals or extra points are not reviewable.

“Nothing you can do about it,” special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said when asked what he would do if he believed a PAT or field goal was incorrectly ruled no good. “Move onto the next play. Don’t lose your mind.”

▪ Edge player Cameron Goode was elevated last week because his special teams work has impressed coaches.

“He was really playing well in spring, got hurt, missed a couple weeks,” Crossman said. “You think there could be a setback [from being sidelined] but there wasn’t. Has really done a good job with the classroom stuff and taking that to the field. Hopefully we’re just scratching the surface.”

▪ Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had success using cornerback Justin Bethel as a blitzer on two plays on the Chargers’ final possession.

On one, he forced an intentional grounding penalty against Justin Herbert. On the other, he shared a sack with Jaelan Phillips.

“Thought was a great call,” linebackers coach Anthony Campanile said. “A little bit of a changeup. A savvy coach making a really good call.”

NEWS NOTE

Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead practiced for the second consecutive day and is no longer wearing a red non-contact jersey. Running back Raheem Mostert returned to practice after missing Wednesday’s session for knee maintanance.

Colleague Daniel Oyefusi will have a report from Fangio’s news conference later today. Please click here for Fangio’s explanation for the lack of playing time for David Long Jr. and Brandon Jones on Sunday.