Ryan Tannehill understands that being a leader and smart quarterback means sometimes making other players unhappy. He wants the Miami Dolphins to win no matter how that is achieved on the field. So while wide receiver Mike Wallace is crying for more targets on the field, Tannehill is not about to force the ball to just anyone.
Tannehill knows that if he wants to throw the ball deep, Mike Wallace is there. However, he also understands that sometimes the highest paid player is not always the best option. That was especially true on Sunday when the Dolphins faced the Cleveland Browns. Wallace spent most of the time double teamed by defenders. The result was five targets to the wide receiver resulting in one catch for 15 yards. That was not exactly the numbers the receiver was expecting, but Tannehill is not looking to force the ball to Wallace on every play just for numbers.
"I'm going to play the quarterback position the way coaches install the plays; I'm going to go through the reads just like they install it," Tannehill said, via the Palm Beach Post. "We're going to try to get him the ball when he's in the play, but we're not going to force him the ball."
Wallace showed his frustrations after the game. He told reporters that if they wanted to know why he was not targeted more they should ask the head coach. Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson were the stars of the game simply because they were open more on the field. Tannehill told reporters that he understands Wallace was frustrated with the way he played on Sunday, but everything in the locker room was just fine.
"Mike was obviously in a tough spot at the end of that game but everything is 100 percent normal in the locker room," Tannehill said. "He's great, practicing hard every day, joking around. He's his same old self. He's looking forward to getting back on the field this week."
Tannehill is clearly taking big strides to be a true leader for the team in his second season. He held offseason workouts with receivers and the chemistry is playing off. Both he and coach Joe Philbin understand how important Wallace is to the team and how crucial he will be down the road.
