Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase isn't about to hurl Xavien Howard under the bus. Despite the second-year talent having a bit of a sophomore slump, Miami's head coach is backing him, as should all “leaders” when faced with adversity.
“The touchdown they had on the last throw [a 22-yarder from Cam Newton to Devin Funchess], there’s not many guys that can defend that,” Gase said, via the Miami Herald. “That thing was on a rope. That was the perfect throw, perfect route. Well executed play. That’s the job of the corner. You better have short-term memory.
“If you’re not getting beat, you’re not playing. It’s very rare you will see corners that never have gotten beat. He’s a good player. He’s a short-term memory guy. He’s not going to worry what happened on the last throw.”
This has been a really strange season for Xavien Howard. A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Pro Football Focus has him rated near dead-last at his position and he has yet to intercept a football the entire campaign.
It is obviously worth noting that a corner is often reliant upon his teammates to excel. If/when Miami's pass rush isn't getting to the quarterback in great haste, it provides a more difficult day for any cornerback on the roster.
Nevertheless, it appears Adam Gase remains confident in the still learning youngster. As importantly, he is being supporting of Howard as the kid continues to adjust to big boy football. With the season already (mostly) in the tank, this is probably a smart move by the Dolphins to be supportive rather than hurling players under that aforementioned bus.
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