Prior to Sunday's Dolphins-Texans matchup, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano stated that his plan was for Reggie Bush to handle 70% of the carries in Thomas' first game back. It's not all that surprising how quickly 5.9 yards per carry will change a coach's mind. Although Reggie Bush got the start, rookie Daniel Thomas quickly took charge of the Dolphins rushing load. Although the Dolphins played from behind most of the game, Thomas still finished with 107 yards on only 18 carries.
Dolphins vs. Texans Recap: Daniel Thomas Blows Up 70-30 Idea
One performance should be enough to convince Tony Sparano that Thomas is the guy to stick with moving forward. Add in the fact that Reggie Bush has never really been able to handle being the clear cut number one running back at the NFL level and the decision should be obvious.
Unfortunately, NFL coaches often choose “gut instincts” over logic, much to their detriment. It would not surprise me in the least to see Reggie Bush suddenly get twice as many carries as Thomas in week three. Maybe Coach Sparano surprises us and goes with the smart play, but until I see that from an NFL coach, pardon me if I don’t hold my breath for consistency.
If you assume the best, Thomas could quickly develop into a solid flex running back option. I’d argue that as long as Thomas is healthy, he is a much better play than Reggie Bush moving forward.
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