At roughly the halfway level of the 17-game season the Miami Dolphins are dealing with the potential for being in first place within the AFC East after this week’s video games, one thing few would have anticipated at this stage.
If the Dolphins (6-3) defeat Cleveland (3-5), and Buffalo (6-2) loses to Minnesota (7-1), the division lead belongs to the Dolphins as a result of the New York Jets (6-3) have a bye and New England (5-4) is a sport behind.
Considering the Dolphins have a rookie head coach in Mike McDaniel, their standing within the division, the AFC and the NFL might be thought of a little bit of a shock.
On the opposite hand, they’ve quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, huge receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, left deal with Terron Armstead, cornerback Xavien Howard, and so they simply acquired edge rusher Bradley Chubb and working again Jeff Wilson Jr., so maybe their standing shouldn’t be such a shock.
Let’s check out what we’ve seen from the Dolphins so far of the season:
Pass sport: A
Tagovailoa (1,980 yards passing, 15 touchdowns, three interceptions, 115.9 passer score) has been actually good. Yeah, early within the season he had that concussion concern, some move safety points, and a few decision-making points, however since then he’s been electrical. Hill (76 receptions, 1,104 yards, three touchdowns) has been even higher. He may threaten NFL single-season data in receptions and receiving yards. Waddle (47 receptions, 812 yards, six touchdowns) has additionally been actually good. Pass safety is bettering. We’ll see if it may discover consistency. That’s probably the most important key to the passing sport’s success at this level as a result of every part else appears to be working. Tagovailoa has been correct and McDaniel’s scheme has created open areas for Hill, Waddle, tight finish Mike Gesicki (22 receptions, 238 yards, 4 touchdowns) and everybody else. No issues right here if Tagoavailoa stays upright.
Run sport: D
This is a priority. The Dolphins are twenty ninth within the league at 86.9 yards per sport. They rushed for 77 yards final Sunday in Wilson’s debut at Chicago. Still, Wilson, acquired in a commerce deadline take care of Denver, ought to be a part of Raheem Mostert (110 carries, 478 yards, two touchdowns) to offer a balanced floor sport. Wilson (9 carries, 51 yards vs. the Bears) offers a bodily presence that enhances Mostert’s velocity. The blocking might be higher. But the offensive line, anchored Armstead, middle Connor Williams and proper guard Robert Hunt, has sustained some damage losses at instances this season. That’s not an excuse, it’s a proof. The Dolphins would possibly or won’t want the run sport for cold-weather regular-season video games as a result of they’ll solely play at two cold-weather locales — Buffalo in December and New England in January. However, in the event that they’re required to journey to chilly climate locales within the playoffs the run sport could be extra of a requirement. We’ll see.
Pass protection: B-
This has been puzzling on a few ranges. But the move protection has managed to make performs, highlighted by the fourth-quarter, game-winning interceptions in opposition to Pittsburgh by security Jevon Holland and cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, and a strip-sack landing by linebacker Melvin Ingram in opposition to New England. So they’re determining methods to outlive, which is an effective factor. We’ll see if Chubb makes a serious distinction going ahead. The move rush hasn’t been constant up entrance (17 sacks, tied for twentieth within the NFL), and the move protection (twenty third at permitting 245.9 yards per sport) hasn’t been constant on the again finish. The Dolphins’ 4 interceptions are tied for twenty third within the league. Howard has been up and down on account of accidents, however he’s nonetheless the very best defensive again on the staff. Surely not having cornerback Byron Jones (Achilles surgical procedure in March) has been an element, as have the regular-season losses of security Brandon Jones (knee) and cornerback Nik Needham (Achilles). But you’d wish to see the Dolphins mix an efficient move rush with an efficient move protection to generate extra sacks and interceptions. If the move protection improves, it’ll present an enormous general enhance to the staff. Still, it’s powerful to disregard their skill to make performs once in a while.
Run protection: C+
The Dolphins are doing OK right here, not nice and never horrible. They’re ranked fifteenth at 117.4 yards allowed per sport. There’s a recency bias as a result of Chicago quarterback Justin Fields simply rushed for 178 yards, an NFL regular-season document for a quarterback. Oh, and Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for 119 yards. Guys reminiscent of defensive deal with Christian Wilkins have proven to be powerful run defenders at instances. But at different instances the run protection disappears. It’s virtually been feast or famine with the run protection. Four groups have rushed for greater than 100 yards, and 4 groups have been held to 82 or fewer yards dashing. The Dolphins have confronted 4 of the top-10 dashing groups, together with the highest two (Chicago and Baltimore). So, issues aren’t dangerous, however issues aren’t good, both. By the way in which, the Dolphins face the No. 3 dashing staff, Cleveland, this Sunday. And don’t low cost dropping Brandon Jones, who was the staff’s main tackler largely due to his run assist. Keep an eye fixed on this class.
Special groups: C
Punter Thomas Morstead has been good along with his knack for flipping the sector. He’s twenty fourth in punting common at 45.7 yards per punt, however he’s eleventh with 14 punts positioned inside opponent’s 20-yard line. Of course, there was the notorious butt punt in opposition to Buffalo. Kicker Jason Sanders is 11 of 15 on discipline aim makes an attempt, together with the 29-yard try he pulled huge left at Chicago. It’s the one try he missed inside of fifty yards. He’s additionally missed an additional level and had a discipline aim try blocked. It hasn’t been a great season for him. The Dolphins haven’t accomplished something particular within the return sport. But they only blocked a punt (linebacker Jaelan Phillips) and returned it 25 yards for a landing (linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel) at Chicago. Injuries have been an element right here, however that’s the story for each staff. The Dolphins should tighten up on particular groups.
Coaching: A
McDaniel, the first-time head coach, has been good at each the on-field stuff and the off-field stuff. His offense is inventive and his play-calling, which he’s doing for the primary time, is robust. There have been hiccups reminiscent of sometimes taking a very long time to get a play name to Tagovailoa, however general issues have been good. The assistant coaches have additionally managed issues nicely, together with offensive coordinator Frank Smith and defensive coordinator Josh Boyer. Yes, issues might be higher. The protection is hitting a tough patch proper now, and the offense wasn’t scoring touchdowns persistently earlier than taking part in Detroit and Chicago, two of the league’s worst groups. So we’ll see what lies forward. Penalties have been an issue at instances. The Dolphins are minus-3 in turnover margin, and whereas the offense has 10 turnovers (tied for nineteenth worst), the protection’s seven takeaways are tied for second-fewest within the league. Keep an eye fixed on that. But so far as the primary half of the season, the teaching workers did an ideal job.
Intangibles: B
This staff has a combating spirit and it finds methods to win. Those issues matter. The particular person items don’t all the time match collectively nicely every week however one way or the other the Dolphins handle to make sufficient performs to win. Beyond that, they’ve a profitable street document at 6-3, which is essential. But when you think about the quarterback damage points, the concussion considerations and their potential for distraction, adjusting to the absence of Byron Jones, and giving an elevated function to undrafted rookie cornerback Kader Kohou and the general locker room perspective, issues are trying good.
Stock up: Tua Tagovailoa
The third-year quarterback has fought via concussion points and notion points to provide a profitable first half of the season. He’s thrown the deep ball higher than his earlier two seasons and made higher choices. Yes, having Hill and Waddle helps, as does having McDaniel’s assist and play-calling. But Tagovailoa has been a baller.
Stock down: Defense
They’ve accomplished sufficient to maintain this staff within the playoff image, so you possibly can’t actually complain. But the protection has been inconsistent, particularly just lately in victories at Detroit and Chicago during which it allowed 27 and 32 factors, respectively, to a few the NFL’s lower-tier groups. The protection has managed to make key performs, but it surely must be extra constant.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com