The Dolphins have made some nice trades of their storied historical past. Acquiring Hall of Fame coach Don Shula ranks No. 1, and buying Hall of Fame guard Larry Little and Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti are a few others excessive on that prestigious listing.
Will buying and selling for huge receiver Tyreek Hill finally discover a spot someplace on that elite listing?
After simply eight video games, issues are rapidly trending in that course.
Hill has been completely wonderful.
There’s no different solution to say it.
The recreation is essential to him, and it reveals.
“Everybody knows me as a workaholic — all I do is just think about ball,” Hill mentioned after Sunday’s 31-27 victory at Detroit. “I live, sleep and I die on this hill of playing football, man.”
Hill, a 5-foot-10, 191-pound ball of muscle acquired from Kansas City in the course of the offseason (give basic supervisor Chris Grier credit score), was electrifying in opposition to the Lions.
Cheetah, as he’s known as due to his blazing velocity, had 12 receptions for 188 yards, and one carry for seven yards.
He completed with 195 yards from scrimmage on 13 touches.
The Dolphins (5-3) had 489 yards from scrimmage.
Hill was 40% of the Dolphins offense.
Without Hill, a seldom-seen mixture of velocity, palms, and route-running who has made the Pro Bowl in every of his earlier six NFL seasons, the Dolphins are an easy-to-defend, pedestrian group.
You may argue there’s nothing to concern concerning the Dolphins offense with out Hill, who’s undoubtedly the staff’s MVP.
It’s not simply his on-field efficiency, it’s additionally his off-field management, the best way he tutors the youthful huge receivers and units examples in apply and the movie room.
Wide receivers coach Wes Welker mentioned every part is a contest with Hill, and he meant that in a great way.
“He’s exceeded our expectations and what he brings to our team, the energy and the playmaking ability and all those different things,” Welker mentioned final week. “I can’t say enough good things.”
Hill units a constructive, hard-working instance for the whole staff.
“Every chance I get to step on the field, even if it’s practice, walk-through [practice], whatever the case,” Hill mentioned after the Lions recreation, “I’m going 110 miles per hour.”
Here’s a pattern of what Hill did Sunday:
* 42-yard reception to the Detroit 33-yard line within the second quarter on first-and-10;
* 36-yard reception to the Detroit 23-yard line within the first quarter on third-and-13;
* 24-yard reception to the Dolphins’ 44-yard line within the first quarter on first-and-10;
* 19-yard reception to the Detroit 34-yard line within the fourth quarter on first-and-10;
* 18-yard reception to the Detroit 29-yard line within the second quarter on first-and-10;
* 17-yard reception to the Detroit 23-yard line within the third quarter on second-and-5.
That’s an enormous play in each quarter, on all three downs, in a wide range of subject positions and conditions.
He went up excessive to grab that 42-yard reception out of the air and absorbed an enormous hit after the catch. No large deal. He bounced up and was able to play one other down.
He had greater than 10 receptions and 150 yards receiving in three of his first six video games with the Dolphins, the primary time in NFL historical past anybody had achieved that feat of their first six video games with a staff.
He had 11 receptions for 190 yards at Baltimore, 10 receptions for 160 yards at Cincinnati, and 12 receptions for 177 yards in opposition to Minnesota.
But after simply eight video games in a Dolphins uniform we’re so used to seeing Hill do particular issues, he’s not even the primary postgame subject of dialog following that dazzling efficiency at Detroit.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa may get extra dialog. He was implausible whereas going 29 for 36 for 381 yards, three touchdowns and a 138.7 passer ranking.
The protection, which shut out Detroit within the second half, and particularly the injury-riddled secondary, which was coping with the lack of security Brandon Jones (knee), may get extra dialog.
Heck, issues equivalent to penalties (seven for 55 yards), huge receiver Jaylen Waddle’s two touchdowns and his two ensuing Waddles (his landing celebration), and tight finish Mike Gesicki recording a landing and retiring the “Griddy” (his, ahem, highly-publicized landing celebration) may get extra dialog than Hill.
He entered the sport because the NFL’s main receiver with a league-best 773 yards on a league-best 57 receptions (13.6 yards per reception).
He had a league-best 110.4 yards per recreation receiving yards common.
His 270 yards after the catch) have been Tenth-best within the NFL.
His 34 receiving first downs have been second within the league.
Since Hill entered the league in 2016, nobody has extra 50-plus-yard receptions than his 16. He’s added two extra already this season.
The man is a drive.
And if he stays with the Dolphins lengthy sufficient, he may drive his means onto one of many franchise’s most elite lists. He’s already effectively on the best way.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com