At roughly the halfway level of the 17-game season the Miami Dolphins are going through the potential of 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 recreation behind.
Contemplating the Dolphins have a rookie head coach in Mike McDaniel, their standing within the division, the AFC and the NFL may very well be thought of a little bit of a shock.
Then again, they've quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, large receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, left deal with Terron Armstead, cornerback Xavien Howard, they usually 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 up to now of the season:
Go recreation: A
Tagovailoa (1,980 yards passing, 15 touchdowns, three interceptions, 115.9 passer ranking) has been actually good. Yeah, early within the season he had that concussion problem, 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 information in receptions and receiving yards. Waddle (47 receptions, 812 yards, six touchdowns) has additionally been actually good. Go safety is bettering. We’ll see if it could possibly discover consistency. That’s presumably the most important key to the passing recreation’s success at this level as a result of the whole lot 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 recreation: D
It is a concern. The Dolphins are twenty ninth within the league at 86.9 yards per recreation. They rushed for 77 yards final Sunday in Wilson’s debut at Chicago. Nonetheless, Wilson, acquired in a commerce deadline cope with Denver, ought to be part of Raheem Mostert (110 carries, 478 yards, two touchdowns) to supply a balanced floor recreation. Wilson (9 carries, 51 yards vs. the Bears) supplies a bodily presence that enhances Mostert’s velocity. The blocking may very well be higher. However the offensive line, anchored Armstead, middle Connor Williams and proper guard Robert Hunt, has sustained some harm losses at occasions this season. That’s not an excuse, it’s a proof. The Dolphins may or won't want the run recreation 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. Nevertheless, in the event that they’re required to journey to chilly climate locales within the playoffs the run recreation is perhaps extra of a requirement. We’ll see.
Go protection: B-
This has been puzzling on a few ranges. However the move protection has managed to make performs, highlighted by the fourth-quarter, game-winning interceptions towards Pittsburgh by security Jevon Holland and cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, and a strip-sack landing by linebacker Melvin Ingram towards New England. So that they’re determining methods to outlive, which is an efficient 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 recreation) 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. Absolutely 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). However you’d prefer 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 increase to the staff. Nonetheless, it’s robust to disregard their skill to make performs every so often.
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 recreation. 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 corresponding to defensive deal with Christian Wilkins have proven to be robust run defenders at occasions. However at different occasions the run protection disappears. It’s virtually been feast or famine with the run protection. 4 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 unhealthy, however issues aren’t good, both. By the best way, 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. Control this class.
Particular groups: C
Punter Thomas Morstead has been good along with his knack for flipping the sphere. 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. In fact, there was the notorious butt punt towards Buffalo. Kicker Jason Sanders is 11 of 15 on subject objective makes an attempt, together with the 29-yard try he pulled large left at Chicago. It’s the one try he missed inside of fifty yards. He’s additionally missed an additional level and had a subject objective try blocked. It hasn’t been a superb season for him. The Dolphins haven’t executed something particular within the return recreation. However they only blocked a punt (linebacker Jaelan Phillips) and returned it 25 yards for a landing (linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel) at Chicago. Accidents have been an element right here, however that’s the story for each staff. The Dolphins should tighten up on particular groups.
Teaching: A
McDaniel, the first-time head coach, has been good at each the on-field stuff and the off-field stuff. His offense is artistic and his play-calling, which he’s doing for the primary time, is robust. There have been hiccups corresponding to 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 effectively, together with offensive coordinator Frank Smith and defensive coordinator Josh Boyer. Sure, issues may very well be higher. The protection is hitting a tough patch proper now, and the offense wasn’t scoring touchdowns constantly 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 occasions. 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. Control that. However so far as the primary half of the season, the teaching employees did an ideal job.
Intangibles: B
This staff has a preventing spirit and it finds methods to win. These issues matter. The person items don’t at all times match collectively effectively every week however by some means the Dolphins handle to make sufficient performs to win. Past that, they've a successful street document at 6-3, which is vital. However when you think about the quarterback harm 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.
Refill: 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 selections. Sure, having Hill and Waddle helps, as does having McDaniel’s assist and play-calling. However Tagovailoa has been a baller.
Inventory down: Protection
They’ve executed sufficient to maintain this staff within the playoff image, so you may’t actually complain. However the protection has been inconsistent, particularly not too long ago in victories at Detroit and Chicago through 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, nevertheless it must be extra constant.
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