Patriots
Tagovailoa and Hill are clearly the engines of the Dolphins’ offense, however what about the remainder of the roster?
Getting into the Patriots’ matchup in opposition to the Dolphins, a lot of the dialogue has been about how the Patriots cease Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill.
That’s an inexpensive query contemplating what the duo has carried out collectively. Hill had 1,710 receiving yards in his first season with the Dolphins final 12 months, with the overwhelming majority of these yards coming from Tagovailoa. The duo began their second season along with a bang as Hill had a whopping 215 receiving yards and Tagovailoa threw for 466 yards in a highway win over the Chargers.
So, slowing down Tagovailoa and Hill will clearly be the important thing to victory for the Patriots. However what about the remainder of the Dolphins’ roster? Listed below are six Dolphins gamers outdoors of Tagovailoa and Hill to look at in Sunday’s sport.
Jaylen Waddle
Hill isn’t the one speedy receiver the Dolphins have.
Waddle joins Hill because the duo’s not solely arguably the quickest receiver duo within the league, but additionally the perfect receiver tandem within the NFL, too. Previous to Hill’s arrival in Miami in 2022, Waddle really had a pair of standout video games in opposition to the Patriots, recording a receiving landing in each matchups as a rookie in 2021.
Waddle adopted up his 104-reception, 1,015-yard rookie season with 75 receptions for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns final season, turning into a much more explosive receiver in Mike McDaniel’s offense.
The Patriots obtained a style of Waddle’s huge play means in Week 1 final 12 months. He turned a fourth-down seize over the center right into a 42-yard rating as his means to create separation prompted a pair of Patriots defenders to collide, working upfield with nobody in a position to catch him.
Waddle didn’t have as sturdy of a efficiency within the Patriots’ second matchup in opposition to the Dolphins final season, recording three receptions for 52 yards. However Tagovailoa was out for that sport on account of a concussion, leaving Waddle to catch passes from Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson. Within the three video games that Waddle has performed with Tagovailoa in opposition to the Patriots, Waddle has 13 receptions for 157 yards and three touchdowns.
With Jonathan Jones being the first man who’s lined Hill within the Patriots’ final handful of matchups in opposition to the All-Professional, New England has thrown a handful of various defensive backs at Waddle during the last two years. Kyle Dugger gave up a pair of receptions whereas masking Waddle within the second matchup final season whereas Jalen Mills lined him within the first matchup final 12 months. It’s attainable Christian Gonzalez might be tasked with guarding him on Sunday.
Jaelan Phillips
There have been some questions in regards to the Dolphins’ protection coming into the season, however Phillips may assist elevate the unit to enrich their explosive offense.
The 2021 first-round decide and edge rusher had a stable first two seasons within the league, recording 8.5 sacks as a rookie and 7 sacks final season. He obtained off to a very good begin to the 2023 season final week, recording a half sack and 7 pressures in opposition to the Chargers, by way of Professional Soccer Focus.
Phillips has struggled in opposition to the Patriots in his younger profession although. He hasn’t recorded a sack in his first 4 matchups in opposition to New England and solely has three complete pressures over these video games, by way of PFF.
New England’s questionable scenario at offensive sort out may benefit Phillips. Calvin Anderson remains to be a few weeks faraway from being activated off the non-football damage checklist whereas beginning left sort out Trent Brown is questionable with a concussion.
Phillips can also be questionable for Sunday’s sport on account of a again damage he suffered at Friday’s observe. Nonetheless, the Dolphins introduced Saturday that Kelvin Joseph didn’t journey with the staff to New England, ruling him out, however didn’t present the same replace for Phillips. Possible a very good signal for his possibilities to play on Sunday.
Christian Wilkins
If Phillips is the X-factor of the Dolphins’ protection, Wilkins is the rock of the line of defense and the unit.
Wilkins has been one of many sport’s greatest defensive tackles for the reason that Dolphins chosen him within the first spherical of the 2019 NFL Draft, proving to be a three-down participant as he had 11.5 sacks and 160 stops within the first 4 seasons of his profession.
In contrast to Phillips, Wilkins has had positive performances in opposition to the Patriots during the last two seasons. The Springfield, Massachusetts, native recorded 21 complete tackles, eight stops, 4 pressures, and two sacks in 4 video games during the last two seasons in opposition to New England.
Much like their offensive sort out scenario, the Patriots’ inside offensive linemen scenario can also be unclear for Sunday’s sport. Beginning guards Cole Unusual and Michael Onwenu are each questionable after they missed the season opener whereas Sidy Sow can also be questionable after he began at proper guard final week.
The accidents to the Patriots’ inside offensive line allowed Jalen Carter and others to have standout performances final week. It wouldn’t be a shock if Wilkins had one other standout sport in opposition to the Patriots on Sunday.
Jevon Holland
Holland rounds out the group of defensive first-round picks made in the previous few years by the Dolphins.
The 2021 first-round decide has slowly emerged as one of many higher free safeties within the league during the last 12 months. He’s been a tackling machine, recording 96 complete tackles final season and commenced his 2023 season by posting a 14-tackle efficiency in opposition to the Chargers.
When it comes to move protection, Holland has solely allowed three receptions on 4 targets over 4 profession matchups in opposition to the Patriots. With Hunter Henry having a robust season-opening efficiency final week, Holland might be within the combine to cowl him. However he’s additionally been used to assist corners excessive and has lined slot receivers prior to now, lining up in opposition to Jakobi Meyers final 12 months and going up in opposition to Kenan Allen out of the slot final week.
Xavien Howard
With Jalen Ramsey out, Howard must assist maintain down the fort for the remainder of the Dolphins’ corners for not less than the primary couple of months of the season.
The veteran All-Professional although has performed effectively in opposition to the Patriots during the last two seasons. Mac Jones has accomplished 8-of-10 passes for 107 yards when focusing on the receiver Howard’s lined, however Howard additionally has an interception and deflected one other move that led to a decide in three matchups in opposition to the Patriots quarterback.
Howard has lined up in opposition to Meyers, DeVante Parker, and Nelson Agholor over his previous few matchups in opposition to the Patriots. With two of these receivers gone and Parker being listed as questionable for Sunday’s sport, Howard might be on Kendrick Bourne, who had six receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns final week.
Braxton Berrios
Hill and Waddle are the 2 receivers that everybody talks about on the Dolphins’ offense, and fairly so.
However Berrios appeared to have a comparatively huge position within the Dolphins’ opener in opposition to the Chargers. He performed 35 complete offensive snaps, being utilized in each the slot and on the surface. He additionally had three receptions on 5 targets for 42 yards.
Essentially the most spectacular a part of Berrios’ efficiency although was the timeliness of his receptions. Two of his receptions helped transfer the sticks on third-and-longs for the Dolphins, making low-reaching grabs on each catches as he fought by protection.
Berrios has 14 receptions for 136 yards in eight profession matchups in opposition to the staff that drafted him in 2018, recording all of these numbers for the Jets within the final 4 seasons. As he went to South Seashore this offseason, Berrios might be a beneficiary of McDaniel’s system and Tagovailoa’s development within the passing sport.
Berrios is one among 5 former Patriots gamers who will go well with up for the Dolphins on Sunday, becoming a member of Isaiah Wynn, Justin Bethel, Jake Bailey, and Chase Winovich.
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