A Big Step Forward for Igbinoghene
Thanks to a rash of injuries, Miami Dolphins cornerback Noah Igbinoghene has another chance to prove he belongs in the team's long-term plans. If his performance against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday is any indication, things might be different this time.
Igbinoghene, the 2020 Dolphins first-round pick who was a disappointment his first two seasons, was forced into action during Miami’s 24-16 loss after cornerback Nik Needham went down with a season-ending Achilles injury and Keion Crossen went down with a knee injury.
The Dolphins already were without rookie Kader Kohou and veteran Byron Jones, who won’t practice again this week as he remains on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. It’s unclear when Jones, Kohou and Crossen will return, but in the meantime Igbinoghene should see plenty of snaps in their stead.
Dolphins safety Brandon Jones noticed Igbinoghene’s improved play and the play of veteran special teams standout Justin Bethel, who also helped fill in at cornerback against Minnesota.
“Yes, they played well,” Jones said. “I wasn’t surprised. I see the way they prepare. With circumstances, it’s easy to check out, especially if you’re not getting the reps (and) getting opportunities that you want, but I didn’t see any drop-off. They got in the game, they executed, they played well. Noah had some good pass breakups. Justin came in and had some really good plays. Yes, they did a really good job of handling their business.”
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NOAH ANSWERS THE CALL
Igbinoghene’s strong play comes at a crucial time. He was inactive for six games last season and was inactive for two games this season and played only on special teams two other times before getting his first snaps on defense in 2022 in the Week 5 game against the New York Jets.
He needed to prove he could perform if called upon.
Igbinoghene was targeted twice in coverage and allowed zero catches by getting two pass breakups in 19 coverage snaps against the Vikings, according to PFF.
In the two games he’s played defense this season, Igbinoghene has been targeted five times and has allowed one catch for 17 yards on those five targets.
The only negative play Igbinoghene had against Minnesota came when he was called for pass interference trying to guard Adam Thielen on a double move.
IGBINOGHENE TAKES CARE OF ADAM THIELEN
Both of Igbinoghene’s pass breakups ended up coming while also guarding Thielen.
The first came from the slot. Thielen was trying to run a corner route to the left sideline, and Igbinoghene was in man coverage. The young Dolphins cornerback did a nice job sticking with Thielen by tying up inside the 5-yard contact window, and then stayed stride for stride with him, allowing him to undercut the route perfectly.
The ball ultimately hit Igbinoghene in the head, which does highlight a big weakness of his game — ball skills. Igbinoghene, typically, is in a good position, but looks jittery when the ball arrives. This time, he at least got his head around to prevent pass interference from being called.
Igbinoghene’s second PBU came midway through the third quarter. Thielen motioned across the formation from left to right and then ran a wheel route down the right sideline.
Igbinoghene, in man coverage, tracked Thielen across the formation, ran stride for stride with him down the field and turned his head to contest the ball, forcing an incompletion.
This game was the first time in Igbinoghene’s career he recorded more than one pass breakup in a single game. He had two pass breakups in 27 career games coming into the Minnesota game.
While it might seem extreme to put so much stock in a single game, it was a huge step forward for Igbinoghene, and the reality of Miami’s injuries at cornerback means he might get even more playing time against the Steelers than his 31 defensive snaps in each of the past two games.
It’s unrealistic to expect him to suddenly live up to his first-round draft status, but the performance against Minnesota was a step in the right direction.
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