Defensive/Special Teams Thoughts Before Chiefs Game
Anybody who has watched the Miami Dolphins in 2020 understands the defense and special teams have been the catalysts behind the team's run of seven victories in eight games, a run that's put them in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
Those two units have come up with big play after big play since the start of October from a wide variety of contributors, headlined by cornerback Xavien Howard, defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and kicker Jason Sanders.
But here comes the biggest test of the season, with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs coming to Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. And it won't get much easier down the stretch with the Raiders and Bills in the final two weeks after another home game against New England.
This is where we'll get to find out just how good this Dolphins defense is?
Is it the group that struggled against Buffalo and Seattle earlier in the season?
Or is it the group that shut down the Rams and Chargers and made Jared Goff and Justin Herbert look like mediocre quarterbacks?
Here's the most encouraging note for Dolphins fans: In those games against the Bills and Seahawks, they played without Byron Jones for all but four snaps?
So maybe the other two games provide a better representation of who the Dolphins really are on defense.
On to other assorted topics related to the defense and special teams:
-- For anyone who would scoff at the previous mention of Byron Jones because his advanced stats are really not good (106.1 opponent passer rating when targeted), stop right now. The numbers are misleading. Also understand what a 72-yard touchdown does to a passer rating. Yes, Jones misplayed that particularly snap, but overally he's actually been very good this season. It's also interesting to note that he's been targeted on average less than Howard. Of course, it's fair to point out that Howard more often than not is covering the opponent's top receiver, but the overall point remains the same: Jones is very good and has had a good year.
-- That said, neither Howard nor Jones has the skill set to cover Tyreek Hill one-on-one. And maybe that's because there's nobody like that in the NFL. Hill is a special problem because of his speed, which is why the most logical way to trying to defend him is why safety help over the top. Bobby McCain has had a good season, by all accounts, but this is a game where the Dolphins might really need him to come up big.
-- All of the Dolphins DBs are going to have to be on their game against the Chiefs, and that includes rookies Brandon Jones and Noah Igbinoghene. The latter got his most significant playing time in a month in the second half against the Bengals game, but that was because Howard was ejected. The truth is that Igbinoghene likely again won't play much on defense barring injury ... or an ejection, of course.
-- Guarding Travis Kelce is different that guarding Hill and the Dolphins just might have the guy to match up one-on-one with him in safety Eric Rowe. Where Kelce excels is in his route running, but Rowe is a former cornerback, so he can deal with that. The tougher matchup for Rowe would be somebody like Rob Gronkowski because Gronk can overpower defenders with his size.
-- Of course, the Dolphins could make life for their defense a lot more comfortable by getting pressure on Patrick Mahomes, though it's a dicey proposition to send a lot of players after him because of his playmaking ability and because the Chiefs have so much speed at wide receiver. This is where the pass rushers need to step up, starting with Emmanuel Ogbah, who'll be going against his former team.
-- And there's the Chiefs special teams, which also are hard to defense. Byron Pringle had a kickoff return for a touchdown against Denver, the sixth consecutive year K.C. has had a kick return for a score. Jason Sanders can neutralize that part of the Chiefs game by getting touchbacks, but punter Matt Haack also will have to be on his game and get good hang time.
