Why Dolphins Rookie Savaiianea Is on the Spot Against New England

Miami Dolphins rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea was always going to be under a lot of pressure this season. However, recent injuries to the right side of Miami’s line might force the Dolphins to lean on him even more.

The Dolphins traded up for Savaiinaea in the second round of this year’s draft, hoping to fix their longstanding issues at guard. He played in his first game in Week 1 against the Colts, and Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith thinks there is plenty to build on for Week 2 against the Patriots.

“There are some really good things that we saw in the run game, pass protection as well,” Smith said about Savaiinaea. “When you're a rookie on the road, it's always the most challenging time. So there are a lot of things that we're seeing that I think carry over from in training camp, the physicality, him and Brew (Aaron Brewer), you can see they're building that rapport.

“This week will be good for us to really build because now when you come at home, it's a different environment, which allows you to play without the stressor of the noise.”

This matchup is especially interesting for Savaiinaea and the Dolphins because the team reportedly “stole” the Arizona product from the Patriots, who were eyeing him with their second-round pick.

New England ended up selecting left tackle Will Campbell in the first round and center Jared Wilson in the third, but they are starting him at guard, likely the spot they had in mind for Savaiinaea.

Either way, he’s on the Dolphins now, and they’ll need him in a big way Sunday.

Miami’s Left Side Must Lead the Way

With James Daniels on injured reserve and the team expecting to be without Austin Jackson, the Dolphins will likely start two backups on the right side of the line against New England.

That should lead the Dolphins to lean a lot heavier on the left side of the line, especially in the running game. Left tackle Patrick Paul was arguably Miami’s best player against the Colts, and Savaiinaea had some nice flashes despite a few rookie miscues.

Smith mentioned how difficult communication can be for rookie offensive linemen on the road, and one of Savaiinaea’s worst plays looked like a miscommunication between him and Paul. Early in the game, Savaiinaea let Colts defensive end through the B-gap untouched, leading to a tackle for loss in the backfield.

Based on the Colts’ front, Paul had to work outside to block a different player, and Savaiinaea didn’t adjust. It’s the type of mistake you’d expect from a rookie in his first start. However, nothing about Savaiinaea’s tape indicated he’s not capable of being a quality starter.

Like Smith mentioned, his strength in the run translated Sunday, and the Dolphins should consider making that a focal point of the offense against New England. One of the reasons Miami drafted Savaiianea was to run a more diverse running game.

That’s on Smith’s mind this week, but it’s easier said than done.

“It's a balancing act of what you want to get done, and that's something each week,” Smith said. “It's a little different as far as it lays it more outside zone, inside zone, gap scheme. OK, do we want to hit more play actions off of these things? Whatever it is, that's the balancing act of, basically, how does the overall run plan fit into the overall attack of the defense?”

It’s hard to draw too many conclusions from Miami’s performance in the running game against the Colts. De’Von Achane led the team with just seven carries (averaged 7.9 yards per carry), but last season, Jackson was the team’s best run blocker.

And Daniels was the team’s most proven offensive lineman. Running behind their replacements — Kion Smith and Larry Borom — hardly feels like the way to go against New England. It’ll have to be Paul and Savaiinaea.

Because of that, we should get a decent idea of just how good the rookie is after this week.

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