2022 Review: Defensive Backs

Now let me check your pulse if none of what is up? Dolph fans and welcome to the Drive Time podcast, part of the Miami Dolphins podcast network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins. How's it going? Everybody? I am your host,

Travis Wingfield. And on today's show, the third part of our end of season series reviewing each position group on the club, takes us inside the defensive backfield, will pick the Championship Round games this weekend and break down the top ten takeaways from your Miami Dolphins and this season. From the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Drive Time we have done the edge group, we have done the running backs, and now we're moving

on to the defensive backs. If you cannot recognize the theme, we're going along with the top ten videos here takeaways defensive backs seems to make sense, and we start with the team accomplishments and rankings here of the Dolphins defensive backfield. And the ball production was just not there this year. Seven picks for the DBS fift P B U S or passes defense which includes interceptions as well, five fumbles

forced and two recovered. Just not a lot seven and passing defense, and we talked about the injuries a whole heck of a lot. That was kind of the main theme, the main takeaway from this group. But all things considered, they did come up with some big plays and some

big moments. The three I N T s versus Steelers two in the fourth quarter with them driving to win the game, fourth quarter shutout in Detroit, holding the Bears on those final two possessions putting points on the board, versus Houston with Row and X, and again versus Buffalo

Row again this time with Zach Seeler. We saw them hold the last three opponents, even the Bills in the playoffs to make it four despite some short fields and long returns and turnovers on offense and unsustained drives on offense, and a lot of those games, I think we saw them get better late and again despite everything, helped keep Miami in a lot of those games with some big plays and some big spots. But obviously we know that there was a lot more to the story than just that.

Um Third down defense was an issue all year, the off coverage against you know, third, medium, third and short press coverage and leaving all kinds of droves of green grass down the field for this gauntlet of order backs the Dolphins played this year to you know, make the blitz miss, to make the rush miss, and then take advantage of a banged up secondary and experience and guys that frankly just weren't brought here to play the cornerback position.

Being put in those positions and going up against the league's best. Those are the matchups that coaches try to identify weekend and week out on the offensive side of the ball, who's my rabbit? Who am I going after this week? And for Miami this year, it was just

consistent that they had multiple guys in those positions. The games where you didn't have Xaviing Howard for instance, Gosh, it was tough to get stops, wasn't it um, And we saw it last year in the games without Exaviing and Byron Jones, it was incredibly tough to get off the field, like that Jacksonville game for instance. Mimney wins that game if they have their top two corners. But it's been a problem now for the last couple of

years because of availability. And this year we saw x have statistically one of the worst seasons in the NFL for our cornerback, which he'll tell you from the will be the first one I tell you it it wasn't up to his standards. So this group, I think you can expect a lot of improvement Inherently. I think getting Brandon Jones back is going to be massively important for this defense.

I think that he was probably the biggest loss that we didn't talk about ad nauseum and the way you talked about Byron Jones, I think it was almost on that same level of playing field in terms of Byron Jones and Exaviing Howard shut down cornerback ability on the perimeters. How this defense was built and constructed. I think ultimately why you have a change there at the defensive coordin

in a position. Talk about that here in just a second, but also Brandon Jones impact in terms of the interchangeability from the two safeties that we saw frequently, your big nickel packages and the ability to be interchangeable. Go back and watch the opening day Patriots game, Like the first drive of the game, you see the Patriots shift in motion and pre snap stuff and and uh, Javon Holland

and Brandon Jones like swapped their roles. I think once you lost Brandon Jones, you lost the ability to do that. Javon Holland became pretty much a middle of the field post safety and it took away opera tutunities for him to make plays. And I think that if you can get better interchangeability back in that position, better communication and flexibility which I think we saw in those final games

down the stretch, to improve the defense in general. But I thought that losing Brandon Jones and that middle stretch and the difficulty of overcoming that, to me, it was just as big as the Byron Jones lost because it took away your best playmaker. In my opinion in Javon Holland and um, you know they're five free agents here to start the year before we get to the new league year. In this group, Eric Rowe, Elijah Campbell, Clayton Federlum at safety and then Nick Needham and Justin Bethel

at cornerback. And I want to look at the individuals here real quick, but just to go back to that point about the defensive cordin to position and the primary man principles, press man, you know, mirror, don't don't actually put hands and look on the receiver and blitz like crazy and try to create pressure with good tight coverage to force tight window throws and get off the field with checkdowns and completions play beyond the sticks. And we just didn't see it, how but enough on third down.

This defense got to third down plenty, but was bad on third down. So how do you improve that? I think it's very clear as you see the personnel of the team shift towards the strength being on the front of the line of scrimmage. Jalen Phillips, from my money, is one of the top ten pass rushers off the edge already. I think he's going to have a massive massive season where you see those pressures convert to sacks

next year. And he was as impactful in the run and against the past as anybody in the NFL at that position all year long. I think that Bradley Chubb will be much better. And his impact was you know, wasn't in the same way that Phillips wasn't there in the numbers, but his impact was definitely um tangible with

the way he sped up opposing passing games. And we know what he can do, especially in a defense that will you know, allow him to play you know, four man pressures and better coverage in the back end that creates more opportunities for redirect and and you know, moves back to the inside to to get further pressure on the quarterback because he has to hold the ball longer opposed to just pumping that thing out in two point three or two point four or two point five seconds.

Every time Miami got quarterbacks to two point six two point seven, they were getting sacks and pressures and interceptions and you know, impacting the passing game that way. To me, that falls largely on the cornerback position. And we also see the candidates the Dolphins are looking at right now that have been reported with Vic Fangio, with Sean de Sais, with um freaking Chris Rochard almost said Richard Jenkins for

some reason, and then Anthony Campanelli in house. Those top three guys are all part of You know, it's not necessarily the quarter half quarter quarter half cover six type defense you get, but it's zone principles, four man pressures and play coverage and kind of be disguising in your shells and your coverage and rely upon four guys up front to create pressure. We talked about Phillips and Chub. You know, I would bring back Melvin Ingram. We talked

about that earlier this week. Um, we'll see about Emmanuel Ogball's return, Christian Wilkins, Zach Seeler like, there are some dudes up front that will allow you to play that system. And then I talked about it earlier this week as well, the back end and the zone principles that I think would benefit a player like Xavian Howard who just has such ball hawking instincts, a Javan holland Brandon Jones for that matter. I think that transition makes tons of sense.

You see a theme there among those guys Miami blitz like thirty three point seven percent of the time last year. All of these coordinators they're high they're interviewing, have a blitz history of like seventeen fifteen percent. So less pressure packages, rely upon your front four and play better coverage and put the guys in better position to play better coverage because it was a lot to ask for. We saw Richard Sherman talk about the difficulties of this defense for

a cornerback playing on the perimeter. If you can make that job easier, I think you can get better production because of what you have in your front four rushing. So that's my issue with what the defense was this year and why I think they were twenty seven against the past and terrible on third downs. Now, let's talk about the individuals here in the cornerbacks. I want to look at a few stats and I think are very

telling about players. Numbers, Um, we're gonna look at coverage snaps and yards allowed, and just to give your frame reference here across the NFL, Tyson Campbell for Jacksonville, who I thought was a slot corner kicked outside this year, allowed just point six five yards per coverage snap this year. That was best in the NFL, So keep that in mind. We talked all year about perimeter cornerbacks having a one

even number. There is good point six five as elite obviously passer rating against James Bradberry and Philly lad the Way forty eight point four snaps per target, which kind of tells you how often guys are just locking down the route, not even being threatened by the posing quarterback. Patrick Surtan the second nine point two snaps per target. What a player he is forced in completion percentage when you were targeted, did you force the ball to not

be caught? Sauce Gardner was at s percent to lead lead the Way in that category. And then we'll do ball production, which is self explanatory. And then run stops, which are tackles in a certain level UH in terms of how many yards they gained to the yards of the chains UH on first down, so less than four or less yards is a run stop on second down and third down conversions. It's how you tally run stops. Lagarious Need had forty two of those to lead all

cornerbacks this year. So number nine in order of jersey number, Noah Igbanogeny. He was at one seventy two coverage snaps and one thirty four yards allowed, so under one. It's a good number there. I will say watching Iggy play is frustrating because there's a lack of feel and just understanding of where he is on the field and awareness for route concepts. And that's why I think where he gets in trouble a lot. I think he has suited to play. Just go cover a man is his best ability.

We'll see how this impact or this defensive shift impacts him passer reading against this year, seventy seven point one six point nine yards or snaps per target. He had a thirteen percent forced in completion rate, how to pick and three passes defense and no run stops. But I think those numbers again, he didn't play a whole lot in active lot of the year. Big fourth year for Noah Igbogny coming up here on his rookie contract number

twenty Justin Bethel's a free agent. Hundred two coverage snaps, one or seven yards allowed, So pretty even there for a guy that has been almost his entire career exclusive to specialty games. I was impressed every time he had to step in and play a role on defense. I thought he did a job. His pass rating allowed was seventy point to his snaps per target was four point six. He forced in completions ten percent at the time, had to pick and four passes defense, and made two run stops.

I would not mind at all bringing him back in a special team's capacity and super super death piece, because he proved he can be your six or seven cornerback. I think this year xaviing Howard again not a good year for him. Seven hundred and four coverage snaps nine and ten yards allowed, a one fourteen point six passer rating.

He was targeted every seven point six snaps, did have an incompletion forced rate of eighteen percent, a pick and twelve passes defense, along with seven run stops, but teams went after him man like he was asked to do a lot. I think Byron Jones not being on the other side required that, like in the playoff game when he had the field side of the formation, no safety help, and like basically fifty yards of grass to cover against

Devon Diggs. Nobody's gonna be able to do that. So I don't blame it on him as much as the system, but I think that putting him more on a zone based eyes in the quarter back type of deal will benefit his career, you know, going into the thirties, much in the way Patrick Peterson's career has been prolonged by going from man coverage to more primary zone hunt ball hawk type of style of defense. Keion Crossing played three d and twenty seven coverage STAPs allowed two hundred nine yards.

Obviously the past pass interference calls with the things against him though, because anytime guys got vertical on him and he got out of phase, he panicked and grabbed them and that was critical and some big spots especial against the Patriots point one passer rating eight point three snaps per target, six forced in completion rate, the ball production four passes defense. He also made four run stops. I love me some k or Cohu Man six hundred thirty

coverage snaps, seven hundred and thirteen yards allowed. Obviously on the wrong side of one, but for a rookie playing inside and outside and playing so many damn snaps this year, he was impressive as hell had passed. A rating against him was eighty three point seven five point two snaps per target, so he was the guy teams like hey rookie undrafted free agent Texas and e Commerce o cover. Stefon Diggs, go cover, Gabe Davis, go cover. You know, Garrett Wilson, go over the top of the line. You

know college to NFL receivers. Eleven percent forced in completion rate, the ball production, a pick, a forced fumble, and ten passes defense, and he made twenty eight run stops, which was six among all cornerbacks in the NFL. He was a great screen defender all year long. Nick Needum played a hundred and eighty one snaps allowed a hundred and fifty eight yards. It's a good number for him. A one six team point one passergating. He was only targeted

every ten point nine snaps in completion rate. That's good ball production. There, two passes defense and six run stops. To me, need Hum is the perfect number four corner that he can plug in any of the three spots at once. I lose a cornerback, put need him there X field side of the formation slot, put him wherever

you want. I would love him in that role. Curiously, the contract he gets from us or someone else this offseason, and then your d NPS Byron Jones didn't play all year either to Trull Williams and Tino Ellis Is here on a futures contract free agents at this position, I think you can pretty safely say at the tight end and cornerback positions were the main reasons that nine and nine happened. Quarterback injuries aside UH injuries, were the biggest

coal print. At corner I could see a world where x, cater Nick and Shrill are your one through four corners next year, and maybe with a re envisioned scheme that could be enough. I don't know, we'll see. This is an expensive position to upgrade. Getting out of the Jones contract would come with a penalty, but also free up some money if they choose to do that on June one. Curiously what that looks like, because that was a contentious

situation all year long. Top of the market offers guys that have excelled, taking the football away, playing zone and even defense is similar to what it appears Miami are going after James Bradberry top that list. I wonder if the Eagles can fit him into their plans with all the guys they have to pay. I think maybe not, especially with Darius Slay there and Chauncey Gardner Johnson, Marcus Peters and Kyle Fuller from the Ravens are both free agents. Peters is one of the best all time at camping

and zones and keying quarterbacks make splash plays. Patrick Peterson mentioned him earlier, had a career resurgence doing just that from man to more zone principles. Also played under ed Donna Tell last year, which could be a one year stop gap solution here from Miami if he comes along with a potential higher here for the Dolphins. There are

names all up and down. Any interest in gambling on someone like Jason Verrett after another injury because that's like your bargain level by on a guy that could be a high, you know, low risk, high reward. How about his teammate Emmanuel Moseley. Jamal Dean is out there if you want another physical man corner with length. But he's also played under Todd Bowl, so that's some zone concepts

there as well. He intrigues me. Uh Greedy Williams wasn't a huge fan of him as a prospect, but he would be a system fit provided we go in that direction. Sean Murphy Bunting from Tampa another guy like Cameron Sutton, Jonathan Jones, Fabian Moreau, Anthony Brown. Lots of names out there, guys. I think a lot of these contracts from you're starting to kind of come true, these short term deals, and you have all kinds of UFA's this offseason. Uh, two

names per tier. Your top premium resource investment to be to me would be James Brad Barry or Marcus Peters are my preferences there. My mid range investments would be Patrick Peterson and Greedy Williams. Although if you have Pat Pete and Nixhavian Howard on the perimeter, you were asking to get beat vertically, it's a dangerous game. My bargain bin bias would be Rocky A. Sin. I don't know if it's gonna be bargained on him and Jason Verrett

because of the injuries. Gotta see what happens with our own X. I think should be here. Cater, for sure, we'll be here. I tend to think Nick will be to probably not twenty four. I don't know. We'll see about that. Intrigued as hell by Trull Williams, but I think you need another solid vet and probably another draft pick to go along with that, you cannot afford the attrition that you had this year to play the role did in your record and put special teams aces into

the game for long stretches of play. In the draft, it's a great year for depth. I think you can say so long to four or five guys that will be long gone by the time our pick comes around. With Witherspoon, Gonzalez, Porter Jr. Cam Smith, and Rix. I think Keely Ringo is the first one that I think becomes an option. He's a physical marvel who has such a penchant for playmaking, but does it needs some seasoning. That's worth a two to me. I'm a big fan of his game. We'll see what he does as a pro.

Maryland's Deonte Banks is also nice. Big play a lot of zone press zone in college. He moves well for that makeup as well in terms of the length and physicality. Then TCU stre Various Hodges, Thomlinson is just a play

waiting to happen for three speed, smooth transitions. All of that, let's go ahead and take our first break here long podcast come back on the other side and do the safety position and the championship round picks that's next Drivetime Podcast your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation, Segment number two on part number three of off season number four for your boy here on the Drivetime Podcast.

I'm one month away from my three year anniversary on the job, heading into year number four, and this is the most excited I've been. I think last year I was excited, but I think that the improvements you're going to see on top of the excitement we had last year. How is me fired up? For three season? And we pick it up here reviewing the roster how to improve it going into this offseason with the safety group. Javon Holland is the first player on the list in order

of jersey number number eight. He played seven hundred forty six coverage snaps and allowed three hundred and three yards. But again that number, it doesn't really tell you a lot because he's primarily playing middle of the field safety and there are games where he gets no action back there. In the passing game, Miami's deep passing defense that was very good, and I think Javon Holland is the reason for that pass rush production. He had nine pressures, one hit,

and one sack. His ball production or one and a half sacks. I'm sorry. Ball production, two picks, one force fumble, no recoveries, seven passes defense, and seventeen run stops. To me, the biggest crime of this defense this year was limiting Javon Hollands playmaking opportunities. Of course, the picks, the two in the breakular season, three in the in the postseason, um, the big hits. The ability to kind of come from that cloud support and run defense blitzing off the edge

just wasn't there as much this year. I think that that really hampered his ability to make game changing plays. I hope we get to see more of that next year. I still believe that he is as good or can be, I should say, as good as somebody like Ed Reid uh number twenty one, eric row four and twenty coverage snaps five hundred and seventy nine yards. He's not the tight aenndy racer he used to be, but he still

is a very valuable player. I love him in that third safety role, playing fifty percent of the snaps, five pressures, two hits and two sacks, had two forced fumbles and two passes defense, and twenty three run stops. Just so much respect for Eric Row and how he overmade his game in the position change a couple of years ago, and I just think he's a good, good football player.

Would love to have him back. Number twenty two Elijah Campbell fifty five coverage snaps, forty seven yards allowed, two pressures, one hit, no sacks, had a pass defense and three run stops. I like his game. He's very, very good on special teams. I think he's a great dime or even you know, half dollar defender. Come out of the field with six or seven defensive backs and kind of be a sure tackler guy that can cover you know, tight ends, even spy the quarterback like we saw against

Josh Allen in that playoff game. Big fan of his game and I want to see more of him hopefully going forward. Number twenty nine Brandon Jones a hundred nine coverage snaps, one eight seven yards allowed, five pressures, two hits, two sacks that forced fumble did turn to a touchdown by the way, the one ball production. He had, three

passes defense and fourteen run stops. Talked about him at length his timing understanding of how to uh, you know, motion away from his his side of the field to make him weak, which puts him as a as a blitzer conversion, and he can get in there and make plays because the way he times at the snap count so well. Number three two of Ronan McKinley a hundred coverage snaps, seven yards allowed. You didn't throw at him

because he was twenty yards off the football. Two pressures, one hit, had an interception in the past defense and no run stops. He's a nice depth piece. Number forty two Clayton federal Um three coverage snaps, a hundred and nine yards allowed, no production otherwise free agents at this position. I'm sure you guys have seen the links to join

or employer. He wants to get paid by Buffalo. But I also have seen the tea leaves, so to speak, from himself talking about it, liking tweets on Twitter, and his girlfriend as well. He's a Miami kid. He's talked about his connection here. If the Dolphins want to go in that route, thirty two year old safety, you know, if they can make that happen, that would be far in a way the best one to three safety punch and football. But Travis, how do you get all those

guys on the field easy? As your big nickel package. You remove your slot corner and you use that third safety instead, which would give you, you you know ex. Cater Holland Jones and pay or if you would go that route. We ran plenty of that over the years. Think about Minko Fitzpatrick and his rookie year and also helped mitigate some of the potential wars. You would have a corner and it makes you stronger against the run as well. In my opinion, Jesse Bates has been one of my

fair players since his draft year. Best range and playmakings free safety and football for my money, but he's too expensive. Von Bell is the opposite type of player, just as good, probably also too expensive and probably redundant to Brandon Jones. Jimmy Ward's as super player who knows the head coach well. Devin mccorty would love to have him down here in any capacity if he wanted to do that, Maybe someone like Dron Harmon as a third safety with his special

team's ability. I like Dan Kruek Shank in the same way. One thorn Hills, a free agent NA see her atally is a good looking player as well, and if you want to get me totally jacked dropped the hammer on Chauncey Gardner Johnson. I've never been a bigger fan of player than his, and the draft wanted Miami to take him at number eighteen a few years back. He wound up going in the third round. He's a Pro Bowl player, one of the biggest ball hawks in football and the

best trash talker as well. But no way Philly Delphia lets him leave. He is a great player. But does that mean that James Bradberry shakes free? Who knows two names per tier player and Gardner Johnson far far and away. Jimmy Ward and Devin mccordy are the mid tier options, and my bargain buys would be Dron Harmon and Dan Kruik Shank. And the draft you start getting into possible options near the top of the list because not many

of these guys will go in round one. Do you want to spend your top capital on a position that has Javon and Brandon in years three or four? Not me? I like Penn Stage Jy yere Brown ten picks last two years and plays all over the formation. Full transparency. Haven't done much work on the safety class because I don't think it will be a high priority for Miami and the draft this year. But I don't, you know, I don't think you'll see him in business till like

day three at best here. So let's go ahead and pivot mid segment here to Championship weekend. I wanted to make my Championship round picks here first, but to revisit

one of my favorite roster building tenants. Frankly, ever, Daniel Jeremiah at Move the Sticks on Twitter, former scout in the NFL, current NFL Draft lead analysts on NFL Network Once upon Time tweeted his personal foundation of a championship roster was this quality quarterback, three offensive playmakers, three quality offensive line to quality pass rushers, and three defensive playmakers. And that got me thinking, where does Miami stack up

in this exercise? Where does the four teams playing this weekend stack up? I think you need to be able to define what each of those are. And from Miami, there's one spot that is vacant to me, and that's the third playmaker on the offense. And the reason they aren't checking the box in each of these categories is because that third playmaker, to me, would be a free agent Raheem Mostert went over a hundred thousand or a

hundred thousand a thousand yards from scrimmage this year. That's pretty on the verge of being a playmaker to me. But as we do here on the pod, numbers corroborate the tape, right, and the tape tells me where Hem as a playmaker. Because while sometimes I changed my philosophies about the game as I learned and develop a deeper understanding of it, one thing I've been pretty consistent in is my personal preference that are running back is someone

who can score the football when it's blocked well. And by score I mean find the end zone or run for sixty eight yards on one play. And frankly, with all the broken tackles on the sixty eight yard run Raheem had, that was more about Raheem than it was blocking. But you get what I'm saying. He's explosive and that translates to the passing game too. But since we are evaluating two rosters, we'll go ahead and count Raheem. So for the Dolphins to uh Tyreek, Jalen and Raheem. You

feel good about the top two. Obviously the third I'll leave it up into interpretation. He makes my list here on the offensive line to Ron Connor and Rob. You want to argue about that, go talk to a Wall, Jalen and Chub As the pass rushers, I would give you more than that as well. And then playmakers a Xavian Howard, Javon Hall, and Brandon Jones. We talked about their ball production. So Miami is kind of spilling over on the side of the glass here in this exercise.

I'm just you know, I'm sure I would call I wouldn't call Christian or Zach pass rushers or playmakers because to me, those means sacks and ball production. But that's a rare thing to get in general, much less so on the interior defensive line. But there's gotta be a category for a player like Christian and Zach's caliber, because those dudes are fantastic, but they don't quite fit the mold here. Emmanuel Oddba is also a really good pass rusher.

I would say quality, so as Melvin Ingram. I tend to think Kate or co who could be trending towards playmaker the way he makes plays against the run and finds the football. I also like the Irons, we have the fire on the offensive. Three guys really proved to be near the top of the respective position groups, but we have a lot of developing parts that could prove to go beyond three very very soon. So I want to do this originally and then then as I go through it, I think it's a good way to quantify

where the Dolphins roster presently is. Let's look at the teams playing this weekend. For the Chiefs, Mahomes obviously, Kelsey playmaker. The next player in terms of yards from scrimmage is Isaiah Pacheco with nine sixty. Then Juju Smith Schuster at three. I wouldn't call those guys playmakers. Humphrey Smith, Tuney and Orlando Brown Jr. Gives them four quality of aligne. In terms of the pass rushers, you have Jones Clark, and then Carl Loftus came into his own as a rookie.

Playmakers a luxurious sneed I would put up there because of the run stop production, but also justin Reid sort of, they're not. They're probably the least of the four teams here. The Bengals Joe Burrow obviously, but then the playmakers Chase Higgins and mixing is yeah, guaranteed, plus Tyler Boyd, but he only had seven hundred and sixty three yards this year, his first non one thousand yards from scrimmage season as a pro. A lot of the love has to go

around the rest of the room. There their offensive line, though, I mean Jonah Williams, I would say, is Alex Cappa, I would say is. I think Jackson Carmon can be. I think Lyle Collins can be. But they're not quite there yet, so they don't have the full compliment either. Pass rushers. They have that with Hendrickson and Hubbard. I know you're probably saying Hubbard's not there yet, but to me,

he's a really impact player. And then in the secondary they're loaded or the playmakers on defense, Bell, Bates, Hilton and Pratt are all really good ball ball players and playmakers. The Eagles Jalen Hurts obviously, Brown, Smith and Sanders in terms of a J Brown, Tavante, Smith, Myles standards for the playmaker role. And then they just get ridiculous from here.

Offensive line, I've got four with Johnson, my Letta, Kelsey and Dicker sim the pass rush, it's even more crazy Reddick, Hardgrave, Sweat, Graham, and Cox. Four guys have ten or more sacks there. Fletcher Cox is the only one that doesn't. He's a stud. And then playmakers. Reddick gets here again because five force bubbles and sixteen stacks as a playmaker. And then Chauncey Gardner, Johnson areous slagha Vonte Maddox to create. They're gonna win

the Super Bowl and they're a great team. The forty Niners. I would say, nobody at quarterback Garoppolo is quality, but he's not playing pretty. I don't. We'll see man, We'll see about Brock pretty uh. Playmakers. I mean you got Deebo Samuel pretty pretty good, Christian McCaffrey pretty good, George Kittle pretty good. I think Brandon Ayuka is in that

category as well. Along the offensive line, Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Mike McGlinchey is a free agent, by the way, this year, pass rushers, Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, I mean, do you put Fred Warren that category? I would put Fred Warner my defensive playmaker, along with Jimmy Ward, Andre Greenlaw and

Nick Bosa and that entire damn defense. So those guys are loaded there as well, but the quarterback position is the one they're not really like all the way there yet these might be the four best teams in the NFL, which makes for a fun slate of the games. I think this will be the weekend we get the classic games. It's usually divisional round weekend, but I think it's coming here. Eight and two picks in the playoffs, three and one

last round, but my super Bowl pick is out. I'm pivoting to the Eagles to not just get there now, but to win the whole thing, which means I'm taking Philly over San Francisco. I don't know why I have in the a f C. It's a toss up to me because of mahomes Ankle. I would take the Chiefs if he was healthy, because I just think they're on a you know, they're on a mission this year. What a game it's gonna be. I think the Chiefs are gonna be so hungry for you know, the number, super

Bowl number two. With now five straight a f C championship games, and if Andy Reid loses this, he'll have the most home losses and a f C championship games ever, which is a weird stat um. But it's cool at the same time, on top of the fact that they're trying to avenge the loss last year and three straight games to the Bengals. But Cincinnati has to be just as hungry, thinking we want to get back to the big game and win it this year. What a fun weekend.

Give me Eagles, give me Chiefs last break. Right here, we'll do Top ten takeaways. That's the next Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. Top ten Takeaways two season. Let's go ahead and start here in Chicago. On special teams, when Jalen Phillips got through and blocked upon and Andrew Van Ginkle scooped it up and scored it go in the other direction, Fredrick

Wilson the return man. It stopped gil and it's rock it Dolphins try if they pick it up touchdow Elo scores the touchdown the first clock of the season. Phillips Jleb Phillips scoop that bit long body, got through Joe with that big long body, and the Dolphins put a touchdown on the board on special teams. Thanks for Jalen Phillips who made plays all year long. And Andrew Van Ginkle has second touchdown as a member of the Miami Dolphins.

Mighty needed every point they got in that game, seven points there and a three point victory over the Chicago Bears. For number nine, we stay in the NFC North back down here in Miami as kater Cohu, it's his first career pick on Christmas Day. Rogers on the roll sets up, looks long, let's it go for the zard Bit's picked off. Cater Coho first career interception comes up, Aaron Rodgers, you've got a tie game third and fifteen from the plus thirty nine on the fringe of field goal range and

the second half. Easy to expect Green Bay to take a short throw to make the kick easier, but they try a deep over on Cohu without help and the design was actually really good. In the play, they flooded the opposite side of the formation, which pulled the safety help over. But Coho runs step firs step with the arm and because he has eyes back on the football, the contact between the two is perfectly legal. He elevates and goes and gets it. What a year for the

rookie cornerback. Play number eight another player who was awesome. His rookie year followed up with a scrap with a great second season. Javon Holland forts a potential winning drive in primetime football, Harris the running back pick it out of the shotgun, back to fire, Dolphins get it, Hollid with the interception, and that's all but do it. The Dolphins just didn't have to hang on to the football.

Holland second interception of the year. Its Dolphins second interception tonight, and the narrator tells us that was not the end of the football game. But these third and long plays create opportunities, and this one is with Javon Holland playing at the sticks, can you pick it? Tries to dissect the zone coverage with Jerome Baker playing the deep curl at the perimeter, and what he does see is Javon

Holland playing a robber roll to the same side. He steps right in front of the dig route of the receiver, then turns into a running back with a thirty plus yard run back play number seven. His best buddy making another play like he has all his career. Long in the Bay in San Francisco, the caffree They're running back, Dolphins got find guys on the line of scrimmage back to throw, gets it off and it's intercepted. I think yes,

it is first of the year. X Man X had one pick the last time we played in San Francisco and twenty. He gets one here on a fourth down play, which ultimately cost Miami about twenty yards and phil position. But it was a great rep press man one on one to the boundary fourth and four Niners at the plus thirty nine yard line. First down. Here is field

goal range maybe more no safety help. X notices the takeoff from that boundary side opens the hip hips, stabs the inside hand jam and does more than get into face. He gets on top of the route. Purdy gets immediate pressure from Holland on a blitz. The beauty of a player like X as you can take your help and turn it into a conversion pass rusher and speed things up. Credit pretty for understanding. You have to take a shot on fourth down one on one to the X. But

there is the other X on the MIAVI Dolphins. He's there, makes the play for the big pick. Number six. Jalen Phillips gets his own ball production up in Buffalo. First the Bills from their own yard line, fourth Alan back to turn it out of the back beside. The ball comes out. Dolphins have it that Dolphins have the football. Christian Wilkins came up with a fundball. I believe it was Jalen Phillips with a sack from behind. Jimmy never saw it. He stepped up in the pocket. Jayleen Phillips

came around, got another huge sack. Is seventh of the year. You've heard that play already on the top ten sacks list. Let's go ahead and go next another play. You've already heard the season opening strip sack and scoop and score from Brandon Jones and Melvin Ingram. I guess the Patriots Week one. Let's go to Jimmy and Joe Javante Parker in motion back the throll plits coming. They got him. The balls out touched out Miami. Ingram picked it up

on the bounce blind side of the end zone. He never saw it on the blind side, went to throw the ball. Dolphins were bringing the heat and that was the second turnover of the game. The first on the opening drive of the game from Javon Holland Harrison running back back Jones, Zach, he's changing the play back to throw looking looking, gets it off bound Phil and it's stop the way there by Holland. Holland down the sideline, took it in the end zone, the cut of a

cross field taking down. What a nice play. The ball is tipped up into the air and Holland is Damian Howard knocked it up into the air. Holland gets his person Reception of the year. He wanted the pot day Parker on them. That was way nice. The xaving Howard do what he used to to DeVante Parker every day in training camp practice. In a railer season game, he just vintage X right there, man coverage one on one

for all the all. The Marble's deep shot into the end zone uses the physicality and length to pin Parker to the perimeter, gives the quarterback no window to shoot for. Makes the play you'd expect from a receiver on the football, punches it right back into danger. And because Javon Holland, as we talked about on his pick in the playoffs, because he runs of the football, he gets over there and turns the first possession of the season into a takeaway.

The next one, number three is Eric Rowe making a play to absolutely route to the Houston Texans a third down in ninety back of the Texans, a letter yard Locke back to throw off. He's got pickens football picked up by the Dolphinson walks into the end zone. That's style Miami by far my favorite hit of the season. You get interior pressure from Christian Wilkins off the snap, forces Kyle Allen to check the football down. Kator co who comes in, stands up Aikins and once again run

to the football. Eric Rowe arrives like a ton of bricks. The ball falls right in front of xaviing Howard and Melvin Ingram leads the convoy into the end zone as the Dolphins celebrate a defensive touchdown and take a commanding to nothing first half lead from Again. It was a blowout to a game that was tight back and forth. The last one of the year. Eric Rowe once again, this time Zach s Heeler scoops it to put Miami ahead in the playoffs for the first time in a

long time. Singletary, they're running backs that motion back today probably football. It's out of the crowd. The Dolphins are gonna pick up believable. Jailett Phillips touchdown. It was awful blitz from me outside. He never saw Row coming. Hold on, let's see who want not with this football first crossed the goal one. There were two Dolphins, Pote and Phillips. I'm gonna remember that play for a long time because again no one giving the Dolphins a chance, myself included.

They produced a defensive score to take a second half lead in the playoff game. The last time you saw that was twenty two years ago, two thousand, making the moment even more special. The combination of the blitz with coverage forces Alan to tuck the football, and it's impressive enough just to get that guy to the ground on

your own. But as Alan is trying to wriggle Free, Eric Rowe rakes at the football, gets it out and Zach Seiler, as we talked about all year, eyes on the football, eyes and the quarterback sees the ball jar Free goes and gets it and rumbles in two parts of this play that I love that are underrated is Jalen Phillips, who wasn't in the end zone. I don't know what Jimmy saw there. Uh does that thing that your big brother used to do to you where he just sits on you and you have to sit there

and wait until he's done. He lays on Josh Allen to prevent him from getting the ball, and then from their Wilkins and Steiler landing on the ball in the end zone, and Wilkins being the big spoon on Steiler and cuddling and wrapping the legs around him like your brother would do when he wanted to piss you off. That celebration in the end zone. What a moment that was. Speaking of great moments, how about Noah egg Bonogamy our top play here selling victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers in

primetime football. Pick it, I'm the shotgun back to throw, looking looking, rolling looking left, throws it down fields, intersected by get his look, Anna say no. And that was the other receipt. The other a fisher coming into say I did he didn't get him conversation either way. He just made a heck of a play. It will be if this and interception it stays one. He got him down, just made his biggest play. He's calls man. What a moment for Noah igbangany on a night where the offense

is struggling. The piece together drives the defense is out there for one last stand to win the game, like three or four times. Second and two from and Andrew Van Ginkel pressure forces pick it off the spot. He could have ran, but he probably would have killed the entire clock. So he attacks the lion of scrimmage, and since the Steelers have no time outs, he can't do that. He tries to sneak one behind Noah who's locked up

in man coverage on the outside with Deante Johnson. Was a good job getting his eyes back, finds the football, catches it, taps the toes. Game over. You can find this video up on the team YouTube channel. You can find it on our social channels. In the meantime, it's gonna be my time you enjoy Championship weekend. We'll come back with you guys next week and continue the roster review slash preview series heading into off season three. All that coming out your way on the Draft Time Podcast.

In the meantime, you all please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast. Leave us a writing, leave us a review, Follow me on Twitter at Wingfield NFL. Follow the Dolphins at Miami Dolphins. Check out the Fish Tank podcast again the YouTube channel for these top ten videos, media availabilities, Dolphins Today, and so much more, and last but not least, Miami Dolphins dot Com until next time finds up Caroline Cameron Daddy's He's Coming Home.