All 22 Review From Dolphins Win Over Patriots

We're gonna jump into the numbers, the all twenty two review, as well as get to the Dolphins coaching staff on their media availability, as well as here from some of the players following Sunday's victory over the Patriots, and take a look ahead to the Raiders on Saturday night in Las Vegas. All of that and more on this Tuesday, December, the twenty two edition of the Drivetime Podcast. The Last Time is brought to you by Auto Nation. Hey Dolphins fans,

the New year starts now at Auto Nation. Let's skip the rest of and get to big New Year's savings on your favorite Auto Nation Chevy's, Fords, Toyotas, Hondas, and a whole lot more shops safely at the Auto Nation store. Near you or Auto nation dot com and save now and real quick before we get into the first item on the agenda today talking about Dolphins numbers from the

win on Sunday. The Pro Bowl teams were announced on Monday night, and cornerback xaviing Howard is heading to his second Pro Bowl in his career in the National Football League. His nine interceptions lead the NFL. We know that he's got seventeen passes defense that's tied for second best in the NFL. He's responsible for ten takeaways with his fumble

forced in the game on Sunday over the Patriots. He's one more interception away from tying the franchise record with Dick Westmoreland, who had ten back in nineteen sixty seven. And that earns how are at a starting spot on the one Pro Bowl squad. The game will not be played this season, but he does are in the starter designation for his performance in Let's go ahead and jump right into the Dolphins numbers from this win on Sunday, some individual and team rankings. We start with the Dolphins

team rankings following the Week fifteen slate of action. The Dolphins offense ranks sixteen and points at twenty five point one points per game. There twenty six and total offense twenty two on the ground and twenty four through the air with two hundred twenty one point four yards and passing in one hundred and six point three yards rushing per game. Defensively, pretty damn good. Points eight teen point four per game that's first in the National Football League.

Three hundred and fifty eight point one yards per game is eighteenth. In total defense, the one twenty rushing yards allowed per game is nineteen. The two hundred and thirty eight point one passing yards per game is eighteen thirty seven sacks that's tied for tenth in the NFL. Third down defense thirty two point five percent conversion that's best in the National Football League. And since Pittsburgh did not get to take away on Monday night, Miami moves out

of that tie. Their twenty six takeaways are first in the National Football League. So the first scoring defense, first ranked third down defense, and the number one overall takeaways in the National Football League. What a year for your Dolphins defense. So the defense continues to rank highly across

multiple important categories. As far as defensive rankings in the NFL, Dolphins offense gets pushed up a little bit, especially with the effort on the ground game, and the two hundred fifty yards by the Dolphins ground game was the most since the two hundred sixty one yards back in Week sixteen at Buffalo. In running back savan An was the first Dolphins running back to the clips one hundred yards

since eighteen season. His one d twenty two yards were the most by an undrafted rookie and franchise history, and the two hundred fifty rushing yards in the game were twenty second most of the Dolphins in their entire franchise history. The win gives the Dolphins nine this season. That makes the thirty first winning season for the franchise in its history.

They've won eight of their past ten, nine of their past twelve, and it's twenty five and f teen over the last forty games at hard Rock Stadium since the canopy was added back in the renovations. Dolphins defense kept New England out of the end zone in the win. It was the third time this season in opposing offense failed to find pay dirt against the Dolphins defense. Only New Orleans and Miami have had three games without a touchdown allowed this season. We take a look at the

Dolphins offensive snap counts for this game. Quarterback to a tongue of Byloa, as well as offensive lineman Ted Carriss, Jesse Davis, Austin Jackson, and Robert Hunt played all seventy three snaps in the game. At running back, Savon Ahmed had forty four snaps. That was six, Matt Brita had

nineteen snaps, and Patrick Larry played eight. Mc Hollins played seventy of the snap or seventy snap rather at receiver of the total, with Lynn Bowden playing sixty six snaps, Isaiah Ford fifty four, Malcolm Perry ten at tight end, Adam Shaheen had forty three, and Derham Smith forty two, both guys giving you combined eighty five reps there, with

Chris Myrick playing three and a round. With the offensive line here Alluman Kinley he played fifty snaps in the game, Michael Dear twenty three, Julian Davenport three snaps, and Christian Wilkins gives you three snaps on offense, and I talked about one of the key storylines I was keeping an eye on as the Dolphins ability to handle the blitz looks or the coverage looks the Patriots would throw at the young quarterback and two a tonga Byloa in this

game was six for six on plays where the Patriots sent an extra rusher that's a fifth or maybe even a six man pressure package for fifty six yards with six first downs. He was sacked once, and he also picked up the scrambled touchdown on the eighth edition or the eighth rendition of that Patriots blitz, so very good numbers against the Blitz. Running Back zavan Achmed had the longest run of the year for the Dolphins at thirty one yards. His one and twenty two yards with the

most buy Dolphins back this year. He also forced four miss tackles that was also a season high. He also had two point five seven yards after initial contact. Matt Breeda lead the Dolphins in that category with three point four two yards after initial contact, and the team's six carries of ten or more yards was a seas and high this year. Tight End Durham Smith caught all five of his targets for forty receiving yards. He produced four first downs and picked up twenty six yards after the catch.

Adam Shheen also added fifteen receiving yards to the total. And these guys got the job done blocking off the edge of Dolphins ran for seventy five yards on eight rouns off either outside edge, according to Pro Football Focus and Tools, under pressure on just eight of his thirty one dropbacks. Only three of those pressures resulted in hits on the rookie quarterback as Jesse Davis, Michael Dieter, and Ted Carris all pitched pass protection clean sheets. That's no sacks,

no hits, and no hurries allowed. On the defensive side. Snap counts wise, ray Kwon Davis leads interior defensive linemen with thirty nine snaps. Christian Wilkins plays twenty nine, and so too do Zach Seler. Benito Jones gets out there for three reps in the game. Emmanuel Ogball played thirty three snaps shack loss in thirty At linebacker, Kyle van Noyd, Jerome Baker, and he Landed Roberts all played significant workloads. Van Noien Baker never left the field, playing all fifty

five snaps each. A Landing Roberts had forty six in the game game and Andrew van Ginkl had his workload as well, at twenty four snaps. In the secondary, Xaviing Howard and Byron Jones both didn't leave the field fifty five snaps for them, as well as safety Eric Rowe. Nick Needum played thirty two snaps, Jamal Perry played to Brandon Jones played thirty two, and Bobby McCain played thirty one. In the victory, Emmanuel Ogba and Shack Lawson and ray Kuan Davis all tied for the team lead with three

quarterback pressures apiece. One of ogbas pressures was his sack, his ninth of the season that's ninth most in the NFL. His twenty one QB hits tenth most, and his fifty nine total quarterback pressures are tied for fourth most in the National Football Like. He also had two run stops in the game. Linebackers Jerome Baker and Landon Roberts both had four run stops apiece. Roberts had a team high

nine tackles, while Baker picked up eight. Baker also added to his career high sack total with his sixth sack of the season. The defense as a whole scored twenty tackles within two yards of the line we talked about. Baker and Roberts, Kyle Van Annoy, Brandon Jones, and Zach Seiler all added to a piece as far as run stops for the Dolphins defense, and Seeler picked up his another sack on the season, three and a half for

him this year. Safety Eric Row allowed just eleven yards receiving on two targets to go along with two run stops himself, and Brandon Jones allowed just twelve yards and coverage with six total tackles and a forced fumble in the game. We finish up with the Pro Bowler cornerback Xavien Howard. He produced another takeaway courtesy of his first forced fumble. Say that three times fast of the season.

He also held the Patriots passing game to just thirty five yards on the day, while Byron Jones on the other side of the field allowed just twenty three passing yards from the Patriots in the game. So a good work all around there from the Dolphins defense. If you want to read the rest of this piece up on Miami Dolphins dot com, it is called inside the Numbers Dolphins twenty two Patriots twelve. We do it every single Monday up on the website as well as covered here

on the Tuesday podcast. As we do on Tuesday also we break down the all twenty two review. Let's go ahead and jump in now with the defensive side of the football first, and I kind of want to change up to the format of this a little bit and start by talking about a couple of plays and the the overall takeaway and the overall contributions from those individual plays, and then get to some individual notes afterwards, kind of

make this a little more concise for you guys. So on the opening drive of the game, this one goes for the Kyle Van Noy appreciation files. There's an option play on the second snap of the game where he absorbs the block from an offset fullback who comes to the second level to make a block on him. He keeps the outside arm free and it turns Sony Michelle

back inside. And on this same play, Christian Wilkins. The athletic ability is absolutely oozing on this play, I mean, damn, he just he gets the outside shade from the right guard and works all the way outside, forces Cam to pitch the football and then closes on the running back who cuts back inside. Because of k V N's presence off that edge, speaking of kV and appreciation. On the very next play, he sees a screen flow back inside

and pursues it for a tackle for loss. Then later on in this game you see the smarts and we talk about the past breakup play and some people might have said that was a possible interception from exaviing Howard on the backside, but it's really just a great play. He sees play pass and immediately gains depth and puts himself in position to make a play on the football

fifteen yards down the field. That's superb work from an outside linebacker because he can't possibly know that X has that route undercut for a possible interception, and looking at it, he had some green grass in front of him, exaving Howard doing exaving Howard things. But I guess sometimes you're just too good on defense, as the Dolphins were in this case. We talked about the screen game and the

second drive of the game, third and nine. As soon as the left tackle works around Jerome Baker off the edge, Bake drops right back into the passing lane and is camped right in front of the receiver trying to get to the tunnel inside for that screen and Brian Flores talked about this leading up to the to the game. The Patriots leading the NFL on screen yardage. It was a point of emphasis emphasis they execute. Did absolute chef's

kiss on that one? And who else but Emmanuel Ogba there on the pressure more on him in just one minute? And how about the play before the play? We talked about this on the podcast all the time, the play that sets up a bigger play. Second and two plus twenties six, middle of the second quarter for the Patriots Dolphins gonna tackle for lost from Eric Row and Emmanuel Ogba.

Roe flies in off the edge and beats the kickout block and just throws his body in there onto the back and Ogba meets him there after, winning with a quick rip move inside. He made a few plays inside in this game. So many of these plays feature multiple guys winning to create big plays, big outcomes for the team because of individual efforts and individual victories. Kind of

stacking up on one single play. It just makes it makes that energy feel more palpable because so many guys are like, all right, I'm up next, I'm the one to make the play next. It's it's been a whole team effort all year long, and it makes it so much fun to watch in my and from my perspective from where I sit, I think that's way more fun than having lareen't. You guys constantly make the big plays for you. But that's been the case with the Dolphins defense.

One more note here a general play just Byron Jones and the physical play between he and Xavian Howard on the very next play after the the AGA second and two aug Bon Row tackle for loss, you get an uncatchable ball on I throw the head and towards Byron Jones because he's right in Nick kill Harry's hip pocket as he was throughout the course of this game. So the play before the play gets the Dolphins defense off

the field forces a field goal. And speaking of Howard and Jones, the very first play of the game, the Patriots condensed everything in tight to the formation and X and Byron get jams inside the numbers on receivers on those inside releases and then too both of them almost three seconds to clear that five yard legal contact window.

It's so impressive the physical press man coverage. It's hard to gain yards in the passing game when that's happening as it was consistently, and that was just the case in this game, which means there's not a lot to cover because it was so consistently jam alter the release right on top of the receiver at the top of

the route. The one chunk game they got Exavian forces of fumble on it anyways, not the one Chunk game, but at that point of the game, so really the only asking success came from crossers and check downs where either guys were out leveraged on those condensed formations, or when Newton broke contain and found outlets to his backs and tight ends and that sort of thing. And if that's all you're giving up, well that's how you hold someone to twelve points. A few of the individual notes

here Ray Kwon Davis. I just continued to be impressed by how big and how strong he is with the hands and his ability to slip off both in past protection and run blocking. His ability to slip off the blocks with double swipes, her arm over or just sheer power where he kind of chucks the guy out of the club. It's consistent with him at this point. He's getting plenty of reps because of that. Christian Wilkins holds double teams and disengages at the point consistently every week

as well. And we saw that same lateral agility on that option play on a later play where he comes across the block and gets off of it and throws himself in front of the back and creates a possible big game because there's a huge gap at that point where he comes off the block and makes a stop. I thought he played with his hair on fire at the start of this game, and it carried some momentum into the rest of the game for the Dolphins defense.

Zack Seeler same thing as Shan Wilkins with holding double teams, but he's also got this building athletic ability to rush from there and kind of slip off some of these double team blocks at times as a pass rusher and in the running game. And these guys they just kind of all mirror each other in terms of ridiculous size, athletic ability, position flexibility. All three of those defensive tackles, although they play end as well, can play multiple spots.

When we talk about the current contract status of these guys, Seeler just sign extension through three. Christian Wilkins and Ray Kwon Davis early in their rookie deals. I like that. And Zach Seeler sacked that was something man. He just threw a double punch into the chest plate of the tackle, worked himself upfield into a position to get past the upfield shoulder of that tackle, and just tosses him aside

to close for a sack. Man. He's impressed him. Speaking of sacks, Emmanuel Agba, he splits a very tight split between the right tackle and right guard and just overpowers the right guard en route to the quarterback a big sack to get a turnover to end the game. Really there essentially at the end. And then he also has a couple of plays where again he just super strong at the point of attack, stack and shed, and you so frequently see him keep his frame clean from blockers

because of those long arms and those heavy hands. Just these guys up front and lost in that group as well, continue to play so consistent, so reliable that when you know you're gonna get that performance weekend and week out from so many guys. And he landed Roberts at the second level of defense. I just want to mention the hustle he plays with. There are a few things you can appreciate more as a fan and as someone who observes the game as someone that hustles as hard as

he does. There's a tackle on a sixteen yard run early when Eric Roe forces Michelle Sony Michelle to make a move and it gives e Rob just a half a beat he needs to chase the play down from behind. Then later we saw the fumble recovery. It's the same thing, only the target this time was the football, not a player, and he picked it up for the fumble recovery. And I also want to say it was around Week three or so where he just came to life and he's

been on that tear pretty much ever since. The instincts to shoot gaps and make the big plays, but also paying playing patiently and scraping off blocks behind his guys up front and really fitting his gaps. Just another piece added this offseason that's playing some damn good football. Andrew Van Ginkle off the edge at linebacker on the illegal contact play on Jerome Baker a five yard penalty. He has a wicked pass rush move where he loops inside and gets a free run on Cam and puts a

good lick on the Patriots quarterback. Speaking of Baker, I thought he had another fantastic game. He closes down a backside cross or where he gets depth and reads the play underneath it, recognizes the flow and just closes and meets the receiver right after the football is caught, so

no upfield momentum. He knocks him backwards for just a three yard game Byron Jones and man coverage on the other side, he gets picked off a little rub route the Patriots run, So great job by Baker to get that depth, see it and limited to a short game, and I thought it was one of his best games in terms of setting the edge, but not just coming and setting the edge, but coming off the blocks and making stops as well. He really had a hell of a game, taking a beating on blocks and just in general.

I thought he was really good in this game. Brandon Jones feels like I mentioned this every week with the Dolphins rookie safety. I just love how fast he goes from seeing it to reacting to it. Something Geral Alexandra to aalked about a few weeks ago at his media availability, and the play he makes on the fourth fumble was just awesome. Cam Newton tries to throw a jab step inside, but Jones just stays on his line, on his path

and keeps that pursuit angle, so he wins there. But then he goes above and beyond and punches it out. Just an awesome, awesome play. And finally want to throw some appreciation Eric rose Way what he did in this game with Bobby McCain playing about half as much as he usually does and Brandon Jones kind of making up for the rest of those snaps from Bobby, and he was Brandon was playing up in the box a lot more so, Roe was playing that deep portion of the

field where Bobby usually patrols so well. But they didn't give up a single deep pass over his head, so he was really good in that area. Plus, the man coverage on Dalton Kean on a third down incompletion to preserve a lead in the fourth quarter was textbook coverage. So Dolphin's defense continue to just get it done weekend and week out. They were very good in this game

once again. As for the offensive side of the football's go ahead and turn this thing over to that side for the all twenty two review here on the Tuesday Drivetime podcast, and we start with the few mentions of a few plays like we did on the defensive side

of the ball to start off. And the first thing I want to talk about is the double teams, because they start off this game with the Solomon Kinley and Austin Jackson double team paving the way for a five yard run as they wipe out the backside edge together with the solid three or four yards of movement, really kind of pushing that sled and tandem as it were

up the field. And I thought Akama did such a good job to press those double teams in this game and influence the second level player behind those blocks trying to scrape around and make a tackle. Both he and Matt Breeda did well, I thought, to press those gaps and press those plays and create some indecision for those

second level defenders and linebackers. And the running backs did a good job of making them, I guess, make a split decision and getting extra yards through arm tackles and putting their head down and getting extra yards that way. And the double team theme kind of continued. They get themselves a ten yard run right before the interception in the end zone with double teams from Austin and Solomon again, and then Davis and Carress both blocking out the sun.

You get a little bit of a jet sweep action on that play and it moves linebackers inside outside for a big gap on the interior of the offensive line, and they hit it for a nice ten yard run. Then the quarterbacks sneak in that first half to Malcolm Perry where he motions across and then comes back inside. There's an open lane right there in that a gap for them to exploit. He sees it takes the snap ducks in there for a nice first down. Love those calls,

love the plays, love the execution. Then we go to the second half, and that's where things really got fun for just constant execution, a five yard run out of the gate. Ted Carriss talked about this on Monday, getting a hat on a hat. There was five guys blocked up on this play, five on five or I should say five one on ones. I love seeing that. I love seeing the guys execute all their blocks and create

space that way. And Flow talked about the great game plan here from Shan Gailey, and there was so much different run action with different polars and fakes and jet sweet motion and the game plan had a lot of different looks to match the many fronts of the Patriots, and they just kept the Patriots a step off guard throughout the course of this game, all the way right up to the end with the Russian game, and really put themselves in position to out leverage a lot of

the defenders on a lot of those big run. The next play after a seven yard game where you see multiple guys pulling in a fake sweep going across the formation and a fake reverse option off of that, just continuously keeping defenders second guessing where the ball might be going, and then off that a play right after that a little zone read to scheme up to it for an easy five yard run. So a good plan there from Chan,

I thought. In the running game, then they work in the passing concepts off that with the flats from the tight ends, the pot pass to Lynn Bowden, some stuff getting two out on the edge, throwing on the run, throwing on the move. A really fun sequence of plays and a good flow I thought all game from Chan. On the thirty one yard rush, the longest run of the year for the Dolphins, Robert Hunt, who had a terrific game in this one, I thought, gets great push

on both. Chase Winovich pops him immediately and kind of knocks him back, and then Devin mccordy comes over and tries to get involved, and he knocks him back as well and kind of takes out two defenders off the edge and pretty much wipes out the defensive edge as a whole. And because Jesse, Ted, Austin, and Solomon all stay on their blocks, ACMD is able to outrace the pursuit. There. Just a great, great team football play. Akmed's little jump cut to get the edge quickly should also be noted.

He's got some fancy feet in that regard. Speaking of pressing holes and creating gaps that way. I thought Matt Brida ran inspired all game. I thought he was physical inside, showed a nice burst off the edge on the outside, quick active feat at the point of attack his fourteen

yard run to the outside. He did this big time where he presses the gap inside then gets a second gear to win the corner, win the edge in that foot race with the furthest outside defender there from the Patriots and back to some of the first or I guess second half action there for the Dolphins in the running game. That third and eight first down run from Patrick Lard where he picks up twelve yards, moves the chains,

and keeps the Dolphins going for a touchdown drive. They would finish off with a touchdown run there from tah Brian Floores addressed this in his Monday media and he talked about the Patriots showing seven or eight defensive back formations in different fronts, and in this case it was seven defensive backs with just five guys in the box.

The Dolphins, again, like Ted Carriss mentioned in his Monday media, get a hat on a hat, get a nice double team from Robin Jesse Harris hits a great reach block and Deeter plays pole side and hits a big second level block. Welcome back Michael Deer, by the way, I thought he stayed on blocks really well at the course of the game. Very intrigued by his tape and this one.

And then on that run, Patrick Lard finishes it with a nice cut right at the back of Robert Hunt, who has his man turned inside out downfield for a nice twelve yard game and a big Dolphins first down. And how about the hook and ladder. I'll put that in there as well, because what can you say Duriel Harris, Tony Nathan going flashback there here on drive time back to Savon Akhmed, I thought that his touchdown run was just a great example of the kind of player he's

been in his short time here so far. Just a great second effort where he keeps his feed active and continues to try to turn up field and find holes. They push the pile a couple of times in this game. On this play it's stacked up, he works off the outside of a block and gets himself across the goal line for an end for the touchdown. I thought both he and Brita again do such a good job of keeping their feet active at that initial contact. So it really works in Tanna with how this offensive line can

move bodies. They get extra yards by falling forward behind that big offensive line. How about two not many notes here, The Dolphins didn't have to throw the ball a whole lot in this game. There was a play early on where he rolls to the right with immediate pressure in the end zone and the Patriots looked like they might have a chance to get him at the goal line or if worse, in the end zone for a safety and he gets the ball out from an awkward platform

going against his body in such an instant. It's so beneficial to have that quick trigger to mitigate that quick pressure at times. I love the way he throws to soft spots against leverage when he sees a linebacker, for instance, with his back turned to the football. J T. O. Sullivan, who does the YouTube stuff, the what's that called Patreon subscription stuff on YouTube where he breaks down the quarterbacks

former NFL quarterback in his own right. He shows it against the Cardinals with a linebacker chasing Mike Gisiki across the formation. Something similar here on a little cruel route, a pivot route from Durham Smith where he throws it off the outside of the leverage where only Smith can get to it. Love those small details in his game. There's a third down on six where you see that quick trigger again where he just gets immediate pressure from a five man blitz and he mines Lynn Bowden on

a crosser. His feet are not set because he's sliding away from the pressure, but yet the ball is still on time, on target. His ability to operate a mid chaos is so much fun to watch. Again. The Dolphins, I thought executed a plan that they had so well that too. Didn't have to throw one football beyond twenty yards in this game, according to Pro Football Focus, and he executed in the short game. He beat the blitz, got the offense and too good calls or stayed in

those good calls on some of the running plays. Just a nice game where I thought he understood what was asked of him and executed it well. The scramble on the first touchdown run, man, that was pretty ridiculous. I tweeted out the Brian Balding your clip where he broke it down on the all two and you see him start to set the linebacker up well before he arrives, and once he's into his face, a little side step

to the side for a touchdown run. So a good game from the rookie there again off of back to back Rookie of the Week performances. And then there was the offensive line. These guys were fantastic throughout. Ted carriss I continue to be so impressed by his ability to catch and climb at the second level and get those downfield blocks. He hits that chip and just gets squared up right away on those off ball linebackers to influence to make the running backs decision easier to make a

cut off of his butt. You see a butt, you cut. He was so integral on a lot of the games the Patriots ran where they kind of rush away from the a gaps and kind of trying to make Ted irrelevant just standing in the middle of the football field. But he would go find work and put a hit on somebody that threw off their rush path. I thought he played awesome in this game. I thought Solomon Kindley played awesome in this one as well, displacing guys consistently,

such drive and such force. We mentioned the double teams off the top. Here he reaches a tackle on a pot pass where he has to get the outside shoulder and shows you the combination there of the power and athletic ability and the footwork there from Solomon Kindley. Hopefully he comes back here soon. He left the game in the fourth, third or fourth quarter with an injury, staying on that offensive line. Robert Hunt, I thought he had such a good game in terms of recognition of the

many games that Patriots throw at you. With the t e stunts out there. He was quick to come off guys that backed out of simulated pressure and then went and found war work. Thought he had a great game in that regard. Really throughout the course of the game. He was the highest graded run blocker on PF for Miami. He allowed just one quarterback pressure, had several big wins on Chase Winovitch. I thought throughout the game, who's a

good pass russure over there for the Patriots. On the thirty one yard Savan Akhmed run, he gets pushed on both Winovich and mccordy. Just great work off the edge to wipe that thing out to get initial block on winovitch and then a second block on mccordy. Maybe his best game as a pro. And then Jesse I thought he did really good to turn and seal and create some nice gaps in the second half of the game.

He was a big dependable pass protector throughout the course of the game as well, one on one slides passing things off. I just thought the entire offensive line played really well in this entire game, and some of the tight ends. Adam Shaheen the run after the catch that he had was pretty absurd. He broke multiple tackles on

that play. Both he and Durham Smith I thought just kicked as in the run blocking game, seventy five yards off eight carries off either edge, right end, or left end according to PFF, and there was plenty of dig out blocks, polls different things to spring runners for big gains into the second level. Shaheen hits a huge block on a Matt Breed a twenty four yard rush. It allows him to cut up and take off from there.

And on that same play, Robert Hunt also got to the second level and sealed a big block down on linebacker two. So just consistent, multiple guys winning reps. Hat on a hat. But speaking of blocking, I mentioned you can't have a great Russian game without getting some production there from your tight ends. Pretty much true of the receivers as well. I thought they did an excellent job

getting out on the edge. There were so many players where Miami ran wide, and those guys held up their blocks and created cutback opportunities for the running backs as well. And then Lynn Bowden, I just want to go ahead and make a mention. The all twenty two angle on his reverse was completely absurd. He cut it against the grain so many times. Man, he is an electric player on the fake punt. That wasn't the last note here.

Brian Floorers mentioned this in his Monday media that if a player has an ineligible number, like a fifty one, for instance from Camu gruge Hill, he has to report. So even though he was in the back fields kind of an h back position there on the punt team, if you're not in the tens, twenties, thirties, forties or eighties, you have to report as eligible on that place. So that was Flora's explanation of the fake punt getting called back.

So that's your all twenty two review. Let's go. Hadn't spend this thing forward to the media availability from Tuesday afternoon. As chan Gailey was up first, he was asked about Dolphins receiver Lynn Bowden and the evidence that he played tag as a youth. You know, I say that you can watch kids, uh that come through today, which one's played tag growing up and which ones didn't play tag growing up. You know, if you played tag, then you know how to make a guy miss. And he played

a lot of tag. I guess because he can make a guy miss and he's got a knack. Um. I've had a couple of guys like that in my career that that can make a guy miss and and see the field and see the next guy, and uh, there's there's a few of those out there. And and he's got that little knack to be able to sidestep, juke, whatever term you want to use. But he's pretty good at avoiding that head on collision at full speed tackle. He sees things very well and could control his body.

His development has been has been uh, you know, I think not as quick as he wanted. But he had a lot to learn. He had a lot of to learn in our offense. He got here late, and then he was learning what to do and and where to we're to line up, and how to run the routes and where we wanted him. And he's really really to me come on really well. In the last three or four weeks. He started to find where he is and

in the offense and and make contributions. And when he makes contributions, then that gives us more confidence to continue to use him. And it's a two way street there. And how about another Brookie on this Dolphins offense who rushed for a hundred and twenty two yards in the game on Sunday, Savan Akhmed. Here's coach Gayley on what makes Akhmed so shifty and slippery and a good running back that can produce big games for you like you did on Sunday. Now he's he's another one that everybody

looks at speed. You know, oh he's got great speed, but he's got some awareness about about blocks. I think, uh, Eric does it. Stotzefield does a great job of explaining principles of running. You know who you're looking at, where you think the crease will be, When do you know? When do you take the crease or when do you look for the next crease. I think Eric does a super job with teaching running backs about the theory of

defense and defenders and how they see things. And these guys are starting to learn those little things that are going to make the difference in being a UM an average back or or are a good back and maybe eventually a great back. Before it told so, I hadn't finished up with Chain here, who was asked about the production from the tight ends and receivers blocking both off the edge and downfield on the running game. Here's Gaily, Well, you seldom have a long run without those guys block.

Unless you know somebody follows down you, you seldom have one of those and that's something that we've been working on and trying to get better at each week, is how we can control those guys in the secondary, how can we affect them and get them blocked. And they're getting better every week. It wasn't just yesterday. I thought. They've been getting better each week doing that, and so

we gotta we gotta continue that. Let's go over to the defensive side of the ball and something that Jerome Baker said on his Monday media availability talking about staying more discipline within the structure of the scheme and not seeking out the splash plays all the time. Coach Josh Boyer was asked about that. Dolphins defensive coordinator was asked about that. Here's his response about how it takes all eleven guys doing their job to create those big plays

on defense. Well, yeah, I mean there's so I mean, there's eleven guys out there on the field and they all have to be working as a unit. Um. You know, if we have one guy that breaks down, you know, on every play, you know, then a lot of times, you know, those are gonna be you know, big plays against us. Um, you know, it doesn't it doesn't hurt you every time, but the majority of time it really does.

And I think you know, a lot of guys and we've talked about this before, you know, the splash plays, this splash stats, you know, sacks, interceptions, UM, you know, tackle for loss. You know, sometimes if you go try to make those plays and it's not within the structure of you know, what we're trying to do defensively, what happens is as you open up uh, creases and lanes um for either quarterbacks to throw and step up in or for running backs to find it and take off.

So again, it's really a team thing and um, you know, and you know, and a lot of times that you see guys make plays, you know, there's usually somebody else involved in it. You know. We've had a number of interceptions this year where there's there's been good pressure. We've had a number of sacks this year where there's been good coverage, UM. And then we've had some really good individual place too. I'm not saying that, but I think

it all kind of goes hand in hand. And I think that's uh, you know, and again, we we've got a good group of guys that they care about each other, they play for each other, and you know, and they're all genuinely happy when when somebody else has success, and you know, eventually their time will come. And because they have success, somebody else probably set that up too. So I think that's probably a little bit what he was

talking about. Coach also talked about the value and the pro bowled odd for cornerback of Xavian Howard, what he's meant to this defense. Here's Coach on Xavien Howard. Well, I mean, first of all, he's gifts gifted athletically. I mean, he has a really good skill set. He's strong, Um, you know, he's able to diagnose plays, he's got a good feel. Um, he doesn't really panic when the ball

is in the air. Um, you know. And I would say the thing that pleases me most about Xavien is, you know, he's really a selfless player and he's done really well in the run game and he's really made some big plays for us. And you know, he's just a guy that you can count on consistent, consistently weekend and week out. So um, you know, and you know, he just he has a he has a nose for the football, and um, he's done a really good job

for us. And and he continues to work hard. He you know, he comes in and puts it in a good week's work every every week, and he's striving to get better. So you know, all good things to say about him, and you know, hopefully, you know he'll come in here this week, you work harder to get better. Let's go ahead and stay on the topic here and finish up with coaches. Media availability with Dolphins defensive backs coach Joe Alexander, who also talked about xabing Howard my BEI,

Dolphins Pro Bowl cornerback. I was happy for X. I know that he had a significant injury last year and it's something that he really battled through to get himself back healthy and get him back to playing at a high level. I mean anytime anybody goes through that kind

of anniversary. And I know in my playing career, not that I was any type of player that X is, but um just a mental things that you go through when you go through injury and the rehabilitation and getting your body to function the way you wanted to and in the frustrating days that come with that process. For him to be able to go through that and and reap the benefit of this hard work and the way that he's played this season. Uh, I mean, you can't be happy for a guy like that who's battled through

that kind of adversity. Let's go ahead and keep this thing rolling with some layers here and here from Dolphins tight end Durham Smith, who talked about Adam Shahe's nomination for the Angry Runs segment on Good Morning Football for his run after the catch on Sunday. Here's Durham talking about how angry runs have been a goal for this team in that tight end room all year long, you know, talking about the angry runs thing. That's something that we've

talked about all season, trying to get on that. You know, George godzy Um has has talked to us about that segment, um, you know, since training camp. So finally we got somebody on it, which is exciting. Um. But yeah, you know, we you know, we're out there trying to do that every week, and uh, obviously we had a few opportunities this week and and tried to make the most of them.

And we finish up here with Dolphins cornerback and Pro Bowl xaviing Howard, who was asked about his ability to find the football to attack the football, but not just when the ball is in the air and in accepting the passes, but playing that way the entirety of the football game finished, you know, finishing strong and um you know, not just giving up plays or even even you give up plays, um when you finish our just attack the ball, you know, trying to make something happy for the team.

All right, So there you have it. Plenty of player press conference availability here on this Tuesday edition of the Drive Time podcast. We had Bobby McCain, Durham Smith, and Xaviing Howard. Also had all the defensive assistance and coordinators available, so go check out Miami Dolphins dot com to get your access to all those videos. Will be back tomorrow to preview the Dolphins and Raiders. On Saturday. We're gonna have a Kyle van Noi feature coming your way. On Thursday.

The Flashback podcast already published talking to Jay Fiedler about the OH one Raiders game. Very powerful stuff there in that podcast from Jay. As for today's time, that is gonna be my time you all, please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast from. Go ahead and leave us a rating, leave us a review, give me a follow on Twitter. It's at Wingfield, NFL. You might see a fancy new blue checkmark up to my name. Next to my name

up there. That was a new discovery late on Monday night. Follow the team at Miami Dolphins, check out the fish Tank and the Audible podcast, and of course Miami dolphins dot com. Until next time finds up