Dolphins Falcons Preseason Week 2 Recap

seventeen Dolphins victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Will do five takeaways, We'll break down the stats, the big plays on the night, go position by position, a big night for the offense and Sam Ego Von has himself a legendary stat line. All of that in a bunch more on this edition of the Drivetime Podcast, coming to you from the Baptist

Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. I want to go ahead and start tonight with the stats from the game because they were pretty staggering in Miami's favor. And last week we talked about the first half of the Chicago game and how the Dolphins were the better team on the stat line across the board in that first half, and then things flipped the opposite direction in

the second half of that game. But tonight it was pretty much from the start of the game to the end of the game, all Dolphins all the way, but the first half with the first team offense out there, the first team defense with some guys coming in and out of the lineup throughout the course of that first half. But Miami two hundred and thirty nine total yards to Atlanta's one. One hundred and eighty yards through the air, thirty seven for Atlanta. Miami had fifty nine on the ground.

Atlanta had seventy eight, so they won that category. But the Dolphins go three for four on third down. The Falcons go one for five on third down. Two sacks for the Dolphins, one for the Falcons. Miami just two penalties for nineteen yards, and in fact, that was their game total. So the Dolphins, with ninety players on that sideline, working in multiple guys and multiple formations and multiple different teams throughout the course of the game, just two penalties

for nineteen yards. What a remarkable stat that is. Atlanta winds up with three penalties for twenty five yards in the first half, they attack one on later in the game. Time of possession from Miami seven teen minutes seven seconds and Atlanta twelve minutes and forty three seconds. And again that trend continued throughout the course of the night, as Miami with twenty eight first downs to Atlanta sixteen. Miami

goes seven for nine on third downs. They did fail once on fourth down, but the Falcons to for eight on their third downs, two for three on fourth. Miami with four hundred and twenty two yards on the night to Atlanta's two fifty three, not quite doubling up, but getting close to it. Two eighty six passing yards to just six s six for Atlanta. Through the air, Miami had one thirty six on the ground to Atlanta's one eighties seven. They ran eighteen more plays, and they also

had four sacks in the game. The Falcons had just the one sack again, two penalties nineteen yards, Atlanta four for thirty five in Miami outpossessed the Falcons thirty six forty three to three seventeen. And again, this production from the offense without a laundry list of players that you've seen plenty get production, whether here in Miami or elsewhere. William Fuller, Lynn bow Junior, DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, and Isaiah Ford all receivers not available from Miami in this game.

Javon Holland and Brandon Jones, the two young safeties not available, Javarros Davis, Vince Beagle, e Landon Roberts, Adam Panky and Sethan Carter are your d nps in this game. And again it just didn't matter. Miami from the opening gun was getting the job done in this game. And I want to start off here before the takeaways, just talking about some of the explosive plays, because that was one of our takeaways on the podcast US last week recapping

the Bears game. Getting the big past to Mike Gatsicki and some third down and long conversions, the touchdown passed us Von Akhman from Jacoby Brissette. You could look pretty much up at your screen every couple of minutes and find a big Dolphins play in this one. I started off with the Miles Gaskon runs on that first touchdown drive where he was ripping off chunk gain after chunk gain and produced a big night for the third year

running back out of Washington. How about two took a siki to convert in the red zone on third and long. How about two out of gasking for the eight yard touchdown pass to cap off that second drive and eleven play sixty six yards, six and a half minute drive

for the Dolphins. And that was the case all night long, just taking the ball up and down the field, getting plenty of work in, plenty of plays to put on tape to go back and look and and make the corrections of the guys are probably doing right now at the facility as I sit here talking to you from

the facility and the podcast studio in the back. Eric Rose pass breakup in the end zone Seth Levitt on our postgame show on w q A M five sixty and available in the Odyssey, by the way, if you much, I got that podcast the podcast version of the broadcast. He talked about giving Eric Rowe a game ball because of that pass breakup he had in the end zone and because he took points off the board fourth and goal. He gets his hand around like he has wanted to

do and pokes that thing free. We talked about it all week long and the practices really getting a chance to go up against Kyle Pitts, and everyone says, well, how much does it help your game to go up against the guy like Kyle Pitts. I asked the question, Kyle Pitts, how much does it help your game to go up against a guy like Eric Rowe? Because really, in fourteen of the sixteen games last year, Row statistically was very very good. In the two games he was

not as good. Statistically, he was in great position. But Travis Kelsey and Darren Waller, a pair of all Pro tight ends, they just kind of did their thing in those games and made tough, contested catches. So he gets another PBu, this one in the end zone, this one on fourth down. To me, that constitutes a big play. How about the completion to Mac Hollands on third and

ten for fourteen yards from Ta Tonga Byloa. We'll talk more about the quarterback and the receiver slash special teams Ace that has really made a name for himself this training camp in preseason here in Miami. How about thirty yards from Tua Tokisiki. Last week it was fifty three or fifty four yards. I mean, how many tight ends are making thirty forty fifty yard plays in the National Football League today, There's not many of them that do that. Mike KASICKI now doing it back to back weeks. Sam

eg Van. My notes here say back to back sacks. Clearly I gotta update that because it was back to back to back to back four sacks for Sam Ego. Van went totally bonkers in the game. Craivon le Blanc forced to fumble, Kirk Merritt had to catch and run for twenty seven yards where he ran a little jerk route, stuck the foot in the ground, caught the football, ran through contact and was off to the races. Also scored

touchdown later on in the night. That was awesome to see because Kirk Mayor has been making big plays all training camp long, so to watch him get production in the game very cool to see that for him. I put Malcolm Brown for six rushes for twenty five yards and a touchdown on one drive on that first d I've out of the locker room where the offensive line was just pushing the Atlanta Falcons off the football and Malcolm Brown was running hard and getting those tough yards.

Big drive there from him. Malcolm Perry had a big play up the sideline on a pass reception from Jacoby Brissette that gets in here again, a Von four sex I guess I put it in here, twice, eleven tackles, and a safety shoot. Heading into the fourth quarter, a Von trailed the Falcons by himself by just one point. Calvin Munson gets an interception. How about that? And then I also have the Kirk Merritt touchdown in here as well, So plenty of explosive plays for this Dolphins team on

offense on defense. I also put a note in here that the Dolphins continue to find ways to pin the opposing kick return unit inside the twenty yard line. There was one today at the twelve yard line. Now, of course, preseason teams are going to be more inclined to bring the ball out because there's no penalty for losing twelve yards of field position in a game that doesn't count,

and you want to get those reps. But good on Miami for finding ways to consistently win the hidden yards battle and flip the field with they're all pro kicker and their kick coverage team. They're in Jason Sanders and Danny Croftsman's special teams unit. Takeaway number one, We're gonna go to QB one here, who was asked, how do you think you've played tonight? And the question also had a bit of a caveat in there. You know your coach demands perfection, but how do you think you played

in this game? I think, uh, you know, kind of like last week, and he did while we look at you didn't. Well. I think offensively, we came out pretty strong. I wanted to start fast and obviously going to the same drise you conver on third downs, good drives going and you know, put points on board. Um, that's that's really what we're gonna come back to QB one here in just one second. But sixteen for twenty three D and eighty three yards at passing touchdown a one oh

seven point seven rating. And we talked about this in the podcast last week about how I thought he demonstrated the things in that game that made you really if you were a big fan of his as a prospect coming out of Alabama, that really made you kind of attracted to his game as far as the prospect goes, because he was showing the quick twitch getting away from the pressure, stepping out of harm's way and into position in the pocket where there was some space to operate from,

so he could make throws and get the football off that way too, multiple big plays from to in that aspect, the quick decisions to decipher. Here comes a rusher, Here comes a blitzer. He talked about Dan P's showing multiple different looks this week in practice and the joint practices and how it gave him an opportunity to get through some of the stuff you have to get through pre

snap and how to apply that post snap. I thought we saw a very good collection of to a picking up not just where the pressure was coming from, but how to beat the pressure with the quick decisive throws. And we're gonna get to that here more than just one second. But I want to go back to to a now who was asked about the looks the defense gave them and the offensive approach to take advantage of

what the defense was showing. U. You know, on first and second down, there some changes within the structure, you know, and then now throughout the game, but they gave us we handled the ball out and the able to throw. You know, they're trying to get guys in the box for the re fit nor as poor guys, and that right there is a very dangerous option for an offense

to have. And I spoke about this again on the w q A M five sixty post game show about how last week and this week to Dolphins down six receivers, but last week with all the receivers down and a compliment of tight ends available, which she had this week as well to a really through the ball to Shaheen and Smith and Ghaziki a lot made a bunch of

plays in the passing game through the tight ends. And we saw Jacobe Brissette at the football to running backs as well as to to Malcolm Brown last week, but now he doesn't a good job of sharing the wealth to not just tight ends and backs, but getting receivers involved with Jalen Waddle, Mac Hollins, Jechem Grant will talk more about the quick game here in just one second

one of our takeaways. But I thought that was an interesting development there, because you go through the course of a seventeen game NFL schedule, a full seventeen game NFL season, and you're gonna face different defenses that have different strengths and can take away different things on your offense. So the more ways you can win football games, gosh, that's a nice recipe for success. I'm not gonna put too

much on a preseason game, but that's the idea. And I always go back to the was it twenty nineteen that range of the New Orleans Saints with Drew Brees, when yeah, it was the tail end of his career, but he could still get the job done. And we saw that in a postseason game against the Minnesota Vikings that year. I think it was where he was just going up and down the field. In the second half of that game, the Saints defense wasn't playing as highly

as they normally did. Alvin Camaro was not getting going, so they said, hey, Breeze, we're gonna need you to go out there and take care of this game for us. And he went out there and put up a bunch of points in a bunch of ats and a bunch of yards. And so you have this where the quarterback is there and he can hand the ball off and play strong defense, but when we need him, you can go to that. So multiple ways to win the football game,

but also the job of the quarterback. It's not just the passing plays like people overlook this all time, in my opinion, but getting the right look in the right count in the running game to what talked about it there, that is critically vital as well. And we saw the Dolphins run game have a bunch of success tonight, especially with that first team set of backs and offensive line, and just the first quarter of the second quarter of that game really finding success in the ground game with

two at the controls. I thought that was fantastic to see. Also, part of two is takeaway here the third down success rate. I mean four for four with forty yards tonight. That makes it seven for eight with one and fifteen total yards in the two preseason games. A little bit less than a full game there, but seven for eight hundred and fifteen yards. That's a pretty damn good conversion right there.

From your quarterback who also through for nine or eight yards per attempt today is to give him eight and a half yards per attempt. So stretch in the field vertically converting third downs and doing it amidst some pressure on some of those third and ten places, third and eight like, converting these long third downs, and he's making it look easy so far through two preseason games. I also mentioned the ball placement here in my collective to a takeaway just the ability to match up or to

recognize matchups and where the football should be going. I talked about beating the blitz and replacing the blitzer with the football. But there was a play where savan Akhmed motions out wide at number forty three. The linebacker chases him out to the perimeter. And I was sitting there in the press box and I said, Achmed's got a linebacker. That's that's probably where the ball should go. And we

tried it to try to savan Akhmed. I'll watch the replay later and we'll have the Emissions podcast on Monday for you guys. Of things I didn't quite see from not rewatching the game seven or eight teen times, but on that throw, it looked like the location was pretty good and Savon had it in his hands, just a hit on the sideline, trying to contest with keeping the feet down, But the precision on that throw and that catch in that route, it looked pretty good to me.

So the idea that you can find these matchups, identify them, and attack them with this compliment and this arsenal of weapons you have, Boy, that's fun to watch for the offense. So again to a sixteen eighty three yards and a touchdown in this game. And he was also the only player so far this preseason to complete of his passes in a quarter with five or more passes. So how about that for a Bob ker from Major League Type of satistic, but it's still a fun one. Takeaway number two.

I wrote down the quick game as a takeaway because on the first four throws of the game I was kind of charting this because they were coming out so fast. A a quick swing to Waddle, a quick dump off to Miles Gascon, a quick hitter to Waddle again, a quick jet pass, jet sweet pass to Jachem Grant. The first four throws the two had it was catch, fake, fake, a handoff, throws to the flat catch, pop pass, catch, get that thing out to the curl route to Jaalen Waddle.

So I think within those four throws he probably held the ball collectively for about four seconds. And what does that you? I mean that takes away the offensive line, like you you're not gonna get home. That's design throws that get out of the quarterback's hand, get the ball to your playmakers in space. They are extensions of the running game. And when you can get the ball out wide to the running game, through the passing game to a guy like Waddle to a guy like grant Man.

That opens things up, and it also takes the pressure I think off the offensive line, and now the defense has to react to lateral motion to going horizontal, a false step left, a false step right, the ball goes back the other way. Now all of a sudden, I can't pin my ears back and pass rush the way I want to, and that's going to help the offensive line. Now.

Coach Flores talked about this in the spring and sorted Chris career Dolphin general manager, you know who he is, about more ways than just drafting and running back or drafting offensive line to improve your running game. And I think we saw that tonight. A little bit speed on the perimeter, speed going across the field horizontally can really dictate the way a defense has to play and open things up. This whole entire sport, as coaches mentioned, is

about complain mentory aspects and complimentary influences. And I think the collection of what you have in the passing game at the skill spots really benefits what you can do, not just in the running game, because when you have Wattle and Grant or when Will Fuller comes back, or

these other speed merchants you have on the roster. They're going to force the defense into playing too high unless you want to risk single man coverage on a four three burner and risk giving up the back part of the field because that guy can run by your coverage. So if you get forced into too high coverage, all of a sudden, now there's room for the running game. Right to have mentioned it the box count. If they want to stink that defender back, we're gonna go ahead

and run the football. It's it's a numbers game when it comes to the running game. But also there's more. But wait, there's more. What about throwing the football down the middle of the field to a Mike Gasicki to a Mac Hollins. That thirty yard catch down the middle. You see it, You see the receiver's release and you see the width that gains and Mike Gasicki has access over the middle of the field for a great thirty

yard rip and run. He gets up ended, but hangs onto the football and he gets up Okay, a big completion there. So that Dolphins quick game and and incorporating some of the elements this offense now has with the new pieces they've added, because it was a busy offseason bringing in pieces to this offense, and man, it was

fun to watch on Saturday Night. Number three. I'm going to take a bit of a turn in the opposite direction here, and this is such a minor nitpick in my opinion, because it was really one or two runs. But Phelippe A. Franks was dead to right a couple of times. When he came off the bench for a J. McCarron early in the game who was injured in the game and had to leave and didn't come back. He

got loose a couple of times. That's why the Falcons out rushed Miami was because of the quarterback running and I just put running QBS and he evades that pressure and gets out of some third down trouble and gets out of a sack and extends a drive that way. And you know, to me, this was the one thing, and there's never a perfect performance, but this was the one thing really standing between Miami and a really really really really really really good performance. Like I'm not gonna

say perfect, but a really really good one. And I think if they can sore it, that out and correct that and maybe find way to generate pressure on quarterbacks with you know, four or five man rushes are just find ways to hem those guys in and not let them loose the way Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes or Kyler Murray, all these explosive quarterbacks you have in the

National Football League. Now, if you can find a way to hem those guys in, man, this defense has the pieces and has the parts to really execute and get the job done. Like we saw a year ago, and they went out and I thought added pieces to make them better. So the running quarterback thing is my takeaway number three, just because like I said, we're gonna see Cam Newton week one most likely, or we'll see if

it's him or Mac Jones. But I think Cam Newton started left the first two preseason games, so right now it looks like him, and then week two you get Josh Allen. So the running quarterbacks are coming down the pike. Takeaway number four, I just wrote down the middle, and what I mean by that is on defense, because I mean how you've heard the podcast, You've heard the training

camp reviews. In the preseason review against the Bears last week, Christian Wilkins, Zack Seiler, Ray k One Davis, Adam Butler, and then I also put Sandag Van but Nardak McKinney and although Jerome Baker, I don't think I charged him with a quarterback pressure from the press box again got to be watched. He's still active and gets We know what he can do as a pass russhure and coverage

against the run. He's everywhere. He's a phenomenal player. But the guys I mentioned Wilkins I thought had a hell of a football game. We'll talk about that more than just one second. Zack Seeler, Ray Kwon Davis. There was plenty of reps where those three guys are playing kind of a big defensive line front, and then you can rush with Van Ginkel or Agba or Jalen Phillips or Brandon Scarlett, or when Vince Bagel gets back, you can put him out there. You've got all these weapons in

your arsenal to play with. And those three guys do such a good job of eating up blocks, but not just that, getting off those blocks and making plays at the line and putting pressure on the quarterback. And we didn't even have Adam Butler in that conversation because he is constantly disrupting the back field as well from that defensive tackle position, and those guys do play end and tackle as well, so they're so versatile and so deep.

And it's just like, man, I wish I had more are snaps to give you guys because you're all producing at such a high level right now. And then see him eg Van, I mean, I can't believe we're this far into the podcast without really really going in on him. But four sacks what eleven tackles a safety? I mean, what a night for sam Ego Van who comes back off the COVID nineteen or the COVID reserve list rather and makes a big splash in this game. Just awesome

to see. He's a great guy. Did a podcast with him last year where he talked a little bit about his brother and the Epilepsy Foundation that he supports to try to help find a cure for epilepsy. Just a really cool game there for samuelg Vana, a cool performance to watch him just go absolutely ham in this game. And then but Nardrick McKinney also had some pressure up the middle on a couple of instances too, So just

down the middle of this defense. And you can add the safeties into that equation too, with you know a Javon Hall and Brandon Jones who didn't play tonight, or Jason mccordy and Eric Rowe. You have to love what you have down the middle, down the heart of your defense. And then the five A, have a five A and a five beat. Because we're gonna talk about this here in just one second. My I've a takeaway is the offensive line and Austin Jackson because I mean we talked

about the rushing. The rushing game for the Miami Dolphins to night hundred and thirty six yards. I mean they were pushing the pile, getting getting the job done. All the backs for the Dolphins Knight averaged over four point three yards per carry. That's a great number to look at. Miles Gaskin goes for seventy one yards from scrimmage. Malcolm

Brown rushes for a team high forty three yards. Jared Oakes has seven for thirty yards, Gaskin six for twenty seven, Jordan's Scarlett has five for twenty two, Tongua Blowa the one for eight, Savan Akhma two for six, Patrick Larrard one for two, and read Senet two for Mins two kneel and the football down there at the end of the game. But those backs four point three point four point three, four point five, four point four yards per carry.

That is a recipe for success, especially when you can get out to that quick start and that quick lead like they did. And it was the offensive line getting the job done. We'll talk about this more in just one second here in the individual pieces, but the consistent surge, the calls in the run game by coach students, fill coach Gods and the offensive staff to create space and to get lanes, and to to create those lanes from

the offensive lineman. I thought it was a big bounce back game for that group, and also Austin Jackson, who I put in the notes here specifically because I kept watching his past protection sets and there were multiple instances.

The first one I noticed was the completion to jakeem Grant on a drag route, and it was a great compilation of so many things I talked about in training camp on the Review podcast, where two puts the ball on a location in a spot, kind of throws some touch on it and lays it out there to anticipate the receiver get into that spot at the same time as the football gets there, and he lays it out there for Jachem Grant, who runs under it, turns it up,

gets a first down, and Austin Jackson the line slides the opposite direction, keeping him in a one on one position to pass block, and he just stands there and stone walls the man across from him and gets the job done. I thought he got great surge in the running game, the hold on the outside run man. That looked like a good block, but they're gonna call it back on the whole. I was ready to give him some praise for that one, but again, the surgeon the in game has been evident for me so far from

Austin Jackson. And then some really good pass pro tonight as well. So that's five A the takeaways, two A tongue aboo, a big time game, the quick passing game, and the offense kind of taking shape. The running quarterback thing. I wasn't too thrilled about the down, the middle part of the defense, the offensive line, and then five B Jalen Waddle is okay, And I was going through it on Twitter. You guys know, I'm a big, big Jalen Wattle fan and just kind of seeing the sequence of

events play out there with him exiting the game. At first, he gets kind of nicked up where his he so he gets rolled up on and he kicks his feet backwards. He wasn't planted and that's why I think he was wound up being you know, okay was he wasn't caught with a planted leg. And then you get that knee kind of buckling. He runs over from the ten yard liner, so all the way down to midfield, and that's when

I noticed he was down. I look up with the TV scream and the press box and Jalen Wattle looks like he's in a great deal of pain on the sideline. He then walks off and it looks like a normal type of gait, a normal type of walking like that looks good. But he goes back into the blue medical tent, then leaves there. It goes back into the locker room, and very quickly after that, comes back out onto the field. No helmet enhanced. I'm wondering, well, this is a good sign.

And then he starts kind of running through some routes,

some explosion work and some cutting. I'm like that looks really good, and I see him go over and grab his helmet, And I tweeted this every step of the way because I kind of wanted to go with through it with you guys like I was going through it soft at Dean Formally of the South Flora Sun Sentinel out now with USA Today comes over after the game and goes, how much were you crapping yourself there during that whole process with Jalen Waddle And he didn't say crapping,

and I said a lot. Man, I was pretty nervous about that. I really hoped he was okay. He gets back into the game and looks like he's gonna be okay. So good stuff there from the Dolphin's offense. From Jalen Waddle getting back onto the field. Some of the individual notes we touched on two already. Jacoby Brissette goes eight for eight tonight and just balls out and plays really well in the game, passing yards, one touchdown, a nearly perfect passer rating, shoot reads a net two for two

seven yards. He didn't throw it any completion, also had him so off a touchdown passed, So the Dolphins quarterbacks three touchdowns, no picks all over one passer ratings in the game. Great job by the QBS. Miles Gaskin mentioned him going absolutely nuts, shifty catching the football, getting open in the end zone, making a bunch of plays seventy one yards from scrimmage, a pair of touchdowns. How about Savon Akhmed nineteen more yards through the air in this

game when a couple of catches as well. And then Malcolm Brown we talked about ten carries forty three yards and a touchdown run. The eleven yard run was the most exciting one on the night where he carried bodies and carried the pile. And Jared Dikes seven carries thirty yards. I put down the compliment of his shiftiness that he showed in this game with the brute force and the ability to drop the shoulder that he has shown before.

That's a great combination for that guy. So a very good looking game from Jared Oakes, Jillan Waddle when he was on the field playing and healthy, I thought this the suddenness, the shift nous, what he does the defense to kind of hold their eyes and command their attention. I thought that was very notable in this game. And the same with Jachem Grant on the pop passes on

the drag routes. Man, you want to play man coverage against those guys, and they can stretch you where they run all the way across the field, whether it's going horizontal or vertigal, just put so much stress on the defense and really forces you to make decisions as far as what covered you want to run. And then how about the beneficiary of those speed but also the beneficiary of just playing damn good football all training camp long.

Mac Hollins big time catches, first downs, had the juggle, but he brought that thing back in, made the catch for his teammate and first quarterback rather and talking about being a teammate. I guess Seth and O J talked about him rescuing Miles Gascon's chain that fell off in the end zone, and I guess mac Hallins went and grabbed it. I didn't see it, but I'll talk about I'll look at it on the replay once more. But mac Hollins a big night again catching the football in traffic.

I think he caught all of his targets or four catches on five targets for forty nine yards, a big third down in ten conversion, a fourteen yard play on that conversion. Kirk Merritt the twenty seven yard catch where he runs a little jerk route puts the cornerback in some peril. Outside back inside catches that thing, but it's still in close quarters, breaks the tackle twenty seven yards. Then later in the game catches the ball over his shoulder for a touchdown. Good to see a great camp

there from kirk Merritt translate into game day production. He finishes the game with three catches for thirty four yards and a touchdown. How about Robert Foster was some catches and very nice over the shoulder grab and the end zone for a touchdown of his own from Jacobe Brissette and the game Foster two catches for sixteen yards and a touchdown. And then Malcolm Perry had a big play in the game as well, a twenty nine yard play catch and run his only reception of the day. But

good to see Malcolm Perry get loose. How about the tight end position with Mike Gatsicki, who continues to make big plays. He caught both of his targets today for forty three yards and average of twenty one and a half yards per catch. There from big Mike and then Durham Smith. I put his name in the notes for the blocking he showed off the edge in this game, creating space for some guys. He was really really good

in that department. And then also great to see Hunter along get his first reception for four yards in the game as well. Along the offensive line, I talked about Austin Jackson, but his ability off the edge to seal that thing and create space in the running game. Some pushing the running game, the isolation in the one on one situations in the past protection game. That was fun to see. Michael Dieter I've talked about his communication and double teams on the Training Camp Review podcast. Saw some

more that tonight. He got some push on a run when the Dolphins are backed up where he creates some space and the Dolphins got out of the shadow of their own goal post because of that run. And then Liam Eichenberg I thought, had a fantastic night at the

right tackle position. Very patient into his sets, low pad level driving whether he's kind of down blocking towards the middle of the line or kicking out wide and blocking out wide as well, the hip to hip, shoulder, shoulder feet defeat double team he had with Robert Hunt, who also had himself a good night. They pushed a man ten yards off the football on that play and that's where Malcolm Brown ran behind. And that was where Malcolm Brown carried the pile for about three or four extra yards.

Inspired football. That's gonna pump up your whole team, man. I thought Leam Eichenberg was damn good in this game. On the defensive side, Christian Wilkins men talking about Dan Good. There was we talked about the ala carte menu with two a tongue by looa. That's what Christian Wilkins had tonight, in my opinion. The pass rush, the quickness, the stack and shed, the run game, prowess inside outside, physical finesse, penetration to gap, whatever you wanted. He was doing it

out there. There was a pass rush rep where he just instantly punches the man arm over into the backfield, quickly forces the quarterback off the spot. And you do that enough, you can you can get the quarterback off the initial spot. It's eventually going to get there for you. And I've been seeing Christian do that a lot. I think the numbers will follow, but right now he's consistently getting into the backfield, but also doing it against the run.

What just it's cool to watch the training camp work in production translate into the games. And I think I've seen that here with Christian Wilkins. I've seen that with ray Kwan Davis who continues to throw guys out of the club, with Adam Butler who continues to get into the backfield, with Zach Steeler who stacks things up and just makes plays, had a couple of tackles early on in the game. He is so tough to moving the

running game. That interior defensive line just we mentioned him every single day, it seems on the podcast, but they earn it every single day at the linebacker position. Talked about but Nargick McKinney getting some pressure on the quarterback. Duke Riley had a nice run fit where he shot the gap and stuff that thing up on a third and goal. The Falcon score in the next play, but

still a great play there by Duke Riley. And then Calvin Munson had the pick and some run fitting as well that I thought was very good in this game. And Sam eg von four sacks a missile of a pass rusher. You might recall back in twenty nineteen among off ball linebackers, so guys that don't play on the edge, like a Von Miller type of player, or I guess Jayleen Phillips will be that type this year as well.

But as far as off ball linebackers, Sam Egbon was third in the NFL and quarterback pressures that season, so he's done this before the closing spet in the quarterback the good angles, but also can play backwards as well. How valuable is that to go along with a special teams type of player like Sam Edgi van Is in the defensive secondary. You're gonna finish up here, I thought. Again, the safety play was really good. There was nothing really

deep in the game from the Falcons passing offense. We talked about Eric Rowe and the past break up in the run game. Just it's the same old story every single week, it seems like with Eric Rowe. But how about this one play. I want to go ahead and break down a little bit. It was the Falcons first drive of the game. They had some success, completed some balls there with ag mccaren moved the offense a little bit when Xaving Howard and Byron Jones were in the game,

which didn't last for very long. Xaving Howard came out after a series or two. I believe I'll check on that for you guys here on a future podcast. But in the series, he was in the Falcon's getting a

field goal range. It's third and eight and you see Miami's playing too high and xaviing Howard's to the boundary the short side of the field, and the coverage roles to the field side of the formation where Byron Jones is playing in that part of the field, and Xaviing Howard takes away the takeoff route completely like it's completely

walled off. He's in the hip pocket, could take the hand towel out of the guy's waistband if he wanted to the entire rep and then Byron Jones can play inside because he has help over the top and he walls off this inside route. It's just a beautiful looking design and beautiful looking executed coverage. That's type of stuff you want to see from this top the top players in New Dolphins secondary. I thought they executed that very well, so fun to see from those guys. Exhabing Howard gets

some plays. Byron Jones gets some plays as well. Emmanuel Ogba was also out there, So I don't really know what more you can ask for. I mean, it was a very solid game from this Dolphins team, up and down. I want to go ahead and mention Nick Needham. I forgot his name in there, but he had a tackle as well as a pass breakup down around the end zone. Another good showing from Nick Needham. Also great to see him back on the field after leaving practice on Thursday.

So again, I just I don't know what you can complain about. This is a really good effort from the Miami Dolphins. They played so well in this game. Offensive defense, special teams got more work to do. Obviously, long way to go, but we are twenty one days now away from Opening Day up in New England, and the closer we get, the more I cannot wait. What a fantastic showing and a fantastic training camp heading into the final

game against the Bengals. We're gonna have it all covered for you guys here on the Drivetime podcast, including some fun episodes coming up down the pike coming your way. I'm gonna have Seth and o J here on Drive Time writing Shotgun with me for a crossover podcast. We're gonna preview the entire season. Coming up, We're gonna have a fifty three man roster special episode plenty to come here on the Drivetime Podcast. As for tonight, Caroline, Daddy

is coming home. All of you please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcast or Spotify or wherever you get your podcast from. Go ahead and leave us a rating, leave us a review. You can follow me on Twitter at Wingfold NFL. Follow the team at Miami Dolphins, check out the Fish Tank with Seth and o J. Also the postgame show on five sixty w q a M with me, Seth and o J, and of course Miami Dolphins dot com. And until next time, fins Up