Dolphins Patriots Week 1 Preview

previewing a real Miami Dolphins football game. The matchups within each unit, stats facts, film study, keys to the game, everything you want to know for Week one one, Dolphins at Patriots, a four kickoff up in Foxboro this Sunday, September twelve. We're also going to hear from Coach Flores to a Tonguo by Loa mac hollins, and much much more on this game day preview edition of the Drivetime Podcast from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health

Training Complex. This is the Drivetime Podcast. Real quick off the top here some news and notes. Bobby Heart, the former Cincinnati Bengals and most recently, Buffalo Bill's offensive tackle was added to the Miami Dolphins practice squad. As Adam Panky was added to the practice squad injured list. As far as some practice attendance and notes, on this Wednesday,

Liam Eichenberg was out there at practice. Coach Flores was specifically asked about he and Greg Little, who also was out there on Wednesday's practice, and he was also asked if anybody unexpected would not be out there for practice on this Wednesday, and he said no. And I'm starting to record this podcast before the injury report comes out, so I'll be sure to add it in at the end for you guys, stick around to the very end, we'll get you the first official injury report for the season.

Some other news, We have some captains and as I'm sure you've seen it by now, Mac Hollins receiver on offense, Jesse Davis offensive tackle, one of the offensive captains on defense, Jason mccordy, and a Landon Roberts and on special teams Clayton Federalum. Are your five captains and mac Hollins kind of detailed the election process of the captains, saying they put names of guys who wanted to be considered for the role of captain into a hat and then players

voted among that group. Of players now the player not listed on there that was a point on Twitter on social media was to a tongue of Voloha Dolphins quarterback and I want to go now to captain Mac. Can we call him that? Captain Max? Sounds pretty good. Mac Collins was asked about the leadership of his second year quarterback into a tongue of Valoa. Loved his answer. Here you go, here's Mac. Um. It's great, especially from last

year to this year. Um, And I know the question of probably Tom, that's just how the just because of your quarterback and descart to this doesn't mean you have to be the captain and you have to this. It was an excellent exceptional leader, Um. And the transformation he's made from last year to this year is incredible. Um. And I think you you've all seen that in his like how commed he feels in the podcat now first of last year you put a clip side by side.

The changes he's made are really like night and debt and that goes to leadership. It doesn't. It's not like his arm just matical he gotten times better. Wednesday's confidence in his ability to lead and feel comfortable in the hot love hearing that from Mac. I love hearing him talk about the side by side clip because it reminds me of the action we saw and that Falcons game.

The rip took Mike get Sicky down the seam. There was a similar looking past concept in the Raider game last year where To didn't rip that ball the same

way he did this year. So seeing that demonstratible growth definitely an encouraging sign going forward and right before now as we pivot into the schematics and the personnel and all the fun stuff for the Patriots for this Week one match up, I want to go to this point that Coach made that I think bears repeating with regards to a question about Jalen Phillips and the depth chart.

We talked about the depth chart on yesterday's podcast, the first official regular season depth chart for your Miami Dolphins, and Coach was asked specifically about Jalen Phillips's position on the depth chart. Let's go to Coach. I mean there's just there's I wouldn't look too deep into the depth chart. I mean, Jalen's worked worked really hard. Um, we've had so many different groupings you can only put one group on the depth chart. So I want to say it's

the base group. Actually, I think it's the Nickel group. So um, a lot of groupings. We've got Nickel, We've got Time, we've got bass, we've got nine d b s in the game. I mean, we got a lot of different groupings. So um yeah. Look, he's worked hard. I think we'll find a way to get him some snaps. But we're gonna play the guys we feel give us the best chance to have success. Let's see that nine defensive backpackage their coach was talking about. I believe him.

They will run out as many variety or variations of this defense they possibly can. That's been one of the calling cards for Brian Flores, and I'm glad to hear him kind of speak on the depth chart there and just kind of tell us what to expect with regards to that. And that brings us to the New England Patriots.

Let's get into the scouting now in week one a little bit more difficult without recent data to go off of, so we go back to the season, but just keep this in the back of your mind with a bit of grain of salt, that there was no Matthew Judean, there was no Dante Hi Tower, there was no Kyle van Noy. They reloaded in that area. So you can probably expect with their ability to do more, to do more because last year their blitz rate was just twenty four point four percent, and that was twenty three in

the National Football League. But how much of that was because of the personnel, Well, we can't know that, but we can know the blitz rates from previous years, and twenty nineteen the Patriots blitzed at a thirty seven point one percent clip, up percent more than this past year and also sixth place in the entire National Football League.

What about thirty point nine percent a bit a bit of a dip from twenty nine team, but still the eighth most frequent blitzing team in the National Football League.

And coach Flores touched on this on Thursday, and good on the reporter who I didn't recognize who it was for sniping My question doesn't happen often him And he asked about week one prep compared to and you heard this on the podcast yesterday talking to Josh Boyer and some of the assistant coaches comparing week one prep to even just week two prep when there's at least one game film on a team to go off of, and my intentions were to ask the same question, but I

was gonna go more specifically about what we just talked about there with the Patriots and the new parts, you know, to go in line with that topic about how maybe personnel dictated the calls a little bit more last year. But here was coach's answer regarding preparing for a team that is has some new pieces and in week one, when is kind of a mystery for that team, here's coach Floors, I'm prepping in week number one. You know, week one there's m I mean's when you have the

least amount of information. So uh yeah, I mean I think a lot of it is predicting, forecasting UM, based off of the preseason, based on UM, what players have done in the past, what coaches have done in the past. But yeah, no coaches change. You know, we all go through different concepts, different throwing themes throughout the off season, offensively, defensively, in the kicking game, UM, implement a few new things UM.

So I think at the end of the day, you know, game one is about fundamentals, techniques, communication, UM, tackling well UM, which is obviously part of a fundamental you know, throwing, catching the ball, you know, playing penalty free. I think those things, you know, no matter what week those are, those are things that are kind of standard operating procedures you have to have. But Week one, from a you know, scouting plays scheme, adtic concept standpoint, uh yeah, you have

the least amount of information. But then you really kind of rely on your rules, believe in your rules, follow your rules, um and your fundamentals. I think if you do that really in any game, probably probably your best bet. So more from yesterday's concept of expect the unexpected. But I mean even then with this Patriots team, man, it's tough.

Like last year, the Week one game was you know, quarterback power, quarterback lead over and over and over, and we barely saw our fifth defensive back in that game. Then week number two they go to Seattle and they had Cam Newton air in that thing out and put up a ton of points against the Seahawks defense, who of course would wind up rewriting some of the records for most yards and points allowed throughout whatever week that current week was. And it kind of began in that

week to game against the Patriots. So they are definitely adaptable even on a week to week basis. But I want to go ahead and get now into the personnel groupings. But again this is a little more guesswork than it is solidified. Shoot, even coach as much right there as we just heard. So last year, and this comes from sharp football stats, eleven personnel. That's one back, one tight end,

three receivers. That was ran fifty three percent of the time. Now, the biggest disparity I assume you'll see is twelve personnel. They ran just two percent last year. But they went out and signed John who Smith and Hunter Henry, two of really probably the top ten or fifteen tight ends in the National Football League when both are healthy. Percent

twenty one personnel. Rather last year which is two backs, one tight end, two receivers equals thirty seven percent, they ran twenty personnel, two backs, no tight ends with a five percent clip. And then they're twenty two packages, ten package and zero zero package all one percent or less, so primarily eleven percent last year. And they were sixty one percent pass out of that package last year, so

uh six to four ratio there. But the past success rate from sharp football was just with fifty one percent success rate on rundowns, and what success rate means is basically how many yards you game relative to the down and distance that you're facing. So if you cut your yardage in half on first down or second down, that's a successful play. If you convert on third down, that's a successful play. Otherwise it's not. So that's kind of

where that thinking goes. But in that twenty one personnel package, that rate was flipped to sixty one percent run. So obviously two backs equals more run. But the passing success rate out of that package was just now from their twelve personnel package, and I mean all the tight ends

and quarterbacks are essentially gone, are different players now. But on those just twenty two plays, they ran from twelve personnel only a thirty eight percent success rate on passing downs, and they're in kind of tells the in lies the nature of their off season. I think as far as we got to get better at doing the counter to

what that package looks like. So in twelve personnel typically a little bit more of a run heavy package, or like we talked about, with two backs, you're typically gonna run the football more, but you have to be able to counter with successful passing rates on those downs and on those packages, and they just didn't have that last year. And if you want to challenge this Dolphins defense, to me, you're gonna have to successfully pass the ball out of

those packages. And I think that challenge is exponentially harder with the additions we talked about with Johnny Smith, Hunter, Henry obviously, Matt Jones, and a healthier offensive line, and then also Kendrick Born Nelson Aghlaar outside with Jacoby Myers seemingly making his way towards the top of the depth

chart there throughout training camp this August. So I look at the twelve personnel package and I go back to maybe it's one of those two years when the Patriots utilized twelve personnel as their primary package on offense, and only a handful of teams have done that over the

last decade plus or so. And I know this because in prepping for the draft, in the possibility of Kyle Pitts being one of the top players on the board having the third pick, you go over all those top guys and I was curious to see how many clubs had ever operated out of a you know, quote unquote based package of two tight ends and I think it was the Eagles a couple of years ago with Zach Ertz and Dallas Goddard, and the forty Niners have done some of it too, with two tight ends or two

back sets in general. Obviously with Kyle us Check they're one of the best fullbacks in the game, But the makeup of the roster that could be the case this year and we get our first crack of seeing it against us the Miami Dolphins with that two tight end package up in Foxborough. But just some things I jotted

down before we get into the matchups here now. In the past, from what I've seen, they've wanted to go play action and stress your second level and really really stress those rules and those keys and those fundamentals of that second level. So getting them into long down and distances I think could generate some big plays with its, whether it's pressures and sacks or hands on footballs and tips and scoops and picks and that kind of thing. Big key to this game. We're gonna come back and

at a few times on this podcast. All he's got to be privy to the screen game and the trick play game and the double pass game. We've seen this Patriots team break that stuff out for years and years and years under a phenomenal play caller and Josh McDaniels. Just kind of keep your head about yourself that way. And then to a on offense, it's gonna have to

be precise. It's gonna have to make good decisions and not miss as they will play coverage and drop seven guys or drop eight guys against you and force the quarterback to make those tight window throws and those anticipation throws. Now, they might be apprehensive to blitz him. I don't know, but just going off of two a blitz numbers, we're gonna get to those here in just a second. That might make me think that maybe they play more coverage.

But we're just guessing here. But the mention the return of high Tower and van Noy and Judean and Winovic and Josh you Ch who kind of you know, those last two guys were not returning, But it was a unique year for those guys. Having all five of those guys in your pass rush chamber so speak, that is a tall, tall order for this Dolphins line up front

and the young quarterback. As far as the Dolphins offensively, I mean we'll get into this little bit more, but the domination of speed and size I think could help as far as trying to remove the top of the defense, but also taking advantage of the space created inside two guys like DeVante Parker might get sick E mac Hollins and possibly those vacated curl zones you know, ten twenty yards down the field. You have to win the vertical

and intermediate levels of the game against this defense. And if they go man, I mean, that's a prominent offense for this prominent defensive package called for a Bill Belichick defense. Maybe some jet motion action create some false steps and possibly some rub opportunities with all that speed. So having the versatility on offense I think is a good way to match and pair up against the Patriots versatility they

have on defense and then defensively for the Patriots. Few teams run as many dB heavy packages as the Pats, But it'll just depend on their game plan what they want to take away. They are a team that could stay in dime all game, or they could play from their baseball game. Probably gonna be a little bit of both. It just all depends. It's tough to peg what this team wants to do on a given week, especially in

week number one. So the matchups were looking at here, We're gonna go down this thing position by position and start off here with the Patriots quarterback against the Dolphins safety. And that's just kind of how the matchups work. You'll know more as we go along here as I explained this thing. So Mac Jones in college his blitz, his success rate against blitzing improved his complete ship percentage one point six percent. His yards per attempt were up point

six yards at eleven point five yards per clip. This is college stats, by the way. And twenty three touchdowns and three picks when not blitz compared to eighteen touchdowns in one pick win blitz. So he had great numbers last year and even better against the blitz. So keep that in mind. As a play action passer, seventy five point nine percent completion that was uh two percent less

than his non play action passing. But he did have a twelve point seven yards per attempt compared to nine point seven yards per a tempt when no play action, and he threw for nineteen touchdowns with two picks with play action and twenty two touchdowns and two picks with no play action. But my key for Mac Jones you gotta heat him up, and that's that's the key to the game. He used clean pockets to get his mechanics cranked up and kind of wind up and drive the football.

I think if you put trash down around his feet and as the case with any young quarterback, to force him to move and slide and throw without setting his feet from different platforms. I don't think he compares to these guys all our heart in the comprehensive sense, but there are similarities there from a mobility standpoint with Jimmy Garoppolo or Jared Goff with Joe Flacco. And we know how the Dolphins were able to scheme up pressure on those quarterbacks a year ago. Now it's a new year,

but a lot of the same pieces. And you always want to put pressure on a quarterback, especially young quarterback, and especially a quarterback that isn't going to burn you with the forty yard run, so to speak. But the Dolphins blitz rate last year to kind of continue the point was forty eight percent and that was second in the NFL behind Baltimore who ran forty four point one

percent blitzing. And I kind of shoehorned safeties into this group, like I mentioned at the top, but I do think it's fitting because you know, when you identify one of the two keys a quarterback has to I D pre snap, it's front and cut ridge and the safety is often the key to the coverage. Tell where is he at? Where is he taking my eyes? Where is he taking

my read? So Eric Rowe one of the more experienced players on this roster and safety's for sure, does a little bit of everything, but he's so good at matching up on tight ends. And even with the Pats having two of in my opinion, they're best skill players at the tight end position in Smith and Henry, you have to imagine Row draws one of the two frequently, and of course his role does kind of change up on game, but he plays a lot of different roles for this defense.

And we'll get into that tell of the tape on

the receiver slash tight end versus DB's portion. But going onto the Dolphins safety's further, Javon Hollands instincts are really something that stands out to me and this matchup, and with rookies, you know, typically the game it's a little bit fast, and Javan is obviously rookie too, And if that means being two tenths of a second slower with decisions and throws, I think that's where Javon Holland was able to get his hands on so many football's in college,

but also here in practice over the course of training camp. And I've referenced this play by Javan against Stanford in the Pac twelve championship game several times now a few years ago, where he falls off of his man in coverage and picks up a route from the back side of the formation. It's that kind of stuff. I think Javon could get himself a shot to put his hands on the football, and we know how good he is at finishing place. That's something I'm gonna keep an eye

on on this game. Where is number eight at on defense And can't he bait the rookie quarterback, the rookie safety, bait the rookie quarterback into some mistakes or some slower throws that give him the chance to make the break and make the play on the football. And really the same is true here with Jason mccordy, and that he has seen everything you can see on a football field, and he was consistently in good position all training camp long.

And then Brandon Jones I think relates a little bit closer to Eric Rowe, but his instincts, as you know, also stand out to me too. I'll be curious to see how those matchups play out, but that again is for another segment, the grand takeaway. Here you gotta heat up mac Jones and how do you do that? You have to get by the offensive line, right, which takes us to our next actual up Patriots O line versus

Dolphins defensive line. And this is arguably the best unit in this game, the Patriots offensive line, and it just so happens to go up against another one of the best units in this contest in the Dolphins defensive line. And to me, this is where this game is one and lost. As cliche as it is, you have to win the game in the trenches, right Like, Yeah, it's cliche, but it's also cliche for a reason, and in this game, I think it's the key to the game. You simply

cannot let them lean on you. And it starts with those guards because once they start leaning, that opens up play action. Then you get multifaceted, and then things can just be really difficult to defend because you have to go left, right, behind, and forward as far as the defender goes, the more you can limit their options and make them play left handed, that's the key. The Patriots want to keep the whole playbook open. But these guards, man,

they're both so good. Michael and Whenu and Shack Mason are two of the best in the game for my money, And David Andrews has been one of the best centers in the league. He just has had some health problems the last couple of years. But it's not like they're lacking at tackle either. They have two damn good ones out there, and Isaiah went and Trent Round probably one of the best offensive lines in the National Football League. And one of the things that stands out about that

unit is their sheer size. But we've noted all camp long how that matchup kind of coinsides in a way with what the Dolphins can do right. And I would say that about anyone, because I think this front for

the Dolphins can get to literally anything they want. And perhaps in this one you want to look at some more that bare front where you line up bodies over the guard center and guard to help free up your linebackers and keep those guys clean with the work of a Zach Seeler, Ray Kwon Davis, A Christian Wilkins, and Adam Butler, John Jenkins and the versatility all five of those guys offered. And back to the Patriots offensive line. Here the pressure numbers for those guys from twenty are

as follows. Isaiah Wins six team pressures on three hundred and thirties seven past blocking snaps. That's one every twenty one point one pass blocking snaps. Pretty legit outside, but you're gonna see how the disparity between pressures off the outside compared to the inside compare here on one new four team pressures on four eight six pass blocking reps. That's one free thirty four point seven. What a hell

of rookie year he had last year. David Andrews twelve pressures on three hundred and seventy pass blocking snaps every thirty point eight reps. Jack Mason twenty two on four hundred that's one every eight team point two reps. That's not been his game over the years. He's been much better than that stat here from Pro Football Focus, and then Trent Brown seven pressures on one hundred and sixty two reps. He also missed a big chunk of the year. That's one every twenty three point run one reps. Very

close to Isaiah Wins number there. But again that's on top of being the fourth ranked rushing offensive year ago. And this to me is the key of the game. Again, you have to find a way to win on early downs and prevent them from getting into third and five or shorter, any third and long plays right into the hands of the Dolphins defense and what they do well, and the converse is true of that and the Patriots

offense on third and short. I think the most crucial element of this game is those early down success with the Dolphins defense and Patriots offense. And the thing about this line is that, well they can do it all. And it saw me if you heard this before, pinpole gap scheme, wide zone power. They'll mix in some wham traps when they're at it like it's all on the table. So the work this Dolphins team does daily to play with their eyes and really be disciplined with where their

eyes take them. I think that will be the key going into this game. We mentioned Trent Brown, he was with the Raiders last year. Now, he was charged with two pressures in that Week six team game, and those both came courtesy of Emmanuel Ogba. That's a matchup I'm looking at in this game is big on big, length on length, good on good o versus Trent Brown. That could be a fun one on one matchup if we get to that point. Keep an eye on that off

the Patriots right side of their offensive line. Now other matchups in this area. They kept Cam Newton clean in that second game relatively speaking, uh in Week fifteen, with nine total pressures on thirty five dropbacks, but just two of those were QB hits and four of those pressures came right down the middle of the center. So I'm curious to see how Adam Butler does against David Andrews, if his quickness can put Andrews on skates and kind

of free up those a gaps a little bit. And not to mention, this is a player who's practice against Andrews for the last four years now, but obviously those same advantages apply to Andrew's up against Butler. These guys know each other very well, both being longtime Patriots. Also, keep an eye on heavy personnel only the only The Ravens last year ran more six and seven offensive line groupings than the Patriots last year. They love to beef up and run the football accordingly. And we talked about

the tight ends a little bit. Let's go ahead and jump to our next unit here. The skill players of the Patriots versus the Dolphins defensive backs and Nelson Aguilar and Kendrick Born were the big additions this offseason, and we saw both those guys last year with the Niners and the Raiders respectively. And Aguilar had a big night in that Week six team win over the Raiders. He had five catches on six targets for a buck fifty

five and a touchdown. Now, obviously the big eighty five yarder was what really spiked those stats, but Xavien Howard was the one who forced a loan in completion he had a Agilar had three catches matched up on Byron Jones and then one on both Van Noy and Roberts. Now, Nelson has inside outside flexibility, so he could see a variety of players in terms of coverage. He's a shifty guy that can create quick separation, and he's a good

downfield threat. It seems like he's really solved that drop problem he had early in his career and turned into a very nice player. So do not sleep on Nelson Aguilar. You don't want to get caught peaking at the run or those two tight ends and then you slip in Nelson Aguilar behind that. Whatever it might be, you have to keep your eyes on all areas of the field. I think both Miami and New England did well to address their ability to attack all three levels this offseason.

We saw Kendrick Born in Week five last year. He saw four targets in that game and caught just two for thirty. That includes a touchdown late in that game, but PF charged that one to Eric Rowe, who was in coverage on Born for just one snap. Needham got him for two targets and no completions allowed, while Wilkins was the closest defender on a leven yard catch in

that game. But if you look at the athletic profile of those matchups, that's more of a guy that worked inside in San Francisco, more in line or nasty splits in tight to the formation. It'll be interesting to see how the Patch deploy him and if they want to get him outside with some work on Xaviing Howard or Byron Jones, or if Nick Needham gets out there, whatever the case may be. Deployment. I mean, I'm just gonna be watching all day alignment, assignment, deployment, all that fun stuff.

And then Jacobe Myers, he caught seven of ten targets in the game last December. He's a technician, a smooth route runner man. He is. He is so crisp in and out of his breaks. He's gonna put chat, He's gonna put stress on your defensive backs. He even caught three out of four on xaviing Howard, though ex did punch one of those out for a forced fumble and a takeaway. But you see the length of those catches, a lot of nickel and diming, something the Patriots have

always done so well. Ten targets produces a hundred eleven yards. I mean, that doesn't kill you in the moment, but you do that ten times in a game, that can catch up to you. But if it's a lot of twelve personnel, I like Miami's chances of really getting some good results with x and Byron outside covering up whichever two receivers they run out there in that personnel package, and that's where we move inside to the tight end position.

Because we saw Hunter Henry last year with the Chargers. Now, he caught four or five targets in that game, but for just thirty yards. Now he did scoreless the touchdown I think it was kicking off the second half when Miami had a nice ten point lead, but just one catch for four yards. Going up against Eric Row a lot in that game, and Row gave him problems kind of getting that hand on the back plate there and and controlling the routes and running the routs for him.

And two of the four catches in that game came against Eland and Roberts. Dolphin's been a linebacker for just nineteen yards for Hunter Henry. So they've seen him, they've matched up, and they've really contained him very well in the past. Now, John H. Smith is the piece that really intrigues me in the sense that I think he's a guy you really have to spotlight for his multifaceted talents.

With the Titans, he was in the slot thirty percent of the time, in line of the time, and then out wide thirteen percent of the time, with some variations in the backfield otherwise going across the formation. But man, he can make plays in the run game. He was a big part of selling off some of the edges and those kind of slower stretch runs to Derrick Henry, some of the power schemes they ran there with the Titans, but also his ability to make plays after the catch.

Coach talked about tackling in this game. If John Smith makes a catch, bring the whole damn party to the football because he is one of the best run after catch tight ends I've ever seen, so controlling him is going to be a key to this game in my opinion. Finally, on the Patriots offense, Patriots running backs versus Dolphins linebackers, and Ramandre Stevenson has a thumb injury that popped up on on Wednesday. I saw the report, but it says

they're saying they're hopeful he can go. He's an absolute hammer. The rookie out of Oklahoma. He and Damien Harris I think pair of very well. Behind that offensive line. They're capable of really taking over a game this Patriots run game with their physicality, and Harris is a patient runner who can get behind those pads and really explode when he makes that decision to hit it and go for Stevenson.

Even as a rookie, he's shown a lot in that area and they're both capable on all three downs, just like James White and really j J. Taylor are for that matter, a very deep running back room. And the thing with these backs is the same theme to be prepared for all of it. But that's where alland and Roberts comes in. We've seen him deliver some of those big hits. I like his ability to take on blockers.

If someone gets into that second level on the catching climb and really match up against those big backs inside. I think Roberts is gonna be key because the Patriots ability to go big and run the football. You can see a good snap count from E. Rob and hopefully he brings the lunch pill and does what he does best and knocks those guys around. But Jerome Baker is

just as important. Of course. Now if j J. Taylor or James White are in the game, that's a matchup I think Jerome is really equipped for and they're really going to be that. You know it's really gonna be this game is is who can create an exploit matchups The best because both teams have so many opportunities to do so. Now, how about the other side of the football.

We start here with the quarterbacks, to a tongue about Lowa versus the Patriots safety and first to us at a couple of things that I found very intriguing at his Wednesday media And wouldn't you know it, I was sniped again twice in one day. Who saw it coming. I'm not complaining. I'm glad it got asked. I'm just surprised. Now. First, he was asked about getting the ball out of his hands quickly into the hands of his playmakers. Here's to I mean, they're tough defense. Um. You know, I think

you look at the resume of coach Belichick. I mean really really good defenses. Um. And you know this is like no other week. You know, we we take all these games serious. And you know, for me, I think it's really just getting the ball out quick, um, and

letting our playmakers make place for us. But the one that I really wanted to ask, and this was one of those like deja vu moments, But the deja vu came to me thinking ahead, so it wasn't actually deja vu, but I was thinking about Bill Belichick, Brian Flores and Nick Saban, and these three coaches who really cut their teeth on the defensive side of the football and have obviously risen to the peak of the coaching profession and doing so, that's a lot of knowledge on defensive football.

And obviously Too has been around Saban daily for you know, three years there in Obama and now Brian Flores for two years. And I had asked coach about how a defensive play caller would coach to UH and say, you know, here's how I would attack you and how you can take advantage of those vulnerabilities of that particular attack plan. And just as I'm thinking about this to myself in my own head, someone asked to a question and he

has this answer. Well, you know, for me, um, I'm just focused on what we can do, um, you know, And I try to put myself in a situation where I'm Bill Belichick. You know, if I was Bill Belichick, what would I want to do to stop myself? You know? And that's kind of how I I try to go about that. I would love to see what that conversation within too us head looks like. But of course we'll have to find out with the results on Sunday. So

to in the safeties. I mean, first, we talked about the Patriots frequency to blitz in the past, and we've detailed to us ability to beat the blitz on this podcast many many times, and he said himself, you know, get it out quick, just like for mac Jones and the Patriots offense, winning those early downs and those layups on getting the football out quick to create more advantageous

third downs is going to be the key. And against the Blitz last season to a complete passes that's up one from his non blitz reps, six point five yards per attempt, that's up point four yards per attempt from the non blitz and then seven touchdowns to one I n T compared to four touchdowns and four picks when he was not blitzed. So against the Patriots specifically last year against the Blitz six for six fifty six yards

when they blitzed him, no touchdowns, no picks. Now, in that secondary, Devin mccorty is a guy you just have to account for the same things I said about Javon Holland and our McCarty here Jason mccordy apply. Then there's Kyle dugger who has instincts burst range man. He's a good player. They're so deep with that safety's position. Adrian

Phillips another guy. It's very possible he winds up somewhere that you don't expect him to be, whether it's coming down for a rush or robbing the middle of the field, or showing pressure and falling off into the hook zone. You'll recall he had a pick in the open last year doing just that kind of hiding himself in the defense and being where you know, I fits didn't expecting to be on that throw late in the second quarter.

I believe it was. And one thing I've been impressed with, you know two in his ability is to show the defense one thing and then go somewhere else, and the quarterback dictates the action in this sense, so staying hyper focused and getting through his pre snap checklist and operating post snap with that same efficiency and attention to detail, that would be the best way to create those big

passing lanes, and I think to a can do it now. Lastly, I shared a video from practice on Wednesday with two of throwing routes on Eric Jachem Grant and you see this deep ball just falling right into the accelebrating hands of Jachem. And we've talked about that at length on this podcast. And who remembers ten game or three and oh go into the Patriots House, big game and it wasn't pretty. They played coverage all day in that game, and it just they just couldn't hit the anticipatory throws

to the difficult parts of the field. That's what they want to do. Make you put the ball in the most challenging spots. That would be a key. You have to play well to be to Belichick coach defense, and I think anticipation will be paramount. How about the matchups on the outside. All those safeties I mentioned are exceptional tacklers, and the same as true at corner. You just don't play dB or really any position for Belichick if you

can't tackle. But the corners on the outside, this is an interesting matchup and it starts with the obvious No Defensive Player of the Year in Stefan Gilmore back from twenty nineteen, but one of the games very best will not be out there now. They have another one of the game's very best in J. C. Jackson, who allowed just fifty four points having completions last year and five touchdowns compared to nine interceptions. He is so, so, so

very good. We were four for six going after him in that Week fifteen game with just thirty four yards and a pick. He's got long speed to counter what Miami's offense has, so I'll be curious to see how they deploy him. Does he draw a waddle when he flexes out? Does he go match up with Jackie when he's out there, maybe Albert Wilson, or do they have him stick to whoever they perceived to be our number

two passing option and double the number one option. Again, there are so many tools in the toolbag with this matchup, but Jackson is a heavy player with great transition skills both latterly and vertically, so I would be weary of throwing to him on those anticipation balls because he can make you pay with the game breaking ball hawking skills. But now where Gilmore's absence could and I capitalized could

be felt is the other perimeter corner position. Jonathan Jones is a very good slot corner, but Stefan Gilmore out. You know, Jason mccordy was in that role last year for them. Now he's here obviously, So they get Jalen Mills the Philadelphia corner and last year was his best season in Philly, allowing a passer rating of just nine point oh and in his career it's ninety five point six. But he's a six ft one receiver one pounds with

four six speed. Maybe that's how they attack Miami's bigger options like a Davante Parker of mac Hollins, maybe even Mike Kaski. We'll find out and finding soft spots in zone with anticipation throws, and then I think maybe try to win some of the one on one matchups with some of the size in the middle of the field. I think our big guys match up really well that way, because the Patriots defensive backfield, for all of its strengths, there's not a ton of size back there, and you've

got to have answers against man coverage too. Does that look like some mesh with some of the speed we have to create natural rubs. The point is plenty of options are out there for both teams in this game. Now up front, this is an area where you're gonna get tested. Patriots offensive line verse or rather Dolphins offensive line versus the Patriots d line slash edge rushers. Their front is experienced, versatile, and very very good. The Dolphins

line is young and communication will be paramount. Good technique, good fundamentals, even more so because those guys they're coached well and they can deconstruct poor technique, I think with relative ease. So find out where the hell fifty four is. Because Dante hi Tower opted out last year and I thought he was the biggest loss for the Patriots of their entire season. He's been the top three off ball linebacker and QB pressures each of his last three seasons.

He did play from seventeen through nineteen for through Pro Football Focus. But he can come down and play Sam's at the edge in the run game. Help with him with chips and back stepping up in protection. You've gotta keep your eyes on number fifty four, But you also have to get Matt Judean blocked because he's explosive and fantastic.

Lateral agility helps him execute those games and twists and stunts and looper moves and his secondary moves played so well that you have to go through the whistle otherwise he can take over a game and you can't let that happen. His pressures the last two seasons forty six last year after missing some games on three D and thirty seven pass rush reps, and in twenty nineteen he

had sixty three total pressures. Man, he's a beast, and the size of him and high tower is what really stands out in the neighborhood of you know, two hundred and sixty pounds. That's a tough askubist Dolphins offensive line keeping on both those guys fifty four and number nine, it will be very important for two to get those guys located and correctly get his protection in the right spots.

But the hits keep coming, and it's more big guys because Lawrence Guy six team pressures twenty eight run stops a year ago, Dietrich Wise thirty pressures, nineteen run stops. He these guys are big, long dudes that can control the point they you know, it's not all that different from the guys we have here on the front line that can play long, can play with their eyes and can really use power and quickness and speed. And then you obviously know about Devon Godsha, He's a space eater

and a good run defender. The matchups are tough to differentiate. You know who's gonna go up against who with how multiple they are. But to me, it's really about getting high Tower and Judeon located and understand that what they're doing might take you to the key of the play because they want they'll want to scheme up chances for those guys. Two of their very best Dolphins running backs versus Patriots linebackers here to close this thing out before specialists.

And one good way to get those edge and off ball linebackers that provide so much rush threat a little off of their keys is to get backs involved in the passing game. We saw Miles Gaskin have some success this preseason and sort of have a breakthrough performance in his opener last year in the first half of that

Patriots game, making some plays on the perimeter. I think using both he and savan Akhmed in the passing game could go a long way to keeping those guys honest and maybe get them moving sidelines to sideline, up post, a vertical and downhill, especially when you start to incorporate some of the priest nap motion and things that keep those guys eyes busy. Priest snap on special teams. Dolphins

were six last year. Obviously, have the All Pro kicker and Jason Sanders, a very good long snapper, and Blake Ferguson and newcomer Michael Pollardi. The Patriots on football outsiders were seventh and special teams a year ago, and they bring back one of the league's best punters and Jake Bailey, and they have a rookie kicker and Quinn Nordon who was undrafted out of Michigan this past season. So there's your nutshell takeaway. The three keys I have for this game.

Will cover this on the Miami Dolphins dot com website later as well in the week. But number one, test the rookie quarterback, throw the kitchen scene, kinda mix it up, mix up your coverage, mix up your fronts, mix up

your blitz. Is all that fun stuff. Spread the wealth without Stefan Gilmour in that secondary, use the depth you have to test their depth they have in that secondary, and then keeping guys in because their pass rush is tough, maybe you keep extra parts in to kind of counteract their rush prowess and rely on a couple of receivers you do have as far as getting the ball in their hands quickly and making plays. But keeping two upright and safe is the most sure fire way to win

this football game. I have The Dolphins will win if they win on early downs and get into third and long on defense, and the Patriots will win if well, if they succeed on early downs offensively, but for the sake of the variety of this segment, if they get pressure without sending extra rushers, if the Patriots get home with three or four rushers, it's gonna be a tough, tough task to win that football game. And we have

our first injury report of the season. Liam Eichenberg and Preston Williams were listed as limited participants on Wednesday's practice. Savan Akhmed, Clayton Fedulum, Davante Parker, e Landon Roberts, and Albert Wilson were all full participants. For the Patriots. Three players were limited wide receiver Nelson Aguilar, tackle Yannika Juice, and safety Jalen Mills. Alright, we got picks now, baby. We're gonna pick all the games on the NFL schedule

this year, and it starts tonight. The season starts tonight, guys, Bucks and Cowboys, give me the bucks. They have too much offensive firepower for a remade Dallas defense. Home team raising its banner almost never loses those games. I like the Bucks comfortably in the opener, and we'll pick the rest of the games tomorrow. Go around the web and see what the national publications are picking. Get the last word from those publications. Take your questions via the Twitter

and Apple podcast reviews mailbag. Open up our first college six pack of the year, where I previous the weekend in college football with an eye towards games and individuals to watch. And we're also gonna have John con Jemmy on the podcast. Plenty of fun stuff. It's regular season mode. The podcasts are getting longer here, but that for this podcast is gonna be my time. Caroline. Daddy is coming home. You all please be sure to subscribe to the podcast

on Apple Podcast. Leave us a rating, leave us a review. You can follow me on Twitter at Wingfield NFL, follow the team at Miami Dolphins. Check out the fish Tank podcast. Will set and o J just published the episode West Welker this week. You do not want to miss that one, and of course Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time finds up