Dolphins Saints Week 16 Preview

daily dose of Miami Dolphins football. And on today's show, we're taking a look at the next team on the schedule, and that next team is the New Orleans Saints in primetime on Monday Night Football, the seven and seven Dolphins the seven and seven Saints will go a position by position breakdown the matchups, the keys, the tendencies, tell you each team's best route to victory, and a whole lot more from somewhere up in the Pacific Northwest. This is

the Drive Time Podcast. Off the top of the show, here we gotta go ahead and tell you about coach flores Is. Wednesday, media he announced the Javon Holland has still not cleared the protocols to return from the COVID nineteen less will keep an eye on that going forward certainly a big aspect of this game and of this team with Javon Hollands availabilities. We'll keep you guys posted on that. Let's go ahead and kick off this portion of the show as we do every single Thursday, and

a welcome to the New Orleans Saints. A seven and seven team coming off their biggest win of the season in a game that they seem to have figured out the Buccaneers and in the regular season anyway. So they got that victory, they blank the Bucks, and you can talk about Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Leonard Fournette missing the majority of that game, but that would be disingenuous of the Saints defense and what they are capable of because they can rush the quarterback, they cover it well.

They have a traffic cop at the second level that just does not make mistakes, a ball hawk on the back end that can completely change the way a team plays, both from a schematic standpoint as well as handling the emotional battle in terms of the trash talk with Chauncey Gardner Johnson the very best in the game, zero cap in that department. But this is a departure of who

the Saints normally are right. You might believe that because of how great Drew Brees was for so long, but he had a pretty damn good defense for the last four years there with that team, and in general, just a loaded roster, and that didn't change overnight. It started, however, back in how about this for a draft class. Marshawn Lattimore, Ryan Ramcheck, Marcus Williams, Alvin Kamara, Alex Anzeloni, Trey Hendrickson, al Quedin Mohammed. Those two first rounders are Royal pros.

So are the first and third third round picks of that group. Marcus Williams, the second round pick, has been a starter since he got there. Anzeloni has gone but he used to made a ton of plays in the league, and Muhammad has gone to have a really good career right now with the Indianapolis Colts, and then Hendrickson has gone to But yeah, fifteen and a half sex a season ago. That set them up for a long time. It's one of the greatest draft classes in NFL history.

Quite frankly, it made them contenders pretty much every year after that, playoff runs, playoff wins. Some disappointment to not finish with Lombardi trophies, but all but about three or four franchises I think would gladly change places with the Saints over the last half decade and really, quite frankly the last decade and a half with Sean Payton and what the New Orleans Saints have done under his watch. They did a good job of following the offense through

the super talented back. They have their an album Kamara and typically paired him with a solid robin to the Batman. And one area that has taken a hit is kind of the skill spots, and that will happen when you lose one of the game's premier receivers for back to

back seasons. So they're a loaded roster. They're down to their starting quarterback or down to their backup quarterback, I should say from the beginning of the season with Jamis Winston and Taysom Hill steps in and that run game provides a solid compliment to what that defense can do. They're also loaded on the coaching staff. Sean Payton the second longest tenured head coach behind Belichick, Pete Carmichael, Dennis Allen, Darren Rizzy. That's a that's a murderers row of coaches

right there, they're gonna be ready. Let's go ahead and start at the quarterback position, and just real quick before we do that, a quick news update here before I published the podcast. Recorded this on Wednesday. It sounds like it's gonna be Ian Book, the rookie quarterback, the fourth round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints to start for them on Monday night, his career debut for the Saints, and he was with the Dolphins at the Senior bullback

and mobile back in February. He's a good leader, a guy that can command the huddle and really kind of run an offense that way. Has a bunch of mobile skills, skills to a skill set, can throw the football in timing and rhythm as well too, So the Dolphins will have to maintain their rush integrity, their gap integrity when they rushed this quarterback because he's mobile, fleet of foot and can break the pocket that way too. So let's get back to the podcast. It was recorded before the

news came out, so just keep that in mind. But there's still some prevalent details within this podcast. Enjoy with the Saints quarterbacks and doll and safeties, and look, we know what we're getting in terms of this player, right, he's a load in the running game. He gives you an extra body to contend with, an extra hat in the running game, because the quarterbacks factory into the running game all of a sudden. And he threw the ball forty one times against Dallas and his first start, and

since then it's been twenty seven throws. And that's where they want to play when he's in the lineup, evident by not just the season, but previous starts to their one and two and Taysom Hill lead offenses with thirty or more pass attempts and four and oh when it's less than thirty. And normally I hate those stats because obviously you're on the football more when you're winning the

game late and whind the clock down. But I think that's instructive for how the Saints want to play this and so in regards to slowing him down, I think it starts with the running game, and the key here is to not let him build up steam. Do you guys are playing Mario Kart as a kid, Remember Bowser and Donkey Kong, how they were horrible slow starters, but once they got truck and they were the fastest car on the track. That's kind of what I see in

Tasom Hill. Not that he's slow to start, but once he gets going forward, he is a load and tough to bring down. And we talked about forcing, you know, jet sweeps and outside runs to bubble backs to change direction before they get to the gap they want because they hit it right away. That obviously creates more yards

and more quick decision making required of your defense. It's the same thing here, a man per gap, and we need a lot of Ray Kwon Davia stacking things up and Christian stack peak and come off into the correct gap. We need a land In Roberts to hit those keys like he has wanted to do, and to keep cleaning up on those running plays like he does. So I'm not sure this matchup as much of a Tasom versus the safeties as much as it is in the box type of game. A bit of a throwback here for

the Miami Dolphins. Now, however, it's not like the Saints offense is incapable of throwing the football, and one area they have not really had any success in is an area where Miami has typically been pretty stout, and that's limiting the big play. Tast him on twenty plus yard throws this year is three for thirteen for a hundred yards and three interceptions. On the intermediate throws ten to nineteen yards, five for fourteen for a hundred yards, a touchdown in a pick. I think it tells a bit

of a story there. Obviously they play I have a ten yard box. Most teams do, but this team really does. And when you watch him on tape, a lot of those big plays are plays where it's either a bust or a created bust based upon their route concept. So you get Tasso getting out of trouble, getting out on the move, and we saw Zach Wilson bounce off some sacks in the game last week. Hill will challenge Miami in the exact same way. You have to tackle. You have to bring him down. Do not give them second

and third opportunities to extend plays. And I'm curious about the Dolphins game plan going back to Week ten against the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson. They had that one shot to go up top to Sammy Watkins early in the game was unsuccessful and we're really never able to get vertical again after that. They also could never really get to the perimeter in that game with the speedouts

we saw Joe Lack will have success. Those are the two areas against zero that you can kind of attack, the the outside perimeter and the deep shot over the top. You have to be precise, you have to be quick, and you cannot make mistakes because that can lead the turnovers if you're not. But we know that game for the Dolphins set all kinds of marks in terms of blitz. Is utilizing the safeties in the past rush game or factor in the running game with Javon Holland and Brandon

Jones against the Ravens back in Week ten. So for Holland and Jones, provided Holland plays, the key will be giving Hill different looks in terms of where the rush is coming from, but also taking on the responsibility of a gap in the running game because you have to be aware of both. Regardless of where the snap goes wildcat to the quarterback, lead, power draw like whatever it is, you have to be aware of both elements of the game.

That's a pretty big matchup in this game. How twenty nine and eight, Jones and Holland worked to slow Downhill some more tastome Hill numbers against pressure ten for thirty one for eighty five yards. That's two point seven yards per pass and an interception. That's forty five dropbacks with six acts and seven scramble. So force him to stay in and throw the football. It's kind of like what you want to do with Josh Allen. Don't let him get outside the pocket, force him inside and force him

to throw. Now, Alan's an m VP candidate, different story. Kept clean forty four for sixty six with five hundred and sixty four yards. That's eight point five yards per pass, but two touchdowns and four picks. When he's blitzed fourteen nine for two hundred yards, that's six point nine yards per passing, a pick, no touchdowns. When he's not blitzed four forty nine, that's six point six yards per pass, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. So almost identical to when

he's kept clean. Right, when you don't blitz him, you keep him clean. But that's seventy seven drop backs with three sacks and six scrambles too. So again, regardless of whether or not you blitz or get home, he's gonna find ways to escape and make plays outside the pocket. If you can cut that down, you can really limit the Saints offense. Then we go out wide to the perimeter and the Saints receivers and tight ends versus the

Dolphins cornerbacks. We mentioned this off the top. I think every team has that one position where they're just aren't a ton of resources poured into it, like the Dolphins running backs for instance, seventh round draft picks and undrafted free agents for the most part in that room. And for the Saints it's the wide outs and the tight ends. And again they were expecting to have Michael Thomas back, so that is a big factor there. He doesn't return.

That's a second round pick, all Pro player who's not there, So that caveat has to be said. But that said, they still cultivate some fines. Marquez Callaway and undrafted free agent is their target. Leader Camara is next. He would be tops on a per game basis, but he missed four games. Then Deonte Harris, who was suspended for three games and will not play, is also a U d f A. Thence Tray kwant Smith, who was drafted in the third round. Back in Adam Troutman tight end another

Day two pick. The tight end rounds out the top five before a significant dropping targets to mark Ingram and Tie Montgomery. So stylistically, what are these guys present, Well, they're only in three receiver sets about half the time, so Miami has to make a decision how they want to match the many looks the Saints deploy. More on that in just one moment, but we've seen Miami roll with just about everything in terms of dB usage this year.

We've seen them go three corners the entire game, three safeties almost the entire game, and just about everything in between, with six and seven defensive backs getting significant reps on this Dolphins defense. Here with the Saints propensity to run the football, and not even to mention what you can do on the outside with Xabian and Byron Jones, who are just playing as good as any corner tannem and the entire National Football League, do you just put them

out there and say, go do your thing. I might do that. One of the interesting things to look at here. The Saints offense obviously changed when Hill enter the lineup, but you can see, you can really see it in the average depth of target. Before Hill got to the lineup CALLI was over fifteen yards per target. Our fifteen yards average depth of target. I should say that number has been around ten yards since then. Same with Trake wants Smith a few yard dip from twelve down to nine.

So what I'm getting at here is that Miami's zero look I think could be an effective package. Just trust X and Byron to hold up on their own and you can really influence the way the Saints factor of the running game. Now inside they use three different tight ends with trout men back off I R and he again factors into the running games. So you want to

match that. But again is a big nickel if it is a straight base three four or four three look with different variations in terms of your odd even fronts. Do we see a landing Roberts all game long with a healthy dose of Wilkins and Seiler and Davis upfront. I'm so intrigued by what Floraz and Boyer dial up in this game. Back to the tight ends. Nick Vanette,

same deal. He's strong off the edge and factors into the quick game a little bit, but he's really more of a run game addition at this point, twelve targets in five games played this year, and then Juwan James is more of their move tight end, your f tight end. They'll utilize him inline, nasty split slot, even out wide some but some some bits here and there. This is a lunch pail type of game, big boy game at every level, and it should be fun. Speaking of lunch pail,

let's get to the real meat and potatoes. The Saints offensive line versus the Dolphins defensive line. And this is such a solid group even with a pair of all pro tackles potentially on the shelf. I mean, they beat the defending champions without Ryan ram Check in Toron. O'mstead will monitor that this entire week, but if either one of them returns, it's a huge get for them. Again,

they're all pros, but even still they're still solid. James Hurst kicks out to tackle, while Calvin Throckmorton's the all time greatest offensive line name of all time who was part of that Beastie offensive line that Organ has kicked inside the garden played pretty well inside. And then Jordan's Mills started last week in place of ram Check. We remember him. We had him back in camp in twenty nineteen and he played for the Buffalo Bills against cam Wake twice a year for a long time that went

to Wake most of the time. James Hurst twenty five pressures allowed, five sacks five a combination of five hits and sacks. Caesar Use twenty six pressures, seven of those have been sacks and hits. Eric McCoy just seven pressures all year long. Two of those are hits, no sax. Throck Morton has the highest pressure number allowed twenty seven, but just six of those are hits and sacks, while Mills has four pressures no hits or sacks in two

games played, and seventy eight pass blocking snap. So Mills again played tackle and buffalo for a long time, and he matched up with Cameron Wake all the time. And the key just about every time that Wake got him was an upfield move and then you get that momentum sliding too far into the backfield, use the upper body strength to swipe and discard him. And I think we can see more of that this week, hopefully with a guy like Emmanuel Ogba who has similar traits that way.

McCoy is tough man. He's the key to it all. He gets so much push, he gets out in space, doesn't really give way on the rush, and he communicates it all, he's a big, big part of what they do and a big challenge for our guys in the middle in this game. It's gonna be vital for Miami to do something they've done really well all year and prevent movement and stack things up. This Saint's offensive line three ten, three six, three oh nine, three oh five. It's more of a move line than a power like,

blow you off the ball type of line. So it kind of goes back to what I said about Miami's real stout run defenders this season, and Seiler and Wilkins really need them to play their best ball in this game and help Miami get this big victory. And also ray Kuan Davis just played that role of the tree stump that would also go a very long way before the next possession. Group a quick break. All right, let's come back and talk about the Saints running backs versus

the Dolphins linebackers. And Alvin Kamara, for my money, is the best running back in the national football Like Jonathan Taylor, really challenging that threshold, but what he does in every aspect of the game, he can beat you by himself. He's electric as a runner, he's a dangerous route runner. He's excellent in the red zone. He'll change the angle

on you last minute. You have to locate number forty one every single play there two and oh since he came back from the I R and on add eighty four attempts, he has four hundred and eighty yards after contact. That's an average of two point six one per rush. He has thirty five four Smith tackles this season, thirteen ten plus yard runs. Tackle, tackle, tackle, he and hill. You have to get them to the ground. If you can do it, I like our chances, but if you can't,

not as much. We need to see the second half tackling for the full sixty minutes we saw last week, right like tackle like you did in the first half

last week. They're gonna beat you playing simple. So with Kimara, it's a big week for Jerome Baker to write the whole group for sure, and what a Landon Roberts does b gap to b gap is certainly important, but matching up with Camara when he flexes out covering him on routes out of the backfield, the former might be more of a matchup where the ladder could be more of Baker's responsibility. Either way, he needs to access that speed and do everything he can to keep pace with Kimara.

He has eleven forced miss tackles since returning, and that's what just eleven attempts in the win over the Bucks thirty eight and total, so getting him below the average of a forced mis tackle every third or so carry something to keep an eye on there. Mark Ingram actually played just seven snaps, fewer than Alvin Camaro last week, and he's gonna get every yard that's blocked for him.

He's a professional runner, He's a nifty pass receiver, especially in the screen game, and that pair so well with the fact that he's a tremendous pass protector. No pressures allowed this season between Houston and New Orleans, so some of those sacks last week where you had Baker and Seiler running through the Jets running back, not gonna be as easy this week. For the Saints offense, we talked about this earlier. Eleven personnel is forty eight percent of

the time, the average is six. Twelve personnel is twenty percent in the average just twenty one percent, so right around the gaverage there. But this is one of the most diverse teams in the league. In terms of grouping standpoint, and most teams have those packages they sprinkle in for a player two here and there from the other packages. But the Saints run both twenty one personnel two backs or two backs in one tight end, and ten personnel

that's four receivers. Both of those are eight percent of the time. Talk about dichotomy in terms of their personnel usage. Then they've got four more packages that they use at least four percent of the time this year, twenty two which is two backs, two tight ends, twenty personnel which is two backs now tight ends. It's lots of heavy stuff. It's only going to increase as they get more snap under Taysom Hill and removed from the Jamis Winson offense.

It's a lunch pail game again when you play these guys. We talked about how nice it was to run the ball well on Sunday when they knew Duke was gonna get the football. That's what the Saints do. They don't care if you know it's coming. They believe they can out execute you, and then Sean Payton will attach some wrinkles and get the same place from different looks. Look, it's a challenge. Almost happy. We have the extra day to prepare for this offense because they are a lot

to get ready for. On the other side, I think Miami's offense is a lot to get ready for in terms of the R p O game and the different looks they throw at you, in the conflict they create, and all those looks the Dolphins quarterback versus the Saints safety's But first, real quick, just kind of a nice little primer here, a nice test for two. In the passing offense, the Saints defense is stingy six and points allowed just twenty point four points per game. They have

nineteen takeaways. That's the same number as US, but they really do it in bunches. They have three games this year with three takeaways and three more with two takeaways, so multiple takeaways. If Miami can commit one or few returnovers, I like our chances. They've held opponents six opponents rather under two hundred yards passing, and that includes the Packers. Opening Day was weird, the Bucks and the Titans, and just a weird blip here four hundred and two yards

of the Giants. What football is weird, isn't it. The Eagles went for two hundred forty two rushing yards against them, but the next highest was Dallas with the Buck forty six, and just five teams have eclipsed a hundred yards on them. They also held the Patriots to forty nine yards on the ground and a comfortable win in Foxboro back in October, and just sixty six to the Titans, and that's post Henry,

but still still a great total. Their explosive rankings in terms of explosive runs and passes offensively and defensively on offense twenty nine and running twenty one and passing, but on defense fourth fewest running plays explosive and the tenth fewest explosive passing plays allowed. Schematically, they play coverage twenty two point two percent blitz right, that's twenty the National

Football League. And while they're tied for second and quarterback knockdown rate at eleven point four scent, they're also middle of the pack and pressure rate and sacks. And that's why I think it would greatly behoove Miami to generate some explosive plays. Much like our defense, it's tough to work the ball all the way down the field against this defense, and there's certainly value to that in the field position battle, which will be very important in this game.

But if you can hit some more explosive and the Saints offense can generate, that's a big key to me because holdings, you know, false starts, drop passes, missed, whatever the case may be. If you try to drive the whole field and you have a mistake, it's tough to overcome against this defense. So too is numbers this year against not against teams that don't against looks when they don't blitz him right, kept clean seventy six point four on two hundred and sixteen attempts, a good sample size

seven point one yards per pass. That's one thousand, five hundred thirty five yards, eleven touchdowns of two picks when he's kept clean, it's great numbers when not blitzed seventy one another good number, two twelve attempts, so good sample size seven point eight yards per attempt at sixteen fifty two, eight touchdowns and six picks. So all those numbers are great except for that very last one the interceptions. And you see that climb and yards per attempt makes sense right.

Fewer rushers means more time to scan and survey, and the way that Dolphins offensive lines played lately and the way too has kind of had some pockets to work with, and I think some of his errors have come from clean pockets where he didn't expect to have it that way. That might be a chance to get more vertical at least more second level throws on some of those crossers, those digs, those curls, and hopefully some slot fades like

when we saw to Isaiah four in the game. If the Saints showed that cover one look, I like the idea of getting some more vertical options into the offense. So this position matchup, you know, between the Bills, the Pats, and now the Saints too is seeing some of the NFL's best secondaries this season, particularly at the safety position.

Marcus Williams has so much range, and that range allows them to buzz play some buzz coverage to rob where you have the safety come down and rob the cross route because he can erase Marcus Williams a lot of those potential matchup losses on the back end. Speaking of buzz coverage and the robber roll, few do it better than Malcolm Jenkins. Not to mention how he factors in the running game. Keep an eye on him. He's a great player and whatever the cause behind some of those

off target balls last week, it cannot happen again. These guys are gonna capitalize on it. They're gonna turn you over, and they'll put you in more situations where they can generate a takeaway than most teams do. So as far as the interceptions and pass breakups go for Williams two and five, for Jenkins one and four, and for Chauncey Gardner Johnson two and three. But the ball hawking does not stop there. The Miami receivers and tight ends versus

the Saints cornerbacks Paulson a debo. What a run He's has a pro after coming out of Stanford, A highly build prospect who winds up falling to the third round after potential first round whispers here and there. He's a smart and aggressive corner with great ball skills and recovery speed. He plays primarily on the outside. Can Miami get some size out there? He's a bit thin. Could Davante Parker get some of those balls him. I'll keep an eye on that. But on the other side, is all pro.

Marshawn Lattimore fifty six percent completion this year, forty seven catches on five hundred and forty seven coverage snaps, but for eight hundred and four yards, so he's not giving up a whole lot, but when he does, it's vertical. Seven touchdowns and two picks this year, but eighteen pass breakups. Damn, it's a lot. He does it all smooth transition in and out of his brakes, good physical contest at every

phase of the rep. He's coming off a three game run where he was targeted twenty three times, he allowed just eleven catches for a buck sixteen and passer ratings of thirty three point three, forty nine point six, and sixty four point one. He plays the right corner and a Debo plays on the left. Then there's this guy, and I mentioned him in the safeties. If you followed me in the twenty nineteen round to the draft, there were few players I liked more than Chauncey Gardner Johnson.

A world class player and a world class trash talker. Now, one area where he has struggled is in the tackling department seventeen point five percent miss tackle percentage. So with the Saints based defense operating out of this nickel primarily, how does Miami. How do they adapt rather to Miami's league high usage of twelve personnel offense because the Dolphins have some success with the run, and just force them out of that package because you're basically gonna say, hey,

go take on Durham Smith in the running game. That could be a big advantae for Miami. If the Saints stay in that look, could really help. But back to his coverage. He's feisty, he's crafty, he's springy, he finds the football. He'll make some splash plays. You just don't let it include the ball going over like. Let him make his big hits and his big pass breakups, just don't let him jar the ball loose or create some

some turnovers that way. I'm not gonna look at last week's matchups because the Bucks were down Godwin Brown and four net. But going back, they played the Jets before that too, So let's go back to the Dallas game. Lattimore saw Michael Gallop for four targets twenty six yards allowed, and Ceedee Lamb for two targets just three yards allowed. He's tough. Like I said, a lot of teams these days don't travel, and he doesn't travel either. So choose

wisely with who you put on him. Paulson, Adebo covered Michael Gallup, Noah Brown, and Dalton Scholtz. In that game, nobody had more than five yards. So you're gonna have to work to get open against these guys, and they're deep here. Bradley Roby can play, so can p. J. Williams, who's a primary slot guy. He held the Cowboys to thirty yards on seven targets, and real quick the Bills

game numbers. Lattamore three of five catches and targets for thirty three yards, Adebo four for four for sixty eight. C J g J did not play. P J. Williams two for two fifteen yards, and then Bradley Roby was eight catches on nine targets for eighty eight yards. We moved to the critical area of the field where the Saints just keep on getting better. The Saints defensive line versus Dolphins offensive line. Here's some pressure numbers and run

stops from their perimeter players up front. Cameron Jordan's forty pressures thirty one run stops All pro, Marcus Davenport thirty pressures twenty one run stops. Very good player. Carl Granderson twenty five pressures, thirteen run stops. To Know Paso six team pressures, fourteen run stops. Peyton Turner ten pressures and ten runs stops. Do you guys know who those players are? Do you see a theme there? It's not hard to spot.

They are massive human beings. I actually thought Passengo and Turner were potential options this offseason in the draft and free agency from Miami because they we like big ends as well. To eight seven to sixty five to sixty one to eight to seventy. I mean they will cut down the edges, they will dent it, they will condense the formation, and it's tough when you can't win outside against them, maybe you try to get y on them,

but either way they are tough. The work has cut out this week for Jesse and Liam, and again this could be a situation where that twelve personnel helps you, where you can get help on those guys with tight end chips and running backs coming up and helping out as well. But inside they're also tough. David Ayrmana twenty three pressures and nine run stops. Shy Tuttle six pressures

and sixteen run stops. They'll kick other guys inside to play that role too, obviously, but this is a test for strength, toughness, and just pure grit because those guys are gonna challenge USh and all those departments. They made the Bucks offensive line look bad last week, and that's the best offense line in football. So you see this matchup and you think to yourself, that's their best unit. That's the Dolphins offensive line has been a bit up and down in pass pro this year. But what if

I told you this. We've been discussing the growing slash improvement of the offensive line for over a month. Now, what if I told you that after having the lowest pass blocking efficiency score in the NFL per next Gen through the first ten weeks at seventy eight point five, Miami is second second in the league. Since Week eleven, that number has jumped eleven point four percent point or eleven point four points all the way up to eighty nine point nine. And then finally we finish with the

Dolphins running backs. The Saints linebackers. Philip Lindsay is back. Go watch his media if you have not done so yet. He's great as always and coming off a Duke Johnson performance, can Miami maintain that rushing success. If so, that could open up the passing game, and not to mention having a semblance of a running threat from the r p OH which prior to this last game has been all p and no are over eleven yards passing per attempt

less than three yards rushing per attempt. I think there might be something here for Miami to find a second wind in their offense and create more opportunities in the passing game and get more balance offensively. I'm very excited about what this offense might look like on Monday Night as they maybe hopefully hit a second stride and find

a second wind late in the season. But Duke in that game did so well to press gaps, set up some blocks, get what's blocked, and then some by shaking tackles with power out wide and the explosive first step he showed. He and Philip Lindsay and Miles Gascon and the Backs gonna have their work cut out for them because Damario Davis is one of the very best in the league. We keep talking about great players at every level. They have them. Thirty four run stops, a billion tackles,

he's excellent and coverage he just does everything. Well, I'll be curious to see how Miami's motion and different ability to kind of change the picture will impact what his keys and his reeds are. Can they get him to take false steps? It's tough to do. Next is Kwan Alexander. He's been about the league last couple of years. Just twenty six run stops and the eight team point two

percent mistackle percentage. If Davis has played n seven snaps, Alexander four or forty nine, so they take him off the field a lot, but they're really a defensive line slash defensive back centric defense like so many teams. And then also Pete Warner has three snaps and twenty two run stops. I actually like his game a little bit more. He's a very smart and instinctive player. So for the Dolphins to find some success offense will be challenging, but I think this could be a good week for him

to kind of hit that second stride. As far as the special teams goes d v O A their fifteenth Miami six. Brent Maher is their kicker. He's eight for nine with a long of forty two. He's missed his only fifty plush our attempt this year. That could be crucial in a game where you figure it might come down to a possession or two. I don't think it will,

but if it does, that's big. In the punting game, forty eight point two yards for punt from Blake Gillikin and the return as es up Winston go coogs Baby. He has the most on the team with seven returns after Deonte Harris was suspended. Seven punt returns nine two yards thirteen point one average. He's very shifty. I know his game very well. The three keys this game, but first, a quick break alright. Key Number one for the Miami Dolphins.

Forced the Saints into passing situations by getting them into third down and long. That obviously starts with a running game on early downs. But if you can force them into third and lungs and hem the quarterback in the pocket, that could go a long way towards a potential big defensive performance for the Miami Dolphins. Number two limit the mistakes do not give the Saints offense any advantages by going by committing too many penalties, by dropping passes, by

missing tackles, by turning the football over. If the Dolphins play a clean game offensively, they should be able to win this game. Number Three, generate explosive plays on offense. I think that's where the Saints can can get maybe be had a little bit. I don't think you're gonna line up and beat them on a down by down basis and have a lot of success that way, but you generate some explosive which I think is coming off some of the looks we've had off the RPO and

the running game. That can go a long way towards a big Dolphins win. The Dolphins will win this game if the defense stays hot in plays with the same intensity, If they can take out the run game and make life tough inside that ten yard box for the Saints. That will make them has trying to beat Miami by doing something that's been outside of their capacity of this season, by going up top. If they do that and they

beat you, you tipped the cap. Obviously. The Saints will win if if they win in the small margins extra yards after contact from miss tackles, falling forward through tackles, turning third and five into third and two's, winning the hitting yardage battle on special teams, and committing fewer turnovers and penalties. Those types of things. So that's my Dolphins and Saints preview. I like this game this week. I like Miami's chances in this game to get their seventh

straight win. As far as the rest of the league goes, some big games around the National Football League, the Week six team picks coming your way right now. We're cruising now, baby thirteen and three last week after a what was it fourteen and one or thirteen in one week the previous week. That's one fifty five, sixty eight and one with forty eight more games to go, checking in at sixty nine point five percent, I want to surpass seventy.

Let's go and we start on Thursday. This is a big game from Miami giving the forty niners over the Titans. The fot NAIs are hot. The Titans are not to give me the road team there. The Packer is over the Browns on on Christmas, and the Cardinals over the Colts on Christmas as well. That's gonna be a great game to watch. Give me the Falcons over the Lions, the Vikings over the Rams. I'll take the Jets over

the Jags, the Bills over the Patriots. In what's the biggest non Dolphins Game of the Year for you Dolphins fans. Buffalo needs to win that game. Give me the Eagles over the Giants. I went back and forth on this one, but I'm taking the Ravens over the Bengals. I like Tyler Huntley's game a lot if he plays, and Lamar Jackson if he comes back great. Also, give me the Chargers over the Texans, the Bucks over the Panthers. I'll

take the Raiders over the Broncos the Chiefs. Even though Hill and Kelsey are on the COVID list right now, I hope I think they'll come back. I need hire of Hill from my fantasy league too, by the way, over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Seahawks over the Bears, the Cowboys over the w FT, and the Dolphins over the Saints. All right, no show on Friday this week, and the Monday show will be the recap version, so that would be Tuesday morning. So this is the last time I'm

gonna talk to you guys until after Christmas. Until after the Saints game. Hopefully we're talking about your holiday going great and eight and seven mark for the Miami Dolphins. But in the meantime that is gonna be my time you all, please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Leave us a rating, leave us a review. You can follow me on Twitter at Wingfield NFL. Follow

the team at Miami Dolphins across all socials. Check out the fish Tank Podcast with Seth and o j our YouTube channel for our media availabilities, miked up and Dolphins Today, and last but not least, Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time, vin Zoe