Week 12 Film Room, Dolphins Texans – Tape, Contextualized Stats, Snap Counts and McDaniel Commentary

Dolphans And welcome to the Drive Time podcast, part of the Miami Dolphins podcast network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins. How's it going everybody? I am your host, Travis Wingfield. And on today's show, we are back in the film room for the eleventh time this season. Will come through every app and tell you what stood out on offense on defense, plus will update the numbers and leaderboards, visit

the snap counts from the game. And here from head coach Mike McDaniel at his Monday media availability from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Drivetime. You guys know the drill. Tuesdays are always very busy. Editions of the Drivetime podcast. So with that, let's go ahead and jump right in with the Offensive All twenty two review. And it was first half heavy

for sure. And I know we went in depth on this on Sunday, but from the very first play of the game, we see it and I just want to break it down further about the way to AH does these subtle things that I think stand out in a in a way that isn't easily recognizable. So it's a play action to the offenses right and they'll throw the glance a slant route basically back to the right, and

that's not all that common. But it's all about responsibilities to has on the play and the collection of talents that will see throughout this game and his tape and this particular play in particular the way the feet and the release work in rapid succession with the processing between

the ears. We heard Coach Monday say that to A or Sunday, I should say do some things and O t A s that he had never seen executed within this within this system, and his twelve and thirteen years of operating solely within the confines of this type of system in which he spent most of his career within right, and if I had to put my finger on what that might be, I think it's what you saw. On

the first play of the game. He has to drive three steps wide out of his you know, out of fronder center and extend the football on what is outside zone action. Then he angles back to the middle of the pocket, extending that drop really to five steps. He then turns his head before he's even hit the plant foot, and as he hits that plant foot, you see the hands separate and the balls comeing out before Jalen Waddle

is out of his break. And again, this is a glance route where the lion of scrimmage is the thirty four yard line, and Waddle breaks off his route at

the forty one yard line. So as fast as Jalen Waddle, one of the five or six fastest players in the league, giver take as fast as he can run seven yards to a has executed a play fake, taken a five step drop, pivoted back to the defense without having any post snap information because his back is to the defense, set his feet and delivered the pass, which is right

on the money. By the way, when I watched each and every one of his college snaps on slow mo full speed running back see at six or seven times. I always marveled at the operation of his footwork, how his feet took him to the solution to the problem the defense wants to create on every single play, something as innocuous as a speed out, a five yard out

route boom one two ball out. Let's go make it quick where he takes the drop straight, so it's not the tip of defense about going to the left, going to the right, state down the middle of the pipe. Then pivot that plant foot in the same action that you take your drive foot and point it towards your target,

so everything is aligned towards your target. Then stride and throw, and it's high and away off the outside shoulder, away from that inside leverage defender who can't make a play because the ball is located so well high in a way, just like to throw high and away to waddle against Cleveland with Eric Stokes driving underneath. This is something I don't think we'll ever be appreciated by your casual show up on Sunday Football Fan, which is a great way

to watch the game right. Nothing against that approach at all, But that's why I do the podcast to try to explain what I see and give you the details if you are interested in them, and of course if you're here, I think you're interested in those things. But boy, I thought this is gonna be a quick tape watch and here I am almost five hundred words on the opening place.

That's what I do. So what we do, baby, But we're going to use that as a temple to come back to because he accessed these skills time and time again throughout the course of this game. Like on the very next play, Tyreek is gonna run a little check slash, you know, check with me hook up where he releases off the line of scrimmage and gets his eyes back

to the quarterback immediately. It's a free released from a condensed split, so he's in close to the formation with the outside corner outside leverage but to the sidelines, eyes back to the quarterback and playing eight yards off coverage to that same side of the formation. Derham Smith is

attached to the line of scrimmage. So Smith runs a flat route and that pulls this hook middle linebacker out of the equation and you see Tyreek kind of filling where he is and just kind of getting eyes back to tah and the timing is a little bit wonky because it's a field type of play, like if the linebacker doesn't move a certain speed, we have to kind of adjust for that. And you see two u's feet

just like Peyton Manning style stuttering the pockets. Center in the pocket, reset and get perfectly aligned to rip it the tyreek in the second window that opens up. And the coolest part about these plays is that it essentially eliminates the pass rush on its own because it happens in like one and a half seconds, and nobody ever gets to the quarterback in under two seconds. It's just

not doable. And so to h by the nature of his inherent skill set, which he you know, he's been rapping since he was a child, to get it to that level of proficiency, because he offers that you have a handful of plays every single game where they cannot get pressure in your quarterback. It's not possible. Because the quarterback is so adept with the footwork, the processing, and the release, all three of those elements of his game. They might be the fastest in the NFL. I'm not

I'm not sure if it is, it's up there. And because of that you get ten or fifteen reps of game where the pass rush is negated against your passing plays. It's it's high level. It's why his sack percentage is so good. It's why every year his sack percentage is way lower than any other Dolphins quarterback in the lineup. When he gets injured or gets taken out of the game, whatever the case may be. It's a superpower of his and gosh, the throw to Waddle just two plays later

is another superpower. He has color in his face immediately as Austin Jackson gets pressed on the inside post like right off the snap, and two us work in the front side of the formation where the original read is and Waddle is one of the two options to the backside. And this all happens in the amount of time that it takes Jalen to get from the thirty three to the thirty yard line. So it's a three yard situation where Waddle covers three yards of ground And to what

does all of this? So to his eyes are to tie reek to the field the front side, he whips his head back to the back side and the hands separate, which means, of course, the ball is coming within those three yards of Waddle getting depth. The ball is out as Waddle is splitting two defenders, and by the time the ball and he intersect, it's into this wide open

pocket fifteen yards down the field. So you might see these wide receivers like wide open watching the game, but just know that a huge, the biggest part of it is the quarterback playing as fast as the mind conceivably can operate. Like the way he processes information in a game where like, have you guys been field level in NFL before? It moves very fast. That's why I like, I don't get too down on officials because it's a

tough thing to do. Now, pick your playing quarterback and trying to put the football in this football sized you know, target operating at that level of speed and proficiency. From mental standpoint, those three elements of his game are the superpower. Okay, that with the accuracy I just said, Okay, like a coach, that's not my style. Okay with me, everyone, keep with me. Okay, those things with the accuracy, anticipation is why he's number one and everything right now. It's why this offense is

functioning the way it is. I mean, you're gonna see every excuse out there because it's the easiest thing to do. I'm telling you right now, those elements of his game or why this offense is averaging three point three points per possession under two A and it's down to like three points perssession when you factor in every possession of Dolphins have and the second place team is under three points per possession. So, like, the Dolphins offense with two

is really really at a historic pace. And it's because of those traits. It's not like everything else helps, but two was the biggest factor of it. Guys like, understand that, please, because it's the It's very much the truth. That's why the guys that break the film down that you you love and respect say the exact same thing. So it's it's incredible to watch him do this, and it's to operate that way with a blue jersey right in his face.

It's just man, it's high, high level. Then you get the second drive on one drive, the second drive, first playoff drive number two. I love the design Texans wheel into this cover three. Look, we have you know, three deep defenders covering a third or third or third from off coverage and both Jalen Waddle and Trent Sherfield just

run right at the post safety. Then Waddle puts his foot in the ground and angles it back to the corner for a post corner route, and that pulls the post safety five yards back because he has to get death to contend with this wattle corner route, and it forces the outside corner and that deep third to flip

his hips and lose complete sight of the play. And then from there it's just Trent Sherfield running away from the outside leverage zone, quarterback on the other side, and two of fires a thirty five yard line drive down the field to Trent Sherfield. It picks up twenty four yards because two had a deep drop on the play, but it's a design that creates an easy twenty four yard games. So there is some of that in the game,

but it's not at all all of it. It's all when someone tells you, like, oh, they're only doing this because of this, just say that's cool. I'm glad we have elite receivers and elite play caller and elite quarterback. It's fun when you have all those things, Like, I don't care who's responsible for it, because it all works together. And that's why you're averaging three point three points per drive, which is an absurd figure. Two points is what you

want to be. Three point three points per drive under this quarterback. I'm fired up today, can you guys tell? So? Then they come right back with a straight drop back from under center, and you see the linebackers influenced by Ingold from this offset I formation. I know you young Madden players out there back in my golden days of the early two thousand's know about some offset I formation or they show action to run off tackle because Ingle just angles his uh post snap track right off tackle

and it creates these false steps. And with that quick process we talked about with to a one false step and it's game over. We're talking two or three false steps. Hit the top of the drop balls out before Tyreek hits the dig part of his inn breaker fifteen more yards design quarterback proficiency, it's it's all clicking, man. He creates these throwing windows so well for himself, Like there's a reason he's a six ft quarterback who never gets the ball by a down right. The fourth down pass

to Trent Surefield is a good example of that. Texans bring four with a two man shell coverage, zone coverage general not too man so I'm sorry too high shell cover two two safeties up top, shell coverage underneath and you see two A look at two guys. First, it's Tyreek to the boundary and he's the two receivers. So you're one is the furthest out. Your two is the slot to the short side of the field and then to the field side the wider side. Trent sherfield is

the three, which means one's furthest out. Two's next end. Three is closest to the line scrimmage and to A takes the shotgun snap and he wants to go now catch rock throw, but the hook defender on Tyreek is all over. He blankets. In fact, he drives on that because to A hitches and does this subtle pump where he just separates the hands and goes right back. And when TA does that, this defender drives on Tyreek and to A because he knows this, he has the answers

to the rest of the test. Because if you give him the fifty fifty who wants to be a millionaire option, he's gonna say, okay, well, based upon this information, Now I have backside information and eliminate half of what I have to read as a result, So to A knows that him driving on that Tyreek route creates that inside window, which is where Trent Sherefield's coming from the field cross

face of the defensive back. Now on a play like this, it's another one of these situations where we saw this throughout the course of the game on Sunday, where the timing can be disjointed because you don't have in a situation like that, you don't have the luxury of perfect mechanics. He's padding, resetting, searching for the perfect time to let that ball go, and when he does, his feet are basically planted not towards this target. They're off to the right.

He's thrown back to the left, and he's able to get on location from this un inventional setup, which is part of the ball handling RPO action and why he's

so sharp and the quick game. When you just it's like, if I can describe it this way, it's like if you're guarding someone in basketball and he's like in a dribbling position and the ball is just up over your head before you can react to block the shot, and then it's gonna hit the bottom of the net because he's so accurate, like the release, it's it's Philip Rivers, it's Dan Marie. It's like it is among the best I've ever seen. Quite frankly, that that's all. That's all

I gotta say about that. I thought the touchdown throw was one of the better plays in his career, the one to smithe as we continue to say that about various plays each week. Every single route is absolutely blanketed on us on this play, and luckily protection is great to a constant can scan, but there's still nothing there, so he has to move. He has to create because once you get off that spot, the defensive backslide, the

receivers can open up. It becomes backyard football. And Derham Smith is a great job just showing his numbers to the quarterback and to a running away from a bunch of large men on the move, throws dot right on the numbers between the eight and the one for a touchdown.

Good job Durham, good job protection, Good job to Ron Armstead for a late block to free up to a And what a job by two of the thing we said about the glance route earlier, you get another example on the long Tyreek catch and run because to interrupts play fake action on the reverse pivot and sets up and throws and before before the Texans get even realize, they're taking false steps the passes behind their head. And the reason this creates so much space for Tyreek to

show off that speed is very simple. I counted four false steps from that backside linebacker in the wrong direction after do you draw us halfway across the country and the wrong direction after two had thrown the ball. And it looks simple, but I promise you it's not. Take the snap, right foot, drop step, then open up with that second step with the left foot, which is the plant leg. So his first step with that left leg

is his plant foot. So one two ball out back to the defense, get to the set up, and a matter of less than us second and that ball is already coming out again. I know it seems simple, but look around the league and you're not gonna find many quarterbacks doing this stuff. Man similar deal on the pop to river Cracraft balls out as Cracraft takes his first step around the reroute putt in the defense and extreme peril where if I if I take any step forward, the balls behind my ear hole, and I can't do

anything about that. If I take a step back, I now am giving up leverage to an offensive line flowing downhill. Like it's to maximize as your ability to do that stuff and create that conflict. Now, Wattle had a pair of drops in this game. The second one was really really good stuff from tous Cedric Wilson runs a good clear out route to move the safeties and create a pocket behind the hook zone. But both linebackers have gotten what looks like proper depth. They're at the sticks ten

yards down field, and to me, that's preparation. Knowing the Dolphins eat this part of the field for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I better get more depth. But when your quarterback is playing almost perfectly, it don't matter. Because here comes Waddle breaking his route into eleven yards one yard behind. He could literally reach out and touch those hook linebackers. So what does TWA do? Does the exact same thing? It into the Gasecki throw against Baltimore. Put it up high,

put it up over their arms. So the only guy that can make a catch is your receiver. It's right on Waddle's hands, just couldn't complete the catch. But what a freaking throw. Man. That's where you see the velocity that t has on those intermediate shots, those rip throws. He also does it, by the way, taking on water in the pocket as more pressure got to two, as was kind of the case in this game. We'll talk more about that here in a second. I love the

deep shot to Sherfield, the almost hit that one. That's one of those plays where you hit that and the defense has to say to themselves, what the hell do we do? Man? We have to worry about Tyreek and Jalen, and now we got Trent Surefield running past us, Like who I love that idea. I think we'll come back to that again later in the year and see a potential opportunity there with Surefield going deep. The deep ball to Waddle that he did catch was really created by

a pump fake on a cross to Tyreek Hill. It's coach talked AboutUs on Monday about Tyreek's commanding attention. Well, and we'll play that sound clip for you here at the end of the show. They're in too high and the boundary safety bites on the pump fake to it really sells this PUMPI to Tyreek and he comes up and takes himself out of the equation from that wide side of the field to open it up for Jalen Waddle, who's running that kind of post to the pylon. And

right now, that doesn't make any sense. It's it's a crossing route that looks like it's going to the pylon, but it winds up going to the post. And you got to give the field safety credit because he did keep depth and stayed on top of the route. But you see the boundary safety drive hard on that pump fake and then to gave his guy a shot. And since Jalen's that dude goes up and makes a play for thirty four yards very next play man, they could boot right into a Texans free runner. It didn't work.

The design of the play didn't work. But sometimes you need your players to make play when the play calls wrong. To who doesn't as much as anybody, He's got to stop, pivot and throw. And he throws from a possession, falling back, squared completely up with the middle of his shoulders both pointing towards his target, the apposite, the opposite of ideal. Right, but the balls there, Tres got out for a first down. It's so impressive because on plays like this, you're happy

if the quarterback to avoid a negative. Not only are we doing that, we're generating positive plays and situations like this and doing it with regularity. The sacks that to avoid it in the final two minutes of the half backed up on that one play, that's great, great stuff from your quarterback, and then throw it away, live to fight another day because you come back in his twenty five yards River Cracraft like save the play because this offense is good enough to execute on second and ten,

third and ten. Stay alive. That's the key, because you're so good and so efficient that you've got to stay alive because you always have a chance. We'll go ahead and finish here with another avoided sack from to a big completion at Cidric Wilson on the last drive of

the first half. Pressure immediately to twos right. He steps up off the spot and with more pressure from the left side because both tackles got ran back into the quarterback to a does this accelerated throwing motion where the ball is just up and out before that clean defender has a chance to put his hand on the ball. He was substantially closer to to Ah than Bradley Chubb was to Kyle Allen on his force fumble, and to

hasn't lost a fumble all year. In fact, he only has the one I believe on the season opener, stuff like this is why, oh, by the way, a strike to such a Wilson to move the chains to Let's go ahead and talk about Skylart Thompson before take our first break. Nice to see him get some extended to work. Just thought I was a little bit off on a couple of throws and not his best day. It looked more like the Jets game to me than the Vikings game, where he was late on some stuff. The hookup timing

was off. It never felt like he got into a rhythm, just off. He short hopped an open bootleg throw to Waddle and wasn't pulling the trigger on some open throws where we would take off and slide down for short gains opposed to trying to challenge the defense with the throwing the passing game. But again, this is the seventh round rookie, so it's not like some reason to panic or anything. It's just, you know, it's not like it's the second pick of the draft. He's got some some

things on tape to work on now. And you did see some of the natural ability from Skyler that makes you excited about his future. The ability to quick twitch get off the spot, the arm strength to drive the ball down the field. I loved that deep shot to Waddle that I'll take that shot nine times out of ten to Jitlan Waddle. Uh So, yeah, I got some good experience there. Not as best tape, but definitely some

stuff to work on there. For Scott Thompson, Let's go ahead and take our first break, and we're on into the quarterback position and we're about twenty minutes into this. Let's go ahead and take that break. Come back and to the rest of the offense and the defense planning to come. Here a Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. Back here on a All twenty two review edition of the Drive Time Podcast, your host Travis Wingfield. We talked about two at length.

Why wouldn't you let's go ahead and talk about the rest of the offense. Tyreek Hill. We mentioned this in the off season with the great Kurt Warner breakdown he did on YouTube. But the way that Tyreek is so detailed to take the extra steps to maximize windows and separation. I think, in addition to the speed obviously, is the real superpower of his game. Like, rather than accepting what a window is, he will drive and push the defender to the absolute brink, the absolute limit before making his

critical move at the top of the route. And it creates just an extra fraction of a second of hesitation. And it doesn't just help Tyreek, it helps his teammates get open. A good example of that is the catch he had on the opening drive of the second half, just slides a little bit into vacated space to maximize the window that his quarterback had to throw into. He was open, but he moved to more open space. He's one of the most quarterback friendly receivers I've ever seen

in my life. Jalen Waddle just love the way he can adjust for the way teams want to reroute or try to disrupt him off the stem by zone positioning or by physically you know, moving him. It doesn't matter. He has an answer for how to get through the contact or the obstacle without slowing his pace. It's big time stuff. I got to mention the two drops. I

just think it's ridiculous to harp on them. Beyond that for a guy who's you know, fifth in the league in receiving, and I know nobody's more upset with himself than Waddle for those he'll catch him next time. In fact, he did just a few plays later. That little arm over move he does to avoid contact and like almost build acceleration like he's down shifting somehow as a sprinter is becoming one of my favorite moves of any player

on this team. The only way to slow a player like that is to get hands on him, and he's able to avoid those strikes of the chess plate and it keeps him clean and it's it's just part of his great route writing skill set. How about that catch on the deep ball, Your five four two receiver conclimb the ladder and pull down a fifty ball garsh damn man. I think the touchdown. I think he had a touchdown on the pass right before the half where he slipped

out of his break. That ball was right where it needed to be, and knowing Jalen making grabs like that, I think it's a touchdown if he does not slip, and it happened on one of those really torn up areas of the field. So luckily no more Canes games this year for the Packers and Jets games at hard Rock Stadium, and hopefully some home playoff games as well. Trent Sherfield the catch on fourth down is so much

better than I originally thought. We lauded too for the work that goes into locating the ball there, but it was a little bit out in front and Trent had to pluck it off of his frame and kind of catch the back of the football with his hands and survive a hit from a hook linebacker. You see that ball hit the turf all the time. Tough catch to make. I'm glad we have that guy running that route and

that spot. Shirtfield has been fantastic River Cracraft Go Cougars. Uh. Tough Apple Cup for me, But you know, same player I've always loved going back to Washington State. Baby, good release to get off the line and shows you the urgency to get to the soft spot in the zone. And then, like his coach Wes Welker, just show your numbers of the quarterback and he'll put the ball on

you and you can get up field quickly. Nice hook up early in the second quarter to get back ahead of the chains after a deep miss ball to Trent Sherefield. That's what I'm talking about. Two listing out of negative plays second and ten. We feel good about that, so we can take those deep shots. We can negate negative plays and get back a second and ten because we have weapons across the board that can move the chains

on second and third and ten. Moving on to the running back position, Jeff Wilson wanted to note a play where he's in a nasty split on third and eleven on the last drive of the opening half. Nasty split means you're in tight to the formation, usually for extra blocking help, and that's what he does. He chips the end and then leaks out and picks up a first down on a reception on third and eleven. Great job by two of to find him on that check down and just a good job to do some dirty work.

Wilson then get paid off with the first down reception on the offensive line to Ron Armstead of every game, there's little nuances that I just don't think you see frequently around the league. On two US touchdown, he gets this late hand on Jerry Hughes, who's trying to bend the edge and it looks innocuous, but it knocks him off balance just enough to give to the extra fraction of a second. I love the way he's so patient and waits. It's like a receiver having quiet hands at

the catchpoint. He waits to throw his hands until the absolute last minute, and it just allows him to get in good positions, stay on balance, and get power behind that strike. He is an elite player, man. I hope he's gonna be okay. We'll have an update for you on that. Just one second earlier, on the drive, he sets his landmark and redirects back inside on a spin move, and the rep is just over. Like, I don't think you can fool that guy. And that's what we talk

about quiet hands. Like you want to show that upfield rush. I know you cannot potentially go around the outside edge. I know you can potentially spin back inside, but I'm ready for you, big guy. Whatever you want to do, let's do it. I'll shut you down right here. It's clockwork with him. Connor Williams. I have such an appreciation

for the way he stays on blocks. The entire idea behind defensive line play and pass rushing is to create momentum one way and then snapped back the other way and hopefully eliminate the offensive lineman's ability to readirect with you.

There's a rep where the three technique, you know, off the outside shoulder of the guard slants all the way inside trying to push poll Williams on his pass rush, and when he goes to disengage problem, Connor still latched on and the rep just sort of ends like crime penetration, crime penetration, and then just sort of ends. Austin Jackson I loved his work in the run game last year, and I thought we saw more of that in this game. I like the way he fires off the ball and

seeks out contact. It's exactly what this offense calls for, right. A couple of good snaps for Austin Jackson, his first game doing just that. However, I did think it was a rough start back for Austin Jackson. Gave gave Way a lot of bull rushes. Guys got into his chest plate and took him back to the quarterback. He gave up the inside post on a one pressure on two a pretty early in the game, fell off some blocks.

Just not his his best game. He seemed better from Auston Jackson before a lot of instances where he's trying to shorten the runway and the rusher initiates contact while he's still getting into that set up. As we talked about with the late hands from from Toron Armstead, you're showing your move early and it's causing the anchors never get dropped and he gets walked back into the quarterback as a result of that. We'll see about his injury here in a minute as well. Brandon Shell, it wasn't

good at left tackle for him. It's not been pretty much out there at the left tackle position. Both perimeters, besides Armstead's reps were allowing bull rushes into the quarterbacks lap all day. Rob Jones really digging his work man. The mass he offers really compliments the quick set up passing game. A bigger service area to get around on catch rock throw just makes it tougher for those defenders to do anything from a pressure standpoint against guy that's

three five pounds. It's it's nice when you have two of those guys at guard, by the way, both named Rob, which is perfect. He had a wall off block where he beat the guy to the spot so bad that he drove him to the second level. And it goes back to what Matt apple Bomb said about moving guys against their will with regards to Rob Jones, just pushing people around put them on their back. It's fun to watch.

He had an awesome rep holding play side early in the fourth quarter on a short Wilson run where he just wiped out the force defender. So some good stuff from sixty five. I thought Rob Hunt had an uncharacteristically off game in this one. There's a negative run play where he pulls and just runs over the backer in the B gap, or I should say overruns the backer in the B gap who winds up making the tackle. That's usually his bread and butter, but he just missed

it here. His feet got staggnant on one pass rush rep where he is out over his skis and the defensive tackle repositions his hands and redirects back inside. He pushed Polls and leaves Rob on the ground. So just he's been great all year. Not his best game. That's okay, though. Alec Ingold great block to clear the lane and make it a very obvious opening for Heafa's touchdown run. Jeff Wilson's touchdown run like, here's my target run off thirties back,

cut it inside for a touchdown. He was the touchdown maker on that play. In my opinion, I thought Dr Smith had one of his best reps in the year on his split flow action where the low the edge tried to go low and he got even lower and pancake him on the first play. And I just love the way he made himself available for two on that touchdown pass, feels himself coming open and throws his hands up killa here man, I'm open. Good stuff. Let's go

ahead and move on to the defense here. We'll do the film and then we'll go ahead and take our last break. They were doing some really cool stuff in this game from a rotation standpoint to get Javon Holland down around the football more like down around the box more where they were starting too high with him and McKinley and really almost playing interchangeable because McKinley is more of a free safety than like, you know, Brandon Jones, for instance, but he's coming downhill more javan Is than

he previously was. And I thought McKinley played a pretty heavy hand in that happening on Sunday. Both McKinley and Roe played some of the post and you see Holland just hovering around more being around the football as a result of that, which is obviously a good thing. The Dolphins had really good spacing in this game in terms of how the zone coverage is rotated and passed off and picked up players. There wasn't like these bust or

big vacancies for guys to run into. It seems to me the communication was really good and some of the upside that comes from that is the takeaway opportunities where if you're playing effective zones and you're in the right spot and you're not turning guys free, gets more eyes in the quarterback, and when guys make a mistake like Kyle Allen to Van Gingol or to McKinley, it can create takeaway opportunities. As far as the players, it's rents

repeat with Christian Wilkins. First play, chucks a guy out of the building and gets there for the stop. Next series, swims a man chases down the run from the backside for a tackle for loss. He collapsed the interior pocket a couple of times, and I feel the exact same way about Zach Seler. Every single week just dependable, does his job, is versatile, makes a couple of splash plays. Move on to the next game. Both of those guys are so good. I think ray Kwon Davis has quietly

been going about his business now for a while. You're just not seeing a lot of movement when guys try to get down blocks on him, especially with double teams. He holds the point really well. He really has been utilizing the length to control reps early, like throw the hands and just be a tree stump. And because of the length he can lock guys out at a time and time again in this game, Jalen Phillips might be my favorite player. He's getting really close to it. Jalen

Waddle still my guy, but Jalen's there. I like the Jeelan's I guess I kind of like him all I kind of like my whole team really, you know, uh, Phillips is his motor is crazy. The backside chased down that he had on Kyle Allen on that third down play is just the next example of his motor running as hot as anybody. I don't know what you can say about him anymore in that regard. He's been one of the most consistent players on the whole team this year.

And what's cool about that is that it's not consistent in terms of his role. Like he'll rush the edge with speed, I'll do it with power. He operates as the screen center on pick stunts. He'll rush from the three technique. He'll set a hard edge outside. Like his sack was an upfield rush from the three technique where he swats the outside hand of the guard, puts a foot in the ground, and then spins into his body

to get that inside force. And because you get pressure from Bradley Chubb off the other side, Alan stepped right up into that spin move for a big sack for Jalen Phillips rookie class man. Gosh, it is hard to get much better than what Miami got from Waddle Phillips in Holland. It is. That's a It's an all time group, man. We saw a lot of those pass rush packages where

you can really dial up anything you want. Third long, you know, we get Ingram Phillips, Chubb, Wilkins out there together with some Duke Riley running some rush games as well. There are some really awesome sub package opportunities this team has when it's third long. Speaking of Duke Riley and the linebackers, Baker Roberts and Duke, I thought are all

playing really well. With Jerome, he's covering so much ground, which is nothing new, but he is like playing through contact at a level that, frankly, I'm not sure we've seen before. Like he's going and getting blocks. He's wriggling through when there's a chance to win with speed and quickness.

But I think he's got some guys confused on best how to block him because at that second level, he's defeating blocks both with quickness and physicality, and that's that's as good as a running back that can do that, right. It's it's been cool to see him really take ownership of his his position here and really play some good football here for the Dolphins. Duke Riley running some rush games has been fun to watch. How a potential, you know, part of a sack there with Melvin Ingram running the

long route around. I just love what his speed and explosiveness does to open some things up. He can turn that corner like an end and play backwards like a linebacker. It's just no surprise to see him getting an upticking snaps these last couple of games, Alanton Roberts absolutely obliterated the running back on his sack. He scrapes in tight to the line and runs right through the last line of defense, gets to the quarterback for a big sack.

How about Melvin Ingram's crossover step putting guys and the absolute blender the first act, we have the right tackle sets wide and he just blows by with that crossover step to the inside post and it's over. That's the worst place you can get beat, and he's in there immediately. You've got similar action from Seiler inside and of course

Duke ran that loop around the outside. Really, it was just a beautiful play that was executed and really doomed from three different gaps with Seiler, Ingram, and Duke all occupying one of those gaps. That edge that he set on the end around Melvin Ingram to start the third quarter was such a veteran play. Keep the outside shoulder free, key the flow and then sprint to the perimeter to make the back of the receiver bubble back inside. What

a what a game from Melvin Ingram? What have an addition he has been Bradley Chubb's force fumble was a ridiculous display of athletic ability. The Texans dial up a bunch to his side, so he has this wide alignment to contend with a tight end and wide receiver on top of Larynietunsel being right there. Chubb negates that by just going a long way around, fights through a chip of the receiver, which is easy work for him, and then an instant pass rush win on the tight end

also not a good matchup for the tight end. Then turn the corner and show the length to lay out and get a hand on the football. That's why you

pay a first round pick for that guy. That's a rare play that can change football games, and a closer game probably would have Andrew Van Geeko cover a dump off pass coming from depth and cutting it down short of the sticks to create a third down, a third down that would get Miami a stop on defense play before the play candidate, he does stuff like that every

single week. Did a great job on the pick of honoring the run, getting up field, but then quickly retracing and getting depth backwards and because of that puts himself in position to capitalize on a misfire from the Houston quarterback. I thought we got vintage Xaviing Howard on the dig that he nearly picked, no waste and movement going from depth to breaking in like he's getting depth to the receiver,

you know, going upfield. And then the minute the receiver puts the foot in the ground and breaks it inside. Like the way he pivots and opens the hips to get to that spot was also smooth, like running the route for the receiver. The balls a bit behind, but I think that x was getting his hands in the ball anyway. Just a classic Xaviing Howard played to undercut that inn breaker and then his block on Van Ginkl's interception run back. That's a guy who loves his teammates. Man,

great great example there of playing for one another. Another week more cater Co who playing off screens, he spins out of a block and forces the receiver to bubble. Then we come back in the next quarter and he damn near picks one off by keying it the entire way, and honestly he beat the receiver to the spot. But it's somehow wedges in there for a completion and then a tackle for loss. But man, I am impressed by

something he does every single week. Eric Roe seems to have found a really nice role in this defense, hanging out in the curl flats and playing a more physical brand of rallying up and tackling in addition to his work in the running game. We know about the force fumble, but man, the effort is what gets me. Because it's third and twenty third and a mile. The play is dead, the series is over. The balls in the tight ends hands fifteen yards short of the sticks and there are

three defenders there. But Roe doesn't rest on the laurels. He comes in and puts a perfect strike on Aikins and jars the ball free after Cohu has yet another textbook form tackle. Then of course X picks it up and it's a Sunday stroll into the end zone for the boys. I think you see this relationship between Javon Holland and Rohan McKinley starting to kind of take hold back there, the relationship of went to rotate when kind of cheat inside a little bit because you have me

over the top on this play. They played really well as a tandem and I thought, you know, of course a trio when you factor in Eric rohe into the game. But McKinley's interception, you know, was an example of that where he wheeled out and Javon came down and robbed the potential crossing route. But his I N T. McKinley's looks like a routine catch, but you see him flowing before the balls even in the air. He was known for his prep in college. Got a taste of it there.

And then Javon Holland man just always around the football, quick movement, shutting things down, capping off deep routes. People are not getting much completions in the ten plus yard range on this defense, and Javon Holland continues to be a big reason for that. Let's go ahead and take our last break right here. We'll come back on the other side and do some statistics for you. Got y'all,

you guys, guys goals. That's next Draft Time Podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Autnation, segment number three on a busy edition of the Drivetime Podcast. Let's go ahead and get the stats, the leaderboards, and all that fun stuff from around the web. As twelve weeks are in the books, or eight and three. Miami Dolphins first place Miami Dolphins to on twenty plus eight yard

throws was two for four with fifty eight yards. He was eight for fourteen for one thirty one in the ten to nineteen intermediate range all ten plus yard air throws ten for eighteen one nine. Clockwork for that dude. He was blitzed uf on four of his attempts. He completed three of them for forty nine yards. He was not blitzed on thirty two attempts completed nineteen of those is for two hundred and fifty yards and a touchdown.

The touchdown pass that scramble sack evasion that came with six point seven seconds time to throw, which is the longest time to throw on a completion in his career. For the season, not much has changed. He's in first place in passer rating QBR, touchdown percentage, yards per attempt, adjusted yards per dropback, net yards per attempt, and e p A per play. The passer ratings one fifteen point

seven the qbrs eighty two point seven. He's throwing touchdowns on six point seven percent of his passes, averaging nine yards per pass attempt, as e p A is still right back at that point one nine right above Patrick Mahomes, which you know he's the top Mahomes and all these categories. Basically, it's it's it's two of Mahomes and most of these categories he is second completion percentage sixty nine point seven percent completion. His interception percentage of one point one is

third behind Brady and Hurts. His two eight four point nine passing yards per game is fourth, and his four point one percent sack percentage also four, so top five. Like the twelve most important categories. Uh he thirteen in total yards, which is crazy because he missed two and a half games, and tied for sixth in total touchdown passes.

His plus two point eight completion percentage over expected fourth, His two point six time to throw his fourth quickest, and his nine point to intended air yards is third more most in the NFL. Receiving Craikraft led the way with five point five yards per route rand. Remember we want to be over two yards. He more than double what's good in that number. Thirteen point eight yards per target a great number there as well, and twenty two yacht yards. Tyreek was next with two point four three

yards per route ran, a great number for him. He leads the NFL in that category, also had nine point four four yards per target and twenty nine yacht yards of his own. Waddles at two point one eight yards per route ran so three guys really high production in the receiver room this week eight point five yards per target, thirteen yards after the catch. Cedric caught two for three for twenty six and Sherefield caught two of five for thirty three. The Dolphins will enter Week thirteen with two

top five receiving leaders in terms of yards. Tyreke is one with one thousand, two hundred and thirty three and Waddle is fifth with nine hundred and sixty three. The rank is the same for first downs. Hill is first with fifty six, ahead of Travis Or tied with Travis Kelsey, and Waddles fifth with forty six first downs. Waddles also tied for seventh and touchdowns he had six, and of course Tyreeks eight seven catches lead the NFL rushing numbers.

Not much room on Sunday one ten yard run from Miles Gaskin, who also led the team with three point six yards after initial contact. Sorry with that uh quarterback pressures, Armstead none in twenty eight pass blocking snaps. The rest of the guys played every snap except for Austin Jackson missed one at the end of the game. But pressure numbers Armstead zero, Rob Jones three, Connor Williams one, Rob Hunt one, in Austin Jackson six and Brandon Shell five

On just twenty three pass blocking snaps. There were seven team pressures on fifty one drop backs, a thirty three point three percent pressure rate. That number, as you know, is up from the last few weeks. Defensively pressures, Phillips had five, Chubb and Ingram had four, Wilcolms had, Welcomes Wilkins had three, and ray Kwon Davis had two. Eight guys had one pressure in the game. Phillips is tied for eight among all PFF edge defenders with forty five

quarterback pressures. He's also tied for sixteenth run stops. Really blossoming here in your number two run stops. Phillips had an Era, both had four in the game. Seiler, Wilkins and Baker all had three. Apiece Cohu and Row had two.

Five guys had one run stop in the game. Coverage snaps yards allowed and how many snaps there on the field four x was out there for forty seven snaps and did not allow a single yard over two passing against Xavian Howard where the Houston Texans is hometown Houston Texans. Javon Holland out there for forty six coverage snaps. He

allowed just eleven yards receiving in the game. Cohu forty three snaps, twelve yards allowed, crossing thirty one snaps, twelve yards allowed, Eric Row thirty seven snaps, forty eight yards allowed. Good numbers across the board. Let's go ahead and get you the snap counts here. Real quick talked about the

offensive line. Three guys went distance. Hunt Jones and Williams Jackson played seventy of the seventies six snaps you had, whereas Brandon Shell thirty nine snaps for Shell, we had thirty seven for Toron Armstead and six snaps for Greg little To only played fifty five snaps. That's the workload. Skylert Thompson finished the rest of the way with one snaps of his own. Jeff Wilson saw a big bump and UH and snap counts this week. Forty six snaps

lead the running backs. Up next was Miles Gasking with twenty six snap counts. That was it for the offense you had. Alec Ingold played thirty four snaps at receiver, Waddle forty seven lead the way, Just nice little break there for him and the rest of the guys. Trent Sherfield forty six snaps was second, Tyreek Hill forty five snaps. Again, those guys have been really neck and neck all the

last few weeks. Here as your top three guys, said, Wilson got thirty three snaps and River Cravecraft got twenty five. On defense, Holland Cohu and Howard played the entire game all sixty one snaps. Rogue gets a big lift and snap counts fifty five for him is nine and then we get a big drop off here for guy to get some rest, which is good because Christian Wilkins plays a billion snaps every single week, got some time off this week. Forty four snaps is a decrease from his

usual output. Forty three for sealer, Ray Kuan played twenty seven snaps, John Jenkins gave you sixteen, and Justin Zimmer gave you thirteen snaps as well. The newcomer there at the linebacker spot we had, let's go edge spot. Actually, Chubb played thirty eight, same as Phillips, same number of snaps there for those guys Ingram thirty six. Let's see Van Ginkal twenty three snaps. So there you go. Pretty good rotation there at the off ball linebacker position. We had.

Duke Riley played thirty one snaps in the game, A big jump for him. There. Where's Jerome at on this list? Why can't I find him? Oh? He played thirty four snaps, and then Elandon Roberts played thirty So good mixed there for those guys as well, pretty much across the board. And then the defensive backfield talked about those guys that played most of the snaps in the game. Ronan McKinley gave you twenty two, Clayton Federland gave you two, and

Elijah Campbell gave you one. Let's go ahead and finish up here with three sound bites from head coach Mike McDaniels Monday afternoon press conference. He started by telling us that to Ron armstays Peck injury is one that we're going to monitor and kind of get some more information on after the injury settles a little bit. Season specialist gets some more information there, and he said he is confident. We'll see to rn arm said again this season, which

of course is great news. But rested up. Get well soon, big fella. We need you. As far as Austin Jackson, he said, it was the same injury, the same angle, but not the same injury. No timeline, they're either same story on Byron Jones and we'll go ahead and play three sound clips for you here. First, the question towards coach about the Niners game and going back home to face his former team. How he feels about that it's

all about the players, says coach McDaniel. I will do everything in my power to make it UM another game, because I think that should be the objective of any head coach, is that you make it about the players. And I really straight away from UM making anything about me, I just don't believe in it. UM. I think that I have a very high and of the Forty Nights

franchise and players, coaches, staff members, UM. You know, I have a lot of love for anybody that I work with, especially for UM that that extended period of time, so that those relationships and people UM will always matter to me. But in terms of this week. Uh, I do it will be odd for a second, for sure to be in a different locker room, or pulling up UM on the bus in a weird area, or UM being on a different sideline. For for a second, I'm assuming just

odd as an abnormal. But after that, you know, my my obligation is not to My obligation is to serve UM each in, every player and coach and and try to get the best out of them. And nowhere in that equation has anything to do with my past history and travels. So that's why I don't UM. When I say it's not what it's not about me, I really really mean it. Um. I do understand that there is um Ah, I do understand where people are coming from

and thinking it's that way. That's just that's just me personally, and UM just a philosophy that I that i'm is strong and near my heart. I wanted to ask coach about Jalen Waddle's preparation, the comment that two of made after the game on Sunday about the way that Jalen

works in the detailed direction of his game. I wanted to ask coach about was there a time you know, obviously we knew you were a fan of his coming out of college and when you got here the Wattle Wattle comment on the LeBatard Show, But I wanted to ask him, is there a moment where you really really is to this guy is not just a physical freak, but also why are the right way? Here's coach talking

about Jillen Waddles preparation. I love the way he worked in O T A S UM and you know, it's very very high on him coming out of college and had and it was obvious an no TIS that I really liked the human being and UM definitely believed in him really coming back from UM summer break and yeah, you don't have any time to learn or and you don't assume anything. I didn't know how he's gonna come back UM, because that can be a very, UM huge, huge time for a receiver, a young receiver, especially in

a new offense. Is what do you do over UM between O T A S and training camp to prayer yourself for an NFL season? And and I was as encouraged by his UM. I was as encouraged by him as any other player UM in terms of how he came back ready to play. So it was obvious early and he's as we've gone on it, very talented players

aren't always that that hungry to be coached. Um. You get you have a lot of success as a very talented player, uh, and a lot of times, you know, I've experienced players feeling as though coaching is an insult. He is UM quite the opposite. You know. He he keeps learning each and every week, and he is not UM. It's always a guy has a chance to be really,

really good and chase greatness in this league. If you have a ton of talent, but you're constantly hoping that yesterday's version was um the worst version of yourself that you'll see moving forward, that you're constantly getting better. And that's something that he has proven to his teammates that

he he's a really good player. We have to rely on him to make plays for us to play the style of football we want to play, and his teammates rely on him and trust him, and I know that each and every week he's going to do put his best foot forward, um too, to be the best version of himself. Yesterday offered a great opportunity for him to improve. There was some stuff in the game that he'll tell you that he definitely could have done better and some

situations UM that he encountered. It was the first time in the offense that he encountered UH this season. So there's UH timing nuances and and route running nuances that he's going to continue to progress. And that's why we got the Dolphin's got a good one in him. Let's go ahead and finish up here on a very long edition of the Drift Time podcast with a question for coach about Tyreek Hill's impact not just with what he does by himself, but what he does for the entire

team in the entire offense. Here's Coach on Tyreek Hill. I guess the receiver position has always been unbelievably important because they you know, you look at a receiver in their average yards per catches generally longer than the first down, which means UM, uh, they they move the ball UM

when they are when they're involved. They I think as are during my career, you've seen UM different applic cations of you utilizing the receiver position UM in the areas of the run game, pass protection, UM, the other phases two try to stay ahead of defenses. I think that's something that's growing to a degree. UM. Having receivers do some things that normally tight ends do UM. I think that's different. Uh. And I think UH in in general UM,

people have found ways to get receivers the ball more. Henceforth, UH. You know, I think that the receptions UM a year record has gone up. I can't remember what it was when I first started UM, but it was incrementally. You've seen people UM get bigger and bigger numbers at that position. So when you are able to find ways to get people the ball more, they can be a bigger part

of the offense. And I think that UM when push comes to shove the with the amount of talent at the quarterback positions league, where guys can put place the ball down the field in really tight windows, there's no coverage or UM, there's no coverage or defensive philosophy or matchup that can replicate having an elite player at that position. And Tyreek Hill is somebody that defenses have to account for on every play, and just by that, he can not only make plays for you, but he affects every

other player on the field. When you talk about people affecting, whether it's a coverage check or UM. It's a the safety is cheating UM to a to his side. Start. UM being on the minds of every offensive player or every defensive player and coach. UH, you have indirectly affected

the game and in an unbelievable way. So he he is a big time player for US, UM, but he affects the game specifically more than a stat sheet can really UM really do justice because every player he's in the game, UM, you know you're it would be hard. You'd be hard pressed to think that UM. In a majority of those the defensive coordinator would be calling UM the exact same call if he didn't exist or they they wouldn't be emphasize it. It's kind of like talking

about UM. You know Nick nick Bosa in that regard where you're very aware of where where he's at. And I think that UM is a huge deal, but even bigger deal when he's a captain voted by his peers that continues to progress UM and his and evolve as a as a leader in a and someone that that dictates and sets the tone UM for the way your your team approaches football and when you're when you're when the highest paid player on your team, UM has no doesn't blank at doing the dirty work. Um, the residuals

are profound for sure. All Right, I think we're pushing about an hour here on this edition of the Drive Time Podcast. I'm gonna go ahead and get out of here right now. Subscribe, rate review, follow me all that fun stuff. Phish Tank spaces on Wednesday night at eight o'clock postgame show. Check out the team YouTube channel for

media availabilities and Dolphins Today. You can find all of Mike McNeal's andrews from today's media availability as well as mimmi dolphins dot Com Until next time finds up Caroline Daddy's Coming Home m h