Week 5 Dolphins at Buccaneers Preview

and the defending world champion Buccaneers. Will go position by position, give you the tape study, breakdown the key stats and tendencies. I'll give you my three key to the game, tell you how the Dolphins win. And the most in depth preview show out there regarding your Miami Dolphins, each and every week from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist

Health Training Complex. This is the Drive Time Podcast. So the Buccaneers are up next, the defending world champions, a team that has just loaded up on name talent and a coaching staff that has found the mix to develop that team chemistry quickly enough to make them champions in year number one under a new quarterback in Tom Brady under center, and it took them some time last year

to get things cranking. Remember, they were swept by the New Orleans Saints, including a thirty eight to three loss in Week nine, part of a streak where they dropped three out of four games heading into their week thirteam by week, But then it all changed for that club. They picked up four straight wins to close it out at eleven and five. Then it was three tight playoff games before one of the more dominant Super Bowl performances in recent memory to claim their second Lombardi Trophy there

in franchise history. And what was their story all off season long? It was about how they brought literally and not just saying like everyone literally every one back. They have stars at every position between Brady, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown looks like Pittsburgh a B again, Gronk, Ryan Jensen, Tristan Works, Ali Marpett, Alex Cappa, as well as Donovan Smith upfront, Shack Barrett, Jason, Pierre Paul and Donmackin, Sue Vitave,

Devon White, Lavonte, David Antoine Winfield. Now Gronk is banged up and same at the cornerback position with Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy bunting. But every group has dudes on this football team, and arians found his conduit offensively to the players in Byron Leftwich. And they've also got Todd

Bowls on that defense. Just a loaded roster and a loaded coaching staff who are going to be prepared for this Miami Dolphins team comes Sunday, and why don't we start, as we do every preview pod, with the opposing quarterback. He's a good one. First, the Miami safeties and so you know about Tom Brady, twenty years in the league at a very high level, seven Super Bowl championships, insanely polished pocket management and mobility. This guy prepares as well

as anybody ever has. And the frustrating thing about Tom is that you can put together a good pass rush and it's not like the Kyler's and the Lamars of the world. But he's going to find the one vacancy in that mess around him when there is pressure where he can get to his spot and get his mechanics right to drive the football. And that's another thing. It's not just driving the football. He has the compliment of

a fastball a touch pass. Anytime he has to alter his throw for the route and the coverage, he's got no problem doing it. So you can choose to play zone against this guy, but he's probably gonna pick you apart you play a man. He's gonna find the matchup he likes. It's up to you to win that matchup, and then if you lighten the box to help out in coverage, he'll just get to the right run check and find a way to beat you, like you know

the drill. This guy is as tough as they come, and the only way teams have ever really had success against him in his entire career, and it's few and far between, is really collapsing those step up lanes and consistently winning one on one pass rush matchups that push him off the spot while simultaneously filling the gaps that

he wants to get to. And the safety matchup on Tom to me is more about Miami just trying to match up and win to execute, because you can mix it up for sure, and I'm sure Flores and Bowyer will mix it up plenty here, But if you think you're going to confuse him for sixty minutes, well I've got a bridge for sale for you or something like that, And Flores said as much in his Wednesday media that if you think you can confuse Tom Brady for entire

sixty minutes, like you've got another thing coming. So that brings us to the safety matchups. We'll go ahead and just parlay that into our next segment here with the cornerbacks and receivers. But first, real quick, some numbers on Brady versus the blitz for thirty nine this season with eight point six yards per past three touchdowns and a pick, but also when he's not blitzed, seven point nine yards

per past seven touchdowns and two picks. So damn if you do, damn if you don't right well to finish that point when under pressure, and the blitz numbers really indicate that they're getting pressure with four on this guy and really any quarterback. I mean, that's that's how this

lead works. Seven and coverage with pressure is tough to be right, that's the way to go for Tom Brady nineteen for forty when he's under pressure with five point six yards per pass, but the touchdown interception ratio is still very good at three to zero, and just looking at his splits there are two segments of the field where Tom is not currently killing it, and I'm not entirely sure what to make of that. Maybe you guys

can help me out with what this means. But twenty plus yards outside right of the numbers, which that's the strong side for a right handed quarterback. I think he's three for fourteen, but with a hundred and three yards on those three completions with a touchdown and a pick, and then the intermediate the ten to nineteen yard range to the left, so like almost the opposite throw three of nine for sixty one yards, no touchdowns or picks.

So are those levels you want to try to force him into, like the smash concept on the right side of the field, or some you know, some crossers to the left side of the field, whatever the case may be, do you want to force him into those areas? Are those just kind of flukey things? I'm not really sure what to make of that, but those are the numbers I found on Pro Football Focus. Now, down the middle,

and this is confirmed by tape over the years. At any level down the middle, he's very good, completing fifty seven for seventy six for six d sixty six yards. Interesting number there eight point seven six yards per attempt. So I think that the middle of the fields an area that you have to pay attention to, and that's particularly where the safety's come into play, right, And I'm glad, We're just I'm just glad we're not playing this guy twice a year anymore. So onto the next position group

receivers and tight ends versus the Miami DBS. Now, Gronk has not been ruled out this week. He missed last week in Foxboro, and if he's in there, that makes a big difference for the Bucks offense, both in the run game in the passing game. Few are better blockers in the run game off the edge, and he's still an absolute threat in the passing game to boot and you will likely need to win that matchup with one man a lot because of all the other weapons that

they feature. Like to me, that's Eric Rowe's best ability. And we heard him talk about his frustration with the matchup on Moli Cox last Sunday on that touchdown in the Colts game. I would rust Ero for a bounce back here, and I think that's your best bet on Gronkowski. So if you want to double someone in this offense. Who would that be. I'm not sure there is a good option for this Dolphins defense against or any defense

rather against that Bucks offense. So now Byron Jones was out there at practice on Wednesday, and if he's not okay to go, then we'll have you know, Xavian Howard, Nick Needham, just justin Coleman and Noah eg Boogamy is some of your options about there. But I think you'd also consider some of your safety options and their ability

to come down and match up as well. Like, for instance, McCarthy, Jones, and Holland have all played matchup football at one point or another in their careers in terms of matching up on receivers, and perhaps Holland is your post safety and some of those man free looks where you press guys to the line try to disrupt the timing of the quick game. Because nine seven of a hundred and seventy throws have come within ten yards of the line of scrimmage.

So there's a chance for Miami to really prove their strength in that area, to play that tight man coverage on the perimeter as well as inside on the receivers. Mike Evans twelve TI gets last week, They're gonna throw him the football. I think that at Xavien Howard matches up well with him physically as far as the stature, because Mike is so good and contested catches if they

want to go there. You know, Evans does average three point two yards of separation, up from two point eight last season, so it's not like he's not capable of separating. But he has such a reputation around the league for a contested catch fiend that he is because he's been top five in that category just about every single year of his career. And the reason I'm curious about a possible at max up with X is that I think the Dolphins are gonna have to get takeaways in this

game to come out victorious, and they will. They will throw the ball to Mike Evans regardless. They pumped the ball to him twelve targets last week. They throw to him all season long, and I want X to get some chances at making plays on the football. He has two off of Brady so far in his career in terms of interceptions. Good time here to get a third. What about Antonio Brown and eleven targets last week? They know who they like to throw the football too. They

don't shy away from it. Byron Jones can he go? If he does. I like the way he matches up athletically with Antonio Brown on who is really one of the best route runners of all time. And I think we're seeing that kind of come back into the frame here with Antonio Brown after the end of his Pittsburgh time and then the Oakland era and then the Patriots and then leaving there and coming back down to Tampa Bay. I think he's really put it all back together for himself.

So if Byron can't go, though, is that no way? Bean Agaeny? Is that Elijah Campbell? Is it? Maybe Nick Needum, maybe it's Xavian Howard. Options are there, but I would love to see Byron Jones get that matchup if he can go in this game, and then Chris Godwin, I think this might be a good spot for Nick need Um to rise to the challenge. Who's had a good start to the season and a good start to his

career so far. We talked about him matching up with some of the best slots in the league last year, from Cooper Cup to Tyler Boyd to Jamison Crowder and how good of a job he did on those guys. Chris Godwin plays primarily in the slots, maybe that's his matchup inside, and then Justin Coleman, maybe he plays inside that nickel as well, especially if Byron's down. I would imagine that Nick Needum could get an elevated snap count and play perimeter, and then Coleman comes in the nickel

situations perhaps and plays that nickel spot. But that's been his bread and butter inside and I think he'll match up based upon who goes inside slash outside. Like last week, Chris Godwin was in the slot for sixty five percent of the snaps, then Cameron Bait was second at slot snaps, played with fifteen percent of his work coming inside. So they will run twelve personnel and utilize both Rob Gronkowski

and O. J. Howard in line. Both those guys play in line roughly like seventy five percent of the time, so they're gonna keep those guys in tight to the formation to help with the run and passing game. With Brad as essentially a souped up slot receiver to operate from the same eleven and twelve personnel packages without having to make a substitution. That's something you look to get with your tight end position. Is that flexibility inside outside.

We talked about with Hunter Long and what he can do as far as having that versatility when he develops here full time, hopefully, I think you have that with Cameron brad as well as those other Buccaneers tight ends. And in fact, to that point, eleven personnel they run at sixty seven percent of the time and they have a sixty five percent success rate on running plays. There's

your tight end flexibility at work. Then when they go twelve personnel with two tight ends in the field, they have a fifty nine percent pass rate success us wise. So they find a good They do a good job of getting up those personnel packages that draw a specific type of defense, and then they run counter to what that defense can defend at its best. And here in Tampa Bay, thirteen personnel six percent of the time and ten personnel, which is one tight end, no one back,

no tight ends rather and four receivers. They run that four percent of the time, so a nice mix, but primarily two thirds of the time eleven personnel, and that's this is the gold standard matchup for me in this game. Those guys versus our guys. But one of the keys is going to be how Miami applies pressure to make that matchup really more difficult on those guys. And that's gonna be a massive challenge against this Bucks team as we get into our next matchup here with the Buccaneers

offensive line versus the Dolphins defensive line. And I listen those three names off the top, actually listen is all five of them. I change my script there on myself, but all five of the offensive linemen are damn good. Like pressures allowed and pass blocking snaps are these numbers right here, Like they've all played all two two pass

blocking snaps, but pressures allowed. Donovan Smith left tackle eleven, I'll emr Pett left guard eight, Ryan Jensen center seven, Alex Kappa the right guard seven, and then Tristan Warps at right tackle has allowed just five pressures on two pass blocking snaps. That's one every fifth, less than fifty thirty. I don't know math, but it's not it's good. It's

very very good. So they're tough, especially that second year right tackle who was named to Pro Football Focuses All Pro first Team, which coincides with plenty of pundits that I read and talked to and and you know, talk football with all the time, believing he could have been a first team a p All Pro last season. He was that good as a rookie. Now, nobody has surrendered multiple sacks on their offensive line this season. In fact,

only one sack has been charged to either tackle. That was Donovid Smith back in Week two against the Falcons. So getting those guys is both tough, surely through the matchup, but also by the fact that Brady is just so hard to get from those angles off the tackle. Because the other four sacks this Bucks team has surrendered this year and just six and four games is very very good obviously, are attributed to a center, a guard, tight end,

and running back. So mugging up those backers and finding a way to get home through those games and slants and stunts and twists and creating rush lanes inside might be the best route forward here. And that's assuming that you can stump Brady with regards to getting the protection call sorted out, which is a whole another animal on his own right. But from a talent standpoint, Ryan Jensen to me is as good as they come. I was very intrigued by his free agency a few years back.

I think it was like seventeen or eighteen when he signed with the Bucks, leaving Baltimore. Such a good player, uh, and both not just the talent but the technical refinement that he plays with. Like I saw this clip. He does a lot of work on the offensive Line Masterminds with Duke Mayweather or is it many Manu Weather. I forget the way you pronounce his last name. Duke Mayweather the offensive line guru. He does the offensive Line Masterminds camp every summer and he comes in there and talks

about things that he sees and does. And there was a clip of him talking about how to accentuate to the referee like that you're being held where you spin out of this move and then it kind of forces the defensive lineman to reach out too far over his skis and fall forward. And I saw that in the in the Bucks Patriots game on Sunday, Like it's really high level thinking stuff. And then also his will and the way he frustrates guys with just kind of how

he plays. He's kind of that kid that gets under your skin on the playground type of player, tough, tough, matchup, and he plays so hard. It would be nice to see ray Kwon Davis get back to battle with him. Otherwise, I think Adam Butler's speed and get off is a trait to look forward there too in that potential matchup. Then the two guards, it's not a whole lot different finding a way to get their protection out of sorts, but not committing those extra rushers too frequently. That's kind

of a balance and challenge you have there. You need to see Christian Wilkins continue to win his one on ones inside this week. That's big time. And then, just because I feel like it's worth mentioning, I'm also super intrigued by this og ball and worst matchup. Good on good og Balls off to another strong start this season, and if he can get Christian Tristian worths Man, that would be an impressive win on his belt so far this season. Then real quick, just because I think he's

heating up right now. Jalen phil Ups versus Donovan Smith is a key matchup to watch. He needs to go out there and beat Smith consistently, in addition to getting those wins inside to force Tom Brady off the top of his drop from the blind side and create more pressure inside tough, tough asks. I know, but that's what's gonna be asked up to be defending world champion in their own building. Moving onto the Tampa Bay running backs

versus the Miami linebackers. We mentioned the running back sack aloud that was charged to Ronald Jones, And look, this Bucks team can go run heavy, they can go past heavy, they can balance it. But one thing you have to keep an eye on for sure is Rojoe out of the backfield and he can exploit the one on one matchups he might get, and he has the speed to burn and taking the distance. I'll never forget watching him go eighty five yards down the field for a touchdown

at Martin Stadium, go Coog's back. When w SU took out number five ranked USC back in the day. That was a fun time. But now, if there's one thing you might look at here with the Bucks splits, Leonard Fournette has forty four carries and Roe Joe has twenty one. It's four point two yards per carry for four net three point seven for Roe Joe. And maybe this is a bit of a stretch, but maybe there's a bit of a tendency there with regards to run past election

based upon the running back in the game. Because four net he's going to challenge your ability to tackle. He has seven four Smiths tackles on the season, so one about every six or so carries, And we talked about Miami needing to tackle better this week. You gotta bring bodies to the party. You gotta wrap up, you gotta execute your fundamentals that will be tested this week with four net and the key here in this one because it's a lot of gap scheme runs downhill and you

better buckle up and stop it. If you don't, it's gonna be a long day for you. So as far as your linebacker usage, we've talked about this unit kind of being one that fluctuates and in accordance with the defensive backfield as well, because someone comes on, somebody has to go off, and that fluctuates to match what the opponent wants to do. Right, So we know this is a primary eleven personnel team and they run more with four NET and pass more with Jones. So how will

the Dolphins deploy their linebackers? That's a question I have going into this game or just a just a general observation or storyline there. I like to have Roberts in there on fort net because he's the physical tone center of the defense for me and a damn good tackler. But if they do that, they can also try to get favorable matchups in the passing game. So it's just very tough to decide how you want to play this.

As always your own. Baker plays most of the snap so I'm sure he'll have his matchups and hands full for himself as well in that regard on the other side of the football, the Dolphin's offense and particularly the quarterback versus the Tampa Bay safeties, I just want to put this note in the real quick I found it interesting Miami leads lead with thirty three percent of their place coming out of twelve personnel packages one running back

too tight ends. I thought this was maybe more because of the quarterback switch going from two to Jacoby after he got injured back in Week two, but with two of it was thirty seven and thirty one percent now with Jacoby, so actually that number is brought down by Jacoby's work. I just thought it was interesting a bit of info there regarding twelve personnel packages and we'll see if they want to continue that or mix it up.

But Flow did say in his Wednesday pressor that they have some depth in the receiver room with regards to Will Fuller going on injury reserve. Some breaking news there on the podcast. Not really breaking but I wasn't gonna get to it just yet, but talking about the depth in the receiver room and wanting to get the other guys some opportunities. So we're gonna find out on Sunday who that means increased time for and who Jacoby is

throwing two in this game. As for Jacoby, I'm gonna go back to coach on this, and he said we've got to be better across the board and referred to two things as far as missed opportunities with guys being open and guys making cuts, and reference to the passing game and the running game. And if you're gonna beat this Tampa Bay team, you cannot be leaving yards on the field, and that regard in any regard defensively jumping

off side or you know, return yards. You don't get her muffing punts backo, like, whatever the case may be. If you leave yards and opportunities in the field. You're gonna have a really tough time beating them. It's like given the New York Yankees five outs in an inning, right like, you can't do it. And today's a bad day to talk about the Yankees. Maybe the Dodgers. The Giants are pretty good too. You get what I'm trying

to say, guys. But San Diego Van talked about it as well his Wednesday press conference, saying that they've been beating themselves too much this season and it has to stop here against Tampa Bay. Missing on first and ten is gonna put you behind the chains right second in ten is not a good place to be. Missing on second and six put you in the worst spot in football, which is third and long. And that's how drives are

stalling out. And the offense is averaging twenty five minutes of time possession this year this season so far, and the Dolphins defense is on the field for too long as a result, and as when the Buck's safety is to kind of finish this matchup, Antoine Winfield Jr. You gotta find that guy. He floats all over the defense. He'll match up hill, camp and zone, and he'll play

the high post. He'll play the robber. He's gonna be around the football and if you make mistakes with off target throws or drops or batted passes up into the air, he'll make you pay. He did it on Sunday night against the Patriots, and alongside him has been a committee of guys. Jordan's. Whitehead was a guy out of pit that I was a fan of. He's an instinctive player with some good range back there just a good football player, good little player. Also has a way of finding the football.

In terms of playmaking skills. He's played just about over half the snaps, and so has Mike Edwards in that same boat, so they played three safeties quite significantly. But Bruce Arians did say on Wednesday that if Antoine cannot go,

he'll start Whitehead and Edwards in that defensive secondary. But our next matchup is one where things get a bit ambiguous in terms of who we preview here, or maybe there's not a lot of ambiguity as we head into our next position groups the Miami receivers and tight ends

versus the Bucks cornerbacks. And the reason I say there's maybe not the ambiguity is that Bruce Arians was fourth right on Wednesday saying that he does not see either Carlton Davis nor Sean Murphy bunting a pair of very good young cornerbacks returning for a while, and that would insinuate that more than just this week. And Jamal Dean was back at practice on Wednesday, an Arian said they'll

see how he progresses. Sounds like he has a chance to play, and it also mentioned Antoine Winfield there as well. So at cornerback they've got Jamal Dean if he does in fact play, former Cole and Jet Pierre to Sere Ross Cockrell and of course Richard Sherman who was signed last week to go along with d Delaney. The Dolphins have to get it going here. It's like last year in that San Francisco game they were down so many cornerbacks in the passing game kind of took off. The

Dolphins have to get going. They got to get those schemed up completions and the playmakers have got to make plays after that. The Bucks have twenty nine miss tackles this season, according to Pro Football Reference. That's the ninth most in the National Football League. So hitting those quick hitters and letting the Wattles of the world make things happen after the catch. Again, we talked about being second in the NFL and YAK percentage in the season so far,

behind Ron del Moore. You need that this week, but I'm also sure that will be a point of emphasis for the Bucks as well, to tackle better. Because they're a well coached team. I'm sure that will be a

focus for them in practice this week. I think you could conceivably see an approach that test the depth of that defensive back unit with all the injuries they have, because not only do you bring your third, fourth, fifth cornerback and elevate them, that means you have your practice squad guys or you know, guys that are coming up to fill those roles into those third, fourth, fifth roles

from the six, seventh, and eight positions. So test that depth, and Flora's talked about getting some of the guys opportunities. And what's interesting about the Bucks is they certainly have a type at the position with Carlton Davis six one two oh five, Murphy Bunting six six one two oh six,

those are the primary guys. And we know suerm is a long corner at six ft three one eight five, a little bit leaner, but definitely longer Ross Cockrell six Pierre to Sere Delaney five eleven two hundred, Like, they're all on that two d pound range and right around six ft. And I was going through that list thinking, there's no way they have six quarterbacks who are six

ft two hundred pounds, but they kind of do. I thought we'd see some shorter guys and maybe go after them with Parker and Gisicky and Williams, but nope, They're all a big group. So do you challenge that size and the lack of experience of that size up against our size guys, or do you try to play outside of those guys that play above the rim and take advantage of what I guess could be a perceived weakness in terms of the shift, noess and all that fun stuff.

It'll be interesting to see how Miami attacks that defensive back room and how those guys play. Because just because they're new guys are up does not mean they won't play well. Like like like that's a I think that's a common misconception in the National Football League and football like. Just because guys are down does not mean that position all of a sudden, is weak. It could be weaker than it could be, but they can still play well

and that's what they get paid to do. So next band up for the Buccaneers and defensive secondary, and maybe Preston Williams sees some work this week. We saw what Davante and Mike did last week, you know, talking about playing above the rim and as we mentioned earlier, playing making plays after the catch. If you can consistently exploit the matchup like like you should be able to get one that you like on a play by play basis because of this lineup. Now, let's go see if they

can go out there and execute. It's gonna be a big part of this game and a big storyline on Sunday. Now, Richard Sherman play of their snaps on Sunday, so he hit the ground running in terms of playing time and ross cockrolls. Thirty five snaps occurred after Davis went down in that game, with Pierre Decira drawing a good number of slot snaps in the slot. But they're gonna show that Cover three and some Cover two and give you

zone term or the defensive back bails out. Like Richard Sherman has been playing off coverage and key the quarterback for his entire career, right, That's why he's so good at locating the football and being instinctive to drive and get interceptions and make big plays and games and you know the Sherman tip and the big m C Championship game a few years ago. He's one of the most intelligent,

heavy type of cornerbacks. But he will play off and you have opportunity needs to hit that stuff underneath, the stuff that we didn't get to last week, the five or six yards slants, the hitches, the curls. You gotta hit those when they're presented in order to get the deep stuff opened up and keep the defense for the Miami Dolphins off the field as you sustain in those drives and hit explosive plays. But for all that to work, you're gonna have to win another very difficult matchup the

Dolphins offensive line versus the Bucks defensive line. And why don't we actually sink this up for our last two position groups here on the side of the ball, with the running backs versus linebackers as well, and the Bucks blitz more than anybody in football number one forty one point one percent per Pro Football Reference, And why wouldn't you You've got a guy like Devon White. I mean, Todd Bowls will always be aggressive regardless of his personnel.

But when you've got a player of Whites caliber, let's just go ahead and talk about his game real quick. He has ten pressures this year on forty pass rush snaps, but he'll also flip and play coverage for a good chunk seven hundred coverage snaps last year. He just doesn't leave the field. He plays every down and a hundred

and seventy two coverage snaps this year. But where he's been a bit uncharacteristic so far as with miss tackle ProFootball Reference has him with six this season, but I have to imagine that won't be the case for very much longer, because he's the kind of player who will find a way to get that corrected. It's just the kind of player that that he is. He's a tough player, athletic, can play downhill, can flip backwards into coverage. He has quickness around blockers in both the past game in the

running game. He's just really really tough, and so too is a player in that same position group plays right alongside Devin White and probably one of the most complimentary players combinations at any position group in the entire National Football League. Lavonte David's a Hall of Fame player in in my book like he just he doesn't just come on the rush as much as as Devin White does, but they play in tandem so well together. He's got just one mistackle the season eleven run stops. He's one

of the smartest players to ever do it. You have you have two I D fifty four and forty five every single play. It'll be a key for the Miami Backs to a get them keyed to blitzing situations and be make them miss in the hole in the running game. Sometimes the back has to win that one on one matchup at the point in the hole. And that's what

I'm looking for here. Regarding past protection, real quick, Malcolm Brown gets a nice feather in his cap for his work last week four teen pass blocking snaps, one hurry allowed. Very good work by Malcolm Brown. And if you think it gets better upfront for this Bucks team as far as softening up, Nope, they're very good there too. Vita Vella, he's the second best defensive tackle in the league from

where I sit. If you single block himlock so strong, such incredible grip, strength, quickness, balance, He can snatch and toss dudes with relative ease. He's been an absolute force this season, and even when he's not making plays, he's creating chances for those linebackers, for his teammates. He's almost three and fifty pounds, but he moves like a deer. I always go back to the one series he had in the Apple Cupeen and no we're talking about some

Google football again here against the Huskies. He had three straight snaps where he'd walked his man into the quarterback and got a sack out of it, a pressure and another quarterback hit way to throw the football away. So he can take over series and games on his own and alongside him. You talk about David and White matching up well together and Dominican Sue. You guys know about him strength peer peer upper body strength that can just

toss guys aside. It allows. I think the play of Vea and Sue makes a very good combination of White and David like even better. And Sue can still do to a high level. He's such see so sound technically and he plays at that edge like he's still a very very good player, and that's a big ask for the guys up front this week. You need Rob Hunt to counter that power with his own size and power. He has that right, let's go ahead and counter with that. Rob. You need Greg Manns to be able to anchor up

against some of that pass rush. You need Jesse Davis to do the same, And most importantly, you have to get everything communicated because they're gonna bring a lot and operate with those games and blitz is they'll green dog devon White half of damn time. They are a lot to prepare for. Then on the edge, I mean, those matchups don't get any easier because Shaq Barrett is near the sack leaderboard or top of the sack leaderboard over the last three years. He has seven team pressures already

this season to lead Tampa Bay. And he can get wide and go speed. He can convert that speed to power. He can cross face and win inside with you, and he'll just hell out working to the quarterback as well

and get clean up sexs. He is so very tough, and so too is Jason Pierre Paul, who's one of the longest, heaviest handed dudes in all of the National Football League, and he has missed a couple of games this year, and that has opened up an opportunity for Joe try On shaw Yinka Shayenka Joe try On from you dub nine pressures on eight eight pass rush reps. He's fantastic. He's been really good so far the season, and the Miami tackles have their work cut out for them.

They're gonna have to all be or both rather be at their athletic best to win those matchups. But they've got depth to because inside William Goldston, Steve McClendon, Rocky Nunez, Noche roaches, where does it end? It doesn't. They're so good on special teams. To finish this thing up here, we gotta get back to our roots. Last year, Miami was a top five special teams unit all year long according to Football Outsiders d b o A metric. This

year we're in the bottom ten. And Flow was right about how you can't just pick up last year's results and translate them over to this season. But man, a lot of those guys are the ones who brought us to that ranking last season, like a Clayton Federalum and mac Hollins, Ram smithe Adam Shaheen Jason Sanders, Blake Ferguson,

so many the same guys are there that produced. Hopefully they can get things turned around that way for the special teams, and I think I think it's there, And one way you might do it is by giving chances to the one of the most dangerous returnment and all of college football season ago Jalen Waddle average nineteen point three yards per pumpt return with two touchdowns at Alabama. And that's thirty eight punt returns too, so it's not

a small sample size. And although the kick returns a lost art, actually Miami has just two out of twenty two. I believe the number is this year. But he also had a twenty three point eight yard kick return average with a touchdown in college. The Buccaneers special teams ranks ninth in d v O A, so tough matchups all

across the board. My three keys to this game applied pressure with the four man pass rush, like if you've ever played Tom Brady or the Patriots of old, the Bucks of New that's going to be in the keys every single time. Number Two. Efficiency in the short passing game, you have to stay on schedule. You have to limit the possessions of the Buccaneers on offense, and that is

a good way to do that. Number three, make a play in the third phase, get a turnover, get a big return, make all your kicks, get some big punch that flipped the field. It's gonna be very important to win that part of the game to get a w from the Buccaneers in this one. I have the Dolphins winning if they can consistently apply pressure with three or four man rushes and consistently collapse the interior of the pocket and match up those wins with your wins off

the edge. I think the Bucks win if they win the matchups between the past catchers and the Dolphins dbs. The Dolphins have to be strong in that area to get this offense slowed down and give their own offense a chance to win the game. Some news here for you guys to end the podcast. Will Fuller will in fact go on injury reserve. Brian Flora's announced that on the Wednesday press conference, we have an injury report for you here. Ray Kwon Davis was back on the practice field.

He's still on the injury reserve list for now, but he was back out there working on Wednesday. Miami had Byron Jones not participate with a quadra step and achilles injury. Davante Parker and Adam Shoheim were limited. Xavien Howard and Brandon Jones were on the list, but we're full participants on Wednesday. For the Buccaneers, Carlton Davis, Rob Gronkowski, defensive lineman Patrick O'Connor, and safety Antoine Winfield all did not

practice on Wednesday. Giovanni Bernard, Jamiale, Dean Jason, Pierre Paul, we're all limited practice participants in Antonio Brown and Chris god When we're on the report as full participants in that practice. We've got picks coming up for you guys on tomorrow's podcast. Let's pick the Thursday night football game here, real quick. A tough week last week. I think it

was nine and seven. Not my best week after a couple of twelve and four weeks, and we're getting into the portion of the TNF schedule where I start to really like the matchups. Rams at Seahawks. What a big game, but primetime in that building. I've watched way too many games at Central Link Field now Looman Field to know that I'm not picking against Seattle in that building when

the sky is dark. It's a short week. I'm taking rust in the Seahawks, and that's a hard pick because I truly believe the Rams could win every game the rest of the way. But not tonight, my friends. I'll take the Seahawks over the Rams on Thursday Night football should be a really good one. I hope you guys enjoy it. I hope you enjoyed the Week five slate as well. Hope we're gonna have a podcast tomorrow with John kN Jemmy and the mail Bag. Get your questions

in now if you have not done so already. In the meantime, Caroline, Daddy is coming home 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 Dolphins at Miami Dolphins. Check out the fish Tank Podcast with Seth and o j our YouTube channel for all the media availabilities were up on Wednesday, and of course, Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time, ben Zone