Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase says, “The tape don’t lie.”
So after each game, I’ve decided to give the game tape a closer look. Here are some things I noticed:
- Miami drafted not one, but two, exciting, dynamic punt and kickoff returners. The combination of Jakeem Grant and Kenyan Drake (with all due respect to elusive teammate Jarvis Landry) could be one of the most feared in the NFL. They have different styles, but are each capable of returning a punt or kickoff for a score at any time. Grant should have had a 57-yard punt return touchdown at the end of the second quarter, if not for a penalty. Grant’s circuitious and lengthy 19-yard kickoff return, discounted because a Jet was offsides, may have been more impressive than Drake’s winning score, because of how many tacklers he made miss, perhaps as many as seven. Tiny Grant is more difficult to catch than the baby iguana in this incredible video.
- Ja’Wuan James is officially back on track. James had another strong game and picked up an excellent block, tying up Mo Wilkerson on a nine-yard Jay Ajayi run with less than three minutes to play and the Dolphins leading 27-23. James and Jermon Bushrod then had nice blocks on a 20-yard Ajayi run to help seal the game. And on a 16-yarder by Ajayi that literally ended the game, James effectively drove Wilkerson again. Whatever technique James needed to smooth over, has been silky smoothed over.
- Ndamukong Suh making biggest plays in biggest situations. Suh’s choice of sportscoats may be outlandish, but if he creates a huge sack in the fourth quarter of every game, fewer folks will say no interior defensive lineman is worth what he is paid. If any play made by Suh can be under the radar, it was a third-down sack with 3:39 left. Suh blew up the Jets right guard and tossed Ryan Fitzpatrick to the ground like a rag doll. Suh also made a great play in the fourth quarter of a defeat of the Buffalo Bills, sacking Tyrod Taylor while rushing from the defensive end position.
- Jay Ajayi and Jarvis Landry play angry. Sort of like in an Ndamukong Suh-type of way, except they play offense and they all have completely different body types. Ajayi inspires his teammates with determined effort. In the third quarter, Ajayi had back-to-back 12 yard runs. On the second play, he started left and cut right, following strong blocks by James, Jermon Bushrod and Mike Pouncey. One man is not likely to bring him down, which is uplifting to the Dolphins and Miami fans. Similarly, Landry plays like a man possessed. And thus, Gase is right that he needs to find ways to get him the ball more. Landry literally ran over Jets safety Marcus Gilchrist in the first half, knocking his helmet off. In the second half, Landy took a quick pass along the left sideline, made a diving defender miss, stopped at the sideline as another defender slid by and then lowered his shoulder into Jets safety Calvin Pryor as finally heading out of bounds after gaining a few extra yards. A joy to watch. Two Miami Dolphins worth paying to see.
- Miami must spend a high draft choice or make a major free agent signing this off-season at outside linebacker. Kiko Alonso gives consistent, determined effort and had a really strong game in pass defense against the Jets. But Jelani Jenkins again left the game due to injury and has struggled most of the season. Koa Misi may never play again. Spencer Paysinger and Neville Hewitt give good effort but are core special teamers. And Donald Butler had been decent entering Sunday’s game. But overall, Miami simply must invest some of its payroll in the linebacker corps moving forward. There are too many missed fits, too many missed assignments, too many missed tackles and not enough impact plays from the group. Key play: On a 31-yard touchdown run by the Jets’ Matt Forte in the first quarter, Alonso blitzed but got stopped at the line of scrimmage. Butler took an inside path around a rusher and when he couldn’t beat the block, there wasn’t a single person behind him. A Grand Canyon-sized gap was created in the Dolphins defense. It was major mistake in gap assignment and integrity. The national broadcasters suggested it was likely an error by Butler, who played only seven snaps the entire game after averaging 33 snaps in the previous four.
- EXTRA POINTS. On the first drive, Byron Maxwell could have allowed a long touchdown and then later he could have allowed a touchdown that was missed by Ryan Fitzpatrick to Brandon Marshall in the back of the end zone. It was fun to watch Maxwell battle with Marshall, but Maxwell did literally grab his arm a few times with two hands. Maxwell hasn’t fixed all his issues and certainly could be replaced again at some point this season, either by Chris Culliver, Xavien Howard or Bene Benwikere… Cam Wake ran around a tackle and strip-sacked Ryan Fitzpatrick. In the second quarter, Wake did the same thing again. Wake should have been playing more, earlier in the season. There was the thought in the building that Wake would be better served not over-revving his aging, recovering body early in the season with too many plays. But kudos to the coaches for acknowledging the reality and adjusting by putting one of their best defensive players on the field more often… Damien Williams is a capable second-string back. He makes an impact when he’s in the game. And Gase knows how to utilize him. In the second quarter, Tannehill lobbed a pass to Williams, who had shot out of the backfield and nearly scored along the right sideline. Williams provides excellent energy and touched the ball 50 percent of the time he was on the field Sunday… Imagine how different the storylines in this game could have been. It could have been about Matt Darr’s dropped punt. It could have been about Ryan Tannehill’s near pick-six which was dropped by Jordan Jenkins. It could have been about Drake’s penalty on a punt return score. It wasn’t perfect, but good teams find a way to win. Good teams play with anger and edge. Good teams create key turnovers and play to their strengths. Is Miami a good team? Too soon to say. But it’s headed in that direction.
