WEBVTT - Dolphins Bills Preview 0:00:00.560 --> 0:00:15.520 Book Tail Tuxdown Miami n What is Up Dolphins? And 0:00:15.720 --> 0:00:19.000 welcome to the Drive Time Podcast, part of the Miami 0:00:19.040 --> 0:00:23.520 Dolphins official podcast network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins, 0:00:23.600 --> 0:00:27.280 each and every day. How's it going everybody? It is Wednesday. 0:00:27.440 --> 0:00:30.360 I am your host, Travis Wingfield, and I am here 0:00:30.400 --> 0:00:33.760 to bring you your daily dose of Miami Dolphins football. 0:00:33.760 --> 0:00:36.400 And on today's show, We've got a busy one. All 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:39.200 of our focus is on Sunday's game in Orchard Park. 0:00:39.360 --> 0:00:42.080 Will preview the game, get to the matchups, the schemes, 0:00:42.120 --> 0:00:45.280 the keys. Plus we'll hear from head coach Brian Flores 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:48.839 on the Dolphins preparation, the challenges the Bills present, and 0:00:48.880 --> 0:00:51.879 trying to keep Josh Allen inside the pocket. Plus we'll 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:54.760 hear from twa Tongue by Loa coach Flores discusses his 0:00:54.880 --> 0:00:58.440 NFL best or lowest interception rate, and we'll hear from 0:00:58.440 --> 0:01:02.400 additional players from their Wednesday media availability. All of that 0:01:02.440 --> 0:01:05.640 and more on this Wednesday, December the thirty edition of 0:01:05.880 --> 0:01:12.080 the Drive Time Podcasts. Hey Dolphins fans, the New Year 0:01:12.120 --> 0:01:15.280 starts now at Auto Nation. Let's skip the rest of 0:01:16.040 --> 0:01:18.679 and get two big New Year's savings on your favorite 0:01:18.680 --> 0:01:22.880 Auto Nation, Chevy's Forwards, Toyotas, Honda's, and a whole lot 0:01:22.920 --> 0:01:25.920 more shops safely at the Auto Nation store near you 0:01:26.360 --> 0:01:29.760 or Auto nation dot com and save. Now, we're gonna 0:01:29.840 --> 0:01:31.959 roll into this Dolphins Bills preview here at which you 0:01:31.959 --> 0:01:34.920 can find also up on Miami Dolphins dot com, with 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:36.680 the written element taking a look at some of the 0:01:36.720 --> 0:01:39.680 schemes and the matchups in this game that are very 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:42.319 critical to the result on Sunday. Let's go ahead and 0:01:42.319 --> 0:01:46.000 start here though, with some questions for coach Flora's and 0:01:46.040 --> 0:01:48.360 for Sean McDermott over in Buffalo about how the Bills 0:01:48.400 --> 0:01:51.760 will approach this week's seven team game against the Miami Dolphins. First, 0:01:52.000 --> 0:01:54.760 Sean mcdernot was asked about his approach this week and 0:01:54.800 --> 0:01:57.560 he had two responses, I think, are I guess noteworthy 0:01:57.600 --> 0:01:59.880 here to mention on the podcast. He first said that 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:03.160 yes and no in regards to asking if the Steelers 0:02:03.160 --> 0:02:05.440 announcement that they'll rest their starters and their game has 0:02:05.480 --> 0:02:07.960 any impact on what the Bills will do. So a 0:02:07.960 --> 0:02:10.240 little bit of ambiguity there, a little bit of discreet 0:02:10.320 --> 0:02:15.440 nature from Sean McDermott, just like his overwriting answer regarding 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:17.320 that question, he said they're going to keep their plans 0:02:17.360 --> 0:02:20.040 internal for Sunday as far as how players are playing, 0:02:20.120 --> 0:02:22.440 since he hasn't spoken to the players himself yet. So 0:02:22.800 --> 0:02:25.239 that's where the Bills thinking is that currently. How about 0:02:25.280 --> 0:02:28.040 where head coach Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins mindsets 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:30.160 that for where Week seventeen will go as far as 0:02:30.160 --> 0:02:33.200 how Buffalo decides to approach this game, Yeah, I mean 0:02:33.240 --> 0:02:36.560 I expect everyone to play. Shawn is a competitor, Brian 0:02:36.639 --> 0:02:40.080 day Ball as a competitor, Josh Howns a competitor, digs 0:02:41.280 --> 0:02:44.680 Poyer High. I mean I expect them all the play. 0:02:45.440 --> 0:02:48.320 That's how and that's how we're preparing. No surprise. Their 0:02:48.400 --> 0:02:51.799 Dolphins always going to prepare for every possible avenue, every 0:02:51.800 --> 0:02:54.560 possible contingency they could see in a possible game, whether 0:02:54.600 --> 0:02:57.120 it's the opposition or for themselves. They've talked all year 0:02:57.160 --> 0:02:59.360 about how they prepare for all fifty three players on 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:02.240 the roster, regardless of the opposition. So no surprise there 0:03:02.240 --> 0:03:04.360 from coach Flores. Let's go ahead and next here from 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:08.239 coach about the tough challenges a head coach at any 0:03:08.320 --> 0:03:11.360 level really faces with your guards too. Difficult decisions because 0:03:11.440 --> 0:03:13.360 at the course of a season, obviously the head coach 0:03:13.440 --> 0:03:17.239 kind of overseeing the entire operation will obviously run into 0:03:17.280 --> 0:03:20.160 some decisions that maybe you're difficult to make in the moment. 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:23.440 But for head coach Brian Flores, his motivation for those 0:03:23.480 --> 0:03:27.240 decisions is very clear and apparent. Here's coach. Look, I 0:03:27.280 --> 0:03:30.560 have a lot of peace with the decisions that UM 0:03:31.080 --> 0:03:35.640 we make because it's sincerely, genuinely and authentically based on 0:03:37.880 --> 0:03:44.040 winning football games and people in this organization, UM our fans. 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:46.280 That's that's I mean, I have a lot of peace 0:03:46.320 --> 0:03:48.760 with the decision because of that. I mean there's people 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:55.160 here who work hard, from you know, the ground's crew too, equipment, 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:59.760 to the medical staff too, people work in the camp 0:03:59.760 --> 0:04:03.160 tire area to Hubert who you know, it was here 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:08.320 every day. M h. It's important to them, So it's 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:10.320 important to me that we try to do everything we 0:04:10.360 --> 0:04:12.520 can to win football games. And in order for the 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:14.680 Dolphins to win a football game. On Sunday, one of 0:04:14.680 --> 0:04:17.279 the keys, Coach Flora says, we'll be keeping Josh Allen 0:04:17.279 --> 0:04:19.320 in the pocket. Let's go ahead and first hear from 0:04:19.320 --> 0:04:22.599 coach Flora's on the challenges this builds offense, Josh Allen, 0:04:22.680 --> 0:04:26.640 Brian day Ball builds offensive coordinator present to this Dolphins 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:28.960 defense on Sunday. Then we'll go ahead and roll into 0:04:28.960 --> 0:04:31.159 the game preview from there, and then we'll circle back 0:04:31.200 --> 0:04:33.000 to the end of the podcast on a comment Coach 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:35.600 floor has made about two was low interception rate. As 0:04:35.600 --> 0:04:37.960 we hear from two later on this podcast. But first, 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:40.760 here's coach on the Buffalo quarterback and keep him in 0:04:40.760 --> 0:04:42.840 the pocket if he gets out, to cover them a 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:46.240 little bit longer and try to chase him down. Look, 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:49.240 this guy's, you know, one of the top players in 0:04:49.240 --> 0:04:52.880 the league, and I think he's really he's really made 0:04:53.200 --> 0:04:56.720 a lot of improvement. I think uh Sewan and Brian 0:04:56.800 --> 0:05:01.640 Dabo done a great job with with him, and um, 0:05:01.839 --> 0:05:06.440 these guys he's he's he's tough to deal with, very 0:05:06.880 --> 0:05:09.880 very very good, good player. I mean, I mean, I 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:11.800 know Dave all well, you know I can see a 0:05:11.880 --> 0:05:15.080 lot of it's almost like day Ball playing football from 0:05:15.120 --> 0:05:18.320 a mind standpoint, So he's done a good job. That 0:05:18.440 --> 0:05:20.880 comment there kind of reminds me back to two thousand 0:05:20.960 --> 0:05:23.920 eleven when Brian day Ball was the offensive coordinator here, 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:26.120 and I'll never forget that Monday Nights he's an open 0:05:26.160 --> 0:05:28.600 against the Patriots that year when the Dolphins went down 0:05:28.680 --> 0:05:30.640 the field in the opening drive and scored a touchdown, 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:33.200 and the announcers could not stop talking about the left 0:05:33.279 --> 0:05:36.240 lane offense, the passing offense of Brian day Ball as 0:05:36.240 --> 0:05:38.560 they kind of played up tempo and went aggressive. And 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:40.400 you've seen that with the Buffalo Bills this year and 0:05:40.400 --> 0:05:43.520 it really definitely marries up well to how Josh Allen plays. 0:05:43.560 --> 0:05:45.800 You heard coach talk a little bit there about trying 0:05:45.800 --> 0:05:48.040 to find ways to keep Josh Allen into the pocket 0:05:48.080 --> 0:05:51.040 because he's so dangerous once he can break that initial 0:05:51.040 --> 0:05:54.760 contain because he has that arm strength to really fight 0:05:54.839 --> 0:05:58.560 through the awkward platforms and awkward arm angles he might 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:00.880 see when he does escape the pocket, whether it's to 0:06:00.880 --> 0:06:03.039 the left or to the right. We saw that touchdown 0:06:03.080 --> 0:06:04.880 pass in the Monday Night game where he was fading 0:06:04.880 --> 0:06:07.200 away to the left and just through an absolute strike 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:09.000 to the back of the end zone from like the 0:06:09.080 --> 0:06:12.279 fifteen yard line. I saw twenty five yard throw falling 0:06:12.279 --> 0:06:14.880 away to his left right handed. I mean, just an 0:06:14.920 --> 0:06:18.280 absolute laser. The guy's arm is unreal unmatched in the 0:06:18.360 --> 0:06:21.360 National Football League, and you heard coach talk about the 0:06:21.440 --> 0:06:23.920 challenges of keeping him in the pocket. And when you 0:06:23.960 --> 0:06:27.839 look at how to defend today's modern quarterback, these mobile 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:30.719 quarterbacks that can make somebody plays off script. Sure, the 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:32.760 ones that can play within the structure, and Josh Allen 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:36.039 certainly can, and guys like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, these 0:06:36.040 --> 0:06:38.280 guys that are having these m v P level seasons, 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:40.680 you can certainly see them play within the structure. But 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:43.600 where they're most dangerous, where they most can strike you downfield, 0:06:43.800 --> 0:06:45.680 is when they break that initial rush and break that 0:06:45.720 --> 0:06:48.560 contain and get outside and force the defensive backs to 0:06:48.600 --> 0:06:51.919 cover for an extra three or four seconds, because frankly, 0:06:52.160 --> 0:06:55.560 it's impossible to cover NFL receivers for beyond five seconds. 0:06:55.560 --> 0:06:57.400 It just doesn't happen. And that's why you get so 0:06:57.440 --> 0:06:59.760 many these big plays down the football field. Once the 0:06:59.800 --> 0:07:01.839 core the back breaks contain, if they can manage to 0:07:01.920 --> 0:07:04.000 get to a spot where they can deliver the ball 0:07:04.040 --> 0:07:06.200 down the field to those guys who break off the routes, 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:08.680 and it just becomes sand lot football from there. Maybe 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:10.800 that's a little bit of what coaches talking about with 0:07:10.840 --> 0:07:13.440 Brian day ball with his mind kind of working in 0:07:13.480 --> 0:07:16.160 the way Josh Allen plays, because man, he makes these 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:18.960 highlight level real throws every single week, it seems now, 0:07:19.080 --> 0:07:20.880 and that's kind of who he was back in Wyoming. 0:07:20.920 --> 0:07:23.720 The big playability had him being drafted in the top 0:07:23.720 --> 0:07:25.600 ten by this Buffalo team, and now you've seen it 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:27.760 kind of come together as he has grown and matured 0:07:27.760 --> 0:07:29.920 and developed into this player that has been just an 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:33.840 absolute force this season. Now with regards to keeping him 0:07:33.840 --> 0:07:36.040 in the pocket, how do you accomplish that? How do 0:07:36.080 --> 0:07:38.920 you have this rush scheme that hems him in and 0:07:38.960 --> 0:07:41.120 finds a way to make him even if he wants 0:07:41.120 --> 0:07:43.280 to get off that top spot of his drop to 0:07:43.400 --> 0:07:46.120 throw still within the confined areas of the pocket. Well, 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:49.280 that's part of where this vision for this defense comes 0:07:49.280 --> 0:07:52.160 into play. Guys like a Manuel Ogba and Shack Laws 0:07:52.240 --> 0:07:54.320 and if he can get back for this game on Sunday, 0:07:54.520 --> 0:07:57.560 these big, physical, brute force guys that can rush directly 0:07:57.640 --> 0:08:00.400 through a player to the quarterback. As we know, one 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:02.200 of the worst places on the football field to be 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:05.880 is two yards behind the quarterback, especially today with the 0:08:05.920 --> 0:08:09.160 athletic quarterbacks we see in the National Football League so 0:08:09.200 --> 0:08:11.080 you want to rush them and force them to step 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:13.880 up and through the pocket. Basically, view it as like 0:08:13.880 --> 0:08:16.040 a running system type of thing where you have a gap, 0:08:16.040 --> 0:08:18.160 B gap, C gap. If you can get the quarterback 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:20.160 to escape through the B gap which is between the 0:08:20.200 --> 0:08:23.160 defensive end and the defensive tackle that way, opposed to 0:08:23.160 --> 0:08:25.800 getting around the outside out the edge where he breaks 0:08:25.800 --> 0:08:29.440 the outside contain off the outside of the defensive end, 0:08:29.640 --> 0:08:31.360 that's when you get these problems because then they can 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:34.040 attack a line of scrimmage and really work towards the 0:08:34.080 --> 0:08:36.680 line and attack both with the run and with the pass. 0:08:36.800 --> 0:08:38.640 Whereas if they have to slip through that B gap, 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:41.440 so to speak, they have to attack horizontally and are 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:43.439 as big as a threat to run and also they 0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:45.440 have to make a much more challenging throw going that 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:48.400 direction as well. So there are certainly different ways to 0:08:48.440 --> 0:08:51.400 accomplish that. Obviously, coach Flora's and coach Josh Boyer and 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:53.920 this defensive staff will be working on the ways they 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:55.960 can find to get that done. But one of the 0:08:55.960 --> 0:08:58.840 ways you also can maybe have some success in terms 0:08:58.880 --> 0:09:01.400 of once you force him off that spot upwards in 0:09:01.440 --> 0:09:03.840 the pocket before he escapes right or left is to 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:06.760 rush those spots with linebackers like a Kyle van Nei friends, 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:09.120 it's like a Jerome Baker. Guys that have had success 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:11.240 bloss in that way. It's gonna be a tough task 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:13.280 no matter what. You're gonna have to marriage up the 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:16.360 coverage with the pass rushian find success that way against 0:09:16.360 --> 0:09:18.520 this team. If you want to find victory, let's go 0:09:18.559 --> 0:09:21.120 ahead and hear one more note from Coach on the 0:09:21.120 --> 0:09:23.720 Buffalo Bills before we jump right into the game preview, 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:26.440 which of course is up written on Miami Dolphins dot 0:09:26.480 --> 0:09:29.360 com as well. Here's Coach on the Buffalo Bills, something 0:09:29.400 --> 0:09:31.800 of a general synopsis plus what the Dolphins have to 0:09:31.840 --> 0:09:34.719 do to go up there and get a victory on Sunday. Yeah. 0:09:34.760 --> 0:09:37.600 I mean, Buffalo is a good team. They are, you know, 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:39.920 they play well offensively, defensively in the kid game, they 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:43.280 well coached, the tough to physical and a good players. 0:09:44.679 --> 0:09:48.199 So we got a great challenge ahead of us, and 0:09:48.360 --> 0:09:50.400 we just got to prepare ourselves the best way we can. 0:09:52.280 --> 0:09:58.560 Ye go up to New York and play our best 0:09:58.559 --> 0:10:00.720 game of the season. We tried to. That's what it's 0:10:00.720 --> 0:10:03.800 gonna take against a team like this and think everyone 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:09.960 seen him. Great players that well coached, They're tough, play 0:10:10.000 --> 0:10:16.199 good situationally, they play aggressive fakes in the kicking game, 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:20.520 and the good returners they play well. We'll try to 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:23.480 play well, which you know starts with our preparation this 0:10:23.520 --> 0:10:29.640 week today and hopefully if we if we can build 0:10:29.679 --> 0:10:31.920 on that on a daily basis, and we'll do ourselves 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:35.400 a chance. So there is from coach again, Dolphins up 0:10:35.400 --> 0:10:38.840 in Buffalo on Sunday, January. The third season extends this 0:10:38.920 --> 0:10:42.280 year into January before the postseason, for a one o'clock 0:10:42.360 --> 0:10:45.800 kickoff Bill Stadium. The temperature and weather reports kind of 0:10:45.840 --> 0:10:47.560 back and forth a little bit. As I'm told it 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:49.800 tends to be up in the state of New York, 0:10:49.840 --> 0:10:53.280 but right around thirty thirty five degrees, some snow showers 0:10:53.280 --> 0:10:56.240 and rain off and on nine mile prower winds expected 0:10:56.440 --> 0:10:59.720 out there at Buffalo or Bill Stadium rather so, maybe 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:01.720 not the most pleasant day, but I suppose it could 0:11:01.720 --> 0:11:03.839 be much worse. We have seen much colder and much 0:11:03.880 --> 0:11:06.319 snow here games up there in Buffalo. And as I 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:08.240 like to do on the game previews up on Miami 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:10.080 Dolphins dot com, it's take a look at kind of 0:11:10.080 --> 0:11:13.040 where these two teams are in terms of their progress 0:11:13.200 --> 0:11:14.960 or maybe how they mirror each other or how they're 0:11:15.000 --> 0:11:17.000 different from one another. I look at these Dolphins and 0:11:17.040 --> 0:11:18.920 Bills teams and I see a lot of similarities as 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:20.960 far as how these teams want to be ran. You 0:11:21.000 --> 0:11:23.599 heard coach talk a lot about Sean McDermott and the 0:11:24.080 --> 0:11:26.320 way he runs his football team and Brian day Ball. 0:11:26.520 --> 0:11:28.920 I think it's interesting to compare the two because Brian 0:11:28.960 --> 0:11:32.440 Flores and Sean McDermott were hired two years apart McDermott 0:11:32.440 --> 0:11:35.440 and twenty seventeen Flora's and twenty nine team. They both 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:38.640 were aligned with general managers Chris Greer and Brandon Bean 0:11:38.960 --> 0:11:42.119 in those seasons, and they both took these measured, holistic 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:46.000 approaches upon accepting their respective positions with either club. And 0:11:46.040 --> 0:11:49.120 you saw, you know, we saw trades last year for 0:11:49.120 --> 0:11:53.199 the Dolphins that maybe weren't greeted with the most receptive 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:56.680 mindset from a national media standpoint, And we saw the 0:11:56.720 --> 0:12:00.440 same thing happen with Buffalo back in seen regarding trading 0:12:00.440 --> 0:12:03.640 Sammy Watkins and Ronald Darby and moving guys off that 0:12:03.679 --> 0:12:05.720 football team that had produced for them in the past. 0:12:05.920 --> 0:12:08.560 Because McDermott and being had this vision in mind for 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:10.679 how they wanted to build their football team, and they 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:12.760 wanted to go out and acquire both the cap space 0:12:12.840 --> 0:12:15.240 and the draft capital to make that happen, to get 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:18.480 the right people to establish a culture that way. Doesn't 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:20.680 that sound kind of familiar with Brian Floors and Chris 0:12:20.679 --> 0:12:24.560 Career getting the right people, getting smart, tough, disciplined football players, 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:27.560 established a vision that was based on that culture and 0:12:27.600 --> 0:12:30.440 the right people in your program. Both clubs kind of 0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:32.920 recognized the need to kind of take a step back 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:35.520 and and view it from a bird's eye perspective to 0:12:35.600 --> 0:12:38.480 find out which moves were necessary to arrive at this 0:12:38.559 --> 0:12:40.760 current position both teams find themselves in and for the 0:12:40.760 --> 0:12:43.760 Buffalo Bills, you're number four. A twenty five year a 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:46.920 f C East Championship drought ended this year for them 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:50.560 and a remarkable accomplishment for the Buffalo Bills. They've also 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:52.880 been to the playoffs three out of the four years 0:12:52.880 --> 0:12:55.480 there with McDermott and Being at the Helm, and this 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:57.480 is a team that was hadn't been to the playoffs 0:12:57.480 --> 0:13:00.880 since before that two thousand seven in appearance, So three 0:13:00.880 --> 0:13:03.360 out of four years ending a playoff drought in an 0:13:03.360 --> 0:13:06.079 emphatic way. Now for the Dolphins, of course, they are 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:10.880 two years earlier in their progress in their Brian Floors 0:13:10.880 --> 0:13:14.120 and Chris Greer regime than Brandon Bean and Sean McDermott are. 0:13:14.280 --> 0:13:16.079 But they're just one win away from an eleven win 0:13:16.200 --> 0:13:19.079 season and a first ticket to the postseason. In your 0:13:19.160 --> 0:13:21.560 number two here, we could be on the precipice here 0:13:21.600 --> 0:13:26.040 for the reignition, hopefully of a legendary Dolphins Bill's rivalry 0:13:26.080 --> 0:13:28.440 that really began back in the nineteen nineties with those 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:32.560 great Marino and Kelly clashes and Marv Levy and Don shula. Um. 0:13:32.640 --> 0:13:34.520 I would love to see that nothing more than the 0:13:34.559 --> 0:13:36.840 Dolphins Bills rival We're getting heated back up. I would 0:13:36.880 --> 0:13:38.800 love to see that here in the a f C East. 0:13:38.800 --> 0:13:41.720 But first this critical game Sunday and what should be 0:13:41.760 --> 0:13:45.040 a frigid Orchard Park on up in Buffalo. Some match 0:13:45.120 --> 0:13:46.520 up highlights to look at here. I want to talk 0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:48.280 about how the Dolphins need to be able to communicate 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:50.840 upfront on the offensive line, now that that's a new 0:13:50.880 --> 0:13:53.200 thing this week, are compared to any other week across 0:13:53.240 --> 0:13:55.680 the National Football League and in the landscape of things, 0:13:55.760 --> 0:13:59.040 but talking about how this Bill's pass rush is multiple 0:13:59.240 --> 0:14:00.760 and it comes in a way wives and it has 0:14:00.800 --> 0:14:04.080 production throughout the unit, kind of like Miami's in that way. 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:06.360 They have six players who have at least three sacks 0:14:06.360 --> 0:14:08.839 this season and eight pass rushers who have at least 0:14:09.240 --> 0:14:12.480 six quarterback hits this season, and in the absence of 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:15.200 pressure from the opposing rush, to a tongue of Byloa 0:14:15.320 --> 0:14:18.720 has ten touchdown passes without an interception this year, and 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:21.680 per Pro Football Focus, he's the only quarterback without a 0:14:21.720 --> 0:14:24.320 pick from a clean pocket this season. He's also effective 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:27.240 against extra rushers, with a passer rating of nine point 0:14:27.280 --> 0:14:30.480 four against the Blitz. Now, Miami starts two rookies on 0:14:30.520 --> 0:14:33.320 the offensive line, and the growth has been measurable via 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:36.080 their production. Over the last two games. Dolphins quarterbacks have 0:14:36.160 --> 0:14:39.640 been under pressure just twenty one of seventy two dropbacks 0:14:39.680 --> 0:14:43.040 in those two victories. Via PFF. There, Buffalo's leader and 0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:45.960 quarterback hits his defensive and Jerry Hughes he has eleven 0:14:46.000 --> 0:14:48.280 this year, but a pair of linebackers again kind of 0:14:48.320 --> 0:14:50.680 like Miami, with Van Noy getting those pressures on quarterbacks 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:53.120 and Van Ginkel and guys that get pressure from that 0:14:53.200 --> 0:14:57.360 stand up position. Buffalo's two linebackers, Matt Milano and A. J. Klein, 0:14:57.480 --> 0:15:00.160 are tied for second on the team with nine worter 0:15:00.200 --> 0:15:02.960 back hits a piece. So it's a very skilled, very 0:15:03.040 --> 0:15:06.480 multiple pass rush here from the Buffalo Bills and identifying 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:08.520 where that blitz comes from. This is the eighth most 0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:11.880 frequent blitzing team in the NFL. Passing off the games 0:15:11.880 --> 0:15:14.320 and the stunts and the twist and the delayed blitz 0:15:14.400 --> 0:15:16.880 is the multiple looks. Getting the football into the hands 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:19.840 of the playmakers early should help Miami sustained drives and 0:15:19.920 --> 0:15:22.600 keep the Buffalo offense off the field, two very important 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:25.680 elements of this game to find victory. And talking about 0:15:25.680 --> 0:15:28.240 the Dolphins allowing limited pressures over the last couple of weeks, 0:15:28.320 --> 0:15:31.200 we talked about this on Tuesday's Top News column. How 0:15:31.240 --> 0:15:33.200 the running game helps balance and create more of a 0:15:33.200 --> 0:15:36.400 complementary football style. Dolphins have ran the ball for three 0:15:37.000 --> 0:15:39.480 yards last two weeks, and you have that that season 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:42.400 low to game pressures allowed on your quarterbacks. Those two 0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:45.360 things go hand in hand. Find that balance on offense 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:49.440 matchup number two, strength on strength man receivers on defensive backs, 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:52.520 opposing quarterbacks have a cumulative passer rating of eighty five 0:15:52.560 --> 0:15:55.320 point three against Miami this season. That's fourth lowest in 0:15:55.320 --> 0:15:58.600 the NFL. We're just point one points behind Washington at 0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:01.440 eight five point two. That neither here nor there. Josh 0:16:01.480 --> 0:16:04.280 Allen's one and six point four passer rating is fifth 0:16:04.320 --> 0:16:06.720 best in the NFL this season, and in the Week 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:09.920 two game against Miami, cornerback Byron Jones exited that game 0:16:10.120 --> 0:16:12.720 without growing injury after the first series. He of course 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:15.520 forced in completion on third down to get the Dolphins 0:16:15.520 --> 0:16:17.760 defense off the field in that game, but would not 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:19.720 return to that game. He also would miss the next 0:16:19.720 --> 0:16:22.120 two games, and over that course of those three games, 0:16:22.120 --> 0:16:24.760 Dolphins allowed twenty five points per game. In the twelve 0:16:24.760 --> 0:16:27.440 games they've had Byron Jones on the field, seventeen point 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:29.440 three points per game allowed. So he makes a big, 0:16:29.440 --> 0:16:32.320 big impact on this defense and something we've covered here 0:16:32.360 --> 0:16:35.480 on the podcast at length talking about Brian Baldinger mentioning 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:38.160 the vision of this Dolphins team to play physical, good 0:16:38.200 --> 0:16:41.040 man coverage and good mixed coverage out on the outside 0:16:41.040 --> 0:16:44.280 with jot with Byron Jones and xaviing Howard kind of 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:46.520 being the vision of this defense to free up all 0:16:46.560 --> 0:16:49.400 those games and pressures, and Blitz is up front for Miami, 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:51.400 so he's a very key point. He's back in the 0:16:51.440 --> 0:16:55.320 fold here. Miami's four most frequently targeted defenders Xaving Howard, 0:16:55.520 --> 0:16:58.800 Nick Needham, Eric Row and the aforementioned Byron Jones allowed 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:02.760 complete collective completion percentage of sixty one point eight. Now 0:17:02.760 --> 0:17:05.560 the Bill's top four wide receivers and targets Stefon Digs, 0:17:05.600 --> 0:17:08.520 Cole Beasley, John Brown, Gabe Davis, they catch seventy one 0:17:08.560 --> 0:17:10.720 point four percent of their target That's best in the 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:13.600 National Football League among the top four receivers for a 0:17:13.600 --> 0:17:17.040 given team. So identifying which matchups are most attractive is 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:19.920 one of the many challenges Dolphins defensive coordinator Josh Boyer 0:17:19.960 --> 0:17:23.280 faces This week. He discussed that approach on the Tuesday Podcast, 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:26.040 talking about how a combination of all things, how you 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:28.480 sometimes have an idea for what you might like going 0:17:28.520 --> 0:17:30.720 into the week, then sometimes can change as you get 0:17:30.760 --> 0:17:33.320 more information and more film, thinking quote, this might be 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:35.480 a little bit better, but ultimately he says, it comes 0:17:35.480 --> 0:17:37.560 down to putting the guys in the best position to succeed, 0:17:37.800 --> 0:17:40.000 and based upon what they've done and based upon what 0:17:40.040 --> 0:17:42.080 the opponent does. So I can't wait to watch that 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:44.960 strength on strength matchup and our third matchup in this game, 0:17:45.160 --> 0:17:47.120 going for the Turkey man and bowling. You get three 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:49.639 strikes in a row, you get yourself a turkey. And 0:17:49.680 --> 0:17:52.199 I haven't been bowling in years, and when I do go, 0:17:52.280 --> 0:17:54.640 I'm absolutely terrible, trying to get just like a one 0:17:54.720 --> 0:17:57.800 fifty at best if I can. But I always loved 0:17:57.840 --> 0:17:59.360 as a kid getting the turkey up on the screen 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:00.879 if you could find it way to get three strikes, 0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:03.040 which I never did because I was terrible. But you 0:18:03.040 --> 0:18:04.880 can see what I'm talking about here. For the Dolphins, 0:18:05.040 --> 0:18:07.199 another stout showing in the ground game would make it 0:18:07.240 --> 0:18:10.119 three straight. I mentioned three eighty rushing yards over the 0:18:10.160 --> 0:18:12.680 last two weeks at five point seven yards per clip. 0:18:12.720 --> 0:18:15.920 That is big time for your running game. And it's cliche, 0:18:15.960 --> 0:18:18.440 but it's also true. The importance of running the football 0:18:18.680 --> 0:18:22.000 this time of year is magnified. The Dolphins welcome Miles 0:18:22.040 --> 0:18:24.000 Gasking back into the fold in a big way Saturday 0:18:24.080 --> 0:18:26.520 in Las Vegas. The one hundred and sixty nine yards 0:18:26.520 --> 0:18:28.640 from the scrimmage with the most buy Miami Dolphins this year, 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:31.280 and that of course followed up by performance by fellow 0:18:31.320 --> 0:18:33.680 running back and fellow Gaskin college teammate there at the 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:36.920 University of Washington, Savon Akhmed, when he went for one 0:18:37.000 --> 0:18:39.240 hundred and twenty two yards on the ground back in 0:18:39.320 --> 0:18:42.600 week fifteen. Speaking of Akhmeded Miles Gaskin keep it locked 0:18:42.600 --> 0:18:44.760 on the Thursday edition of the Drivetime podcast. We are 0:18:44.760 --> 0:18:46.919 going to feature both those guys as well as here 0:18:46.960 --> 0:18:49.280 from the running backs coach at the University of Washington, 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:51.920 Keith Bonafa. That's a good podcast. You won't want to 0:18:51.960 --> 0:18:54.720 miss that one. But Jan Gilly talked about this on 0:18:54.760 --> 0:18:57.200 his Tuesday press conference about how they're kind of going 0:18:57.240 --> 0:18:59.080 with a hot hand. That's how they've been doing it 0:18:59.119 --> 0:19:02.040 this year. Myls did not start the game on Saturday 0:19:02.080 --> 0:19:05.359 because of Savan's good performance the previous week. Within Miles 0:19:05.520 --> 0:19:08.119 started getting the football, getting some creases, making some plays, 0:19:08.119 --> 0:19:10.200 got the hot hand, so they went in that direction. 0:19:10.240 --> 0:19:11.879 So that's definitely something to keep an eye on as 0:19:11.880 --> 0:19:15.000 far as how this backfield rotation is juggled. But regardless 0:19:15.000 --> 0:19:17.320 of who touts the rock, a strong running game drives 0:19:17.400 --> 0:19:20.640 very well with Miami stingy defense top ranks scoring, top 0:19:20.720 --> 0:19:23.200