Speaker 1: To us fires touch style by waddle stuck into the
Speaker 1: end zone of Miami by tight all tight window. They
Speaker 1: had to get that touchdown on that play. They get it.
Speaker 1: What is up, Dolphans And welcome to the Drive Time
Speaker 1: Podcast part of the Miami Dolphins podcast network, covering your team,
Speaker 1: your Miami Dolphins. How's it going? Everybody? I am your host,
Speaker 1: Travis Winfield And on today's show, here we go again
Speaker 1: another season, beccons. We're breaking down every single matchup in
Speaker 1: the Dolphins and Patriots, the opening day rubber match of
Speaker 1: the last three seasons. Will tell you about our opponent
Speaker 1: in depth, how Miami matches up three some things to
Speaker 1: watch for the three Keys, and everything you need to
Speaker 1: know for week number one. It is here, so are we.
Speaker 1: Let's go from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist
Speaker 1: Health Training Complex. This is the Drivetime Podcasts. What is
Speaker 1: better than opening Day? What's better than the feeling of hope,
Speaker 1: excitement and anticipation. Those butterflies that you're surely feeling leading
Speaker 1: up to kick off on Sunday should be among the
Speaker 1: most welcomed emotion that you experience in our life where
Speaker 1: everything is on a pendulum, and things are measured equally
Speaker 1: in terms of if it can be this great and
Speaker 1: feel this good, then the opposite can be true too.
Speaker 1: And that's where those anxiety flutters come from. And you
Speaker 1: should welcome that because you know, Dan Well that will
Speaker 1: win on Sunday is going to have you in a
Speaker 1: fan frenzy. You'll scroll social media with a grid on
Speaker 1: your face. You'll watch the highlight shows and remaining games
Speaker 1: on the week one calendar with the perspective about how
Speaker 1: it impacts your Dolphins and their one and oh mark
Speaker 1: on the season and a loss, and you'll feel that
Speaker 1: dread that can only come from sports fandom. You don't
Speaker 1: want to put on the TV, you don't want to
Speaker 1: log on social media, you don't want to see your
Speaker 1: co workers on Monday morning. Most of all, I think
Speaker 1: we're all just so excited to have the best time
Speaker 1: of year back in our lives. College football is back
Speaker 1: in full swing, Baseball heading down the stretch, run go maridness,
Speaker 1: basketball and hockey around the corner of the World Cup
Speaker 1: kicks off in a month, and all is right in
Speaker 1: the world of sports. The leaves begin to change colors
Speaker 1: for some of you, and your Sundays Mondays, Thursdays, and
Speaker 1: Saturdays now have built implants for the next five months. Rejoice, guys,
Speaker 1: we made it. Opening Day is upon us, and let's
Speaker 1: talk about that opener as the Patriots make the Week
Speaker 1: one pilgrimage to South Florida for the first time since
Speaker 1: a thirty three to twenty Dolphins victory behind a hundred
Speaker 1: and thirty four yards and a touchdown from No. Sean Marino.
Speaker 1: That was the middle victory of a three game streak
Speaker 1: for the home team in games between Miami and New
Speaker 1: England here at hard Rock Stadium. And since that victory,
Speaker 1: the game that was sealed by Michael Thomas interception in
Speaker 1: the end zone, the Dolphins are seven and two versus
Speaker 1: the Patriots in that building across the street. Conversely, those
Speaker 1: records are flipped when these teams face off in Gillette Stadium,
Speaker 1: so a deadlock at nine and nine. Dating back Miami
Speaker 1: won their last year and in twenty nineteen. The Patriots
Speaker 1: won here in nineteen and so the Pats have already
Speaker 1: arrived this week as they traveled out to South Florida
Speaker 1: earlier to acclimate to the weather, and boy is the
Speaker 1: weather going to be miserable. The forecast calls for degrees
Speaker 1: with sixty percent humidity in a real feel of one
Speaker 1: two degrees at kickoff, and then of course will be
Speaker 1: amplified in the sunshine on the visitors sideline and a
Speaker 1: little bit cooler on the shaded home sideline of your
Speaker 1: Miami Dolphins. There are scattered thunderstorms expected in the afternoon.
Speaker 1: It would not be a September Dolphins home game without
Speaker 1: some thunderstorms. In the forecast. You've got a fifty one
Speaker 1: chance of rain and wins out of the southeast at
Speaker 1: eight miles per hour. So will that early rival and
Speaker 1: potential weather acclamation benefit the Patriots will have a negative impact?
Speaker 1: Curious see how that works out with fourth core conditioning.
Speaker 1: It's going to be a big part of this football
Speaker 1: game for both sides. So that's the Patriots literal arrival here,
Speaker 1: But how about their figurative arrival? As we kick off
Speaker 1: the preview podcast, as we always do, with a brief
Speaker 1: meat and greet of our opponents, and of course with
Speaker 1: the Patriots, they are the in laws that we see
Speaker 1: every year twice a year for the holidays, and this year,
Speaker 1: instead of seving out the end of November and December,
Speaker 1: we subbed out from the game's actually occur this year
Speaker 1: September eleven and January one, so also two days in
Speaker 1: the calendar you'll never forget. But frankly, what the Patriots
Speaker 1: have done the last two years is really akin to
Speaker 1: what the last two decades have been. I don't know
Speaker 1: about you, guys, but I sure do recall the number
Speaker 1: of Patriots run finally coming to an end, articles, segments
Speaker 1: and bits that we saw over the years. Shoot, speaking
Speaker 1: of I recalled that Chiefs blow out to drop them
Speaker 1: to two in two and that was the definitive end
Speaker 1: of the Patriots right Well, no, because they won three
Speaker 1: championships after that, So counting this team out seems a
Speaker 1: little bit foolish, foolish even though a lot has changed
Speaker 1: for that club up there, And that's what happened, I
Speaker 1: think from a lot of folks these last two years.
Speaker 1: That roster was depleted for various reasons, with injuries, opt outs,
Speaker 1: in season absences that key positions. Quarterback Cam Newton was
Speaker 1: unavailable for a couple of those games. Still, that team
Speaker 1: won eight games, no small feat that year in the
Speaker 1: first year without Tom Brady, then last year with a
Speaker 1: rookie quarterback and granted the return of some key parts
Speaker 1: a big free agent class and other crop of rookies,
Speaker 1: they win ten games and get right back into the postseason.
Speaker 1: It's just not supposed to happen that way. You don't
Speaker 1: go from franchise best quarterback all time directly into more success.
Speaker 1: A few teams have, but the Packers and Colts were anomalies,
Speaker 1: not the norm. As the Dolphins fan knows, the same
Speaker 1: way that Broncos fan post Elway knew, the Bills post
Speaker 1: Jim Kelly, the Cowboys post Troy Aikman. Do we have
Speaker 1: to go on? I don't believe we do. But I'm
Speaker 1: not saying Mac Jones is that. But the Patriots certainly
Speaker 1: enjoyed some success in his rookie season. Duplicating that is
Speaker 1: going to be the challenge for this Patriots team. A
Speaker 1: Patriots team who enters this season off that playoff year
Speaker 1: with a roster that has been largely remade the last
Speaker 1: three seasons not exactly uncommon in the NFL. If you
Speaker 1: look at their unofficial depth chart on Patriots dot com,
Speaker 1: they list the starters with six guys from that free
Speaker 1: agent class, five rookies from these past two free agent classes.
Speaker 1: And then just about everyone else was acquired in some
Speaker 1: form or fashion in or later. Really it's Devin mccordy,
Speaker 1: Jawan Bentley, Dietrich Wise, Lawrence Guy, Jonathan Jones, Isaiah Wynn,
Speaker 1: and David Andrews who don't fall into that category. And
Speaker 1: then even in the second team portion of the depth chart,
Speaker 1: and guys you'll figure to see plenty of Davante Parker,
Speaker 1: Kendrick Borne, Time Montgomery, josh U j Marcus Jones, Adrian Phillips,
Speaker 1: Turbrill Peppers, all newcomers within the last three years, so
Speaker 1: they've reshaped this roster. You know, the Patriots are gonna
Speaker 1: play smart. You know they'll be a tough, well coached team.
Speaker 1: You know they'll be prepared and have a game plan
Speaker 1: for that challenges. Are coaches here to their fullest. Now,
Speaker 1: Belichick did say a couple of years ago that at
Speaker 1: this point in his career he wants to coach guys
Speaker 1: that he likes, and it seems like he's gotten the
Speaker 1: roster full of guys that fit those criteria, tough, smart,
Speaker 1: discipline players and makes for a very intriguing matchup, especially
Speaker 1: in this instance where we know a lot of the
Speaker 1: Miami defense is the same from a year ago. Most
Speaker 1: of the stalwarts I mentioned, you know, five of the
Speaker 1: seven in fact for the Patriots were on their defense
Speaker 1: as well, So that defense has been has enjoyed a
Speaker 1: lot of continuity, and the defensive systems through both of
Speaker 1: these teams have been similar throughout the years, with flexible fronts,
Speaker 1: versatile players that allow them to mix it up and
Speaker 1: call on the rush games and blitzes that both defenses
Speaker 1: have to offer. Then there's a very strong emphasis in
Speaker 1: the defensive backfield with who you pay, who you draft,
Speaker 1: the allocated resources to that position on either side that
Speaker 1: requires you to be seven or eight guys deep in
Speaker 1: terms of getting significant reps on a game day. Then
Speaker 1: on the other side, a lot of new on the offense.
Speaker 1: Josh McDaniels is in Las Vegas and Matt Patricia takes
Speaker 1: over as the play caller, while Mike McDaniel takes on
Speaker 1: the same challenge here for the Miami Dolphins. One last
Speaker 1: thing before we get to the position by position matchups here.
Speaker 1: I was curious to see Patriots Week one snap counts
Speaker 1: last year, and I'm not entirely sure it's instructive, but
Speaker 1: my entire goal with these preview podcasts. On top of
Speaker 1: entertaining you, which I hope we do, is to intundate
Speaker 1: you with information. And I want you out in that
Speaker 1: east lot at nine am with your beer in hand,
Speaker 1: tossing your bag of corn rock and solo d on
Speaker 1: the speakers, telling your tailgate party brethren about the advantage
Speaker 1: of twelve personnel against big Nickel and forcing that extra
Speaker 1: hat in the box, so to speak. Cool. So no surprise.
Speaker 1: In terms of quarterback offensive line dbs, those are the
Speaker 1: three spots you typically get snaps, typically one D for
Speaker 1: quarterback and offensive line sands injuries within those games. But
Speaker 1: last year they had that Matt Jones and the front
Speaker 1: five guys put every snap. Devin mccordy and J. C. Jackson,
Speaker 1: who has now gone with the Chargers did as well,
Speaker 1: while safety Kyle Dugger played but on offense, Jacoby Myers
Speaker 1: played the snaps. We'll talk about him in a moment.
Speaker 1: Aglare played. John H. Smith and Hunter Henry combined for
Speaker 1: a hundred and nine snaps. That was seventy three and
Speaker 1: seventy So that was long of twelve personnel, right. Damien
Speaker 1: Harris lad the way with forty snaps that was among
Speaker 1: the running backs. And then also you see her Durant
Speaker 1: a sixth offensive lineman. He played twenty three snaps of
Speaker 1: the time with the extra offensive lineman in the game.
Speaker 1: So it's a different offense. But those jumbo packages are
Speaker 1: something we've seen a lot of with the Patriots. They
Speaker 1: did it back in two thousands Opener two thousand twenty.
Speaker 1: Sounds weird plenty in that game, So again, not sure
Speaker 1: if it's instructive because they have added at wide receiver
Speaker 1: this year with Parker and then Tae Kwon Thornton before
Speaker 1: the injury, but something to consider. But also their usage
Speaker 1: of tight ends backs and the extra offensive lineman is
Speaker 1: a good way to get your defensive backs off the field, right,
Speaker 1: especially when you had x Byron Needum last year. And
Speaker 1: we'll have two of those three for this game this
Speaker 1: year with some newer names in the mix with no Ignogny,
Speaker 1: key on Crossing, potentially Cater Cahoo as well. But I'm
Speaker 1: curious to see if that's the plan again because Henry
Speaker 1: snap count went from sixty seven or from seventy three
Speaker 1: in that game to sixty seven on the year, and
Speaker 1: Smith down to scent compared to being over in that opener. Defensively,
Speaker 1: Judon played high tower seventy eight percent. I think that's
Speaker 1: pretty typical of your top linebackers in this system. Then
Speaker 1: it's the same use of depth to rotate guys through.
Speaker 1: But this is why I was curious to look at this.
Speaker 1: I wanted to see how much those guys played in
Speaker 1: Week one versus their season percentages and factor in the
Speaker 1: heat factor down here as well. So game one last year,
Speaker 1: god Shaw sixty seven percent on the season, so he
Speaker 1: played more in game one, Lawrence Guy fifty four percent
Speaker 1: in game one percent for the season, Christian bar More
Speaker 1: forty eight percent, Game one fifty five percent on the season,
Speaker 1: and then Dietrich wise forty six to forty eight percent.
Speaker 1: So sometimes you test a hypothesis, you don't get a
Speaker 1: defined result. That's mostly what happened here. But again I
Speaker 1: love this because it's just as helpful to learn that
Speaker 1: your hypothesis was not right, and this one wasn't necessarily wrong.
Speaker 1: I mean, all but one of those guys saw an
Speaker 1: increase in their work with the rest of the season,
Speaker 1: And if that's how you go into Week one, really
Speaker 1: across the league, as you work to get your in
Speaker 1: season legs under you. It would seem to me that's
Speaker 1: quite a benefit to possessing the football longer and running
Speaker 1: more plays, especially in a game down here in the
Speaker 1: sweat box. And I do think that's instructive. When you
Speaker 1: look at the four games against the Patriots the last
Speaker 1: two years, plays ran in for the Patriots at home
Speaker 1: sixty four to Miami sixty two, seventy five to Miami
Speaker 1: sixty eight. One of those games a lost with the Dolphins,
Speaker 1: one of them a tight win that probably should have
Speaker 1: gone to the Patriots. Late the games down here, the
Speaker 1: Patriots ran seventy two plays to Miami's fifty five back
Speaker 1: and or rather that was flipped seventy for the Dolphins
Speaker 1: for the Patriots that was a runaway. And then the
Speaker 1: Dolphins fifty four down here in the game last year,
Speaker 1: another game that was a to score victory. So when
Speaker 1: the Dolphins get ten or more plays in the Patriots,
Speaker 1: they blow them out of the water. I think that's
Speaker 1: interesting here that one the opener went heavily in favor
Speaker 1: of the Patriots. The Dolphins stole that one. But again,
Speaker 1: you run more plays in this razor thin margin between
Speaker 1: these two kind of similarly built teams. At least they
Speaker 1: were previously. I don't think they are anymore. But if
Speaker 1: you can sustain drives to the Dolphins, I think that
Speaker 1: really puts you in position to win this game, not
Speaker 1: just by a close margin, but by a couple of
Speaker 1: touchdowns as well, because that's what happened, all right. I
Speaker 1: think that's a good spot for our first break here.
Speaker 1: We're gonna preview each position of this game and break
Speaker 1: down these matchups football season. That's next on the Drive
Speaker 1: Time Podcast. Your Travis Wingfield brought to you by Auto
Speaker 1: Nation back here on the Week one Dolphins Patriots Preview
Speaker 1: edition of the Drive Time Podcast. And if it sounds
Speaker 1: like there's a bit of a pep in my step,
Speaker 1: that's because there is. We've got football tonight, Bills and Rams.
Speaker 1: I made my pick for that on the Tuesday podcast,
Speaker 1: the Season Preview Podcast. We're taking the Rams Week one
Speaker 1: picks in full coming tomorrow, but we are focused on
Speaker 1: the game of the week. Well, the Dolphins are always
Speaker 1: the game in the week around these parts, but I
Speaker 1: do think it's one of the best matchups on the
Speaker 1: weekend slate. And we start where we always start. The
Speaker 1: Dolphins quarterbacks versus the Patriots safeties. And the first thing
Speaker 1: I want to look at here last year was the
Speaker 1: blitz numbers against Twah with the Patriots defense and that
Speaker 1: opener last year, he was only blitz six times, that
Speaker 1: produced one sack and a three for five with twenty
Speaker 1: eight yards and the lone pick. The two or three
Speaker 1: against the Patriots in that season finale it was pretty similar.
Speaker 1: Seven blitz is four or five eighty passing yards, no touchdowns,
Speaker 1: no picks. Will that be the plan again? The Dolphins
Speaker 1: added a pair of top of the line separators, so
Speaker 1: that can be an interesting element of this matchup as
Speaker 1: we zero in closer to the quarterback versus safety matchup here.
Speaker 1: And Kyle Dugger is my breakout pick for the Patriots,
Speaker 1: a guy that I think can really keep that defense
Speaker 1: humming at the level you've expected to get from them
Speaker 1: year after year. Devin mccordy spends most of his time
Speaker 1: in the post. Adrian Phillips typically a box guy who
Speaker 1: can kind of buzz some of those crossing routes and
Speaker 1: make a play if you don't identify him, and then
Speaker 1: Dugger is the jack of all trades, kind of your
Speaker 1: Javon Holland type. This group is smart, they're athletic, they're versatile.
Speaker 1: Makes for a tough matchup. I'm beyond curious to see
Speaker 1: what it looks like. We made a bunch this summer.
Speaker 1: About two is pregame ritual and pontificating the correlation between
Speaker 1: him making strides in his game from a processing standpoint
Speaker 1: and finding that third or fourth option in the progression
Speaker 1: of a given pass play. So to me, finding out
Speaker 1: where Dougger is going to be is key. The Patriots
Speaker 1: defense is gonna mix it up as well as anybody.
Speaker 1: I'm sure their brackets will change, their blitzlow pre and
Speaker 1: post Napple change, but I think the number twenty three
Speaker 1: Kyle Dugger is a good place to start in terms
Speaker 1: of I ding where it will all go down. He
Speaker 1: could potentially be kind of your fullback in terms of
Speaker 1: that guy will take my eyes to where the play goes.
Speaker 1: It's been one of the more man heavy based defenses
Speaker 1: in the league, and the Dolphins have plenty of weapons
Speaker 1: that can beat man coverage, but avoid getting bated or
Speaker 1: making that mistake by staying on schedule and taking what
Speaker 1: they give. You are all going to be keys for
Speaker 1: twa and I think he can play that discipline style
Speaker 1: of ball that this game could require of him. Remember,
Speaker 1: the Patriots defense has annually been one of the best
Speaker 1: scoring defenses, regardless of where they finish in total yards
Speaker 1: allowed on the season. They force a lot of field goals,
Speaker 1: so that's another key. Can they find the end zone
Speaker 1: when they penetrate the red zone? A lot of these
Speaker 1: questions I pose have multiple layers, I e. How can
Speaker 1: they run the football? How does design help in those areas?
Speaker 1: The games last year Miami punched in both of their
Speaker 1: red zone visits and the opener, and that was the difference.
Speaker 1: Can find success in that area again? If they can,
Speaker 1: I think you'd get a similar result for two in
Speaker 1: this game. I think he's gonna have a chance to
Speaker 1: really just take with the defense gives him and play
Speaker 1: a highly efficient football game. And that's what I expect
Speaker 1: out of your quarterback one in this game. A lot
Speaker 1: of completions, a lot of opportunities to run after the catch,
Speaker 1: and maybe the occasional vertical shot built in the receivers
Speaker 1: and tight ends versus the cornerbacks. And it starts here
Speaker 1: for me with Tyreek Hill. The Patriots have seen plenty
Speaker 1: of Tyreek over the years. If you go back to
Speaker 1: the eighteen seasons, you have the same cast of characters
Speaker 1: here in this matchup. Hill posted seven for one, thirty
Speaker 1: three and a touchdown in seventeen and seven for one,
Speaker 1: two and three touchdowns in the a f C Championship game.
Speaker 1: There was almost no instance of him getting single coverage.
Speaker 1: Belichick said, forget that, I'm not doing that. And it
Speaker 1: was Jonathan Jones and Devin mccordy over the top doubling
Speaker 1: him in that game with that bracket, and he caught
Speaker 1: one for forty two. But there was a ripple effect
Speaker 1: in that Sammy Watkins, who was invisible all year for
Speaker 1: the Chiefs, goes off for four for one four team.
Speaker 1: So what does that tell us? Same thing Belichick has
Speaker 1: been doing to win on defense for two plus decades,
Speaker 1: using that secondary cornerback and doubling the most productive player
Speaker 1: and letting your number one cornerback match up with the
Speaker 1: offenses number two. But that's the beauty of this remade
Speaker 1: Dolphins wide receiver's room. On paper, it looks like a
Speaker 1: pick your poison situation, and that's where Jalen Waddle comes
Speaker 1: in as a big factor in this game. For me
Speaker 1: and your number two. If he gets a chance to
Speaker 1: get that single coverage all game, I am going to
Speaker 1: be thrilled about it, because I don't know where the
Speaker 1: matchup benefits the Patriots. If that's the instance, whether it's
Speaker 1: Jalen Mills, whether it's Jonathan Jones, whether it's a rookie
Speaker 1: and Jack Jones or Marcus Jones or Miles Bryant, who
Speaker 1: knows what happens. But that's why you invest so much
Speaker 1: in Waddle and Tyreek. It's a tough ask for defenses.
Speaker 1: If you double Tyreek for the first half and Jalen
Speaker 1: has five catches for a hundred yards and a touchdown,
Speaker 1: you're gonna change your game plan. You might have to again,
Speaker 1: you might just have to be multifaceted to crack a
Speaker 1: Belichick defense, and that's what the Dolphins have here. Reminds
Speaker 1: me of the Miami Heat in so many ways. That
Speaker 1: heat limit a top score, but teams that have multiple
Speaker 1: options and shooters can take advantage of that. On paper,
Speaker 1: it's a tough, tough ask, and those are the two
Speaker 1: receivers on the first team on Miami's death chart. By
Speaker 1: the way, for New England, it's Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills,
Speaker 1: with rookie Marcus Jones the third and Miles Bryant the fourth,
Speaker 1: It'll be interesting to see how they match up. You've
Speaker 1: got that speed, but you've also got the size and
Speaker 1: range of Cedric Wilson and Mike get SICKI not to
Speaker 1: mention the rest of the receivers and tight ends who
Speaker 1: continue the versatility aspect of it all, But I look
Speaker 1: at Tyreek and Jalen their three cone times and they're
Speaker 1: forty times, and the way those guys move. Jonathan Jones
Speaker 1: is a four three three, but he's a seven to
Speaker 1: five guy. So if you condense one of those guys
Speaker 1: inside and give them two way goes, the change of
Speaker 1: direction disparity stands out. How about the rest of the room.
Speaker 1: Jalen Mills four six one, Jack Jones four five two,
Speaker 1: Miles Bryant four six two, Tyrek and Jalen are four
Speaker 1: three guys, you know, and all three of those guys
Speaker 1: are under seven second three cones. Not as fast as
Speaker 1: Jalen and Tyreke. But I like the Dolphins stylistic matchup
Speaker 1: here in terms of athletic suddenness, quick twitch to make
Speaker 1: that move those latter three guys have the slower straight
Speaker 1: line times with the change of direction is so important
Speaker 1: measured by that three cone time. It's it's really tough
Speaker 1: to gauge these without having, you know, any fresh tape.
Speaker 1: So we'll keep trucking along into backs versus backers. But
Speaker 1: I like Miami's receivers in this game at running back
Speaker 1: in linebacker. It's funny how we always get back to
Speaker 1: this idea of complimentary football because with these great game
Speaker 1: plans the Patriots have offered author year after year. The
Speaker 1: next element that maximizes what an offense can accomplish against
Speaker 1: them is the run game. Sort of what we mentioned
Speaker 1: earlier about New England keeping teams out of the end zone.
Speaker 1: One of the best ways to run a lot of
Speaker 1: plays sustained drives and keep that New England defense out
Speaker 1: there is to run the football effectively. And if you
Speaker 1: have Wattle going off in that single coverage and he
Speaker 1: gets vertical, you have to back a safety off. All
Speaker 1: of a sudden, Now the Dolphins running game can get cranking,
Speaker 1: so all this stuff works together. From Miami, it's a
Speaker 1: super interesting matchup as the Dolphins trot out this new
Speaker 1: system for the first time against a defense that hasn't
Speaker 1: changed its core principles all that much, and of course
Speaker 1: Bill Belichick will always tweak. But it's so interesting to
Speaker 1: me because you have similar defensive styles, and per reports
Speaker 1: out of Patriots camp, they've been installing a similar style
Speaker 1: running game. So both teams have seen this look in practice.
Speaker 1: And I went back to the Niners and Patriots matchup
Speaker 1: and New England's four turnovers. Sure me it's tough on
Speaker 1: them to get anything going in that game, But the
Speaker 1: Niners offense gained four hundred and sixty seven yards with
Speaker 1: thirty seven rush attempts for buck nineties seven and all
Speaker 1: four of their touchdowns were on the ground, And to me,
Speaker 1: therein lies the rub of that success. Three yard, four yards,
Speaker 1: sixteen yard, and seven yard rushing touchdowns. If the Dolphins
Speaker 1: can run the ball on the red zone that efficiently, boy,
Speaker 1: they're gonna be impossible to defend. It's a big key
Speaker 1: in this game run the ball in the red zone.
Speaker 1: And in general, we don't have a feel yet for
Speaker 1: how this rotation will work, but the speed, the stretch,
Speaker 1: getting eyes in the wrong place, maybe some overplay from
Speaker 1: the Patriots second level, especially if you can do it successfully,
Speaker 1: do it late, and get that defense worn down a bit.
Speaker 1: Ideally this works in centergy with that passing game to
Speaker 1: keep them off balance. So how do Chase Edmonds Raheem
Speaker 1: Mostert the two top backs in the on the depth
Speaker 1: chart matchup. It's Jawan Bentley and Matt Judean and newcomer
Speaker 1: Mack Wilson in that linebacker group for the Patriots. Mack
Speaker 1: Wilson is a guy you might not be familiar with.
Speaker 1: He came over last year in a trade from the Browns,
Speaker 1: formerly of the Alabama Crimson Tide. He played just seventy
Speaker 1: three snaps of the Patriots last year, but in his
Speaker 1: career he's got one thousand, one forty five off ball
Speaker 1: snaps compared to two fourteen on the line So he's
Speaker 1: an off ball backer and his specialty is more coverage.
Speaker 1: Six of eight targets last season for forty three yards
Speaker 1: seventy seven one oh five of one oh five for
Speaker 1: seven sixty two in his career. Those are pretty good
Speaker 1: numbers for that position with the high percentage throw as
Speaker 1: they see, so he can match up with the backs
Speaker 1: in the passing game. But Chase Edmonds is pretty dynamic
Speaker 1: It's an interesting matchup there if that's how it plays out.
Speaker 1: And then Jawan Bentley you probably know about him similar
Speaker 1: usage style in terms of six hundred and fifty one
Speaker 1: off ball snaps last year compared to sixteen on the line,
Speaker 1: a few scattered elsewhere. The reason I bring this up
Speaker 1: is because the Dolphins listing of two backs on that
Speaker 1: opening depth chart in the starting lineup. Can they keep
Speaker 1: the Patriots linebackers on the field in lieu of defensive backs,
Speaker 1: because that means you have way more space inside for
Speaker 1: Tyrek and Jalen speed to maximize. It's their speed. I'm
Speaker 1: curious see how the personnel matches up on either side
Speaker 1: the chess aspect of football. My favorite part of this
Speaker 1: game offensive line verse defensive line. This part the old cliche.
Speaker 1: It comes down to the trenches. Right to Ron Armstead.
Speaker 1: Connor Williams are new. The Patriots front isn't all that different.
Speaker 1: Divon god Shaw and Christian bar Moore are difficult. God Shaw,
Speaker 1: you know, can plant inside two gap and clog up
Speaker 1: the run game with the occasional pass rush. He's a
Speaker 1: key cog in the middle of that defense. Bar More
Speaker 1: is a little more of a jack of all trades,
Speaker 1: who can win with quickness, instant penetration, and apply immediate
Speaker 1: pressure on the quarterbacks. I'm curious to see how they
Speaker 1: work to scheme out, scheme him out of those opportunities,
Speaker 1: because you gotta get him taken care of. He's He's
Speaker 1: a very good pass rusher on the inside and he
Speaker 1: can blow up a game quickly. It's interesting in terms
Speaker 1: of how styles make fights right. The Dolphins have so
Speaker 1: much athletic ability and the Patriots front has so much
Speaker 1: size with those two guys and Wise and Guy, Dietrich
Speaker 1: Wise and Lawrence Guy. I'm not just making rhymes here
Speaker 1: for no reason. Uh can the quickness win or with
Speaker 1: the Patriots inflict their will? And boy, the Dolphins can
Speaker 1: either side s stand up for four quarters. It's a
Speaker 1: fastening part of this matchup. Then you've got the linebacker
Speaker 1: position with regards to pass rush, and it starts with
Speaker 1: Matthew Judean. He was on an absolute terror last year
Speaker 1: for the first thirteen weeks of the season, but then
Speaker 1: his production slowed up a bit. Fifty nine of his
Speaker 1: sixty three QB pressures came in those first thirteen games,
Speaker 1: Thirty of his thirty four run stops as well. He
Speaker 1: has an explosive first step and can really really counter
Speaker 1: off the initial move. He plays all across the line.
Speaker 1: They'll move him all over and when he gets out
Speaker 1: there versus Tron Armstead, that's a premier level matchup, and
Speaker 1: I think Miami can do a job of trying to
Speaker 1: block him out and make the rest of that rush
Speaker 1: game much more difficult to execute. Big matchup for Toront
Speaker 1: arms Stead here in his first game with the Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 1: The biggest test for the Dolphins here isn't any one
Speaker 1: particular matchup, but rather how they communicate and handle all
Speaker 1: the rush games up front that you know the Patriots
Speaker 1: will certainly throw at them in this game. I think
Speaker 1: it's a big part of why you bring in smart
Speaker 1: veterans like Armstead and Connor Williams to help iron those
Speaker 1: things out, and they get a great test off the bat.
Speaker 1: All right, long podcast here so far. I hope you're
Speaker 1: not listening on one and a half speed. I'm talking
Speaker 1: plenty fast for you. We have a lot more to go.
Speaker 1: Pat's offense Dolphins defense. That's next here on the Drivetime podcast,
Speaker 1: your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation.
Speaker 1: As we get some games in the bank, we will
Speaker 1: have data to go along with our matchups here in
Speaker 1: terms of personnel usage, advanced metrics, all that fun stuff.
Speaker 1: But today we keep chucking with a very familiar foe
Speaker 1: and the matchup of these two rivals and go to
Speaker 1: the other side and start with the New England offense
Speaker 1: with quarterback Mac Jones and the Miami safety's It's a
Speaker 1: fascinating matchup as no team blitz defensive backs last year
Speaker 1: more than the Dolphins, and of their snaps against the Patriots,
Speaker 1: they sent a dB at Max Joe at Mac Jones,
Speaker 1: Max Jones. The Dolphins were an interesting bromb butter for
Speaker 1: lurky quarterback. He played because he played them in their
Speaker 1: first game and he played them in their his most
Speaker 1: recent non playoff game in Week number eight teen. Excuse me,
Speaker 1: but versus the Dolphins last year in two games when
Speaker 1: pressured nine one seventy nine yards that's three point seven
Speaker 1: six average a touchdown and no picks. Not pressured four
Speaker 1: sixty three that's eight and a half yards, one touchdown,
Speaker 1: one pick. When blitzed for thirty two eleven yards at
Speaker 1: seven point oh three yards per pass. When not blitz
Speaker 1: thirty nine three thirty one yards two touchdowns in a pick.
Speaker 1: So getting pressure on mac Jones is the way you
Speaker 1: beat him for most quarterbacks, that's true. Getting it a
Speaker 1: third long is a great way to really get you
Speaker 1: into those best looks and that's not unique to Miami.
Speaker 1: But utilizing this deep defensive backfield, bringing pressure looks from
Speaker 1: multiple spots and the multitalented guys and forced those quick
Speaker 1: decisions in an offense that didn't look you know, in
Speaker 1: mid season form in the preseason. You speed that thing
Speaker 1: up and that's how you get one of those plays
Speaker 1: from xaviing Howard like he made last year. And in
Speaker 1: this matchup, I think if you go no turnovers, no
Speaker 1: big plays in terms of sacks and you know, field flipping,
Speaker 1: I think it'll be a close game that goes in
Speaker 1: the Dolphins favor. But if you get a couple of
Speaker 1: these mistakes that can swing the game. That's why I
Speaker 1: think things get out of hand in the Dolphins favor.
Speaker 1: And those third long situations against this offense, your pressure packages,
Speaker 1: that's how you can create those. That's why it's a
Speaker 1: big key in this game. And as we know, Brandon
Speaker 1: Jones and Javon Holland number one and two last year
Speaker 1: in terms of dB pressures on Pro Football Focus, Eric
Speaker 1: Row could see plenty of work in this game, especially
Speaker 1: against the tight Titans. The Patriots many two tight end
Speaker 1: packages very very important aspect of this game on both
Speaker 1: sides of the ball. Quarterbacks versus the safety's big key
Speaker 1: matchups as far as the Patriots receivers and tight ends
Speaker 1: versus the Miami cornerbacks Nelson Agilar and Jacoby Myers are
Speaker 1: listed as the starters. We know firsthand how Agila can
Speaker 1: get vertical. Did again that Raiders game back in twenty
Speaker 1: Jacoby Myers is a polished route runner that Jones loves
Speaker 1: to go to in big situations with trusted hands. Very
Speaker 1: curious to see how Miami plays it, how they match up,
Speaker 1: who goes where when the third receiver comes onto the field?
Speaker 1: Is that Nick Needham outside? Does he go back into
Speaker 1: the slot? And is that Kendrick Borne According to the
Speaker 1: depth chart here on Patriots dot Com, another guy who's
Speaker 1: reliable and dependable. And then of course Devanta Parker is
Speaker 1: fourth on their depth chart. To tell the tape for
Speaker 1: those four guys are sixty two point seven percent catch rate,
Speaker 1: twelve point three average depth of target, four point four
Speaker 1: rack average and seven of thirteen contested balls. Last year,
Speaker 1: Jacoby Myers caught sixty eight point five percent of his
Speaker 1: targets for ten point three yards average depth of target,
Speaker 1: three point four rack average, nineteen of twenty eight contested balls.
Speaker 1: There's a theme here. Kendrick Born eighty two point one
Speaker 1: percent catch rate, nine point six a dot five point
Speaker 1: to rack average and eight of eleven contested balls. And
Speaker 1: then DeVante Parker fifty four point eight percent catch rate,
Speaker 1: twelve point four depth of target, two point seven rack average,
Speaker 1: and fourteen for thirty on contested balls. This is a
Speaker 1: game that's played within ten yards of the line of
Speaker 1: scrimmage mostly right this league, well, the Patriots through of
Speaker 1: their passes under ten yards last year. This is a
Speaker 1: group that you have to be really strong at the
Speaker 1: catchpoint against because as you can see, they make lots
Speaker 1: of contested catches. What that also means is they don't
Speaker 1: really separate all that well. As all four of those
Speaker 1: guys can run after the catch. They have good strength,
Speaker 1: but the separation aspect of it is not their strong point.
Speaker 1: And that's why of this tough physical press style defense
Speaker 1: with US rush packages on third and longs becomes so
Speaker 1: key because it's a matchup that just favors the Dolphins
Speaker 1: in so many ways. But you also have to be
Speaker 1: careful to not get aggressive and sneak up on guys
Speaker 1: because Agla can get vertical and we know Davante Parker
Speaker 1: can grab those deep contested balls as well. Also on offense,
Speaker 1: this was designed to get them run after the catch.
Speaker 1: Also have to be hyper aware of the screen game.
Speaker 1: Tackle tackle, tackle on the perimeter. This receiving corps with
Speaker 1: the tight ends with Hunter Henry and John wy Smith
Speaker 1: is full of guys that can make plays after the
Speaker 1: catch on the O line. Verse Dealon. Not sure what
Speaker 1: to make of this matchup. The Patriots have had so
Speaker 1: much continuity here and they still do, but they've been
Speaker 1: working on changing it up from that gap power scheme
Speaker 1: to more wide zone stuff, and I think you'd be
Speaker 1: crazy to just assume they're gonna do one thing, So
Speaker 1: being prepared for anything is key. Controlling the point is
Speaker 1: such a key because of that third down situation. Again,
Speaker 1: win early, you'll win late. Christian Wilkins, Zack Seeler, Ray
Speaker 1: Kwon Davis, Emmanuel Ogba when the backers come down off
Speaker 1: the line. It's so crucial for all of the those
Speaker 1: guys to win at the point of attack and get
Speaker 1: those early down wins. You've got the rookie Cole Strange
Speaker 1: at left guard. I have to imagine you want to
Speaker 1: throw a ton at him in terms of your games
Speaker 1: super athletic, you do not want to let him get
Speaker 1: into good position on those stretch runs. Also have to
Speaker 1: have an answer for Big Mike on when ou he
Speaker 1: has had some dominant games against us. This is a
Speaker 1: big Dolphins defensive line and a big Patriots offensive line.
Speaker 1: Interesting tale of the tape in the running game is
Speaker 1: the past. In the past rush game, the Patriots will
Speaker 1: certainly call on the help of their tight ends and
Speaker 1: backs with all the rush options my amy has could
Speaker 1: be a big key in this game if they get
Speaker 1: into that third long and medium and they can get
Speaker 1: those quick pressures that can allow mimy and make those
Speaker 1: splash plays that are often the difference in these matchups
Speaker 1: and potentially a big swinging difference in this matchup. So
Speaker 1: some of that bleeds into linebacker position here. But I'm
Speaker 1: curious to see if Van Ginkle is good to go
Speaker 1: his speed against Trent Brown sheer mass is a fascinating matchup.
Speaker 1: I'm curiously where Jillen Phillips get most of his chances
Speaker 1: because I think they'll probably double him. He has a
Speaker 1: good a good matchup against a bunch of these guys.
Speaker 1: Curiously where he lines up with it's Isaiah Win Trent Brown,
Speaker 1: and where he gets his rush snaps. Running backs and
Speaker 1: linebackers mentioned the screen game earlier, that and the way
Speaker 1: they pick up blizzes of the position is going to
Speaker 1: be a key. Damien Harris is really adept at his
Speaker 1: past part. Members are very very good. In general. Week
Speaker 1: one is always a test of a team's tackling, and
Speaker 1: between Harris and Monre Stevenson, man, you better bring your
Speaker 1: lunch pell and buckleb that chinch strap. If Mimy can
Speaker 1: set the tone and cut down the run early, I
Speaker 1: think that bodes well for the four quarter prospects of
Speaker 1: this game. Stacking up runs early, big opportunity for a
Speaker 1: Landon Roberts to show his stuff be eating them in
Speaker 1: the blitz packages and being disciplined against the screen. Big
Speaker 1: keys for the backers in this game. I think it's
Speaker 1: a benefit to have so much continuity at that spot. Uh.
Speaker 1: With regards of the opener regarding Jerome Baker, A Landed Roberts,
Speaker 1: Duke Riley, sam eeg Van didn't really mention a ton
Speaker 1: because it's scattered throughout the position groups, but I think
Speaker 1: it's fair to mention their tight ends here. Again, whether
Speaker 1: it's a safety or linebacker. They can run entire games
Speaker 1: through those guys. So I'm not sure the solution, but
Speaker 1: it's something to keep an eye on. And then finally,
Speaker 1: special teams. Every year the Patriots win in the margins.
Speaker 1: I feel really good about our three headed special teams battery,
Speaker 1: but the same is true with the Patriots. Nick Folk
Speaker 1: just does not miss. They cover kicks well each year
Speaker 1: and find ways to flip the field. Hopefully Sanders and
Speaker 1: more Stead are not needed all that much beyond point
Speaker 1: after attempts, but if they are, they've had a really
Speaker 1: good summer as well. This is a position group that
Speaker 1: really helps aiding my preview when I have the numbers,
Speaker 1: I don't think numbers are applicable here. A few more
Speaker 1: film notes. Uh, they love them some man beaters. They're
Speaker 1: gonna run crossing routes. They're gonna run Rubs switch releases.
Speaker 1: You have to communicate very well in that regard. I
Speaker 1: try Sam Madison will have the cornerbacks up to speed
Speaker 1: on that they're gonna bracket the heck out of Tyreek Hill.
Speaker 1: I think. I think Jalen Waddle is such an important
Speaker 1: player in this game. It's great to have him back.
Speaker 1: Keep a big eye on number seventeen defensive back pressures.
Speaker 1: Nobody uses more blitzes from dbs than Miami last year.
Speaker 1: I think that's also a big key watching the film
Speaker 1: in this game. My three keys of the game when
Speaker 1: the one on one matchups on the perimeter, I think
Speaker 1: Waddle gets plenty of those. But if it's Cedric Wilson,
Speaker 1: if it's Trent Scherfield, Eric Azukama, if Tyreek Hill gets
Speaker 1: them when those matchups, because that's going to force them
Speaker 1: out of those double teams. Sustain your drives, run more plays,
Speaker 1: you'll beat this team. I fully believe that, and the
Speaker 1: number three create third and long situations for the Patriots offense.
Speaker 1: That will be an easy way to get your opportunities
Speaker 1: for splash plays. What's at stake here opening day? You
Speaker 1: always want to get your season off on the right foot.
Speaker 1: Tough schedule coming down the line here with three teams
Speaker 1: that most are picking for the postseason on tap with Baltimore, Buffalo,
Speaker 1: and Cincinnati. This segment is really more about potential standing
Speaker 1: implications later in the season, but we'll do it each
Speaker 1: week and then I want to shoehorn some news in here.
Speaker 1: Our practice squad is can Fleet. Defensive tackle Josiah Bronson
Speaker 1: played seven games last year with Cleveland and New Orleans
Speaker 1: by way of you dub same hometown of Tanner Corner
Speaker 1: by the way, Kent, Washington. Defensive end Big Cat Bryant
Speaker 1: a U d f A this year with the Dallas
Speaker 1: Cowboys via Central Florida. Defensive tackle Christopher Hinton. You d
Speaker 1: f at the Giants via Michigan. I forgot that one, sorry.
Speaker 1: Cornerback Chris Steel. You d f A this year with
Speaker 1: Pittsburgh via USC. Offensive tackle Keyon Smith. You know him,
Speaker 1: he was in camp with us. The rest we have
Speaker 1: covered cornerback Kitlin Barnes, tackle Laarnel Coleman, receiver, River Cracraft,
Speaker 1: offensive lineman James mp linebackers Cameron Good and Porter Gustin,
Speaker 1: safety Roonn McKinley, the third wide receiver Braylon Sanders, defensive
Speaker 1: tackle Nile Scott, defensive tackle Ben Stilly, and running back
Speaker 1: the Quandre White. All right, tomorrow, it's Football Friday. I
Speaker 1: need your questions on the game on the Twitter mail
Speaker 1: bag at Wingfold NFL will pick all the games. We'll
Speaker 1: look at the weekend in college football, and we'll welcome
Speaker 1: in the great Taylor Kyle's of NFL Research and avid
Speaker 1: tape grinder and former Patriots writer of Are you excited
Speaker 1: to welcome him into the show that's tomorrow. In the meantime,
Speaker 1: that's gonna be my time you all, please be sure
Speaker 1: to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast. Leave us
Speaker 1: a rating, leave us a review. You can follow me
Speaker 1: on Twitter at Wingfield NFL. Follow the team at Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 1: Check out the Fish Tank with Seth and Juice, our
Speaker 1: Wednesday Twitter spaces show every week at eight o'clock on
Speaker 1: Wednesday nights. Check out the YouTube channel for Dolphins Today,
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Speaker 1: availabilities and last but not least, Miami Dolphins dot com.
Speaker 1: Until next time finds up Caroline Daddy's He's coming Home.