WEBVTT - Dolphins Patriots Week 18 Preview 0:00:00.560 --> 0:00:06.320 Two fires touch stop Waddles knocked into the end zone 0:00:06.320 --> 0:00:10.520 of Miami type broke window. They had to get that 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:15.560 touchdown on that play they gave it. What ends up 0:00:15.640 --> 0:00:19.720 Dolphins And Welcome to the Drive Time Podcast, part of 0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:25.520 the Miami Dolphins podcast network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins. 0:00:25.520 --> 0:00:28.560 How's it going everybody? I am your host, Travis Wingfield 0:00:28.560 --> 0:00:30.920 and as always I am here to bring you your 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.640 daily dose of Miami Dolphins football. And on today's show, 0:00:34.840 --> 0:00:37.880 it's our final preview show of the season. Week number 0:00:37.920 --> 0:00:41.600 eighteen is here. Dolphins and Patriots on tap. Will break 0:00:41.640 --> 0:00:45.159 it down as we do each Thursday, here, position by position, 0:00:45.240 --> 0:00:47.720 some key stats, tell you how the Dolphins can win 0:00:47.760 --> 0:00:51.000 the game and give you the three keys to victory. 0:00:51.159 --> 0:00:55.560 From somewhere in South Florida. This is the Drivetime Podcast, 0:00:56.800 --> 0:01:02.160 Miami Dolphins US through the US one more time, shall we? 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:05.000 But first, before we do the game preview, a quick reminder, 0:01:05.160 --> 0:01:07.400 please go ahead and check out our YouTube channel for 0:01:07.440 --> 0:01:10.760 the media availabilities on Wednesday. They were really good. We 0:01:10.840 --> 0:01:14.240 had some good moments with Mac Collins. I thought Christian 0:01:14.240 --> 0:01:17.800 Wilkins talked a lot about run defense and how you 0:01:17.840 --> 0:01:19.280 play it and how to play with in the scheme 0:01:19.319 --> 0:01:21.760 of defense. I like the way he talked about Emmanuel 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:24.119 Ogbon what he's done for his career at this stage 0:01:24.200 --> 0:01:27.600 of their career. Mike Asiki talked about his leadership role, 0:01:27.640 --> 0:01:29.840 about playing with Hunter Long and kind of helping the 0:01:29.880 --> 0:01:32.160 rookie come along in his game. To have had some 0:01:32.200 --> 0:01:34.759 comments about the Patriots defense that I thought were very 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:37.600 interesting and and kind of intriguing for the matchup on Sunday. 0:01:37.760 --> 0:01:40.399 He also floated out the idea of training specifically for 0:01:40.440 --> 0:01:42.880 cold weather games in the off season, and some other 0:01:42.880 --> 0:01:45.800 really good insight there from QB one. Lots of good stuff. 0:01:45.880 --> 0:01:49.440 Go check out our YouTube channel. So the Patriots. I 0:01:49.440 --> 0:01:51.880 always find it fascinating playing a team in the first 0:01:51.880 --> 0:01:53.960 week of the season and then again the final week 0:01:54.040 --> 0:01:56.480 of the season as you kind of see how you know, 0:01:56.520 --> 0:01:59.080 every team in the National Football League, like every season 0:01:59.160 --> 0:02:00.880 is a story, and that to me is what makes 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:03.640 it fascinating for all thirty two teams, not just the 0:02:03.680 --> 0:02:06.560 teams that are in contention or the top of the 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:09.119 conference type of teams. Like I find all thirty two 0:02:09.120 --> 0:02:12.440 teams stories to be intriguing. I guess the best drama 0:02:12.520 --> 0:02:14.919 in the world to me. And so with this Patriots team, 0:02:14.919 --> 0:02:16.639 you kind of see where they've come from Week one, 0:02:16.760 --> 0:02:18.640 a bit of a slow start after I think it 0:02:18.720 --> 0:02:20.640 was one in three to begin the season, they have 0:02:20.760 --> 0:02:23.520 that great winning streak that gets them in prime position 0:02:23.600 --> 0:02:25.520 back on top of the a f C East, drop 0:02:25.560 --> 0:02:28.080 a couple of games to the Colts and Bills, respectively, 0:02:28.400 --> 0:02:30.440 and then show up last week of the fifty burger 0:02:30.720 --> 0:02:34.160 on the Jacksonville Jaguars to clinch a playoff berth for 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:36.959 them here after a one year hiatus from the playoffs. 0:02:36.960 --> 0:02:39.799 After that's what they've known for so many years. They're 0:02:39.840 --> 0:02:43.079 in New England and divisional round trips or skipping to 0:02:43.120 --> 0:02:44.880 the divisional round with the first round by for so 0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:47.960 many years, and so many conference championship games, and so 0:02:48.040 --> 0:02:50.959 many Super Bowl wins and a few losses here and there. 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:53.440 But where they arrived or how they got to where 0:02:53.440 --> 0:02:56.720 they are right now, it began back in free agency. 0:02:57.160 --> 0:02:58.919 And you know, last year the Patriots had so many 0:02:58.960 --> 0:03:02.600 opt outs in different circumstances and situations that just put 0:03:02.639 --> 0:03:05.920 them shorthanded in a lot of those games. And they 0:03:05.960 --> 0:03:07.640 still found ways to win a lot of those games 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:10.280 they played last season, But they went out this offseason 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:13.959 and gave themselves depth and gave themselves a shot in 0:03:14.000 --> 0:03:15.840 the arm to the areas of strength and add to 0:03:15.880 --> 0:03:18.120 their areas of weakness, and that in that free agent 0:03:18.160 --> 0:03:21.120 spending spree, they put their first round draft pick towards 0:03:21.120 --> 0:03:23.120 a quarterback who's played every game for them this year. 0:03:23.480 --> 0:03:25.600 And there are some of the you know, same old 0:03:25.680 --> 0:03:28.560 names you've come to recognize there with the Patriots, whether 0:03:28.600 --> 0:03:32.040 it's a Dietrich Wise or a Lawrence guy, or on 0:03:32.120 --> 0:03:35.440 the other line on the offensive side, a Shack Mason, 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:40.680 all these guys who have been just stalwarts and institutions 0:03:40.680 --> 0:03:44.160 for all these really good Patriot teams. And they're, you know, 0:03:44.480 --> 0:03:46.680 just as many of those guys making big plays as 0:03:46.720 --> 0:03:49.680 there are newcomers making big plays for this tenant six 0:03:49.720 --> 0:03:53.880 football team. And they're gonna stress discipline and fundamentals and 0:03:53.960 --> 0:03:57.040 not making mistakes and not beating themselves and being aware 0:03:57.080 --> 0:04:01.440 and situations that other teams just have not really executed 0:04:01.440 --> 0:04:04.200 on that same level for the last two decades. Now. 0:04:04.560 --> 0:04:06.280 I just think you have to play your best game 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:08.280 to beat these guys, because they're not gonna beat themselves, 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:10.080 So you have to bring your a game against this 0:04:10.160 --> 0:04:13.120 team because the on the one or two occasions a 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:15.280 year they that they maybe make some mistakes and and 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:17.839 lose a game. That way, Uh, you're gonna be lucky 0:04:17.839 --> 0:04:19.479 to get that draw. So you better bring your best 0:04:19.480 --> 0:04:22.480 game against them every single year, one year without playoffs 0:04:22.520 --> 0:04:24.360 and then right back in it. That's what this team does. 0:04:24.600 --> 0:04:26.760 They find a way to get into the tournament and 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:29.280 then make some noise once they are there. But at 0:04:29.320 --> 0:04:31.640 this position, it's new this year like it was last year. 0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:34.160 At the quarterback with the Dolphins, safety is going up 0:04:34.200 --> 0:04:36.960 against Mac Jones as we start our positional preview here 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:39.720 with the Dolphins safeties versus England quarterback and Mac Jones. 0:04:39.760 --> 0:04:42.560 You know, he has the high completion percentage, The football 0:04:42.600 --> 0:04:45.680 comes out really quick. He plays with a high aptitude, 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:48.520 especially for a first year player. And you know, I 0:04:48.560 --> 0:04:53.040 go back to watching the Colts in season hard Knocks 0:04:53.040 --> 0:04:55.280 and they kind of showed you. And that's one of 0:04:55.320 --> 0:04:57.240 the beauties of the Hard Knocks program with some of 0:04:57.279 --> 0:05:01.080 the almost invasive level access you'd yet to game plans 0:05:01.080 --> 0:05:03.440 and different things of that nature, and they talked about 0:05:03.440 --> 0:05:05.440 how this guy is gonna get the football out quick, 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:08.160 stay healthy onto the next play and get to take 0:05:08.200 --> 0:05:10.039 the profit where you can get it. And you know, 0:05:10.080 --> 0:05:12.680 we heard to a talk about the Patriots defense on 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:14.840 Wednesday and how they can kind of force you to 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:17.039 play a type of game that they want you to play, 0:05:17.279 --> 0:05:20.280 and how if that means taking the checkyard, check down 0:05:20.360 --> 0:05:22.640 yards and go in ten yards at a time, that's 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:25.360 what he'll do. And I think mac Jones embodies that 0:05:26.640 --> 0:05:30.240 idea and that philosophy quite well, that you take with 0:05:30.279 --> 0:05:32.640 the defense gives you and don't force it. And of 0:05:32.680 --> 0:05:34.160 course you'll have a couple of times in the game 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:35.720 where you have to make the big time throws and 0:05:35.760 --> 0:05:37.720 stick it in there. But if you stay on schedule 0:05:37.720 --> 0:05:39.919 and really compliment what the offense does and compet with 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:42.040 the defense does, you can find a way to win 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:43.640 a lot of football games. And we've seen them do 0:05:43.680 --> 0:05:46.719 that this year ten wins and six losses. You know, 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:49.239 this guy is not gonna keep it on the around 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:51.160 the end on his own read. He's not gonna scramble 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:53.839 and drop the arm for a side side arm throw 0:05:53.880 --> 0:05:56.120 across the body type of throw. But he's an efficient 0:05:56.120 --> 0:05:58.560 player that plays really well within the structure of the scheme. 0:05:59.080 --> 0:06:01.520 So how do you slow that well, you have to 0:06:01.520 --> 0:06:03.680 confuse him and try to force him into those off 0:06:04.120 --> 0:06:06.720 off script and off scheme plays and and force him 0:06:06.800 --> 0:06:09.000 to make plays outside the structure and see if he 0:06:09.040 --> 0:06:11.000 can do it. Maybe he can, but that's he's been 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:14.039 really good and efficient within the structure this season and 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:15.920 they did a good job keeping him in that system. 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:18.560 So how do you get him into those confusing type 0:06:18.600 --> 0:06:20.280 of looks, force him to throw into coverage and those 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:22.440 types of things. You have to make it difficult on 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:24.719 him by changing the picture post snap. Now, in the 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:27.400 first matchup, here's how the Dolphins dialed it up. Forty 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:29.640 dropbacks from Matt Jones twenty one blitz is on s. 0:06:29.640 --> 0:06:32.039 According to Pro Football Focus, when he was blitzed in 0:06:32.040 --> 0:06:34.080 that game, he was sixteen for twenty for a buck 0:06:34.080 --> 0:06:37.120 thirty eight when he was not blitzed, thirteen for nineteen 0:06:37.400 --> 0:06:40.600 for one and a touchdown pass when he was kept 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:44.760 clean six with eight yards per pass, and when under 0:06:44.800 --> 0:06:48.080 pressure he was eight for thirteen, averaging five point seven 0:06:48.120 --> 0:06:50.520 yards per pass and a touchdown in that game. So 0:06:50.640 --> 0:06:53.240 really those numbers tell you the key is, and this 0:06:53.320 --> 0:06:57.760 is really a truth across all spectrums of football, getting 0:06:57.760 --> 0:06:59.960 pressure with your four down line and your four bring 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:02.640 and just four bodies after the quarterback. Now, I thought 0:07:02.640 --> 0:07:05.240 I was interesting Wednesday in his media that Bill Belichick 0:07:05.240 --> 0:07:06.960 said the Dolphins have done a good job of mixing 0:07:07.040 --> 0:07:09.320 up their calls and doing a lot on defense. And 0:07:09.360 --> 0:07:11.880 that's something we've talked about with the all twenty two 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:14.880 reviews here on the Tuesday editions of the Drivetime podcast. Now, 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:19.520 in game one, the Dolphins safeties looked different than they 0:07:19.520 --> 0:07:21.600 do in this game. First of all, Jason mccordy was healthy. 0:07:21.680 --> 0:07:24.000 He played seventy four snaps in that game and played 0:07:24.040 --> 0:07:25.760 really well in that game and had a very very 0:07:25.800 --> 0:07:28.320 good pass breakup on a deep pass. In that game. 0:07:28.720 --> 0:07:32.080 Eric Road played sixty five snaps, Javon Holland played four, 0:07:32.280 --> 0:07:35.400 and Brandon Jones played eleven. So now those two younger players, 0:07:35.440 --> 0:07:38.480 Javon and Brandon are playing just about every snap of 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:41.600 of most games, while Eric Rowe kind of has a 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:44.440 thirty to forty fluctuating type of snap workload per game. 0:07:44.440 --> 0:07:46.480 But they all play really good. And mccordy is not 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:49.280 available right now, but the personnel's change a little bit, 0:07:49.560 --> 0:07:51.640 and I just I'll be curious to see if they 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:54.360 bring those safeties, the two guys that lead all safeties 0:07:54.400 --> 0:07:56.760 and QB pressures this year. If they play off, if 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:59.440 it's a lot of big nickel and three safety packages, 0:07:59.560 --> 0:08:01.640 what will that look like. That's gonna be a theme 0:08:01.680 --> 0:08:03.760 throughout this podcast, just kind of not really sure what 0:08:03.760 --> 0:08:06.280 we're gonna see because both these teams are sold multiple 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:08.720 and can do so much. Just to kind of finish 0:08:08.760 --> 0:08:11.400 the point here, MAX numbers against the blitz this season 0:08:11.760 --> 0:08:14.720 are against rather clean versus pressure and blitz and not 0:08:14.800 --> 0:08:17.760 blitzing when he's kept clean seventy one point six percent 0:08:17.800 --> 0:08:21.480 for seven point five yards per pass, fifteen touchdowns, eight picks. 0:08:21.720 --> 0:08:24.760 When he's pressured, a big drop off in completion percentage 0:08:24.800 --> 0:08:27.679 of fifty five point one percent, six point one yards 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:31.200 per throw, six touchdowns and four interceptions. But again with 0:08:31.280 --> 0:08:34.640 this offensive line, with that play caller and Josh McDaniels, 0:08:34.679 --> 0:08:36.600 and with the quarterback in the way, he's able to 0:08:37.240 --> 0:08:40.400 win pre snap and get the football out on time. 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:44.440 That has a All of those elements play into not 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:46.720 getting a lot of pressure on Mac. But when one 0:08:46.720 --> 0:08:49.160 of those things happens, maybe you can affect the passing game, 0:08:49.200 --> 0:08:52.040 get pressure and have success that way. When he's blitzed 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:54.720 sixty four and a half percent completion for six point 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:57.960 seven yards per pass, seven touchdowns and three picks, and 0:08:58.000 --> 0:09:00.720 when you don't blitz him, the completion percentnge goes up 0:09:00.760 --> 0:09:05.120 to sixty seven point five yards per past, fourteen touchdowns 0:09:05.480 --> 0:09:08.480 and eight interceptions. And of course, a big part of 0:09:08.480 --> 0:09:11.520 the matchup is the Patriots skill players, the receivers and 0:09:11.520 --> 0:09:13.880 tight ends versus the Dolphins cornerbacks. And if you look 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:16.960 across the matchups from the week one game back in Foxborough, 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:20.200 it was spread all over the place. Jacobe Myers had 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:23.360 nine targets against six different defenders, and the same thing 0:09:23.360 --> 0:09:25.480 which true of most of their top pass catchers or 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:29.320 top past targets. Hunter Henry matchup on Eric Rowe, Xaviing 0:09:29.400 --> 0:09:32.000 Howard and Brandon Jones for one target each called all 0:09:32.000 --> 0:09:33.800 three of those for thirty one yards in that game. 0:09:34.160 --> 0:09:36.160 And going into that game, I think john who Smith 0:09:36.240 --> 0:09:39.800 was maybe a little more kind of the one a 0:09:39.960 --> 0:09:41.599 to the one being Hunter Henry, and that's kind of 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:43.480 flipped so far as far as snap counts go. But 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:46.840 Johnny in that game had five targets against five different defenders, 0:09:47.240 --> 0:09:50.040 and he did play more in that game than Hunter 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:52.840 Henry did. But I think it'll be more about matching 0:09:52.920 --> 0:09:56.079 up on a play by play basis based on alignment 0:09:56.200 --> 0:09:58.800 and assignment, and they can really mix up their personnel 0:09:58.800 --> 0:10:02.040 groupings two from eleven and well and thirteen and twenty 0:10:02.080 --> 0:10:05.920 two personnel. Jacoby Myers, though the receiver, was their top 0:10:05.960 --> 0:10:08.280 target getting this show with one hundred eighteen targets. He's 0:10:08.320 --> 0:10:11.440 caught seventy nine of those for seven hundred ninety six yards, 0:10:11.600 --> 0:10:14.400 and he caught his first career touchdown a few weeks back, 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:16.120 and he has two on the season now, and I 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:18.160 love the way they got him that touchdown. On the 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:21.200 whole team celebrated along with him because he's a he's 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:23.240 been a good player who's really put the work in 0:10:23.240 --> 0:10:25.280 and kind of climbed up the depth chart, and now 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:27.080 he's kind of the go to guy there the hundred 0:10:27.160 --> 0:10:30.480 eighteen targets, and he does it with really good route running. 0:10:30.520 --> 0:10:32.120 He's got a lot of core strength and ability to 0:10:32.160 --> 0:10:33.880 kind of sink the hips and explode out of those 0:10:33.920 --> 0:10:37.600 breaks and use his body to not only keep himself 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:40.440 free of defenders but stay on balance during the kind 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:43.440 of physical exchange of each and every route. Now Kendrick 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:46.199 Boorne has sixty six targets for fifty two catches a 0:10:46.280 --> 0:10:49.800 high catch percentage for seven seventy six And I just 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:51.680 wanted to write this about both he and Myers and 0:10:51.720 --> 0:10:54.680 really the entire receiving corps that when you look at 0:10:54.720 --> 0:10:57.760 the Patriots receiver, they typically carried a lot of the 0:10:57.800 --> 0:11:00.520 same traits from year to year, and those are a 0:11:00.600 --> 0:11:03.800 smart player that understands coverage and concepts, that knows how 0:11:03.800 --> 0:11:06.360 to playoff of leverage and where soft spots are in 0:11:06.400 --> 0:11:08.520 the zone. And that's what Born kind of makes me 0:11:08.600 --> 0:11:11.240 think of. He was a big part of those Niners 0:11:11.320 --> 0:11:13.720 offenses and all the misdirection and kind of opening up 0:11:13.720 --> 0:11:16.320 those windows and finding those windows when you get a 0:11:16.320 --> 0:11:19.119 false step from a linebacker based on the motion you 0:11:19.120 --> 0:11:21.800 you present for that linebacker in the eye Candy, I 0:11:21.840 --> 0:11:24.120 like the way he can understand the way a defense 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:26.440 moves and reacts to what you do and then find 0:11:26.480 --> 0:11:28.920 those soft spots. And that's what Jacobe Myers does pretty well, 0:11:28.960 --> 0:11:32.120 I think too. And you continue this receiving corps here. 0:11:32.200 --> 0:11:34.800 Christian Wilkerson is a new guy there. He's I think 0:11:34.840 --> 0:11:37.280 fourteen targets, but I'm not really familiar with his game, 0:11:37.480 --> 0:11:39.800 but he's part of the equation there as well. And 0:11:39.840 --> 0:11:42.160 then to kill Harry, a former first round draft pick 0:11:42.200 --> 0:11:44.920 out of Arizona State. He has twenty one targets this year, 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:47.360 twelve catches, a buck eighty four and when he was 0:11:47.400 --> 0:11:49.160 at his peak, or when he is at his peak, 0:11:49.360 --> 0:11:51.440 it's all about run after the catch. He'll be involved 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:53.200 in the screen game. He can block as well, so 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:54.760 he does a little bit of the dirty work there 0:11:54.960 --> 0:11:57.160 in that Patriots receiver's room, which is also a trait 0:11:57.280 --> 0:11:59.319 that really again one of those things that you kind 0:11:59.320 --> 0:12:02.520 of the negotiables for the Patriots and that receiving corps. 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:06.040 At the tight end position, Hunter Henry has sixty nine targets, 0:12:06.080 --> 0:12:09.239 He's caught forty five for five seventeen and nine touchdowns. 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:13.120 And we talked about the leverage of understanding the defense 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:15.240 and all those things that the receiving corps does. It 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:17.200 extends the tight ends here for this team as well. 0:12:17.360 --> 0:12:20.240 I watched a real good bit of Hunter Henry when 0:12:20.240 --> 0:12:22.800 he was a free agent. Uh was last year, Yeah, 0:12:22.800 --> 0:12:24.800 I guess it was last year. And the only real 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:27.360 concern I have when watching him was there wasn't one 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:29.280 the concern with him was the medical because he's missed 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:31.200 so many games in his career, but he's found his 0:12:31.240 --> 0:12:33.640 health and he's producing there for the Patriots. He's a 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:36.160 multidimensional player who will be involved in the running game 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:38.520 and the passing game, and when he's on the field, 0:12:38.679 --> 0:12:40.600 you have to be real careful and real sound with 0:12:40.640 --> 0:12:43.559 your substitutions and your responsibilities because they can get to 0:12:43.679 --> 0:12:46.800 multiple different looks with him kind of being the chess 0:12:46.800 --> 0:12:49.400 piece that can extend to here's a classic in line. Why, 0:12:49.520 --> 0:12:51.040 here's the guy that goes out to the slot. Here's 0:12:51.040 --> 0:12:53.120 an h BAC that can do multiple things. So you 0:12:53.120 --> 0:12:54.720 have to keep an eye on Hunter Henry and then 0:12:54.800 --> 0:12:58.080 Johnny Smith forty five targets, twenty eight catches to forty nine, 0:12:58.440 --> 0:13:01.719 super athletic. He was a yeah, a monster in Tennessee. 0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:05.120 And again, Henry's emergence has kind of slanted the snap 0:13:05.120 --> 0:13:07.400 counts a little bit more in his favor seven eight 0:13:07.520 --> 0:13:09.760 to five oh one. But they still use both these 0:13:09.760 --> 0:13:12.920 guys plenty and they both really factor into the running game. 0:13:13.840 --> 0:13:15.959 So how do you match up? You know, Xavien Howard 0:13:16.000 --> 0:13:18.760 has had another really good year here he'll play his 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:21.360 thirty second game in two years out of possible thirty 0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:24.080 three here when he starts on Sunday for the Dolphins, 0:13:24.240 --> 0:13:27.120 and Brian Floor has mentioned the flexibility that he offers 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:29.080 and the ability to, hey, we need to go cover 0:13:29.200 --> 0:13:31.040 that guy, can you go do it? And yeah, he 0:13:31.080 --> 0:13:34.040 does that, and you know, I'm not real sure who 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:37.200 that would be in this Patriots game. Most likely going 0:13:37.240 --> 0:13:39.480 to be some variety We've We've seen that all year long. 0:13:39.679 --> 0:13:41.800 And that's where Byron Jones kind of comes in because 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:44.200 as he continues to do a good job this year himself, 0:13:45.000 --> 0:13:47.360 having him an X allows you to switch up how 0:13:47.440 --> 0:13:49.320 you do that. Maybe each Byron that goes and gets 0:13:49.320 --> 0:13:51.480 that guy, maybe it switches up how you bracket where 0:13:51.520 --> 0:13:54.120 you can go man up. And the Patriots again offensive 0:13:54.200 --> 0:13:56.920 versatility makes it really hard to forecast how that will go. 0:13:57.280 --> 0:14:00.000 But every time we get to this part of the matchup, 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:02.040 I always feel good about X and Byron because these 0:14:02.040 --> 0:14:04.439 are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Nick 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:06.640 Needum didn't play as much in the opener back in 0:14:06.679 --> 0:14:09.800 Week one, but he's again had a second really nice 0:14:09.880 --> 0:14:11.840 year here of kicking inside of the slot, played some 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:13.880 safety a little bit earlier this year as well. But 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:16.120 you know, a guy that continues to evolve his game, 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:18.680 I'll be curious to see what his ever evolving roles 0:14:18.720 --> 0:14:20.440 in this one. He didn't play a whole lot in 0:14:20.480 --> 0:14:24.160 that first season opener to the Patriots offensive line Dolphins 0:14:24.160 --> 0:14:26.080 defensive one. We'll get to that here in just one second, 0:14:26.080 --> 0:14:30.760 but real quick, a short break back here on the 0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:34.960 Thursday edition of the Drive Time podcast previewing Dolphins and Patriots, 0:14:35.480 --> 0:14:38.560 and we move into the trenches on the Patriots offense 0:14:38.600 --> 0:14:41.280 and Dolphins defensive line. And that's been a huge part 0:14:41.280 --> 0:14:44.760 of this Patriots team success for really as long back 0:14:44.800 --> 0:14:47.640 as I can remember. I mean, Dante scarnekiet is one 0:14:47.640 --> 0:14:49.600 of the greatest football coaches of all times, and he's 0:14:49.640 --> 0:14:52.200 kind of set the mode in the in the tempo 0:14:52.280 --> 0:14:53.800 for how things are done there in New England. He 0:14:53.880 --> 0:14:55.720 left for a little bit and came back, and the 0:14:55.720 --> 0:14:58.000 way he taught things is still kind of having an 0:14:58.000 --> 0:15:00.800 effect there. And they just continue to have six tests upfront, 0:15:01.080 --> 0:15:04.400 even with different personnel and different coaching. They the offensive 0:15:04.440 --> 0:15:06.200 line of the Patriots is a bit of an institution. 0:15:06.480 --> 0:15:08.280 It helps them in the running game. They're very good 0:15:08.280 --> 0:15:11.120 in the past protection game. They're smart, they identify where 0:15:11.120 --> 0:15:13.440 different looks are coming from. They squeeze it when they 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:15.000 have to, they extend when they have to. They can 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:17.240 go isa on either side of the offensive line with 0:15:17.280 --> 0:15:19.640 some with two pretty good tackles there as well. It's 0:15:19.640 --> 0:15:21.400 a deep group. They have guys that can step off 0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:23.480 the bench and fill in as well. I'll be curious 0:15:23.480 --> 0:15:25.000 to see if the Dolphins can win with some of 0:15:25.040 --> 0:15:27.760 the games they run up front, because you know that's 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:30.240 that's a big part of the Dolphin's pass rush plan. 0:15:30.360 --> 0:15:33.040 They have so many different packages and looks and calls 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:35.880 they can get to that that are adaptable based upon 0:15:35.920 --> 0:15:37.840 the personnel and the looks you see in the front 0:15:37.840 --> 0:15:39.920 you're playing. I'll be curious se if Mimi can have 0:15:39.960 --> 0:15:42.760 success with that against this good Patriots offensive line. It 0:15:42.880 --> 0:15:44.720 was tough going the first time around. Can they get 0:15:44.720 --> 0:15:47.120 more pressure on mac Jones this time, whether it's with 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:49.680 the blitz or if it's with four man pressure. That's 0:15:49.720 --> 0:15:51.880 another element I'm curious to look at and this game 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:54.200 is is it going to be for man pressure? Is 0:15:54.200 --> 0:15:56.640 it gonna be blitz? Is I mean Trent Brown, the 0:15:56.920 --> 0:16:00.360 Patriots right tackle, he was injured back in that Week 0:16:00.400 --> 0:16:03.520 one game pretty early on. If I recall and Emmanuel Ogba, 0:16:03.560 --> 0:16:07.120 who primarily rushes off the offensive lines right side. He 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:09.240 plays multiple spots like all these guys do, but the 0:16:09.280 --> 0:16:11.880 majority of his snaps come from that position, and he 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:14.240 had a pretty successful day back in Week one. I'm 0:16:14.280 --> 0:16:18.160 looking forward to that matchup because Ogbah wins so consistently 0:16:18.200 --> 0:16:20.600 with the length and the size and the power that 0:16:20.680 --> 0:16:23.400 he can generate from that pass rush position and the 0:16:23.400 --> 0:16:25.280 way he can lock out against the running game. But 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:28.600 Trent Brown's like the most the biggest marvel in the 0:16:28.680 --> 0:16:31.720 National Football League for his athletic ability paired with the 0:16:31.760 --> 0:16:33.960 size that he offers at that position. So it's big 0:16:33.960 --> 0:16:36.320 on big, it's good on good there for the Patriots 0:16:36.320 --> 0:16:38.840 and the Dolphins. And I'm also curious about Jalen Phillips 0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:41.200 because you know, back in Week one, maybe his role 0:16:41.240 --> 0:16:43.200 has expanded a little bit since then with more snap 0:16:43.200 --> 0:16:46.400 counts and more workload and obviously more production. Can he 0:16:46.440 --> 0:16:48.480 find a way to kind of crack this Patriots code 0:16:48.480 --> 0:16:51.120 and have some production as a rookie against this really 0:16:51.120 --> 0:16:54.640 tough Patriots offensive line in his rookie season finale. And 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:57.320 then lastly, here I'm curious about Ted Carriss because he 0:16:57.320 --> 0:16:59.440 played pretty well for the Dolphins last year back in 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:01.840 New England there playing well for them, and you know, 0:17:02.080 --> 0:17:04.919 he obviously knows this Dolphins front pretty well. You know, 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:08.160 a Christian Wilkins, is Zach Steeler, and Adam Butler because 0:17:08.160 --> 0:17:09.399 he used play with him in New England as well, 0:17:09.440 --> 0:17:11.320 and even a ray Kwon Davis for his second season 0:17:11.320 --> 0:17:14.159 here with the Miami Dolphins. I'm curiously, do they know 0:17:14.280 --> 0:17:16.000 his tricks? Does he know their tricks? He's gonna pass 0:17:16.000 --> 0:17:17.640 those along? Are they gonna pass it along? I mean 0:17:17.920 --> 0:17:21.479 the lack of It's tough to confuse a division opponent, 0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:24.399 especially one that's this kind of closely tied together with 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:26.159 some ex players being on either side of the football. 0:17:26.200 --> 0:17:28.400 But I'm curious to see about how they attack Ted 0:17:28.480 --> 0:17:30.560 Harris in this game and if he can best them 0:17:30.640 --> 0:17:33.440 or if they can best him on that Patriots interior front. 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:35.280 But it's a good matchup there. I love this Dolphins 0:17:35.320 --> 0:17:38.399 defensive line. Patriots offensive line brings it as well. To me. 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:40.639 That's kind of the marquee matchup of the game. And 0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:42.440 we finished up here at the Patriots offense with the 0:17:42.560 --> 0:17:46.560 running backs against the Miami linebackers. Huge fan of Patriots backfield. 0:17:46.600 --> 0:17:48.560 I think Damian Harris is one of the better running 0:17:48.560 --> 0:17:52.200 backs in the National Football League. He's scheme diverse, gap 0:17:52.280 --> 0:17:54.800 razone outside or inside. He's got power, he can be 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:57.640 a slasher, and the way he finishes runs. Big fan 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:01.040 of that smooth runner with excellent feeling vision, just kind 0:18:01.040 --> 0:18:02.480 of all the traits to check off the box and 0:18:02.520 --> 0:18:04.400