WEBVTT - Dolphins Texans Week 12 Preview 0:00:01.600 --> 0:00:05.160 You were listening to the Miami Dolphins podcast Network. This 0:00:05.360 --> 0:00:08.399 is Drive Time with Travis Wheatfield. Back to throw to 0:00:08.520 --> 0:00:14.920 a looking gips wade open touchtop ton Rick Hill doing 0:00:15.000 --> 0:00:18.799 to where he was going right away? Man, I want 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:22.080 to help you soon up on his manway wattle waddle 0:00:22.360 --> 0:00:26.560 to a shotgun, back to throw looking ups up fires Touchpa, 0:00:27.160 --> 0:00:32.360 It's waddle, It's six touchdown parade helps the day. Drive 0:00:32.440 --> 0:00:36.879 Time with Travis Wingfield begins. Now let me check your 0:00:36.880 --> 0:00:44.120 pulse if number? What is up? Dolph fans and welcome 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:47.240 back to the Drivetime Podcast, part of the Miami Dolphins 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:52.239 podcast network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins. How's it 0:00:52.280 --> 0:00:55.720 going everybody? I am your host, Travis Wingfield, because you 0:00:55.800 --> 0:00:58.200 all have a fun bye week, I sure as heck did, 0:00:58.320 --> 0:01:01.080 especially watching some of the game in our own division. 0:01:01.400 --> 0:01:04.160 On today's show though, we're back for an early preview 0:01:04.280 --> 0:01:07.039 edition here of the Draft Time Podcast. Wanted to get 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:10.640 the position by position, matchup by matchup, film study and 0:01:10.680 --> 0:01:15.119 stat analysis podcast your way ahead of the holiday. We're 0:01:15.160 --> 0:01:18.360 breaking down all things Dolphins Texans with the matchups, the 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:21.440 three keys, and what's at stake from the Baptist Health 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:26.200 studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the 0:01:26.280 --> 0:01:32.960 drivetimes the Houston Texans. And I heard this stat after 0:01:33.000 --> 0:01:34.560 I wrote up my script. I'm gonna go ahead and 0:01:34.600 --> 0:01:36.640 put it in here real quick. This is the Dolphins 0:01:36.720 --> 0:01:42.240 largest point spread since hosting the Texans in two thousand 0:01:42.319 --> 0:01:44.960 and three, the season opener that of course went the 0:01:45.000 --> 0:01:47.640 wrong way, and that part is in the script. And 0:01:47.680 --> 0:01:50.640 we talk about life cycles on this podcast all the time, 0:01:50.720 --> 0:01:54.040 particularly in the team building portion of the calendar, with 0:01:54.080 --> 0:01:57.200 all the great draft guests we have on the show annually, 0:01:57.320 --> 0:01:59.920 and this Texans organization has had some of the most 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:02.720 of fine cycles really of any team since there are 0:02:02.760 --> 0:02:07.160 two thousand two inception into the NFL, they struggled out 0:02:07.160 --> 0:02:10.000 of the gate like any expansion franchise would. They finished 0:02:10.120 --> 0:02:12.320 last in the newly aligned a f C South in 0:02:12.440 --> 0:02:15.480 five of their first six seasons and never finished better 0:02:15.480 --> 0:02:19.120 than third until their eighth year in existence, which coincided 0:02:19.120 --> 0:02:22.359 with the arrival of quarterback Matt Shop, then a step 0:02:22.360 --> 0:02:25.440 back to third, and then the arrival of J. J. 0:02:25.760 --> 0:02:28.760 Swat J J. Watt in two thousand and eleven. They 0:02:28.800 --> 0:02:32.120 put together back to back division tiles before bottoming out 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:35.760 at two and fourteen, and they turned that around to 0:02:35.919 --> 0:02:40.040 nine and seven and fourteen, then officially shed the expansion 0:02:40.080 --> 0:02:43.799 tag with a dominant run inside their own division. They 0:02:43.840 --> 0:02:47.240 win the a f C South four out of five years, 0:02:47.440 --> 0:02:50.680 with a fourth place sandwiched directly in the middle of 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:54.239 that seventeen season, and more recently, back to back four 0:02:54.280 --> 0:02:57.440 win seasons the last two years. And coming into this 0:02:57.480 --> 0:03:02.280 game one eight and one, how fascinating is that it is? 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:04.400 To me at least they've been playing football for twenty 0:03:04.480 --> 0:03:06.600 one years and they have finished first or fourth in 0:03:06.760 --> 0:03:10.239 fourteen of those years. Two of those third place finishes 0:03:10.639 --> 0:03:12.880 were four win seasons. So if not for the frigging 0:03:12.960 --> 0:03:16.440 Jacksonville Jaguars these last two years, we're looking at sixteen 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:19.080 of their twenty one years either at the top of 0:03:19.080 --> 0:03:21.920 the podium or in the cellar. And of course, as 0:03:22.000 --> 0:03:24.840 every single Dolphins fan knows, despite those ups and downs, 0:03:24.840 --> 0:03:28.160 they've always provided a challenge to the good guys. The 0:03:28.360 --> 0:03:30.760 afore mentioned OH three season opener was one of the 0:03:30.800 --> 0:03:34.000 biggest shockers of the century. It was Miami's first opening 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:36.880 they had lost in twelve years, and the biggest favorite 0:03:36.880 --> 0:03:40.080 of that opening weekend, a game where Miami were fourteen 0:03:40.280 --> 0:03:43.600 point favorites. That was unheard of in two thousand two. 0:03:43.840 --> 0:03:46.000 This game on Sunday, they're only I think eleven and 0:03:46.080 --> 0:03:50.960 a half. It's in the NFL even today. Fourteen points 0:03:51.000 --> 0:03:53.920 is a lot Back then, forget about it, and that 0:03:53.960 --> 0:03:57.920 torment against the Texans would continue for more than a decade. 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:00.440 The two six loss was bad. The two since seven 0:04:00.480 --> 0:04:03.240 lost was expected in a nightmare season. But and I 0:04:03.280 --> 0:04:06.040 know I've referenced this a million times, no loss made 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:08.720 me more upset as a Dolphins fan than that two 0:04:08.800 --> 0:04:12.440 thousand eight game in Houston. Watched the quarterback drop, Matt 0:04:12.440 --> 0:04:15.040 Shop is gonna run it, coming off massive wins over 0:04:15.080 --> 0:04:17.320 New England and San Diego to rescue the O and 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:20.360 to start with the Wildcat offense that year and get 0:04:20.360 --> 0:04:22.800 out to a big lead on the Texans, but then 0:04:22.800 --> 0:04:26.240 to lose it after Andre Johnson plux an impossible fourth 0:04:26.279 --> 0:04:30.200 and twenty reception off the helmet of was it Andre Goodman? 0:04:30.760 --> 0:04:33.400 I don't remember. I do remember what happened after that, though, 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:35.599 Matt freaking Shop on the draw on fourth and goal. 0:04:35.720 --> 0:04:38.200 Remember having Channing Crowder on the podcast when we first 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:40.840 launched and talked about that play and he agreed with 0:04:40.880 --> 0:04:44.000 the frustration of it all. Luckily that team did bounce 0:04:44.000 --> 0:04:45.680 back and win the a f C East. I do 0:04:45.720 --> 0:04:47.760 not remember the two thousand nine game that well at all. 0:04:48.000 --> 0:04:50.279 I remember the two thousand eleven and two thousand thirteen 0:04:50.320 --> 0:04:53.520 losses or two thousand twelve, I should say. And then 0:04:53.520 --> 0:04:55.760 we get to two thousand, fifteen oh and seven and 0:04:55.839 --> 0:04:58.400 all time, and the Demons were exercised with a forty 0:04:58.440 --> 0:05:01.440 two nothing first half, six touchdowns in the opening half, 0:05:01.600 --> 0:05:03.679 and the team split the last two with the serious 0:05:03.680 --> 0:05:07.120 sitting right now at two to eight. Back to the Texans, Now, 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:09.360 how do they get here? Well, Bill O'Brien was let 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:12.560 go mid season. They then hired David Coley as a 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:15.760 sacrificial layman two thousand one, replaced him with Levey Smith 0:05:15.839 --> 0:05:18.880 this year after they won. They exceeded expectations last year 0:05:18.880 --> 0:05:20.560 with four victories. They were supposed to win any games 0:05:20.600 --> 0:05:23.120 last year. They plucked the very talented Nick Cassario from 0:05:23.160 --> 0:05:25.880 New England last year and he has been as busy 0:05:25.920 --> 0:05:28.320 as any GM in the NFL. From a volume of 0:05:28.440 --> 0:05:32.440 move standpoint, they have made so many veteran acquisitions on 0:05:32.480 --> 0:05:36.279 that team. They did relieve Jack Easterby earlier this year, 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:39.159 one of the weirder hirings ever after, you know, a 0:05:39.279 --> 0:05:42.120 firing that was greeted by a social media post from 0:05:42.120 --> 0:05:45.120 players advocating for his dismissal. But that's kind of been 0:05:45.160 --> 0:05:47.080 the last three years for the Texans, who made a 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:49.880 big move to deal their franchise quarterback after years of 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:53.720 nefarious behavior was concealed there as well. Those winning years 0:05:53.800 --> 0:05:57.320 under O'Brien came at a cost. They dealt premium pick 0:05:57.360 --> 0:06:00.640 after premium pick in pursuit of maximizing the life cycle 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:02.919 under the then star quarterback, who of course was on 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:06.160 a rookie contract, and it never materialized beyond a trip 0:06:06.200 --> 0:06:08.880 to the a f C Divisional round and that devastating 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:11.480 loss to the Chiefs after a twenty four nothing lead 0:06:11.520 --> 0:06:13.080 to open the game. How do you bounce back from that? 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:15.320 As a fan? I would love to know, haven't experienced 0:06:15.320 --> 0:06:19.599 it myself. Then season happened, and that's kind of the 0:06:19.640 --> 0:06:22.320 genesis of the bottom dropping out on this team. Without 0:06:22.400 --> 0:06:24.360 the first and second round picks, they finished third to 0:06:24.440 --> 0:06:26.440 last in the NFL. And you can't replying to your 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:29.200 roster with mean, I don't know, Galen Waddle Javon holland 0:06:29.240 --> 0:06:33.039 Galen Phillips without those picks, uh, without the high picks, 0:06:33.040 --> 0:06:35.080 I should say, and then sign more than twenty free 0:06:35.120 --> 0:06:38.080 agents two deals in that one the two year range. 0:06:38.120 --> 0:06:41.040 Truly a unique offseason and it wasn't the same this year, 0:06:41.040 --> 0:06:43.799 but it wasn't that different. They're playing with a different 0:06:43.880 --> 0:06:46.480 quarterback on a rookie court, a rookie contract now is 0:06:46.560 --> 0:06:49.200 Davis Mills is playing his butt off trying to secure 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:51.839 the long term job security. There hasn't gone that way 0:06:51.920 --> 0:06:54.120 so far. They have a stud rookie running back and 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:57.280 Damian Pierce plopped into a running back room with just 0:06:57.320 --> 0:06:59.440 guys that have been kind of cast off from other clubs. 0:06:59.560 --> 0:07:01.400 And that's kind of how the roster as a whole looks. 0:07:01.400 --> 0:07:03.640 Brandon Cooks is a big name in the young receiver's room, 0:07:03.880 --> 0:07:05.359 not a lot of name power in the tight end 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:08.400 room either, And it's just this incredibly puzzling roster to 0:07:08.440 --> 0:07:11.360 makes sense of. Like Rex birkehead Philip dor said O J. 0:07:11.480 --> 0:07:14.440 Howard are all key cogs on the offense. The strength 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:16.640 of the team might be the line. And while they 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:19.000 sure could have used all those picks, not for nothing, 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:21.400 Larry mt. Tunsill is one of the best left tackles 0:07:21.400 --> 0:07:23.640 in football. So do you want a great left tackle 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:27.640 or three premium players. I choose the ladder, and that's 0:07:27.680 --> 0:07:30.440 why he commands such a steep price, right, I mean, 0:07:30.760 --> 0:07:33.600 and they nailed their other book and player at that 0:07:33.640 --> 0:07:36.120 position with Titus Howard. The right tackles are great. I 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:38.600 loved offensive guard Kenyan Green coming out. In fact, I 0:07:38.640 --> 0:07:41.360 love their entire two class as a step in the 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:44.400 right direction to rebuilding the roster. Derek Stingley is an 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:48.400 awesome looking rookie cornerback, same with safety. Rookie safety Jalen Petra. 0:07:48.560 --> 0:07:51.200 Christian Harris is the outside linebacker that can play. Jerry 0:07:51.240 --> 0:07:54.000 Hughes having a resurgence after a brilliant career in Buffalo, 0:07:54.360 --> 0:07:56.720 and their book and there the very talent of Jonathan 0:07:56.720 --> 0:07:58.400 Grenard is on the injured reserve, so they do have 0:07:58.440 --> 0:08:01.240 some talent upfront, so there's some nice young pieces. They 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:04.320 compete most weeks and have played some tight games despite 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:06.840 their record. They played the Eagles tight into the fourth quarter. 0:08:07.040 --> 0:08:09.040 They took a six and two Giants team right down 0:08:09.040 --> 0:08:11.280 to the end and lost by just one score. Of 0:08:11.280 --> 0:08:14.000 the week prior to the Titans. Granted, context tells you 0:08:14.040 --> 0:08:16.080 none of those games were ever really in danger for 0:08:16.120 --> 0:08:18.560 the opposition. But we're trying here, and with that, let's 0:08:18.560 --> 0:08:21.560 go ahead and get into a Dolphins offense versus Texans defense. 0:08:21.760 --> 0:08:23.960 We start, as we do weekly, with the quarterback and 0:08:23.960 --> 0:08:27.560 the Dolphins offense versus the opposing defense and their safety position. 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:31.920 I mentioned the promotion of Lovey Smith from DC to 0:08:32.000 --> 0:08:34.760 head coach and he maintained the play calling this year. 0:08:34.960 --> 0:08:37.920 And what does that mean Tampa two. Nobody loves some 0:08:38.000 --> 0:08:40.880 Tampa two more than Lovey Smith. What that is is 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:43.959 cover two, which you all know what that means. Too 0:08:44.000 --> 0:08:47.559 high safety's cloud corners underneath garden, the curl flat area, 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:50.080 and then a middle linebacker who once he recognizes as 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:52.520 a pass gets on his horse and gets down the 0:08:52.559 --> 0:08:54.400 middle of the pipe to take away the middle of 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:56.959 the field that those safeties open up. It stresses your 0:08:57.000 --> 0:09:00.160 mike backer to be ultra instinctive and fast, and it 0:09:00.200 --> 0:09:02.640 means a lot of even fronts. Do the Texans have that? 0:09:03.640 --> 0:09:06.439 I don't think. So. They run four three percent of 0:09:06.440 --> 0:09:08.640 the time, they run Nickels sixty five percent time. They 0:09:08.679 --> 0:09:10.720 don't really match the personnel those are the only two 0:09:10.760 --> 0:09:13.440 packages they deployed the entire season, even when teams go 0:09:13.520 --> 0:09:16.199 heavy or spread it out. If you're heavy, you'll see 0:09:16.280 --> 0:09:18.679 four three. If you've got three receivers or more on 0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:21.280 the field, you'll get nickel. So it's a good way 0:09:21.440 --> 0:09:23.880 simply put it's it's it's one of the craziest schemes 0:09:24.040 --> 0:09:26.199 I've seen this year, or for any year for that matter. 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:29.680 It invites linebackers to cover in the slot. It puts 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:32.960 two and sixty five pound players out in space, one 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:35.600 on one against wide receivers when teams call upon their 0:09:35.600 --> 0:09:39.480 four wide looks. It offers free access across the entire field, 0:09:39.480 --> 0:09:41.560 and that middle linebacker has to be able to flow, 0:09:41.880 --> 0:09:44.520 not just sideline to sideline over the top of outside 0:09:44.600 --> 0:09:47.960 zone and get get wide on place. He has to 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:49.840 also be able to get twenty five yards of depth 0:09:49.840 --> 0:09:52.360 down the pipe and coverage. They'll also ask him to 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:54.400 run the pipe and match with the three to the 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:57.760 field from a mugged up pre snap alignment. That means 0:09:57.800 --> 0:09:59.640 on the line of scrimmage, and then you have to 0:09:59.720 --> 0:10:02.800 chase receiver you're outflanked against who's faster than you. Tough 0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:05.439 ask they are in a single high look. Most of 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:11.520 the times pre snap uh cover one two high. They've 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:15.280 played nineteen snaps in zero or three snaps with three high, 0:10:15.320 --> 0:10:17.120 so it's basically one high or two high, and they 0:10:17.320 --> 0:10:20.840 usually rotate into a two high coverage too high shell. 0:10:21.120 --> 0:10:23.760 But that's why we pair film with numbers, because that's 0:10:23.840 --> 0:10:26.920 more often than not rotated with that too high look 0:10:26.960 --> 0:10:28.920 with the middle of the field open and that Tampa 0:10:28.960 --> 0:10:30.760 two back or running on the pipe. As for how 0:10:30.800 --> 0:10:33.520 they play in terms of their aggressiveness outside, it's eight 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:37.839 percent with five yards or more cushion, and then with 0:10:38.080 --> 0:10:40.800 three yards or fewer of cushion with two of We've 0:10:40.800 --> 0:10:43.120 seen him attack those types of looks effectively because of 0:10:43.160 --> 0:10:46.199 his ability to move players with his eyes and anticipate 0:10:46.280 --> 0:10:49.080 soft spots and zones before they open up. The defense 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:51.960 will keep eyes in the quarterback, and ideally the cloud 0:10:52.000 --> 0:10:54.440 corners underneath can play the eyes of the quarterback and 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:57.480 let them make some splash play. So for TWA, keep 0:10:57.559 --> 0:11:00.000 playing at the same level and he'll have some opportunity 0:11:00.080 --> 0:11:02.800 used to pick up some more chunk yardage. However, if 0:11:02.840 --> 0:11:05.559 that's not the same performance we get, then this secondary 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:08.000 can turn you over and we know the turnover margin 0:11:08.080 --> 0:11:10.400 can be the great equalizer in a game like this. Incidentally, 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:13.240 Derek Stingley I think was the best cornerback in that draft, 0:11:13.400 --> 0:11:15.640 but he only played thirty six cover two snaps in 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:17.880 his college career. But I think you are seeing him 0:11:17.880 --> 0:11:20.160 get more and more comfortable each week. But it is 0:11:20.200 --> 0:11:22.400 a situation where you're playing a guy outside of what 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:25.440 he does best, which yeah, I don't know. How about 0:11:25.440 --> 0:11:29.040 their blitzing and pressure packages blitz and production eighteen point 0:11:29.120 --> 0:11:32.400 nine percent blitz rate is the tenth lowest, the pressure 0:11:32.440 --> 0:11:35.480 rates the eighteenth most. So there are pretty effective at 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:38.079 four man rushing quarterbacks, and that was even better with 0:11:38.120 --> 0:11:41.080 a healthy Jonathan Grenard. But Jerry Hughes and Marasheem Green 0:11:41.120 --> 0:11:43.280 have had really nice seasons so far. But here is 0:11:43.280 --> 0:11:46.640 where Miami has a massive opportunity. It's the best middle 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:48.600 of the field passing team in football. Right we all 0:11:48.640 --> 0:11:51.480 agree on that the Texans have struggled there because opponents 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:53.760 down the middle, UH, down the middle in ten plush 0:11:53.840 --> 0:11:57.000 yards over the last four games, UH, not counting the 0:11:57.040 --> 0:11:59.880 Washington game last week. Daniel Jones two for three forty 0:12:00.000 --> 0:12:02.440 one yards. Jalen Hurts three for four seventy one yards. 0:12:02.520 --> 0:12:04.800 Malik Willis tried one pass and it was picked in 0:12:04.840 --> 0:12:07.480 that Titans game, but they literally had him throw ten 0:12:07.520 --> 0:12:09.599 passes all game. I'm gonna throw that one out and 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:12.319 then Derek Carr four for four with seventy four yards. 0:12:12.360 --> 0:12:16.000 We know the Dolphins have been most effective passing offense 0:12:16.040 --> 0:12:18.440 on throws between the numbers ten plush yards downfield the 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:21.520 Texans since the bye week, and removing that Malik Willis 0:12:21.559 --> 0:12:23.920 game nine for eleven for a buck eighty six on 0:12:23.960 --> 0:12:27.160 such throws, two on play action league leading one thousand 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:30.240 and five passing yards off play action Texans versus play 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:33.679 actions since Week four forty four fifty eight, five hundred 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:36.240 and fifty four yards, three touchdowns and a pick. Again, 0:12:36.280 --> 0:12:39.160 I removed the Malik Willis game. Dolphins strengths match up 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:41.679 with the Texans weaknesses very well across the board. Here. 0:12:41.720 --> 0:12:43.520 Let's look at their safeties and it starts with one 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:46.720 of my favorite players, rookie from Baylor, Jalen Peatray. He's 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:48.679 got some serious Jesse bates to him the Star up 0:12:48.679 --> 0:12:51.280 in Cincinnati to his game and that he recognized his 0:12:51.320 --> 0:12:54.120 concepts developed and he can anticipate them on top of 0:12:54.160 --> 0:12:56.839 being one of the twitchiest athletes on the field. It's 0:12:56.840 --> 0:12:59.000 a great combination to have at that position. It's a 0:12:59.040 --> 0:13:01.480 fun matchup with he too, who has been one of, 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:03.559 if not the best in the league when it comes 0:13:03.600 --> 0:13:07.520 to moving defenders with his eyes and that post snap manipulation. 0:13:07.840 --> 0:13:10.280 I don't think these numbers are reflection of Peatre's game 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:13.199 this season, and we like like we mentioned with single Stingley, 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:16.560 he's learning a different style of defense. But Petre is 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:19.040 a sixteen of nineteen in coverage this year for two 0:13:19.080 --> 0:13:21.680 hundred and sixty yards, three touchdowns and two picks on 0:13:21.760 --> 0:13:24.719 two hundred nineties seven coverage naps. PFF has him with 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:27.559 twenty one missed tackles on a Houston defense that has 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.040 the most miss tackles in the NFL. They've also allowed 0:13:30.080 --> 0:13:33.520 the most yards after initial contact, so contact balance eating 0:13:33.600 --> 0:13:35.680 up some yak could be a big focus this week. 0:13:35.920 --> 0:13:38.440 Petre does have twenty one run stop, so he's making 0:13:38.440 --> 0:13:41.600 his share of plays as well. Like most really talented rookies, 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:43.640 there's a lot of good but some ups and downs 0:13:43.640 --> 0:13:46.160 that come with the NFL season. And then Jonathan Owens 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:48.280 is the next safety. I'm not familiar with his game 0:13:48.320 --> 0:13:51.079 outside of the games I've watched for this prep. This 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:53.080 is his first year as a full time starter after 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:57.760 going undrafted and catching all with the Texans ten snaps 0:13:57.800 --> 0:14:00.320 that year, one sixty eight last year, and now five 0:14:00.360 --> 0:14:02.760 fifty four this year is a full time starter. His 0:14:02.880 --> 0:14:06.480 numbers ten of sixteen, two forty five yards, three touchdowns, 0:14:06.480 --> 0:14:08.600 no picks. It's got just five run stops. And that's 0:14:08.640 --> 0:14:11.400 how the defense goes with him playing inside less than 0:14:11.440 --> 0:14:13.760 fifteen percent of the snaps and Petre a little more 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:15.960 than half of it. Snaps down there, but still he'll 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:18.120 bell out and play Cover two high or too high. 0:14:18.160 --> 0:14:20.920 Look with Cover two, but fine number five on the defense, 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:23.360 he's the Jenga piece back there. It's like this, they're 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:26.160 so far off the football. The linebackers are too far 0:14:26.280 --> 0:14:29.320 up on the football, and these intermediate shots get attributed 0:14:29.360 --> 0:14:31.520 to them with all kinds of space. That's why the 0:14:31.600 --> 0:14:34.960 yards per reception and the in the yak are absolutely 0:14:34.960 --> 0:14:37.280 insane against these safeties. They also get called upon to 0:14:37.360 --> 0:14:40.240 cover receivers deep when the cloud corners pass off. One 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:42.720 of the crazier parts of this defense is how infrequently 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:45.080 they insert a safety in the running game. And then 0:14:45.120 --> 0:14:47.720 they missed more tackles than anybody else on tape. There 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:49.440 are a lot of runs that get to the second 0:14:49.520 --> 0:14:51.840 level untouched, and then it's a bunch of space for 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.920 these safeties to operate within. Again, it's a tough defense 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:57.480 to master that really needs at Brian or Lacker type 0:14:57.680 --> 0:15:00.360 to make it click. And the expectations should Jip be 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:02.800 in this game to score every single time you touch 0:15:02.880 --> 0:15:04.680 the football. Let's go ahead and take our first break 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:07.000 and come back on the other side. We'll get to 0:15:07.040 --> 0:15:09.320 the receivers and tight ends versus the cornerbacks. We are 0:15:09.360 --> 0:15:11.000 deep into it. Plenty more to come here on the 0:15:11.040 --> 0:15:14.440 preview edition of the Drivetime Podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, 0:15:14.560 --> 0:15:22.280 brought to you by Auto Nation. Back here on a 0:15:22.360 --> 0:15:26.480 special Tuesday preview edition of the Drivetime Podcast. No podcast 0:15:26.560 --> 0:15:29.280 for you guys on Thursday and Friday, enjoy your holidays. 0:15:29.440 --> 0:15:32.040 Will have the great Mark Vandermere from the Houston Texans 0:15:32.200 --> 0:15:35.560 radio broadcast on the show tomorrow. We picked this back 0:15:35.640 --> 0:15:37.840 up here taking a look at the Dolphins receivers and 0:15:37.840 --> 0:15:41.200 tight ends versus the Texans corners. I just like, look, 0:15:41.400 --> 0:15:44.880 there are a lot of holes in most zone coverages 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:48.160 and I think this one has the potential to see 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:51.160 some of those Baltimore openings we saw. It's soft with 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:54.400 the roof on top and corners playing big, big cushions. 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:56.840 As we reference the stat earlier, you know eighty percent 0:15:56.920 --> 0:15:59.160 of the time they're playing off coverage. Then the linebackers 0:15:59.160 --> 0:16:01.800 are easily influenced because they don't have the speed to 0:16:01.880 --> 0:16:04.520 both get to the perimeter and to the hook zone. 0:16:04.880 --> 0:16:07.160 You can boot to space with the flats too. Like 0:16:07.480 --> 0:16:09.600 the team, speed is going to be an issue, and 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:12.080 against this offense, that's always an issue even if you 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:15.680 do have a fast defense. They do do do a 0:16:15.760 --> 0:16:18.960 fantastic job of limiting the deep passing play no completions 0:16:19.000 --> 0:16:21.760 on balls over twenty eight yards in the last three games. 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:24.760 Derek Carr had a two for two fifty three yard 0:16:24.800 --> 0:16:27.080 day back in Week six, and Herbert went four for 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:30.040 five with nine two throwing the ball deep in Week four. 0:16:30.280 --> 0:16:32.280 But by and large, they've kept the ball in front 0:16:32.320 --> 0:16:35.080 of them. They protect the roof and play aggressive down front, 0:16:35.320 --> 0:16:38.520 so teams have really gone after the intermediate area, which 0:16:38.560 --> 0:16:41.120 again is where the Dolphins offense tends to eat, and 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:44.960 you'll get plenty of linebacker and safety on wide receiver matchups. Again, 0:16:45.040 --> 0:16:48.120 one of the most zone centric defenses in the NFL, 0:16:48.360 --> 0:16:51.320 so the individual coverage numbers don't always tell the full story. 0:16:51.600 --> 0:16:53.960 The amount of off coverage they play out there, however, 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:56.960 opens up that space in the flats in the screen 0:16:57.000 --> 0:16:59.400 game and with some runs around the edge, so our 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:02.360 receivers need to block the screens well, blocked the runs well, 0:17:02.600 --> 0:17:05.600 and make some people missed to turn short throws into 0:17:05.680 --> 0:17:09.280 chunk gains. We know Tyreek, Jalen Trent Sheriff have all 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:12.119 excelled in that area all year. So while it's always 0:17:12.320 --> 0:17:15.000 enticing to attack vertically and if you get a chance 0:17:15.000 --> 0:17:17.360 to absolutely do it, why not, But it's the more 0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:19.879 enticing part of this matchup is that where Miami's had 0:17:19.920 --> 0:17:23.800 its most consistent success, that area has consistently given the 0:17:23.800 --> 0:17:27.679 Texans the most issues every single week. It's a lot 0:17:27.720 --> 0:17:30.880 of completions and the short areas outside the numbers almost 0:17:30.920 --> 0:17:33.280 nothing by way of perimeter shots ten or more yards 0:17:33.280 --> 0:17:35.560 down the field, but a bunch of throws in the middle, 0:17:35.600 --> 0:17:38.160 which is how the Tampa two defense kind of funnels things. 0:17:39.240 --> 0:17:41.679 Primary corners on the field of the Texans. Derek Stingley 0:17:41.720 --> 0:17:44.560 three nine coverage snaps. This is before last game. By 0:17:44.560 --> 0:17:47.280 the way, I didn't update my stats. Three nine coverage 0:17:47.320 --> 0:17:51.440 snaps thirty three forty four fourteen yards, no touchdowns in 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:55.679 a pick. Steven Nelson three coverage snaps twenty of thirty 0:17:55.720 --> 0:17:59.000 three touchdown in a pick that in the nickel, Desmond 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:03.000 King two teen snaps sixteen twenty three one A two 0:18:03.440 --> 0:18:05.560 no touchdowns and the pick. So teams are getting a 0:18:05.600 --> 0:18:07.600 lot of yards when they put the ball up in 0:18:07.640 --> 0:18:10.199 the air. The corner with the next most coverage snaps 0:18:10.240 --> 0:18:14.040 is tavierre Thomas. I think I said that right just seventeen, 0:18:14.119 --> 0:18:16.400 but those are recent. He's playing well for them recently. 0:18:16.800 --> 0:18:18.440 Curious to see if he gets a shot at more 0:18:18.440 --> 0:18:20.320 time this week. I'd love to give you a more 0:18:20.359 --> 0:18:22.000 detailed look, but I think it comes down to just 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:24.720 continuing to do what you do well and challenge them 0:18:24.720 --> 0:18:27.080 to stop it if they play with that secured roof 0:18:27.160 --> 0:18:29.359 up top. We saw the Browns do that all game 0:18:29.400 --> 0:18:33.240 long in Miami through those inbreakers, comebacks and then operated 0:18:33.240 --> 0:18:36.480 in space to surefield Gosicki and backs when Tyreeke and 0:18:36.560 --> 0:18:39.840 Jalen stretch the defense out that style pair with how 0:18:39.840 --> 0:18:41.879 I think the running game can do. I'm just not 0:18:41.920 --> 0:18:44.000 sure what they can do to stop it. To be 0:18:44.040 --> 0:18:46.280 completely frank with you, one of my favorite things to 0:18:46.359 --> 0:18:48.760 track each week is the athletic ability of the secondary 0:18:48.840 --> 0:18:52.159 versus Miami, primarily in the slot, when Tyreek and Jalan 0:18:52.200 --> 0:18:55.040 can condense inside for a few snaps and just change 0:18:55.080 --> 0:18:58.600 the game from that area. Desmond Kings the primary slot guy. 0:18:58.640 --> 0:19:00.840 He's a four six guy with gray change of direction 0:19:01.359 --> 0:19:04.000 six six seven con three cone time, but he's a 0:19:04.040 --> 0:19:06.600 slower build, a speed guy with just a nine o 0:19:06.760 --> 0:19:09.040 nine broad a thirty four inch verse, so he's not 0:19:09.200 --> 0:19:12.080 very explosive. I like Waddle and his route running in 0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:14.800 quickness here in this position. Steven Nelson is a four 0:19:14.920 --> 0:19:18.199 five guy, nearly the exact same broad invert as we 0:19:18.240 --> 0:19:21.600 talked about King, a decent three cone just under seven. 0:19:21.680 --> 0:19:23.680 Tyreek was six point five for what it's worth, so 0:19:23.680 --> 0:19:25.760 when you think about how to compare those, a six 0:19:25.800 --> 0:19:28.119 five three cone versus a seven three cone is a 0:19:28.160 --> 0:19:31.199 big change of direction mismatch. And then Derek Stanley was 0:19:31.280 --> 0:19:33.720