THE EXTRA YARD: Week 1 Dolphins Grades

After every Dolphins win or loss, I will provide grades for each unit on the team, including coaching.

QB PLAY
This was a poor effort by Ryan Fitzpatrick. His first of three interceptions was a bad decision compounded by Preston Williams falling down as Stephon Gilmore picked it off. His second interception was the poorest of decisions on this day, as he threw right into a closed window, before his target, (Ford) could clear the zone. His last interception, I chalk up to a P.I. no call and is not his fault. Nonetheless, only two trips to the red zone, and three turnovers gets you a bad grade. Only positives where his command of the huddle, and efficiency in getting his team lined up correctly.-D

RUNNINGBACKS
Myles Gaskins had a productive day with 66 yards on 13 touches, and some good pass pro on tape. Jordan Howard ran out of 12 and 21 personnel, and was given some lead runs, power and inside zone runs that he found no success with. The team looked much better with what Myles Gaskin and Matt Breida were asked to do.-C-

Dolphins were in 11-personnel 61% of snaps yesterday, doing their most successful running out of that personnel grouping at 4.3 YPC, exclusively with Myles Gaskin & Matt Breida. Jordan Howard’s run plays were exclusively behind fullback Chandler Cox and/or double-TE personnel.

— Chris Kouffman (@ckparrot) September 14, 2020

PASS RECEIVERS
DeVante Parker was good while he lasted, as his hamstring injury flared up and he left the game in the first half. Preston Williams was erased for all intents and purposes by several patriots, but mostly by Stephon Gilmore and JC Jackson. Isaiah Ford was a non-factor. Jakeem Grant showed some promise, and did pop open for a big one (Fitzpatrick didn’t see it) in the 3rd quarter, and he was the lonely bright spot on the unit. Mike Gesicki had 5 targets and probably should have drawn two pass interference penalties.-D

OFFENSIVE LINE
Some good on this unit. If I told you Austin Jackson played a clean game against a Bill Belichick led defense, that was actively throwing the kitchen sink at him, what grade would you give? The other rookie Solomon Kindley had some moment sin inside zone, and stood up pretty well in pass pro. Pass protection was not an issue. Running out of 12 and 21 personnel was. Flowers had a costly penalty that stifled a drive, and Kindley blew a counter play, but the main issues came when trying to hit their double teams on lead runs, as there was a lot of whiffing going on. You subtract their lead iso plays, and everything they ran out of 12/21 personnel, you get a very different story, but you can’t do that. Run Blocking hurts the grade.-C+

I feel as if I have to explain how good Austin Jackson was. He faced a Belichick led defense knowing they were facing a rookie LT with a RH QB. They threw the kitchen sink at him. He played a clean game. Fitzy ran himself to only sack given up.-Alf

— Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) September 13, 2020

DEFENSIVE LINE
Christian Wilkins was very good, and active as he shot the B gap consistently all day. The rest if the DT’s sprinkled in moments, with Raekwon Davis noticeably over-running assignments and having his aggressiveness used against him. Ogbah and Lawson were terrible setting the edge, and consistently mis-played Cam Newton’s zone read runs. These guys are much better than what they showed. Other than quarterback, this was the unit deserving the most blame for the loss.-D+

LINEBACKERS
Jerome Baker was everywhere. 16 tackles, 1 sack. Kyle Van Noy was the only guy that had a beat on Cam’s zone read, but nonetheless missed a couple of consequential tackles. The group had 4 TFL’s, and each and every one was from smart/good effort. The problem comes when the statistics against you don’t match up with the actual play. The unit didn’t play bad, but they weren’t part of any solutions on this day.-C+

SECONDARY
Uneventful. The Patriots really didn’t try to threaten the secondary, as they had much success on the ground. Rookie Brandon Jones was noticeable, as he had a flashy debut. Xavien Howard played limited snaps, Noah Igbinoghene impressed in spurts, and Bobby McCain was not asked to do too much as the secondary was mostly in run support all day, or reacting to play action, as the Patriots ran, or used play action on 83% of their plays.-B+

#dolphins safety brandon jones joins xavien howard, fred warner, devin bush, and shaquill griffin as one of only five players since 2016 to record double-digit tackles in their NFL debut.

Brandon jones had 10 tackles (7 solo) vs NE pic.twitter.com/Cz7RMVybrQ

— josh houtz (@houtz) September 14, 2020

SPECIAL TEAMS
Matt Haack was very good with a 50.7 yard average (no return yards), and Jason Sanders made his only opportunity from 46 yards away. There was no kickoff coverage.– A

COACHING
Not good. Late to adjust to the zone read. DC Josh Boyer kept on calling run stunts, when Josh McDaniels ran outside zone, and then called stack, when Josh McDaniels ran inside zone. It was as if Josh McDaniels knew what Boyer was calling on each and every play. Masterful play calling performance by McDaniels. Chan Gailey seemed to abandon his lead iso/12/21personnel packages when they saw no success in the first half. Can only get better from here.-D

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that produces the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.