Canes add former Tennessee OLB as grad transfer

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Saturday was a long-awaited day for Canes fans as they longed for the final decision of five-star LB Terrence Lewis out of Miami Central High. The highly-heralded linebacker chose the Maryland cap but the Canes had a backup plan.

 

 

That backup plan was Deandre Johnson. Johnson is a former linebacker at Tennessee who entered the transfer portal just 5 days ago after earning his degree and on Saturday, he announced his intentions to grad transfer to Miami. The 6’3”, 255-pound Johnson will most likely play defensive end in Coral Gables because he used to play outside linebacker in Tennessee’s 3-4 defense while the Canes run a 4-3. 

 

 

As a Volunteer, Johnson played in 40 games and started 9 and this past season, he compiled 28 tackles with 4.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. 

 

Johnson is actually a Miami native, as he attended Miami Killian for his first three years of high school before transferring to Miami Southridge. 

 

As you may know, the addition of Johnson is huge not just because of Lewis’ decision, but also because of two reasons: veteran leadership and depth. 

 

The Canes have a lot of young talent in their linebacker and defensive line rooms. Along with the task of having to replace three great defensive ends in Jaelan Phillips, Greg Rousseau, and Quincy Roche, there’s also a good chance they lose 2-3 linebackers should they transfer out. To add a great veteran presence like Johnson who’s played in arguably the best conference in college football while having local ties to a lot of Miami’s current players, it’s a great fit. 

 

I’m not going to boast and say that Johnson will for sure have the kind of impact that Phillips and Roche had as transfers, but this is still a homecoming of some sorts and he will definitely have a great opportunity to make a huge impact next season, starting with Miami’s season opener against Alabama. 

 

Keep it locked with @PaulAustria_ and @SixthRingCanes on Twitter for the latest in Miami Hurricanes news and recruiting. 

 

 Also, sign up for an account on Prizepicks.com, where you can pick the over/under on fantasy projections on some of your favorite players. There’s no better time to sign up than now as the NFL playoffs are right around the corner and the NBA is right underway. Enter the promo code “five” to double your initial deposit.

 

5 Takeaways from the Orange Bowl

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The 2021 Orange Bowl had everything. It was a shootout. It showcased a potential NFL quarterback. A conference’s dominance was solidified and at the end of the day, the game’s MVP was a freshman. Here are my five takeaways from a game that deserved more.

#1: Freshman steals the show

The Orange Bowl was positioned to be a shootout midway through the fourth quarter. Both No. 5 Texas A&M and No. 13 North Carolina were tied 27-27. Then freshman running back Devon Achane stole the show with a 76-yard rushing touchdown to give the Aggies the lead 34-27 lead. After a defensive stop, Achane scored once again for the final dagger into the heart of the Tar Heels.

During the go-ahead run, Achane nearly tripped over one of his blockers but recovered, broke a tackle and dash down the sideline all the way to the end zone. He finished with 140 yards on 12 carries.

Next to him was sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller, who gained 50 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries to finish the season with 1,036 yards. Their leading receiver was sophomore Ainias Smith with six receptions for 125 yards. This offense is poised for another major run next year.

”I just can’t wait for next season,” said Achane, who was named Orange Bowl MVP.

#2: Sam Howell has NFL potential

Had North Carolina won the game, sophomore quarterback Sam Howell would have been named MVP. Howell threw for 234 yards and three touchdowns after ending his first drive with an interception. Every touchdown he threw changed the lead to North Carolina’s favor.

His most impressive play came on a 75-yard bomb to freshman wide receiver Josh Downs. That alone has him NFL ready.

As is life in football, one or two more drives like that and the Tar Heels would have likely been the winner instead of the Aggies.

“We were so close,” Howell said. “We played a heck of a game out there tonight and just came up short. We were right there.”

Howell has been the quarterback ever since Mack Brown took over as head coach. He has thrown for over 7,000 yards and has tied the UNC career TD passing record of 68. All eyes will be on him next year.

#3: What could’ve been…

North Carolina was the underdog from the start but were made even more so when four of their top playmakers opted out of the bowl game to focus on the upcoming NFL Draft.

Howell went into the biggest game of his life without his two leading rushers, Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, and leading receiver Dyami Brown. UNC was also without their leading tackler, linebacker Chazz Surratt. Given how close the game was, one could only wonder what the result would have been had the Tar Heel offense been at full strength.

“We lost 4,000 yards coming into the game and still had a chance against the No. 5 team to win,” UNC coach Mack Brown said.

#4: SEC earns their reputation

The SEC has always been considered to be the premier conference in college football. Sometimes, the conference has been simply too top heavy with the rest being a bunch of mediocre teams. At one point, it seemed that the ACC has caught up.

This year the SEC earned its reputation. In a chaotic season dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, every team was ruled bowl eligible. This led to the SEC slotting in teams that were sub .500 and would not have played in a bowl game in an otherwise normal season.

And yet, 4-5 Ole Miss beats No. 11 Indiana in the Outback Bowl, 4-6 Kentucky edges No. 23 North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl and 3-7 Mississippi State tops No. 24 Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl. Three ranked teams from three different conferences fell to SEC teams with records that would justify having the coach fired but instead they all reign triumphant.

At the top end, No. 1 Alabama crushed No. 4 Notre Dame and is poised to win the national championship, No. 8 Georgia came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat No. 8 Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl and Texas A&M won the Orange Bowl after a close contest with North Carolina.

An argument has been made that Texas A&M should have been in the College Football Playoff instead of Notre Dame. Head coach Jimbo Fisher was hired at a hefty price to turn the Aggies into a legit SEC contender and it only took him three years to accomplish that.

”I’m just gonna tell you this: We ain’t done yet,” Fisher said.

#5: Another reason to expand the playoff

The hair-splitting between Notre Dame and Texas A&M is really unnecessary when the solution is obvious.

“I think that watching them and watching Notre Dame, they’re so similar that you feel like that we should expand the playoff,” Brown said, “number one, so more guys will continue to play at the end of the year and it’ll help the bowl games. And number two, Texas A&M deserved to be in the playoff, so give them credit for the year that they’ve had. They beat Florida. They lose one game to Alabama, like everybody else that’s played them has lost to them.”

Once again the New Year’s Six bowls were much more compelling than the playoff bowls. The Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl and Peach Bowl made for great television but the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl were another round of boring blowouts. The only surprise this time is that it was Clemson that was on the receiving end of a Buckeye beat down.

There’s too many bowl games. That much is self evident. It’s also a good way for ESPN to create content and make money, since the network is responsible for 14 bowl games, most of which if not all are populated with Group of Five teams. You know you have reached a limit when one of the bowl games is called the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and the trophy is a freaking jar of mayonnaise.

We all know the bowls that matter; The Rose, the Fiesta, the Peach, the Cotton, the Sugar and the Orange. Bowls so iconic that the sponsorship is irrelevant. The Fiesta could go from Tostitos to Playstation nobody would blink an eye.

If the committee is so resistant to expanding the playoff because it may not feel No. 5-8 is worthy, fine. They should at least be compelled to expand the playoffs to include all of the iconic bowl games so that none of them feel like consolation games.

These days, if the Orange Bowl isn’t included in the path to the national championship, then the two teams are just playing for a glass vase filled with naval oranges from Publix.

 

Dolphins Patriots

5 Keys to Dolphins-Patriots in Week 15

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The Miami Dolphins (8-5) enter Week 15 with a pivotal matchup with the New England Patriots (6-7). The Dolphins currently hold the final playoff spot in the AFC and may need to win their final three games this season to get into the postseason.

The game stands a rematch of the Week 1 contest between these division rivals. The Patriots defeated the Dolphins 21-11 in the season opener and that stands as Miami’s worst loss of the season. But in Week 15, the Dolphins are a different team.

Here’s a look at five keys to the Dolphins-Patriots matchup in Week 15.

Dolphins-Patriots: Keep Up the Solid Run Defense

The Dolphins sport one of the top defensive units in the NFL, but if there’s a clear weakness with that group, it’s the run defense. Miami allows 120.2 rushing yards-per-game (22nd) and 4.6 yards-per-carry (25th). In Week 14 against the Chiefs, though, the run D played well.

Kansas City managed just 94 yards on 24 rushes, good for 3.9 yards-per-carry. The Dolphins limited explosive rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire to 32 yards on 16 carries (2.0 yards-per-carry) and 12 of those came on one run.

Miami will need a similar performance in Week 15 against the Patriots, a team that ran all over them in the season opener. In Week 1, New England carried the ball 42 times for 217 yards and three touchdowns, good for a 5.2 yards-per-carry average. Those numbers are similar to the 189 yards and 5.7 YPC average put up by the Broncos in Week 11.

But the Dolphins run defense has improved since those losses. They haven’t allowed a team to rush over 100 yards or get over 4.0 yards-per-carry over the last three weeks.

Put Up Points Early

The strength of the Patriots offense is the ground game. New England leads the league in rushing attempts, and they use that attack to control the pace of play. In Week 1, New England hogged the ball, and the Dolphins only had four second half possessions. But the Patriots have a limited passing attack, coming in at 29th in passing (185.4 yards-per-game) and have thrown a total of eight touchdown passes in 2020.

If the Dolphins can get an early lead, it may force New England to abandon their strength to get back into the game. Cam Newton, who was benched in Week 14 after a horrible showing against the Rams, has thrown just five touchdowns this season. He’s thrown twice as many interceptions.

The Dolphins lead the league in first quarter scoring (7.5 points-per-game) and are seventh in first half scoring (15.5). The Patriots, meanwhile, are last in scoring in the first quarter (2.2) and 27th in first half scoring (9.2). And early lead could lead to Miami’s defense turning up the heat on Cam.

Dolphins-Patriots: Limit Newton’s Legs

As stated earlier, the Patriots lead the league in rushing attempts. Damien Harris paces the team with 137 attempts, good for 691 yards and two touchdowns. But second on the team in carries is Newton. His 113 attempts are third-most among quarterbacks.

In Week 1, the Dolphins allowed Newton 75 yards on 15 carries. He scored two rushing touchdowns. On the season, Newton’s piled up 451 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Miami has historically struggled against mobile quarterbacks like Newton and Arizona’s Kyler Murray. If the Dolphins are to win this game and keep their playoff hopes alive, they’ll need to keep Newton in the pocket.

Miami’s defense must find a way to limit positive gains on first down, forcing the Patriots into second- and third-and-long situations. Miami sports the top third-down defense in the league, allowing opponents to convert just 33.1 percent of the time on third-down. The long down-and-distance will allow the Dolphins to attack Newton. The Patriots surrender 2.2 sacks-per-game (Miami gets 2.6 per). And in Week 14, New England allowed four sacks in their loss to. The Rams.

Snag More Takeaways

This one goes without saying, but we’ll say it here anyway. The Dolphins are tied with Pittsburgh for the most takeaways this season (25). Miami’s streak of at least one takeaway in 19 consecutive games is the longest in the NFL.

And the Dolphins defense was particularly impressive last week, despite the loss to Kansas City. They intercepted Patrick Mahomes three times and forced a fumble. Mahomes had entered the Week 14 contest with just two interceptions all season.

Newton’s 10 interceptions this season are eighth-most in the league. The Patriots 14 total interceptions thrown are fourth-most. New England has lost four fumbles this season, so their 18 total turnovers are middle-of-the-pack. But in their seven losses this season, the Patriots are minus-six in turnover differential.

Xavien Howard will look to extend his personal interception streak to sixth game and push his league lead in the INT department. The Patriots throw 1.1 interceptions-per-game (fourth-most), so he’ll have his opportunities. If Howard snags his 10th INT, it will match the single-season franchise record.

The Dolphins defense has feasted on turnovers this year. They’ve returned a pair of fumbles for touchdowns and consistently set up their offense with a short field. Doing that would certainly help their rookie quarterback.

Dolphins-Patriots: Get Tagovailoa Settled In

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has a long history of dominating rookie quarterbacks. And Week 15’s matchup marks the first time Tua Tagovailoa will face a Belichick defense. Belichick sports a 5-20 record against rookie QBs and most recently put the clamps on Chargers rookie Justin Herbert.

Working in Miami’s favor is the fact that it’s a home game. All five of Belichick’s losses to rookie QBs have come on the road.

Tagovailoa has settled into the offense well over the last several weeks. He’s demonstrated positive chemistry with Mike Gesicki, who could play despite a shoulder injury, DeVante Parker and Lynn Bowden Jr. Tagovailoa spreads the ball around in the passing game and has taken well to the up-tempo, no-huddle attack.

Tagovailoa may need to focus on the short passing game to simulate what would come on the ground. But he’s been good in that range thus far, connecting on 76-of-95 passes for 617 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions on throws under 10 yards through the air.

New England tends to flood the field with defensive backs and doesn’t blitz at an alarming rate (just 24 percent of the time, ninth-lowest). Tagovailoa will need to be patient and take with the Patriots give him.

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Dolphins Loss Chiefs

Week 15 Dolphins/Patriots Odds and Prediction

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The Miami Dolphins face the New England Patriots in Week 15 at 8-5 and in control of their playoff destiny.

 

Miami Dolphins (8-5) vs New England Patriots (6-7)

Sunday Dec. 20th, 1PM EST

Line: Dolphins -2.5

O/U 41.5

 

For the changing of the guard in the AFC East to be complete the Patriots must be eliminated from playoff contention outright, even though Buffalo has nearly clinched the division.

The Dolphins are just a slight favorite despite a better record and being at home. Both teams are in vastly positions after New England beat Miami convincingly 21-11 in Week 1. Cam Newton has struggled and the Dolphins’ defense has become one of the best in the league.

 

Newton has just five touchdown passes against 10 interceptions but his 11 rushing scores are tied for the second highest total in the NFL. In Week 1 Newton was very efficient through the air completing 15-of-19 passes for 165 yards. However it was on the ground where Newton did his most damage with 15 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns.

Miami is playing much better on both sides of the ball and since Tua Tagovailoa took over at quarterback they are limiting mistakes with the football. Ryan Fitzpatrick started under center in Week 1 and threw three interceptions without a touchdown. Conversely Tua has so far thrown just one pick in seven starts.
New England is the 5th best rushing team in the NFL entering Week 15 averaging 147.5 yards per game, while Miami’s defense ranks 21st in the league allowing 120.2 yards per game. Where Miami excels is in pass coverage and their 16 interceptions are second in the NFL. Xavien Howard leads the NFL with nine picks and has firmly entered the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Newton will be without wide receiver Julian Edelman which gives him even fewer weapons.

 

Miami will need to be careful as New England still has a solid defense led by Stephon Gilmore, they are right behind the Dolphins with 15 interceptions. Tua will need to take what the defense gives him, and if Mike Gesicki and Devante Parker can go that will give the offense a huge boost.

The Dolphins need to find a running game to help Tua against a tough New England defense, and Bill Belichick will try to take away anything easy. New England’s run defense is worse than Miami’s, ranking 23rd allowing 124 yards-per-game. If Miami can run the ball in this one it bodes well for success to close out the season.

I predict Miami will finally get the ground game going and control a fairly low scoring game. The Dolphins’ defense can force Newton into mistakes and I see that trend continuing in this matchup. Field position will be critical and the Dolphins have perhaps the best kicker and special teams in the NFL.

That could make the difference in a close game.

 

Prediction: Dolphins 24, Patriots 20

 

Related:

Houtz Special: Five Things to dish about before Sunday’s matchup vs New England

Garcia commitment helps Canes round out Top-10 recruiting class

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The 2021 recruiting cycle is like no other. Once COVID-19 took its course in mid-March, spring practices were cancelled, no 7-on-7 tournaments, no combine-like showcases, and recruiting essentially entered a dead period that is still in place to this very moment. 

 

Nevertheless, Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz and the rest of his coaching staff still found a way to conjure up a well-rounded recruiting class with lots of talent and most of them either from South Florida or having ties to the area.

Wednesday was the first day of a three-day period known as the Early Signing Period where senior student-athletes can sign their National Letter of Intent with the school they choose to enroll at versus waiting for the customary National Signing Day in early February. Let’s break down what the Canes are getting on each side of the ball.

 

OFFENSE

 

You could even say that this was Diaz’s least drama-filled since he’s taken head coaching duties, with Diaz noting on Wednesday that 85% of his signees were locked in with the Canes before they even played a game this season.

 

But then the drama came at 6:30 PM, when Miami already had their first 20 commitments officially signed but they awaited the final decision of four-star QB Jake Garcia. Garcia hails out of Grayson High in Lowndes, GA but is originally from La Habra, CA.. A premature announcement by his head coach followed by Garcia stating he would resume his Instagram Live session when it was really his time to announce his actual school of choice, he was officially a Cane an hour later as he flashed the U at a ceremony hosted by Grayson High in front of friends and family. Coaches and fans collectively let out a sigh of relief as Diaz and OC Rhett Lashlee finally put the cherry on top. 

For the second season in a row, the Canes sign the best running back in Broward County. Last year, it was Deerfield Beach’s Jaylan Knighton and for this class, it’s Thaddeus Franklin out of Chaminade-Madonna High in Hollywood. Franklin is ranked as the 11th-best running back in the country as a four-star prospect and will be a great change-of-pace/bruising back for the Canes as he is more built than the speedier Don Chaney and Knighton at 6’0”, 225 lbs.

 

Miami’s bringing a great group of receivers and tight ends a lot of credit goes to WRs coach Rob Likens and TEs coach Stephen Field. Likens helped Miami sign three four-star receivers, all bringing playmaking abilities to the current corps. At 6’2”, Romello Brinson (Miami Northwestern, #25 WR) combines a good blend of speed and size and was a vital part of Northwestern’s offense the past few years. Jacoby George is a bit skinnier (5’11”, 161 lbs.) but he’s arguably been the best receiver in Broward County this season as he’s had a number of multi-touchdown games for Plantation High.

 

Despite being the shortest of the bunch at 5’8”, you won’t find many players that play with as big of a chip on their shoulder as Miami Palmetto’s Brashard Smith. Don’t let his height fool you, but he’s already at 190 pounds and along with being a threat to score whenever he has the ball, he’s been versatile enough to even line up at QB for his team in the state playoffs.

 

Tight End U adds two more to the lineage in this class. 4-star Elijah Arroyo (#10 TE) has been nothing short of unstoppable for Frisco High this season no matter where they lined him up on the field, whether it’d be at tight end or wide receiver. Arroyo was born in the South Florida area and was always a Canes fan at heart. Kahlil Brantley, Brinson’s teammate at Northwestern, also signed with Miami and is ranked as the 41st-best tight end in the country.

 

Miami’s woes on the offensive line the past couple of years have been no secret to the media and fans alike and OL Garin Justice is getting some solid reinforcements in this class. The Canes’ longest tenured commit is OG Laurence Seymore from Miami Central, who’s ranked as the 10th-best guard in the country and has been a member of this class since March of 2018. Michael McLaughlin (Stoneman Douglas, Parkland, FL) not only made a move from Indiana to South Florida for his senior season but also switched positions from tight end to offensive line. He’s ranked as the 27th-best offensive tackle in the country and is very lengthy at 6’7”, 290 lbs.

The Canes also have their center for the future in Ryan Rodriguez, who’s listed as the 7th-best center in the country for Miami Columbus.

 

DEFENSE

 

The two highest-ranked (and not to mention five-star) signees of this class both play vital positions that Miami has had lots of previous success with in terms of grooming and player development.

 

Let’s start with 5-star DT Leonard Taylor out of Miami Palmetto, who is ranked as the best DT in the nation and 10th overall. At 6’4” and 285 lbs., Taylor possesses a scary combination of relentless pressure and speed that will give ACC quarterbacks fits for the next few years. 3-star Allan Haye plays a vital role on Chaminade-Madonna’s defensive line and his addition should not be overlooked.

Rounding out the defensive line, Miami also added Jabari Ishmael, whose father is an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Canes in Victor Ishmael. Ranked as the 17th-best weakside defensive end in the country, Ishmael hopes to continue the success that Greg Rousseau, Jaelan Phillips, and Quincy Roche have had in the past couple of seasons. 

 

Miami’s also bringing in a very skilled group of linebackers, starting with Tyler Johnson out of Miami Killian. Johnson is the younger brother of ex-Miami safety Jaquan Johnson and is the #31 OLB in the nation. Throw in a great leader as well as a hard-hitting cannon in three-star Deshawn Troutman out of Edgewater in Orlando. Troutman is currently the size of a safety (6’1”, 205 lbs.) but as the film shows, he does not shy away from physicality. Considered more of a tweener, three-star prospect Thomas Davis is also a little undersized at 6’1/2”, 235 pounds but he played for a Georgia powerhouse in Lowndes High in Valdosta. Miami may opt to have Davis in all kinds of pass rushing spots as he also played defensive end for Lowndes.

The lone commit at the striker position is Chase Smith out of Melbourne High in Melbourne, FL. He is listed as an athlete on 247Sports’ database and that is because of his versatility at 6’3”, 190 lbs. When word of his original commitment got out, it was actually unclear what position he would play because he also lined up at wide receiver when he played for Palm Bay Bayside for his junior year. Smith is also a legacy Cane, as his father Willie was an All-American tight end in the 80s.  

 

This is the part where you’re probably going to let out a long sigh. If you’ve watched the Canes this season, you would’ve seen that cornerback play was all over the place and while the team is down to only 5 scholarship corners, they’ve only been able to add one corner in the Early Signing Period and that is Fort Myers Bishop Verot speedster Malik Curtis. While Curtis is a 3-star prospect, his electric playmaking ability is extremely hard to miss on film and there were rumors that he’s so fast, he could be moved to offense. Miami missed out on three targets on Wednesday and it’s likely that Manny Diaz will have to resort to the transfer portal once again.

One non-portal cornerback prospect to keep an eye on is former Auburn commit Tar’varish Dawson, who hails from Lehigh Acres, FL. He’s solid in coverage and his speed is like no other, having been recorded at 10.58 in the 100m dash. Dawson will wait to sign on NSD in February.

 

Not to leave you with a cliffhanger but the other highly-ranked standout in this class is none other than American Heritage safety James Williams. Miami might have the best safety class in the nation for 2021 and much like Taylor, Williams is considered the best player in the nation at his position and he also has an interesting story behind him. Manny Diaz started Wednesday’s press conference with an anecdote about how he discovered Williams when he was a freshman at Monsignor Pace High in 2017 and knew that he resembled the type of player that Miami needs to get. One commitment, one decommitment, and one re-commitment later, he’s back in the fold. Williams is a physically-imposing menace wherever you place him because of his 6’5”, 230 pound frame, but he also has solid speed to keep up with most receivers.

I personally feel like four-star safety Kamren Kinchens does not get enough love. Much of the spotlight is focused on Williams because of how special he is, but Kinchens is an absolute baller for Miami Northwestern. He’s ranked as the 23rd-best safety in the country but in all honesty, you won’t find more than three or four safeties better than him. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if both Williams and Kinchens compete for playing time in 2021. 

Last but not least, it’s so nice to say that the replacement for Jose Borregales, who’s having one of the best seasons ever for a Miami kicker statistically, is none other than his little brother, Andres. Andres is ranked as the 3rd-best kicker in the country and he recently transferred to Hialeah Champagnat Catholic for his senior season due to his former school (Chaminade-Madonna) not allowing players to graduate early. 

 

There you go. The Canes are welcoming a total of 21 signees and around 15 are expected to enroll early in January in time for what hopefully is spring practice. Manny Diaz and his staff have absolutely made the best of a very topsy-turvy recruiting cycle when it was imperative that the Canes take advantage of a South Florida area that was even more prosperous than usual. Miami has three spots left in this class and expect to hear some smoke about a lot of late bloomers as well as players from the trusty transfer portal.

 

Keep it locked with @PaulAustria_ and @SixthRingCanes on Twitter for the latest in Miami Hurricanes news and recruiting. Check out this past Wednesday’s episode of The Sixth Ring, where we discussed our thoughts on this class and stay tuned for another episode soon, while we have special guest and South Florida recruiting guru Larry Blustein on to give us his thoughts.

 

Also, sign up for an account on Prizepicks.com, where you can pick the over/under on fantasy projections on some of your favorite players. There’s no better time to sign up than now as the NFL season starts to wind down while the NBA season is right around the corner. Enter the promo code “five” to double your initial deposit.

 

The Dolphins' Xavien Howard makes a one-handed grab for his ninth interception of the season.

Why do teams keep throwing at Xavien Howard?

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It’s no mystery that cornerback, Xavien Howard, has proven himself to be the Dolphins (8-5) best player this season, and one of the best players at the position in the franchise’s history, up there with Sam Madison, Patrick Surtain and others.

Before last Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs (12-1), Howard already had 8 interceptions.

Then he got another. He was guarding Tyreek Hill, and mossed him Odell-style with a one handed interception, leading to an offensive touchdown catch by Mike Gesicki.

The Dolphins overall have had a takeaway in their past 19 games straight and have had 26 total takeaways on the year. Howard’s now 9 interception has obviously been a huge part of those two stats.

While Howard has given up a good amount of yards, he has taken the ball away enough to largely contribute to the Dolphins’ eight wins, playing opposite free agent Byron Jones, who finally got his first interception.

The 27-year-old attended Baylor University and was picked by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2016 season.

In 2018, Howard had 7 interception to tie the league for most interceptions. This was enough to get him a pro bowl spot and get him onto the All-Pro second team.

With 20 career interceptions, Howard has been a great addition to the Dolphins defense over the past 4 years. As many say, defense wins championships, so let’s hope Howard and the rest of the Dolphins defense can bring home the trophy.

And maybe a Defensive Player of the Year along the way, if teams keep taking shots at him.

Dolphins Loss Chiefs

5 Takeaways from Dolphins Loss to Chiefs

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The Miami Dolphins (8-5) took more than one tough loss on Sunday to the Kansas City Chiefs (12-1). Despite battling back from a 20-point second half deficit, the Dolphins dropped a meaningful game to the defending Super Bowl champs. Along the way, the team also lost several players to injury.

Although Miami maintained hold of the last playoff spot in the AFC by Week 14’s end, the path to the postseason has narrowed considerably. The Dolphins still control their playoff destiny, but there’s little margin for error. Miami may very well need to win-out to secure a Wild Card spot at this point.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Dolphins loss to the Chiefs.

Dolphins D Came to Play in Loss to Chiefs

The matchup between Miami and Kansas City highlighted a strength-on-strength tug-of-war. The Chiefs feature one of the most potent offenses in the league, while the Dolphins sport one of the NFL’s top defensive units.

Miami’s D held the upper hand early, picking off a pair of Patrick Mahomes passes. The Chiefs entered with only eight turnovers all season long, but by the time the game ended, the Dolphins added four to that tally.

Byron Jones nabbed his first interception as a Dolphin in the first quarter after Andrew Van Ginkel tipped a Mahomes offering. Safety Eric Rowe picked off his second pass of the year later in that quarter. Mahomes had thrown only two interceptions all season entering this one.

Later in the game, Jones added a forced fumble to the tally before Xavien Howard came away with an interception of his own.

All told, the Dolphins defense held the league’s highest scoring offense to just 24 points, six below their season average. (Special Teams surrendered a punt return TD and the offense gave up a safety.) Miami’s 25 takeaways this season now leads the league.

There’s no other offense in the league scarier than that in KC, so this performance should prove, when fully healthy, this defense can play with anyone.

Howard Makes His DPOY Case

Howard’s stellar play continued in this one. Some questioned if he would be up to the challenge, considering Mahomes and the offensive weapons at his disposal. But Howard showed not only that he’s at an All-Pro level but also that he should be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Consider this: In 2019, Patriots’ CB Stephon Gilmore won the award on the back of six interceptions, 20 passes defensed and 53 total tackles. In 2020, with three games to play, Howard leads the league with nine interceptions and 17 passes defensed, and has 40 total tackles. When targeting Howard, opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of just 53.4, second-best among cornerbacks with at least 30 pass targets.

Howard’s nine interceptions puts him within striking distance of the single-season franchise record of 10, held by Dick Westmoreland who set the record in 1967. No NFL player has had at least nine interceptions in a season since Chicago’s Tim Jennings in 2012. No one’s had at least 10 since Antonio Cromartie picked off 10 passes in 2007.

Dolphins Exit Loss with Injury Issues

One of the big concerns for Miami in the wake of this loss remains the health of its frontline players. The Dolphins started the game without a pair of starting linebackers in Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts, but the injury list just got longer from there.

DeVante Parker exited in the second quarter of the game with a leg injury and did not return. He did not make a catch on his two targets. Jakeem Grant also went down with a leg injury as well. Parker and Grant, the team’s top wideouts, played just 27 and 31 snaps respectively.

Another huge loss came midway through the fourth quarter when Mike Gesicki sustained a shoulder injury after a short reception. Gesicki, who had five catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns, emerged as Tua Tagovailoa’s favorite target in this one.

There’s a good chance the Dolphins will be without both Gesicki and Grant come Sunday’s contest against the Patriots.

Safety Bobby McCain sustained an ankle injury during the game but was able to return. Unfortunately, his replacements Clayton Fejedelm and Kavon Frazier both gave up big plays in McCain’s absence, including a 44-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill.

Bowden Emerges as Slot Option

One of the positive takeaways from this spate of injuries might be the emergence of Lynn Bowden Jr as a slot receiver. Bowden has earned more playing time over the last several weeks and led Dolphins receivers in snaps in this one. He played 59 of 83 possible offensive snaps.

Bowden led the team with seven receptions for 82 yards, an 11.7 yards-per-reception average. Each of those set a new career-high for the rookie receiver. He was targeted nine times and six of his catches moved the chains. Bowden also carried the ball once for two yards and attempted one pass.

Bowden has emerged as a utility offensive weapon for the ‘Phins and has developed some positive chemistry with Tagovailoa. That chemistry will be necessary if the receiver corps continues to be thinned out.

One reinforcement this week could be the return of Isaiah Ford. Miami traded Ford to the Patriots for a conditional draft pick earlier this season, only to see New England cut the third-year wideout shortly thereafter. Ford has experience as a slot receiver and in Miami’s system.

Tagovailoa Nearly Pulls Off Epic Comeback

Tagovailoa completed 28-of-48 attempts for a career-high 316 yards in this one. He added two touchdown passes and his first career rushing touchdown. As the game unfolded, Tagovailoa lost most of his go-to offensive outlets, but the rookie quarterback still managed to make this interesting in the end.

Missing the top-8 skill position players (in terms of yards-from-scrimmage) by game’s end, Tagovailoa kept the Dolphins within striking distance. The team put up 17 points in the fourth and were an onside kick recovery away from making it even more compelling.

Perhaps the most impressive drive came after Gesicki was lost for the game. Tagovailoa navigated the offense 73 yards for a touchdown with Bowden and Mack Hollins as his most reliable receivers. The first touchdown drive of the fourth went 80 yards, capping with a 29-yard toss to Gesicki.

Dolphins fans can come away from this one that Tagovailoa has that “it” factor absent from Miami’s backfield since Dan Marino.

Dolphins Chiefs

5 Keys to Dolphins-Chiefs in Week 14

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The Miami Dolphins (8-4) enter their Week 14 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1) coming off the soft section of their schedule. The Dolphins have won seven of their last eight games and now face their stiffest test of the season.

The Dolphins largely hold their playoff destiny in their own hands. Most assume the game against the defending Super Bowl champions is a loss, but if Miami manages a win this week, it will go a long way toward snapping their four-year playoff drought.

Here’s a look at five keys to the Dolphins-Chiefs matchup in Week 14.

Dolphins-Chiefs: Bend, Don’t Break

The Dolphins sport one of the top defensive units in the NFL. Miami allows the second-fewest points-per-game this season (17.7). They’ve allowed the second-fewest points total (212) and have surrendered just 23 points over the last three game. But this week, they matchup against a high-octane offense helmed by former NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs are second in scoring offense (30.8 PPG), first in total offense (427.6 YPG) and passing (314.4 PYPG), and 16th in rushing (113.2 RYPG) with the second-best third-down conversion rate (49.0 percent).

Kansas City will move the ball against the Dolphins. For Miami, it will be a matter of locking down in the Red Zone. The Dolphins Red Zone defense ranks ninth this season, surrendering a touchdown 58.3 percent of the time. Over the last three weeks, though, Miami’s Red Zone D is tops in the league, allowing touchdowns only 12.3 percent of the time.

The Chiefs are going to score, but if Miami can manage to hold them to field goals instead of allowing an avalanche of touchdowns, they’ll be in this game.

Keep the Offense Up-Tempo

The Chiefs strength is clearly on the offense, but that doesn’t mean their defense is bad. Kansas City ranks sixth in scoring (21.2 PPG) and 17th in total defense (358.2). They’ve won their last seven games in a row, but in three of their last four, they’ve surrendered 24 points or more.

What this means for Miami is they should have the opportunity to move the ball and put up points. And if they’re going to do that, they need to continue what started to work last week: up-tempo offense.

Miami went up-tempo in the second half versus the Bengals last week. Their first drive in the third quarter covered 70 yards in less than three minutes. Tua Tagovailoa zeroed in during that drive as well, connecting on all four pass attempts for 71 yards at the faster pace. After a touchdown to Mike Gesicki, the Dolphins came right back on their next drive moving in a similar fashion. All told, Tagovailoa completed 9-of-12 attempts for 137 and a touchdown on those two drives.

Another wrinkle could be the empty backfield looks. During Sunday’s win, 10 of Tagovailoa’s 39 passes were out of the empty package. He completed nine of those for 106 yards.

Dolphins-Chiefs: Pressure from the Front Four

The Dolphins defense has made a name for itself this season with big plays. What’s helped that effort is the pressure Miami pass rushers have put on opposing quarterbacks. The Dolphins rank in the top-10 in both total sacks (31) and quarterback hits (83). That pressure has led to strip sacks, fumbles and interceptions.

That pressure, though, largely comes thanks to a blitz-happy scheme. The Dolphins blitz on 41.1 percent of dropbacks, second-most in the league. They’ve masked their extra rushers in a variety of ways and they’ve sent the house, using a Cover Zero look, many times.

Sending extra rushers at Mahomes, though, hasn’t been a good idea this season. He’s faced a blitz on 104 dropbacks, which is the third-fewest among quarterbacks with at least 11 starts this season. What’s more, Mahomes has connected on 12 touchdowns and put up a 138.8 rating against the blitz, best in the NFL. He’s thrown zero interceptions in those situations.

This means the Dolphins should probably approach pressuring Mahomes with just their front four. Kansas City runs at least three wideouts out there more than 70 percent of the time, which will dictate Nickel or Dime packages from the Dolphins. Miami should probably flood the field with defensive backs in an effort to mitigate Mahomes’ weapons.

Generate Turnovers

This will be easier said than done. The Dolphins defense has secured a takeaway in 18 straight games, the longest current streak in the league. Miami’s 21 takeaways this season rank second in the NFL and it’s been the key element to the Dolphins’ success this season. Xavien Howard leads the league with eight interceptions, and he’s picked off a pass in four straight games.

Kansas City, though, takes care of the football. The Chiefs are tied with Tennessee for the fewest giveaways this season (8) and Mahomes has thrown just two interceptions in 463 passes this season. His 0.4 percent interception rate is lowest in the league.

Mahomes’ had some close calls, but Miami will need a takeaway or two to turn the tide in this one. Setting up Tagovailoa with a short field and swinging the momentum in Miami’s favor will go a long way to earning this win.

Dolphins-Chiefs: Don’t Abandon the Run

The Dolphins offense struggles to gain consistent traction on the ground. Miami’s 96.5 rushing yards-per-game ranks in the bottom third of the league. Their 3.7 yards-per-carry average is worst. But even though it’s been a struggle to run, the Dolphins must maintain some semblance of balance against KC.

Myles Gaskin’s return to the lineup helped last week. The second-year back gained a career-high 141 yards from scrimmage, 90 of those on the ground. A similar 4.3 yards-per-carry average would go a long way to helping Miami move the ball against the Chiefs. Last week, Miami gained 110 yards on 28 carries against the Bengals, including an 11-yard run from rookie Lynn Bowden Jr.

A creative approach to the run game, with jet sweeps featuring Bowden or Jakeem Grant, and outside zone runs, which were successful last week, will only help Tagovailoa. And Kansas City can be run on. Their rushing defense allows 132.4 yards-per-game (27th). Against the Broncos in Week 13, Kansas City allowed 179 rushing yards, including a 65-yard scamper from Melvin Gordon.

Keep the clock running and winning time-of-possession will also help Miami’s defense against Mahomes and the potent Chiefs offense. If the Dolphins can establish run and methodically move the ball, that will limit Mahomes’ opportunities to score.

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Dolphins win Bengals

5 Takeaways from Dolphins Win Over the Bengals

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The Miami Dolphins improved to 8-4 with their win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. A lackluster first half gave way to a brawling second half. But after managing just six points, the offense came alive in the third quarter.

The win maintained Miami’s position in the AFC playoff race and gave Dolphins fans hope for what’s to come with rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. And while he’ll never admit it, head coach Brian Flores’s heated response to the hit that sparked the brawl also engendered hope and confidence, not only in the fans, but also the players.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Dolphins 19-7 win over the Bengals.

Dolphins-Bengals: Despite Ejection, Xavien Howard Remains Elite

In the first quarter, Xavien Howard intercepted a Brandon Allen pass, giving him a career-high eight interceptions this season. Howard became the first Dolphin since 1998 to intercept eight passes in a season. Both Terrell Buckley and Sam Madison had eight picks that year.

He’s now intercepted a pass in four consecutive games, tied for the second-longest streak in Dolphins history. It’s the second time this season he’s picked of a pass in four straight. The team record remains five consecutive games with an interception, and that’s held by cornerback Dick Westmoreland, who did it in 1967. Westmoreland also set the single-season team record of 10 INTs that year.

Howard’s play this season has propelled him into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. He leads the league in INTs (8), is tied for the league lead in pass breakups (16) and QBs targeting Howard have a passer rating of just 48.9 this season. Great plays in the coming matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs could cement Howard’s DPOY claim.

Up-Tempo Offense Got Going

During Ryan Fitzpatrick’s time at QB this season, the Dolphins called the eighth-most No Huddle plays in the NFL. With Tagovailoa under center, Miami called the seventh-least No Huddle plays. In the second half, though, searching for a spark, the Dolphins offense incorporated the up-tempo style to much success.

According to Three Yards Per Carry podcast host Chris Kouffman, the Dolphins ran 15 No Huddle plays against the Bengals. That’s a major departure from previous games started by Tagovailoa. From Week 8 through the third quarter of Week 11, all with Tagovailoa at QB, the Dolphins ran five No Huddle plays total.

This move to the up tempo helped the Dolphins offense find a much-needed rhythm in the second half. Miami piled up 263 total yards in the second half, more than half of the 406 total yards on the day. Although they only scored 13 points in the second half, the movement and pace provided a tantalizing glimpse at the potential for this group.

Dolphins Defense Dominates (Again) in Win Over Bengals

The Dolphins limited the Bengals to just 196 yards of offense Sunday. It was the fewest yards allowed by a Dolphins defense since Oct. 8, 2017, when Tennessee gained just 188 yards.

Miami’s defense was even more stingy in the second half, surrendering just 25 total yards. It’s the fewest yards allowed in a second half by the Dolphins since at least 2000 and tied for the third-fewest allowed by an NFL team this season.

The Dolphins registered six sacks today, the team’s most in a game since Dec. 23, 2018 vs. Jacksonville. Miami’s 31 sacks this season are tied for 10th in the NFL. It’s the team’s most through its first 12 games of a season since 2014 (33.0).

Kyle Van Noy was particularly disruptive versus the Bengals. He recorded a career-high three sacks, as well as eight solo tackles and three additional QB hits. His tipped pass led to a Nik Needham interception in the fourth.

Interceptions by Howard and Needham pushed the team’s takeaway streak to 18 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. Miami’s 21 takeaways are second-most this season.

Gesicki and Gaskin Came to Play

The Dolphins have struggled at times to find game-breaking skill position players. The lackluster offense bogs down without those difference makers, but on Sunday, a pair of young performers played a pivotal role in this win.

Mike Gesicki nabbed nine of the the 10 targets that came his way and gained 88 yards in the process. His nine catches tied Randy McMichael’s team record for most tight end receptions in a single game. His 537 receiving yards this season are fourth among tight ends and his 13.8 yards-per-catch rank third. Gesicki’s one-handed grab in the second half provided a highlight-reel moment and if he’s able to develop this positive chemistry with Tagovailoa, the Dolphins really have something.

Myles Gaskin returned to the field for the first time in four weeks during this win over the Bengals. He totaled 141 yards from scrimmage, a season-high for a Dolphins player and a new career-high for him. Gaskin gained 90 yards on 21 carries, good for a 4.3 yards-per-carry average. He also ripped off a 26-yard run, though he did fumble. Gaskin caught both his targets for 51 yards, gaining 39 of those after the catch. He’s clearly the best running back on the roster and it helped the offensive to have him back on the field. He played 71 percent of the offensive snaps in this one.

Tagovailoa Shines in Dolphins Win Over the Bengals

Although the first half left some cause for concern regarding Tua Tagovailoa’s performance, the rookie QB excelled in the second half, helping lead the Dolphins to the comeback win over the Bengals.

Tagovailoa had the most productive game of his career, notching career highs in completions (26) and passing yards (296). His 26 completions tied the Dolphins’ rookie record, which was set by Ryan Tannehill on Sept. 30, 2012 at Arizona.

Tagovailoa improved to 4-1 as a starter and has yet to throw an interception. (He had one called back thanks to a penalty.) He tied a team record for most consecutive starts without an interception, regardless of experience (Jay Fiedler, 2000) and he’s now the third QB in the Super Bowl era to not throw an INT in his first five starts (min. 100 attempts).

Tagovailoa was particularly good against the Bengals’ blitz. He completed 12-of-18 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown against the blitz. He sported pocket presence and maneuverability, particularly on one play where he evaded a free rusher and completed a pass to DeVante Parker in a tight window.

Tagovailoa’s ability to move the offense in the second half provided fans with a glimpse of this team’s potential moving forward. Although he made mistakes (questionable throws, misreads on RPOs), he was able to handle the up-tempo element and was largely on target. Had Jakeem Grant not dropped the perfectly placed bomb in the first half, the game might have unfolded very differently.

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Miami Dolphins: Week 13 Stock Report

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Stock Up & Stock Down

 

Welcome back to another installment of Stock Up & Stock Down. In Week 13 of the NFL season, our Miami Dolphins hosted the Cincinnati Bengals and came out on top with a score of 19-7. A closer game than the score shows, we had to fight both literally and figuratively for our W to get us to 8-4 for the first time since 2003. With so much to dissect let’s dive right in:

Stock Up

Gesicki:

Who would have known that Mike Gesicki was allowed to be a focal point of the offense with Tua at QB? Whether it was a lack of chemistry between Tua and Mike or if it was a lack of calling plays with Gesicki being the number 1 option, the weeks with Tua at QB always made him feel like a distant second option when in reality DVP and him are our best offensive players at the present time. Exacerbated more after Devante got ejected, we fed Gesicki to the tune of 11 targets for a career high 9 catches 88 yards and 1 TD. As I mentioned during our live stream & post game, Mike and DVP are our most impactful offensive weapons and we need to get them involved early and often moving forward to have any chance to beat teams that can score the ball like the Chiefs and Bills.

Myles Gaskins:

Going into the game we were down Breida, Washington, Ahmed, and activating Myles made me feel like we were going to struggle mightily but Myles had different plans. All afternoon Myles was able to gain positive yards before popping a long one for 26 yards that unfortunately ended in a fumble. Myles also was able to show some chemistry with Tua on the first drive of the second half as he scrambled, Myles immediately went up field (as you should) and Tua hit him in stride for 35 yards and a first and goal. The catch ended up being our most explosive play of the day.

 

Kyle Van Noy:

I must admit that by the end of the game I was shocked to see that Kyle had got 3 full sacks by himself. KVN has turned it up in recent weeks after missing a game due to injury. Kyle was everywhere on the field all afternoon as the ultimate chess piece for Flores and the stats definitely back that up. 8 total tackles (all of them solo!), the 3 sacks, 5 TFL, and even 1 PD. KVN was a complete beast and someone we need to play at this level to have any sort of chance against the Chiefs.

Coach Flores:

The first half of the game can probably go down as one of, if not, the sloppiest first half in Coach Flores tenure as the Miami Dolphins Head Coach. The whole team played out of character as Tua was inaccurate, the defense wasn’t its usual dominant self, penalties that never get called and finally an ejection of Xavien Howard, left me concerned heading into half time down 6-7. What I would have paid to have been a fly in the locker room as I’m sure Flores chewed every and anyone out. The results were immediate as the first drive resulted in a TD by the offense and a lead we would not give back. Obviously, the talking point of the game is that Coach Flores ran across the field to let Zac Taylor know how he felt about the second catch interference by the same player that resulted in his return man getting hit with no defending himself. The fire that Coach exhibited for his players (even calling them his kids postgame) really does more than people think because it shows the players that their leader is someone who will go to war for them. Which wall you want me to run through coach?

Tua Tagovailoa:

Skipping right into the final drive of the first half, I believe we finally saw Tua and Gailey get into sync together. Tua really showed a level of comfortability running a more up-tempo brand of football that I struggle to think why it even took so long to get to that. Coach Flores obviously saw the same thing I saw as I’m sure he told Gailey to run more of that tempo because on the first drive we got right back into it and never looked back the rest of the game. Tua spent most of his afternoon targeting Gesicki with 11 and DVP with 8. He also finished 4 yards shy of hist first 300-yard game but who cares, we’re here for wins not stats (lol)

 

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Trust the Flocess

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Stock Down

 

Jakeem Grant:

My biggest disappointment of the game has to be the continued futility in using Jakeem Grant on offense. At some point it begins to feel like square peg into round hole where it just doesn’t fit and doesn’t work. As talented as Jakeem has been with the ball in his hands, the problem has always been actually getting it into his hands. Jakeem also has a couple of young pups snarling for his PT in Lynn Bowden and Antonio Calloway. When do we stop forcing it and just let Jakeem be great at what he is, an elite Return Man with some gadget style plays on offense.

 

RedZone Offense:

Seems kind of ironic that we are talking about RedZone Offense being an issue, but we were able to move the ball fairly well all afternoon long but uncharacteristically couldn’t punch it in. Whether it was 3 straight runs within 5 yards, or a plethora of inaccurate fade throws we need to see more from Gailey and the playbook. Hell, special teams showed more creativity at the goal line than the offense did!

 

Overall, we took a huge step forward on Offense and hopefully is something we can build on. This team is starting to build a certain aura for itself that really makes you root for them as they exhibit a camaraderie that is infectious and shows from the head coach to the last man on the roster. Looking forward, we have the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes coming in to play at 1pm (for now) and for us to have any chance we will need a solid week of practice, a great game plan, and excellent execution. Till next time, Fins Up!