The Dolphins’ defense is nearing full strength. Will that lead to a breakthrough?
The Dolphins entered the season with expectations — internally and externally — of featuring a dominant defense alongside their explosive offense.
However, the first seven games of the season have brought mixed results, with impressive outings against subpar offenses sandwiched between shaky performances against elite units and quarterbacks.
The first two months of the season have been an adjustment for players operating with a new scheme and play-caller. But injuries have also sidelined key players for multiple games.
The defense is nearing full strength, though, and could have its projected starting lineup for Sunday’s home game against the New England Patriots. If not this weekend, certainly in the coming weeks.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who has missed the beginning of the season because of meniscus surgery, has received an uptick in practice reps this week and participated with the starting defense after spending time with the scout team last week.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said on Thursday it’s yet to be determined whether Ramsey, the team’s top offseason addition, will play but added he is “progressing well.”
“He had a really good week [last week],” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. “Very impressive how he runs with our fast guys, how he transitions in and out of breaks with them. Some of them it was almost mirrored while our guys were running full speed. And for him to break down on a dime the way that they break down is very impressive. So we’re hopefully getting that guy wrenched up to go into the game or hopefully we get him back sometime soon.”
Though Ramsey’s team debut is still unknown, his return is imminent. The three-time All-Pro selection figures to bring stability, playmaking and leadership to a secondary that has been inconsistent.
Facing the Philadelphia Eagles without Ramsey or fellow corner Xavien Howard, who was sidelined because of a groin injury, the Dolphins struggled to limit wide receiver A.J. Brown, who caught 10 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown.
“In many ways, not the only way, your corner’s abilities govern the defense,” Fangio said. “If you feel confident in them that they can play good outside the numbers on the routes you get out there, it has an effect on what you do defensively. There is no way around that.”
When Howard and Ramsey are both on the field together, they are expected to be outside cornerbacks, while Kader Kohou, who has been forced out of his slot corner role, will return to the nickel spot full-time. Nik Needham, who this week was activated to the 53-man roster from the physically-unable-to-perform list, will be a backup option at nickel corner, as well as at safety, Fangio said.
“Our secondary’s kind of been in flux all season, even during training camp,” Fangio said. “Hopefully, it’s sometime in the near future we can get an ironclad because it’s a group, much like the O-line, you want continuity. Different guys have different skill sets, so [it] definitely affects what you do schematically in the secondary. Hopefully we can get there. But it’s been that day almost from Day 1 since I got here.”
Despite giving up 31 points against the Eagles, Fangio said there were improvements from the unit. The Dolphins’ defensive front had one of its better games of the season, holding Philadelphia to 99 rushing yards, its third-lowest total of the season. Miami also forced two turnovers and scored on a pick-six that tied the game at 17 in the third quarter.
“I thought we acquitted ourselves well,” Fangio said. “We had the touchdown. The strip-sack by Bradley [Chubb] set up the other three points. So [we] kind of scored 10 points. But we were a play or two away from having a great performance. And we just let a couple plays get away from us. But [I] was pleased with the progress we showed. I know it’s hard to fathom that when you allow 31 but there was good progress.”
The Dolphins’ defense ranks in the bottom half of the NFL in many statistical categories, including yards, points and takeaways. But Ramsey was brought in to be one of the centerpieces of Miami’s new-look defense. And the combination of him and Howard could have a trickle-down effect on the defense.
“It all goes hand in hand,” Chubb said of the pass rush and coverage. “They need us like we need them and as we affect the quarterback, get him off his spot, we know those guys can stay sticking and do everything they need and cause the quarterback to do one more pump or whatever it may be or we might get in the quarterback’s face, tip the ball up and they’re coming up with the glory. So at the end of the day, rush and coverage — you hear it all the time — it works hand in hand so I like I said, when we get those playmakers back, when we get our playmakers all on the same page, it’s going to be good.”
