Mixed news on a Miami Dolphins debut. And Flores doubles-down on controversial call
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche’s Miami Dolphins debut against Pittsburgh on Monday wasn’t exactly a smashing success, but simply a decent first step for a player who hadn’t appeared in a game in 10 months.
Nkemdiche wasn’t credited with a tackle, and Pro Football Focus said he performed worse than all of the 20 other Dolphins who played defensive snaps on Monday.
But at least the veteran defensive lineman was on the field for the first time since sustaining a torn ACL in a game for Arizona last December. He logged 15 snaps in his first game as a Dolphin.
“I feel I could have done even more to get them an opportunity to get a [win],” he said. “So I’m not really too impressed. I’m just happy this was the day I was feeling good enough to come back out. I want to get a lot better… and [get] back to where I’m consistently in the backfield.”
Coach Brian Flores’ view: “He played OK; there’s a lot of technique and fundamentals and things you got to train your body and yourself to get into. From a footwork, hand placement standpoint, it could have been a lot better. I think he will play better. He looked rusty. That wasn’t surprising.”
He said the surgically-repaired knee “felt good. I’m proud of it. I just have to keep getting back to me, all the way.”
The Dolphins in August gave a one-year contract to Nkemdiche after the Cardinals released him. He had 4.5 sacks in 10 games last season.
FLORES DEFENDS MOVE
Flores again defended his decision to rush eight — and have only three players in coverage — on Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph’s 45-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Diontae Johnson late in the second quarter of Monday’s loss to the Steelers.
“If you want to win games in this league, you have to be aggressive,” Flores said. “We blitzed them, they made a play, it happens. If you want to win in this league, you have to be aggressive, period. We blitzed them, they ran a crossing route. We didn’t tackle the guy. We’re going to be aggressive. That’s the way the team is going to play. We are going to go down swinging.”
▪ Asked whether Nick O’Leary’s release was the result of him failing to catch a pass that resulted in an interception on Monday, Flores said it was merely because the Dolphins needed to release a player to sign rookie cornerback Xavier Crawford.
The move leaves the Dolphins with only two tight ends (Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe), but fullback Chandler Cox said he can play tight end, and offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea said two natural tight ends is enough to run Miami’s offense against the Jets on Sunday.
▪ The Dolphins could have as many as 14 picks in April’s draft — including three in the first round and two in the second round — but the team says the final number won’t be known until after the season because of conditions involving a couple of potential late-round picks.
GUARD CHANGE
Undrafted rookie starter Shaq Calhoun struggled at guard Monday and was replaced by Chris Reed. Calhoun played 33 snaps, Reed 27. “Reed performed well,” O’Shea said. “He’s always very well prepared and dependable.”
▪ Linebacker Vince Biegel’s playing time increased; he played 65 of 77 defensive snaps on Monday. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said Biegel’s work in practice led to more playing time and that he’s “providing energy.”
▪ Defensive end Taco Charlton’s snaps decreased (to 30), but he had his fourth sack in five games as a Dolphin.
Graham said Charlton’s reduction in playing time was no reflection of his play but a byproduct of using a “a different configuration of the guys” for that particular week’s opponent - something Miami typically does. “When he was in there, he was productive.”
▪ Linebacker Charles Harris continues to play much less (26 snaps) than he did early in the season. Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt, who was drafted after Harris, now has 25 career sacks after his strip sack of Ryan Fitzpatrick on Monday; Harris has three career sacks.
▪ Linebacker Jerome Baker was the only player who logged all 77 snaps on defense. He was credited for nine tackles and two for loss.
▪ With Kenyan Drake traded, Mark Walton played 52 of 60 snaps on offense, with Kalen Ballage playing 10.
The Dolphins had used three backs before the Drake trade, but Patrick Laird did not get a carry on Monday and Myles Gaskin remained inactive.
O’Shea said sharing carries among three backs is a “challenge... It’s a good problem to have but difficult to get them all in there. If [Laird and Gaskin] have an opportunity to play, I’m looking forward to seeing them play. “
▪ Pro Football Focus said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was responsible for two of the four sacks by Pittsburgh, and offensive linemen Jesse Davis and Michael Deiter for one each.
Here’s my report on all the moves at cornerback on Monday, including the Aqib Talib trade and the decision to place Xavien Howard on injured reserve.
This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 4:39 PM.
