The Dolphins finally have their two Pro Bowl corners together. The results are spectacular
After putting Xavien Howard — off December knee surgery — on a “pitch count” in the opener and then watching Byron Jones miss most of three games with a groin injury, the Dolphins have finally been able to witness what they envisioned from the highest-paid cornerback duo in football:
Excellence.
Howard and Jones played most of the defensive snaps — in tandem — for the first time in each of the past two weeks, and opposing quarterbacks (the 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo and C.J. Beathard and the Jets’ Joe Flacco) had a 46.1 passer rating in those games — 37 completions in 79 attempts for 314 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
Howard’s numbers during those two games: Eight passes thrown against him, none caught and two interceptions. He now has interceptions in four consecutive games, one short of Dick Westmoreland’s team record set in 1967.
Jones’ numbers during those two games: Six completions in 13 passes thrown against him for 69 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.
There’s far more to Miami’s defensive success beyond those two, of course.
The Dolphins have eight sacks during the past two games, including three by Emmanuel Ogbah.
Pro Football Focus rates Bobby McCain seventh among all NFL safeties, and he has allowed just 3 receiving yards all season in only four passes thrown against him. That’s a zero opponent passer rating in his coverage area.
Safety Eric Rowe has allowed just three of eight passes against him to be caught — for 34 yards — combined during the past two weeks, impressive considering he spent a lot of time in coverage against 49ers Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle a week ago. Rowe had 10 tackles and two quarterback pressures Sunday against the Jets.
For the season, the Dolphins’ overall defensive numbers keep rising.
Entering the “Monday Night Football” doubleheader, Miami ranked first in the NFL in third-down defense, allowing conversions just 31.3 percent of the time.
The Dolphins are relinquishing 18.8 points per game, which is tied with Baltimore for second best behind Pittsburgh. Miami’s 17 sacks are sixth most.
And the Dolphins are allowing an 86.3 opponent quarterback passer rating, which is seventh best in the league.
THIS AND THAT
The Dolphins are hopeful that none of the four injuries sustained Sunday will be long-term issues. Receiver DeVante Parker departed in the fourth quarter with a groin injury. Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel left in the second quarter with a concussion.
Rookie defensive tackle Raekwon Davis left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. And linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill broke a finger in the third quarter but later returned.
The Dolphins were already without linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who was sidelined by groin and foot injuries. With a bye week looming, it’s possible all five could play in the Dolphins’ next game, Nov. 1 at home against the Los Angeles Rams. But that’s not certain by any means.
▪ Davis started in place of injured Davon Godchaux — who is out for most or all of the season with a biceps injury — and played 26 snaps. Zach Sieler also picked up some additional workload and had 49 snaps.
▪ Other notable snap decisions: Cornerback Nik Needham handled nearly all of the slot work in nickel packages (61 snaps), with Jamal Perry playing just one snap... Linebacker Jerome Baker and Rowe played every defensive snap, with McCain logging all but one and Jones all but two… Rowe is now playing far more than rookie safety Brandon Jones, which wasn’t the case earlier in the season. Brandon Jones played 21 snaps on Sunday…
At running back, Miami gave 39 snaps to Myles Gaskin, 16 to Matt Breida and six to Patrick Laird. Jordan Howard and Salvon Ahmed were inactive... Unlike previous weeks, Jakeem Grant played more offensive snaps than Isaiah Ford (20 to 18).... Rookie receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. played five snaps but didn’t have a touch.
▪ Linebacker Sam Eguavoen, who started six games last season, had played less than a dozen snaps on defense all season before logging 49 on Sunday
Not playing much before Sunday is “tough just going into the game,” Eguavoen said Monday. “You prepare so much for this team, [you think] this might be my time and it doesn’t happen. But I don’t regret the hard work. I could still be on the streets. Why not use my time studying my opponent?
“What else should I be doing? There’s COVID. I’m not going to be riding on boats and spending my game checks. I might as well study so when I get my opportunity, I’m ready for it.”
▪ Quick stuff: Ogbah’s sack of Flacco for a 28-yard loss marked only the seventh time since 1994 that a sack resulted in a loss of at least 28 yards in an NFL game… Tight end Durham Smythe, who had his first NFL touchdown Sunday, said Dolphins tight ends this season are placing all their touchdown reception footballs on the wall of their tight end room.. .
Pro Football Focus rated tight end Adam Shaheen (who had a second touchdown catch in as many weeks) and Myles Gaskin (126 all purpose yards) as Miami’s best players on offense on Sunday and Ogbah and Rowe as the best on defense… PFF charged right guard Solomon Kindley with allowing a sack, the first sack permitted this season by any of the three Dolphins rookie draft picks on the offensive line.
