09-05-2021 Ravens Preview - Flipbook - Page 9
NFL2021
MIAMI
DOLPHINS
COACH
Brian Flores (3rd season with team, 15-17)
LAST SEASON
10-6 (2nd in AFC East; no playoffs)
Record since 2011: 73-87 (0-1 in playoffs)
9
2020 TEAM STATISTICAL LEAGUE RANKINGS
2020 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS
SCORING OFFENSE
15th of 32 (25.3 ppg)
RUSHING
Myles Gaskin: 142 carries, 584 yards, 3 TDs, 58.4 ypg
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SCORING DEFENSE
6th of 32 (21.1 ppg)
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RUSHING OFFENSE
22nd of 32 (105.5 ypg)
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PASSING OFFENSE
20th of 32 (233.5 ypg)
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PASSING
Ryan Fitzpatrick: 183-267, 2,091 yards, 13 TDs, 8 ints, 249.1 ypg
SCORING
Jason Sanders, PK: 144 points (36 FGs, 36 PATs, 9.0 ppg)
Stats from pro-football-reference.com
Grounded in reality
Are Miami Dolphins running backs good enough?
Exploring the team’s backs and how they look
By Barry Jackson
Miami Herald
T
Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin gesture toward the sidelines after scoring a touchdown
against the Bengals on Dec. 22, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla. BRYNN ANDERSON/AP
he most puzzling part of this past
Dolphins offseason, aside from the
jettisoningoflinebackerKyleVanNoy?
Probablythedecisionnottoaddastarting-caliberrunningbackandagainbypassselectingone
inthefirsttwodaysofthedraft.
Miami’s decision to pass on available free
agents (such as Chris Carson) and not take any
of the draft’s consensus top three backs (Najee
Harris, Travis Etienne and Javonte Williams)
speaks to the Dolphins’ faith in Myles Gaskin,
SalvonAhmedandnewcomerMalcolmBrown,
aformerRamsbackup.
It also speaks to the Dolphins’ belief that
adding speed at receiver (Will Fuller, Jaylen
Waddle) will help the running game because
safetiescannotplayasclosetothelineofscrimmage.“Itdefinitelycouldopenthebox,”Gaskin
said.
What’s clear is this: The Dolphins’ running
game must be better than a year ago. Not only
didtheDolphinsaveragejust3.9yardspercarry
(27th in the league), but they averaged just 1.4
yards after contact per rushing attempt, which
was worst in the league. By comparison, the
AFC East champion Bills averaged 2.3 yards
aftercontact.
Gaskin averaged 2.54 yards after contact,
which was 83rd of 142 backs. Salvon Ahmed
averaged 2.32 after contact, which was 107th
of 142. Brown, for the Rams, averaged only 2.18
yardsaftercontactlastseason,whichwas115th
of142.
Dolphinsrunningbacksbrokeonly19tackles
allyear,perprofootballreference.What’smore,
Miami was just 19th in rushing yards before
contact,at2.5.
Miami’s longest run of the year went for 31
yards, worst of any team in that category. And
17.9percentofDolphinsrunswerestoppedator
behindthelineofscrimmage,whichranked21st.
SowhydidtheDolphinsstickwiththisgroup?
Onereasonwasthelackoftoprunningbacksin
free agency. Another was how the draft board
fell; Miami believed one of the top backs might
be available with the 36th pick, but Denver
tradedupto35totakeWilliams.
AndanotherisappreciationforGaskin,who
averaged 97.2 yards from scrimmage per game,
which was 10th for players with a minimum of
five games. And the Dolphins also liked what
they saw in Ahmed, who averaged 4.3 yards on
73 carries, and believe Brown is better than a
pedestrianbackup.
Keep in mind that PFF ranked Gaskin 26th
and Ahmed 36th of 70 qualifying NFL running
backs.
“Myles is awesome,” running backs coach
Eric Studesville said this week. “I love who he
is.Ihatedhimgettinghurtlastyear.Suchafreak
deal,lastplayofthegame,hitontheside of the
knee. He gives you everything he has the
entire day.”
2021 SCHEDULE WEEK 14 BYE
WEEK 1
Sept. 12
WEEK 2
Sept. 19
WEEK 3
Sept. 26
WEEK 4
Oct. 3
WEEK 5
Oct. 10
@NE
4:25 p.m.
CBS
BUF
1 p.m.
FOX
@LVR
4:05 p.m.
CBS
IND
1 p.m.
CBS
@TB
1 p.m.
CBS
WEEK 6
Oct. 17
IN LONDON
@JAX
9:30 a.m.
CBS
WEEK 7
Oct. 24
WEEK 8
Oct. 31
WEEK 9
Nov. 7
WEEK 10
Nov. 11
WEEK 11
Nov. 21
WEEK 12
Nov. 28
WEEK 13
Dec. 5
WEEK 15
TBD
WEEK 16
Dec. 27
WEEK 17
Jan. 2
WEEK 18
Jan. 9
ATL
1 p.m.
FOX
@BUF
1 p.m.
CBS
HOU
1 p.m.
CBS
BAL
8:20 p.m.
CBS
@NYJ
1 p.m.
CBS
CAR
1 p.m.
FOX
NYG
1 p.m.
FOX
NYJ
TBD
TBD
@NO
8:15 p.m.
ESPN
@TEN
1 p.m.
CBS
NE
1 p.m.
CBS
Note: This section was printed before final roster cuts, so personnel are subject to change; all times are Eastern and subject to change