The Miami Dolphins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 to begin the 2024 NFL common season 1-0. The sport was a curler coaster of a contest, with the Dolphins beginning slowly earlier than discovering their rhythm within the second half and making a livid comeback earlier than kicker Jason Sanders related on a walk-off subject purpose for the win.
Who noticed their inventory rise in the course of the recreation? Who had some struggles that harm their inventory ranking? We take an early take a look at the sport and react to the performances from all through the competition.
Inventory Up
Jevon Holland, security – Holland, based on Professional Soccer Focus, is among the prime safeties within the league, however the knock towards him is the shortage of game-changing performs. He took care of that argument on Sunday, coming away with the important thing compelled fumble to finish what regarded like a certain landing drive from the Jaguars. He had an incredible go breakup as nicely in the course of the recreation and he completed with three tackles.
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Tyreek Hill, huge receiver – What a wild day for Hill. From being detained by police simply earlier than the sport a block from the stadium to dominating the second half of the sport and ending with a game-high in receptions and receiving yards. He was tied with working again De’Von Achane with seven catches, selecting up 130 yards on these catches together with an 8-yard landing. Hill was ranked as the highest participant within the league based on the NFL Prime 100 Gamers checklist, so it’s onerous to say his inventory can go up, however then he has days like he had on Sunday and he continues to impress each single week.
Jake Bailey, punter – Final yr, Bailey was a priority, by no means seeming to attach solidly with the ball and struggling to flip the sphere. On Sunday, that was by no means a priority. He averaged 49.5 yards per kick on 4 punts, together with a 57 yard kick, with three contained in the 20-yard line. A kind of punts kicked out of bounds on the four-yard line, one was truthful caught on the 12, and one went out of bounds on the three-yard line. The one kick that didn’t get contained in the 20 went to the Jacksonville 34-yard line however was a 51-yard kick.
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Calais Campbell, defensive deal with – How do you make an affect on your new staff? Have the begin to a recreation Campbell had on Sunday. On his first play as a member of the Dolphins, Campbell sacked Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. On his second play, he stuffed Jacksonville working again Travis Etienne for a one-yard loss. He was completely a drive in the course of the road of scrimmage all through the sport and compelled the Jaguars to double staff him a lot of the time. He completed with three tackles and the sack.
Emmanuel Ogbah, defensive finish – Bear in mind when Ogbah was a legal responsibility on protection all through the 2023 season? Me neither. Ogbah regarded just like the participant who tallied 9 sacks in every of the 2020 and 2021 seasons for the Dolphins. He was energetic, he was in a position to create strain, and he regarded like he’ll have the ability to maintain down the beginning edge rusher place reverse linebacker Jalean Phillips till Bradley Chubb is able to return. Ogbah is listed as a linebacker on the roster, however he performed together with his hand within the dust extra like a 4-3 defensive finish and he discovered success doing it.
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Alec Ingold, fullback – Who knew {that a} Professional Bowl fullback can be able to selecting up quick yardage for his staff? Ingold had two carries – three if not for a false begin penalty that ended the play – and he picked up quick first down on every of them. He completed the sport with eight speeding yards. And all of that isn’t to say serving as a lead blocker all through the sport, particularly down the stretch when the Dolphins wanted to eat the clock earlier than the game-winning subject purpose.
Aaron Brewer, heart – This isn’t as a result of Brewer did something nice, however as a result of he by no means gave the impression to be a difficulty. Snapping was a priority all through the summer time, however Brewer, who has been coping with a hand harm, performed by means of any issues and by no means appeared to have a difficulty with the snap. The offensive line was not a powerful level for Miami this week, however Brewer no less than was not a legal responsibility snapping the ball.
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Jason Sanders, kicker – Sanders virtually didn’t make the checklist after his first subject purpose was badly huge left on a 42-yard try. However, he got here again and related 9 minutes afterward a 37-yard try then kicked a 52-yarder for the win with no time left on the clock. He was 2-for-2 on further factors. The sport-winning kick was sufficient to boost his inventory again up, even after the early miss.
Inventory Down
Ethan Bonner, cornerback – Throughout coaching camp, all of us heard how Bonner was making performs in all places and regarded like one of many staff’s prime cornerback choices. He was a wholesome scratch as an inactive in Week 1, with undrafted rookie Storm Duck energetic over him. The teaching employees needed to decide someplace, however touchdown on inactive after all of the discuss throughout camp and the preseason is a transparent signal Bonner’s inventory fell this week.
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Kader Kohou, cornerback – Kohou appeared to battle throughout this recreation. He had 4 tackles, but it surely was not the efficiency from the 2022 undrafted rookie who gave the impression to be a shock star for the Dolphins protection. The play the place Jaguars huge receiver Gabe Davis caught a go for 22 yards on a comeback route with Kohou simply standing there watching simply left a foul style. Kohou was the participant who recovered the fumble compelled by Holland to provide Miami the spark that led to the comeback, in order that was a constructive in a tough day.
Robert Jones, guard – The offensive line didn’t have an incredible day total, however Jones will get singled out right here as a result of he had a number of penalties referred to as upon him in the course of the recreation. An offensive holding penalty backed Miami up within the first quarter, resulting in a punt. He was once more referred to as for holding within the third quarter, and once more, Miami punted a couple of performs later. Simply not an incredible first week for Jones at left guard.
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Durham Smythe, tight finish – Smythe retained his function because the staff’s starter at tight finish, however he had a tough day. He was focused 3 times, with all three falling incomplete. A kind of ought to most likely have been referred to as for defensive go interference, however the different two had been straight drops from the often sure-handed Smythe. He’ll bounce again, but it surely was not a superb begin to the 2024 season.
Braxton Berrios, huge receiver – Just like Smythe, Berrios additionally had an off day. He was focused twice with no receptions. He additionally returned two punts for 2 yards. Berrios must be a possession kind of receiver for the Dolphins, being the sure-handed choice in the course of the sphere whereas Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are pushing deep, trying to make large performs. He was not that on Sunday and will shortly discover himself out of a task on offense, particularly if working again De’Von Achane or tight finish Jonnu Smith take over the possession kind of function.