All-22 Takeaways From Dolphins Week 2 Loss vs Bills
All-22 Takeaways From Dolphins Week 2 Loss vs Bills
It’s hard to get worse than what happened to the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night. The Dolphins lost 31-10 to the division-rival Buffalo Bills in a game that was never really close.
To make matters worse, the team suffered a smattering of injuries (Armstead, Jones, Wilson), including one to Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins’ signal-caller was diagnosed with another concussion after taking a hard hit from Damar Hamlin.
We won’t speculate about Tua’s future or timeline for returning. Coach Mike McDaniel said the team is rolling with Skylar Thompson for now, so we’ll take him at his word.
While concern about Tua’s health is paramount, the season will continue. The Dolphins will suit up again in 10 days and be expected to play football.
Still, I feel a need to inject some good vibes into the conversation. There were a few positives from the game, but there were some. You’ll get the doom and gloom elsewhere, so let’s look at some positive takeaways from last night’s All-22.
Dolphins All-22 Review vs. Bills
It’s Skylar Time
For the time being, Thompson is Miami’s starting quarterback. The third-year pro “won” the QB2 job in the summer, and he’ll get a chance to prove he belongs in the NFL this season.
It’s unfair to judge Thompson too harshly for his play in Thursday’s game. Getting a whole week (10 days in this case) of preparation with the first-team offense will make a massive difference for Thompson.
However, there are a few good throws from Thursday’s game worth looking at. Everyone is super down on Thompson, and I think that’s fair. He wasn’t particularly good in the preseason or when he played at the end of the 2022 season.
Liked this throw from Skylar last night. Curl route sucked in the second level defenders, and he delivered a strike on the dig behind it. pic.twitter.com/wtsZJs3MYy
— Dante Collinelli (@DanteCollinelli) September 13, 2024
Still, throws like this prove he can run a functional offense. The hook route run by Julian Hill sucked in the second-level defenders, allowing Grant Dubose to come open on his dig route.
This pass has to be thrown with perfect timing to prevent the safety from making a play on the ball. Thompson hitches and drives the ball into the tight window without hesitation.
This is a perfectly placed ball down the seam. This is the type of gusto Skylar will need to win some games. pic.twitter.com/BEhdfs6CoR
— Dante Collinelli (@DanteCollinelli) September 13, 2024
This was the next play, and I was shocked at how good of a throw this was on re-watch. The Bills are sitting back with two deep safeties, something they did for most of Thursday’s game.
The best place to attack that type of defense is down the middle, so Miami gets Hill running down the seam. Hill is NFL open, and Thompson shows no fear trying to drive that ball into the small window.
This pass is placed perfectly. It’s high so Hill can box out any safety coming from his backside, and it’s on his front shoulder to lead him into the end zone. This is an A-level NFL throw from Thompson and probably one of his better throws, period.
The Dolphins ran this concept early in the game, and Tua hit Hill in the hands, but he couldn’t come with it. Thompson has the confidence to hit these tight window throws, and he will need it if he plays for an extended period of time.
My biggest takeaway from watching Thompson’s dropbacks is that the Dolphins should try to institute a more traditional Shanahan offense with him at the helm.
They should continue to attack the center of the field but use more condensed formations and under-center play action. They should run the ball a ton and utilize Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle’s speed on more crossing routes.
The current offense is built on the timing between Tua and his elite receivers. Trying to recreate that magic with Thompson is a fool’s errand. No matter what the Dolphins do, Thompson is likely to struggle.
However, asking Thompson to do what Tua did in the offense will only worsen things.
Achane Is a Star
One of the few bright spots from Thursday’s game was De’Von Achane’s play. He came into the week questionable but was — by far — Miami’s best player. He finished with 22 carries for 96 yards while adding seven catches for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Speaking of his pass-catching, Achane made an incredible catch down the left sideline last night that warrants some praise.
Also, this is an absurd catch for a running back. pic.twitter.com/wdjx42SJVE
— Dante Collinelli (@DanteCollinelli) September 13, 2024
The play call is very similar to the one the Eagles used on Saquon Barkley’s first touchdown vs. the Packers in Brazil. The Dolphins come out with 12 personnel (1 back, 2 tight ends) and clear out the left side of the field, running Jonnu Smith on a drag route.
Then, they slip Achance out of the B-gap into his wheel route after a play-action fake. Ironically, Bills LB Dorian Williams wasn’t fooled by this and stuck with Achance. Thompson trusted his guy and threw a well-placed back-shoulder ball, allowing Achane to make a play.
Maybe three running backs in the NFL have the athleticism and ball skills to make this play — Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, and Achane. Achane shouldn’t lead the team in receptions every week, but he could have a similar impact on this offense.
Always so impressed with De’Von Achane’s contact balance running between the tackles. He’s a star. pic.twitter.com/JCBRvFUKII
— Dante Collinelli (@DanteCollinelli) September 13, 2024
Where Achane should lead the Dolphins every week is carries. Raheem Mostert missed Thursday’s contest, so Achane probably won’t dominate the rush share as he did against the Bills, but he should be the team’s primary option.
One reason is contact balance. Achane is listed at 5-foot-9, 188 pounds, but he’s pretty good at breaking tackles and dealing with contact, like in the play above.
In a short-yardage situation, Achane is willing to put his head down, absorb contact, and pick up the first down. He even runs through an arm tackle after absorbing the initial contact. This play also shows how solid his vision between the tackles is.
He’s able to find a small crease off of Liam Eichenberg, who is pulling to the second level in a lot of traffic. Some running backs wouldn’t make that slight cut to explode into space like that, especially ones with Achane’s archetype.
With the team relying on Thompson, Achane’s consistency and high-floor running style should be a huge asset for Miami.
Chop Robinson Shows Up
Miami’s first-round pick made a few flash plays in Thursday’s game, which is an excellent sign, given he was mostly a non-factor in Week 1. Robinson was credited with three quarterback pressures and challenged a great offensive tackle, Dion Dawkins, all night.
Some Chop Robinson reps from last night: pic.twitter.com/1Y7JDaAkOv
— Dante Collinelli (@DanteCollinelli) September 13, 2024
Robinson mostly challenged Dawkins by using speed to power, as in the rep above. Robinson is outreached on this play, but he’s so explosive off the line it causes Dawkins to fall back into the pocket.
Robinson attempts to cross Dawkins’ face but loses his footing, allowing Josh Allen to get the ball out. If Robinson doesn’t slip on this play, it probably results in his first career sack.
There was another rep where Robinson used pure speed to create an advantageous angle against Dawkins. Still, Dawkins kept Robinson from countering inside just long enough for Allen to hit Khalil Shakir in the middle of the field.
That’s the next stage of Robinson’s development. He’s got the speed and natural strength to beat NFL tackles and create pressure. However, he’ll need to get quicker with his counters to finish those sacks. Learning an inside swim move or a euro-step could go a long way to his development this season.
pic.twitter.com/YjVcPVBfUa
— Dante Collinelli (@DanteCollinelli) September 13, 2024
I’d like to highlight this play in the name of fun because watch Robinson track down the running back on this rep. He sprints across the field and looks like a middle linebacker flagging down the ball carrier.
These flashes of athleticism should keep you optimistic about Robinson’s development. Thursday’s game wasn’t great for him against the run. He’s still getting walled off by tight ends and bullied by tackles, but he’s battling.
pic.twitter.com/qVV0JNP7fm
— Dante Collinelli (@DanteCollinelli) September 13, 2024
This was Robinson’s best play came against the run, as he used his quickness to sneak through the gap and blow up this play before it got started. Robinson will have to get stronger, but in the meantime, this is how he can make an impact as a run defender.
Things aren’t looking great in Miami. Without Tua, being optimistic about this team’s chances is hard. However, this is a good roster with veteran and young talent alike. They’re still capable of winning games this season.
How will Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins Proceed after Latest Concussion?
The post All-22 Takeaways From Dolphins Week 2 Loss vs Bills appeared first on Miami Dolphins.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings