Dolphins in Depth: Dolphins offense plays Colts shorthanded in season opener

Dolphins in Depth: Dolphins offense plays Colts shorthanded in season opener

We’re officially here, Dolphin fans and NFL fans. We have been waiting since February for the return of football. And right now, we are at the doorstep of it. The Miami Dolphins open up the season with the Indianapolis Colts with a road game on Sunday at 100 p.m. And you think the Miami Dolphins will have almost their full arsenal of offense, but missing will be one key element. And joining me to discuss that is Isaiah Smalls, Miami Herald Dolphins writer. Isaiah, what piece is gonna be missing and why? Well, unfortunately for the Dolphins, their splash tight end signing of Darren Waller will not suit up come Sunday. He suffered a hip strain earlier this week according to coach Mike McDaniel um as they were trying to ramp up Waller in preparance for this week for this weekend excuse me. So fortunately the Dolphins will be without Darren Waller but I feel many fans kind of saw that coming. I think the biggest and most concerning aspect is the questionable designation of Mr. James Daniels. Uh he was out of all the moves the Dolphins made, he was the biggest signing of the year. Um protecting Tua’s blind side on that right side. Um, unfortunately he suffered a an ankle injury um, I believe Thursday and sat out of practice specifically Friday and that doesn’t necessarily bode well for his chances uh, against the Colts come Sunday. Obviously the Dolphins need him because he’s a big part of the run game. Um, him and Austin Jackson were designed were kind of put side by side to be that wall of just just niceness when it comes to running the ball, right? They were just gonna create wall. Wall of niceness. You know what I’m saying? That’s my that’s my that’s my word for a living. Yeah. Right. Not my not my finest moment, but wall of nice is what we gonna is is what we gonna settle on right now. But I say all that to say, uh, it’s very unfortunate. um you know, but it is what it is. Uh I think there’s absolutely no chance, unless he’s in a walking boot that he’s going to miss the season opener. Um here is my concern. Uh Darren Waller, we know has been battling some issues and the question is how much did he really want to play, especially after coming back from retirement? Here’s Mike McDaniel addressing that issue. play with his teammates, you know, but I think you have to look at a big picture. Um, and you know, you uh I think you fail in life if you set up a script um proactively. Uh it it’s not about us um having a pre-planned expectation of X, Y, or Z. It’s how we react to it. So, um, that’s why I say it’s a challenge, but, uh, this is a this is a guy that’s been made of challenges. So, Mike, yeah, that’s a he’s definitely faced a lot of challenges throughout his career, a lot of them self-inflicted. Um, here’s my question to you, Isaiah, because as we know, the Miami Dolphins are going into this game with a number of guys on the injury list. And actually, let me run that down for you. You already discussed Darren Waller, who has been ruled out of the game. Um, we know James Daniel has been listed as questionable. Also questionable is D. Escridge, who is coming back from a concussion. He needs to clear the concussion protocol to actually make the game day status. Ethan Bonner, quarterback, who’s been sidelined by a groin injury, is out. We’ve also got Jaylen Wright. Huh? Hamstring injury. Hamstring injury. We’ve also got Jaylen Wright who’s got a knee injury. He has been ruled out. But then we’ve got Devon Chan who is going to be playing. had a full practice today. Elijah Campbell battling a knee injury playing. We got Ashton Davis who was battling a calf injury. Had limited practices earlier this week and had a full practice on Friday. He is actually going to be playing. Julian Hill with a shoulder injury playing. Tyreek Hill with an oblique and calf is going to be playing clearly. Austin Jackson with a Turo playing. Ify Melanu with a hamstring. Dante Trader with a hamstring. Both are playing. both participated fully. The question I have for you, Isaiah, you only get two practice squad elevations. The Dolphins obviously need their new kicker, um, Mr. What is his name? Riley, Mr. Riley Patterson to be elevated up from the practice squad. That leaves you one elevation spot for either a running back um which is going to be your options are Jeff Wilson and then um Mr. Jamaich Hasty and you actually have two tight ends Tanner Connor and Julian Hill and you need three especially since the two tight end package is your base of your offense. Who are you elevating, Isaiah? Running back, tight end, or what are you doing? I’mma rub my hands like Birdman real quick as I as I, you know, get into it. Nah. So, what we going to do, we gonna do some some tricky maneuvering here, right? What we’re going to do is we are going to cut Matthew Butler, right, and sign him to the practice squad next week, right? We’re gonna He going to the practice squad. He can’t even return to the practice. We’re gonna cut We will cut him. Look, we gonna cut him right now. We’re gonna cut him right now. Unfortunately, thank you for your service because we need the roster spot. Then we are going to sign Hayden Ruchcci to the active roster. And I only reason I give him the edge over Greg Dolich is because he knows this offense. Like he’s been here for two years. This is his second year. He knows this offense, right? So, we’re going to elevate, you know, bring him to the, you know, sign him to the active roster and then we’re elevating Jeh Jeff Wilson because between him and Jamaich Hasty again, Jeff Wilson knows this version of the offense. McDaniel and Hasty, you know, they go back to their time in San Fran, right? But Jeff Wilson has been here, you know, he wasn’t here at the start of training camp, but he was here last year and he certainly knows his offense, right? And so we’re adding him, we’re elevating him to the uh active roster. One of our two elevations. So just to recap, elevating Riley Patterson, elevating Jeff Wilson. We are cutting Matthew Butler and then signing Hayden Ruchcci to the active roster. That should kind of settle everything. Um Matthew Butler, nothing personal, my brother. What I have Yeah. No, definitely nothing personal. Definitely not. Definitely nothing personal. This is part of the roster. We do this every Saturday. It’s the patching to fill a need in an area of concern. Um uh I’m curious to see what that 47man game day roster looks like. Um but I agree with you. You definitely need both three tight ends and three running backs. So it’s going to make some tough decisions for your for your elevations. And keep in mind when you elevate a player, you can only elevate them three times um from the practice squad. after that, if you wanted to play in the game, he’s going to have be have to be added to your 53man roster. Now, we mentioned uh injuries. We’ve got Devon Chan, who is coming back from that calf injury. I watched him work this week. Um there’s still a little hitch to his gate, still a little hitch to his walk that I’m a little bit more concerned than I am about Tyreek Hills. Uh Tyreek Hill been sidelined for the last three weeks with the oblique injury. Um he’s also developed a ham a calf injury. Um but Tyreek is Tyreek. Now you’ve got a very interesting nugget of information there that you I would like you to provide to the people. Yeah. So was doing some research, right? And the first thing that kind of stood out to me was how good this team is in season openers, right? Mike McDaniels 3 and 0. You mean this regime of this regime? This regime. This current version of this team is Okay. Mike McDaniels 3 and 0. Tua is 4-0 as a starter. And now let’s go to your boy Tyreek Hill. He is actually a whopping 9 and0 undefeated in season opener, right? And so and now the next question is how well does he do in these season openers? He kind of balls. He averages about 115 yards through the air, you know, during those season openers. um between his time in Miami and Kansas City. But if we just shrink it to his time in Miami, it gets kind of crazy because he averages roughly 150 yards through the air as well as a touchdown and I believe eight to nine catches. So bottom line is Tyreek Hill will be ready come week one. Obviously he’s given us some me memorable uh performances over the last couple years. You know there was last year post detainment, right? This man took a uh a drag 70 plus yards to the house. Very impressive. This there was the year before, I believe it was at uh LA against the Chargers where he went for 215 and two touchdowns, right? That’ll elevate the numbers. Yeah, it was about it was about 215 and two touchdowns. Bottom line is this man balls out opening uh in the season openers. Don’t know what it is. He himself said he doesn’t know what it is. He just put the onus on the coaches being able to scheme him up and all that fun stuff. But look, if if you’re if you’re going to place a bet on Sunday, which I’m sure some of our viewers will take the over on Tyreek Hill for sure. I I will also say um I do not condone nor support betting, but if I did, uh I would put some money on some overs for Malik Washington in terms of receptions and yards. might together a nice little parlay for you. Um, now don’t don’t don’t get too aggressive with it. Don’t don’t get too aggressive with it, but I can promise you he’ll catch more than one and a half passes and I promise you he’ll deliver probably more than 18 yards. So, um, he’s become one of Tyreek one of Tuungalo’s favorite targets. And if you think about the attention that Tyreek and Wadd will get on every single snap, um, that’s going to leave Mr. Malik Washington wide open. and he’s got a lot of opportunity to to to to create some separation. Now, I want to discuss with you some expectations for the team because I’ve actually written a column in the Miami Herald. Hopefully, you’re you’re a reader, your subscriber. Um, and in those this column, I put the expectations that I have for the season. And these are baseline expectations. Anything below this will not do. Throw it out the window of a moving vehicle. if you get anything lower than this because this is a they talk we do season so I expect a lot of doing all right I do not have an expectation for Tua Tongavalo in terms of how many games he plays I don’t know that that a lot of that depends on a lot of other people um but what I do have is an expectation that Tulle will deliver his fourth straight season with a 100 passer rating and you know if he did that, which he very well likely could because he’s already delivered three straight seasons. He would join rarified air. There are only two quarterbacks in the NFL ever that have delivered four straight seasons of 100 passer ratings. Oh, let me guess. Can I guess? Can I guess? Yes, you can guess. Uh Drew Brees. Nope. Dang. Okay. Uh Aaron Rogers. Aaron Rogers is one of those individuals. Uh Manning. Payton winning. Nope. Brady. I don’t think it’s Brady. No, it’s not Mahomes. Nope. Mahomes actually hasn’t delivered I think backtoback 100 passer rated seasons. Oh wow. Okay. Is it Is it Is it Wait, wait, that’s my last guess. Is he currently still in the league? No. Dang. Yeah. People People out here people like you think too is just average. I like he just average out here. Okay. Listen, I’m not I’m not jumping down that rabbit hole again. You That rabbit hole going to be here all year for you. Oh, we will. It will. Don’t worry. Don’t worry. We’ll have this conversation. Running from it, huh? I’m not I’m not running from it. I just I’m just I’m just I’m tired of repeating myself. So, I I just We got to Yes. Availability is the best. Yes. We got to get to the season. Let’s get some games under our belt. Let Let him travel to Buffalo in what is that? Week two or week three. You know what I’m saying? Let him, you know, let’s let’s see what what we doing there. Um All right. My my final guest is Brett Fart. Nope. Dang. Okay. All right. It is Aaron Rogers and Steve Young. Oh. Okay. So, pretty good company, right? Pretty good. Very good company. Very good company. Okay. That that’s my expectations for Tua. Um, I don’t think it’s unreasonable and as I said, all my expectations are not unreasonable in my opinion. Um, let’s get to the points total right now and I want you to tell me achieving it or not achieving it. Okay. All right. Dolphins, you know, back in the day before you got here, Isaiah, they were one of the hottest offenses in the NFL. They took a little little bit little bit of dip last year. little bit little bit uh went down to 18th in total yards and 22 in scoring. However, top 10 offenses in the NFL last season averaged better than 25 points per game. In my opinion, the Dolphins need to average 25 points per game, which is clearly doable considering the previous two years, Mike McDaniel’s 22 season and 23 season, they average way more than 25 points per game. Mhm. Um, achievable or unachievable? Definitely achievable. Look, you’ll be hardressed to find a better wide receiver duo in the NFL than this one, right? It’s like Jamar and T, AJ and uh AJ and Devonte and and then the these guys, right? Like those Oh, wait, wait, wait. Philadelphia. You just going to sllight Philadelphia like that? I know AJ Brown only caught one pass yesterday. I just said I just said I just those were the second names I have said. But you didn’t put Detroit in there. Okay. Oh, yeah. Detroit as well. Detroit as well. Detroit had the only duo in the NFL last year that produced thousandy receivers. You’re right. You’re right. J Mo and J Mo and Amar definitely deserves some some credit for sure. They’re to me those are the the big four. If if you if if you had the gun to my head, those are the big four. So, as long as you have one of the best receiving cores, you have one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league, the only question mark is the run game, right? That’s what we that’s what we don’t know yet just because of injuries and, you know, we haven’t seen this offensive line operate at full power. So, we don’t know. It’s a it’s an unknown, right? And so, to me, if we break that down, 25 points per game, that is three touchdowns and two field goals essentially, right? That’s doable. That’s not bad. That’s doable. I think they can definitely do that. Okay, let’s get into Tyreek’s numbers. Now, what most people don’t realize is that Tariq has on the books contractually for $36 million next year. I have continued to argue this point and know that in my 18-year history, I have never been wrong about a a player who got whacked or who had was forced to have his contract restructured. 18 years, Isaiah. Never wrong. That’s a long time. Tyreek will not get a $36 million salary from the Miami Dolphins. I can promise you that. Um because that’s not what elite receivers are making. They can tell you that technically that’s what they’re making, but that’s a lot of fake money, a lot lot of monopoly money. However, to get his contract readjusted and still stay in a high tie tax bracket, I think Tyreek Hill needs to produce 1,200 yards. Now, if he produces 1,200 yards, that’s 71 receiving yards per game. Do you think Tyreek Hill can achieve 71 receiving yards per game? Yes, very easily. You got to think about what he did that’s playing 17 games now. That also factors in. Do you think a 30 year old can Tyreek Hill can stay healthy for 17 games? I mean, look, he played with a fractured wrist last year. Like I I I’m I don’t think that injuries necessarily Granted, you’re right, he’s turned 31, right? Or is 31. So you got to bake that into the equation. But here’s a guy that, you know, when healthy is one of the best receivers in the league, right? Look, even if he gets banged up, 71 yards is not a lot. I mean, he he almost cracked a thousand last year basically playing with one hand, right? Give him two hands. He got his QB one back. It’s doable. It’s doable. Okay. Now, as I said, Wadd has Wadd and Tyreek have eclipsed the thousandy mark. Their first two seasons, they fell short last year. Um, a lot of receivers fell short. It was a bad year for receivers last year. I don’t know why, but it was a bad year for receivers. Guys are banged up. Now, to get to a thousand yards, do you realize that you need to play all 17 games and get 60 receptions, 60 receiving yards per game? Do you think that that’s achievable for Jaylen Wadd? I do think that’s achievable for Jaylen Waldo. I think he’s he’s done it in the past, right? I think the biggest thing that ultimately hurt him last year really more than than than anybody else is he really eats like in those because, you know, to uh to me Tyreek is the long ball, right? That’s the guy that you want to get the ball through deep. To me, Jaylen Wadd is, granted, he’s definitely can catch some deep passes, but he’s more of a short and intermediate guy, right? And when the run game disappeared, all those short passes kind of went to Janu Smith, right? Because they were trying to be tricky and obviously Devon Aan got a lot of them as well because they’re just trying to figure out ways to move the ball quickly without handing the ball off, right? And so if the run game gets cooking again, which you know I have I have faith in just because of the backs that they have and you know I have faith in this you know re remade offensive line. Look that’s not you know I I have I have right right now I have I have faith only because they haven’t shown me otherwise. Okay look look I will know by 1:30 p.m. on Sunday whether or not my faith was put in the right place. But I will say this. Listen, listen, there there have been years where they have a nice good monthlong stretch and then tail nose dive for the rest of the season. So that’s true. Like they were on the ver last year’s offensive line was on the verge of setting the franchise record. Four straight games of running for 150 yards. Then it just went to the pooper. So as soon as uh Austin Jackson got hurt. But I say all this to say like if the run game gets cooking again, there’s no reason why Jaylen Waldo won’t be able to catch some more of those short intermediate routes that have, you know, really helped him uh establish himself as, you know, one of the, you know, top 30 receivers in the league, right? So, uh, personally, I think the thousand yard mark is achievable again for sure. Uh, let me ask you this question about Tyreek. Do you think there’s any added motivation because he was not named a captain? I don’t think the added motivation is he wasn’t named a captain. I think the added motivation is linked to people really really slept on him. Like after last year, people are were like, “Ah, like we’re not worried about Tyreek. We’re not worried about the Dolphins anymore.” Yeah. Yeah. Your fantasy draft. He went oh I I I think like fourth or fifth. I fourth or fifth round. Yeah, he might have gone third. Tyreek used to be like a He used to be one of the I I’m pretty sure last year when I picked him on my fantasy team, I picked him top five. So he is definitely one of those guys that have been perennial. Are you saying Tyreek has dropped to a fourth or fifth round pick in a fantasy draft? But that’s more so based off of they the national media doesn’t have a lot of faith in this team. They don’t they don’t like like point they should be trailing a lot. They should be passing a lot. I hear you. How do y’all get I get it. But also people people see those numbers last year. They see how even, you know, when Tua was out, how this offense completely deteriorated and they could not get their best player of the ball. They’re not high on it. And specifically, they’re they’re not high on him because they don’t think that Tua Tagalo is going to play all 17 games. And when you put a backup in this offense, it’s looks totally different, right? So, people just aren’t people aren’t high on it. And so I think that more than anything, right, is the biggest motivation for him because he wants to prove those people wrong, right? Like he’s he’s a guy that, you know, I know when you talked to him last year, he I believe, you know, one of the things you told me was that he doesn’t consider himself a Hall of Famer yet, right? Like he’s not he doesn’t feel like he’s played his best ball. Now the numbers kind of bear, you know, kind of speak otherwise, right? He’s fringe right now. He’s fringe right now, but he was he was on trajectory for like first ballot, but right now he’s fringe. He needs about two good seasons to get in. Yeah. And I think that’s that’s achievable. Like, you know, he’s like I said, he’s just turning 31. He still has the speed. Um, two is still one of the most accurate quarterbacks in football. Like, when those two are on the same page, his offense is is clicking, right? So, what’s the key? They just got to get on the same page. I don’t think and like I said the motivation you don’t have to be a captain to be a leader right Jordan Brooks said something really powerful that I think went a lot over a lot of people’s heads he said that even though I have this sea on my chest that doesn’t change who I am I’m the same I’ve been the same person I don’t get me wrong I’ve grown a little bit but I’ve been the same person from a leadership perspective since day one right he actually has he actually has not Jordan Brooks he’s I’m watching him. I enjoy watching him develop and mature and and blossom. Like people don’t factor in when a new guy is to a team, it’s like going to a it’s like going to a new school. You’re not you’re not just gonna come in that thing and be like, “Yo, this my lunch table.” Like like who does that? Of course. But you But that’s just that’s not necessarily a change in personality. That’s that’s more so com that’s a change in comfort. He is being way more vocal. And I don’t necessarily know if that’s his nature, but that’s but that’s comfortable. That’s him being comfortable. I don’t think that’s that’s not a personality change. And we and there was points last year where we saw him open up a little bit. Like I I’ll never forget him coming out the with the sauna hat on for the first time and us being like, “What the hell is that?” Right? And he and him like kind of getting a little bit animated, right? I was like, “Who is that person right there?” So I saw it, right? And I think this is the year that, you know, to his point, he’s grown in that area, right? And so, look, like, if if a captain, if that C on your chest doesn’t mean anything, right? It means something, of course, you’re going to be one of the first people to walk out in the game and you’re going to call the heads or tails, whatever, right? But you don’t need a C on your chest to lead. And I think that’s a a point of of growth for for Tyreek because he realized that like look if I there’s consequences to actions, right? I think sometimes with with professional athletes, celebrities in general, there’s not as much consequences for their actions, right? Um because they’ll you know, look, look, if if you’re making me money, stuff can get swept under the rug. But that’s been Tyreek Hill’s whole career. But Exactly. But there has to be a point, which I think has happened in Tyrese’s career, where the rubber meets the road, right? Where like eventually like you’re how good you are is not going to measure up to whatever you do off the field, right? And so as he’s kind of realizing this real time, right? I think football for a lot of players is their source of just, you know, look, if when everything else is going wrong, I can focus on this and I’ll be okay, right? And that is what football is for Tyreek. He said that multiple times, right? And so this is a season where I think, look, he will be fully actualizing that. Here’s Tyreek. Here’s Tyreek talking about uh not being named captain in the adversity of of this season. Feel amazing. Feeling great. Um first time practicing this week in a while. You know, I’m still, you know, doing my thing. Um moving fast. I’m getting getting in and out of the route. So, I feel amazing, man. It’s great to be back with the team. Tell you a few weeks together, but maybe the stuff the relationship with you said. What do you think? What do you think and how can you feel for you guys as you end the season? I mean, that’s typically what you guys do. A little out of proportion. You know what I’m saying? Um, that’s kind of, you know, um, how, you know, the views and, you know, it gets spreaded all over all over the internet. But at the end of the day, like me and Ta know exactly where we stand at. Um, he knows and I and I and I know um that we both have a brother, you know what I’m saying? Um, for the rest of our life and we going to continue to build, man, each and every day. You know what I’m saying? Like brothers fight all the time. Like I fight with my brothers. like we go at it all the time, you know what I’m saying? But at at the end of the day, we know what the main goal is. We still family, you know what I’m saying? So, we gonna continue to get better each and every day. That said, too, a good start training camp saying that the relationship needed to be rebuilt. What do you think was the turning point in camp for uh for you and the team to get back on that same? I just feel like um at the end of the day, I’m going to continue to, you know, do my thing, you know, which is, you know, show up to practice each and every day. um work my tail off, be in the building, um be the last one, you know, leave the building, um show up in the film room. So, I’m I’m doing all the small things, man. Um what led me to this point of being the player that I am. So, very grateful, you know what I’m saying? Um for the opportunity. I’m blessed. So, I’m never going to take it for granted, man. Um I’ve had a chance this year to like uh reset and uh look back and you know, here I am now. So, feel great. does the not being a captain, uh, how do you take that? Well, at the end of the day, I feel like it’s about the team and, um, I don’t need a title to be able to lead. Uh, I’m going continue to push the standard. You know, what uh, coach and these guys are pushing in the locker room and I’m and I’ve always been a guy that um that um, led by that uh, led by example. So, captain thing is great, but like I say, I’m going continue to do the small things, man, which is work hard, show up each and every day, and bust my tail for this team. and and um try to win games. Yeah, as we know, if Tyreek has a good season, the Dolphins will have a good season. But let’s talk a little bit about this defense. Um you brought it to my attention and I did not know, and I’m ashamed that I did not know that Anthony Weaver’s defense was a top five defense last year. I thought it was just top 10, you know, just top 10, but you pointed out it was actually top five. Now, the question I have for you, Isaiah, is how do you remain there? Or can you remain there? Especially when now you should have more pass rushing with Bradley Chub, Chop Robinson, Jaylen Phillips, uh, Matthew Judon. Um, last year you only really had, uh, Klayas Campbell, Zack Cer, and Chop Robinson. And I didn’t even factor in Zack Cer, who’s giving you 20 sacks the last two years. Um, from a sack standpoint, however, the Dolphins set a franchise record for 56 sacks in the 2023 season. Last year, they had 35. That is a 25 21 sack difference. Do you think that this defense can produce 40 sacks in 2025? Three? You said 40 sacks. 40 sacks. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think so. It it’s it’s funny because I what I was doing I was just doing some quick calculations, right? Um you mentioned the 25 sack difference between uh you know 2022 or 2023, excuse me. You said 2023, right? 2023 and 2024. That would be and so I basically did 25 shacks divided by three, right? Because I’m thinking uh Chub, Judon, and uh Phillips, right? And that’s about 8.3 sacks. I don’t I think that would be kind of a high number spec specifically for Judon. U maybe not so much for um Chub and Phillips. But then if you factor in a uptick in Chop’s uh you know sack numbers, right? Because he really came on towards the end of last year and if you know he doubles down and can do even more, I I think 40 is definitely achievable. For sure. For sure. Interesting. Now Isaiah, last year the Dolphins had 10 takeaways, I mean 16 takeaways, 10 interceptions. Now the only teams that were worse than the Miami Dolphins were the Giants, the Raiders, the Patriots, the Browns, and the Jaguars. As you know, most of those are bottom dwellers. Now, and we’re talking about a top five defense. The league has averaged takeaways of 20.5, 22.9, 22.2. 2, 22, and 20.8 over the past five seasons. That breaks down to 21.7 for average, not high, just not low. Do you think that this defense can deliver 22 takeaway turn takeaways? I I I might I might be I might have to say no to that one only because I I I just am confused where those takeaways would come from, right? Like you know if look like even though the even though the quarterback unit has improved, right? It’s still a little bit of a mystery, right? The Russell Douglas edition is good, but it’s still a little bit of a mystery. We’re going to have to see what Storm Duck and Jack Jones can do on Sunday because those are the presumed starters, right? Granted, you mentioned pressure, right? And I I do agree that pressure will help um these corners significantly, right? But do I see a group that doesn’t have Jaylen Ramsay getting more interceptions? I just I don’t know. I will say that I believe the the safety units improved on the back end for sure, but at the corner maybe. Uh I think so because I think Minka is better than both of them, better than Javon and um Jordan and and Puyer. And with how bad Puyer was, like if he if he has to be better than as long as if he doesn’t take out his own player, I think he’ll be better, you know? I think he’ll be considered better than Jordan Puyer because that was unfortunately the low light of his season, right? So, I just don’t know where the takeaways are coming from. I I maybe maybe they forced more fumbles, maybe more strip sacks that could potentially make up for, but I just don’t know because remember, if I remember correctly, Carell Dodson led them in interceptions if I believe correctly. Yes, he did. So, it that to me isn’t a good sign, right? Um, obviously he’s back. I’m sure he he’s going to be playing more. He can create more turnovers. I just don’t see them going over 20. All right. Well, those are some of Isaiah’s predictions for what my baseline expectations for the Miami Dolphins are. Now, let’s get into the prediction. We end every Friday episode with our prediction of what’s going to happen in the game. I will actually start I’m going to predict a 2417 Dolphins victory. Um I think this is going to be an opportunity for them to to to to build up a little bit of speed in the first two games of the season heading into the Buffalo uh Thursday night game. Um and I think that the Dolphins will be humming on all cylinders and hopefully they can walk out of this game without any significant injuries. Yeah, I’m definitely taking the Dolphins. Um, with the win, I’m going to go a little bit higher than you. I think I’m gonna go 3117. 31 points. That’s a lot of points. Man, I don’t have don’t have much faith in the uh in the uh everybody in the NFL right now. Everybody in the NFL right now is headed to the Super Bowl. So, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Like, I agree. I agree. everyone except the uh Dallas Cowboys are one and0. So like no, and I thought Dallas actually played pretty good. They did play very well, but that’s I mean that’s what happens when you know you’re missing the man in the middle. You know that that’s true. I mean stop spitting on people. You you won’t have to worry about that. Um on that note, look look look before we end. Did you see that Dak Prescott spit first? Did you see that? Spit on the ground. Yeah. Okay. Spinning in someone’s direction. It looked like I’m sure I’m sure Wait, I’m like I’m sure you saw that Drewuski skit with him in full white face and him spitting on the ground while when the black people walked by. Yeah, that was that same energy. Same energy to me. Hey, listen. Same energy to me. There’s a whole different ball game when you spit in my direction versus when you spit on me. You spit on me. It’s all I hear you. So, I agree. I agree with you. I don’t know what more disrespectful you could do other than spitting on somebody. Like, that’s true. But let’s not act like spitting on the ground in front of somebody isn’t disrespectful as well. That’s It’s not spitting on them though. Yeah, you’re right. It’s not spitting on them. You’re right. You’re right. You’re right. I’m like crossing the line. Spitting on them is crossing the line. On that note, uh this has been Dolphins inepth and we will see you on Monday.

The Dolphins will face the Colts without TE Darren Waller, who suffered a setback with his hip injury and was ruled out Friday. The Dolphins In Depth podcast breaks down how his absence could impact Miami and more.

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