Miami Dolphins: Offensive grades for Week 1 game vs. Patriots

Miami Dolphins Offensive Grades

Tight Ends: D+

Whatever the magic formula was that Mike McDaniel used to make George Kittle the best right end in football didn’t exactly translate to his first game as Miami’s head coach.

The Dolphins’ tight ends had a quiet day on the receiving front, as the entire unit combined to catch two passes for a total of 15 yards. One of them was to Durham Smythe which gained 14, and the franchise-tagged Mike Gesicki had the other catch for a single yard. As for their blocking, they didn’t do much to help in the mostly stagnant running game.

The writing has been on the wall for Gesicki and his usage and future with the team, but we expected more than one catch from the $10+ million dollar man.

Wide Receivers: B+

The most talented group on the Dolphins offense showed off their skills on Sunday, and yet there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Tyreek Hill was featured early and often, and finished the game with 8 catches for 94 yards. He showed off both his speed and his hands, making plays that fans in Miami aren’t used to seeing. He was used mostly on short passes and was even featured in the running game, but his usage should continue to expand as he acclimates to the team.

Jaylen Waddle was oddly quiet throughout most of the first half, but he exploded for a 42-yard touchdown just before half-time that ultimately sealed the victory for Miami. His 4 catches were well below the pace that he set last season, but there are a lot of mouths to feed on the Dolphins’ offense, though he should be one of the premier targets.

There wasn’t much production from the other wide receivers. Cedrick Wilson Jr. caught 2 balls for 20 yards, while Trent Sherfield had one catch. Erik Ezukanma was inactive for the contest.