Miami Dolphins: 10 observations from Week 2 win vs. Ravens
Miami Dolphins Week 2 Observations:
8. Tua’s mistakes came on forced passes
It was certainly a tale of two halves, and the second is thankfully the one that will be talked about. But Tagovailoa threw two bad interceptions on the day, both earlier in the game, ones in which he forced the ball into his receivers in order to try to pick up first downs.
The first was a shorter pass to Tyreek Hill that was bobbled and picked off, and the second came on one of Tua’s first deep downfield passes, which ended up being probably his worst throw of the day. He corrected his mistakes in-game, and will hopefully learn from the throws when he sees them on tape.
9. Christian Wilkins is an impact player
Christian Wilkins came on in a big way last year by quietly having one of the best seasons of any interior defensive lineman, and he has continued that progression into 2022.
Wilkins led the team in tackles against the Ravens, finishing with 8 total, including two for losses. He had one of the best hustle plays of the day when he tracked down Lamar Jackson nearly 20 yards downfield when the rest of Miami’s defense failed to tackle him.
He along with Zach Sieler has formed one of the most underrated interior defensive lines in the NFL.
10. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are game changers, period.
It has been a long time since the Dolphins had true difference makers and game changers as a part of their offensive attack, and now they have two of them.
The addition of Tyreek Hill obviously adds a bona fide superstar to the mix in Miami, but pairing him with second-year wideout Jaylen Waddle is a recipe for disasters for defenses. Waddle was fed early and often, bookending the scoring for the Dolphins by catching their first and their last touchdown, with 9 catches in between. Hill got off to a slower start, but his two 50+ yard touchdowns gave him his highest yardage total in his last 18 regular season games played.
Waddle and Hill became the first teammates in NFL history to finish a game with 10+ catches, 150+ yards, and 2+ TDs each. The hype is real, and the Dolphins have multiple players who can break open a game with a single play. They just need the ball in their hands.