Miami Dolphins: 10 observations from Sunday’s loss to Vikings
Miami Dolphins observations from Week 6
8. Channing Tindall and Jaelan Phillips sightings…on back-to-back plays!
Two defensive players who have been quiet for very different reasons in 2022 made their presences known against the Vikings, and on back-to-back plays, no less.
Jaelan Phillips has been getting noticeable pressure on the quarterback during the last few contests, and he was rewarded for his efforts with a half-sack of Kirk Cousins on a drive early in the second quarter. Then, the very next play, we had a Channing Tindall sighting. The rookie linebacker has played extremely sparingly in the last two games, but combined with Nik Needham for a big third-down tackle that forced a punt from the Vikings.
9. We officially have a Jason Sanders issue
After being one of the most reliable players on the Dolphins roster in 2020, Jason Sanders took a significant step back in 2021, and things haven’t gotten any better during the current campaign.
Sanders missed a crucial kick in the game against the Jets in Week 5, one that ultimately changed the momentum and allowed New York to open the scoring flood gates. On Sunday against the Vikings, he missed badly on a 52-yard attempt that could have cut the Minnesota lead down to 1 just before half-time. He was successful from 44 yards a few minutes earlier, but Sanders is now 7 for 10 on the season, not a good mark for a $22 million man who needs the ability to be relied on.
10. High snaps are still a problem
The decision to play Connor Williams at center was long debated during training camp, and he has played well overall, except for his errant snaps.
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They haven’t yet resulted in disastrous plays or turnovers, but Williams’ high snaps have been an issue with each quarterback that he has played with. The center/quarterback exchange is supposed to be the most seamless of transactions on the football field, and the Dolphins have yet to show that they can execute it cleanly. They’d better figure out how to fix the problem before it costs the team valuable points down the road.