Andrew Van Ginkel shines in Miami Dolphins win over Patriots

Andrew Van Ginkel isn't going to break the Miami Dolphins bank but he deserves more than a series of one-year deals. He proved his value last night isn't just a fluke.

AVG has been consistent throughout his career and he may very well be the best Dolphins rushing linebacker. He has a relentless push toward the QB and his game last night showed he didn't need to line up inside to do it.

With Jaelan Phillips out, Van Ginkel lined up on the edge and made his presence known. He only recorded one sack and one solo tackle but he was constantly forcing Mac Jones to play faster and the Patriots had a hard time keeping him out of the backfield.

Van Ginkel has practiced both inside and outside at linebacker this year and moved up to replace Phillips on Sunday night. His versatility is starting to show.

Miami's defense played much better on Sunday as a whole than they did the week before. There is still a lot of room to improve but they kept the running game in check for most of the night and made plays across the field.

The score was close as many expected but it never should have gotten to that point. Mishaps on offense and some incredibly odd calls against the defense kept the Patriots in the game. What should have been a 24-3 lead at one point in the 2nd half turned into a 17-10 lead that allowed the Patriots to keep it close.