CBS4’s Steve Goldstein looks ahead to Dolphins vs. Baltimore
MIAMI – Looking for their first 2-0 start since 2018, and for just the 4th time in nearly 20 years, the Dolphins head to Baltimore a confident team.
The season-opening home divisional win over the Patriots was spearheaded by the opportunistic defense. The offense did enough in the first half. The challenge gets bigger this week on the road against the Ravens.
Repeat performance
Last season the Dolphins dominated Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Can the defense, that stifled the Patriots in week 1, deliver again, on the road this time against Baltimore?
Run run run
With New England scheming against the ground game the Dolphins couldn’t get it going in the week 1 win. Chase Edmonds was a factor in the passing gane though. But every week in the NFL truly is different and we will see about the health of the offensive tackles.
Error-free
3-0 win in the turnover battle and limiting penalties is a winning NFL formula. Mike McDaniel’s team has played this way from the start of preseason. Impressive work and they’ll have to have a similar effort to win in Baltimore.
Speed
The Dolphins registered two of the NFL’s five fastest plays in week one. Jaylen Waddle was 5th and Kion Crossen was 2nd speediest, hitting 22 miles per hour.
New era, new players
In addition, too many of the big names like Tyreek Hill, other lesser-known Dolphins made their debuts against New England.
Wide receivers Trent Sherfield and River Cracraft were both with Mike McDaniel in San Francisco and both played on opening day. Then there’s undrafted rookie Kader Kohou. He didn’t play a lot but made his presence felt in a big way.
He forced a big fumble late in the game and had a few tackles in just 18 plays.
Former first-round draft pick Noah Igbinoghene was inactive in favor of the Texas A&M Commerce alum. Add in veteran pass rusher Melvin Ingram’s touchdown on a fumble recovery and the Dolphins newcomers collectively made big contributions.
Odds and ends
Quietly, Tanner Connor is starting to practice on a limited basis.
Like Kohou, he was an undrafted free agent out of Idaho State. He ran track and joined the football team as a wide receiver.
The Dolphins saw something in him, signed Connor and moved him to tight end. He was having an excellent training camp, making plays seemingly on a daily basis and played well in the first preseason game in Tampa when he got hurt.
The Dolphins saw enough to keep him on the 53-man roster. It’s a long 17 games season plus playoffs and before it’s all said and done Tanner Connor could play a role on offense.
