Miami Dolphins’ Most Valuable Player | Week Two | A depth defender dominates

Andrew Van Ginkel stepped in for the injured Jaelan Phillips and had the best game of his career.

• By
  
  Marek Brave
  
• on September 19, 2023 8:30 am

The Miami Dolphins depth was questioned by some in the media this offseason. Who would step up if one of the Dolphins’ top players were to be sidelined for a game or more? So far, Miami’s offensive line has performed very well despite the absence of All-Pro left tackle Terron Armstead. On Sunday night against the Patriots, it was the defense that needed a heroic effort from a depth piece, as young stud EDGE player Jaelan Phillips was held out with a back injury suffered in practice on Friday.

Miami Dolphins Week Two MVP – Andrew Van Ginkel

Andrew Van Ginkel — who played a majority of his snaps as a middle linebacker week one against the Los Angeles Chargers — filled in for Phillips admirably. In fact, that’s probably underselling AVG’s performance against the Patriots quite a bit. Van Ginkel was flat-out dominant on Sunday Night Football in week two.

The 28-year-old Iowa native (had to throw that in there for my fellow Fins fans from the Hawkeye state) made his presence felt all night long — totaling 6 tackles (two solo and four assists), five quarterback pressures, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one pass defensed. He also made the game-saving tackle on Patriots lineman Cole Strange after former Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki lateraled the football to the big man in an attempt to move the sticks on New England’s final drive late in the contest.

It was one of Van Ginkel’s highest graded games of his career according to Pro Football Focus — achieving a mark of 90.4.

For all of that and more, AVG gets the nod as my Most Valuable ‘Phin for week two’s victory!

Check back next week — and every week during the season — to find out who my MVP (Most Valuable ‘Phin) award goes to!

MVP TRACKER

Week One – QB Tua Tagovailoa

Week Two – EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel

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