Week 16: Dolphins vs. Saints Positional Grades

The Miami Dolphins beat the New Orleans Saints on Monday night. Here are Miami’s positional grades from the Week 16 game:

Quarterback: C+

Miami’s offensive strategy prompted Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to get the ball out early to combat the Saints frequent blitz. Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen often rushed 5-6 defenders, so the second-year signal-caller responded by quickly dumping the ball off to his running backs and slot receivers. Although the aggressive pass-rush caused Tagovailoa to rush some throws, he was primarily cautious with his decision-making.

Running Backs: D+

Miami-native Duke Johnson was not able to replicate last week’s performance against the Jets, which happened to be the best of his career. The Saints stingy run defense held Johnson to just 39 yards on 13 carries, an average of three yards per carry. Former Pro Bowler Phillip Lindsay returned to the lineup and had nearly the same statistical output as Johnson. Lindsay also had 13 carries, but registered 36 yards. Neither back had much of an effect on the passing game, as they did not register a reception.

Wide Receivers/Tight End: C

Rookie Jaylen Waddle continues to be an integral part of Miami’s offense. The speedster was targeted on over a third of the routes that he ran. The 5”9 slot receiver hauled in 10 passes for 92 yards including a touchdown from the backfield. Tight end Mike Gesicki caught three passes for 22 yards, still serving as Tagovailoa’s last-second security blanket.

Offensive Line: D+

Robert Hunt continued to be a rare bright spot on Miami’s young, inexperienced offensive line. However, second-year guard Austin Jackson struggled against Dennis Allen’s barrage of complex blitz schemes and stunts. Tagovailoa was seriously pressured over 10 times, with six of them being by defensive ends.

Defensive Line/ Linebackers: B-

Christian Wilkins continues to go above and beyond his assignment of simply being a corkscrew in the middle of the line of scrimmage. Wilkins pressured quarterback Ian Book six times, and often forced running back Alvin Kamara to bounce his runs outside, right into the arms of defensive ends Andrew Van Ginkel and Emmanuel Ogbah. Veteran leader Jerome Baker registered two sacks and was solid in coverage on the Saints tight ends and running backs.

Defensive Backs: B+

Every week Miami lives up to its label as one of the league’s best defensive backfields. Xavien Howard and Byron Jones were lethal in coverage, not allowing a reception of over 10 yards. Safety Nik Needham is normally known for displaying his physicality in the slot, but the nickel stepped up for an early pick-six.

(Featured image by Chris Graythen / Getty Images)