December 9, 2020
Linebacker Kyle Van Noy was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. His three sacks and five tackles for loss helped limit the Bengals offense to seven points, 196 yards and 12 first downs. Yesterday on The Blitz, we covered Van Noy's career-day.
Sunday's highly anticipated matchup with the defending Super Bowl champions awaits as the Dolphins are back to work for Day 1 of Week 14 preparations. Today on The Blitz, we'll detail Miami's ultimate energy source, a first look at the Chiefs, and take you back to 2002 when former Dolphins running back Ricky Williams went off on Monday Night Football.
Here's what's happening today in Davie.
Injury Report
The first injury report for the Dolphins-Chiefs Week 14 game will be available this afternoon on Top News.
They Said It
Good defenses typically have two things – players that occupy the headlines with the splash plays and unsung heroes who routinely execute thankless jobs.
Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins falls somewhere in between those two descriptors. After all, he's got an interception, fumble recovery and a sack to his credit this year, on top of a touchdown reception in his rookie season.
Dolphins Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby shared his appreciation for both Wilkins' galvanizing personality and the plays he makes to create opportunities for his teammates.
"One thing is if you've ever been around Christian before, you know his energy level is contagious," Hobby said. "His personality is contagious. He leads by example on the field. He's an unselfish football player. He doesn't mind doing the dirty work inside. We're just happy to have him back – we say meeting room, but on Zoom. We have him at practice. He brings a lot to the table."
Around the Beat
Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is third in the NFL in receiving (1,079) and tied for first in touchdowns (13). Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald details the challenge of defending The Cheetah.
Dolphins On Social
On this Day in Dolphins History
December 9, 2002 - In a 27-9 victory over the Chicago Bears in a Monday night game at Pro Player Stadium, Ricky Williams becomes just the third player (fourth time) in NFL history to amass back-to-back 200-yard rushing games, as he runs for 216 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. He joins Hall of Famers O.J. Simpson (1973, 1976) and Earl Campbell (1980) as the only players to achieve this feat. His two-game rushing total of 444 yards is the fourth-most in NFL annals, while his 587 yards over the three-game span is third-most in league history. In the process, he breaks his own club record with his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance. It also represents his fourth straight game with a pair of rushing scores.
Stat of the Day
As Wilkins eats up double teams and sets picks as a pass rusher, he's also one of the game's most productive run-defending defensive tackles. Per ESPN’s Run Stop Win Rate statistic, Wilkins ranks sixth among his position-mates with a 42 percent RSWR.
Know the Chiefs
Monday, Nick Mullens made his 14th start for the San Francisco 49ers. The ESPN broadcast displayed a graphic showcasing Mullens' 3,610 passing yards through his first 13 starts, which is good for third-most in NFL history.
As he does in many statistical categories, Mahomes stood atop this one. His 4,207 yards are 415 yards clear of the second-place quarterback in this stat – former Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.
Content on Tap
Today, we'll take an inside look at the Dolphins-Chiefs matchup with our Week 14 preview. You can find the key matchups and scouting report on Kansas City on MiamiDolphins.com as well as Drive Time with Travis Wingfield.
Plus, we'll get the first injury report and cover the day's stories, quotes and happenings on Top News.
