September 15, 2020
The 24-hour rule. It's the golden rule; an evergreen saying in the National Football League. We've reached that point post-Dolphins-Patriots. Before we turn the page to Buffalo, let's look back at the 2020 season opener and identify some of the bright spots from the loss in New England.
Here's what's happening today in Davie.
Roster changes and injury updates
Brian Flores was asked Monday about the severity of the hamstring injury that took DeVante Parker out of the game in the second half.
"He's getting treatment and rehabbing today and tomorrow," Flores said Monday. "It's too early to tell. We'll have an update on Wednesday."
They said it
Rookie safety Brandon Jones, like a lot of Dolphins making their NFL debut Sunday, played plenty in New England. Jones was out there for 54 percent of Miami's defensive snaps (34 total) and make 10 combined tackles.
Monday, the former Texas Longhorn talked about his preparation and how that allows him to play fast, even in his first NFL game.
"Just my preparation, the type of guy I am," Jones said. "I am a firm believer in relentless effort and that's a pillar in our program. Doing whatever I can to get to the ball. The play's not dead until the whistle's dead, that's my mindset and how I'm wired. Being able to read your keys, see what you need to see and not see too much."
Austin Jackson is the third-youngest player in the NFL behind his teammate cornerback Noah Igbinoghene and Baltimore linebacker Patrick Queen. After pitching a pass protection shutout (no hits, hurries or sacks allowed, per Pro Football Focus), Jackson talked about the jump from practice to game day.
"The biggest thing I learned is probably the speed of the game picks up a little bit from practice to the actual game," Jackson said. "I guess just getting acclimated to the speed of the game and learning how to anticipate movement from the defense. That's something I learned throughout the first quarter."
Always seeking improvement, Jackson discussed how he can build on Sunday's showing.
"I expect to show up and compete every day, but there's still a lot of things I need to work on and get better at," Jackson said. "Just keep doing the things I'm doing well but keep working to get better every day."
Around the Beat
Jones wasn't the only young player to produce in his first considerable NFL workload. Myles Gaskin was a seventh-round draft pick in 2019, but only played 125 snaps as a rookie. Sunday, Gaskin registered a career-high in snaps played (39) and his second-best totals in rushing average (4.4) and pass targets (4).
Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel wrote about Gaskin's emerging role and production on Monday. Kelly notes Gaskin's work ethic, determination and relentless pursuit of improvement.
Stat of the Day
Rookie safety Brandon Jones made 10 tackles without a failed attempt. Only four other NFL players have had double-digit tackle numbers in their first NFL game since 2016: Xavien Howard, Seattle cornerback Shaquill Griffin, San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner and Pittsburgh linebacker Devin Bush.
Dolphins On Social
On this Day in Dolphins History
September 15, 2013 – The Dolphins improve to 2-0 with a second consecutive road win to kick off the 2013 season. Miami rallied for a come-from-behind 24-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill (drafted 8th overall in 2012) out-dueled the top pick of that year's draft in Andrew Luck throwing for 319 yards and a touchdown.
Know the Opponent
The Buffalo Bills make the trip next Sunday to Miami for the Dolphins home opener. It will be quarterback Josh Allen's fifth game against the Dolphins. His rookie season, Allen rushed for 230 yards in the two games against Miami. Last year, Flores' first in Miami, Allen's rushing production against Miami dropped to 88 yards in the two games. The Dolphins will need to limit the 6-5, 240-pound quarterback in addition to the multiple weapons at Allen's disposal to seize victory.
Content On Tap
Tuesday presents a handful of new Miami Dolphins content. Dolphins Today is back as Joanna wraps up the weekend.
The latest edition of the Fish Tank podcast is available. Seth and Juice welcome former Dolphins beat writer Jason Cole into the tank.
The Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield is back to recap player and coach media availability and final thoughts on Dolphins-Patriots, including The Aftermath, a detailed look inside the numbers from Sunday's game.
As always, we'll have the day's events covered in Top News.
