Dolphins Show Fight, but Pass Protection Falters Against Giants

The Dolphins-Giants joint practice gave Miami a different kind of test Thursday, and this one had a little bit of everything.

There were some good moments, some things that definitely need to get cleaned up, and plenty of physical football. I thought the Giants probably had a slight edge overall, mostly because their pass rush gave Miami problems. But I also liked some of what I saw from the Dolphins.

They competed. They were physical, and when things got heated, they didn’t back down. For a young team trying to establish a different identity under Jeff Hafley, that stood out to me.

Pass Protection Tested at Dolphins-Giants Joint Practice

Miami has to be better protecting Malik Willis. I don’t think the Giants simply lined up and physically beat up Miami’s offensive line. That wasn’t what I saw, and there were some good reps in there, especially during one-on-ones.

The problem was too many breakdowns in pass protection. Sometimes a lineman got beat, and other times somebody came completely free. The communication and blitz pickup have to get better because Willis had defenders in his face way too quickly on some plays.

I did think the offensive line had some good moments in the run game. Miami didn’t control the practice on the ground, but there were plays where the Dolphins got movement and created some nice lanes. De’Von Achane found space on a toss with Will Kacmarek and DJ Herman helping lead the way, while Ollie Gordon II had a couple of runs where he showed patience and allowed things to develop.

That’s why I separate the two. I didn’t come away thinking Miami was getting pushed around physically. The bigger issue was protecting the quarterback and getting everybody on the same page against pressure.

Patrick Paul had some really good one-on-one reps against Abdul Carter, and I thought Kadyn Proctor held his own, too. Jonah Savaiinaea had a tougher day, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Jonah throughout camp. One rough practice isn’t going to suddenly change my opinion of him.

Austin Jackson struggled at times and eventually came out after getting involved in an altercation. That gave Caedan Wallace a shot with the starters, and Brian Burns went around him almost immediately. Not exactly the start Wallace was looking for with that opportunity.

Keep Watching Jacob Rodriguez

I keep coming back to Jacob Rodriguez. He made one of the best defensive plays I saw Thursday when he dropped into coverage, got his hands on a Jaxson Dart pass, tipped it to himself, and came down with the interception.

Rodriguez also showed up against the run and got pressure on a blitz, but I’m starting to notice more than just the plays. Before the late situational work, I watched him going down the line talking to the defensive linemen, dapping guys up, and getting everybody going. For a rookie linebacker, I like seeing that.

I’m not saying the linebacker competition is over. I’m not there yet. But the tide might be starting to turn a little bit. Rodriguez keeps getting first-team opportunities, and he keeps giving the coaching staff reasons to put him back out there.

Kacmarek Keeps Showing Me Something

Will Kacmarek is another rookie I keep coming away from practice talking about. On that toss to Achane, Kacmarek got into Carter while Herman helped lead the way, and Achane found plenty of room.

Seeing Kacmarek in person, the size and physicality jump out at you. I think this guy has a chance to be a real weapon as a blocker in the run game. We also saw him catch the football Thursday, and that’s important.

If Kacmarek can make those catches when the opportunities come, defenses can’t just assume Miami is running every time he’s on the field. That’s the combination that makes him interesting. He can give you that physical presence without making the offense predictable.

Chop Robinson also deserves some love. We know Chop can rush the passer, but I continue watching his work against the run. He showed up there again Thursday, and if that becomes a consistent part of his game, it gives Miami the ability to keep him on the field in more situations and gives the Dolphins a much more complete edge player, especially in a group that needs it.

I Liked the Edge

Now, about the fights. There were several. Carter and Paul had their moment, Jackson was involved in another, and there was a bigger confrontation when the Giants’ offense and Miami’s defense were working on the other field.

Obviously, I don’t need guys throwing punches and getting themselves hurt in August. There’s a line between playing with an edge and doing something that hurts your team.

But the physicality? I’ll take that.

We’ve heard enough about this Dolphins team being soft over the years. I want to see a team that competes and isn’t going to let somebody come onto its practice field and push it around. I saw some of that Thursday, and for me, that was one of the more encouraging parts of the afternoon.

The Giants’ pass rush gave Miami plenty to think about, and the offense has work to do. But that wasn’t the entire story. Miami had some success running the football, Rodriguez continues to look more comfortable, Kacmarek keeps showing what he could bring to the offense, and Chop’s improvement against the run is becoming something worth watching.

This is still a young Dolphins team, and there are going to be rough reps along the way. But you can also start to see some of the identity Hafley is trying to build—a team that plays physical, competes, and doesn’t back down.

Thursday wasn’t perfect, but I liked seeing that part of this Dolphins team starting to show.