Dolphins’ pass rush remains among league’s worst; what numbers show. And notes by position

Notes, by position, in the wake of the Dolphins’ crushing 28-27 loss to Arizona on Sunday:

▪ Outside linebacker: Only the Atlanta Falcons have fewer sacks than the Dolphins’ nine.

And once again on Sunday, the pass rush could never get Kyler Murray to the ground.

Pro Football Focus rated rookie Chop Robinson as Miami’s next-to-worst player on defense on Sunday, ahead of only Neil Farrell, a practice squad defensive lineman who logged 11 snaps. Robinson is yet to produce a sack in his rookie season.

Robinson had three pressures but no sacks in 22 pass rushing chances. Emmanuel Ogbah had only one pressure in 19 pass rushing snaps. Tyus Bowser had no pressures in 11 pass rushing chances.Quinton Bell was active but didn’t play a defensive snap, and Mo Kamara was inactive.

So here’s the bottom line: Dolphins outside linebackers had 52 pass rushing chances on Sunday and they had four pressures and no sacks on those plays.

Against Indianapolis a week ago, Dolphins outside linebackers had 43 pass rushing chances and had only two pressures, both by Kamara.

So that’s six pressures and no sacks on the last 85 pass rushing snaps involving Dolphins outside linebackers.

In Miami’s defense, the Dolphins played two of the NFL’s most mobile and elusive quarterbacks the past two weeks -- the Colts’ Anthony Richardson and Arizona’s Murray.

The Dolphins continued to be hurt by injuries to Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb and the decision not to re-sign Andrew Van Ginkel, who has five sacks for Minnesota this season. Miami’s outside linebackers have a combined three sacks.

Chubb, who sustained a torn ACL injury on Dec. 31 against Baltimore,is not ready to begin practicing. He remains on the physically unable to perform list.

His return is “not on my immediate horizon,” coach Mike McDaniel said Monday. The coach added his injury was an “ACL plus,” suggesting another injury could be at play as well.

▪ Inside linebacker: Last week, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said that David Long Jr. and Anthony Walker likely would continue to each get snaps alongside Jordyn Brooks. Instead, Long played 64 of Miami’s 66 defensive snaps and Walker didn’t play at all on defense.

PFF rated Long Miami’s fourth-worst defender on Sunday, ahead of only cornerback Cam Smith, Robinson and Farrell.

Long was torched in pass coverage, which has been a recurring theme. Arizona targeted him eight times and all eight passes were caught, for 93 yards.

Brooks again played every snap and PFF rated him Miami’s third-best defensive player on Sunday, behind only Kendall Fuller and Calais Campbell.

▪ Safety: With Jevon Holland limited to 17 snaps because of a knee injury, Marcus Maye played 49 snaps. Jordan Poyer played all 66.

Poyer allowed one completion on two targets for 17 yards, while the only pass in Maye’s coverage area was incomplete.

McDaniel said Holland’s knee injury, sustained in Sunday’s loss to Arizona, “wasn’t serious by the measure of surgery or extended time [out]. Still a little too early to tell what it means for this week. It feels like it might be week to week. Might be a possibility for this week. Got to let the week play out with him.”

▪ Cornerback: Smith struggled in his 2024 debut, allowing all five passes thrown in his coverage area to be caught for 63 yards and a touchdown.

Ramsey, meanwhile, permitted all three passes in his coverage area to be caught, also for 63 yards and a touchdown.

Smith played 35 snaps of 66 defensive snaps. Siran Neal played two.

▪ Defensive line: While the group couldn’t produce a sack, Miami’s defenders limited Arizona to 3.2 yards per rush (26 for 82).

With Zach Sieler sidelined by a fractured orbital bone, Da’Shawn Hand started alongside Calais Campbell and Benito Jones and played 55 of Miami’s 66 defensive snaps. Campbell played 43 and Jones 44. Brandon Pili played 17 and Farrell 11.

PFF said Campbell was Miami’s second-best run defender on Sunday, behind only Ramsey.

▪ Running back: The Dolphins gave 39 snaps to De’Von Achane (who had 10 carries for 97 yards) and 30 to Raheem Mostert, who had 9 carries for just 19 yards but also two touchdowns.

Achane’s 1598 yards from scrimmage are the most ever by a Dolphins player in their first 18 NFL games.

Rookie Jaylen Wright, who leads the Dolphins in per carry average at 5.3, played only three offensive snaps and had two carries for 18 yards. The 5.3 yard average is highest among all NFL rookie running backs.

Fullback Alec Ingold played 27 snaps.

The Dolphins have run for at least 150 yards in three consecutive games for the first time since 2009.

▪ Wide receiver: For the third consecutive game, Odell Beckham Jr. played exactly 11 offensive snaps. He wasn’t thrown a pass and remains without a catch on four targets this season.

Tyreek Hill had six catches for 72 yards but was targeted just once in the second half.

Final receiver snaps, excluding Beckham: Hill 57, Waddle 56, Malik Washington 16 and Dee Eskridge 4.

Incredibly, Eskridge’s two catches for 36 yards this season are the most among any Dolphins receiver excluding Hill and Waddle.

▪ Tight end: In a significant change, Jonnu Smith led the tight ends with 43 snaps, compared with 21 for Julian Hill (who left briefly with an arm injury before returning) and 19 for Durham Smythe.

PFF said Smythe and Hill were Miami’s worst players on offense on Sunday.

▪ Offensive line: The Dolphins offensive line was excellent, paving the way for a running game that averaged 6.0 yards per rush (on 25 carries) and allowing only two pressures (one by Austin Jackson and another by Robert Jones) and one sack (permitted by Jones).

PFF says center Aaron Brewer and left guard Jones were Miami’s top run blockers on Sunday and second and third best players on offense overall, behind only Achane.