Dolphins Stock Report (Practice 4): Dolphins offense far too generous with the football

The analytics of football claim that an offense that turns the ball over three or more times in a game virtually ensures their team will lose that contest.

So on that note, the unit that won Sunday’s Miami Dolphins practice was the defense, which takes the unofficial scorecard to 3-1 for the week, favoring the defense, which was lit up during the red zone specific day.

Red zone days are usually when the offense shines because the work starts somewhere inside the 20 yard line, so just about every pass is targeting the end zone. On some plays you’ll see back-to-back touchdown throws, and Miami had a few of those.

But on Sunday it was the defense that shined because they produced four takeaways.

Rookie edge rusher Grayson Murphy forced a bad exchange between quarterback Mike White and rookie tailback Jaylen Wright, and the defense recovered the fumble during an 11-on-11 period.

Second-year cornerback Ethan Bonner recovered a backward pass that Skylar Thompson threw unintentionally during his 11-on-11 rep.

Defensive lineman Zach Sieler deflected one of Tua Tagovailoa’s passes close to the of scrimmage, and safety Jevon Holland pulled down an interception off the deflection.

And defensive tackle Isaiah Mack intercepted a White’s pass that was intended for rookie receiver Je’Quan Burton, a former Florida Atlantic standout, and ran it back into field goal territory.

TOP PERFORMERS

Stock Up

Holland made two impactful plays in Sunday’s session. On the first he broke up a deep ball throw to De’Von Achane from Tagovailoa. While the play could have also been a drop, Holland deserves some recognition for being in position to defend the long ball. And during Miami’s 11-on-11 red zone period the three-year starter intercepted a pass Sieler tipped close to the line of scrimmage.

Chasen Hines, a former New England draftee who spent last year on Miami’s practice squad, owned his defensive linemen in every 1-on-1 rep he took. Then Hines carried that into his work in 11-on-11s, routinely burrowing open running lanes for Miami’s backs. At this point Hines might need to get a tryout with the first teamers because none of the contenders for the vacant left and right guard spots have shined.

Stock Down

Liam Eichenberg had the most embarrassing 1-on-1 rep against a defensive lineman I’ve seen in years when Da’Shawn Hand stiff armed him to the ground during their reps. Maybe Eichenberg slipped, but that one play brought back flashbacks to last year’s Eichenberg vs. Christian Wilkins reps, where the former Dolphins team captain routinely dominated Eichenberg during the first two weeks of training camp, and it cost Eichenberg a starting role, and possibly his confidence. Miami can’t afford for Eichenberg to start losing his confidence again.

White and Thompson had the first week of training camp to showcase themselves while Tagovailoa finalized his contract extension, and neither of Miami’s backup quarterbacks impressed. Sunday was another day of womp, womp quarterbacking from the two veteran, who routinely get starting playmakers cycled into their second and third team units. Miami needs to get a higher level of execution from each before this team begins joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons the week after next.

TAKEAWAY FROM THE DAY

Let’s hope the offensive line’s issues get addressed when pads come on Monday because so far, during the first four practice sessions, they have been overwhelmed by Miami’s defensive line. And these are practices where Anthony Weaver’s not bringing any exotic blitzes.

In fairness to Butch Barry’s unit, the offensive line’s working without Terron Armstead and Isaiah Wynn, two projected starters who are encased in bubble wrap because because of their durability issues, and a couple of players are cross training at different spots. But there hasn’t been a single player whose performance in the first week has raised his hand, claiming one of two vacant starting guard spots. Hopefully this unit’s struggles subside when the pads get put on Monday.

WHAT THEY SAID

“I’ve been told he went to bat for me the day that I went out and practiced. He went to bat for me with our owner. I won’t go into details about what is said,” Tagovailoa said, acknowledging that hours before his contract was agreed to on Friday evening head coach Mike McDaniel advocated for him with owner Steve Ross. “He did what I was thinking he’d do for me, and not just for me but other players.”