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Bills at Dolphins Defensive Snap Counts

This past Sunday, the Miami Dolphins defeated the Buffalo Bills 24-10, leveling the season series at one win apiece. On Monday, we took a look at the Dolphins' offensive snap counts, today, we take a look at the defensive snap counts.

Joel Auerbach

The Miami Dolphins officially split the season series with the Buffalo Bills following a 24-10 win in Sun Life Stadium. The Miami defense was able to hold the Bills out of the end zone until the fourth quarter, and an interception by Reshad Jones ended any chance for a Buffalo comeback.

The Dolphins were on defense for 67 snaps Sunday. Here's the breakdown, by position group:

Defensive Line

Jared Odrick

Cameron Wake

Paul Soliai

Randy Starks

55 / 67

54 / 67

35 / 67

38 / 67

82%

81%

52%

57%

Season
875 / 1044
84%

Season
836 / 1044
80%

Season
577 / 1044
55%

Season
761 / 1044
73%

Defensive Line

Tony McDaniel

Olivier Vernon

Kheeston Randall

Derrick Shelby

27 / 67

42 / 67

--- / ---

16 / 67

40%

63%

----

24%

Season
218 / 1044
21%

Season
399 / 1044
38%

Season
145 / 1044
14%

Season
212 / 1044
20%

Defensive Line

Ryan Baker
(Released after Week 2)

Andre Fluellen
(Signed before Week 3)
(Released after Week 4)

----

----

----

----

Season
3 / 217
1%

Season
14 / 289 (14 / 154)
5% (9%)


Thoughts:
Vernon played 63% of the snaps this week the most snaps of anyone not named Jared Odrick or Cameron Wake. It's good to see the team start getting Vernon into the game more often, something we will likely see next year. Part of why Vernon played as much was the scoreline, which meant the Bills were throwing more often trying to come back against the Dolphins, which, with no threat of a running game, is why Randy Starks and Paul Soliai were both below their season average.

Uspw_6874316_medium


Linebackers

Kevin Burnett

Karlos Dansby

Koa Misi

Jason Trusnik

67 / 67

67 / 67

--- / ---

9 / 67

100%

100%

----

13%

Season
1020 / 1044
98%

Season
1023 / 1044
98%

Season
523 / 1044
50%

Season
95 / 1044
9%

Linebackers

Jonathan Freeny

Austin Spitler

Josh Kaddu

--- / ---

--- / ---

1 / 67

----

----

1%

Season
14 / 1044
1%

Season
10 / 1044
1%

Season
11 / 1044 (11 / 385)
1% (3%)


Thoughts: Koa Misi was inactive for the second straight game, due to injury. It's a little surprising how few snaps Jason Trusnik played this week, but, like Starks and Soliai seeing their snaps come down on the defensive line, Trusnik may have just been the victim of the Bills having to pass the ball, and the Dolphins getting extra defensive backs into the game.

Uspw_6874914_medium


Cornerbacks

Richard Marshall
(Placed on IR before Week 10)

Sean Smith

Jimmy Wilson

Nolan Carroll

--- / ---

30 / 67

58 / 67

--- / ---

----

45%

87%

----

Season
238 / 592
40%

Season
971 / 1044
93%

Season
527 / 1044
48%

Season
641 / 1040
61%

Cornerbacks

R.J. Stanford

Bryan McCann
(Signed Before Week 10)

Dimitri Patterson
(Claimed Before Week 16)

4 / 67

33 / 67

67 / 67

23%

49%

100%

Season
136 / 1044
13%

Season
84 / 1044 (84 / 385)
8% (19%)

Season
67 / 1044 (67 / 67)
6% (100%)

Thoughts: The Dolphins cornebacks saw a starter injured for the second straight week. Nolan Carroll missed the game after last week's knee injury, and Sean Smith missed most of the game this week with a knee injury. Interesting that Dimitri Patterson not only started the game, just six days after being claimed off of waivers by the Dolphins, but that he played every single snap. With the Patriots game this week, the Dolphins will really need to get Carroll and Smith back on the field if they want to slow the New England passing game.

Uspw_6873360_medium



Safeties

Chris Clemons

Reshad Jones

Troy Nolan
(Released after Week 3)

Jonathan Amaya

67 / 67

67 / 67

----

--- / ---

100%

100%

----

----

Season
1019 / 1044
98%

Season
1038 / 1044
99%

Season
3 / 217
1%

Season
4 / 1044
0%

Safeties

Tyrone Culver
(Signed before Week 14)

--- / ---

----

Season
6 / 1044 (6 / 186)
1% 5%

Thoughts: Once Smith was out of the game, I would have expected to see Tyrone Culver get some snaps as Jimmy Wilson focused more on cornerback than playing a dime type safety, but that did not happen. Wilson played cornerback, but he also floated as a safety at time, while Culver stayed on the bench.

Uspw_6873358_medium

[Picture Credits: Cameron Wake picture courtesy Robert Mayer - USA Today Sports 12/23/12; Karlos Dansby/Kevin Burnett picture courtesy Robert Mayer - USA Today Sports 12/23/12; Sean Smith picture courtesy Steve Mitchell - USA Today Sports 12/23/12; Reshad Jones picture courtesy Steve Mitchell - USA Today Sports 12/23/12]

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