The Miami Dolphins were trounced by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, losing 59-10 in a game that probably was not even as close as that score seems. The offensive highlights for Miami were a solid performance from DeVante Parker and a toe-tap touchdown catch from Preston Williams for his first NFL score. After that, it was pretty much an ugly day all around.
Looking back on the game, there were a couple of surprises in the starting lineup. The offensive line featured Jesse Davis at left tackle, Michael Deiter at left guard, Daniel Kilgore at center, Danny Isidora at right guard, and Julién Davenport at right tackle. Both Isidora and Davenport joined the Dolphins about a week before the game. The Dolphins listed Shaq Calhoun, who had been the starting right guard all summer, as inactive for the game.
Ryan Fitzpatrick started at quarterback, while Kalen Ballage started as the halfback and Chandler Cox took the opening snap at fullback. Durham Smythe was the starting tight end with DeVante Parker and Preston Williams as the two wide receivers on the field. Ballage starting over Drake is a little surprising, but it is the way they worked throughout training camp, even if Drake seemed to be getting the starts in the preseason games. Williams moving all the way from undrafted free agent to opening day starter - even with the trade of Kenny Stills - was a surprise. Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant, both of whom saw plenty of snaps on the day, both seemed to be ahead of Williams on the depth chart prior to the game.
The snap counts for the offense are below.
2019 Miami Dolphins Snap Counts - Offense
Player | Posn | Week 2 | Week 2 % | Season Snaps | Season Percent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Posn | Week 2 | Week 2 % | Season Snaps | Season Percent |
Offense | Total | 62 | 112 | ||
Jesse Davis | T | 62 | 100% | 112 | 100% |
Michael Deiter | G | 62 | 100% | 112 | 100% |
Daniel Kilgore | C | 62 | 100% | 112 | 100% |
Danny Isidora | G | 48 | 77% | 98 | 88% |
J'Marcus Webb | T | 62 | 100% | 62 | 55% |
Julién Davenport | T | 50 | 45% | ||
Evan Boehm | G | 14 | 23% | 14 | 13% |
Ryan Fitzpatrick | QB | 38 | 61% | 83 | 74% |
Josh Rosen | QB | 24 | 39% | 29 | 26% |
Kenyan Drake | RB | 34 | 55% | 61 | 54% |
Kalen Ballage | RB | 21 | 34% | 41 | 37% |
Mark Walton | RB | 10 | 16% | 14 | 13% |
Chandler Cox | FB | 6 | 10% | 9 | 8% |
Mike Gesicki | TE | 35 | 56% | 59 | 53% |
Durham Smythe | TE | 25 | 40% | 37 | 33% |
Nick O'Leary | TE | 14 | 23% | 34 | 30% |
DeVante Parker | WR | 57 | 92% | 95 | 85% |
Preston Williams | WR | 42 | 68% | 63 | 56% |
Jakeem Grant | WR | 38 | 61% | 58 | 52% |
Allen Hurns | WR | 28 | 45% | 53 | 47% |
Albert Wilson | WR | 6 | 5% |
The offensive line playing every snap makes sense, and that is not a position where you typically see a rotation unless an injury occurs. Fitzpatrick was pulled late in the game, with Rosen getting five snaps. At wide receiver, Parker was on the field for 76 percent of the game, while Hurns was surprisingly on the field for 70 percent of the snaps. Grant was third at the position with 60 percent of the game played, followed by Williams at 42 percent, and Wilson - who is coming back from injury this year - played just 12 percent/six snaps on the day. This will be an interesting position group to watch throughout the year as Parker and Williams both have the ability to be a “number one” receiver, but Wilson, Grant, and Hurns could all factor into the game plan as well.
Ballage got the start, but Drake saw seven more snaps, or 14 percent of the game. Either way, the running game was a non-factor, as was the Dolphins offense as a whole, for most of the game. Mark Walton saw some playing time late in the contest, and Cox was used as a fullback three times.
Smythe may have started at tight end, but he was the least used of the three players at the position. Mike Gesicki was the most playing time, on the field for 68 percent of the plays. Nick O’Leary played 20 snaps, 40 percent of the game, then Smythe was on the field for 12 plays, 24 percent.
The Dolphins will now start preparing for the New England Patriots, who they will host next Sunday. Will these snap counts change as the Dolphins look for better execution against the defending Super Bowl champions?