PhinManiacs Phin Phacts: Chargers at Dolphins

By: Jason Sarney

The Miami Dolphins are back at home against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at 4:05 pm EST. The Dolphins are looking for a 5-game win streak and the potential for a 6-3 start to the season, which would be Miami’s best start since 2001.

The Dolphins are 18-16 all-time against the Chargers, including a 2-2 mark in postseason games. I won’t go further and apologize.

Having said that, and not wanting to Curb Your Enthusiasm at all, which I won’t, here are your Sunday PhinManiacs Phin Phacts:

• Miami is one of the NFL’s fastest-starting teams this season. In the first half of games, the Dolphins have outscored opponents 146-82. The +64-point differential at halftime is the best in the NFL. They are unbeaten when leading at half.

 

• Miami is tied for 2nd in the NFL with 9 first-half takeaways and is 4th in points allowed at just 10.3 per game.

 

• Miami has scored at least 21 points in the first half of four consecutive games for just the second time in team history (1977).

• A total of 49 of the 52 players (94.2 pct.) are 28 years old or younger.
  

• The Dolphins have (23) players drafted in the 6th or 7th round, or not at all and UDFAs. They have (20) 1st/2nd/3rd rounders.
  

• Undrafted rookie RB, Salvon Ahmed’s 38 rushing yards were the most by a Dolphins player making his NFL debut since Jay Ajayi had 41 rushing yards in his 1st NFL game back on Nov. 8, 2015
  

• Ahmed’s 5.4 yards per carry average was the 2nd highest by a MIA RB in '20 behind RB Myles Gaskin’s 6.6 yards per carry average in Week 2 vs. Buffalo.
  

• Following Shaq Lawson's TD on Sunday, on an Emmanuel Ogbah sack, it was the first time since '17 MIA had defensive touchdowns in back-to-back games and the first time since 2000 that Miami had consecutive games with fumble returns for TDs. Jason Taylor was one and Sam Madison the other.
  

• Last week MIA went into the Arizona game facing the Cardinals #1 total offense when they averaged 419.1 yards at that point. They face a Chargers team heading into Sunday ranked 2nd with 420.0 yards of offense per game...a lot from Justin Herbert.
  

• Miami is now the 4th ranked scoring defense in the NFL after allowing 31 points the NFL's #1 total offensive yardage producing team in Kyler Murray and the Cardinals.
  

• The Difference Emmanuel Ogbah & Shaq Lawson are making: In 2019, Miami’s TEAM had 64 QB hits. That's four a game, so this pace in 8 games was 32 hits for the TEAM in 2019. In 8 games so far in 2020, numbers 90 & 91 have 25 hits by themselves, leading to 9 sacks, 4 Forced Fumbles, a FR and a TD

• The Miami Dolphins defense has not allowed a running back to rush for 100 yards in a game against them so far this year. Kyler Murray though, did put up over 100 on the ground.

 

• #11, DeVante Parker, is currently #11 on the all-time Miami Dolphins reception leaders list. He needs 13 more to surpass Randy McMichael to crack into the Top 10.

 

• Emmanuel Ogbah has 7 sacks so far in 2020, which is tied for 4th in the NFL. Already a career high.

 

• Andrew Van Ginkel leads the Miami Dolphins in Special Teams tackles. Forcing a fumble on one of the four.

 

• The Ogbah 5-game sack streak is Miami's longest since another #91 did so in 2016. Cam Wake had 7.0 sacks in that 5-game span. The same number Ogbah has now in 2020. Wake did not have a 6th straight in 2016, but he rattled off a three-game sack streak after the 5-gamer.

 

• The Miami Dolphins leader in tackles for loss this year is Elandon Roberts with 6. He is also a team captain. And an ex-patriot.

The Dolphins are ready for the second half of the season, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is 2-0 as a Miami starter.

The Dolphins did get the hit of news that wide-receiver Preston Williams is on the IR with a foot injury, which has cause speculation as to exactly how it happened, and on which foot.

It seemed from there eyes something started on an air-Williams tackle on the left foot by Arizona’s Jalen Thompson and subsequent alligator roll. I would go as far as to say a teammate had nothing to do with it.

We all wish Preston well, and in terms of who is the Next Man Up, all eyes will be on Antonio Callaway and UDFA, Kirk Merritt.

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You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman