Victory Monday for the Miami Dolphins: Week 1 Wrap-up

By: Jason Sarney 

The Miami Dolphins started their 2021 season off with a 17-16 road victory against the rival New England Patriots on Sunday. In the aftermath of the game, there were plenty of statistics, quotes, and fun news and nuggets as we look to close out Week 1, and prepare for a Week 2 home opener against another AFC East rival, the 0-1 Buffalo Bills.

The chance for Miami to start 2-0 in the AFC East, and place Buffalo at 0-2 in the AFC, is massive for their seasonal success.

Let's go to the notes:

-The Dolphins are 1-0 in the AFC East and 1-0 on the road. The Bill are 0-1 in the AFC and 0-1 at home. Miami has a chance to go 2-0 in the AFC East next weekend and send Buffalo to 0-2 in the AFC. Miami has 8 home games after next week’s opener.

-MIA Week 1 NE Notes: MIA is now 30-25-1 all-time in season openers & 19-16-1 all-time when opening the season on the road. MIA has won 3 of their last 4 road games since last year and has now won 3 of their last 4 games against NE. 1st time MIA has won 2 of 3 at NE since '99-00.

-MIA under Brian Flores is 1st quarter dominant. George Godsey, in his 1st official series, on the road, at NE, called a 10-play, 80-yard drive that took 5:05, capping it with a Tua walk-in TD. Godsey deserves credit today. He didn't have two if their top 3 WRs.
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-Jaylen Waddle officially had the best MIA WR debut game in MIA Team history. His 4 receptions, 61 yards and a TD, put him as the leader in this special franchise rookie category. Andre Brown, in 1989, had a similar line, but with 58 yards, and Eddie Chavis had 4-58 no TDs in 1987.​

-Between rookies and new veterans to MIA, 15 brand new Fins played for the Dolphins Sunday.

-On the strength of his 81 yards, DeVante Parker is now in the Magnificent 7 of All-Time MIA WR yardage leaders in receiving. Clayton - Duper - Moore - McDuffie - Chambers - D. Harris - Uncle DeVante He is now 9th in receptions as well.

-Sam Eguavoen recorded three quarterback hits on Mac Jones. Sam had a 4-sack game in the pre-season and apparently hasn't stopped playing since.

-Jerome Baker had a laughable O/U tackle line of 4.5 He led MIA w/ 12 tackles (8solo) on Sunday against NE. He has 323 career tackles (207 solo) in just 49 career games. He was rightfully extended in the off-season, and slowly creeping into MIA LB Lore. Slowly....but surely.

Coach Brian Flores Quotes:

-Coach Flores regarding Will Fuller: "He's got a lot of film from his time in Houston, and we had him all spring, so we have an idea of where we want to play him." he adds: "but, that's practice. We have to get timing." "Timing with the QB. Timing with the running game"

-When asked about the play-calling of Eric Studesville and George Godsey, Brian Flores said (and I'll paraphrase) There were some good drives. There were some bad drives.
 
Safety, Eric Rowe Quotes:

-"We've been preaching that since the spring, to training camp to the season. It's always 'attack the ball.' Whether it's in the air or on the ground."

-"I wouldn't say anything specific to the TEs. I know on a couple of the plays, the Jonnu (Smith) long play, we had a busted coverage." - on the Tight End coverage.

-On the DEF's sense of redemption for the BUF Game "They did kick our ass last year. We remember that. We are not taking it as a revenge game. New season, new players, new coaches." "It's a big division game, it's the 2021 season, not 2020, & we need to get on them"

DL, John Jenkins:

"We caused fumbles when we needed to cause them, we caused stops when we needed to cause them.”

OL, Jessie Davis:

-On the offensive line performance. "I think we flashed in some areas, but we have a lot to improve on. The first game you always want to get better, but we had some good moments."

-on the RPO: "I think the RPO game was a big party of our game plan going in. We got some big chunk plays."
-"I think he's done a good job - in the huddle, in the offense." "He played well”
 
RB, Myles Gaskin:
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-"I think we just came out; we did what we wanted to do. We knew what plays were going to be called and we executed."

-on MIA's first possession, running out of pistol formation "It's all the same for me, personally. Just trying to hit the holes."

-"Whatever run is called we trust the O-line that they are going to do their jobs."
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-"There's room for everybody to contribute" -Myles Gaskin on the Running Back Group and mentions Salvon Ahmed and Malcolm Brown.