That was Ramsey a number of days earlier than Miami beat the Dallas Cowboys at house in Week 16 to clinch a playoff spot. Ramsey didn’t find yourself tailing Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb, however Fangio might wish to rethink that technique and have his finest defender go wherever Buffalo Payments WR Stefon Diggs goes this Sunday with the division on the road.
“I’ve accomplished it a pair years in my profession lots each week, I suppose,” Fangio mentioned, per Sports Illustrated’s Omar Kelly. “However when you may have two corners that you simply suppose are fairly good, you then’re much less more likely to do it.”
The protection that has blossomed right into a top-five unit within the league since Ramsey returned in Week 8 has turn into a legal responsibility, once more. Now, the Dolphins will want tons extra battle in them from their secondary if they’ve any plans on beating the Payments.
The problem at hand is the damage to the man who often begins reverse Ramsey. The person who has the most interceptions in the league (28) since being a second-round draft alternative by Miami in 2016: Xavien Howard. The Dolphins’ longest tenured participant has been dominated out after they face Josh Allen at house.
Allen just about owns the Dolphins, who’ve some enormous selections to make on what to do with their defensive backfield. They might begin Eli Apple, who had an terrible go of it when pressed into motion towards the Baltimore Ravens, or undrafted free-agent Kader Kohou, who appears to play higher within the slot than on the surface.
The Payments focused Kohou with Diggs in a Week 4 tilt when Ramsey was nonetheless injured. Buffalo gained 48-20, and Diggs had six grabs for 120 yards and three touchdowns.
“I did not have an excellent sport. That is actually it,” Kohou mentioned, per Sports Illustrated’s Omar Kelly.
Miami additionally has Nik Needham, who suffered a torn Achilles final season and has been taking part in himself again into kind. Needham is a little more bodily with some extra size than both Apple or Kohou.
If Miami doesn’t enable Ramsey to Velcro onto Diggs, it is going to be a present to Allen and the Payments.
The Dolphins have to put on Allen down and might want to comprise him without top pass-rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, who’ve each gone down with season-ending non-contact soccer performs in current weeks. Miami’s secondary should restrict Allen’s choices and pressure him into dangerous decision-making for the Dolphins to have any likelihood at getting a victory.
Fangio will probably depart Kohou within the slot and use the veteran Apple to be a canopy nook on the surface with assist excessive. Ramsey ought to get his want to comprise Diggs. Will probably be the Dolphins defensive again unit that can determine this sport. If they’ll step up, it can pressure Allen to increase performs along with his legs, which might translate into turnovers late within the sport.
