Wake heads up Dolphins charge at Brady, Pats
FOXBORO — Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake has delivered several of his finest pass rushing performances against the Patriots.
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound undrafted ninth-year pro out of Penn State has played in 16 games against the Patriots with 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 29 solo tackles and eight assists.
Wake, 35, has eight sacks this season that include the pop and drop he laid on Tom Brady in the Pats’ 35-17 victory at Gillette Stadium on Nov. 26. Wake dispensed four additional hits on Brady in that game, primarily at the expense of Patriots’ reserve right tackle LaAdrian Waddle.
He will resume his assault from either side of the Miami front line when the Dolphins host the Patriots on Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
“He’s a good player and he has been doing it a long time,” said Waddle. “He is strong and he is fast and he can do a little bit of everything and that keeps you on your toes. You have to expect a couple of different things from him but he is a good player that gives it his all every play. You just got to be ready for him.”
Wake has 89.5 career sacks, the most among active players dating back to 2009 but well behind the Dolphins record of 131 held by hybrid defensive end Jason Taylor. Wake has the second most sacks by an undrafted player behind former Vikings star John Randle (137.5).
“Wake is an excellent player and he’s been that way for a lot of years,” said Pats left tackle Nate Solder. “He has great speed and great strength and one of his unique characteristics is his great flexibility. He is able to bend and get leverage on people. I have not had a lot of reps against him over the years but he does have a unique skill set because he is strong and he is also fast. He is very dynamic in the way he can adjust to the way the blockers that are trying to block him.”
Wake and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh line up on the left side and comprise one of the most dangerous inside-outside pass rushing tandems in the league. Suh has 3.5 sacks and 50.5 in his career, the second most by an interior defensive lineman since 2010.
“The hardest part is actually getting him (Suh) blocked,” said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. “He’s explosive, very strong and has a good get off and pursues well.”
Jordan Phillips is projected to start at right tackle while Andre Branch will line up opposite Solder. The two have combined for 33 tackles, five sacks and seven tackles for a loss.
“They have a lot of good players and they are physical up field players,” said Solder. “They are going to come at you and they do a lot of different things, and they are well coached.”