Miami defense gets Rey of hope
DAVIE — It’s been a long, exhausting and, at times, frustrating wait for Rey Maualuga to get onto the football field for the Miami Dolphins.
But it appears the physical linebacker is finally — FINALLY — ready to contribute to the Dolphins defense, and his timing is impeccable considering Sunday’s opponent. The Tennessee Titans feature a physical rushing attack that averages 138.8 yards per game.
Maualuga has been with the Dolphins for two months after the season-ending knee injury Raekwon McMillan suffered in the preseason opener. Maualuga was expected to inherit the starting role, proving a physical presence Miami needed to shut down rushing attacks.
However, Maualuga — who was encouraged to come out of retirement by the Dolphins — has spent the past month losing weight, improving his conditioning, getting adjusted to South Florida’s heat and humidity and then overcoming a hamstring injury.
“It’s been frustrating,” said Maualuga, who had 584 tackles, four sacks and seven interceptions in his eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. “I know they brought me here for a reason, and [I have not been] able to accomplish what they brought me here to do.”
Maualuga practiced all week with no limitations for the first time, and Mike Hull’s shoulder injury allowed Maualuga to handle the bulk of the first-team reps. That hints he might not only be playing in Sunday’s game against the Titans but could end up starting.
“I’m excited,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said on Friday. “This is probably a really good week for him to be playing.”
The Titans possess one of the NFL’s larger offensive lines and a physical smashmouth rushing attack that features DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry.
That duo gashed the Dolphins on the ground last year, gaining 235 rushing yards in a 30-17 victory over Miami last October. This season, Tennessee is averaging 5.0 rushing yards per attempt.
The Dolphins are hoping that Maualuga can help the defense continue to tighten the screws against the run. So far Miami is holding opponents to 3.1 yards per carry, and 77.7 rushing yards per game.
“Physical force is probably the best couple of adjectives I could use to describe him,” defensive end Cameron Wake said about Maualuga, who has started 104 regularseason games. “He’s obviously a veteran in the game, has a lot of wisdom, tough, hard-nose player, and I’m truly glad he’s on our side. I think this probably would be a great week to have a coming out party.”
Maualuga is coming off a career-low 27 tackles last season. His limited production was partly because he suffered a fibula injury in Cincinnati’s game against Washington. He started just six games, also a career low, and played in 14.
According to Maualuga, he’s more productive than what he’s shown recently and is excited to prove that to his teammates and Dolphins fans. So far, he’s already made a favorable impression.
“I don’t know if I want to put this out here, he might get mad at me, but ask [Mike] Pouncey about it because when we first signed him, [Pouncey] told me we played them last year and he probably hit me as hard as anybody I’ve ever been hit by,” defensive coordinator Matt Burke said when discussing Maualuga, whom he coached during their time together in Cincinnati. “He brings that element obviously with some extra beef in there in the middle.”
Maualuga, ever the optimist, is certain his fortune is about to turn.
“As long as I put my head in the books and continue to work on my craft, good things will happen,” Maualuga said.